LATEST NEWS
Sonoma County man sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison for molesting two children
A man was sentenced earlier this week to 12 years and eight months in prison after he was convicted last year of molesting two children, Sonoma County prosecutors said. A jury found Robert Herrera guilty in August 2023 of six charges of child molestation; two charges related to crimes Herrera committed against one child when she was younger than 14; and four charges for conduct with the other victim when she was 14 and 15 years old, prosecutors said Thursday. Herrera's charges stemmed from a report of abuse in 2021 by one of two child victims. At a jury trial...
State report on Sonoma County avian flu outbreak focuses on breaches in biosecurity
A newly published state investigation into Sonoma County’s avian flu outbreak cites a number of farm management practices that might have enabled spread of the virus this winter — and raises the possibility animal welfare activists introduced the deadly pathogen during incursions onto two bird farms in October and November.
Sonoma County airport conducts all-day emergency training drill
The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office helicopter Henry-1 circled above the charred fuselage at the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport Thursday morning as firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians methodically responded to Red Cross volunteers who were lying on the asphalt near the plane. Other volunteers who represented the “walking...
TikTok video of Sonoma County jail inmate getting emotional over hearing his musical composition goes viral. Here’s what the internet had to say
In March, inmates at the Sonoma County jail listened as a live Zoom broadcast from New York City brought the sounds of classical music into the detention facility. But, it wasn't just any music, these were compositions written by the inmates themselves, and a video taken by jail staff and shared with The Press Democrat of one inmate hearing his music being played has resonated with the internet.
Sonoma County Sheriff's Office identifies John Doe found in 2001; investigation continues
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office is asking the public for help after identifying a John Doe whose identity had been unknown since 2001. A Sonoma County resident told the sheriff's office on Feb. 15, 2001, that they found a human skull on "motorcycle mountain," near Duncan Road in Monte Rio. The skull was handed over to deputies. The sheriff's office then went to the reported area but were unable to find any other remains. For two decades, the only information the sheriff's office had was that the skull belonged to a white man, around 25 to 40 years old. In...
Windsor attorney convicted of taking $500,000 from family trust
An attorney was convicted in Sonoma County Superior Court in Santa Rosa on Tuesday after he pleaded no contest to stealing more than $500,000 from a family’s trust he had been managing. Michael Voorhees of Windsor reached a plea agreement with prosecutors and pleaded no contest to six counts...
Worker killed in Healdsburg tractor rollover ID’d
Authorities identified the worker who was killed last week after the tractor he was operating overturned in a Healdsburg vineyard. Ezequiel Orozco, 28, of Geyserville, was driving the tractor on a muddy private road at 6355 Mountain View Ranch Road just before 8:44 a.m. April 15 when the vehicle overturned and crushed him.
Sonoma County makes strides filling vacant positions, but some departments still struggling
Sonoma County Sheriff Eddie Engram on Wednesday touted the strides his department has made in reducing the number of job vacancies that have plagued his office in recent years, resulting in huge overtime workloads and staff burnout. Engram said vacancies among jail deputies, whose positions are among the county’s hardest...
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.