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Healdsburg
April 21, 2026

New Raven Play ‘Inspired by True Events’

old family portrait
This weekend’s opening marks the culmination of 10 years of research, inspiration and introspection for playwright Francine Schwartz, now 75, along with a lifetime of memories. That decade began in 2014 while she went through family possessions in the family home, cleaning things out because her mother had moved into assisted living...

Boosters Deliver $74,000 for Greyhounds

Booster present check
Whatever the result of the year’s first gridiron game at Rec Park, the halftime period is worth its weight in gold—in the form of a giant check written out in the amount of $74,160 to the high school’s athletics programs...

‘Thanksgiving Trotters’ Raise $100,000

The 14th annual Turkey Trot got underway on a brisk but clear Thanksgiving morning, as more than 3,000 runners competed in what’s become known as the Live Like Drew challenge. It was a younger-than-normal crowd: Of the 2,679 who finished the 5k loop, half of the top 10 finishers were in their teens,...

From parade to livestock, it’s HFFCF weekend

Healdsburg Future Farmer with his yearly project
Perhaps the city’s crown jewel event is the Healdsburg Future Farmers Country Fair and the accompanying Twilight Parade. It’s all happening this week for the 76th time. And it's theme even rhymes: Keeping Ag Alive in 2025.

Will high-scoring Prune Packers meet their match?

Baseball coach Joey Gomes
To look at the scoreboard of many recent Healdsburg Prune Packers games, one might think that’s softball being played on the field. On June 14, the Stockton Pearls fell 20-1, and the Bay Area Marauders went down 24-5 on June 15. These are scores more frequently found on diamonds where the bases are 60 feet apart, not 90. In softball, at least at the high school level, the “mercy rule” ends a game early if there’s a 10-point spread. No such rule affects collegiate baseball. 

Are all Wes Anderson films alike? Not quite

Scene from Phoenecian Scheme
Wes Anderson is a genius, and whether or not one appreciates his highly mannered and idiosyncratic style is mercifully subjective. And his singular vision is one that I guarantee will be studied a hundred years from now alongside Jacques Tati, Ingmar Bergman and Jean-Luc Godard.

Trail to Fitch Mountain Summit Gets Boost

The view of Fitch Mountain looming to the east of Healdsburg is as much a signature of the town as the Russian River itself, a natural landmark that defines the region. It’s a small wonder—its 991-foot altitude is no Everest or Denali, but as...

The Ramble gets back with Ziggy Marley

Kelly and Noah Dorrance at the 2024 BloodRoot Ramble
It ain’t BottleRock, and that’s a good thing. Although the Napa-based music festival shares the same initials as Healdsburg’s BloodRoot, one won’t find miles-long traffic jams, $250 tickets or caviar corndogs here—nor is one likely to find stars like Justin Timberlake, Green Day or Public Enemy. But BloodRoot has plenty of talent taking the stage: four bands over an eight-hour day of music, including one certified international star, Ziggy Marley.

Local Greeting for the First Lady

Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States, arrived at Sonoma County Airport on Jan. 18 and was met by local officials and demonstrators, before heading to Healdsburg for a fundraiser and delivering a message of hope and determination.

Wrestling camp held in Drew Esquivel Hall

Scott Weidemier teaches wrestling camp
For the seventh time in eight years, young wrestlers traveled to Healdsburg last week to sharpen skills, compare notes and share their enthusiasm for the sport in the Drew Esquivel Memorial Wrestling Camp, held June 12-14 on the Healdsburg High campus.
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Arts & Entertainment

Melissa Yanc

Rising star in the kitchen

Melissa Yanc’s culinary path began at her grandmother’s side, learning her way around a kitchen since childhood. Over 16 years in the hospitality industry, she honed her craft through pastry school before opening her first bakery in Denver at the young age of 23.