Sarah Stierch

I'm a journalist, opinionist, photographer and polymath based in northern 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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News - Indiana Public Media •

INDOT gets O.K. to spend $256M on welcome center overhaul, despite lawmaker skepticism

Your road trip may soon get swankier. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) on Tuesday won budgetary approval to pour $256 million into “welcome center” rest areas and truck parking at multiple highway locations around the state. That’s even though lawmakers on the State Budget Committee expressed skepticism about the high price tag. “We are trying to turn these into destinations,” Statewide Facilities Director Steve McAvoy told the body. Indiana’s rest stops mostly date back to t
The Teen Magazine •

Chanel's New Creative Director Should Be Anyone but Karl Lagerfeld

Is the image filling itself out? You’re probably either imagining a supervillain or one of the most remembered creative directors in fashion history (if there’s much of a difference between the two). Karl Lagerfeld is a name that reverberates through any room in the fashion industry. The man had a whole Met Gala themed after his work. His wedding dresses are crystallized in history. Lagerfeld, despite the atrocity of his personal life, was a designer that changed fashion. He made Chanel revoluti
Hoodline •

17-Year-Old Charged with Murder of Edwin Simon-Osorio at Halloween House Party in Indianapolis

Indianapolis has seen an arrest nearly eight months after a tragic shooting at a house party claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy. Edwin Simon-Osorio was shot dead following an altercation that spiraled out of control during a Halloween celebration. Now, 17-year-old Alan Peregrino faces murder charges, as reported by IndyStar. The incident, which took place on October 21, 2023, began with a gathering that unexpectedly grew into a large and unmanageable event. As the Indianapolis Metropolitan P
KMVT •

Voters advised to mail absentee ballots no later than May 15

BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane reminds voters that completed absentee ballots for the May 21st Primary Election must be returned to County Clerk Election offices or to an official Elections ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day, May 21st to be counted. Voters returning completed ballots by USPS mail are encouraged to send them by close of business today. Of the 67,255 absentee ballots issued statewide, 31,268 have been returned to county elections offices,
K92.3 •

How Much Do Morel Mushrooms Sell for in Iowa?

After finding the photo of these 3 guys, morel mushroom hunters in eastern Iowa better get after it! A photo on the I Grew Up in Iowa Facebook page shows 3 guys who recently hauled in 117 pounds of morel mushrooms. This is probably the biggest haul of morel mushrooms that I've ever seen. I've always wondered if hunters make multiple trips back to their secret spots when they find an area that provides this many morels or do they try and grab as many as possible at one time? I'd guess it's proba
Sonoma County Gazette •

Pruning tips to protect baby birds

As spring blooms in Sonoma County, gardens burst with vibrant colors and bird songs. Gardeners look forward to this season, but many face a common challenge: when to prune without disturbing the baby birds nesting in their gardens. In Sonoma County, May is a crucial time for nesting birds, making pruning a delicate task. Experts recommend pruning during the dormant season, from late fall to early spring, when birds are less likely to be nesting. Early fall pruning, around September or October,
Cardinal Points •

Film unveils suppressed stories of Native American women

Many say that women’s rights began with the suffragettes, but feminist pioneer Sally Roesch Wagner opposes this saying, “That is a major myth. The reality is that women had political voice on this land a thousand years ago.” In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion organized a film and discussion session featuring the short documentary “Without a Whisper” by Katsitsionni Fox, a member of the Bear Clan of the Akwesasne Mohawk nation. The event took
Riverfront Times •

Russell Hitchcock Is Relishing Air Supply's Big, Young Audiences

My 15-year-old daughter says that she has never heard of Air Supply. This is distressing. She is a classic-rock-loving teenager, with many of the same posters on her bedroom walls that I had on mine when I was her age. Yet somehow the music of Air Supply — those massive, swoony love songs that were ubiquitous in the early ‘80s, songs that seemingly came right out of the taps and drifted along on the, well, air supply — have escaped her. How do these screenagers today slow dance at parties withou
Local News Matters •

Sales tax increase, supervisor seats on the line on March 5 election in Sonoma County

Sonoma County voters will consider increasing the local sales tax to fund wildfire response and preparedness and will guide the makeup of the county’s governing board in the primary election on March 5. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will have three seats available on the ballot this election cycle. Voters will also decide on Measure H, a half-cent sales tax that would be in effect until voters remove it in a future election. The measure would raise an estimated $60,000,000 annually, ac
WGHN •

Grand Haven Man Charged With Stealing, Selling mPerks Points

(Lansing, MI) – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is charging 22-year-old Nicholas Mui of Grand Haven of stealing and selling Meijer customer’s mPerks rewards points. Seven victims have been identified so far and Nessel says hundreds of others may also be at risk. “We’re alleging that Mr. Mui acquired a large data set of user names and passwords on the dark web and put software to the task of attempting to log in.” Attorney General Dana Nessel says Nicholas Mui used a previous data breach
The Johns Hopkins News-Letter •

Saltburn: A visceral, humorous commentary on wealth

“Mom, wake up. A new Oscar contender just dropped.” 2023 has been the year of movies, which seems ironic to say considering the 2023 Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes that paralyzed Hollywood. But this year still gave us some truly great films: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, The Holdovers, The Killer, Bottoms and so many more. And, just on the cusp of the next year, we are gifted with one of the anticipated movies of the year, Saltburn. Saltburn, the sophomore film of writer and
Local News Matters •

Buried in dysfunction: Grand jury report finds maintenance lacking at Sonoma cemeteries

A dismal civil grand jury report about city-managed cemeteries in the city of Sonoma depicts oversight buried in dysfunction, dead-end links to cemetery webpages, uncollected sales tax and undertakers undercharging for certain services — all of which could lead to an endowment designed to pay for upkeep ceasing to exist. Civil grand juries are panels convened annually in each county around the state to investigate and report on local government operations. The jury in Sonoma County self-initiat
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