Local girl makes good lamb
“I wish I could pick two, but I can only pick one,” lamb judge Gail Christian said July 22, going on to compliment the quality of lamb shown by local youth at this year’s Sonoma County Fair. “But I think the little girl’s lamb is just a bit better.”
And then he strode over to shake the hand of nine-year-old Rio Pagliaro of Sonoma, designating her as the owner of the Supreme Champion Lamb of the fair. Just minutes earlier she had been awarded honors for 4-H Grand Champion. Rio is a member of the Green Valley 4-H Club, and her Hampshire lamb weighed in at 130 pounds—quite a bit more than Rio.
Rio Pagliaro holds her Supreme Champion Lamb July 22. Also pictured, buyer Bob Gong of G&G Market in Santa Rosa and Petaluma, several members of his family and two of Rio’s friends. Photo by Brenda Hawkes.
“Awesome,” answered Rio’s mother, Rori Pagliaro, when asked how it feels to be the mother of a Grand Champion winner. “She’s really worked hard, spending endless hours feeding, exercising and training her lamb since March.”
Rori and husband Tony Pagliaro have two sheep ranches, one in Tomales and one in Sonoma where they make their home. This was Rio’s first year showing as a 4-H member; last year she showed lambs as a special junior.
The fair runs through Aug. 4.
Farmers Market moves sideways
Sonoma’s Tuesday night Farmers Market will be slightly relocated for two August dates so that City Hall can get a new parking lot.
City Manager Linda Kelly announced last week that the market would be moved to First Street East on Aug. 5 and Aug. 19 as a result of the rehabilitation project, which will be underway during the entire month. Excavation is planned on both dates.
First Street East will be closed between Napa and Spain Streets from about 4 p.m. until the market closes, the vendors have moved out, and barricades have been removed. The Tuesday Night Farmers Market will be held in its usual location in the Sonoma Plaza Aug. 12.
The City Council on July 16 awarded a $181,823 bid to Sebastopol-based Pipeline Excavators to rehabilitate both the City Hall and the Sonoma Police Department parking lots. The work will involve repaving the lot surfaces and installing ADA improvements.
GE vandals arrested
Two boys, aged 12 and 14, were arrested Saturday following a plague of tire-slashing Thursday and Friday in Glen Ellen.
The 12-year-old, from Glen Ellen, and his fellow suspect, from Boyes Hot Springs, were booked at Sonoma County Juvenile Hall July 26 for felony vandalism, conspiracy and participation in a criminal street gang, a Sheriff’s Department spokesperson said. Their names are not being released due to their ages.
Deputies from the Sonoma Valley substation were dispatched to different areas of downtown Glen Ellen throughout the day on Thursday as well as Friday morning. In total, 33 tires were punctured or slashed on 20 different vehicles, one of which had gang graffiti written on the side of it.
The arrests were made in partnership with a number of Glen Ellen residents, and during nighttime surveillance by deputies of the downtown Glen Ellen area, information was developed related to the two suspects’ involvement.
Damage was estimated at between $4,000 and $5,000.
Robbery suspect pleads not guilty
A 19-year-old Napa man has pleaded not guilty in connection with the July 18 robbery of a Sonoma recycling center.
Ramon Llamas was arraigned July 22 before Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Lawrence Antolini on felony charges of burglary and vehicular evasion of a peace officer, as well as robbery, conspiracy and carrying a loaded firearm in public. A District Attorney spokesperson said Monday that Llamas’ bail was set last week at $175,000.
Llamas and a 16-year-old accomplice, also from Napa, allegedly held up the Nex Cycle recycling center behind Safeway on West Napa Street. Although the center doesn’t have a cashbox – customers are issued a receipt which they redeem inside the store – the two proprietors and a customer were relieved of about $100 cash. The pair were captured less than an hour later on Highway 12 near Dunbar Road following a brief high-speed chase.
Asked about the 16-year-old suspect, a Juvenile Court spokesperson said last week that records of detainees were only releasable to immediate family members.
The felony charges could carry a collective penalty of up to six years in prison.
Sister city delegation arriving from France
Mayor Joanne Sanders will receive an 11-member delegation from Sonoma’s French sister city, Chambolle-Musigny on Monday Aug. 4. The reception will take place in front of City Hall at 5:45 p.m. and is one of many events that the Chambolle – Sonoma (Chamson) Sister City Committee has planned for their French visitors.
“We want to once again welcome our friends from Chambolle-Musigny to Sonoma,” said Sanders. “Through reciprocal cultural, educational, and business exchanges, we look to continue the significance and relevance of the relationship between Sonoma and Chambolle-Musigny.”
Fire prep meeting set for Aug. 6
Sonoma Valley homeowners who are keeping an eye on the Northern California fire situation are invited to attend a County Wildfire Protection Plan meeting 7 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 6 at the Sonoma Valley Firehouse.
“We as an organization would like to better prepare our citizens and their property in the event we’re affected by a wildfire,” SVFRA training officer and Capt. Spencer Andreis said Tuesday. “The meeting will identify all the key objectives we ask of our citizens to assist us in safely defending their homes.”
The two-hour meeting will begin with a look at wildfire behavior and risks, focusing on conditions unique to Sonoma Valley, before giving residents a chance to voice their concerns. The Sonoma Valley Firehouse is located at 630 Second St. W., Sonoma. For more information, visit www.firesafesonoma.org.
Council takes day off
Due to a long-standing summer tradition, the Sonoma City Council will forego its Aug. 6 meeting.
The council will resume its regular meeting schedule – first and third Wednesdays of every month – when it meets again on Aug. 20.
For the past several years the council has canceled one session during the summer months to allow its members to enjoy an extended period of time off from meetings for planned vacations.
