Dan Earl has been a constant and active presence in Sonoma County’s choral music world for decades, including a round of four concerts with the Santa Rosa Symphonic Chorus that begins this evening. These performances will also represent a milestone of sorts, as Dan will step down from the podium when they are concluded. He talks about both aspects of the weekend ahead with Bruce Robinson.

The Santa Rosa Symphonic Chorus will sing Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna (Eternal Light), with orchestra (no orchestra at Jacuzzi Winery).  They will be joined by the California Redwood Chorale in singing Sure on this Shining Night.  Both choruses will sing other pieces as well. Tickets are $15, and are available at the door for each concert.

April 25, 2014, 8:00 pmSt. Vincent de Paul Church, 35 Liberty Street, Petaluma April 26, 2014 at 8:00 pmThe Glaser Center, 547 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa April 27, 2014 at 3:00 pmThe Glaser Center, 547 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa May 4, 2014 at 3:00 pmJacuzzi Family Vineyards, 24724 Arnold Drive, Sonoma 

  History cites the Galapagos Islands as a key inspiration for Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. But the remote island group west of Ecuador has other, more provocative and mysterious chapters in its own history. One of the strangest, from the 1930s, is revealed in the new documentary film, The Galapagos Affair:  Satan Came to Eden.

The Galapagos Affair opens tonight in  at the Rialto Cinema Sebastopol, with the  filmmakers present for an after-screening Q & A session. You can see the trailer for the film below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf2txEIcg6E

  Rudolph Steiner is known for founding Waldorf schools and developing the concept of biodynamic farming, but that’s not all. A one-day class taught by a local activist and student of the German innovator will be offered in Santa Rosa on Saturday. Here’s a preview.

Abraham Entin  will present his class on Steiner’s ideals and ideas on Saturday, from 9-5 at the Arlene Francis Center in Santa Rosa. The class is free, but donations to the Center are encouraged.

About a decade ago health officials declared an end to measles in the United States. But the disease is making resurgence due, in part, to a decline in vaccination rates. While scientific studies have repeatedly proven the safety and efficacy of vaccines, Sonoma County remains one of the places most at risk for outbreaks, with some of the highest rates of unvaccinated kids in the country. Within Sonoma County the highest rates cluster around Sebastopol where, says Lily Borgeson, there is intense community opposition to vaccines. 

"I have learned that it's honestly not something to talk about with other moms," says Borgeson, mother to 3-year-old Mesa. "It feels like it's impossible to have a calm, productive conversation about it."

That concerns public health advocates, who almost universally support immunizations. Some feel it has been too easy in the past for parents to sign a form freeing them of the need to immunize their children prior to kindergarten. In January the state legislature passed a new law requiring parents to consult with a medical professional prior to turning in an exemption form. Health advocates hope that this will shift the debate's focus away from contentious online forums and toward more reliable sources of information.

"If [parents] still choose not to have their child immunized, that is their right," says Becky Raymond, school nurse for Sebastopol Union School District. "But I hope they’re doing it with a good understanding of the risks and the benefits. From a public health perspective, it’s a really positive move."