Here comes the theater season Productions planned for area stages, including Healdsburg’s Raven 4
‘Our hands are tied’ Planning Commission claims impotence in face of 77-unit housing project 3
Michael J. Fox Foundation Local events help ‘take Parkinson’s to the mat’ 5
HEALDSBURGTRIBUNE.COM
OUR 161ST YEAR
NO 33
AUGUST 13, 2026
SMART sways Geyserville commuters ● Packed house voices support for local stop of regional rail Photo by Christian Kallen
Show of hands for Geyserville SMART Locals from as far away as Cotati pack the Geyserville Oriental Community Hall Monday night to learn more about SMART’s plans for a passenger station in town. When asked to make their preference known, most hands reached for thePAGE sky.12 See story at right. — MORE
A safe space for students under stress ● Wellness Center shortstaffed as bell rings Staff Report The High School Wellness Center faces a significant threat due to school district budget cuts
that have eliminated the fulltime intake coordinator position. This role is essential for keeping the center open during school hours to meet the needs of Healdsburg students. The total cost for the position is $84,000. The foundation has raised $25,000, leaving a $59,000 shortfall. Barbara and Howard Wollner, well-known benefactors of many local programs, donated $10,000 in July, making a significant contribution toward the goal. Other supporters of the Health Care
Foundation have contributed another $15,000 to date. “ T he He a ld sbu rg H ig h School Wellness Center serves as a trusted, accessible space where students can seek support, build resilience, and access mental health services without stigma,” read a statement from the Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County. A follow-up conversation with Amy Ramirez, the foundation’s executive director, shed further light — More on page 5
By Christian Kallen Just a walking block away from Geyserville Avenue, the Remmel Road Park & Ride lot finds itself perfectly situated for a train station. Until a few months ago, few even gave it a second thought. Now, with the advancing energy of a train full of promise, the community is showing up and showing support for a SMART stop in Geyserville, en route to its eventual destination in Cloverdale. It was only in June that the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit agency voted to pursue the Geyserville station, roughly midway between Healdsburg and Cloverdale. That decision essentially cut in half the 18-mile final jump of the SMART network, and the stop’s inclusion seems like a no-brainer today.
A s E xe cut i ve D ire c tor Eddy Cumins told the standing-room-only crowd at the Oriental Community Hall on Hwy 128 just over the river east of town, that location makes raising money easier. When the local state senator found out that Geyserville would be passed by, he encouraged the passage of a new bill that rewrote the rules for SMART stations so the unincorporated town could get the station. “It’s always helpful to have Mark McGuire living in the neighborhood,” Cumins said. Adding the Geyser v ille station helps “maximize the SMART system,” the director said. After all, if a train runs 30-40 times a day and doesn’t stop, that would be a problem. — More on page 6