Healdsburg Tribune August 17 2023

SEN. MCGUIRE PRESENTS CENTENNIAL PROCLAMATION TO HEALDSBURG KIWANIS

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZES ‘POSITIVE IMPACT’ IN COMMUNITY

By Christian Kallen

Between sets of Americana rock from Danny Click and the Hell Yeahs at the Healdsburg Plaza last Tuesday, Aug. 8, State Sen. Mike McGuire took over the stage and, in his inimical manner, drew attention to a very special birthday.

One of Healdsburg’s most influential, impactful and certainly longestliving service organizations celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, and McGuire presented a proclamation from the California Legislature to Denny Stead, this year’s president of the Healdsburg Kiwanis.

A chapter of the global Kiwanis International, Healdsburg Kiwanis was chartered in 1923. The proclamation read in part, “it is appropriate at this time to highlight its many achievements and underscore the positive impact it has made in the local community.”

The proclamation was passed as a Joint Members Resolution and dated Aug. 8, co-signed by McGuire, a Healdsburg native and perhaps the second most powerful member of the State Senate, and Assemblymember Jim Wood, whose district also includes Healdsburg.

“Having our senator come by and personally present the proclamation was a very nice thing for him to do,” said Stead. “I’m sure as Senate majority leader, Mike has a busy schedule, but he found time for his hometown. Thank you, Sen. McGuire!”

Stead, a 23-year resident of Healdsburg, has been working with the local Kiwanis chapter

Fitch Mountain Projects Underway

TRAILS, BRIDGE, CREEK REPAIR, PUBLIC ART IN FUTURE OF THE LANDMARK

Staff Report

Day hikers, fitness buffs and dog walkers may find one of their most challenging walks off limits for the next two or three months, as long-awaited public access improvements for Fitch Mountain Park and Open Space Preserve got underway this week.

With construction activities that include the use of heavy equipment and hauling of materials, the City of Healdsburg announced they “are required to close all trail access from the Villa Chanticleer lower and upper parking lots,

along with trail access from North Fitch Mountain Road. The main trail and all connection trails will be inaccessible during construction.”

Newly-installed temporary construction fencing prevents access to the trailhead from the Villa Chanticleer lower lot, where the dog park is.

At just shy of 1,000 feet in elevation, Fitch Mountain is perhaps Healdsburg’s most prominent physical landmark, aside from the Russian River itself. The mountain is surrounded on three sides by the City of Healdsburg, hosts the unincorporated Fitch Mountain residential community and provides a scenic backdrop for the city.

The public access improvements project

takes place in two stages. First is Phase 1, which lasts into October and involves trail improvement, bridge installation and creek restoration. Phase 2 is expected to begin in November and run through the winter, bringing improvements to the dog park and the parking lots. Public restrooms are also planned for a nearfuture date.

The Healdsburg City Council allocated $2.77 million for the public access improvements in the 2022-23 budget.

While all that is going on, the City Council recently adopted a resolution to approve the installation of a public artwork project, “Summit Variations,” by artist Johanna Grawunder. The serial art project will be installed on

SISTERS’ HARMONY ON WINERY STAGE

LARKIN POE CONCLUDES RODNEY STRONG SUMMER SERIES

By Alan Sculley

The sister duo of Rebecca and Megan Lovell, who make up the band Larkin Poe, have been nothing if not prolific during their career, releasing six

Fitch Mountain Park and Open Space Preserve in the coming months, following the other public access improvements.

“Fitch Mountain, this natural, cultural, historical resource that stands guard over Healdsburg, the Russian River, and the surrounding valleys, demands a very special sort of consideration,” wrote artist Grawunder in her proposal.

“As an artist and designer, my approach to Fitch Mountain has been to try to understand what the mountain wants and what it can sustain,” she said. Her proposal, “Summit Variations,” consists of a series of simple sculptures of tubular steel with a green powder-coated finish. Most of the five pieces can double as rest

full-length studio albums and five EPs, while guesting on a variety of releases by other artists over the past dozen years.

But the sisters say they were able to be more authentic than ever on their current album, Blood Harmony. Ironically, they achieved this clearer representation of themselves by making an album in a very different way from how their other Larkin Poe albums were brought to life in the studio.

In the past, making albums has pretty much been a sister show.

Aside from their 2014 full-length debut, Kin, Rebecca and Megan Lovell had self produced their albums and recorded virtually all the instruments themselves, pairing guitars, keyboards and other instruments with

benches for hikers to contemplate nature, meditate or catch their breath.

Grawunder, a California native and lifelong designer-artist, currently has a home on Fitch Mountain.

Her proposal won out over 20 submissions and two other finalists. The total budget estimate for the project, including fabrication, installation, studio expenses and artist fees, is $96,000. The money for the arts grant is funded by a $1,650,000 grant from the California Coastal Conservancy. For updated information on the Fitch Mountain Public Access Improvement Project, visit healdsburg.gov/ fitchmountain.

programmed beats to create a marriage of organic and synthetic sounds.

But for Blood Harmony, they went old school, using live drums, bringing in members of their touring band and playing live in the studio.

“I do think we’ve been incredibly fortunate to be a band that continues to burn slowly,” Rebecca Lovell said in a recent phone interview. “I think over the years we’ve been allowed the time and space to really spread out and learn the details of how my sister and I work together as a team, what stories we want to tell, how we want to embrace the many different angles of musical interest that we have…

“And I think the years that we’ve spent together working through the

➝ Healdsburg Kiwanis, 8

➝ Larkin Poe, 8

Photo by Jason Stoltzfus

PREACHIN’ BLUES The singing duo Larkin Poe is sisters Rebecca Lovell (left) and Megan Lovell.

Healdsburg Kiwanis

Photo by Kim Carroll

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

Sidewalk Sale

From Friday, Aug. 18 to Sunday, Aug. 20, downtown businesses will participate in the Summer Sidewalk Sale, with bargains from participating retailers from a/muse to Zizi. Information at Healdsburg.com.

Cloverdale FNL

Cloverdale’s weekly market-and-music fest, Friday Night Live, continues Aug. 18 with Dune Dogs, “Carolina countrified swamp-and-roll.” Street fair 6pm, live music 7-9:30pm. Free.

Indy Night at the Movies

AVFilm Summer Movie

Series returns to the Plaza with Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade, starring Harrison Ford and Sean Connery, on Friday, Aug. 18, 7:30pm. Free family-friendly movies in the Healdsburg Plaza. Bring a blanket and friends for a movie night under the trees and stars.

Acrobatic Theater

“Theater Without a Net” is how the Raven Players style their two-day experiment in playwriting.

Friday Aug. 18, writers, directors and actors build on audience suggestions to craft seven 10-minute plays; they return to the theater on Saturday, Aug. 19, to perform them. 7:30 both nights, $25 good for Friday and Saturday. Raven Theater, 115 North St.

Farmers’ Market

Saturday Healdsburg

Certified Farmers’ Market on Saturday, Aug. 19. Market begins at 8:30am, open till noon at West Plaza Park. More information at healdsburgfarmersmarket.org.

Bakery Birthday

Healdsburg’s Costeaux

Bakery will celebrate its 100th year on Saturday, Aug 19 with diverse activities, prize drawings and birthday cake. Those 21 and older can make a

toast to 100 years. RSVP at costeaux.com. Starts at 3:30pm, 417 Healdsburg Ave.

Latino Winemakers

Twenty wineries of the Mexican American Vintners Association (MAVA) celebrate at the annual La Cosecha Grand Tasting, at Bacchus Landing on Saturday, Aug. 19. The festival event includes an art installation, live music and winetasting. Hosted by Aldina Vineyards, 14210 Bacchus Landing Way, 6-9pm. Tickets and information at nsmava.org.

Spectral Country Fog Holler, channeling the spirits of bluegrass past and future, rolls into Healdsburg on Sunday, Aug. 20 at Elephant in the Room, 177 Healdsburg Ave. Show at 8pm, $10 cover.

City Council The Healdsburg City Council meets for the second time in August at 6pm on Monday, Aug. 21, at Council Chambers, 401 Grove St. There will be a presentation on the SMART depot and a council discussion, but no vote will be taken. Attend in person or live on Facebook at facebook.com/watch/ cityofhealdsburg.

Tuesday at the Plaza Certified Farmers’ Market from 9am to 12:30pm, Tuesday, Aug. 22, at Healdsburg Plaza. Later, the park turns into a picnic and music festival with the city’s Tuesday in the Plaza program. This week, Free Peoples perform their version of Americana folk rock. From 6-8pm.

Planning Commission

Healdsburg’s Planning Commission is scheduled to meet at 6pm on Tuesday, Aug. 22, at Council Chambers, 401 Grove St. The Piazza Hotel project at 400 Healdsburg Ave. is expected to be on the agenda.

Yoga on the Mat The Petty Theft tribute

band plays a benefit for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson Disease Research, following an hour-long community yoga session at Bacchus Landing. Yoga at 5pm, music event continues until 9:30, $50. Thursday, Aug. 24.

Dad Country Texas-born, Los Angelesbased singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jess Williamson plays the Second Story stage on Monday, Aug. 28. Doors open at 7pm, music at 8pm, $25. It’s upstairs at Little Saint, 25 North St.

Healdsburg Museum

The current exhibit at the Healdsburg Museum, “We Are Not Strangers

Here: African-American Histories in California and Healdsburg,” continues Wednesdays through Sundays, from 11am to 4pm. The museum is

located at 221 Matheson St. Admission is free, donations are welcome. Post events on the Tribune’s online calendar at healdsburgtribune. com/calendar, and send special announcements to editor@ healdsburgtribune.com.

Latest Sports Craze Hits Town

PICKLEBALL PARTY ON THE CALENDAR

Pierre Ratte

By

Folks are lining up to play pickleball in Healdsburg. There’s a paddle rack and new courts at Healdsburg High School. The bright green and blue colors perk up the tennis facility, now the Pickleball/Tennis facility.

Scheduled play and available courts in Healdsburg, both public and private, are listed on Playtime

Scheduler—Healdsburg, with additional information available through HealdsburgPickleball.org.

Can players hit an ‘Erne’?

There will be an oncourt celebration honoring those who helped bring official pickleball courts to town on Wednesday, Aug. 23, at 5:30pm, with an aftergathering at Elephant in the Room. “Celebrating Healdsburg Pickleball” will honor the City Council, Parks and Rec, Healdsburg School District, and many in the community whose

organization and efforts pressed on through a pandemic to realize official and publicly available pickleball courts in Healdsburg.

Fun facts: Pickleball is 58 years old. It was invented on Bainbridge Island when a badminton net, ping pong paddles and a wiffle ball were cobbled together to distract bored children. This quickly became an adult pastime.

The pickleball name comes from “pickle boat” races—after a crew regatta competition,

when leftover boats and teams field impromptu races. A couple of years later, one of the inventors of the game named their puppy Pickles, and naming stories were conflated.

Losers in pickleball don’t lose; they get pickled. An Erne is hitting the ball around the net post below the level of the net—a legal shot, as long as one doesn't step in the “kitchen.” What’s the kitchen? A story for another day.

PADDLE RACK Pickleball paddles stored on the fence at the city’s newest four pickleball courts, at the Healdsburg High School campus.

Photo by Pierre Ratte

Photo by Kianna Mott-Smith

FOG HOLLER Innovation meets tradition in the bluegrass band Fog Holler, appearing Sunday, Aug. 20 at the Elephant in the Room.

‘Actions Exceeded Self-Defense’ in July 3 Death

SANTA ROSA MAN ARRESTED ON MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE FOR DEATH OF ABEL GARZA, 41

Staff Report

The investigation of the July 3 death of Abel Garza, a 41-year-old resident of Santa Rosa, has entered another phase with the arrest and booking of a suspect. Garza died just yards off Matheson Street in a parking area near Williamson Wines, following at least two encounters with others at Hotel Healdsburg or nearby.

Romario Morga Cisneros, 34, from Santa Rosa, was arrested on a charge of involuntary manslaughter on Aug. 9, following a police investigation into the circumstances of Garza’s death some five weeks earlier.

“After a thorough investigation and weighing all evidence in the case, the investigation was submitted to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office for consideration of charges,” read a statement from Healdsburg Police.

“Cisneros was involved in the altercation with Garza immediately preceding his death, and the investigation revealed that Cisneros’s actions exceeded self-defense when he struck Garza with a metal object,” reported Healdsburg Police in the statement

PARTIAL LIST OF INCIDENTS REPORTED TO THE HEALDSBURG POLICE

Monday, July 24

10:01am. Disturbance at Healdsburg Ave and Plaza St. RP (Reporting Party) indicated a person was destroying a bike and throwing bike pieces and garbage into traffic and yelling obscenities. A 47-year-old male was cited for drug possession and drug paraphernalia possession and then released.

• 6:30pm. Reckless driver in a white sedan chasing a motorcycle reported at University St. and Grant St. Disposition: unable to locate.

Tuesday, July 25

• 7:37am. Grand theft reported at Healdsburg Food Pantry, where a motor was stolen from a fire suppression trailer. Disposition: report taken.

1:21pm. Disturbance reported at Badger Park on Heron Dr. RP indicated a woman with a white van was yelling obscenities. Officer arrived and was able to calm the subject, and no further action will be taken.

3:14pm. Officer initiated activity at Chase Bank on Vine St. to serve a 43-year-old male subject a Sonoma County warrant.

3:16pm. Reckless driver in a white Dodge Ram reported at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach. RP stated driver ran her off the road and ran a stop sign. Officer responded, but subject was gone on arrival, and no further action will be taken.

6:50pm. Disturbing the peace occurred at

on their Facebook page.

The July 3 incident began a little before 9:30am, when several men working in the pool area of Hotel Healdsburg encountered Garza and told him he had to leave. The hotel has a small parking lot and guest reception entrance at 25 Matheson St., across the street from where Garza was later found mortally injured.

In the confrontation, Garza reportedly threw toilet paper in the pool, struck a bellperson and took a hotel worker’s tools, reported as a nail gun or similar. Reports indicate that Garza was shirtless, and possibly associated with a skateboard and a green F-150 truck, wherein was found alcohol.

During investigation of the first incident, police made contact with a 45-year-old woman who was considered possibly associated with Garza. She was cited on an outstanding Lake County warrant for credit card fraud, and was later questioned during the investigation of Garza’s death.

Garza left the hotel area but returned later that same morning, at about 10:20am. This time, he was carrying a hammer and what was described as “an unknown metal object” that some reports characterized as a gardening stake.

He was also reported to have had confrontations with at least one other individual in the

area, and reportedly threw the hammer before leaving the scene for the parking area behind The Wurst across the street.

At some point, a physical fight occurred between three of the presumed hotel workers and Garza, during which one of the hotel employees suffered minor injuries.

Shortly thereafter, at 10:21am, police began receiving calls of an unresponsive man in the parking lot that Williamson Wines shares with

Relish Culinary Adventures, at 14 Matheson St.

A little while later, the police closed off the area to the public; their attempts to revive the injured man proved unsuccessful, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The following day, a crime scene cleanup team from Vallejo scrubbed down the location where Garza died, including a looping trail of blood leading to the place where he expired.

The police investigation held that the suspect,

Cisneros, allegedly struck Garza with the metal object that Garza had been carrying.

Cisneros was arrested on Wednesday afternoon, July 9, booked into Sonoma County jail and held in lieu of $30,000 bail. He was no longer listed in custody the following day.

Healdsburg Police said throughout that they received cooperation from the men who encountered Garza, presumably including the suspect.

A spokesperson for Hotel Healdsburg refused to comment on the incident, referring inquiries to Healdsburg Police.

The county coroner’s office has not yet released a report on the cause of Garza’s death. “This decedent’s cause and manner of death are not yet releasable,” said Sonoma County Sheriff spokesperson Misti Wood. She added that such “death investigations take a few weeks or a few months.”

Rotten Robbie’s by a group in a white pickup truck. RP stated that two parties were arguing over a pellet gun. Officers responded, and subject was uncooperative. A 57-year-old male was arrested and transferred to county jail.

Wednesday, July 26

12:30pm. Property damage reported at Jerry's Valero. Information logged and RP referred to his insurance company.

1:52pm. RP indicated that she received a document in the mail saying she won $100. When she called the phone number in the document, she was asked for her bank account number. RP did not reveal the bank information. RP was advised to file the cybercrime with FTC.gov.

• 6:11pm. RP reported that her car was damaged by a hit and run driver at Garrett’s Hardware parking lot. A witness reported the suspect vehicle was a white Ford pickup truck. Officer responded and took a report.

Thursday, July 27

12:11am. Officer stopped a vehicle for a registration issue, and driver was cited for drug paraphernalia possession.

2:34am. Burglary reported at Wine Country Chevron on Healdsburg Avenue. Officers found a shattered door and reviewed video footage to obtain descriptions of the suspect and the suspect's vehicle.

Disposition: report taken.

8:15am. Reckless driver on bike reported at freeway entrance near Giorgio’s Restaurant. Officer responded and found a person that

possibly matched the subject. No action taken.

9:13am. Harassment reported near Healdsburger. RP was walking his dog when a woman screamed and harassed him. Disposition: unable to locate.

• 10:36am. Graffiti reported on Piper St. on alley side. Disposition: report taken.

12:43pm. Grand theft reported at West Plaza Park on North Street. RP stated that his green backpack with a Chromebook from the Healdsburg library was stolen four weeks ago, but RP doesn't know the exact date.

4:45pm. Idaho felony warrant served on subject and arrest made on a 36-year-old male at transient camp directly behind Wicked Slush.

• 7:22pm. Public intoxication and resisting arrest occurred at Montage Hotel. A 33-year-old woman was arrested and brought to county jail after medical clearance.

• 7:51pm. Public intoxication of person inside a parked car reported in Vineyard Plaza. The keys to vehicle were kept at Mombos restaurant and turned over to a sober driver. 11:06pm. Drunk driver reported at Redwood Highway. Disposition: referred to California Highway Patrol.

Friday, July 28

• 7:01am. Accident occurred at Healdsburg Ave. and Passalacqua Rd. Another caller reported a high rate of speed right before the accident. Disposition: report taken.

• 3:57pm. Petty theft of cooler valued at $150 out of open Jeep on Sanns Ln. Disposition: report taken.

• 8:36pm. Disturbing the peace occurred at Agave Restaurant by two males and possibly a female. A male threw a can at a female. Officers responded and separated subjects.

• 9:41pm, 9:42pm, 9:43pm and 9:44pm. Multiple harassing phone calls made to Healdsburg Police by subject demanding to get back his cell phone, which was being held in the property room. Caller was advised to come on Monday.

Saturday, July 29

1:24pm. Disturbing the peace occurred at the L&M Motel. Officers responded, and suspect was gone on arrival.

• 1:52pm. Stolen vehicle from Sacramento County recovered at Rotten Robbie’s. Registered owner notified. A 56-year-old male was arrested and booked at Sonoma County jail.

4:33pm. Trespassing occurred at Capital Lumber. RV parked on property when the business was closed. Officer responded and located an older model unoccupied Dodge bus.

Monday, July 31

3:59am. RP indicated that an unwanted subject was being aggressive and refusing to leave the Healdsburg Hospital Laboratory. Officers responded, and subject was given a courtesy ride to Cloverdale.

POLICE FLEET Police cars cleaned, fueled and ready to roll at Healdsburg Police Department on Center Street.

Photo by Christian Kallen

Photo by Christian Kallen

SCENE OF THE CRIME A crime scene team from Vallejo worked to clean up blood stains the day following the July 3 incident outside Williamson Wines in Healdsburg.

READERS WEIGH IN ON PIAZZA HOTEL, VERTICE PROJECTS

Piazza’s Permit Under Scrutiny

What a difference a day makes.

This newspaper has raised the question of whether Piazza Hospitality’s proposed new hotel project at 400 Healdsburg Ave. is prohibited by a city ordinance passed in 2018 to halt the proliferation of hotels in our city’s downtown core. (“Piazza’s New Hotel May be Illegal

Under City’s 2018 Ordinance,” Aug. 3.)

The ordinance does indeed prohibit the project.

It’s a matter of timing. The ordinance was passed on Dec. 17, 2018, and became effective at 12:01am on Jan. 16, 2019.

Within the ordinance is this exemption: “Hotel projects for which an application has already been submitted and deemed complete by the Planning Department as of the effective date of this ordinance shall be exempt from the provisions of this ordinance.”

Thus, whether the ordinance prohibits this project turns on the date when Piazza’s design review application was “deemed complete.” If the application was deemed complete after Jan. 15, 2019, the ordinance applies.

Piazza’s application was deemed complete at 2:56pm on Jan. 16, 2019,

LETTERS

when the city emailed Piazza what’s called a “completeness letter,” which told Piazza its application would be processed “in accordance with” the zoning provisions that were “in effect on January 16, 2019”—that is, under the new ordinance.

Yet the project is now before the Planning Commission for design review.

Why is this project still alive? The answer seems to be that the members of the Planning Commission have been kept in the dark about the timing problem, moving forward with design review while Planning Department staff stayed mum.

Meanwhile, Piazza has continued to pursue the project despite being notified in the completeness letter that the 2018 ordinance applies.

Yet there it is, hiding in plain sight within city records. Those records show that despite a hurried effort by Piazza— working behind the scenes with Planning Department staff—to get a design review application submitted and deemed complete before the ordinance took effect, the city proved unable to process the application and issue the completeness letter until Jan. 16, 2019.

Piazza fell short by a day.

The people of Healdsburg, acting through their elected representatives, decided in 2018 to put a stop to further hotel construction in the downtown core.

To disregard the failure

to invoke this time-limited exemption would go against the will of the people. The Planning Commission should put the kibosh on this project.

JON B. EISENBERG Healdsburg

Piazza’s Plans

We’ve spent a great deal of time and effort further improving the project based upon the Planning Commission’s latest comments. We are ready and look forward to presenting these updated designs at our meeting on Aug. 22.

As we’ve done since we first approached the City with the idea of a hotel and retail project on this site back in 2017, we’re completing the

necessary steps as presented to us by City staff.

DANIELLE PATRONE Piazza Hospitality

Response From Vertice Dear Mr. Abramson,

Thank you for your interest in our future projects and recognition of our work in Healdsburg to date. We understand and appreciate your group’s concerns, and at this very early time we are still working with our architects and team to evaluate City requirements and think through the appropriate programming.

Our goal is to think through multiple perspectives and make meaningful contributions to the

community through our hospitality, culinary and agricultural programs.

Once we have some preliminary concepts to share with the community, we will have meetings with adjacent property owners and other interested parties such as yourselves, to share our thoughts and receive feedback.

We’ll make sure that this will be well in advance of Planning Commission workshop(s) and then formal entitlement processing.

Healdsburg is our home. We farm here and live here with our families, and we have respect for its history and understand our responsibility to help steward its

future. We will move through the planning process thoughtfully and deliberately and attempt to strike an appropriate balance. Give us some time to think through that properly, and we will be back in touch with you once we have gotten our ideas better formulated.

KATINA & KYLE CONNAUGHTON and TONY GREENBERG The Vertice Team

Editor’s Note: The above referenced Letter to the Editor by Bruce Abramson appeared in the Aug. 10 issue of the ‘Tribune.’

LIVE MUSIC by Carlitos Medrano y Sabor De Mi Cuba*

SMALL BITES by Diaz Brothers*

ART EXPO by Richard Soltero

20+ MEXICAN AMERICAN WINERIES TICKETS

$195 per person

Photo by Christian Kallen

PERMIT HEARING Half of the Healdsburg Planning Commission listens to applicant Sara Quider at their July 11 meeting. From left, Chair Phil Luks, Commissioners Carrie Hunt, Tom Gerlach and Connor McKay, partially hidden.

Healdsburg Kiwanis

and other nonprofits since he moved here from New York. Yet he said that despite the age of the organization, the Kiwanis are currently having trouble finding new members.

”It’s just tough to get new people. Our club seems to have older people, so it’s hard for us to get the younger ones. And of course, the younger ones are the guys that can really do the work,” he noted.

The Kiwanis have been running ads letting residents know about the organization and soliciting new members. But they are also taking the personal approach. “We as members try to go out and invite at least one individual to accompany us to a meeting,” said

Stead, “to introduce them to Kiwanis Club and what Kiwanis does.”

What Kiwanis does, he said, is all about the children. “Our emphasis on saving the world, one child at a time,” he explained, paraphrasing the official Kiwanis motto, “Serving the children of the world.”

For instance, Stead cited the Kiwanis’ support of Healdsburg Boys and Girls Club, Little League teams, the local Boy Scouts troop, and providing transportation for high school graduates in June “that keeps them from getting hurt the evening that they graduate.”

He also proudly pointed out that every third-grader in town, including in Geyserville, gets a dictionary from

the Kiwanis to help with their lifelong education.

Even their fundraisers are done for the kids, as it were. Among them: the winter Steelhead Festival, the Fitch Mountain Footrace and the threeday Future Farmers of America fair held on Memorial Day weekend.

“We get a beat-up old trailer, drag it over to Rec Park, and we sell hot dogs and corn dogs and garlic fries,” said Stead. “We make thousands of dollars on that.”

Scholarships for graduating high school students are one of the more well-known results of the Kiwanis year-round fundraising. But some events they do for the community, such as the recent Fire and Earthquake Safety Expo held in May

Larkin Poe

at the community center.

Later this month, the annual Brandt’s Beach BBQ and Live Auction event will be held, on Aug. 26. Activities include a cornhole contest, wine-bottle ring toss and live auction. There will also be dancing— with Danny Click and the Hell Yeahs, by coincidence—appetizers, steak dinner and wine. Understandably, at just $35, it’s almost sold out.

Stead, whose term as Kiwanis president ends in September, is proud of the success of the club in its centenary year. He also remains effusively grateful to McGuire for showing up and cheerleading the crowd last Tuesday.

“There was nothing political about it at all, surely just to say thanks to us for, you know, doing things for a hundred years,” said Stead. “He's very easy to work with. He just said, ‘Sure Denny, no problem. I’ll be there. I'll give you the proclamation, and all that sort of stuff.’

“All we had to do was save him a parking spot,” laughed Stead. On a Tuesday night at the Plaza, that’s no easy task. Healdsburg Kiwanis (healdsburgkiwanis.org) is accepting applications for membership. Email membership committee chair Loretta Strong at strongloretta52@ gmail.com for more information.

many different pathways have led us to a place where with Blood Harmony, specifically, we were able to just be ourselves and to really fully embrace all of the different parts of who we are,” she continued.

Rebecca Lovell isn’t overstating the pair’s extensive musical history. They started out as teenagers in 2005, joining forces with older sister Jessica Lovell in the bluegrass/Americana group the Lovell Sisters. The trio released a pair of albums, toured extensively and made multiple appearances on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion radio show.

The Lovell Sisters disbanded in 2009 when Jessica Lovell decided to go to college and pursue other interests. That’s when Rebecca and Megan Lovell formed Larkin Poe and broadened their sound considerably, going primarily electric and encompassing not only Americana and bluegrass, but rock, pop, blues and soul, with Rebecca Lovell taking on electric guitar, keyboards and lead vocals and Megan Lovell playing a variety of instruments, including lap steel, slide and guitar.

“I think being able to write this album thinking of the stage and being able to carry that live

energy into the studio really made a huge difference in the way that this album has taken us leaps and bounds forward creatively,” Rebecca Lovell said

The way Blood Harmony was recorded means the new songs will translate well to the live stage, although it took some thought, work and creativity for the sisters to craft their current live show.

“One of the hardest things about reworking the set list for the new year is figuring out which songs we’re going to play because at this point we have released a lot of records, pretty much at least one record a year. So we have a lot to pull from,” Megan Lovell said.

“The set list this year is going to be a lot off the new record. I think we’re pretty much going to play all of the songs from the new record. And then we’re also going to pull in some old favorites that we’ve been reworking... It’s going to be a really fun and energetic set.”

Larkin Poe performs as part of the Rodney Strong Summer Concert Series at 5 pm, Saturday, Aug. 26, Rodney Strong Vineyards Event Lawn, 11455 Old Redwood Hwy., Healdsburg. Tickets are $69-$89 and available at bit.ly/ larkin-poe.

67 67 Route

BIRTHDAY CARD State Sen. Mike McGuire, right, displays the proclamation the California Legislature is giving to Healdsburg Kiwanis in honor of their 100 years of service, which Kiwanis president Denny Stead receives.

Photos by Christian Kallen