Page 26 - Sonoma County Gazette - August 2018

“What would we do without our libraries?”—Katherine Hepburn “I cannot imagine a community without a library!”—Reece Foxen
Hello, this is Carol with heartfelt thanks and hearty
New Hotel—More Affordable Housing
County Springs Specific Plan Meeting Reveals Surprises!
congratulations to co-columnist Reece! The fervor for public libraries that she clearly shares with the late, great Kate motivates my inspiring friend to contribute countless hours to our county’s public library system as a whole as well as to Cloverdale’s library in particular.
On July 10 County Planning conducted an Environmental Review Report (EIR) as Step 6 in the development of the Springs Specific Plan. Once the final EIR
and financing is set, the County will move toward final plan adoption. Anyone wishing to obtain a copy of the SSP or submit recommendations may do so by contacting Yolanda Solano (707-565-7387) or yolanda.solano@sonoma-county.org.
In fact, for the past four years (with two more remaining in her current term), Reece has served as our city’s appointed representative on the Sonoma County Library Commission, including work on its Advocacy and Finance Committees plus several ad hocs.
The meeting’s surprise announcement was a deal based on the sale of Paul’s Resort property by Splash, an organization known as the Sonoma Valley Health and Recreation Association (SVHRA). The agreement includes the following.
In addition, I am delighted to tell you that, at the Library Commission’s July meeting, she had the honor of being elected its Chairwoman. Now here’s Reece to tell us more about Cloverdale’s Library & the county system:
The Hotel: Norman Krug, a developer and owner of the Sonoma Valley Inn on 2nd Street West, proposes to build a 120 room mid-range priced hotel on the Verano property.
Affordable Housing: Mid-Pen housing announced its intention to construct 82 additional affordable housing units on Paul’s property. Mid-Pen built the 60 Fetters units on Hwy 12 with an additional 40 senior units on the way.
SVHS Pool: The third part of the sale is that SVHRA will use the sale proceeds to negotiate with Sonoma Valley Unified for a student/community pool at the High School.
Resident Involvement Needed! Springs residents need to study the Springs Specific Plan proposals to see how it may affect you. See the proposals on line at thesprings.specificplan.org. This is a huge project stretching two blocks on both sides of Highway 12 from Agua Caliente Road to Verano and east to
5th. Street West. Contact the project planner at PRMD (Yolanda Solano above) for maps, questions and calendar issues. How will the developments on Verano affect traffic? Planned bicycle rails? Will proposals change your neighborhood? What is planned for pedestrian walkways? Is the Mission Inn involved? Where will people park to visit new stores, markets, and restaurants?
Hi! I’ll start by saying I’m especially thankful to Cloverdale voters for supporting Measure Y in 2016.
This 1/8th of a cent sales tax (1¢ for every $8 spent in Sonoma County!) has allowed our Libraries to better meet individual and community needs in a number of ways. For example: Libraries are open on Monday with expanded hours on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturdays. Increased revenue has also made possible much needed restorations to staff after the sharp cuts necessitated by the Great Recession.
Cloverdale’s popular renovated library is up-to-date and now has a full crew, including Interim Branch Manager Lara Mayelian who came to us from Seattle via Rincon Valley Library, bringing 10 years’ experience as a librarian.
Passionate about reaching out to teens, especially at-risk youth, runaways, those in foster care, and juvenile hall, Lara promises: “If they won’t come to me, I will go to them.” Toward that goal she is working to build partnerships with the Sonoma County Juvenile Justice System and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) to foster reading and find ways to give these young people a normalizing, yet, potentially life changing experience—browsing the library.
Springs Residents—Study, plan, and learn. The best ideas will come from current residents. In addition, plan to attend a meeting of the Citizens Advisory Team on Monday, August 13, 6 p.m. at La Luz (17560 Greger St.).
Lara’s own library involvement began in Santa Clarita after her family emigrated to the U.S. from Iran in 1979, joining relatives who had fled their homeland after World War I. When her parents went to the local library to take English as a Second Language (ESL) lessons, Lara roamed the Children’s Section and, thanks to this opportunity, began her earliest English lessons
Bring your ideas and observations to the Springs Community Alliance meeting on Thursday, August 16, 7 p.m. at the Springs Community Hall. There will be an analysis and critique of the Springs Specific Plan, the adopted EIR, and Advisory Team’s actions. Add your ideas.
by talking with the librarians. “They were wonderful,” she recalls fondly, “spending time answering my questions.” Today, following in their footsteps, Lara gets to help others in the same ways!
When walking the dog it’s nearly impossible not to cross man-hole covers. Questions arise! When were these placed here? Where were they made? Who manufactured these essential contributions to hygiene and health? Which company has the most aesthetic designs?
A move to a new facility that processes all materials and administrative work was also made possible by Meas. Y. Sometime when you’re near E and 3rd in Santa Rosa, look at the building and imagine what the basement looks like. All ordering, processing, and mending of materials, which used to mean hundreds of boxes with new books plus 20,000 items on the move each day through 14 branches, as well as marketing, program development, administration, IT, and a very small employee rest area were crammed into this basement and accessed by a 6 x 6 elevator and set of narrow stairs. The move to a new facility has made it very much easier to get the books and materials up to us in Cloverdale.
In the Springs the two names most often molded into the iron covers beneath our feet are Empire Iron Works and the Phoenix Iron Works both of Oakland, CA. Covers with these identifications will be found in most of the older areas of the Springs. In newer areas a cover will simply have an inscription, “Sanitary Sewer.”
Technology. It’s the new “library at home”! All you need is your library card! Want a picture book? BookFLIX at sonomalibrary.org/bookflix. Or maybe you need to gain a new computer programing skill? Lynda.com at sonomalibrary.org/Lynda. Or then, again, maybe you’re a student with a paper due on a controversial topic? Try Points of View at sonomalibrary.org/points of view. How about a new washing machine, which I had to buy recently? I went to: Consumer Reports - sonomalibrary.org/consumerreports. Want an eBook
The Phoenix Iron Works was founded in Oakland in 1901. At one time it was a major producer of equipment castings, street and sewer castings, including covers for Western Union lines. The Works originally was located at 1st. Street and Castro from 1901 to 1968. It then moved to West Oakland until 1989, and is now at its current location, the Fifth Avenue Marina.
or audiobook in Spanish? Click to Odilo at sonomalibrary.org/odilo. Pick up “Explore: Digital Services & Databases” at Cloverdale Library for full list of digital services.
There’s an Empire cover at Riverside Drive and San Gabriel as well as on Calle del Arroyo and other hillside streets. There are Phoenix covers around the Springs on Highlands, Calle del Monte, Mountain, and Lichtenberg. A beautiful cover sits without a name of origin on Riverside Drive near San Gabriel Avenue. FYI.
COME to Cloverdale for FRIDAY Night LIVE MUSIC @ 6pm.
26 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 8/18
Avoid Sonoma Creek! Some local residents recently escaped the heat by dipping in Sonoma Creek. Be advised that septic lines, pesticides, and fertilizers leach into the Creek.
Walking The Dog—Watch your Step!—Man-Hole Cover!
The Empire Foundry started in 1905. It was a major producer of covers for the Western Union Company and its predecessor the Alta California Telegraph Company. Alta built a telegraph line that extended in Oakland along Telegraph Avenue, up Claremont Canyon, and over the hills. By 1861 Alta was bought by Western Union. According to sources Empire seems to be nearly out of business today.