Measure O Defeat Shows Split City
When the sound and the fury, the smoke and the flames dispersed, Measure O went down to a definitive defeat, roughly at a 60-40 split. Clearly this was not what the Healdsburg City Council intended when in June they rationalized themselves into putting it on the General Election ballot.
Active Aging Week Underway
True to Healdburg’s designation as the first Age Friendly City in Sonoma County, the City Council officially recognized International Active Aging Week at its Oct. 2 meeting. The message is that regardless of age or health conditions, adults over 50 can live fully in...
Housing Market Shows Sharp Divide
What makes Healdsburg’s market particularly unique is the continued dominance of non-primary residence purchases. In 2024, 61% of all purchases were for second homes or investment properties, with rural properties showing an even higher rate at 76%. This tracks with 2023 when 64% of properties were purchased as non-primary residences, writes a local realtor.
Italian Legacy of Mugnaini Wood-Fire Ovens
Several local pizzerias have an unspoken bond running between their kitchens. Geyserville’s Diavola, the Matheson restaurant, Journeyman Meat Co., PizZando … even Big John’s Market. The common element is that they all purchased their pizza ovens from Mugnaini, a wood fire oven manufacturer in Healdsburg...
The Year in Preview: 2025
The first major event that comes our way in 2025 is the annual Lake Sonoma Steelhead Festival, on Saturday, Feb. 8. This one-day science fair of all things steelhead (and their allies, anadromous and otherwise), draws about 10,000 people on its single day of exhibitions and activities to the Milt Brandt Visitors Center, Lake Sonoma.
Homecoming Parade: A Slice of Americana
By John Linker
Every high school has a Homecoming, but not every high school holds a Homecoming Parade.
Last Friday afternoon, Healdsburg carried on its yearly tradition of holding one such parade. Four floats, one per class at the high school, were escorted by Healdsburg police...
Preliminary City Budget Presented for Suggestions, Revisions
A special five-hour meeting time was blocked out for the Healdsburg City Council on Monday night this week to allow plenty of time for council review, and public comment, on a proposed two-year budget for the city. It even started an hour early, at 5pm, in the usual meeting room at City Hall. But barely an hour and a half passed before Mayor David Hagele gaveled the meeting over, at 6:35pm...
Council Sticks with 5-District, Rotating Mayor Decision
It was Assistant City Manager Andrew Sturmfels' last meeting in Healdsburg before he begins work for Sonoma County, but the same old City Council was on the dais to double-down on their controversial decision to set a 5-district limit for Healdsburg's new government....
Faherty Opens As Council Considers Formula Stores
The new proposal was to expand the formula-free zone one block further into the Downtown Commercial district. McDowell showed a map where a red line marked the border of the proposed formula-free zone; it surrounds most of seven city blocks adjacent to the Plaza, marking a significant expansion of the prohibition zone.
Healdsburg Happenings, May 16 – 22
The 3rd annual Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience begins on Thursday, May 16, but that's not the only thing going on in Healdsburg Happenings this week. More music, meetings, farmers markets and a Fire & Safety Expo in Cloverdale...