Weekly roundup for March 22, 2024

Listen to classical music composed inside the Sonoma County jail and performed by Juilliard musicians

Please join us on Zoom on Monday morning (March 25) for a special concert by musicians with New York’s famed Juilliard School, who will be performing original pieces composed by people incarcerated at the Sonoma County jail.

For the last seven weeks, eight people at the jail have been learning how to compose and perform classical music through an innovative partnership between the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and Project: Music Heals Us, a Connecticut nonprofit; Five Keys Schools & Programs, a San Francisco nonprofit that operates a high school inside the jail; and Juilliard’s extension division. 

Sonoma County is only the fourth county in California to host the Music for the Future program, which is designed to educate and encourage inmates while promoting healing and building compassionate communities. Incarcerated people learned music composition, music theory, score-reading and how to play stringed instruments during the program, which included a one-week in-person residency with Juilliard musicians and six-week remote class. Participants in the program, who ranged in age from 19 to 68, received credits that could be applied toward a high school degree.

Juilliard musicians will perform the students’ compositions at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 25 in a free public concert that will be livestreamed on Zoom. Use the below link on Monday morning to view the live concert:

https://juilliard.zoom.us/j/92810005331?pwd=N1ZGT3ZyRE1FTVNZUGhBZzcveWwxdz09

Sonoma County Airport to refurbish runway

Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport will shut down one of its two runways for up to 16 hours in May while crews replace a deteriorating drainage culvert and refurbish a section of pavement.

The $600,000 project will complete improvements requested by the Federal Aviation Administration following its annual inspection at the Santa Rosa airport. 

“Each year, airport officials and Department of Public Infrastructure personnel coordinate work to complete projects identified in this annual inspection report and within a timeframe agreed upon by the FAA,” Airport Manager Jon Stout said. “The safety of the public and employees is the county’s top priority, and we can rest assured that the quality of the travel experience at STS will continue to be world-class.”

Learn more about the runway project here:
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/charles-m-schulz-sonoma-county-airport-to-replace-storm-culvert-refurbish-sections-of-pavement-at-regional-airfield

SoCo Chat: Helping our furry friends

In the latest episode of SoCo Chat, Brian Whipple, director of Sonoma County Animal Services, discusses how you can help the animals at the Sonoma County Animal Shelter. Learn about options to adopt animals, foster them in your home temporarily, or volunteer to get them home-ready.

Watch the episode at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-onbTNtg9Y

SoCo Chat is Sonoma County’s podcast highlighting current county issues, stories, events, and other matters of public interest. Listen in for in-depth discussions about critical issues facing our community, as well as hear a variety of tidbits, tales and historic anecdotes about this wonderful place we call home.

Follow SoCo Chat on your favorite podcast platform:

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3UosTJa 
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3vXU2IG 
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/48Ydofc 
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3Uq52bZ

Latest news from County of Sonoma

Alaska Airlines adds direct flights from Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport to Las Vegas
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/alaska-airlines-adds-direct-flights-from-charles-m-schulz-sonoma-county-airport-to-las-vegas

Deadline for voters to ‘cure’ ballot signature issues is March 27
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/deadline-for-voters-to-cure-ballot-signature-issues-is-march-27

View a list of current and upcoming job opportunities with the County of Sonoma
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/job-opportunities

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https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Newsroom/SoCo-Correspondent/