Letters to the Editor

Safe and sane holiday
Editor:   
City Manager Paul Cayler has brought me up-to-date on official reports received on the City’s Police and Fire Departments’ July 4th fireworks activity and I’d like to share the good news that, as Paul says, shows that “planning and p.r. paid off”.  
To summarize Police Chief Tuma’s and Fire Chief Jenkins’ reports: there were “zero” fireworks related calls for the Fire Department and no confiscations of illegal fireworks; regular and volunteer patrols all around town and two suspects cited for illegal fireworks on the 4th (one was a citizen’s arrest by a leader in the Lions!)           
I appreciate this opportunity to thank Paul along with our Chiefs of Police and Fire, Assistant C.M. Massey, key representatives of the Lions Club, the VFW, and their vendor, plus Harry Martin and other members of the public who (along with me as Chair) attended meetings and gave valuable input during our first-ever Fireworks Ad Hoc Committee team’s year-long, drought-conscious efforts to increase citywide safety through increased planning including volunteer patrols and wide distribution of essential information to adults and kids alike, including on the greatly heightened dangers of illegal fireworks.
Early implementation of the City’s weed abatement project was also an important contributing factor to our safe holiday thanks to the work of members of the Joint City/Cloverdale Fire District Sub-Committee including Council Members Joe Palla and Mike Maacks, City Attorney Jose Sanchez, Fire Chief Jenkins, and former City staffer Rob Bartoli. Reminding landowners of the need for preventative mowing certainly contributed to the successful outcome as did the overwhelmingly prompt compliance.
A heartfelt “Thank you!”, also, to everyone in Cloverdale and to our visitors all of whom helped create our “Safe and Sane” holiday celebration.
 Carol Russell, Mayor City of Cloverdale
A wonderful evening
Editor:   
Although I have lived in Healdsburg for over 40 years, our family has spent the last 20 years on the 4th of July in Cloverdale.
I think this year’s fireworks were nothing short of spectacular!
Thank you Cloverdale for a wonderful evening.
Taddi Aguilera, Healdsburg
Something magical happened
Editor:   
Last Thursday night something new and magical happened in Cloverdale. Thanks to the support of the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center (CPAC), an audience was treated to an evening of live literary talent, hearing soulful poetry from Sonoma County Poet Laureate Katherine Hastings and a charming tale from novelist Gil Mansergh.
This was the first event of a new, free series called Books on Stage. It came about because CPAC wanted to expand their outreach, to use their wonderful 99-seat theater in new and different ways. Because I am a writer who also happens to love words spoken aloud, I proposed this experiment. I am thrilled to say that the CPAC board embraced it completely, willing to take the risk on this entirely untried venture.
Board member Dobie Edmunds became my liaison and helped me realize my plan: a program of a poet and a prose writer, every other month on a Thursday evening, with time for questions and answers. Afterwards, a reception for conversation with the authors, book sales and signings.
As with any new idea, you’re never sure it will work. So last week, Dobie and I were ecstatic when not only did people come, but they listened, they laughed, they asked probing questions, they bought books – and had a great time.
A huge thank you to the CPAC board for allowing us to go forward with this.  Thanks also to Jude Gibson for serving as house manager, Andrew Smith for providing sound and lighting support, and artistic director Jim de Priest for making sure everything ran smoothly.
For all of you who missed it – there is a seat waiting for you at the next reading. That will be on Sept. 4, when I will be reading my poetry, and Amanda McTigue will be our fiction reader.
Come listen, and be carried away!
Michelle Wing, Cloverdale