🌱 This Crazy Weather + Gun Arrest + Healdsburg Residents Pushed Out?

Hello, everybody! Hope you're all staying safe and warm in this crazy weather. I'm back with your stormy Tuesday edition of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter, full of everything you need to know about what's happening in town. Today we'll cover these stories and more:

• What to expect during the remainder of this storm
• Three guys arrested for alleged drunken gunfire in town
• Testimonials from residents getting pushed out of Healdsburg amid rising home prices

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Strong rain and winds. Possible flooding. High: 57 Low: 36.
• Wednesday: Storm winding down and temps warming up. Mix of clouds and sun. High: 64 Low: 34.
• Thursday: Frosty in the morning, then mostly sunny. High: 64 Low: 39.

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 3 stories today in Healdsburg:

1. As you all know, there's a mighty atmospheric river dumping loads of water on Healdsburg today. My mom's rain gauge shows we've gotten 5 inches of rain in the hills outside Healdsburg since Saturday. And forecasters expect our "already drenched" area will get somewhere between 3 to 5 more inches of rain by tonight. At times, the rain could fall as hard and fast as 1 to 2 inches per hour. City and county officials warn of possible flooding and super strong winds up to 50-plus mph through tonight, although they still don't expect the Russian River itself to flood. (Projections from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration show the river should peak at about 16 feet tonight in the spot where they measure it in Healdsburg.) Meanwhile, weather officials for our region say that travel is "difficult to impossible" right now, and that we should watch out for potential power outages and road closures. The Press Democrat reported this morning that "multiple Sonoma County roads have been partially blocked Tuesday morning by downed trees and debris runoff due to the ongoing storm," and that "flooding was reported about 8:20 a.m. at Los Amigos Road and Milk Barn Road in Healdsburg." Hang in there, y'all! City officials urge you to call 911 with any "emergencies that pose a threat to life and/or property, such as a downed power line, or downed trees blocking a roadway," or to call the city's own hotline at (707) 431-7000 with reports of "flooding, downed trees that are not blocking a roadway, or power outages." (Healdsburg Patch & Sonoma County Gazette & COPE Northern Sonoma County via Facebook & County of Sonoma via Facebook & City of Healdsburg via Facebook & Press Democrat & Press Democrat; paywall)
2. A trio of young men from Santa Rosa were arrested in Healdsburg on Friday night because police believe they drunkenly fired an assault rifle on Dry Creek Road near the 101 onramp. "Did you hear gunshots last night?" Healdsburg police officials asked on social media Saturday. "Our officers did too." Here's the full story from police: "While officers were investigating another incident, they heard multiple gunshots in the area of Dry Creek Road and US 101. They began checking the area and found 3 individuals standing by a truck at Dry Creek Road and Kinley Road who were determined to be the individuals responsible for the gunfire. All three were taken into custody without incident and booked into Sonoma County Jail on the following charges: possession of an assault rifle, possession of a large capacity magazine, negligent discharge of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, and public intoxication. Arrested were: Antonio Cervantes Bermudes (22 years old), Isidro Ceravntes Cuevas (22 years old), and Ramon Mora Galvez (36 years old), all of Santa Rosa." (Healdsburg Police Department via Facebook)
3. The Press Democrat has an important story today on the "longtime Healdsburg residents" who spoke out at the most recent "community encuentro" meeting hosted by the City of Healdsburg, saying they they're being pushed out of town by the lack of affordable housing options. From the story: "Tanya Escobar-Hernandez has lived in Healdsburg for 14 years. On the verge of tears Thursday, during a free community meeting about Healdsburg housing equity, she told a crowd of about 60 attendees she wished she could continue to live in the city. 'Sometimes, I feel like I belong here more than where I was born,' she said. Born in Mexico City, the mother of two volunteers with Corazón Healdsburg and dances in a local ballet folklórico group. Her children love their schools. But, she said, lack of affordable housing options have forced her, her husband, and two children to abandon a city they adore." Among the "chorus of other critical voices" at the meeting, according to the PD: "Adriana Zavala, a Healdsburg resident of 23 years, wondered if her children would ever afford a home there. Dora Ortega, a resident of 30 years asked leadership to consider allowing people to reside in trailers as an affordable option and to think about the impact of expensive housing on local farmworkers, who she said are integral to the local economy. Yolanda Giron asked why her sons needed to move out of state to find 'dignified' housing and why rent estimates for new housing projects, posted on the community center’s walls, weren’t directly available." This series of "encuentros" being hosted by the city is meant to inform public policy; the next one, on March 30, will have a focus on labor. Check out the PD story for more on last week's meeting and what city officials are doing to address all these issues. (Press Democrat; paywall)

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Healdsburg pics of the day, storm edition:

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Coming up in Healdsburg:

Tuesday, March 14

• Preschool Storytime for Kids Aged 3-6 at the Healdsburg Library (10:30AM)
• New Exhibit Opening at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts: "Young Artists' Show: The Art of Food" (March 14-April 9, 11AM-6PM)
• Healdsburg High School Swim Team Hosts Home Meet Vs. Windsor (4PM)
• West Side School District Board of Trustees Meeting (5:30PM)
• PG&E Hosts Virtual Town Hall for Sonoma County Residents on Safety Efforts & Local Vegetation Projects (5:30PM)
• Healdsburg City Planning Commission Meeting, Including Public Hearing on the Foley Family Community Pavilion (6PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Sebastopol Run to Andy's Market & Hopmunk Tavern (6PM)
• "Building Job Skills" Workshop for Teens & Adults at the Healdsburg Library: Intro to Microsoft Excel (6-7:30PM)
• Poetry Reading at the Healdsburg Community Center: "Meet Me at the Lighthouse" by Former California Poet Laureate Dana Gioia (7PM)

Wednesday, March 15

• Homework Help at the Healdsburg Library (4PM)
• Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (Weekly, 7-9PM)

Thursday, March 16

• Healdsburg High School Tennis Team Hosts Home Match Vs. Windsor (4PM)
• Healdsburg High School Badminton Team Hosts Home Match Vs. Roseland University Prep (4:30PM)
• Healdsburg High School Softball Team Plays Home Game Vs. Santa Rosa (5PM)
• Opening Reception for New Exhibit at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts: "Young Artists' Show: The Art of Food" (5-7PM)
• Singer-Songwriter Earl Buck Performs at Little Saint (5:45PM)
• English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) Meeting at Healdsburg High School Library (6PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Daylight Savings Night Trail Run at Shiloh (6PM)
• Healdsburg High School Baseball Team Plays Home Game Vs. Justin-Siena (6PM)
• Trivia Night at Fogbelt Station Beer Garden (Weekly, 6-8PM)
• Karaoke Night at Coyote Sonoma (Weekly, 7-10PM)
• Los Lobos Performs at the Luther Burbank Center, Featuring Special Guest Gaby Moreno (8PM)
• Sweet N' Juicy Live at the Elephant in the Room (9PM-12AM)

From my notebook:

• Some Healdsburg firefighters are heading to Monterey County to help respond to the really bad flooding down there, according to local fire officials. They're part of a larger "strike team" assembled by agencies across Sonoma County. "We wish the community our best and first responders a safe return!" the department says. (Healdsburg Fire Department via Facebook & Healdsburg Fire Department via Facebook)
• Healdsburg's vice mayor, David Hagele, says a giant oak tree is being removed today from the "open space area of Parkland Farms," as it is "in danger of falling and hitting an adjacent home." He posted a photo of the precarious situation on Facebook. "Our staff has been inspecting the tree with an arborist over the last few days and the lean has increased in the past 24 hours," Hagele wrote yesterday. "To prevent the tree from hitting the adjacent home, Image Tree will be removing the limbs on the leaning side this afternoon, then come back tomorrow to remove the remainder. Because of the location of the tree between Spur Ridge Lane, Parkland Farms Blvd. and Equestrian Gap, you’ll see a crane being used." (David Hagele via Facebook)
• Sonoma County government officials are hosting their "first-ever job and resource fair for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless" next Wednesday, March 22, at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building. The fair will feature "47 local employers and service providers offering support with housing and other resources, including a drop-in resume clinic and free lunch." (County of Sonoma via Facebook)
• Interested in the Foley Family Pavilion being constructed next to Little Saint, envisioned as the future home of the Healdsburg Farmers Market? It will be up for discussion at a public hearing tonight at City Hall. And you can also participate on Zoom! (City of Healdsburg & City of Healdsburg via Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll be back 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