In this week’s edition of SoCo Correspondent, you will find stories on the County’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand its network of free EV chargers, disrupt the distribution of illegal drugs, improve protections for renters, and promote the creation of small gardens in those neighborhoods that lack access to large plots of land.
If you have a friend or family member who lives in the area – or you know of a former Sonoma County resident who might be interested in receiving these updates – 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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County buys seven more electric buses | |
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There is no single solution to slow the pace of climate change. But reducing the use of fossil fuels and replacing them with clean power sources, like solar and wind, can decrease greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
The County is doing its part. On Nov. 12, the Board of Supervisors approved a $9.5 million proposal to replace seven aging natural gas-powered buses with all-electric buses. The new buses are built to travel at least 240 miles between charges, depending on passenger loads, weather and other factors.
With this purchase, almost half of the 49 buses operated by Sonoma County Transit will be electrically powered by the end of 2026. The transit agency is well on its way to meeting a state goal to transition to 100 percent zero-emission bus fleets by 2040.
“Sonoma County Transit has been a leader in clean-fuel and low-emission buses since 1996 when it began transitioning from diesel power to natural gas power,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “Today, the Board’s ongoing investment in all-electric public transit will enhance safe, healthy mobility for residents, including essential access to major medical, educational and commercial centers across the county.”
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Music program returns to Sonoma County jail | |
In a dramatic demonstration of the power of classical music, a string quartet from the world-famous Juilliard School returned to the Sonoma County jail this month to perform pieces composed by five women incarcerated at the jail.
The Nov. 7 concert was the culmination of a nine-week program to teach the women about music theory, composition and performance. It focused on the life and works of Ludwig van Beethoven, who imbued his music with messages of brotherhood, joy and triumph even as he struggled with mental illness and deafness.
The Music for the Future program is designed to educate and encourage incarcerated people while promoting healing and building compassionate communities. It was introduced in January to incarcerated men at the Sonoma County jail who found it so impactful that Detention Division staff brought it back in August for incarcerated women.
Participants in the program composed their own classical pieces and received credits that could be applied toward a high school degree, along with the joy of seeing their compositions brought to life by the Edith String Quartet from Juilliard.
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Program provides portable gardens to hundreds of Sonoma County families | |
Children learn how to care for their portable gardens during a UC Master Gardener event last month at Bayer Farm. (Photo by Carla Tarazi)
It doesn’t take a lot of space to start a garden. A little dirt, water and love can work wonders. Take it from the UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County, which has provided information and technical assistance to home gardeners since 1982.
Last year, UC Master Gardeners launched a project to introduce gardening to people who lack access to land or have limited space to grow their own food. Approximately 275 people were given a free 5-gallon bucket filled with rich soil and a selection of beautiful vegetables, herbs and pollinator flowers to plant in their bucket. A volunteer with the Master Gardener program helped them plant their container and shared tips on fertilization, watering and harvesting.
The UC Master Gardeners expanded the Portable Container Gardens Project this year, hosting seven workshops in English and Spanish while helping approximately 450 people start their own portable gardens. Local businesses donated buckets, soil and many of the plants for the events.
You can help, too, said Mimi Enright, manager of the County’s UC Master Gardener program.
“We’d love for everyone to learn how to garden successfully at home, no matter how much space they may have,” Enright said. “If you’d like to support this Master Gardener program or any of our many sustainable landscaping projects, please consider making a donation to our program on Giving Tuesday.”
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Learn about new protections for renters in unincorporated Sonoma County | |
District 1 Supervisor Susan Gorin will host a town hall on Dec. 4 in Boyes Hot Springs to explain a new County ordinance that expands protections for renters in unincorporated areas of Sonoma County.
The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at La Luz Center, 17560 Greger St. Representatives from the County Counsel’s Office and Legal Aid of Sonoma County will provide an overview of state and County legal protections for renters. Information will be available in English and Spanish.
“The idea of these protections is to promote neighborhood stability and prevent homelessness, while still ensuring landlords a fair and reasonable return on their investment,” said Supervisor Gorin, who represents the Sonoma Valley. “While landlords need a just cause to pursue an eviction, tenants still have to pay their rent, and they have to abide by their rental agreement. But they do have some new protective rights, which we’ll explain during this town hall.”
The ordinance, approved Sept. 17 by the Board of Supervisors, provides new rights to renters who live outside the county’s nine cities. Under the ordinance, landlords must have a “just cause” to evict a tenant. Evictions, in most cases, are prohibited during a declared emergency, like a wildfire or flood. Landlords are prohibited from evicting tenants for nonpayment unless more than one month of rent is overdue; tenants can use this protection up to two times per year. When a landlord asks a tenant to vacate a property, they must provide the tenant with information about their rights in English and Spanish.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday night, the County hosted a virtual town hall on Zoom to answer questions from landlords about the ordinance. A recording of the webinar can be viewed here.
The Dec. 4 town hall is the third hosted by the County to expand community awareness of the tenant protection ordinance. A recording of the first public forum, held Oct. 17 on Zoom can be viewed here.
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We Take Care of Us: Spotlighting local organizations that help others | |
One of the many things that makes Sonoma County a wonderful place to live is the network of community groups that work hard to care for the vulnerable and put our collective values into action.
Last night, District 5 Supervisor Lynda Hopkins and her staff hosted “We Take Care of Us,” a virtual town hall that showcased several local organizations and highlighted their resources, initiatives and positive impact they're making in the community.
“I’m hearing from folks in our community who are grieving or frightened about what the next four years will mean for them and their loved ones,” Supervisor Hopkins said. “It’s natural to feel fear when the future seems uncertain. But knowing the resources available – and how to access them – can help us better navigate the challenges ahead. Our community is filled with people who care, and we look out for one another.”
Rep. Jared Huffman, Assemblymember Damon Connolly and Assemblymember-elect Chris Rodgers also participated in the town hall, which outlined opportunities for the public to support the work of community organizations.
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Respiratory virus season returns | |
It’s that time of year again, when the flu bug, COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses spread through our community.
Dr. Karen Smith, the County’s interim health officer, recommends that everyone 6 months and older get updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines, and RSV vaccines if they are eligible, to protect against potentially serious outcomes of respiratory illness this winter.
“Each year, we see that higher rates of influenza, COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses that can cause severe respiratory infections occur between late fall and spring,” Dr. Smith said. “Vaccination remains the best protection against respiratory virus infections.”
All health care personnel are now required to wear a mask when in patient care areas under a County health order that took effect Monday. The order expires April 30 at the end of the respiratory virus season. It applies to health care personnel in hospitals, clinics, surgery centers, infusion centers, dialysis centers, skilled nursing facilities, portions of long-term care facilities where nursing care is provided, and other facilities where patient care is provided indoors.
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Aware of fraud, waste or abuse in Sonoma County government? Report it here | |
The County has zero tolerance for fraud, waste and abuse in government. If you suspect it, we want to hear from you.
In 2021, the County of Sonoma created a whistleblower hotline to allow County employees, members of the public and vendors to report fraud, waste and abuse. In its first three years of operation, the hotline received 99 tips, said Erick Roeser, the County’s Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector. Of those, 72 were closed because the complaints were outside the scope of the program and 12 were closed because not enough information was provided or available to investigate. Investigators were unable to substantiate the allegations in nine cases and found evidence of inappropriate actions in five cases. One case remains open.
Roeser highlighted the impact of the whistleblower hotline this week to mark International Fraud Awareness Week, a global campaign to educate the public about the cost of fraud and ways to prevent it.
“The County of Sonoma is committed to accountability, transparency, fairness, and the prudent use of public funds,” Roeser said. “I encourage any County employee or private citizen with evidence of fraud, waste or abuse in County government to contact our hotline and help us put an end to it.”
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County adds more portable charging stations for electric vehicles | |
A disaster may knock out sections of Sonoma County’s electrical grid, but it won’t stop the sun from rising. That’s why the County is spending $1.4 million to buy six more solar-powered EV charging stations, along with an emergency backup power trailer, to improve our ability to maintain essential services in the face of power outages.
The portable EV charging stations can be deployed where they are needed most during an emergency. Until then, they will be made available to the public free of charge at Andy’s Unity Park in Santa Rosa, a number of Veterans Memorial buildings, and other locations to be determined.
“With this investment, the County continues to bolster its off-grid, transportable infrastructure for continuity of operations during emergencies,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of the Supervisors. “We don’t know when the next disaster will strike, but we can be confident that essential services for public health and safety can continue without disruption thanks to ongoing public investment in sustainable infrastructure.”
In 2023, Sonoma County invested in three mobile solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations, placing them at Ragle Ranch Regional Park in Sebastopol, Taylor Mountain Regional Park in Santa Rosa, and North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park in Sonoma Valley.
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Sheriff’s Office steps up efforts to combat illegal drugs | |
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Cash, cocaine and a gun seized Oct. 22 in Santa Rosa by the Narcotics Unit. (Photo by Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office)
Sonoma County has a new tool to interrupt the distribution of illegal drugs into our community. Earlier this month, the Board of Supervisors reallocated $3.3 million to revive the Narcotics Unit in the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. The unit was disbanded in 2017 due to funding constraints and budget cuts.
Restoring the unit was a top priority for Sheriff Eddie Engram. Over the last seven years, there has been a dramatic shift in the quantity and type of drugs trafficked through Sonoma County. Methamphetamine and fentanyl have replaced marijuana as the focus of drug-related investigations, and Santa Rosa is a hub for drug trafficking on the west coast.
As an interim step, Sheriff Engram pulled two detectives and one sergeant off other assignments in August and put them on narcotics investigations. Since then, the temporary unit has made 24 arrests and recovered approximately 2.7 pounds of cocaine, 1.5 pounds of fentanyl, 3.1 pounds of amphetamines, 400 illicit pills, 17 guns and other weapons, and $83,000 in cash.
Funding approved by the Board of Supervisors will allow the Sheriff’s Office to add two more detectives to the unit and fund its operations through June 2026.
“The drug and opioid epidemic has a profound and painful impact on our community,” Sheriff Engram said. “Now that we have revived our Narcotics Unit, the Sheriff’s Office is better equipped to pursue drug dealers and reduce the amount of illegal drugs in our community.”
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Hundreds attend Apostille pop-up shop on County campus | |
People line up to get an Apostille at the Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor’s Office in Santa Rosa on Nov. 14.
An Apostille is a fancy word for a certificate that enables a public document issued in one country to be recognized as valid in another country. Things like birth certificates, marriage licenses, college diplomas, school transcripts and other official documents. They are a critical tool for people seeking to live, study or work abroad, among other things.
Historically, applicants would have to travel to state offices in Sacramento or Los Angeles to get an Apostille. To make it a bit easier, the Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor’s Office teamed up with the California Secretary of State’s Office last week to issue Apostilles at a pop-up shop at the County campus.
The Secretary of State issued more than 500 Apostilles at the Nov. 14 event, serving more than 190 applicants. The event was so successful that the County hopes to schedule another pop-up early next year.
“We are so appreciative of the Secretary of State’s Office for being willing to partner with us to provide this important service to Sonoma County residents,” said Deva Marie Proto, the County’s Clerk-Recorder-Assessor and Registrar of Voters.
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Pack the Patrol Car toy drive | |
A few of the toys collected at the Pack the Patrol Car event in 2023 (Photo by Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office)
Help the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office make the holidays a little brighter for local children by donating a new, unwrapped toy during its annual Pack the Patrol Car toy drive.
The Dec. 4 event will give donors an opportunity to fill up a sheriff’s SWAT vehicle, boat and patrol car with gifts from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Sheriff’s Office headquarters in Santa Rosa (2796 Ventura Ave.) and substations in Guerneville (16225 First Street) and Sonoma (810 Grove St.).
Donations will be accepted at all three locations through Dec. 19 at noon. Toys will be distributed before Christmas by the Salvation Army, local community groups and R-Hoops, a mentoring program sponsored by Sonoma County Deputy Sheriffs' Association.
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Add SoCo Chat to your podcast playlist | |
Earlier this year, the County expanded a program that sends teams of mental health professionals to help people in crisis, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wendy Tappon, who oversees the Mobile Support Team program, came on SoCo Chat today to explain how it works – and how you can get help for yourself or someone in need. Listen to this important episode here.
Subscribe to the County’s weekly podcast on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube, and check out our growing library of episodes in both English and Spanish (Descubre nuestra creciente selección de episodios en inglés y español). Recent guests and topics of discussion have included:
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HIV cases have increased in Sonoma County over the last five years, and a growing number of heterosexual people are testing positive. Learn who should get tested and how you can protect yourself. We chat with Miranda Patrick, a public health nurse who specializes in sexually transmitted infections.
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The Nov. 3 general election was the first presidential election in Sonoma County to be conducted under a state law that expanded opportunities for voters to choose how, when and where to cast their ballots. Deva Marie Proto, the County’s Registrar of Voters, provides an update on how it worked.
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Meet members of the County’s Central Communications Team during a roundtable conversation about the County’s new Micro-Enterprise Kitchen ordinance, the County pension system, and the County’s efforts to engage with local communities.
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Roughly one in three women, one in four men and nearly half of LGBTQ people will be assaulted or stalked by an intimate partner during their lifetimes. Madeleine Keegan O’Connell, chief executive officer of YWCA Sonoma County, explains local efforts to address domestic violence and support survivors.
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Happy 75th anniversary Sonoma Water! Grant Davis, general manager of Sonoma Water, discusses his agency’s role in providing water to more than 600,000 people in Sonoma and Marin counties and how it has changed over the years.
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Find room to grow with a County job | |
The County currently has nearly 60 job openings posted on its website. How can you improve your chances of landing one?
Sign up for the next Start Here! class, which provides an overview of the County of Sonoma’s job application, examination and selection processes. The two-hour virtual class will be held at 5:30 p.m. this evening (Nov. 21).
The free class is intended for the public, whether you are looking for a new position now or planning for a future employment opportunity. Participants will learn how to submit a thorough application, best practices for the interview and examination, and much more.
Contact us at careers@sonoma-county.org to register for the Nov. 21 class or sign up for our mailing list to be notified of future classes.
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Adopt the pet of the week | |
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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