Mobile crisis teams made up of mental health professionals have been responding to many police calls in Sonoma County instead of armed officers. Now, the proposed state budget puts…
We look at unofficial primary results in Sonoma County and the North Bay, according to the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters and the California Secretary of State’s websites on Friday, June 5.
Catholic Charities does provide legal services, but the organization does not initiate communication through social media messages and will not guarantee specific immigration outcomes.
The jury also found that the company's policies and state law were violated when another caregiver became aware of the suspected abuse but as a mandated reporter did not notify any authorities, which allegedly allowed the abuse to continue.
Cities say the cameras help solve crimes. Privacy advocates warn they create a vast network that can track people’s movements in ways most residents don’t see.
We still don’t know the full results for some of the marquee races, but KRCB News is here to keep you updated as the primary election results are finalized in the days ahead, and the focus shifts to November.
Republican Assemblyman James Gallagher is leading the primary in early vote returns and outright won the primary to fill the remainder of the late Representative Doug LaMalfa's term.
The plan calls for an agricultural incubator to support new and small‑scale farmers, affordable long‑term leases, and expanded educational and recreational programming.
Rep. Mike Thompson is facing a strong challenge from fellow Napa County resident and Democrat Eric Jones, as well as large field of Republican challengers including Ray Riehle.
Paul Saulsbury, a mobile crisis clinician and Republican from Redding, sees reshaping the mental health response system as core to helping rebuild safe and healthy communities.
Neal Shusterman, author of the book Scythe, spoke virtually with students at Windsor High. Windsor's school board initially denied the use of the novel for a 10th grade English class, before reversing course after community outcry.
California's Cap-and-Invest program sets a statewide limit, or "cap," on greenhouse gas emissions from major polluters including power plants, fuel suppliers and large industrial facilities.
About 2 million students attend community college classes in California, but around 40% of community college classes are conducted virtually, which can leave campuses that would otherwise brim with students, rather quiet places.
Agricultural authorities in Sonoma and Napa counties have put out alerts after glassy winged sharp shooters, a pest insect that can infect grapevines with incurable Pierce's Disease. Officials fear an unchecked infestation could devastate wine grape harvests.
Miguel Brierley joins KRCB's Michelle Marques to share clips and his process of composing the score to this Emmy-award winning show about climate solutions.
The final three candidates are Steve Schwartz, a nonprofit executive and farmer from Sebastopol, Holli Thier, a Tiburon councilmember and attorney and Eryn Cervantes, a previous correctional counselor at San Quentin.
The pilot project is meant to understand whether reducing nutrient release from the lakebed can improve water quality and results could have broader implications across the state.
Latinos make up about one in five working-age adults nationwide, and one in four kids and teenagers — a future customer base that will soon enter its highest-earning years. Many already spend regularly on beer, spirits and ready-to-drink cocktails, but not on wine, some hope that'll change.
The first three candidates on the ballot are Eli Beckman, a councilmember and business owner from Corte Madera, Jackie Elward, a Rohnert Park councilwoman and educator and Eric Lucan, a Marin County supervisor from Novato.
Most public commenters criticized the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office as the only county agency that still communicates with ICE, saying they don’t want tax dollars supporting that cooperation.
California has spent nearly four billion dollars on Project Homekey — the state’s effort to turn motels and other buildings into long‑term housing for homeless residents. A new CalMatters investigation looks at how those projects have played out across the state.
Spagna started his career in the mid-1980s, teaching civics, physics and algebra to middle schoolers at Westmark School, a private college-prep school in Southern California.
As the board was voting, community members and advocates started singing "We Shall Overcome" because they wanted the board to pass an even stronger local law.
If passed by city elected officials, homeowners in the newly-added areas will have to maintain defensible space and follow Santa Rosa’s vegetation‑management rules.
They would stop drivers along U.S. Highway 101 between Rohnert Park and into Mendocino County in order to extort cash and cannabis from them by threatening arrest.
Mixed‑status families are juggling economic struggles, changes to health care access and logistical planning for a potential deportation. Mental health often becomes an afterthought.
CA District 1 voters will see candidates for the new congressional seat on their June primary ballot, and in a special election with the current map in August.
The disruption began when a group of activists stood and started singing inside the board chambers as supervisors debated a long‑anticipated ordinance limiting how county departments interact with federal immigration authorities.
A survey of 80,000 students enrolled at Sonoma State and CSU's other 21 campuses, plus faculty and staff, is the largest and most comprehensive study of how higher education students and instructors perceive artificial intelligence.
A flyer from Spring 1976 lists almost 40 different classes, most taught by student instructors. Topics include "Survival as a Mother," "Seminar on Rape," "Lesbian Relationships," "Women and Weight," and even a radio production class called "Women on the Air."
Once the county decides the ICE presence is of enough impact, the department says it will notify the public, sending out alerts on social media in the same way it would about any other mass emergency.
"I started in 1999 as a police officer, and from 1999 to now, never once, have I seen a local police officer ask immigration enforcement, arrest someone or detain them for their immigration status. It's completely separate and distinct," Cregan said.
The project has found that the state of California -- led by the DMV -- routinely allows dangerous drivers with horrifying histories to continue to get behind the wheel, where they go on to kill.
"When it opened in 2022, people in Sebastopol were really thrilled because it was like this kind of gorgeous, non-alcoholic elixir bar and event space."
The fingerprints and booking information for all individuals booked into the Marin County Jail are sent to the California Department of Justice, which shares the data with federal agencies.
The Santa Rosa Police Department is preparing for crowds even larger than last fall’s march, which drew more than 10,000 people, one of the biggest demonstrations in the city’s history.
In January, the Trump Administration announced it was investigating Santa Rosa Junior College and 17 other schools for "allegations of discrimination against women and girls by entities which reportedly allow males to compete in women’s sports."
Luna Media USA hosts four large free events every year, including El Grito Fest, which attracted thousands of people to downtown Santa Rosa in the fall. But in some cases, they said, partners have been concerned about immigration enforcement and pulled out of events.
In total, 71,847 signatures were filed across Marin and Sonoma counties, meeting the requirement that at least 10 percent of the district's registered voters support placing the measure on the ballot.
KRCB News asked McGuire what the Democratic Party needs to do to unite, after McGuire clashed with the chair of the state Democratic Party at their convention in San Francisco.
Now as many as 40 are feeding information into Trump administration databases as the Democratic-led state chafes over the federal government's massive deportation program.
The Latino leadership organization says rising national immigration enforcement is creating real fear locally, and county leaders need to draw a clear line.
Marin County's district attorney's office urges homeowners to verify that contractors have a valid license before agreeing to any work by checking the California State Department of Consumer Affairs website.
One of the biggest concerns, according to the Marin Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District, is invasive Aedes mosquitoes, which are not native to the area.
The seeds of the court battle involving Hoopes Winery were planted in 2020, when the county said wine tastings and tours weren't allowed at the property.
Rising fees have prompted outcry from some students, particularly when the Cal State system is increasing tuition while cutting course sections and degrees because money is so tight.
The $1.28 million collected as part of the settlement will go towards funding projects that will improve air quality in the nine counties that the Bay Area Air District encompasses.
The topics include urging Congress to adopt stronger training and conduct standards for federal immigration agents, and exploring a local rule, modeled after one in San Jose, that would bar federal immigration officers from using city‑owned property as staging or processing sites.
The Center for Biological Diversity has notified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service they intend to go to court to get protections for the threatened fish.
The university system estimates its backlog of deferred maintenance exceeds $8.6 billion; CSU is now banking on a statewide bond measure to help chip away at those towering costs.
"I come from a mixed‑status family," said Hermosillo. "I understand the impacts. I also understand the impacts of when you come to the United States, there are laws that we all have to follow."
Volunteer Jennifer Roventini, who runs the closet, says she got involved after hearing a student presentation at a school board meeting about five years ago.
This week, professors and students marked one year since the 2025 academic and athletic cuts at SSU; they delivered a box of messages to new SSU President Michael Spagna.
Supervisor Chris Coursey is condemning ICE's actions and calls for Sonoma County to end all collaboration with ICE, which continues at the level of the sheriff’s office.
Sonoma County Supervisor Chris Coursey says in a statement he no longer supports the county’s cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The new president said his goals are to increase enrollment; review, support and expand the university's academic programs; and to explore reviving athletics at the school.
This comes the same week the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on behalf of transgender athletes barred by their states from participating in women's and girls' sports.
“Our whole fishing economy now is on wheels, going out of state; there's no more processors in California, except for Anthony’s [Seafood of Bodega Bay] here and Pier 45—that's it for cooking crabs,” said one Bodega Bay crabber.
Beaches on the Russian River downstream from the Russian River County Sanitation District treatment plant spill in Guerneville are still off-limits; the plant on Neeley Road was overwhelmed during heavy rains Tuesday night.
Crab associations in Bodega Bay and elsewhere announced the fleets were sitting out this week’s opening because buyers had refused to commit to what they considered to be a fair price.
A multi-award-winning young adult science fiction novel has been removed from the Windsor school district’s proposed curriculum, sparking a local debate over censorship and classroom content.
LaMalfa was known for his dedication to water access and forestry management, key issues for his largely rural district. His death leaves House Republicans with an even more precarious majority that could struggle to pass Republican legislation.
ICE arrests across Northern California have more than tripled this year, recent data shows. Those arrests affect not only the individuals detained but also the families left behind.
A new statewide commission is charged with creating a 10-year blueprint for a program that covers more than 14 million low-income residents and pays for key services from childbirth to nursing home care.
The couple was accused of using a fishing vessel that wasn't commercially registered, using people who weren't commercially licensed, and failing to file paperwork that allowed them to circumvent paying fees and declaring fish sales for tax purposes.
New reporting shows Sonoma County’s high schools have rising graduation rates but persistently low test scores, revealing wide gaps in student performance.
A National Weather Service meteorologist says she recommends an early start on home storm prep, with a stronger storm system forecast for the Christmas holiday week.
“I wouldn't say it was an easy decision, but it was the right decision in thinking about the future of the brand for the next 50 years—not the next three to five."
The new California congressional District 1 is "drawn in a way where just by sheer numbers, registered Democrats outnumber registered Republican voters."
The houses will be built one way or another. In May, the development was permitted ministerially through a Housing Compliance Report, a streamlined process set in place by the state's 2019 Housing Accountability Act.
State experts say the Trump administration is pressuring immigrants to leave the country by detaining them for minor infractions and using unlawful tactics.
North Bay congressman Mike Thompson partners with Doug LaMalfa in writing a bill providing direct payments to growers of winegrapes, nuts, fruit and vegetables who can show financial losses from the tariffs.
Locally, over 20 public transit agencies across the nine Bay Area counties -- including Marin, Napa and Sonoma -- are a part of the cloud-based system update.
The Santa Rosa Police Department is asking the city council to approve state grant funding allowing for six new employee hires to keep the crisis response team on-call daily.
Kammerer's food is rooted in what grows and lives around Elk; nearly everything on the menu starts at the restaurant's 300-bed farm, which, depending on the season, supplies up to 90% of the produce served at the hotel.
The century-plus-old infrastructure was built in the middle of significant fish spawning grounds, which has harmed Native groups, their treaty-protected fishing rights and traditional practices.
The new Santa Cruz Mountains Heritage District is located within the Santa Cruz American Viticultural Area, which comprises approximately 1,600 acres of vineyards.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the Trump Administration announced this week it wants to roll back a Biden-era rule that broadened eligibility for green card applicants.
Three pest control companies that improperly disposed of hazardous waste at dozens of sites around the state and failed to secure sensitive customer records have agreed to pay over $3.1 million.
According to the City of Cloverdale, the pending decommissioning raises questions about long-term water reliability for Cloverdale and other downstream communities like Geyserville.
The president of the California Faculty Association, which represents 29,000 members, said in an interview the executives have mismanaged state and tuition money and don’t deserve raises.
Some immigration rights activists are lobbying county supervisors to officially name Sonoma County a 'sanctuary county,' but others are concerned the designation will simply put a bullseye on Sonoma County.
Smart is an Independent from Eureka and is running to unseat Rep. Jared Huffman in California’s 2nd congressional district in the 2026 midterm election.
“We were not doing this to shut down the government, we were doing this to try to prevent the healthcare system from crashing," Jared Huffman told KRCB News.
A new program facilitates porch pick-ups for food donations, and the county Board of Supervisors are allocating emergency funds to Redwood Empire Food Bank.
If Prop 50 passes, Latinos could gain more representation in newly drawn districts, making their votes even more critical as the 2026 midterms approach.
After Charlie Palmer opened Hotel Healdsburg and Dry Creek Kitchen in 2001, it sparked a transformational influx of upscale businesses in downtown Healdsburg that alienated some residents.
A non-collaboration ordinance is what protesters want the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to pass: it would make it clear the county’s policy prohibits the sheriff from working with ICE.
"Everything the Republicans are doing in red states: Missouri, Texas, Florida, the Carolinas— that redistricting is permanent. In California, it's temporary.”
ICE has "been given a target by the administration or their bosses or whoever, and they will go where they are more likely to hit their numbers. Sonoma County is not that place."
Sonoma County Sheriff Eddie Engram tells KRCB News he was told the county would be spared of large--scale immigration actions, for now, while the federal Dept. of Homeland Security focuses on more heavily populated areas.
Vinnie Cilurzo, co-owner of Russian River Brewing Company, said he was surprised by a flurry of texts from friends and family during the Oct. 23, 2025 broadcast.
The governor unveiled the move Wednesday, days after the California Department of Social Services began notifying counties to prepare for the possibility that federally-funded food benefits, known as CalFresh in California, could be disrupted
Many acknowledge a citizens' right to initiate the recall process, but her fellow councilmembers say they're unaware of any misconduct warranting recall of councilmember Janice Cader-Thompson.
A new study quantifies the economic contributions of undocumented immigrants in California and models potential impacts of mass deportations in the North Bay.
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said the Department of Homeland Security requested a 'meet-and-greet' with the new DHS supervisor who oversees a region spanning from Santa Clara to the Oregon border.
According to the City of Santa Rosa’s Resilient City Recovery Reporting dashboard, just over 2,500 structures have been rebuilt since the October 2017 wildfires.
Sonoma County staff say the county’s urgency ordinance about police masking aligns with another bill recently signed by Governor Newsom, which imposes similar police unmasking requirements statewide starting in 2026..
This summer, the Bay Area Air District sent out a notice to parents or guardians of students at Credo High School, located fewer than 1,000 feet from the 'proposed new source of air pollution.'
Borrowing from the library requires providing information from your driver’s license. There are no fees involved, and the borrowing period can last weeks.
Although 54% of Latino voters expressed general support for redistricting, awareness of Prop 50 itself remains low, with 29% saying they have heard little about the Texas redistricting.
"There are plenty of win-win solutions," Jared Huffman said of conflict between ranchers and environmentalists. "I'm not an absolutist. I'm a problem solver."
Thousands flocked to downtown Santa Rosa to ring in Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrate the independence days of Mexico and other Latin American countries.
On the Open Doors website, Sonoma County residents can connect with more than 600 service providers in categories including food assistance, mental health and substance use.
The value of wine grapes harvested saw an overall decline of about 12% compared to 2023, due partially because "significant tonnage was left on the vines due to decreased demand," according to the county's agricultural commissioner.
Venue operators say they'll keep the original intimate and warm vibe; "the feeling like you're gathering with an actual group of people, not just a bunch of ticket buyers."
North Bay vintners and growers are hosting workshops for employees, putting up 'No Trespassing" signs and keeping their ranch gates locked during business hours..
"The strike notice includes caregivers at Northern California Kaiser Permanente facilities from Sacramento to Fresno, and across the Bay Area," says the nurses union.
"California has a permitting process for geothermal that is so risky that developers are saying we're going to go everywhere else first and California last."
Grants of $3,000 will be awarded to offset the cost of seismic retrofitting, specifically the cost of bolting houses to their foundations and bracing crawl space walls.
Evacuation orders are still in effect for nine sparsely-populated Napa County zones. The Pickett Fire has burned over 13 square miles since Thursday afternoon.
Greta Mart, Noah Abrams, Michelle Marques & Bay City News
Under an experimental fishing permit, a small group of crabbers were allowed to deploy their pop-up crab gear despite the presence of whales, which would normally close the fishery.
Organizers say the business model allows small wineries to do something they could never afford to do on their own—hire a national sales team to sell their wines.
Police tried to get the off-duty deputy to peacefully surrender, and a SWAT team negotiated with him until about 2 a.m. Monday, when he shot himself and died.
The abandoned structure aside 101 between Novato and Petaluma will be transformed by the same architects who designed the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park.
Most Ham operators use handheld radios and many have more elaborate radio shacks at their homes. But the real magic of amateur radio rests in its resiliency.
Driving on Llano Road, you may see some black pipes sitting above ground; those will be used to transport the sewer that goes in the trunk line typically to the Laguna Treatment Plant.
The National Weather Service says tsunamis are a series of waves dangerous many hours after initial arrival time. And that the first wave may not be the largest.
HIs young crew is "relying on my judgment to get them income and bring them back home safely," says one Bodega Bay commercial fisherman who relies on NOAA forecasting capabilities.
The North Bay Rapid Response Network, a 24-hour-a-day volunteer-run hotline housed within the North Bay Organizing Project, monitors ICE activity in Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties.
Starting next year, the thicker plastic bags now sold at checkout stands will also go away; shoppers will have to go back to using paper bags or bring reusable cloth bags.
The bill allows car dealers to charge buyers up to $500 extra on each vehicle purchase, a blatant departure from promises both parties made this year to lower costs for Californians.
Though wineries say they don’t expect to increase their sales in 2025, they do report feeling optimistic about the potential for growth over the next five years.
The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, the main opponents to the Koi casino project, have hired former US Solicitor General Neal Katyal for the case.
The Habitat Conservation Fund contributed $650,000 for the purchase of 198 acres of McCormick Ranch in Sonoma County, protecting the land in perpetuity by adding it to the Hood Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve.
The Mendocino County arts orgs received emails stating "the NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation's rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President."
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has experienced staffing cuts and could see further loss of funding, potentially impacting red flag warnings, prescribed burns, and more.
While Cal Fire officials say the agency and all the local Bay Area fire departments are fully staffed and prepared for the coming fire season, cuts at the federal level affecting the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service will play a significant role in how fires are fought.
According to the county's regional parks agency, the bear population seems to be increasing in Sonoma County, so sightings and encounters may become more frequent.
Lucrative salmon harvests -- sometimes exceeding a million fish in a season -- and a robust population persisted through the mid-2000s, before the fish seemed to cross a tipping point, collapsing almost to extinction in 2009.
According to federal agencies, the rule applies to immigrants who plan to remain in the U.S. for more than 30 days, with exceptions for certain visa holders and green card recipients.
The California DMV routinely allows dangerous drivers with horrifying histories to continue to operate on our roadways. Too often they go on to kill. Many keep driving even after they kill. Some go on to kill again.
To be eligible, restaurants must be in PG&E's service area, have no more than five locations, and generate less than $3 million in annual revenue per location.
The grants will be used by the nonprofit's North Bay Forest Improvement Program to plan and implement wildfire risk reduction and forest health projects on private property in Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma and Napa counties.
Gig companies never complied with AB 5. Instead, they spent more than $200 million to put Proposition 22 on the ballot, promising higher pay and better benefits for gig workers.
Along the North Coast, a multi-county tsunami response exercise is planned for Wednesday morning. On Thursday, some Sonoma Valley residents will hear an emergency alert test.
The California Community Colleges system, which serves the largest share of students in California who lack permanent legal status, issued a directive to its 116 colleges reminding administrators of their obligations "to prevent students, staff, and faculty from participating in federal immigration enforcement efforts…
The office also manages The Geysers, an isolated area straddling the Sonoma-Lake County border that is home to one of the world's largest geothermal field.
Filed March 7 in Sonoma County Superior Court, the suit alleges fraud and misrepresentation by the defendants and asks a judge to set aside the decision.
Some areas, like Petaluma's Westside, showed impressive increase in price per square foot, while places like Glen Ellen saw a steep decline last month.
For the last few years, ads on social media have been telling consumers that there’s a lot more than just grapes in the average bottle of California wine.
The films Shadow of a Doubt, Smooth Talk, and Smile feature familiar landmarks like McDonald Avenue, the Vets Building, Santa Rosa Plaza and Howarth Park.
"There's a group right now in Congress that are trying to [privatize Social Security], and to get what appears to be the blessing from Elon Musk should frighten everybody," said Thompson.
During California's prolonged drought of 2020 to 2022, Mendocino County was among the hardest-hit areas, forcing some local businesses to temporarily close due to low water supplies.
A member of the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians is one of the current cohort of 10 Brave Heart Fellows, working on energy independence for tribal communities.
Murdock said river levels are expected to fall through Thursday morning, but a smaller storm system is forecast to pass through Sonoma County Thursday and Friday.
Hundreds gathered Thursday afternoon at the SSU campus to protest a plan to eliminate six entire departments, the athletics program and 16 additional degree programs.
The county's largest public employees union says Supervisor David Rabbitt took a closed door meeting on a property deal with a donor who contributed to his campaign.
A group of American veterans and diplomats who served in Kyiv are teaming up with a Ukrainian winery owner to bring a taste of the Black Sea coast to a U.S. audience.
Santa Rosa's public school district established a redundant server in a separate location so officials could still communicate with their school community in the event that their primary servers went down or were burned.
Six academic departments, over a dozen degree programs, and the entire collegiate athletics program are slated for cuts to fix a $23.9 million deficit.
A social media post by Mitote Food Park says the space will close at the end of this month due to expedited construction schedules, but Sonoma County officials say the lease ends in June, not January.
Memories of Sonoma County's devastating fires in 2017, 2019, and 2020 are triggering PTSD in residents here as they see similar tragedies in Los Angeles County.
SRFD Division Chief Fire Marshall Paul Lowenthal says some of the fire personnel sent to Southern California fought in Sonoma County's October 2017 wildfires.
New California state laws will protect the privacy of LGBTQ+ students and make it more difficult to discriminate against people of color based on their hairstyles.
The nursery is growing culturally relevant produce for the food bank during their off-season, employing nursery workers who might normally be laid off.
The popular German-Italian restaurant in Santa Rosa is closing its doors for good this month, but it is not the end of the story for owners John and Gesine Franchetti.
Once they arrive in Santa Rosa, these now-lucky dogs — big or small, furry or wire-haired, barking or silently quivering — all go through the same intake process.
Immigrant Legal Resource Center, a national nonprofit that provides legal training and does pro-immigrant policy work in California and Texas, estimates 70 to 75% of ICE arrests in the interior of the U.S. are handoffs from another law enforcement agency, such as local jails or state or federal prisons.
The move is expected to provide relief to thousands of so-called Dreamers, especially those who are freelancers, self-employed or have no other means of health coverage.
Sonoma County's Ag Commissioner said the Yes on J campaign argued Sonoma County was the perfect spot to ban factory farming because of its progressive liberal politics, even though the problems were not necessarily bad there.
Voters in West Sonoma County are feeling some intensity today, as KRCB News heard outside two polling places there. So we spoke with two local psychologists for tips on how to manage the complex tangle of emotions coming up on this momentous day.
The report urges the state to limit the manufacture and sale of high-THC products, require better consumer information, and make cannabis products less attractive to children.
Animal ag, especially cows, does create a lot of emissions, but with 42 of Sonoma County's 50 dairies being certified organic, emission levels are lower in than in places like the Central Valley.
After seeing a burlesque and variety show in Oakland a decade ago, Ward said he was encouraged to start creating his own version called North Bay Cabaret.
A measure on the California ballot would repeal a state housing law limiting how cities can regulate rents, letting local governments make that decision.
The Sebastopol-based filmmaker charts a personal journey, questioning the natural world around us and the need to heal the planet as we heal ourselves.
Hundreds of California firefighters have been dispatched to the East Coast to assist in disaster recovery, in addition to electric line crews from PG&E.
Workshops this week to explain scope and scale of developing plans aimed at reducing noise complaints related to planes arriving and alighting from Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport.
Declining enrollment, financial uncertainty and divisive national conversation on education appears to curb ambition of prospective school board candidates.
A court complaint filed by the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office revealed the man's criminal record and subsequent experience as an inmate firefighter.
Cal Fire law enforcement officers contributed to the arrest of one of the agency's own employees; he is suspected of starting five recent Sonoma County wildfires.
The tenant protections bolster those included in California's Tenant Protection Act, but only apply to specific types of housing in unincorporated areas.
Marin is home to 19 dairies, Sonoma County 48; California’s organic milk production is concentrated in just three places, according to state statistics: Humboldt, Marin and Sonoma counties.
Manufacturers and some crabbers say technology added to the humble crab pots all but eliminates conflicts with migrating whales, enabling longer crabbing seasons.
One Santa Rosa hospital says in a statement it "typically gets consent to drug-test patients for medical reasons, and as a mandated reporter under state law, it refers potential exposures of newborns to illicit drugs to child welfare authorities."
With all three council seats uncontested, and no local measures on the ballot, November's election will proceed, but only with state and federal races.
Rallying in front of Petaluma Poultry, animal rights advocates say overcrowded hen houses and treating cattle with anti-biotics could turn an animal disease into a human epidemic.
California water watchers and regulators have long bemoaned the state's limited powers to police its water rights system, which establishes priority among users of finite supply of water from rivers and streams.
Classroom aides, custodians, office secretaries, and other classified public school staff in Santa Rosa are calling for a fair raise from the school board.
The program pairs financial assistance with housing stabilization services and referrals to legal services for households most at-risk of losing their housing.
New rules require landlords to provide tenant rights information in English and Spanish when tenants are asked to leave a unit or when they're being evicted.
The fire, caused by equipment on a transmission tower near Geyserville that broke in high winds, caused the largest evacuation in Sonoma County history of nearly 200,000 people.
In Sonoma County, researchers found that a program aimed at determining when it was safe to work during wildfires did not adequately protect farmworkers.
In 2018, former governor Jerry Brown signed the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, decriminalizing street vending. In Sonoma County, 219 vendors hold a county permit.
Athena House had its grand re-opening in June of this year; the site features eight new buildings along with a pickleball court, gym, garden and playground.
Firefighters raced to the scene of a blaze burning through dry grass near Cotati and Rohnert Park. In less than an hour and half, a menacing wildfire that erupted along Stony Point Rd. near Cotati appears to have been brought under control.
The brother and sister bicycled the STP to raise money for Buckelew Programs, a nonprofit that provides mental health and addiction services in the North Bay.
Orsi's helicopter ride alone would have cost her $117,000, but thanks to the membership her husband secured for their entire family as the fire chief of Fort Bragg Volunteer Fire Department, she never paid a penny.
More than 1.4 million Californians are app-based gig workers for companies such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart, according to the industry's latest estimates.
The county board of supervisors voted to oppose the development after receiving letters of opposition from five other federally recognized tribes in Sonoma County.
One of the main flight service companies operating at the airport is suing the county over a new above-ground fuel tank being installed by a competitor.
The rule's final approval Thursday capped a dramatic three months of actions that further delayed a regulation the Legislature first called for in 2016.
More than 1.4 million workers in California do app-based driving and delivery work for big gig companies such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart, according to the industry's latest estimates.
Details on hardening infrastructure, precautions and what to expect as fire season nears are part of an interactive talk led by PG&E set for Wednesday.
With few other options, water rates already up, fire departments consolidated, Sebastopol commits to asking voters to lift sales taxes up to half a percent.
Sonoma State administrators have agreed to disclose and financially divest the school from companies and organizations that support and profit from Israel's occupation of Gaza.
State Senator Mike McGuire and Cal Fire Chief Joe Tyler gave an updated look at where the state stands in the effort to protect against wildfires at a virtual town hall this week.
Access to state financial aid and in-state tuition can be a critical factor for undocumented students, who are barred from receiving federal financial aid.
More than 23 million American households, about 45% of all those eligible nationwide, will no longer receive the full subsidies that previously helped them get online.
The Cinco de Mayo celebrations held at Mitote Food Park will be celebrating 15 years of the organized event, promising to have elements of a quinceañera.
SRCS Superintendent Anna Trunnell announced this month she will be departing the district after four years, three as superintendent, in order to be closer to her family.
Sonoma State Students for Justice in Palestine set up a Palestine solidarity encampment with demands for disclosure and divestment of university holdings "that support and profit from the occupation in Palestine."
Taxes on cultivation and manufacturing will be eased for the next fiscal year, while retail sales tax will be brought in line with those in local cities.
Disaster response and homeless services nonprofit DEMA will continue running Sonoma County's emergency shelter site and Mickey Zane Place on a week-to-week basis.
Skipping other options this week, Sonoma County elected officials order a report on possible effects on county agencies and the community should the measure pass.
The move shifts Sonoma County's government from a county administrator model, streamlining more day-to-day agency operations under a county executive model.
Many of those rebuilding homeowners have ended up on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars, thanks to state laws that require solar panels on new homes — even on those that didn’t have them before they burned down.
Petaluma Bounty is aiming to acquire the three-acre farm property from the current owners to preserve the community farm in perpetuity at the former Stonitsch & Arvold lumber mill site.
Highways 116 and 121 converge at Big Bend, just north of the Sonoma Valley Airport and surrounded by vineyards. The new roundabout should be ready in 2026.
The ballot measure is supported by the group Coalition to End Factory Farming, who want to end large-scale concentrated animal feeding operations in Sonoma County.
When the automatic felony expungement begins in July, about 225,000 Californians will qualify, said Californians for Safety and Justice, with more becoming eligible in the future as more time passes after their convictions.
Sebastopol City Manager Don Schwartz has put together a laundry list of potential fixes for the city of 7,500, which faces average budget deficits estimated at just under $3 million dollars a year---though the next decade.
A 10-camera system was estimated to cost $37,500. Councilmembers suggested cameras also be placed at Gibbs Park, which Rodriguez says would need two for effective coverage.
"African-Americans have ten years less of a life expectancy in Sonoma County than whites. We've seen a significant increase in the likelihood that Blacks are going to be homeless in Sonoma County.
"Just by managing our land better, in such a way where we are mimicking nature, we have improved water capacity in our pastures, we have improved growth rates in our pastures."
Ceres, the non-profit meal service, was forced to vacate their Santa Rosa kitchen and consolidate in Sebastopol and Novato after Social Advocates for Youth filed for bankruptcy.
As part of the agreement with the state, a small number of vessels will be allowed to remain anchored if they are deemed "seaworthy," at least through October 2026.
Artist Jacklyn Finkle has command of that other artistic challenge: knowing when to put down the brushes. Her vibrant oil pastel 'Make Lemonade' is creating something of a splash.
A total of $3.69 million has been invested in this race, $2.49 million was contributed directly to the candidates and $1.20 million in outside spending.
Healdsburg’s historic train depot has long been eyed as the new home for SMART’s sole stop in the city when the North Bay's commuter train line is eventually extended north.
If you want to see how much money a candidate has raised and from whom you can check county elections office websites, where they're required to file disclosure forms.
While an independent analysis finds that nine state-mandated criteria would be met, it says a serious fiscal plan would need to be in place for unification.
The Coast Guard attempted to remove all diesel from the vessel, but now says such operations are unsafe due to the weather and the degraded condition of the boat.
Measure H on the March 5th primary election ballot seeks to do a few things: staff each engine with three firefighters, replace waning participation in volunteer units with professionals, improve response times and devote more resources to fire prevention among other goals.
The Healdsburg Democrat listed housing and homelessness, fixing the home insurance market and fending off the impacts of climate change as his top priorities.
Nicole Nixon/CapRadio & Sophie Austin and Tran Nguyen/Associated Press/Report for America
Recent data from NielsenIQ shows that consumers are increasingly drinking less wine, swapping their glasses of pinot and chardonnay for cocktails or beer, or even nonalcoholic drinks.
The meteorological phenomenon known as 'atmospheric rivers' has a significant impact on the frequency and severity of floods and droughts in the Bay Area of Northern California. Advanced forecasting techniques currently being developed to monitor these storms could mitigate the impact of floods while preserving the…
State Parks staff, Cal Fire, and contractors are getting started right away with stewardship work on parts of the 650 acres of open space transferred from the SDC to California State Parks control on January 4th.
The state Public Utilities Commission in late 2022 slashed by about 75% the rate that utilities pay homeowners with new solar panels when they sell surplus power to the grid.
In-law houses, garage buildouts, attic and basement additions are all increasing in numbers since the California Legislature passed over a dozen bills to encourage their production.
The endangered Behren's Silverspot Butterfly was historically found between Salt Point State Park and the town of Mendocino. A new restoration project aims to help the species survive.
After only a day on the picket line, the California Faculty Association and the California State University system have tentatively agreed to a new contract, bringing the 23-campus strike to an end.
A tentative agreement has been reached to end the system wide strike after faculty at the Rohnert Park campus and all other CSU's walked off the job to start the spring semester.
The nation's First Lady, Jill Biden, touched down in Santa Rosa for a brief visit to Sonoma County Thursday afternoon for a fundraiser as part the President's re-election campaign.
Caryl Hart, Sonoma County resident and former director of Sonoma County Regional Parks, speaks with KRCB about her new role as chair of the California Coastal Commission.
"They prey on deer. They leave those carcasses for other, lower predators, soils are enriched and it really does effect the overall quality of the landscape and water quality and the biodiversity in general."
The state agency postponed the opening of the crab season late last year because of high numbers of migrating humpback whales spotted off the California coast.
Cotati, with a population of about 7,500, is the first city in Sonoma County to officially call for a permanent ceasefire and peace between Palestinians and Israelis.
Nearly every department head told supervisors that they face challenges both recruiting and retaining staffers. What once were considered solid salaries, no longer measure up.
The breakdown in negotiations was consistent with the tenor of relations between the two camps, which has been marked by frustration and a lack of trust.
A 'fiscal cliff' is coming, due to the expiration of billions in federal Covid relief, declining enrollment in nearly three-quarters of districts, and a leveling off from record state funding.
If a language other than English is spoken in the home, the school is required to assess the student's level of English within 30 days after enrollment by giving them a test.
A comprehensive revamp could reduce trip times, making transit a viable alternative to vehicular travel and not just the choice of those with no alternative.
Often dubbed “toilet-to-tap,” the process is actually much more extensive and complex, requiring multiple treatment steps overseen by 63 pages of detailed rules.
California says small-engine devices made after January 1, 2024 must be zero-emission in order to be sold here---the first state in the nation to do so.
The Santa Rosa 16-year-old was found to be justified in using self-defense during the March 1, 2023 classroom fight, and has been released to his parents.
Miljenko 'Mike' Grgich, born in Croatia, made his way to Napa Valley in 1958, going on to make award winning wine and helping elevate the region as a premier wine making destination.
The mobile support teams must include a licensed medical professional known as a Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts, or LPHA.
Thomas Hughes/Bay City News
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Living Downstream
Our podcast "Living Downstream" is the recipient of the 2022 Edward R. Murrow Award and has been named by the Global Center for Climate Justice as one of "Five Climate Justice Podcasts You Need to Follow." Wow: https://bit.ly/2Xkbs0D
Listen to some recent episodes! Generations in Houston's Fifth Ward Contend with Contamination, Cancer Clusters will break your heart, and perhaps solidify your resolve to make change. The Sea Next Door is told in true partnership with the community living near California's Salton Sea, an environmental powder keg, where the state has no idea how to avoid a coming health disaster.
Start your weekday mornings with the Sonoma County First News podcast, bringing you the top local headlines and a detailed weather forecast to kick off your day.
Stay informed with the latest breaking news, updates on county government, elections, environmental issues, cultural events, and stories from communities across Sonoma County—from Petaluma to Cloverdale, Sonoma to Bodega Bay, and everywhere in between.
... What people are talking about around YOUR neighborhood.
Each week, we report news from all over Northern California through a weekly check-in, or "postcard," of what people are talking about in their area. Not always "news," but still worthy of a mention. It's our way to give voice to communities that may not make it into the everyday news cycle.
We play these in a random rotation throughout the week. Each postcard airs from Sunday morning at midnight through Saturday at 11:59:59 pm.
If you have an idea for a postcard from your community, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and put your community's name in the subject line.
Santa Rosa’s Wednesday Night Market at the downtown Courthouse Square is a summer favorite for locals and visitors alike, featuring live music, farm stands, food vendors, community organizations, and a wide array of local artisans. The season runs…
California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero joined Sonoma County judges and court leaders to commemorate the completion of the new Hall of Justice in Santa Rosa. The six-story, 15-courtroom facility will replace aging court spaces and provide…
Hayley Blondin, a bilingual multiple-subjects teacher at Oak Grove Elementary School, has been named the Sonoma County Teacher of the Year for 2026. She was recognized at an all-school celebration, alongside Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools…
Watermelon is a large, sweet, juicy fruit from the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), botanically a berry, known for its high water content and refreshing quality, making it a popular summer treat. How to choose a ripe one, is a matter for the ages.…
The 53rd Annual Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Festival at Westside Park in Bodega Bay, CA, features two days of live music, seafood, plus nautical events such as a boat building contest & race and the Blessing of the Fleet & boat parade. This annual event…
Michael Rex of Russian River Books and Letters welcomes customers on Independent Bookstore Day, held annually on the last Saturday of April. The day champions local, independent retailers and fosters community connection by highlighting bookstores…
Sonoma, California celebrates the start of the 30th Anniversary Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America (KPCRAA). Covering more than 3,400 miles across 11 states in nine days, Petty lead roughly 150 motorcycles to raise funds and awareness for…
Pegasus Theater Company was founded in 1998 with the mission of producing thought-provoking theater that reflects, entertains and enriches the diverse community it serves.
The Mobile Museum of Tolerance visited Calistoga High School to help students explore empathy, tolerance, and the history of prejudice. Through hands-on workshops students learned skills in mutualrespect, conflict resolution, and civic…
Satri Pencak is an independent art curator with an M.A. in Art History. She writes about the visual arts for her website, www.satripencak.com, her Facebook Blog, and other publications.
Satri loves knowing what’s going on in the art world and sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with others.
Return to Paradise is an exhibition in Marijke’s Grove celebrating Walter Byck and Marijke Byck-Hoenselaars’ thirty year legacy of visionary leadership and community engagement through art and sculpture. Curated by Jeff Nathanson, the exhibit…
Art at the Source reflects the values that unite and inspire our community: belonging, creativity, and integrity. Belonging: Ensuring Sonoma County remains an inclusive haven for artistic expression and connection. Creativity: Providing resources…
There are two exhibitions on view right now that I’d like to mention. Both feature work created by artists associated with the San Francisco Art Institute, which closed in 2022, after 150 years. One puts a focus on historical work, the other…
The current exhibition at Hammerfriar Gallery is titled The Edge Knows. The Rock is. This two-person exhibition features the work of Brooke Holve and Catherine Richardson, with a selection of mixed-media work that focuses on the process of creation…
Forests are vital to life on Earth, supporting all living beings. While we deeply value them, global warming has turned forests into a double-edged sword, with increasing wildfires and environmental threats. Yet, despite these challenges, more…
The current exhibition at the Petaluma Arts Center is Black Artists of Northern California. The exhibition showcases the work of 28 regional artists, and features work in a variety of styles and media.
Legendary R&B and jazz musician Johnny Otis also painted, drew, sculpted, and cartooned. His creative energy was boundless and could not be limited to a single medium. Calabi Gallery is fortunate to be able to show a collection of his art consigned…
The current exhibition at Sebastopol Center for the Arts is Reverberations 2024 an intriguing cross-discipline exploration. The exhibition combines visual art with poetry, and perceptions on art collecting.
The current exhibition at the Museum of Sonoma County is called Cruisin’ – Sonoma County Lowriders and The Art of Justin Favela. It is on view through November 24 at the Museum of Sonoma County on Seventh Street in Santa Rosa.
The current exhibition at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art is Arthur Monroe: A Tow to Carry. This is a retrospective show of work by the late Oakland-based artist, Arthur Monroe. The more than 25 works that are featured are drawn from a seven decade…
The Art of Materials brings together artists who are working with paper, fabric, industrial felt, metal, steel, cement, clay, plastic, cork, and wood. Some of the artists combine disparate materials that embody imaginative content or reuse…
Since the earliest days of humankind, people have been making art. From the beginning until now, the natural world has been a major source of inspiration. "Nature as Muse" will run April 6th through June 8th, 2024, at Calabi Gallery in Santa Rosa.
The current exhibition at Sebastopol Center for the Arts is called The Beauty of Purpose: A Functional Ceramics Show. It remains on view through March 31st
Savoring Sonoma: The Hour is about the many beautiful, delicious, significant, and memorable elements of Sonoma County that not only enrich our lives and our community, but the world in general.
KRCB is proud to partner with Jack Hines, environmental advocate and soundscape ecologist, to present sounds of nature in the North Bay through his award winning radio program, Ear to the Wild! Listen for Chinook salmon swimming to spawn, birds at dawn at Ledson Marsh, and Pacific Tree Frogs. These soundscapes are created to make you stop - listen … and start your own conversations.