Santa Rosa Snippets by Elaine B. Holtz - December 2018

Happy Holidays I want to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of my readers a joyous holiday season one filled with good health, peace of mind and loving relations, FYI, there are 14 religious holidays believers celebrate in December and for those interested in knowing each and every one please check out

The Votes Are in – in Santa Rosa Turnout Approximately 48% of Registered Voters

November 6 was Election Day and according to Deena Thompson-Stalder, Chief Deputy Registrar at County of Sonoma estimated out of the approximately 91,000 registered voters in Santa Rosa, 48% have been recorded and there are more ballots to count which might make the percentage higher. Once the absentee and provisional ballots are counted the election can be certified. These ballots must be counted by December 6 or sooner.

For Santa Rosa City Council Candidates in District 2 and 4 in Santa Rosa certification will take place once all the ballots are counted. Congratulations to Tom Swedhelm representing District 6 who ran unopposed will serve another four years.

There were two measures on the ballot. Measure N the Housing Bond thus far has received approximately 58 percent of the vote in early returns, however, this measure requires two-thirds majority to pass. Measure O, Temporary Sales Tax to date received approximately 59% of the vote and to pass a majority of the vote is required. Once all the votes are counted these measures will then be certified. To find out all voting results go to: vote.sonoma-county.org/content.aspx?sid=1009&id=2456

Racial Discussion Group “Unshackled” at Arlene Francis Center in Santa Rosa

The program is the first of a series of monthly meetings facilitated by, Dr. Jacqueline Lawrence, founder and Director of Legacy Showcases. The attendees participated in an open discussion about their individual challenges and biases regarding racism. As a participant I was amazed at the openness of the group and the strong desire to face their own beliefs and feelings around race.

Lawrence, an African American woman has had her own struggles with racism. She believes by having open discussions about racism people will more easily be able to understand the issue and begin the process of embracing the differences. Participant Ken Norton found the group encouraging and informative. “Listening to others express their concerns around racism and their own biases, I felt I was not alone in wanting to improve my relationships with others,” he said. The meetings will take place the first Wednesday of the month and the next one will be on December 5 from 6-8:30pm at the Arlene Francis Center, 99 Sixth St. For more information call 707-393-7661. This is a free event.

The Children’s Museum – A Special place for children ten and under

A great place for children ten and under is to visit during the holiday season is the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County located in Northwest Santa Rosa on West Steele Lane. With exhibits designed for children ages ten and younger they discover science, nature and the art by jumping, climbing, building, digging, crawling, pretending, painting and playing along with interacting with other children as well as their parents.

Lauren Peters | Director of Programs has been working in the museum for nine years and has her Master's Degree in Museum Education from John F. Kennedy University. She reports the focus of the museum is education and open-ended teaching pedagogies. “The museum is design includes a variety of areas geared towards the age of the child with the idea to inspire curiosity and exploration,” she said.

Two examples of that is the Flower Pit area which is designed for babies and pre-walker. As you walk through the museum you children are exposed to Mary’s Garden where one discovers the natural world through the eyes of a butterfly. For parents there is the Marylyn and Henry Hensel Family Resource Center where parents can learn about parenting resources. Besides many indoor activities there is an outdoor garden and exhibits which include a tasting garden and water play. The museum is located at 1835 West Steel Lane and is open daily from 9:00AM to 4:00PM and closed on Tuesday. For additional information about their winter program designed for children from 5-8 starting December 26, visit their website atwww.cmosc.org

Downtown Santa Rosa Old Court House Squares Celebrates Free Speech and Traditions

Santa Rosins celebrated, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) a cultural and religious holiday celebrated through most of Latin America, and by much of the Latin American population in the U.S., between October 31 and November 2. Following cultural rituals, the celebration included a beautiful Day of the Dead Alter which had beautiful displays of Marigolds, the Flower of the Dead, and pictures and artifacts brought by participants to acknowledge their relatives and friends that have passed. Seeing the pictures of those who had passed reminded me once again that life is truly a gift to be celebrated one day at a time.

Approximately 200 people showed up for the march and rally, “Rise Up and Make Noise,” sponsored by the Peace and Justice Center, Sonoma County and organized by Robin Latham and Erin Latham-Ponneck, who was also one of the speakers. A shout out to all those who attended and the various organizations, i.e. Indivisible, National Organization For Women Sonoma County Chapter, Verity Rape Crisis Center, League of Women Voters, Family Justice Center, ISO, Northbay Jobs for Justice along with volunteers registering people to vote. The entertainment and speakers were amazing which included speakers Alicia Sanchez, KBBF President and author, activist Starhawk. Magic Altman read her poetry and Adrienne Lauby talked about the homeless challenges in our city. A special talk on the issues of Immigration Women and the horror of separating children from their mothers and families was given by activist Ana Delgado. The Feisty Females performed with vocalist Kym Trippsmith, and the Hubbub club, a group of local musicians led the march down Fourth Street in downtown Santa Rosa. Go to www.facebook.com/events/244831066215175/?active_tab=discussion, scroll down and listen to speeches given at the event.

A special gathering of “Families for Families, Free the Children” took place the next day. Around a 100 concerned individuals came together to oppose cruel immigration policies, detention of children and refusal of asylum seekers. The event was in support of protests that were happening around the country protesting the abuses of human rights by the federal government. Participants marched down Fourth Street and stopped in front of the federal building for a special prayer service. Being there myself brought up many feeling of sadness for what is happening and at the same time felt uplifted by the prayers and knowing that there are people like myself who are against what is taking place.

Something to think about: “I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness; I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too. I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more.” Annelies Marie Frank was a German-born diarist. She gained fame posthumously with the publication of The Diary of a Young Girl, in which she documents her life in hiding from 1942 to 1944, during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II.