Town staff from the Parks & Recreation and Public Works departments and the Windsor Police helped to ensure last Saturday’s Levi’s GranFondo cycling event ran smoothly.

Staff began assisting with event set-up on Thursday, April 21, and on Saturday, Town staff arrived as early as 4:45 AM to drop off traffic barricades, cones and other signage. By 6:45 AM, 17 members from the Parks & Recreation Department and a handful of Public Works staff were on site at the Town Green and along the ride route to stage the barricades and see the riders safely through Windsor. The Town’s Economic Development staff also worked with downtown Windsor businesses to welcome the riders and their families by creating a pamphlet highlighting the business and offering special promotions. Over 2,000 pamphlets were printed and inserted into each rider’s registration packet. 

More than 1,500 riders – including 38 Windsor residents -- crossed the start line at 7:30 AM. Once leaving they the Town Green, they branched out onto five routes, ranging from 32 miles (“Piccolo”) to almost 140 miles (“Growler” with an elevation gain of 13,549 ft.). Both riders and the public enjoyed the free post-event festival on the Town Green, which featured live music, food, and beer from local breweries. Proceeds from the event benefits the King Ridge Foundation. Levi’s GranFondo has raised $3.2 million to help at-risk youth since former pro cyclist Levi Leipheimer started the event in 2009.

This was the first time Levi’s GranFondo was held in Windsor (it was previously held in Santa Rosa). The Town thanks all Windsor residents and local businesses for their understanding and support during the event’s temporary road closures.

Construction on Starr Road: Drivers, Slow Down 

PG&E is in the process of installing a new gas system on Starr Road and Starburst Court, an intensive job that requires flaggers to slow and stop oncoming traffic. We have noticed that many vehicles are going too fast in this area, above the 35 mph speed limit. In addition to creating a safety hazard, speed also increases the noise that vehicles make as they drive over the temporary steel plates in the construction zone.

To help ensure safety and decrease noise, Windsor Police is now conducting directed traffic enforcement on Starr Road through May 3 – the date PG&E is projected to complete its gas-system work. Windsor Police is watching for speeding, modified vehicle exhaust, distracted driving, pedestrian right-of-way violations and stop sign violations. Check out this short video on the dangers of speeding in a neighborhood.

Please do your part to keep our roadways safe by obeying posted speed limits and the rules of the road. Your neighbors on Starr Road will also appreciate it. Thank you.

April 29: Countywide test of NOAA Weather Radios

The County of Sonoma and the National Weather Service will conduct a countywide emergency alert exercise at noon this Friday, April 29, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio alert system.

The weather-radio alarm will sound once, then a short test message will follow, closing with an alarm tone. The words “Civil Emergency Message” may scroll across the displays of compatible radios. If you own a NOAA Weather Radio, make sure your radio is set up correctly and plugged in, with backup batteries installed.

Please don’t call 9-1-1 for information about this test. However, you can report whether or not you received the message via your NOAA weather radio by calling (707) 565-1369 or emailing info@socoalert.com. Please include your location.

Stage 3 of Roundabout Construction to Start May 2

We are now in the final days of Stage 2 of the roundabout construction project, which is the demolition and removal of old curbs, gutters and sidewalks and the installation of new curbs, gutters and sidewalks and and paving along the southwest corner of Windsor Road and Windsor River Road.

Stage 3 (of six stages) construction is scheduled to start on May 2. This stage will consist of excavation, grading, and paving of Windsor River Road west of Windsor Road. Stage 3 also proposes closure of Windsor River Road west of Windsor Road. There are no detour changes for pedestrians. See the detour map for westbound and eastbound travel on Windsor River Road. We estimate we will finish Stage 3 by May 13, weather permitting.

Road Closure: Northbound Windsor Road will be closed for Stage 4 construction activity once Stage 3 has been completed. However, southbound Windsor Road and all of Windsor River Road will remain open to vehicle traffic. For more information about this project and to see a larger version of the map, please go here.

April 30: Drop Off Old Drugs at Police Department

Don’t flush your pills or other medications down the toilet or drain or throw them in the trash. Pouring medication down the drain can contaminate the environment and end up in our drinking water; we also don't want medication in our landfills. Instead, drop off old medication (both prescription and over-the-counter), pet medication, inhalers, vape pens, and e-cigarette devices (no batteries) this Saturday, April 30, from 10 AM – 2 PM at the Windsor Police Department. This event is part of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Pharmaceutical Drug Take Back Day. 

Not accepted: empty medication containers, needles/syringes (used or unused), hydrogen peroxide, thermometers, non-medical beauty products, infectious waste (sharps, blades, or other items that may cause injury in handling).

If you miss Take Back Day, Windsor Police has a medicine disposal bin in its lobby, open Mondays – Thursdays from 8 AM – 5 PM. The year-round bin is limited to over-the-counter and prescription medication, veterinary medication, and inhalers. Be sure to empty pills into a plastic bag as pill containers will not be accepted. Leave liquid medication in their original containers and secure in a leak- proof plastic bag. 

Wall to be Sworn in as Newest Councilmember

Yesterday, April 27, the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters certified the official ballot results from Windsor’s April 12 special election and the winner, Mike Wall, will be sworn in and take his seat on the Town Council on May 4. He will fill the remainder of a four-year term that expires in December. Wall and his family have lived in Windsor for 16 years.

For a copy of the May 4 Town Council meting agenda and information on how to watch the meeting live, please visit: https://www.townofwindsor.com/721/Agendas-Minutes-Videos

Windsor Senior Recreation Center Pool Opens on May 1

This Sunday, May 1, the Windsor Senior Recreation Center therapeutic pool will open for the season! Programs will run through the end of October and include lap swim, open swim, water fitness and, after a two-year hiatus, youth swim lessons.

While the swim programs (apart from youth lessons) are targeted to adults 50 years old or better, younger adults may use the WSRC pool and its programs if they submit a prescription from their doctor recommending they do water exercise. For more information, please visit: www.townofwindsor.com/323/Aquatics. For information about youth swim lessons, please call (707) 838-1260 or visit https://bit.ly/YouthSL2022

400+ Gallons of Trash Collected at Earth Day Event

More than a dozen Windsor residents, including Town staff and folks from WeAct and the Windsor Rotary, collected more than 400 gallons of trash at our April 24 Earth Day community trash clean-up event on Hembree Lane. Besides lots and lots of plastic, the garbage included window blinds and even a broken windshield.

In addition, students from Windsor High School will also pick up trash, which will increase our total. This important volunteer work supplements the the efforts of Town staff and street sweepers to prevent  trash from going into our waterways. Our next community trash clean-up will be held in late September for Creek Week, a campaign to support a healthy Russian River watershed.

Family Movies on the Town Green Starts June 7

Mark your calendars! Here is the movie line-up for this summer’s Family Movies on the Town Green. Many thanks to those who took the Facebook survey on what movies we should show. For questions about this year's series, please call (707) 838-1260.

June 7: Encanto
June 14: Sing 2
June 21: Luca
June 28: Ratatouille
July 5: No movie due to holiday
July 12: Moana
July 19: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
July 26: Hook
August 2: Zootopia
August 9: The Goonies

Pick up Your Free Water Conservation Kit

Town Staff gave away more than 30 water-conservation kits at last Sunday’s open house at the Town Green community garden. If you missed the event and want a kit, email us at wc@townofwindsor.com. Each kit includes these items:

• Efficiency showerhead
• Faucet aerator
• Garden hose nozzle with automatic shut off valve
• Shower timer
• Two toilet leak detection tablet packets (each packet contains two tablets)
• Water-wise gardening information 

May is National Wildfire Awareness Month

May is National Wildfire Awareness Month and your Sonoma County Fire District reminds you to remove flammable vegetation from around your home.

While we may sound like a broken record, we are once again facing the harsh reality of a potentially significant fire season. We must all do our part to make our properties more fire-resistant, to update our emergency plans and go-bags, and be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice. Help us help you! 

For more information on how to prepare for wildfire, go to: https://www.ready.gov/wildfires