🌱 River Encampment Bust + Safety Expo + Nashville Shooting Hits Home

Hello, everybody! It's me, Simone, your host of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter. Today I bring you all the community news you need to know right now, including:

• A couple of recent arrests at an encampment near the river
• Details on this year's big safety expo in town
• The local wine couple whose niece died in the Nashville shooting

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Mostly sunny and a little windy. High: 63 Low: 34.
• Wednesday: Some frost in the morning. Mix of sun and clouds. High: 63 Low: 41.
• Thursday: Mix of sun and clouds again — with a chance of rain! High: 61 Low: 46.

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 3 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. Healdsburg police raided an apparent homeless encampment by the river on Saturday morning and arrested two people hanging out there, according to the Press Democrat. Police officials say in an announcement posted to Facebook that "officers conducted a foot patrol of the area near Memorial Bridge" around 10:30 a.m. that morning — and "while canvassing the area, HPD officers located multiple encampments that were littered with waste and debris, well within 100 feet of the Russian River. HPD officers took enforcement action on multiple encampments, with one citation and one custodial arrest." Here's some more info from the PD: "Police cited Adam Judd, 54, on suspicion of having pollutants within 150 feet of state waters, Healdsburg police Officer Joseph Janowczyk said. The man had been verbally warned about the camp a week earlier and had not cleaned up the site by the time officers returned, Janowczyk said. Officers approached Elisa Chavez, 57, who also had litter near the river, and discovered she had an outstanding warrant due to not appearing in court for charges of having pollutants near waterways and trespassing. Chavez was subsequently arrested and later booked into the Sonoma County jail. Police also found multiple unoccupied camps, Janowczyk said." (Healdsburg Police Department via Facebook & Press Democrat; paywall)
2. Looks like this year's big Northern Sonoma County "fire and earthquake safety expo" will be held in Healdsburg! It was launched in 2021 and has been held up in Cloverdale for the past couple of years. This year, the all-day May 6 event is being hosted at the Healdsburg Community Center, located north of Big John's on Healdsburg Avenue. Organizers include the City of Healdsburg, the Healdsburg Kiwanis Club, our local branch of Communities Organized to Prepare for Emergencies (COPE) and the Northern Sonoma County Community Emergency Response Team. "Visitors will learn about the City evacuation map and how best to evacuate," the event flyer says. There will also reportedly be free lunch and giveaways; activities for kids; "preparedness workshops" in English and Spanish, in part to learn "how to protect your home and pets during emergencies"; a live demo of the Henry 1 firefighting helicopter, as well as "disaster simulations" and other "live fire suppression demonstrations"; meet-and-greets with local emergency responders; info sessions on "radio towers, fire cameras and drones"; and much more. Click through for more details. (Fire and Earthquake Safety Expo 2023 & COPE Northern Sonoma County)
3. Healdsburg winery bosses Noah and Kelly Dorrance, who own Reeve and BloodRoot wines, have shared in the aftermath of the tragic school shooting in Nashville last week that one of the children killed — 9-year-old Evelyn Dieckhaus — was their niece. Since then, "the North Bay wine community has rallied behind the Dorrances," the San Francisco Chronicle reports. More from the story: "A fundraiser the couple created through Instagram for Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, had raised more than $27,000 as of Sunday afternoon. A few others in the local wine industry created additional Everytown fundraisers, and Noah Dorrance said they’ve collectively brought that total to above $50,000. A GoFundMe for the Dieckhaus family has raised more than $255,000 from over 3,000 donors. 'It’s been amazing the way literally thousands of people in our community have reached out and offered help on a personal level and donated money,' said Noah Dorrance, who described his 9-year-old niece as 'bright and energetic.' ... 'I think everyone saw her light and spirit, and a lot of our life going forward is (going to be about) keeping her memory alive in whatever we do.'” A bar down in Sonoma also hosted a fundraiser last night to contribute, and the Dorrances reportedly plan raise more funds through BloodRoot's annual music festival this summer. “In the midst of all this heartbreak and grief, there’s so much love and support,” Noah tells the Chronicle. “We have a lot of newfound energy and power that we want to put behind this to hopefully prevent this from happening to some other kid, some other family.” (ABC News & Reeve Wines via Instagram & Valley Bar + Bottle via Instagram & San Francisco Chronicle; paywall)

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Coming up in Healdsburg:

Tuesday, April 4

• Spanish Music & Movement for Kids Aged 0-6 at the Healdsburg Library (11AM)
• Strength Training for Senior Citizens at Rec Park (Tuesdays & Thursdays, April 4-27, 11:15AM-12PM)
• Brown Bag Book Club at the Healdsburg Library: "Nightcrawling" by Leila Mottley (12PM)
• Healdsburg High School Swim Team Hosts Home Meet Vs. Piner (4PM)
• Healdsburg High School Badminton Team Plays Roseland Collegiate Prep at Home (4:30PM)
• English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) Meeting at Healdsburg High School (6PM)
• Meditative Sound Bath by Phoenix Song at the Healdsburg Library (6PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Ladies' Magnolia Loop Run, Followed by Tie Dye Parklet Party (6PM)
• Discussion at the Healdsburg Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses on the Memorial of Jesus' Death: "What Can His Sacrifice Mean for You?" (7:30PM)

Wednesday, April 5

• Anime Drawing Workshop With Author Oliver Chin for Kids in Grades 7-12 at the Healdsburg Library (3PM)
• Homework Help at the Healdsburg Library (Weekly, 4-6PM)
• Winemaker Wednesdays at The Matheson, Feat. CIRQ Winery (5-6PM)
• "Knits & Knots" at the Healdsburg Library: Learn How to Knit or Crochet With Experts From the Purls of Joy Co-Op (6PM)
• "Side-by-Side" Consejería Familiar at Corazón Healdsburg (6-7:30PM)
• Alexander Valley Film Society (AVFilm) Hosts Community Workshop on Film Editing at Their New Plaza Cinema Center (6-9PM)
• Disney-Themed Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (7-9PM)

Thursday, April 6

• Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce Hosts "Good Morning, Healdsburg!" Discussion With SMART Train General Manager Eddy Cumins (8-9AM)
• Gentle Yoga at the Healdsburg Senior Center (Weekly, April 6-27, 10:10-10:55AM)
• Homework Help at the Healdsburg Library (Weekly, 3-4:30PM)
• Healdsburg High School Tennis Team Plays at Home Vs. Montgomery (4PM)
• Healdsburg High School Softball Team Plays at Home Vs. Ukiah (5PM)
• Singer-Songwriter & Multi-Instrumentalist Omar Velasco Performs at Little Saint (6PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Lake Sonoma "Shakeout Run" to Prep for Race Weekend (6PM)
• Karaoke Night at Coyote Sonoma (7-10PM)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Passport to Dry Creek Valley - Sonoma County's Premier Wine & Food Festival (April 29)
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Now you're in the loop! I'll see you soon...

— 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