Letters: Sept. 10, 2025
"Every local government is unique in the range of services it provides and how those services are delivered," writes the city's Finance Director. "For example, while both Healdsburg and Petaluma provide police, fire, water and sewer services, Sonoma does not. Additionally, Healdsburg is the only one of the three that provides electric services... These differences among many factors influence the total size of the city budgets and lead to inaccurate comparisons if not considered."
Liking the Look of Lace Lichen
Last week’s column mistakenly identified California Spanish moss as Spanish moss. Oops—apologies.
What commonly hangs from trees in Sonoma is lace lichen (Ramalina menziesii), officially designated the state lichen by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2016. Lace lichen, also called fishnet lichen, is mistaken for Spanish...
Harvest: A summer in Healdsburg
This summer has been a season of light and abundance, a time when the land seems to glow from within. From the golden haze over vineyard rows to the bustle of the Saturday Farmers’ Market, I’ve been behind the camera capturing the faces, fields and kitchens that tell Healdsburg’s story...
Loss of net neutrality
In a penultimate battle over political might and cultural correctness, the soon-to-be former United States of America chose its first female president. She was the daughter of a reality TV star, himself a former president. She represented the Inner Party against another woman candidate of the Outer Party.
But I Digress: What’s new with you?
Everyone gets so excited about a new year, but really is all that pep, vigor and exhilaration (I got a new thesaurus for Christmas!) justified?
Arts & Entertainment
Return to the Russian River
When Jake Messing stood in front of the mural he had just completed for Russian Riverkeeper on the north side of the nonprofit’s headquarters at 139 Healdsburg Ave., he had finished more than another mural. He had made a return to the source from the sea himself, like the salmon he portrayed.
