🌱 Downtown Bakery Open + Yarn Shop's Last Hurdle + Police Logs

Simone Wilson
Updated ·6 min read

Hello, people of Healdsburg! Simone here with your fresh edition of the Healdsburg Daily, full of everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days. Let's do it.

First, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 67 Low: 37.

Shoutout to our premier local sponsor:

Looking to rent in the Healdsburg area? Stacey Bernd at Healdsburg & Artisan Sotheby's International has lived in Sonoma Co. for 48 years and been in real estate for 30. She knows the market the way only a local can. Thinking of listing a property for rent? She can help with that too. Contact Stacey and work with Healdsburg's best.

Want to see your business featured in this spot? Click here to get started.

Air over Healdsburg:

This is what the air over Healdsburg looked like early this morning. (Photo courtesy of Holly Wilson)
This is what the air over Healdsburg looked like early this morning. (Photo courtesy of Holly Wilson)

Here are the top 3 stories today in Healdsburg:

  1. Healdsburg's beloved Downtown Bakery and Creamery on the plaza is officially open again starting today, under new ownership. It's open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day except Mondays. Local couple Ross and Karna Murphy, who took over the bakery at the beginning of the year, closed it for a few weeks to refurbish, but they had their "soft re-opening" yesterday — and "were delighted that so many people stopped in to buy their wonderful breads and pastries, have coffee, and generally wish them success," says Mary Southall, Karna's mom, on Nextdoor. She adds: "If you've missed your daily sticky bun with your coffee, don't worry, sticky buns are still on the menu." The handoff to Ross and Karna has been generally welcomed by bakery regulars, especially since Ross was already the head bread-baker. The Tribune reports that the menu is the same, but that the bakery "will no longer have seating inside due to county health department regulations." (Inbox & Facebook & Nextdoor & SoCoNews Healdsburg)

  2. The dedicated group of locals trying to save Healdsburg yarn and knitting shop Purls of Joy is getting close to victory— but they need a little more financial help from the community. "We have enough funds to purchase the store but not enough operating costs to start our business with," says Janice Orrego, one of the members of the co-op that has formed to take over Pearls of Joy. "This endeavor was always short on time and the reality is that we have run out of time," she says. "Current owner is moving on Feb 28th. Landlord wants the lease signed asap." If you want to pitch in, the group has started a GoFundMe campaign for this last push. They say their goal is to "maintain the spirit of Purls of Joy," located at 461 Healdsburg Ave. near Piper Street, while "supporting and growing the community of local fiber artists around the Healdsburg area, from shepherds to individuals producing finished knitted goods." They also want to continue hosting fiber-arts-related events and supporting the Purls of Joy "Beanie Brigade," which has "knitted over 3500 helmet liners for our troops." (Inbox & GoFundMe)

  3. Here are the Healdsburg police logs for the first couple weeks of February. Reported incidents include a guy who picked up two hitchhikers in Clear Lake, who then allegedly stole his car when he stopped at a business on Vine Street; another business on Vine where the owner has reportedly "shown up a couple of times to work sick, exposing his employees and customers, and sometimes doesn’t wear a mask"; a drunk driver on Center Street who "crashed into a ditch in front of a business and was trying to burn out to get out of the ditch"; a group found setting off fireworks on Twin Oaks Way; a "blue sculpture on the Foss Creek Trail... spray painted with a derogatory word"; various other mask violations, domestic disputes and hit-and-runs; and much more. (SoCoNews Healdsburg & SoCoNews Healdsburg)

From our sponsor:

Hey Healdsburg, are you looking to buy a house, refinance or just explore your options? Check out the new Patch Mortgage Center for all your home financing needs!

Today and tomorrow in Healdsburg:

Thursday, February 17

  • Senior Chair Dancing at Rec Park (10-11AM)

  • Healdsburg American Association of University Women (AAUW) Forum: "Interpreting Works of Art - Your GPS for Visual Literacy" (10-11:45AM)

  • AARP Tax Help at Healdsburg Library (10AM-3PM)

  • Senior Bingo at Healdsburg Senior Center (1:30-3:45PM)

  • Sonoma County Government Presents: COVID-19 Community Briefing (3PM)

  • Healdsburg High School Governance Council Meeting (4PM)

  • Corazón Healdsburg Conversación Comunitaria: Ingresos Garantizados / Community Conversation: Guaranteed Basic Income (6PM)

  • Healdsburg Running Company Traditional Trailhouse Santa Rosa Run, Ending in "Run the Alps" Movie Night (6PM)

  • Fran Lebowitz at the Luther Burbank Center (7-8PM)

  • The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) at the Raven Theater (7:30-9:30PM)

Friday, February 18

  • Funeral Service for Dennis Campos at St. John's the Baptist Church (12PM)

  • Intermediate Ukulele at Healdsburg Senior Center (12:30-2:30PM)

  • Rummikub at Healdsburg Senior Center (12:30-3PM)

  • Ping Pong Play at Healdsburg Senior Center (1:30-2:45PM)

  • Drop-in Mah Jong at Healdsburg Senior Center (1:30-3:30PM)

  • Healdsburg Library Storytime for Older Kids (K-2) & Great Backyard Bird Count Kickoff at Giorgi Park (3:30PM)

  • Derek Irving Rockabilly Duo Live at Coyote Sonoma (5:30-8:30PM)

  • Zumba With Chuy at TCElite Gym (7:15-8:15PM)

  • The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) at the Raven Theater (7:30-9:30PM)

From my notebook:

  • The most expensive home for sale in Healdsburg right now is a 3,400-square-foot three-bedroom on Hidden Acres Road near the golf course. It's going for $4.5 million. (Healdsburg Patch)

  • After the indoor mask mandate was lifted for vaccinated people yesterday, Sonoma County health officials have issued some helpful guidance for "businesses, venue operators and hosts" on how to educate customers and enforce the new rules. (Facebook)

  • Know an exceptional Healdsburg teacher who deserves some cred? The Sonoma County Office of Education is taking nominations for Teacher of the Month right now. (Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

Job listings:

Loving the Healdsburg Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

That's it for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Simone Wilson

About me: I was born and raised in Healdsburg, CA, where I was the editor of the Healdsburg High School Hound's Bark. I have since worked as a local journalist for publications in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York City and the Middle East. I'm currently a senior product manager for Patch.

This article originally appeared on the Healdsburg Patch