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Sonoma County to host May 3 memorial service honoring the lives of the unclaimed
The County of Sonoma will hold a memorial service on May 3 to honor the lives of 34 individuals who died without family or friends able to make final arrangements for their remains. The public is invited to attend the 2 p.m. ceremony at Pleasant Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary at 1700 Pleasant Hill Road in Sebastopol. Read full story
Board of Supervisors to hold annual budget workshops April 28 - 30
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will hold its annual budget workshops on April 28, 29 and 30 to provide county residents an opportunity to learn about the 2025-26 fiscal year preliminary spending plan and provide input to the Board of Supervisors before it adopts a final budget in June. Read full story
New Health To Go public health vending machines provide free essential resources when they’re needed
Sonoma County residents can now access free lifesaving, disease preventing and health protecting supplies — such as Narcan, condoms, dental hygiene kits, COVID tests, and more — from Health To Go public health vending machines. Through a new initiative of the Public Health Division of the Department of Health Services, these vending machines offer individuals easy access to what they need when they need it. Read full story
Sonoma Water Board approves wholesale water rate adjustment to fund critical infrastructure
The Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) Board of Directors on Tuesday approved a wholesale water rate adjustment for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to address aging infrastructure, rising operational costs and the need for continued investment in water system reliability. Read full story
Horse racing canceled for 2025 Sonoma County Fair
The Sonoma County Fair Board, after lengthy discussions, has made the hard decision to cancel horse racing at the 2025 Fair. The decision was made due to the declining horse population in Northern California, resulting from the closing of Golden Gate Fields and the elimination of stabling at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Significant changes have resulted in the majority of horse owners, trainers and support workers relocating to Southern California and other out-of-state race facilities. Read full story
Evacuation exercise planned in the Springs area of Sonoma Valley on May 3
The Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management will hold an evacuation exercise on Saturday, May 3, for the Springs community north of Sonoma. This evacuation exercise is part of an annual series conducted by the Department of Emergency Management at various locations throughout Sonoma County. Read full story
Board of Supervisors approves cannabis cultivation tax rate decrease following review of market changes
he Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted today to reduce County tax rates for cannabis cultivation in unincorporated areas to rates equivalent to 2.5 percent of gross receipts, converted to a square footage rate, following an annual review of market changes and data reported by local operators. The local cannabis tax rates for retail and manufacturing operations in unincorporated areas will remain the same. The amended Cannabis Business Tax Ordinance, which will go before the Board of Supervisors for final approval on May 6, 2025, will be effective July 1. Read full story
Board of Supervisors approves construction to complete six emergency road repairs caused by winter storms
The Board of Supervisors today gave the green light for construction contracts to hasten the repair of six road segments damaged during recent winter storms, including Westside Road, Cavedale Road, West Soda Rock Lane, Wohler Road, and Giovanetti Road. Read full story
Santa Rosa Man Sent to Prison for Maximum Sentence for Murder, Driving Under Influence of Alcohol, and Hit and Run Causing Death After Fatal Fountaingrove Collision
Charles Allen Bernhardy, 39 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced earlier today by the Honorable Judge Laura Passaglia after a jury returned a guilty verdict on March 13, 2025, for the following charges: murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury within 10 years of another DUI offense, hit and run causing death or serious injury, hit and run driving resulting in property damage, and driving under the influence of any drug causing injury within 10 years of another DUI. The jury found true multiple factors in aggravation as well as enhancements. On April 10, 2025, the defendant was sentenced to the maximum possible sentence under the law for these charges, 19 years-to-life in state prison. Read full story
Sonoma County launches Green Halo construction waste management plan and recycling tool
Permit Sonoma has launched a new construction and demolition recycling platform for tracking construction and demolition waste. This platform will help reduce waste and increase compliance with state environmental goals. Effective May 5, all building and demolition projects in unincorporated Sonoma County are required to use the Green Halo web-based platform to track recycling activities and meet recycling thresholds. Read full story
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