Forestville
GOVERNMENT
Well-known Healdsburg restaurant owner ordered to pay over $82,000 following federal labor investigation
Prominent Sonoma County restaurant owner and chef Octavio Diaz has been ordered to pay $82,666, including back wages, damages and penalties, following a federal labor investigation into his Agave Mexican Restaurant in Healdsburg. According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Labor, the restaurant denied three employees more...
Effort underway to reopen Forestville’s El Molino High School, consolidate west county school districts
An effort to reopen Forestville’s El Molino High School and unite it with other west Sonoma County school districts is in full swing as residents say the move can reduce costs and improve education. Currently, the lower Russian River region is served by six elementary school districts, while Sebastopol is served by four elementary school districts. The entire west county area is served by the ...
Comedy fest comes to three Sonoma County wineries
In recent years, political comedy — once dominantly popular — has become as strident as the politicians it mocks, but now working stand-up comics are finding grateful audiences for a more personal sense of humor. “With my comedy, I offer an escape. I share silly stories about my life,” said Joel Byars of Altanta, one of three headliners starring this month at the sixth annual Wine Country ...
A new, exciting summer season at the Green Music Center
This new season features indoor-outdoor concerts from popular artists including pop music sensations Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw; American music icons The Beach Boys; chart-topping country artist Niko Moon; Reggae/Pop legends UB40; and singer and songwriter; businesswoman, author, television celebrity, and two-time Latin Grammy Award winner, Chiquis. Concerts take place in Weill Hall with seating both in the hall and on the outdoor grass and terraces of Weill Lawn. Lawn tickets for most performances are $30 (kids 12 and under are half off).
Temporary Road Closure at San Miguel Road and SMART Intersection July 23-26
As part of the Coffey Park and Fountaingrove Neighborhood Road Recovery Project, the track crossing at San Miguel Road and SMART tracks is scheduled for temporary closure to through traffic between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 23 through Friday, July 26 as crews repave San Miguel Road east of the SMART tracks.
Local arts education watchdogs warn districts to be careful using Prop. 28 funds
When Prop. 28 was approved in November 2022, it had overwhelming support from California voters who hoped it would bolster arts education programs. It seemed to be a straightforward plan. It put 1% of the state’s education funding toward hiring arts teachers and creating scaffolding for entirely new arts programs. But in the first six months of the roll out, advocates have voiced concerns ...
Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore sworn in as president of National Association of Counties
Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore has stepped into the top position leading the National Association of Counties, a key organization representing county governments across the country. Gore was sworn in as the association’s president Monday morning following years of serving in executive leadership for the group. His term as president will span a year. The National Association of Counties, ...
Environmental docs available for comment on Koi Nation casino plan
photo credit: Koi Nation via Bay City NewsRendering of a proposed casino and resort near Windsorproposed by the Koi Nation of Northern California. The public can weigh in on potential environmental impacts of a casino and resort southeast of the town of Windsor in unincorporated Sonoma County proposed by the Koi Nation of Northern California, following the release of a draft environmental impact statement from federal regulators. The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs completed a draft environmental impact statement that will be open for public comment until Aug. 26 for the controversial proposed development on a roughly 68-acre site that the federally recognized...
The City’s New Vacant Building and Lot Program Begins Proactive Inspections on Aug. 1
On February 27, 2024, the Santa Rosa City Council adopted Ordinance ORD-2024-003, amending Chapter 9-24 of the Santa Rosa Municipal Code and establishing a new program for the inspection, maintenance, and registration of vacant buildings and lots that do not comply with the minimum standards set forth in the ordinance. These standards and additional information are available at SRCity.org/VBL.
Sonoma County GO LOCAL looking for new leadership to manage organization
Maybe you’ve seen the blue circle stickers on local business with the phrase “GO LOCAL” or watched a community member pull out a blue card with the same messaging while making a purchase at a local business. The network behind this movement, Sonoma County GO LOCAL, has long aimed to encourage the community to keep their dollars close to home when shopping. The co-op has worked since 2010 to ...
California Private High School Completes New Community Performing Arts Center
Sonoma Academy—a private, co-ed college preparatory school in Santa Rosa, Calif.—recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 350-seat Community Performing Arts Center, according to a news release. The facility will play home to the school’s music, theater, and film productions and host various types of programming for the community at large. The school partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and WRNS Studio for the project’s design, DPR Construction for construction, and The Shalleck Collaborative as a theatrical consultant.
Nomination period now open for 4 Santa Rosa council seats
The nomination period opened Monday for prospective candidates to qualify for the November general election, where a majority of Santa Rosa City Council seats are up for grabs. Santa Rosa residents will elect a representative in Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7, though the races so far have been slow to shape up. At least one newcomer is guaranteed to join the seven-member council as two hopefuls vie ...
Steele Lane Elementary Pilot Project to Begin Second Phase
The City of Santa Rosa is planning to implement Phase Two of the Steele Lane Elementary Pilot Study to further Steele Lane “road diet” between Meyers Drive and Rowe Drive by reducing the eastbound traffic to one lane and creating a center two-way left turn lane. This second phase of the pilot study will take place from mid-August through December. It is designed to further enhance multimodal school safety, building upon the findings that began with Phase One earlier this year.
Po Shu Wang's "Intersecting Infinity" selected for Fire Station 5 Public Art Project
The City of Santa Rosa and the Santa Rosa Fire Department are proud to announce the selection of Po Shu Wang, a distinguished artist from Berkeley, CA, for the creation of a permanent site-specific public art installation at Fire Station 5. Po Shu Wang's proposal, titled “Intersecting Infinity,” features a striking 8-foot stainless steel sculpture symbolizing the phoenix rising. This proposal was chosen following careful deliberation by a selection panel and consideration of community input gathered through a public survey.
Santa Rosa chamber CEO to head Napa County Farm Bureau
The chief executive officer of the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber has been tapped to take over as the permanent head of the Napa County Farm Bureau, he said Monday in an email to chamber board members. Peter Rumble said he will depart his current position sometime after Labor Day to become the farm bureau’s chief executive. “I was not looking for another opportunity. I have been blessed by how ...
Peter Rumble readies for a new role at Napa County Farm Bureau
Peter Rumble took the helm as president and CEO of the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber shortly after the 2017 fires, a tumultuous time for the region. Now, he’s preparing to depart and lead the Napa County Farm Bureau, starting shortly after Labor Day. Leaving, he said, was “a tough...
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