Dear Reader,Unfortunately our comment platform isn\'t available at the moment due to issues with our paywall and authentication vendor A local animal rights group is taking its case to the people with a new billboard depicting an activist who is facing prison for removing chickens from a Petaluma poultry farm A Berkeley-based animal rights group is taking its case to the people with a new billboard depicting an activist who is facing up to five years in prison for removing chickens from a Petaluma poultry farm which went up in April along southbound Highway 101 near the East Washington Street exit in Petaluma features an illustration of Zoe Rosenberg holding a chicken accompanied by the text: “Should she go to prison for rescuing a chicken?” Rosenberg is charged with felony conspiracy and four misdemeanors stemming from an early morning protest outside Petaluma Poultry on June 13 Rosenberg is accused of removing four chickens from company vehicles Rosenberg is a member of Direct Action Everywhere The group is linked to protests and incursions across Sonoma County In an April 19 Instagram post announcing the billboard, Direct Action Everywhere wrote “Zoe currently faces felony and misdemeanor charges and the possibility of up to five and a half years in prison for rescuing Poppy, Ivy, Aster, and Azalea, four chickens who were covered in scratches and bruises and infested with Coccidia parasites.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Direct Action Everywhere - DxE (@directactioneverywhere) Bill Mattos, the president of the California Poultry Federation decried Rosenberg’s actions in an email to The Press Democrat Friday You don’t break into a high-quality poultry facility with the best biosecurity and humane conditions in California,” he said Mattos said “there’s gotta be recourse” for her actions Members of Direct Action Everywhere contend they have a right to rescue animals in distress and have staged protests outside poultry farms sometimes chaining themselves to property and entering property to remove animals The group also recently staged protests at the Santa Rosa home of Jason Arnold the director of operations at Perdue Poultry’s Petaluma facility Multiple members have been arrested and a co-founder, Wayne Hsiung was convicted last year of conspiracy and trespassing linked to two Petaluma area facilities was delayed last month and is now scheduled to begin on Sept Anti-Trump voters waved signs on the Washington Street overpass in one of many demonstrations around the county and nation As the usual afternoon traffic whizzed through Petaluma last Thursday protesters gathered for a May Day rally on the East Washington Street overpass the same day millions gathered around the world on a day to honor working people But this year, messages tied to the annual labor celebration – also known as International Workers’ Day – were specifically opposed to President Donald Trump and “fellow profiteers” such as tech billionaire Elon Musk “I just don’t know what else to do at this point,” said Laura Jorgensen of Petaluma “I know our Constitution is being threatened Jorgensen had joined nearly 80 protesters on the overpass waving signs with messages like “Eat the Rich,” “Save Social Security” and “End the I.C.E Age” as cars and trucks passed below on Highway 101 The protesters decried attacks on immigrants as well as severe funding cuts led by Musk scientific research and universities among much else Many said they worried about ongoing threats to democracy and the unconstitutionality of Trump administration actions said this was their first protest in Petaluma but that they’ve been protesting regularly at other events in Santa Rosa “Particularly 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,” said one of the organizers Organizers said they had started planning the day prior with attendees learning about it from friends or social media In the crowd stood local teacher Trinity Pellkofer of Petaluma are currently learning about the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence adding that “teaching about democracy and seeing it get whittled away is painful.” In her classroom there is “a lot of discussion there and it’s not led by me I’m very neutral and I’m just talking about the truth and history,” she said The students “make their own connections” between King George III and the current presidency “The biggest thing for me is the destruction and slashing of funding for science research,” said Dennis Jongsomjit of Petaluma that we all have used and have depended on to take care of people And to think that it can be slashed and not have any consequences You can reach Staff Writer Jennifer Sawhney at 707-521-5346 or jennifer.sawhney@pressdemocrat.com Vintage swept Napa in a doubleheader between the two rivals In as back-and-forth a game as one could get Windsor (16-6) scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning Saturday to pull away from Casa Grande (16-6) in a key nonleague clash Brandon Curry went 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Gavin Restad also had a pair of hits Jack Mountanos and Drew Bugbee led the way with two hits Casa will have a home-and-home league series against Vintage next week to round out Vine Valley Athletic League play while Windsor will do the same in North Bay League Oak division play against Rancho Cotate The Giants scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to stun Petaluma (16-5) and pick up a big nonleague win Saturday Quinn Gaidmore led the Trojans with two hits and a RBI Ryan Landry and Arlo Pendleton also had RBIs Jack Pattison went six innings strong on the mound for Petaluma allowing one run on four hits while striking out five The Trojans will finish their league season with a series against Sonoma Valley this coming week The Mustangs (4-17) scored in all but one inning as they cruised to a nonleague win Saturday Tyler Chelew went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a triple to lead St while both Carsen Landies and Wyatt Hansen had two hits apiece Vincent will finish their season this upcoming week with a league series against Montgomery 1-9) played their VVAL rivalry series in a doubleheader Saturday with Vintage winning both comfortably in five innings Vintage took the first game 13-0 as Angie Rubalcava fired a five-inning perfect game with 14 strikeouts Both Carlee Carter and Ryann Chaddock had three RBIs on the day with Malina Viruet and Abygail Sims each earning three apiece Carter and Noelle Rofkahr combined to no-hit Napa and strike out eight in the circle You can reach Staff Writer Kienan O’Doherty at 415-887-8650 or kienan.odoherty@pressdemocrat.com They are horrible for all the reasons you can think of But – and maybe it’s too soon to say this – there is one exception that comes to mind She can explain the science and wonder of it all to you a mushroom foraging experience she and her expert partners provide While they too think fires are primarily awful the wild part of our food system that is foraged foods going to the burn areas in the Sierras to forage for morels in late Spring gathering about two hours north of Petaluma My partner and I joined for one of their adventures in Salt Point perfect for slowly ambling through the dappled light of the coastal conifer forest Just a sharp knife and a basket or mesh bag spreading future offspring wherever a forager trudges additional skills or equipment were not really needed as Julie and her mycological buddies encouraged us to capture every mushroom we found so that we could learn to identify them back at the meeting site a picnic area in the Salt Point campground it was hard not to see mushrooms everywhere – tree trunks where turkey tails and their cousins grew “shrumps” (the official word that describes the little dirt hump that a mushroom makes as it’s fruiting body comes out of the earth) where chanterelles and trumpets peaked out and the footpaths where little loner hedgehogs and candy caps stood at attention (It’s good to know where the cars are parked just in case you truly lose track of everyone else I say surprising because I’m a Type A person with a mind that whirs a thousand miles an hour not only did we learn how to find our own food this requirement of us to slow down – and even get a little lost – had the effect of returning me to the pure bliss I felt when I was a child exploring the land and could let my mind run free Foraging takes both total concentration and total mindlessness It really felt calming and energizing all at once I did peek at some gardening sites to see if this is true and I believe it – “Contact with soil and a specific soil bacteria triggers the release of serotonin in our brain according to research a natural antidepressant and strengthens the immune system.” The cherry on top – when we gathered to see our cache Julie set about sauteing the edible mushrooms in butter and shallots The funky-sweet-savory smell drifted around the campground and chanterelles mere minutes after pulling them from the earth enjoying them on toasted bread with nothing else and I don’t believe they needed anything else If only fires didn’t destroy our communities For you who live in Central and Northern California Plan your next serotonin uplift day – sign up with MycoVentures and get out of all the craziness Maybe it’s not too late to join a group trip this Spring Find out more at MycoVentures.com Naomi Crawford has spent 35 years in the restaurant industry Her goal is to help people get better connected to one another and to place through food and food systems How one Petaluma dad’s encouragement is fostering his daughter's love for music let me clarify this – Shakira didn't grow up there But I grew up a block from where Shakira bought an entire apartment building for her parents The building and the block it was on remained empty most of the year the entire block would be shut down and filled with cops This used to happened right before the turn of the millennium and she was already internationally recognized as a mega-pop star just as much as Colombia was recognized as a place where stars of any kind political concessions or just good ol’ fun Shakira was part of Barranquilla's cultural and social fabric as much as Gabriel Garcia Marquez This meant that we knew many stories about her upbringing allow me to point out that that's not something we can all do Most Colombians' hips can barely form an eloquent sentence some might be able to make their hips stutter One of the most-told stories about Shakira was how her school's music teacher told her she couldn't be part of the choir because she sounded like a screaming goat Can you imagine being the guy who told one of pop culture's biggest icons that she sounded like a goat “Here lies Juan Martinez” – or some other generic Colombian name – “I told Shakira she sounded like a screaming goat.” Then if there is a little more room in the tombstone he could either own up to it or stand behind it What strikes me most about this story is how often it repeats itself and how some teachers who are supposed to encourage little ones make unsupportive comments about their students' pursuits it is not only teachers who make these comments My dad's side of the family was all very musical and my grandpa locked himself in his studio early in the morning drank whiskey and listened to records until it was time for dinner and my aunts were all part of the Catholic choir in their neighborhood church They would get together and sing at family parties My dad would serenade all of his love prospects I wanted to learn how to play guitar since I was a little boy But my dad converted to Evangelical Christianity and he could no longer play the music of the world I never learned how to play guitar even if my dad insisted that the little tunes about dying in the cross had the same effect My sister inherited my dad’s melodic voice My mom would fawn over her any time she sang I would stare at her expectantly waiting for the end of her sentence that would confirm that I But that was not the response I was looking for Maybe I just wanted a little encouragement that would help me feel comfortable singing outside the shower I am hyperaware of those things now with my daughters because I truly believe that kids (and adults) need less feedback and more encouragement appreciation for where your art stands will come the skills to imperfectly fix it will come acceptance for the maddening nature of art-making will come So if it is just a matter of coming back to keep trying our hand at our art then what you don't need is a list of all the things you suck at I was walking in downtown Petaluma with my five-year-old and she looked at a girl who was probably two or three years older than her She was busking in front of Central Market with an electric guitar You don't even need to learn them on guitar I'll learn to play them on the ukulele for you.” And that's how she got an exclusive deal with .. But the offer is still on the table for whenever she decides to take me up on it I learned that she thinks playing live music is cool I connected with all of my musician friends I took both my daughter to visit one of my friends who likes collecting weird instruments We have all sorts of instruments strewn out around the house Any time one of my friends plays a live show I am getting in the middle of the action with them And that's how I ended up being part of the parent group that is producing the River Montessori Charter School’s music festival I want to make sure that regardless of what environment we are living in my daughter always has options available to her She can see the love musicians have for their craft I don't know where my daughter's love for music will lead her All I want her to know is that whatever she decides to do we all know Shakira now despite what that teacher said What you might not know is that Shakira was encouraged by her father to write poetry at a very young age both of her parents created an environment where she could learn dance She is living her dream despite the unsupportive comments from her teacher – whether she sings like a goat or dances like one Carlos Garbiras’ “We Have a Real Problem!” runs once a month in the Petaluma Argus-Courier An eye-opening roundup of shows and exhibits from all around town Aqus Cafe’s beloved Small Works Show has returned very small art pieces – demonstrate a range of styles and media All of them are less than a foot by a foot That means there is room for a whole bunch of them meaning there is plenty to see even after multiple visits The new show at the Magic Shop Studios gallery, titled “Inner Landscapes,” is a solo exhibition of paintings and sculptures by artist Nicole Mathers. Colorful and dreamlike, Mathers’ work has to be seen up close and personal to be fully appreciated. Gallery Hours are Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. MagicShopStudios.com Petaluma’s Nanny Goat Gallery has quickly become an exciting part of Water Street’s art-and-dining revival Located just a few doors south of Brewster’s Beer Garden an eyepopping group show titled “Prose,” filled with fanciful paintings sculptural oddities and glass art pieces conjuring a world of vivid mystery and strange beauty Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday 2-5 p.m The remarkably art of Dalila Acuña will run through the month of May at Slough City Studios. Meet the artist at a special reception on Saturday, May 17. Slough City gallery hours are Wednesday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sloughcity.com Saffron Communities and 1st Street Gallery present “Untethered Grace,” an exhibition of paintings by Serena Hazard an acclaimed artist who lives and works in Sonoma County The exhibition runs throughout the month of December known for its extra virgin olive oil and related body and culinary products now has a presence in Petaluma’s buzzing warehouse district Website: McEvoyRanch.com the 550-acre working farm just outside of Petaluma known for its extra virgin olive oil and related body and culinary products You may already know about the multi-layered experiences available at the ranch and that three generations of the McEvoy family have worked to underscore the brand’s core values of sustainability You may be aware that the ranch has been part of the local landscape since 1990 (with the first olive harvest in 1994) and has been open to the public for 15 years But did you know that McEvoy also has a presence in town in the buzzing warehouse district The McEvoy Ranch Outlet is a small but well-curated space brimming with gifts and remainder items discounted for the local community you are likely to find skin and body care products housewares and even a few cookbooks in addition to the staples of wine and olive oil Since most of what lands at the outlet is overstock the items are priced quite bit lower than normal The outlet and the ranch really represent two sides of the brand’s personality – the city side and the country side the outlet was opened for Petaluma residents who need to grab a gift on the go The space opened three years ago as a kind of test McEvoy had just moved their production facility from Ukiah to Petaluma’s warehouse district so that employees didn’t have such a lengthy commute where product is stored for e-commerce and where the customer service team works When considering how to use a small conference room off the new production facility and the community has shown tremendous support for the idea Outlet manager Wendy Meyring shares that double-digit growth has been a pleasant surprise and return business from locals has been the biggest part of that some even coming in weekly to see what is new Chief Marketing Officer Kym Hough (previously with other regional culinary stalwarts like Peet’s Coffee and Ghirardelli Chocolate) explains “We have changed our strategy over the last six years about where we want to be There is a lot of storytelling we have to do with our products and we feel lucky to be a part of that energy.” McEvoy also boasts the perk of having Hog Island (and their new walk-up window) for a neighbor as the two businesses have enjoyed a longstanding partnership Because they are a bit tucked away without much opportunity for signage onsite letting people know their precise location has presented an interesting challenge Cheery red sandwich boards now dot the corners of nearby busy intersections to catch the eye of passersby and help boost traffic a hand-crafted refill cart is being introduced in the space Customers can bring their containers to replenish current beauty products sold at the ranch all in keeping with sustainability practices that drive the brand It looks like this experiment is paying off in spades They say necessity is the mother of invention and in Petaluma two mothers are teaming up to invent a new kind of coffee shop and it's happening in a most unlikely location Elena Kaljian got pretty good at making coffee "I was at a coffee shop when I was a brand-new mom with my little baby and my stroller and other friends with babies and strollers And we were just trying to get together and there wasn't any space for us," she said "And that's kind of when this idea first came to me on the coffee side: create a space where families can come together and not feel like they are taking up too much space they don't have a place to put the stroller and can just be." Click here for the full story via CBS Bay Area CBS Local Digital Media personalizes the global reach of CBS-owned and operated television and radio stations with a local perspective 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 $320.00 donatedin the past month If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay The reported detention appears to boost recent signals that the Department of Homeland Security is expanding its range of enforcement operations under President Donald Trump’s second administration according to the North Bay Rapid Response Network Frequently asked questions and tips from legal experts on how to safeguard your rights in an encounter with federal immigration authorities Local immigrant advocates, useful numbers and sites, legal resources Lea el artículo en español aquí. a coalition formed to respond to federal raids and to apprise immigrants of their legal rights though ICE could not immediately confirm the Petaluma arrest without additional information “We cannot proactively release names of those arrested,” a representative told The Press Democrat in an email “You would need to get a full name with (date of birth) and/or an (alien registration number) for us to research.” are assigned by Homeland Security to all noncitizens as a way to monitor their immigration status Those numbers are also used to track people in ICE custody the agency isn’t able to determine “if it’s ICE or (Customs and Border Protection) or local agency or some other law enforcement entity.” The arrest in Petaluma occurred at a gas station near downtown around 8 a.m. according to Lina Blanco of the Rapid Response Network which is affiliated with the North Bay Organizing Project She relied on an account by the person’s family They said agents were wearing green uniforms and driving an unmarked vehicle and the relatives were ultimately able to confirm their relative was being held by ICE “The family mentioned the person was being taken to San Francisco (for processing) but ICE is unpredictable and sometimes acts outside of what they say,” Blanco said The North Bay Rapid Response Network is not providing certain details surrounding the arrest including the exact location of the arrest and the name of the person who was detained out of respect for the privacy of the family and any potential witnesses By the time the Rapid Response Network learned of the detention That negated the group’s ability to dispatch a legal observer to witness the event ICE has arrested several million people since it was created in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks detentions have usually been limited to the county jail where noncitizens can legally be apprehended during booking or release California law limits the types of criminal offense that can trigger notification to federal immigration authorities for the sake of an arrest has sought to increase the powers of federal agents On his first day in office in January, the president’s acting homeland security secretary rescinded a Biden-era policy that had protected sensitive areas such as churches mental health facilities and courthouses from immigration enforcement The Trump administration replaced those guidelines with an unreleased directive giving ICE agents power to use “common sense” in enforcing immigration laws in those spaces A plainclothes ICE agent detained someone in the Sonoma County Probation Department on March 13 — the first time that had happened in a county office That person has also yet to be identified by authorities An ICE spokesperson confirmed the operation but would give no additional details about the detainee or why the arrest took place in county offices The North Bay Rapid Response Network also posted information on a reported ICE arrest in the Cotati/Rohnert Park area on March 4 These expanded enforcement actions have sent waves of fear through the immigrant community leading in some cases to an abandonment of social services and interpersonal connection The charged political climate forces groups like the Rapid Response Network to thread a shrinking needle They hope to alert the community at large to ICE’s presence without causing panic among the people they serve the network’s Facebook page has attempted to debunk at least two rumors of immigration detentions — one in Cloverdale the first week of February Both turned out to be local law enforcement actions that had nothing to do with citizenship status they’re falling into a trap the government is creating,” Lina Blanco said the Rapid Response Network counsels immigrants to know their rights under the law and to refuse to cooperate with federal agents when they have standing “We have a message to share: prepare,” Blanco said “People have the power to assert their rights.” The group has been distributing thousands of red and yellow cards at community settings like churches and flea markets The yellow cards display the North Bay Rapid Response Network hotline number and basic instructions in multiple languages The red cards include “Know Your Rights” guidance; advocates advise anyone who believes they are the subject of an unlawful raid to present the red card to agents even if they have to slide it under their door You can reach Phil Barber at 707-521-5263 or phil.barber@pressdemocrat.com will add up to more than 160 new housing units About $90 million in funding for two affordable housing projects – one on the east side and another on the south end – will move forward after the Petaluma City Council approved the items at its April 7 meeting despite push-back from one council member Council member Alex DeCarli voted against the Rovina Lane project’s funding calling it “not something I agree with” due to the state law under which it is reviewed The council voted 7-0 for the Meridian project, allowing for $65 million in tax-exempt bonds to be issued to Danco Group for the project’s acquisition and construction, according to staff with DeCarli voting against the item that would allow for $25 million in tax-exempt bonds issued to Pacific West Communities for the project’s acquisition and construction He said he voted against funding the Rovina Lane project because “They used state laws to push it through they skirted some of the regular process here.” to reward them with something that’s tax-free is not something I agree with.” Funding for both projects utilizes tax-exempt bonds And as staff explained moments before the vote Meridian was reviewed under AB 2162 and Rovina Lane under SB 330 – both state laws designed to streamline housing projects streamlined supportive housing approvals and removed certain requirements SB 330, also known as the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 declared a statewide housing crisis and curbed housing reductions It also limits project reviews to five public meetings and allows developers to lock in development standards and fees when they turn in a complete preliminary application On a one-acre plot on the corner of Jacquelyn and Rovina Lanes will oversee construction of 32 apartments within two three-story buildings Both are slated for families earning between 30% and 60% of Sonoma County’s area median income the midpoint of the county’s income distribution Construction on Rovina Lane will likely begin after the construction funding gap is slated to close in late May Bonds for both projects will be issued by the California Municipal Finance Authority, of which Petaluma is a member. There is “no financial or legal obligation” to the city, and neither the city nor the state are responsible for repayment, according to staff reports Portions of the fees to issue the bonds will go to the city’s General Fund with the Meridian project garnering over $17,000 and the Rovina Lane project over $12,000 News of the closure has left many loyal patrons disappointed abruptly closed last week due to ongoing financial challenges “We had a great opening night and then business petered out and we’ve been unable to put together a profitable month since inception,” said Ducommun The 132 Keller St. property is now listed for sale by Restaurant Realty for $2.4 million as a turnkey bar with a Type 47 full liquor license Ducommun mentioned challenges facing bars and restaurants in Petaluma right now and said he has no plans to open another establishment He expressed disappointment that Kapu couldn't stay open but thanked customers for their support “It was unfortunately just a tough business environment and we weren’t able to make it work,” he said “And that was despite the best efforts of the staff and the employees and some loyal patrons … With the cost structure of operating in the area it wasn’t enough and we weren’t able to make a go of it.” Kapu Bar opened in early 2023 in the heart of downtown Petaluma offering a unique atmosphere with island-inspired decor and a menu featuring Hawaiian comfort food and what some patrons called the best burgers in town “Petaluma’s new Kapu Bar is the tiki-tackiest, booziest, most questionably appropriate escape from reality none of us knew Sonoma County desperately needed,” wrote Sonoma Magazine dining editor Heather Irwin in her review Kapu’s general manager and beverage director brought in professional tiki bar designer Ben Bassham to achieve an authentic look at the Keller Street lounge Richardson came to Sonoma County by way of Las Vegas, where he was one of the first employees at Frankie’s Tiki Room and helped launch venues for hospitality groups such as Wynn He previously oversaw the beverage program at Burdock Bar in Healdsburg where he recreated the tiki drinks he had served up at Frankie’s Tiki Room Chef Mike Lutz, who spent more than 20 years on the islands, created the Hawaiian comfort-food menu at Kapu Bar News of Kapu’s closure left many loyal patrons disappointed prompting an outpouring of reactions on social media “Sad to say Kapu closed their doors today,” wrote Kai Paquin in the Petaluma Foodies Facebook group We were there on opening day," commented Nick Provenzano "We’re Tikiphiles and this was a dream come true." Another customer, Erica Pottorff, posted in the same group, "That is a bummer! I swear that location is cursed. Nothing seems to last long there." (The space was previously home to several other restaurants, including Social Club Restaurant & Bar and Chicken Pharm Petaluma’s Griffo Distillery commented on the closure on Instagram “So very sorry to lose you … Kapu did an incredible job with the creative drinks and above all THE SPACE … Petaluma was lucky to have a truly legit tiki bar put together by industry legends.” You can reach Staff Writer Melanie Nguyen at 707-521-5457 or melanie.nguyen@pressdemocrat.com A 19-year-old Petaluma man was arrested Saturday night after authorities say he fired a handgun at another person and crashed his pickup truck Lea el artículo en español aquí. according to a post from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were dispatched to the 1000 block of Sonoma Mountain Road around 10 p.m after they received a report that a man shot at another man later identified as 19-year-old Gabriel Chavez of Petaluma drove his pickup truck with another person in the passenger seat and blocked the entrance of a property A group of people approached the truck and asked them to leave when Chavez allegedly pulled a handgun at them and fired one round at a person Chavez drove away and eventually crashed his pickup truck further down the same road Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene of the crash and detained both Chavez and his passenger In the vegetation near where Chavez was standing deputies recovered an unregistered handgun five high-capacity magazines and 48 rounds of ammunition Authorities said the passenger did not commit a crime and was taken to a hospital for treatment related to the crash Chavez was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon carrying a concealed weapon in public and possession of a high-capacity magazine Contact Staff Writer Anna Armstrong at 707-521-5255 or anna.armstrong@pressdemocrat.com The first-ever “Pup-Palooza” will feature a costume contest In response to losing its beloved World’s Ugliest Dog Contest to a nearby fair the city of Petaluma announced this week it will be kicking off a new dog-themed fair event of its own “Join us under the Big Top circus tent on Friday June 20th for the first-ever Petaluma Pup-Palooza Show,” the city posted Tuesday unveiling plans for a “dog costume contest and talent show” coming to the Petaluma Fair this summer Previously known as the Sonoma-Marin Fair, the newly minted Petaluma Fair – coming to the Petaluma Fairgrounds June 19-22 – is the result of a renegotiated contract between Petaluma and longtime fair organizer 4th District Agricultural Association (4th DAA) which in turn led to a reorganization of the 87-year-old fair itself the 4th DAA – which recently changed its own name to Sonoma-Marin Agricultural Association – moved its World’s Ugliest Dog Contest to the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa where fans can still see it this summer on Aug “This year’s Petaluma Fair is going to the dogs in the best way possible,” the city wrote in a Tuesday online post rife with dog puns we will feature a pawsitively adorable Canine Costume Contest followed by a tail-wagging Talent Show at 6 p.m.” Participants will receive free Petaluma Fair entry and parking and a shot at prizes The event, hosted by local dog boarder Play Dog Play, is taking applications from now to May 23, which can be made by going to cityofpetaluma.org/2025fair clicking the event link and following the online instructions Don Frances is editor of the Petaluma Argus-Courier Officials released the names Monday of a 3-year-old boy killed this weekend after he was struck by a tractor and the driver of that tractor Lea el artículo en español aquí. Authorities say the 3-year-old Petaluma boy who died after being struck by a tractor Sunday was not related to the man accused of running him over Sonoma County Sheriff’s officials on Monday identified the victim as Ian De Jesus The names of his parents or guardian were not released and authorities have not said whether the boy was being supervised or how he came to be in the field where he was struck Meanwhile California Highway Patrol officials identified the driver of the tractor as William Lionel Medrano He was arrested Sunday on suspicion of manslaughter and felony driving under the influence of alcohol The incident occurred on private property in the 3100 block of Skillman Lane near Petaluma CHP Officer David deRutte said Monday that Medrano was employed on the property and was not related to the boy Medrano was being held at the Sonoma County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail He was scheduled to appear in Sonoma County Superior Court Tuesday morning No official charges had been filed as of Monday afternoon The CHP said the incident happened around 12:35 p.m a rural agricultural road northwest of downtown Petaluma Investigators said it appeared Ian ran into a field where he was hit by a Bobcat tractor driven by Medrano Fire crews from the Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District and Petaluma Fire Department responded along with emergency medical personnel and the Sonoma County Coroner’s Bureau according to Rancho Adobe Battalion Chief James Deurloo CHP’s Santa Rosa office is asking anyone with information to call 707-806-5600 You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com The family-oriented event starts at noon at Fourth and D streets with a high of 71 forecast by the National Weather Service the Petaluma Police Department encourages parade-goers to arrive early and carpool or use public transit Petaluma Transit has free bus fare the entire weekend Route 11 buses are servicing the event and run every 15 minutes SMART will operate extra trains to accommodate the additional passengers People riding bicycles to the event can leave their bikes at the bicycle valet on B Street at Fourth Street Alcohol can only be sold and consumed at two beer gardens One is on B Street between 4th Street and Petaluma Boulevard North the other is on Western Avenue between Keller Street and Petaluma Boulevard North The beer gardens are cashless; only electronic payment will be accepted Public consumption of alcohol is not allowed nor can members of the public bring alcohol to the event according to Petaluma police "Violations of alcohol-related laws will be strictly enforced and uniformed officers will be working the event to address any violations," Petaluma police Sgt Police provided the following list of road closures for Saturday See more information here about Butter & Egg Days in Petaluma. Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Council members may vote on a resolution to rename Center Park located at B Street and Petaluma Boulevard The Petaluma City Council will discuss the following items at its next meeting on Monday May 5: which allows for multiple items to be approved under one vote Significant items tentatively scheduled for future meetings include: May 12: Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget workshop May 19: Urgency ordinance to amend the city’s mobile home rent stabilization program; resolution adopting a decorum and order policy; trestle presentation The Petaluma City Council typically convenes on the first and third Monday of the month at 11 English St The next meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m One signature item will be missing from the menu but plenty of other Italian dishes will be added the queen of pizzas with sauce of fresh tomatoes melted mozzarella cheese with fresh basil and EVOO from L'Oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa The imported wood-fired oven (which also can use gas) has stone from Mt prosciutto San Daniele and EVOO from L'Oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa Italian sausage and EVO from L'oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa March 24 Taylor de Angelis delivers fresh pizza from the wood oven at L'Oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa March 24 Burrata Caprese aged baby tomato confit served with creamy burrata cheese basil Napoletan garlic bread with oregano and lots of EVOO from L'Oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa March 24 burrata hazelnut and raspberries from L'oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa March 24 Pistachio Cake from L'Oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa March 24 Taylor De Angelis serves pizza to guest on the 4th Street patio at L'Oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa March 24 Napoletan garlic bread with oregano and lots of EVOO from L'oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa March 24 L'Oro di Napoli owner Domenico De Angelis works his magic at the pizza oven in downtown Santa Rosa March 24 raspberries and burrata from L'Oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa March 24 Santa Rosa’s L’Oro di Napoli will officially open its 8,000-square-foot Petaluma restaurant Wednesday bar and impressive Italian wood-fired pizza oven But one thing will be missing — the lasagna “No lasagna here,” said co-owner Domenico De Angelis, whose mile-high lasagna filled with layers of fresh pasta, Bolognese, béchamel, tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese is a bestseller at the Santa Rosa location and pushed the Fourth Street restaurant to the top of my Italian dining “best of” list De Angelis said he wants to keep the lasagna a Santa Rosa-only dish But Petaluma will also have unique offerings Unlike the pocket-sized kitchen in Santa Rosa the lavish new kitchen build-out in Petaluma will allow L’Oro di Napoli to expand its Neapolitan-influenced menu The 208 Petaluma Boulevard North restaurant (formerly Thai Issan) also has separate bar and restaurant seating a private dining area and the charming Neapolitan “windows” and faux balcony overlooking the dining room similar to the Santa Rosa restaurant “We want you to feel like you’re in Italy when you’re here,” said De Angelis You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats Local brewpub and food truck spot thrives as an ever-evolving community hangout spot Website and events calendar: TheBlockPetaluma.com Food is something that most of us like and appreciate owner of the Petaluma beer garden and food truck park known as The Block says there’s never been a time he wasn’t at least moderately preoccupied with food I love cooking and I love eating,” he said Thoughts of how to share that love with his community helped him and his family get through a particularly challenging time in their lives when his then-3-year-old son Jackson was gravely ill with blastoma – a dangerous form of pediatric cancer – his family spent significant amounts of time the hospital Hildreth had taken time off from his job as a pediatric ICU technician at Oakland Children’s Hospital All of his spare time was spent taking care of his son “The cancer was everywhere – in his bone marrow in his cells all through his body,” Hildreth said going on to list the various treatments the boy endured during those months – chemotherapy “They threw the kitchen sink at it,” he said I’m not ever going back to the medical field I need time away from medicine and hospitals.’” and a newfound appreciation for the rising food truck phenomenon of the 2010s that presented Hildreth with an alternative to the medical profession A food truck park near the hospital in Oakland further intrigued him inspiring thoughts of how to bring a similar spot to Petaluma “During that whole time we were in and out of the hospital I was drawing up plans for this place,” he said seated at one of the Block’s indoor tables adjacent to the vast open-air portion of the popular food-and-drink gathering spot “When we got the evidence of no more disease which opened on Butter & Egg Days in 2017 just celebrated its eight-year anniversary Much has changed since the place originally opened Though a rotating array of food trucks is still a major part of the draw the trucks are now primarily a weekend offering “Food trucks are still rocking and rolling and there are some great ones that serve outrageous food here on a pretty regular basis,” Hildreth noted with some of them getting their own brick-and-mortar spots and not doing the mobile thing so much.” To give visitors at The Block some consistency working from a pop-up tent just inside the courtyard and continues to make a weekly appearance there on Friday evenings serving patrons through a window overlooking the wood-floored A similarly compact barbecue joint has recently been added as well to accommodate hungry visitors during the weekday period when no trucks are on site Those are just a few of the changes that have taken place at The Block since it opened up shop Originally serving locally made beer and wine Hildreth eventually began serving his own beer under his Two Rock Brewing label he applied for and received a license for a full bar which was put in place over the many long months of the pandemic As with the initial design and construction of the place Hildreth’s father Church – a well-known local architect and contractor – has been a key player in all of The Block’s renovations and expansion including the new stage area that emerged during the pandemic “This whole place was basically built by me and him,” Hildreth acknowledges literally 6,000 screws in that deck right there and my old man put most of them in while I was up on a ladder hammering nails in the rafters.” the Hildreths have continued to find ways to accommodate more people and as one of the main places in town where you can eat and drink outside it’s been a constant challenge to find ways to keep expanding “And we’re open till midnight on the weekends because there aren’t that many late-night spots in town.” With a fresh, easy-to-use new website that calls special attention to The Block’s regular music events Hildreth said he’s happy that his brainstorm a decade ago – born out of a difficult time – has become such a solid part of the downtown Petaluma dining-and-drinking landscape there are still a lot of people I meet who say “Right here” would be just off Washington Street tucked around the corner behind AutoZone auto parts looking across the deck as if to the folks out beyond the fence wandering along Kentucky Street a few blocks away looking for somewhere new and interesting to grab a bite and a cocktail I just always wanted it to be a community center a place for people to come and hang out with each other have a nice relaxing time out in Petaluma,” he said but this place really is a dream come true.” David Templeton is the Community and Arts & Entertainment Editor of the Petaluma Argus-Courier You can reach him at david.templeton@arguscourier.com Who doesn’t like saving a few dollars when going out to eat In the interest of providing an extra reason to patronize local restaurants allow us to call attention to the little proclamation that diners will see when flipping through the menu at Mi Pueblo’s Petaluma Boulevard location “Pay with Cash & Save-a-Tortilla,” it says making the offer even clearer with the following “Pay with cash & save 3.85% on all menu items.” often presents itself to people who showed up hungry but were counting on paying with a card so understandably never bothered to cash up on their way to the restaurant to order a Chile Relleno burrito the Chile Relleno burritos at Mi Pueblo absolutely rock council members downsized the scope of the major zoning change which is intended to bolster economic development A battle over a proposed zoning overlay for downtown Petaluma seemed to be settled last month when the City Council approved it 5-1 setting the stage for construction of a six-story hotel proposed by celebrity chef Charlie Palmer and other potential large-scale developments now limited by city law which proponents see as a catalyst for economic development amid critics who see it as a threat to downtown’s historic character The smaller overlay passed 5-1 along the same lines as before with Council member Karen Nau voting against it and Council member Alex DeCarli recusing himself because he lives within 500 feet of the overlay area there was a more conciliatory tone between members of the public and city leaders we’re not rushing this,” Mayor Kevin McDonnell told the crowd before the vote We hear that you’re coming from a good place and a good heart downtown preservation advocates said during and after the meeting they still intend to pursue a referendum that would allow voters to repeal the overlay entirely Petaluma’s controversial Downtown Housing and Economic Opportunity Overlay was originally proposed for three “subareas” of downtown totaling about 10 acres council members passed only Subarea A on a procedural “second reading” of the ordinance and removed the other two areas from the overlay entirely The smaller iteration is a one-block by two-block area that includes the site of the project that started the overlay debate in the first place: Palmer’s Appellation Petaluma luxury hotel proposed for the empty lot at B Street and Petaluma Boulevard South B and D streets and Petaluma Boulevard – allows for buildings up to 75 feet and an increased floor area ratio from 2.5 to 6.0 future projects above 45 feet in the overlay area would still be subject to city approvals including a jobs-housing analyses and require a minimum of three criteria for “exceptional building design,” such as “innovative” architectural concepts sustainable design or visual elements that contribute to the “built environment.” Although council members did not give direct reasons for downsizing the overlay they seemed to believe the smaller overlay was a compromise that still helped them reach long-term goals for Petaluma’s downtown “A smaller overlay ... is a viable option that would still meet many of the project objectives for creating housing and economic opportunity,” states a council questions report from city government staff Leaving Subarea A in place does allow economic opportunity – in the form of the proposed hotel – although as Councilmember John Shribbs noted He asked city staff for clarity on state housing laws that could possibly bring denser housing developments to downtown “One of the key elements of the overlay helps encourage a product that is 100% residential there is a state density bonus law that a developer could come through and seek some relief from any of the standards that the city has,” replied Director of Community Development Brian Oh they designed the overlay to fill vacant properties and economically “activate” both existing and new properties city leaders also repealed a previous General Plan amendment that was aligned with the larger downtown overlay passed last month The latest iteration of the General Plan – the city’s long-term guiding document -- is being updated and should be approved later this year One of the criticisms against the overlay process was that it sought to skirt the General Plan update The current amendments would still sunset with the existing General Plan and the city intends to make zoning changes when it ratifies the update During public comment period of the council meeting Monday those opposed to the overlay reiterated concerns that it skirted the forthcoming General Plan update and that it didn’t address downtown vacancies and parking issues Other members of the public spoke in support saying the overlay would support the city’s long-term future by increasing downtown development Slow is why we’re in a housing crisis and multiple generations a group formed to fight the hotel and overlay said they approved of the shrinking of the overlay But they still signaled they intend to move forward with a referendum to stop the Appellation Petaluma and other major downtown changes at the ballot box “We at PHA would be thrilled to see responsible planning and development that honors the historic fabric scale and architectural form of our beloved downtown core We are also smart enough to see the overlay is anything but that,” said David Alan Boyd Council member Brian Barnacle said he wasn’t concerned about the threat of a voter referendum “I welcome a referendum because that’s when the rubber meets the road and you talk about it,” he said cited bigger-picture concerns that they hoped the zoning changes could help address tax money provided by the Appellation Petaluma project could bring more money to city coffers We have to make the incentives available so it’s viable for them and I’m hoping that’s what the overlay does is it puts that on the table,” McDonnell said with Councilmember Alex DeCarli abstaining Eight years ago the Petaluma City Council unanimously passed the “It Won’t Happen Here” resolution refusing cooperation with the federal government based on immigration status or race in response to prior comments and promises to crack down on immigration during President Donald Trump’s previous administration It did not declare Petaluma a sanctuary city the council unanimously passed a resolution of solidarity The resolution also denounced anti-Asian racism In October 2023, the City Council unanimously passed a resolution to support human rights for all and condemned hate speech racism and acts of extremism in response to rising Islamaphobia and antisemitism both nationally and locally In the wake of the Trump administration’s statements on immigration within the last few months, the Petaluma Police Department joining several other law enforcement agencies around the county affirmed that it would not detain or arrest people based solely on their immigration status Lea el artículo en español aquí. inclusivity and compliance with California law the City Council did that by underscoring Petaluma’s intention to uphold both State Bill 54 and the 10th Amendment of the U.S SB54, also known as the “California Values Act,” mostly limits state and local law enforcement from using their resources on behalf of federal immigration enforcement state and federal law enforcement cooperation “in cases of violent individuals,” according to a staff report The Feb. 24 resolution also affirms the state’s sovereignty through the 10th Amendment which reserves those powers not delegated to the federal government to the states and the people That data does not distinguish immigration status DeCarli said he opted to not vote on the resolution due to concerns over possible civil and criminal liability “I'm worried there may be unintended consequences that will hurt our Hispanic community more than it will help by putting a target on Petaluma's back,” he told the Argus-Courier “I have heard there are a few cities being targeted for similar things right now.” DeCarli asked City Attorney Eric Danly to weigh in on whether the resolution could have that effect “What this resolution … is intended to affirm is our respective commitments to upholding our oaths of office and to protecting the constitutional statutory rights of our community members,” said Danly “So what I would say is to the extent that puts a target on our backs then I guess that’s one that we should wear.” Assistant City Attorney Dylan Brady acknowledged that while DeCarli had valid concerns, the resolution was worded in such a way as not to target the city and added that this iteration did not declare Petaluma a sanctuary city In late December, America First Legal, founded by Trump adviser Stephen Miller, sent hundreds of letters that warned of “serious consequences” for so-called sanctuary cities, according to staff “SB54 prohibits us by state law ‒ it makes it a misdemeanor offense ‒ if we participate in activities associated with enforcing or applying immigration law,” said Petaluma police Chief Brian Miller “It’s illegal for law enforcement in California to ask questions about someone’s immigration status so we don’t ask those questions nor is it really pertinent or relevant for the scope of the crimes that we are investigating He added that his department has seen a “high high dividend” to being fair in its enforcement and that this resolution aims to support the community “making sure that we’re looking out for one another.” Did you know that McEvoy Ranch has a presence in town in the buzzing warehouse district Bringing a bit of the Big Easy to Petaluma the city's second Craft Cocktail Week kicks off in late February is organizing the second installment of Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week Ten local businesses are embracing the Mardi Gras theme with their take on the daiquiri Barber Lee Spirits' take on a daiquiri for the second installment of Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week People enjoy cocktails at Barber Lee Spirits on Oct Brewsters Beer Garden is a newcomer to Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week; its cocktail features a blend of three rums and is called Timeout Bartender Danielle Peters shakes up a cocktail at Brewster's Beer Garden in Petaluma The Timeout cocktail from Brewsters Beer Garden in Petaluma Luma Bar and Eatery is also mixing up a daiquiri for Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week The bar and main dining room at Luma Bar and Eatery in Petaluma Thursday The Shuckery’s spin on a daiquiri for Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week Hank’s is a newcomer to Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week; the second installment takes place Feb Pictured is the eatery's take on a daiquiri Torches owner Alice Kilgore finds a bottle in the locked liquor cabinet just off the bar Tuesday Torches is returning for the second installment of Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week Seared is taking part in the second Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week The Block Petaluma is one of 10 businesses involved in Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week is taking part in the second Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week you can stroll through downtown Petaluma to celebrate Mardi Gras Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week is returning from Feb. 27 ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­through March 9. Lorraine Barber, co-owner of Barber Lee Spirits, is back at it organizing the second installment, following a successful launch in November 2024 “We wanted to have a fun way to celebrate Mardi Gras and bring a little bit of the Big Easy festivities to Petaluma,” said Barber “The first round [of Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week] was really well received People had a fun time exploring the craft bar scene in Petaluma.” With feedback from last year’s cocktail week providing guidance festivities this time around will run a day longer giving savvy sippers a little extra time to come out and raise a glass “It seemed like a really cool community building event,” said Cappy Sorentino “We are hoping to see people interested in cocktails and further expand cocktail culture in Sonoma County.” Brewsters’ daiquiri addition to Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week is called the Timeout The drink is a blend of three rums ­— Mount Gay Eclipse Planteray Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple and Smith & Cross — along with Tempus Fugit Spirits Crème de Banane Along with highlighting all of the participating businesses Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week aims to provide a clear understanding of what customers can expect but it also means that we’ll have a little more ability to spend time with everyone,” said Barber “We hope that everyone takes this opportunity early in the year to shake off the cold Revelers that make it to three of the 10 participating businesses can claim a commemorative sticker at Barber Lee Spirits All of the participating businesses are located in downtown Petaluma, so it’s easy to walk from one location to another. Rideshares, LumaGo (Petaluma’s free on-demand rideshare service) and designated drivers are highly encouraged Expect more craft cocktail weeks to come in 2025, each highlighting a different drink. And check out @petaluma_cocktail_society on Instagram for the latest updates regarding Petaluma Craft Cocktail Week The crash occurred on Petaluma Boulevard North near Corona Road Investigators say it occurred overnight and they are looking for a driver Authorities are searching for a driver who did not stop after striking a man who was found dead Friday morning on a road near Petaluma The overnight collision occurred along Petaluma Boulevard North according to the California Highway Patrol CHP spokesperson Officer David deRutte said investigators are trying to piece together a timeline of events The agency’s incident log showed that CHP officers got to the scene just before 7:30 a.m Friday following a report of a hit-and-run with injuries A preliminary investigation determined the man had been walking along the east side of the road sometime overnight Investigators believe his body wasn’t found until after the sunrise when it could be seen The name of the victim will be released by the Sonoma County Coroner’s Office once he has been identified and next of kin are notified CHP officers were still at the scene Friday afternoon Additional details were not immediately available Investigators ask anyone with information about this case to call then at 707-806-5600 a celebration dedicated to reconnecting people and the land A woolly procession of sheep set to make its way through Petaluma Saturday morning has prompted a warning to drivers from police Petaluma police are urging the public to avoid driving in the area between the Petaluma Fairgrounds and the Petaluma River as several roads will be closed as part of the annual Transhumance Festival’s sheep parade named for the tradition of moving livestock from one grazing ground to another in a seasonal cycle will open with its traditional sheep herding where dozens of the animals are moved from the fairgrounds to Steamer Landing Park between 10 and 11 a.m Petaluma Police Department announced East D Street and several cross streets will be briefly closed to vehicles Payran Street from Fairgrounds Drive to East D Street People are welcome to watch the procession but police ask that they stay on adjoining sidewalks along the route to leave a clear path for the herding sheep to reach the park safely a free public festival will include an artisan market featuring local purveyors and demonstrations of land stewardship practices Get more information at sassyandgrassy.com Valley Vista and Live Oak are set to form a new school starting next school year But several Valley Vista families have already left Plans by Petaluma City Schools to merge two school communities – Valley Vista Elementary School and Live Oak Charter School – are well underway And while many parents are happy with the merger itself some say they are decidedly unhappy with the way district leaders communicated the idea in the first place told the Argus-Courier they were already frustrated with the school district long before the recent move to merge their school with another one But the way the current process has been handled and there are a lot of big feelings and heated feelings that people have,” said parent Adriann Saslow school volunteer and art docent is among several parents who questioned the local district’s methods when it came time to combine two distinctly different school cultures their ultimate response was to transfer their children elsewhere The recent departure of their children and others has exacerbated Valley Vista’s enrollment decline which some parents said the district failed to address for years In 2017 there were 312 students, according to publicly available data but by the 2023-24 school year that number was down to 192 At the start of the current school year there were 158 students Parents said they thought the slide was likely to continue Former Valley Vista PTA President Loni Ward writing in a September email to school board President Caitlin Quinn said that for “years” she had asked district leaders about a possible school closure but “I was dismissed every time I asked about it.” parents say Valley Vista is a “ghost” of the vibrant multicultural community it once was that offered Spanish-language classes numerous after-school enrichment opportunities and superb child care The language classes connected Petaluma’s sizable Spanish-speaking population and non-Spanish speakers, Ward said. State data from 2023-24 showed about a quarter of the school was English learners One grandparent and district educator said that over the past few years the district failed to provide adequate bilingual and support resources to the elementary school despite it having the second-highest rate of English learners in the district points to a bevy of “educational options” now available to parents: charters “which has impacted enrollment in traditional public schools,” Deputy Superintendent Tony Hua wrote in an email He added that parents who left Valley Vista said they left not because they disliked the school “but rather (due to) something that drew them to a different campus.” The merger which is expected to be completed in time the upcoming school year is considered a win-win by district leaders who note that the west side’s 70-year-old Valley Vista is a full-sized campus with declining enrollment while Live Oak is a popular school in need of a campus — at least one better than its current rented facilities at the Petaluma Fairgrounds But they say the merging of the two school communities — for one thing and Valley Vista is not — has led to culture clash discord and bad feelings which the district made worse when district officials first floated the idea of a “Waldorf inspired” school at Valley Vista during what parents described as a poorly led meeting district leaders spoke for “the first 48 minutes,” said former PTA president Ward leaving little time for parents’ questions or concerns grandmother to Valley Vista students and vice president of Petaluma’s largest teachers union ‘Waldorf Inspired,’ on the slide that stayed on the screen for the majority of the two-hour meeting exemplified the reality that neither (Superintendent Matthew Harris) nor the other speakers had any idea of what that might look like,“ she wrote in a five-page letter to the district saying the merging into a single Waldorf school felt like a “done deal” back in May Parents said Harris announced his forthcoming leave of absence soon after that further elevating their concerns and prompting more departures “I feel the district superintendent and the assistant superintendent of ed services (now deputy superintendent) in particular have missed several opportunities to offer parents meaningful and concrete examples of what Waldorf is and isn’t so as to allow families to make a truly informed decision about next year,” O’Connor wrote Though district leaders intended the meeting to be “an informational session that parents were eager for more time to ask questions and share their concerns,” Hua wrote and provided as many answers as we could at the time we went over our allotted time for the evening to answer as many questions as possible.” and “to remedy this” the district sent a recap He would not name the school officials who attended and organized the meeting both schools joined in a “collaborative” process to provide continuous engagement opportunities via a series of meetings If those trends hold, statewide enrollment is projected to continue to decline by 10% over the next 10 years, according the Department of Finance In attempts to boost enrollment at Valley Vista Hua said the school has tried “multiple strategies.” It hosted “flexible tour hours,” actively promoted the school on social media and allowed for early transitional kindergarten enrollment sooner than the state’s set date Not only is it “one of our most beautiful campuses,” the school hosts a Lego lab has a demographic that mirrors Petaluma’s overall and has a “passionate and experienced staff,” he said many parents felt it was finally time to transfer out of Valley Vista — though they worried about the students left behind whose parents are largely working-class and Spanish-speaking president of Valley Vista’s English Learner Advisory Committee said that while the initial May meeting “scared” the larger community she and other Spanish-speaking parents took it upon themselves to learn more about the programs offered at a Waldorf-style school through tours the 35 families she represents support the transition She said that over the past year school and district staff have been helpful in informing her and the other parents she represents about the proposed changes “It’s an excellent opportunity that will be available to us Latino parents to be able to access this type of education for free,” Vazquez said noting that in years past Waldorf-style education was typically offered only at private schools Waldorf’s teaching style based on a child’s development might benefit the school’s bilingual families more many of whom have struggled in a more traditional school setting said the school prioritizes diverse belonging and that over the past few months she has seen buy-in from the most trusted Spanish-speaking leaders at Valley Vista Teachers who plan to teach at the newly merged school — which doesn’t have a name yet 17 — are undergoing more training to better serve multilingual learners Hiring is expected to begin in the next few months and the new school is expected to open for the 2025-26 school year Parents have given different reasons for leaving Valley Vista ahead of the merger transferred her daughter out not because she didn’t want to continue there but ”because of the ease of having the group of parents who were giving (help) to one another,” she said has been friends with the same group since kindergarten and their parents coordinate activities for their children Machuca chose to “not break the bond” and left with them “I’m pouring my heart into a bucket with a hole in it and now somebody’s got a baseball bat she said she is frustrated with school and district leadership’s lack of transparency “Valley Vista is not a stable school right now The teachers are distressed about what the future holds,” wrote parent Siobahn Haslam in a letter to the district this school year said she knows of eight families who left in recent months and families are forced to transfer immediately when a spot is made available at another district school In Haslam’s plea she hoped the district would save Valley Vista students spots at district schools or ensure priority enrollment next year Ward and O’Connor questioned whether the district has followed the legal and recommended procedures during this merger District officials did not respond to questions on whether they’ve followed through on state guidance which recommends a community engagement process and an equity impact assessment “If the school and district had been more honest about what was going to happen it would have been a very different start to the school year,” Ward said The pain felt at Valley Vista is not lost on Live Oak parents It’s a collaborative and distributive endeavor,” said Walter “And I imagine that maybe Valley Vista doesn’t feel that as much.” Acting Superintendent Esmeralda Mondragón issued a district-wide statement with updates on the merger that spoke to broader changes in public education “While we see around the nation districts needing to make heartbreaking decisions to close schools we are grateful Petaluma City Schools has been able to leverage collaborative partnerships and our community’s unwavering spirit of innovation to keep schools open and serving our primary mission of delivering a high-quality and inclusive education to all student scholars,” she wrote is slated to open in May at the former Easy Rider in downtown Petaluma Table Culture Provisions owners/chefs Stéphane Saint Louis and Steven Vargas are opening French-inspired restaurant Bijou at the former Easy Rider in downtown Petaluma Owner/chef Stéphane Saint Louis says Bijou isn’t a bistro but “Bistronomy” — serving approachable dishes with high-end cooking techniques Table Culture Provisions chef Stéphane Saint Louis serves a collage of late spring bites for two and golden orbs of Indian pani puri filled with Dungeness crab salad Dishes at Table Culture Provisions' 10-course tasting menu in Petaluma grilled bok choi and Béarnaise sauce at Table Culture Provisions' 10-course tasting menu in Petaluma Bijou will serve desserts from Table Culture Provisions pastry chef Sylvain Parsy Pastry chef Sylvain Parsy at Table Culture Provisions in Petaluma The owners of Table Culture Provisions (TCP) will open a new French-inspired restaurant at the former Easy Rider in downtown Petaluma after plans to take over the former Quinua Cocina Peruana (500 Petaluma Blvd “It’s our little jewel,” said Table Culture Provisions executive chef and co-owner Stéphane Saint Louis of the contemporary California-French restaurant slated to open in May Saint Louis will head the kitchen while business partners Marta Saint Louis and chef de cuisine Steven Vargas remain at Table Culture Provisions Easy Rider, a 60-seat restaurant in the heart of Petaluma’s restaurant and entertainment district, closed Dec. 31 amid speculation that a new owner was taking over the space Easy Rider co-owner Jared Rogers said he was legally bound not to disclose details but hinted that a Sonoma County restaurateur might take over the location While Table Culture Provision’s tiny 10-table restaurant at 312 Petaluma Blvd will continue its focus on multicourse fine dining Bijou will offer a more casual experience Saint Louis likens to TCP’s social hour menu the paired down à la carte social hour menu includes larger entrées like a Della Fattoria rosemary boule stuffed with Red Hawk cheese from Cowgirl Creamery Flannery Steak & Frites with a black peppercorn sauce or daily fresh made pasta The seven-course tasting menu at TCP is $135 per person “Bijou is Social Hour on steroids,” said Saint Louis seasonal stuffed Caramelle pasta or colossal Prawns à la Provençale and desserts from TCP executive pastry chef Sylvain Parsy “It’s French technique creating a Sonoma County farm-to-table The restaurant will also offer brunch and coffee and pastries on weekends While Sonoma County has seen a renaissance of French cuisine with the openings of nearby Brigitte Bistro Augie’s in Santa Rosa and Maison Porcella in Windsor Saint Louis is clear that Bijou isn’t a bistro but “Bistronomy” — serving approachable dishes with high-end cooking techniques Saint Louis said the 60-seat Bijou will also have cocktail and wine programs and some late-night hours on the weekend You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats the political landscape and coming out of the pandemic I think it’s just harder than ever to be a teenager,” said CultivaTeen Roots co-founder Aliah Singh who has worked as a school counselor for more than a decade has seen first-hand the difficulties faced by today’s youths I think it’s just harder than ever,” she said that it’s also “harder than ever to be a parent or caregiver of a teenager.” with her front-row seat to these mounting challenges who has worked in special education for a decade who has been a licensed marriage and family therapist for 13 years to develop a new online learning platform to bridge gaps within struggling families All three co-founders work for the Petaluma City Schools district is designed to increase connection and understanding between parents and their teenage children “We are a team of professionals in mental health, education, and counseling, dedicated to equipping parents and caregivers with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to navigate the teen years with confidence,” states their website, cultivateenroots.com “Our mission is to cultivate strong family roots by fostering understanding and providing evidence-based strategies for raising resilient CultivaTeen Roots officially launched March 27 with a “foundational course” dubbed “Making AdoleSense.” The comprehensive online program covers topics like effective communication in an effort to foster stronger relationships and support parent-child systems within homes The course also comes with a price tag of $175 Singh said the course gives parents an understanding of what their teen children are going through – both in brain development and social development – and provides them with the tools they need to communicate in a healthy and effective way adding that “I think parents are often overlooked and they’re such a vital part of the process.” “At school we can do all the work possible with a student or a client but when there isn’t a space given to a parent or caregiver then it’s hard for the teen to be able to continue that work at home.” the three co-founders say they were regularly approached by parents with questions on how to better support their kids Singh realized that while there are online courses that give new parents guidance on how to raise their little ones there were no similar programs for parents of older children “I did a preliminary search on the internet and on Instagram and I didn’t see anything out there,” she said “I talked to my sister and I talked to our friend Caitlin and they said I feel like I’m getting the same type of questions and need from parents and students.’” they were able to fully conceptualize the platform they wanted to create despite working full time and raising their own children the co-founders held a March 27 launch party at Brooks Note Winery where they invited community members to preview their program “It’s been an exciting journey to see this idea turn into a reality,“ Singh said with videos ranging from four to nine minutes apiece “We think it’s important to have a foundation of understanding of what your teen or tween is going through,” Singh said “It’s such an important time of construction that’s taking place.” The CultavaTeen Roots website also features blog posts with topics related to raising teens and we want to create a world where we can work together (and) problem solve,” Singh said “So it’s so vital that we can support our parents.” Amelia Richardson is a staff writer for the Argus-Courier She can be reached at amelia.richardson@arguscourier.com or 707-521-5208 The new station opened with much fanfare last Friday including a brass band and over 500 attendees Attendees of Friday’s grand opening expressed excitement over the possibilities the new Petaluma North train station could bring which sells handmade goods at the Tuesday Farmer’s Market in Petaluma said she hopes the new station will bring more visitors and Sandy Peace said she is thinking “of creative ways to ride the train for enjoyment,” with concepts like speed dating said he hopes the new station will benefit local students and has already come up with plans to lure his San Francisco friends with car-free wine tasting outings Eager riders disembarked at the Petaluma North train station Friday morning among the first to ride to Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit’s newest station for its grand opening Chris Linnell waited at the Petaluma Downtown station – the system’s busiest station – to head one stop north for the celebration “This is absolutely ideal because it will enable people in the north end of town to take the train,” he said of the new station he started riding five years ago when neither of his cars would start one morning they’ll never get off,” he said of SMART ridership before heading toward the grand opening celebration Located at the corner of Corona Road and N industrial parks and a few miles from the Petaluma campus of Santa Rosa Junior College Petaluma North is SMART’s 13th station and the city’s second The Petaluma Downtown station was among the first to open in 2017 when SMART service began a series of elected officials spoke to more than 500 attendees praising the new station as part of a “shared vision” to decrease cars on the road and in turn reduce pollution connect even more communities and increase housing Live music by Saint Gabriel’s Celestial Brass Band underscored the joviality as attendees buzzed with chatter on a sunny “We are going to keep building out this wonderful rail corridor getting over the Russian River into Healdsburg all the way to Cloverdale Jared Huffman after an introduction by Eric Lucan Marin County supervisor and chair of SMART’s board of directors “We've got millions of federal dollars that are making that happen and you can count on my commitment to this incredible incredible community resource asset for the long haul,” Huffman said Other speakers included State Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry State Assembly members Damon Connolly and Chris Rogers vice chairman of the California Transportation Commission Mayor Kevin McDonnell and Supervisor David Rabbitt these types of infrastructure projects are really about the next generation,” Rabbitt said “We will all get to enjoy this in the time being that we have on this planet but this station will far outlive all of us.” The elected officials repeatedly acknowledged partnerships between numerous entities – SMART California Transportation Commission and others – that helped get the station built local residents and construction crews were seen in the crowd McDonnell said the new station – which opened 14 months after its groundbreaking – will be accessible to about 30,000 Petaluma residents and 2,500 SRJC students The projected cost for the new station and its parking lot is about $13 million according to SMART spokesperson Julia Gonzalez but part of the second station’s delays came from questions on what would take up the rest of the parcel at Corona Road and McDowell Boulevard will be made of three- and four-story buildings include supportive services for people who have experienced homelessness Before he was first elected to the Petaluma City Council in 2020 Brian Barnacle led a lawsuit against the original housing proposal On Friday he said he is happy to see a version with “more character” coming to life Last month Petaluma officials said the city received a $48 million tax credit for the housing project that closed a funding gap for the $86.67 million development A Windsor SMART station is slated to be completed in the spring, as are a few portions of the SMART Pathway a multi-use pathway alongside the railroad’s corridor SMART has already constructed over 28 miles of path that will ultimately become part of the 307-mile Great Redwood Trail connecting San Francisco to Humboldt Bay Rabbitt announced that a planned Cloverdale station will be included in Plan Bay Area 2050 This will help get funding for the future station said she looks forward to walking to the station with her two sons on weekend excursions The train has been an ongoing topic of conversation at home can already distinguish between trains traveling northbound or southbound For more on the Petaluma North station go to sonomamarintrain.org/stations. For the new train schedules incorporating the new station, go to sonomamarintrain.org/schedules-fares Firefighters arrived at 3340 Petaluma Blvd to find “heavy fire and smoke” coming from the front of the building Firefighters saved an unconscious man found inside a burning home Tuesday night on Petaluma Boulevard North The first Rancho Adobe Fire District units arrived at 3340 Petaluma Blvd Tuesday to find “heavy fire and smoke” coming from the front of the building battalion chief with the Rancho Adobe Fire District As “crews initiated an aggressive fire attack,” they searched the building which had “zero visibility” due to the heavy fire and smoky conditions Firefighters found a single male victim in one of the back bedrooms but breathing and had a pulse,” Deurloo said adding that crews transported the victim to a nearby hospital less than 10 minutes after arriving on the scene The victim did not have any visible injuries when crews removed him Additional resources were called to assist and the fire was under control in about 30 minutes Assisting firefighting crews included the Petaluma Fire Department Gold Ridge Fire Protection District and the Coast Guard Firefighting crews remained on site until about 1 a.m for “extensive overhaul and mop-up,” he said “the cause and origin is still under investigation,” Deurloo said adding that he is unable to share more details due to the involvement of a fire victim Local law enforcement shut down the northbound lanes of Petaluma Boulevard for a few hours during the blaze Agencies involved included the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office Petaluma Police Department and California Highway Patrol MarinHealth’s nearly 14,000-square-foot facility will add pediatric care and an urgent care center in early 2025 MarinHealth is putting the final touches on a new multispecialty clinic that will open Dec the Greenbrae-based health care system announced this week will offer primary care and specialty services There also will be an imaging center for X-rays the clinic will add an urgent care center and pediatric services “We started formally talking about building this … multispecialty clinic about two and a half years ago,” said Dr The health care system invested about $8.2 million to refurbish the existing building into a clinic The new clinic is located in the Washington Square shopping center led the recruitment process for the new Petaluma clinic She said there initially will be about 20 providers and 35 administrative staff “A lot of my work has been personally working with the physicians and really deciding who's going to be traveling to Petaluma or working with our recruiting team to place some of the primary care doctors there,” Schaab said MarinHealth has roughly 60 MarinHealth Medical Network clinics in the North Bay as part of its affiliation with UCSF Health provides MarinHealth access to UCSF’s network of physicians and providers as well as patients’ electronic medical records to ensure continuity of care Klein said a number of the doctors at the new Petaluma clinic especially those who practice primary care which is more common with subspecialty doctors which really are the ones that integrate most with the community we think it's important to have the same doctors (for) their patients,” he said Klein said he also sees a growing need for obstetrics care in Petaluma, especially in the absence of Petaluma Valley Hospital’s now-shuttered birthing center While MarinHealth’s new clinic will not have a labor and delivery department there will be increased options for OB-GYN and midwifery care “We've got some full-time obstetricians coming in that will be a big part of that practice because I do believe there is a community need there,” he said Klein projects the Petaluma clinic to have about 25,000 provider-patient visits in the first year with the potential to double that number in the second year And there are likely more MarinHealth clinics to come “We’re always looking to grow as the need and the demand is there because we've really become a North Bay enterprise,” Klein said “So there’s no doubt that we will be expanding in the future.” This story corrects the square footage of MarinHealth’s new Petaluma clinic The upcoming circus will showcase locally made ciders in support of Sonoma County's apple industry in addition to carnival-themed fare and activities where the new cider festival takes place on April 26 Emily Weber and Nina Kravetz launched the Big West Wine Fest in 2023 Weber and Kravets launched a spinoff festival Ellen Cavalli of Tilted Shed Ciderworks will pour new releases at Petaluma's Cider Circus Tilted Shed Ciderworks co-owner Ellen Cavalli and her husband created Ellie's Non-Alcoholic Cider after she was told to reduce her alcohol intake when she was diagnosed with breast cancer Photo taken at the Tilted Shed Ciderworks tasting room in Windsor on Thursday A branded barrel at the Tilted Shed Ciderworks tasting room and brewery in the Town of Windsor's beverage district along Bell Road Eric Sussman is the wine grower and proprietor of Radio-Coteau which produces cider under the Eye Cyder label A glass of cider by Eye Cyder in Sebastopol on Friday Bottles of Eye Cyder in Sebastopol on Friday The Floathouse on the Petaluma River will offer kayak and paddleboat rentals at Petaluma's upcoming Cider Circus The circus is coming to town — but instead of trapeze artists and animal acts this show features local craft ciders alongside big top-style entertainment from circus-themed kids’ activities to a roller-skating clown Set for Saturday, April 26, at Steamer Landing, Cider Circus is a spinoff of the fast-growing natural wine gathering Big West Wine Fest “We love that cider is such an important and unique local product,” said Emily Weber who co-founded the event with Nina Kravetz “We just wanted to offer a new festival that has a different focus and give the cider makers a place to really shine.” Cider Circus will showcase dozens of minimal-intervention ciders from Sonoma County and beyond The festival will have a family-friendly carnival vibe with performances by Tumbleweed the Clown and Ears of Maize The Floathouse will offer kayak and paddleboat rentals Windsor’s Tilted Shed Ciderworks is working on a new cider to debut at Cider Circus and owner Ellen Cavalli will be pouring her famous nonalcoholic Gravenstein cider at the festival Supporting local cider producers is a great way to help keep Sonoma County’s apple farms in business — more important now than ever as local growers face the impending departure of Manzana Apple Products “As the Sonoma County apple community continues to experience daunting challenges I think it’s even more crucial that the public prioritize supporting local cider producers so that we can help keep our apple industry alive and thriving.” Tickets for Cider Circus are $45 at bigwestwinefest.com you can also snag tickets for Big West Wine Fest which returns to Guerneville’s Solar Punk Farms June 14-15 and typically sells out quickly If you’re a fan of small-production natural wines The afternoon event is inspired by the arts center’s current exhibit in which all displayed artists were asked to contribute a story to accompany their paintings of people engaged in various human activities we often find elements of a good story: character message,” says an attention grabbing media release distributed last week by the Petaluma Arts Center announcing its upcoming workshop titled “Figure as Story: An Afternoon of Writing About Art.” the event is inspired by the arts center’s current exhibit “This afternoon event will explore the idea that every work of art can tell a story,” the press release explained “Participants will choose an artwork from the exhibition and then share their story with the group.” The Petaluma Arts Center is at 230 Lakeville St. For more information visit PetalumaArtsCenter.org The races start at the Petaluma Floathouse on Saturday morning Locals looking for some friendly competition out on the water are invited to participate in this year’s Petaluma River Races organized by leaders and volunteers at the Floathouse Races include a two-mile course and a four-mile course and the boating community coming together and enjoying the river,” said Greg Sabourin Sign-in, waiver signing and boat rental pickup begins at 9 a.m. at the Floathouse, located at 50 Water St. near the Turning Basin. Races will kick off at 10 a.m, weather permitting. All ability levels are welcome, according to the event website at thefloathousepetaluma.org but participants can rent a boat for $35 if they don’t have their own Tax-deductible donations to the Floathouse are also welcome participants can enjoy a 15% discount at Taps on the River with the first of them occurring in November and then January with a cancellation in December due to weather Sabourin said he’s hoping to continue holding the river competitions as monthly events through the spring ”It can be some of the best boating of the year.“ The Floathouse is open every weekend, weather permitting, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information and for event registration, go to thefloathousepetaluma.org famous for its Neapolitan pizza and mile-high lasagna will host an opening party next week in Petaluma L'Oro di Napoli owner Domenico De Angelis adds a drizzle of olive oil to a pizza in downtown Santa Rosa March 24 The enormous Lasagna with a Stagionale salad of arugula in an orange mustard and Extra Virgin Olive Oil dressing from L'Oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa Petalumans will soon get a taste of L’Oro di Napoli’s Neapolitan pizza and mile-high lasagna that have impressed Santa Rosans and pushed the restaurant to the top of Italian dining “best of” lists L’Oro di Napoli pizzaiolo Domenico De Angelis and co-owner Roberto Sbaraglia will host an opening party with food and music from 5 to 8 p.m The location was previously home to Lemongrass Thai restaurant The new restaurant will have a Neapolitan wood-fired oven for pizza-making but the larger location will also have an expanded menu with “a variety of primi secondi piatti and fritti inspired by Campania cuisine,” according to De Angelis Stay tuned for the official opening details it seems that Grateful Bagel is coming to town in the near future With zero preliminary fanfare – aside from the literal buzz of saws during construction – a bright new sign went up recently on the east Petaluma restaurant space once occupied by Subway It seems that Grateful Bagel is coming to town in the near future Santa Rosa and (as of last fall) in Penngrove the locally based company will be bringing its creative array of bagel sandwiches and other snacks to town with suggestions that the middle of May is being eyed as a potential opening date is eyed The spot is tucked cozily in between Starbucks and Super Burger Signs of interior work being done are evident with the outdoor patio area clearly a staging space right now for lumber and other building materials We will let you know when more is revealed Petalumans take to social media to speculate on what fast food restaurant should take over the former home of KFC and A&W Petaluma’s Kentucky Fried Chicken/A&W fast food franchise on Washington Street let its employees go and closed the business as the workers at neighboring businesses admitted to a degree of shock at the suddenness of the shutdown all signage had been removed – stacked in a pile near the garbage containers out back – and the gold-colored building with a red pyramid-like roof and trim was being steadily spray-painted a solid coat of light brown from top to bottom A Google search turns up a page for the business labeled “Permanently Closed,” and a perusal of KFC’s national website shows that Petaluma has been removed from the list of California cities with a Kentucky Fried Chicken operation On local Facebook page “I Love Petaluma!” a large number of people posted their responses many of them offering guesses – and in some cases actual preferences – as to what might replace the fried chicken and root beer drive-up spot The most popular names on the list include Dave’s Hot Chicken the latter suggestion an admittedly desperate attempt to keep Cattlemen’s steak house in town as it has been clearly announced that once it closes on Dec it will eventually be replaced with a Chick-fil-A and other businesses Petaluma-based mobile dessert business – has been put up for sale Local lovers of pineapple-flavored soft-serve ice cream are holding their collective breaths following the March 6 announcement that Trader Jim’s – the charmingly quirky Known for its retro-vibed trailer serving whips Trader Jim’s only apparent hope of continuing is for a local entrepreneur to step up and take over the operation In a posting on its website headlined “A Bittersweet Announcement from Trader Jim’s,” the sad news was officially dropped we share today that Trader Jim’s is looking for a new owner It has been an incredible journey stewarding this beloved food trailer but the time has come for us to pass the torch We are seeking a buyer who will continue the legacy and we’re offering the business and its assets – including the trailer Whoever steps up to buy it will be the operation’s third owner is described on the company’s social media pages as a “mobile tiki trailer serving vegan pineapple soft serve ice cream and floats.” The trailer company name and equipment were purchased in 2023 by Amanda and Craig Karas – owners of Petaluma’s short-lived pandemic-hit Wine or Lose Board Game Café – who’d been big fans of Trader Jim’s having even hired the operation to cater their wedding in 2018 The Karases recently reinforced the frame of the trailer added a new trailer tongue and a fresh new wrap around the exterior “If you or someone you know is interested in this exciting opportunity please reach out,” continued the announcement “We’d love to see Trader Jim’s thrive in its next chapter and stay in Northern California.” To find out more, drop a line to aloha@traderjimsfloats.com KRON4 (KRON) — A 3-year-old child was killed on a private property in Petaluma over the weekend when the child ran into a field and was struck by a tractor CHP officers arrested the Bobcat tractor driver 64-year-old William Medrano of Rohnert Park the child was struck by the tractor and was pronounced deceased at the scene CHP investigators observed signs of intoxication on the tractor operator,” the CHP wrote the Sonoma County coroner’s office identified the 3-year-old child as Ian de Jesus of Petaluma Medrano was booked into a Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of DUI causing death or injury Medrano remained in custody late Monday afternoon in lieu of $100,000 bail He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday these are the actual most popular baby names so far in 2025 Whether it’s a short vacation or they’re jetting off to begin their career show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift National Teacher Appreciation Week begins May 5 take advantage of these freebies and deals