Hello, fellow humans of Healdsburg. I write to you from inside a little toy Singapore Airlines plane, currently piercing the sunset somewhere over the Pacific, en route to southeast India — where I’m planning to spend a week at a traditional Indian wedding, then another week at the old ashram of Indian saint Ramana Maharshi, contemplating the nature of existence and questioning the mind and all that. This will be one of my big life dreams come true. I think it probably also bodes well for all of you who get your local news from me… because the clearer the channel, the closer we’ll come to the truth. Expect some seriously enlightened content when I get back! Til then, let’s roll around in the mud together with a nice Earthly local news roundup to hold us over. Today’s newsletter is packed with modern-day Healdsburg history like…
A big arrest on North Street by gang cops from Santa Rosa
A very rowdy girls basketball game at our high school gym
The bakery tipping controversy that’s got everyone talking
Healdsburg’s fresh “psychedelic cottagecore” hotel option
A new faraway outpost for our most famous local restaurant
Lots more local tidbits you won’t want to miss 😘
But first, I’ll give my usual spiel: This community rag is largely reader-supported, so please keep sending it around to everyone you know! (Newcomers can subscribe here.) The Healdsburg Newsletter is also supported by a handful of wonderful local businesses; they sponsor it in return for business spotlights that I run in the newsletter, where thousands of locals read them. And I’ve got another sponsor slot open for February! So if you own a business around here — or know someone else who you think should be featured — just reply to this email, or reach out to me directly about it. Seems like a win-win. 🎉
NOW, HOW’S THE WEATHER?
While I’m sweating it out in the tropics, it looks like y’all will be enjoying another little stretch of gorgeous winter weather in Healdsburg and environs this week. Come Sunday or Monday, though, forecasters expect temps to cool down to the 50s during the day and the 30s at night — and right around the same time, some rainclouds might move in and start sprinkling a bit. (Which we could really use, if we’re going to stay ahead of our average annual rainfall for this time of year, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.) Here’s our full weekly forecast from the National Weather Service:
Today ☀️ Sunny with a breeze. High 72° Low 43°
Tomorrow 🌤️ Mostly sunny with a breeze. High 70° Low 46°
Friday 🌤️ Mostly sunny. High 67° Low 44°
Saturday ⛅️ Fog in the morning, then mostly sunny. High 66° Low 44°
Sunday ☁️ Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain. High 63° Low 42°
Monday ☁️ Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain. High 59° Low 38°
Tuesday ⛅️ Partly sunny. More chances of rain. High 58° Low 38°
Oh and BTW, if you’re headed out to the Sonoma coast later this week or weekend, the National Weather Service is warning of some unusually large “breaking waves of 17 to 22 feet… with increased risk for sneaker waves and rip currents” that could make for “dangerous shore conditions.” So be careful out there on our wild ’n’ wonderful coastline…
Speaking of the nearby coast. 🚨🚨 Did you hear that the Wildlands Conservancy just opened a massive new swath of public land — nearly 550 acres’ worth — just south of Bodega Bay? The property, called Estero Americano Coast Preserve, features “5 miles of trails wending through coastal prairies, along dramatic bluffs and down to a remote beach,” the Press Democrat reports — and “outdoor enthusiasts have arrived in droves, from all over the Bay Area and beyond.” The only problem: Bodega Bay locals are reportedly now fuming over the parking nightmare this influx has created along Osprey Drive, near the property’s entrance. In an attempt to mitigate the problem, the Wildlands Conservancy even posted a whole parking guide to Instagram a couple of weeks ago. “Parking in the designated areas helps keep the nearby neighborhood clear and safe for everyone — thank you for your cooperation!” they say. So if you go, proceed with care… (Video: Wildlands Conservancy via Instagram)
Orrrrr, if you wanna avoid the clustermuck at Estero entirely, you could opt to tour another brand-new public park just 20 minutes up the road, at Highway 1 and Carlevaro Way. Sonoma County Parks officials announced yesterday that they’ll be hosting four self-guided preview hikes this Saturday at Wright Hill Regional Park & Open Space Preserve, a “1,200-acre future coastal parkland near Jenner” with hikes “ranging up to 4.5 miles, through rolling pastures, native grasslands, and bay and redwood groves, all with sweeping coastal views.” Grab a spot here before they’re gone. (Image: Sonoma County Regional Parks via Facebook)
AIR OVER HEALDSBURG
Here’s what the sunrise looked like over your heads this morning. That is, if I’m doing my time-zone calculations correctly from the other side of the world... 🤪 (Photo: Holly Wilson)
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