🌱 Earthquake Recap + Ethnic Studies At HHS + New Market Vendors

Hello again, neighbors! It's me, Simone, your host of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter. Let's kick off this Wednesday with a quick review of everything you need to know about what's going on in town these days, including updates on:

• Last night's earthquakes
• Some new vendors coming to the farmers market this season
• The ethnic studies curriculum being taught at Healdsburg High
• Some good news for your water bill
• And more...

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Mostly sunny and windy. High: 65 Low: 37.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny with a breeze. High: 68 Low: 36.
• Friday: A bunch more sun. High: 68 Low: 38.

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 3 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. Everyone's talking about the series of earthquakes that struck late last night some 15 or 20 miles to our northeast, out by the Geysers near the Lake County line. The largest one had a magnitude of 4.4, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Dozens of people from Healdsburg reported feeling the quake on the agency's website. From the Patch story: "The five quakes occurred in less than an hour in the northwest corner of Sonoma County along the border with Lake County in the Mayacamas Mountains. The nearest towns are Cloverdale, about 20 miles west, and Cobb, about 5 miles east in Lake County. They ranged from magnitude 2.8 to 4.4 between 10:39 p.m. and 11:31 p.m. No injuries were reported in any of the quakes." And all of this followed another 3.1-magnitude earthquake out by the Geysers last Saturday afternoon.Healdsburg neighbors flocked to Facebook last night and this morning to talk about the rattling event. "My house in Alexander valley shook pretty good," one wrote. "Little rumble up here on Fitch!" said another. Others argued the emergency alert they received on their phones right when the quake hit was "more frightening" than the actual earthquake. (Patch & Facebook Groups & Facebook Groups & USGS Did You Feel It & Press Democrat; paywall)
2. Local take on a hot topic! Students in Healdsburg and greater Sonoma County continue to "learn ethnic studies despite critical race theory culture wars" playing out across the nation, the Press Democrat reports. In fact, in anticipation of a new California law requiring ethnic studies to be taught to all high school students — beginning with the graduating class of 2030 — a pilot ethnic studies program is being taught right now at Healdsburg High School. When PD reporter Alana Minkler visited Thomas Warf’s ninth grade ethnic studies classroom last month, his "students were finishing up a unit on Native American tribes," she reports. More from the story: "Sophomore Meher Dhiman, 14... said she’s enjoyed learning more on the history of different groups in America, but she also has family in Florida who's history classes look much differently. 'I think a lot of people think it’s anti-patriotic, but I don’t think it’s anti-patriotic learning about different cultures.' Dhiman said. ... Before the ethnic studies curriculum was introduced to Healdsburg High, a group of predominantly Latino seniors felt the school was lacking an understanding of the history and contributions of minorities in their community. They formed the 'Ethnic Studies Club' to advocate for the school to begin teaching the state’s new curriculum. A large factor, Warf said, was that they wanted an outlet for their stories to be heard and their histories to be learned.” You can read the full story here — it's pretty interesting. (Press Democrat; paywall)
3. The Healdsburg Farmers Market is back in action for the season, starting this Saturday — and you'll see some new faces and goods along the aisles. "New vendors this year include two purveyors of ready-made meals: Healthy Haven Wellness and Dishin’ Nutrition," the Press Democrat reports. "After a long hiatus, Geyserville Gourmet will return, with its marinated and pickled goods. Longtime favorites Bernier Farms, Hector’s Honey and Preston Farm are returning, too. The market runs 8:30 a.m. to noon every Saturday until Dec. 23 in the West Plaza parking lot between North and Matheson streets. The Tuesday morning market is set to begin 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 16, running every Tuesday until the end of September on the Plaza." The Shop Local Healdsburg blog and Instagram account just posted some wonderful pics from previous seasons to get you in the mood! (Shop Local Healdsburg via Instagram & Press Democrat; paywall)

From our sponsor:

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Coming up in Healdsburg:

Wednesday, April 12

• Francis Ford Coppola Winery Hiring Event (1-4PM)
• City of Healdsburg Senior Citizens Advisory Commission Work Session (4PM)
• Homework Help at the Healdsburg Library (4PM)
• "What Moves You?" Spiritual Reflection & Communal Meal at THE 222 (5:30PM)
• City of Healdsburg Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting (6PM)
• Canon Book Group at the Healdsburg Library: Poems of William Butler Yeats (6PM)
• Corazón Healdsburg & Side by Side Host Community Support Group / Grupo Comunitario de Consejería at the Healdsburg Community Center (Weekly, 6-7:30PM)
• Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (7-9PM)

Thursday, April 13

• Healdsburg Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Hosts Spring Forum Lecture Series: "The Use & Misuse of American Military” (Weekly, April 13-May 18, 10:45AM-12:30PM)
• Homework Help at the Healdsburg Library (3PM)
• Healdsburg High School Swim Team Hosts Home Meet Vs. Analy (4PM)
• Healdsburg High School Softball Team Plays at Home Vs. St. Vincent (5PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Santa Rosa Run (6PM)
• Delta Spirit Frontman Matthew Logan Vasquez Live at Little Saint (6PM)
• Healdsburg High School Baseball Team Plays at Home Vs. St. Vincent (7PM)
• Karaoke Night at Coyote Sonoma (7-10PM)

Friday, April 14

• Spirit Friday at West Side Elementary School: Dress as Your Favorite Animal (All Day)
• Bilingual Family Storytime for Kids Aged 0-5 at the Healdsburg Library (10:30AM)
• Kids Book Reading & Release at the Healdsburg Library: "No One Owns the Colors" by Gianna Davy (4PM)
• Pizza on the Piazza at Bacchus Landing Winery Collective (4-7PM)
• Opening Reception for New “Shadow & Light” Photo Exhibit at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts, Featuring “Healdsburg by Design — Fragments of Time” Series by Local Photographer Richard Hay Jr. (5-7PM)
• Chris Amberger & Jeremy Lieber Live at Furthermore Wines (5-8PM)
• Odyssey Wine Academy Hosts "Intro to Sake for Wine Lovers" at Bacchus Landing (5:30-7PM)
• "Why We Love Music" Concert & Lecture by Pandora Radio Musicologist Nolan Gasser at THE 222 (7PM)
• Sonoma Shakers Live at Coyote Sonoma (7-9PM)
• The Willie Waldman Project Live at the Elephant in the Room, Feat. Trumpet Improvisation (April 14-15, 8PM)

From my notebook:

• Now that there's no water conservation mandate in Healdsburg anymore, "residents will no longer have to pay a monthly 6% water-shortage surcharge" on their water bill, according to the PD. (Press Democrat; paywall)
• Healdsburg's fleet of blue Bird e-bikes went back into circulation last month, after a rocky launch and brief hiatus — and at least one neighbor still isn't happy with the company's service. He posted a photo to Facebook of a couple of Bird bikes he claimed were "left chained to our PG&E meter" nearly two weeks ago. He writes: "We've already received notice from PG&E to have them removed. I've called the Bird company 4 times and requested them to be removed and the call is forwarded to another continent where the customer service agent promises it will be handled 'right away.' Called the Healdsburg PD to request assistance, and have most recently called the city. Who is the person to contact to get this handled? I'd prefer not to call a towing company to 'tow' two electric bikes..." (Facebook Groups)
• Check out the "luxe new tasting room" at Vérité Winery out Chalk Hill Road. (Yahoo Life)
• In the ongoing debate over whether we should be releasing so much water from our reservoirs, the deputy chief of the Sonoma Water agency writes a letter to the editor on Patch, explaining why he feels it's sometimes necessary. (Healdsburg Patch)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• How Can I Keep From Singing? (April 15)
• Passport to Dry Creek Valley - Sonoma County's Premier Wine & Food Festival (April 29)
• 5th Annual Garagiste Wine Festival: Northern Exposure (April 29)
• Add your event

You're all caught up for today! See you soon...

— 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