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GOVERNMENT
Wildfire burning north of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County
SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. - Cal Fire firefighters have gotten the upper hand on a 50-acre vegetation fire in Sonoma County on Wednesday evening. Forward progress has been stopped and the fire is 35% contained. The agency's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit is calling this the Flora Fire, located on both sides of the...
Circus of Flowers at Sonoma County Fair features a giant giraffe, humongous hippo
Santa Rosa A big tent of flowers at the fair The Hall of Flowers has been transformed into a fanciful and fragrant Cirque des Fleurs for the Sonoma County Fair opening on Thursday. Visitors will behold a high-diving hippo, a 30 foot tall two-headed giraffe ringmaster and a tightrope cycling clown set amid a riot of colorful flowers tightly packed into eight professionally designed display ...
Sonoma County commits to building $308 million, 5-story headquarters on existing government campus in Santa Rosa
After multiple starts, pauses and iterations, Sonoma County’s beleaguered efforts to build new government offices are moving forward with an emphasis on buying existing office space in the area to supplement a downsized new headquarters building in Santa Rosa. The hybrid approach represents a less ambitious and less costly vision than the altogether new or remodeled campus that current ...
Santa Rosa Takes First Step in New Tobacco Regulations
The Santa Rosa City Council has approved new regulations for tobacco retailers. It bans the sale of flavored tobacco products and electronic smoking devices, sets a minimum pack price of $10, and prohibits retailers from offering coupons or discounts. It also prohibits local retailers from selling tobacco products online. Retailers will also have to obtain a license from the city. Additionally, no new tobacco retailers will be allowed within 600 feet of schools, parks and other youth-oriented areas. Also, licensed retailers relocating their business can’t transfer their license if the new location falls within the 600-foot buffer zone. A second formal vote is scheduled for next month. Licensing and enforcement will start in January.
Sonoma County Advances with Plans for New Government Center and Mixed-Use Development in Santa Rosa
To revitalize its aging infrastructure, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has unanimously given the green light for developing a new government center poised to span 200,000 square feet on the grounds of the current county campus in Santa Rosa. The modern center, which replaces the original from the 1950s beset by increasing repair costs and inefficiencies, introduces a significant mixed-use component, featuring up to 1,000 housing units on a 9.3-acre property slice, as reported by the County of Sonoma.
Yountville veterans home administrator to retire
The top administrator of the Veterans Home of California in Yountville, the largest such home in the U.S., will retire from her post at the end of the month. Lisa Peake announced her resignation last week and in a statement said the decision to step down was difficult. “It is the managers, supervisors, and line employees who keep the Home running, and who keep our residents safe, engaged, and ...
City Experiments with Reusable Cups at Starbucks, Taco Bell and 30 Other Restaurants–with Return Bins all over town
A consortium of small firms is creating a renewable revolution within the boundaries of a small city in Northern California, which will be the testbed for a use-and-return concept for fast food drinks. Around 50 billion disposable drink cups are used every year in the US, but in the city...
Army veteran and Santa Rosa attorney Joe Piasta remembered as man of deep faith
Joe Piasta, a noted Santa Rosa attorney, decorated Army veteran and pillar of the local Catholic community, died at his home on July 19, three years after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. He was 73. Piasta spent decades practicing law in Sonoma County, become a partner at Shapiro, Galvin, Shapiro, Piasta & Moran and litigation partner at O’Brien, Watters, Davis & Piasta. He opened Law ...
Petaluma Puts Off Annexing Former Lumber Yard For Now
The City of Petaluma is pumping the brakes on annexing a former lumber yard. Last week, the Petaluma City Council was presented with an item to pre-zone the area before zoning map amendments go into effect. Instead, they postponed the item indefinitely and voted to continue gathering information on the potential impacts of annexing the nearly 13-acre property on the northeast edge of town. They want to look at the impacts of water movement in the area, potential land use, and constructed surfaces that would fall under the city’s purview. Cornerstone Properties, which owns the former Adobe Lumber Yard, wants to improve the property in several ways, including new utility connections, landscape and building improvements, and accessibility and parking upgrades. They also want a special event permit, which would require a zoning permit.
More traffic changes near Santa Rosa’s Steele Lane Elementary planned
Santa Rosa is expanding a pilot program aimed at improving pedestrian and traffic safety around Steele Lane Elementary School. City traffic engineers in March implemented a road diet on a small stretch of westbound Steele Lane to provide a dedicated lane for buses and parents dropping off and picking up their kids. The effort, the first of its kind in the city, was intended to test how the ...
Rising costs, system upgrades spur 3-year sewer rate increase plan in Rohnert Park
Rohnert Park households and businesses can expect to pay about 7% more on their sewer bills come October after the City Council approved raising rates to keep up with the cost of managing and treating the city’s wastewater. Monthly bills for single-family homes, which comprise 69% of the hookups within the city, are expected to increase a little more than $3, from $42.20 to $45.33, in the ...
Sales Tax Increase To Go Before Voters In November
Voters in the city of Novato will decide on a 0.75% sales tax increase in November after the City Council voted Tuesday to place the measure on the ballot. The tax would increase the city's 8.5% sales tax to 9.25% and raise an estimated $10.3 million annually that would be dedicated to maintaining city services.
Santa Rosa’s Cultural Heritage Board Sees Resignations Over Increased Fees
The volunteer chairman of Santa Rosa’s Cultural Heritage Board resigned due to concerns over sharply increased fees for work in historic districts. Four other board members also stepped down in solidarity. The fee increases, some up to one-thousand-percent, alarmed board members, hindering preservation efforts. A previous fee for a major renovation would have been about $2,100, but the new fee schedule would increase that to about $20-thousand. However, city officials claim the fees haven’t been fully implemented and are working to address the issue. City of Santa Rosa Council member Chris Rogers acknowledged the miscommunication and assured the public that it’s being fixed.
National Night Out builds community cohesion
Continuing its mission to protect and serve all communities in our area with transparency, equality, and respect, the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety will host its annual National Night Out event on Tuesday, Aug. 6, from 4-7 p.m. in front of its central station (500 City Center Drive). This...
10 Cutest Bars in California’s Napa & Sonoma Wine Country with Must-Try Drinks
California’s Napa and Sonoma wine country is not only famous for its wines but also for its charming bars that offer a perfect mix of environment, creativity, and flavor. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, these top 10 Cutest Bars in California’s Napa & Sonoma are must-visits. Find the best spot with the help of your Jet Setting Fashionista, Emily Martin, to enjoy a delightful drink.
Vallejo housing commissioner asked to resign over comments during debris removal
VALLEJO – Vallejo Housing and Community Development Commissioner Joey Carrizales resigned from his position on Wednesday after Councilmember Peter Bregenzer requested the resignation due to comments Carrizales allegedly made to a sheriff’s deputy and a city worker that were captured on body camera video during an encampment debris removal on July 10.
Upcoming Vallejo Events — Obtainium Cup and Shakespeare in the Park
VALLEJO — Several fun outdoor events are happening in Vallejo parks this weekend, with the Obtainium Cup Contraptor’s Rally, Latin Rock on the Dock on Mare Island, free Shakespeare at Hanns Park, Papa Joe and the New Deal at Blue Rock Springs Park, and blues and R&B at Richardson Park.
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