🌱 Amy's Slush For Sale + New Costeaux Chef + No Smoking Ordinance

Hey, guys! I'm back in your inbox today with a brand-new copy of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter, fresh off the presses. Let's get up to speed on all the most important things happening in town, shall we? Today you'll learn about:

• Amy's Wicked Slush near the river going up for sale
• Another milestone for the SMART train on its slow march northward
• A familiar local chef now at the helm of Costeaux Bakery
• Some grant funds available for events planned this year in Healdsburg
• And much more...

Today's newsletter is sponsored by CraftWork Healdsburg

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The series kicks off January 18th with a discussion of travels to the Artic and photographing wilderness landscapes.

Check out the initial line up of “conversations”. Each event is limited to 45 tickets, so get yours today!

Now, your local weather:

• Thursday: Mostly cloudy, with rain and wind likely tonight. High: 60 Low: 43.
• Friday: More possible rain in the morning. Mostly cloudy again. High: 58 Low: 41.

Here's to the other great local businesses who sponsor this newsletter. Check out what they can do for you:

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 5 stories today in Healdsburg:

1. Looks like Healdsburg-based frozen dessert company Amy's Wicked Slush is up for sale, including our local Amy's outpost next to Memorial Bridge. The asking price is $2.4 million — and the bundle includes "one company-owned flagship store, nearly year-round mobile operations, 2 franchise locations, lots of interest from additional potential franchisees, plus almost half an acre of Healdsburg, CA, real estate, currently the site of company-owned store," according to the listing on the Coldwell Banker Realty site. More from the listing: "Here is your opportunity to own the wildly popular and most unique brand in the fast-growing Italian Ice and Soft Serve Ice Cream QSR sector with widespread name recognition. Branding, trademarks and all intellectual property fully developed. ... Huge potential for rapid expansion. This is a C-Corp stock sale plus land sale. Equipment includes 2 refrigerated vans, concessions trailer, utility trailer, plus all equipment and inventory needed to continue all operations seamlessly. A rare opportunity to own and grow your own franchise business. Plenty of on site parking. 4,000 sq ft of outdoor seating called the Slushgarden. Conveniently located across from county public beach." Check out the listing for more details. Full disclosure: Amy was a sponsor of this newsletter for many months, and I'm very grateful for all her support during that time! (Coldwell Banker Realty & Facebook Groups)
2. Just one month into its big 100th anniversary year, Healdsburg's beloved Costeaux French Bakery downtown has hired a new head chef — and you may know him as the guy who used to run the kitchen at the equally beloved (and recently shuttered) Campo Fina restaurant one block south. "We are pleased to announce Jorge Flores has joined Costeaux as café chef," bakery owners posted online yesterday. "Prior to joining Costeaux, Jorge ran the kitchen at Campo Fina. Chef Flores joins the Costeaux culinary team providing leadership for the daily café operations, catering, on-site events and specialty pop-up dinners. Join the new Costeaux Chef and experience his culinary creations for our special dinner Olive You, Costeaux on February 14th." Flores also used to work at "the French Garden (where he began as a dishwasher), Chef Josh Silvers’ Petite Sirah and Bear Republic," according to Sonoma Magazine. More from the story: "A native of Mexico, he came to the U.S. at age 14, learned English and worked evenings and weekends to support his family. He was also a board member of the community services nonprofit Corazon Healsburg and supported its creation with former Campo Fino owner Ari Rosen." (Sonoma Magazine)

3. SMART train officials just leapt through yet another funding hurtle in the way of their planned extension from Santa Rosa up to Windsor and, eventually, Healdsburg and Cloverdale. Out of $2.5 billion in state funds that state transportation officials just announced will go toward 16 ongoing public transit projects across California, a little over $34 million will reportedly go to SMART. "This supplemental funding will facilitate completion of the Sonoma County Airport-to-Windsor extension construction as well as the project development activities necessary to start construction to Healdsburg," according to the Railway Age news outlet. Also: "Funding will allow for design-build contracting methods to be used for completion of Windsor construction, which was 30% complete when suspended in 2021, and to advance Healdsburg through design and into construction with leveraged RM 3 [Regional Measure 3] funding.” As I reported last week, that RM 3 funding — $40 million dollars of it — was also just freed up for SMART, thanks to a long-awaited court ruling. Our mayor, Ariel Kelley, says she thinks these two new funding sources mean "SMART to Healdsburg is going to happen! I repeat, we will have a passenger train to Healdsburg!!" (Healdsburg Patch & Healdsburg Tribune & RailwayAge Magazine & Ariel Kelley via Facebook)
4. In last week's Healdsburg Tribune, reporter Christian Kallen told the fascinating story of how expanded no-smoking rules for Healdsburg's public spaces recently moved through the City Council with "unusual" swiftness, based on a complaint from Healdsburg resident and winemaker Louis Jordan. He was reportedly bothered by thick smoke wafting from the plaza during a show that reggae band Sol Horizon played at Tuesdays in the Plaza last year. Louis says he observed "extensive cigar and some pot smoking," which he found "acrid, very offensive and potentially health impacting for many of us trying to enjoy the music." So he attended a City Council meeting and complained — and the rest was history. The city's resulting rule changes "would give Healdsburg one of the most comprehensive public smoking ordinances in the county," the Tribune reports. "Some of the specifics include: defining 'Public Recreation Areas' to include Plaza sidewalks and the Rec Park parking lot, clarifying that a special event’s entire permitted space is smoke-free and prohibiting smoking in all public spaces within 20 feet of a public recreation area." The new rules would also reportedly make the "entire Villa Chanticleer site smoke-free, both inside and outside the facility, including all parking areas." (Healdsburg Tribune)
5. Anyone planning to host an event between May and October of this year, and need some extra funds to make it happen? The Healdsburg Tourism Improvement District is now accepting grant applications for local "arts, cultural and educational activities" scheduled during that six-month window — in particular, ones that have a high likelihood of "encouraging tourism" and drawing visitors to the 30-plus hotels and other "lodging properties" in Healdsburg that count themselves as members of our tourism district. "By supporting such activities, the HTID hopes not only to increase Healdsburg’s appeal to out-of-town visitors but to add to the very funds that support the events, the annual bed tax receipts," the Trib reports. Drawing from these coffers, district officials say they hand out around $117,000 per year to local events — including big ones downtown like Tuesdays in the Plaza, Día de los Muertos and the Fourth of July Parade and Duck Dash. You have until March 10 to apply; the winners will be announced March 17. (Healdsburg Patch & Healdsburg Tribune & Press Democrat; paywall)

From our sponsor:

Today’s Healdsburg Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Healdsburg Patch newsletter possible.

Healdsburg pic of the day:

Do you have a great Healdsburg pic to share? I would love if you would send it to me for consideration in the newsletter. Pics of community members are especially appreciated! Please just confirm in your email that you took any photos you're sending, and that Patch has permission to republish them. 📸

Today and tomorrow in Healdsburg:

Thursday, February 2

• Chamber of Commerce Hosts "Good Morning, Healdsburg!" Discussion With City Officials About the Future of Cannabis in Healdsburg (8AM)
• Healdsburg Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Hosts Fundraiser Lecture Series: "Russia's War on Ukraine" (Weekly, Feb. 2-Mar. 9, 10-11:45AM)
• New "Red" Exhibit Opens at the Healdsburg Center for the Arts (Feb. 2-Mar. 12, 11AM-5PM)
• Strength Training for Seniors at Rec Park (Tuesdays & Thursdays, Feb. 2-28, 11:15AM-12PM)
• Skyway Man Live at Little Saint (5:45PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Windsor Run to Barley & Bine for Beer & Food (6PM)
• Healdsburg High School Girls Soccer Home Game Vs. Elsie Allen (7PM)
• Film Screening at THE 222: "Jindabyne" by Ray Lawrence (7PM)

Friday, February 3

• Bilingual Family Storytime for Kids Aged 0-5 at the Healdsburg Library (10:30AM)
• Trivia Night at Fogbelt Brewing (Weekly, 6-8PM)
• The Pulsators Live at Coyote Sonoma (7-10PM)
• Spike Sikes & The Short Stacks Live at the Elephant in the Room (9PM-12AM)

From my notebook:

• Windsor's disgraced ex-mayor and Healdsburg winery heir Dominic Foppoli is now facing a third sex-crime lawsuit — this one from reality TV star Farrah Abraham. She claims "he drugged and raped her at his friend’s residence in Palm Beach, Florida" last spring, the Press Democrat reports. "The lawsuit marks the third active civil suit against Foppoli, who has been publicly accused of rape, sexual assault or misconduct by fourteen women and appears to be living in Italy." (San Francisco Chronicle & Press Democrat; paywalls)
• After 17 years in business, the Toad in the Hole Pub down in Santa Rosa — owned by Paul Stokeld, one of the same guys who runs the Elephant in the Room pub here in town — has been forced to shut its doors, unable to make ends meet. Sonoma Mag has the scoop on what that means for the Elephant: "The meat pies, pints and music aren’t going away entirely, however. Stokeld is co-owner of Healdsburg’s Elephant in the Room. He and KC Mosso, a longtime musician and promoter, have frequent events and bands at the tiny space (which Stokeld plans to expand), along with the famous pies. 'We established a nice little pub in Healdsburg for the proletariat,' Stokeld said." (Sonoma Magazine)
• Meanwhile, craft beer connoisseurs are gearing up for a "highly anticipated" limited release next week from Santa Rosa-based brewery HenHouse Brewing. Starting on Monday, Feb. 6, and ending Friday, Feb. 10, hundreds of bars and restaurants across the county will be pouring the eighth annual batch of their "Big Chicken" double IPA. "What makes Big Chicken special is that it’s packaged, delivered and served in a single day, preserving its arresting freshness," Sonoma Mag reports. Here in Healdsburg, they'll be pouring it at Duke's Spirited Cocktails, the Elephant in the Room, Healdsburg Bar & Grill, John & Zeke's, Mombo's Pizza and The Wurst. (Sonoma Magazine)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• AAUW Fundraiser Lecture Series: Russia's War on Ukraine (February 2)
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Free Stuff And Great Perks Every Week (February 7)
• Add your event

Announcements:

• Free self-guided, goal-setting worksheet for 2023 (Details)
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Now you're in the loop for today! I'll be back soon with more...

— 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 Daily? Contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com