🌱 Downtown Tasting, Protest + Tractor Accident + Hospitality Stars

Hello all! Simone here with your weekend edition of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter — filled with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in our community. Today's newsletter includes news on:

• Quite a bit of hubbub in the plaza area today
• Healdsburg hospitality giants interviewed by the Press Democrat
• A nasty tractor accident just north of town
• And more...

But first, your weekend weather:

• Saturday: Fog and clouds turning to sun. High: 81 Low: 51.
• Sunday: Fog and clouds turning to sun again. High: 84 Low: 52.
• Monday: Mostly sunny and very warm. High: 88 Low: 49.
• Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Cooling way down! High: 75 Low: 48.

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 3 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. The second annual Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience is in full swing this weekend! Which means up to 2,000 foodies and winos from around the world, many of whom paid ticket prices in the thousands, are hopping between local venues like The Matheson and Harmon Guest House to sample "the best of Sonoma County and world-renowned food and wines." They all plan to gather in the west plaza parking lot Saturday afternoon, after the farmers market, for a "Grand Tasting Experience." And right in the middle of it, a group of protesters plan to march over to the plaza area from Giorgi Park, demanding that farmworkers receive disaster pay from the local wineries and farms that employ them. North Bay Jobs With Justice, the Sonoma County org helping plan the protest, writes on Twitter:" While the Sonoma County wine industry is charging $3,900 tickets to celebrate the 'makers behind the magic' at the Healdsburg Food & Wine Experience, the farmworkers whose labor makes it all possible will be marching for DISASTER PAY!" And former Healdsburg mayor Ozzy Jimenez writes: "I’ve said it before, Healdsburg is at the epicenter of climate change... when a fire strikes our most vulnerable struggle to pay their bills! Let’s March for disaster pay for farmworkers!!" (Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience & Ozzy Jimenez via Instagram & North Bay Jobs With Justice via Twitter & Nextdoor & Nextdoor & Press Democrat; paywall)

2. Somewhat related: The Press Democrat ran a story yesterday called "Latinos are the life force behind Sonoma County hotels, hospitality industry." The story features a couple of well-known industry leaders in Healdsburg: John Solis, 37, who used to work in management at the Montage Healdsburg resort, overseeing 46 staffers and 150 rooms; and Rosa Salgado, 40, who serves as "director of housekeeping at all three Piazza Hospitality properties in Healdsburg: the Hotel Healdsburg, h2hotel and Harmon Guest House." She reportedly runs the laundry program for a total of 131 total rooms, heading a team of 36 housekeepers. Rosa's four children all work at the hotels and their restaurants now, too, and her sister Yemi is a line cook at The Madrona out Westside Road. "Our family is grateful for these opportunities,” Rosa tells the PD. “We feel a real connection [to these hotels].” She says her extended team across Piazza's properties often gather outside of work for get-togethers like carne asada barbecues, and bring each other fancy tequila from Mexico when they visit. “There are big examples and small examples — our culture is part of it all,” she says. And Solis from the Montage, who now works at another resort down in Santa Rosa, says of his team: "We speak more Spanish than English. It’s like a bond we have. It’s part of the experience. It’s how we do what we do.” (Press Democrat; paywall)
3. Firefighters from four different local departments rushed to the scene of a major tractor accident up in Geyserville yesterday afternoon. Here's what they found when they got there, according to the Northern Sonoma County Fire District, the agency that protects rural Healdsburg: "The driver of the tractor had his leg pinned under the tractor tire. Northern Sonoma County Fire was assisted by Cal Fire, Dry Creek Rancharia Fire, and Healdsburg Fire. After the patient was removed from under the tractor the patient was transported to a landing zone by Bell's Ambulance, and then transported by REACH Air Ambulance to Memorial Hospital." And here are some more details from the PD: "A tractor operator was badly injured Friday when his leg was pinned under a tire after the vehicle overturned on a dirt road in Geyserville. The crash was reported about 2:40 p.m. off Nutter Road, according to Northern Sonoma County Fire District." The man's injury is thankfully "not life threatening," according to the PD. (Northern Sonoma County Fire District via Facebook & Press Democrat; paywall)

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This weekend in Healdsburg:

Saturday, May 20

• Garage Sale & VAMOS Fundraiser at 715 College St. (May 20-21, 7AM-3PM)
• Healdsburg Farmers Market in the West Plaza Parking Lot (8:30AM-12PM)
• Clean-Up Day at Oak Mound Cemetery (8:30AM-12PM)
• Healdsburg Center for the Arts Hosts "Landscape and Memory: Painting en Plein Air" Art Class at Riverfront Regional Park (May 20-21, 9AM-4PM)
• Getaway Adventures Hosts Bike & Kayak Sale (May 20-21, 9AM-5PM)
• Free Document Shredding Truck Parked Outside the Healdsburg Library (10AM-12PM)
• Vineyard & Garden Hike With Lunch at Chalk Hill Estate (Monthly, May 20-July 15, 10AM-1PM)
• Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience: Celebrity Chef Culinary Demonstrations at The Matheson (10AM-5PM)
• Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience: Wine & Spirits Seminars at Harmon Guest House, h2 Hotel (11AM-4:30PM)
• Dot Wine Hosts Spring Release Party at Bacchus Landing (12-4PM)
• Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience: "Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting Experience" in the West Plaza Parking Lot, Featuring Live Music, 100+ Wines & "Bites Prepared by Local & International Chefs" (12:30-4:30PM)
• Ag Worker March From Giorgi Park to the Plaza to Demand Disaster Pay (2PM)
• Free Live Music by Tarweed at Davis Family Vineyards (3-6PM)
• Corazón Healdsburg Hosts Books & Roots Bilingual Reading Program / Programa de Lectura Bilingüe Libros y Raíces: "Bright Star" (4:30PM)
• Maddie & Tae Concert at Rodney Strong Vineyards (5-8PM)
• Ken Cook Trio Plays Live Jazz at Hotel Healdsburg (6-9PM)
• Bee-Inspired Dinner at Preston Farm & Winery (5:30-8:30PM)
• Play at the Raven Theater: "Noel Coward's Hay Fever" (7:30PM)
• Whiskey & Honey Live at Coyote Sonoma (8-11PM)
• Marshall House Project Live at the Elephant in the Room (8-11PM)
• Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience: "The Magnum Party" at Bacchus Landing (8-11:45PM)

Sunday, May 21

• Healdsburg Future Farmers Country Fair Hosts Horse Show at Hoofbeat Park on Dry Creek Road (8:30AM)
• Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience: Community Brunch at Chalkboard, Benefitting the Healdsburg High School FFA (11AM-1PM)
• Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience: "Zinfandel Live Wine Experience" at the Villa Chanticleer (12-3PM)
• Play at the Raven Theater: "Noel Coward's Hay Fever" (2PM)
• Free "Choral Evensong" Concert at St. Paul's Church, Featuring Pipe Organ & Choir (5PM)

Monday, May 22

• Tween Hangout at the Healdsburg Library: "Universal Yums" (3:30PM)

Tuesday, May 23

• Healdsburg Farmers Market in the Plaza (9AM-12:30PM)
• Food Distribution at the Healdsburg Community Center (Weekly, 9:30-10:30AM)
• Healdsburg Running Company "Trail Sisters" Host Run, Swim & BBQ at Lake Sonoma (6PM)

From my notebook:

• In case you missed it — the bar at the Dry Creek General Store is now open to the public! Bar manager Allan Sproul told me their hours will be Thursdays through Sundays to start, from noon through 9 p.m. or so. And if things go well, he said they may add Wednesdays as well. Shop Local Healdsburg stopped by on opening day to check out the bar's whole setup and drink selection; see the footage here. (Shop Local Healdsburg via Instagram)
• City officials posted a video yesterday of crews from the Healdsburg Electric Department replacing a switch on one of our massive local electricity hubs — "avoiding what could have been an inconvenient and impactful power failure to a significant portion of town." They found the faulty switch during a recent "preventative maintenance inspection," the city says, adding: "This is just one of the many benefits of having our own municipal electric utility." (City of Healdsburg via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• Free Live Music by Tarweed (May 20)
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Free Stuff And Great Perks Every Week (May 23)
• Taxes in Retirement Webinar on May 23rd and 24th (May 23)
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Now you're in the loop for the weekend! I'll catch up with you all 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 Patch newsletter? Contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com