Columns

It’s the end of the year and time to look back at the 2017 cannabis world in Sonoma County. More marijuana was grown and harvested here than ever before, even after calculating the marijuana lost either directly or indirectly to the October fires. At a large grow site near Kenwood, fire burned greenhouses and marijuana; the owners wasted no time rebuilding and replanting.

Once upon a time, real trees were cut for warmth, shipbuilding, utensil making and various sundry things. And once upon a time not so long ago, Christmas trees did not appear until December. Now, trees can be pulled from a box or seemingly created...

Ahhhhh. The sweet smell of petrichor last week was a welcome joy. Petrichor? Yes, petrichor: the pleasant, earthy odor that follows gentle rain after a dry spell. Cool word, isn’t it? Pictured above are a few drops highlighting the Crocosmia crocosmilflora, or Coppertips Montbretia....

Recently, without intending to, I’m sure, the Attorney General of the United States generated a teaching moment on the improper use of Holy Scripture. He spoke in favor of our government’s policy toward immigrants and asylum-seekers, which included taking young children from their parents and not saying where they were being held.

Our “shelter in place” and declared public health emergency started here the day after all of Ireland canceled St. Patrick’s Day festivities on March 17. That cultural shock alone was enough to let us know this virus pandemic and economic disaster would be bringing permanent life-changes to all of us.

Hello, Healdsburg! With just over two months under my belt as Healdsburg’s new city manager (and your newest neighbor), I’m happy to share that what I have learned about the community so far has been overwhelmingly positive and impressive. In the months to come, I plan to use this space to provide updates about the work of your city government. This month, however, it may be helpful to introduce myself and share some of my initial impressions of Healdsburg.

Less than a month ago, I attended an hour-long panel, “Tips for Making Money in the Newly Regulated Market,” that took place at the Emerald Cup in Santa Rosa.

On Friday my husband and I went to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that was visiting Windsor.   A three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D. C., The Wall That Heals is dedicated to bringing awareness and education about the...