Hello neighbors! I’m back in your inbox this weirdly warm Wednesday with some more details on the latest resurrection of the Healdsburg Tribune, plus — you know the drill — everything else that’s fit to print about what’s happening in town. Here we go…
First, your daily weather:
- Tuesday: Hot and sunny. High: 83 Low: 48.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny but much cooler. High: 68 Low: 52.
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Air over Healdsburg:
This is what the air over Healdsburg looked like earlier this morning. (Photo courtesy of Holly Wilson)
Here are the top 5 stories today in Healdsburg:
- So I talked to them Healdsburg Tribune’s new owner, Bay Area alt-weekly giant Dan Pulcrano, last night — and he gave me a bunch more details on the crazy-quick, totally-out-of-the-blue-sale and turnaround of our beloved local paper. “I think I called Nancy on Thursday or Friday” of last week, he says of the Trib’s previous owner. “I’m still shocked that it actually came together so almost.” And the paper’s print publishing schedule won’t miss a beat, with a new issue set to be released into the world as usual tomorrow, Pulcrano tells me. “We’re going to put out a modest edition this week — it’s going to be a little smaller, because we wanted to get something out on the streets, in mailboxes, on doorsteps,” he says. Meanwhile, the paper’s revived website is already up and running at HealdsburgTribune.com. For now, the stories are mostly being written by the staff of the Bohemian, one of 14 other papers in Pulcrano’s portfolio.”Our staff mobilized very quickly — the Bohemian team jumped into action,” he says. “We also hired a new reporter this week.” The Bohemian is produced in downtown Healdsburg, at the CraftWork co-working space on Center Street, which should help with Pulcrano’s plan to “centralize” operations across publications and cut out the kinds of costs that ran the Tribune into the ground. Excited to see what’s to come… (Healdsburg Tribune)
- The first item posted on the Tribune’s new website is on obituary for well-known Healdsburg lawyer and former minor league baseball player John Edward Short, who died in March at age 81. According to his obituary, John moved to Healdsburg in the early 70s and “set up his law practice with his partner Mike Welty in the beautiful Victorian building at 141 North St.” He reportedly “loved to play golf at the Windsor Golf course and softball” with other locals, and he and his wife Sharon “always kept an open door policy at their home on West Dry Creek.” For the several years before he died, John was “resting quietly in the River’s Bend community,” his obit says, “often spending summer afternoons watching his grandkids Delphine and Flynn play in the pool.” May he continue to rest in peace .(Healdsburg Tribune)
- Healdsburg mainstay Dorothy Studer also passed away last week, likewise at the age of 81. She worked for decades as a local bookkeeper, including at Healdsburg companies like Stroco Paving and Raymond Burr Vineyards and A. Rafanelli Winery and many other “small business contractors” that she served from home. “Dorothy always enjoyed volunteering and increased that effort after her retirement,” her obituary says. “She was a founding Board Member and longtime Treasurer of the Healdsburg Greyhound Booster Club. Dorothy ran the clock for over twenty years at the Healdsburg High Girls and boys basketball games. In addition, she volunteered her time with the food pantry, graduation celebration, and the senior center. Lastly, she weekly volunteered in Ms. Sanderson’s class at Fitch Mountain School.” For all these efforts, she was awarded the City of Healdsburg’s official Marie Sparks Memorial Volunteer award in 2009. RIP (Legacy.com)
- Everyone who’s anyone in the wine-buying business — including more than 150 “owners of specialty wine shops, sommeliers from top restaurants, buyers from gourmet grocery stores, and online retailers” from across the globe — is passing through Healdsburg this week for the annual Sonoma County Barrel Auction, a tradition since 2015. They’re here for “the chance to bid on unique… ‘Never Before, Never Again’ wine lots” crafted by local winemakers especially for the auction, according to Forbes Magazine. For example, of 71 special wines in the auction, Healdsburg winery boss David Ramey of Ramey Wine Cellars says he created 10 limited-edition cases of “a unique Russian River chardonnay fermented in a concrete egg.” He says “the grapes are from a special field selection on our ranch, and the wine is made with natural yeast, aged on the lees for 18 months in the concrete egg, and bottled unfiltered.” Forbes reports that a “key benefit” for attendees is “building and strengthening relationships” with the folks who make the wines they sell. And “the actual auction features a dynamic auctioneer wearing cowboy boots, while buyers and winemakers are mixed together at round tables to enjoy local food, wine, and networking.” (Forbes)
- In the race for the 4th District seat on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, which includes our area, longtime incumbent and Healdsburg native James Gore has been wayyy out-fundraising his challenger. Gore “has more than seven times the amount of cash on hand,” the Press Democrat reports — although donations to his opponent’s campaign have been ramping up more in recent months. said opponent is Richard “Andy” Springer, a conservative Rohnert Park pastor and business consultant who lives in Wikiup and has turned heads for holding some recent rallies with anti-vax vibes. From the PD: “The race represents the first time Gore has faced a challenger since his 2014 election to the 4th District seat, which represents Cloverdale, Geyserville, Healdsburg, Windsor, the Alexander and Dry Creek valleys and parts of northern Santa Rosa.” the election will be held June 7. Voter information guides were sent out by the county last week, and the ballots themselves will be mailed on Monday. (Sonoma County Government & Press Democrat; paywall)
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Today and tomorrow in Healdsburg:
Wednesday, May 4th
- Organic Compost giveaway at Healdsburg Community Center (8AM-12PM)
- public viewing at St. John’s Church for Former Police Chief Kevin Burke (4-7PM)
- Interactive PG&E Webinar for Sonoma County Residents: Safe Digging (5:30-7PM)
- Star Wars trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (7-9PM)
Thursday, May 5 (Cinco de Mayo! 🇲🇽)
- Black Oak Coffee Celebrates One Year in Healdsburg With Free Cups of Small Drip Coffee (7AM-5PM)
- Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce Presents “Good Morning, Healdsburg!” (8AM)
- Sonoma County barrel auction: Lot Tasting Preview Event at Bacchus Landing (11AM-4PM)
- tasting at Thumbprint Cellars: 2017 Cab Franc Paired With Mole & Chile Relleno (11AM-6PM)
- happy hour margaritas at El Faralito (12-5PM)
- virtual English Conversation Class at Sonoma County Library (Weekly, 2-3:30PM)
- Governance Council Meeting for Healdsburg High Schools Marce Becerra Academy (4PM)
- Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) Meeting for Healdsburg Elementary School Parents (6PM)
- Healdsburg Running Company Cinco de Mayo run: In-Town 5K With El Faralito Finish (6PM)
Healdsburg pic of the day:
Healdsburg family winery West Wines posted this pic of their “winery cat and official greeter,” Jane Bond, hanging out in their Dry Creek Valley vineyard over the weekend. “May is in the air. 🌾🐈⬛” the winery wrote. You can go visit Jane and the West Wines crew at 1000 Dry Creek Road, right on the way out of town. (Photo courtesy of West Wines)
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From my notebook:
- Now that Skylaer Palacios has resigned from the Healdsburg City Council, leaving a vacant seat, Vice Mayor Ariel Kelley says the council will choose from three options. They’ll either appoint someone to “fill the remainder of her term (until Nov 2024),” “appoint a temporary replacement until the Nov 2022 election and have it on the ballot as a two-year term” or “leave it vacant and then have it on the ballot (not yet clear if this is legally allowed),” she writes online. They’ll be announcing their decision soon. (Facebook & Facebook)
- Want to see what all the hubbub was atop Fitch Mountain last week? Healdsburg fire officials just posted some pretty amazing Video Footage of what it looked like to burn 57 piles of flammable vegetation on Fitch ahead of fire season. (Facebook & Facebook & YouTube)
- The Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic is back in action this year on June 4th and 5th, down in Santa Rosa. And the event coordinator is Healdsburg’s own Janet Ciel, head of the Healdsburg Farmers Market. “Come on Visit me at the Info Booth of the market if you want to know more!” she says. (Facebook)
- Any interest in hosting to an exchange student? Healdsburg’s Rotary Club is looking for “host families for a 16 year old girl from Thailand for the 2022-2023 school year (she arrives in August). Three families will host her for three months each.” (next door)
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Alright folks, that’s all for today. 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.