Deadline nears for fire relief funds through La Luz Center

A Fire Relief Financial Assistance Program funded by Redwood Credit Union is being offered at La Luz Center, with financial assistance available to Sonoma County families and individuals impacted by the North Bay fires, through January 3, 2018. New applications for appointments will be taken... Continue

What does the Amazon/Whole Foods deal mean for local food producers?

Since Amazon acquired Whole Foods for $13.7 billion in August, small, regional food producers have been asking questions about how the online retail giant will incorporate the supermarket chain into its business. Recent moves to centralize the decisions about product assortment—as well as changes... Continue

Grateful in Glen Ellen

My husband and I are fairly new to Sonoma County, we purchased the most beautiful retirement home in July in Glen Ellen. We were enjoying the wine country life, settling in, making friends and having visitors. On that fateful October day we had such fun... Continue

Rejuvenated by fire

From the Sonoma Ecology Center: All around the Valley now, we’re seeing new sprouts from the branches and roots of fire-scarred oaks, madrones, toyons, and coyote brush. Grasses have transformed blackened ground to bright kelly green. (The photo above shows beargrass rising from its roots... Continue

Authoritarianism in America: The view from 2050

"Many consider the elevation of Voice of America (VoA) to the status of the official domestic news organ of the United States as emblematic of when authoritarianism became fully established in America. Quietly, and without much notice, the Trump administration had been actively recruiting for... Continue

Tax cuts for the rich — the real death panel

This week, the Senate, voting on party lines, passed their version of the mysterious ‘tax reform’ bill, which puts this generationally catastrophic wealth transfer to the 1% one step closer to becoming law. Policy wonks can get into the weeds and try to tweak the... Continue

What’s for Christmas dinner around the world?

Creamed herring, beet soup, fried eel... you won't find much turkey on holiday tables in other cultures. Here are some of the traditional Christmas feasts shared around the world. Continue

A Day in the Life — Sonoma 2017

Welcome to The Sun’s annual holiday tradition, our special day in Sonoma. What does a typical day in the Valley look like? The following pictures, all shot on Friday, December 15, will give you some idea. Melania Mahoney took most of the pictures, with help... Continue

To my fellow fire survivors

By Susan Gorin -- “We all have this thing called humanity that was so important in this particular event.” -Sonoma Police Chief Bret Sackett, comments at the Civic Ceremony, Nov. 18, 2017 As we settle into our post-fires reality, new terms have entered our conversation,... Continue

The scheme that brought down Sonoma Valley Bank

Two former executives of Sonoma Valley Bank have been convicted of making tens of millions of dollars in fake loans, a massive fraud scheme that lead to the bank’s 2010 collapse. Sean Clark Cutting, the former Chief Executive Officer, and Brian Scott Melland, the former Chief Loan Officer... Continue