County’s hospitality industry hit hardest in COVID outbreak
The welcome mat for Sonoma County’s wine country was rolled up several weeks ago in the midst of the COVID-19 shelter-in-place, and there is no prediction of when it might be rolled out again. Only a little over one quarter (27.8%) of the county’s 7,000 lodging rooms were occupied at the beginning of this month, down from an average occupancy rate of 78% from a year ago.
In Memoriam: Jendala Utsch
Longtime Healdsburg resident, artist, nonprofit founder and spirit leader Jennifer Utsch, better known as Jendala, died of cancer in the wee hours Wednesday morning, according to loved ones who posted on her Facebook page. They had chronicled her decline on the page over the previous...
Healdsburg Pics of the Week: Mardi Gras Throwback
Welcome to a special throwback edition of “Pics of the Week,” featuring — you guessed it — pics from last year’s big Mardi Gras party at the Mill Street shopping center. Gareth Owens, who co-owns The Parish — Healdsburg's only Cajun and Creole restaurant, situated...
West Sonoma Coast Wines Get Own AVA
Just seven years after the West Sonoma County Vintners filed their petition, the West Sonoma Coast—where the cold marine air and heavy fog offer distinct advantages for growing wine grape varieties ranging from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Syrah—has officially been sanctioned as a...
