Healdsburg Bakery For Sale + Bad River Algae + Live Weekend Music

Yo, people of Healdsburg! Simone here with your weekend edition of the Healdsburg Daily. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

First, your weekend weather:

• Friday: Hot as heck, with widespread haze and smoke from three big fires across NorCal. Air quality advisory still in effect. High: 98 Low: 54.
• Saturday: Sunny with some possible clouds in the morning and night. High: 95 Low: 54
• Sunday: Partly cloudy. High: 88 Low: 50

Here are the top 5 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. Big news for fans of Healdsburg's beloved Downtown Bakery. After 35 years, bakery owner and operator Kathleen Stewart, 72, is retiring and putting it up for sale. "I decided that I needed to move on to the next chapter of my life," she says. "It’s someone else’s turn." Stewart tells the PD that she hopes whoever buys the bakery will keep it community-oriented and "keep an eye on maintaining those relationships" with local vendors, farmers and customers. (Press Democrat; paywall)
2. The weird algae situation in the Russian River is getting weirder. State and county officials warn that dangerous "toxic algal mats" have been detected growing on the bottom of the river. These mats can detach from the riverbed and float to the water's surface or get stuck on the banks, officials say. Residents are advised against touching the algae; drinking or cooking with the water; and letting their dogs play in the river. (Healdsburg Patch)
3. The Stark restaurant family, which runs Willi's and Bravas in Healdsburg, is reportedly experimenting with a "vaccine lottery" for their employees, in hopes of reaching a staff vaccination rate of 100 percent. How it works: Employees can enter to win one of three $1,000 gift cards at each of seven Stark restaurants — but only if they're vaccinated. "We’ll make appointments for them, we’ll drive them to their appointment, we’ll bring them back to work or home or wherever they need to go," owner Terri Stark says. (KCBS Radio)
4. Two entertainment venues in Healdsburg just got an infusion of federal COVID relief funds: $43,598 goes to the Alexander Valley Film Society, and $98,406 goes to the Raven. And just down the 101, $2.1 million goes to the Luther Burbank Center. (Press Democrat; paywall)
5. Three more people have died from COVID in Sonoma County in the past week — including two vaccinated residents who reportedly had underlying health conditions. The county's case count continues to surge upward: We're now at a seven-day average of 129 cases per day, which is a six-month high and double the count just a couple weeks ago. (New York Times & Press Democrat; paywall)

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This weekend in Healdsburg:

Friday, August 6

• Clinica de Vacunacion / Vaccination Clinic at Alliance Medical Center in Healdsburg (8:30AM-4:30PM)
• Healdsburg Estate Sale on Hidden Acres Road (August 6-7, 9AM-3PM)
• Humane Society Gala Auction & Telethon (9AM-5:45PM)
• Wine & Song at Hudson Street Wineries: Heartwood Crossing (5-8PM)
• Wilson Artisan Wines Summer Music Series: deLorimier, Revolver (6-8PM)
• Spring Music Series: Dustin Saylor Live at Hotel Healdsburg (6-8PM)
• Locals Night: Spike Sikes & His Awesome Hotcakes Live at Coyote Sonoma (6-8:30PM)
• First Friday Music Night at The Drink: Dan Martin and the Noma Rocksteady Band (6-9PM)
• James Regan Live on the Russian River (6-10PM)
• Live Comedy at Luther Burbank Center: Nate Bargatze (7PM)

Saturday, August 7

• Healdsburg Cycle Tour at Giro Vigneti (7AM-3PM)
• Healdsburg Saturday Farmers Market (8:30AM-12PM)
• Northern Sonoma County Earthquake & Wildfire Safety Expo at Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds (9AM-4PM)
• Junior Rangers: Painting Rehab Project at Shiloh Ranch Regional Park (10-11AM)
• Bilingual Mobile Herb Clinic: Virtual Wellness Workshop at Sonoma County Library (10-11:30AM)
• Live Music by Adam Lieb at Spicy Vines (3-6PM)
• Live Jazz at Hotel Healdsburg: Carlitos Medrano Trio (5-8PM)
• Lobster Feed at Rodney Strong Vineyards (5:30-8:30PM)
• Hell Hounds Live on the Russian River (6-10PM)
• Rock on a Roll Live at Coyote Sonoma (8-11PM)
• Drive-In Movie at Healdsburg Community Center: La BAMBA en Español (8:30-10:30PM)

Sunday, August 8

• Summer Sunday Music with Wesley Woo at VML Winery (11AM-4PM)
• Solid Air Live at Truett Hurst Winery (11AM-4PM)
• Live at Duke's Spirited Cocktails: Lara Louise (5-8PM)

Healdsburg Patch Notebook

• Here's a roll call of mask requirements at various chain stores with locations in and around Healdsburg, including CVS, Starbucks and McDonald's. (Healdsburg Patch)
• A new "Delta-plus" coronavirus variant has reportedly popped up in the Bay Area. Santa Clara County health officials are counting 46 cases so far. “We believe that it’s at least as bad as Delta,” says a UC San Francisco expert. And “Delta-plus is not the end of the story. Until more of us get vaccinated we’re going to have these reports of weird other Greek letters and combinations of Greek letters — we might even run out of the Greek alphabet." (CBS SF Bay Area)
• In other surprising COVID news from the Bay, SF General Hospital has been handing out "supplemental Pfizer or Moderna shots to people who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine." (ABC7)
• This is the final weekend of the "Picturing Healdsburg" exhibit at the Healdsburg Museum. "Come on by before it's gone!" the museum says. The exhibit is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. (Facebook)
• The life of Healdsburg High School "counselor, sports coach, mentor and teacher" Celso Rosales was celebrated late last month. Rosales died in December from COVID complications. Read more in the Trib about his incredible contributions to our community. (SoCoNews Healdsburg)
• Have you ever spotted one of these beautiful white raptor-looking birds in the treetops above Healdsburg? Neighbors in the "What's Happening Healdsburg" Facebook group have identified them as "white tailed/black shouldered kites." (Facebook)
• W. C. Trowbridge, the "Russian River canoe czar" of the 90s, makes an appearance in the "Flashbacks" section of the Trib this week. Back on August 7, 1996, he reportedly filed for a permit "at the Jimtown bridge area in Alexander Valley to include campground facilities for tents, campers and trailers." (SoCoNews Healdsburg)
• I'm admittedly kind of a sucker for local merch, but these Healdsburg Jazz dad hats are so awesome. (Healdsburg Jazz)
• Fascinating question from a neighbor in the "You Know You're from Healdsburg, CA if..." Facebook group: "Does anyone know how I can get in contact with a Shultz family member? My grandpa has memory loss and he doesn’t remember where he left his bulldozer 20 years ago and I’m trying to find it for him." (Facebook)

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Event:

• 14th Annual Petaluma Music Festival (August 7)

Job listing:

• Caregiver (Details)

Now you're in the loop and armed with all the info you need to head into another summer weekend in the Wine Country. See you all next week! If you're enjoying these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to follow 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 email me at simone.wilson@patch.com.