🌱 Goat Open + PG&E Copters + R.I.P. Healdsburg Trees + Back Lot Pizza

Hello, people of Healdsburg! Hope you all have been enjoying this cushy fall weather. I'm back in your inbox today, per usual, to tell you everything you need to know about what's happening in town. In this issue, you'll learn about:

• The Goat's new spot on the plaza
• Dying trees being removed throughout the city
• What's up with those helicopters overhead
• Some spooky new entries to the Healdsburg scarecrow festival
• And more...

But first, your daily weather:

• Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. High: 74 Low: 44.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny. High: 73 Low: 39.

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 3 stories today in Healdsburg:

1. Flying Goat Coffee's new location on the plaza is officially open for business at the corner of Center and Matheson streets, where the Bella boutique used to be, according to the Shop Local Healdsburg and Love Healdsburg social-media accounts. Both stopped by yesterday to check out the Goat's new outpost, which mysteriously doesn't seem to have any seating yet but is lookin' pretty sleek otherwise. According to Shop Local Healdsburg: "Their hours at this location posted is from 9am - 2pm. The modern new look, large window views and their classic Flying Goat offerings (including their Gluten Free pastries) are available here. Meanwhile, their 'Baby Goat' at 419 Center, Healdsburg, will continue to stay open as their main roasting station. ... ☕️ P.S. They’re hiring!" (Shop Local Healdsburg via Instagram & Love Healdsburg via Instagram)
2. Healdsburg city crews are starting to rip out some trees this week from the "park system and in the downtown area that have died due to the ongoing drought," according to city officials. These include some Coast Redwoods, which officials say "are highly susceptible due the amount of water these trees need to survive." They explain that "this death, often called drought-related tree mortality, is caused by trees becoming too dependent on turf or surface irrigation water instead of developing deep root structures" — and that "even though we applied recycled water to trees that were subject to drought stress, each tree’s ecosystem ultimately determined its fate." One neighbor commented on the city's tree-removal announcement yesterday: "I can see and hear them working at Gibbs park today. So sad but necessary. Thank you for your care of the parks and their trees 🌲." The good news, the city says, is that "today, new trees that are planted correctly have 'deep root' or 'direct to root' irrigation systems that deliver needed water to roots below the surface. In addition to helping to develop trees that can sustain drought conditions, these systems save water that would otherwise be lost to evaporation." (City of Healdsburg & Healdsburg Community Services via Facebook)
3. So that's what's happening below ground this week. As for above — PG&E says it's sending out another round of helicopters over Healdsburg and the surrounding area, to conduct more "aerial patrols" in the name of wildfire safety. Kind of like the city, they'll be checking for dead or dying trees near the utility company's network of electric lines. "Helicopter patrols allow our crews to identify hazard trees that could pose a safety risk," a PG&E rep says — "just one of the many ways PG&E is working to manage trees and other vegetation located near powerlines." The helicopters may fly as low as 300 feet. They'll reportedly be patrolling between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. through this Friday, Oct. 28 — but "weather delays may push the flights to additional days," according to PG&E. And "if determined necessary by a spotter from the helicopters, PG&E will send ground crews to conduct further inspections." (Healdsburg Patch)

Today and tomorrow in Healdsburg:

Tuesday, October 25

• Final Healdsburg Tuesday Farmers Market (9AM-12:30PM)
• Felta Education Foundation (FEF) Meeting at West Side School (9AM)
• Author Talk Screening at the Healdsburg Library: Kate Quinn, "The Diamond Eye" (4PM)
• Healdsburg City Planning Commission Meeting (6PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Limerick Lane Winery Run, Featuring Pizza Truck (6PM)
• Taller de Preparación de Emergencia en el Centro Comunitario de Healdsburg (6-7PM)
• Tuesday Night Trivia at Furthermore Wines: "All About Sitcoms" (7-9PM)

Wednesday, October 26

• Seminar at CraftWork Healdsburg: "Business Resources for Busy People - Chamber of Commerce Benefits 101" (8-9AM)
• Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market at the Luther Burbank Center (Wednesdays & Saturdays, 8:30AM-1PM)
• Farm to Pantry Veggie Gleans at Noble Goat Farm & the Farm to Fight Hunger (8:30AM-12PM)
• National Academy of Athletics Hosts "All Sports Club" for Kids at the Healdsburg Community Center (Oct. 26-Nov. 16, 10-11:50AM)
• Sonoma County Government Officials Host Virtual Home Resiliency Workshop: "Funding Your Improvements – Incentives, Rebates & Financing" (11:30AM-12:30PM)
• "Universal Yums" for Teens at the Healdsburg Library (2-3PM)
• Sonoma County Government Officials Host Webinar on County's Vegetation Management & Wildfire Resilience Efforts (5-7PM)
• The Setting Wines Hosts Industry Tea at Bacchus Landing (5:30-7PM)
• League of Women Voters Hosts Virtual Sonoma County Library Event: "Pros & Cons of the 7 State Ballot Propositions" (6-7PM)
• Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (7-9PM)
• Super Secret Band Live at the Elephant in the Room (7-10PM)

Healdsburg pics of the day:

Wanna see your pic in the Healdsburg Daily? Send it to me here. Please just confirm in your email that you took the photo, and that Patch has permission to republish it. 📸

From my notebook:

• A bunch more awesome entries were just added to the Healdsburg Scarecrow Festival's auction site. There's now a giant spider scarecrow, a horrifying "lawn eater" scarecrow, a robot scarecrow, a chef scarecrow and many more up for grabs. You have through Oct. 30 to place your bid — and the money goes to local homelessness nonprofit Reach for Home. (Healdsburg Scarecrow Festival & Facebook Groups)
• The Downtown Bakery has been hosting "Back Lot Pizza" nights on Fridays and Saturdays out of a white school bus behind their kitchen on East Street. It's part of an effort to raise funds to replace the bakery's oven, which owners say had a "catastrophic failure" recently. "We are doing all we can to get a replacement so we can get production back to normal as soon as possible," they say in a promo flyer. The pizza nights last from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. "or until we run out of dough," they say, and it's a "pay what you can" situation. My family stopped by last Friday night — the wait was very long, but very worth it! (Facebook Groups)
• Heads up! The streets surrounding the plaza will be blocked off this Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the big Día de Muertos festival being organized by Corazón Healdsburg. (Healdsburg Patch)
• Speaking of the Día de Muertos event: Organizers are still looking for volunteers to "help with face painting, the kids zone and post-event clean-up." You can sign up here. (SignUp.com & Corazón Healdsburg)
• And here's a handy video tutorial from Corazón on how to dress up as La Catrina for the event — you know, that tall female skeleton you see with the fancy hat. (Corazón Healdsburg via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop! See you back here tomorrow for more...

— 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