Page 29 - Sonoma County Gazette April 2020
P. 29

   May You Live in Interesting Times
“May you live in interesting times.” That’s a quote from an ancient Chinese manuscript considered either a blessing or a curse. We are indeed in interesting times. How is it affecting you?
Forestville Community Fund Grant applications are now available online at 95436.org. The deadline for submittal is June 12. You can also pick up a paper copy at the Service Station or the Pharmacy. Just ask at the front counter. Read over the guidelines to see if you qualify. Check out what has been funded in the past. It’s interesting.
Forestville Youth Park BBQ has been cancelled for this year. As you know this is the biggest fundraiser of the year to keep the park in insurance, upgrades and maintained. This is the best place for our children to be for sports and many birthday parties, celebrations of life etc. happen here. I know we are in trying times and many out of work so with that said any donation large or small that you can make to the park for this year is greatly appreciated. PO Box 357 Forestville, Ca 95436
This seismic shift presents an extraordinary opportunity to rethink just about everything. Is there a way to rebuild a world that works for everyone?
And during this “shelter in place” time in our history, I have some advice from my days as a Crisis Counselor, and from just living for over 7 decades.
• Think about journaling. Future generations will want to know what it was
like to go through these extraordinary times.
• Stay connected by sending texts, making phone calls or sending notes or
letters to those you care about. Email photos, share jokes, tell them why
you like them. Why are they important to you? Do this three times a day.
• Take up a good book, relax, chill out, daydream, sleep.
• Engage in whatever spiritual practice feeds your soul. Do it often.
• Eat well, hydrate often, move daily.
• Get that photo album finally updated, the junk drawer organized,
 Arpril 16 ~ Lower Russian River Municipal
Advisory Council Meeting. Agenda and location will
 be published on the website and posted at the meeting site at least 72 hours before the meeting date.
INFO: http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Lower-Russian-River- Municipal-Advisory-Council/ and Elise VanDyne at
Elise.VanDyne@sonoma-county.org. 707.565.2241
CONFIRM the meeting is happening LIVE or on ZOOM before attending!
the baseboards cleaned, all those mindless tasks so at least you are
accomplishing something!
• Ask yourself “what can I learn from this experience?”
• Get up, shake yourself out, put on some rock and roll and boogie.
• Garden. The weeds are easy to pull this time of year.
Amongst everything else cancelled, I’m VERY sorry to announce that the Town Hall we’ve been planning for mid-April is postponed until we can be safely together again. You would have loved the agenda. Lynda Hopkins would have given her update on County business; mitigation funds etc. and of course she’s so good at taking questions. She’s a Forestvillian after all.
FRIENDS OF GRATON
 FOG, has been working non-stop behind the scenes to advocate for
the residents of Graton concerning cannabis cultivation. They have been working to identify laws for cannabis setback to parks, trails, schools and residences. Its pretty important stuff so regardless of your position its important to stay informed. You can sign up to be on the e-mail distribution list by e-mailing Anna Ransome ransome@sonic.net
Below is a small excerpt form the most recently e-mail update. If you are interested in writing to the county, there is a prewritten e-mail that you can copy which FOG will provide you with.
From FOG: We have mentioned in past updates that the trend at the County is moving towards ministerial permitting of cannabis applications administered by the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office instead of Permit Sonoma. We have now learned that one County staff person, Niki Berrocal, is responsible for writing the new regulations that will be submitted to the Board of Supervisors for approval sometime this year.
This means that it is time for YOU as a resident of Sonoma County and a concerned citizen to take action to protect your neighborhood and your parks, trails and schools from the negative impacts of cannabis projects.
Please write an email to Niki.Berrocal@sonoma-county.org and CC: Supervisor Lynda Hopkins (District5@sonoma-county.org), Leo Chyi (Leo. Chyi@sonoma-county.org), Supervisor James Gore (district4@sonoma-county. org) & Jenny Chamberlain (Jenny.Chamberlain@sonoma-county.org)
The two supervisors above are on the Ad Hoc committee that was formed to handle re-writing the cannabis ordinance. Unfortunately, the cannabis industry has been able to have undue influence on how the ordinance revision has been handled so far. This is your chance to have a say in the process.
We had also invited Mallory and George from the Champs DeElysees Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Group to show us how they followed up after last year’s Town Hall on Emergency Preparedness. They organized neighborhood blocks all along Champs with information on how to stay prepared and connected, especially in times of crisis. My goal is to see many more of our neighborhoods connect in that way.
Also, at the Town Hall, we were to hear from Michael Cuoio on plans for the downtown oaks trailhead preserve picnic area (can you tell we are still mulling over the best name?) The FPA has produced modified plans for that space that are inching their way through the permit process. Once those plans are approved (a copy is posted in the picnic area) we will be asking how much the community wants to fund any particular piece.
That sounds like a fundraising campaign to me! If, because of circumstance, there is no community funding, (in other words if no one cares enough or has any money left,) the area may stay looking like it is for some time to come. But we have the plans!!!
And a reminder to our middle and high school students. The Skatepark Committee is putting on a tour of local and not so local skateparks to compile a list of must-have features for the Forestville Skate Park. They’d like you along for the tour. It might still happen late April but call Jacque at 887-8260 to register. Why not have a voice in the elements you’d like at your own skatepark? The few who show up have tremendous say so, just saying.
Next month if we still have no community events to announce, I’ll talk more about the role of your Lower Russian River Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) That was also something on our Town Hall list!
Be well, stay safe, keep your physical distance but reach out!
4/20 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 29

























































   27   28   29   30   31