Parkside Eats has taken over the former Lepe’s Taqueria in Santa Rosa and is drawing crowds for a $21 Parkside cheeseburger and a menu of Mexican‑leaning comfort food.

CAL FIRE says it will move to permanently staff one engine per battalion and is recruiting full‑time Firefighter II crews as training begins in Sonoma‑Lake‑Napa.

Sandpino's Coffee & Brews opened in Rohnert Park, pairing Black Oak coffee and Don Luis pastries with a tap list of Sonoma beers and wines.

Redwood Gospel Missions opened a bakery in Santa Rosa on April 14 that pairs croissants and espresso with hands‑on job training for program participants.

Santa Rosa City Schools has agreed to a $6.25M settlement tied to the March 1, 2023 Montgomery High classroom stabbing. The payouts resolve civil claims that the district failed to curb escalating violence on campus.

A proposed five‑story, 74‑room Castellucci hotel at downtown St. Helena is entering CEQA review, with public comment open through April 20.

Doctors and regulators are urging California to consider banning high‑silica engineered stone after hundreds of fabricators developed silicosis and dozens have died.

Napa County won $4.7M in state funds to repurpose a 21,000-sq-ft reentry facility into a $24M behavioral health center. Construction is slated to finish late 2026.

The Barlow in Sebastopol is adding new shops and eateries this spring — from an enlarged Rust Boutique to a Wild Poppy location with on-site tofu production. Permits and events are lining up to bring more visitors this summer.

Chanel-backed St. Supéry has purchased Rudd Estate’s Oakville vineyards and Crossroads label; Samantha Rudd says Press Restaurant will continue operating. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Santa Rosa police arrested a 53-year-old woman after witnesses reported she chased people with a knife near the Safeway on Mendocino Avenue; no other injuries were reported.

Newsom’s 2026–27 budget would make Medi‑Cal mobile crisis services optional in April 2027, shifting costs to counties and putting North Bay teams at risk.

A landslide blocked the westbound lane of SR‑116 at Laurel Dell Avenue near Monte Rio on Sunday, forcing single‑lane traffic while crews respond. Check 511 and Caltrans for updates.