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Healdsburg
January 23, 2026

2023 Crosses the Finish Line: The Year in Review

In 2023, Healdsburg experienced a variety of events and news, including SMART's getting closer, the move of Healdsburg Lumber, the return of Climate Fest, the success of the Prune Packers, and the Healdsburg Museum's "We Are Not Strangers Here: African American Histories in Rural California" exhibit.

Summer baseball league race all but over

Collegiate wooden-bat baseball in Arcata.
To no one’s surprise, the Healdsburg Prune Packers begin the last full week of PEL (Pacific Empire League) play on Wednesday with an unassailable 5.5 game lead over two second-place teams, their 20 wins against only three losses demonstrating their dominance. With only three or four games left for each team, a different pennant winner is impossible.

Run the Turkey Trot on Turkey Day

Fun runners at Turkey Trot
The morning before that big Thanksgiving dinner, the annual Healdsburg Turkey Trot 5K race will give residents and visitors a chance to burn a few hundred calories and start the holiday season on a sound physical foundation.  The Turkey Trot, now in its 11th year...

New bond election for SMART follows Windsor opening

Last to board the Windsor SMART train
On the same day a welcome party was thrown for the commuter rail service in Windsor, a voter-led group called 'the SMART Initiative" announced it was beginning a campaign to renew the quarter-cent sales tax that funds the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit system “and secure the future of public transit in the North Bay,” according to a June 13 statement from the agency.

Greyhounds to forfeit Santa Rosa game

Frank Rea on the run
One quarter into last Friday's Healdsburg football game against Lower Lake, the word in the press box was that the two teams – then tied, 6-6 – were pretty evenly matched. “It’ll take a mistake or a lucky break for somebody to win,” said a long-time Boosters member. Then the breaks started...

Mayor’s first message to Healdsburg 

Chris Herrod at the Pavilion
"Being Healdsburg’s mayor (which the council selects each December) doesn’t carry any additional political power. I get the same single vote on each public decision as my colleagues," says Chris Herrod of his new role.

Anyone for Ten – er, Pickleball?

Four brightly colored new courts at Healdsburg High—two shades of blue with green between the game areas—are a highly visible sign that pickleball has reached a critical threshold in town, with a dedicated city-sponsored center for the ever-growing legion of players in Healdsburg. If the...

Healdsburg Happenings, Oct. 2 – 11

Traveling Wilburys Revue
The idea of a tribute band for a combo that never had a gig is pretty audacious, but when the material includes songs by Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan and George Harrison, it begins to make sense...

5 Candidates for City Council’s 3 Seats

City Hall
In Healdsburg, five candidates filed for three four-year terms that will be on the ballot. They included the incumbents in those seats—Dave Hagele, to run for a third consecutive term; Ariel Kelley, to run to fill a second term; and Ron Edwards, who won a two-year term in 2022 and is running for a full four-year term this year. Two challengers also filed, Linda Cade and Heather Hannan-Kramer...

Cannabis Applicants Jane, Solful win Licenses

By Christian Kallen It only took about half an hour for the Healdsburg City Council to make up their collective mind in choosing two out of eight applicants for cannabis business licenses in town. And, after a full year of process, eight months of application...
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Arts & Entertainment

Gabrielle Cavassa at Healdsburg Jazz

Healdsburg stakes claim as year-round jazz destination

This year brings the second Healdsburg Winter Jazz Festival, which starts Thursday, Jan. 29, at the Harmon Guest House’s Merritt Hall and concludes Sunday night, Feb. 1, at the Healdsburg Community Church. It once again showcases a diverse line-up of jazz talent, genres and venues. A total of six programs are being presented at off-beat stages, with a suitably wide-ranging menu of music.
Ralph Fiennes

Zombie sequel raises hopes