Farmers Market Staff Shortage + Zombie Update + Healdsburg Murals

Happy Monday, Healdsburg! Let's get this week started. These are the most important things going on in town today.

First, today's weather:

Slightly cooler than the scorching temps we felt over the weekend, but still hot and sunny. Some fog in the morning and widespread haze through afternoon. Officials warn of bad air quality due to smoke from wildfires raging in other parts of Northern California. High: 95 Low: 46.

Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 5 stories today in Healdsburg:

1. Water storage for Lake Mendocino, which feeds the Healdsburg water supply, dropped below 20,000 acre feet late last week, county officials say — "falling short of a water conservation goal established to maintain adequate downstream flows for fisheries and human health and safety needs for municipal users." The milestone comes more than a month earlier than the Oct. 1 goal set by Sonoma County's water agency for the 20,000 mark. Regulators had hoped a recent ban on diverting water from the Russian River would get us there, but alas. Now they're turning to the public for help: "We really urge everyone to step up their water saving efforts," Sonoma County Supe. Lynda Hopkins says. "The only way we're going to get through this drought is if we all do our part." And Healdsburg's mayor adds: "We are hopeful the entire watershed will band together to achieve significant conservation." (Patch Press Release Desk)
2. Have you checked out the new-ish Legion Projects art gallery on Healdsburg Avenue between Sherman and Lincoln yet? They've hosted four single-artist exhibits already, since opening in March. And each show is accompanied by a mural on the street-facing side of the small gray gallery building. “There’s too much beige out there,” Legion owner Sydney Pfaff tells the PD. “We need to add some color. I hope people see the mural and it brightens their day and they feel a little more energy." On display through Sept. 11 are the "bold, abstract paintings in striking colors" of L.A. artist Dennis Foster. Drop-in hours are 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; you can also make an appointment to stop by. (Sonoma Magazine & Press Democrat; paywall)
3. In the latest Healdsburg farmers market report in the Trib, market manager Janet Ciel says local vendors are feeling the squeeze of the drought. "Front Porch Farm has left the market due to their water source shut off," she writes, and Soda Rock Farm and Longer Table have cut back their offerings as well. But the even more dramatic crisis seems to be a staffing shortage: "The lack of employees has been a big problem with our vendors. I have a list as long as both my arms of vendors looking for someone, anyone, to fill positions." (SoCoNews Healdsburg)
4. A couple insider-y personnel updates from the Healdsburg wine sector. Rodney Strong Wine Estates has made a series of promotions, including the appointment of Justin Seidenfeld as director of winemaking — just the "fourth head winemaker in the more than 60-year history of the winery." And over at the John Jordan Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Jordan Vineyard & Winery, Katie Fonsen Young has been named the foundation's new executive director. She's been serving as CEO of the Cloverdale Citrus Fair for the past few years. (North Bay Business Journal & Press Democrat; paywall)
5. The traffic jam on the northbound 101 just south of the Healdsburg Avenue exit on Saturday was due to a reported four-car collision involving a speedboat. And according to KCBS radio, there was a separate crash around the same time near Arata Lane. One neighbor in the "What's Happening Healdsburg" Facebook group shared some pics of the boat lodged in the freeway meridian. Other residents reported seeing a pulled-over pickup truck, "a small white car with a smashed in front behind the boat truck" and "a car flipped upside-down down the hill at the Arata OP rise." (Facebook & Twitter)

Healdsburg pic of the day:

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Today in Healdsburg:

• COVID-19 Testing at Healdsburg Community Center (8AM-2PM)
• Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Virtual Public Hearing: Draft Plan for New Election Model (11AM)
• New Exhibit at Upstairs Art Gallery: "Conversing with Nature" (11AM-6PM)
• UC Cooperative Extension Fire Safety Class for Livestock at Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds (4:30-9PM)
• E Street Studios Virtual Media Maker Meetup at Sonoma County Library (6-7PM)
• Live at Duke's Spirited Cocktails: The JT-3 (5-8PM)

Healdsburg Patch Notebook

• Today is the deadline for Sonoma County residents to register to vote for the contentious California Gubernatorial Recall Election on Sept. 14, although "residents who miss the deadline still have the option to conditionally register and vote in person." Here's how to register ahead of time. (Patch Press Release Desk)
• Healdsburg residents are wondering why their water bill isn't going down now that they're conserving a bunch of water during the drought. There's a long thread about it, including some info from neighbors who called the city, in the "What's Happening Healdsburg" group. (Facebook)
• Longtime Healdsburg resident Gerald Dean "Jerry" Neligh passed away last month at age 91. According to his obit, "Jerry moved to Healdsburg in 1970 and worked at the Healdsburg Printing Company, setting up the type for the local newspapers." (Legacy.com)
• Recent roadwork on Healdsburg Avenue between the roundabout and Exchange Avenue is "almost complete," the city says. All that's left of the repaving project is some road-striping during daylight hours this week. (City of Healdsburg)
• Here's what Healdsburg schools are doing to conserve water. On the athletics front, they've chosen two fields — the ones at HES and HHS — to continue to keep green, using recycled water. They're also looking into the possibility of digging a well at the high school. (SoCoNews Healdsburg)
• The organizer of the zombie walk planned for downtown Healdsburg says she's been given the official go-ahead from the city. But she's still looking for volunteer crossing guards, makeup artists and flash mob dance instructors to help pull off the Oct. 14 event. (Facebook)
• Rumor has it that the Avett Brothers played a wedding at Barndiva over the weekend. (Facebook)
• Here's a recap and photo gallery of the Healthcare Foundation charity gala at Healdsburg's Mill District on Saturday. (Press Democrat; paywall)
• Federal weather officials are predicting an abnormally dry winter in Sonoma County. (Press Democrat; paywall)
• A "job box" with a bunch of construction tools in it was reported stolen yesterday from Aperture Winery in Healdsburg. The guy who reported the theft says: "A ton of tools in that box, my livelihood, hard to make money without your tools to do so..." (Facebook)
• Longtime Healdsburg policeman Luis Rodriguez has been promoted from sergeant to lieutenant. (City of Healdsburg)
• Intriguing question posted to a couple different Healdsburg community Facebook groups last night: "Do any Eastside road residents know of a Deere 450 dozer that was left behind at a jobsite about 15 years ago?" (Facebook & Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll catch up with you tomorrow morning for your next update. If you're feeling these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— 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? You can contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com.