Good morning, Santa Rosa.

Santa Rosa will launch a pilot block party called Ross Street Live starting Aug.

14. The event will close part of Ross Street for live music, food trucks and family markets through October (after scaling back an earlier proposal due to local business concerns).

Early Saturday morning, thousands gathered at the fairgrounds for the Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic near Santa Rosa, where a four a.m. Glow Show lit twenty vibrant balloons.

Thick fog prevented takeoff, but families enjoyed food, live entertainment — and the chance to meet the flight crews.

Grassroots networking groups like Latinas Emprendedoras are hosting monthly wellness hikes for busy Latina entrepreneurs to get permitting help, share business ideas and support mental health.

They also offer hands-on branding workshops and local markets to address loan disparities and boost women-owned startups in Sonoma County.

The annual Bohemian Grove Midsummer Encampment is underway in Monte Rio redwoods and will run for three weeks, drawing nearly 2,000 high-profile visitors including ex-presidents, military leaders, and business titans (according to reports).

Local activists have expressed concerns over private discussions during the event.

Founded in Sonoma County, the disaster-tracking app Watch Duty is expanding nationwide as wildfires and floods intensify + local emergency crews now receive instant, mapped data to improve community safety.

Greg Sarris, longtime chairman of the Graton Rancheria, will retire by year-end and focus on writing, ending a leadership era that began in 1992 (the tribe achieved federal recognition and significant growth under his guidance).

Tribal officials have not yet shared a succession plan.

Sonoma County Fire District is asking health officials for a 16% ambulance rate increase split into two parts to cover rising labor costs and dispatch fees, and officials are now reviewing the proposal before it goes to the Board of Supervisors.

The FDA corrected a lab result that falsely detected Cyclospora in one lettuce sample, but officials said the recall of Taylor Farms shredded iceberg lettuce remains in effect.

Health experts say the investigation continues using multiple clues to track the source of related illnesses.