Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa (Spanish for "Saint Rose") is a city in and the county seat of Sonoma County, in the North Bay region of the Bay Area in California.[10] Its population as of the 2020 census was 178,127.[8] It is the largest city in California's Wine Country and Redwood Coast. It is the fifth most populous city in the Bay Area after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont; and the 25th-most populous city in California.
This article is about the city in northern California. For the island off Santa Barbara, see Santa Rosa Island (California). For other places named Santa Rosa, see Santa Rosa.Government[edit]
In the United States House of Representatives, Santa Rosa is split between California's 2nd Congressional District represented by Democrat Jared Huffman, and California's 4th congressional district, represented by Democrat Mike Thompson.[65] It was moved to the district beginning with the 2013 Congress. In the 1980s, future U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer was Santa Rosa's representative.
In the California State Legislature, the city is in California's 2nd State Senate district. The city is split between California's 2nd and 10th State Assembly districts.[66]
The city's mayor is Natalie Rogers, its vice mayor is Dianna MacDonald, and the other five council members are Eddie Alvarez, Victoria Fleming, Jeff Okrepkie, Chris Rogers, and Mark Stapp.[3]
The city council in 2013 adopted a set of "Goals and Strategic Objectives" through 2015 comprising six main goals. A "strong, sustainable" economy topped the list; other goals include showing leadership in environmental and cultural issues, and promoting "partnerships between neighborhoods, community organizations, schools, and the City".[67]
According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Santa Rosa has 91,998 registered voters. Of those, 47,905 (52.1%) are registered Democrats, 15,260 (16.6%) are registered Republicans, and 24,012 (26.1%) have declined to state a political party.[68]
Media[edit]
Print[edit]
The Press Democrat is published in Santa Rosa and is the largest daily newspaper in the North Bay. It is descended from the Sonoma Democrat, founded in 1857.[69] Local business papers include the North Bay Business Journal[70] and NorthBay biz.[71] The North Bay Bohemian is a free weekly alternative.[72] The Sonoma County Gazette is a free monthly paper.[73]
Sonoma Media Investments is a significant regional presence: besides the Press Democrat and the North Bay Business Journal as well as the Sonoma County Gazette, it owns important newspapers in the nearby cities of Sonoma and Petaluma.[74]
Infrastructure[edit]
Law enforcement[edit]
The Santa Rosa Police Department currently has 259 employees, of which 172 are sworn peace officers. Its budget is more than $40 million, comprising more than one third of the city's General Fund budget. Police shootings in 2007 led to calls for an independent civilian police review board.[75]
Fire department[edit]
The Santa Rosa Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services. Ambulance services are provided by Sonoma County Fire Department working in partnership with Medic Ambulance Service.[76]
The Santa Rosa Fire Department, like many departments across the United States, made its start as a volunteer organization on February 12, 1861.[77] Decades later in 1894 the department made its transition to a paid organization. In 1906 a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake destroyed most of Santa Rosa.[78] The department grew to 100 firefighters in 1983 with the addition of the city of Roseland to the SRFD responsibility area.[77] Many members of the department serve as part of the California Task Force 4, one of the eight FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces throughout the state. The team, which is deployed as part of the nation's response to disasters both within and outside of the United States, specializes in dealing with large-scale disasters.[79]
Representation in other media[edit]
Director Alfred Hitchcock filmed his thriller Shadow of a Doubt in Santa Rosa in 1943; the film gives glimpses of Santa Rosa in the 1940s. Many of the downtown buildings seen in the film no longer exist, as there was major reconstruction in the late 20th century following the strong earthquakes in October 1969. But the rough-stone Northwestern Pacific Railroad depot and the prominent Empire Building (built in 1910 with a gold-topped clock tower) still survive. A scene at the bank was filmed at the corner of Fourth Street and Mendocino Avenue (at present-day Old Courthouse square); the Kress building on Fourth Street is also visible. The courthouse and bank are now gone. The Coen brothers' film The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) is set in Santa Rosa c. 1949.
Santa Rosa has served as a location for many major films,[87] including:
