🌱 New Water Threat + Dramatic River Arrest + More On Sheriff Shooting

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 3 stories today in Healdsburg:

1. Just when we thought things were looking slightly optimistic for Healdsburg's water supply this summer, a big federal decision just came down that allows PG&E to feed less water from the Eel River into the Russian River by way of Lake Mendocino— aka, our main source of water. The decision about the Eel is expected to "result in additional curtailments of water rights for hundreds of landowners, ranchers and communities in the Russian River watershed," according to the PD. Some more background: "The new flow regime, approved last week after more than two months of consideration by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, authorizes PG&E to divert as little water as it did last year even though there is almost 50% more water in Lake Pillsbury than there was at the same time last year. But PG&E is under pressure from state and federal wildlife agencies to improve conditions for federally listed salmon and steelhead trout below Scott Dam and Lake Pillsbury and, thus, is seeking to preserve a pool of cold water in the lake for release when necessary to enable fish survival." Now, Russian River water rights holders are waiting to hear their fate as soon as today or tomorrow, the PD reports — and can probably expect to see "additional curtailments on the scale of last year, at least in the upper watershed." This, despite a "groundbreaking voluntary water sharing agreement" created earlier this year by many who draw water from the river, including the City of Healdsburg. That agreement will likely be "undercut" by the new rules, the PD says. In the words of a vineyard manager at Hoot Owl Creek Vineyards in Alexander Valley: "It's not good news." (Healdsburg Water Wise via Facebook & Press Democrat; paywall)
2. Healdsburg police made a pretty dramatic stolen-vehicle arrest late Tuesday night along the river, during which an officer actually had to jump into the water to detain the young female suspect. Here's what happened, according to police: Around 11 p.m., "Sgt. Will VanVleck located a suspected stolen vehicle traveling on Healdsburg Ave. near Memorial Bridge. As Sgt. VanVleck turned his patrol vehicle around in an attempt to stop the vehicle the vehicle stopped suddenly and the driver quickly got out of the vehicle, ran through Railroad Park, and jumped the fence into the Russian River. Officers set up a perimeter around the river with assistance from Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputies. After almost an hour of the suspect attempting to elude officers in the river and along the river bank Officer Teygan Mason entered the river and arrested the suspect. The suspect was identified as 25 year old Angelica Amy Smith, a local Healdsburg transient. She was booked at the Sonoma County Jail on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting/ obstructing officers." (Healdsburg Police Department via Facebook)
3. Turns out the Sonoma County Sheriff's deputy who shot and killed 36-year-old Lake County resident David Pelaez-Chavez out in Healdsburg's rural Chalk Hill area last Friday also killed another man in his previous job as an officer at the Clearlake Police Department, the Press Democrat reports. Now, the man's family back in Mexico is trying to raise funds to get his body sent home, so they can give him a proper burial — and demanding answers as to why he had to die. "Why were they hunting him like an animal?" one relative asks. Here's the sheriff's side of the story, according to the PD: Deputies Michael Dietrick and Anthony Powers "were standing about 10 to 15 feet away from Pelaez-Chavez, who was holding a hammer and a garden tool shaped like a pickaxe in one hand and a rock the size of a cantaloupe in the other, police said. In the moments before he was shot, Pelaez-Chavez 'started making the motions to throw' a rock at the deputies, but the rock never left his hand, said Sgt. Chris Mahurin, a Santa Rosa Police Department spokesman. Powers deployed a stun gun, but it was unclear whether the darts hit Pelaez-Chavez, according to Mahurin." That's when Dietrick fired three bullets, killing him. As the official investigation into what happened continues, some community activists are planning a vigil for the victim at Santa Rosa's Old Courthouse Square tomorrow night. (GoFundMe & Press Democrat & Press Democrat & Press Democrat; paywall)

Healdsburg pic of the day:

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Today in Healdsburg:

Thursday, August 4

• Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce Presents "Good Morning, Healdsburg!" With the City's New Emergency Response Coordinator, Kelsey Carreiro (8AM)
• Farm to Pantry Veggie Glean at Single Thread Farm (9AM-12PM)
• Virtual Drought Town Hall With Sonoma County Agencies (4PM)
• Tom Relling Live at Little Saint (5:45-8PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Geyserville Run at Corner Project (6PM)
• Raven Players Perform "Twelfth Night (With A Twist)" in the Plaza (Aug. 4-5, 7:30PM)
• Karaoke Night at Coyote Sonoma (7:30-11PM)

From my notebook:

• The Corazón Healdsburg office is closed today, FYI. They'll be back open tomorrow. (Corazón Healdsburg via Facebook)
• The PD published a great piece this week on the success of the Prune Packers, Healdsburg's baseball team in the California Collegiate League, since Joey Gomes started as head coach. "Since he took over in 2014 and revamped the club into a destination for top-tier college players," the paper reports, "the Packers have an overall record of 291-98, have finished no worse than third in the CCL standings and won the debut CCL state championship last season." They're down in SoCal this week for the 2022 playoffs. (Press Democrat; paywall)
• Truett Hurst, Inc. — the parent company for Healdsburg wineries Truett-Hurst and VML — just appointed a new female CEO named Emilie Eliason. (PR Newswire)

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Alrighty, you're caught up for today! Bye for now...

— 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