Healdsburg Water Activism + Mill District Latest + Labor Shortage

Good day, neighbors! It's me again, Simone, your host of the Healdsburg Daily, here to tell you everything you need to know today about what's happening in town.

First, today's weather:

Sunny throughout the day, with a slight breeze. High: 91 Low: 47.

Here are the top 5 stories today in Healdsburg:

1. We could see nearly double the planned power outages this fire season compared to last in Sonoma County, PG&E officials tell the PD. However, each outage is likely to be shorter in duration. PG&E is blaming the increase on 5 million-plus "overstrike trees" that they don't have the authority to cut down, but that still threaten power lines. These trees are now being taken into account when the call is made to shut off power, as we understand it. (Press Democrat; paywall)
2. Healdsburg activists have launched a campaign called "PAUSE" to demand that local politicians take this whole drought thing more seriously. "We must protect our river and our town, NOW!" the coalition says in a full-page ad slated for tomorrow's issue of the Healdsburg Tribune. Next steps include writing letters to local pols; circulating a petition in the plaza on Aug. 1; and speaking up at the first in-person City Council meeting on Aug. 2. (Facebook)
3. Sonoma County's tourism industry is reportedly facing serious labor shortages. Although there were some grants and programs to pay hotel and winery workers while their places of employment were shuttered due to COVID, "the workers in those industries aren’t coming back as quickly as demand," the Business Journal reports. Many are suspected to have switched to industries like manufacturing, agriculture and construction. (North Bay Business Journal)
4. Update on the so-called "Mill District" taking shape at the south end of town: The shovels hit the dirt yesterday on "41 new units of affordable rental housing located near the intersection of Exchange and Healdsburg Avenues." Next will come the unaffordable ones. (Facebook)
5. The Trib has everything you ever wanted to know about the hero goat army currently munching its way across Fitch Mountain in the name of wildfire prevention. These 220 goats are able to cut through thick underbrush including poison oak, ivy and blackberry bushes, in order to clear the way for prescribed burns, their owner explains. They'll be tackling Fitch for another couple weeks before moving on to the Callahan property next to the Healdsburg Ridge Open Space preserve. (SoCoNews Healdsburg)

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Today in Healdsburg

• Sonoma County Library Family Storytime Live on Zoom (10:30-11AM)
• Virtual Tween Writing Workshop at Sonoma County Library (4-5PM)
• Clay Bell Live at Duke's Spirited Cocktails (4:30-7:30PM)
• Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (7-9PM)

Healdsburg Patch Notebook

• A "100 pound cement water fountain" was recently stolen off the "front hillside" of a home on South Fitch Mountain Road near Almond Way, the owners' daughter says. "This was the first time anything like this has happened so we wanted to warn others in the area." (Facebook)
• Neighbors are mourning the Amy's Wicked Slush drive thru, which was originally allowed to open due to COVID indoor dining restrictions but has reportedly now been shut down. Bad news for your on-the-go slushie lifestyle, good news for Memorial Bridge traffic. (Nextdoor)
• You know that thing where Sonoma County wanted to consolidate its bajillion fire departments and districts? It's happening. The piece of the plan that affects the Healdsburg area is the $1.2 million consolidation of the Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District and the Sonoma County Fire District. Which should simplify the situation along the rural edges of town. (Press Democrat; paywall)
• A forest intern for Santa Rosa Junior College posted an uplifting note last week on all the awesome vegetation management work going on at Shone Farm just south of Healdsburg. "We have been able to give a fighting chance to native species that were taken over by invasive," she says. (Facebook)
• After being postponed twice in 2020, the big, fancy Pigs & Pinot benefit dinner will return to Hotel Healdsburg this fall. Tickets are going for a cool $400. (Press Democrat; paywall)
• The Dixie and Tamarack fires to the north and east, respectively, are ballooning so rapidly that they're creating their own freaking weather systems. (Press Democrat; paywall)
• Over in Napa Valley, two local wineries have been chosen to test out a pair of "zero-emission, battery-operated tractors" provided by the state. (Napa Valley Patch)
• Did you see some smoke coming from the Sebastopol area yesterday afternoon? It was a three-acre grass and brush fire, officials say, and it was apparently caused by humans. (Rohnert Park-Cotati Patch)
• R.I.P. Albert Ghiglieri, 96, a former Healdsburg Junior High school teacher and counselor of 30 years. He's survived by his wife, seven children, 25 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild. (Legacy.com)
• The PD has a great roundup of things to do in Sonoma County through the end of July, including a "family-friendly event on the lawn at Rodney Strong Vineyards with Sonoma County band The Highway Poets, food trucks and local arts and crafts" in Healdsburg. (Press Democrat; paywall)
• There's an irresistible crop of dogs, cats and various rodent pets available for adoption at the Healdsburg animal shelter right now. Of note: A one-eyed cat named Bubba who "had a rough start" and a "sweet little baby dwarf hamster" named Pop. (Humane Society of Sonoma County)
• The Sonoma County Farm Bureau will be hosting a "free training on wildfire resilience for the farming and ranching community, specifically created for small farmers and ranchers." More info here. (Facebook)
• Healdsburg viticulturist Scott Knippelmeir would like to normalize messy-looking organic vineyards. (Facebook)
• The Corazon Healdsburg nonprofit is looking for a couple volunteers to help "put together and move a table at our offices" this Friday afternoon. (Facebook)
• Is this your fluffy white senior cat? She was found at Orangewood and Pinion drives a few days ago. (Nextdoor)
• In a heartwarming moment posted to the "What's Happening Healdsburg?" Facebook group, a neighbor noticed another neighbor's wilting garden and showed up with a water tank. (Facebook)

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That's all for today! See you bright and early tomorrow. If you're into these newsletters, consider bringing some friends and neighbors into the fold. 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? Contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com.