Spot Fire Update + Future Of Recycled Water Program + Toxic Train

Good day, neighbors! I'm back with your Wednesday edition of the Healdsburg Daily after a much-needed vacation — thanks for your patience. And an extra thanks to everyone who emailed me in the interim with kind words and suggestions for the future of the Daily; I'll be responding to all of you over the next few days.

Looks like a whole bunch of stuff has been going down in Healdsburg while I've been away, so let's get to it! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening locally.

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First, today's weather:

Hot as heck, with a mix of sun and clouds throughout the day. There's a voluntary "flex alert" in place today for energy conservation, from 4 p.m. through 9 p.m. High: 102 Low: 56.

Here are the top 5 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. You've probably heard about this already, but here's the latest. A rash of at least 15 small fires popped up across Healdsburg and its outskirts over the span of a few hours Monday night, burning six acres total before 80 firefighters from a handful of local fire departments put them all out. Twenty engine crews, six water tenders and three bulldozers were reportedly involved. Cal Fire officials are investigating the possibility of arson, but they haven't announced any suspects or arrests yet. The largest of the fires, at two acres, was off Healdsburg Avenue near the Montage hotel property; other spot fires included ones on Bailhache Avenue, Chiquita Road, Westside Road, West Dry Creek Road, Alexander Valley Road and Lytton Springs Road. From the PD: "Seven of the fires were along a stretch of Mill Creek Road just past the edge of last year’s 55,209-acre Walbridge fire, which charred the coastal hills west of Healdsburg." Footage posted to YouTube shows the various burn scars from Monday night. (Healdsburg Patch & YouTube & Press Democrat; paywall)
2. At last night's Healdsburg City Council meeting, local leaders discussed the future of Healdsburg's now-famous free recycled water program for residents. The program is currently serving 1,000 households (and counting) and costs the city around $40,000 per week, so they're considering different ways to curtail it — especially as we transition into the cooler and wetter days of autumn. Watch the full, four-and-a-half-hour meeting on Facebook. (SoCoNews Healdsburg & Facebook)
3. Healdsburg resident Nelson Herrera Soriano, 28, was arrested in the wee hours last Friday at his home on Presidential Circle for allegedly coercing a minor to "produce, possess and distribute child pornography across several state lines." The investigation was reportedly led by Detective Craig Smith from the Healdsburg Police Department, backed up by special agents from the FBI's Santa Rosa office. According to the Tribune, "the suspected activity came to light following a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children." (SoCoNews Healdsburg)
4. Healdsburg's state senator, Mike McGuire, is warning of a "toxic coal train" planned for the railroad that runs along the Russian River, including through Healdsburg. He calls it the "the biggest environmental threat in decades" for the North Coast. According to a petition the senator drafted, which now has over 5,000 signatures: "A secret, clandestine operation — hiding behind an anonymous LLC out of Wyoming — wants to ship millions and millions of tons of coal from Montana, Utah and Wyoming to the North Coast utilizing the now defunct North Coast rail route ... through our home towns, along our rivers and through our farmlands in Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Trinity and Humboldt counties." You can read more about the project in the PD. (Facebook & Press Democrat; paywall)
5. Fancy new multi-level Healdsburg restaurant "the Matheson," located on the plaza next to Copperfield's, is now open for "public preview." You can stop by between 5:30 pm. and 10 p.m. Thursday through Monday for the next few weeks. Some residents who've checked it out already are calling it "amazing" and "fabulous" in the "What's Happening Healdsburg" Facebook group. Holly Hunt, for one, raves about "the beautiful food and lovely patio on the rooftop" and "the 88 bottles of wine on a wall you can sample... like froyo for wine." Her favorite items on the menu are the peach burrata salad and skirt steak. (Facebook & Press Democrat; paywall)

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Today in Healdsburg:

• Dry Creek Peach Farm Stand Open (12-4PM)
• Virtual Teen Anime Club at Sonoma County Library (4-5PM)
• Healdsburg Elementary School 2nd, 3rd Grade Virtual Back to School Nights (5PM, 6PM)
• 9/11 20th Anniversary Virtual Conversation at Sonoma County Library: "Women at Ground Zero" (6-7:30PM)
• Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (7-9PM)

Healdsburg Patch Notebook

• A Healdsburg dad "charged with drowning his 4-year-old daughter in a baptism pool inside Healdsburg’s St. John the Baptist Catholic Church five years ago" has returned to Sonoma County for his trial, after receiving the mental health treatment deemed necessary for him to participate in court. He faces a possible life sentence. (Press Democrat; paywall)
• This guy caught a pack of peeved Russian River otters on video in Healdsburg over the weekend. (Facebook)
• After a promising debut, the Healdsburg High School football team suffered a brutal and disappointing 37-7 loss in their first home game last week, versus San Rafael. This Friday they'll go up against Cloverdale at Rec Park. (SoCoNews Healdsburg)
• Here's a list of all the Healdsburg students who received a Rotary Club scholarship in the past year. (Patch Neighbor Posts)
• In case you missed it: The Healdsburg Local Roadway Safety Plan is currently up for public review. Your comments are due by Sept. 19. (Healdsburg Patch)

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That's it for today! See you tomorrow for your next update. If you're feeling these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— 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? You can contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com.