💚 New Water Delivery Fee + Tasting Room Opens + Gibbs Graffiti

Hello again, people! Simone here with your fresh copy of the Healdsburg Daily. Let's get you all caught up on what's happening today in town.

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First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny, with a breeze. High: 89 Low: 52.

Here are the top 5 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. It's official: The City of Healdsburg's recycled water delivery program, launched earlier this summer as an emergency drought measure and famously free up to now, will cost $45 per delivery for the final month of the program. The free version ends Oct. 4, and the entire thing will wind down in early November. It has cost the city over $365,000 so far, with more than 1,000 households signed up. Healdsburg Daily reader Geri Hadley argues in an email that, given all the investment residents have put into their new recycled water tank infrastructure — because that part wasn't free — the city shouldn't end the program, and shouldn't charge a fee. She writes: "I propose that the two very large developments in town step up and become sponsors of our weekly 500-gallon water delivery, specifically Montage and the Mill District... This is a fine opportunity for these large developments to buy some goodwill in the community." (Inbox & Facebook & SoCoNews Healdsburg)
2. Unlike Healdsburg, it appears the rest of California hasn't been doing their part to conserve water during this historic drought— especially SoCal. New state reports measuring water usage in July show that Californians have only cut down their intake around 1.8 percent this year. That's far below the governor's goal of 15 percent, and even farther below Healdsburg's year-over-year reduction of nearly 55 percent. In some southern cities such as L.A. and San Diego, water usage actually increased in July. Those cities have been "largely unaffected by the drought due to massive recycled water programs, multiple water sources and a greatly reduced water usage level from ten years ago," the California Globe reports, and don't feel like they should be punished for something they didn't do. State lawmakers are now considering whether they need to put mandates in place, not just goals. (California Globe & CalMatters)
3. The Healdsburg Museum is in the final stages of transforming its gallery for a cool new show opening at the end of the month called "From Diggers Bend to River Rock: Dry Creek Rancheria." Museum curator Holly Hoods posted an emotional update on Facebook last week about a "delivery of 13 local Native Pomo and Wappo baskets" from the turn of the 20th century for the show, which have "never been displayed in their homeland" until now. "It is a wonderful homecoming!" she wrote. "It was emotional for some tribe members to welcome the baskets home to Healdsburg from their longtime storage at the Museum of Anthropology at UC Berkeley. Clint and Lucy Mackay from Dry Creek Rancheria... arrived at 10 to sing the baskets home. I didn't know the language Clint spoke or what words they sang, but the emotion pierced my heart." (Facebook & Facebook)
4. Another tasting room just opened on the Healdsburg plaza: Marine Layer Wines. Its "small-production lineup of single-vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays" come from vines out near the Sonoma County coast, so their brick-and-mortar place on the plaza is "designed as an ode to coastal California," the owners say. The business is located at 308B Center Street, in the spot where Windsor Oaks Vineyards used to be. It reportedly includes a bunch of little "intimate lounges," a fireplace, big skylights and "handmade ceramic pendant lights sculpted by Oaxacan artists." Marine Layer is also hitting up Little Saint, their soon-to-open neighbor restaurant a few blocks away in the old SHED space, to provide "farm-forward seasonal plates to complement our coastal wines." Marine Layer is now open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; reservations are encouraged. (Wine Industry Advisor & Facebook)
5. Amazon wants to set up a distribution center about 10 miles south of Healdsburg, near the Sonoma County airport. According to the PD, the company recently "applied to build a distribution center, including a 161,300-square-foot warehouse, on part of a 41-acre parcel of land" between Skylane Boulevard and the 101, north of the airport. The application comes on the heels of plans from the local Koi Indian tribe to build a massive resort and casino just a couple miles east, right on the other side of the freeway. Government officials are currently reviewing both proposals. (Press Democrat; paywall)

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Today in Healdsburg:

• Shinto Purification Ceremony and Parklet Dedication at Taste of Tea (10:30AM)
• Virtual Meeting: Healdsburg City Senior Citizens Advisory Commission (4PM)
• Healdsburg City Workshop: Urban Water Management Plan (6PM)
• Healdsburg Junior High Back to School Night (6PM)

Healdsburg Patch Notebook

• The Ormsby Fire down on the border of Petaluma and Cotati yesterday reminded us all how quickly wildfires can break out and spread when conditions are ripe. It started when a house fire spread to nearby grasses and trees, prompting the evacuation of nearly 1,000 homes. Photos posted on Facebook by Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit show "how the fire spread under the influence of wind and embers causing fires downwind from the original fire." It took an army of "aircraft, bulldozers, and fire engines" to put out the flames. (Facebook & NBC Bay Area)
• The Healdsburg High School senior class is raising funds for all their graduation festivities next spring with a barbecue and silent auction this weekend at the Hoot Owl Creek Picnic Grounds. (Facebook)
• A neighbor on Nextdoor spotted some new graffiti on the Gibbs Park " bathroom, eating area and some of the play structures." And everyone's all riled up about it. (Nextdoor)
• The Healdsburg Junior High wrestling team has put the call out to find a new coach before their season starts in January. Interested? (Facebook)
• In a PD article on how fancy Wine Country restaurants are handling vaccine mandates for customers, Chef Dustin Valette of Healdsburg's giant new plaza restaurant "The Matheson" says it's not his place to enforce a mandate. Here's his take: “I think where we live in the world, in the U.S., this is a very bluish state and I think most people understand the position. But it’s hard because we cater not just to locals, but to people coming from afar. Not all have our beliefs.” (Press Democrat; paywall)
• This month, because it's Latin American heritage month, Healdsburg residents Doug Lipton and Cindy Daniel will be "matching all donations" you make to local nonprofit Corazón Healdsburg — "dollar for dollar, up to $20,000." (Facebook)
• Has anyone seen a white cat wandering near the McDonalds on Healdsburg Avenue? His human is looking for him. (Facebook)
• There's also a black-and-white spotted rabbit who's been hoppin' around in the empty lot next to 721 University Street lately. "Hopefully his owner sees this!" (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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Healdsburg Daily? You can email me at simone.wilson@patch.com.