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While Sonoma County may be getting colder as winter approaches, this month’s edition of the SoCo Correspondent will warm your heart. Today we share stories of generosity and hope, including one woman’s journey from homelessness to her very own apartment. You will also find important updates on initiatives by the county to protect our farm community from an agricultural emergency, secure the region’s water supply, improve our roads and crack down on dangerous driving exhibitions.
As always, we encourage you to share this newsletter with friends, colleagues and family members or urge them to sign up for the SoCo Correspondent so they can receive it directly, normally on the first and third week of each month.
¿Está interesado en leer sobre lo que hace el Condado de Sonoma dos veces al mes? Este boletín estará disponible en español. Regístrese aquí para suscribirse a nuestro boletín, el SoCo Correspondent.
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Helping people over the holidays | |
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Photo caption: Sonoma County sheriff’s Capt. Orlando Rodriguez volunteers at the Shop with a Cop event.
The winter holidays can be a wonderful time to celebrate with loved ones and give thanks for all that we have been blessed with. For many county employees, it is also an opportunity to build on their work as public servants and help others experiencing hardship.
Christmas trees begin appearing in many county offices in December, marking the beginning of holiday gift and food drives. The county’s Department of Child Support Services, for example, partners with the YWCA every year to collect toys for families impacted by domestic violence. Employees in the Human Services Department, Probation Department and Human Resources Department team up with the Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership to purchase gifts for its Secret Santa program, fulfilling holiday wishes listed on red, heart-shaped ornaments by people in need. At the Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office, enthusiastic employees double down over the holidays, sponsoring a food drive for Redwood Empire Food Bank and toy drive for R-Hoops, which offers southwest Santa Rosa youth an opportunity to play basketball in a positive and safe environment.
Photo caption: The Secret Santa tree in the offices of the county Human Resources Department. The department, which has about 65 employees, provides gifts to more than 100 people annually.
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Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s Office and Sonoma County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association joined with Macy’s and the Guy Fieri Foundation this month for Shop with a Cop, taking 40 kids in the R-Hoops program to purchase holiday gifts at Macy’s on Dec. 2. Each participant received $200 to spend on gifts for themselves and their families. Last week, the Sheriff’s Office hosted Pack the Patrol Car, a toy drive and resource fair outside its Santa Rosa headquarters. Gifts will be distributed by the Salvation Army and local community groups.
Dawn Gutsch is one of many county employees who volunteers time to help others. A supervisor with Sonoma County Regional Parks, Gutsch leads a Girl Scout troop that sews and decorates more than 100 fabric bags for the holidays, then stuffs them with toys, books, toiletries and other gifts. The bags are delivered to children who are living in local homeless shelters, foster homes and other situations of need. Her troop, and other Girl Scout troops, also gather new socks for residents of a local skilled nursing facility, where they sing Christmas carols with the residents and hand each one new socks to keep their feet warm over winter.
Photo caption: A local Girl Scout troop led by Dawn Gutsch, a supervisor at Sonoma County Regional Parks, sorts gifts for holiday bags.
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Lupe Catalan, a field representative for District 5 Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, also steps forward to help over the holidays. Catalan collects blankets and distributes them in December to unsheltered people in west county, helping them stay warm as temperatures drop. Catalan also works with Friends of Monte Rio to stage a holiday posada, bringing people together from the lower Russian River area to forge connections over food, drink and song.
“Our employees embody the spirit of public service with all of their efforts to make our community better. The Board of Supervisors and I are so proud of the work that our county employees do to help others, both on the job and on their own time,” said County Administrator Christina Rivera.
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‘Tis the season to be healthy | |
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Respiratory illnesses are on the rise in Sonoma County, but there are some simple ways to stay healthy over the holidays.
Keeping up to date on your vaccinations is the best way to protect against severe COVID-19, influenza and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, a common cause of mild cold-like symptoms, Sonoma County Health Officer Dr. Tanya Phares said.
Everyone ages 6 months and older should get this year’s updated COVID-19 vaccine at least two months after their last dose. Children 6 months to 4 years of age and immunocompromised persons who have never been vaccinated should get additional doses. Free vaccines are available for people without insurance coverage. Visit vaccines.gov to find a location.
Everyone 6 months and older should get an annual flu vaccine. Adults 60 years and older can get vaccinated against RSV to prevent severe illness. COVID-19, flu and RSV vaccines can be given at the same time.
No matter which virus you have, the best way to avoid spreading illness to others is to stay home as much as you can until you have recovered. Test immediately if you have symptoms of COVID-19 and seek treatment within five days of symptoms for best results. Every household can get up to eight free COVID tests from the U.S. government.
For added protection, consider wearing a mask indoors in public settings, especially if you are over 65 or have health conditions that place you at higher risk for severe illness. Masking can reduce your risk of getting sick and lower the likelihood that you pass on an infection if you are already sick, even if your symptoms are mild.
Improve ventilation indoors by turning on HVAC systems, filtering the air with a portable HEPA filter, pointing fans out open windows, or opening doors and windows when possible. These can all help viruses from spreading indoors.
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County responds after avian influenza
detected at local poultry farms
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The Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency on Dec. 5 after avian influenza was detected at two commercial poultry farms in southern Sonoma County. The proclamation provides additional public safety and emergency services to mitigate the effects of the outbreak. It includes local emergency assistance for businesses impacted by the virus, which has since spread to two additional commercial farms in Sonoma County, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported this week.
Although avian influenza is highly contagious among birds and often fatal to birds, the detected strain poses a low risk to human health, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The impact on local poultry farmers, however, is significant. District 2 Supervisor David Rabbitt, who represents the area, called it “an agricultural disaster.” Two farms outside Petaluma euthanized approximately 250,000 ducks and hens to prevent the disease from spreading. Another 1 million farm birds are located within a five-mile radius, Rabbitt said. The farms produce hundreds of thousands of eggs every day, supplying grocery stores and restaurants across the West Coast and beyond.
“By declaring a local emergency, we hope to see if we can provide resources to the workers of the facilities that have been impacted as well as the businesses,” Rabbitt said.
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For years, Anne Huggins was chronically homeless, bouncing between shelters and her car. Then the 67-year-old Sonoma County woman met Valerie Schlafke, a housing navigator with the county Community Development Commission.
The Press Democrat shared the inspirational story of Huggins’ journey out of homelessness with its readers on Thanksgiving Day. It depicted the many obstacles that Huggins overcame to move into her own apartment in Santa Rosa this year, with help from the county’s Community Housing Connector program, which works with tenants and property owners to place people in subsidized housing.
Schlafke and program staff helped Huggins line up money to pay rental application fees and move-in deposits. They helped her get a Social Security card, renew her driver’s license, clean up her credit report, sign up for food stamps through the state’s CalFresh program, and furnish her one-bedroom apartment.
“This story illustrates the really difficult work being done by the county’s Homelessness Services and housing staff in partnership with community organizations,” said Supervisor Chris Coursey, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “More than 220 people have been housed this year through the Community Housing Connector program. It is not easy, but programs like this are critical as we strive to reduce homelessness in Sonoma County.”
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County invests another $32 million in repaving roads | |
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It’s not cheap to maintain the 1,368 miles of roads and 328 bridges in unincorporated Sonoma County, home to the largest county road network in the Bay Area.
The Department of Public Infrastructure spent $32 million to repave 50 miles of county roads and replace 54 culverts last summer. The department also removed vegetation along nearly 109 miles of county-maintained roads, clearing vegetation within four feet of the edge of public roadways and 15 feet above roads to improve vehicle clearance and drivers’ sightlines.
“Since 2012, the Board of Supervisors has invested more than $185 million of discretionary General Funds to improve 520 miles of roads totaling 38 percent of the county-maintained network,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, the board’s vice chair. “Our road infrastructure is worth this continued investment as it’s used by almost every citizen in our county and serves as a vital pathway for first responders.”
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Faces of the County: Meet Sylvia Rodriguez | |
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An ongoing series highlighting public servants across a variety
of departments at the County of Sonoma.
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Photo caption: Sylvia Rodriguez, left, and her husband Severiano.
Name: Sylvia Rodriguez
Title: Employment & Training Counselor II, Sonoma County Human Services Department
Years with County: 16
Personal side: I am the ninth daughter of an immigrant family that came from Mexico looking for a better life. My parents settled in Sonoma County in 1969. My father was a foreman for the Northern Pacific Railroad and my mother was at home raising her family. I was taught a strong work ethic, always keeping in mind humility, compassion and love for others.
Having been born and raised in Sonoma County, I saw no better place to settle down and raise my own family. My husband, Severiano, and I have four sons and currently live in Rohnert Park with our doggie, Chiquita. I feel blessed to live in such a beautiful place. Being a native Sonoma County resident, I have very strong ties with this amazing community.
What do you do? As an Employment & Training Counselor II, I have the privilege of building relationships not only with clients but with members and leaders of different organizations within our community in order to provide a broader range of resources and services to the most vulnerable in our county.
I work with families to help them become self-sufficient. I counsel and assist clients in identifying their strengths, setting priorities, and exploring alternatives as we develop employment and training plans that will help them achieve mutual goals. I facilitate workshops and refer clients to local community-based organizations that we partner with, including Goodwill, Petaluma People Services, SRJC and others.
I truly enjoy all aspects of my job, as I feel it is important work, helping the most vulnerable in our community. My absolute favorite part is the relationships I build with clients, co-workers and colleagues.
What gives you fulfillment? Fulfillment in my life comes from serving others and seeing how they thrive once they are able to move past any barriers they may have faced. There is no greater joy than to know that I have contributed professionally or personally in bettering the life of a person or family.
Passions outside of work? I have two passions: God and serving others. I actively serve on the board of my church, Iglesia Cristiana SE, where I am also the outreach coordinator. We have been very active in the community and abroad. If a person is in need, we help them without judgment. We want to show God’s love to everyone.
During the 2017 wildfires, we opened up our church as a shelter for dislocated families. I served as the project manager, gathering volunteers, finding and organizing resources and providing a safe place for families to stay. I’ve also been one of the key organizers involved in our annual backpack drive, where we provide hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to help children start their school year. During the pandemic, I organized a weekly food drive. We provided healthy food choices for 75 to 100 families for six months.
Currently, alongside our church’s “Compassion in Action” team, we distribute food and diapers monthly. We have also provided food to pantries that support clients at the Human Services Department’s SonomaWORKS program and the HSD office in Petaluma.
Last year my husband and I went on our first mission trip, where our church gave away more than 1,000 backpacks in El Salvador. There was food, jumpies for the kids and over 200 bikes were raffled off. Next month Severiano and I are off again to El Salvador for our second mission trip!
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County outlaws sideshows, street races | |
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They are noisy and dangerous. And now they are illegal in unincorporated areas of Sonoma County.
The Board of Supervisors this week banned street races and sideshows, where groups of drivers take over vacant lots and public intersections to display stunt-driving skills.
The county’s sideshow ordinance aligns with similar ordinances in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park and Windsor, and proposed ordinances in Petaluma, Sonoma and Cotati. Violators are subject to a maximum of six months in jail and a fine of $1,000 and are responsible for property damage.
“We will not tolerate activities such as sideshows that create dangerous conditions and disturb the peace of our neighborhoods,” said Supervisor Chris Coursey, chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. “This ordinance will give our Sheriff’s Office the tools they need to get tough on the organizers and participants of these events and eliminate sideshows from our community.”
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Expanded air service to Palm Springs
coming to Sonoma County airport
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Avelo Airlines will double the number of nonstop flights next month between Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport and Palm Springs International Airport.
The airline, which launched twice-weekly service between Sonoma County and Palm Springs a year ago, will begin offering flights four days a week – on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday – starting Jan. 8. Special first-anniversary one-way fares between STS and PSP start at $74.
“As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of flights between Sonoma County and Palm Springs, we’re grateful for the support from our community,” said Airport Manager Jon Stout. “We are not only connecting two beautiful destinations, we are inspiring travel through affordable fares and exceptional service.”
More than 14,000 travelers have flown between Palm Springs and Sonoma County since Avelo added the route last year.
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County launches initiative to secure region’s
water supply
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Photo caption: Cape Horn Dam
Sonoma County is teaming up with Mendocino County and the Round Valley Indian Tribes to preserve a critical source of water for the region.
The Board of Supervisors voted last week to join the Eel-Russian Project Authority, which will have the power to construct, own and operate a new facility to continue diverting water from the Eel River into the Russian River. These diversions have played a critical role in supplying water for agriculture, residents and aquatic ecosystems in Mendocino and Sonoma counties for more than a century.
PG&E is seeking to decommission its Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project, which sends water into the Russian River through a mile-long tunnel near Cape Horn Dam. The new authority will have the legal standing to negotiate over the future of the Potter Valley project as PG&E moves forward with plans to surrender the facility.
“This is another important step in the process to find a truly regional solution to the challenges facing the Eel and Russian River watersheds,” said Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt. “We’re grateful to all of the partners who are working diligently to achieve our co-equal goals of continued diversions into the Russian River and improving fisheries in the Eel River.”
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Understanding the experiences
of unsheltered people in Sonoma County
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Photo caption: Chessy Etheridge, a member of the Continuum of Care board, discusses her experience with homelessness during a Nov. 29 webinar.
What is it like to live on the streets? Two women shared their experiences of being homeless in Sonoma County during a Nov. 29 webinar hosted by the county’s Homelessness Services Division. The forum, which included a public Q&A with the panelists, is part of a series of monthly webinars designed to raise public awareness of homelessness in Sonoma County.
Click here to view a calendar of upcoming events staged by the Department of Health Services, including future webinars by the Homelessness Services Division.
On Dec. 21, HomeFirst and the county’s Department of Health Services will host a memorial in Santa Rosa to honor the more than 50 individuals who lost their lives over the last year while living without housing in Sonoma County. The 11 a.m. event will take place at the Arlene Francis Center, 99 6th St. Anyone, unhoused or housed, who is interested in attending can RSVP online at bit.ly/soco-memorial.
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Connecting homeless people to jobs
and support services
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Photo caption: Cory Lemmings, left, a regional business specialist with the state Department of Rehabilitation, speaks with an attendee at the Nov. 16 Job & Resource Fair in Petaluma.
More than 200 people last month attended the county’s second-ever Job & Resource Fair for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless.
The Nov. 16 event at the Petaluma Community Center drew 30 employers, nonprofits and government agencies to connect participants with jobs, housing, food, health care and other essential services.
County staff hosted a resume clinic to help participants market their skills to prospective employers. Two county vans helped transport participants to the event, where they received a free lunch, Goodwill clothing vouchers, gift cards to purchase necessities, and raffle tickets for bikes and other prizes. One employer at the event, Petaluma Enterprises, hoped to hire four candidates who attended the Job & Resource Fair, which was hosted by JobLink, a program of the Sonoma County Department of Human Services, in partnership with other agencies.
“At Job Link, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve their full potential and live with dignity and respect,” said Katie Greaves, director of the Employment and Training Division in the Human Services Department.
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Find room to grow with a county job | |
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Are you looking for a new job? Thinking about career options for the future? Learn how you can take the next step in your professional life and join the County of Sonoma family!
Start Here! is a virtual class that provides an overview of the county’s job application, examination and selection processes. The two-hour session provides information on how to submit a thorough application, best practices for the interview and examination, and much more. Send an email to [email protected] and we will invite you to future class opportunities. Let us help guide you through the county’s selection process.
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Ag + Open Space conserves critical land near
Laguna de Santa Rosa
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Photo caption: The Lafranchi property, left, and Denner Ranch, right, will be protected by conservation easements.
Nearly 700 acres between Forestville and Santa Rosa will be protected under a pair of conservation easements acquired by Sonoma County Ag + Open Space.
The easements span the entirety of the 489-acre Denner Ranch and 187 acres of the neighboring Lafranchi property. The agreements will increase the opportunities for wetlands restoration and flood control work in the Laguna de Santa Rosa, one of the most critical watersheds in our county, while preserving agriculture and the scenic character of the county.
“This is a huge win for west county, and everyone who calls Sonoma County home,” said District 5 Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, who represents west Sonoma County and serves on the Ag + Open Space Board of Directors. “Denner and Lafranchi ranches are examples of so much of what makes our county so unique and special – vibrant agriculture, diverse ecosystems and awe-inspiring landscapes. These were critical conservation projects to support the resiliency of our human and natural communities, and we are grateful to the Denner and Lafranchi families for working with us.”
Ag + Open Space agreed to purchase the two easements for $15.9 million. The agency already holds a conservation easement over the neighboring Indian Valley property. Together, the three easements will create a significant block of contiguous land in the Laguna de Santa Rosa that will now be protected forever.
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New community space coming to Boyes Hot Springs | |
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Creating a community hub at the center of Boyes Hot Springs has long been a dream of residents in the Sonoma Valley. Last week, the county took a significant step toward making that dream a reality.
The Board of Supervisors approved a proposal to purchase a vacant lot at 15 Boyes Blvd., immediately adjacent to a county-owned public parking lot and the U.S. Post Office building. While plans for future use of the land are still under discussion, the county’s intent is to redevelop the space as a community plaza, additional free public parking, or other community-based public hub.
“Over the past years the District 1 team has focused on enhancing the vitality of the Springs area in the Valley with new public parking next to Parson’s Hardware, replacement of the Boyes Boulevard bridge, bike lanes along Highway 12 and other initiatives,” said District 1 Supervisor Susan Gorin, who represents the area. “And now I thank owner Karen Waikiki and County Real Estate for working together on this property acquisition to enlarge the space for a future community gathering place. I look forward to holding a future community meeting to receive suggestions for new and creative uses of the space, and suggestions on how local government can continue to lift up and bring the community together.”
View the new property on Saturday, Dec. 23 at Winter Celebration 2023, the second annual holiday event staged by the Springs Municipal Advisory Council in partnership with Sonoma Immigrant Services, Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Sonoma Valley Fire. The 1 p.m. event will feature photos with Santa Claus, giveaways for the first 100 attendees, as well as cookies, hot chocolate and water. Bilingual holiday tunes will be played by DJ Refugee.
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Juvenile Hall staffer named ‘Supervisor of the Year’ | |
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Chai Walin, a program supervisor at Sonoma County Juvenile Hall, has been named Supervisor of the Year for the Bay Area region by the California Association of Probation Institution Administrators.
Walin, who joined the county in 2004, spearheaded a series of changes designed to improve support systems for youth detained at Juvenile Hall. The facility has taken on new duties over the last three years due to legislative reform that closed the state Division of Juvenile Justice and realigned the entirety of California’s juvenile justice system to counties.
“Chai is a role model for staff and is comfortable teaching new and veteran staff necessary skills or new and innovative ways to work with youth. She believes in the work that we do and Probation’s mission of positively changing lives. She has led her programming team with confidence and care during a time of immense change in the juvenile justice system,” said Vanessa Fuchs, the county’s chief probation officer.
Located in the Sonoma Valley, Juvenile Hall has housed approximately 175 youth since the beginning of the fiscal year in July while they are held for hearings in Juvenile Court, serve commitments, or wait to be placed with a resource family or in a short-term residential therapeutic program.
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Adopt the pet of the month | |
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My name is Bowie. I’m a 58-pound male pit bull terrier/German Shepherd mix who has been at the county animal shelter since March. I’m a friendly and outgoing pup – I’m about 1 ½ years old, so I have lots of energy – and I like to play with squeaky toys. Are you ready for a new best friend? Then come visit me and take me home.
Bowie is one of dozens of cats, dogs, rabbits and other animals at Sonoma County Animal Services in need of adoption.
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Support your community by getting involved | |
Get involved with local government
Make a difference in Sonoma County! Local government thrives when passionate individuals like you step up to serve. There are countless opportunities for you to get involved and play a crucial role in shaping the future of our beloved Sonoma County. Check out the current vacancies:
Your involvement can make a significant impact. Take the first step and explore how you can contribute to a brighter future for Sonoma County.
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Volunteer and employment opportunities | |
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