🌱 Rain Forecast + New Local Cops + Fire Risk Map + Low Propane?

Hey, guys! Simone here with your fresh, post-holiday copy of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter. Hope you're all enjoying this liminal period between Christmas and New Year's, filled with the drenching wet weather we've been craving all year. Keep reading to find out all the things you need to know about what's happening in town, including updates on:

• The rains that came and those still to come
• The death of a Healdsburg woman about town
• A new fire risk map from the state, including Healdsburg's rural parts
• Three fresh faces on our local police force
• And more...

Now, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Mix of sun and clouds, with a chance of rain tonight. High: 56 Low: 41.
• Thursday: Rainy, windy and cold. High: 49 Low: 44.

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 3 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. It's nothing compared to the storms that have been ravaging the Midwest and East Coast, but the "atmospheric river" that hit Healdsburg the day after Christmas was really something. We avoided some of the flooding and power outages and general chaos that reeked havoc on other parts of Sonoma County and the Bay, but we certainly got wet. Weather officials say more than 2 inches fell in town — and nearly double that in the hills just outside town (at least, according to my parents' rain gauge!). And that was just the first round. The forecast shows big rain will arrive again tonight and likely last all the way through New Year's Eve on Saturday. "The western U.S. is in transition to an active wet pattern as an atmospheric river [becomes] onshore spreading," officials from the National Weather Service say, adding on Twitter: "More rain coming our way. This time with a true tap into the subtropics (Hawaiian Islands). A #PineappleExpress. While rain will be falling Thursday and Friday, this subtropical tap will arrive on Saturday." Because of all this rain, they also say the end of 2022 is "very likely to be wettest end of year in the Bay Area & north Central Coast since 2005." Stay safe out there, everybody! (Healdsburg Patch & National Weather Service & National Weather Service via Twitter)
2. Well-known Healdsburg resident Dolores "Dee" Adele Rochester has passed away at 90 years old. She moved to town from her birthplace of New York City as a teenager in the 1940s so that her family could "care for her maternal grandfather, John Cella," her obituary says. And "regret at leaving behind her familiar neighborhood and friends evaporated when she arrived in Healdsburg. She left Manhattan's February snow drifts and freezing temperatures for the Mediterranean climate of Sonoma County. Dolores always said it felt like the Garden of Eden. Her grandfather raised chickens and rabbits and had a variety of fruit and nut trees growing in his yard on University Street." She met her husband Alvie while attending Healdsburg High, then graduated as female valedictorian. They had three kids here before moving to Lake County, where Alvie worked in law enforcement and Dolores worked for the school district. In 1991, when they retired, they "returned to their beloved Healdsburg and rekindled old friendships," the obit says. "Until her late 80s, Dolores walked several miles a day with her best friend Gloria Opperman. They were familiar figures around town, walking and chatting. Dolores and Gloria also delivered Meals on Wheels every Wednesday and then went to lunch." You can attend her funeral mass tomorrow afternoon at St. John's Church. (Legacy.com)
3. State fire officials just updated their wildfire risk map for rural areas across the state of California, for the first time in 15 years — and the countryside surrounding the City of Healdsburg is covered in a lot more red and orange, indicating high risk, this time around. According to the North Bay Business Journal: "The new Wildfire Hazard Severity Zone map updates fire hazards for unincorporated, rural areas of California — areas more susceptible to fires — and does not show wildfire risks for addresses in the city. 'Ensuring Californians know the wildfire hazard in their area is critical to ensuring we all take the appropriate steps to prepare for wildfires,' said Chief Daniel Berlant, Cal Fire Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation, in a Dec. 14 news release. 'The updated map is the product of years of discussions and incorporates the latest science to provide a long-term outlook of an area’s wildfire hazard.' The state worked with researchers, fire scientists and wildfire mitigation experts to create a map that shows the likelihood and behavior of a wildfire in specific areas. The map — which was last updated in 2007 — reflects factors such as climate change, the increase in fires, fire history, flying embers and estimated flame length." Cal Fire will now reportedly hold "57 public hearings throughout California," including one in Santa Rosa on Jan. 12, to collect public input on the new map. You can take a look at the before-and-after on Cal Fire's website. (Cal Fire & North Bay Business Journal; paywall)

From our sponsor:

Today’s Healdsburg Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Healdsburg newsletter possible.

Today and tomorrow in Healdsburg:

Wednesday, December 28

• "Universal Yums" for Teens at the Healdsburg Library (2PM)
• Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (Weekly, 7-9PM)

Thursday, December 29

• Funeral Mass for Healdsburg Resident Dolores "Dee" Adele Rochester at St. John's Church (2PM)
• Zumba With Chuy at TCElite Gym (6PM)
• Trivia Night at Fogbelt Station Beer Garden (Weekly, 6-8PM)
• Healdsburg High School Girls Basketball Home Game Vs. Novato (7PM)

From my notebook:

• Brand-new Healdsburg City Councilmember Ron Edwards says there's a "VERY low propane supply in town" right now. "Action Rents pump is out so they will be down for a while," he says. "They are out at River Road also. Safeway as of late today had exchange bottles available." (Facebook Groups)
• Worried about running into road closures due to the rain? Sonoma County officials are maintaining a real-time map on their website of all closures throughout the county. (Sonoma County Government & County of Sonoma via Facebook)
• The winter shelter at St. Paul's Church, run by local homelessness nonprofit Reach for Home, will be open nightly through Saturday "due to the expected rain," organizers say. And they need volunteers to serve meals. You can sign up here. (SignUp Genius & Reach for Home via Facebook)
• Rohnert Park resident Charles Hugo “Chuck” Hadrich, who grew up in Healdsburg and graduated from the high school in 1966, has passed away at age 74. According to his obituary, Chuck "served as a Specialist in the Army National Guard from 1969-1975" and "was an employee of Pacific Gas & Electric for over 40 years, working as a lineman and then as a trouble shooter." You can learn more about his life here. (Plumas News)
• Been seeing a few new Healdsburg police officers around town? Their names are Bianca Reynoso, Sheldon DeFrank and Victor Claros, according to the department. All three graduated earlier this month "from the SRJC Training Center Police Academy," police officials say, "after spending 5 months of intensive training in the academy and meeting all [Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training] standards they were given their Oath of Office by Chief Jenkins. They will now continue their in-field training at the Healdsburg Police Department. They are all looking forward to serving the Healdsburg Community." (City of Healdsburg via Facebook)
• Healdsburg-based winery Rack & Riddle is now reportedly the second biggest sparkling wine producer in California, after Korbel. (North Bay Business Journal)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Fresh Perks Every Week (January 3)
• Crossing Over With Psychic Medium John Edward (Live)! (January 15)
• 2nd Annual Crab Feed Feed Fundraiser To Benefit Disabled Veterans (January 21)
• Add your event

That's it for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— 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