News Index
Three Sonoma County groundwater sustainability agencies awarded $15 million in state grant funds
The California Department of Water Resources announced on Sept. 12, 2023, that it will award grant funds to Sonoma County’s three groundwater sustainability agencies serving Petaluma Valley, Santa Rosa Plain and Sonoma Valley. The three basins will receive $15.1 million in funding, out of the $187 million that DWR awarded to 32 groundwater subbasins through its Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program Read full story
Weekly Roundup for September 15, 2023
Today’s digest provides helpful and important updates on the following: 1) Latest edition of SoCo Correspondent now available; 2) Families Outdoors at Prince Memorial Greenway Sept. 23; 3) September is National Emergency Preparedness Month; and 4) Other Sonoma County news of note Read full story
Sonoma County to limit verbal public comments to those attending in person at September 19 Board of Supervisors meeting
The County of Sonoma will not be allowing public comments to be made via Zoom for the next regular board meeting on Sept. 19. The change is due to the escalating challenges of maintaining civility among those who participate in the Public Comment portion of the Board meeting via Zoom. These challenges include a series of disruptive racist and hate-filled comments at the Sept. 12 board meeting that prevented the Board from completing its business. Read full story
Supervisors to discuss Agricultural Access Verification Card Program at September 19 Special Meeting
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors is set to consider changes to the county’s Agriculture Access Verification Program during a Special Meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 19 beginning at 4 p.m. Read full story
Board of Supervisors approves amendments to Sonoma County’s Living Wage ordinance
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a major expansion of the county’s Living Wage ordinance that will increase the number of workers covered by the policy and require their employers to provide paid time off. Read full story
Board of Supervisors expands use of Project Labor Agreements in government construction projects
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday expanded the scope of a policy that requires construction contractors and subcontractors to pay workers union wages and benefits on large public works projects funded by the county government. Read full story
What You Need to Know about Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantines in Bay Area Counties
Attention wineries and processing facilities: Seven male oriental fruit flies were recently discovered near Brentwood and Oakley in east Contra Costa County, and eight male oriental fruit flies were discovered in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale in Santa Clara County, prompting extensive delimitation surveys and eradication plans in response. Read full story
Supervisors place firefighting sales tax on March ballot
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today voted to place on the March 2024 ballot a half-cent sales tax for enhanced fire protection, paramedic services and disaster response after the measure received enough signatures in a petition to be put to voters. Read full story
Sonoma County to transition homeless shelter sites; annual survey shows decrease in homelessness
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today voted to replace the Emergency Shelter Site at the County campus with housing systems that are longer-term. The discussion came as the Supervisors received a report that showed the number of homeless individuals in Sonoma County decreased by 22 percent from last year. Read full story
Sonoma County boosts green energy infrastructure with new mobile, solar-powered EV charging stations
Sonoma County has purchased three mobile solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations to support zero-emission vehicles and mitigate ongoing climate disruption, consistent with the Climate Action and Resiliency pillar of the County’s strategic plan. The initiative is part of a larger program to replace all eligible County Fleet internal combustion engines with electric vehicles by 2030. Read full story