The 707
Horse racing scratched at Sonoma County Fair The popular horse racing events at the Sonoma County Fair are being suspended this year due to a lack of available horses to race, fair officials announced. The closing of Golden Gate Fields, the 83-year-old race track between Berkeley and Albany, last summer and the elimination of horse stabling at the Alameda County Fair this coming March means there’s a lack of horses for the fair’s summer race meet. The industry as a whole has come under scrutiny for its treatment of horses; between 2021 and 2023, Golden Gate Fields had 35 horse deaths, according to Berkeleyside.com . “We remain indebted to the legacy of racing and the industry,” Sonoma County Fair officials said Feb. 4 in an announcement. “We are deeply saddened by the conditions in the horse racing industry that have unfolded to prompt this decision.” With the closing of Golden Gate Fields last year, following the 2008 closure of Bay Meadows Racetrack in San Mateo, the industry is centralizing its horse population in Southern California, the announcement explained. Fair officials said they’re implementing a reprogramming plan to bring new entertainment to the fair this August. The fair’s 2025 theme is “Hot Dogs and Cool Cats.”
“This year’s fair is all about celebrating our four-legged, feathered and scaly friends with amazing animals shows, the ‘Petals and Pets’ flower show and more,” the announcement continued. “The Racing Grandstand is set to host a new lineup of events for a wide variety of family fun.” The 2025 Sonoma County Fair runs Aug. 1 to 11 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1450 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. Visit sonomacountyfair.com.— JW
Sonoma County greatly expands fair-wage agreement for construction projects Fair wages for more county-contracted construction workers was the goal this week when the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved expansion of its Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with local trade unions. The revised PLA requires contractors and subcontractors to pay union wages and benefits on most County of Sonoma construction and maintenance contracts over $1 million. The county’s collective bargaining agreement with local trade unions was first reached in 2014—previously, the PLA only came into play in projects more than $10 million and excluded maintenance workers. “These changes will help strengthen our economy and our community,” said Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, chair of the Board of Supervisors. A Project Labor Agreement sets terms of employment for construction workers—both union and non-union—on certain types of projects. “In general, they set wages and benefits for workers, require contractors to hire workers through a union hiring hall, and include no-strike and no-lockout clauses,” county officials explained in a statement. “They may also outline goals for hiring workers from local and disadvantaged communities and supporting small businesses.” Additionally, the PLA will now cover the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Sonoma Water and four sanitation districts managed by the Sonoma County Water Agency. The policy excludes disaster and emergency response contracts and projects where funding sources prohibit the use of Project Labor Agreements.— NBb staff
Lawsuit alleges fraud, embezzlement against Molti Amici founder
Molti Amici, the name of the recently shuttered Michelin-listed restaurant in Healdsburg, translates to “many friends.” Today, the former destination-eatery has one less friendship—as its current owner Jason Cutrer and his ownership company are suing Molti Amici founder Jonny Barr for more than $1.5 million in damages over allegations of fraud and embezzlement. The San Francisco Chronicle first reported news of the legal action. The suit alleges Barr withheld as much as $60,000 in funds that should have been deposited in the restaurant’s bank account meant to pay bills for vendors and other services. Cutrer first raised the red flag about the missing funds last summer with the Healdsburg Police Department, which ultimately declined to pursue the case. Barr denies any wrongdoing, saying the unaccounted-for $60,000 was paid to vendors, et al, in cash. The suit also claims Barr, who has since relocated to Indiana, falsely reported balance sheets, issued himself unapproved checks from the restaurant’s account for his own expenses, and personally polished off more than $250,000 worth of wine from the restaurant. Cutrer says the financial mismanagement led to the restaurant losing $600,000 in its first year. Molti Amici abruptly closed Nov. 3, 2024.— NBb
12 NorthBaybiz
March 2025
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