Petaluma City Council members appeared pleased – or at least relieved – with the city’s short-term financial outlook Monday during a workshop on the budget.

Petaluma City Council members will get their first look at the upcoming year’s budget during a special hearing tonight at City Hall.

Petaluma City Council members on Monday agreed to put the city on a potentially long and painful — but ultimately more secure — financial track.

Viewing a public file at the Santa Rosa courthouse will cost $10 under a proposal from the state’s judicial branch that is drawing fire from critics who say it will limit access to public information.

Construction of a new Santa Rosa courthouse is expected to be delayed another year if Gov. Jerry Brown follows through with plans to raid $290 million from the statewide construction fund to balance the budget.

Federal officials say they are open to suggestions from the public that more of the North Coast should be protected from offshore oil drilling under a proposed expansion of two marine sanctuaries.

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors this week could drastically cut the amount of medical marijuana allowed for patients outside city limits.

Petaluma residents’ garbage bills will go up by more than 6 percent in July, part of a new franchise agreement the city agreed to last week that will also bring in an extra $750,000 a year to the city’s coffers.

By LORI A. CARTER THE PRESS DEMOCRAT A new long-term contract for Petaluma’s trash hauling returns to the City Council today, following a review of potential legal challenges based on environmental concerns. The council was set to vote on a renegotiated contract with Petaluma Refuse & Recycling last month, but was delayed by a last-minute [...]

Santa Rosa City Councilwoman Susan Gorin on Wednesday claimed victory in the tight race for an open seat on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. Her rival, John Sawyer, conceded, saying it was unlikely he would overturn the 1,299-vote margin that now separates the two candidates, even with thousands of mail-in and provisional ballots uncounted in the race.