Dear Reader,Unfortunately our comment platform isn\'t available at the moment due to issues with our paywall and authentication vendor La Fondita’s Third Street location has been sitting empty for months Dozens of untouched bottles of liquor, colorful chairs and empty tables were still visible Friday behind the windows and locked doors of the empty La Fondita restaurant at 630 Third St For months, questions have persisted about whether the well-known Mexican restaurant, which opened in 2022 Fresh questions arose in the last couple of weeks as a new sign in the window advertised a “restaurant opportunity.” “Business & Commercial,” but there was no contact information available It remains unclear who is occupying the space According to the Sonoma County Health Department the most recent facility permit for the Third Street location — essentially an operating permit — was from July 2024 The owner listed on the records for both restaurant locations was Maria Elena Reyes The Press Democrat has repeatedly reached out to Reyes for a comment but has not received a response and visited the Third Street location on several occasions The Third Street location remained closed and there was no staff available for comment at the Sebastopol Road restaurant according to the Sonoma County Recorder’s Office The Press Democrat also reached out to this company In January, community members speculated about the fate of the restaurant on the Sonoma County Foodies Facebook page “Is La Fondita on 3rd in Santa Rosa closed or are they on vacation I’ve driven by a few times and they have been dark each time.” we went there for lunch and found the doors chained.” read “They have another location on Sebastopol Rd Highly recommend continuing to support them there Downtown is a TOUGH place for business with a lack of parking and such.” the floor manager at Wilibees liquor store at the corner of Third Street said he does not know if La Fondita has permanently closed he has seen many businesses come and leave the storefront at 630 Third St “Downtown is an interesting place right now you walk around and see ‘For Lease’ signs every day,” Arnold said The downstairs restaurant space at 630 Third St. was previously occupied by Mercato Pasta and Produce. La Fondita announced in early 2020 that it would be taking over the space You can reach Staff Writer Melanie Nguyen at 707-521-5457 or melanie.nguyen@pressdemocrat.com Santa Rosa Plaza officials have so far declined to say why the statue was being removed or whether new artwork would take its place Lea el artículo en español aquí. A 7.5-ton marble hand that has become a defining symbol of downtown Santa Rosa was removed from Santa Rosa Plaza Friday morning after sitting at the mall’s B Street entrance for nearly three decades Crews used a crane and gently lowered the sculpture Agraria onto a large flatbed truck padded with rubber tires at 7:30 a.m Watch video of the removal below: The sculpture is headed north to Geyserville and will be installed at the corner of Geyserville Avenue and Highway 128 president of the Geyserville Community Foundation The foundation will cover the costs of relocation and constructing a new base for Agraria the Geyserville Chamber of Commerce and the town’s Kiwanis Club Read more about the statue’s relocation and its history in downtown Santa Rosa here. “People must be able to retire with dignity,” said one retiree Retired Sonoma County government employees are asking the Board of Supervisors to consider a cost of living adjustment for the county’s pension system which retirees and pension system officials say is long overdue Sonoma County government retirees have not had a cost of living increase since 2008 they have taken a significant hit to their purchasing power — a cumulative loss of about 47% based on consumer price index according to Sonoma County Employees’ Retirement Association officials The issue came before the Board of Supervisors last week during the county’s informational budget workshops. While the Sonoma County Employees’ Retirement Association Board of Retirement can recommend a cost of living adjustment the final decision rests with the Board of Supervisors but the issue comes as officials brace for tight budgeting amid fiscal uncertainty at the state and federal levels SCERA and county officials would meet annually to decide whether to implement an adjustment and how to fund it Funding mechanisms included using excess earnings realized investment gains or increasing employer contributions The Great Recession in 2008 “shocked” the economy and the county’s pension system disrupting that process and prompting a policy change that “inadvertently killed the COLA (cost of living adjustment) program,” said Wyne “We weren’t thinking about the COLA program at the time we were thinking about survival,” Wyne said said the retirement fund is healthy and amounts to $3.5 billion It places the county in the position to consider an adjustment for “retirees who've been waiting for 17 years,” he said Average annual payments out of the pension system range from $17,074 to $61,345 depending on the type of plan and whether the retiree’s job fell under the “safety” category said 70% of his retirement income is going to his house and medical premiums He said he is now working full time to get by Others noted that their expenses have gone up as they age “Should they be going to the food bank now outlined some options the board could consider One would be adjusting payments for retirees who lost more than 20% of their purchasing power to restore it to 80% — the most expensive option Another included offering a flat 2% increase to all retirees A third option would be offering increases to the most affected groups The board did not make any final decisions but indicated interest in further discussion including Board Chair Lynda Hopkins and Supervisor James Gore said they would like to look at providing a raise at least for the groups of retirees receiving the smallest payouts “The inequity in the system is really galling,” Hopkins said You can reach Staff Writer Emma Murphy at 707-521-5228 or emma.murphy@pressdemocrat.com Activists are coordinating in defense of immigrants For a lineup of local actions and protests, go to www.pjcsoco.org bounced and stretched across the sidewalk Thursday afternoon in downtown Santa Rosa were the same “No hate No fear Immigrants are welcome here” Thursday was May Day. It was also the first day of a five-day nationwide lineup of marches to protest the administration of Donald Trump “The initial impetus is focused on Donald Trump and his policies a member of the Peace and Justice Center of Sonoma County protests have been staged in cities across the North Bay The idea has not only been to build critical mass but to sustain it — there are three years and eight months left in the Trump administration “This is going to be a really long haul,” said Kim Caldewey, a Peace and Justice Center board member and founding member of CURF — Community United to Resist Fascism “We are going to need an infrastructure to support the community and to resist.” groups like the Peace and Justice Center are playing the long game forming partnerships with other like-minded groups to offer a sustainable presence in the streets and elsewhere to keep the focus on what they say are the Trump administration’s flouting of laws and norms Other local actions have included protests of Avelo Airlines’ decision to fly deportation flights for the U.S Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration Control and Enforcement Agency There are regular Sunday gatherings in support of Palestinians on Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa Wake Up Sonoma the grassroots advocacy group formed in Sonoma in opposition to real estate acquisitions by Ken Mattson and his former company LeFever Mattson has expanded its focus of protests to events meant to “resist fascism stop the coup and support immigrant communities.” The Peace and Justice Center is just one of a growing network of nonprofits and political groups that are collaborating on marches and political actions targeting Trump and the policies he’s unveiled in the first 100 days of his second term The feeling of “What can we do?” quickly morphed into the five days in May action said Fagin of the Peace and Justice Center “It’s developed very organically,” he said a march that began at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office moved to the courtyard outside the County Board of Supervisors’ chambers and eventually made its way down Mendocino Avenue and onto Courthouse Square in downtown Santa Rosa It was one of an estimated 1,000 events that took place across the nation on May Day a day usually focused on pro-labor activities An call hosted by the national organizing group Indivisible at midday Thursday pulled in more than 4,000 people “Democratic movements are going to be a little messy sometimes; that’s OK,” Indivisible co-executive director Leah Greenberg told the group call “Showing up peacefully is what it is about.” Local organizers say one of the aims is to broaden the focus an action for veterans’ rights was planned for Friday the coalition of activists planned four themed marches to all convene for a rally and event from 12:30-2:30 p.m the highlighted event will be a rally in solidarity with Palestinians at 2 p.m Monday will be a celebration of sorts with organizers encouraging participating groups and organizations to attend Cinco de Mayo festivities in Roseland “Our master plan is to build a coalition and determine how and where we go,” Caldewey said there is not one instance of tension or ‘this is my organization I don’t think we can support that thing.’” The same level of action — and cooperation — is happening nationally May 1 protests and events took place in Chicago “My daughter lives in South Dakota,” Joan Mortensson of Forestville said at the May 1 rally in Santa Rosa “There are demonstrations almost every day where 72% of voters supported Democratic candidates Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in November and just 25% voted for Trump and Vice President JD Vance hosting a protest might feel for many like preaching to the choir “It means what everyone here is doing,” she said “We did everything we could for the elections we wrote postcards until our hands cramped,” she said I just think the more people that speak up and are here there is courage in simply showing up to a protest — especially in light of the Trump administration’s push to increase deportations and incarcerations of people who entered the country illegally but have since obtained legal status other people showing up and supporting and fighting for something that maybe right now is not the time for them I feel like it’s really powerful,” she said And all of them showing up represents power.” so she can’t drive to protests unless the van in her senior community is used — which it sometimes is the 94-year-old Santa Rosa woman is out on Range Avenue every Wednesday holding a sign her 10-year-old granddaughter made calling for “Justice for All.” I’m saying no to ignoring the separation of powers in government “I want to show that we can protest in a respectful way I’m so excited about the way the demonstrations have been organized and people have been supportive.” “It’s so inspiring to see this group of people,” said Doty who drives across town to be with Clark-Weaver A lot of people aren’t comfortable doing that and here they are.” Clark-Weaver’s vision not what it used to be Horn calls mean there is support for her weekly protests “I want people to know there are lots of us,” she said I feel good about doing something that matters even though it’s very small “I feel like our generation has benefited from a lot of the economic (policies) that we have had while the gap between rich and poor has gotten larger and I really owe it to them to be here,” she said “It’s paying back a debt on what we envisioned.” And then there’s this: “It’s breaking through the stereotype that we don’t know what is going on or don’t care what is going on,” she said As organizers of the five days of action focus on the long haul there will be days of protest and days of rest according to the Peace and Justice Center’s Fagin Indivisible is planning a nationwide “No Kings” action on June 14 which is both Flag Day and Donald Trump’s birthday To mark the day, Trump has planned a military parade replete with “thousands” of troops and tanks There is too much that needs to be done,” he said “It would be nice to have some democracy in this country.” You can reach Staff Writer Kerry Benefield at 707-526-8671 or kerry.benefield@pressdemocrat.com The end of the 2024-2025 school year for students enrolled in Escambia County Public Schools and Santa Rosa County District Schools is just around the corner all school districts must have 180 teaching days according to the Florida Department of Education May 23 is the last day of classes for Escambia County Public Schools students May 29 is the last day of classes for Santa Rosa County District Schools students How did record snowfall impact the school schedule?On Jan. 21, a winter storm dumped an average of 7.27 inches of snow in Santa Rosa County with Milton receiving 10 inches Escambia County received an average of 7.55 inches of the snow which was initially scheduled a professional development day for teachers and staff Santa Rosa Schools also revised its spring semester calendar Students lost a “storm day” (and day off) on March 24 The date was originally a planning day for teachers but students were required to attend classes for half a day May 27 and 28 were also designated full days for Santa Rosa high school and middle school students The two days had originally been early release days because of final exams When do students go back to school?Students in both districts return to classes on Aug Backers describe the project as transformative and say it could create a sense of place in the North Bay’s largest city revitalize the city’s urban core and inject new money into the local economy Santa Rosa officials are exploring one of the city’s most ambitious projects in a generation, a partnership that could bring professional soccer to the city The proposal calls for a new stadium with a minimum of 5,000 seats that would anchor an entertainment district with restaurants Backers describe the project as transformative and say it could create a sense of place and identity in the North Bay’s largest city inject new money into the local economy and boost government coffers Initial conversations about establishing a men’s and women’s soccer team took off last fall between the city and United Soccer League Officials will spend the next year exploring sites for a stadium and financing options as well as engaging with potential investors according to an agreement presented to the City Council recently players could hit the pitch within three years “We’re really excited,” said Justin Papadakis USL deputy chief executive and chief real estate officer “I really think we’re going to do something special here.” United Soccer League operates in more than 200 communities including the second-tier USL Championship league and professional development and youth teams The men’s team could compete in the USL League One or Championship league while the women’s team could complete in the USL W League or Super League Papadakis said there’s an untapped market of soccer fans in Santa Rosa and the broader region whose main interaction with the sport is through the television screen and are eager for a local team to support Talks of a league expansion come as domestic interest in soccer is rising and the United States prepares to jointly host the FIFA Men’s World Cup next summer and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2031 But plans also come as Santa Rosa faces a long-term operating deficit that will require steep cuts City officials say the proposal is worth exploring “We’re always looking at ways to enhance quality of life for Santa Rosa residents and support a thriving local economy,” said City Manager Maraskeshia Smith “Partnering with the USL … reflects our commitment to creating exciting new opportunities for recreation Community members can learn more about the proposal during a forum 4 to 6 p.m Details about the location will be available closer to the date Papadakis said the organization’s market research shows that “by a significant margin across every data point Santa Rosa would be a great soccer market.” There’s a well-established network of youth soccer and limited professional soccer competition The local soccer fan base is made up of a younger aligning with the league’s target demographic which could help create a dedicated sustainable fan base USL revisited the idea of establishing a team in Santa Rosa late last fall who joined the city in September as chief economic development officer The city’s team signed a letter of intent to negotiate a deal with the USL on March 12 the city and USL will scope out sites for a multipurpose stadium with a minimum of 5,000 seats that meets the league’s field and other playing requirements and could also support year-round programming such as concerts and events Santa Rosa officials are examining USL’s partnerships in other similar markets, including Modesto, where city officials and the league have been in talks since September to bring soccer to the Central Valley Papadakis said the site must support a stadium and potentially other ancillary uses like training facilities and smaller fields The sports facilities should anchor a hub with restaurants shops and other development that can draw game day visitors and keep them there throughout the day “We really want to make sure that families in Santa Rosa can go down there but stay here and have a first-class fan experience,” he said “So that’s why we really think about the whole fan journey and programming those other elements around the district are vitally important.” the city and USL will conduct market feasibility studies and analyze demands for residential stadium capacity ranges from 5,000 to 15,000 seats depending on the market and site Some teams have repurposed underutilized facilities or have partnered with local colleges while others have built or are breaking ground on new facilities the Oakland Roots Soccer Club plays at the Oakland Coliseum which has a seating capacity of about 63,000 USL’s club in Monterey Bay plays in the 6,000-seat Cardinale Stadium on the California State University campus and the interest in having a nearby entertainment district facilities such at Santa Rosa Junior College or Sonoma State University are unlikely to meet the needs of a professional team Santa Rosa and USL have begun evaluating sites across the city and league officials have been in town familiarizing themselves with the region One potential site has already emerged: the Sonoma County Fairgrounds Located near Highway 101 and Highway 12 just outside the city center the fairgrounds features an open-air arena golf course and large lawn area across 200 acres During a discussion among members of a city and county group eyeing the creation of a new tax district downtown city planning chief Gabe Osburn said developers the development of sports venues is shifting from city outskirts to more urban areas The fairgrounds are centrally located and would provide the necessary land for a project of this type said the organization is excited about the possibility but has not been formally approached by the city or USL The proposal emerges as the Sonoma County Fair Board announced in April they were canceling the nearly 90-year tradition of horse racing for the 2025 season “We’re certainly curious to hear more about this as it unfolds,” Daly said then it’s something we should definitely consider.” Osburn noted there are other potential locations Two key questions are who will own and manage the site and how will it be paid for Any project is likely to take community buy-in and private investment “These projects can only get done with a private-public partnerships,” Papadakis said “They’re just too big and complicated and require so many different stakeholders to be all private and the size of the projects we want are just too big to do by ourselves.” management structures and financing plans vary across the league In Modesto, city and league officials have identified options, including redeveloping a city-owned property, and estimate a project could cost between $125 million and $150 million, according to an update provided to the council. Potential financing options include bonds or other tax revenues In Boise, one of the other markets Santa Rosa is studying, Boise Pro Soccer broke ground in March on a new 6,200-seat stadium at a former horse racing track at the fairgrounds Construction is being paid for by the team’s investors $150,000 lease with the county for the land Santa Rosa and United Soccer League will explore various stadium ownership management and operation structures and analyze public and private financing options as part of the negotiations The city and USL could tap into local taxes Funding could also come from the proposed downtown tax district a portion of property taxes generated downtown would be used to pay for infrastructure improvements and other projects aimed at revitalizing the city center A preliminary financing plan presented on April 2 to the board of city and county officials set aside a portion of the funds for what planning officials described as a catalyst project like a sports Any public investment could be a big bet for the city at a time of financial uncertainty with declining sales tax revenue and budgetary upheaval at the state and federal levels It also raises questions about who is on the hook if the project is unprofitable League officials will begin engaging with potential investors who would own the team and could secure franchise and stadium rights The proposal has already generated significant buzz said Santa Rosa’s long-term economic development strategy calls for creating a vibrant and economically sustainable city A sports and entertainment hub could play a critical role and we’re looking at other cities where this has been done correctly can help to drive not only business growth but can help to bring community together,” he said New dollars could have a domino effect on businesses beyond the stadium area leading to more travel through the local airport and spending regionwide as teams and fans travel to Santa Rosa for games head coach of the Santa Rosa Junior College women’s soccer team said coaching staff and players are eager to see professional soccer in Santa Rosa Chaidez said local interest has exploded over the years from youth to adult leagues A local team would be a boon to the soccer community and could provide opportunities for local players to continue their career at a professional level at home to Sacramento or the East Bay to watch or play,” she said is a nod to what the soccer community has done for the entire Santa Rosa and Sonoma County area and it would take the soccer world around here to the next level and be really exciting.” You can reach Staff Writer Paulina Pineda at 707-521-5268 or paulina.pineda@pressdemocrat.com It is the largest one-day chicken barbecue west of the Mississippi The Sonoma County 4-H ChickenQue is a long held tradition (64 years and counting) and is the largest one-day chicken barbecue west of the Mississippi It’s not too late to get your meal tickets to this event running from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m Sunday at Saralee and Richard’s Barn at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds along with live music and a must-visit cake table where you can purchase slices or whole cakes made by 4-H members and their families Buy meal tickets online at pdne.ws/4lG1NIr to pick up at will-call You can also purchase tickets at the Sonoma County 4-H office and Lunardi Electric All proceeds benefit 4-H programs for Sonoma County’s 900 youth members Nothing says spring like rosé in your glass which is exactly what you’ll get at Pink Sonoma’s Rosé Fest from noon-3 p.m the event features more than two dozen wineries serving their prettiest pink pours paired with bites from Classic Culinaire catering Guests are encouraged to wear pink attire. Tickets are $93 and can be purchased at pdne.ws/4lMlVcg an organization that advocates for diversity SRJC scored six runs in the seventh inning to rally to a 7-4 win Saturday winning the series and advancing to the NorCal Super Regional round Brice Cox left the field barking at his own dugout as he finished a scoreless sixth inning With the top-seeded Santa Rosa Junior College baseball team trailing 4-1 to No 24 American River and starting to run out of outs the Bear Cubs needed to get something going offensively if they wanted to avoid a sudden-death game in their opening series of the California Community College Athletic Association playoffs Go hit!” Cox yelled at his teammates as he returned to the dugout holding the Beavers scoreless over his last three innings of work SRJC scored six runs in the seventh — highlighted by a go-ahead two-out grand slam from Josh Martin — to rally to a 7-4 win over the Beavers at home Saturday Unreal! @Josh24Martin gives the Bears Cubs the lead with a 2-out grand slam!Bear Cubs have plated 6 in the inning and now lead 7-4. pic.twitter.com/dMw08tRiab SRJC (40-1) was held to just five hits over the first six innings but put together the seventh-inning rally with four hits a hit batter and an error to surge into the lead but all that matters in the postseason is winning and the Bear Cubs’ quest for their fourth CCCAA title is still alive “I wasn’t in love with any part of it,” SRJC head coach Damon Neidlinger said “I’m glad we put up a six spot … but if you’re going where we want to go everybody has got to be competing the right way.” who entered in the second inning with SRJC already down 2-0 pitched 5⅔ strong innings with seven strikeouts and scattered seven hits with two runs to earn the win Those two runs scored in a four-hit third inning that saw American River (16-26) add to its lead at 4-1 He held the Beavers scoreless for the rest of his outing and worked out of several tough situations He bounced back from a leadoff double with three straight groundouts the last he fielded and ran over to first himself “If no one else is going to do it in there try to spark something,” Cox said of his shouts to his dugout at the end of the sixth We had guys in there that were trying to spark it if I can go out and throw a shutout inning and come to the dugout with a bit more energy It didn’t take long for the Bear Cubs to respond Shane Moran and Caze Derammelaere led off the seventh with back-to-back singles and Anane Wilson was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs Tyler Nordyke then brought home Moran and Derammelaere with a ground ball that snuck underneath the glove of American River’s third baseman to make it 4-3 The Beavers looked poised to halt the rally in its tracks with two quick outs the second a groundout that advanced Nordyke and Wilson to second and third The Beavers then elected to intentionally walk JT Summers to set up the force with Martin coming to bat Martin took two quick balls and then hammered an inside fastball out into the parking lot beyond the right field fence his fifth and arguably most important home run of the year “It was 2-0 and I was just thinking to myself I’m going to annihilate it and swing as hard as I can,’” said Martin a San Marin High School grad and recent commit to the University of Hawaii He was mobbed by teammates as he made his way back to the dugout after rounding the bases “He’s pulling for us and we have to pull for him,” Martin said of Cox Closer Raul Valdivia then entered with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and finished the job striking out a pair with a walk in 2⅓ no-hit innings earning his CCCAA-leading 10th save of the year The win also sealed the second 20-game winning streak of the year for SRJC which will host a three-team double-elimination CCCAA NorCal Super Regionals series next week but the Bear Cubs will play their first game Thursday afternoon with more games to follow Friday and Saturday If the Bear Cubs are able to continue their historic season by winning again they’ll advance to the NorCal Regional finals and have a chance to advance to the CCCAA state championship “That’ll definitely be the hardest round for us,” Cox said of Super Regionals I think if we can get out of that unscathed Especially if we have two other Big 8 teams You can reach Staff Writer Gus Morris at 707-304-9372 or gus.morris@pressdemocrat.com A Santa Rosa family of four was temporarily displaced after their home near Montgomery Village caught fire Thursday night A Santa Rosa family was forced out of their home Thursday night after a fire near Montgomery Village filled the house with smoke where they found smoke coming from the attic Crews put out the fire in about 20 minutes It appeared to have started in the garage and spread to the attic The family was temporarily displaced because of the smoke damage The cause of the fire is still under investigation You can reach Staff Writer Alana Minkler at 707-526-8531 or alana.minkler@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter,) @alana_minkler The move is part of a family-friendly celebration aimed at giving residents a safe Lea el artículo en español aquí. Fireworks are returning to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds this Fourth of July marking their first appearance since 2019 and the revival of a cherished local tradition Dubbed “Fired up Freedom,” the Independence Day celebration promises a full evening of entertainment and an array of food and drink from regional vendors The fairgrounds’ last fireworks display was held six years ago before the COVID-19 pandemic and financial constraints forced the annual show to pause organizers say they’ve made it a priority to bring the spectacle back “I think there's been a thirst for it in the community,” said Matthew Daly and it's sort of like people are almost sad that it doesn't happen.” Daly said the fairgrounds board intentionally budgeted for the pyrotechnics this year with hopes of reestablishing the tradition ahead of next year’s milestone celebration: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence “This day is not just about the sky lighting up with dazzling colors; it's about coming together as a community to celebrate our freedom and the joy of summer,” the fairgrounds said in a statement The Santa Rosa Fire Department will be on site to ensure safety public fireworks display could help curb the use of illegal fireworks in neighborhoods — a common concern when there’s no official event Organizers say they’ve worked to keep the event accessible Tickets are $10 per person and include parking though the full schedule is still being finalized “They’ll never get another dime from me,” said Lynda Hopkins chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors adding that the company has chosen to take part in the “deportation industrial complex” rather than support the local tourist economy Sonoma County officials blasted Avelo Airlines’ decision to shutter its operations base at the county’s regional airport to divert resources to Arizona where the company will provide deportation flights under a contract with the Department of Homeland Security The closure comes less than a year after Avelo opened its base at the Charles M which at the time was lauded by local officials as new era of growth for the airport adding that Avelo’s move would be a blow to the local economy as well as other destinations the airline served Along with the closure of its Santa Rosa hub Avelo also eliminated several destinations to Montana “What’s insane is that the Trump administration is making it more lucrative to participate in the deportation industrial complex than supporting the local tourist economy,” she said When Avelo opened its Sonoma County base last year the airline said it would add 50 new jobs four new markets and two Boeing 737 planes to be parked overnight at the airport That base is now scheduled to close May 1 on the one-year anniversary of its opening The airline will still offer some flights through the local airport Stout notified all five county supervisors of the planned closure in an email Monday night “As a result of this new charter operation mechanics and air crews currently based the Charles M Schulz — Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa will be offered reassignments and closing the base at STS,” Stout wrote STS is the three-letter airport code for Santa Rosa Stout said the airline notified him of its plans for the Santa Rosa hub on Thursday He said first learned of Avelo’s ICE contract Monday through a story published online on airlinegeeks.com A spokesman for Avelo said Tuesday that its Santa Rosa employees would be given transfer opportunities to Mesa The spokesperson said also confirmed that the last remaining Avelo airplane based in Santa Rosa would be transferred to the new Mesa hub In a job listing on recruiting.paylocity.com Avelo states job candidates will be expected to “ensure the safety and comfort” of airline customers and crew members; respond safely to a range of in-flight emergencies Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo said she felt bad for local Avelo employees who might lose their jobs or have to relocate She added that she does not support Avelo’s business decision or its participation in “separating families.” Hermosillo said she hoped the remaining airlines serving the local airport would expand services and that local travelers would give them their business instead “I hope Avelo focuses on staying in Arizona,” she said “I for one know the types of airlines that I’ll be flying on and supporting with my own dollars,” she added Under Avelo’s new contract with the Department of Homeland Security the deportation flights will be both domestic and international It’s unclear whether any of those domestic flights would include Sonoma County airport Some local officials shuddered at the idea I would call against that,” Supervisor James Gore said “I would be out there with many thousands of Sonoma County residents with signs protesting,” she said a community organizer for Raices Collective said Avelo should not be allowed to operate in Sonoma County regardless of whether its deportation operations occur locally or elsewhere in the country “It’s unconscionable that this airline decided it can earn profits by being part of the mass deportation machine,” Saucedo Supervisor Chris Coursey said Avelo may view the DHS contract as “a good decision financially,” but it may hurt the company long-term “They’re not going to make friends in Sonoma County with this decision,” Coursey said Avelo’s deportation flights are scheduled to begin on May 12 and will operate out of the Phoenix/Mesa Gateway Airport in the far southeastern suburbs of Phoenix You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com There are still some places in the Rio Grande Valley with a lot of water but there are even more people trying to repair their homes Volunteers with Minuteman Disaster Response are mucking It's a process of removing water damaged drywall insulation and flooring from homes that were affected by the flooding The group of seven volunteers deployed to the Valley last week So far they have helped clean out six homes in Cameron County Minuteman Disaster Response National Development Assistant Executive Director John Lebeau says they are working with Cameron County to identify homes in need "The county shares that database with Minutemen and says here is your list' and they keep updating the database to see who's been helped and who still needs help," Lebeau said Lebeau says the goal is to help clean out at least 15 to 20 homes The group plans to stay in the Valley until April 27 Anyone needing help with their homes can call Cameron County Emergency Management to put on the list that is shared with the volunteer group KQED Live Events PRX Podcast Garage Events Events Around the Bay Area Member Benefits with KQED Live Videos from KQED LiveWatch recordings of recent KQED Live events Featured That's My WordAn ongoing exploration of Bay Area hip-hop history See Senior Director of TV Programming Meredith Speight’s recommendations from this month’s KQED 9 Watch recordings of recent KQED Live events Support KQED by using your donor-advised fund to make a charitable gift The Press Democrat’s former printing facility in Rohnert Park on April 11 The sale of the Sonoma County papers to the owner of San José Mercury News and East Bay Times was a surprise twist in a plan to initially sell to SF Chronicle-owner Hearst (Gina Castro/KQED)The Santa Rosa Press Democrat and sister publications have been acquired by the MediaNews Group the nation’s largest private newspaper operator — and not media conglomerate Hearst said the newsroom was “stunned” by the sale which staff learned about in an email from the MediaNews Group — a newspaper publisher owned by hedge fund Alden Global Capital — and not from management “We have a lot of questions,” Barber told KQED “We’re a pretty optimistic group by nature and we certainly want to make the most of this and hope for the best but it’s going to open up a period of uncertainty for us.” managing member of Sonoma Media Investments — which owns the North Bay papers — said a viable independent local press was vital to the North Bay community its staff and most importantly the public will be best served under the stewardship of MediaNews Group with the newspaper expertise and financial resources necessary to carry on our mission of delivering the highest-caliber local journalism for future North Bay generations,” Anderson said The announcement was the latest twist in a winding plan to find a new owner for the paper which has been under local ownership since 2012 Earlier this month, The Press Democrat’s staff faced a difficult choice of waiving their union contract in order to make the Hearst deal possible While the union had concerns that Hearst would not recognize their current contract Barber said staff were pressured into signing a memorandum of understanding so that the deal could be made the next communication that we get is that we’re being sold to Alden,” Barber said While it is not clear what happened to the deal with Hearst or why the sale to MediaNews Group went through Barber said that the newsroom was told that all jobs at The Press Democrat and its sister publications were secure and staff would be allowed to maintain their current union contracts While that news was a “great relief,” Barber said which also includes Bay Area papers like the San Jose Mercury News and East Bay Times in its portfolio has earned a reputation among journalists for buying distressed newspapers and gutting their ranks the papers were in local hands for nearly a century “We’ve all enjoyed our independence and our collaboration as a small cluster of publications,” Barber said The Santa Rosa Press Democrat garnered a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for its tenacious coverage of wildfires in Sonoma County “We are honored to bring a newspaper of this quality into MediaNews Group,” said Frank Pine “We appreciate the importance of local news and information to the communities where we publish and are proud to expand our commitment to Northern California in the North Bay.” KQED’s Natalia Navarro contributed to this report To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. Here are some go-to local spots for excellent tacos quest fresco chars beans from Cascabel Mexican Bar & Grill in Santa Rosa red onions and cilantro from Cascabel Mexican Bar & Grill in Santa Rosa Family-friendly Mexican classics keep Los Tres Chiles packed The giant bacon-wrapped chimichanga dares you to eat it Al pastor tacos from Las Palmas in Santa Rosa Mushroom tacos from the Lucha Sabina food truck at Mitote Food Park in Santa Rosa Tlayuda from the Maria Machetes food truck at Mitote Food Park includes a giant tortilla topped with chapulines (fried grasshoppers) A variety of Mexican dishes served at the Mitote Food Park in Santa Rosa Ramiro Morales prepares tacos al pastor that was cooked the traditional way on a trompo Molcajete at Taqueria Molcajetes in Santa Rosa Carnitas tacos from Taqueria California in Santa Rosa Tacos al Pastor from Cielito Lindo restaurant in Santa Rosa Caldo De Siete Mares is a seafood soup of scallops and white fish in broth with vegetables from Cielito Lindo restaurant in Santa Rosa (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat) Tacos de Birria con queso with consomme for dipping from Cielito Lindo restaurant in Santa Rosa Enchiladas Michoacan includes five enchiladas filled with quest fresco covered in guajillo sauce with potatoes and marinated chicken from Cielito Lindo restaurant in Santa Rosa pickled onions and avocado from Cielito Lindo restaurant in Santa Rosa Quesadillas are nice, but a machete — a super-sized quesadilla with extra goodies inside — is what you come to El Fogon for. Mexico City street food like pambazo (a torta dipped in red pepper sauce) is also spectacular. (El Fogon) Cochinita Pibil Tacos from Quiote in downtown Petaluma Jalisco-style Chicken Enchiladas with Mole from Quiote in downtown Petaluma rice and organic homemade tortillas at Tortilla Real Mexican Kitchen in Petaluma Chicken enchiladas served with beans and rice at Tortilla Real Mexican Kitchen in Petaluma Tortillas are made from scratch while you wait at El Molino Central in Sonoma Beer-battered fish tacos with avocado lime mayo The chicken mole enchilada by chef Efrain Balmes at Sonoma Eats in Sonoma Tuesday The Baja fish tacos by Chef Efrain Balmes at Sonoma Eats in Sonoma and Baja fish tacos by Chef Efrain Balmes at Sonoma Eats in Sonoma Tuesday November 22 toasted pumpkin seeds and plantains served with mezcal served in a decorated gourd at Agave Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar in Healdsburg The old El Farolito is now Gallina D’Oro with outdoor seating just off the square Friday Flautas Platter has rolls filled with shredded chicken and cheese drizzled with chipotle aioli and a side of jalapeño and pineapple jelly pork ribs in a green tomatillo sauce with nopales A festive lunch is enjoyed at El Milagro in Cloverdale Traditional moles and regional Mexican cuisine from El Milagro Healdsburg Everyone has a favorite neighborhood taco shop and arguing over who has the best burritos Over years of covering restaurants in Sonoma County I’ve collected some tried-and-true spots where you can’t go wrong So the next time you’re haggling with your friends over where to sit down for a Mexican feast Looking for the best burrito in Sonoma County? Click here Cascabel: Elevated Mexican flavors in a welcoming Montgomery Village location. Bite-sized potato pancakes with mole, barbacoa, and conchinita pibil — braised pork marinated in citrus and annatto seed — are top picks. 909 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-521-9444, cascabelbayarea.com Los Tres Chiles: Family-friendly Mexican classics keep this Bennett Valley restaurant packed. The giant bacon-wrapped chimichanga dares you to eat it. 2765 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-304-5724, lostreschiles.com Taqueria Las Palmas: No-frills street tacos and burritos that consistently impress La Texanita: Stellar Mexican antojitos (snacks) like stuffed sopes and the Torta Texana with chorizo made this a Guy Fieri favorite. 1667 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, 707-527-7331, latexanita.com Mitote Food Park: A rotating lineup of food trucks, a mezcal cocktail bar and chocolate-filled churros make this a one-stop shop. Now in a new location. 100 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, mitotefoodpark.com Taqueria Molcajetes: This neighborhood taqueria gained national notoriety after Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives took notice of their sizzling molcajetes carne asada and al pastor tacos have made this humble taqueria a darling of the delivery scene Caramel-filled churros and sweet Jamaica agua frescas end the meal deliciously Cielito Lindo: The list of add-ons to their super burritos is impressive, from al pastor and shredded chicken to soy chorizo, shrimp, potatoes and skirt steak. 52 Mission Blvd., Suite 110, Santa Rosa, 707-978-2070, instagram.com/cielitolindosantarosa El Fogon Taco Shop: Quesadillas are nice, but a machete — a super-sized quesadilla with extra goodies inside — is what you’re here for. Mexico City street food like pambazo (a torta dipped in red pepper sauce) is also spectacular. 623 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-575-0574; 6576 Oakmont Drive, Suite A, Santa Rosa, 408-872-9953, elfogontacoshopca.com Tortilla Real Mexican Kitchen: Hit up the weekend brunch in this adorable downtown Petaluma cafe for chilaquiles, huevos rancheros and tortas. 5 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-658-1415, tortillareal.com El Molino Central: Tortillas are made from scratch while you wait. Beer-battered fish tacos with avocado lime mayo, ahi tostadas and tamales are best bets. Pick up Mole Enchiladas in the cold case to heat up at home. 11 Central Ave., Sonoma, 707-939-1010, elmolinocentral.com Sonoma Eats: Chef Efrain Balmes makes the best Oaxacan food in Sonoma County using high-quality, locally farmed ingredients at a good price, infused with his heart and soul. The Mole Enchilada is what you’re here for. Other best bets include Baja Fish Tacos and Potato Tacos. 18133 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, 707-343-1141, sonoma-eats.com Agave: Mole, a rich dark sauce made with more than 20 ingredients, is the signature of this family-owned restaurant. A large selection of imported mezcal is also a star attraction. 1063 Vine St., Healdsburg, 707-433-2411, agavehealdsburg.com Gallina D’Oro (formerly El Farolito): Owned by the same family as Agave (and several other great Mexican restaurants), you can get their signature mole Oaxaqueno, tacos ahogados and quesabirria, plus tasty mezcal-infused cocktails. 128 Plaza St., Healdsburg, 707-433-2807, gallinadoro.com Sheldon Flinn planted peanuts on 75 acres in Santa Rosa County's Allentown community April 28 for what he believes will be the last time "This is probably our last year out there," he said "Obviously we're under a lot of pressure from developers It has really impacted farmers and the farming community," said Trent Matthews Santa Rosa's district conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service "It's hard even trying to get down the road in a tractor." He wasn't the first to suggest moving the county's rural protection zone south to help protect farmers from development pressure but this year he has successfully lobbied his fellow board members to bring the concept to a vote A public hearing will be held at the May 8 regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners to consider pushing an existing Rural Protection Zone approximately four miles south from its present location at County Road 182 A new southern boundary will be established along a line that on the west side of the county designates the border between the Pace and Allentown fire districts and the Allentown and Skyline fire districts "This would be more of an actual line," Rowell said who has been critical at times of the arbitrary nature of the existing Rural Protection Zone Plans call for a "transition zone" to be designated to extend one mile below the new rural protection zone to allow a smooth transition from urban to rural space Agricultural experts present annual reports to the County Commission to remind them of the importance of the farmland National Agricultural Statistics Service and University of Florida statistics collected for the County Commission last year showed 752 farms in Santa Rosa County 9,526 people employed in businesses associated with farming and nearly $90 million in annual revenue generated from livestock and crop production Eight row crops make up the county's primary inventory with peanuts and cotton by far the most popular Santa Rosa County battles neighboring Escambia County most years to place second behind Jackson County for the state's highest yields of both peanuts and cotton In 2023 it was estimated Santa Rosa had 17,485 acres dedicated to cotton production and harvested 11 million pounds holding a gross value of $8.9 million Two of Florida's four cotton gins are found in Santa Rosa County There were 21,522 acres used for peanut production that same year and Santa Rosa County farmers harvested 24,406 tons of peanuts and made $12.8 million from doing so "We're approaching a billion dollar industry in the past decade in agriculture in Santa Rosa County," Santa Rosa's Conservation Program Coordinator Levi Blackmon told board members "In every year for the last 10 years we have had an average of at least $90 million in revenue." Ever encroaching developmentFlinn farms about 2,000 total acres with his father and grandfather in the Allentown community and the area around Pond Creek the family owns some of the land they raise crops upon and some of it like the 75 acres he presumes lost to development has gotten "horrible," and the farming economy in general is not good "It's not good and it hasn't been good for several years now," he said He said he could see a time when he is done farming and there is nobody coming along behind him to take his place harvesting the fields While he said he sees the value of protecting the agricultural economy it's hard to look past the lure of the kind of money developers interested in acquiring property are willing to pay "If I have all this land and can make a heck of a lot out of selling it "If you get a chance to make some pretty good money More: Farming in Santa Rosa is nearly a billion dollar industry. So why is it disappearing? Estimates of how much land will be added to the existing Rural Protection District with the proposed expansion range between 70,000 and 100,000 acres Matthews said that as large a swath of land as that seems to be it comprises just one-sixth of the total land area of the county The area brought into the Rural Protection Zone with the southerly slide of its border pushes the boundary into an area Matthews described as "currently rural but in some places on the fringe of where urban sprawl is happening." "There's kind of scattered development where farming is being impacted," he said pointing to 10 Mile Road in Chumuckla as one location where farmers are struggling mightily just to get access to their land but you can't get a tractor through it because people have built right up to the road," Matthews said "It's hard enough to get a pick up truck through there." Can forward thinking save the farmland?Matthews said that establishing and enforcing a rural protection zone will give county leaders breathing room to better plan for future growth and balancing the needs of a growing community and a long established agricultural culture "From my perspective it's really a positive," he said It's hoped we can slow it down and plan for the future what land use might look like in Santa Rosa County." Once the change to the boundary is established the County Commission will begin the process of establishing some framework by which to make the guiding principles for which it was established work in the real world The Rural Protection Zone presently exists as a separate document within the county's Land Development Code and according to County Commissioner Colten Wright Commissioners discussed at length at an April 21 meeting what language they would like to see added to the Rural Protection Zone document to give it some muscle Rowell said it will be important to ensure that no existing zoning will be changed as a result of adoption of the new boundary line and that the document not prevent smart growth and development around "crossroad communities" within the Rural Protection Zone would be based on an existing future land use plan "That's still allowing smart growth while preserving what we have in District 3," he said One thing he and other commissioners agreed they want to see eliminated is 70 foot lot lines Rowell suggested the lot lines within the Rural Protection Zone be extended to 125 or 150 feet Commissioner Bobby Burkett said that seeing an acre of land set aside for development on a lot 70-feet across "gets all over me." "It looks like you're trying to build on a basketball court Wright called the existing Rural Protection Zone "a document that contradicts itself." He said he does not favor rural zoning that limits home construction to one dwelling unit per acre and indicated he could get on board with development that provides for higher density housing but insists that at least 50% of a developed site be devoted to agriculture or conservation much as like was envisioned by the county's since-eliminated alternative subdivision provision Wright also said he wants to see provisions included to protect important waterways such as the Blackwater River and Pond Creek which was a proposal championed by Milton area resident John Szymoniak but this strengthening the Rural Protection Zone ordinances is going to be a very long term thing critical to the watersheds in this county," Szymoniak said All activities are weather-dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway For more information visit the Florida Department of Transportation District Three on the web at www.nwflroads.com Copyright © document.currentScript.insertAdjacentHTML('afterend', '' + new Intl.DateTimeFormat(document.documentElement.lang, {year: 'numeric'}).format() + ''); Santa Rosa Press Gazette. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy Forgot your password? which acquired Tribune Publishing for $633 million in 2021 one of the founding members of a group called Save Our Soundside notified county planning officials about the glitch in the proposal put forward by property owner William Coots for Santa Rosa County Zoning Board consideration Coots has subsequently pulled his request to rezone the property from single family residential to highway commercial development from the board's May 8 meeting agenda "The applicant has tabled his request until next month," said County Planning and Zoning Director Shawn Ward Ward said the 4.9 acre easement in question had been identified as a road on county zoning maps and a former owner had wanted the land vacated at that time the District 5 county commissioner representing the Gulf Breeze area called upon fellow board members to support a resolution to establish a permanent conservation easement on the property He received unanimous support to do so with one commissioner absent from the meeting The resolution codifying the easement states that the county "shall prohibit the construction of any structure intended for residential or commercial use." "Any use of the subject property shall be limited to those that protect the environmental integrity of the subject property," it said Ward said paperwork generated through the creation of the easement seemed to indicate Lynchard had determined the vacated parcel to be a wetlands area that the county would be unable to do anything with and had therefore decided to create the easement Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser records show purchased the conservation easement property in April of 2024 for $100 despite it being clearly labeled on the agency's website as such He also bought two other parcels the same month all in the 6100 block of Gulf Breeze Parkway Beckie Cato who was to represent Coots at the Zoning Board meeting said May 2 the existence of the perpetual conservation easement "had just come to light in the last week." "That's the reason for the delay," she said "The county attorney contacted us and we agreed it would be better if we wait for a month." Cato declined to provide contact information for Coots Coots purchased the land protected by the conservation easement from David May In correspondence between Ward and Pavelick Ward responded to a question about whether a seller would be required to inform a buyer of the perpetual conservation easement "But a title search would identify the conservation easement (and) the Property Appraiser’s Office identifies it as a conservation easement as well A potential buyer would hopefully do their due diligence to identify any wetlands or potential stormwater issues." Last year the Zoning Board approved without objection a request from Coots to rezone land on the 6200 block of Gulf Breeze Parkway for highway commercial development His application for the pending rezoning notes that a previous rezoning "straightened out the southern boundary of an area now zoned for highway commercial development." The developer later decided that extending the area zoned commercial down to an existing wetland barrier would be "more amenable for cohesive development" and remove a small area of land zoned residential it would impact the northern 653 feet of three individual parcels and add approximately 3 acres to the existing highway commercial development zoning A wetlands assessment report conducted by Wetland Sciences Incorporated on behalf of the developer states that more than half of the parcel reviewed is comprised of wetlands but makes no mention of the existence of the perpetual conservation easement "the actual area proposed for rezoning to highway commercial development is predominantly upland." "The adjacent wetlands will be protected as required by the county Florida Department of Environmental Protection and U.S Army Corps of Engineers," the application states the senior scientist who signed off on the wetlands report did not return a phone call seeking comment just because it says perpetuity doesn't mean it's permanent," he said Pavelik said she wants to see the entire 4.9 acres protected under the easement remain free from development "I'm not sure how much they wanted to rezone but once you start cutting into it who knows what will happen?" she said "If it's a conservation easement that means there's wildlife on it Organizers across the United States have framed this year’s protests as a pushback against what they called a sweeping assault on labor protections diversity initiatives and federal employees Lea el artículo en español aquí. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world turned out Thursday for rallies marking International Workers’ Day many united in anger over President Donald Trump’s agenda — from aggressive tariffs stoking fears of global economic turmoil to immigration crackdowns thousands of people joined planned rallies in Sonoma and Napa counties at least 300 people gathered Thursday afternoon outside the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Mexican and state of California flags and toting dozens of signs “Justice for immigrants,” “100 Days of Hell,” “Bring back federal workers,” “No DICtator,” “Abolish ICE,” “Democracy not oligarchy” and “Hands Off our Immigrant Neighbors!” the group then marched to Old Courthouse Square downtown where they joined hundreds of others as they listened to music and planned speakers “America was built on all of us coming from other places,” said Mary Pappas as she made her way down Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa with the procession People with signs lined Third Street on the square awaiting the arrival of the walking masses “The abuse and criminal behavior,” Pappas said “They are pulling people out of their homes members of The Hubbub Club band of Sebastopol played tunes as the marchers approached from the north passing drivers honked in support of protest signs that displayed Trump’s face and called for “No Kings!” Thursday’s action and rally on the square was about building connections to protect vulnerable communities from the Trump administration’s actions whether that is deportations or dialing back long-established LGBTQ+ protections “I’m hoping to get connected to more people to be safe,” she said “You are not safe unless you are connected and plugged in you are not safe and that community needs to stand up for you as a trans woman standing up for immigrants,” she said the usual afternoon traffic flowed along the East Washington Street corridor as more than 70 protesters gathered on the south side of the freeway overpass Passing cars — traveling beneath the Highway 101 overpass and along the east-west city street — honked continuously in support of the group Some of the protesters held signs that read “Tariffs Cause Job Losses,” “Save Social Security,” and “Eat the rich.” said many of the participants are “unhappy” with the current the Trump administration He underscored that “May Day is about workers.” People decried the administration’s cuts to funding for scientific research while still others said Trump’s actions are threatening the U.S "A lot of us have been feeling overwhelmed and wondering what the heck we can do in Petaluma we haven't had any events that we could easily get to so I thought that this would be a nice way for people to be able to express their feelings about the horrible regime in Washington," Little said about 200 people turned up at Veterans Memorial Park to protest sang along to a protest song and marched around the city’s downtown bridges waving signs to passing motorists who honked in support Protester Denise Faciani said she’d been at several major protests recently and the potential loss of due process rights is a huge reason people need to be protesting now She referenced the high-profile abduction and deportation of Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador by the Trump administration saying that it was important to stand up for due process rights for moral and constitutional reasons Others spoke to the pressures face by immigrants and immigrant workers Napa City Council member Bernie Narvaez said in a speech that he couldn’t help but think of his own parents on International Workers’ Day who immigrated to the United States from Mexico to build a better future “International Workers’ Day is not just any day,” Narvaez said The Associated Press and Press Democrat staff writers Kerry Benefield Edward Booth and Jennifer Sawhney contributed to this report The magnitude 2.9 quake occurred at 3:43 p.m. A magnitude 2.9 quake that rattled Santa Rosa Wednesday afternoon was felt across Sonoma County The earthquake occurred at 3:43 p.m., according to the U.S Geological Survey. The epicenter was 2.1 miles southeast of Santa Rosa, according to USGS mapping. There have been no reports of any significant damage or injuries. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Santa Rosa Fire Department (@santarosafire) Contact Staff Writer Anna Armstrong at 707-521-5255 or anna.armstrong@pressdemocrat.com Our dining editor shares some of Sonoma County’s lesser-known breakfast spots Brunch items include: GB Cinnamon Babka French Toast with two eggs chicken apple sausage and orange ginger butter along with beverages: a Mimosa and a Weekend at Bubbie’s that has tequila Other plates are: Lox & Latke Benedict Terri’s Favorite containing griddled house pastrami (Photo by Darryl Bush / For The Press Democrat) Lox & Latke Benedict with Caviar from Grossman’s Deli Friday Fresh baked breads from Marla SR Bakery and Cafe November 16 Cappuccino and a scone from Marla SR Bakery and Cafe November 16 a croissant-like muffin covered with with maple sugar and sea salt from Marla Bakery Eggs Benedict at Dierk's Parkside Cafe in Santa Rosa French toast with Sal Do Chenin Blanc from J & M’s Midtown Café Oct Smoked Salmon Hash with house-smoked salmon two eggs any style and lemon horseradish sauce from J & M’s Midtown Cafe New England Red Flannel Hash with country potatoes two eggs and arugula from J & M’s Midtown Cafe North Bay Vegetable Hash with seasonal vegetables two eggs any style and pesto from J & M’s Midtown Cafe Thursday (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat) Poached Egg Salad with a Pineapple Chili Shrub from the new J & M’s Midtown Café October 23 Karina Figueroa arranges a tray of pastries at Tia Maria Panaderia y Pasteleria in Santa Rosa Coworkers Chelsea Zieske and Diego Garcia eat breakfast at Tia Maria Panaderia y Pasteleria in Santa Rosa on Tuesday at Tia Maria Panaderia y Pasteleria in Santa Rosa on Tuesday Rosca de Reyes (Celebrate Three Kings) from Tia Maria Panaderia y Pasteleria in Santa Rosa Mocha Tres Leches cake from Tia Maria Panaderia in Santa Rosa Pumpkin Cheese Cake from Tia Maria Panaderia y Pasteleria in Santa Rosa a German-style pancake with caramelized sugar ginger and turmeric; Prickly Pear Margarita; the Beet with carrot apple and ginger; and a Cafe Mocha on the menu at Brothers Cafe in Santa Rosa Mushroom hash and eggs with organic mushrooms onions and red bell peppers topped with two poached eggs and a homemade biscuit on the side Guy Fieri tries blueberry pancakes at Hank's Creekside in Santa Rosa tomato and Hollandaise sauce on an English muffin Grilled Vegetable Hash at Jeffrey's Hillside Cafe in Santa Rosa on Thursday Chicken-fried chicken with gravy at Americana in Sebastopol French toast on the Early Bird menu at Americana in Sebastopol Chilaquiles at Chila-Killer Cafe in Rohnert Park A selection of dishes from the brunch menu at Sarmentine Bakery in Petaluma Salmon Benedict on the brunch menu at Sarmentine Bakery in Petaluma French toast on the brunch menu at Sarmentine Bakery in Petaluma Avocado toast on the brunch menu at Sarmentine Bakery in Petaluma Counter Culture food story Sax's Joint fried chicken and waffles Open wide for a pancake the size of a pizza at Sax's Joint in Petaluma Pastry case at Stellina Pronto in Petaluma Avocado toast with butternut squash and pomegranate seeds from Baker & Cook in Boyes Hot Springs John and Jenny Purcell at Baker & Cook in Boyes Hot Springs on Wednesday Strawberries & Cream French Toast with ciabatta bread strawberry lemon compote and sweet cream from the The Wild Poppy along the Bodega Hwy west of Sebastopol Friday Emily Wilson delivers morning cocktails to patrons on eating in the back patio and The Wild Poppy Cafe along the Bodega Highway west of Sebastopol Friday 2024 (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat) A brunch spread at Wild Poppy Cafe in Sebastopol scones and other baked items from the The Wild Poppy Cafe along the Bodega Highway west of Sebastopol Friday Dan Talbert grabs a cup of coffee at Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen at Creekside Park in Monte Rio Shakshuka — a Middle Eastern dish of poached egg onions and a side of hummus and puffy pita bread — at Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen in Monte Rio Breakfast sandwich from Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen in Monte Rio Strawberry cheesecake from Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen in Monte Rio Cinnamon French toast made from Village Bakery brioche topped with butter organic raspberries and real maple syrup with orange slices sparkling wine and a cappuccino at Estero Cafe in Valley Ford Breakfast sandwich from Estero Cafe in Valley Ford and apple cider vinaigrette dressing and a mimosa at Estero Cafe in Valley Ford on Wednesday Lemon Ricotta Hotcake with Acorn house lemon curd oat crumble and lemon lavender ice cream from the Acorn Cafe Thursday Tiramisu French toast with whipped mascarpone coffee ice cream and cocoa nibs on Goguette brioche from the Acorn Cafe Thursday ‘Shop Local’ Benedict with Journeyman bacon brown butter hollandaise and Acorn breakfast potatoes from the Acorn Cafe Thursday fresh herbs and Goguette sourdough with a Big Sur juice from the Acorn Cafe Thursday Breakfast and brunch are the focus of Chef Beryl Adler's Acorn Cafe in Healdsburg Amina Syammach and the Quail & Condor bakery team create a mosaic of pastries for the early morning rush Monday The selection of pastries from Quail & Condor bakery Monday Salted Egg Morning Bun from Quail & Condor bakery Monday Shrimp and grits at The Parish Cafe in Healdsburg Breakfast special with poached eggs and hollandaise at Parish Cafe in Healdsburg Rockin' A Adventure Cafe owner Trevor Ambrosini takes down an order as Ashley de Ramus fills another takes a break from selling morning beverages at his drive-thru coffee shop Scrambled eggs and toast won’t get me out of bed but flash a sticky bun and some hollandaise my way In Sonoma County, the breakfast scene runs the gamut, from simple plates of pancakes to fancy caviar-blinged Benedicts to crackly croissants And while better-known haunts get plenty of love you might be surprised by some unexpected breakfast favorites from Petaluma to Cloverdale and everywhere in between Grossman’s Noshery & Bar: Of course, you’ll find great bagels and schmears at this Jewish-style deli, but insiders know to order the lox and latke Benedict with schmaltz hollandaise – because who needs English muffins when you have latkes? Add caviar if you’re feeling fancy. 308 Wilson St., 707-595-7707, grossmanssr.com Marla Bakery: Only you can make the decision between the maple sugar and sea salt-dusted crebble (a croissant muffin) or the finger-licking sticky bun. Go for broke and get both — and since you’re there, add a fudgy dark chocolate brownie for later. 208 Davis St., 707-852-4091, marlabakery.com Dierk’s Parkside Cafe: This humble café has reached icon status in Santa Rosa for its chef-driven menu and twist on breakfast standards. The Country Benedict on a crispy baguette with roasted tomatoes will always be my favorite, but the hash and cinnamon-dusted pull-a-parts are a close second. 404 Santa Rosa Ave., 707-573-5955, dierksparkside.com J&M’s Midtown Cafe: Former Ramen Gaijin chef Joel Shaw’s weekly specials (like Hot Cross Bun sliders that sell out in minutes) are always a treat, but for traditionalists, the French toast is a winner — fresh ciabatta baguette dipped in egg, milk and cinnamon batter, leaving the inside soft and custard-like and the exterior crisp. 1422 Fourth St., 707-545-2233, jm-midtowncafe.com Tia Maria: At this neighborhood bakery and cafe, a sweet concha roll stuffed with scrambled egg, melty cheese and thick strips of bacon is pressed in a sandwich grill for a sweet, salty, creamy handheld breakfast sando like no other. Grab a Mexican hot chocolate for the road. 44 Sebastopol Ave., 707-540-9864, tiamaria.world Brother’s Café: Most folks whiz by this setback cafe, located between a motel and a Mountain Mike’s on a nothing-burger stretch of Cleveland Avenue. Seek it out for the sticky-crunchy Dutch baby German pancake with caramelized apples. Also excellent are the biscuits with mushroom gravy. 3135 Cleveland Ave., 707-541-6345, brotherscafesr.com Hank’s Creekside Cafe: Expect to sit around reading the paper on Saturday and Sunday mornings waiting for a table at this quirky Santa Rosa breakfast institution. Fluffy pancakes as big as your head, sausage, eggs and huevos rancheros, all served with a side of local cred and a homemade touch. Biscuits are made from scratch, eggs are fresh and the cottage fries are “Oh, my God” good. 2800 Fourth St., 707-575-8839, hanks-creekside.com Jeffrey’s Hillside Café: Former John Ash & Co. chef brings Wine Country dining to breakfast. Don’t miss their chilaquiles, Southern-inspired biscuits and gravy, sticky bun French toast and cheese blintzes with lemon curd. Lines can get long on weekends, so put on your patient hat — it’s sooooo worth the wait. 2901 Fourth St., 707-546-6317, jeffreyshillsidecafe.com Criminal Baking Co: You can smell the buttery goodness even before you head inside. Sinful Sandos are a must, as is the Fun Guy, with mushrooms, bacon, spinach, goat cheese, basil and arugula pesto, lemon curd and a baked egg. Plus, burritos, granola, quiche and daily pastries. Owner Dawn Zaft and her team also make plenty of gluten-free bagels and vegan pastries. 808 Donahue St., 707-888-3546, criminalbakingcompany.com Chila-Killer Café: The name riffs on the restaurant’s signature dish, chilaquiles, a hearty breakfast (or hangover helper) of fried corn tortillas soaked in red or green salsa and topped with eggs, cheese, crema and pork carnitas. Killer portions will either break you or fuel you. 5979 Commerce Blvd., 707-595-1779, instagram.com/chila.killer.cafe Sarmentine: Brunch with a French accent includes salmon-laden croissants with hollandaise, a side of gratin potatoes that put home fries to shame and bread pudding in a pool of crème anglaise. You’ll also want to leave with a fresh baguette and croissants for dinner. 840 Petaluma Blvd. N., 707-623-9595, sarmentine.com Sax’s Joint: Giant cinnamon rolls and pancakes the size of a small hubcap are the signatures of this 1950s-style café. Run by sassy sisters, it’s raucous fun but can be hectic on weekends. 317 Petaluma Ave., 707-559-3021, saxsjoint.com Baker and Cook: Fresh buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy are legendary at this Boyes Hot Springs café. Originating in 19th-century lumberjack camps, this gut-stuffing breakfast warms the heart and fills the belly for a long day of timbering — or couch rotting. A side salad makes the whole thing almost healthy. 18812 Highway 12, 707-938-7329, bakerandcooksonoma.com Lightwave Coffee & Kitchen: Follow the signs to the Monte Rio skate park, where you’ll find a curious walk-up café. You’ll want to order the warming breakfast shakshuka with tomato-y eggs and whatever pie is on the menu. 9725 Main St., 707-865-5169, lightwavecafe.square.site Estero Café: The “classic American farm-to-table” menu has made it a popular stop for diners headed to the coast. Serving locally sourced breakfast and lunch daily, dishes like chicken-fried Stemple Creek Ranch steak with country gravy and greens, Dungeness crab roll and King trumpet mushroom melt with Estero Gold cheese are local favorites. 14450 Highway 1, 707-876-3333, esterocafe.com Parish Café: Best known for its Louisiana-style shrimp and grits, beignets and po’boys, Parish has a Southern-style breakfast with its standards (yes, you can eat shrimp and grits for breakfast) as well as bananas Foster French toast and a Benedict with fried Gulf shrimp and Tasso ham. Chicory coffee is a staple. 60A Mill St., 707-431-8474, theparishcafe.com You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats -- Emotions are still high over on Ibis Road Developers are reporting thousands of dollars in damage to their equipment after a recent development on their project The company was building a connecting road between a new and existing neighborhood. Residents are standing firm saying they have nothing to do with the damage Project manager Cecil Sasser tells WEAR News this damage extends beyond the equipment impacting the livelihood of their employees Sasser says construction could be slowing down over on Ibis Road as Heaton Brothers Construction Company reports thousands of dollars in damage to their equipment "We're real not sure what exactly we're going to be able to fix," said Sasser "And we're not sure exactly what we're going to be able to necessarily do about it yet." The company’s attorney says vandalizers drilled holes into equipment sitting on the developers property The Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office estimates more than $900,000 in damage Sasser says the company started working on a new subdivision near the Avalon Estates Community about a year ago He says the company noticed the vandalism after a recent development in the neighborhood "We didn't have any problems or any issues until we broke ground to break through into the Ibis Road section of it," said Sasser The sheriff's office says they received the report of vandalism on Monday telling WEAR News they did not want to make matters worse Multiple people say they had nothing to do with the vandalism they say the did not see any suspicious activity County Commissioner Colten Wright says the vandalism is "disgusting," regardless of who may have done it "If it's truly none of ya'll I would all band together and try to help in every way to find out who did it to prove that someone from your group is completely innocent," Wright said Sasser says the company was within its rights to construct a connecting road Residents say the project violates a long-standing agreement with the neighborhood the county revoked a portion of a development order that allowed the build putting barricades where a connecting road would have been Sasser says the company will move forward with legal action "We're not going to go past our property line but we'll continue the project and the rest of the way," Sasser said "And then we'll cross that bridge when we get there." the sheriff's office says they have not found a suspect related to the vandalism it's unclear how many machines were damaged Sasser tells WEAR News they will continue making progress on the subdivision with whatever functioning equipment they have Manieri cited personal health concerns and negative interactions with members of the public who objected to stances she has taken as a school board member Lea el artículo en español aquí. Stephanie Manieri, vice president of the Santa Rosa City Schools Board of Trustees, has resigned from the board after six years in office In a highly personal and emotional letter shared on social media Thursday afternoon, Manieri announced her resignation less than 24 hours after the school board ousted former Superintendent Daisy Morales. Although Manieri was absent from Wednesday night’s school board meeting Morales’ removal did not appear to be a factor in her decision to give up her seat I am experiencing a deeply personal loss — miscarrying what would have been my first child,” she wrote I have also experienced concerning heart issues severe panic attacks and other health challenges that medical professionals can only attribute to prolonged stress.” Manieri described how her car had been vandalized “after unpopular (board) decisions.” And she was followed home after meetings and harassed in public “This system too often chews up and spits out women of color in leadership and public service,” Manieri wrote we persist — often to the point of personal sacrifice.” Board President Roxanne McNally said she is “heartbroken” by Manieri’s resignation “But I also —100% — respect the space she needs to take for herself,” McNally added “She has probably been my most trusted colleague on the board Manieri’s tenure was marked by her fierce advocacy for students of color. Most recently, she fought to keep Elsie Allen High School open against a majority of board members who wanted the school to close “I hope that I can be as effective in taking up whatever (part) of that voice is lost.” she has also had many positive experiences there have been countless moments of joy and profound connection,” she wrote “I have met extraordinary people … who work daily to ensure our children receive the education they deserve I have spoken with students who told me they see themselves reflected in me who have inspired me with their drive and passion for justice.” An Elsie Allen and Lawrence Cook Middle School alumna Manieri often advocated for the southwest Santa Rosa community where she grew up she was also part of a bloc of trustees who elevated the discussion around race I do not wish to discourage anyone from pursuing public office,” Manieri wrote and I hope my departure creates space for someone with fresh energy and perspective to continue this vital work.” It is unclear who will take over as the board’s next vice president The remaining trustees must appoint a replacement for Manieri within 60 days McNally estimated the application process would be opened next week Report For America corps member Adriana Gutierrez covers education and child welfare issues for The Press Democrat You can reach her at Adriana.Gutierrez@pressdemocrat.com one of the county’s largest newspaper publishers the two companies announced Thursday afternoon In addition to its Santa Rosa-based flagship a news release announcing the deal said the Denver-based company also purchased Sonoma Magazine Sonoma County Gazette and La Prensa Sonoma The sale extends MediaNews’ Northern California reach from Santa Cruz to the Oregon border and makes it the publisher of nearly every title in the greater Bay Area Rumors of a sale had been swirling for several months with reports that a sale to the Hearst Corp — owner of the San Francisco Chronicle — was imminent “We are honored to bring a newspaper of this quality into MediaNews Group,” Frank Pine said in a news release announcing the sale “We appreciate the importance of local news and information to the communities where we publish and are proud to expand our commitment to Northern California in the North Bay.” SMI's sale ends more than a decade of locally based ownership for The Press Democrat had held the newspaper for less than a year after itself buying it from the New York Times Co. Last month, KQED reported that the newsroom’s union voted to waive its contract as part of the Hearst deal in part to stave off a bid by MediaNews — itself owned by Alden Global Capital Reporter Phil Barber told the station at the time that the vote and members felt “we may not have had much real choice but to sign this agreement.” Alden has a reputation within the media industry of making significant cuts of the properties it acquires MediaNews stated it would be honoring the union contract the union expressed disappointment in how the deal came down a representative of SMI presented Alden Capital as a scarier alternative basically using that company as leverage to convince us to sign a memorandum of understanding that waived our current collective bargaining agreement effectively allowing the sale to Hearst to proceed only to find out now that SMI has sold us to what they described as the unfavorable alternative These events leave us deeply disappointed in SMI and its controlling partner Press Democrat employees received news of their newspaper's sale in an email sent by MediaNews at about 2 p.m. "I haven’t talked to any employees who got (early) wind of this," he told the Napa Valley Register on Thursday evening so there was a lot of confusion at the time There was immediately a lot of chatter among employees At first it was about whether the message was real or not (until) the union was able to confirm it was authentic." A companywide online meeting was called at about 3 p.m to share details about The Press Democrat's transition to its new owners who has written for the Santa Rosa paper for 22 years "Alden is promising to retain positions through the transition they have a track record of cutting staff at a lot of their publications and there’s a lot of wariness in the newsroom for sure." "Tomorrow and a week from now and a month from now won’t look any different from today in our newsroom," he continued "We have the same level of commitment we have always had We hope that Alden will retain the resources and the staffing levels that will help us keep on doing this work." led the investor group that purchased The Press Democrat and its sister publications a bit more than a dozen years ago widow of the famed “Peanuts” cartoonist Charles Schulz; Les Vadasz former CEO of Dolby Laboratories; Norma Person widow of the late Press Democrat Publisher Evert Person; and Sandy Weill All of the investors except for Anderson are in their 70s and age may have been a factor in the sale Anderson could not be directly reached for comment he said the group's purchase was less about a business venture and more of "an investment in ensuring there is a trusted voice that informs and reflects the diverse voices of the North Bay.” “I am immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished including a Pulitzer Prize — an award that is rarely earned by a publication of our size," Anderson said referring to the honor The Press Democrat received for its coverage of the 2017 Tubbs Fire "These results are a tribute to the dedication and hard work of our editorial staff on behalf of the community about which we care so much.” Email notifications are only sent once a day Friends and family of Berryessa's Turtle Rock bar collected the money pined to the ceiling of the cafe to donate to UCSF and celebrate the 15-year 'cancerversary' of Elijah Leung Take a ride around Napa on these motorized ADA-compliant scooters made to look like various critters and creatures Most of Napa’s River Park Shopping Center tenants cater to locals Now a handful of tenants have left the center The sheriff's office reported seizing 13 roosters from a Carneros site where it said the birds were altered and trained to fight other male birds Take a good look at Napa’s Kohl’s building Developers have asked the city of Napa for permission to demolish the building at 1116 First St Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account United Soccer League has initiated discussions with Santa Rosa officials to establish a professional men’s and women’s soccer team in the city Lea el artículo en español aquí. One of the largest professional soccer organizations in the country is eyeing an expansion into Santa Rosa United Soccer League has initiated discussions with city officials to establish a local professional men’s and women’s soccer team It’s too early to say when the move could happen how much it would cost or who would pay for it but Santa Rosa and USL have signed a letter of intent to enter exclusive negotiations to explore those questions over the next year “We are thrilled to explore the opportunity of bringing both USL men’s and women’s teams to Santa Rosa,” Justin Papadakis USL deputy chief executive officer and chief real estate officer “Santa Rosa is a passionate sports community with the potential to become a thriving soccer market aligning with the USL’s vision of growing the sport at all levels.” Planning and Economic Development officials were expected to provide a first public look at the proposal and outline next steps during a briefing to the City Council on Tuesday Officials with United Soccer League are expected to be on hand to answer questions United Soccer League operates in more than 200 communities including the Super League Division 1 league and youth and professional development teams The organization identified Santa Rosa as a potential market because of high interest in the sport and limited professional soccer competition in the area Which league the teams compete in will depend on several financial factors franchise rights and size and scale of the stadium city and USL officials will explore potential sites for a stadium other potential uses for the site and surrounding area operation and management structures as well as financing options Any local team would join three others in Northern California Sacramento Republic Football Club and Monterey Bay Football Club all of which play in the USL Championship men’s league During the latest round of inspections from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation one restaurant was temporarily closed during an inspection five restaurants received at least one high-priority violation and 10 restaurants passed their first inspection with zero violations Disclaimer: The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation describes an inspection report as a ‘snapshot’ of conditions present at the time of the inspection an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in their most recent inspection An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall Inspection details: Routine Inspection on April 23 Follow-up inspection: Operations ordered stopped until violations are corrected An emergency order callback time extension was given From follow-up inspection April 24: Intermediate – From initial inspection- No certified food manager for establishment A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/ No food manager for establishment Operator Samarin has taken classes but has not signed up for exam yet This violation must be addressed by June 23 Inspection details: Inspection on April 22 Follow-up inspections: Violations required further review but were not an immediate threat to the public The restaurant met inspection standards and complied with a call back inspection on April 23 Total violations: Three total violations with one administrative complaint From follow-up inspection on April 23: No dead roaches observed upon callback Inspection details: Complaint Inspection on April 22 Follow-up inspection: Violations required further review but were not an immediate threat to the public The restaurant complied with a follow-up inspection on April 23 Lupita’s Mexican Fast FoodMobile food dispensing vehicle Inspection details: Routine Inspection on April 25 Follow-up inspection: Violations require further review but are not an immediate threat to the public but a follow-up inspection is still required Pedros Tacos Tequila Bar13584 Perdido Key Drive Inspection details: Complaint Inspection on April 24 Follow-up inspection: Violations require further review but are not an immediate threat to the public The restaurant was given a time extension on April 25 Jay Garden Chinese Restaurant3968 Highway 4 Inspection details: Routine Inspection on April 22 Follow-up inspection: Violations required further review The restaurant complied with a follow-up inspection on April 24 10 restaurants receive a perfect scoreBettys Belmont St.Alphy's Restaurant and Catering 7289 Navarra ParkwayCoastal Chill Company LLC Mobile food dispensing vehicleSlim Chickens 8006 Navarre ParkwayWho Cut The Grilled Cheese and Cake Mobile food dispensing vehicleTamalas El Rancho mobile food dispensing vehicleAt The Drop In mobile food dispensing vehicleEl Taco Baleado mobile food dispensing vehicleWhat agency inspects restaurants in Florida?Routine regulation and inspection of restaurants is conducted by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation The Department of Health is responsible for investigation and control of food-borne illness outbreaks associated with all food establishments How do I report a dirty restaurant in Florida?If you see abuses of state standards report them and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation will send inspectors Call the Florida DBPR at 850-487-1395 or report a restaurant for health violations online Get the whole story at our restaurant inspection database Basic violations are those considered against best practices A warning is issued after an inspector documents violations that must be corrected by a certain date or within a specified number of days from receipt of the inspection report An administrative complaint is a form of legal action taken by the division a pattern of repeat violations or existence of serious conditions that warrant immediate action may result in the division initiating an administrative complaint against the establishment Says the division website: "Correcting the violations is important but penalties may still result from violations corrected after the warning time was over." An emergency order — when a restaurant is closed by the inspector — is based on an immediate threat to the public the Division of Hotels and Restaurants director has determined that the establishment must stop doing business and any division license is suspended to protect health A 24-hour call-back inspection will be performed after an emergency closure or suspension of license Stay up to date on the latest restaurant news by subscribing to our free Pensacola Eats newsletter Sign up for the newsletter at profile.pnj.com/newsletters/pensacola-eats/ Police say the teens pulled up in a stolen car threatened two boys with knives and stabbed one before fleeing with a stolen hat Lea el artículo en español aquí. Four teenagers were arrested Wednesday after a 15-year-old boy was stabbed and critically injured at a city bus stop in southwest Santa Rosa where they found the teen collapsed with a stab wound to the chest and cuts on his wrist He was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries A second 15-year-old boy who was with the victim was not hurt Police said there’s no evidence either teen is connected to a gang Witnesses told police a car carrying four or five people pulled up to the bus stop and the group confronted the two boys shouting gang-related threats and trying to steal their hats while carrying knives Police later confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen A witness gave officers a description of the car and its license plate a gang detective spotted the vehicle parked on Bay Village Circle Officers watched the car until three boys got inside The other was stopped after an officer deployed a Taser twice Menke said the teen wasn’t injured and was medically cleared police found a knife believed to have been used in the stabbing and a piece of clothing belonging to one of the victims One of the teens was also carrying three folding knives A fourth suspect was arrested later at a separate location though police have not released additional details The four boys — three 15-year-olds and one 16-year-old — were booked into Sonoma County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of attempted murder gang participation and possession of a stolen vehicle Menke said investigators believe they’ve arrested the main suspects responsible for the stabbing You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com -- Firefighters are handling a 100-acre brush fire in Santa Rosa County Wednesday night Fire officials say drivers and nearby residents could see some smoke and fire Rachiel Moore was found guilty April 24 and immediately sentenced by Santa Rosa Circuit Court Judge Clifton Drake to life without parole in state prison Guilty: Man gets life for murdering Navarre dad over custody dispute Colby Vinson was shot and killed on March 19 outside Vinson’s apartment as he was unloading his groceries after arriving home with his 4-year-old daughter Vinson had been granted shared custody of the child by a judge earlier that week Moore had kept the child away from Vinson for a year The investigation revealed that Moore communicated with Curtis all week in reference to Curtis driving down from Alabama Moore paid Curtis gas money to make the trip and provided all of Colby’s personal information for her stepfather to identify Curtis fired a single shot into Vinson's face mere hours after the 24-year-old picked up his daughter for the first time in a year A Santa Rosa County jury found Curtis guilty of first degree premeditated murder on May 2 and Drake immediately sentenced him to life in prison Moore's arrest and investigation were conducted by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office Assistant State Attorney Mark Alderman prosecuted the case on behalf of Ginger Bowden Madden state attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida Authorities say the man stole money from a Santa Rosa bank on April 11 and a Windsor bank on Tuesday A Windsor man was arrested Tuesday after authorities linked him to two recent bank robberies — one in his hometown and another in Santa Rosa a man walked into the Wells Fargo branch on Lakewood Drive in Windsor and left with an undisclosed amount of cash Detectives said the suspect’s description matched the man who robbed a Chase Bank in Santa Rosa on April 11 the robber handed a note to the teller demanding money and left on foot Investigators identified the suspect as Derrick Lamm and searched his Windsor apartment and vehicle later that day They found evidence connecting him to both robberies though they did not say what was recovered Lamm was taken into custody and charged Wednesday with felony second-degree robbery in the Wells Fargo case He remains in Sonoma County jail without bail Court records show Lamm has a history of criminal charges in Sonoma County Eight additional complaints have been filed against him he was convicted of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and misdemeanor vandalism Budget officials are set to present their proposal to potentially cut dozens of positions implement furloughs and reduce other expenses during a Tuesday study session Santa Rosa officials unveiled a proposal to tackle an ever-increasing operating deficit that calls for staff layoffs mandatory furloughs and cuts to some social service programs The steepest cuts could be felt in public safety where city administrators and department heads have identified a dozen sworn police positions as well as one fire engine company and one ladder truck crew that could be eliminated that could mean longer response times for emergency calls as resources are stretched thin Staffing reductions and other organizational changes also are proposed in the Planning and Economic Development Transportation and Public Works and Recreation and Parks departments The savings would help close a nearly $20 million deficit in the coming fiscal year that starts July 1 Long-term finance projections show that gap could reach $47 million by fiscal year 2029-2030, about 10% of the city’s current operating budget, as labor and other expenses skyrocket and sales tax revenue declines. That figure is slightly higher than what was estimated during a budget update last month The proposed cuts follow reductions in January but city administrators have warned it will take more drastic measures to turn around the struggling budget especially as reserves the city has used to help plug holes in the budget are depleted The Santa Rosa City Council will get its first look at positions and programs that are stake during a study session 1 p.m Council members won’t be taking a formal vote but will provide feedback and direction to staff Reductions will be made as part of the upcoming budget Department heads were tasked with identifying ways to reduce 8% of their total budget while holding spending on services and supplies flat City Manager Maraskeshia Smith met with department directors ahead of Tuesday’s study session to finalize the proposed reductions and made her recommendations based on the impact to core services prior department cuts and the city’s ability to outsource work or find other ways to offset costs Smith was not immediately available for an interview Monday The proposal calls for laying off 10 staffers and eliminating four vacant positions across administrative departments and the Planning and Economic Development along with reduced spending on outside contracts and professional services would follow the council’s January decision to eliminate 19 unfilled positions to help reduce ongoing expenses Staffing is one of the largest city expenses with costs for salaries and benefits making up about 76% of the general fund And those expenses have shot up in recent years Labor negotiations resulted in 7% across-the-board wage increases this budget year and salaries are set to go up again in the new fiscal year under terms of the contract City officials also propose intermittent furloughs that would be in place over two to five years The furloughs would equate to a 3.85% reduction in pay for affected employees Public safety employees as well as city attorneys would be exempt The proposal could save an additional $1.4 million Police and fire officials have put forward a plan that could save a combined $6.4 million in ongoing personnel and associated costs The departments are two of the largest and most expensive at City Hall and comprise nearly two-thirds of general fund expenditures The Police Department has identified four filled and two vacant police officer positions two filled detective positions and one filled sergeant position that can be eliminated The department also proposes eliminating a records supervisor communications supervisor and community services officer position Fire officials have identified several options to reduce expenses including reductions to staffing and supplies among an engine company or ladder truck company or potentially eliminating an engine company or ladder truck team The latter option would result in nine to 12 positions being eliminated City administrators didn’t recommend a specific option and will be looking for council feedback on what course to take Any cuts to public safety could be a tough sell for council members who have made public safety a key priority in recent years supporting efforts to expand operations and beef up recruitment City administrators propose cutting support for legal and social services Officials intend to terminate the city’s $111,000 contract with Legal Aid of Sonoma County and cutting $50,000 in support to the Sonoma County Secure Families Collaborative a nonprofit the county established in 2018 that provides pro bono legal services Two other programs whose long-term future is at risk are the inRESPONSE crisis intervention team and safe parking program serving homeless residents which together cost about $4.4 million to operate have been paid through one-time federal dollars Neither appears to be targeted for immediate cuts but the city will need to reabsorb those costs into the general fund or find other funding sources to keep them afloat now that the federal funds have expired Council members have previously indicated they want to see the programs continue warning that eliminating them will increase calls for service and burden other city resources Budget officials are exploring other potential costs savings including offering early retirement to eligible workers through a California Public Employees’ Retirement System program that grants employees who are reaching retirement age additional years of service toward their pension Staff previously said CALPERS would conduct an actuarial study to determine whether there would be a savings and would need to sign off on the proposal The city’s workforce has been described as mature and it’s likely a significant number of employees would qualify Staff also are looking at reductions to the city’s vehicle fleet Roseland’s two boards of trustees are discussing what it would take to move Roseland Collegiate Prep students to Roseland University Prep Lea el artículo en español aquí. Yet another Sonoma County school district is discussing closing one of its campuses to address a budget deficit one of Roseland School District’s two college preparatory charter high schools is “pretty much a done deal,” Roseland Superintendent Raul Guerrero said the district is experiencing a $5.1 million dollar deficit About $2 million of that comes from operating costs at Roseland Collegiate Prep The north Santa Rosa campus drains significantly more money from the district than its other two charter schools because of transportation property insurance and loan costs for the site which has experienced declining enrollment “Just about every district is affected (by school closures) and we’re not immune,” Guerrero said during an April 16 Roseland regular school board meeting Roseland Collegiate Prep won’t close for another 15 months giving the district time to plan for the closure and to relocate more than half of the school’s 416 seventh through 12th grade students to the district’s two other charter schools Roseland Accelerated Middle School and Roseland University Prep the Roseland charter and public boards of trustees will discuss how to move the students from Roseland Collegiate onto the Roseland University campus in southwest Santa Rosa The two school boards typically operate independently The charter board will ultimately make the final decision on the fate of the school However the charter board must work with the public board because the two remaining charter schools are on Roseland public school campuses Roseland Accelerated Middle School school is on the Roseland Creek Elementary campus and Roseland University shares space with Shepard Elementary School The physical space at the public schools will likely need to change to accommodate Roseland Collegiate students The public school board has begun discussing ways to expand capacity at those sites The feasibility of those options will then be presented to the charter board “The dialogue between the two (school boards) is extensive open and collegial,” said Ricardo Navarette “There is a single minded focus on making the best educational decisions for the Roseland community even if there are varied opinions — as there should be — as challenges present themselves.” They were first presented at an April 9 charter board meeting and again at a public board meeting on April 16 The district’s Chief Business Officer presented the scenarios with context from Ryland Strategic Business Consulting group which presented data gathered through a financial analysis of the charter district The first scenario assumes no students will transfer from Roseland Collegiate into another Roseland charter school That would create an additional loss of funding primarily through state money the district gets based on a school’s daily enrollment The other scenario examines what it will take to retain the Roseland Collegiate students at the district’s two other schools by increasing physical capacity “Our commitment is to try and facilitate as many students as we can to bring them back to the Roseland area,” Guerrero said A majority of the students at Roseland Collegiate are high schoolers and would transition to Roseland University Prep the flagship campus for the charter district’s college preparatory academic model Through immediate expansion efforts — relocating portable classrooms — the district estimates it can create space for about 220 Roseland Collegiate students at Roseland University The district already purchased four new portables in December 2024 They are located on the Roseland Collegiate campus There are currently about 100 middle schoolers at the Collegiate campus That number will be cut in half next school year because the Collegiate campus will no longer accept incoming seventh graders 24 more spots — 12 for seventh graders and 12 for eighth graders — will be added to the Roseland Accelerated Middle School campus The district would have to increase class sizes which is dependent on renegotiating with the teacher’s union which maintains much of the charter district’s current enrollment the district would immediately enter a budget surplus after closing the school about an additional $1.6 million could be reallocated to the two other charter schools That number would continue to increase in the following two school years but it will significantly reduce deficit spending and keep the district from fiscal insolvency through June 2029 Neither scenario takes into account increased funding from the sale of the Roseland Collegiate property The school was purchased in 2017 from the Sisters of Ursuline which owned the land that once housed a Catholic girls school The cost of financing the purchase and increased insurance payments have left the district struggling with a heavy financial burden that will only increase when a balloon payment kicks in next year Once the plan for what happens after the closure is finalized the Roseland Charter trustees will vote to close the school and to approve their next steps Based on the timeline outlined in the district’s presentation leaders will work to appraise and sell the Roseland Collegiate property next month the district will finalize staff layoffs before March 2026 Catholic Charities is seeking volunteers to transport seniors to appointments errands and social visits around Santa Rosa easy scheduling and gas reimbursement available For more information, go to pdne.ws/3FaUSGu Support garden efforts for a healing meals program Ceres Community Project is seeking volunteers to help in its organic garden at Live Oak Farms in Petaluma The garden provides fresh produce for meals prepared for community members facing serious illness For more information, go to pdne.ws/40hapwy Cheer on walkers and help out at Spring Lake Council on Aging is seeking course monitors for its Generations in Motion walk and picnic on May 17 at Spring Lake Regional Park in Santa Rosa pass out water and assist with picnic activities Ideal for students or groups looking for service hours For more information, go to pdne.ws/42Vj1t3 Speak to seniors about disaster preparedness Emergency Prep Help is looking for volunteers to lead educational workshops for Sonoma County seniors on how to prepare for emergencies and natural disasters Ideal candidates are seniors themselves and comfortable speaking to groups For more information, go to pdne.ws/4hg2zKk Help spruce up the garden for a spring fundraiser Giant Steps in Petaluma is looking for volunteers to assist with garden tasks like weeding digging and planting to prepare the property for the organization’s upcoming May fundraiser Volunteers age 14+ are welcome (12+ with an adult) For more information, go to pdne.ws/4i2yn4k Help prepare an organic garden in Santa Rosa The Roseland Lions & Lioness Club is seeking volunteers to assist with outdoor cleanup and organic garden preparation at its Santa Rosa resource center For more information, go to pdne.ws/43IlRUj Help prepare and distribute meals to those in need Sonoma County Acts of Kindness is looking for volunteers to join its team in preparing and distributing daily meals to people living on the streets For more information, go to pdne.ws/4bQBcmy To submit volunteer opportunities, email good.deeds@pressdemocrat.com You can reach intern Eden Collier at eden.collier@pressdemocrat.com