🌱 New Gun Rules + Cabin, Vegetation Fire + Local Wine Empire Grows

Hey, everybody! It's me, Simone, your host of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter — here to fill you in on what's happening locally. Today's issue includes updates on:

• A wildfire yesterday in the hills west of Healdsburg
• New rules for gun owners living in town
• A major expansion for Rodney Strong
• And more...

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Now, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Fog and clouds turning to sun. High: 87 Low: 53.
• Wednesday: Fog and clouds turning to sun again. High: 91 Low: 54.
• Thursday: Sunny and super hot! High: 98 Low: 56.

Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 3 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. There was a scary cabin fire in the wee hours yesterday out Mill Creek Road, one of the country roads off Westside that runs into the hills outside of town, according to the Press Democrat. Here are some more details from the PD: "A remote cabin in west Sonoma County was destroyed early Monday after a fire sparked in the property and spread to surrounding vegetation, fire officials said. Cal Fire was alerted just after 3:05 a.m. to a fire at a residence in the 8800 block of Mill Creek Road, in the hills west of Healdsburg, agency spokesperson Jason Clay said. Responding firefighters found the remote cabin in flames, which had burned 1/4 of an acre around the cabin. The fire was already slowing down when firefighters arrived due to the cold, wet overnight conditions, Clay said. There were no reported injuries, and no residents were displaced as the home was not a permanent residence. Crews quickly put out the flames and stayed at the site cleaning up until about 8:30 a.m. Fire investigators are still working to determine the cause and origin of the fire. The city of Healdsburg Fire Department, Sonoma County Fire District and Northern Sonoma County Fire District assisted in the response." (Press Democrat; paywall)
2. Healdsburg's Rodney Strong wine empire just significantly increased the size of its holdings here in town by purchasing a 335-acre vineyard called "River West Vineyard" along Westside Road, according to Yahoo Finance. This move "brings Rodney Strong Wine Estates' total Sonoma County estate vineyard holdings to 1,158 acres, further cementing their position as leaders in Sonoma County farming and winemaking," the announcement says. Rodney Strong has reportedly been buying grapes from the vineyard since the late '70s. "Controlling our own fruit sources to farm to our exacting standards is essential to our mission of continual improvement, and we’ve always believed that best wines invariably come from the best grapes, sustainably grown in the best vineyards," says a rep for the winery, adding that the acquisition "will elevate the quality of our wines and is an important step of our ‘Ladder to Luxury’ strategic plan that will drive our winery in the coming decades." The vineyard, established in the 1930s, is reportedly "located in the Middle Reach Neighborhood of Russian River Valley and is planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and one hundred-year-old Zinfandel vines." (Yahoo Finance)
3. Healdsburg city officials passed a gun safety ordinance at their last meeting that will require local gun owners to more "safely secure their weapons in their homes" beginning July 20, the Press Democrat reports. The new rules come as a response to recent mass shootings across the U.S., including one in Nashville that killed the niece of the local couple who owns Healdsburg winery Reeve Wines. Politicians in Petaluma and around 20 other California cities have recently put similar rules into place. Our police chief, Matt Jenkins, tells the PD that "what the firearm storage ordinances do is they place additional restrictions on storage of firearms above what state law currently requires" — and that "the intent is to decrease the risk of harming children and the entire community from unauthorized access to firearms." More from the story: "Healdsburg’s gun safety ordinance states: 'No person shall keep a firearm within any residence unless the firearm is stored in a locked container or disabled with a trigger lock.' The only exception to this rule is if the firearm is being carried by someone or in their immediate possession in accordance with local, state and federal laws. The new ordinance also requires that a person report to the Healdsburg Police Department within 48 hours if their gun is lost or stolen if they live in Healdsburg or if a loss or theft happens in Healdsburg. Violation of the law would be deemed an infraction, with the fine for the first offense not to exceed $100. Subsequent violations would incur additional fines, Jenkins said. There are plans for continuous community education and outreach with the passage of the city’s gun storage requirements. City staff will work with the city’s public information officer 'to continue to push out this message so it’s not lost,' Jenkins said." (Press Democrat; paywall)

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Healdsburg pic of the day:

Want to see one of your own pics in the newsletter? Send it to me here for consideration. Please just confirm in your email that you took the photo, and that Patch has permission to republish it. Thanks! 📸

Coming up in Healdsburg:

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)

Wednesday, June 28

• Packard Club of America Hosts Classic Car Show on the Healdsburg Plaza (3PM)
• Metal Stamping Workshop for Teens at the Healdsburg Library: Make Your Own Bracelet or Keychain (1PM)
• Food Distribution at Healdsburg City Hall (4-5PM)
• City of Healdsburg Senior Citizens Advisory Commission Meeting (4PM)
• SOLD OUT: Paint Party at the Healdsburg Library (6PM)
• Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (Weekly, 7-9PM)

Thursday, June 29

• Healdsburg Lumber Hosts Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting for Their New Location (10AM-2PM)
• Storyteller Diane Ferlatte Tells Folktales, Myths & Legends for Kids at the Healdsburg Library, Featuring Musical Accompaniment by Erik Pearson (11AM)
• Sonoma County Sheriff Eddie Engram Hosts Town-Hall Style Community Meeting at Alexander Valley Hall (5:30-7PM)
• Healdsburg Prune Packers Play Home Game Vs. Walnut Creek Crawdads at Rec Park (6PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts "Run With the Crew" to New Barrel Brothers Brewing Location in Windsor (6PM)
• Trivia Night at Fogbelt Station Beer Garden (Weekly, 6PM)
• Jenny O Live at Little Saint (7-9PM)
• Karaoke Night at Coyote Sonoma (Weekly, 7-10PM)

From our sponsor:

Today’s Healdsburg Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Healdsburg Patch newsletter possible.

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (June 27)
• Packards in Healdsburg (June 28)
• Add your event

That's all for today! I'll be back soon with more.

— 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