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  • Win or go home: Valkyries face monumental Game 2 vs. Lynx

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    SAN JOSE — The Valkyries’ season hangs in the balance. 

    Down 1-0 in their first-round series against the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, Golden State faces a win-or-go-home Game 2 at SAP Center on Wednesday. 

    The expansion team has lost each of its last five games against the Lynx, and most recently suffered one of their worst losses of the season in Game 1 on Sunday in a 29-point defeat. 

    But while the Valkyries will be clear underdogs playing in an arena they haven’t called home, the gritty first-year team is confident anything can happen in front of their favorable crowd.

    “It’s win or die time,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said after Tuesday’s practice. “We understand that, but we’ve been approaching it every game since the time we played the L.A. Sparks (Aug. 9) and we made it a thing. In order to make the playoffs, it’s a must win mentality.

    “We don’t think of it potentially being our last, we just think it’s a must win. And then we got to do our job. Minnesota did their job at home and we got to take care of doing our job here at home. It’s a must win.”

    Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, right, drives past Golden State Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle (14) during the first half of an WBA basketball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig) 

    With the season on the line, the Valkyries will be playing in front of a sold out crowd on Wednesday night. Golden State opted to stay in San Jose and held practice at SAP Center on Tuesday.

    Here are three keys for the Valkyries going into Game 2:

    Stopping guard penetration 

    While Napheesa Collier is the driving force of Minnesota’s offense, it’s been the guard duo of Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, also known as the viral steaming pair called the StudBudz, that have given Golden State’s vaunted defense problems. 

    Williams, the steady floor general, has a knack for finding a way to get into the paint to score or dish to shooters. The veteran point guard is a threat to pull up from the 3-point line or in the mid-range as she has averaged 13.2 points per game on 40.3% shooting from the field and 38.1% from the 3-point line. 

    Point guard Natisha Hiedeman has torched the Valkyries coming off the bench. The sixth woman of the year candidate has scored 24, 21, and 18 points in the last three games against the Valkyries and has routinely been the spark plug for Minnesota in stopping the Golden State’s runs. 

    Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) reacts after making a three point shot against the Golden State Valkyries during the first half of an WBA basketball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
    Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) reacts after making a three point shot against the Golden State Valkyries during the first half of an WBA basketball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig) 

    On Sunday, Hiedeman posted the second-highest plus-minus rating in Lynx postseason history with a +32. 

    “We really need to try to be more solid on defense, but as a unit,” Valkyries center Iliana Rupert said. “Be more aware when to shift and try to help more. Even if there’s a lot of rotations, at least not letting them get easy buckets. So we saw all of that on the video, and hopefully tomorrow will get even better.”

    Make open looks

    This one is simple. The Valkyries need to hit more shots. 

    After a hot start in which they hit nine of their first 18 shots, and five of their first eight 3-pointers in the first quarter, the Valkyries finished the game making just 11 more field goal attempts. 

    In the five games the Valkyries played against the Lynx this season, they shot just 36% from the field and 25.7 from beyond the arc. 

    A common thread in each of the five losses has been Golden State’s inability to stop Minnesota when it gets on a roll. The Valkyries have kept the game close in spurts, but the Lynx have always been able to deliver a crushing run that puts the game out of reach, 

    “We have to respond better,” Valkyries shooting guard Kate Martin said. “We have to know that basketball is about a game of runs, and they’re a really good team. So they’re gonna go on their runs. We’re gonna have to limit that as much as possible and make adjustments quicker.”

    MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 14: Cecilia Zandalasini #24 of the Golden State Valkyries shoots against Courtney Williams #10 of the Minnesota Lynx during the first quarter in game one of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs at Target Center on September 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images)
    MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 14: Cecilia Zandalasini #24 of the Golden State Valkyries shoots against Courtney Williams #10 of the Minnesota Lynx during the first quarter in game one of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs at Target Center on September 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images) 

    A big factor going into Wednesday’s game will be if the Valkyries could get consistent scoring out of sharpshooting forward Cecilia Zandalasini. 

    Zandalasini will be playing in her fourth game since coming back from a calf injury that kept her sidelined for eight contests. She shot just 3-of-10 from the field and 1-of-5 from the 3-point line on Sunday. 

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    Nathan Canilao

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  • Why Laver Cup conflict looms over potential Valkyries postseason home game

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    SAN FRANCISCO — If the Valkyries reach the postseason in their inaugural year, one of the biggest questions will be where they will actually play. 

    A scheduling conflict with the Laver Cup — an international tennis tournament that includes stars Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz as well as legend Andre Agassi as a coach — presents Chase Center’s biggest hurdle in trying to accommodate a Valkyries playoff game. 

    In all likelihood, the Valkyries will not get a Top 4 seed in order to host two games in the first round, meaning their possible lone postseason game will take place either on Sept. 16 or 17. 

    The Laver Cup runs from Sept. 19-21, but setting up the state-of-the-art tennis court and allowing players time to practice before the tournament starts is the biggest challenge. The event was booked before the Valkyries became a franchise. 

    Golden State officials said an update on a decision on where the team will play will be coming in the next few days. 

    “We are finalizing details regarding our potential playoff venue and will share a comprehensive update with fans and season ticket holders in the coming days,” the Valkyries said in a statement sent to this news organization on Thursday. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work through the logistics of the possibility of a historic inaugural playoff run and pre-existing scheduling conflict at Chase Center.”

    A Golden State Valkyries fan wears a winged helmet while sitting courtside in the fourth quarter of their WNBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Washington Mystics 99-62. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

    The Valkyries’ issues with scheduling their playoff game hasn’t gone unnoticed by the rest of the league. 

    “You want to think that you’re past it,” Stewart told SFGATE on Monday. “We want to think that we’re, like, better than this. Listen, sometimes it’s out of the control of everyone involved. But it’s just … You don’t see it happening with the NBA.”

    The Valkyries will have other venues to consider should Chase Center not be available. 

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    Nathan Canilao

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  • Valkyries keep defending champion Liberty in check, extend win streak to four

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    SAN FRANCISCO — The Valkyries looked as connected as they have all year on Tuesday night. 

    Playing the star-studded New York Liberty, Golden State made all the right plays, hit all the necessary shots and kept the visiting team’s high-powered offense in check.  

    The result: The expansion team played perhaps its best game of the season, defeating the defending champion Liberty 66-58 in front of its 20th consecutive sellout crowd of the season. 

    “I think when we’re communicating and we’re executing the game plan, I think, like I said, we’re pretty dangerous,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. “Credit to our players for believing, trusting and executing.”

    Temi Fágbénlé led the Valkyries with 16 points and five rebounds. Janelle Salaun had 10 points. Kate Martin came off the bench and scored 11 points.

    Monique Billings made her return to the lineup after missing the last 14 games with a right ankle sprain. She played 20 minutes, scored five points and grabbed three rebounds.

    Guard Natasha Cloud was a bright spot for the Liberty, leading New York with 19 points. Walnut Creek native Sabrina Ionescu missed Friday’s game with a toe injury. 

    The Valkyries held the Liberty to 31.6% shooting and didn’t allow the Liberty to get to the line consistently in the first half, holding the visiting team to two free throw attempts. Breanna Stewart saw only four of her 15 shots go through the basket, but got most of her points at the free throw line. 

    “We stayed very connected throughout the whole game, through the ups and downs, through the runs. That’s the main thing,” Fágbénlé said. “Communicating throughout the whole game really helped us, and sticking with the schemes.”

    With the win, the Valkyries now have a one-game lead over the Indiana Fever for the sixth seed. A Los Angeles Sparks loss against the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday and a Valkyries win over the Dallas Wings on Thursday would clinch a playoff spot for Golden State. The Valkyries are also a game and a half behind the Liberty for the fifth seed.

    Golden State fell behind by four points after the first quarter, but an offensive explosion in the second period gave the Valkyries a comfortable halftime lead. 

    Martin scored all 11 of her points in the second quarter, hitting 3-of-6 of her 3-point attempts to lead the Valkyries in the first half. 

    The Valkyries held the Liberty to 32.3% shooting through the first two quarters and led 40-26 going into the intermission. 

    New York’s eight second-quarter points is tied for the fewest points a Valkyries’ opponent has scored all season. 

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Golden State Valkyries’ Janelle Salaün (13) celebrates her 3-point basket against the New York Liberty in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

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Golden State ballooned its lead to 24 early in the third period, but the Liberty finished the quarter strong by forcing seven Valkyries turnovers. The home team went into the final 10 minutes of play with a 12-point lead. 

But much like they have done during this home stand, the Valkyries didn’t let up in the fourth quarter.

Golden State’s inside-out attack paced its offense against a more athletic Liberty defense. On the other end, the Valkyries got timely stops and didn’t allow New York’s trio of post players consisting of Stewart, Emma Meesseman and last year’s Finals MVP Jonquel Jones to get going.

During this home stand, the Valkyries have beaten teams by average of 19 points.

The Valkyries will play their final two home games on Thursday and Saturday, starting with a matchup with the Dallas Wings followed by the regular season finale against the Minnesota Lynx two days later. 

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Nathan Canilao

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  • New style of recycling leaves Sonoma County community concerned about pollution

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    Sonoma County start-up Resynergi says it has developed a new way to recycle most plastics that would normally end up in a landfill. They say they will use a method called pyrolysis, which uses a microwave to heat the plastics to separate their molecules from contaminants. That turns the plastic into an oil that will be reused to make more plastics. “Instead of drilling out of the ground, which causes a lot of greenhouse gases, we take the plastic, chip it, process that plastic,” said Resynergi CEO Brian Bauer. Their warehouse in Rohnert Park is full of various plastics waiting to be recycled while the company waits for the green light from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. However, some in the community claim Resynergi isn’t paying attention to its potential emissions. They say pyrolysis is just another form of incineration. “The lack of regard for the potential health impacts,” said Molly Rubardt, a Rohnert Park resident. “The lack of regard for the potential real fire and explosion risk, we live in a fire-risky area.”The company claims its methods will not involve burning plastics. “Incineration requires oxygen, you’re burning plastic,” said Sasha Kosek, Resynergi’s lead chemist. “Pyrolysis, you have removed all the oxygen and the molecules literally cannot burn.”The other concern is about the plant’s close proximity to Credo High School. Residents fear the emissions will create a health risk for the students. “You can’t have a petro-chemical plant that produces thousands of gallons of oil next to schools and communities next to homes,” said Mike Puccetti, another Rohnert Park resident. Many of the concerned residents protested in front of city hall, asking their council to revoke Resynergi’s permit to operate. They are also gathering a petition to send to the BAAQMD to ask them not to offer Resynergi a permit to start their machines. “Rohnert Park doesn’t allow incinerators within city limits,” Rubardt said. “If it is not an incinerator and it is what they say it is, they need to go back and get reclassified.”However, the company continues to insist emissions will be low. “The emissions coming from here are the equivalent of a semi truck driving down the road,” Bauer said. The BAAQMD sent out three notices of violations in August, claiming Resynergi built equipment without proper permits. They also told the San Francisco Chronicle that its experts evaluated the added risk of cancer from the plant’s estimated emissions would be minimal.Some in the city think this technology could be beneficial for recycling plastics, but they don’t want it this embedded in their community. “Why not build it near Recology or near a highway?” Puccetti said. “I don’t think anybody is thinking it is a bad idea, but why is it in a subcommunity? Why is it right next to a high school?”See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    ROHNERT PARK, Calif. —

    Sonoma County start-up Resynergi says it has developed a new way to recycle most plastics that would normally end up in a landfill.

    They say they will use a method called pyrolysis, which uses a microwave to heat the plastics to separate their molecules from contaminants. That turns the plastic into an oil that will be reused to make more plastics.

    “Instead of drilling out of the ground, which causes a lot of greenhouse gases, we take the plastic, chip it, process that plastic,” said Resynergi CEO Brian Bauer.

    Their warehouse in Rohnert Park is full of various plastics waiting to be recycled while the company waits for the green light from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. However, some in the community claim Resynergi isn’t paying attention to its potential emissions. They say pyrolysis is just another form of incineration.

    “The lack of regard for the potential health impacts,” said Molly Rubardt, a Rohnert Park resident. “The lack of regard for the potential real fire and explosion risk, we live in a fire-risky area.”

    The company claims its methods will not involve burning plastics.

    “Incineration requires oxygen, you’re burning plastic,” said Sasha Kosek, Resynergi’s lead chemist. “Pyrolysis, you have removed all the oxygen and the molecules literally cannot burn.”

    The other concern is about the plant’s close proximity to Credo High School. Residents fear the emissions will create a health risk for the students.

    “You can’t have a petro-chemical plant that produces thousands of gallons of oil next to schools and communities next to homes,” said Mike Puccetti, another Rohnert Park resident.

    Many of the concerned residents protested in front of city hall, asking their council to revoke Resynergi’s permit to operate. They are also gathering a petition to send to the BAAQMD to ask them not to offer Resynergi a permit to start their machines.

    “Rohnert Park doesn’t allow incinerators within city limits,” Rubardt said. “If it is not an incinerator and it is what they say it is, they need to go back and get reclassified.”

    However, the company continues to insist emissions will be low.

    “The emissions coming from here are the equivalent of a semi truck driving down the road,” Bauer said.

    The BAAQMD sent out three notices of violations in August, claiming Resynergi built equipment without proper permits. They also told the San Francisco Chronicle that its experts evaluated the added risk of cancer from the plant’s estimated emissions would be minimal.

    Some in the city think this technology could be beneficial for recycling plastics, but they don’t want it this embedded in their community.

    “Why not build it near Recology or near a highway?” Puccetti said. “I don’t think anybody is thinking it is a bad idea, but why is it in a subcommunity? Why is it right next to a high school?”

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Clock issues can’t stop Valkyries in win over Caitlin Clark-less Fever

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    SAN FRANCISCO — Chase Center turned into a glorified night club on Sunday night. 

    After electrical issues caused multiple shot clocks to malfunction, and choppy officiating gave way to numerous review stoppages, the fan cam inside the arena was put to work. 

    The basketball game almost seemed like background noise as fans were asked to dance to a mix of Bay Area classics and new age pop music with each game stoppage. Both the Valkyries and the visiting Indiana Fever were both visibly frustrated by the start-stop nature of Sunday’s game that took two hours and 38 minutes to complete.

    But what mattered most is that the Valkyries gave the sold out crowd of 18,064 something to dance for after the game ended.

    Golden State Valkyries’ Iliana Rupert (12) scores a 3-point basket against Indiana Fever’s Aerial Powers (23) in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

    The Valkyries won their third straight game, beating the injury-plagued Indiana Fever 75-63 behind a hot shooting start. The 158-minute game was the longest contest that ended in regulation since the Chicago Sky played the Dallas Wings in a two-hour, 41-minute game on Aug. 6, 2023, per Elias Sports Bureau. Sunday’s game had five clock stoppages in the first half. 

    The Valkyries attributed the clock malfunctions to a power outage that occurred at Chase Center on Sunday morning. 

    Iliana Rupert posted a career-high 21 points and hit 5-of-8 shots from the 3-point line. Rookie Janelle Salaün had 10 points, four rebounds and two assists. Veronica Burton finished with eight points, 13 assists and seven rebounds.

    “I think it was the first time in all of our lives that we had so much stuff (go on), but it’s not stuff that you can control,” Rupert said after the game. “We really just tried to stay together.  The fans obviously helped a lot because you can lose energy really quickly, and they were pushing us.”

    A broken shot clock above a basket during the Golden State Valkyries game against the Indiana Fever in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
    A broken shot clock above a basket during the Golden State Valkyries game against the Indiana Fever in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

    The Fever were without superstar Caitlin Clark, who missed her 18th straight game with a left groin injury. Former Valkyries guard Aerial Powers scored 17 points off the bench and Kelsey Mitchell had 14 points in the loss. 

    The Valkyries held the Fever’s other star, Aliyah Boston, to just four points.

    “We really tried to be physical with her and try to make the night hard,” Rupert said. “I think we did that really well. So yeah, I’m happy of the work because it was really a team effort to stop her.”

    After two different clock stoppages forced a 25-minute delay in the first quarter, the Valkyries went on a run. Golden State hit seven of its eight 3-pointers and took a 25-14 lead after the first 10 minutes. 

    More stoppages allowed Indiana to get back within striking distance, but Golden State kept the high-paced offense at bay. 

    The Valkyries led by as much as 20 in the first half behind a 75% shooting quarter from beyond the arc. Rupert and Salaün accounted for 21 of the Valkyries’ 44 first-half points, and the home team led 44-32 after two quarters. 

    With all the stoppages, the first half lasted a whopping 92 minutes but Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said the breaks in action helped the Valkyries regroup. 

    Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase (35) talks to Golden State Valkyries' Temi Fagbenle (14) during their game against the Indiana Fever in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
    Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase (35) talks to Golden State Valkyries’ Temi Fagbenle (14) during their game against the Indiana Fever in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

    “We did get to talk about defensively, continuing to focus on our game plan and our execution in terms of the defense and what was hurting us,” Nakase said. “We just tried to make it an advantage as best we can.”

    Indiana made headway in the third quarter, cutting the Valkyries’ lead to seven going into the final 10 minutes. 

    Powers cut the Golden State advantage to just five with a layup at the 7:37 mark of the fourth quarter, giving the Fever a much-needed momentum swing.

    But just as Indiana was on the verge of cutting the lead to a single possession, Powers fouled Clark’s former Iowa teammate Kate Martin on a 3-pointer right in front of Indiana’s bench and the second-year guard swished the shot to erupt the Chase Center crowd.

    Golden State Valkyries' Kate Martin (20) heads to the basket against Indiana Fever's Lexie Hull (10) in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
    Golden State Valkyries’ Kate Martin (20) heads to the basket against Indiana Fever’s Lexie Hull (10) in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) 

    Martin finished with 10 points.

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    Nathan Canilao

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  • Kaila Charles finds redemption with Valkyries in career night vs. Wings

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    Twice this year, the Dallas Wings told Kaila Charles she wasn’t good enough to keep a roster spot. 

    Her WNBA journey looked about finished for the 2025 season until the Valkyries gave her an opportunity just after the All-Star break after a plethora of injuries left the expansion team shorthanded. Now, the Valkyries can’t imagine a rotation without her. 

    Following three hardship contracts, the Valkyries guaranteed the 27-year-old shooting guard’s contract for the rest of the season. 

    On Sunday, she had her best game of the season as she locked up former teammate and rookie of the year candidate Paige Bueckers while tying a career-high 16 points in a 90-81 win over the Wings. 

    “I think it was a full circle moment,” Charles said after Sunday’s win. “I started the season here, and to be cut was sad, but it also gave me the opportunity to get film and get picked up by the (Valkyries). So even though it didn’t work out here like I wanted to, it gave me another opportunity where I fit in a little bit more.

    “So it just shows that everything happens for a reason, and I’m really glad that I was able to win with my team and do well and help them.”

    Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) loses control of the ball against Golden State Valkyries guard Kaila Charles during the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero) 

    When the Valkyries first signed Charles on Aug. 1, the former University of Maryland standout was tasked with learning a new system and teammates on a team that’s in the midst of trying to make a playoff push. 

    On the morning she joined the team, Charles boarded a plane to Chicago and had a few hours to learn the Valkyries’ playbook before a 7 p.m. tipoff against the Sky. The Valkyries coaching staff quickly briefed Charles before the game and the shooting guard was immediately in the rotation that night. 

    That night against, Charles played 17 minutes, scored five points, grabbed five rebounds and closed the fourth quarter in her first game with the team. 

    “Sometimes it’s on the fly,” assistant coach Landon Tatum told this news organization in a recent interview about how they fit players like Charles into their rotation the day of a game. “We know this person can do this really well. So, let’s see if this works. I wouldn’t necessarily say we know ahead of time going into games this is going to for sure work, but I think because we do a solid job of knowing what players do well, we can kind of plug and play specific people with certain people.” 

    Since then, Charles has been a rotation regular. She’s played in every game and been a valuable piece off the bench for Nakase as a defensive stopper and consistent catch-and-shoot player. 

    In her first start with the Valkyries on Sunday, Charles was tasked with guarding Bueckers, who came into the game with a streak of 30 consecutive double-digit scoring games. 

    Charles shadowed Bueckers for every minute she was in the game. Her active hands bothered the rookie star and her quick feet kept Bueckers away from the basket. 

    Charles held Bueckers scoreless in the first half and eventually limited her to just nine points on 3-of-12 shooting. 

    “Credit to Kaila for coming and doing what she does,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. “Locking people up, and also on the offensive end, just being confident in her shot making. She makes quick decisions, taking it hard to the basket. Credit to Kaila because she’s really only had two practices with us.”

    With the injuries the Valkyries have, Charles’ role will only get larger in the coming weeks as the Valkyries try to secure a playoff spot. 

    Golden State is currently in eighth place with a half-game lead over the ninth-place Los Angeles Sparks for the final playoff spot. The Valkyries are also a half game behind the sixth-place Indiana Fever and seventh-place Seattle Storm with matchups against both franchises in the coming weeks. 

    The battle to make the playoffs makes Charles’ presence, and her ability to step in when her team needs her most, all the more valuable.  

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    Nathan Canilao

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  • Sonoma County Republicans talk redistricting, 2026 governor’s race at annual convention

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    The Sonoma County Republican Party held their annual convention Saturday, with the upcoming special election on redistricting and picking the party’s nominee for governor among top priorities.

    Hundreds of people gathered to connect and listen California GOP leaders, including two gubernatorial candidates.

    Republican Chair Debbie LeBoy has been looking forward to the convention since she got the job.

    “I’m grateful for the word getting out,” said LeBoy.

    LeBoy became chair in January, she says the convention is only in its 5th year but it’s roots go deeper.

    “We had one of our members a couple of years ago find an article that showed Republicans came together in Sonoma County, about a thousand of them, and we went well we can start this up again,” explained LeBoy.

    In the last few years, she’s seen it grow, this year they had almost 400 people exchanging ideas and hope for the future.

    “We just want to do good policy that works for everybody,” LeBoy said. “We don’t want the partisanship.”

    They bring in candidates to speak to constituents, the headliners were two of the men running for the Republican nomination for governor.

    Chad Bianco is the sheriff of Riverside County but says he’s been all over speaking with voters.

    “I’ve already talked to people who are saying ‘we’re not Republican, we’re Democrats,’ and they’re supporting me, and they know that I have to win,” said Bianco. “We’re at a point in California where people are starving for a leader they can trust.”

    Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside County, a candidate for the 2026 Republican nomination for California governor, speaks at the Sonoma County Republican Party Convention in Santa Rosa on Aug. 23, 2025.

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    The event’s theme is “Restore the Golden State,” a topic that has become an even bigger effort for the party since Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrats started pushing for redistricting in California amid redistricting efforts in Texas and other states.

    Voters will decide on the plan in a special election this November. Under the new plan, much of Sonoma County will be added to the 1st congressional district, transforming a district where people voted for President Donald Trump over Kamala Harris by 25 points, into a Harris +12 point district.

    “It’s an absolute joke,” said Bianco. “They are absolutely out of touch with Californians. They couldn’t care less about Californians. They care about their own personal and political agenda and they are not listening to anything going on in California.”

    Steve Hilton was the other headliner. A former Fox News personality, Hilton is a British-American political commentator and also thinks more redistricting is a bad idea.

    “If you actually look at the way it’s done the districts we’re already heavily gerrymandered in California there’s probably an extra 10-12 seats that should be in Republican hands if we had fair representation when you look at the house seats,” said Hilton.

    He feels confident things will be different after next election.

    “I’m 100% certain that California’s going to vote for change next November,” said Hilton. “There’s a massive majority for change. We can’t go on like this. We have the highest everything: highest gas prices, highest electricity bills, highest housing costs. It’s really tough to live here.”

    LeBoy echoed the need to turn the page.

    “Let’s just do some good policy that has less taxes, and of course they’re going to take taxes, but use our money wisely,” LeBoy detailed. “We’re looking for some simple solutions, some commonsense solutions. You’ve got homeless, you’ve got crime, high taxes. We just have to work on those and fix it for everybody regardless of party.”

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    Amanda Hari

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  • Sonoma animal sanctuaries overwhelmed as rooster dumping hits record highs

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    Animal rescues and sanctuaries in Sonoma County are at capacity as they are seeing a record number of roosters being dumped or donated. They can’t pinpoint an exact cause, but a trend to fight high egg prices may be partly to blame.

    Roosters are not the only animals at the Sonoma Chicks Rescue and Sanctuary. Currently, it’s taking care of more than a hundred birds, along with goats, rabbits and pigs.

    “I am just one of those people that absolutely loves animals, and I have done so since I was a kid,” said Tania Soderman with the Sonoma Chicks Rescue and Sanctuary. “And this is my dream.”

    Tania Soderman created this sanctuary in 2015. While her dream has come true, this summer has proved that there can be too much of a good thing.

    “You know, it’s overwhelming,” she said. “We get the emails and phone calls, and I have to pick up and say no every day now. It’s heartbreaking. Then they are like I’ll dump them, and I have to go to sleep knowing that.”

    Just a few minutes away at Charlie’s Acres Farm Animal Sanctuary, they are noticing the same problem. Harold the rooster was dumped in Alameda. Sanctuary Director Kate Ritchie says there could be a number of reasons for the increase in roosters needing a home, but she suspects many bought chicks in the spring, hoping for hens.

    “The fact that egg prices went up, and people thought this will be great,” Kate Ritchie with Charlie’s Acres Farm Animal Sanctuary. “We can just have a couple of hens and we’ll have our own eggs. And maybe not thinking it fully through in regard to the care and their lifetime.”

    Ritchie says it’s impossible to tell the sex of a chick at a young age. She tells people if they are serious about having hens as pets, the best thing is to adopt.

    “When you get these baby chicks and some of them will end up being roosters, and that’s not what you wanted, this will solve that problem,” said Ritchie.

    With sanctuaries at capacity, Sonoma Chicks Rescue and Sanctuary is only taking birds that have special needs.

    “This is Penelope,” said Jovani Contreras with Sonoma Chicks Rescue and Sanctuary. “One of our turkey chicks that we have. She was super sick when we got her. She had trouble eating and she has an issue with her foot.”

    Sonoma Chicks says feed and vet bills have skyrocketed this summer. Soderman and Contreras work from sunrise to sunset to feed, clean and take care of the animals. They say they can use all the help they can get.

    “You can’t just expect us, the few rescues that are here, to take on your bad choices,” said Soderman. “We are too small and too few to do this. At least offer us your support if you’re coming to give us your animals.”

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    Andrea Nakano

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  • North Bay’s SMART train system gets $81M to extend train line to Healdsburg

    North Bay’s SMART train system gets $81M to extend train line to Healdsburg

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    Like a lot of transit agencies, the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) commuter train line in Marin and Sonoma Counties has been struggling to regain ridership and revenue lost to the pandemic. But now, there’s welcome news from the state that will keep the rail line on track to extend service to the town of Healdsburg.

    It’s been a long time since any train arrived at the Healdsburg Depot. Its buildings are boarded up and the sign is cracked and faded. But there was a time, before the car became king, when traveling by rail was the way nearly everyone got to the northern Sonoma towns.

    “The train was one of the main ways that people came up to visit Healdsburg way back in the day,” said Mayor David Hagele. “They’d come visit the Russian River, there were trains that would go out all over the place. And it’s great to have some of that piece of history and the connection to the past coming back.”

    Hagele is excited by the announcement last week that the California State Transportation Authority approved $81 million to extend the SMART train line to Healdsburg. The news comes as the system is set to begin service from Santa Rosa to Windsor sometime in 2025.

    “But the bigger part is the connectivity,” said Hagele. “It connects us even closer to Windsor and soon to Cloverdale and that’s a big part with trains, how they’ve been able to connect small communities together.”

    Federal funding is already in place to rebuild the rail bridge over the Russian River and into town. The $81 million from the state will go to replacing all the tracks, adding a required automated control system and constructing a bike and pedestrian path along the corridor.  If there are no delays, SMART expects the extension to Healdsburg to be completed sometime in 2028. SMART Board Vice Chair Melanie Bagby said it shows the state’s commitment to complete the system.

    “Everyone said, ‘You’ll never get to Larkspur.’  SMART got to Larkspur. ‘Oh, you’ll never get to Windsor.’ SMART will be opening in Windsor next year.  And now we have the funding to go to Healdsburg,” said Bagby. “So, I think it’s pretty evident that we’re on a trajectory to complete the vision of the voters for SMART.”

    But that vision has changed over the years. SMART was sold to voters as an eco-friendly way to get North Bay commuters to San Francisco. But ridership never really took off, especially after work habits changed during the pandemic.

    “You know, I think that we had an idea originally in 2008 that it was going to be a lot of folks just going to their jobs and what we’re finding is the whole community is taking advantage of it,” said Bagby.  “It’s not just commuters. It’s also retired people going out to lunch, meeting their friends and it’s overwhelmingly school-age kids going to and from school.”

    Of course, that may be happening because in April SMART began letting seniors and kids ride for free. The truth is, the farther you get from San Francisco, the more the mission of SMART changes and probably should. On Saturday, Jeff Saunders and Cheryl Valez drove up from Santa Rosa for a picnic overlooking the bridge.  

    “If it was almost recreational, as opposed to work-related, then perhaps that might be a better, stronger mission for them,” said Saunders. “If the train came in here and unloaded, you’ve got a two-block walk, three-block walk to everything. So, you could see it actually working here.”

    The new, proposed Healdsburg station is only a couple of blocks from downtown shops, restaurants and wine-tasting rooms.

    “I think coming up to Healdsburg would be nice if they’re going to keep going with it. I mean, this is THE destination spot. We come here all the time,” said Valez. “Quite frankly, I didn’t think it was worth the money it cost and I wouldn’t have voted for it. But since it’s already here now, I think bringing it up to Healdsburg would be…more people would ride it.”

    So, as the world has changed, so must SMART.  A train that was meant to get people to work is rapidly becoming a way to get them “away from it all.”

    John Ramos


    web-bio-head-john-ramos.jpg

    John Ramos accidentally launched a lifelong career in journalism when he began drawing editorial cartoons and writing smart-alecky satire pieces for the Bakersfield High School newspaper.

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    John Ramos

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  • Santa Rosa man sentenced to 39 years to life in prison for 2022 shooting that left victim a quadriplegic

    Santa Rosa man sentenced to 39 years to life in prison for 2022 shooting that left victim a quadriplegic

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    A Santa Rosa resident was handed down a sentence of 39 years to life in prison for a 2022 shooting that turned a man into a quadriplegic, according to prosecutors.

    Jose Figueroa Baltazar, 30, was sentenced Monday after being convicted by a jury in April of premeditated attempted murder, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and assault with a firearm. The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office said Baltazar pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    On May 22, 2022, Baltazar was drinking beer with his 29-year-old victim and their mutual friend. Prosecutors said that at some point during their drinking, Baltazar got out of the driver’s seat of his vehicle, opened the rear driver’s door, and shot the victim once through the neck and spinal cord.

    “A neighbor’s Ring Camera captured the shooting, as well as the defendant subsequently dragging the victim out of his vehicle and driving over the victim while fleeing the scene. Baltazar was arrested approximately 20 minutes later by Santa Rosa police officers after a short foot pursuit,” the District Attorney’s Office said.

    Baltazar admitted to the shooting, saying he did it after the victim “playfully” slapped his shoulder and touched his knee. He also admitted to discarding the unregistered 9mm firearm, which was found the following day, along with an extended 30-round magazine.

    The victim spent months in the hospital and was diagnosed as a quadriplegic, authorities said.

    According to prosecutors, Baltazar had an “extremely cavalier attitude” over the shooting and he carried a loaded illegally obtained firearm because he thinks “people think it’s cool,” and “it’s just a thing” to him.

    “This was an inexplicable act of violence. The callousness with which Mr. Baltazar nearly ended another young person’s life, ultimately paralyzing him, is impossible to understand. He clearly is a dangerous individual that belongs in state prison,” District Attorney Carla Rodriguez said. 

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    CBS San Francisco

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  • Cal Fire crews respond to vegetation fire near Cordelia

    Cal Fire crews respond to vegetation fire near Cordelia

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    PIX Now morning edition 9-1-24


    PIX Now morning edition 9-1-24

    09:09

    Cal Fire said Sunday crews are fighting a vegetation fire that is burning near Cordelia. 

    The fire is near Interstate 80 and Highway 12 in Cordelia. 

    According to Cal Fire, the fire burned about 15 acres and had a moderate rate of spread. Firefighters stopped the fire’s forward progress around 2:15 p.m., but kept evacuation warnings in place.

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    Jose Fabian

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  • Sonoma properties to be auctioned off after real estate investment company’s collapse

    Sonoma properties to be auctioned off after real estate investment company’s collapse

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    A real estate holding company that allowed a group of Sonoma properties to lapse into foreclosure has left investors and the city itself with an uncertain future.

    On August 8th, the first dozen properties are scheduled to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. 

    The property purchases began very quietly, with dozens of homes being bought, often in off-market sales. They were followed by familiar businesses in the heart of downtown, as the Sonoma Cheese Factory, Cottage Inn and Spa and the Sojourn Cellars tasting room were snapped up as well.

    “Then it became, quite quickly, a concern about one person buying up lots and lots of property, and controlling the rents and the merchants, and a lot of private property,” said Sonoma resident Josette Brose-Eichar.

    That “someone” was Ken Mattson, the head of a real estate investment company called LeFever-Mattson. Eventually, a citizens group called “Wake UP Sonoma” formed to investigate what was going on.  And president Lisa Storment said they discovered the purchases followed an unusual pattern.

    “Buy really high, way over asking price — like ridiculously over asking price — and then sell back to one of their own LLC companies at a really depressed rate,” said Storment.  “It would sit there for long, extended periods of time with no attempt to try to improve the property.”

    In all, more than 120 properties were bought around town. No one really understands the strategy behind it. Recently, the wheels of the enterprise have fallen off. Mattson’s partner, Tim LeFever, has accused him of stealing from the company. The two former friends are suing each other. Many of the properties have fallen into foreclosure, allegedly because Mattson stopped making payments on the loans.  

    Sonoma resident Rob Earnest owns only one house. He said he wondered how anyone could get so overextended, so fast.

    “I don’t know what he was thinking, you know? Like…I don’t know!” he said, shaking his head. “How could you not see it? Maybe you want to start small instead of buying everything and frickin’ falling in a ditch, going, ‘Oh damn! What happened?’”

    Mattson did not answer CBS News Bay Area’s requests for comment, but in a letter responding to his partner’s accusations, he wrote, “The investments through LeFever-Mattson were and continue to be my utmost concern. I stand with our investors and business partners to assure these investments remain in good standing.”

    But Mattson isn’t the only one on the hot seat. He reportedly had hundreds of private investors, many of whom he met through his church.  

    David Eichar — who did a lot of the research for Wake Up Sonoma — said if and when the first group of nine homes and businesses go on the auction block in August, the investors may be left with little or nothing to show for it.

    “The company that owns the mortgage, they will get their money,” said Eichar.  “We don’t know if there’s any money left over for the investors.”

    And the residents fear the city will also take a hit for Mattson’s buying spree.

    “When they were bought, they were bought at such a high level over asking price, over value, that it increases the property values in our area,” said Storment.  “And then, when they’re going to get sold, there’s going to be a dive in our economy.”

    Perhaps the biggest mystery is why Sonoma? No one seems to know why the town was chosen, but it’s just one more in a sea of questions with very few answers.

    John Ramos


    web-bio-head-john-ramos.jpg

    John Ramos accidentally launched a lifelong career in journalism when he began drawing editorial cartoons and writing smart-alecky satire pieces for the Bakersfield High School newspaper.

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    John Ramos

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  • North Bay farmworkers demand better pay at protest rally in Healdsburg

    North Bay farmworkers demand better pay at protest rally in Healdsburg

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    HEALDSBURG — Hundreds of Sonoma County farmworkers marched in Healdsburg Sunday demanding higher wages and hazard pay.

    “When it’s hot in extreme heat (and) when there’s smoke, we’re out there as farmworkers,” Isidro Rodriguez said on Sunday. “We’re taking care of these vines. From planting them, all the way until they make the grapes for the wine. This industry, this wine industry, is very rich. They are not paying us what we deserve. If we weren’t taking care of these plants, none of them would exist.”

    Rodriguez said he worked through the Point Fire, a Sonoma County wildfire that destroyed buildings, forced evacuations and caused  officials to declare a state of emergency. 

    “During some of the first fires, we really were not prepared and we didn’t even get masks,” Rodriguez said.

    Rodriguez also said workers had their hours cut during heat waves, causing a reduction in wages.

    “The rent is high (and) the food is high. The wages are not keeping up with the cost of living,” he said.

    Workers are demanding $25 an hour or $250 for every ton of grapes picked. They also demand hazard pay, which would provide them with additional money when working through dangerous conditions such as wildfires and heat waves and compensation for hours lost.

    “Thousands of tourists come for the wine that they drink here and it wouldn’t be anything without workers,” Aura Aguilar, a march organizer and daughter of South American immigrants, said on Sunday. “All of the people you saw here today are going to back the workers up if and when they go on strike.”

    Workers said they are prepared to strike if their demands are not met.

    “We are not going to stop marching and doing these marches until we win disaster pay and dignified wages. We plant these plants, we take care of them and we make it possible for them to have their wine,” Rodriguez said.

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    CBS San Francisco

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  • Cal Fire responds to 15 acre vegetation fire north of Geyserville

    Cal Fire responds to 15 acre vegetation fire north of Geyserville

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    PIX Now morning edition 7-6-24


    PIX Now morning edition 7-6-24

    09:05

    A vegetation fire broke out in Sonoma County on Saturday afternoon, north of Geyserville, that Cal Fire named the Pocket Fire as it grew to 15 acres as of the last update from Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit at 12:05 p.m. 

    The fire started near Pocket Ranch Road at 11:19 a.m. Saturday, according to Cal Fire. 

    Air crews were assisting with the fight as of 12:15 p.m.

    Cal Fire said the fire had the potential to grow to as large as 150 acres. 

    The fire is east of U.S. Highway 101, about 5-and-half miles north of Geyserville. 

    No initial injuries were reported. The cause is under investigation

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    CBS San Francisco

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  • Point Fire in Sonoma County burns more than 1,200 acres; containment up to 40%

    Point Fire in Sonoma County burns more than 1,200 acres; containment up to 40%

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    Firefighters continued to attack the Point Fire in Sonoma County, doubling containment overnight Tuesday while the size of the blaze remained at just over 1,200 acres, according to Cal Fire.

    The wildfire just outside Healdsburg also has destroyed two structures and left at least one firefighter hurt.

    Cal Fire posted on X Tuesday morning that the fire was 40% contained, with the acreage holding at 1,207.

    Cal Fire’s relentless aerial assault has been nonstop since the fire started Sunday afternoon.

    “We are hoping that with this reduction of wind strength today, we’re able to control it a little quicker,” Cal Fire spokesperson Mari Ochoa said Monday.

    One firefighter had to be airlifted from the front line after suffering a non-life-threatening injury.

    The evacuation order zone in the Dry Creek Valley is dotted with private vineyards, ranches and farms. Some property owners have decided to defy the evacuation order.

    “When you have crops, there’s nothing to catch fire,” Alex Zabala said.

    Zabala said he has a huge defensible space at the vineyard his wife’s family has owned since 1928.

    “It’s all green,” he said. “There’s some weeds and such, but otherwise there’s no grasses to catch fire. That’s usually how it spreads. Embers come over and they’ll catch a field on fire.”

    Zabala said he watched the fire take two of his neighbors’ homes overnight.

    Firefighters on Monday continued to attack the Point Fire in Sonoma County, a wildfire that’s scorched roughly 1,200 acres and left at least one firefighter hurt. Thom Jensen, Jeff Ranieri and Vianey Arana reports.

    Cal Fire says the Point Fire isn’t actively threatening any other structures at this time, but there’s still a lot of work to do. 

    “The big thing is when we can get those areas where we might have flare ups, those are the areas of concern just because those increases in fire activity could possibly jump the line, things like that,” Robert Foxworthy of Cal Fire said. 

    The smoke led to a Spare the Air alert due to unhealthy air quality with the Bay Area Air Quality District also issuing air quality advisory for Tuesday.

    Healdsburg residents will have to adjust to the conditions they’ve come to expect this time of year.

    “You feel it in your eyes a little bit, always smells like a campfire in the air when you’re walking around but it hasn’t been the worst,”Mike Strykowski of Healdsburg said.

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    NBC Bay Area staff

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  • Sonoma County vineyard owner recalls past trauma as nearby wildfire burns

    Sonoma County vineyard owner recalls past trauma as nearby wildfire burns

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    HEALDSBURG — Francisco López, co-owner of Aldina Vineyards, is no stranger to the devastating impacts of wildfires.

    As the Point Fire burns over 1,000 acres near Lake Sonoma, he feels a sense of déjà vu.

    “For us, it’s definitely pretty traumatic in the sense that, unfortunately, we were fire victims in 2017. My family lost their home over 20 years in the Tubbs Fire. It’s a traumatic experience when you have that smell in the air: the fire,” López shared.

    López has been closely monitoring the news as the fire spreads just minutes away from his vineyard, near the southeast region of Lake Sonoma.

    “That first time, none of us were prepared, especially in 2017. And I think that now, with this time, when we first knew there was a fire, it’s to make sure the cars have gas, everything is ready to go in case we have to evacuate,” he said.

    The fire’s rapid progression has already prompted evacuations across the region. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from the Dry Creek Valley, with an additional evacuation warning affecting over 4,000 residents north of Mill Creek Road. An evacuation center has been set up at Laguna High School in Forestville. The situation is also impacting López’s business.

    “I don’t think there’s a lot of things happening in Healdsburg today, but there are some people here in town, and we’ll do our best to take care of those people,” López remarked.

    He is also following emergency recommendations shared by Sonoma County and local organizations like United Way of Wine Country. Lisa Carreño, Director of United Way of Wine Country, highlighted the importance of the 211-emergency line.

    “Ninety-four folks have contacted the 211 in the last 24 hours, which is unusually high for our 211 activity. From what I understand from our call center and our 211 director, most of the calls have been coming from this region right here. It’s the folks who are in the evacuation warning zone,” Carreño explained.

    For López, it’s a time to remain vigilant, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

    “Trying to be mindful of so many of us who have already lost homes and the wineries that have been closed,” he said.

    Francisco López is committed to staying on top of this emergency while also helping those in need during this critical moment.

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    Jose Martinez

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  • Spare the Air alert issued for parts of the Bay due to smoke from Point Fire

    Spare the Air alert issued for parts of the Bay due to smoke from Point Fire

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    The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a Spare the Air alert for parts of the Bay Area on Sunday night and Monday due to wildfire smoke from the Point Fire in northern Sonoma County.

    Officials said smoke from the 900-acre fire is going to impact a portion of the North Bay and Contra Costa County, the Air District said. Smoky, hazy skies may be visible and the smell of smoke is possible. They added that wood burning is banned.

    Air quality may be in the moderate to unhealthy range for people who are sensitive to particulates. Residents who are part of any sensitive group should remain indoors with their doors and windows closed, the Air District said.

    An evacuation order for the area has been extended to include all residents in zone SON-2E2, in the Dry Creek Valley, the Sheriff’s Office said at 4:15 p.m. as the Point Fire spreads.

    Evacuation orders are in effect for north and east of Chemise Road, south of Stewart’s Point-Skaggs Springs Road, and west of Dry Creek in that zone.

    Persons in these areas should “calmly and quickly” evacuate. First responders are going door-to-door to assist, the Sheriff’s Office said.

    An evacuation warning is in effect for zone SON-2E3, also in the Dry Creek Valley: north of Mill Creek Road, south of Chemise Road, east of Wallace Creek Road and west of Dry Creek in that zone.

    As of 8:30 p.m., the Point Fire had grown to 900 acres and is 15% contained.

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    NBC Bay Area staff and Bay City News

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  • Rescuers search for missing child in Russian River; teenager rescued

    Rescuers search for missing child in Russian River; teenager rescued

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    Rescuers search for missing child in Russian River in Sonoma County


    Rescuers search for missing child in Russian River in Sonoma County

    00:58

    Rescuers were searching Friday morning for a missing child who may have been swept away by the Russian River in Sonoma County.

    The Sonoma County Fire District said crews responded Thursday afternoon to a rescue call about two juveniles in the water near Steelhead Beach north of Forestville.

    A 15-year-old teen was rescued, but another juvenile – possibly only 10 years old – was still missing, the Fire District said.

    The operation was turned over to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department which used patrol units and dive teams at the scene as well as drones. 

    Department spokesman Deputy Rob Dillon said search operations were suspended at about 9 p.m. Thursday because of darkness. The search resumed Friday morning.

    The river in the area was running fast with rainwater and debris, Dillon said. The department was still trying to determine the exact age of the missing child.

    This is a breaking news update. More information to be added as available.

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    Carlos Castaneda

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  • Avian flu is crippling California poultry farms. Will there be a surge in pricing?

    Avian flu is crippling California poultry farms. Will there be a surge in pricing?

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    December should have been the most profitable month of the year for Liberty Ducks, a poultry farm in Sonoma County. Instead, the 31-year-old business was suddenly face to face with a possible shutdown.

    “There was never going to be a good time for this to hit, but during the holidays was especially hard,” said Jennifer Reichardt of Liberty Ducks. The farm, she said, has been “crippled” by the outbreak.

    In December, the farm was one of nine locations in Sonoma County infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza, also known as bird flu. As a result, poultry farmers in the county have been forced to destroy more than 1 million birds while trying to quarantine their flocks to curb the outbreak.

    The outbreak has been ongoing since 2022, but its sudden surge in December has meant restaurants in the winery-rich region are seeing their supplies of poultry dwindle. Experts warn this may only be the beginning of a bird flu spike in California .

    “Restaurants are looking for product,” said Bill Mattos, president of the California Poultry Federation.

    The lingering disease has yet to affect prices or supply across the state as a whole, Mattos said, given the poultry available from other counties and outside the state. But restaurants, stores and wholesalers who prefer to use local sources are seeing their supply dwindle.

    “Everyone is looking to see what they can do to prevent it even more,” Mattos said.

    Liberty Ducks supplies Bay Area restaurants and more than 200 wholesalers. But because the company’s locations are under quarantine, the farm can’t start new production, Reichardt said.

    “Our business will be at a standstill for at least two months until the quarantine is lifted or we find other locations,” she said.

    Poultry companies have been feeling the effects of the avian flu since February 2022, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture first detected the virus in commercial and backyard flocks.

    Since then, more than 79 million birds across the U.S have been affected in 47 states. In California, the virus has affected 37 commercial and 22 backyard flocks, totaling 5.4 million birds, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

    Since the outbreak began, the avian pandemic has not gone by unnoticed by consumers either.

    Last year, the outbreak helped make egg prices skyrocket across the country. According to the USDA, prices in California for a dozen large eggs jumped to $7.37 in January 2023, up from $2.35 the year before. The USDA said that while demand for eggs was surging in December 2022, the avian flu was cutting the supply; in the last week of that month, there were about 29% fewer eggs than at the beginning of 2022.

    A higher incidence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza is common during this time of year because of the migratory patterns of wild birds, which carry the virus as they fly from the Arctic to California, said Dr. Maurice Pitesky, associate professor at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine whose research focuses on the disease.

    Unfortunately, the same climate and geography that makes poultry farming popular in some areas is what draws in wild birds like ducks and geese, carrying the flu with them into the state. The virus can pass from one animal to another through saliva, mucus or feces.

    “Wildlife can bring this virus into their farms because the virus is so infectious,” Pitesky said.

    Farmers have tried to keep their flocks safe through bio-security practices, such requiring clean footwear before workers enter a farm to keep feces from contaminating the area under the shoes, Mattos said. Several big farms also try to reduce risk by prohibiting their workers from owning backyard flocks.

    This past month, however, poultry farmers in Northern California have been particularly hit by the virus.

    “I’m not sure if it’s a more virulent strain or what,” Mattos said. “The industry expects it to come and show up, we just didn’t expect it to be in big numbers.”

    According to the USDA, 11 flocks in California have tested positive for the virus in the past 30 days, affecting more than 3.3 million birds.

    In Sonoma County, the effect has been significant.

    Nine poultry in sites in southern Sonoma County have been infected with the virus, requiring more than a million birds to be euthanized to prevent further spread, according to the county.

    On Dec. 5, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency because of the disease. Flocks that have been infected have been put in quarantine, and county officials are hoping to curb the spread of the virus.

    The flu’s effect in the county and region is still unclear, but officials are concerned that the consequences could ripple through affected farms, workers, restaurants and markets that rely on the farms’ eggs, meat and jobs.

    A spokesperson for Sonoma County said officials have not yet done an economic impact study, but are focusing resources on containing the outbreak.

    According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, five California counties — Fresno, Marin, Merced, San Joaquin and Sonoma — have active avian flu infections.

    The flu could be especially damaging to businesses like Liberty Ducks that are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “After COVID, we were already in such a tight financial space, this really could have been the final blow,” said Reichardt.

    She and her brother set up a GoFundMe campaign to keep the business afloat, and have raised more than $184,000 so far.

    “The community outreach is not only letting us continue on and help with cash flow, but also mentally gives us such a lift to fight on,” Reichardt said.

    Some farms can also apply for federal compensation for the value of lost birds, but Mattos said it is not enough to cover what farmers could have made from their flocks.

    For now, farmers and backyard flock owners are being urged to take precautions and keep their birds isolated from exposure.

    And depending on this year’s rains, poultry farmers may be seeing just the first effects of the outbreak this year, Pitesky warned.

    “If it’s a wet year, unfortunately, [wild birds] will probably stay here until April and May,” he said. “Most likely, they’ll be dealing with this for several more months.”

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    Salvador Hernandez

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  • Bird flu concerns grow in California as deadly virus infects more farms

    Bird flu concerns grow in California as deadly virus infects more farms

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    Federal and state officials have confirmed outbreaks in the last few weeks of a fast-spreading avian influenza strain — commonly known as bird flu — in four new California counties, sparking concerns about the possible agricultural and financial blow of the virus.

    The “highly pathogenic” bird flu was confirmed Wednesday at two commercial farms in Stanislaus County, joining recent outbreaks at poultry farms in Fresno, San Benito and Sonoma counties, according to updates from the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The strain is easily spread among birds and often fatal for them.

    “It is important to note that [the bird flu] is widespread in California and may also be present in other counties that are not listed,” the agency said in a statement Wednesday. “Enhanced biosecurity is critical in the face of ongoing disease outbreaks.”

    Surging egg prices earlier this year were blamed on an outbreak of the bird flu that killed millions of hens and left grocers struggling to keep shelves stocked.

    California agriculture officials said that in order to protect other flocks from the disease, the farms where outbreaks were reported are being quarantined and their birds euthanized.

    After cases were confirmed earlier this week at two Sonoma County poultry farms, officials there declared a state of emergency, calling the outbreak a local disaster.

    “We need to promote and protect our local food shed and the agricultural producers who dedicate their livelihoods to producing food for our local populations and beyond,” Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner Andrew Smith said in a statement. “These producers are integral in maintaining and increasing food security in our communities.”

    Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt said he is concerned about economic and supply-chain issues that could result from the emergency, noting that south Sonoma County has about “one million farm birds within a five-mile radius” of one of the facilities hit by the outbreak, and that they provide as many as hundreds of thousands of eggs daily.

    Rabbitt also said that more than 200 employees work at the two affected Sonoma County facilities, and will be hurt by the losses.

    In October, as cases of avian flu increased nationally and the first California outbreak of the season was detected in Merced County, the state veterinarian urged that California bird farmers move their flocks indoors for now.

    The Merced County outbreak was confirmed at a commercial turkey farm, home to about 30,000 birds, according to USDA data tracking the virus’ spread.

    The most recent outbreaks confirmed in Stanislaus County were at two commercial farms that are raising about 250,000 chickens each. The infected Sonoma County farms were a duck farm with 169,000 birds, and a commercial egg producer with more than 80,000 birds.

    The San Benito and Fresno county cases also included commercial duck farms, with 5,000 birds in San Benito and 23,000 in Fresno, according to the USDA data.

    State officials did not disclose the names of the companies involved, and USDA data was limited.

    Avian infuenza can be found in both wild and domesticated fowl, including chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks and geese, and its typically spread through bird-to-bird contact, according to the state Department of Food and Agriculture.

    There have also been confirmed cases in wild birds over the last month in Sacramento and Santa Clara counties, according to the USDA.

    Officials noted this spring that continued spread of the virus could soon become a concern for the still-endangered California condor.

    According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Protection, this bird flu strain is considered a low risk to humans. However, the World Health Organization has said there is some cause for worry due to some reports of the virus infecting humans.

    Californians can report unusual sick or dead pets or domesticated birds via the state Department of Food and Agriculture Sick Bird Hotline at (866) 922-2473. Any unusual or dead wild birds should be reported to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife online.

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    Grace Toohey

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