Grateful for the Grateful Dead
Bob Weir took to the road and toured for 60 years. On Jan. 10, 2026, he passed into the land of the bands he founded: the Grateful Dead, the Dead and Dead & Company. He left a legacy of heartful music going beyond hit songs measured in gold records...
That was the year that was
A dramatic sunset closing out 2025 seems appropriate for a year full of world-changing events. That was the year that was, according to Pierre Ratte.
Gather ’round the TV and embrace the season
The holidays have a way of turning TV’s into modern fireside hearths. Folks settle in, families linger and embrace sports’ entertainment.
Snapshot: ‘No-rehearsal’ Christmas pageant
“In Hoc Anno Domini” is the title a Vermont Royster 1949 editorial in the Wall Street Journal. The WSJ reprints his editorial every year, such is the clarity of its prose and power of its message.
Snapshot: Big Sur’s sunny winter weather
It’s mindblowing that Sonoma County is buried under a marine layer for weeks while the coast from Bodega Bay to Big Sur is sunny. Big Sur is having a spectacular streak of sunshine: no rain, no fog, no wind. Yeah, I know. Big Sur...
Snapshot: Taking it to extremes
The guys and gals from Xtreme Xperience came to Sonoma Raceway last Sunday with 14 supercars, including: a Nissan GT-R, a Corvette Z06 and various Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches, including this 718 Cayman GT4 RS in the photo above.
Snapshot: Talkin’ turkey—mushrooms
Talkin’ turkey here. Nope, not Thanksgiving turkey. Turkey tail mushrooms. It’s mushrooming season in Sonoma County. When the weather turns cold and damp, fog rolls in and rain falls, and mushrooms’ fruiting bodies pop up.
Thanksgiving, open roads and a dog’s life
Border collies, like Gus in the photo with this column, are recognized as a smart breed with exceptional stamina, capable of learning over 500 words and running 30 miles. Border collies appear in the movies Babe and Mad Max: Fury Road, which grossed $254 million and $368 million, respectively.
A symbol of unity, division and shared history
Veterans Day occurs on Nov. 11. It was originally conceived as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. The holiday’s name changed in 1954 to honor all...
Snapshot: Showy Shohei in playoff game
Like many other baseball fans, Pierre Ratte was impressed by Shohei Otani's performance in the final game of the National League championship game.
Arts & Entertainment
‘Angels’ lands at Raven Performing Arts
:Every Sunday matinee we do a post-show discussion with the audience, so they get a chance to make comments and ask questions of the actors. We saw there were a lot of people who were quite moved and quite touched by the play. So the opening weekend could not have gone better, as far as I’m concerned," said director Steven David Martin.
