Commentary: Pension reform is simple
The solution to the county’s pension problem is simple, it’s just not easy to implement. Implementation will require political courage, a commodity often in short supply. The fact there is a serious problem with the county’s pension cost was acknowledged by the Board of Supervisors in 2011.
Open Mic: Is Deportation A Cause for Local Concern?
"At Corazón Healdsburg," writes Marcy Floes, "we are deeply concerned about the implications of the recent election and the potential for mass deportations. This is not an abstract issue. It’s deeply personal and acutely affects our neighbors, coworkers, classmates and friends right here in Sonoma County."
Things that seem unseemly
It seems to me unseemly that our leaders object so strenuously to the State of California wanting to charge $8 for visiting the State Beaches along our magnificent coast while at the same time saying it makes sense for the County of Sonoma to charge a $7 fee for visiting its own parks.
Snapshot: The Phenomenal Mary Ellen Pleasant
Mary Ellen Pleasant was a phenomenal woman. Born a slave in 1814, she amassed an estimated $30 million through entrepreneurship and savvy investing. Owning boarding houses, restaurants, laundries, a dairy and a money-lending business, she acquired 2,000 acres around Glen Ellen, including the famed...