Editorial

In December, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved a $15 per hour living-wage ordinance. The legislation will increase wages for approximately 1,200 workers employed by the county and large county contractors — including park aids, animal care, security, janitorial, landscape, mental health, recycling and other low-wage workers.

My wife and I have been Healdsburg residents since 1990 and raised two children here. Measure R is an obsessive political ideological convoluted, manipulated, and a monstrously complex failure waiting to happen. Measure R is not a modification of the GMO, it is a complete political takeover for massive pro-growth and as presented will destroy the faint resemblance of small town charm and community forever. It will be the biggest disaster in Healdsburg’s history.

Today in Healdsburg, too many locals can no longer afford a place to live. The promise of the American Dream remains elusive for all but the few, in a system that seems rigged toward the top.

It was not too long ago that I listened intently to updates of the Lake County fire.

With this week’s issue of The Healdsburg Tribune we announce a change at the top of our masthead. At the same time, we are letting our readers know not to expect changes anytime soon in how we gather, write and report the local news.

Living in the Russian River Watershed is a gardener’s dream come true. However, with California in its fourth year of drought, it is increasingly important that community members act collectively to decrease landscape water usage. Planting low water-use plants at our homes and businesses is one way we can reduce our impacts on this vital resource.

Farmlands are home to abundant wildlife. Far beyond the planted