North Bay Report Podcast
What will it take to re-establish commercial composting in Sonoma County? At least another year, for one thing. The process of setting up a new composting operation in Sonoma is finally taking its first steps. But in the meantime, both residents and compost users are paying significantly more. Form more about the state and prospects …
Continue reading “The Future of Composting in Sonoma County – December 13, 2016”
North coast fishermen troll nearby waters for their catch, but most of it doesn’t land on local plates. Fishing has long been a major industry on the Pacific coast, but surprisingly little of what is caught here winds up on local tables. A recent documentary examines that paradox, as we hear today from the filmmaker. …
Continue reading “Documentary Focuses on Fish and Fishermen – December 12, 2016”
A quiet but potent coalition of politically active forces in Sonoma County has found added impact through joint efforts. There are plenty of Democrats, union members, and environmentalists in Sonoma County, who often find common cause on local issues and candidates. Collectively, in those cases, they are the Blue-Green Alliance. The Alliance will hold their …
Cultivators of cannabis breed their plants for specific characteristics—potency, medicinal efficacy, even appearance. Today we meet someone whose emphasis is primarily on flavors—which can be manipulated in some divergent directions. Cannabis has long been combined with other things in foods—brownies being a classic example. But Jay Michaels says his cross-breeding efforts have been able to …
Continue reading “New Marijuana Strains Mimic Winegrape Flavors – December 8, 2016”
The disagreement on how to zone residential land for medical cannabis grows continues for Sonoma County residents and pot growers. Sonoma County’s Board of Supervisors are close to making a decisive decision on where and how much medical marijuana can be grown in parts of the county. It’s a step towards bringing this largely unregulated …
A carefully tended forest outside of Santa Rosa is becoming a popular site for family outings. For 50 years, Jim Dirkson has managed and maintained a small mountainside covered in fir and redwood, and narrow footpaths. His Rancho Mark West is becoming an increasingly popular place for nature education and family outings. Learn more on …
Violence, abuse and neglect can scar a child for life. But identifying those wounds can help healing begin. Adverse Childhood Experiences, such as abuse and neglect, have life-long effects on both mental and physical health. But recognizing, and working to prevent them, can begin to break that pattern. That’s what a new educational program in …
Continue reading “Educating ‘Fellows’ to Counter Adverse Childhood Experiences – December 5, 2016”
How will recreational Cannabis coexist and combine with California’s wine industry? Other states hold some interesting examples and possibilities. The 2016 Wine Industry Expo at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds yesterday included workshops on marketing to millennials, legislative issues, and harvest methodologies. But the panel discussion on “Marijuana and Wine” may have drawn the biggest crowd, …
Continue reading “Cannabis and Cabernet: Collaborators or Competitors? – December 2, 2016”
Could a new public bank in Santa Rosa be the needed financial haven for the growing cannabis industry here? A municipal public bank wouldn’t pay bonuses and dividends, and could have a more flexible relationship with federal regulators. All good reasons, says a local supporter of the alternative fiscal businesses, for creating one to serve …
Continue reading “A Public Bank Could Serve Regional Cannabis Industry – December 1, 2016”
Sonoma County planners and citizens are coming together to address the issue of sea level rise. Over the next 20 years, sea levels along California’s coast are expected to rise by at least a foot, according to the National Research Council. And Sonoma County’s coastline is no exception to that prediction. KRCB’s Tiffany Camhi reports …
Continue reading “Sonoma County Combats Sea Level Rise – November 30, 2016”