November 21st, 2009 07:32am
by Inside.Opinion
Food for thought: I got a call on Friday from Arnie Riebli, a fourth-generation Sonoma County farmer and co-owner of Petaluma-based Sunrise Farms, one of the top egg producers in the state. We talked about the front-page story about the Thode family raising heritage turkeys on their Sebastopol ranch.
“I know I’m not objective about the whole thing,” he said. “But I read the news media every day. Animal agriculture is …
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November 18th, 2009 05:16pm
by Inside.Opinion
Who would really be surprised?
In his concession speech made last night, ousted Cotati City Councilman George Barich said that he is “anxiously looking forward to the 2010 election in Cotati.”
Barich was recalled by nearly a 2-1 margin, but he claimed he was pleased because his “support base” doubled in less than a year from 16 percent of the vote to 35 percent. But that’s fuzzy math and heavy spin at …
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November 18th, 2009 03:01pm
by Inside.Opinion
It wasn’t particularly inspiring. But Santa Rosa Mayor Susan Gorin’s State of the City talk before a Chamber of Commerce breakfast was at least thorough.
She touched on most of the lows facing the city (which we covered in our editorial today.) And she did her best in pointing out some highs, including some that weren’t particularly lofty. (I.e. Santa Rosa is using less energy – because, among other things, it has …
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November 17th, 2009 10:28pm
by Inside.Opinion
It looks like George Barich is the first city councilman in Sonoma County to lose a recall election in a generation.
With both precincts reporting, about two-thirds of Cotati voters are supporting the recall. It’s beyond unlikely that any remaining absentee ballots will change the outcome.
I couldn’t immediately find a record of a previously successful city council recall in Sonoma County, but three recalls have failed since 1973, including another one …
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November 17th, 2009 06:49pm
by Inside.Opinion
Early Wednesday, Santa Rosa Mayor Susan Gorin will be giving a “State of the city” address at a Chamber of Commerce event at the Hilton Hotel on Round Barn Boulevard.
In our lead editorial on Wednesday, we offer our own assessment of the state of things in Santa Rosa, including:
The fact that the City Council faces having to cut another $8 million from its general fund budget.
During the first nine months of …
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November 13th, 2009 03:23pm
by Inside.Opinion
Assemblyman Jared Huffman visited The Press Democrat this week and made an interesting point about the water plan approved by the state Legislature: The framework for protecting the Delta stands even if voters reject the $11 billion bond act.
Quandary resolved? Not necessarily.
Along with billions for dams and reservoirs, about $2 billion in the bond is earmarked for the Delta, where levees are in trouble and the natural balance of freshwater …
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November 12th, 2009 04:31pm
by Inside.Opinion
When local school children get sick, Sacramento benefits.
It’s bad enough that Santa Rosa school officials face the daunting task of cutting $5.65 million from the district’s already lean budget this year – with the prospect of having to cut another $4.7 million cut next year. Now the district may also have to take a financial hit from the swine flu as well.
During a visit this week with The Press Democrat …
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November 4th, 2009 07:56pm
by Inside.Opinion
Times are tough, yes even in Beverly Hills, where it appears Jeff Kolin, Santa Rosa’s city manager for the past nine years, is headed.
If this job change goes through, Kolin will be taking over the helm of a city that just cut 46 positions and decided to close city libraries three nights a week to balance its budget.
But before you feel sorry for this community of 90210 fame, Beverly Hills …
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November 4th, 2009 07:25pm
by Inside.Opinion
Well, so much for Republican tough-on-crime rhetoric.
At least as long as the offense in question is stealing water.
As state lawmakers wrapped up a gargantuan $11 billion water bond proposal in an all-night session Tuesday, they gutted provisions to step up enforcement of water rights and increase the penalty for illegal diversions to … paying market rate for the water.
The opposition was led by GOP lawmakers representing agricultural regions, though credit …
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