A 30-year-old Santa Rosa man lost his life Monday while trying to rescue his girlfriend -- who couldn't swim -- from a strong current. The mostly placid Russian River has deceptively strong whirlpools in some spots, and Juan Martinez Leon and his girlfriend Patricia Calindo, 24, were playing in the water near Monte Rio around 2 p.m. when they got swept about 20 yards downstream. Leon went underwater while trying to keep Calindo afloat, and she was quickly pulled ashore by a kayaker. more ›

An abandoned dump site along the Russian River that belonged to the Korbel Champagne Cellars has recently become exposed due to erosion, unearthing old trash like champagne bottles and plastic sheeting that's been washing downstream and getting caught in tree branches. Korbel pledges a cleanup effort in the next week, saying this has happened before, and they thought they had addressed the problem in 1998. more ›

"Painted journey" by Darwin Bell. more ›

Pictures of the Sonoma County Pride fest in Guerneville, May 31st, 2009. By Joey DeRuy more ›

It's here, it's here! Pinot on the River. The Russian River, that is. more ›

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You know, maybe the 38 Geary's better after all. A 19-year-old was stabbed to death over a parking space right after midnight Saturday in front of a club on Geary and 3rd. A friend had been trying to save him a street parking spot as he circled the block, a van tried to take the empty spot, and the victim came back to find his friend being attacked by up to five people who'd been in the van. The victim was a recent grad of St. Ignacius prep school, and the suspect had been featured in a documentary about Cambodian immigrants struggling to make it in the Tenderloin. more ›

Here's a riddle. You invite a fisherman, his lobbyist, and his sales channel, ie. a fishmonger and a restaurateur, and what do you get? Not an all knives out fight, for sure. More like hugs and kisses, and lots and lots of fish knowledge. The congregation of the above-mentioned people was assembled to discuss sustainable seafood at the invite of the Slow Food convivium of the Russian River. From the Latin: con (with, together), and vivium (to live), that's much warmer than "chapter" or "group." It's all a big family. Maybe they all came down from West Sonoma in the same minivan. more ›

The Russian River Slow Food movement comes down to San Francisco this Sunday for a Sustainable Seafood Salon, that is a panel discussion on the issues of sustainability in fishing in the Northern California coast. You guys remember we narrowly escaped having no local wild salmon on our plates this year, and it is only one example of fishing going awry. more ›

Great White and Monterey Bay Aquarium. more ›