A NOTE FROM SHEPHERD BLISS...

The growing movement to challenge the expansion of wineries and vineyards throughout the North Bay could benefit from more online comments and letters to editors. Many voices make for lighter work. Various recent articles and letters open doors for further comments.

Versions of my article "Sour Grapes in 'Wine Country'--Challenges to Wineries Erupt" have begun to appear in the local, national, & international media, with some links below. My appreciations to the many of you who contributed to it with your comments and edits of earlier drafts. This article mentions struggles throughout Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino Countries around the growing intrusion of wineries as event centers into rural communities. The article has already been published by my regular publication in India.

"No More Mega-Wineries" headlines Padi Selwyn's letter to the editor in this week's Bohemian. Carol Vellutini's letter "Sonoma & Napa Residents Oppose Winery Over-Expansion" appears in the March issue of the Sonoma County Gazette. There are also three short letters there on a related issue, under the headline "Paul Hobbs pays penalties for unlawful vineyard development." Anna Ransome also recently had a Close to Home in the Press Democrat. Recent articles have also appeared in Sonoma West. This month's commentary by the SW publisher is not as positive about the growth of this mass movement, so perhaps some of you can address that.

Links to my article follow. Since I only started sending this article out late yesterday, more publications are likely to pick it up. It is important to keep up relentless pressure from many different voices to turn back this expansionist trend of wineries. Feel free to forward these links and this email. If others want to get on this email distribution list, please let me know.

I plan to continue writing about related issues, especially with respect to developing a North Bay Coalition. I welcome news from what is happening in your county. The Napa people are preparing a Press Release, which should be out soon, which could anchor my next article. The Napa Board of Supervisors is meeting on March 10 to discuss this issue, among others, and some people from Sonoma County are going. I am hoping for reports from that meeting that I could also write about. 

Thanks for your help,

Shepherd Bliss