🌱 Big Weekend For Cyclists, Winos + Garden Shop For Sale + Storm

Hello, neighbors! I'm back in your inbox with a rainy Thursday edition of the Healdsburg Daily, filled with everything you need to know about what's happening in town. Let's have at it.

First, your daily weather:

• Thursday: Cloudy, windy and rainy, with some possible thunderstorms and even a chance of hail! High: 58 Low: 44.
• Friday: Mix of sun and clouds. Small possibility of more rain. High: 63 Low: 40.

Shoutout to our premier local sponsor:

Looking to rent in the Healdsburg area? Stacey Bernd at Healdsburg & Artisan Sotheby's International has lived in Sonoma Co. for 48 years and been in real estate for 30. She knows the market the way only a local can. Thinking of listing a property for rent? She can help with that too. Contact Stacey and work with Healdsburg's best.

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

Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 5 stories today in Healdsburg:

1. Stay vigilant on the roads of rural Healdsburg this weekend, as cyclists and winos alike will be swarming the area — the former, for the Levi’s GranFondo bike ride on Saturday, and the latter, for the annual "Passport to Dry Creek Valley" all weekend. Perfect storm! The bike ride is "back after a 2 ½-year absence," the Press Democrat reports, and "will bring thousands of cyclists to Sonoma County on Saturday for a full day of riding... impacting traffic and closing many well-traveled routes to vehicles as early as Friday evening." Impacted roads surrounding Healdsburg include Westside, Eastside, Trenton-Healdsburg, Dry Creek, West Dry Creek and more. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Sonoma posted a full list of closures on Facebook. And as for the winery tour: At least 25 wineries spread throughout the Dry Creek Valley northwest of Healdsburg are plotted on a treasure map of sorts for participants. They'll be offering special deals, pairings, events, etc. So again, drive slow, people... (Facebook & Passport to Dry Creek Valley & Press Democrat; paywall)
2. Healdsburg city leaders took another step at their regular meeting Monday toward making this summer's proposed water rate hike for residents a real thing, according to the Tribune. Somewhat ironically, the city's need to raise our bills is a result of how good we've been at reducing our water usage — because now the city is reportedly having trouble paying the fixed costs of utility providers. Anyway, if we're reading the rate hike schedule in the Trib correctly, it would amount to a nearly 30 percent incremental increase over the next five years for the average resident's water bill, and around a 35 percent increase for wastewater bills (aka, sewage). But in the first year of the plan, from July 2022 through July 2023, the average increase would only be 2 percent for water and 8 percent for wastewater. The numbers vary by type of household, so you should check out the Tribune report for more specifics. Next steps: City officials plan to send mailers to neighbors, giving them "the option to either accept the rate increase or protest it." Then any protests will "come back to council on June 21 and... be counted. Upon the numbers, it will be decided if they can move forward with the rate increases or if they have to go back to the drawing board." (SoCoNews Healdsburg)
3. Two intriguing Healdsburg properties just hit the market. The first is the former site of "The Gardener" home and garden store on Dry Creek Road, on the way out of town — which apparently closed its doors recently. (The company's Healdsburg location has been removed from their website, and the phone line has been disconnected.) The property is going for just shy of $2 million. Its Redfin listing says it "consists of 2 parcels totaling over 36,600 square feet and the 2-story home and includes the large barn/warehouse, recently the home of The Gardener's Sonoma business location. There is additional parking for 8+ cars at the gate entry." The listing photos show a bunch of lush garden land, as well. And the second new property that caught our eye is a huge, 11-plus-acre strip of undeveloped "rolling hills" next to Parkland Farms going for around $2.8 million. It reportedly includes an "approved tentative map for 11 lot subdivision, 6 lots clustered on 2 acres, 5 more lots on 6 ac of views, trees, rocks and beauty," according to Redfin. Its listing also notes that it's 1 mile away from the new Enso Village development and 1.5 miles south of the Montage, where "home sites... are selling for $1.5 to $2.2M." (Healdsburg Patch & Redfin & Redfin)
4. We just learned of the death of well-known Healdsburg veteran and car guy Ernie Vernon Strech, at the age of 89. Ernie grew up in Healdsburg and joined the Air Force with a couple of friends after high school, his obituary says. He served in South Korea "until the peace treaty was signed," then eventually returned to town and married Carole Joyce Hoskinson. According to his obit, "Ernie was manager of Healdsburg Auto Parts for many years before retiring in 1996. He also worked for Tony Auto Parts and Max Auto Parts before his first heart attack and surgery in 1999." You can read more about his illustrious life in the Tribune. May he rest in peace. (SoCoNews Healdsburg)
5. A young winery woman from Healdsburg has been appointed by Gov. Newsom to the state's Board of Food and Agriculture. Julia Jackson, a 34-year-old Democrat, is a "second-generation proprietor at Jackson Family Wines" and the founder of a local org called Grounded, whose mission is to "catalyze urgent advancement and amplification of existing Earth-based climate solutions to preserve a livable planet by 2030." Julia describes herself on the Grounded website as a "passionate climate activist who is devoted to mitigating the climate crisis." She says that "after experiencing profound loss due to the degradation of the environment," she has "committed her life to identifying and scaling game-changing solutions that can urgently address the climate crisis emergency." Her new position as a state board appointee "does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation," according to a state newswire. (STL News & Grounded)

Today and tomorrow in Healdsburg:

Thursday, April 21

• Little Monsters Culinary Mini Cooking Camp at the Villa, Featuring Spring-Themed Recipes (3:30-5PM)
• Alexander Valley Association Annual Meeting: Speakers Include Sonoma County Sheriff, Alexander Valley Superintendent, State Sen. Mike McGuire, Fire Chief Marshall Turbeville & County Supe James Gore (4PM)
• Pop-Mixer & Industry Night at Bacchus Landing (4-6PM)
• Healdsburg High School Governance Council Meeting (4-5PM)
• Senior Citizens Advisory Commission Meeting at Villa Chanticleer Annex: Parks & Rec Commission Joint Work Session Training (6PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Run to Geyserville With Gun Club Finish, Featuring Music & "Killer Dinner Special for Runners" (6PM)
• Zach Nugent Live at Coyote Sonoma, Shredding on Jerry Garcia's Guitars (7-10PM)
• Entries Due for Healdsburg FFA Showmanship Clinic & Show (11:59PM)

Friday, April 22 (Earth Day! 🌎)

• Earth Day Street Mural Event in Santa Rosa, Feat. Healdsburg Environmental Orgs (9AM-12PM)
• 11 Roses Ranch Historical Stagecoach Tour & BBQ Bus Trip for Healdsburg Seniors (9:30AM-5PM)
• Earth Week Nature Hikes at Jordan Winery (April 22-24, 9:45AM-2PM)
• Passport to Dry Creek Valley: Vineyard Tour & Tasting at BACA Wines (10-11AM)
• Healdsburg Library Family Storytime at Giorgi Park (11AM-12PM)
• Gender & Sexualities Alliance (GSA) Bake Sale on Healdsburg Junior High Blacktop (Lunchtime)
• Passport to Dry Creek Valley: CAST Wines Vineyard Lunch (12:30-2:30PM)
• 40th Anniversary Winemaker Tour & Tasting at Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery (1PM, 3PM)
• Zumba With Chuy at TCElite Gym (5-6PM)
• Passport to DCV: Bubbly Hour at Breathless Wines (5-7PM)
• Passport to DCV: Bella Backyard, Feat. Diavola Pizzas (5-7PM)
• Passport to DCV: Wine & Cocktail Affair with Fritz & Flambeaux at The Madrona (5:30-7PM)
• Passport to DCV: Sunset at Lytton Springs Ridge Winery (6-8PM)
• Passport to DCV: "It Takes Two to Tango," Argentinian Evening at West Wines (6-8PM)
• The Pulsators Live at Coyote Sonoma, Feat. Wine Menu Takeover by deLorimier Winery (7-10PM)
• Steve Pile Band Live at the Elephant in the Room (8-11PM)

Note from Simone: A reader reached out to me recently to ask what "Feat." meant in my event listings, and I realized this abbreviation may have been foreign to others, as well. For future reference, "Feat." means "Featuring"! Apologies for any confusion. 💚

Healdsburg pic of the day:

Note from Simone: I love to feature local photos! You can submit yours here. Please just confirm in your email that you own the rights to the photo, and that Patch has permission to republish it. Can't wait to see what you see... 📸

From my notebook:

• The storm mayhem in Healdsburg started early this morning when a tree apparently fell on a car on Tucker Street, according to the neighbor who captured this video. (Facebook & Facebook)
• An article in Teen Vogue on how young people are coping with "climate anxiety" features an interview with Healdsburg teen Lex Meyer. "As I’ve learned more about the climate crisis, I’ve moved toward the idea of environmental law," says Lex, 15. "That being said, I’ve also come to understand the amount of pollution and destruction coming from big companies.… One of my greatest fears is that I will become an environmental lawyer and be so weighed down by student loan debt that I default to [taking] the only well-paying job I can find, working with an oil company or some other position that would work against stopping climate change." (Teen Vogue)
• All 12 of the LHI coronavirus testing sites in Sonoma County, as listed on the county's testing website, "now offer antigen rapid testing as well as PCR molecular testing," officials say — which is "especially important now that antigen tests are preferred for those who have tested positive and are isolating." (Sonoma County Government & Facebook)
• Did you you know you can get past the New York Times paywall with your Sonoma County Library card? Library officials are surveying people right now to see if they use it. (SurveyMonkey & Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Healdsburg Chorus Spring Concert: "And Nature Smiled" (April 24)
• National Hug A Plumber Day (April 25)
• North Bay Credit Union Homebuyer Webinar (free) (April 27)
• Savour Sonoma Sculpture (April 30)
• Add your event

Loving the Healdsburg Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Get your local business featured in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at simone.wilson@patch.com

That's it for today! See you lovely people again tomorrow.

— 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.