President-Elect Joe Biden is already talking of massive changes he plans to make in effort to combat the climate crisis once he takes office in January.

The passing of Measure P allows for transparency between citizens and the police department, and the initiative would expand the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach by providing more funding and authority. While Measure P gained immense support among activists and residents, it also received immense opposition from the Sonoma County Police Department, as well as the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.

Amidst the frenzy that was the United States election this year, states also had the opportunity to vote for propositions specific to their state. Oregon voted to decriminalize possession of hard drugs. New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana, and Arizona all voted to legalize marijuana, and California voted to pass Proposition 22.

Students across Sonoma County are all feeling the strain of the last 5 months of online school, along with the unpredictability that came with the Kincade and Glass fires. A recent study, published in the Press Democrat, found that nearly 4 in 10 high school students in Sonoma County have one or more failing grades and more than 7 in 10 say they feel deep anxiety about the future.

Democrats and Republicans alike await the outcome of the election with flurried patience.

Amidst everything that is currently unfolding in the United States, American’s have also been keeping a close eye on the confirmation hearing for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett.

Nearly fives months after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, new updates surrounding his case have come to light regarding Derek Chauvin, the ex-officer who has been charged with Floyd’s murder.

Had the bail bond industry not called for a referendum on California legislature’s attempt to end the state’s cash bail system two years ago, California voters would not have to brush up on what Proposition 25 entails to criminal suspects today. However, the bail bond industry did, and the attempt to diminish the cash bail system has been on hold since, but voters this year have the opportunity to use their voice and vote for what they believe will be the best option. But what is Proposition 25?

Earlier this week, artists Gan Golan and Andrew Boyed decided that they wanted to showcase just how damaging we as a society, as the Earth’s population, have been to the environment. They did this by displaying a large scale digital clock in Union Square in Manhattan, New York.

As if tensions and divides weren’t already at an all-time high in the United States, reports have surfaced mid-last week, Sept. 15, detailing even more questionable ongoings involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE. This time, in regards to high numbers of unwarranted hysterectomies performed on women in the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia.

According to U.S. Air Force document A.F. 2025, “Weather modification will become a part of domestic and international security and could be done unilaterally.. It could have offensive and defensive applications and even be used for deterrence purposes.” The ability to control and monopolize the weather? Sounds taboo, right? However, the U.S. military has a track record for wanting to achieve battlespace dominance.

As a society, we must start being more conscientious consumers. Taking the extra step to see the kind of materials fashion brands use for their clothing and whether they package plastic-free is not a laborious task. Especially since sustainable fashion is on the rise (and the clothes are just as show-stopping). Countless new brands have become so incredibly creative with the clothes they produce, from making them out of recycled items or by using Earth-friendly materials completely.