Healdsburg stakes claim as year-round jazz destination
This year brings the second Healdsburg Winter Jazz Festival, which starts Thursday, Jan. 29, at the Harmon Guest House’s Merritt Hall and concludes Sunday night, Feb. 1, at the Healdsburg Community Church. It once again showcases a diverse line-up of jazz talent, genres and venues. A total of six programs are being presented at off-beat stages, with a suitably wide-ranging menu of music.
Police Log, Sept. 8-14
Sept. 12, 9:07am - The RP on Lorraine Court said his vehicle was “rummaged through” during the night of Sept. 11. The suspect stole a bag with a rainbow on it which was filled with baby supplies. The RP wanted to press charges. An officer spoke with the RP and asked him to come to the police department to see if law enforcement could identify the suspect.
Hispanic Vintners Celebrate Harvest at Bacchus
Since its opening two years ago, in July 2021, Bacchus Landing has become recognized as a prime place to hold larger events in Healdsburg, from the monthly “Music on the Piazza” affair on first Saturdays, to several sold-out concerts for June’s Healdsburg Jazz Festival.
On...
Snapshot: The checkered history of chess
Famous and quirky chess players include: Jose Capablanca (1888-1942), a famous Cuban grandmaster who continuously smoked cigars while playing; Alexander Alakine (1892-1946), who brought and petted his cat named “Chess”; and Bobby Fischer (1943–2008) who had all of his dental fillings removed to escape radio transmissions.
Greyhound Girls Continue Winning Ways
The Healdsburg High girls basketball team dominated Elsie Allen 54-25 in their 2024 North Coast Redwood League opener, led by Allie Espinoza's 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Gallery: No Kings III
Let’s take a look at the day as it happened in these snapshots taken along Healdsburg Avenue, midday on March 25, 2026.
Letters to the Editor, Dec. 26
The City Council’s informal decision on Dec. 16 to adopt a five-district, selected mayor format for city government in the redistricting process drew immediate reactions from several community members, who felt the decision was made unnecessarily quickly and short-circuited public discussion of the options. Here are a few of their comments:
Healdsburg’s too-popular secret beach
A gravel beach upstream from Memorial Bridge has long been a quiet place for meditation and family time. But ‘flash mobs’ drawn by social media have turned it into a crime scene, with loud music, heavy drinking, fights and gunfire. At last law enforcement takes notice.
Russian River’s ‘keeper’ Don McEnhill
In 2025 alone, Russian Riverkeeper—self-styled protector of the river—pulled roughly a half-million pounds of trash from its waters, a volume that has grown, year over year, for the past five years. To do so, the Healdsburg nonprofit organized 900 local volunteers across 75 separate cleanup events along its length.
Healdsburg Happenings, Nov. 20-28
The Django Festival Allstars bring the exciting, influential sound of Parisian jazz to the Raven for this Saturday Nov. 22 show. Guitars, violin, accordion and guest vocals by Veronica Smith.
Arts & Entertainment
Return to the Russian River
When Jake Messing stood in front of the mural he had just completed for Russian Riverkeeper on the north side of the nonprofit’s headquarters at 139 Healdsburg Ave., he had finished more than another mural. He had made a return to the source from the sea himself, like the salmon he portrayed.






















