Fitch Mountain made game refuge, wildlife to be protected
100 years ago – September 24, 1925
Residents and property owners of the various Fitch Mountain tracts have asked of the State Fish and Game Commission permission to declare the entire tract a wild game refuge. This would embrace the entire Fitch Mountain with its slopes extending to the valley and Russian river. Quail, squirrels and song birds are becoming quite plentiful and tame on the mountain tracts. It is proposed to absolutely prohibit the shooting of game and the use of firearms even for target practice on the tract. Those who enjoy the walks of the mountain and the driveways are at all times endangered by reckless shooting. The shooting of birds and wild game is said to be absolutely prohibited on the mountain and its slopes and anyone caught in infringement of the law will be heavily fined or otherwise punished.
Acute Shortage of Grape Pickers Here
75 years ago – September 28, 1950
According to a recent meeting of representatives of Farm Labor held in Fresno, the labor situation up and down the state is tight, migration has stopped and no transient immigration is expected in the North Coast area. Charles D. Grant, Farm Labor Representative stated that it will be necessary to pick the remainder of the grape crop and the light walnut crop with hands already within the area. Therefore, it is urged that all local people, including high school pupils, assist with the grape harvest over the coming weekend. A shortage of over two hundred grape pickers exists in the Healdsburg section at the present time.
Fire blackens Lonnie’s
50 years ago – September 25, 1975
It only took 10 minutes for Healdsburg firemen to knock down the flames that swept through the kitchen area of Lonnie’s Patio, Healdsburg Ave., early last Thursday morning but by that time major damage had been done to the popular restaurant. Firemen believe an electrical short circuit is responsible for the blaze, which a motorist noticed at 4:50 a.m. Moments later, as a Healdsburg Police patrol unit responded to the alarm, intense heat blew out the kitchen windows. Six regular and 16 volunteer firemen answered the town siren with three pumpers, the HFD’s pickup and a light truck, and had the flames under control by 5:10 a.m. Apparently the fire had smouldered and built up heat before being noticed because the kitchen was totally involved within minutes and flames shot as much as 10 feet into the air. Mop-up crews remained on the scene until 7:30 a.m. Insurance investigators have not yet placed a damage figure on the loss, but it is expected to be high.
