Older woman in a cozy living room holds a corded landline phone handset, inspecting it with concern as she stands beside a wooden table and lamp.
Hacienda resident Cynthia Halliday checks for a dial tone on her landline phone at her home above the Russian River in Sonoma County, Oct. 23, 2025. Halliday lost her husband to a heart attack and could not stay connected to 911 on her cell phone. She ended up yelling to her neighbor to call on his landline for help. AT&T is seeking to shed a requirement to provide landlines in areas like Hacienda. (Chad Surmick/CalMatters via Bay City News)

This was written by staff at the nonprofit newsroom CalMatters. It was republished by The Mendocino Voice in partnership with CalMatters to bring relevant nonpartisan news to Mendocino County readers. Learn more about CalMatters here.

SONOMA CO., 11/19/25 – Upon hearing her husband’s call for help, Cynthia Halliday came flying upstairs. He was rushing toward the outdoor deck, gasping for air. He was having a heart attack. 

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Yue Stella Yu covers politics for CalMatters, with a particular focus on campaigns, elections and voters. After arriving in California in October 2023, she dove into the state’s once-in-30-years...