Healdsburg Tribune April 11 2024

FIVE LOCAL STUDENTS HEAD TO ‘SKILLSUSA’ NATIONALS THIS SUMMER

By Simone Wilson

A growing movement at Healdsburg High School to expand vocational education paid off last weekend in SoCal, where six HHS students medaled in the annual statewide Skills-USA competition.

Competing against regional winners from across California, local students took home gold in three categories: “culinary arts,” “baking and pastry” and “engineering technology and design.” They’ll now go on to represent California in the SkillsUSA national championships, scheduled for June in Atlanta.

The winning design for the engineering category: A phone battery powered by algae that students harvested from the Russian River.

Kids like these “are going to be the ones solving the big problems in the world, going forward,” says Derek Corsino, who oversees SkillsUSA training at the high school. Corsino, a pastry chef who once competed on a Food Network baking show, also leads the elite culinary program at HHS.

He says 24 students from Healdsburg competed in more than 10 events at the state contest this year. Compare that to 17 students competing in seven events last year—and the year before that, Healdsburg’s first year at SkillsUSA, 14 students in five events, according to Corsino.

“It’s amazing,” he says. “We’ve come so far.”

At nationals in Atlanta,

THAT’S THE GOAL OF A NEW CITIZEN PLAN, STARTING WITH MARCH AVENUE

By Simone Wilson

A new, citizen-led initiative in Healdsburg will attempt to plant 500 more trees along city streets—an ambitious endeavor that will involve raising funds, rallying community members to help, mapping spots to plant, getting local landowners on board, dodging underground utility lines, caring for the trees longterm and much more.

The goal is to plant 50 trees along March Avenue by November 2025—a pilot program that would

serve as a model for tackling other city streets that “lack shade and are uncomfortably hot during much of the year.” Planting is scheduled to begin this fall along March Avenue, our “neglected east-west corridor,” organizers say.

The group behind this big green dream, “Street Trees for Healdsburg,” is a subset of the larger Climate Action Healdsburg group, which has grown over the past few years into a busy hive of around 30 locals who put their energies and expertise toward environmental problemsolving here in town.

One of Healdsburg’s more progressive former mayors and a current substitute teacher in town, Brigette Mansell, sits at

the helm of the street-tree project.

The roster of folks she’s recruited to help advise at this early stage is a who’swho of local experts in urban planning and environment—including former city planning commissioner Dan Petrik; climate educator Tyra Benoit; former city arborist Matt Thompson; current city parks official Jaime Licea; Healdsburg High School art teacher Linus Lancaster, who’s been planting on campus with help from students; and perhaps Healdsburg’s most famous gardener, Martha Hunt, a native-plant guru by all accounts.

Their group motto? “Stitching community together, one tree at a time.”

The dream is twofold: Improve quality of life in Healdsburg—uniting the town with shadier, more walkable streets—while helping restore balance to the planet. And it all begins on March Avenue. “That’s not a tourist street, unless they’re going to the hospital,” Mansell says. “It’s the most forgotten street in town.”

Team member Matt Thompson, who worked for decades as the city’s arborist, says that “from the whole greenhouse gas perspective, planting trees is like the lowhanging fruit. It’s the easy, fairly inexpensive way to mitigate some of these problems.”

He adds: “There’s something called ‘urban heat

islands’ that are created when you put in sidewalks and parking lots and pathways. The trees help to cool that reflective surface.”

While the tree project doesn’t require city permission, because all the planting will happen on private land, Mansell says she’s been grateful to have the support of city officials so far.

“My understanding is that the trees would be on private property, so the City doesn’t have a formal role in the process right now,” Healdsburg City Manager Jeff Kay says via email. “But we’re definitely supportive of efforts to add trees in this area. I know that our staff has been in contact with this group and has

says that a “new and exciting restaurant concept” called Arandas will be coming to the hotel in “early summer” this year.

James Blystone, a spokesperson for Foley’s Glacier Restaurant Group, confirmed over email that “Chalkboard will be changing, and the restaurant will end up being Latin cuisine and will open in summer 2024.”

The spokesperson said more details will be coming soon. Rumors among insiders—fanned by Foley’s recent announcement that he’s going into the tequila business—speculate that the new restaurant will likely serve

➝ Hundreds of Trees, 6 ➝ Skills Contest, 6

Photo courtesy of Brigette Mansell

Pictured from left:

GOINGS ON AROUND TOWN THIS WEEK & NEXT

Dad Country

On Thursday, April 11, hear Low Cut Connie (Adam Weiner), with Fantastic Cat. This could be a show people talk about for a while. Tickets $30, 6-10pm. The Second Story stage is upstairs at Little Saint, 25 North St.

City Offices

Closed

On Friday, April 12, the City of Healdsburg closes its offices at City Hall, but work continues for public works and building inspections. To schedule a Public Works inspection call (707) 5470556, for Building inspections call (707) 431-3346.

Barrel Room Music

Live music continues at Hudson Street Wineries on Friday afternoons, from 5-8pm. $5 cover for a danceable way to end the work week at 428 Hudson St. This Friday, April 12, the East Bay Grooveline dance band takes the stage; see the season’s schedule at hudsonstreetwineries.com/ upcoming-events.

‘The Mountaintop’

A two-person drama by Katori Hall about the last day of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., entirely set in his Lorraine Motel room the evening before his assassination. It opened the weekend of April 4 and plays again this weekend, from April 1214, 7:30pm. At The 222 stage, 222 Healdsburg

Ave. Tickets start at $45, students free, available at www.the222.org.

Indie Groove

North Coast jam band Blü Egyptian plays “indie grooves” on April 12 at Elephant in the Room, 177A Healdsburg Ave. $10 cover, show starts at 8pm. More at elephantintheroompub.com.

Farmers’ Market

The Healdsburg Certified Farmers’ Market starts up again, every Saturday from April 13 to Dec. 21. Fruits and vegetables, flowers, cheeses, honey, olive oil, bread, wild fish, pasturefinished meat and fresh eggs from local vendors. 8:30am to noon in the West Plaza Parking Lot.

Cocktail Classes

Three different mixology workshops led by

seasoned

tail

edible garnishes

Barndiva’s Scott Beattie, from 4-6pm on April 13 (and again on May 11). Tickets are $150. Next, learn the art of distilling and mixing at Young & Yonder Spirits, 449 Allan Ct., from 5:307pm on April 18. Tickets are $125. Last, a plant-focused workshop at Little Saint called “Your Drink Is Trash,” from 3-5pm on April 21. Tickets are $65.

Bar Jazz

Jazz pianist Steve Rubardt will be joined by drummer Kendrick Freedman and bassist Joel Kruzic for a night of Monk, Miles and Bill Evans at the Spirit Bar, from 6-9pm on Saturday, April 13. Located in the lobby of the Hotel Healdsburg, 25 Matheson St.

LETTERS

Fleetwood Tribute Cover band Fleetwood Mask takes over the stage at Coyote Sonoma on Saturday, April 13, to relive all the hits and then some. Dino’s Greek serving food. Tickets $35, music starts at 8pm, 44F Mill St.

City Council

Next meeting of Healdsburg’s City Council is Monday, April 15, at 6pm. Agendas for all city meetings are published in advance at healdsburg. gov/543/Agendas-Minutes. Location is Council Chambers, 401 Grove St.

School Board

The Healdsburg Unified School District School Board meets on Wednesday, April 17, at 6pm in the Healdsburg City Hall Council Chambers, 401 Grove St. There is a period for public comment in every meeting.

Lumber Mixer

The Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce hosts its latest networking mixer for local movers and shakers at the new Healdsburg Lumber location,13534 Healdsburg Ave. $15 for Chamber members, $20 for nonmembers. Thursday, April 18, at 5pm. “Don’t forget your business cards!”

Paint & Sing

On April 18, Coyote Sonoma throws a combo “Clusterfunk” paint party and karaoke night. Materials provided; DJ on deck. Tickets $25. Paint party starts at 5pm, karaoke at 7pm.

Jazz Education Marcus Shelby, artistic director of Healdsburg Jazz, begins a free, two-part jazz education series on the legacy of Duke Ellington. Commentary and recordings at the Healdsburg Library, 139 Piper St. First part runs from 2-3pm on Saturday, April 20; second part runs during the Healdsburg Jazz Festival, from 2-3pm on Tuesday, June 18.

Healdsburg en Blanc

The Boys & Girls Club of Sonoma-Marin hosts its third annual “Diner en Blanc” fundraising dinner at the Villa Chanticleer, 900 Chanticleer Way, at 6pm

READERS WEIGH IN ON HEALDSBURG’S WEIGHTY ISSUES

A great way to contribute to Earth Day: with your plastic bags. Kind of an oxymoron! Here’s the info: On Sunday, April 21, the City of Healdsburg, along with Climate Action Healdsburg, is holding the CLIMATE FEST event in the Plaza. This huge event—noon to 6pm— will feature dozens of booths, food, activities and educational booths to help attendees learn about the climate crisis. Healdsburg High School students are making a giant something under the direction of Linus Lancaster, art teacher. Linus promises it will be spectacular. Linus just told multiple community members they are woefully behind and need hundreds more plastic bags. It doesn't matter if the bags are

clear or printed on, light or heavy. You can bring the bags directly to the high school’s main entrance for Linus. Spring clean this week and drop off your bags by Friday, April 12. C arol B eattie Healdsburg

More Timeshares in Town?

Last week, the Tribune published our letter

revealing that real estate firm Pacaso had listed four homes for sale in the City of Healdsburg as “Do It Yourself” (DIY) timeshares. Pacaso provides legal advice to facilitate the DIY timeshares. This week, there are three more listings: on Burgundy Road, Trentadue Way and Winding Creek Way. This growing incursion is alarming. The Pacaso business model turns homes into

vacation party houses or lucrative vacation rentals and removes residential housing from the community. Wisely, Healdsburg does not allow timeshares anywhere in the city and restricts short-term rentals to certain areas. Healdsburg’s ordinances should be enforced. If needed, the city should modernize its timeshare ordinance as other jurisdictions have done. Many California

jurisdictions have begun cracking down on Pacaso, including Sonoma County, the City of Sonoma, the City of St. Helena, Newport Beach, Carmel City, Palm Springs, Truckee, South Lake Tahoe and Monterey County. Pacaso is skirting Healdsburg’s rules, and it’s time to deal with it. W arren and J anis W atkins Healdsburg

Healdsburg barkeeps. First, learn 12 cock-

recipes with

from

HAPPY SHOPPER Front

‘THE MOUNTAINTOP’ AT THE 222

By Harry Duke Healdsburg’s

The 222 concludes its season of professional drama with The Mountaintop, co-directed by Aldo Billingsley and Rebecca Novick. Playwright Katori Hall’s imagining of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night on Earth runs through April 14.

It’s late in the evening of April 3, 1968, and Dr. King (Ron Chapman) has returned to room 306 of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He’s just delivered his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” sermon and is struggling to craft a speech in support of striking local sanitation workers.

After sending his friend, Ralph Abernathy, out for cigarettes, he calls down to the front desk in search of some coffee. A knock at the door heralds the arrival of motel maid Camae (Sam Jackson). Dr. King invites her in, and what starts as a casual conversation soon deepens into a discussion of the civil rights movement and the violence that

seems to attach itself to peaceful protest. Moments of self-reflection, doubt and even flirtation culminate in a pillow fight and physical exhaustion. A slip of the tongue brings Dr. King to the realization that Camae isn’t who she appears to be. Things then go in a very unexpected direction, yet still end on the motel balcony floor. Hall has said that she wanted to bring King off the pedestal he’s been placed upon and viewed as an ordinary man capable of extraordinary achievements as a way for other ordinary people to appreciate their own capabilities.

Playing an icon stripped of most everything that made them an icon must be doubly challenging for an actor. Chapman delivers on the playwright’s desire for “ordinariness” while delivering hints of the cadence of Dr. King’s voice. The bombast is delivered by Jackson. But to reveal much about her character’s journey would rob the audience of their own discovery. Suffice it to

say that Jackson absolutely glows in the role.

Previous productions at The 222 used minimal technical elements, but this show utilizes lighting, sound and projection designs. The 222 will

Swan Cake at the LBC SNAPSHOT

By Pierre Ratte

The Luther Burbank Center for the Arts (LBC) featured swan cake, not Swan Lake, this past weekend at its annual fund-raising gala: The Art of Dessert. Table centerpieces are designer cakes from local bakeries. This swan cake with feathers of white chocolate was the grand prize winner.

Maria de Los Angeles, a local artist, was honored for her artwork and mural installation at LBC, along with her painting workshop for LBC youth. Attending Santa Rosa Junior College, then graduating from the Pratt Institute, then earning a masters of fine arts from Yale, she’s currently assistant director of painting and printmaking at the Yale School of Art. Locally, her painting and mural artwork can be seen at Santa Rosa Junior College and at LBC. Fun facts: LBC reportedly had its best fundraising evening ever. Programmed entertainment was provided by a mariachi band, an LBC program of cultural enrichment for young musicians. Unprogrammed entertainment provided by Mark Stark and Charlie Palmer encouraged the crowd with enticements for their auction items— very successful encouragement, it should be added.

Susan Preston, LBC Board Chair and master of ceremonies, was a spark plug of energy throughout. This is her swan song as chairwoman of the board, so it was fitting that the winning swan cake was at her table. She is a winning presence on LBC’s board.

THE INTREPID CANINE CORRESPONDENT ON A FITCH MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE

By Solito

Solito here. You may know me from around town and prior literary contributions to the Tribune. I had to write up this note of thanks to our community for, well, saving my life perhaps.

My morning routine: I sniff, scratch my back on the carpet, stretch and ease into the day. There’s a bowl of food to be had immediately (and, if it’s not forthcoming, a human to be manipulated until it is) followed by outside toilette, some lounging and then—the daily walk up

the Fitch Mountain Trail to the summit. That’s what I’m barkin’ about.

Last year my “owner”/ agent told me that the trail would be closed for at least two months with a project to provide better access to the trail from the Villa Chanticleer Dog Park. Closed? Two months? That’s 14 dog-months and completely unacceptable. I don’t mind telling you that I found this news very upsetting. I might have chewed a couple of off-limit things and even snarled at a few people who didn’t particularly deserve it. It’s a coping mechanism. Thinking about life without the Fitch Mountain Trail … I just can’t go there, I get too emotional.

My “owner” luckily found us new access to the trail

through a friend’s property on McDonough Heights. We can sneak onto the trail where it forks to the Summit and the Loop Trail. Those of you (human, canine) familiar with the section will probably be aware of a particularly insolent squirrel who frequents a section of the trail and who has taken it upon himself to mess with me specifically.

Well, the other day I said to myself—after enduring some of his usual taunting—enough is enough. I took off after the scoundrel, leaving Owner alone on the trail. I’m sure he thought I’d give the annoying creature a quick scare and then double back and join him on the trail as usual, and that was my initial intention.

But after I’d chased him

to the base of a venerable oak tree, instead of heading up to safety, he turned and had the audacity to initiate eye contact with me. At that point it was on. He took off down the hill, and my mind went blank—hundreds of thousands of years of evolution vanished, and I became a limbic-directed missile. I forgot about my “handicap”—my three legs must have been a blur.

Three hours later I was completely disoriented and beat up badly. After repeated unsuccessful attempts to climb back up the steep, slippery hill I had tumbled down in pursuit of he-who-shallnot-be-named, I was completely spent and very, very sore—unable to stand, let alone walk. Would this bed of moldering leaves I found myself in be my final resting place?

I must have dozed off for a while (I think I dreamt I was feeling sorry for

The largest wedding cake, made by chefs at Mohegan Sun Hotel in February 2004, weighed 15,032 pounds. The tallest cake, made in Luoyang, China, stood 25 feet tall. National Cake Day is Nov. 26.

Swan Lake , the ballet, will come to LBC on Oct. 1 and 2.

The first tiered cake, a form later embraced as a wedding cake, was reportedly made in 1858 for the marriage of Queen Victoria’s daughter. Queen Victoria popularized white icing, hence the name “royal icing.” Icing on a cake used to be spread with feathers. Cake stacking was once a thing; each guest brought a layer, the higher the cake the more popular the couple.

A Sunday Trail Hike Goes Very Squirrely

myself) and was abruptly awakened by an ungodly sound from the sky. A helicopter search party! But they flew on. (I later learned they were searching not for me, but for a fugitive loose on Fitch). A few pathetic barks were all I could muster, and Owner was way back up the hill, and I was pretty sure he couldn’t hear me. It was getting dark.

Faced with my mortality, I found myself drifting into a dreamlike state, imagining reuniting with Owner who, in my fantasy, was considerably taller and had been frantically looking for me. I heard a bark, somewhere down the hill. Then there was another woof from what seemed to be a little closer. I responded “Woof (Yes, yes, I am here!).” I was awake now and ready to be reunited with my “owner.” But it wasn’t Owner at all. It was a human woman with an

attractive female canine. Confused, I may have turned to retreat up the hill, but the woman gently put a leash on me. The three of us headed down the hill to what I later realized was their house, where they cleaned me up and gave me some excellent water.

So it was the dog Daphne and her “mom,” Carrie, who were my saviors. The rest is history—a phone call at dusk to Owner. I’m home now; still sore, a bit embarrassed, but very much alive.

My gratitude still brings me to canine tears. Owner and many friends had broadcast my plight and scoured the mountain by foot and car, using phone, text, everything. Our mayor, Ariel Kelly, even posted the search on social media (I don’t use it myself).

If you’re up on Fitch Mountain Trail and happen to run into that squirrel, tell him Solito will be seeing him again in the fullness of time.

Photo by Pierre Ratte

TABLE TOPPER Behold, the star of the recent ‘Art of Dessert’ fundraising event at the Luther Burbank Center.

Photo by Owner

SQUIRREL! Solito goes on full alert with a squirrel—one particular squirrel—that challenges him on Fitch Mountain.

from his Fitch Mountain ordeal.

SPORTS

High School Hires Homegrown Football Coach

CHRISTIAN ROSALES IS FRESH

By Simone Wilson

The struggling football team at Healdsburg High School has a fresh new leader looking to help tell a comeback story under the Rec Park lights.

HHS alum Christian

“Criss” Rosales, 28, comes in hot: He’s been assistantcoaching for the past couple of years at St. Vincent de Paul High School in Petaluma, reporting to top Sonoma County football coach Trent Herzog. He tasted victory at the end of last season when the boys from St. Vincent took home the state championship for their division.

“We’re the second team in Sonoma County to ever win a state title in football,” Herzog says. “Cardinal Newman did it in 2019, and we did it in 2023.”

Healdsburg’s recent record sits on the other end of the scale. The HHS football team has now gone without a single win for two straight seasons. By all accounts, though, the team did show significant improvement last year under seasoned county coach Randy Parmeter— even eking out one tie in a high-scoring 42-42 game against Berean Christian High from Walnut Creek.

Parmeter only lasted a year in the role. He was fired by the school’s athletic director, Joshua Cavanagh, after a dispute that Parmeter claims was related to off-season fundraising activities.

Rosales, the coach’s replacement, calls Parmeter a “great guy.” He says his predecessor “definitely has passion” and believes “his intentions were spot-on with helping the program.”

Looking forward, Rosales will be doing things a little differently.

Since landing his firstever job as a varsity head football coach last week, Rosales says he has assembled a crew of nearly 20 assistant coaches between the JV and varsity squads. The plan, he says, is to split the HHS football coaching salary between them all. Healdsburg’s new coaching crew plans to tailor their approach to the athletes of the day. “Young players these days are very smart,” Rosales says. “They perform the best when they understand the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of what we’re doing. The philosophy behind it.”

Rosales believes that “as coaches, if we can answer all these questions,” players will be more likely to understand and buy into the system, and hold themselves and each other accountable.

Just over a decade ago, Rosales, Class of 2013, stood in the same shoes as his players, as a member of the winning HHS football team under legendary coach Tom Kirkpatrick. After that, Rosales continued playing for the Santa Rosa Junior College team while attending school there—then worked as an assistant coach for a rotating roster of head football coaches at HHS, before signing on with St. Vincent. “Players love him,” says Herzog, St. Vincent’s coach. “He’s a player’s coach. They’re going to work really hard for him— they’re gonna play hard.”

Herzog calls it a perfect fit. He says of his former assistant: “Obviously, he’s a Hound and loves Healdsburg. From the first day I met with him, he always told me he would love to become the head coach at Healdsburg, if that opportunity ever happened. And it happened. So I’m super proud and excited for him.

I think he’ll do a really good job.”

Another leg up for the HHS underdogs this

upcoming season will be the new league structure within the North Coast Section (NCS). Most of their opponents last season were in higher divisions, based on school enrollment, which usually means a better selection of players and more success on the field.

The new schedule will suit a Division 7 team (550 students and below) like the Greyhounds. It will be called the Mountain League, and its members will include Archie Williams (San Anselmo), Novato, Piner, San Rafael, Sonoma Valley, Terra Linda and Healdsburg.

“With the attempt at more equity, the teams next year should give the Hounds a chance to have more success,” Richard Bugarske, the game announcer for the Hounds at Rec Park, said at the end of last season.

Practice begins next month on the high school field for the 30 or so HHS students planning to play football this fall. The 2024 season will kick off with an Aug. 30 home game against Cloverdale.

“It’s definitely going to be fun,” Rosales says. “It’s gonna be a lot of oldschool attitude with modern-school football.”

Big Year for Healdsburg Little League

NEARLY 200 YOUNG BASEBALL PLAYERS AND THEIR PARENTS

ATTENDED THE SEASON’S OPENING CEREMONY LAST WEEKEND

By Geoff Scott

We held our official opening ceremony for the current Healdsburg Little League season on Saturday. Two hundred kids are enrolled this year, ranging from 5 to 16 years old, on 17 teams. Enrollment is even higher this year than before Covid.

It was a great event, with almost all kids and parents in attendance. Ten former Healdsburg Little League dads threw out the first ball to their kids. We realized this was the first time we had alumni coaches since the league formed in 1991.

The league has seven

divisions:

• A Minors: ages 5-8

• AA Minors: ages 8-10

AAA Majors: ages 10-12

Intermediate: ages 12-13

• Juniors: ages 14-15

• Seniors: ages 15-16

All games for the first two divisions are played at Healdsburg Elementary School on Tues/Weds/ Thurs/Sat.

Home games for the AAA Majors and Intermediate are also played at HES, but they have several away games in locations all across the North Bay (Willits, Gualala, Petaluma, Santa Rosa and Sebastopol). Juniors and Seniors play home games at Rec Park, but the season has yet to begin. They travel to similar locations as those above once the season gets underway. A majority of the Senior division is made up of Healdsburg High School baseball players.

All community members are encouraged to attend Little League games. A schedule can be found online at HealdsburgBaseball.com. The primary season of games goes until May 8, and then our league has the “Tournament of Champions” from May 9 through May 22. This is a very fun double-elimination tournament for the teams in AA and AAA. We take a break

from baseball over the Memorial Day weekend, and all divisions except for A Minors form all-star teams to compete in our district starting June 15. Winning teams advance to

further levels of the playoffs (Sectionals and State) with a chance to play in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in August. If your child is interested

in playing ball, please email info@healdsburgbaseball. com. Registration for 2024 “Fall Ball” starts in June, and registration for the 2025 spring season starts in November.

Healdsburg resident Geoff Scott serves as a volunteer coach and league information officer for the Healdsburg Little League organization.

Photo courtesy of Geoff

Photo by David Stuetel, courtesy of Christian Rosales

COACH CRISS Healdsburg High’s new head football coach, Christian Rosales, was part of the coaching team at St. Vincent de Paul High in Petaluma that took the boys to state last year—where they ended up winning the Division 6-AA championship.

Photo by Joe Rowland

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Healdsburg High School quarterback Nova Perrill, the team’s leading rusher and passer last season, returns as a senior this year—along with many other top HHS players.

provided some logistical support. We’re also willing to apply for grants on the group’s behalf if a good option is identified.”

Mansell’s vision includes recruiting local school kids who want to steward the trees and make the project their own.

Other Healdsburg community members— especially ones who own or live on streetside land that could potentially host some trees—are likewise invited and encouraged to get involved.

Residents and landowners will be given a “menu” of dozens of native tree species, and will have the option to plant and take care of the trees themselves, or outsource

the job to the “Street Trees for Healdsburg” group. “If more people just did even one or two natives in their yards, it would make a big difference,” says Lancaster, art teacher and environmental activist. “The benefits of planting natives are enormous. Biodiversity, for one thing. As biodiversity collapses, it’s a domino effect—from soil health, to the presence of native plants, to insects, to birds and then to larger species as well. Then, finally, to us.”

With help from the Healdsburg Rotary and various student clubs, Lancaster has planted dozens of native shrubs and trees around the high school campus during the past few months, where

permission was simpler to secure than it’s bound to be at the 40-plus private properties along March Avenue.

Lancaster says he was inspired by the California State University, Channel Islands campus while dropping off his daughter at college last August. “It was obvious from walking around that they had made a big effort to plant natives on campus,” he says. “The whole campus was just teeming with monarchs and other butterflies and pollinators.” Those interested in getting involved or learning more can find the “Street Trees for Healdsburg” booth at Climate Fest in the Healdsburg plaza on Sunday, April 21.

Kids Sweep Vocational Skills Contest

all eyes will be on HHS senior Hadley Rueter, a star culinary arts student who has won the statewide SkillsUSA competition three times now. She took home bronze at nationals her first year, according to her advisor, but suffered a “humbling” timing mishap during the competition last year that ruled out a medal—so she’s “coming in with a vengeance” this year, Corsino says.

Another of his students, junior Sara Cavallo, won gold in the state “baking and pastry” competition last weekend, so she’ll compete in Atlanta this summer as well.

And another, junior Julia Dolph—who previously won two bronze medals for culinary arts at state—tried out the “restaurant service”

competition this year. She took home silver. On the non-culinary side of the aisle, a trio of HHS students interested in science—junior Jac Campbell, sophomore Henry Herrod and junior Ross Fitzpatrick—just clinched gold in the state “engineering technology and design” competition for their riveralgae battery. Their advisor, Bernadette Calhoun, teaches math at the high school and plans to start offering engineering classes soon. She says her students figured out how to “utilize the electricity released by photosynthesis in algae to power electronic devices.”

Calhoun says students are using the algae battery to power small devices like phones, but they “could be scaled up easily for much grander energy possibilities.”

Culinary teacher Corsino says he’s equally proud of HHS students who’ve been exploring and competing in new SkillsUSA tracks like “emergency medical technician” and “crime scene investigation.”

Although the high school doesn’t offer instruction in those fields, Corsino says kids have been receiving hands-on training from experts in the community. It’s “new and exciting for the students,” he says, “and a point of pride for the chapter that we can reach out and support areas we do not teach at HHS.”

In general, the education system “doesn’t do enough to inform students about what’s out there as far as careers go,” Corsino says. “We have to show them what’s possible.” But from there, he says, it’s up to them: “They gotta go do the thing.”

Photo courtesy of Derek Corsino

HELLA SKILLS From left to right: Culinary and restaurant students Sara Cavallo, Julia Dolph and Hadley Rueter; advisor Derek Corsino; and engineering students Henry Herrod, Jac Campbell and Ross Fitzpatrick pose with their SkillsUSA awards.

Photo courtesy of Linus Lancaster

BEFORE & AFTER Healdsburg High School art teacher Linus Lancaster drew this mockup of what one particular stretch of March Avenue might look like with more trees. Organizers say the property owner is on board.

Photo courtesy of Linus Lancaster

BUG MAGNETS Healdsburg High School student Lola Hagen, a member of the school’s ‘nature association’ and ‘interact’ clubs, joined Norm Fujita from the Healdsburg Rotary Club to plant one of the Rotary-funded natives on campus.

March 25, 2024

1:15am A hit-and-run accident occurred on Healdsburg Avenue. The Reporting Party’s (RP) vehicle was hit by another vehicle that was likely doing donuts. Officers responded and were unable to locate the suspect vehicle. A report was taken.

7:55am Petty theft occurred at Rite Aid Drugstore on Healdsburg Avenue. The RP stated that on March 24 a man took a basket of miscellaneous items. An officer responded and took a report. 9:18am A burglary occurred on West Dry Creek Road during the preceding night. The incident was referred to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.

2:51pm Petty theft occurred at Big John’s Market on Healdsburg Avenue on March 21. The RP stated a man took two bottles of wine valued at $221.47. An officer responded and took a report.

3:52pm A burglary occurred at Double O Mini Storage on Adeline Way. A man jumped the fence of the facility, cut the locks on multiple units and took items. An officer responded and took a report.

3:55pm The RP indicated that a man at Jerry’s Valero on Dry Creek Road was in the bathroom yelling, cussing and banging. Officers responded and cited and released a 42-year-old (YO) man on an outstanding Sonoma County warrant regarding trespass.

• 4:22pm A vehicle was stopped on Center Street for crossing double lines and failing to use headlights. A 59-YO man was cited and released on an outstanding Sonoma County warrant regarding contempt of court and driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI).

injuring the RP’s eye and jaw. The RP wanted to press charges. A report was taken and the incident was referred to the District Attorney.

March 26, 2024

12:49am An officer cited a driver for driving without a license on Adeline Way at Railroad Avenue. 8:35am An officer stopped a suspicious vehicle at Healdsburg Corporation Yard on Westside Road. A 63-year-old woman was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine and violation of probation.

10:09am The RP on Grove Street indicated that one of his co-workers hit him. An officer went to the work site and located the suspect. A 25-YO man was cited for assault and battery.

• 10:59am Petty theft occurred at Big John’s Market on Healdsburg Avenue on March 25. The RP stated a high school student walked out with a large hot food container, valued at $13. The RP was willing to press charges. An officer responded and took a report.

11:24am An officer saw a 65-YO woman in the West Plaza Parking Lot on Healdsburg Avenue snort a substance from a straw. She was cited for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and stealing a shopping cart.

11:33am The RP indicated that two people beat her up on West Grant Street. The subjects were standing behind the RP’s vehicle. Officers responded and spoke to the involved parties, who had only had a verbal argument. The people agreed to stay separated.

1:02pm A subject went to the Healdsburg Police Department on Center Street regarding the release of his vehicle. The 34-YO man was arrested and transported to county jail for a misdemeanor

hit-and-run accident and on an outstanding out of county warrant regarding DUI.

March 27, 2024

1:13am A vehicle on Healdsburg Avenue was stopped for speeding. A 24-YO man was arrested for drunk driving and transported to county jail.

• 10:28am Petty theft occurred at Big John’s Market on Healdsburg Avenue. A woman stole hot food and a pizza. An officer responded and took a report.

11:10am A burglary occurred at Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit District on South University Street. At one point during the two previous days, the facility was broken into. The sheet metal on the side of the building was pried open and three locks were cut on a few of the shipping containers on the premises. Copper wire and possibly some other items were stolen. An officer responded and took a report.

12:00pm Embezzlement may have occurred at Healdsburg High School on Prince Avenue. The RP believed the school was a victim of a financial crime. After a fundraiser last July in Duncan Mills, the school was supposed to receive approximately $5,000. The RP spoke with an officer and was given advice.

6:19pm The RP indicated a woman on Sunnyvale Drive who had been drinking went to get more alcohol. An officer located her vehicle at Wine & Country Chevron on Healdsburg Avenue. The 77-YO woman was arrested for drunk driving, driving with a license suspended for DUI, violating probation and driving with a suspended license.

• 11:01pm The RP on Grove Street stated her boyfriend, who had been drinking, tried to punch her and pushed her onto the bed. The RP called from the locked bathroom. Officers responded and a 41-YO

man was arrested and transported to county jail for domestic violence.

March 28, 2024

3:02am An assault occurred at the 7-Eleven Store on Healdsburg Avenue. The RP indicated a man hit him in the head and left in a car. Officers responded and took a report.

• 3:19am The RP indicated that a transient was at the Hotel Healdsburg on Matheson Street asking the RP to call 911. The RP stated the person looked OK but might have mental health concerns. Officers responded and transported the woman to Healdsburg General Hospital.

11:04am An unlicensed driver was cited on Healdsburg Avenue at Lytton Springs Road. 1:41pm An officer stopped a suspicious vehicle on Alexander Valley Road at Healdsburg Avenue. A 42YO man was transported to the county jail on an outstanding out-of-county warrant regarding lewd acts with a minor and sending harmful material to seduce a minor.

• 2:57pm The RP stated that a motorcycle near the West Plaza Parking Lot on Healdsburg Avenue was driven