Comment Archives: Stories: Columns & Blogs
Re: “Winners of the Straight Up Vodka Cocktail Competition and Tasting Benefit”
Looks so pretty with the blossoms floating atop. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I don't think I've ever bought German ice wine yet. This will be something new for sure.
Re: “Dancing in Unity”
Thanks, Juliane, for this wonderful article on the Petaluma dance. I've been contra dancing a number of years now and found the contra dance community to be welcoming no matter where you're dancing. Besides that it's fun, it's a good workout, it clears away the cobwebs from working in front of the computer, and I like being part of and carrying on a tradition that goes back a ways but is evolving (there's now "techno contra" although we haven't pulled that off yet in the North Bay!).
Besides the official website, readers can find us on Facebook too - there's an article there called "What Is Contra Dance?" that answers the most commonly asked questions about it: “Will it be difficult? Will anyone ask me to dance? What do I wear? What if I make a fool of myself?!…”
http://www.facebook.com/groups/12536559162…
We have contra dances each week – 1st Sunday in Petaluma, 2nd Saturday in San Rafael, 3rd Friday in Santa Rosa, and 4th Saturday in Sebastopol.
And for those who can't quite overcome the dizziness problem with all those hot swings, you can get that same great sense of community with less G-force at the Sebastopol English Country Dances on the 1st and 3rd Sunday afternoons. Here's a link: http://www.nbcds.org/english.html
Thanks,
Moira Hill
Co-founder NBCDS
Re: “Dressed to Kill”
Wouldn't mind having a list of actual green cleaners here in Sonoma county, did you compile a list of these companies while researching for this story?
Re: “Final Frontier”
It was love at first sight according to Ranger Rick, who I called Richard. Over time, I felt the same way as I noticed he always brought a smile to my face, even the one night I talked him out of the idea of me holding a ladder while he climbed up on a rooftop. His life ceremony was filled with tears, laughter and wonderful stories that lightened our hearts. Thank you Frank, for the best salute to this quirky man we will all miss,
Re: “Protecting Their Own Power”
My American Government teacher (Rabinowitsh) was just telling us about this on Tuesday (the rich guys from the East taking over City Council)! He said that it's also partially because City Council members make about $800 per month, so it's always folks who can afford to deal with that reality.
Re: “March 10: Spring Jazz Festival in Calistoga”
$36 is advanced ticket sales and $40 at the door! www.calistogavisitors.com for full line up
Re: “Protecting Their Own Power”
I don't know, Gabe... as a proud average citizen myself, I lost you at "Last week". Of course, I'm known to have a very short attention spa
Re: “So Where Does Petaluma Councilmember Chris Albertson Live, Really?”
Armand, this has nothing to do with the IRS. It is not a federal tax issue. It is purely a state tax issue, i.e. Franchise Tax Board and a voter registration issue. And the problem is that you cannot have two domiciles, one for state taxes, another for voter registration. QED.
Re: “So Where Does Petaluma Councilmember Chris Albertson Live, Really?”
Hi again Peter,
So I've thought about this one a lot, and I do admire your work, but I'll have to say that I respectfully disagree with you. "Principal residence" is an IRS definition, period. As you mentioned, I suspect Albertson declares the Santa Barbara home that way to benefit from the tax exemption and his mortgage interest tax deduction; he obviously doesn't have a 720 mile commute. So long as he's not collecting undeclared rental income on the property and he doesn't designate another home that way on his tax returns (plus the fact that his wife actually lives there), the Santa Barbara home pretty much meets the textbook definition of a "principal residence." (Though I suspect by our online discussion that we may have "nominated" the Albertsons for an audit next year, my apologies to the misses.)
Now, if he was registered to vote in Santa Barbara County as well then I suppose Atkinson would be a little concerned.
I'm not defending Albertson as a council member, but if he rents a home in Petaluma (as I rented half a bedroom in Santa Barbara for two years while in school) that makes him eligible to vote on Sonoma County issues. The IRS gives you one principle residence, and if you sleep there and telecommute or live 360 miles away and leave it to your wife, I doubt if they really care. And until they do, maybe we should let Mr. Albertson enjoy a "fuzzy" tax code like the rest of us and nail him instead on his voting record.
Re: “So Where Does Petaluma Councilmember Chris Albertson Live, Really?”
Of course he does not have to buy a house in Petaluma. But he does have to decide whether or not under state law his principal place of residence is Petaluma or Santa Barbara. You cannot have two "domiciles."
Re: “So Where Does Petaluma Councilmember Chris Albertson Live, Really?”
Armand, the point is that Albertson has officially declared, in effect, two "principal places of residence," two domiciles. Of course he does not have to buy a house. But he should decide whether or not his main place of residence is Petaluma or Santa Barbara. You cannot have it both ways.
Re: “So Where Does Petaluma Councilmember Chris Albertson Live, Really?”
This is very difficult news to swallow considering what is at stake here in Petaluma. Chris Albertson stated while campaigning, "I am confident that we can bring in environmentally friendly and well designed projects" -yet, it is obvious from statements on his website that he supports both of these two large retail shopping centers in Petaluma. He seems to be inclined to contradiction on many issues.
Does he live here or not? Does he support environmentally friendly development project or not?
These are very important planning decisions that are being made today for Petaluma's future -it's a shame we have untrustworthy city council members making these decisions.
Re: “So Where Does Petaluma Councilmember Chris Albertson Live, Really?”
Wow Peter, good journalism.
I think I see your frustration but here are a few thoughts ... so long as Anderson doesn't declare two principal residences on his taxes, I don't really see a "legal" issue here.
Should he be required to BUY in Petaluma just because he's 'employed' by the city, just because he's registered to vote here? He's a renter, yes, but his rent goes to a landlord, who then in turn pays County and City property taxes. It's not like he's renting in Novato (sending tax dollars to Marin county) and voting on Sonoma County ballot issues. Back to Santa Barbara, I remember when the long-term residents of that county didn't want us students at UCSB to be able to vote in their elections even though we were legally registered to vote. They basically made their argument on a point you seemed to suggest, that we weren't "permanent" residents of the area. We'd be voting on issues that would affect the county long after we packed up and moved back home or elsewhere - which I obviously did. (Who knows if they're still affected by my vote.) So is the real question whether or not Anderson intends to live here permanently or simply pack up and head to sunny Santa Barbara when his term is up? Maybe HE doesn't even know the answer to that question, and on this point I think I'll have to agree with Anderson - it's really none of my business.
But good job - I don't want to be on your bad side!
Re: “Final Frontier”
I sailed into Bodega bay in '91 from my home port of point Pleasant NJ, took my '58 Harley off the boat and commenced to explore Western Sonoma county. The first locals that I met were Evelyn at the Casino in Bodega and then Rick at the Union Hotel. My meeting him was very much like your description. After living for awhile on the river in Forestville then Santa Rosa, with many encounters with this rascal, I finally moved to the Bay Area, losing touch with my favorite magical place, Occidental. I moved back to Santa Rosa a couple years ago, and was pleasantly surprised to see Ranger Rick directing traffic in 'downtown' Occidental. I hadn't seen Rick in like 15 years, and dammit if he not only recognized me, but shared a lot of the conversations we had long before. Since then I've moved back to the Jersey Shore, and wish I could make the memorial, but can't. The last tome I saw Rick, I was hanging out at Terry Anne's shop The Flying Turtle, Ranger Rick says to me, "Hey, here comes 'the man,'" just as Tom Waits was walking by with his family....How appropriate!
Richard DeAngelis, Spring Lake Heights NJ
Re: “Final Frontier”
As a former Camp Meekerite and long-time acquaintance and fan of Ranger Rick, I couldn't have possibly said it better myself. Thank you for this eloquent and highly accurate picture of the man so many of us loved.
Re: “Feb. 22: Willie Brown at SRJC”
Nice feature in the Press Democrat today about Willy.
Never doubt he continues to be a power broker and clothes rack.
> Out Of Power, But Still A Power Broker <
"Wilkes Bashford, of the renowned clothing store here that bears his name, places a John Lobb suede oxford, size 11, marked down to $1,650, on the table at Le Central.
"It's a gorgeous color," says Willie Brown".............
"the young boy who grew up in segregated Mineola, Texas, in the 1940s, his grandmother once a slave, his mother a domestic servant, who had to scrabble for everything he achieved.".......
........."How much of this can be traced to his childhood deprivation? "All of it, all of it, all of it," he says."
.........""Obviously it's not going to be a shoe that every man is going to buy and understand," a salesman tells him.
"OK. OK, I'll take them," Brown says."
I grew up poor and understand the dynamic.......
but at $1650.I would have asked for a friendly discount! ;- }
Re: “Feb. 22: Willie Brown at SRJC”
Really? Slick Willy? Eggs and tomatoes?
Re: “Feb. 18: Benefit Hike at Sugarloaf State Park”
I love sugar loaf. I made this video while hiking there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS8R9dU_vDU…
Re: “Feb. 18: Dan Bern at Sweetwater Music Hall”
Well said! I like your philosophical description; that's exactly how so many of us feel about Sweetwater. It's great to have this jewel of a venue in Mill Valley again.
This Week's Issue
Re: “Judi Bari, the FBI, and the Press Democrat: Reporter Mike Geniella on an Unsolved Case”
Hopefully the Bohemian will do a series of articles on the yet unresolved bombing in Oakland in 1991. There are four bombs (at least) in this story. The Isla Vista Bank of America in the early 70's, the 1980 Santa Rosa airport conflagration, the 1991 Cloverdale lumber compay, and a few weeks later the Oakland car bomb.