Editorial

Editor’s note – As we celebrate our 150th year of publishing, the Healdsburg Tribune seeks to balance a reverence for the past, a keen eye on the present and a healthy curiosity about the future. Occasionally, a forward-thinking reader sends us what we like to call “A letter from the future,” examining present-day Healdsburg from an imagined perspective of the future. Jay Beckwith submitted this thoughtful and interesting essay.

Did I read it someplace, or did I just dream it? At this stage of life it’s sometimes hard to tell the difference, but somehow I got the impression that older people are now forming virtual retirement villages. These villages exist on the Internet by means of social media, I believe.

It is Wednesday, September, 17, 2014, I’m writing from Room 111B at Healdsburg District Hospital (HDH). My room overlooks a lovely courtyard, for which I am most grateful as I recover from my right knee replacement by Drs. Tomasin and Rose.

If we must say so ourselves — and why shouldn’t we? — the citizens of Healdsburg are one of the proudest and most generous communities to be found anywhere. We cherish our traditions as we also expand our horizons and meet all kinds of challenges with a stalwart blend of conviction and compassion. Healdsburg is home to good folks with big hearts.

In celebration of National Pollution Prevention Week, Sept. 16 to 20, the Russian River Watershed Association and the City of Petaluma are once again sponsoring the Safe Medicine Disposal Round-Up Week.

As one of two new Co-Chairs of the Board of the Healdsburg Animal Shelter, I want to take this opportunity to update the community regarding the new Shelter facility and outline a path forward toward its completion in the short-term. Further, I do so not in an effort to point fingers at any of the parties involved to date, but rather to move as quickly as possible to finish what will be an extraordinary facility. Our very achievable goal is that the new facility will continue to serve the many animals in need that have been so well provided for by the existing Shelter and operate to the highest standard possible utilizing the best practices in modern day animal care.

July 1 — today— marks both the halfway mark through the current

“May you live in interesting times” is an ancient curse that has

The physical landscape and human culture of Sonoma County is a multi-layered tapestry of many ethnic paths, heritages and contributions. But if we were to only celebrate one perhaps it should be Latinos and Hispanics, as we now seek to do with National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

Although a lot of Fitch Mountain is not in Healdsburg’s city limits it has long been considered a Healdsburg community. The Fitch Mountain Association just had its annual potluck meeting at the Villa and several items of local interest were discussed.