Community Corner
π± Patch AM: Waymo Ready For Carrying Passengers In Napa County
Make time for Napa Valley 1839 FC Home Game Season Opener on the Napa Patch calendar

Good morning to you Napa! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️
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In today's newsletter:
- Driverless Waymo rides are cleared to operate across Napa County
- Will Napa's next big parking garage replace a former pump station?
- Why a Republican rival is now backing Napa Democrat Eric Jones
Also on today's calendar: Napa Valley 1839 FC Home Game Season Opener and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: Why did the man leave his watch in the bank? 🤔 (Answer below!)
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- Tuesday: Partly sunny and hot, with a high of 96 and low of 57 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
- Wednesday: Partly sunny and hot, temps: high: 97, low: 57.
- Thursday: Partly sunny and warm, with a high of 92 and low of 56 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Waymo Ready For Carrying Passengers In Napa County (patch.com) — Napa residents could soon see Waymo's driverless cars offering passenger rides after state regulators approved an expansion that specifically includes Napa, American Canyon, Calistoga, St. Helena, and Yountville. While the company has not set a launch date, the CPUC and DMV decisions clear key regulatory hurdles, allowing Waymo to roll out service incrementally across its newly authorized Napa County territory.
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2. Study favors former Napa pump station for new parking garage (pressdemocrat.com) — Napa city officials are weighing a new downtown parking garage, with consultants recommending the former NapaSan pump station on West Street as the best balance of cost, capacity, and community support. The project would help meet growing parking demand from new hotels and development around downtown and the Oxbow District, but the council still must choose a preferred site and funding approach before any construction moves forward.
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3. Mike Thompson challenger Eric Jones gets endorsement from GOP rival (pressdemocrat.com) — Napa resident Eric Jones, a Democrat challenging Rep. Mike Thompson in the 4th District, has picked up an unusual endorsement from his former Republican primary rival, Ray Riehle. The story details Jones' anti-establishment pitch, questions about his relatively recent move to Napa, and how outside money and party power dynamics are shaping this closely watched race. Local voters may see more crossover messaging on water, debt, and term limits.
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4. lunch-box-sebastopol-carabao-napa-check-please-bay-area (fresnobee.com) — Napa's Filipino restaurant Carabao is seeing a big boost in customers after being featured on KQED's "Check, Please! Bay Area," alongside stops on the Napa Valley Taco Trail. The TV spotlight has doubled midweek business and filled weekends, mirroring the surge experienced by Sebastopol burger spot Lunch Box. Expect fuller dining rooms and tougher reservations if you're planning a visit.
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📸 Around Napa
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Napa
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Napa Valley 1839 FC Home Game Season Opener →
4026 Maher St, Napa
6:00 pm
Saturday August 22
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Sip & Support Benefiting Napa Humane at Clif Family Winery →
709 Main St, St Helena
11:30 am - NEW!! 26/27 Book Fair--Napa BookMine
Pueblo Vista Magnet Napa, CA 94558
12:45 pm - JV/V Volleyball vs. Piner HS 5/6pm
Napa High School, 2475 Jefferson St, Napa, CA 94558, USA
5:00 pm - Back to School Night
Pueblo Vista Magnet Napa, CA 94558
5:00 pm - Thursday Night Live at Priest Ranch | Yountville →
Priest Ranch Tasting Room, 6490 Washington St, Yountville
9:00 am - Live Music at John Anthony Vineyards Tasting Lounge (Jacob Phillip Benning) →
John Anthony Vineyards, 1440 1st St, Napa
3:00 pm - Live Music at John Anthony Vineyards Tasting Lounge (Ellie James) →
John Anthony Vineyards, 1440 1st St, Napa
3:00 pm - Photographer Becky Jaffe to present at the Napa Valley Photographic Society August Meeting →
Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St, Napa
7:00 pm - Vintage to Vine: 2023 Cabernet Release Dinner →
Somerston Estate Winery & Vineyards, 3450 Sage Canyon Rd, St Helena
6:30 pm - Rail Arts District (RAD) Napa Annual Action Art Fest →
1739 Action Ave, Napa
9:00 am - Live Music at John Anthony Vineyards Tasting Lounge. →
John Anthony Vineyards, 1440 1st St, Napa
3:00 pm
Wednesday August 19
Thursday August 20
Friday August 21
Saturday August 22
Monday August 24
Friday August 28
Saturday August 29
📣 Napa Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- At last, I have a day off, and you know what that entails…
It's health check day for our little 5 week old foster kitten, and of course, I can't miss the chance to greet all the wonderful pups at the shelter… (Nextdoor Browns Valley) - I'm posting again about the topic of indoor vs outdoor cats.
I love cats and I have read articles, one on a website called TotalVet, that says indoor cats have a life expectancy of 12-15 years, whereas cats… (Nextdoor Linda Vista)
- Napa Valley Unified School District posted a job opening for Basketball Boys Assistant Coach - Vintage High in Napa. Apply here.
- Accor North America, Inc. posted a job opening for Part Time Housekeeping House Attendant in Sonoma. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Napa here.
Ok Napa! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: So he could save time! (Thank you Lorraine S. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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