Columns

This Labor Day is unlike any other we can remember in our lifetime. There is more labor to be done than there are willing workers. It seems there is a “help wanted” sign hanging on almost every other door or store window we pass. The biggest concern for local grape growers as the 2017 harvest begins is finding enough workers to pick their crops. With the official unemployment rate at 3.9 percent, this Labor Day in Sonoma County will be marked in stark contrast to recent Labor Days that were marred by a recession when the local unemployment rate hit a high of just over 11 percent.

The Zucchini Festival takes place Sept. 14 at the Healdsburg Farmers Market: zucchini decorating competitions, giant zucchini contests and zucchini car races. It is such a blast to be a part of and/or to watch.

Approaching the one-year mark since the devastating October fires, I am practicing gratitude. Only last week did I have the heart to venture back to Deer Trail Road.

Earlier this year, the city of Healdsburg embarked on the public engagement and outreach process for its next five-year plan, the 2020-25 Strategic Plan.  Our 2020-25 Strategic Plan is intended to provide a road map that helps city leaders develop a vision for the future.  A strategic plan helps us determine the priorities, procedures and operations to achieve that vision, as well as create consensus on expectations and provide guidelines on how to use our limited resources.

Facing the opioid crisis