On Friday, Oct. 30, Sebastopol will see the needle drop—as well as a fair amount of clothing.
Thotty’s Naughty Revue—a burlesque extravaganza—is joining forces with Wax Poetic, the vinyl-centered listening lounge in the lobby of the Main Street Theater, for an evening of Halloween revelry replete with a vinyl soundtrack. What begins as a stage show will continue as a party, with the music spinning long after the last performer takes a bow.
“We’re gonna party,” promised burlesque performer and producer Thotty McNaughty during a recent appearance on The Drive on 95.5 FM with Wax Poetic’s co-owner, Daniel Spicka.
McNaughty, a founding board member of The Phoenix Dancers, produces the monthly revue featuring a changing lineup of Sonoma County performers and touring talent. Meanwhile, Spicka has been involved in the music industry since the late 1990s and wanted somewhere to share his vinyl collection and enthusiasm for DJ culture. He found it at the corner of North Main and Bodega Avenue.
Spicka and fellow co-owner Tashina Lemons opened Wax Poetic in July at 104 N. Main St.—the site of the Main Street Theater—making an unlikely destination of the venue’s lobby. Spicka said he passes the building regularly on coffee runs and eventually looked through its windows with fresh eyes.
“That lobby looks like it could be really cool,” he recalled. The result is a membership-oriented listening room rather than, say, a conventional bar. Records play over a high-end sound system, and members can attend listening sessions and other music-centered gatherings.
“I didn’t wanna have a bar. I wanted to have a music clubhouse,” Spicka noted.
That approach found a natural partner in McNaughty’s revue. Previously, theatergoers would admire the lobby without necessarily knowing what was happening there. A collaborative trial in September gave audiences a chance to linger before the show, mingle during intermission and stay afterward.
“I actually just like to meet everybody and talk to everybody,” McNaughty said. Instead of hustling people out after the finale, the partnership gives that post-show energy somewhere to go.
The Oct. 30 evening begins when doors open at 7, with music and time to socialize. The burlesque show runs from 7:30 to 9pm, followed by a Halloween dance party and costume contest with prizes. Food and drinks are planned.
Performers bring their own music for their stage routines. Wax Poetic handles the soundtrack before the show, during intermission and afterward, leaving Spicka room to read the room rather than choreograph the entire night.
“It’s just vibes,” McNaughty said with a knowing laugh, describing the musical collaboration. “But also it’s trust too.”
The October lineup includes Mimic Velour, Harry Sass, Velvet Thorn, Christy Belladonna, Dahlia Foxx, Natasha Nightmare and Anita Tension, along with the Amplify Chair Troupe.
For McNaughty, the revue isn’t only about giving established performers a spotlight. It also creates opportunities for emerging dancers, emcees and people learning what happens behind the curtain. For Spicka, the audience presents another opportunity.
As he said, “At the end of a burlesque show, everyone is very ready to dance and get down.”
Thotty’s Naughty Revue with Wax Poetic is Friday, Oct. 30, at Main Street Theater, 104 N. Main St., Sebastopol. Doors open at 7pm, the show runs 7:30–9pm, and a Halloween party follows. Tickets start at $30. Details: thottymcnaughty.com/thottys-naughty-revue.
While this reviewer has definitely left some shows thinking, “What the hell was that?”, there isn’t a show that has elicited that kind of reaction from me (but in a wholly delightful and ridiculously entertaining way) as much as the Barry Martin-directed Revenge of the Rebobs! The ’80s-themed cryptozoology musical comedy runs at the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center in Napa through Nov. 8.
What are Rebobs exactly? That murkiness is part of the random, oh-so-’80s essence one is going to see, along with tons of lampooning of everything from politics to music to PG&E. It’s an absurd two-hour romp set right in Napa Valley that leans heavily into the local legend of mysterious flying robot monkeys.
The whole thing is a melange of bonkers hijinks, courtesy of the book by director Martin and the music, lyrics, arrangements and musical direction by Rob Broadhurst.
Rebobs! has far less horror and gore than I wanted (after all, the subject matter and language are already pretty much adult-only), but no matter; it’s bizarre and hilarious, for the most part, especially in numbers like “It’s Halloween (At The N.S.H),” and “Randy & Candy Candeux.”
The actors playing the main characters (Jeremy Kreamer as cryptozoology truther Andy Candeux, Andrea Davis, who shares the role of capable Candy Mandrew with actress Taylor Bartolucci, and Jenny Veilleux as put-upon towngirl Janet) are all highly skilled and take their more “straight” roles quite seriously, which leaves most of the goofing off to the supporting performers. There is some standout character work being done, primarily by Sarah Lundstrom, Sean O’Brien, Emma Sutherland and Arthur Mautner.
It’s apparent that the whole cast is having a fantastic time.
The scenic design by Barry Martin is evocative of our redwood forests and is accented with a gorgeously done lighting scheme by April George. Costumes by Barbara McFadden are kitschy and make the most of the 1980s tackiness. Choreography by Bartolucci is fast-paced and well executed.
Having never seen a musical at Lucky Penny before, I found the sound a bit disorienting at first, with a muffled quality, but soon grew accustomed to the acoustics of the very small space.
If one is a fan of original works—and it is important to support original works and local writers—then Revenge of the Rebobs! is a must-see.
It’s a fun and funny evening of Napa Valley-flavored theater.
‘Revenge of the Rebobs!’ runs through Nov. 8 at the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center, 1758 Industrial Way, Napa. Thurs–Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $30–$49. 707.266.6305. luckypennynapa.com.
The November general election for the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors could dramatically transform the board and upend the county power structure.
Two progressive candidates—both Democrats, Joanna Paun (2nd District) and Melanie Bagby (4th District)—finished first in their respective June primary races. If elected, Paun and Bagby will join incumbent Supervisor Chris Coursey to form the board’s most progressive majority since the 1970s.
Both Paun and Bagby are backed by a broad county-wide progressive coalition that includes North Bay Working Families Party, Sonoma County Democratic Party, Sonoma County Conservation Action, the North Bay Labor Council, SEIU 1021, Sonoma County Democratic Socialists of America, the Sierra Club, and the Sonoma State University and SRJC Young Democratic Clubs.
There is much at stake. Both Paun and Bagby support a sanctuary ordinance ending any collaboration between the sheriff and ICE; full accountability by the sheriff to IOLERO, the county law enforcement oversight commission; the decommissioning of two aging dams in the Potter Valley; ensuring competitive wages and benefits for county employees and a COLA for county retirees; and strengthening urban growth boundaries.
Both progressive candidates are advocates for affordability issues such as boosting the county living wage, stronger renter protections for mobile home park residents and raising taxes on the wealthy.
The neoliberal centrist candidates opposing Paun and Bagby are (Democrat) Sylvia Lemus in the 2nd District, the former mayor of Cotati, and Tom Schwedhelm (previously registered Republican, now independent) in District 4, who is the former Santa Rosa police chief.
These establishment candidates are backed by big-money interests, including the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, the Farm Bureau, major developers and real estate interests, and law enforcement unions.
Both Lemus and Schwedhelm were handpicked by longtime conservative political consultant Rob Meulrath, who was also the political consultant for four out of five incumbent supervisors.
Martin J. Bennett is instructor emeritus of history at Santa Rosa Junior College and a consultant for UNITE HERE Local 2.
Feather & Flow: Live Music and Burlesque—a speakeasy-inspired night of live music, cocktails, and unforgettable burlesque at The Big Easy in downtown Petaluma. The evening features award-winning cabaret chanteuse Coco Lamarr performing soulful favorites accompanied by LBZ & the .WAV, a dynamic live musician known for his energetic performances and original music. Between live musical sets, experience burlesque performances by award winning artists.
Drawing Date for this Giveaway is Monday, November 2, 2026. Winners notified by email and have 48 hours to respond or forfeit. Must be 21+ to win.
Jen Pelka is the CEO and co-founder of Une Femme Wines, a sparkling wine company that began as the house pour at The Riddler, the all-women-funded Champagne bars Pelka opened in San Francisco and New York. Her team noticed a pattern: Any time a wine made by a woman appeared on the menu, it became the top seller. That insight became the seed for Une Femme. More recently, Pelka launched Someday in Sonoma, a Substack and recipe series inspired by her Wine Country life.
Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?
Jen Pelka: My career has been a long, winding path, but the through line has always been food, wine and community, especially creating spaces and experiences that bring women together. I’ve always followed the things I’m passionate about and curious about, whether that’s restaurants, wine or cooking at home. I’m also definitely a starter. If I have an idea I’m excited about, my instinct is usually to figure out how to make it happen.
Did you ever have an ‘aha’ moment with a certain beverage? If so, tell us about it.
When I was in my early 20s, my roommate and I were regulars at Schiller’s on the Lower East Side in Manhattan. We went almost every night and became such regulars that the maître d’ would call me “Jenny from the Block.” The bartender knew our favorite seats, would clear them for us when we came in and pop open a bottle of prosecco that we’d drink for free (and then we’d tip generously).
It was the first place where I really understood the magic of being a regular. They took care of us with so much familiarity and generosity. We’d sit there drinking prosecco through these long nights, watching people come and go, and I fell in love with sparkling wine as much for that feeling as for the wine itself. There’s really nothing better than being a regular somewhere and feeling like you belong there.
What is your favorite thing to drink at home?
Assyrtiko. It’s a Greek varietal that’s light, bright, mineral-driven and so easy to drink, especially with food. We’re actually growing what we believe to be the first and only assyrtiko vineyard in Sonoma County. It gives me this little connection between our life in Sonoma and our love of Greece.
Where do you like to go out for a drink?
Scribe. They do such an incredible job of highlighting the craft and sense of place behind their wines, and the atmosphere at the Hacienda is unmatched in Wine Country. It’s the kind of place where you go for a glass of wine and very quickly decide you’re staying for the afternoon.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to be drinking (besides fresh water)?
The North Bay has no shortage of great scenery—that’s often why we live here.
When building a home here, the trick is knowing how to leverage that natural beauty into a functional and aesthetically pleasing domestic experience.
Two residences recognized in separate 2026 design competitions have figured it out with aplomb.
Kentfield
“Kentfield Residence” earned Gold in the Residential Interior Design (Housing & Apartment) category at the International Architecture & Design Awards. Denver’s Momo Wong Design handled the interiors, working with architects Swatt + Partners.
The owners, returning to the United States after almost two decades in Japan and Singapore, wanted a warm, contemporary home blending Japanese and Scandinavian influences. Their steep hillside property offered the bay to the east and Mount Tamalpais to the west.
Their main house was rebuilt from its structural foundation, while the garage, apartment and pool house were renovated. One practical complication became a defining pleasure: With the kitchen at the far end of the house, carrying groceries from the parking plaza requires a longer walk. The designers made that route worth taking, tracing a koi pond along the home’s perimeter.
“This project was truly a labor of love, rooted in the belief that the design journey should be just as meaningful as the destination,” says founding partner Momo Wong.
Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, linen-filtered windows and a pavilion with deep overhangs extend that conversation between indoors and out. Wood, honed travertine, brass and iron provide warmth and texture. Custom lighting by ceramicist Margaret O’Rorke and metal weaver Sirkka Paikkari gives the home a lanternlike glow from below. Even the trip to the kitchen gets its moment.
Collaborators included Kasten Builders, Huettl Landscape Architecture, cabinetmaker Marcus Otten of Exquisite Kitchen Design and stylist Lisa Rowe.
Glen Ellen
In Sonoma County, “Glen Ellen Residence” received a Merit Award in Residential Design–Built from the American Institute of Architects’ Redwood Empire chapter, whose awards gala took place Oct. 17.
This project’s guiding idea was straightforward: a garden with a house. Making a 10,000-square-foot residential compound defer to its surroundings, however, required some architectural diplomacy.
The Wiseman Group’s architecture and interiors team worked with barn-inspired forms and a restrained palette. John Hood of Hood Thomas Architects is credited with the main house’s original core and envelope. Low, charcoal-gray buildings with standing-seam metal roofs settle into a setting of vineyards, mature oaks and hillside.
Inside, board-formed concrete, stone, bronze and rift-sawn white oak carry that earthy sensibility forward. A sculptural oak ceiling, inspired by Gaudí’s catenary studies for the Sagrada Família, brings intimacy to the tall main living space. Related slatted wood details connect rooms and accessory buildings.
The client’s interest in geology supplied another cue: Coastal crystal formations inspired a luminous Cristallo quartzite kitchen, complemented by marble, limestone and bronze.
Durable porcelain tile flooring continues from interior rooms to outdoor areas, reinforcing the connection between the house and its garden setting.
Pocketing steel-and-glass doors open toward gardens, covered trellises and the pool terrace. Across the narrow property, courtyards, water features and gathering places create successive destinations, ending at a sauna tucked toward the rear. The substantial home makes room for a family of four while keeping its landscape in the foreground.
Different awards, different approaches: brilliant North Bay home design.
Some might call these bones of mine lazy, but I went no further than my fridge for this week’s lede. There, in my crisper drawer, I stock 10-ounce bottles of Nana Mae’s tart organic apple juice.
It is lazy, perhaps. But it’s in my home—a part of it. And in these times of violent change, one must actively advocate for the things one loves. If one hopes to see them on the morrow.
I love this juice. It remains my favorite way to consume the (locally) famous Gravenstein apple.
Its tart, sweet acid is the very thing for a savory palate overlaid with dinner’s fat. Suggest you pop a bottle, reader—there are few things refreshing’er.
And how did I reach Paul Kolling, owner of Nana Mae’s? I turned the bottle in my hand a quarter turn. There, on the side of the label, is his own phone number. His email too.
That surprised me. Until, on second thought, I realized that such a trust marks a local family-owned business where deals are done at one to two degrees’ remove from kith and kin.
I arranged through Kolling and his “publicist” to meet at one of the orchards Nana Mae’s tends and harvests.
There I met him; two of his grandkids; and his daughter, Eva Granahan—the erstwhile publicist. She had a laugh at that, and his eye twinkled at the foolery. In truth, she and her brothers have moved through a dozen business and farm roles as needed.
The orchard where we met was small—a few acres attached to a house. A house not theirs.
Nana Mae’s contracts with some 400 orchards in West Sonoma County, none more than a few acres of old apple trees—remnants of what was once a vast apple industry. “We’re nomadic farmers,” quipped Kolling.
He pointed out that this orchard was not only organicbut dry-farmed and low-till—hence its semi-demi wild look.
“You can ‘see’ the difference that makes if you get quiet. Hear the birds?” he asked. I did—a considerable chatter of birds. There were also signs of deer and rabbits. Together it formed a remarkable contrast to the ordered silence of our vinelands—that one ecologist described as our vast viniferous valley “desert,” devoid of life.
More than I had anticipated, Nana Mae’s presents itself as a cause as much as a bottle. Kolling’s family business protects what remains of the apple industry. One can buy the bottles and smash them undrunk—they are payment for maintaining much of West Sonoma County’s rustic charm.
In these times of change, they could use the support. Nana Mae’s is winding down its popular applesauce line after the closure of the Manzana apple press (now on the market for $7 million). Juice and vinegar processing has moved to the South Bay at considerable expense (and carbon cost). A smaller, less versatile replacement is planned at Gold Ridge Organic Farms. A pivot to fresh apples will make up for a fraction of Nana Mae’s lost income (find them at Marin Civic Center’s farmers market).
At the end of our time, Kolling expressed gratitude for being able to pick apples on hundred-year-old trees sold by the great Luther Burbank himself.
Learn more: Meet this charming farm family and their ilk at Apple-y Ever After on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 1 to 5pm, at the Arlene Francis Center in Santa Rosa. With representatives and seasonal offerings from Baba Chai, The Gentle Hearth, Californian Homemakers Association, music, dance, crafts, children’s activities and more. $30 suggested donation.
The recent death, at age 84, of Dennis Hastert, the 51st speaker of the House, who later served in prison for violating banking laws to conceal hush-money payments, points to an increasingly obvious trend in American politics.
He was supposed to be a good guy. Not so.
Hastert’s legacy was suddenly thrown into doubt in 2015, when he was accused of evading banking regulations as part of a plan to pay hush money to conceal unspecified “prior misconduct.”
Nearly a year later, prosecutors filed papers that described what media reports had suggested for months: Hastert’s alleged misconduct involved the sexual abuse of teenage boys on his wrestling team in the small town of Yorkville, west of Chicago.
The trend mentioned above is simply this: As a country, we do not elect good people to high office any longer, from either political party.
It’s almost as if we go around trying to find the people of lowest character and integrity.
Let me name a few people whom we have elected in recent years and who didn’t or don’t belong anywhere near positions of public leadership: Donald Trump, Mike Pence, JD Vance, Mike Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Susan Collins, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Greg Abbott, Jim Jordan, Lauren Boebert, Josh Hawley, Charles Grassley, Dianne Feinstein, Hillary Clinton, Ron DeSantis, Eric Schmitt and the “Ol’ Coach,” Tommy Tuberville.
I could go on because the list doesn’t end. It is one self-inflicted wound after another. In this kind of environment, reelecting incumbents is bad for everyone.
The American people have been sold a bill of goods for a very long time, though it is very clear that the buck stops with the voters.
It is going to take a while to root out the bad apples, because there are so many of them in the barrel.
Because of how campaign finance works, it is a challenge to remove incumbents, since so many are protected by “dark money,” the original sources of which are hidden from the public.
My theory is that good people generate desired results and bad ones do not.
A lot of bad people at the same time create major challenges, and we have a lot of bad people in positions of leadership. Let’s get them the hell out, via term limits, age limits and whatever else it takes.
The simple act of voting affirms a tradition that has served Americans well for 250 years. True, the United States is not a pure democracy. If it were, Californians would not have 2% of the representation of each North Dakotan in the U.S. Senate.
Also, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia would have voting congressional representation. And we would elect presidents based on popular vote rather than through an electoral college that’s biased towards whiter flyover states while disenfranchising the more diverse and educated coastal ones.
A clear example of that kind of undemocracy transpired in 2000, when popular vote-losing George W. Bush managed to stop Florida recounts that would have likely elected Al Gore, thanks to a 5-4 Supreme Court decision. Talk about making one vote count.
The attacks on voting rights have continued with ID law initiatives and restrictions on mail voting. We now see a massive increase in democratic-erosion events, from press restrictions and pardons of election disruptors and presidential family members to Department of Justice investigations of political opponents—which began under Joe Biden and accelerated under Donald Trump.
Fighting back against naked power grabs is an act of patriotism that begins with a cast ballot. Now more than before, it’s time to study the issues, the candidates and the ballot measures, then exercise our right to participate in guiding our future. Without that participation, we just give a green light to the rising tide of global authoritarianism.
This voter guide was prepared by Stephanie Uchida, Eric Parker, Dan Pulcrano and Daedalus Howell.
Statewide Offices
Governor
The national political divide is playing out in California, with Democrat Xavier Becerra trying his best to cast Republican Steve Hilton as a proxy for unpopular midterm president Donald Trump. UK-immigrant Hilton has created AI-generated ads cleverly portraying Becerra, the son of a Mexican immigrant and a U.S.-born father, as a machine-selected candidate of Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris. The attorney general took the Trump administration to court at least 120 times with some success. Hilton promises Californians $3 gas and to remove the $800 annual state tax on business entities, which disproportionately impacts small businesses and startups. The victor in this race will take office in early 2027 and lead the state’s executive branch.
Lieutenant Governor
In the race for lieutenant governor, Democrat Fiona Ma, the current state treasurer and a certified public accountant, faces Republican Gloria Romero, a former longtime Democratic state senator turned Republican, educator and charter school founder. Ma emphasizes affordability, opportunity and bipartisanship drawn from her small business and legislative record, while Romero is running on education reform, college accountability, fire recovery and an active role for the office.
Secretary of State
In the race for secretary of state, Democrat Shirley Weber, the incumbent and California’s first Black secretary of state, faces Republican Don Wagner, an Orange County supervisor, former Irvine mayor and ex-assemblymember. Weber emphasizes voting access, transparency in election filings and cybersecurity, drawn from her record overseeing the state’s elections and her years as a professor and four-term assemblymember, while Wagner is running on election integrity, voter ID, faster ballot counting and a more business-friendly, modernized office.
Controller
In the competition for state controller, Democrat Malia Cohen, the incumbent and California’s first African American controller, squares off against Republican Herb Morgan, a chief investment officer and investment firm founder. Cohen emphasizes transparency, efficiency and fairness in managing state finances, drawn from her record as a Board of Equalization chair, San Francisco supervisors president and seat on the CalPERS board, while Morgan is campaigning on exposing government fraud, a real-time blockchain ledger of state spending and proactive audits.
Treasurer
In the race for state treasurer, Democrat Eleni Kounalakis, the current lieutenant governor and California’s first woman elected to that office, faces Republican Jennifer Hawks, a retired Silicon Valley businessperson and first-time candidate. Kounalakis emphasizes affordable housing through public finance, investing in children and families and protecting pensions, drawn from her record as a housing developer, U.S. ambassador to Hungary and member of the UC Regents and CSU Trustees, while Hawks is running as an outsider on transparency, independent oversight and exposing waste, fraud and mismanagement.
Attorney General
In the race for attorney general, Democrat Rob Bonta, the incumbent and California’s first attorney general of Filipino descent, faces Republican Michael Gates, the Huntington Beach city attorney and a former Justice Department official. Bonta emphasizes housing access, civil rights and enforcing state laws, including more than 50 lawsuits against the Trump administration, drawn from his years as a San Francisco deputy city attorney and assemblymember. Gates is running on implementing Prop 36, backing police, prosecuting fraud, enforcing Title IX and election laws, and protecting local control over land use.
Insurance Commissioner
Voters choose one. Two Democrats appear on the ballot: Jane Kim, an attorney and consumer advocate, and state Sen. Ben Allen. The insurance commissioner regulates the state’s insurance industry and reviews insurance rate requests.
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Voters choose one. Sonja Shaw, a school district president, faces Richard Barrera, a state superintendent advisor. The superintendent leads the California Department of Education and oversees the state’s public K-12 schools.
State Offices
Member, State Board of Equalization, District 2
Voters choose one. Democrat Sally J. Lieber, the incumbent, faces fellow Democrat John Pimentel, a member of the San Mateo County Community College District board of trustees. The board hears tax appeals and oversees certain tax programs.
Member, State Assembly, District 23
Voters choose one. Democrat Marc Berman, the current assemblymember, faces Republican David G. Johnson, a small business owner. The Assembly writes and votes on state laws and the state budget.
Judicial
Each judicial race asks voters a yes or no question on whether to keep or elect the named justice or judge.
Associate Justice, California Supreme Court: Joshua Groban
Voters decide whether to keep Associate Justice Joshua Groban on the California Supreme Court for the term provided by law. A yes vote keeps Groban on the court. A no vote removes Groban from office.
Associate Justice, California Supreme Court: Kelli M. Evans
Voters decide whether to keep Associate Justice Kelli M. Evans on the California Supreme Court for the term provided by law. A yes vote keeps Evans on the court. A no vote removes Evans from office.
Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, Sixth District: Charles E. Wilson II
Voters decide whether to keep Associate Justice Charles E. Wilson II on the Sixth District Court of Appeal, which covers Santa Clara County and surrounding counties. A yes vote keeps Wilson on the court. A no vote removes Wilson from office.
Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, Sixth District: Frederick S. Chung
The ballot describes Frederick S. Chung as a Superior Court judge and asks whether voters should elect him to a Sixth District Court of Appeal seat. Voters answer yes or no.
Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, Sixth District: Charles F. Adams
Voters decide whether to keep Associate Justice Charles F. Adams on the Sixth District Court of Appeal. A yes vote keeps Adams on the court. A no vote removes Adams from office.
Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, Sixth District: Allison Marston Danner
Voters decide whether to keep Associate Justice Allison Marston Danner on the Sixth District Court of Appeal. A yes vote keeps Danner on the court. A no vote removes Danner from office.
Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, Sixth District: Daniel H. Bromberg
Voters decide whether to keep Associate Justice Daniel H. Bromberg on the Sixth District Court of Appeal. A yes vote keeps Bromberg on the court. A no vote removes Bromberg from office.
BADGE OF HONOR The ‘I Voted’ sticker is ubiquitous this time of year—as well it should be. Photo by Element5 Digital.
California Ballot Measures
California Statewide Propositions
Prop 1: Bonds for Housing Affordability
This proposition authorizes $11.25 billion in general obligation bonds to fund affordable housing programs. It’s supported by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Democratic Party and labor. It has some token opposition from Republican legislators.
Prop 2: Increases State’s Rainy Day Fund
This would increase state budget reserves to protect education, healthcare and public safety during economic downturns.
Prop 3: Permanent Funding for Schools and Healthcare by Extending Existing Tax on High Incomes
This proposition extends an existing tax on individuals earning more than an inflation-adjusted $371,000 to fund public education.
Prop 4: Repeals Prohibition Against Public Funding of Election Campaigns
Proposition 4 repeals California’s ban on public funding of candidate campaigns and would allow state and local governments to establish campaign funds. Proponents argue that it will reduce the influence of private money on elections. Opponents argue that it will cost taxpayers money to support candidates they don’t want.
Prop 5: Changes Recall Election Process for Statewide Officers
This measure would fill recall vacancies by special election at a later date or by appointment, instead of during the election to recall the elected official. It would allow the recalled officeholder to run in the election to fill the seat they were removed from.
Prop 37: Creates Loan Program for Middle-Income Buyers of Qualified New Homes
Proposition 37 allows the state to borrow up to $25 billion to help prospective homebuyers buy new houses and condos. Bonds are repaid by mortgage payments, so as conceived, it wouldn’t cost the state anything.
Prop 38: Authorizes Bonds for Immunology Medical Research
By authorizing $8.4 billion in bonds for immunology research, Proposition 38 seeks to protect medical science from federal cuts to research programs. Critics argue it will increase state debt and that it disproportionately favors certain types of research and one nonprofit institute.
Prop 39: Prohibits Citizens From Voting Unless They Present Government-Issued ID
This Republican-backed bill would amend the state constitution to require government IDs to vote in person. It also invalidates mail ballots without the last four digits of a government ID on the envelope.
Prop 40: Imposes One-Time Tax on Certain Taxpayers
The so-called billionaire’s tax imposes a one time 5% hit on taxpayers with assets over $1 billion. The money bypasses school funding requirements and the state spending limit. It would put tens of billions of dollars into health services over several years. Supported by Sen. Bernie Sanders and healthcare workers, opponents argue it will accelerate the flight of wealthy residents to more tax-friendly jurisdictions.
Proposition 41: Special-tax audits and spending-limit rules
Prop 41 requires the state auditor to review special tax proposals before they go to voters, making it harder to pass special taxes. Critics say it’s a billionaire-funded effort to undo the Billionaire Tax (Prop 40). New special taxes would count toward the state’s spending limit, potentially triggering automatic refunds and reducing funding for other state programs.
Proposition 42: Personal property and retroactive tax ban
Prop 42 makes it harder to create a wealth tax, prohibiting new taxes on the mere ownership of assets such as investment accounts, business interests and personal property. Prop 41 is considered an attempt to block Prop 40.
Proposition 43: Local tax limitation
Prop 43 increases the passage requirement for local citizen-driven special tax ballot initiatives from a majority to two-thirds. Supporters say it keeps special interest groups from leveraging the simple majority system; opponents say it makes it harder to fund local services.
Proposition 44: Community clinic spending requirement
Prop 44 requires community clinics that serve low income patients to spend 90% of annual revenue on patient care. Supporters believe it will prevent clinics overspending on executive pay. Opponents think it’s unnecessary because clinics are already regulated and that compliance costs could force some clinics to close.
Proposition 45: Environmental review changes
Sponsored by the California Chamber of Commerce, Prop 45 puts a 365-day limit on environmental reviews for projects designated as “essential,” such as roads and bridges. It also requires courts to rule within 270 days on environmental review lawsuits. It’s opposed by Sierra Club California.
County Ballot Measures Recommendations
Measure P, Marin County: Childcare
Establishes a 15-year parcel tax starting at 5 cents per building square foot, raising approximately $12.5 million annually for childcare, early education and improved educator compensation. Includes independent audits and allows annual inflation adjustments. Making childcare more accessible, helps children, working parents and the local economy. Yes on P.
Measure H, Sonoma County: Parks for All
Continues the existing one-eighth-cent sales tax for regional and city parks without increasing the rate. Funds park maintenance, trails, playgrounds, habitat protection and vegetation management to reduce wildfire risk, with one-third going to Sonoma County’s nine cities and towns. The tax would continue until repealed by voters. Yes on H.
Measure AB, Sonoma County Junior College District: Facilities Bond
Authorizes $830 million in bonds to repair and modernize Santa Rosa Junior College facilities, including those used to train nurses, firefighters and other first responders. Requires independent audits and citizens’ oversight. Structured to maintain the existing bond tax rate, though actual rates depend on assessed values and bond sales. An investment in affordable education and the workforce our communities need. Yes on AB.
Measure B, Napa County: Wildfire Preparedness and Open Space
Establishes a half-cent sales tax for 18 years to fund wildfire preparedness, watershed protection and open space preservation. Revenue would be divided equally between Napa County and its Regional Park and Open Space District, with competitive grants and independent oversight. Protecting communities, water resources and undeveloped land merits a shared investment. Yes on B.
Can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Petaluma’s Lily’s Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary is helping prove that age is just a number with the eighth annual Saving Senior Dogs Week, a nationwide awareness and fundraising campaign devoted to giving older canines a new leash on life. Through the end of October, 37 participating rescue organizations across the country will share hundreds of adoption stories featuring their four-legged “Ambassadogs,” highlighting the challenges facing senior dogs in shelters and the rewards of welcoming one home. Older dogs are among the least likely to be adopted, making organizations like Lily’s Legacy especially important. The weeklong social media campaign also raises funds for the Saving Senior Dogs USA rescue network. After all, every dog deserves a golden age to match its golden heart. Now through Oct. 31. Online awareness and fundraising campaign at savingseniordogsusa.org.
Santa Rosa
Ghosts of a Chance
The ghosts of the Barbary Coast apparently have a taste for electronic dance music. Feral Productions resurrects its Ghost Town Halloween celebration for a second year, transforming Santa Rosa’s Café Dobe at Doobie Nights into a haunted Old West fantasy complete with saloon lasers, atmospheric lighting and two stages of DJs. The Vortex Stage features David Starfire, Mah Ze Tar and others, while the Elemental Stage brings Izzy Wise, Sarita Sol and a lineup inspired by the spirit of Día de los Muertos. Master of ceremonies $teven Ra$pa presides over the festivities, which include a juried costume contest, photobooth, vendors and refreshments. Costumes aren’t merely encouraged—they’re required. And with dancing until 5am, even the dearly departed may need a nap. 8pm–5am, Saturday, Oct. 31, at Café Dobe at Doobie Nights, 3011 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. Tickets and info at ghosttownhalloween.party.
San Rafael
Sacred & Seen
The boundary between the living and the dead becomes fertile artistic territory in Oaxaca’s Sacred Keeper: María Sabina, a Día de los Muertos installation by multidisciplinary artist Jacqueline López at Art Works Downtown. Honoring María Sabina, the Oaxacan healer known for her ceremonial use of sacred mushrooms, López combines layered collage, marigolds, botanical forms and celestial imagery to explore ancestral memory and spiritual transformation. Born on the border of Paraguay and Brazil, López draws on Hispanic-Portuguese and Guaraní Indigenous influences in work that bridges cultural traditions and the mysteries of the natural world. “This piece is less a portrait than an offering,” says López, describing a visual meditation on remembrance and the enduring conversation between generations. Here, the past is anything but dead. On display through Monday, Nov. 30, at Art Works Downtown, 1337 Fourth St., San Rafael. artworksdowntown.org.
Tiburon
Trivial Pursuits
Marin’s self-proclaimed Master of Trivia brings four decades of quiz-making experience to Trivia Café at the Library for an evening of brain teasers, pop culture puzzlers and friendly competition. A veteran of the Bohemian and Pacific Sun’s own “Trivia Café,” Howard Rachelson has spent 40 years stumping audiences throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Attendees can expect questions spanning academics, sports, entertainment and assorted corners of human knowledge, with music and visuals thrown in to keep everyone guessing. One may bring a team or join one on arrival. Snacks are provided, prizes await the winners, and curious minds of all ages are welcome. After all, knowing a little about everything might finally come in handy. 6–7:30pm, Thursday, Nov. 5, in the Founders Room atBelvedere Tiburon Library, 1501 Tiburon Blvd., Tiburon. Registration required at bit.ly/4z9FPnw.
On Friday, Oct. 30, Sebastopol will see the needle drop—as well as a fair amount of clothing.
Thotty’s Naughty Revue—a burlesque extravaganza—is joining forces with Wax Poetic, the vinyl-centered listening lounge in the lobby of the Main Street Theater, for an evening of Halloween revelry replete with a vinyl soundtrack. What begins as a stage show will continue as a...
While this reviewer has definitely left some shows thinking, “What the hell was that?”, there isn’t a show that has elicited that kind of reaction from me (but in a wholly delightful and ridiculously entertaining way) as much as the Barry Martin-directed Revenge of the Rebobs! The ’80s-themed cryptozoology musical comedy runs at the Lucky Penny Community Arts Center in...
The November general election for the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors could dramatically transform the board and upend the county power structure.
Two progressive candidates—both Democrats, Joanna Paun (2nd District) and Melanie Bagby (4th District)—finished first in their respective June primary races. If elected, Paun and Bagby will join incumbent Supervisor Chris Coursey to form the board’s most progressive majority...
Jen Pelka is the CEO and co-founder of Une Femme Wines, a sparkling wine company that began as the house pour at The Riddler, the all-women-funded Champagne bars Pelka opened in San Francisco and New York. Her team noticed a pattern: Any time a wine made by a woman appeared on the menu, it became the top seller. That...
The North Bay has no shortage of great scenery—that’s often why we live here.
When building a home here, the trick is knowing how to leverage that natural beauty into a functional and aesthetically pleasing domestic experience.
Two residences recognized in separate 2026 design competitions have figured it out with aplomb.
Kentfield
“Kentfield Residence” earned Gold in the Residential Interior Design (Housing &...
Some might call these bones of mine lazy, but I went no further than my fridge for this week’s lede. There, in my crisper drawer, I stock 10-ounce bottles of Nana Mae’s tart organic apple juice.
It is lazy, perhaps. But it’s in my home—a part of it. And in these times of violent change, one must actively advocate for...
Bad Apples
The recent death, at age 84, of Dennis Hastert, the 51st speaker of the House, who later served in prison for violating banking laws to conceal hush-money payments, points to an increasingly obvious trend in American politics.
He was supposed to be a good guy. Not so.
Hastert’s legacy was suddenly thrown into doubt in 2015, when he was accused...
The simple act of voting affirms a tradition that has served Americans well for 250 years. True, the United States is not a pure democracy. If it were, Californians would not have 2% of the representation of each North Dakotan in the U.S. Senate.
Also, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia would have voting congressional representation. And we would...
Petaluma
Old Dogs, New Tricks
Can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Petaluma’s Lily’s Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary is helping prove that age is just a number with the eighth annual Saving Senior Dogs Week, a nationwide awareness and fundraising campaign devoted to giving older canines a new leash on life. Through the end of October, 37 participating rescue organizations across...
