Good morning, Santa Rosa.

Bees N Blooms hosts the annual Lavender Bloom Festival, where locals explore a seven-circle lavender labyrinth featuring English and French varieties nearing peak bloom.

The event runs on weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until July 12 + special Friday hours extend through the end of June; reservations are required online.

City Council approved an eight-foot steel sculpture titled 'Cycles Three' donated by Peter Hassen for Sonoma Plaza; the Public Art Fund will cover installation costs for a pilot period in the plaza’s southeast quadrant (the artwork weighs 1,600 lbs) as Mayor Ron Wellander says it signals a shift in art.

Kashia Elementary closed its doors today after falling below required attendance, forcing the small school to dissolve amid internal safety concerns (tribal families).

Starting this August, displaced students will face a twenty-minute commute to a neighboring Horicon district school.

Santa Rosa-based nonprofit Watch Duty is expanding its app to track flash floods by adding river gauge levels, weather forecasts + National Weather Service warnings into one map interface.

The tool follows recent climate disasters and will help users plan safe evacuation routes.

Small-scale beekeepers reported a tough spring, losing two of six hives at Honeybutter Farm (Petaluma) due to extreme weather and Varroa mites; experts warned that reduced honey yields and limited state support have challenged the multi-million-dollar regional honey industry.

With a hot fire season underway, Sonoma County Emergency Management urges residents to update evacuation plans and emergency go-bags (including enrollment in alert systems like SoCo Alert, Nixle, and the Watch Duty app) and stresses that knowing zones, fueling vehicles, and checking on neighbors will aid quick responses.