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Prescribed pile burning operations planned at Bouverie Wildflower Preserve and Sonoma Valley Regional Park
Sonoma County Regional Parks is planning to conduct pile burns at the Bouverie Wildflower Preserve and Sonoma Valley Regional Park from December 4th through December 15th. The upcoming pile burn is a continuation of fuels reduction work conducted by Park’s staff and the Conservation Corps North Bay (CCNB) that focused on reducing surface and ladder fuels to help protect the remaining trees and adjacent communities from future wildfire severity. Read full story
Sonoma County topped 50 miles of repaved roads, 54 culvert replacements in 2023
Sonoma County today announced the results of the Summer 2023 road construction season, which included the resurfacing of 50 miles of county-maintained roads and the replacement of 54 culverts. The work involved a combination of roads identified for the ongoing Pavement Preservation Program and roads that qualified for repair as part of the Fire Damage Recovery Paving Project supported by PG&E settlement funds. The cost of all paving work performed during the summer was approximately $32 million. Read full story
Prison inmate convicted of 1985 murder of Guerneville man denied parole once again
Inmate Vernon Bragg, now 70 years old of Dallas Texas, was denied parole yesterday by the California State Board of Parole Hearings following an afternoon hearing held at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville. In 1985, Bragg was convicted of murder for the shooting and killing of Ray Rasmussen of Guerneville. Following the murder, Bragg was sentenced to an indeterminate life sentence in state prison. Read full story
Man sentenced for conspiracy to trespass and trespass at Sonoma County Farms
Wayne Hsiung, a 42-year-old California state bar licensed attorney from San Francisco, was sentenced earlier today to serve 2 years on probation and 90 days in county jail after having been convicted by a Sonoma County jury in November of this year to charges of felony conspiracy to commit trespass and two counts of trespass. The convictions stem from large animal rights protests staged on Sonoma County Farms in 2018 and 2019. Read full story
With respiratory viruses circulating, all Bay Area Health Officers recommend actions to stay healthy for the holidays
As levels of circulating respiratory viruses increase and people spend more time indoors for the holiday season, it’s important to know all the ways to stay healthy this winter. Read full story
Permit Sonoma to host cannabis ordinance update information meetings December 13
Permit Sonoma will host two Comprehensive Cannabis Program Update meetings on December 13 to update the public on key program elements and the mapping of residential enclaves in an effort to improve compatibility between cannabis land uses and the neighborhoods they are located within or near. Read full story
Santa Rosa Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing a Teenager
Defendant Leonel Padilla Gomez, 36 years old, of Santa Rosa, California, was sentenced on November 16, 2023, by the Honorable Laura Passaglia to 14 years in state prison. This sentence follows Gomez’s convictions related to sexually abusing a teenager. Read full story
Santa Rosa Man Sentenced to 36 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Assault
Defendant Ambrosio Leiva-Moreno, 32 years old, of Santa Rosa, California, was sentenced on November 15, 2023, by the Honorable Laura Passaglia to 36 years in the state prison. This sentence follows Leiva-Moreno’s convictions related to sexually assaulting a child. Read full story
Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office Awarded Grant from the Office of Traffic Safety for Specialized DUI Prosecution Team
Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez has announced that as a result of her office receiving a $516,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), it will be able to continue to have a specialized prosecution team that handles alcohol and drug-impaired driving cases. Read full story
Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport welcomes return of seasonal nonstop service to Palm Springs
One year after launching the exclusive seasonal route, Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport today announced that Avelo Airlines is once again offering nonstop service to Palm Springs International Airport. Special first-anniversary one-way fares between STS and PSP are starting at $74. Read full story