🌱 Electric Bill Hike + HHS Cheer Squad Returns + Rainbow Bridge

Good day, neighbors! It's me, Simone, your host of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter — here to get you up to speed on what's happening locally. Today's briefing includes news about:

• The future of your electric bill
• The return of the high school cheer team
• Why the mayor will be in New York City next week
• And much more...

Today's newsletter is sponsored in part by Stacey Bernd, Realtor with Healdsburg Sotheby's. Looking to rent in the Healdsburg area? Rest assured that Stacey Bernd, Sonoma County's premier realtor, will guide you in finding your dream rental. Follow Stacey here for the latest available listings.

Now, your local weather:

• Thursday: Fog and clouds turning to sun. High: 76 Low: 50.
• Friday: Fog and clouds turning to sun again. High: 74 Low: 48.
• Saturday: Same deal! High: 78 Low: 51.

Air over Healdsburg:

From our sponsor:

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Here are the top 3 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. We knew this was coming, but it still stings: Healdsburg residents will start to see their electric bills go up this fall, after the City Council approved a series of rate increases over the next five years at their meeting on Monday. This, according to a cheeky article in today's Healdsburg Tribune titled "Pride Flag, Electric Rates Raised by Council: City Forced to Increase Charges But Says It's Still a Bargain." Here's the deal, according to the Tribune: "Healdsburg has the distinction of being the only incorporated city in Sonoma County with its own electric utility. But it can’t escape the rising cost of energy altogether. ... Though the first year’s increase, starting with the October utility bill, is a whopping 16% — a number that’s sure to be noticed by the city’s ratepayers — the annual rate hikes decrease after that, rising 14% in 2024-25, 8% the following year and only 7% in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27. Those rate increases are specific to residential ratepayers; small commercial, large commercial and outdoor lighting customers will have other rate adjustments." City officials make the case that Healdsburg residents still pay a lot less than PG&E customers in other towns nearby. They say they have no choice to raise our electric bills, the Trib reports, seeing as "the cost of energy has increased by 26% in the past year; transmission costs [increased] by a lesser but significant 5%, and thanks to COVID and other factors materials cost have also increased." And "capital improvement costs are also rising with two new undergrounding projects in town." (Healdsburg Tribune)
2. Healdsburg High School will have a cheerleading team again this year, according to Chela Carr, an HHS grad who's been coaching cheer for kids at the private TCElite Gym in the Mill Street shopping center. She writes on Facebook: "I’m excited to announce the Healdsburg High School Cheer team is back!! It’s been a few years since the school has had a cheer team and we are so excited to bring more spirit into the school and games! ... Hope to see your support this year in welcoming the HHS cheerleaders." High schoolers going into the 9th to 12th grade next year can attend tryouts next Monday and Tuesday, June 12 and 13, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the East Gym on campus. The dress code for tryouts is "all black athletic attire, hair in a high pony tail, athletic shoes and no jewelry," Chela says. (Facebook Groups & Press Democrat; paywall)
3. You know the guaranteed income program being tested in Healdsburg, Santa Rosa and Petaluma, where a coalition of government agencies and orgs are giving a few hundred low-income families $500 each per month to see if it can help lift all boats? Well, there's a movie about it now — and it's debuting next week at the Tribeca Film Festival. The documentary film, directed by Marc Levin, is called "It's Basic." Healdsburg Mayor Ariel Kelley says she'll be attending the Tribeca debut on Monday. "I’m honored to have been invited by former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs in my role as a member of Mayors for Guaranteed Income," Kelley tells me over email, adding: "I am personally covering the cost of my trip and no public funds will be used for my travel." Tubbs previously oversaw a similar program in Stockton. Here's some more background on the film from Variety magazine: "The film examines several pilot programs launched in the U.S. that test the effects of giving everyday people an extra $500 to $1,000 monthly, with no strings attached. It aims to present an unbiased account of the benefits, criticisms, and outcomes of providing unconditional money to people in need, and examines whether Basic Income pilot programs eradicate child poverty and level the racial playing field through community-centric solutions. The documentary features commentary by [Tubbs, who at 26] became mayor of Stockton, California. Under his stewardship, the city saw a 40% drop in homicides in 2018 and 2019, led the state in the decline of officer-involved shootings in 2019, was named the second most financially healthy city in California and was featured in Levin’s HBO documentary, 'Stockton on My Mind.'” (Variety & Tribeca Film Festival & First 5 Sonoma County)

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Healdsburg pics of the day:

Note from Simone: I love to feature great local pics in the newsletter! If you have one to share, you can submit it here for consideration. Please just confirm in your email that you took any photos you're sending, and that Patch has permission to republish them. Many thanks 📸

Coming up in Healdsburg:

Thursday, June 8

• Last Day of School for Healdsburg Unified School District Students (All Day)
• Healdsburg Junior High Graduation (6PM)
• Healdsburg Prune Packers Baseball Team Plays Home Game Vs. Solano Mudcats at Rec Park (6PM)
• Ian George Performs at Little Saint (7-9PM)
• Trivia Night at Fogbelt Station Beer Garden (Weekly, 7-9PM)
• Karaoke Night at Coyote Sonoma (Weekly, 7-10PM)
• Bossa Funka Nova, Nick Otis & Matt Silva Live at the Elephant in the Room (7-10PM)

Friday, June 9

• "Friday Flicks" at the Healdsburg Library: Family-Friendly Movie Screening (1-3PM)
• BloodRoot Wines Hosts "The Ramble" Music Festival: VIP Welcome Reception at Reeve Wines (4-6PM)
• Summer Sundown "Locals Hangout" Series at Lambert Bridge Winery, Featuring Live Music & Pizza in the Garden (4:30-7PM)
• Jazz Musician Johnny Fontano Live at Furthermore Wines (5PM)
• Bubbly Hour at Breathless Wines (Monthly, 5-7PM)
• Jazz Duo Two Smooth Live at Hudson Street Wineries (5-8PM)
• Live Professional Theater at THE 222: "Chapatti" by Irish Playwright Christian O'Reilly (6PM)
• Healdsburg Prune Packers Baseball Team Plays Home Game Vs. West Coast Kings at Rec Park (June 9-10, 6PM)
• Summer Music Series at Soda Rock Winery, Featuring Classic Rock & Blues Band The Rootstocks (6-8PM)
• SOLD OUT: The Killer Dueling Pianos Perform at Francis Ford Coppola Winery (6-9PM)
• Healdsburg High School Graduation (7PM)
• BloodRoot Wines Hosts "The Ramble" Music Festival: Shannon Shaw & Zach Williams Perform at Little Saint (8PM)
• Pat Jordan Band Live at Coyote Sonoma (8-11PM)
• Electronic Party Band VROS Live at the Elephant in the Room (8-11PM)

Saturday, June 10

• United Healthcare Children's Foundation Hosts 9th Annual "Velo & Vines" Cycling Event in Healdsburg, Starting & Ending at Arnot Roberts Winery (7AM)
• "Yoga Among the Vines" for Global Wellness Day at Montage Healdsburg (8:30-9:30AM)
• Healdsburg Farmers Market in the West Plaza Parking Lot (8:30AM-12PM)
• "Interconnectedness" Agricultural Workshop at SingleThread Farms, Focusing on the "Dialogue Between Farm & Farmer in the Weeks Surrounding the Summer Solstice" (9:30AM-12PM)
• Vineyard & Garden Hike With Lunch at Chalk Hill Estate (Monthly, June 10-July 15, 10AM-1PM)
• LandPaths Hosts "Nature Bingo" Hike at the Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve (10:30AM-1:30PM)
• Read to a Dog at the Healdsburg Library (11AM-12PM)
• "Painting Paws & Petite Sirah" Animal Services Fundraiser at Foppiano Vineyards, Featuring Paw Painting, Wine Tasting & Wine Barrel Dash (11AM-4PM)
• National Rosé Day Celebration at the Bacchus Landing Tasting Collective, Featuring Live DJ & Garden Party Attire (12-4PM)
• "Summer of Zin" Picnic & Concert at Dry Creek Vineyard, Featuring Live Music by Beatles Cover Band The Sun Kings (12-4PM)
• BloodRoot Wines Hosts "The Ramble" Music Festival in West Plaza Park, Featuring Performances by The Lone Bellow, SUSTO, Cayucas & Spike Sikes (12-7PM)
• Obstinate Ostinato Live at Furthermore Wines (5-8PM)
• Susan Sutton Jazz Trio Live at the Hotel Healdsburg Spirit Bar (6-9PM)
• Live Professional Theater at THE 222: "Chapatti" by Irish Playwright Christian O'Reilly (7:30PM)
• Grateful Dead Tribute Band Dead Roses Live at the Elephant in the Room (8PM)
• Hard Rock Band Crash Pilot Live at Coyote Sonoma (8-11PM)

From my notebook:

• Healdsburg politicians have been painting the town rainbow this week for Pride Month! A rainbow flag is now flying over City Hall, and Memorial Bridge can be seen lit up with rainbow lights at night. (Healdsburg Community Services via Facebook Groups)

• Also: Did you know there's a rainbow trail you can walk over between Poppy Hill Drive and Gibbs Park? (Stay Healdsburg via Instagram & Google Maps)
• Last piece of rainbow news for now! The Robin Williams Tunnel along the 101 near the Golden Gate Bridge could soon get a rainbow painted on the southbound side, as well. Healdsburg's state senator, Mike McGuire, has taken the popular effort under his wing — and as we all know, he's a very determined guy. (SF Chronicle; paywall)
• The "Lunch at the Library" summer program in Healdsburg starts this coming Monday — back after a three-year hiatus. Free lunch from the Redwood Empire Food Bank will be served at the library at noon every weekday through August 4, besides holidays, to anyone under the age of 18. And a rep from Friends of the Healdsburg Library adds that "our grant this year also supports an internship program for teens. We are hiring two teen interns who will oversee our lunch program, earning their food-handling permits and receiving vocational guidance in addition to work experience." Sweet! (Inbox & Sonoma County Library)
• Looks like the head chefs at SingleThread, the only Sonoma County restaurant nominated for a James Beard Award this year, just lost the title of "Best Chef in California" to a Thai food chef in the Los Angeles area. (Sonoma Magazine & Axios & WPVI-TV & San Francisco Chronicle; paywall)
• The Healdsburg Fire Department is reminding you to "take advantage of cool weather this week to cut grass and remove dead brush." The department has begun doing "abatement inspections" around town, to make sure everyone meets the June 15 deadline for weed whacking ahead of fire season. (Healdsburg Fire Department via Facebook)
• There's some pretty cool-looking wire bird art on display at the Harmon Guest House hotel downtown through the end of this month. (Harmon Guest House & Sonoma Magazine)
• Shop Local Healdsburg just took a peek inside the new Rena Charles Gallery at 439 Healdsburg Avenue, right across from the alleyway to CVS. The gallery is "filled with many local and regional artists taking inspiration from Sonoma County," Shop Local says — "including Rena’s own paintings of trees 🌳 reimagined as giant ice-cream cones 🍦." You can check out the video tour here. (Shop Local Healdsburg via Instagram)

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That's it for today! I'll 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