Wine, weed, water and us
Sonoma County and its residents have become victims of too many cumulative impacts. We have backroads with too many wineries and valleys with not enough water. We’ve had tons of illegal cannabis for decades and are now fighting to figure out how to make it legal and grow it in the right places. Farmers need lawyers and land use consultants just to plant a crop or plow a hillside. We’ve had a generation-long debate about preserving our rural character but we can’t even agree on what the term exactly means.
Recalls past and present
History has proven that recall elections are one of the worst facets of our representative democracy. They are almost always misdirected, often full of vengeful emotions, very costly, and, almost always ineffective. It may be a very good thing that most recall election attempts never make it to a ballot. California has had 179 attempted recall elections in the last 100 years. Only 11 have qualified for a ballot and, of those, only six have been successful, the last one notably in 2003 when Gray Davis was recalled from his governor’s post.
Youth and alcohol
As an educator who has always lived in the town where I work, I’ve often struggled with being associated with any sort of alcohol consumption and the perception it might give to my students.
The citizens’ ballot?
Bamboozled, hoodwinked and screwed. We, the voters of California, are being set up for a monumental miscarriage of democracy when we go to vote in the Nov. 8 General Election. It’s challenging enough that the ballot contains 17 statewide propositions, the longest ballot in state history. But the real problem lies in the obscure text and the felonious pro and con arguments attached to each question.
Filling a gap in our community
As our cold, wet winter continues, we feel blessed to be out of the six year drought, but also bruised by the damage and harm caused by our recent flood waters. As those Russian River waters climbed, we as a community responded to those in need; once again showing that Northern Sonoma County is a community of compassion, care and action.
Head Start For Housing
If the people of Healdsburg truly want their children, young families and local workers to be able to rent and buy homes here, then it is time for new initiatives, real action and bigger efforts.
Arts & Entertainment
New Year’s Eve dining ideas
Is there such a thing as “the most coveted New Year’s Eve party in Healdsburg”? According to the Quinn Public Relations firm, there is—and it’s at the new Appellation Healdsburg. Considering it only opened for business in September, that’s quite an accomplishment.















