Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How the new 40X bus could change your Sonoma commute
You won't want to miss Aren't Reverse Mortgages a Scam? Learn the Facts at Free Webinar on the Sonoma Patch calendar

Morning Sonoma! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- How the new 40X bus could change your Sonoma commute
- How one Sonoma Valley neighbor is quietly transforming yards for pollinators
- What Vella's final vat means for Sonoma's cheese-loving community
Also on today's calendar: Aren't Reverse Mortgages a Scam? Learn the Facts at Free Webinar and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What do you get when you cross an angry cow with an angry sheep? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Thursday: Mostly sunny and very warm, with a high of 95 and low of 55 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
- Friday: Not as hot, temps: high: 84, low: 50.
- Saturday: Partly sunny, breezy and nice, with a high of 80 and low of 48 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. New Route 40X bus service, connecting Sonoma Valley to SMART, now running (sonomanews.com) — Sonoma residents now have a dedicated Route 40X bus linking Sonoma Plaza to the SMART train station in Petaluma, with morning and evening runs timed for commuters. The streamlined service, part of a broader regional transit plan, offers low fares and synchronized transfers, aiming to boost ridership and improve access to jobs, schools, and medical care across the county.
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2. Meet the Sonoma Valley advocate saving pollinators (pressdemocrat.com) — In Sonoma Valley, volunteer Cindy Lindh is rallying churches, schools, gardens, and local agencies to plant native species and create pollinator corridors that support monarchs and other insects. From Sonoma Garden Park's native nursery to school pollinator gardens and the city's Mayors' Monarch Pledge, her networking offers residents practical ways to transform yards and public spaces into thriving habitat.
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3. After Almost a Century, Vella Has Emptied Their Last Vat of Cheese - San Francisco Bay Times (sfbaytimes.com) — Sonoma is losing a cornerstone of its food culture as Vella Cheese Company ends nearly a century of cheesemaking in town, including its iconic Dry Jack and Mezzo Secco cheeses. The article reflects on the family business's history, its influence on California's artisan cheese scene, and what this closure means for Sonoma's culinary identity and longtime cheese lovers.
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4. California adopting more laid-back approach to wine tasting at farmers' markets (pressdemocrat.com) — Sonoma wineries will soon have more freedom to pour and sell wine at local certified farmers' markets thanks to a new California law taking effect in 2027. By dropping the estate-grown requirement and expanding tasting options, the change could bring more small producers into Sonoma markets, giving residents more local wine choices and closer connections with winemakers.
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5. Sonoma County Agency Agrees to Reel in Drone Program After Privacy Violations (kqed.org) — Sonoma County's Permit Sonoma has agreed to scale back its controversial drone code-enforcement program after a lawsuit over alleged privacy violations, promising warrants or consent for future flights and public review of its policies. Local residents cited by drone surveillance will receive settlements, and the county will limit image retention and share flight logs, while the broader newscast also touches on statewide politics and regional environmental issues.
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📸 Around Sonoma
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 Sonoma
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Aren't Reverse Mortgages a Scam? Learn the Facts at Free Webinar →
Online via Zoom,
12:00 pm - 17th Annual Greek & Middle Eastern Festival →
St. George Orthodox Church, 7311 College View Dr, Rohnert Park
12:00 pm - 2nd Annual BEE in Kenya Dinner and Art Auction →
Dragonfly Farm and Floral, 425 Westside Rd, Healdsburg
6:00 pm
Thursday September 10
Saturday September 12
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Jack London State Historic Park WILD Trail Challenge →
Jack London State Historic Park, 2400 London Ranch Rd, Glen Ellen
9:00 am - Collage Your Story →
Sonoma Community Center, 276 E Napa St, Sonoma
11:00 am - Pinot & Paella Autumn Wine Celebration →
Convene by Dan Kosta, 14210 Bacchus Lndg Wy, Healdsburg
1:00 pm - Gimme Gimme Disco →
Napa Music Hall, 1030 Main St, Napa
8:00 pm - Myth & Archetype as seen through Poetry & Astrology →
Occidental Center for the Arts 3850 Doris Murphy Court Occidental, CA
3:00 pm - Developing Your Drawing Eye →
Sonoma Community Center, 276 E Napa St, Sonoma
10:00 am - Sonoma Town Bluegrass Jam →
Sonoma Community Center, 276 E. Napa, Sonoma
6:30 pm - Occidental Jazz Festival →
Occidental Center for the Arts 3850 Doris Murphy Court Occidental, CA
7:00 pm - Jack London State Historic Park WILD Trail Challenge →
Jack London State Historic Park, 2400 London Ranch Rd, Glen Ellen
9:00 am
Saturday September 12
Sunday September 13
Monday September 14
Friday September 18
Saturday September 19
📣 Sonoma 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.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Sonoma PatchAM possible:
- GOFLOW Plumbing — (707) 200-8350
- Cheryl Teach Music — (707) 326-8797
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- This dog was just now on Fisher lane (cross street Broadway) looking lost.
Limping holding up one front paw. It looks like they are wearing a collar. I couldn't get it to come closer to me but I thought I'd post this if… (Nextdoor South Sonoma) - Need some cardboard to cover kitchen floor for a small remodel.
Where do you folks go to get cardboard? Thanks! (Nextdoor Sonoma)
- Krug Development Company posted a job opening for Part Time Public Area Attendant in Sonoma. Apply here.
- Molly Maid posted a job opening for Residential House Cleaning Professional in Napa. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Sonoma here.
Ok Sonoma! 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: An animal that's in a baaaaad mooood! (Thank you Lisa A. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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