Commentary: Living on the front lines of the climate emergency
It’s been a couple of decades since we started hearing about how climate change would impact the planet and hence, the creatures living on it. Ice would melt, seas would rise and extreme weather would get more extreme: hotter, colder, windier, wetter, dryer.
IDlewood 3: Healdsburg rings in the holidays
Winter greetings and goodwill to all Healdsburgers. “IDlewood 3” was the town’s original telephone exchange and now “Hedda Healdsburg” wants to know all! Please send your newsy items to me in care of The Healdsburg Tribune.
Our extremes are normal
Sonoma County may be a land of bounty and beauty, wine and luxury, but it is also a place of wild extremes. Most of the time we shield ourselves from these extremes with our modern appliances, Golden State infrastructure and accumulated wealth. But lately, our extremes have become so extreme that we not only can’t ignore them, but we are now struggling to endure them.
Commentary: The bioretention geek
Ukiah, the city I work in, recently renovated the entire downtown area with new sidewalks, paved road, and all new trees with planter areas. In full transparency, I was involved in aspects of the planning of this project but not the design. When a co-worker of mine made a criticism regarding the new planters at all the street corners, I was excited to actually have some rare insight that I felt was useful in a nerdy sort of way. He complained that the contractor left the planter areas several inches too shallow and made an opening in the curb which will likely flood and dump garbage and dirty water around the new plants just put in. “Exactly the point!” was my response which only made him more confused, and as I presume, makes him not the only one. Let me geek out with you in a science meets nature sort of way.
Healdsburg Flashbacks
The following snippets of history are drawn from the pages of the Healdsburg Tribune, the Healdsburg Enterprise and the Sotoyome Scimitar, and are prepared by the volunteers at the Healdsburg Museum & Historical Society. Admission is always free at the museum, open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Flashbacks
The following snippets of history are drawn from the pages of the Healdsburg Tribune, the Healdsburg Enterprise and the Sotoyome Scimitar, and are prepared by the volunteers at the Healdsburg Museum & Historical Society. Admission is always free at the museum, open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Supporting survivors of sexual violence
April was Sexual Assault Awareness Month and in Sonoma County the topic was front page news for all the wrong reasons. Various local government agencies adopted resolutions affirming their support for survivors and increased awareness. But the positive proclamations were blunted by breaking news where the current town of Windsor mayor and a recent Sebastopol mayor were accused of multiple sexual assaults. One was arrested and booked into jail and the other incident has torn the town of Windsor into bitter and upsetting divides. Hundreds of past sexual assault victims have had to relive their horrors and pains through days other communities might have been celebrating positive educational and awareness programs and events.
Market Report: The market and you
Are you a farmers market shopper? I’m guessing many of you reading this are regulars, but maybe some of you are a “when friends or family are in town” kind of attendee and some have never been. If you do shop at the market, when did you first discover it and when did you decide that farmers markets were a viable and desirable shopping option?
