Editorial

Healdsburg’s Russian River Railroad Bridge is the sole remaining example of a steel Subdivided Warren Truss bridge on the former line of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. Built in 1901, the bridge has three spans supported by four concrete piers, a steel deck and superstructure on both sides of a single track. What does SMART plan to do with it?

Sonoma County residents are accustomed to the risks that wildfires pose. Earlier this year, we experienced a wildfire that forced residents into the all-too-familiar position of standing by for a potential evacuation order. This is why it is so imperative that proposed development projects anticipate strained evacuation routes before bringing more congestion to our roads. The Koi Nation’s proposal to construct the Shiloh Resort and Casino ignores this responsibility.

"With Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump locked in a statistical tie as we head toward the national election, the truth is clear: Every vote counts. And this year, it’s not just about choosing a candidate; it’s about choosing democracy itself." - Weekly Staff

"The work of Healdsburg’s city staff is inherently apolitical, but staying above the fray can be a challenge during a contentious election season like the one we are all enduring. I’ve worked through a lot of elections, but the tone of this one—both locally and nationally—has at times been discouraging..." So writes Healdsburg City Manager Jeff Kay in this opinion column...

By Shaun McCaffery It seems everyone in Healdsburg knows someone who grew up here or works here but is struggling to make ends meet because of the incredibly high price of housing. For 24 years we haven’t been able to keep up with our housing...

Measure O, which will be on the Nov. 5 ballot, would ease restrictions on new housing construction imposed by Healdsburg’s Growth Management Ordinance (GMO) by creating zones of exclusion from the GMO. But that’s not the whole story...

Ariel Kelley attended the DNC last week, and found the current political excitement possible not only because of the Harris-Walz campaign and the Democratic Convention—"to me it’s actually about something so much bigger than a few days in Chicago," she wrote....

The State Legislature is currently considering two bills that would place the bond measure on the ballot. Should it pass, the bond would represent the largest voter-approved climate investment in U.S. history, with at least 40% of the funds directed toward the most vulnerable communities....

"We have finalized a ballot measure for Healdsburg’s voters that encourages housing that is best suited to Healdsburg’s workers," writes Councilmember Chris Herrod, "near the city center, close to transportation and jobs, and where higher density units make the most sense, both cosmetically and economically (and in accord with our climate goals)..."

"I was born in Richmond, Virginia, to Virginia Edwards, teacher and daughter of a woman who picked cotton and cleaned homes to put her and her brother through college..."