Letters to the Editor on politics, community & envirnoment

I'm grateful for this web site, especially right now when I counted the current collection of letters to go into the October print edition of WCG. Nearly 6,000 words right here - plus the previous collection of letters. Having WCG be the Voice of the Communities of West Sonoma County takes up a lot of room! Thank you every person who takes the time to put your opinions on paper to share with our readers. - V

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What kinds of people are from Sonoma? There were ten local Sonoma Old boys at the R Bar in San Francisco last Saturday night who Beat the @#$% out of my husband and cousin for no reason at all. These losers hit and kicked my husband breaking his nose and then running from the scene. The one in the red/black checked shirt with a green hat is getting married in one of your local churches this weekend and would love to get a message to him that we will find him, marriage license records are easy to come by. I have contacted the San Francisco Police Department and we will be settling damages in court!!! I will also be contacting all local churches of this disgusting behavior. Just thought I'd let your local Newspaper know what thugs are coming down to S.F. and causing problems. Stay in your side of the bridge!!
Bernadette Quigley
San Francisco

Aside from feeling compassion toward you, your husband and cousin – this makes me seriously concerned for the bride who is about to marry an abusive person. Straight or drunk, there is no excuse for abuse – on any level. I rather hope this incident is enough to make the bride call off the wedding. Love does not conquer all. - V

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Vote, Again and Again
If you happen to have read the Press Democrat last week, Efren Carrillo placed a very expensive 16 page campaign insert inside next to the Sports section. I discovered that two companies whose products I purchase and thought represented local, sustainable practices endorsed a candidate that has the major support of pro-growth industries and individuals. The companies are Taylor Maid and Traditional Medicinals. I am surprised and dismayed with this.

I am going to assume that TMaid’s head, Mark Inman, and Tmedicinal’s head, Drake Sadler, are not naïve; that they know Efren has financial support from development and large ag industries and know these interests don’t financially support a candidate and then just leave them alone. I assume they know that those industries and their lobbyists are present at the Supervisor’s meetings, Planning Commission meetings, and Board of Zoning Adjustment’s meetings as well as private meetings. Therefore, it is likely that Inman and Sadler are aware of the undue political influence of big money and have accepted this.

This is counter to the Sonoma County I see in the future. The other candidate, Rue Furch, has kept her distance from undue influence from industry by not accepting large amounts of money from them in the first place. A once local, progressive politician answered the question, “How did big industry get to you?”, by answering, “Propinquity” (proximity). That’s what can happen and we see it time and again. Who else but industry “consultants” are being paid to sit at those meetings day in and day out to influence the outcome? Instead, we have a unique opportunity in this election to elect someone in Rue Furch who you not only can go to but will likely come to you, even if you didn’t dole out thousands of dollars in her campaign. The question that it comes down to is, who will my supervisor really represent?

For me, at this point, I cannot wait to vote for Rue Furch, who will represent the interests of the public on concerns about the sustainability of our environment and our quality of life. In the meantime, I will vote another way today. That’s right. Cesar Chavez said that every time you make a purchase, you are voting. You vote with your dollars and it is a vote that counts every time. Today I vote to buy coffee from Ecco or Thanksgiving and tea from Guayaki or Celestial Seasonings. Why wait? Go vote today and every day for what you want your world to be and look like. You know it will count.
Larry Hanson

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Dear Editor,
October 8th was International Walk and Roll to School Day, and 32 schools in Sonoma County participated in the event. But none had to take such extraordinary safety measures as the schools on Watertrough Road in the Twin Hills School District, west of Sebastopol. Ours was probably the most dangerous route, especially the section heading out of town on Bodega Hwy, where traffic moves fast, there is no shoulder, and a big curve limits visibility. That over 86 walkers and 35 bicyclists made the harrowing route of less than one mile that morning shows how strongly the community needs this route improved. Participants were from Sunridge Waldorf Charter School, Apple Blossom, Twin Hills, Tree House Hollow Preschool, and Willow Spring School.

Big thanks go out to the Sheriffs department, the Sebastopol Police Department, and the CHP for being on the scene slowing traffic. Also kudos to Sebastopol Mayor Craig Litwin and family, and Supervior candidate Rue Furch for joining our walking bus. While the various jurisdictions who oversee this stretch of road, figure out how to fund improvements, a handful of kids and bike commuters are out there every day, at risk, without the police and parent protectors waving signs and holding caution tape. I hope community actions like this can prevent a tragedy and inspire road engineers to get in gear. The old fashioned mom and pop barn-raising sidewalk making committee like the one who organized this event without the Safe Routes to Schools grant money, will continue to trail blaze with monthly Wednesday walks, and asks the community to be aware on the road and join the cause. Studies have shown that exercise before school boosts learning and test scores. And it was just plain fun.
Our group can be reached at WSASRS@yahoogroups.com
Laura Shafer
Sebastopol

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Vesta ,
Obviously I have too much time on my hands....
I have the answer to our country's problems! We re elect the thugs that run our country!
The poor will get poorer and the rich will get richer after all the alternative is socialism.
Use all our natural resources as fast as possible. After its all said and done- we can hitch up the indigent and homeless to the dead gas guzzlers for transportation, use the rest of the poor and sick ( no health care) in the fields to grow food . We ( the rich )will have plenty of workers because we will out law birth control and any related education. Oh yes we will all be vegetarians because our oceans will be a polluted cesspool from oil spills and garbage dumping.
After all saving the environment will not be PROFITABLE AND MOTIVATED BY SOCIALISTS.
YOUR LIBERAL FRIEND
Larry Conover

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Thanks, Vesta, for putting my story on the front page and for getting such colorful photos, which certainly add to the story. I have already been getting positive comments, including from people yesterday at Quicksilver's opening. I am glad to see copies around Sebastopol here.
Shepherd Bliss

Glad you like it - It's up on the web site as well - I have numerous stands in Sebastopol so beyond the mailings - the paper gets a pretty broad audience there. It amazes me how many Sebastopol readers I have since most have to go out to get a copy. But I have to fill my newsstands two - sometimes three times a month. - V

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To the Editor:
After a great deal of thought I have decided to support Rue Furch for Fifth District Supervisor. We are all familiar with Rue’s environmental credentials. In addition, I have had in-depth discussions with Rue about the county’s financial situation and am now convinced that she both understands it and is prepared to take the necessary actions to fix the problems.

But that is only part of the reason for my decision. It is not only important that Rue wins, it is important that the people behind Efren Carrillo be taught that they cannot sell us a Trojan horse. Efren is an intelligent, charming, and articulate young man. But his support comes primarily from the coalition of large home developers, gravel miners, and corporate agriculture that has, for decades, demonstrated their willingness to put their own economic gain above of the good of the county as a whole. The idea that an inexperienced 27 year old could accept more than $100,000 in support of these interests and then not be beholden to them after he is in office is just too much of a stretch to accept. Electing Efren would be like asking the fox to guard the henhouse.

Some of my supporters, disappointed in the outcome of the primary, have told me they would either write my name in or refrain from voting in the supervisor election. I ask them, please not to do either. The stakes are too high to allow for symbolic gestures. Vote for Rue Furch for 5th District Supervisor.
Jim Maresca
Guerneville

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An Open Letter to Lloyd Guccione
Dear Lloyd,
I have owned property in Villa Grande for seven years. As I came to know the area I would read the papers, talk to my neighbors, attend community functions. Your name would come up time and again; my curiosity would be piqued, and people would roll their eyes and say "Oh, its just Lloyd being Lloyd!"

Listening to you speak at meetings may have been entertaining at first, but so is listening to Rush Limbaugh. You speak down to elected representatives in a patronizing manner that is as irritating and irrelevant as the content of your words. Worse, you take up an inordinate amount of staff time with requests for documents. Worse still, your lawsuits having to do with government transparency and the Brown Act have taken $70,000 out of budgets for the work of RRROC. You, more than any other factor, have caused the county to rein in the power of the RRROC, as enunciated by Mike Reilly and board members I have spoken with.

In Monte Rio I have been active with a group of ordinary citizens for almost a year trying to work out a solution for the septic and sewer issues that face our community. We got the Monte Rio Park and Recreation Department to sponsor the creation of a subcommittee to try to involve community input and eventually get a grant for a request for proposal for septic and sewer solutions. Lloyd, your participation was limited to sniping from the sidelines with requests for documents and not so veiled threats of one of your patented Brown Act lawsuits. Park and Rec, "on advice of counsel", pulled the plug on the subcommittee. It's not easy being an unincorporated area subject to the rule of be Board of Supervisors. Now, thanks to you, decisions affecting us are becoming more centralized, decided in Santa Rosa instead of locally. Is this what you want?

I am tired of your baleful, presence. It seems you hate the admittedly imperfect methods of a free citizenry trying to work out local issues that affect our daily lives. You may be a bright man but you use your "towering" intellect for the self-gratification of being an aspiring vexatious litigant. What a waste! What a pity!
Jon Box
Villa Grande

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Letter to the Editor:
On Oct. 2nd the City of Santa Rosa’s Board of Public Utilities voted to certify the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on their Discharge Compliance Project. This project originally examined three indirect and four direct discharges into the Russian River and also continued Laguna discharge. Five of the alternatives were eliminated over time and now only two direct discharges (Healdsburg and Steelhead Beach Park in Forestville) and the Laguna discharge remain.

Each discharge option was sized to accommodate dry weather flows of 26 million gallons a day (mgd) even though actual flows have averaged 16 mgd for the last 14 years. This is clearly an over-sized project meant to accommodate large amounts of future growth at a time when the economy, especially the credit and mortgage industries are suffering enormous setbacks.
The Steelhead Beach option would cause major degradation to a popular County Park and has been strongly opposed. A new group, Friends of Steelhead Beach, have already collected 2500 signatures opposing the project. The original proposal would have destroyed a popular trail and caused major impacts to the highly used beaches in order to install a 48” pipeline that would turn a trail into road and destroy major amounts of riparian habitat. It would also include installing enormous discharge infrastructure under the riverbed.

The project would have major impacts on a very popular swimming beach, including possible long-term contamination by unregulated chemicals. This popular canoeing and boating recreation area would be greatly constrained, if not eliminated for an 18-month construction period. The project would also cost the City about $140 million dollars at a time when City officials are considering the elimination of basic and essential city services, and would guarantee direct wastewater discharges into a cherished river forever.

Park lovers repeatedly requested the City to drop the Steelhead Beach option from consideration. Numerous comment letters and testimony at the meetings extensively challenged City plans. The County Parks Department voiced strong protests about this proposed use through a letter they delivered in person at the meeting. The BPU questioned why the Parks Department didn’t get the letter in sooner. Parks staff alluded to the City’s extremely short turn around period for Final EIR comments.

The Final EIR had been released on September 22nd, giving the affected agencies and concerned citizens only ten days to review its contents. The final EIR included a major revision to the Steelhead Beach proposal moving the pipeline down one half mile further on River Road and impacting a different part of Steelhead Beach Park. The Final EIR reviewed impacts on the Park of the new route but said nothing about impacts to River Rd. This section of River Road is highly compromised environmentally. It is subject to frequent flooding, there is a very narrow shoulder with barriers most of the way to protect drivers from the steep drop next to the road.

There was absolutely no discussion of flooding, riparian (possibly tree cutting), or traffic impacts to River Road in the Final EIR. There was some discussion of further impacts to the Park, but there was no response to the letter submitted by Parks expressing their concerns. It was also announced at the meeting that if the project were selected, there would be no further opportunities for environmental examination or review.

The City had made no contact to discuss any of this with either local citizens, County Parks Department or the Department of Fish and Game. They allowed the public to speak at the meeting, but made it clear that they were under no obligation to consider what anyone had to say in their final decision. In the end, they offered up some contingent opportunities for future citizen input if the project is selected, but none of this was satisfactory in the moment. The truth is they now have a certified EIR for an extremely undesireable project having major impacts.
Project selection is the next step and it is on a fast track. Future meetings include:
BPU Study Session on Project Selection: Nov. 6, 2008
SR Council Review Study Session Results: Nov. 18, 2008
BPU Project Selection/Approval: Dec. 4, 2008
Please try to attend, especially the Dec. 4th meeting.
Brenda Adelman can be contacted at rrwpc@comcast.net


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Hello Voters!!
I'm usually not one to get too politically involved but this is one issue that affects me very personally. The issue is Proposition 8.

California legalized same-sex marriages and while this is a huge forward step for the gay community, it is possibly about to be taken away!

I realize that not everyone morally agrees with the idea of same-sex couples. Having been with both men and women in my life, I have experienced the unfairness, harassment, ignorance, and openness to being in a same-sex relationship. Who I am is NOT defined by who I am partnered with. I believe that I have always lived my life with dignity, compassion, and respect for others.

When I was in my relationship with Amy for almost 13 years, we did nothing different than everyone else in our day to day lives. We both worked to help keep the household going, we cooked together, we cleaned the house together, we socialized with our friends, we worried about finances and the economy, we took hikes & bike rides, we enjoyed our families, and we had our share of arguments...just like everyone else...straight or gay!!

I am a loving, compassionate, giving, honest, loyal person. Whether I am with a man or a woman does not change that about me. I do not become someone else when I am in a relationship with a woman or with a man. I AM ME!!! And I believe that I deserve the same rights as everyone else in California and on this planet!! Why should I not have the right to marry if I choose to be with a woman? Why should I not be able to benefit from the same laws as my brothers and their wives? Why should not be able to choose my partner in life like everyone else and still be able to take advantage of the family plan at the gym or with my healthcare, or with my partner at her work events, or in making those so difficult decisions about each other in times of serious illness??

I believe that I SHOULD have these rights and be able to stand side by side with all other Americans who have these rights. I believe that I may be different in some of my thoughts, opinions, ideas, and beliefs than others, but aren't YOU!?!?!?

So, what I am getting to here is that I would really appreciate it if each of you would consider what Proposition 8 would mean to the hundreds of thousands of us who are really not that much different than you are, and base your decision on the fact that each of us (me and you and everyone) is entitled to the same rights, the same privileges, the same financial, social and emotional benefits of marriage!

PLEASE VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION 8!!!!
And if you believe we all deserve the same rights as human beings...please encourage others to vote no as well!!

Thanks for taking the time to read this and go out and vote!!!
Love,
Sheri

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REGARDING: BYPASS
Perhaps I am mistaken in remembering that this county voted for increased gravel extraction with the provision that there would be built a bypass from the intersection of Mirabel Rd. to 6220 HWY 116 in order to reduce the amount of gravel trucks passing through downtown. There was much written in the local papers and a lot of people talking about it. The house at 6220 HWY 116 has been removed in anticipation of making room for the bypass.

What I'd like to know, where is the bypass? In recent publications of the WCG there has been a lot of talk about a roundabout at the intersection of Mirabel Rd. and HWY 116, which is a good thing, but the articles say nothing about how the bypass will be tied into the roundabout. Since passing the proposition for increase in gravel mining, there has been the increase in truck traffic along with the noise and air pollution in downtown Forestville. Where is the bypass?

Perhaps you can let us know where it is in the planning stage and how close it is to actual construction.
Thank you,
Loni Doucette
Forestville

Like most county road projects – this one has a long way to go before it can be constructed. When we voted for measure M, we got some of the money we need for the bypass. It brings us up to about half of the total we need. With budget constraints – it’s hard to say how long it will take to get the other half.

Then there is the sequence of events that is in play. The roundabout will go in first. You can tell how badly it’s needed by trying to get through the Mirabal/116 intersection in the morning school rush. How lovely it will be when traffic doesn’t stop!

Somewhere in there is the Thiessen Forestville Town Square project – which in the current economic climate doesn’t look like a good bet it will be any time soon even though it’s slated for the next few years. The bypass will extend the Mirabel/116 intersection around the back of Forestville Town Square, curve past Meadowlark Homes and come out below Packinghouse Road where the blue house used to be. Yes, that property was purchased by the county and they still have a few more lots to purchase before they have the complete set. Another step in the way.

In the mean time, we are in heavy gravel truck season as roads get repaired in preparation for winter. This is always the highest truck trip time of year because of those necessary repairs. So when you see a truck go by, or many as there are these days, just remember how much you appreciate those repaired roads and bridges on a dark and stormy night. – V

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EDITOR:
Tom Lynch has been accusing me of portraying Efren Carrillo's candidacy as the creation of professional handlers, powerful developers, and the agribusiness elite. Yep, I did say those things. Consider how the financing for Efren's campaign first came together. Candidates like Rue Furch and Maddy Hirschfield had been working a long time getting endorsements and contributions prior to launching their campaigns. As the primary contest started up, Rue and Maddy apparently were thought too liberal or too green by the developers and the agribusiness community. Suddenly, after the first candidate forums had already happened, Efren Carrillo catapulted out of relative obscurity to become one of the leading contenders. How? By raising over $45,000 in two months. Suddenly his big signs were on all the fences of Farm Bureau members.

Apparently Efren is worried about what people would think if the saw the short list of his contributors and endorsers, because so far he hasn't published that list on his website. Credible candidates always list their endorsers and contributors. That glaring omission speaks for itself. Rue Furch has stepped out to take clear and reasoned positions on the issues Efren say’s he’s still studying. Check out Rue's website to view all her awards and endorsements. Efren obviously doesn’t want us to see where his key support comes from.

Taking aim at her current opponent for the Third District seat, development cheerleader Sharon Wright has said that a supervisor's job is not for rookies. But Sharon Wright supports Efren, so obviously some rookies are okay with her, so long as the rookie is willing to be a cooperative member of a voting block that puts the interests of upstream developers ahead of the West County's. What we need in the Fifth District is a supervisor who will stand up to Sharon Wright when its time to do that, not one who plants his election signs next to hers, as Efren does. If our Fifth District supervisor should turn out to be a good team player in a Santa Rosa voting bloc on the Board of Supervisors, that's bad news for us. We need a supe who's on OUR team, not theirs, because upstream development will always be a potential threat to our environment, our tourism and our health. Pavement always threatens sustainable agriculture and clean water.

In the final month of this campaign, it will become increasingly clear that the developers have locked arms and opened their wallets to endorse Valery Brown, Sharon Wright and Efren Carrillo as a team. They promote those three to give the Santa Rosa-based power elite control over the future of this county. It’s sad to me that Tom Lynch is helping make that happen.
Tom accuses me of trying to destroy Efren. I'm not. I hope Efren grows up to become an independent future leader. Right now I just don't want him to be our next supervisor.
Scott Kersnar
Guerneville

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Kellie Noe, a member of the West County Union High School District Board, announced her support today for Rue Furch, candidate for Fifth District Supervisor. Noe said she was impressed with Furch's knowledge of the issues and her ability to work with diverse interests in the community.

"I look forward to working with her at the county level," said Noe, a long-time volunteer in county schools. "Rue will be a leader our young people can look to for wisdom, and her willingness to work collaboratively with Sonoma County schools is admirable. She is committed to the community and will bring continuity to the county Board of Supervisors."

Noe, who was the top vote getter in the 2006 high school board election, ran a grassroots campaign similar to Furch's. "I know that through these efforts, Rue has her finger on the pulse of the needs of West County. I know many young leaders in West County who are stepping up to work on her campaign. The stakes are high, and we want to preserve our quality of life for future generations."

Furch said she was proud to receive Noe's endorsement. "Kellie's support is special because it comes from a younger generation of leaders. a generation I am committed to working with and mentoring for the future of a healthy Sonoma County," Furch said.

Furch has a record of leadership in education, and raised her two sons in West County schools.
She served as Project Manager for the Sonoma County Community Foundation’s Parent Education Project, Los Ninos Bien Educados, and was Executive Director of the Sonoma County Business Education Roundtable. She served on the site councils for El Molino High School, Analy High School and the Sebastopol Union School District. She also served on the committees that brought New Ways Workers and the West County School to Career programs to our local schools. She also has a background in land use and planning, and has served for 16 years as a county planning commissioner.
Annie Dobbs-Krame
Sebastopol

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Dear Editor:
Thank you for publishing information about our Car Seat Event held last Saturday in Guerneville.

At this very successful event we inspected 30 car seats. Out of 30 we found the majority misused and/or installed improperly, some to such a degree that the child would not have remained securely buckled in the car seat in the event of an accident. We replaced 22 child safety seats with age/weight appropriate and properly fitted ones.

It is worth noting that motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death of children, ages 3-14. Many of these deaths can be prevented however, through the proper use of child safety seats. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), child safety seats can reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers, ages 1-4.
Even though 96 percent of parents and caregivers believe their child safety seats are installed correctly, NHTSA research shows that seven out of 10 children are improperly restrained, putting them at risk for serious injury or death in a crash.

If you would like your car safety seat inspected, please email me at vpatino@rccservices.org.
Thank you.
Vikki Patiño
River to Coast Children’s Services

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Hi Vesta,
It's Rob from the Sonoma County Trails Council. I want to thank you for doing a fine job with our press releases. It makes a huge difference when we get in the paper. The West County Gazette accurately and enthusiastically conveys our message to the public.
Thanks for the good work!
Rob Helms
Sonoma County Trails Council

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Dear Vesta
Regarding the August 14 – Sept. 18 (Vol. 5, No. 8) issue of WCG. I am extremely disappointed to see/read Tish Levee’s Mitzvah Moments, which is nothing more than much the same unworkable, ineffective, pacifistic silly crap that’s been vomited over the media for decades by deluded people who’s egos convince them they “have the answers.”

I’m not trying to bash her personally, although I’ve succeeded in doing this; you’ve been interested in truth and facts since I’ve known you, and this particular column installment does neither to any appreciable degree. Example: “Greater Good network participation can help six causes including…preserving the rain forest.” (Paraphrased yet with context retained.)

In my files I have hundreds of titles of books, magazine articles, and web sites relating to so-called “global warming and climate change.” I’m enclosing a file card with three listed to assist her in getting into the 21st Century, should you care to give it to her. Feel free to give my name and/or let her read this letter.

Action pays dividends, not pacifism. Nowhere does she say “ACT!{ Where’s the demand Sonoma County citizens group together with legal counsel and law officers to arrest corrupt county supervisors and close down Syar! This “they,” the corrupt people, understand…this, not weak words and inaction on pacifist levels. This is local, and easier than national actions.

Talk is just talk and dissolves into the winds. Action, coupled with the current knowledge, works, providing you can get apathetic/denialist/fearful Americans to turn off their television sets.
To try to clean up the environment without cleaning up those corrupt people involved and responsible is sheer idiosy. It will not, it cannot, work to any degree even remotely effective.

The internal combustion engine has been obsolete for decades, yet idiotic, uneducated consumers keep demanding and buying them. How stupid! They should stop purchasing new motor vehicles until the manufacturers develop alternatives – things that have existed for years that are far better then the “hybrid” approach. What’s it going to take for mainstream citizens to grow up – surely not riding bicycles, which they won’t do in mass numbers!!!!
Thanks for your time,
Karl Bosselman
Forestville

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-Dear Vesta...
It’s unfortunate Democratic Central Committee member Lynn Hamilton, has joined the orchestrated “Follow the Money” attacks against a fellow progressive Democrat, Efren Carrillo. It appears Rue Furch’s campaign is revolving around others fronting negative distortions about Efren’s positions and contributors. We need honest debate about solutions reversing the continuing demise of Sonoma County’s essential services, not negative campaigning!

Efren’s running a clean, honest, issues oriented campaign. Lynn knows Efren opposed the campaign contribution increase, capping his contributions at $1000 per person. She knows he is opposed to gravel mining in the River. Shame on her for trying to paint a fine young Democrat with “Burn Baby Burn” associations. Should his supporters start a campaign heralding all of Rue Furch’s foibles and personal support from owners of Garbage Companies, Casinos, Land Developers, Vineyards and Ag-interests? Let’s campaign on the issues!

To suggest Efren will support “privatization of public works”; rank and file know better. He sees the approaching collapse of “enhanced benefits” paid by current workers to the upper tier. He doesn’t pander, he offers courageous leadership and vision. Efren will save more County jobs and secure retirement benefits with vigorous, creative solutions. Vote for Efren Carrillo for a sustainable future!!

Tom Lynch
Guerneville

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Dear Editor,
I have been appalled and distressed in recent weeks by over 15 separate reports of sign vandalism on Rue Furch signs. The assaults have occurred all over the district, in Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, the Russian River area, and along the coast. Rue Furch signs have been ripped up, torn off businesses, and uprooted and driven over with cars.

This behavior is unacceptable and illegal. It is petulant, unfair, and above all, very nasty. We all live here- we all want the best for our community, and we are all entitled to our own opinion. We will all have to live together after November 4, no matter who is elected. I am aghast that people are using such intimidation tactics in this election, and it makes me wonder who is behind these actions.

It is very important to the future of our district that this is a fair election, free from intimidation. Because of the frequency and range of this vandalism, I have to wonder if it is a coordinated effort to frighten people. Who, I wonder, in this crazy season, has hours to spend vandalizing Rue Furch signs all over the district?
Sincerely,
Annie Dobbs-Kramer
Sebastopol

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Dear Forestville,
To all the generous donors to the Emergency Aid Fund of the Forestville Chamber of Commerce, I cannot adequately express my sincere, heartfelt gratitude to be the recipient of such generosity in my family’s time of need. I am so appreciative to live in a community that gives so much support.
I’d like to specifically give Vesta a huge thanks for getting this all going for me, John and Chris Mason EMTU-Labyrinth Vineyards for their generous donation and those that gave anonymously. It has been a very challenging time for my family and for many individuals at this time , it’s a comfort to know that kindness and generosity still abound.
In Gratitude,
Kat Ripley and Family