Hate Crimes, Neon Chicks, Haughty Hotels, And 'WOW Wall': Petaluma

PETALUMA, CA — On Friday Petaluma police said they arrested a man suspected of drawing swastikas, racial slurs, and other hate symbols into the dust on a SUV belonging to a Harlem Globetrotter and youth basketball coach.

Petaluma residents reacted with notes of regret on the Instagram of the man, William "Bull" Bullard.

Police said the suspect would be charged with a hate crime.

Other Petaluma Signs

Plans to restore Petaluma’s oldest and most iconic neon sign are getting closer, turning an eyesore into a monument to Petaluma's past.

The neon sign on Petaluma Boulevard North was an open wound on the city's pride until a local group launched the Petaluma Signs Project campaign to restore the baby chick.

In August, donations totaled $3,412 of the $22,000 needed to restore the sign at 620 Petaluma Blvd.
As of today, the campaign is within $5,000 of reaching its goal.

"The Hatchery neon chick sign is more than just a landmark—it’s a piece of our city’s history," said Katherine Rinehart in an update.

Rinehart leads the Petaluma Signs Project, which includes a GoFundMe.

A donor pledged $5,000 to match every campaign contribution, she said.

Rinehart said that every contribution to the campaign will be matched up to $5,000. With an additional $1,225 by month’s end, the campaign can unlock the full match and move closer to its goal.

Since launching the $5,000 dollar-for-dollar matching pledge, the campaign raised $3,775 from supporters across California and beyond. Donations have arrived from Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Fremont, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, and Arizona.

Local donors include realtor Rob Sullivan and the Native Daughters of the Golden West Petaluma Parlor No. 222.

She said the most heartening experience has been the personal notes accompanying many of the checks donors have sent, reminding us of the joy and memories historic signs evoke. "If you’ve given to the restore the iconic neon sign campaign in the past, you know this feeling, and we’re deeply grateful for your continued support."

Dueling Hotels

The neon chick reflects decades of efforts to shift Petaluma’s economic base.
Such efforts often spark debate about the city’s future and funding sources.

In Petaluma's case, plans for a controversial luxury hotel project in downtown Petaluma involving celebrity chef Charlie Palmer appear to have hit a wall — again.

Opponents shut down plans for a 6-story luxury hotel in Petaluma’s historic downtown, at the intersection of Petaluma Boulevard and B Street.

In response, backers presented new blueprints for a scaled-down, four-story hotel and restaurant.
However, the developer has yet to formally withdraw its original application, and the developer is now challenging a $765,000 city invoice, according to The Press Democrat.

The dual proposals and developer fees are creating an even murkier, messier situation between dueling proponents.

Local opponents, led by Petaluma Historic Advocates, gathered nearly 6,500 signatures for a ballot measure against the original plan, signaling likely defeat for the six-story hotel.

Healy said his group supports the scaled-down four-story project, which would sit on the same empty lot on Petaluma Boulevard as the six-story hotel, The Press Democrat reported. However, some original proponents haven’t given up on the six-story plan, whose application is still active, according to The Press Democrat.

Among them are members of a group of local business and community leaders who call themselves Renaissance Petaluma. When Renaissance Petaluma held its inaugural meeting and open house at Della Fattoria in late October, restaurateur Charlie Palmer was the guest speaker, according to The Press Democrat.

Palmer was the public face of the proposed six-story Appellation Petaluma hotel.

Palmer is also the public face of Appellation Healdsburg, which is both popular and controversial in the town north of Petaluma, serving as a cautionary tale for other wine country towns weighing tourism as an economic anchor.

A group of Petaluma business owners weighed in with their support in an editorial. "This proposal represents a rare opportunity to revitalize a long-blighted downtown property, generate critical new revenue for city services, and strengthen the economic ecosystem that sustains our local businesses, artists, farmers, and producers."

In the meantime, the developer is now challenging a $765,000 city invoice for work tied to both the project and the overlay, according to The Press Democrat. That matter will be on hold until city offices reopen.

A "WOW Wall," Big Screen TVs, and Jobs

Virtual reality game-needy Petaluma can expect relief in January with the opening of a Dave & Buster's nearby.

The chain is opening a 40,000-square-foot "entertainment and restaurant hub" filled with "more than 100 of the latest arcade games, a chef-crafted food menu, innovative drinks, and a state-of-the-art sports bar featuring a “WOW” Wall, a massive 40-foot, high-definition TV screen."

The chosen location is the Santa Rosa Plaza, 600 Santa Rosa Blvd.

“We’re thrilled to introduce the unparalleled, high-energy Dave & Buster's experience to Santa Rosa and become a vibrant part of this community,” General Manager Yamen Sirrieh said in an announcement that he's hiring.