Dear Friends,
And finally we have it - rain! It's such a relief this time of year, especially given the multi-year drought our community is experiencing. I know many of us are breathing a little easier as it finally feels like fall.

Please continue reading below for announcements, information on upcoming events, and community news!
Veterans Day Free Parking Sonoma County Regional Parks - In honor of Veterans Day, military members, veterans and their families can receive free parking at all Sonoma County Regional Parks on the holiday and weekend. 

Active-duty military, veterans and their families can visit county-managed parks and trails with a special pass that waives the $7 day-use parking fee from Friday, Nov. 11, through Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022.

Visitors must obtain the parking pass in advance at one of the following locations by showing a valid military identification card, a Veterans Affairs card, a veteran’s identification card or an honorable discharge record. Sonoma County residency is not required.  

  • County of Sonoma's Veterans Services Office, 3725 Westwind Blvd., Suite 100, in Santa Rosa, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (closed Friday, Nov. 11).
  • Sonoma County Regional Parks’ office, 2300 County Center Drive, Suite 120A, in Santa Rosa, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (closed Friday, Nov. 11).
  • Doran Regional Park, 201 Doran Beach Road, in Bodega Bay, will have limited number of passes available at the gate.

Continue reading the press release below for more information.
PG&E Resources for Customers - I have been hearing from residents in the First District, increasingly over the past week, who are frustrated with frequent power outages in their neighborhoods. I have spoken with individuals at PG&E to encourage them to explore ways to minimize these impacts. On Wednesday, 11/2, PG&E hosted a webinar for impacted residents, and I plan to share the recording of that webinar in an upcoming newsletter when it is available. Additionally, PG&E will be hosting another webinar on November 15th:

Tuesday, November 15
Click this link to join the virtual town hall: https://bit.ly/3Egg1ws
Call: >> 888-831-6082
Conference ID: 3042707

In the meantime, I want to share some additional resources I received from PG&E. To learn more about Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings, customers can visit: PG&E's Enhance Powerline Safety Settings (pge.com)

Additionally, some customer support resources include:

Lastly, here is the link to the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) homepage for residential customers: Discover the Self-Generation Incentive Program for Residential Customers (pge.com). The Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) enables customers greater access to battery storage through a financial rebate. Currently, the rebate is 15-20% of the average battery cost. Any PG&E customer can apply for this program.
Climate Action and Resiliency Projects - On October 25th, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved $4.38 million for a variety of local climate resiliency projects ranging from building up local government electric vehicle infrastructure to a fare-free transit program for youth on public transit and others. The County anticipates being able to use these funds as leverage to bring in roughly $6 million in outside funding.

I'm excited to feature two projects that will be especially meaningful to residents in the First District, which are:
  • $500,000 for the addition of Class II bike lanes in Sonoma Valley, and 
  • $1,447,266 toward Fare Free Transit for Youth plus Express Lines for a two-year period beginning July 1, 2023 on Santa Rosa CityBus, Petaluma Transit and Sonoma County Transit. 

Continue reading the press release below for more information:
Springs MAC - Join the Springs Municipal Advisory Council on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 9th at 6:30pm.
North Sonoma Valley MAC - Join the NSV MAC on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30pm.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 30th at 5:30pm. (Special Joint Meeting with the SVCAC and Springs MAC)
Sonoma Valley Citizen's Advisory Committee - The Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission advises on local planning projects in the Sonoma Valley, and hears informational items on other areas of interest. Join the SVCAC on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 30th at 6:30pm. (Special Joint Meeting with the Springs MAC and North Sonoma Valley MAC)
Linda Tunis Senior Apartments Grand Opening - It was an honor to attend the grand opening of the Linda Tunis Senior Apartments on October 25th. I am pictured here with Jessica Tunis, the daughter of Linda Tunis who tragically lost her life in the Tubbs Fire in 2017. Thanks to PEP Housing, the apartments provide housing for seniors in our community, and serve as a moving tribute to Linda Tunis' legacy.
Homeless Action Sonoma - Congratulations to Homeless Action Sonoma (HAS) on their recent groundbreaking and land blessing! My Field Representative Karina Garcia captured some great photos, and I can't wait for what's to come.




Susan Gorin, 1st District Supervisor