Sarah Stierch

I'm a journalist, opinionist, photographer and polymath based in Sonoma, California. I am currently seeking freelance opportunities in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Lake Counties in Northern California. I am currently a contributor on breaking news, arts/culture and food/drink for The Mendocino Voice.

I write about wildfires, food, beverage, travel, history and the local culture of regions in Northern California. I also photograph a lot of these subjects.

I am the former Food & Wine Editor of the Sonoma Valley Sun and beverage and travel writer for Sonoma Magazine. I have contributed to North Bay Woman,the Press-Democrat, the North Bay Bohemian, Huffington Post, Wine Enthusiast, the Sonoma Index-Tribune, and NorthBay Biz.

My wildfire work was called "groundbreaking" by KQED Forum's Michael Krasny in 2017. In my wildfire coverage, I have appeared on KQED Forum, WNYC's The Takeway, the Weather Channel, KPFA, KSVY, KSRO and in the Washington Post, St. Helena Star, SF Gate, San Francisco Chronicle and ABC Weekend Nightly News.

My photography has been published by The Washington Post, Utne Reader, Motorburn, Nature World News, the Christian Post, Buzzfeed, KNPR, KQED, Thrillist, Frommers, Lonely Planet, the Financial Observer, Country Queer, ROAR, WAMU, the National Park Service, California State Parks, the NBA, Joie de Vivre Hotels, PETA, Hilton and more.

You can contact me at sarahstierch at gmail.com and find me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Mendocino Flavors: Where to find St. Patrick’s Day food in Mendocino County and other tasty news bites

MENDOCINO Co., 3/16/23 – One of the biggest foodie holidays is on Friday, Mar. 17: St. Patrick’s Day! Scores of Mendocino County residents will flock to pubs and pop-ups to sip green beer, dance the jig, and score a plate of corned beef and hash. But is corned beef and cabbage really Irish? According to the New York Times, corned beef and cabbage has a few possible origin stories. All of them have one thing in common: it’s a dish born in America.
The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Celebrate gray whale migration with Mendocino County Whale Festival fun

Every March, gray whales make their 12,000-mile migration from their birthing grounds in Baja California to their feeding grounds off the coast of Alaska. And while the whale pods journey up the Mendocino Coast, locals and tourists alike flock to the region to observe these gentle giants, often with calves, as they make their journey. This also means the return of Whale Festival, a two-week-long coastal community-wide series of events that celebrate, educate and showcase the gray whale. Whale F
The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Winter storm return this weekend to Mendocino County bringing up to 2 feet of snow inland and wet snow to the coast (updated 3:30 p.m.)

This is a developing situation and information may change. We’ll update this article as more information becomes available. The most recent information will be updated at the top of the article, with the earlier reports below. Editor’s note: For the most current storm coverage for March 4, 2023, read our article here. 3/3/23 3:30 p.m. — National Weather Service Eureka (NWS Eureka) has issued a winter storm advisory for the entire Mendocino Coast from 4 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 4 through 4 p.m. Sund
The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Mendocino Flavors: New restaurant opens in Fort Bragg, popular pizzeria gets a rebrand, National Noodle Month; air fryer recall and more food news

MENDOCINO Co., 3/2/23 – This month is National Noodle Month. I know there is a special day or month for everything at this point, but noodles are pretty special. It’s appropriate that noodles have a place on the non-official calendar to celebrate them, especially in a day and age of low-carb diets that try to convince us that “zoodles” (zucchinis cut into long noodle shapes) really are as satisfying as the real thing. (Sorry zoodles, you lose!) Noodles are one of the best comfort foods, whether
The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Mendocino County live storm updates: State Route 175 reopens; closures on SR 253 and 128; 2-6 inches of snow expected in some areas (updated 7:45 pm)

MENDOCINO Co., 2/27/23 — Portions of Mendocino County are waking up to heavy snow and rain once again as a third winter storm pummels the region. As a result, road closures across the county are increasing and State Route 101 is closed throughout the majority of the county from Redwood Valley to Garberville.
The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Mendocino County live storm updates Feb. 26: “difficult to impossible” travel expected due to snow; SR 128, SR 1 and SR 175 remain closed (Updated 9:30 p.m.)

MENDOCINO Co., 2/26/23 — After enjoying one calm day of weather, storm conditions have returned to Mendocino County this morning, Sunday, Feb. 26. Today through Tuesday, Feb. 28, the region will experience two storm systems that will bring rain, high wind, isolated thunderstorms, hail, and heavy mountain snow to parts of the county depending on elevation and microclimate.
The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Mendocino Flavors: Restaurant real estate, Slam Dunk pizza vandalized, new restaurant opens in Willits, foodie news and more

MENDOCINO Co., 2/26/23 – Wintry weather has led to a lot of hunkering down and comfort food cooking. I recently tried my hand at making red pozole, using a recipe by Mexican-American chef Pati Jinich, with my best friend on a recent wet and miserable Sunday afternoon. Pozole is a traditional Mexican stew made with hominy and meat. The dish is savory and smoky thanks to the dried blend of ancho and guajillo peppers and extremely hearty thanks to heaping portions of hominy, a type of dried corn. S
The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Storms recede, Highway 101 and roads reopen in Mendocino County, but power outages ongoing: update for Feb. 25 (updated 12:40 p.m.)

MENDOCINO Co., 2/25/23 — After yesterday’s snow storm, a number of roads have reopened in Mendocino County, including U.S. Highway 101, which is now closed only Piercy and the junction with State Route 1 near Leggett; SR 1 is closed from that junction until 3 miles north of Rockport. SR 128 is closed south of Boonville to east of Yorkville, and 175 is closed from Natomis Road to the junction with SR 29 in Lake County.
The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Mendocino County live storm updates Feb. 24: State Route 175 closed; Highway 101 remains closed north of Laytonville (updated 7:30 pm)

MENDOCINO Co., 2/24/23 — Residents across Northern California and Mendocino County woke up to several inches of snow this morning, and snow is expected to continue until at least 9 a.m. The storm is forecast to decrease this morning, and the winter storm warning will expire at 10 a.m., but another storm system is expected to hit the North Coast beginning Sunday, and temperatures will remain below average and below freezing in the coming days.
The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Mendocino County live storm updates Feb. 23: U.S. Hwy 101 closed north of Willits, wintry and dangerous road conditions continue, school closures (Updated 8:25 p.m.)

MENDOCINO Co., 2/23/23 — Mendocino County woke up to rain and snow this morning as a winter storm continues to blast California. Several inches of snow are blanketing the county this morning, with snowfall reported as far south as Hopland and as west as Point Arena, leading to a number of impacted roads and collisions throughout the region.
The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Mendocino County live storm updates Feb. 22: Wintry weather brings snow, slick roads, rain, thunderstorms, and more is on the way

MENDOCINO Co., 2/22/23 – A winter storm is well underway in Mendocino County. Depending on where you live, you may have awakened to snow, rain, icy roads, and/or power outages caused by yesterday’s raging winds. Despite sunny skies in some places, the storm continues today and is anticipated to bring more snow and wintry conditions to the region. We’ve put together an overview of what’s to come, and included some additional resources at the end of the article — plus we’ll keep you updated throughout the storm, which is expected to last until Friday morning, Feb. 24.
The Mendocino Voice | Mendocino County, CA •

Fort Bragg’s North Coast Brewing launches virtual reality beer tasting

Have you ever wanted to explore the Mendocino Coast with a beer in hand from the comfort of your own home? Now you can with North Coast Brewing Company’s new virtual reality beer-tasting experience. Created in partnership with Spyglass, a tech startup that builds virtual reality (VR) platforms, Fort Bragg’s North Coast Brewing created a three-part VR experience offered for a limited time.
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