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Some things will be worth keeping this year in Monte Rio and the Nation

CHUCK RAMSEY
RUSSIAN RIVER ALLIANCE

I know it’s sad to see 2020 coming to an end so soon, but I can’t wait for the New Year. What a year it’s been. It’s true what they say that you come out stronger having gone through a time like this. COVID-19 related shutdowns, fires, power outages, evacuations, the election. The blue wave was slow in coming, but powerful in the end. Hopefully, we can begin to move forward together for the greater good. Restoring respect and civility both on the local, national, and international levels is so needed.

A COVID-19 vaccine available on the horizon will help maintain our health, help reopen our local businesses and economy, and help bring back seeing warm smiles on people. And don’t forget about travel!

A smile followed by a handshake and a hug. Bringing people together again one on one and in groups. Some of the recent changes will remain positive though in the long term. Being able to attend meetings remotely, seeing your doctor or therapist remotely, working from home, easier commutes, easier shopping, cleaner air, more productivity, and results with less stress. 2021 will be a very good year.

The County taking real steps to cleanup our local encampments such as on Bohemian Highway and Starrett Hill Drive. Hopefully, Moscow Road will be next. Our newest regional park! Thank you to the Torr Family for working with the County to make this a reality for us and for future generations to come. The 515 acres of forest off Main Street is the first major regional park in the lower Russian River area. It includes over a mile of Dutch Bill creek. This acquisition should help bring more visitors to our area and improve recreational connectivity with the coast. We live in a beautiful area and we need to maintain the beauty.

An image of the Torr Property, which will become the newest park in the Fifth District of Sonoma County and the first regional park in the Monte Rio area.
An image of the Torr Property, which will become the newest park in the Fifth District of Sonoma County and the first regional park in the Monte Rio area.

One constant is everything takes too much time and effort to get done, and there is still a lot of work to be done on many fronts such as addressing our winter air quality and getting the lights back on our Vacation Wonderland sign, but it feels great to see progress and the light shining at the end of a very dark tunnel. Monte Rio, our county, and our country are getting back on the right path.

One last item, our fire chief Steve Baxman just marked 50 years with the Monte Rio Fire Protection District. He started at the age of 18 in 1970. Thank you Steve, for your service and for your friendship.

Our darkest days are almost behind us, Happy Solstice and Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Vacation Wonderland, we just keep getting better.

Chuck Ramsey has resided in Monte Rio for 15 years. Building community is his passion. He currently serves on the boards of the Monte Rio Alliance and Russian River Alliance.

If you would like to learn more about the Lower River Area Community Alliances, become involved as a volunteer, or if you have some community concerns or solutions you would like to share, you can “like” our Guerneville Community Alliance and/or Russian River Alliance FB pages, or visit our website at www.russianriveralliance.org. You can also contact Jeniffer Wertz at 707-483-7038 (Guerneville), or Chuck Ramsey at 707-239-1639 (Monte Rio).

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