🌱 Police Scrutiny + X-Mas Tree Progress + Local Giving Tuesday Ideas

Hello, everybody! It's me, Simone, your host of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter. Keep reading for everything you need to know about what's going on these days in town. You'll learn about...

• Some heat on the Healdsburg Police Dept. for their record request form
• Festive holiday decorations and events around town
• Some last-minute Giving Tuesday ideas
• And more!

But first, your daily weather:

• Tuesday: Frost in the morning; otherwise sunny. High: 62 Low: 32.
• Wednesday: Frost and fog, turning to a mix of clouds and sun. Small chance of rain in the afternoon. High: 57 Low: 45.

Also, looking ahead — we could get some real rain later this week and weekend, along with gusty winds and frigid temps. (Healdsburg Patch & National Weather Service)

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 5 stories today in Healdsburg:

1. An old piece of paperwork being used by the Healdsburg Police Department caught the attention of the Press Democrat last week. The department's "online form for citizens to request police records" has a question asking applicants "to disclose whether they intend to use them for the purpose of filing a lawsuit," the PD reports — all of which has the paper questioning "whether the practice complies with the spirit of California’s Public Records Access law." Government transparency advocates interviewed by the paper seem pretty sketched out as well. A rep for the nonprofit First Amendment Coalition calls the question “problematic," especially because people might not know "they’re free not to answer it." So anyway, now that the PD is raising a ruckus, Healdsburg Police Department officials — who say they don't know why the question was added in the first place — promise to "look into updating the form to make sure we care capturing information relevant for our processes today." (Press Democrat; paywall)
2. Healdsburg city crews started decorating the giant Christmas tree in the plaza yesterday, and they're still at it today. "Many thanks to Image Tree Service for donating their awesome staff and equipment to help us string 4,000 lights, hang 500 ornaments, and place the Star on top!" the city says on Facebook. The tree will be ceremoniously lit during the big Merry Healdsburg Weekend event this Friday night. Other holiday decorations that the city has been installing downtown — with the help of a company called DC Electric — include some small, lit-up trees with bows in that sculpture circle across from the old Bear Republic location, as well as a bunch more lights, garlands and bows in the roundabout. (City of Healdsburg & Healdsburg Community Services via Facebook & Healdsburg Community Services via Facebook)
3. I just learned that Healdsburg resident and Sonoma County education leader Deborah Ann Greene-Jacobi, better known as Deb, passed away earlier this month at the age of 70. She "went through an initial bout with cancer nine years ago," her obituary says, and it came back last year. Deb and her husband Rob lived in the vineyards out West Dry Creek with their daughter Kaitlin. From her obituary: "Deb found her passion and her life's work in education. Deeply inspired by the simple idea 'Be the change you want to see in the world,' over the course of 30 years Deb became a pillar of Sonoma's educational community, cofounding and leading New Horizon School & Learning Center [in Santa Rosa], a school focused on assisting students with unique educational needs and a range of learning differences. A trusted advisor to colleagues of all kinds for many years, she also worked and taught at the Santa Rosa Junior College where her love for her work changed the lives around her. ... Deb transitioned from her career in 2007, finding a new calling as a wilderness guide leading rite of passage programs designed to guide those going through crossroads moments. She also continued her work with youth, becoming a volunteer chef with the Ceres Community Project where she thrived and found friendship in youthful souls." Sending love to her family today. (Legacy.com)
4. Wondering how to celebrate Giving Tuesday in Healdsburg? Here are some of the local orgs hoping you'll choose to donate to their cause. First there's Corazón Healdsburg, who says "a group of generous local real estate agents has committed to matching every donation... up to $15,000. That means together we can raise $30,000 to empower individuals and families and strengthen our entire community." There's also Farm to Pantry, a prolific Healdsburg nonprofit that harvests any leftover produce from local farms and hands it out to the hungry. And there's the Farm to Fight Hunger out Mill Creek, which provides food to people in need through Farm to Pantry and other local distributors. "We have a lot of expenses on the farm including; seeds, compost, greenhouse planting materials, irrigation parts, tractor and equipment maintenance, chicken food, supplies and more," farm leaders say. Other options include the Russian Riverkeeper environmental group, the Raven Theater, the Healdsburg Food Pantry, the Watch Duty fire alert app, our local chapter of Communities Organized to Prepare for Emergencies (COPE), the Healdsburg Forever group that distributes funds to local orgs, the Healdsburg Education Foundation that distributes funds to local schools, the homeless shelter at St. Paul's Church and the Reach for Home homelessness nonprofit. I'm sure there are many others as well, so apologies to any I forgot! (Corazón Healdsburg & Farm to Pantry & Farm to Fight Hunger & Russian Riverkeeper & Raven Theater & Healdsburg Food Pantry & Watch Duty & COPE & Healdsburg Forever & Healdsburg Education Foundation & St. Paul's Church via Nextdoor & Reach for Home)
5. The Healdsburg Tribune is also seeking donations again, under the new ownership of Weeklys publisher Dan Pulcrano. "Help Revive the Tribune," the paper's donation page says. "As the Tribune faced closure in spring 2022, we restored local journalism to Healdsburg. But it takes a village to help deliver high-quality coverage of news, sports and our community. Please give today, and support community media in Healdsburg. If you would prefer to give a one-time donation, click here." The Trib has also started sending out their stories out via weekly email newsletter again — so if you pay $75 for an annual subscription, you should start receiving those in your inbox, along with a physical copy in the mail. You can subscribe and/or donate here. (Healdsburg Tribune Subscription Page & Healdsburg Tribune Donation Page)

From our sponsor:

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Healdsburg pics of the day:

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Today and tomorrow in Healdsburg:

Tuesday, November 29

• World Cup Soccer Game Screening at the Elephant in the Room: USA Vs. Iran (11AM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Pub Run in Sebastopol (6PM)
• Baile Folclórico at Corazón Healdsburg (Weekly, 6PM)
• Botanical Watercolor Illustration Class at the Healdsburg Library (6-7:30PM)
• Clover Sonoma Family Fun Series: "The Pout-Pout Fish" Musical for Kids at the Luther Burbank Center (6:30PM)
• Healdsburg High School Girls Basketball Home Game Vs. Middletown (6:30PM)
• Healdsburg High School Boys Soccer Home Game Vs. St. Helena (7PM)
• Healdsburg High School Boys Basketball Home Game Vs. Roseland University Prep (7:30PM)

Wednesday, November 30

• Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce Hosts Seminar at CraftWork Healdsburg: "Business Resources for Busy People - Hot HR Topics Heading Into 2023" (8-9AM)
• Teen Anime Club at the Healdsburg Library (2-3PM)
• National Marine Mammal Foundation Presentation on Plastics in the Ocean at the Healdsburg Library for Kids in Grades K-8 (3-4PM)
• Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (Weekly, 7-9PM)

From my notebook:

• The Healdsburg Chorus has two holiday concerts coming up next month at the Raven, on the afternoons of Saturday, Dec. 10, and Sunday, Dec. 11. The show, called “Season of Light,” will include songs like "The Christmas Song," “Mele Kalikimaka," "Go Where I Send Thee" and "Ose Shalom." Tickets are $20. (Inbox & Raven Theater & Facebook Groups)
• Chorus leaders are also encouraging more community members to join for the spring season. Their Monday-night rehearsals begin Jan. 9. You can find more info here. (Healdsburg Chorus)
• Press Democrat columnist Pete Golis writes a touching tribute this week to Healdsburg wine legend Dick Hafner, who died last week — as well as others in the community "who made our world better." (Press Democrat; paywall)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (November 29)
• Free Webinar: First-Time Homebuyers, Strategies for the Current Market (November 30)
• Italian Christmas Markets (December 3)
• Healdsburg Chorus Concert - "Season of Light" (December 10)
• Add your event

You're all caught up for today! See you right back here tomorrow for 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 Daily? Contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com