🌱 High School Scam + Luxury Hotel Update + Scarecrow Festival

Hello, Healdsburg! I'm here with your fresh copy of the Patch newsletter, filled with everything you need to know about what's happening in town. Keep scrolling for the latest.

First, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Mostly sunny. High: 90 Low: 56.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny. High: 85 Low: 55.
• Friday: Mostly sunny. High: 80 Low: 56.

Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top stories in Healdsburg today:

1. Important correction! In yesterday's newsletter, I wrote that Piazza Hospitality — the company that runs Hotel Healdsburg, the H2 Hotel and Harmon Guest House — would be allowed to move forward in their city review process for a fourth luxury hotel called "Hotel Healdsburg Residences" that they want to build next to John & Zeke's. I based this off a recent announcement from Healdsburg city officials saying they discovered that their 2019 hotel ordinance, which blocked new hotels with more than five rooms in the downtown area, is actually "invalid" due to a procedural error at the time. They said the City Council plans to discuss this ordinance at their next meeting on Monday, and that "staff will recommend that the policy be approved as an urgency ordinance that will be effective immediately on September 18." They added: "As a result, the timing of the Hotel Healdsburg Residences project’s completeness determination would no longer be an issue and the project could continue through the review process." However, Mayor Ariel Kelley kindly reached out to me to clarify that the city hasn't made a decision yet about whether to allow Piazza's proposed 16-room hotel to proceed. She says that at Monday's meeting, "the council will be discussing options that will include what projects the potential hotel ordinance will govern." The mayor adds: "Piazza does not have entitlements nor a building permit. We will be discussing Monday if we want their hotel project to be allowed to be built or not. ... We welcome input from our community and we will be deliberating with transparency. All residents are invited to reach out to their city council and weigh in or join us in person or on Zoom at the meeting." (Inbox & City of Healdsburg via Facebook & City of Healdsburg)

2. The Healdsburg Tribune reports that a scam email went out to the student body at Healdsburg High last month, less than a week into the school year — thanks to an unknown hacker that got into to a teacher's email inbox. From the Trib: "Students began receiving an email offering them a job — working from home as an executive personal assistant to 'various welfare and community services programs' for $300 a week, plus other benefits. 'I’m the school HR which this program is to assist all the student and staffs financially within the school,' read the message. More than one student, overlooking the grammatical errors, eagerly followed the link to learn more. It seemed too good to be true, and it was. When students followed the link, they found a Google form, the same technology that the school itself uses to survey students. But the application included a request for their non-school email address and the name of their bank, which seemed suspicious. Some students reported the message to school authorities, who in turn contacted the police." Superintendent Chris Vanden Heuvel says, "I don’t know that anyone actually ever had anything stolen, but it was a phishing scam that started with staff and then went to students." (Healdsburg Tribune)
3. It's that time of year again: You can now register to enter the annual Healdsburg Scarecrow Festival, which has been rebranded this year as the Healdsburg Scarecrow Showdown. The spooky season must really be upon us! "If you plan on participating its time to start building your scarecrow," the event's organizers say. "We'd love to have the most scarecrows ever for this fun community art project." Here are the dates to know for this year: "September is build month and October 1st they go up for display so don't wait! Registration Sept 1-Sept 30. Scarecrows Turned in Oct. 1st. Displayed around Plaza Oct 1-15th for bidding. Winners pick up scarecrows Oct 17-19." The scarecrows will be auctioned off to benefit our local Boys & Girls Club, and will be "placed around town for locals & visitors to enjoy," according to organizers. You can register on their website and check out their Facebook page for inspo from past year. (Healdsburg Scarecrow Showdown & Healdsburg Scarecrow Showdown via Facebook)

Shoutout to our premier local sponsor:

Looking to buy or sell a luxury property in Sonoma County? Healdsburg’s Sotheby’s International Realty is a local firm with global reach that specializes in luxury real estate, vineyards, wineries and land in Sonoma County. Healdsburg's Sotheby's: local expertise, deep market knowledge, and a passion for the community. Whether buying or selling, it pays to work with the best. Call Healdsburg’s Sotheby’s at 707-433-4800.

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Healdsburg pic of the day:

Note from Simone: I love to feature great local pics in the newsletter! If you have one to share, you can submit it here for consideration. Please just confirm in your email that you took any photos you're sending, and that Patch has permission to republish them. Many thanks 📸

Coming up in Healdsburg:

Wednesday, September 13

• Last Day of the Healdsburg Museum's "History Lives" Silent Online Auction (All Day)
• Dry Creek Peach Farm Stand Open While Supplies Last, Including Fairtime & September Snow Peaches & Jam (12PM)
• Teen Anime Club at the Healdsburg Library (1:30PM)
• Raven Education Program Hosts Teen Acting Class (3:15PM)
• Food Distribution at Healdsburg City Hall (4-5PM)
• "What Moves You?" Spiritual Reflection & Communal Meal at THE 222 (Weekly, 5:30 PM)
• Healdsburg Library Advisory Board Meeting (5:30-6:30PM)
• City of Healdsburg Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting (6PM)
• Back to School Night at Healdsburg Elementary's Fitch Mountain Campus (6PM)
• Canon Book Group at the Healdsburg Library: "Death by Water" by Kenzaburō Ōe (6PM)
• The Harris Gallery, Flambeaux Wine & Asahi Host 10-Course Kaiseki Dinner (6PM)
• Sonoma County Government Hosts Emergency Preparedness Event for Russian River Residents in Guerneville (6-7:30PM)
• Trivia Night at Coyote Sonoma (Weekly, 7-9PM)

Thursday, September 14

• Healdsburg High School Girls Golf Team Plays at Home Vs. Maria Carillo (3PM)
• Healdsburg High School Girls Tennis Team Plays at Home Vs. Piner (4PM)
• Corazón Healdsburg Hosts Evento de Casa Abierta y de Reapertura / Open House & Grand Re-Opening at New Offices (5:30-7:30PM)
• Back to School Night at Healdsburg Elementary (6PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Run to Dry Creek General Store (6PM)
• Sonoma County Wine Auction: Vintner Dinners (6-9:30PM)
• Healdsburg High School Girls Volleyball Team Plays at Home Vs. San Rafael (6:30PM)
• Karaoke Night at Coyote Sonoma (Weekly, 7-9PM)
• Country Singer Cassandra Lewis Live at Little Saint (7-9PM)
• Songs & Stories by Peter Asher & Albert Lee at the Raven Theater (7:30PM)

Friday, September 15

• Baby & Toddler Storytime at the Healdsburg Library (Weekly, 10:30-11:15AM)
• Friday Flicks at the Healdsburg Library: Family-Friendly Movie Screening (3:30PM)
• Sound Bath Experience at Truett Hurst Winery (5:45-6:45 PM)
• Sonoma County Wine Auction Party at Rodney Strong Vineyards (6-9PM)
• Book Reading at THE 222: "DoveLion" by Eileen R. Tabios (7PM)
• Healdsburg High School Football Team Plays at Home Vs. Kennedy (7PM)
• AVFilm Hosts Outdoor Movie Screening in the Healdsburg Plaza: "Star Wars: A New Hope" (7:30PM)
• Daughtry Live at the Luther Burbank Center (8PM)
• Comedy Show at Coyote Sonoma, Featuring Comedians Andrew Holmgren, Steven Asifo & Clara Bijl (8-10PM)
• Sol Horizon Live at the Elephant in the Room (8-11PM)

From our partner:

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You're all caught up for today! See you soon...

— 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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Healdsburg Patch newsletter? Contact me at [email protected]