Columns

It could be said that we will best remember the year of 2018 as “the year after.” After all, this was the year that followed the historic wildfires of 2017 in Sonoma County. And this was the first full year of legal cannabis in California, following the Jan. 1 implementation of the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA). This was also the year that followed the undeniable realization here that we are facing a monumental affordable housing shortage. What happens next in 2019 is likely to follow the same course of news, events and public discussions, also mostly about wildfire rebuilding efforts, evolving cannabis laws and our housing and affordable household income struggles. 

This winter, the library is teeming with activity as always. In addition to our regularly scheduled programming, we are also offering a few new fun and creative opportunities for our beloved community.

Looking for a lost pet or a new four-legged friend? See the list of incoming strays and the selection of cats and dogs available for adoption from the Healdsburg Center for Animals.

Let us ring in the new year with goodwill. Thank you to all in the ‘Burg who step up quietly to aid their fellow citizens (and animals) in our community. Please keep sending info to IDlewood 3…” at [email protected]. “Hedda Healdsburg” wants to know all. See you in 2019.

One of the many cool benefits of living with teenagers is the opportunity to self reflect as a person. Meaning, when one of my teens is going through a bump I tend to try to put myself back in their shoes as my rebellious, crazy 16-year-old self. I figure if I can offer up advice that might seem relevant, I will try my hardest. If I can relate, I can lessen their pain and sadness. Always a Mama Bear’s job, I suppose, to bring in light when there is darkness.

Out of concern for continued deficit spending, the Board of Education began a process last year to look deeply at the Windsor Unified School District budget. The way we (along with CA public school district) are funded (often with one-time money that cannot be used for ongoing costs) and the increasing costs to school district (largely due to required pension and healthcare cost increases) has us spending more than we are bringing in. Decisions are being made to keep WUSD solvent while continuing to provide quality programs for our students.

The following snippets of history are compiled by volunteers of the Windsor Museum & Historical Society. The museum is open, free to the public, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment. The museum is located in the historic Hembree House at 9225 Foxwood Drive. Learn more about Windsor history at windsorhistory.org.

TIME magazine’s ‘Person of the Year’ for 2018 is a group of imprisoned and slain journalists. The selection honors journalists as “guardians of the truth.” Besides being slain and jailed, journalists everywhere now face toughening challenges to investigate, report and defend the truth. This is true in oppressive non-democratic countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia, Myanmar and it is true right here where economic factors are eliminating journalist’s jobs and where our president calls journalists “enemies of the people.”

Looking for a lost pet or a new four-legged friend? See the list of incoming strays and the selection of cats and dogs available for adoption from the Healdsburg Center for Animals.

The holiday season is in full swing, which can be a mixed bag because all that holiday cheer costs time and money that most of us don’t have, but even the Scroogiest person has to admit, there’s something magical about it all coming together.