🌱 Fire Watch + SMART Train Update + Healdsburg Knife Makers

Mornin'! It's me, Simone, your host of the Healdsburg Daily, here to tell you everything you need to know about what's happening in town. Let's get right to it.

First, your daily weather:

• Thursday: Sunshine and a few clouds. High: 84 Low: 55.
• Friday: Cooling off, with a mix of sun and clouds. High: 75 Low: 52.

Shoutout to our premier local sponsors:

• Considering a fire-safe metal roof or siding for your home? Metal Roof Company has specialized in metal roofing and wall panels in the North Bay area for nearly 30 years. They work with homeowners, architects and general contractors on everything from single-family homes to commercial installations — and take pride in getting the job done right. To see a gallery of projects or to learn more, visit Metal Roof Company today or email metalroofcompany.com@gmail.com.

• Local business and restaurant owners in Healdsburg: Want to increase your revenue with a point of sale system to fit your business? SpotOn is a Bay Area-based company whose mission is to help local businesses succeed, starting with fair, flexible, transparent pricing, and a personal touch with local 24/7 support. Healdsburg Daily readers qualify for complimentary Wi-Fi enabled POS hardware — a $200 savings. To learn more, email Nancy Hall, a Healdsburg resident, at nancyh@spoton.com.
• Do you need courier or delivery service in the Healdsburg area? Healdsburg Express provides dependable, on-call and scheduled delivery services 24/7. They work with local businesses, title companies, health care providers, real estate agents and anyone who needs a delivery nearby. Use a local, family-owned courier you can trust. Visit Healdsburg Express to schedule a pick up or to learn more.

• Have you stopped by Amy's Wicked Slush near Memorial Bridge lately? Amy's has Slush in glorious flavors like root beer, mango, and orange cream and soft serve in flavors like Cupcake, Blueberry and Brown Sugar Cinnamon. Can’t decide? Get the Split — half-slush, half-soft serve layered up like a parfait! Do yourself a favor and stop by ASAP.

Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 5 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. If you've been seeing smoke to our northwest, it's likely coming from an 80-acre "controlled burn training" being held at Lake Sonoma this week. Tomorrow is the last day. It's a collaboration between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who oversees the lake; the Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District, who protects Healdsburg's rural outskirts; and Santa Rosa Junior College, who's providing the firefighters in training. "This event serves to help train firefighters how to conduct controlled burns, and to allow for mandatory safety inspections of the earthen dam," Army Corps officials say, adding that "Dry Creek Road and Skaggs Springs Road will remain open, however there may be minor traffic delays near the Visitors Center while controlled burn operations are in progress between 8am – 3pm each day." They say they've "taken measures... to ensure that neither the controlled burn nor the smoke produced will create an undue health or safety issue to park visitors or surrounding communities." (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers via Facebook & Press Democrat; paywall)
2. BTW, if you haven't heard, there's also a big (real) wildfire burning over in Napa County called the "Old Fire." It's currently 45 percent contained at 570 acres in the Soda Canyon area, according to the Watch Duty fire-tracking app. It's reportedly burning in a very similar footprint as the Atlas Fire of 2017. From the Press Democrat: "About 100 homes were evacuated Tuesday, but all evacuation orders were lifted Wednesday morning and there were no longer any buildings in the path of the fire, officials said. Other than a firefighter who was treated at an area hospital for a minor injury, there were no significant casualties. Nevertheless, the Old fire feels ominous to many observers. The last day in May seems like a particularly early date for a fire of this size. It came on a day when temperatures reached the mid-80s in Napa, and the winds were moderate. And it ran through an area struck by a devastating fire just five years earlier." A much smaller grass fire broke out yesterday, too, near Sears Point at the southern tip of Sonoma County — but that one was halted quickly after razing 15 acres. (Watch Duty & Press Democrat & Press Democrat; paywall)
3. Given all this early-season fire activity, Sonoma County officials are making it clear that it's time to get ready. "Well, it seems like fire season has arrived," the sheriff's office posted yesterday, listing "three super easy things you can do to be prepared." The first is to "know your zone" — aka, check out the evacuation zone map to see which one you're in, so you can heed any evacuation calls more quickly. The second, if you live in Windsor or the unincorporated countryside, is to grab an "evacuation tag" to tack to your house when you leave, so officials know you're out safely. The third is to "register your gate code" so responders can "quickly access your property during an evacuation." You should have a "go bag" packed at this point, too. And as far as notifications go — you can sign up for official emergency alerts on the county website. The citizen reporter-run Watch Duty app, based in Healdsburg, is also handy for getting notified about nearby fires. In fact, Watch Duty just expanded their coverage area to all of California and added a feature where users can submit fire photos. The app and its founder, Walbridge Fire near-victim John Mills, were recognized in Popular Science magazine recently for their achievements. Check out the story for more. (Sonoma Sheriff via Facebook & Sonoma County Government & Watch Duty via Facebook & Popular Science)
4. Small update on the SMART train's possible future extension through Healdsburg. Train officials are applying for hundreds of millions in federal funds, which are now up for grabs through Biden's new $1.2 trillion infrastructure law, passed just last year. Here's what the SMART dream is up against, according to the North Bay Business Journal: "SMART’s $65 million expansion to Windsor, delayed by years now, is about 30% complete, with progress hampered by court fights related to bridge fee revenue and rail rights of way. The current 45-mile north-south line runs roughly parallel to Highway 101 from Larkspur to near the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport. Eventually, the route is set to have its northern terminus at Cloverdale, though SMART officials have been wary of estimating when that might happen. The Windsor-to-Healdsburg section is estimated to cost $125 million, and the Healdsburg-to-Cloverdale line will run about $170 million. Plus, another $44 million is needed to buy additional train cars, according to SMART officials." And in particular, the repair or replacement of the Healdsburg Russian River Bridge — so the train can run over it — should cost around $17 million. For what it's worth, back in February, officials said that "once funding is secured, the project could be ready for service within 18 months." (Mass Transit & North Bay Business Journal & Press Democrat; paywall)
5. Sonoma Mag has a great piece this week on the "Healdsburg knife makers bringing an ancient art form into the kitchen." The artisans in question, Mike Benz and Chris Fracaro, reportedly started their own kitchenware company, Seral Wood & Steel, in February 2021. "Using reclaimed steel and wood sourced from Sonoma County, they produce hand-forged chef’s knives and kitchen tools of remarkable beauty, implements that straddle the line between utility and art," the story goes. "Their knives are designed to be passed down — 'maybe even fought over,' says Benz, with a smile — from one generation to the next." Also: "The two are intentional, deliberate, proudly old-school. The anvil in their Healdsburg shop dates back to 1860. The 7,000-pound power hammer has been around for a century. 'Our table saw’s from 1969,' adds Fracaro." You can check out their stuff on their website. (Sonoma Magazine & Seral Wood & Steel)

Today and tomorrow in Healdsburg:

Thursday, June 2

• Tamarind Clothing Birthday Sale, Featuring Tarot Card Readings (June 2-5, 11AM-6PM)
• New Exhibit at Upstairs Art Gallery: "25 Years Celebrating Art" (June 2-26, 11AM-6PM)
• VIP Tasting Experience at Blanchard Family Wines (1PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Recovery Run to the Rooftop at the Harmon House (6PM)

Friday, June 3

• Healdsburg Running Company Kids Run to Amy's Wicked Slush & Back for Double Treats (5PM)
• Friday Evening Wine & Song at Hudson Street Wineries, With Music by Adam Lieb (5-8PM)
• Wilson Wines Summer Music Series: Rootstocks Live at Soda Rock, Feat. Food by Dino’s Greek (6-8:30PM)
• Two Lions Band Live at Coyote Sonoma, Feat. Opener Annabelle Lampson (7-10PM)
• Derek Irving & His Combo Live at the Elephant in the Room (8-11PM)

Healdsburg pic of the day:

Want to see your photo featured in the Healdsburg Daily? Send it to me for consideration. Please just confirm in your email that you own the rights to the photo, and that Patch has permission to republish it. Can't wait to see... 📸

From my notebook:

• Rain is in the forecast for this weekend, somehow! Hallelujah... (NWS & Press Democrat; paywall)
• Did you catch the first "Tuesdays in the Plaza" show of the summer earlier this week? Here's the full artist lineup through the end of August — including an "Afro-Cuban ensemble," some "Spaghetti Western swing," rock, funk, soul, bluegrass and more. (Facebook Groups)
• The man who killed 53-year-old winemaker Mark Osborne of Healdsburg's Gary Farrell Winery with his car in May of last year just got eight years in prison. (Press Democrat & SF Chronicle; paywall)
• Healdsburg's state senator, Mike McGuire, has proposed a bill to hire more than 1,000 additional Cal Fire firefighters. (CBS San Francisco)
• Meanwhile, a pair of "citizen detectives" have tracked down a man who they suspected was starting fires in the Monte Rio woods. He's now facing 10 counts of arson in Sonoma County court. (Bay City News via Patch & Press Democrat; paywall)

You're all caught up for today! 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