Editorial

Since retiring, I have come to Arequipa, Peru, for two or three

Plenty of us like to blame the government for all sorts of

There have been a number of great letters to the editor recently including the ones from John Crevelli and Brigette Mansell. They captured the frustration of being long term Healdsburg residents and seeing our town changing negatively while the town’s leadership isn’t representing the average citizen’s concerns. Most everyone I talk to in town agrees, so I think we are in the majority.

Come journey to the antebellum south, tune your ear to the tender sounds of Bach and Beethoven, and take a cultural tour of Paris through the ages with stops in Medieval times, the Enlightenment, the Belle Epoque, and the 1920s. All of this is available here in Sonoma County with no tests, no grades and no required reading. The magic is, you don’t have to leave the area to start this journey. Sonoma State University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) program is pleased to present three of our most popular instructors this fall at our Healdsburg satellite campus, where we have served hundreds of lifelong learners since 2012. Mick Chantler, Kayleen Asbo, and Bruce Elliott are a powerful trio, often referred to as the Pied Pipers of OLLI, as our members follow them everywhere and take anything they might teach.

As an educator who has always lived in the town where I work, I’ve often struggled with being associated with any sort of alcohol consumption and the perception it might give to my students.

Local schools are welcoming back students and teachers from their summer break, which officially ended three weeks ago and we wish everyone a successful year of learning, personal growth and good health.

Not all Fourth of Julys have been as historic as this year seems to be. We stand just 10 or so generations beyond the original 1776 founding of our country and our Declaration of Independence.

When you read the text of Healdsburg’s Measure P, it’s clear that, compared to the wording of most ballot measures, YES means NO and NO means YES. Please follow on with me and come to your own conclusion.

First off, Happy New Year. I hope you were able to enjoy some well-deserved time with loved ones over the holidays.