🌱 City Council Race + Airport Makeover + Housing Project Approved

Hello again! It's me, Simone, your host of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter — back in your inbox today to get you caught up on all the most important things happening in the community. Today's issue includes updates on...

• The drawn-out race for Skylaer Palacios' old Healdsburg City Council seat
• A big makeover for the Sonoma County Airport
• The affordable housing project planned out by the Montage
• And more!

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 3 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. The race to fill our final vacant Healdsburg City Council seat — a two-year term left open by departed councilmember Skylaer Palacios — is still too close to call after the Nov. 8 election, according to the Press Democrat. "Residents of Healdsburg will have to wait a bit longer to learn who will be the 5th and final member of their city council," the paper reports. However, Ron Edwards is still in the lead. As of the latest update from county election officials on Tuesday, the "retired caterer and cannabis farmer" maintained his "slender lead over Brigette Manselle, a former public school teacher who served on the council from 2014-2018," the PD reports. More from the story: "Edwards had 46.11% of the vote, to Manselle’s 44.62% in updated returns Tuesday. He led by 47 votes out of 3,158 counted so far in the three-way race. Despite seeing his lead shrink by 7 votes from the previous tally, Edwards said he was 'cautiously optimistic' that he will emerge victorious. Part of that optimism comes from poring over results already tabulated." And Mansell, for her part, says: “I remain hopeful. I have faith that I can still do it.” Election officials are due to give another update tomorrow. (Press Democrat; paywall)
2. Meanwhile, the third and far-trailing candidate in that same City Council race, Mathew "Matias" Lopez Jr., has an op-ed in this week's issue of the Tribune about the "divided future" he sees for Healdsburg. The Press Democrat reports that both Matias and Edwards, who are ethnic minorities, did well in a couple of the Healdsburg precincts with "larger percentages of younger voters, and minority voters." Now, Matias writes in the Trib: "In 2010, a third of Healdsburg was Latino. This 33% figure is still used today, incorrectly. Today’s population is similar to 2010, but the most recent census revealed only 26% of Healdsburg is Latino. This wasn’t a result of the pandemic. Our town’s population peaked in 2018 and is in decline. Despite being here for just as long, Latinos appear to be ones driven out. After everything, I wanted there to at least be a historical record that we tried to seek more representation. I have confidence in our leaders, but I urge the council to try again with Measure R from 2016 (to address housing disparity). ... Looking at trends, it’s possible that by the next census Healdsburg won’t be a small town of locals, but a private club of people who move in this decade." Read his full op-ed here. (Healdsburg Tribune)
3. The Sonoma County Airport just got a whole lot snazzier. Yesterday, airport officials held a "grand opening ceremony celebrating the completion of Phase II of the airport’s terminal building," according to the county — part of a years-long, $40 million project. From the county press release: "The modernized terminal building offers more than 27,000 additional square feet of space including a renovated ticketing lobby, improved double-lane security lanes, a large main lobby with four additional boarding gates and dedicated concessionaires, an outdoor seating area, a new baggage claim area equipped with two baggage carousels, improved public viewing areas and car rental areas, and local artwork recognizing the airport’s namesake, Charles M. Schulz." You can see a whole bunch of pics and videos of the new facilities on the airport's Facebook page. (Sonoma County Government via Healdsburg Patch & Sonoma County Airport via Facebook)

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Today and tomorrow in Healdsburg:

Thursday, November 17

• Minimum Days at Healdsburg Elementary: Parent-Teacher Conferences for Grades K-5 (Nov. 17-18, All Day)
• Healdsburg Historical Walking Tour, Ending With Museum Visit (Nov. 17-20, 11AM)
• Chris Stills Performs at Little Saint (5:45PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Thursday Night Run With the Crew, Featuring Bocce Ball at Bacchus Landing & Smith Story Wine at the Plaza (6PM)
• "The Price Is Right" Live at the Luther Burbank Center (8PM)

Friday, November 18

• Spirit Day at West Side Elementary School: "Crazy Wack-O-Doddle Day" (All Day)
• Bilingual Family Storytime for Kids Aged 0-5 at the Healdsburg Library (11AM)
• Zero Waste Sonoma Hosts Webinar on Beverage Container Recycling (11AM)
• Farm to Pantry Volunteer Delivery Shift: Pick Up Food From FEED Sonoma, Deliver to Corazón Healdsburg (1:30-3PM)
• Sound System Fridays at Furthermore Wines, Featuring DJ Chris W (5-8PM)
• Friday Evening Wine & Song at Hudson Street Wineries, Feat. Live Music by Classic Swing & Jazz Band doRian Mode (5-8PM)
• "Libros y Raíces" / "Books & Roots" Reading Program at Corazón Healdsburg: "Areli is a Dreamer" (6PM)
• Final Weekend: Raven Players Perform "Clybourne Park" at the Raven Theater (Nov. 18-19, 7:30 PM)
• David Sedaris Live at the Luther Burbank Center (8PM)
• The Grain Live at Coyote Sonoma, Feat. Opening Act Koonda Hola on Tour From Czechia (8-11PM)
• Healdsburg House Sessions at Coyote Sonoma, Feat. DJs Joey Tripout, Alex Blacked, DJ Stonk Ape, Rey Luv & Meandherthal (8PM-12AM)

From my notebook:

• Longtime Healdsburg resident Nydia Francesca Jeppi Maggoria Goode — described in her obituary as "a gifted poet, musician, artist and needlepointer, visionary, and philanthropist" — has passed away. She and her husband Dale reportedly moved to town in 1965. "The Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley, and finally Fitch Mountain in Healdsburg were the places that Nydia and her family called home," her obit says. (Legacy.com)
• The Healdsburg Tribune ran an interesting piece last week on a "significant remodel" in the works for a historic Queen Anne at the corner of Johnson and Grant streets. It used to be a B&B called "Grandmother’s Victorian Cottage." Now, the new owners have reportedly "drawn up plans for a complete renovation." According to the Trib, this would entail "tearing down a number of outbuildings, including the original 1884 carriage house (which has its own entrance off Grant Street), as well as several additions and a romantic, Brontëesque greenhouse — and the removal of 17 trees." The owners plan to submit their vision to the city soon for approval. (Healdsburg Tribune)
• Plans for the affordable housing component of the big Saggio Hills development, which would be situated between the Montage resort and Parkland Farms, were approved unanimously by the Healdsburg Planning Commission last week. Check out some renderings of the project below. (David Hagele via Facebook & City of Healdsburg)

Thanks for following along and staying informed! Til next time...

— 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 Daily? Contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com