Commentary: Sonoma County defies wildfire public safety standards
While many Sonoma County residents feel wildland fire fatigue, we should embrace some hard facts about the underlying factors that have contributed to the situation. California, our county, the nature of the wildland-urban interface, climate change and human factors have led us to a critical and troubling wake up call. Decisions about fire safe roads and development in high fire risk areas are being made at the state and county levels that will determine our future.
Flashbacks: A look back at local history
The following snippets of history are drawn from the pages of the Healdsburg Tribune, the Healdsburg Enterprise and the Sotoyome Scimitar, and are prepared by the volunteers at the Healdsburg Museum & Historical Society. Admission is always free at the museum, open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Nothing Gained From ‘Daylight Savings’
Over the last month, Sonoma hasn’t experienced the sunshine that Californians are used to.
With day after day of rain, it was especially uplifting to look out the window to sun beams backlighting this orchid, turning petals translucent purples and leaves light and dark contrasts...
Old school and new school
The other day, I learned heaps from Jamie Evans, a lively cannabis educator and an innovative cannabis cook, who will speak at the third annual Wine & Weed Symposium in August. (wine-weed.com/nc/) Evans isn’t just cooped up in a kitchen or at one of the many cannabis events she produces. She gets out and about and into fields.
Moving beyond combustion
When we first read about the goal for Sonoma County to see 138,000 new electric vehicles (EVs) replace gas-powered cars by the year 2030, we chortled in disbelief. We wondered about how realistic the Center for Climate Protection was being in its new “Beyond Combustion” white paper on the county’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent below 1990 levels.
Commentary: Appeal of Westside Farm project Aug. 14
Next Tuesday, Aug. 14, at 1 p.m. the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will hear the Westside Farms proposal for a winery, hospitality facilities and 22 events at 7097 Westside Road, Healdsburg. This is a decision-making hearing where the supervisors can approve, approve with changes, or deny this project plan and inform the applicant as to the changes needed.
