When discussing the conservation of natural resources within Sonoma County, it’s hard to avoid the elephant in the room. That elephant is our prosperous wine industry. Despite how much wine benefits our local economy, we cannot ignore its negative environmental impacts to our unique and fragile ecosystem.

Dr. Lisa Micheli leads Pepperwood Preserve in East Sonoma County and it just turns out that the work they do has had a huge impact on understanding fire as a normal part of our ecology. Because they study fire's impact on the environment, when the Tubbs Fire came roaring over the hills and ran right through Pepperwood, they had cameras, temperature gauges, wind gauges and everything already in place that gave them an amazing amount of information on Fire Ecology.

The North Bay Water Reuse Authority has prepared a joint Draft Environmental Impact Report/ Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) projects proposed in the Phase 2 Program would continue to build upon commitments to long-term inter-agency cooperation to address common needs related to reliable water supplies and enhanced environmental restoration. The 45-day CEQA review period begins on April 4, 2018, and closes on May 18, 2018.

The Sonoma County Gazette asked the Sheriff candidates our first round of questions. The candidate answers have been published in the order in which they returned their responses. To be fair, each candidate is given equal space. In their own words....Ernesto Olivares, John Mutz, and Mark Essick are all asking for your support.

Breaking News: Iconic Berry’s Saw Mill and property in Cazadero are for sale. The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District should take note, as this historic property is just over the hill from the Jenner Headlands Preserve and would complement the Preserve/Pole Mountain acquisitions in so many ways.

Spring on the Sonoma Coast offers residents of the County, as well as visitors, many amazing visual delights - wildflowers everywhere, migrating Pacific Gray Whales, Pacific Harbor Seal pups, especially at the Goat Rock Beach colony, and birds in breeding plumage and sitting on nests on the rocks off the coast that are part of the California Coastal National Monument.

As many Gazette readers know, we want our readers to make educated votes when they go to the poles. Our next election will be the first time in decades that our county has had a chance to elect a new sheriff. At this point in the primary elections, we have three candidates running. When votes are counted in June, we will know which two of the three will continue on to November.

As many Gazette readers know, we want our readers to make educated votes when they go to the poles. Our next election will be the first time in decades that our county has had a chance to elect a new sheriff. At this point in the primary elections, we have three candidates running. When votes are counted in June, we will know which two of the three will continue on to November.

As many Gazette readers know, we want our readers to make educated votes when they go to the poles. Our next election will be the first time in decades that our county has had a chance to elect a new sheriff. At this point in the primary elections, we have three candidates running. When votes are counted in June, we will know which two of the three will continue on to November.

The decision on WHERE cannabis can be grown has only partly been decided as Sonoma County enters into farming and selling this now legal crop in California. People who voted to make this beneficial plant legal so that it can be grown for fiber, medicinal solutions, as well as recreational use, are afraid of WHERE this crop will be grown The ease of stealing and selling it attracts criminals and has caused death to innocent people living near grows.