🌱 New Montage Homes + Native Food Fest + Healdsburg Gun Arrest

Hello again, people of Healdsburg. How wonderfully dewy and refreshed we are today, after Monday's sky shower. Looks like we got nearly an inch this time around. Hallelujah! To celebrate, here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days...

First, today's weather:

Pleasant, with a mix of sun and clouds. High: 66 Low: 43.

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 5 stories today in Healdsburg:

1. The young man who died in a fiery crash on Westside Road last week while being chased by a CHP officer has been identified as 18-year-old Cloverdale resident Oscar Felipe Ibarra. The Press Democrat published a photo of the makeshift memorial that has been set up at the spot where he died, near Sweetwater Springs Road. "Ibarra was fleeing a California Highway Patrol officer who was trying to pull him over for speeding along U.S. Highway 101 in a Mercedes-Benz sedan," the PD reports. "An officer monitoring traffic in the Geyserville area spotted him going about 130 mph on the southbound side of the freeway." The officer then reportedly "made a U-turn and tried to pull the driver over," to no avail. So he "chased the driver south to the Dry Creek Road exit, where the driver got off the freeway and went south on Kinley Drive before turning onto Westside." When the Mercedes-Benz caught fire, the CHP officer reportedly "tried to pull the driver from the car before it caught fire but he was unsuccessful." (Press Democrat & Press Democrat; paywall)
2. If you're seeing some smoke to the southeast this week, it's probably coming from Foothill Regional Park in Windsor, where firefighters with the Sonoma County Fire District are doing a big, multi-day prescribed burn. "The park will remain open, but park users may see and smell smoke in the area and parking availability may be impacted on burn days due to increased staff presence," county officials say. "We appreciate your patience as we work to enhance biodiversity and reduce fire risk in Foothill Regional Park." (Healdsburg Patch & Facebook)
3. Healdsburg native and winery exec Denise Sanders died earlier this month of cancer. "Throughout her career she spread her time across many wineries holding executive positions as a complete trail blazer taking over a primarily male run industry," according to her obituary says. It seems you can't throw a rock in the Sonoma County wine industry and not hit someone who knew her, and has a high opinion of her. No matter where she went her presence and poise always stood out." She leaves behind a large family, including five — soon to be six — grandchildren. "Denise enjoyed annual family trips and would take the scenic drive to the ocean at the drop of a hat," her obit says. "Anything to be outside enjoying nature with her family, and friends." A celebration of life will be held for Denise at the Villa Chanticleer this Friday at noon. (Legacy.com)
4. The Montage empire at the north end of town has launched its "final residential offering" — aka, "26 highly anticipated Estate Homesites within Montage Healdsburg." The homes are hitting the market ahead of schedule, Montage execs say, because of the "immense success" they've seen in their first year of home sales, "with only two homesites remaining" from the previous batch. The new ones appear to cost between around $1.4 and $1.8 million. From the brochure: "The build-ready Estate Homesites provide a generous canvas upon which to build a distinct wine country estate, enhanced with signature Montage amenities and personalized service. Each site includes a custom home sketch for owners and their architects to use as inspiration when creating their wine country retreat. The homesites, situated on 258 acres of rolling hills with 22,000 carefully preserved oak trees and private vineyards, range in size up to nearly half an acre." (Benzinga)
5. Local police arrested Healdsburg resident Gary Feldman, 61, in the wee hours Sunday. From the Healdsburg Police Department: "Officer Joe Janowczyk contacted a vehicle that was parked on the side of the road in the area of Healdsburg Ave. and Lytton Springs Rd. Office Janowczyk contacted the occupant of the vehicle, 61 year old Gary Feldman of Healdsburg. While talking to Feldman Officer Janowczyk learned that Feldman was in possession of a firearm. Officer Janowczyk located a loaded, unregistered .38 cal revolver in the coat pocket of a jacket that Feldman had in the vehicle within arm's reach. Feldman was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail for possession of a loaded firearm." (Facebook)

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Healdsburg pics of the day:

Today and tomorrow in Healdsburg:

Wednesday, March 30

• Beginning & Intermediate Watercolor Workshop at Healdsburg Center for the Arts (Weekly, March 30-May 4, 10AM-2:30PM)
• Sonoma County Virtual Workshop on Practical Drought Solutions for Your Home (10:30-11:30AM)
• "Fruits of Labor" Screening at the Raven Theater for Farmworker Appreciation Week (7PM)
• Disney-Themed Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (7-9PM )

Thursday, March 31 (Cesar Chavez Day!)

• Healdsburg Running Company Lake Sonoma Run, Feat. BBQ & Hoka Speedgoat 5 Demos (6PM)
• Sonoma County Board of Supervisors 2nd District Candidate Forum (6:30-7:45PM)
• Sonoma Epicurean Weekend: Walt & BACA’s Epic Reception at Montage Healdsburg (6:30-8:30PM)
• Conversation With Community Activist Dolores Huerta at the Raven Theater (7-9PM)

From my notebook:

• Neighbors in the "What's Happening Healdsburg" community group are recapping the community meeting Saturday about the big new hotel proposed downtown. "It was a small group when I was in attendance," one resident says. "I voiced opposition to the hotel being built, but understood that ship had sailed. That being the case, was it possible to make it more appealing? Most of my input was shot-down." Also: "Their water plan seems reasonable, but still... more city water will be used, period." (Facebook)
• If you have feedback of your own about the hotel plans, you can submit it to the developer here. (SurveyMonkey)
• Healdsburg fourth-grader Cristofer Cruz wrote this letter to our City Council advising that the "houses that are being built are too expensive" and that "we should be able to help people without a house because a lot of people are struggling to buy a house or even to rent a house." Amen! (City of Healdsburg)
• The Healdsburg library, as well as other branches across the county, will be closed tomorrow for Cesar Chavez Day. (Sonoma County Library)
• Andrew Skikos, the founder of Andy’s Produce Market in Sebastopol and a congregant at St. John’s Church in Healdsburg, has died at 88. (Press Democrat; paywall)
• Also: Lee Walker Jr., the famous "farmer-pitcher" of Sonoma County, died this month at 90. He pitched for Healdsburg's amateur collegiate baseball team, the Prune Packers, before signing a semi-pro contract with the Boston Red Sox. (SoCoNews Healdsburg & Facebook)
• Healdsburg's Hammerfriar gallery has moved to a new location at 1229 Grove St., which they're calling "Hammerfriar North." Their first exhibit at the new spot will be a "vintage poster pop-up show." (Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce & Facebook)
• Tomorrow is the deadline to submit "faith stories" to Healdsburg Community Church, which they're compiling into a book. "There are 61 submissions so far... just waiting for your contribution!" the church says. (Google Docs & Facebook)
• And the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce wants you to "vote for the Healdsburg Plaza as USA Today’s Best Public Square." You have until April 11. (USA Today & Facebook)
• A couple Healdsburg hospitality alums are on the team for the Stavrand, a magical-looking new "spiffed-up historic hotel" in Guerneville. (7x7)
• And two others have been appointed as judges at the annual North Coast Wine Challenge, which will be held at the county fairgrounds weekend after next. The new judges are Erin Miller, wine director at Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Kitchen, and Petra Polakovicova, beverage manager and sommelier of Montage Healdsburg. (Press Democrat; paywall)
• A neighbor on the north side of town "found this cute cat" and is wondering if anyone is looking for him. He's stripey, "spayed, friendly and about 14 lbs." (Nextdoor)

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— 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.