Weekly roundup for August 9, 2024

Today's digest provides helpful and important updates on the following:

1. "The Greatest Fair on Earth" ends this weekend
2. Mobile Crisis Teams expanded
3. Civil Grand Jury reports online
4. Podcast features law library

"The Greatest Fair on Earth" ends this weekend

If you haven't been to the Sonoma County Fair yet, there's still three days left to find out why this summer tradition draws thousands of people every year.

The fair wraps up its 11-day run on Sunday, Aug. 11. This year's theme, "The Greatest Fair on Earth," celebrates the joys of an old-fashioned circus. The starring act is Sylvia Zerbini's Liberté-A Cavalia Experience, which blends horsemanship with imaginative stagecraft, intricate choreography, high-flying gravity-defying aerial stunts and multi-talented musicians. But there is something for everyone, whether you are a fan of amusement park rides, carnival games, live music, horse racing, farm animals, arts and crafts displays, or fair food.

If you are looking to spruce up your garden, don't miss the annual Flower Show Plant Sale on Monday, Aug. 12 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Arrive early for the best selection of plants and props displayed in the Hall of Flowers during the fair. Admission and parking are free.

Board of Supervisors expands Mobile Crisis Teams, mental health services for youth

Four years ago, Sonoma County voters made it clear that more must be done to serve people struggling with homelessness and mental health. To pay for these services, they approved Measure O, which increased the county's sales tax by a quarter-cent for 10 years.

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors is putting that money to work. Last month, it allocated $4 million to support countywide 24/7 mobile crisis services during the fiscal year that began July 1. Supervisors also approved $1.8 million to expand a program that will provide mental health services to students at 19 local high schools.

"Measure O is making a real difference in the lives of Sonoma County children and adults," said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. "This funding is putting mental health specialists in our schools and on mobile crisis teams that respond to calls for help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in every corner of our county."

The mobile crisis teams, which are staffed with specialists in mental health and substance abuse, provide focused care for people in crisis who do not require intervention by law enforcement. They are trained to assess the situation and provide support or referrals to medical and social services, as needed.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency, call the County's 24-hour mental health hotline at 1-800-746-8181.

The mobile crisis teams are operated by the Sonoma County Department of Health Services in partnership with four cities - Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Cotati - and Sonoma State University. All other areas of the county are served directly by the Department of Health Services, which is working on a similar partnership with the city of Healdsburg.

Civil Grand Jury reports available online

Every year, the Superior Court in Sonoma County convenes a Civil Grand Jury to investigate local government agencies and find out if they are efficient, honest and fair. The 2023-24 panel completed its work this summer, publishing five reports on election integrity, fire safety, government spending, the County jail, and the County Department of Health Services.

Those reports have now been published online, in both English and Spanish. They examine the performance of local government agencies and offer suggestions on how to improve them. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors is slated to issue the County's responses to two of the five reports on Tuesday, Aug. 13.

"You served a unique and vital role in conducting investigations that led to intelligent, thorough and thoughtful reports that will serve to educate our community about their local government and provide recommendations for improvements to local government," Judge Shelly J. Averill, presiding judge of the Sonoma County Superior Court, said in a note to members of the Civil Grand Jury.

New podcast episode

The latest episode of the SoCo Chat podcast is now available. In this episode, we take a look at a little known resource on the County campus, the Sonoma County Law Library.

Nikolaos Pelekis, Law Library manager, discusses the amazing services provided including passport services, lawyers in the library and how to get a state park pass on loan. Listen in to hear all the amazing details.

Find this and other episodes wherever you get your podcasts or on the County website.

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