🌱 Homes With Holiday Lights + Donkey Rescue + Local Blood Drive

Hey, guys! It's me, Simone, your host of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter, here to tell you everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Today's big fat holiday weekend edition of the newsletter includes updates on:

• The holiday home-decorating contest this year in town
• A seasonal blood donation shortage in Sonoma County, and how you can help
• The Rotary Club ramping up their honey bee project
• And much more...

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Now, your weekend weather:

• Friday: Mostly cloudy. Small chance of rain. High: 59 Low: 42.
• Saturday (Christmas Eve): Fog turning to a mix of sun and clouds. High: 61 Low: 44.
• Sunday (Christmas): Same deal, but a little warmer. High: 64 Low: 46.
• Monday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain. High: 58 Low: 49.

Also! If you head out to the ocean anytime this weekend, be aware that a "coastal flood advisory" is in effect for the Sonoma County coastline. Here's what to look out for, according to weather officials: "The highest astronomical tides of the year, commonly referred to as the King Tides, will again impact the coast and Bay shoreline Thursday to Sunday and have historically resulted in the localized flooding of specific low lying areas each year. In addition, the lowest low tides of the event will be observed during the late afternoon hours which may lead to trouble for mariners navigating shallow waterways. The King Tide tidal readings are expected to peak on Saturday morning." (Healdsburg Patch & National Weather Service)

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Air over Healdsburg:

The air over Healdsburg is just a full-on wall of fog right now, so instead I'm gonna share some epic pics that readers sent me of Wednesday's sunrise, a couple mornings ago. Enjoy!

Here are the top 3 stories today in Healdsburg:

1. Healdsburg's first annual "Holiday Home Decorating Competition," organized by Mayor Ariel Kelley, is in full swing. According to the Press Democrat: "The free contest celebrates Healdsburg residents who love decorating their homes and yards for the holidays. Entries are visible on a special website and people can vote on their favorite homes now through 11:59 p.m. on December 30 with the winner being announced New Year’s Eve. In addition to raising good cheer, the contest aims to raise money for the Healdsburg Reserve Firefighter’s Association, the organization that supports local reserve firefighters." And here's some more backstory: "Like all great ideas, the concept for this holiday decoration showdown happened serendipitously. Kelley and some other local moms were at a holiday party for the Healdsburg Moms’ Group, a Facebook group of more than 100 local women. One woman who lost her house in the 2019 Kincaid Fire said that she and her husband didn’t have time to decorate their rental this year because they’re moving into their rebuilt home. The woman said she and her three children had been soaking up the holiday season by driving around town to see everyone else’s lights. Naturally, this turned into a conversation about who had the best lights. Everyone had their favorites. That’s when it hit Kelley: A winner should be crowned." Looks like there are currently around 10 homes on the map. You can check them out and vote for your favorite here. (Healdsburg Holiday Home Decorating Competition & Press Democrat; paywall)
2. Amid a big reported blood donation shortage in Sonoma County, the Healdsburg Fire Department is hosting their 17th annual blood drive next month — part of the "Bucket Brigade Challenge" across fire departments throughout Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties. The department that hosts the largest blood drive will win the "Bucket Trophy," officials say. Our local drive will take place Jan. 11 from 1:30 p.m. through 6:30 p.m. at the fire station on Healdsburg Avenue, across from Rotten Robbie. From the department: "Walk-ins are welcome, however appointments are preferred. All donors receive a Bucket Brigade T-shirt, while supplies last." Meanwhile, the Press Democrat reports that "blood donations are falling short for December," as they usually do this time of year "because of holiday travel and weather complications." More from the story: "According to a statement from Vitalant, a nonprofit blood collection organization, they are down to a one-day supply, or 4,500 donations short of the need for December. ... Vicki Wolfe is a communications manager at Vitalant in the U.S. and said it’s normal for December to have increased blood collection challenges. 'This year it’s even more complicated because of post-pandemic issues and seasonal illnesses, not only for donors but also for our staff,' she said. 'Even though we plan for it, this year is worse than in previous years and we’ve been really pulling out all the stops to try and get blood donors to come give.'" (City of Healdsburg via Facebook & Press Democrat; paywall)
3. The Healdsburg Tribune has a heartwarming piece this week on a local family who adopted three donkeys from a big donkey sanctuary up in Hopland. From the story: "Laura Somers and her husband, John, live on a ranch about a mile from Healdsburg, up a narrow road off Dry Creek. Their two children are grown now, and his mother lives up the road. There are vineyards on the property, and a creek running through it where coyotes pass through. Last year, they thought of getting horses to graze the land. But when Somers volunteered at a donkey sanctuary called Oscar’s Place in Hopland, just over the county line into Mendocino, she was transformed by the steady affection and companionable presence of the donkeys. Two in particular were Olive and Poppy. She would spend hours at a time with them, and a mutual bond formed. 'I only wanted two, but one of the girls that I fell in love with there was pregnant,' she said. Before the year was over, Somers adopted three donkeys — Poppy gave birth to Winnie — and added them to her ranch’s modest menagerie in October 2021." Click through for the full, beautiful history of Oscar's Place and more on the long American tradition of rescuing donkeys from certain doom. (Healdsburg Tribune)

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Healdsburg pics of the day:

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This weekend in Healdsburg:

Friday, December 23

• Tika & the Moonshines Live at Coyote Sonoma (6-8PM)
• Christmas Party With Sugar Shack Funk at the Elephant in the Room (9PM-12AM)

Saturday, December 24 (Christmas Eve)

• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Shiloh Ranch Trail Run, A Christmas Eve Tradition Featuring Meat Pies From BurtoNZ Bakery (8AM)
• Live Jazz at Hotel Healdsburg: Gypsy Trio (6-9PM)

Sunday, December 25 (Christmas)

• We got nothin'! Go hug your family...

From my notebook:

• Awww... it looks like the holiday lights on Memorial Bridge are alternating between red and green for Christmas and blue and white for Hanukkah. (Facebook Groups)
• I know you're probably sick of hearing about this by now, but here's an update from Holly Hoods, head of the Healdsburg Museum, about the recent Jewish News of Northern California story that quoted her saying Ariel Kelley is our first Jewish mayor in more than 100 years. Holly says she did not, in fact, tell the Jewish News reporter that. Here's what she sent the reporter: "The town of Healdsburg was established in 1857 and was incorporated as a city (with government) in 1867. The pioneer Healdsburg community had a number of strong Jewish business leaders who served on the Board of Trustees (the early name for City Council). Jewish merchants and bankers (including Bloom, Cohn, Cohen, Rosenberg, Goldstein, Meyer, Marks, Sondheimer, Engle) were among the founders of Healdsburg. Ariel Kelley is not the first Jewish individual to serve on the City Council. We don’t have a list of all past mayors at the Museum, not to mention their cultural or religious affiliations. I spent a few hours trying to get the answer to your very good question. Newspaper research indicates that Samuel Cohn served as Mayor in 1886. Since the question was if Ariel Kelley is first Jewish mayor, I stopped there." So basically — there could have been others, and it's still a mystery. (The Jewish News of Northern California & Healdsburg Patch)
• Wondering what's going on right now in the vineyards surrounding Healdsburg? It's pruning season! "During the winter months, the vines slow down and rest for a few months while the work of our grape growers and vineyard employees continues with pruning," says the Sonoma County Winegrowers org. "A crucial aspect of vineyard management, growers cut back vine canes from the previous year, allowing new canes to emerge and determining which shoots will grow during springtime bud break." (Sonoma County Winegrowers via Facebook)
• Healdsburg's local branch of the Rotary Club is working on an "environmental pollinator" honey bee project where they plan to "harvest and sell honey, comb and pollen in our community and will continue to give away multi head sunflower seeds," says one of the club's directors. The club just got a $500 grant for the project from the larger Rotary District 5130, and "the Petaluma Seed Bank has awarded us flower seeds for the bee project to be spread on the McCutchan Ranches Healdsburg Ranch," the rep says. Also: "Paige Phinney of Boyes Hot Springs has donated to us several bee hives, many frames and bee equipment." Sweet! (Inbox)
• Healdsburg city leaders are asking residents to fill out this survey to help them shape the city's climate strategy. (SurveyMonkey & City of Healdsburg via Facebook)
• If you're looking to shop local for your last-minute Christmas gifts, one neighbor recommends Prickett's Nursery on Old Redwood Highway. (Facebook Groups)
• Another recommends the Russian River Tea Company on Center Street, just north of the plaza. "Amazing last minute LOCAL gifts and Holly is just the sweetest!" he says. "Lucky [to] have this business in our little wine hamlet…" (Facebook Groups)
• And as for me — I mentioned this last year too, but I always do my final-hour gift shopping at the big Mill Street Antiques warehouse next to the roundabout, between Coyote Sonoma and Parish. They've got aisles and aisles of the coolest old stuff. They're open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily til Christmas, if you wanna swing by! (Google Maps)
• Related: The Elephant in the Room pub, located in the same shopping center, is doing an awesome thing this year where you can come grab a drink and wrap your presents. "Come on down this week and wrap your gifts on us," pub owners say. "You buy some drinks, we supply the wrapping paper and tape." (Facebook Groups)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Crossing Over With Psychic Medium John Edward (Live)! (January 15)
• 2nd Annual Crab Feed Feed Fundraiser To Benefit Disabled Veterans (January 21)
• Add your event

OK, you're all caught up! Have a beautiful holiday, and I'll see you back in your inbox 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 Daily? Contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com