FPA Blog
Skatespot, El Mo Update, New Mural, MAC Meeting, Vaccine
These posts first appear in the Sonoma County Gazette and then reprinted here on the FPA Blog.
by Vesta Copestakes
August 2021
Forestville’s Skatespot Update
Our skatepark design process is beginning with Newline Skateparks. All skateboarders, scooter riders, inline skaters and bmx riders should contact Jacque Brazieal at Forestville Skatespot for details: 707-887-8260. The first meeting is targeted for input from skateboarders specific to skatepark elements and features the skaters want to skate on, around, and the flow of the park. There will be a second meeting with Newline for the entire community in the future.
For the first time ever, Skateboarding is a featured event in the Tokyo Olympics! We are hoping to have an Olympic Skatepark Event Watch Party at La Rosa Taqueria August 4th around 5pm. This depends on Broadcasting and access but hopefully it can happen! No charge, all welcome. We encourage you to enjoy La Rosa’s food and drink while watching champion skateboarding! Forestville Skatespot t-shirts, masks, and caps will be for sale as well.
El Molino High School Update
Our community effort to save El Molino High School includes people from Analy and Laguna High Schools as well. An enthusiastic crowd gathered in Sebastopol’s Downtown Plaza to show support for the lawsuit filed by C.A.R.E (Community Alliance for Responsible Education) against the West County Unified High School District board for violations of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) that involve traffic studies, environmental impact studies, and more. The lawsuit has a court date in September, too late to stop this year’s El Mo students from moving to the Analy campus and Laguna students moving to the El Molino campus. If you would like to support the lawsuit, please donate through the website saveelmo.com
We have until August 23rd to get 9,000 signatures on petitions to recall three of the board members who voted to consolidate these high schools: Jeanne Fernandes, Laurie Fadave, and Kellie Noe. Petitions are at the Tuesday Forestville Farmers Market (4 – 7pm), Saturdays and Sundays at the Downtown Park trailhead (11am – 2pm), La Rosa’s Taqueria, Shear Pleasure Salon, Sequoia Properties and if I can find room at Ideal Hardware. PLEASE make sure you have signed so we can get this on the ballot. If you want to take petitions to your neighbors, please pick up copies at the farmers market.
Forestville Chamber of Commerce
THANK YOU Forestville Chamber for your oh-so-generous contribution to Save El Molino High School. Our chamber knows how much of an economic impact losing El Molino could have on our downtown businesses. This recall and lawsuit are essential to the economic vitality of Forestville! Learn about our Chamber at forestvillechamber.org
Mural title: Forestville – Where the River meets the Redwoods
THANK YOU also for hiring Amandalynn to paint a mural on the Oddfellows Hall wall that holds our Community Bulletin Board. As you can see they requested that the mural depict a lion, and the lion we got is amazing! Learn more about our amazing Forestville resident at her website: alynnpaint.comLion detail. (left)
Lower Russian River MAC Meeting
So far, we’re still meeting via Zoom and if the Delta variant of COVID continues to impact public gatherings, we will have our August 19th meeting @ 5:30 pm via Zoom as well. (https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/River-Municipal-Advisory-Council/Calendar/MAC-Meeting-August-19-2021/)
Our Vacation Rental Committee submitted a report to the Board of Supervisors on our latest findings as they begin the process of updating the V.R. Ordinance to better serve both our tourist and residential communities. You can help our committee learn more about how to live in balance with short-term vacation rentals by visiting our committee website at russianrivermac.org.
Forestville Pharmacy COVID Vaccines
If you have not received your vaccine yet, it’s EASY at the pharmacy. Call to make an appointment, or if you happen to be in town, stop by to see if Mark can get that shot in your arm. As you know, COVID cases are rising among those who have not been vaccinated, so please start wearing your mask again in busy locations, and get that shot.
NEWS around Forestville? Please don’t assume Vesta knows it! TELL her:
CALL 707-887-0253 – EMAIL vesta@sonic.net.