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Hey Santa Rosa, hope your week’s off to a good start!

In today’s wallet-friendly edition: Police community experience, a new food truck training program, and a free rowing lesson + lots of fun things to do for free.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around Santa Rosa protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 In the news

Behind the badge insights: The Santa Rosa Police Department’s seven-week community experience is accepting applications through March 27, with sessions on investigations, narcotics, firearms safety, and emergency vehicle maneuvers, focused on building relationships — see how and when to apply.

Major corridor changes ahead: Santa Rosa begins $1.5 million Sonoma Avenue project today, from Farmers Lane to Hahman Drive, adding sidewalks, upgraded ramps, and a road diet with a dedicated bus and bike lane — get all the project details.

Nonprofit trainees cook for community: Sabor, Sonoma Family Meal’s food truck, has launched in Petaluma serving dishes with Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin flavors, putting proceeds into job training and eyeing more North Bay stops — see what’s planned next.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Highlights this week:

• Learn propagation and take home plants
• Sketch with Sonoma County Sketchbook Club
• Kids learn to ride a bike

🫶 We got your back

Sandwich cravings, sorted: Whether you’re into toasty stacks or lighter veggie picks, Zoftig Eatery makes made-to-order sandwiches with great ingredients and real flavor. It’s a downtown Santa Rosa standby when your day’s packed and you want something satisfying… without the food coma.

Trail therapy, anyone?: When the week gets loud, Trione-Annadel State Park answers with quiet singletrack, oak woodlands, and early wildflowers skirting Lake Ilsanjo. A deep breath and a few Santa Rosa hillside miles have a way of resetting the pace.

Playtime, handled: Kaleidoscope Toys is your neighborhood go-to for puzzles, crafty kits, and toys that actually get played with. When birthdays pop up or rainy afternoons linger, their mix of games and indoor-and-outdoor finds for all ages makes smiles easy to snag.

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

📆 Free events worth checking out

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🌮 Let’s Taco ’bout Real Estate @ Santa Rosa Ca | Tuesday (3/10) at 12:00 AM – Whether you’ve bought, sold, or just Zillow at midnight, Taco Tuesday is serving a free, pick-the-topic real estate Q&A with Allison and Stephanie Norman, the KSRO pros. Come for the tacos, stay for straight answers, and leave feeling smarter than your Zestimate.

🎤 Karaoke @ The California | Friday (3/13) at 10:00 PM – Free, easy karaoke at The California, with 58,000 songs spanning a century, including the one you pretend to hate. Pick a stage name, grab a duet with your bestie, and enjoy loud, friendly cheers from first-timers, seasoned crooners, and the whole room. Air guitars welcome.

🌱 Volunteer Day @ Jeff Bodwin Community Garden at Andy’s Unity Park | Saturday (3/14) at 9:00 AM – Spring prep at Jeff’s Garden at Andy’s Unity Park in southwest Santa Rosa needs help, and yours counts. Swap the gym for moving compost, weeding, and sprucing beds with neighbors, then bask in a smug, soil-under-the-nails glow. Bring water, snacks, gloves, sunscreen, and a hat.

🌱 Arbor Day Tree Planting Party @ Finley Park, Community Center & Aquatic Complex | Saturday (3/14) at 9:00 AM – Head to Finley Community Park for a tree planting party, free, family friendly, and proudly rain or shine because trees love a soak. Tools and gloves are covered, you bring water, snacks, and the kids, with an adult in charge, to make Santa Rosa shadier.

🚣 Free Rowing Lesson @ The Floathouse Petaluma | Saturday (3/14) at 10:00 AM – Trade the treadmill for our longest park, the Petaluma River, with free Saturday rowing lessons in classic boats, two people max, come once or come often. Register online, learn the basics, then reward yourself with brunch, no Lycra, no yelling, and a graceful workout.

🥧 Girl Scouts Celebrate Pi! @ Girl Scouts of Northern Calif-North Coast Office | Saturday (3/14) at 10:00 AM – Santa Rosa families, bring the crew to a Girl Scouts Pi Day with kid-friendly STEM shenanigans and a singalong or two. It is free, all ages, and a painless way to meet our local troop, learn about opportunities, and cleverly outsource math enthusiasm. RSVP.

🎶 Sonoma County Music Social @ Arlene Francis Center | Tuesday (3/17) at 6:00 PM – Play an instrument, teach, or wrangle gigs around here? This free, bring-a-snack, bring-your-instrument meetup pairs a short check-in with a friendly jam, with local pros and real talk on fair pay and Sonoma County venues. Swap contacts, borrow inspiration, and actually feel supported, imagine that.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Santa Rosa report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 69°F – Low: 43°F – Precip: 1%

Sunny, with a high near 69. Northwest wind 2 to 6 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. Northwest wind 1 to 5 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 75°F – Low: 48°F – Precip: 0%

Sunny, with a high near 75. Northwest wind around 3 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. Northwest wind around 3 mph.

Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance? 🚗

Premiums have been climbing across California but most folks won’t notice until they’re hit with a higher bill when it’s time to renew.

That’s exactly what happened to me. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, it was out of sight and out of mind. Turns out I was blindly paying way more than everyone else I knew.

If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too – here’s the comparison tool I used.

This house is wild

This 4-bed, 3.5-bath custom in Santa Rosa’s Wikiup Hills blends luxury with a cathedral-ceiling great room, curving staircase, and red birch floors. A renovated chef’s kitchen opens to a 900-square-foot deck. The 22′ x 17′ primary suite offers a fireplace and spa bath. Set on nearly an acre with majestic oaks, the property also includes a walk-in unfinished basement.

Take a peek inside →