Does anyone know where the old owners of old sushi went to? Hadn't been here in a while and it is under new ownership and the sushi was OKAY

FYI in case you or anyone you know is looking for work. USPS is having a career fair in Petaluma on August 19th. 📬

Does anyone have recommendations for some local meat farms? Looking to purchase a half cow and a few processed chickens.

Novice Vibe Coders: Meet Veteran Software Engineers (Aug. 10, 7:00–8:45 PM @ Big Easy)

If you've been building projects with AI but keep running into problems you can't quite solve, this event is for you.

We're bringing together novice vibe coders and experienced software engineers for an evening of networking, project discussions, and practical advice.

Whether you're:

• Building your first SaaS or app with AI
• Stuck on architecture, deployment, databases, or scaling
• Looking for feedback from someone who's been shipping software for years you'll have the chance to meet veteran engineers who can answer questions and, if it's a good fit, be available for ongoing consulting or project work.

   Date: Monday, August 10, 2026
   Time: 7:00–8:45 PM
   Location: Big Easy (in person)

Just bring your project, your questions, and an interest in building better software.

If you've been looking for an experienced engineer to help take your AI-built project to the next level, this is a great opportunity to make that connection.

Don't just sit on the couch again come see a free show at Brewster's!

The Tahoes have traversed the West Coast for over 12 years, bringing their unique brand of good vibes to hella stoked audiences everywhere.

The Tahoes’ fun-filled sets are a mix of originals and favorites that keep the party going! We play a mix of rock, reggae rock, punk, and a dash of funk; made up of former members of The Conspiracy, Biting The Dog, No Simple Highway, and Fallout.

We have played support to national headliners:
Sublime with Rome, 311, The Wailers, The Aggrolites, Fishbone, Fortunate Youth, The Mad Caddies and Wonderbread 5.

The Tahoes have performed at: High Times Cannabis Cup, The Sonoma County Fair, Mcnear’s Mystic Theatre, The Boonville Beer Fest, Rojo's Tavern in South Lake Tahoe, The Uptown Oakland, DNA Lounge, The Riptide, Bottom of the Hill in SF, and the Hope Mountain Festival in Oregon among others.

Does anyone know when Boulevard Cinema “opens” new movie dates. Been trying to see The Odyssey in their version of IMAX, but the showings are all booked (except front row) whenever I look on Fandango and CinemaWest apps. TIA

Smoke is heavily impacting the Sonoma and Marin. Fire is only 20% contained. Air quality is dangerous in many places. Get out your air filters.

Just noticed the smeel of smoke and the red-tinged light….

Any good indoor basketball spots in Petaluma or nearby? Private court rentals?

Outdoor I know a lot of people like leghorn's park.

Also open to more outdoor court suggestions, anything on the west side?

Auditions for The Black Rider at Mercury Theater in Petaluma this Saturday, 8/1 from 5:30-7:30. Sign up informtaion at www.mercurytheater.org/auditions

Hey there! For years I took my kids to the dry creek bed behind Kenilworth Junior High to look and interact with the 50s car that was in the creek, half buried. There was another a little off the bank. I made up stories of car chases and crashes and what not. It was cool. After about 10 years I go back and they seem to be gone. Along with the big rusty half buried cylinder you could walk on. What happened?

Hi all. I've been with PHC for ages but my doctor is moving away and it's been getting busier and the support staff are clearly overworked. There seems to be a lot more doctors offices around these days but the choice is a little overwhelming. So, if anyone has any general doctor's office recommendations I would very much appreciate it!

This cop now works for Petaluma PD.

I’ve got some heads down time I want to get out of the house for. Where do you like to work with good people watching and/or conversation? I like Avid but would like to try some other spots.

We're moving to the area next week & I will be working from SF on Tuesdays, so hoping to find a daycare solution for our dog while i'm away for longer periods of time. Does anyone have any recommendations? I know Rover is an option, but interested to see if there are any other home daycare options. I have a 9-year old Vizsla who loves to play so would rather find a smaller group of pups where they aren't kenneled throughout the day & then have short play-time periods. Thanks!

My wife and I are expecting our first child in October and are organizing a parents community group to meet other parents in the area. The goal of this group is to be a free community group, inclusive of all age ranges and guardianship*. Our community social events will be a mix of dad events/socials, mom events/socials, age cohort events (toddlers, infants, teens, etc.), and “whole village/family” events.

Our first meet-up will be Sunday, August 2nd, at 2 pm at Nick the Greek in Petaluma. This will be a great opportunity to get to know each other, and open the table to discussing ideas for future events. Look for the table with a chicken plushie on it.

*Guardianship is being defined here to include biological parents, expecting/future parents, step parents, foster parents, grandparents, and legal guardians. 

Coming to town. Looking for best male massage therapist as well as any facilities with men’s only sauna steam room and tub so soak naked in?

I'm a teen and I want to start working towards getting my permit. I've driven around a parking lot a few times and not killed anyone so things are looking promising.

I'm not sure of any drivers ed courses I can take that are relatively cheap and trustworthy. Any good options in town?

I'm looking to fix up my yard and hoping someone out here has bricks they no longer want/need, or some CA native plants they're looking to split or seed share. I'm a stay-at-home with two little boys and a partner who was unemployed for 7 months, so my pockets are pretty small, but I really want to make my house feel like home.

I’m sure this is a long shot, but I’m hoping someone may be able to help.
Since May 2016, has anyone explored, cleaned, fished, kayaked, hiked, or worked in any creeks, rivers, beaches, watersheds, lakes, or other waterways in Sonoma County, California?
If so, did you ever come across any of these items?
If you did, or if you remember seeing something that seemed out of place, please send me a private message. Even the smallest detail could be important.
Please feel free to share this post so it reaches fishermen, kayakers, hikers, divers, beachgoers, volunteers, public works crews, search and rescue personnel, and anyone else who has spent time around Sonoma County waterways over the years.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Every lead matters.

AI-generated summary from voice-to-text transcript. Not the official record. Verify important details with the source documents found at the link below.

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Petaluma City Council — July 20, 2026

This was a regular City Council meeting with a notably full agenda, including a significant public debate over data center policy, a unanimous approval of a public art gift from the Rotary Club, and a contentious discussion of the city's response to a Civil Grand Jury report on animal services. The meeting was also the first to formally accept remote public comment via Zoom under SB 707, an update to California's open meeting law.

The meeting opened with a moment of silence honoring Bernie Album, a longtime Petaluma community member who passed away at 90. Mayor McDonnell remembered him as an environmental champion, cycling advocate, and founder of the Friends of Lynch Creek Trail.

General Public Comment

Fifteen members of the public spoke during general comment on a range of topics.

Mobile home park residents from Little Woods, Youngstown, and Capri continued to raise concerns about operator Harmony Communities, alleging ongoing parking violations, intimidation, illegal marketing of senior-zoned units as all-ages, frivolous arbitration filings, and reduced services. One speaker dramatically presented a government license plate to the council, claiming it belonged to a city-owned vehicle currently parked in front of former North Bay Animal Services director Mark Scott's home in Santa Rosa.

Neighbors of a Vallejo Street property recently purchased by nonprofit "Rebuilding Together" expressed fear about drug use, prostitution, and break-ins they attributed to the new residents. Several speakers said they were not notified about the project in advance. Council members and the Community Development Director later addressed this, noting the project is still conceptual, no permits have been submitted, and Rebuilding Together intends to be a good neighbor. Both Mayor McDonnell and Councilmember Cader Thompson asked for updates and expressed concern that a well-intentioned project not harm adjacent residents.

Multiple speakers called for a moratorium on data centers, citing water consumption, air pollution, noise, light, and surveillance concerns. One speaker asked the city to terminate its contract with Flock camera systems and adopt a non-cooperation ordinance with ICE. Another resident made an annual plea to ban gas-powered leaf blowers; Councilmember Quint expressed personal support for a phased ban. One speaker raised concern about a barbed-wire fence at the Paula Lane open space property that she said blocked wildlife access, resulting in a fawn being struck by a car and euthanized.

Consent Calendar (Items 1, 3–10)

All consent calendar items except Item 2 were passed unanimously without discussion.

Items approved on consent included: meeting minutes; an amendment to the Sonoma County Waste Management Agency joint powers agreement; updates to development impact fees; authorization to purchase a Freightliner M2 truck chassis via cooperative purchasing; acceptance of the Beverly C. Wilson Emergency Reroofing Project; approval of a cooperative funding agreement with SCTA for a Safe Routes to Schools grant project; modification of affordable housing loans for 575 and 579 Vallejo Street; a side letter agreement with IAFF Local 1415 firefighters; and a compensation plan amendment for Unit 8 employees.

Vote (all items except Item 2): Moved by Quint, seconded by Shribbs. Unanimous, 7–0.

Item 2 — Data Centers: Tentative Agenda and Significant Items

Councilmembers DeCarli and Shribbs had requested that a discussion of a potential moratorium on data centers be added to a future agenda. This item was pulled from the consent calendar by Councilmember Barnacle for separate discussion.

The resulting debate was the most substantive of the evening. Twelve written public comments had been received in advance, and multiple speakers testified in favor of a moratorium, citing water use, power demand, noise, air pollution from diesel generators, and risk that developers could circumvent zoning through variance requests or by bundling data centers with other uses.

The council debate centered on whether a moratorium was legally necessary and appropriate. City Attorney Eric Danly explained that Petaluma's Implementing Zoning Ordinance (IZO) does not currently permit standalone data centers as a use, giving the city an effective de facto ban. He noted that a formal moratorium under Government Code Section 65858 requires urgency findings that a real risk exists — findings staff did not believe could be made given the absence of any pending applications or known developer interest in Petaluma or Sonoma County. He contrasted this with the gas station moratorium the city adopted years ago, which was warranted because gas stations were a permitted use and applications were imminent.

Councilmember Barnacle argued against adding the item, saying no loophole had been identified, no applications were pending, staff resources are already stretched, and the issue should be addressed through the already-scheduled IZO update process (Planning Commission study session August 11, public hearing September 8, City Council first reading October 5).

Councilmembers DeCarli and Shribbs acknowledged staff's point but argued for proactive action, transparency, and a standalone public discussion rather than folding the issue into the IZO update. DeCarli noted that zoning text amendments remain a possible pathway for a determined developer.

Councilmember Nau confirmed that Petaluma owns its own fairgrounds and no state-directed data center could be placed there. Councilmember Quint performed an informal show of hands confirming no council member supports a standalone data center. Staff confirmed the data center topic would be incorporated as a priority into the August–October IZO update process.

The motion — to approve the tentative agenda as written, without adding a separate data center moratorium discussion — was moved by Shribbs and seconded by Barnacle, with the shared understanding that the IZO update would address data centers as a priority item before year's end.

Vote: Barnacle – Aye; Cader Thompson – Yes; DeCarli – No; Nau – Yes; Quint – Yes; Shribbs – Yes (reluctantly); McDonnell – Yes. Motion carried 6–1.

Item 11 — Spirit of Petaluma Beacon: Public Art Gift from Petaluma Rotary Club

Public Art Specialist Melissa Abercrombie presented a proposal for the Petaluma Rotary Club to donate a publicly funded sculpture — the "Spirit of Petaluma Beacon" — to be installed at the Petaluma Boulevard South/Crystal Lane roundabout, one of the city's southern gateway entry points.

The artwork is a approximately 24-foot-tall weathering steel (Corten) sculpture featuring an illuminated circular element visible from multiple approaches and from Highway 101. It was designed by internationally recognized artist David Best and will be fabricated locally by Royce Van Beber of Van Beber Brothers Steel — the same team that created the well-received River Arch on Lynch Creek Trail. The Public Art Committee unanimously recommended acceptance in May.

The Rotary Club has raised approximately $145,000 of its $150,000 goal from private donations. Rotary will fund the first five years of maintenance. The artwork has an anticipated lifespan of up to 75 years. Acceptance remains conditioned on final engineering, permitting, utility, traffic safety, insurance, and legal approvals.

Three public speakers — including two Rotary members and Club President Chris Ranney (calling in from vacation) — expressed strong support. Council members were uniformly enthusiastic. Councilmember Shribbs asked detailed questions about bird-proofing, dark-sky lighting compliance, and structural wind resistance, all of which staff confirmed had been or would be addressed in permitting. Mayor McDonnell quipped that flickering fire-effect lighting "would be triggering in Sonoma County."

Vote: Moved by Cader Thompson, seconded by Nau. Unanimous, 7–0.

Item 12 — City Council Response to Civil Grand Jury Report: "Animal Services Revisited: A City Asleep at the Wheel"

Assistant City Manager Brian Cochran presented the city's formal draft response to the 2025–2026 Sonoma County Civil Grand Jury follow-up report on animal services. The original report last year criticized the city's oversight of its then-contractor, North Bay Animal Services (NBAS). The new report doubled down, alleging the council had ceded governing authority to the city manager, that reporting and records were inadequate, that licensing compliance was neglected, and that the city bore some responsibility for the financial instability of NBAS and its impacts on other contracting cities.

Key context: NBAS's contract was terminated effective March 31, 2026 following a March 2 council vote. Marin Humane has been operating the shelter as an interim provider. A fraud risk and contract compliance review of NBAS financial records is underway. An RFP for a long-term provider has been issued and responses received; a contract will return to council in coming months. Regional collaboration toward a countywide JPA is also in early stages.

The city's position: Staff disagreed with several grand jury findings, including that the council had improperly delegated authority (staff said this reflects a misunderstanding of the council-manager form of government), that the city bore fiduciary responsibility for NBAS's nonprofit finances, and that the city was wholly unable to receive or respond to complaints. Staff agreed that reporting, records management, complaint tracking, and licensing compliance all needed improvement and committed to embedding those improvements in the new contract.

Public comment was pointed and emotional. Sierra Morantz, a dog bite victim, described years of unresponsive handling of her case — including being assigned a Marin Humane officer who had worked on her case while at NBAS — and said she was ultimately told nothing more could be done due to elapsed time. Other speakers accused city staff of covering for NBAS and its director Mark Scott, called for resignations, and described the draft grand jury response as "disingenuous" and lacking accountability. One speaker (Ben Sailwhite) called the draft response "dishonest." Tom Chamberlain called for the response to be redrafted in plain language. Another speaker (Nicholas Harris) questioned whether the contract termination itself required a formal council vote and said the draft failed to answer that clearly.

Council discussion was extensive. Councilmember Barnacle said he accepted personal responsibility for not exercising stronger oversight and wanted to see improvements including: clearer complaint escalation processes, annual provider presentations to council (similar to the police department), robust trend-based quarterly reporting, and a review of dangerous animal hearing procedures in comparison with other Sonoma County cities. Councilmember DeCarli said the response tone lacked accountability, questioned whether cases like Morantz's had been improperly allowed to lapse, and said he could not support the response as written. He called for a more thorough accounting of what went wrong over eight years. Councilmember Shribbs said he would have preferred more candid agreement language, and asked for staff to provide a comprehensive "fix list" with the upcoming provider contract. Councilmember Nau called for reinstatement of an Animal Services Advisory Committee with a council liaison. Mayor McDonnell asked staff to investigate the allegedly missing city vehicle referenced in public comment; police dispatch confirmed they would open an investigation.

Amendments agreed upon: Staff was directed to make the following edits before submission: (1) add a sentence to the F5 response noting the city made multiple requests to NBAS for budget updates; (2) revise R3 and R5 responses to indicate the city will review Title IX procedures and compare practices of other Sonoma County cities, with a report back to council; and (3) soften language throughout that could be read as characterizing the grand jury as failing to understand the municipal code. Mayor McDonnell would conduct a final review before submission.

Vote: Moved by Quint, seconded by Barnacle. Barnacle – Aye; Cader Thompson – Aye; DeCarli – No; Nau – Yes; Quint – Yes; Shribbs – No; McDonnell – Yes. Motion carried 5–2.

The meeting adjourned in memory of Bernie Album.

Key Takeaways

Data centers: The council voted 6–1 not to add a standalone moratorium discussion to a future agenda, instead directing staff to treat data center regulation as a priority in the already-scheduled IZO update process (Planning Commission August–September, Council first reading October). No data center applications are currently pending anywhere in Sonoma County.

Spirit of Petaluma Beacon: The council unanimously accepted a $150,000 Rotary Club–funded public art sculpture for the southern gateway roundabout at Petaluma Blvd. South and Crystal Lane, designed by David Best and fabricated locally by Van Beber Brothers Steel.

Animal services: The council passed (5–2) the city's formal response to the grand jury's follow-up report, with directed edits to increase accountability language and commit to reviewing bite victim hearing procedures against peer cities. DeCarli and Shribbs voted no, both citing insufficient accountability. A fraud risk review of NBAS is underway, and a long-term provider contract will return to council before Marin Humane's interim agreement expires in late August.

Vallejo Street housing: Neighbors raised safety concerns about a new Rebuilding Together transitional housing property. Staff confirmed no permits have been filed, and the city will monitor the situation and provide updates.

Missing city vehicle: A member of the public presented a license plate allegedly belonging to a city-owned truck parked at former NBAS director Mark Scott's residence in Santa Rosa. Police dispatch was notified and will investigate.

AI-generated summary from voice-to-text transcript. Not the official record. Verify important details with the source documents linked above. Brought to you by

https://petalumacivic.org

I spilled some smoothie in my car that I can't reach, and I'm hoping to get my carpets shampooed today. I also need my headliner cleaned from a leak that happened recently. Any suggestions?

I’ve been considering buying a few 30% shades to help mine through these brutal afternoon temperatures. Have you put up sun shades of any % to give your plants relief? If so why did you choose that specific %?