Protesters, Pollution, Bovine Bob, Fire Time, And Public Art: A Busy Weekend Around Healdsburg

HEALDSBURG, CA — From an ICE protest that drew elected leaders into the Plaza to lingering warnings on the Russian River after a major wastewater spill, Healdsburg saw a week shaped by civic action, environmental concern and community debate — alongside a reminder that art remains a priority, with new public art funding now open for applications.

Why 200 people filled Healdsburg’s Plaza this weekend

About 200 people, including Healdsburg's mayor and vice mayor, filled the downtown Plaza Friday for an “Ice Out for Good” rally following the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, the Healdsburg Tribune reported. Protesters returned on Saturday to continue the call for immigrant support and to criticize ICE practices and the presence of defense contractor General Dynamics in town.

Wastewater is no longer spilling into the Russian River, but...

The wastewater spill that led to Russian River warnings began Jan. 6 and was stopped early Thursday. Sonoma Water says warnings to avoid the water remain in effect.

KQED reported that district staff are now assessing the total volume of untreated wastewater released and are preparing reports for state regulatory agencies. But a final estimate will not be available until those reports are submitted, and even then, the massive volume of stormwater in the river makes testing for pathogens more difficult.

County officials posted signs at river access points and coastal beaches from the Marin–Mendocino border, warning residents and visitors to avoid the water. They said the water may harbor bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens posing serious health risks.

Sonoma County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins told KQED that turbidity levels in the river were too high to allow use of the facility’s ultraviolet sanitization system, which normally disinfects the water. In other words, the water was too dirty or cloudy to be safely disinfected — just as steelhead and salmon returned.

“In my opinion, this facility was built poorly in the first place and was never equipped to really handle the amount of rain that we can get,” Hopkins told KQED. “We just simply do not have the capacity to handle these severe atmospheric storm events.”

Hopkins said the small service area means the multimillion-dollar costs for necessary infrastructure upgrades would fall on a few customers who already pay some of the state's highest sewer rates. She said the county is seeking state and federal funds for a long-term solution. As of Thursday, the Sonoma County Department of Environmental Health continued testing river water to determine when it will be safe for the public to return, according to KQED.

Bovine Bob

And lastly, here is the story of firefighters turning a rain-soaked emergency into a 2,000-pound good deed, highlighting Sonoma County's specialized know-how and partnerships: How 1-Ton Bob The Steer Was Rescued From A Rain-Soaked Ravine: Watch

Burn Alerts

Sonoma County Regional Park crews will be conducting pile burns at Foothill Regional Park, as conditions allow, starting today, Jan. 12-Jan. 22.

Public art everywhere!

The Foley Pavilion Public Art Project continues to move through its timeline. Healdsburg's 2026 Public Art Grant Program 'Arts for All' opened for applications on Friday and will close at the end of Jan. 30.