Extra school work, reminders
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.
The Scout Oath
As Scoutmaster of Healdsburg Troop 21, I’m compelled to respond to the recent statements from the press and members of the community regarding the 4Cs preschool departure. I write this with the hope that despite the inaccurate depiction given in recent articles, Healdsburg’s Troop 21 continues its role in community service, promoting youth leadership and skills development. A reader wrote in last week’s Tribune, “What about the Oath?” I’m happy that she asked about Scouting principles like the Oath and Law.
It’s what we wished for
Two decades ago, lots of Sonoma County winemakers and innkeepers were jealous over the attention heaped on their counterparts in Napa Valley, but they swore they’d never actually want to be another Napa or another wine country version of Disneyland. Back then, Sonoma’s wine and hospitality people would chortle, “Sonoma’s for wine, Napa is for auto parts.”
Housing
The City of Healdsburg, like many communities throughout our state, is facing a number of housing related challenges. These challenges have been exacerbated in Healdsburg due to the recent recession, elimination of redevelopment funds by the state and many have argued the limitations of the growth management ordinance, which inadvertently has curtailed construction of new market rate, multi-family units for sale or rental units. This has all become much more personal and painful for our community over the past two months, with the news of families being evicted from their apartments as well as reported rent increases. While it seems like a perfect storm of housing issues, the city has been working for some time to address these issues with short, mid and long-term approaches in mind.
