🌱 Amy's Slush Closing Soon + Plane Crash-Lands Into Vineyard (Pics)

Hello all! I'm back in your inbox per usual this morning to get you up to speed on what's happening locally. In today's edition of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter, you'll read about:

• The final days of Amy's Wicked Slush by the river
• A plane that crash-landed into a Healdsburg vineyard over the weekend
• The county's latest tally of homeless people in Healdsburg
• A jail sentence for a local nonprofit official
• And more...

Today's newsletter is sponsored by Stacey Bernd, Realtor with Healdsburg Sotheby's

Meet a local realtor who can solve your rental needs

Discover the rental of your dreams in the picturesque Healdsburg area, guided by none other than Stacey Bernd—the second-generation realtor who's lived and breathed Sonoma County for 50 incredible years! With real estate in her genes and even her daughter joining the industry, you know you're in expert hands.

Stacey's unrivaled experience spans over three decades, covering titles, escrow, property management, and the world of real estate. But it's her recent venture into property management that truly sets her apart. Thinking of listing a property to rent? She's a wizard at flawlessly matching quality owners with amazing tenants, ensuring the perfect harmony that makes renting a breeze.

Let Stacey Bernd, Sonoma County's premier realtor, assist you in finding your dream rental or the perfect renter for your property. Start your search today and experience the expertise and dedication that Stacey brings to every client.

Want to see your business featured in this spot? Click here to get started.

Now, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Clouds turning to sun. High: 83 Low: 56.
• Wednesday: Clouds turning to sun again. Warming up! High: 93 Low: 58.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny. High: 92 Low: 55.

Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 4 stories today in Healdsburg:

1. It's the end of an era for Amy's Wicked Slush, the dessert stand at the east end of Memorial Bridge near the river. Amy's will shut its doors around two weeks from now, at "close of business" on Monday, Sept. 4, according to its Instagram page. "We have loved serving you these last 7 years," the post says. "Please come see us to say goodbye and let us thank you for your patronage and shared love of SLUSH." In a separate Facebook post, business owners explain that "serious infrastructure issues" have made it "too difficult and too expensive" to keep the Healdsburg location open. Amy Covin, who owns Wicked Slush, put the property up for sale around six months ago, but says she has not yet found a "suitable buyer." More from the Facebook post: "We don't want the legacy of Wicked Slush to be that it was great until Amy sold it, and then it all changed and wasn't even close to what it was. We are still talking with some people, and if we all cross our fingers at the same time, maybe one will prove to be 'the one'!" Amy has another location in Novato that will stay open for now, and her special brand of slush will also continue to be served at the Sonoma Fun Center. Here's some more backstory from the Press Democrat: "The Healdsburg favorite launched in May 2017 after Covin left a 25-year accounting career. Covin, who is from Boston, grew up with slush and felt the need to bring it to Sonoma County. The business was a quick success and served up to 1,500 customers daily on a summer weekend. ... The 1,242-square-foot property is currently listed on LoopNet at $700,000. Previous Press Democrat reporting showed the listing was for both the land and business for $2.4 million. [The realtor] said although there have been many potential buyers, they have been more interested in functioning as landlords and have not expressed interest in purchasing or running the business. She added that should a buyer purchase both the business and the land, Covin is happy to train the new owners." (Shop Local Healdsburg via Instagram & Amy's Wicked Slush via Instagram & Amy's Wicked Slush via Facebook & LoopNet & Press Democrat; paywall)

2. Over the weekend, a pilot trying to fly a small plane into the Sonoma County Airport was forced to crash-land in a vineyard off Eastside Road in rural Healdsburg, according to a Patch report. Fortunately, the pilot came away unscathed, and no one else was on board. He reportedly landed his single-engine Cessna 172 plane in the vineyard on Saturday afternoon due to "engine issues." More from the Patch report: "The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office dispatched a helicopter crew to the possible plane crash reported near the Windsor Golf Course.The Cessna pilot had already notified the Santa Rosa Airport Tower of the engine failure and was going to try to make it to the golf course, the sheriff's office said. Air traffic controllers tried to radio the pilot again but they could no longer reach the Cessna. A helicopter belonging to Helico was in the area on a training flight and its crew members offered to help look for the downed aircraft. Just as the sheriff's helicopter crew, Henry-One, was airborne, the Helico pilot found the crash site and radioed the plane's whereabouts to Henry-One. As Henry-One headed toward the plane's location in the 9000 block of Eastside Road... the pilot took to the radio to let the helicopter crew know everything was OK." (Healdsburg Patch)

3. There has been a huge drop in the number of "unsheltered" homeless people across Sonoma County since last year, according to the latest "point-in-time census of sheltered and unsheltered homeless families and individuals" released by county officials. These are the lowest numbers we've seen since the county started doing their annual count in 2015. Between January of 2022 and January of 2023, the total number of "persons experiencing homelessness" in the county dropped 22 percent, to 2,266 people — and the portion of them "living in unsheltered" conditions dropped a whopping 72 percent. That decline was even sharper in Northern Sonoma County and Healdsburg in particular, the report shows. There are 33 homeless people in town this year, compared to 97 last year, and only 18 of them are unsheltered, compared to all 97 last year, according to the county stats. (Keep scrolling for a visual!) I'm assuming the other 15 with shelter are being housed at Healdsburg nonprofit Reach for Home's new facility inside the L&M Motel at the south end of town. Reach for Home officials posted on social media yesterday: "We are so excited that as of the end of January 2023, the number of unsheltered individuals in Northern Sonoma County (Windsor, Healdsburg, Geyserville, and Cloverdale) decreased 34%! This follows a 25% decrease from 2020 to 2022. These are huge steps in the right direction as we move towards effectively ending homelessness in Northern Sonoma County." (Sonoma County Government & Reach for Home via Facebook)

4. Speaking of Reach for Home! Not quite sure what to make of this, but the nonprofit's director of programs, 42-year-old Lisa Fatu, just got a four-month jail sentence for allegedly embezzling more than $50,000 from her previous employer, another nonprofit in Santa Rosa called Social Advocates for Youth (SAY). She used these funds to pay her personal bills at a furniture store, a storage facility, "two utility companies and two phone service providers," according to the North Bay Business Journal. Here's what the Sonoma County District Attorney has to say: "Ms. Fatu worked at SAY for many years, and was well-aware of the financial needs of the organization and the at-risk youth it serves on a daily basis. Despite this, she took advantage of her position of trust to siphon funds to pay for personal expenses. The court held Ms. Fatu accountable for her actions with this sentence, which includes an order to pay restitution to SAY.” The Business Journal also reports that "in a statement to probation officials, Fatu said 'I feel horrible about what happened.'" On the Reach for Home website, her bio reads: "Lisa has worked in the non-profit sector for over 20 years in Sonoma County. She has spent the majority of her career supporting the unsheltered community with Social Advocates for Youth. She is very passionate and energetic about not only helping and supporting humans, but also creating a functioning system of care." (Sonoma County District Attorney & North Bay Business Journal & Reach for Home)

Check out what our other local sponsor can do for you:

Healdsburg gardeners and plant enthusiasts: Need help growing your garden? Thrive Hydroponics and Garden Supply is a family-owned, full service garden shop with over 15 years experience helping people care for their plants. Whether you’re a first-time grower or an experienced greenhouse gardener, they’ve got the right supplies and expert knowledge to help your garden flourish — including a variety of soils at the best prices. Visit them here and mention Patch for 30% off your order.

Click here to get your business featured in this spot.

Coming up in Healdsburg:

Tuesday, August 22

• First Day of Class at The Healdsburg School (All Day)
• Healdsburg Farmers Market on the Plaza (9AM-12:30PM)
• Food Distribution at the Healdsburg Community Center (Weekly, 9:30-10:30AM)
• Beginner/Intermediate "Aikido" Movement & Self-Defense Class for Kids Aged 5-15 at the Healdsburg Community Center (Weekly, Aug. 22-Dec. 5, 4:15-5PM)
• Healdsburg High School Girls Tennis Team Plays at Home Vs. Windsor (5PM)
• "Aikido" Movement & Self-Defense Class for Adults at the Healdsburg Community Center (Weekly, Aug. 22-Dec. 19, 5:15-6:15PM)
• Luther Burbank Center Hosts Donor Appreciation Party (5:30-7:30PM)
• Tuesdays in the Plaza, Featuring Live Music by Americana/Folk Rock Band Free Peoples (6PM)
• Healdsburg City Planning Commission Hosts Public Hearing on Construction of "New 43,968 Square-Foot Winery Production Facility, Warehouse & Office" at 1460 Grove St. (6PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company "Trail Sisters" Host Hawaiian-Themed Magnolia Run, Ending With Mai Tais in the Parklet (6PM)
• Boot Juice Live at the Elephant in the Room (7-10PM)

Wednesday, August 23

• "Game On!" Video Game Meetup for Teens at the Healdsburg Library (1:30PM)
• Food Distribution at Healdsburg City Hall (4-5PM)
• Intermediate Tennis Class for Kids Aged 7-14 at Giorgi Park (Mondays & Wednesdays, Aug. 23-Nov. 15, 4-5:30PM)
• Beginner/Intermediate "Aikido" Movement & Self-Defense Class for Kids Aged 5-15 at the Healdsburg Community Center (Weekly, Aug. 23-Dec. 6, 4:15-5PM)
• Intermediate/Advanced "Aikido" Movement & Self-Defense Class for Kids Aged 5-15 at the Healdsburg Community Center (Weekly, Aug. 23-Dec. 6, 5-5:45PM)
• Celebration of the New Pickleball Courts at Healdsburg High School, "Honoring Those Who Helped Bring Official Pickleball Courts to Town" (5:30PM)
• BINGO Family Night / Noche Familiar at the Healdsburg Library (6PM)
• Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (Weekly, 7-9PM)

Thursday, August 24

• Healdsburg High School Girls Tennis Team Plays at Home Vs. Santa Rosa (4PM)
• "Taking Parkinson's to the Mat" Fundraiser at Bacchus Landing, Featuring Guided Yoga, Wine, Food & Live Music by Tom Petty Tribute Band Petty Theft (5PM)
• Healdsburg Cannabis Dispensary Hopeful Mercy Wellness Hosts Neighborhood Meeting at "The Lodge at Healdsburg" Hotel About Proposed Location Around the Corner (5:30PM)

From my notebook:

• The new Jewish deli along Healdsburg Avenue, Drewish Deli, says so many people came out for their opening last weekend that they "sold out of almost everything" and had to stay closed Monday "so our dedicated staff could recharge." The business says: "We'll be back to our normal hours Thursday. Thank you again for your support!!" (Healdsburg Bagel Company via Instagram)
• Local fire officials warn that we could start seeing "some drift smoke" from major wildfires burning to the north of us right now in NorCal, Oregon, Washington and Canada. "We know this can cause some concern for people who want to know where the smoke is coming and/or should you be worried about the smoke," says the Northern Sonoma County Fire District. "We highly recommend you download and use the Watch Duty app on your smartphone. Watch Duty is the most reliable source of information outside of official government sources." (Watch Duty & Northern Sonoma County Fire District via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Free Stuff And Great Perks Every Week (August 22)
• Taking Parkinson's to the Mat! (August 24)
• Add your event

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll be back in your inbox soon with more.

— Simone Wilson

About me: I was born and raised in Healdsburg, CA, where I was the editor of the Healdsburg High School Hound's Bark. I have since worked as a local journalist for publications in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York City and the Middle East. I'm currently a senior product manager for Patch.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Healdsburg Patch newsletter? Contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com