Editorial

Ending the Healdsburg Growth Management Ordinance (GMO) has been promoted with the argument that reduction of regulatory limitations on building market-rate housing will increase the number of affordable housing units available.

Healdsburg Charter School (HCS) opened in August 2011, after extensive visioning and community involvement, and has become a thriving school with a waiting list at each grade level. The school is housed at two sites, with K-2 students at Healdsburg Elementary School and grades 3-5 at Fitch Mountain Campus.

As your elected Representative here in Sonoma County, my highest priority is to make sure that your priorities are my priorities; and that I conduct my work in a transparent arena for you all to help me develop plans and hold me accountable for delivering.

Local law enforcement leaders oppose Proposition 47. Although well intended, its consequences will not be as advertised.  The proposition promises to channel funds from prisons to schools and rehabilitative programs by reducing many crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. However, what we’re not hearing in pro Prop 47 arguments is that many successful programs currently exist for offenders that Prop 47 would negatively impact. In Sonoma County we have an extensive diversion program for drug offenders, and specialized courts to address drug and alcohol addiction.  By reducing these crimes to misdemeanors, the incentive to combat these addictions is replaced by a revolving door at the jail.  Worse yet, date rape drugs will be reduced to misdemeanor crimes.  

Unless you’ve been closely following Sonoma County happenings, you may not be aware that another local, iconic bridge, the 1915, Parker-through-truss, Lambert Bridge, is in jeopardy of being removed from service. Like our Healdsburg Memorial Bridge, until recently, this bridge had a Caltrans reported structural Inventory Rating (a rating used for federal funding purposes) of zero tons. Its Sufficiency Rating is 4.8 compared to our Memorial Bridge’s Rating of 2 on a scale of 0 to 100. In June of 2013, I became aware of this threat and corresponded with our County Supervisor, Mike McGuire.

There’s a lot of focus on teaching kids about bullying. There are laws against bullying. No name-calling weeks in schools. We urge kids not to be intimidated.

— Rollie Atkinson

On December 2, President Barack Obama announced his plan to send

Our California drought is a tangle of mathematics problems. And, so far, it doesn’t look like the numbers are adding up. Facing our worst drought in 120 years, we know the severe lack of rain will require a lot of subtraction and sacrifice. This math test is no longer optional. Last week, Gov. Brown made it mandatory and we all have to save a minimum of 25 percent over previous rates of water usage.