What does it take to start a cooperative, worker-owned business? Answers will be offered at an all-day workshop in Santa Rosa on Saturday.

Andrew McLeodFor Andrew McLeod, the author of Holy Cooperation, Building Graceful Economies, and who now works as a co-op developer, it took just one early experience working as a cooperative member, and he was hooked.

The co-op model is also proving effective in small towns that come together to preserve key local businesses that might not otherwise endure, McLeod explains.

A one-day workshop, "Owning the Economy! Cooperative Models and Worker-Ownership," will be held at the Share Exchange, 531 5th Street in downtown Santa Rosa, on Saturday, Jan. 26, 9am – 4 pm, led by Andrew McLeod. Advance tickets are available here. Further information at (707) 583-7667.

Sonoma County leads the state in job growth right now, but will need to make adjustments as much of the current labor force turns toward retirement.

Looking at the national economy as a whole, Nickelsburg explains that consumer purchases account for more than two-thirds of all spending. But for most Americans, that spending remains curtailed.

  The graphic below details the potential for large numbers of retirments across key sectors of the local economy. Illustrations courtesy Sonoma Countey Ecoomic Development Board.

Attendees at the 2013 State of the County breakfast Wednesday morning were greeted by a crowd of costumed union members who are unhappy with the state of their current contract negotiations with the county. KRCB photo.

Hunting season ends this weekend at the Tomales Bay Ecological Reserve. Three miles north of Point Reyes Station, these wetlands are at the center of a controversy. Dueling petitions are circulating: one asks the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to ban hunting, the other to protect it. Image courtesy of Flickr user Scott Calleja.

Luke Giacomini (left) and his mother Sue Gonzales have both signed the pro-hunting petition, saying hunting is a tradition that harmonizes with wildlife conservation. Here they overlook the Tomales Bay Ecological Reserve at the south end of the bay. Image: KRCB.

The emerging movement to amend the US constitution to strike down legal protections for "corporate personhood" is addressing a serious issue. But as evidenced at a playful rally in Santa Rosa Monday, that doesn't mean they can't poke fun at their subject.

Judith Iam, costumed as a corporatized Supreme Court JusticeLast November, some communities had local measures on their ballots to gauge public support for a constitutional amendment to undo the Citizens United decision. In every case, says Santa Rosa activist Amy Robinson, those measures garnered broad support.

Ink pads and stamps were provided to imprint bills with slogans opposing the Citizens United decision. All photos by KRCBAs part of the loosely scheduled activities at Monday's Move to Amend rally in Santa Rosa's Old Courthouse Square, Abraham Entin led the group that had gathered in a light-hearted call and response on the theme, "I'll believe a corporation is a person when..."

The following is the full text of the constitutional amendment that is being advocated by Move to Amend.

Move to Amend's Proposed 28th Amendment to the Constitution

Section 1 [A corporation is not a person and can be regulated]

The rights protected by the Constitution of the United States are the rights of natural persons only.

Artificial entities, such as corporations, limited liability companies, and other entities, established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign state shall have no rights under this Constitution and are subject to regulation by the People, through Federal, State, or local law.

The privileges of artificial entities shall be determined by the People, through Federal, State, or local law, and shall not be construed to be inherent or inalienable.

Section 2 [Money is not speech and can be regulated]

Federal, State and local government shall regulate, limit, or prohibit contributions and expenditures, including a candidate's own contributions and expenditures, for the purpose of influencing in any way the election of any candidate for public office or any ballot measure.

Federal, State and local government shall require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed.

The judiciary shall not construe the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment.

Section 3

Nothing contained in this amendment shall be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.