Editorial

The condition of many of Sonoma County’s roads and streets is deplorable. Almost two-thirds of county roads are poor (pavement condition index 25-49, on a scale of 100) or failed (PCI below 25). This is a huge problem in West County, because it has more roads in terrible condition than any other region of Sonoma County. Crumbling roads cost motorists $800 per year in worn or flat tires, bent rims, ruined suspensions and lousy gas mileage.

—Rollie Atkinson

Unsafe Sebastopol

Congrats to Big John’s

Summer will soon be upon us. Though spring cleaning gets us all ready for the summer season, pool and spa owners face a special set of cleaning and maintenance tasks. Improper discharge of pool/spa water and the chemicals in it into streets or storm drains can have an impact on streams and rivers. The following steps can help keep your pool or spa clean and functioning for recreational use without harming the environment:  

When the first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, Sonoma County was a very different landscape with a very sick Russian River, a deadened Laguna, lead-spewing automobiles, tons of highway litter and a county land use map poised for massive suburban sprawl from Petaluma to Geyserville.

The March 24 commentary “Housing Solutions” by Healdsburg Mayor Tom Chambers provided an incomplete picture of the City of Healdsburg’s efforts to dramatically change the Growth Management Ordinance (GMO) that voters passed in 2000.