Healdsburg Tribune August 24 2023

The Healdsburg

DOWNTOWN AND DEPOT LOCATIONS DISCUSSED FOR SMART

RESIDENTS TO REVIEW STATION OPTIONS IN UPCOMING COMMUNITY MEETING

By Christian Kallen

The Healdsburg City Council met on Monday night to discuss an issue that many thought had been decided long ago: where to locate a SMART passenger boarding station in town. The choices were whether to choose between two downtown locations just a few minutes’ walk from the Plaza, or stick with the former Northwestern Pacific Depot on Hudson Street— in a residential neighborhood that would be a bit farther walk to the downtown businesses.

Each location had its pros and cons, and each its supporters, but the decision remains several months off: A community meeting will be planned to gain wider input, and further council meetings are expected as well.

SMART—the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit district—has long included Healdsburg among its planned destinations, as well as a northernmost depot in Cloverdale. The transportation district struggled to gain ridership and grow its footprint over the past decade. With the arrival of Eddy Cumins as the new general manager in January 2022, it has been successful in fundraising through grants and government funds.

Latest among these was the June 28 award from the California Transportation Commission of $30 million toward completing the rail system and bicycle/pedestrian pathway extension to Windsor— an award that also enables SMART to begin engineering and construction of critical segments of the

Amy’s Wicked Slush to Close Memorial Beach Shop

DESTINATION FOR SUMMER ICED TREATS BROUGHT A BIT OF BOSTON TO HEALDSBURG

By Christian Kallen Amy Covin, who parlayed a life-long affection for

Boston-style

children, parents and pets, the Memorial Beach location isn’t closing due to any lack of popularity—it’s got five solid stars with a slew of eager endorsements on Yelp—and the foot traffic only lets up when the sun goes down, and sometimes not even then.

month and remain open— perhaps changing the name, perhaps changing the business and perhaps not.

“slush”—a

fruity ice confection with drizzles, sprinkles and playful attitude—into a Healdsburg dessert destination, announced over the weekend that she would be closing the flagship shop in early September.

“I think we outgrew this facility the day before we opened in 2017,” said Covin in a social media post on Aug. 19. “There are some serious infrastructure issues that make it too difficult and too expensive to keep this location open.”

To judge by the eager lunch-time crowd of

So it’s a safe bet that folks will be eagerly lining up from now until the last day of Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 4, to savor the flavorful icy sweetness of the diner’s offerings—the signature Slush, the softserve Straus Dairy ice cream and the mixture of the two called the Split.

Although the business at 13840 Healdsburg Ave., just across the street from Veterans Memorial Beach Regional Park, was put on the market earlier this year, it has yet to find a buyer.

Still, there’s a slim possibility that it will find one before the end of the

“But whether they do or not doesn’t change that it’s time for me,” said Covin, during a brief lull in the mid-week lunch trade. “It’s a little heart-breaking and a little bittersweet, but I’m also kind of looking forward to not going through this every day.”

There were only two people working the lunch hour, Kali Douglass and Covin herself, and it was hectic, with clusters of thirsty/hungry friends and relations milling about the porch, comparing their treats. Said Covin, “We’re normally better staffed, but this time of year when everybody’s going back to school…”

Leaving an Impact

Without a doubt, Amy’s Wicked Slush has had an impact on Healdsburg. As

the site of a river canoe rental operation formerly run by Lolly Mercer (Russian River Canoe and Kayak, now just down the road next to the river itself), it hasn’t been a sleepy location for years. But Amy’s Wicked Slush became so popular they had to hand out flags to patrons crossing the often-busy avenue to get speeding, distracted drivers to slow down.

About the name? Well, back east “wicked” is an adjective of emphasis, like “very” or “cool.” (A handy east-west lexicon is on the businesses website at amyswickedslush.com, including not just wicked/ very, but tonic/soda pop, dungarees/jeans, rotary/ roundabout.)

Unsurprisingly, Covin is from Boston, or nearby at any rate. “I always say I’m from the north end, but I just say it because no one’s ever heard of where I’m from, a tiny little town

Cumbia, as she styles herself, is a Los Angelesbased performer who has been singing professionally since 1994, and recording since 1999. Cumbia is a folkloric music and dance with its origins in Colombia; Rocio herself was born in Guatemala.

LATIN FLAVORS

SATURATE

AUG. 29 FINAL TUESDAY

Staff Report

After a season of diverse musical performers at Healdsburg’s Tuesday in the Plaza concerts, the city doubled down with a Latino-focused finale, featuring the return of Rocio y Su Sonora, a Ballet Folklorico interlude and free giveaway of shopping bags—bilingual, of course.

Rocio La Dama de La

She helped party Healdsburg out of the pandemic with the first Tuesday in the Plaza in June of 2021, and joined the celebration during last year’s Merry Healdsburg affair in December. “They actually learned some holiday music for us, in addition to providing some of their standard music for that concert as well,” remembered the city’s recreation supervisor, Matt Milde.

“Their shows are filled with excitement and vitality, making them a fantastic choice to conclude this year’s Tuesdays in the Plaza concert series,” said

called Everett. And in Everett there’s a little slush shop right on a big parkway that I grew up around the corner from. I grew up on that stuff and loved it,” she said.

“When I went back east on that family reunion, I couldn’t believe they were still in business, after 40 years out of town,” Covin recalled. Indeed, Richie’s Slush on the Revere Beach Parkway claims 67 years in business. “It was every bit as good as I could remember,” she said.

Back on the West Coast, “I had some problems in my office; I had an employee that got addicted to drugs, and my home had burned down, and my office was in my home. This was 2014. I think I was just ready to make a change,” she said. So she “jumped off the roof” and decided to open a slush business in her adopted town of Healdsburg.

Milde. “We are excited to have Rocio return to Healdsburg.”

Marcy Flores, the interim executive director of Corazón Healdsburg, said, “Our team worked with the community services team to make this a successful and fun event.”

She too singled out the value that Rocio would bring to the final week of Tuesdays in the Plaza. “Rocio brings her bi-lingual, high-energy talent to close out this year’s concert series, so mark your calendars for a great evening of singing, dancing and community,” Flores suggested.

In addition to the presence of Rocio, La Dama de la Cumbia, and Su Sonora band, the Tuesday night gathering will include an intermission performance by Ballet Folklorico Yolotl.

The group was the recent

‘MARTES EN LA PLAZA’ ENDS WEEKLY CELEBRATIONS

Photo by Christian Kallen

SLUSH SISTERS Kali Douglass, a long-time employee of Amy's Wicked Slush, looks to owner Amy Covin (right) during a break in a busy lunch-hour at the original Healdsburg location. The slush and ice cream shop is set to close at the end of the Labor Day weekend, on Sept. 4.

➝ Wicked Slush, 4

GOINGS ON AROUND THE TOWN

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 on Thursday, Aug. 24. Yoga at 5pm, music event continues until 9:30pm, $50.

Friday Night Live

Cloverdale’s weekly summer series continues with “rootsy rock ’n’ roll” from Santa Cruz, the Coffis Brothers, on Friday, Aug. 25. Street fair 6pm, music 7-9pm in downtown Cloverdale. Free.

Farmers’ Market

Saturday Healdsburg

Certified Farmers’ Market on Saturday, Aug. 26. Market begins at 8:30am, open till noon

IMPROVEMENTS TO FITCH TRAIL AND DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT

Fitch Mountain Projects

“The Healdsburg City Council allocated $2.77 million for the public access improvements in the 2022-23 budget.” (“Fitch Mountain Projects Underway,” Aug. 17.) So the City Council is spending almost $3 million for trail improvements on Fitch Mountain. What about fire prevention?

Last time I was up there, the place was full of Scotch broom undergrowth that burns like napalm. What about all the septic tanks on Fitch Mountain that leak their excrement in our town’s water supply on

HEALDSBURG HAPPENINGS

at West Plaza Park. Also Tuesday, Aug. 29, from 9am to 12:30pm, at Healdsburg Plaza. More information at healdsburgfarmersmarket.org.

Blood Harmony Sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell comprise Larkin Poe, an eclectic electric Americana band playing at Rodney Strong Winery on Saturday, Aug. 26, 6pm.

Skitzo

The underground thrash metal band founded by Healdsburg’s Lance Ozanix plays one night only at Coyote Sonoma. Catch them Saturday, Aug. 26, at 8pm. No cover, 44f Mill St. More information at coyotesonoma.com.

Roaring Twenties

Costeaux Bakery is having another 100th birthday party, this one a 1920s themed event with appetizers, desserts and beverages, special guests

and entertainment to be announced soon. Date is Saturday, Aug. 26, 5:30-8:30pm. It’s at 417 Healdsburg Ave., $50 tickets at costeaux.com.

Getting Vertical

Author Rex Pickett visits Papapietro Perry Wines to talk about the book, the movie and life after Sideways. 5pm, 4791 Dry Creek Rd.

Afro-Cuban Jazz

Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos brings a unique musical vision to The 222 on Saturday, Aug. 26 and Sunday, Aug. 27 at 7pm. Tickets $45-$85 at the222. org. The stage is located at Paul Mahder Gallery, 222 Healdsburg Ave.

Jess Williamson

The Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist plays the Second Story stage on Monday, Aug. 28. See story in this issue.

Doors open at 7pm, music at 8pm, $25, upstairs at Little Saint, 25 North St.

Final Tuesday in the Plaza

The community will gather for the year’s final Tuesday in the Plaza program, a special event co-sponsored by the City and Corazon Healdsburg. Rocio y Su Sonora return, with a performance by Ballet Folklorico and free giveaways to conclude the summer series. From 6-8pm, free.

Final Windsor

Concert

Windsor’s regular Thursday Summer Nights on the Green concludes on Aug. 31 with Rudy Colombini and the Unauthorized Rolling Stones. Farmers’ Market begins at 5pm, music from 6-8pm.

Cantina Rock

Tremoloco, an eclectic roots band, shows up at Elephant in the Room

LETTERS

the Russian River? But no, let’s build a pretty trail and some parking lots. Good grief!

Tim McGraw Healdsburg

Correspondence

With Community I don’t find anything funny about Bruce Abramson’s plea for transparency and a partnership with builders before and during the plans submitted to the planning commission (Letters, Aug. 10).

As of the last few years, the trend is to build, then negotiate later. The Ruse is a good example of this. The developer spent millions of dollars building a private club in a residential neighborhood. How this happens is beyond me. With our

mayor living next door and the general contractor being the chair of our planning commission running the show.

It’s clear that our government is looking the other way and is no longer our moral compass. We can’t just sit back and assume that the rules will be the guiding principles we have voted for. Money talks, and it appears our government is not immune to greed.

What we need to do is adopt a hypervigilant stance at all times. Neighborhoods have to form watchdog groups that prevent tourist-oriented building in neighborhoods. We are not just at the tipping point; we are well beyond that point.

It’s more like a free-forall. The highest bidder wins.

Briefly, another example is the modern monstrosity built at 728 University Ave. A multimillion dollar B&B that is totally out of character for the neighborhood. Take a long look at this house and decide if this kind of transient occupancy development, while it enriches the city coffers, is a kill shot to the families who live near.

Rents will skyrocket.

Thank you, Bruce, for stating the obvious. Our city government has lost track of what’s important.

Speak up!

Update:

Anne Goebel Facebook

The Planning Commission’s review of Piazza’s hotel permit for 400 Healdsburg Ave., set to

on Thursday, Aug. 31, 7:30pm. Tickets $10, at 77 Healdsburg Ave. or elephantintheroompub. com.

Access Alexander Valley

A regional wine celebration at the new ACTA Wine, 7505 Highway 128/ Alexander Valley Road. $150 ticket includes all-access pass to 15+ wineries, winemaking demonstrations, barrel tastings, artisanal food and music from the Pitchforks. 5-8pm; tickets and information at alexandervalley.org.

Arts Exhibit

“Bounty,” described as the reward for a well-nurtured garden or a wellnurtured life, is the theme of the current event at Healdsburg Center for the Arts, ending Sept.3. The community gallery is located at 334 Center St., open 11am-5pm daily, till 6pm on Friday and Saturday, closed Tuesday.

City Council

The Healdsburg City Council meets on Tuesday, Sept. 5, due to the Labor Day holiday. Meeting is at 6pm, at Council Chambers, 401 Grove St. Attend in person or live on Facebook at facebook.com/watch/city ofhealdsburg.

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.

be heard at the Aug. 22 meeting, was delayed. Scott Duiven, planning and building director, told the ‘Tribune’ on that date, “As you are aware, we have received arguments regarding the completeness determination for this project and how its timing relates to the adoption of the ordinance

limiting hotels within the Downtown Commercial and Plaza Retail zoning districts. The arguments are lengthy and require additional time to review. As such, the City pulled the item from tonight’s Planning Commission agenda in order to fully review the issues raised.”

THE 222 Omar Sosa brings the Quarteto Americanos with Afro-Cuban jazz to Healdsburg on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 26-27.

FOR MAKING CORAZ6N HEALDSBURG'S

a huge success!

Together we enjoyed a delicious family style dinner prepared by talented home cooks, were moved by the inspiring stories shared by our program participants and raised more than $400,000 to fuel our work to end cycles of poverty and strengthen our whole community.

Thanks to our 2023 Event of the Heart Host Committee for their support of this special event and Corazón Healdsburg!

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Th e Lopez Family, Bacchus Landing

ORO PARTNERS

Ashley Mauritson Events

Encore Events Rentals

PLATA PARTNERS

Ariel & Tim Kelley

Front Porch Farms

Leigh Stokes & Tom Gerlach

COMUNIDAD PARTNERS

123 Organic Tequila

Anya Lewis & Tim Stokes

Barbara & Howard Wollner

Betsy & Bill Nachbaur

Big John s Market

B P M LLP

Bricoleur Vineyards

Ramona & Carlos Carrera

Carolyn Wright & Rich Lapping

Cathy & Pete Seghesio

Celia Stokes & Morton Jackson

DaVero Farms & Winery

Dawnelise & Ari Rosen

Diane Johnson

El Farolito

Eric Drew, Healdsburg Realty

Georgina Calderon & Magnus Peterson

Healthcare Foundation, Northern Sonoma County

Jessica & Shane Scott

Karen & Norm Rosen

Katie Olsen

Linda & Blair Swezey

Lisa & Michael Rhodes

Lori & Steve Taylor

Marc & Jeanie Kahn

Marci & Jib Ellison

Mike McGuire, Senate Majority Leader

Paige & Matt Tolmach

Papapietro Perry Winery

Pennie McLaughlin & Joseph Keith

Peter Colber / WCCG Compass

Quincey & Dan Imhoff

Ramona & Carlos Carrera

Skipstone Winery

Th e Olympia Collective

Valla Family Foundation

Final Tuesday

recipient of a $5,000 grant from the city’s arts and culture budget.

There will be special food vendors and other surprises, including 400 free reusable bags, bearing the inscription “Healdsburg—Love where you live” in both

English and Spanish.

The announcement of the performer for the Aug. 29 final Tuesday in the Plaza was made on Monday, Aug. 21—after a delay of months from the calendar’s initial release in May. “We decided that we wanted to do a special performer early on,

Wicked Slush

“About three weeks later, I looked up and said, ‘What is slush? And how do you make it anyway?’” she remembered.

Evidently she figured it out. The Healdsburg location was a raging success almost from the day it opened, in 2016; before long a Wicked Slush opened in Novato, and the Sonoma Fun Center in Maxwell Village began to offer Wicked Slush along with its outdoor mini golf and indoor arcade.

A Wicked Slush in Petaluma, though originally a franchise location, changed its name and was reinvented as Once Upon a Slush in 2022.

“We parted ways in 2022 under fairly contentious circumstances,” she said.

Covin said although the other locations are not included in any sale, “The locations will be free to operate outside the franchise system with my full approval and support.”

There’s also a Wicked on Wheels “Slush Truck” that migrates between outdoor events—lately seen at several Prune Packers games over the summer. More hushhush are Slushtails, alcohol-infused treats that were until recently available at the Poppy Bank Epicenter in Santa Rosa.

and we hadn't really slotted any one artist,” said Milde. Working on a Tuesday band with Corazón Healdsburg is an annual practice. But as the summer wore on, the city decided to “put more money into a bigger artist” for the season finale as well, he said. “So we decided as a team to hold off on announcing anything. Let’s take the extra

Even if these other locations don’t go with the sale of the original Amy’s Wicked Slush in Healdsburg, it was clearly Amy Covin who brought Slush to Sonoma County. And if it’s Wicked to boot, all the better.

Love and Money

“It’s been for sale for some time,” admitted Covin. “Some of the limits on the property are infrastructure kinds of things; certainly the property is going to need some love shown to it.”

“We’ve got the store, we’ve got the mobile operations, we have the franchises—there’s a lot of moving parts for someone to step into,” said Covin. “We developed it from the ground up, and even then it was fast and furious.”

time to try to find somebody who would be a great fit for the final concert of the year.”

Selecting the final band was not an easy project, admitted Milde. “We actually had a long list of folks that we were looking at getting now; she was certainly on that list,” said Milde. As the winnowing process evolved, and more artists became unavailable and

Which is not to say they haven’t had offers. Asking price for the 1,242 square foot building and .45 acre lot is $700,000, a bargain in today’s Healdsburg. But finding someone who has both the money and the willingness to “work their asses off” hasn’t been easy, Covin said. Another consideration: The business is close enough to the river that the homeless have set up rotating encampments, and frequent calls to the police and occasional run-ins with employees and customers have kept Wicked Slush in the crime logs.

Covin is, if not cavalier, at least not judgmental about her occasional unwanted neighbors. Still, that doesn’t mean

fewer names remained, Rocio emerged at the top of the list.

“The one that really stood out as kind of the one that brought a stage presence and was fun and exciting and danceable was Rocio y Su Sonora,” Milde noted. Asked to characterize her stage presence, Milde tried several adjectives before finally deciding that “the key word” was energy.

the problem will just go away with a new owner.

“No one’s walking away rich from Wicked— this has clearly never been about making a million dollars,” said Covin. “We give a lot back, and we like that. But I need to work some. I can’t fully retire, so I imagine that I’ll end up with a tax practice like I used to have.”

As she and Douglass prepare for another onslaught of hungry customers, Covin takes a minute to thank her employees. “People sometimes ask me if I’m the Amy. And I say well, I am Amy—but we’re all ‘Amy.’ Everyone needs to know that these are absolutely fantastic employees. We pay them well, and they deserve a great job, if we

“We’ve had her recently, and we’ve had her before, but they have such a great stage performance,” said Milde. “The fact that it is cumbia music, it does reach out to the Latin part of our community. It’s a great treat to have her.”

Tuesday in the Plaza is held June-August in the Healdsburg Plaza on Tuesday nights, 6-8. Attendance is free.

really do close on the 4th.”

Does that mean they may remain open after the Labor Day weekend? Covin said they are talking to someone now who might be able to do both, a kind of “11th-hour HailMary” buyer, someone with the money to invest and the time to keep Wicked Slush—wicked.

“Wicked’s the coolest thing I ever did,” said Covin. “I couldn’t make enough that I could make all these repairs and throw whatever money at it that it needs, but it’s a cool thing that I would like to see continue.”

Amy’s Wicked Slush, 13840 Healdsburg Ave., 707-431-9253. Open 11am-9pm daily, till 10pm on weekends— until Sept. 4.

BEHIND THE STAGE Rocio La Dama de la Cumbia (lower left) led her band in a back-to-summer party following the COVID shutdown, in 2021. Rocio y Su Sonora return to Healdsburg for the year’s final Tuesday in the Plaza, Aug. 29.

Photo courtesy of City of Healdsburg

PARTIAL LIST OF INCIDENTS RECENTLY REPORTED TO THE HEALDSBURG POLICE

Monday, July 31

• 11:55am. A Hit and Run Accident reported at McDonald’s on Healdsburg Avenue. Reporting party (RP) indicated a vehicle backed into her car. Both vehicles pulled into McDonald’s parking lot and then the suspect, a male wearing a hat, fled the scene in his vehicle. Officers responded and made contact with the suspect, who later reported to the police department, and a report was taken.

3:11pm. A Hit and Run accident was reported at Casa Del Mole on Center Street. Suspect was driving a beige pickup truck with distinctive tires that sounded like rumbling when the vehicle backed up. A male, who looked to be in his 40s, wearing a blue polo, got out of his vehicle, looked around, got back in his vehicle and drove off.

6:04pm. An officer approached a subject at the 7-Eleven Store on Healdsburg Avenue regarding public intoxication. The subject became uncooperative, and the 32-year-old male was arrested for public intoxication and transported to county jail.

Tuesday, Aug. 1 9am. Disturbance on Healdsburg Avenue. Reporting party indicated there was a woman wearing jean shorts and an argyle sweater in the parking lot of McDonald’s, swinging a bat and yelling obscenities. The subject was seen getting into a gray vehicle and exiting the parking lot. Officers responded and made contact with the subject regarding mental health concerns.

2:30pm. Disturbance at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach on

POLICE LOG

Healdsburg Avenue. RP indicated that a male wearing all black was chasing a female wearing a black shirt and shorts. She was yelling, “He is going to rape me.” No drugs, weapons or alcohol were seen. Healdsburg Police responded. A park ranger also called advising she saw the same woman run behind Wicked Slush. Officers made contact with subjects, and no further assistance was required.

7:48pm. Petty Theft of four batteries was reported at O’Reilly Auto Parts on Healdsburg Avenue. Reporting party said the suspects were two males who left in a red Toyota 4 Runner. Reporting party provided the license plate. Officers responded, and the RP decided not to press charges. RP only wanted an incident number for insurance purposes. The area was checked for the vehicle.

Wednesday, Aug. 2

11am. Fraud occurred at the Bank of the West on Center Street. RP contacted Healdsburg Police for a report. RP stated that on Friday he was contacted by his bank. The bank employee stated that a subject attempted to pass one of RP’s checks with his forged signature at the branch in Healdsburg. The employee stated that they have camera footage and the name of the subject. Healdsburg police told RP to contact Lake County for a report due to the jurisdiction of where the checks were stolen.

• 1:34pm. Threats occurred at Citrine Apartments on Grove Street. RP went on a dating app and shared nude pictures with someone she met. Yesterday, RP received multiple threats, including that the receiver of the pictures would post all nude pictures on Instagram unless she gave him $400. He threatened: “You will be gone,” “You'll wish you had never been born,”

“This is the end of you, so comply and cooperate.”

Police responded and provided advice.

3:01pm. Grand Theft occurred on Grant Street. Suspect was stealing a bicycle in front of RP’s office. She knows the owner of the bike, and the subject is not the owner. Officers responded and located the suspect. A 35-year-old male was arrested and booked at Sonoma County Jail.

6:54pm. Reckless Driving occurred at Rockpile Road and Lake Sonoma. RP stated a vehicle was doing donuts at Lake Sonoma in the upper parking lot. The caller was transferred to California Highway Patrol. The vehicle was described as a Lexus, but the registration indicated an Infinity.

11:53pm. Drug activity arrests resulted from officer initiated activity at Healdsburg Avenue and Lytton Springs Road when a vehicle was stopped for a registration violation. A 34-year-old male was arrested and transported to county jail for possession of drugs, drug paraphernalia and fireworks and outstanding warrants. Another occupant, a 39-year-old male, was arrested and transported to county jail for drug possession and a probation violation, as well as an outstanding Napa County warrant.

Thursday, Aug. 3

1:11am. Possible Drunk Driver at Redwood Highway and Dry Creek Road. Vehicle, possibly a Nissan Sentra, exited Dry Creek in an unknown direction. Vehicle was unable to maintain its lane, crossing double yellow. Healdsburg Police responded, but the vehicle was gone on arrival and unable to be located.

11:34am. Fraud occurred at Montage on Montage Way. RP states a guest committed fraud on 03/28/2021 ($4,865.14)

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE GRAND OPENING OF MOLTI AMICI!

and 06/25/2023 ($5,735.01). During the most recent stay, it was realized that there was a $0 balance on the gift cards used. RP states an investigation ensued that found the responsible party for both frauds. RP states the gift card holders, who include numerous victims, still had their physical gift cards and never gave them away. An officer responded, and a report was taken.

6:33pm. Drug Activity occurred on South Fitch Mountain Road. RP states the subject was on his property and ran to the street when seen. The subject is a female, 25-30 years old, wearing a blue hoodie and black/white pattern pants, white shoes, and carrying a large Nike purse. RP questioned her about what she was doing there, and she responded with a mumble. RP has no trespassing signage, and no weapons were seen. The subject is acting strangely by wandering back and forth across the street through traffic. RP followed her on foot to Badger Park. Officers responded, and a 41-year-old female was arrested and brought to county jail for narcotics possession, loitering and a probation violation.

8:40pm. Public Intoxication occurred at Valette on Center Street. RP stated a subject at the restaurant had too much to drink, and RP offered to drive him home, but the subject is so intoxicated that he doesn't remember where he lives. RP needs law enforcement assistance getting him back to his residence. Officer responded and requested medical help for the intoxicated subject. Subject was transported to hospital by Bells Ambulance.

Friday, Aug. 4

• 1:32pm. Petty Theft occurred at Big John’s Market on Healdsburg Avenue. A male, wearing a light gray button up dress shirt, dark blue dress

pants and boots, stole two chicken strips, valued at $5. An officer responded, and a report was taken.

3:50pm. Vandalism to a vehicle occurred on Ward Street two days earlier when the front left tire was slashed. RP took the vehicle to an auto body repair shop. RP does not have any surveillance. The incident was logged for information purposes only.

• 5:33pm. Fraud occurred at Giorgio’s Restaurant on Grant Avenue. RP received a fraudulent call where someone stated they were calling from PG&E. RP provided $360, $360.09 and $200 through Zelle. PG&E advised the RP to call her bank and local authorities. RP requested that the incident be logged.

6:26pm. A Hit and Run Accident occurred at Fairview Inn and Suites on Healdsburg Avenue. RP heard a loud crash when a stop sign was hit. The stop sign is on the ground. Report taken.

Saturday, Aug. 5

4:24pm. Brandishing a Weapon occurred at Front Street and Healdsburg Avenue. RP advised a male driving a green or silver BMW sped by and flipped off the RP and waved a gun at him. The vehicle was going south on Healdsburg Avenue. The BMW was later stopped by police, and a consensual search was undertaken, but no contraband was located.

• 7:45pm. Drunk Driving occurred at Powell Avenue and Vista Via Drive and North Fitch Mountain Road. RP stated the driver was going westbound on Powell from North Fitch Mountain Road in a blue Toyota 1980 pickup truck. The driver is described as a male solo occupant wearing no shirt and multicolored shorts. RP stated she saw him drinking, and then he got into his vehicle. Subject could be looking for friends or perhaps he left

friends behind. A different caller stated a vehicle with a drunk driver was driving on March Avenue at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was gone on arrival and unable to be located.

8:11pm. Public Intoxication reported at McDonald’s on Healdsburg Avenue. A male was inside yelling at staff. He had no weapons. RP stated subject left and was advised to call back if subject returned.

Sunday, Aug. 6

• 12:13am. A Domestic Disturbance occurred at Hotel Trio on Dry Creek Road. A nurse from Sutter called to advise of a physical altercation where the victim was hit in the chest by the victim’s partner. The victim advised he does not want to press charges. The victim reported chest pain, and there was no bruising or marks left behind. An officer responded, and the suspect was arrested and transported to county jail.

3:29am. Two males were causing a disturbance at the 7-Eleven store on Healdsburg Avenue. The first male was inside the store, and the second male was outside the store in a gold Ford. The male inside the store asked the RP if he wanted to fight outside. The RP saw the subject throw a beer, and it is unknown if any drugs, weapons or alcohol were involved. When police responded, the subjects were no longer at the store, and the RP was advised to call back if they returned.

7:03pm. Reckless driving occurred at the Healdsburg Fire Department on Grove Street and West Grant Street. The RP states the vehicle jumped the railroad and went the wrong direction. The vehicle is a white Toyota sedan. An officer responded, but the vehicle was gone on arrival and was unable to be located.

Open Tuesday - Thursday 4 pm to 8 pm, and Friday - Saturday 4 pm to 9 pm.

Starting the weekend of September 15th - open 11:00 am to 9:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays!

A Natural Wonder Goes on the Market

HEALDSBURG WOMAN HAS ROOTS IN CALISTOGA’S PETRIFIED FOREST

By Cole Hersey

On Sept. 14, 1915, Ollie Bockee (pronounced “bouquet”), the new owner of over 500 acres in Calistoga, was charged with killing a dog on her property.

As the Press Democrat wrote of the event at the time, Bockee was “greatly annoyed by hunters’ cunning stock and game on [her] property with dogs regardless of signs prohibiting hunting and trespassing.”

Taking charge of the situation, as the women in her family would do time and again, Bockee and her son set out with rifles and shot at the interloping dog, killing it as it chased after a fawn.

This was only a year after she purchased the land from MC “Boss” Meeker, who was ready to give it up. The Petrified Forest, as the property is now called, the site of one of the largest concentrations of petrified trees in the world, is now up for sale with an asking price of $12 million.

For the past hundred years, the forest has been run solely by the women of the family. Its sale is both the end of an era for this world wonder and the family legacy of the ambitious Ollie Orre Bockee of Clinton, Iowa.

“She did her own thing,” said Janet Angell, a Healdsburg resident and one of the co-owners of the Petrified Forest, who manages the property with her sister. “She was ahead of her time.”

Charles Evans, or Petrified Charley, who discovered the first bit of petrified tree as he raked his pasture, charged the occasional curious naturalist and passer-by to view this wonder. However, it was Ollie Bockee, a tenacious marketer and businessperson before women entrepreneurs were common, who was determined to share Evans’ discovery with the world.

Always dreaming of moving to California from her small town in Iowa, after she received a huge windfall from the passing of her aunt, Bockee headed for the sunshine

state. As written in a profile in 1930, Bockee found herself heading up a small and treacherous road north of Santa Rosa.

Making a Stake

Discovering a man living on the property, “Boss” Meeker, she asked if he was willing to sell his land. After some bartering, they settled on a $16,000 price. He took what cash she had on hand and told her she was due to pay the rest in the future. It was at this moment that what today is seen as the Petrified Forest began to take shape.

As Bockee worked tirelessly with her son over the next 25 years, they discovered and excavated more petrified trees on the property. It was then that she spent much of her time promoting the property itself.

Promotions were initially made by contacting university paleontologists across the country to have them visit the site in order to understand the ancient history that shaped, not only its trees, but the land itself. One such scientist of note was Ralph Chaney.

A UC Berkeley paleobotanist, Chaney, after seeing the wonder that was

Bockee’s property in the early 1920s, then spent much of the rest of his career studying ancient redwoods.

Bockee also realized that many might find the property a more curious place to visit if they saw pieces of its relics elsewhere. Through friends, along with in-laws such as the Hawthornes, residents of the wealthy town of Ross in Marin County, Bockee helped donate large pieces of the rocks to Central Park in New York City, along with pieces brought out in honor of the building of the Golden Gate Bridge.

And while there are newspaper records of these exchanges occurring, there is little else that proves they happened. Regardless, word was spreading and helping bring in a steady flow of visitors to the park.

Traffic Arrives

But, what really helped Bockee’s Petrified Forest was the paving of the now named Petrified Forest Road, along with the building of essential bridges across the Bay Area, making the trip a much easier one.

After Bockee’s death in 1950, while each family

member contributed to the property’s operation, none could compare to the initial efforts of Ollie Bockee. Jeanette Hawthorne continued her sister’s promotional efforts, and added a cafe for patrons to be served in the undeveloped area of Calistoga, where their buses would arrive and take them back to Santa Rosa, San Francisco or Oakland.

When Hawthorne was unable to continue operations of the forest, her daughters, Davida Orre Conway and Fay Orre Conway, took over until 2010, when sisters Barbara and Janet Angell assumed the lease and daily operations of the park.

The last few years have been far from easy.

In 2017, the Tubbs fire, which was the most destructive fire in California history, tore through much of the property, luckily not damaging any of the main buildings at the park.

Then, the pandemic hit, which made operations of the park uncertain as the world sheltered in a new normal. Luckily, visiting the park was one of the few things people could do, and so

operations continued, though on a smaller scale.

Time for a Change

Now, after such tumultuous events, even with them bearing little financial impact on the park, the two sisters (who are not the sole owners, it should be noted) are readying to retire.

The sale, however, is not only due to a desire to retire, but also to a younger generation being unwilling or able to currently take over operations.

Ultimately, Janet Angell said that the most important issue for the family to focus on is finding a quality buyer for the property.

“We’re just trying to find good hands for a good steward going forward. And hopefully, we’ll find some people who are interested in preserving it as open space,” Angell said.

Angell did note that in the past the state has tried to have them sell the property, and they are, according to her, actively interested in it, though nothing publicly has been said by the state.

“I think the state would be a great buyer,” Angell said. “But who

knows; a private buyer could take good care of the property too.” “I feel like Barbara and I have done a good job carrying it forward,” Angell continued. “And we’re just hoping that it’s preserved. But you don’t always have a choice about who the buyer is.”

While the record of the largest petrified tree is in Arizona, one, if not the longest, petrified tree in the world is the Monarch. Stuck underneath a hill, it peaks from the side. Ollie Bockee, whose legacy is now ending with this sale, worked with her son and friends to dig out the nearly 300-foot length of this Monarch tree. The Monarch tree is not only a testament to the far away history of the Sonoma County of the Pliocene Epoch, but of the determination of a businessperson ahead of her time who, given fair warning, would shoot down a dog if its owner didn’t listen to her.

The Petrified Forest is located at 4100 Petrified Forest Rd., Calistoga. Open 9am-5pm daily.

Steven Edward Schultz

March 20, 1948 - August 14, 2023

Steven Edward Schultz, 75, of Healdsburg, California, passed away at home on his terms, August 14, 2023 with family by his side. Steve was born the only child of Helen Gertrude Hutton and Roger William Schultz of Oakland on March 20, 1948. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from UC Berkeley in 1970, and then with a Master’s degree from Stanford in 1975, which jump-started a successful career as a multi-talented electrical engineer for Hewlett Packard and other companies. Steve moved to his permanent home in Healdsburg in 1978 and welcomed a son and daughter with his first wife Christine (nee Packard), and after remarriage to Ruth Olson, another daughter. After retiring from corporate life in 1993, Steve and Ruth formed The Olson Schultz Group and he fell into a second career as a licensed general contractor, handyman, and systems consultant. A literal jack-of-all-trades, Steve would take on ambitious home improvement projects at the request of friends and family and could fix most anything with a nail gun and assorted power tools, only occasionally requiring bandages. In 1996, Steve followed his lifelong dream and bought a sailboat with

the vision of cruising to warmer shores in the fashion of Jimmy Buffet. From then on Steve spent several months a year sailing with family and friends, from San Francisco south to Mexico and then throughout the Caribbean, the Florida Keys, the Bahamas and Cuba. Eventually, Steve escaped to Florida every winter to ensure he could continue wearing shorts year-round. It is rumored that there was no berth nor harbor that he couldn’t squeeze his boat into. Steve’s life changed dramatically in January 2003 when he suffered a serious stroke while in the Caribbean that nearly ended his life. In the 20 years that followed, though the effects of the stroke left him as a man of few choice words, his personal accomplishments were numerous. Steve learned to define himself by things he could do – not the things he could no longer do. Steve is survived by his wife and companion of 37 years Ruth Olson, his children Kathryn (Andy) Dippel of Alameda, CA, Dale (Robbie) Jackson of Fort Collins, CO, Garth Schultz (Megan Jennings) and his grandsons Henry and Emmett Schultz, of Albany, CA. Steve’s family and friends will be celebrating his life privately on August 26, 2023.

Photo courtesy of Sonoma County Library

GIFT ROCK Luther Burbank (left) with his wife, Elizabeth Waters Burbank, standing with a block of petrified wood from the Petrified Forest near Calistoga, California, bound for New York City, 1921.

Sonoma County on AUGUST 08, 2023. (Publication Dates August 17, 24, 31, September 7 of 2023 The Healdsburg Tribune).

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE COUNTY OF SONOMA 600 Administration Dr. Room 107-J, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 CASE NUMBER: SCV-273842

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS 1. Petitioner (name of each): HOLLY ROSE SCHMIDT-HAWKINS, filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present Name: HOLLY ROSE SCHMIDT-HAWKINS, to Proposed Name: HOLLY ROSE HAWKINS

2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no

Healdsburg extension.

That was the context for the Aug. 21 council review of the location for a SMART rail station in Healdsburg. “The reason we’re having this conversation now is that SMART has had a very good year in terms of raising funds and winning grants to bring us closer to the extension of the SMART section to Healdsburg, so kudos to the SMART team,” said city manager Jeff Kay.

As Kay pointed out, while for a long time plans for a SMART depot in Healdsburg have focused on the location of the historic depot, it was when design plans for the Foley Community Pavilion at 3 North St. were undertaken, “some initial design work was done to determine if a SMART station could go at that location. And it was determined to be generally feasible,” he said.

Choosing a Station

The presentation from the SMART team, which included chief engineer Bill Gamlen as well as Cumins, among others, outlined the pros, cons and considerations of the proposed station sites. The former depot location on Hudson Street is fairly well known and easy to visualize, in the former train yard opposite what had been Healdsburg Lumber until just a few months ago.

Less easy to picture were the two downtown locations. One of these was called “North of

North Street,” and would be across the street from the City Hall chambers where the council was then meeting. The other location would be south of that, along the West Plaza Parking lot, a location called “Between North & Matheson Streets.”

The full cost of the extension project is expected to be $160 million, though only $78 million is currently available. According to Cumings, this is earmarked for a five-mile rail extension from Windsor to Healdsburg, the replacement of the old Russian River Rail bridge upstream from the Healdsburg Avenue bridge, building a new bicycle and pedestrian pathway parallel to the rail line over the Russian River, and building a new passenger station.

However, while SMART will build and pay for that station, its location is up to the host city, Healdsburg. “We are very excited that this work has started, but one of the first things that we need to establish is the location of the Healdsburg station,” said Cumins.

The presentation outlined the three possible locations for a Healdsburg station. Any of these locations needs to be able to accommodate a passenger boarding platform, bicycle parking, dedicated parking for between 30-50 cars for SMART passengers and two parallel rail lines, for north and southbound

trains. Projected ridership is roughly 105,000 annually, with perhaps 38 trains daily on weekdays and 12 on weekend days.

Through the discussion of pros and cons, it became apparent that the downtown locations required considerable construction and rerouting of traffic, Foss Creek Trail and possibly the creek itself, as well as a potential overall loss of public parking. The only noted disadvantage of the depot location was its “real and perceived distance to downtown core”—a 2,000-foot walk to the Plaza, a little over a third of a mile.

Public Comment

It has long been anticipated that the depot location would be the site of a SMART station. In fact, among the citizen speakers at the meeting was Clifford Grutze, a

member of the 1997 city study committee on a station location. He waved a thick paper sheaf of the report, questioning whether it was digitally available. “If you people at SMART would like to look at what somebody else did to invent the wheel, 27 years ago, I’d be happy to lend it to you,” said Grutze. He also pointed out that the depot location allowed for long-term parking of a three-car train without traffic disturbance, which a downtown location could not, and a lengthy straight track for federal rail safety standards, again not available at the proposed downtown locations.

Mayor Ariel Kelley pointed out that it was digitized, could be found on the Healdsburg 2040 website and it had been shared with SMART.

Matias Lopez said the

larger point was to create an area transportation hub, which would include not only SMART trains but Amtrak bus stops, Sonoma County Transit buses, and a Mendocino transit bus that goes to Santa Rosa and currently bypasses Healdsburg altogether. Those routes might find a downtown transit hub more convenient, he said.

Valerie White repeated a series of questions she has asked before: “Where did the idea for having a downtown station come from? When did this idea surface? And whose idea was it?”

Looming large over much of the conversation was the roundabout, the five-way intersection of Healdsburg Avenue, Mill Street and Westside Road. A depot location would halt train traffic before it reached the roundabout, at least

until the rail system was extended to Cloverdale, which is almost certainly years away. But the other two station proposals would assure that every train that came to Healdsburg ran though that intersection, albeit briefly. And the impact of 38 trains a day, 14 on weekends, passing through one of Healdsburg’s biggest intersections was a topic that had yet to be fully studied. The 90-minute presentation and discussion reached no conclusion, though it’s possible some minds were made up before it began. “It is definitely the water cooler conversation in Healdsburg right now,” said Kelley. Kay and Kelley agreed that a well-noticed community meeting would be the next step, hopefully to happen in the next month or shortly thereafter.

Photos courtesy of SMART

PASSENGER STATION Commuters and visitors would catch a northbound or southbound train from the center platform of the proposed Healdsburg SMART station.