Football Leaves Rec Park + Healdsburg Winery Expands + Rain Soon?

Hello, my people! Sorry to miss you yesterday. I'm back today with your jam-packed Thursday edition of the Healdsburg Daily, full of everything you need to know about what's happening in our community. Because local knowledge is power, right? Let's get to it.

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First, today's weather:

Summer temps cooling down. Fog and clouds through at least mid-morning, gradually clearing. High: 82 Low: 46.

And believe it or not, there's a possibility of (lightning-free) rain this coming weekend.

Here are the top 5 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. Starting next year, the Healdsburg High School football team will no longer play their home games at Rec Park — bringing a "decade’s long high school football tradition" to an end, the Trib reports. Instead, they'll play home games on the HHS campus itself, which boasts "newly renovated all-weather turf." The high school's athletic director explains: “The football teams already practice on our synthetic turf field at the high school and it doesn’t make sense to play our games at Rec. Park." You can say your goodbyes to Rec as the epicenter of Friday night lights at the Greyhounds' three remaining home games this season: Tomorrow versus Willits, Oct. 22 versus Santa Rosa and Oct. 29 versus St. Vincent. (SoCoNews Healdsburg)
2. In what the San Francisco Chronicle is calling an "aggressive expansion push," luxury Healdsburg winery Aperture Cellars just bought another 75-acre vineyard in Alexander Valley, on the historic Farrow Ranch estate — bringing Aperture's total grapevine holdings, mostly in the Healdsburg area, to 120 acres. From the Chronicle: "The acquisition is the latest in a flurry of new developments for Aperture, which purchased a historic Russian River Valley vineyard in 2016, built a new winery in Healdsburg in 2019 and opened a flashy visitor center in 2020." (The Drinks Business & SF Chronicle; paywall)
3. One day soon, there could be a massive, 1.2 million-square-foot casino just 10 miles south of Healdsburg, if the local Koi Indian tribe gets their way. The tribe's plan to build a new "Shiloh Resort & Casino" at the Shiloh Ranch Regional Park vineyard property they just bought for $12.3 million reportedly includes "2,500 slot and other gaming machines, a 200-room hotel, six restaurant and food service areas" and a meeting center and spa. Their plan will now enter a review and approval process at the county, state and federal levels. (North Bay Business Journal)
4. Sonoma Magazine has a great piece this week featuring Healdsburg vineyard workers and the dangers they face as wildfire season collides with grape harvest — and who's responsible for keeping them safe. "Although rampant wildfire is not new in California, regulations protecting outdoor workers from the effects of smoke exposure are still in their infancy," the magazine reports. Beloved local nonprofit Corazón Healdsburg stars in the story as well. (Sonoma Magazine)
5. Napa resident Damien Mundo Aumada, 39, has been identified as the man who was killed Monday afternoon when he crashed his red Jeep Liberty off Highway 128 near La Franchi Road, in an unincorporated area just east of Healdsburg's Alexander Valley. The driver and his two passengers, one of whom was injured in the crash, were reportedly all co-workers leaving a job site at a vineyard. Aumada lost control of his Jeep and crossed into the opposing westbound lane of 128, the CHP says, then "collided into a tree stump on the north side of the roadway." May he rest in peace. (Healdsburg Patch & Press Democrat; paywall)

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Today in Healdsburg:

• Take & Make Craft Kits at Healdsburg Library: Paper Marigolds (All Day)
• Harvest Lunch at Jordan Winery (12-2PM)
• Healdsburg High School Back to School Night (6PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Thursday Night Run With "The Crew" & Chef Jeremy: Riverfront Regional Park Part Deux (6PM)
• Karaoke Night at Coyote Sonoma (6:30-9PM)

Healdsburg Patch Notebook

• Surely you've heard already, but the recall election went in Gov. Newsom's favor this week. And Sonoma County D.A. Jill Ravitch is in the clear as well. (Healdsburg Patch)
• I noticed that people were talking about two proposed Healdsburg roundabouts I mentioned in Monday's Daily on the "What's Happening Healdsburg" Facebook group. Just wanted to make it clear that these are still proposals in a very early stage, not solid plans! If you want to advocate for them, though, be sure to submit your feedback on the Healdsburg Local Roadway Safety Plan by Sunday, Sept. 19. (Facebook & City of Healdsburg)
• The Healdsburg Unified School District held a virtual board meeting last night to discuss COVID regulations, declining enrollment, new high school courses, sub teacher pay rates and more. You can replay the whole thing on Facebook if you're curious. (Facebook & SoCoNews Healdsburg)
• One of the various Sonoma County fire crews who've been helping battle the staggering Caldor Fire out in the Tahoe area just returned home to tell the tale. "It was both rewarding and challenging working in elevations over 7500' because it usually made for steep hikes and hose lays," the Northern Sonoma County Fire District said in a welcome-home post. Firefighters came back with some pretty amazing pics, too. (Facebook)
• Up in Mendocino County, three recent fires that sent smoke over Healdsburg have all been contained. And an arson suspect has been arrested for allegedly starting the biggest one, the 257-acre Hopkins Fire. At least 30 homes were burned. (MendoFever)
• The Healdsburg Museum just uploaded a set of fascinating old photos from the Healdsburg Water Carnival along the Russian River at the turn of the 20th century, back when what's now Memorial Bridge was trafficked by literal wagons. (Facebook)
• The Alexander Valley Film Society is starting a weekly after-school program held at Windsor High for "future filmmakers of all levels," starting this coming Monday. All Healdsburg middle schoolers and high schoolers are eligible to register. Here's how. (Facebook)
• In a tale as old as small towns themselves, Healdsburg neighbors on Nextdoor think everyone is driving too fast. Including city vehicles. (Nextdoor)

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That's it for today! See you all tomorrow morning for your next update. If you're into these newsletters, consider bringing some more friends and neighbors along for the ride. 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 reach me at simone.wilson@patch.com.