🌱 Historic Healdsburg Inn For Sale + Logger Fined + Next Museum Show

Hello there, Healdsburg! I'm back in your inbox this cool summer Friday with your weekend edition of the Patch newsletter, filled with all the most important things happening in town. Today you'll get news about:

• A beautiful old inn for sale on the outskirts of town
• Some hefty fines for a local logger accused of messing up the Felta Creek habitat
• The next exhibit taking shape at the Healdsburg Museum
• Weekend events up the wazoo
• And more...

But first, your weekend weather:

• Friday: Fog and clouds turning to sun. High: 76 Low: 49.
• Saturday: Fog and clouds turning to sun again. High: 79 Low: 51.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny. High: 78 Low: 48.
• Monday: Mostly sunny. High: 82 Low: 50.
• Tuesday: Same deal! High: 81 Low: 53.

From our sponsor:

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Here are the top 3 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. Anyone looking to go into the business of innkeeping? One of Healdsburg's oldest and most picturesque B&Bs, the Raford Inn at the corner of Eastside and Wohler Roads on the outskirts of town, just hit the market for $3.5 million. Local couple Dane Pitcher and Rita Wells purchased the property 19 years ago, and ran it together until Dane passed away from cancer last fall. Now, Rita wants to retire. “One of the last things [Dane] told me was don’t sell the inn, but it’s too much work for one person,” Rita tells the Press Democrat. The six themed rooms of the inn are housed within a giant, white Queen Anne-style Victorian building built in 1870 on just over four acres, overlooking its own set of Pinor Noir vineyards. Dane reportedly used to make small batches of wine from the vineyards, then give the bottles to guests as a gift. “A lot of people remember that and talk about it,” Rita says. “Over the years we’ve made a lot of friends and that’s the fun part.” Here's some more info from the Compass property listing: "The Inn features a cozy sunroom, a massage room, multiple outdoor environments including various patios, a wraparound porch, gardens & a hobby vineyard, all overlooking the Russian River Valley. A large dining room with a fireplace is the heart of the Inn where guests gather for a delicious homemade breakfast before embarking on their Wine Country adventures. An office, detached laundry house, and an open-air workshop make running the Inn a breeze. There is plenty of room to create your visions of a pool, bocce ball court and so much more. With so much rich history and local admiration the Raford Inn is ready for someone who wants to take it to the next level while maintaining its old-world charm." Click through to the listing on Zillow for some very cool pics of the Raford. (Inbox & Compass via Zillow & Press Democrat; paywall)

2. Remember that local logger in trouble for allegedly causing "sediment runoff" into the Felta Creek watershed, "a last refuge for spawning coho salmon and steelhead trout" in rural Healdsburg? The accused is 81-year-old Eureka attorney, licensed timber operator and local landowner Ken Bareilles — and he was reportedly ordered by the court last Friday to pay $276,000 in fines for water quality violations. Here's the scoop from the Press Democrat: "The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board’s unanimous decision came as a severe blow to [Bareilles], who fought to deflect a proposed $251,000 fine during a 3 1/2-hour hearing only to have the board return with a harsher penalty given the importance of Felta Creek to coho salmon populations and the potential harm resulting from inadequate erosion control. ... 'This was the sloppiest operation that I’ve seen on any active timber operation in my career,' veteran board staffer James Burke, a senior engineering geologist, said in presenting evidence against Bareilles." All of this wayward logging reportedly took place over the course of two winters: first, the winter after the Walbridge Fire of summer 2020, during which many of Ken's trees burned; and second, the winter after the “bomb cyclone” of fall 2021 that caused a ton of flooding and erosion in the burn zone. All of which made the situation much worse. You can read about the whole ordeal in the PD. (Press Democrat; paywall)
3. Now that the "Volunteers & Visionaries" exhibit has finished its run at the Healdsburg Museum, another cool local exhibit is taking shape at the museum, according to the Healdsburg Tribune. It's called “We Are Not Strangers Here: African-American Histories in California and Healdsburg,” and it's slated to open to the public late next month. The Tribune reports that "it’s based on a traveling exhibition that is being contextualized for Healdsburg’s own place in this history." Museum director Holly Hoods tells the paper: “We are transforming the gallery to make this an especially compelling exhibition, with design consultation from experiential designer Noah Jeppson." If you're hankering for some Healdsburg history in the meantime, you can attend one of the museum's "History Talks" or self-guided tours, which begin in the plaza on summer Saturdays. From the Trib: "From beneath their white pop-up canopy at the Healdsburg Plaza, from 11am to 2pm on Saturdays, docents will be presenting short illustrated talks about the history and architecture of some of Healdsburg’s favorite buildings, many of which have been given Healdsburg Museum Historical Preservation awards over the last 30 years. ... Also available at the museum tent will be materials for two self-guided walking tours of some of the town’s architectural gems." (Healdsburg Tribune)

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Healdsburg pic of the day:

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This weekend in Healdsburg:

Friday, June 23

• Healdsburg Prune Packers Host 2nd Annual Golf Tournament at Windsor Golf Club (1PM)
• Adam Lieb Live at Davis Vineyards (3-6PM)
• "Friday Flicks" at the Healdsburg Library: Family-Friendly Film Screening (1PM)
• Screening at the Healdsburg Library: "Audience Favorites Reel" From the San Francisco Dance Film Festival (4:30-6PM)
• Samuel Gray Edmondson Live at Furthermore Wines (5-8PM)
• "Art After Dark" Street Fair on Center Street Between Plaza Street & North Street, Feat. Live Music, Performances, Food for Sale, Art Exhibits & Vendors, Interactive Art & Demos (5-9PM)
• Healdsburg Prune Packers Play Home Game Vs. Alameda Anchors at Rec Park (6PM)
• Healdsburg Jazz Festival: "Joel Ross’ Good Vibes" Tribute to Pharoah Sanders & Joey DeFrancesco at Bacchus Landing (6:30-9PM)
• Heavy Metal & Mariachi Band Metalachi Live at Coyote Sonoma (9PM)
• Healdsburg Jazz Festival: Lorca Hart Bridges Quartet Performs at the Elephant in the Room (9-11PM)

Saturday, June 24

• Redwood Chapter of the American Truck Historical Society Hosts Truck Show on Dry Creek Road (8AM)
• Healdsburg Farmers Market in the West Plaza Parking Lot (8:30AM-12PM)
• Corazón Healdsburg Hosts "Books & Roots" Bilingual Reading Program / Programa de Lectura Bilingüe "Libros y Raíces" at Riverfront Regional Park: "Somos Guardianes de Agua" (10AM)
• Read to a Dog at the Healdsburg Library (Weekly, 11AM-12PM)
• Healdsburg Museum Hosts Local History Talk in the Plaza (Weekly, 11AM-2PM)
• Food Truck Saturday at The Drink (12PM)
• Healdsburg Jazz Festival: The Freedom Jazz Choir & Gaea Schell Quartet Perform at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (1-3PM)
• Annual Release Day for Vintage Reserve Wines at Jordan Winery: "Release on the Riviera: A French Summer Celebration" (1-4PM)
• Katiana Vila Live at Fogbelt Station Beer Garden (5-7PM)
• Class Reunion for Healdsburg High School Classes of 2003, 2004 & 2005 at Pedroncelli Winery (5-8PM)
• Healdsburg Prune Packers Play Home Game Vs. West Coast Kings at Rec Park (6PM)
• John MacKay Organ Trio Live at Hotel Healdsburg (6-9PM)
• "Nashville Comes to Sonoma County" Concert & Emergency Services Fundraiser in Cloverdale (6:30PM)
• Salsa Dancing Under The Stars at Francis Ford Coppola Winery (6:30-10PM)
• Healdsburg Jazz Festival: Dianne Reeves & Romero Lubambo Perform at Bacchus Landing (7-8:30PM)
• Comedy Show at Coyote Sonoma, Featuring Comedians Kevin Camia, Dvontre Coleman & Chad Opitz (8-10PM)
• "Blues & Soul Legend" Earl Thomas & the Anthony Cullins Band Live at the Elephant in the Room (8-11PM)

Sunday, June 25

• Early Summer Floral Design Workshop at the SingleThread Farm (10AM-12PM)
• Bubbles & Crêpes at Breathless Sparkling Wines (10AM-2PM)
• Sundays in the Plaza, Featuring Live Music by The Phil Lawrence Band Jazz Quartet (1-3PM)
• Dragonfly Floral Hosts Flower Arrangement Class With "Centerpiece" Theme (2-4PM)
• Final Show of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival: Dr. Michael White & His Original Liberty Jazz Band Perform at Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, Featuring a "Tribute to Sidney Bechet" With Special Guest Big Chief Donald Harrison (5-7PM)

Monday, June 26

• National Academy of Athletics Hosts Soccer Camp for Kids at the Healdsburg Community Center Field (June 26-30, 9AM-12PM)
• New Art Exhibit Opening at the Upstairs Art Gallery Inside Levin & Company: "The Color of Winecountry" by Willow LaLand (June 26-July 30, 11AM-6PM)
• Tween Hangout at the Healdsburg Library: Build a Custom LEGO Maze (2PM)
• Deadline to Submit Vending Machine Concession Ideas to the Sonoma County Airport (3PM)
• Dry Creek Vineyards Hosts Welcome Night & Team Selection Lottery for Summer Bocce Ball League (5:30PM)

Tuesday, June 27

• Healdsburg Farmers Market on the Plaza (9AM-12:30PM)
• Zero Waste Sonoma Hosts Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event (4-8PM)
• City of Healdsburg Planning Commission Hosts Public Hearing on AVFilm's Proposed "Plaza Cinema Center" Movie Theater Downtown (6PM)
• Sonoma County Folk Band The Musers Live at the Luther Burbank Center (5:30-7:30PM)
• Tuesdays in the Plaza, Featuring Live Music by '80s & '90s New Wave Pop-Rock Band Neon Velvet (6PM)
• Johnny Rawls Band Plays Mississippi Blues at the Elephant in the Room (7:30-10PM)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Live Music by Adam Lieb (June 23)
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (June 27)
• Packards in Healdsburg (June 28)
• Add your event

That's all for now. Have a fantastic weekend, everybody — I'll see you next week 💜

— 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 Patch newsletter? Contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com