The Mountain Democrat and Village Life/ Cameron Park Life began the year 2025 without Publisher Richard Esposito, who has retired.
Esposito assumed the role as publisher in 2009, replacing Jim Webb, and in 2015 was named chief operating o cer of McNaughton Media Inc., which owns the Mountain Democrat, Village Life/Cameron Park Life and the Georgetown Gazette, as well as newspapers in Yolo and Solano counties.
It’s time to move on. That’s the consensus four El Dorado Hills Community Services District directors came to a er discussing an investigative report related to the conduct of current Director Noelle Mattock and former Director Ben Paulsen.
Though disappointed with the quality of the report and what some called blatant gaps in the investigation, Directors Mike Martinelli, Heidi Hannaman, Steve Ferry and Chuck King opted not to have another investigator tackle the subject. It was decided on a 4-0 vote that the report and its conclusions released to the board and public will be sent to the Fair Political Practices Commission for review and the CSD will take no further action unless the FPPC comes back with a recommendation.
Mattock recused herself from the item discussed at the Dec. 19 board meeting and le the room. Village Life reached out to Mattock for comment a er the meeting; she did not respond as of press time.
“I’m afraid if we just continue this, we’re just dragging this out and we’re just spending more money and we’re getting a poor product for something that ultimately is up to the voters,” Hannaman shared. “And the voters spoke just a few weeks ago, when they
■ See INVESTIGATION page A6
“It’s been a privilege to work with the many dedicated employees of the Mountain Democrat over the years,” Esposito said.
“I very much appreciate their support and talents.
“Retiring was a di cult decision as I enjoyed the interaction with my sta , our readers and the communities that our newspapers serve,” he added.
T. Burt McNaughton, publisher of the Fair eld Daily Republic, has taken over as chief operating o cer.
“We’ve been fortunate to have Richard lead our newspapers for the last 15 years.
He’s innovative, news focused and passionate about the community; everything you want in a publisher,” McNaughton said. “He was part of our leadership team throughout his tenure at McNaughton and helped navigate us through some of the most challenging times in our economy. He’s developed an incredible team at the Mountain Democrat and Life Newspapers that will help us ourish well into the future.”
While serving as publisher, Esposito
■ See ESPOSITO, page A8
RICHARD ESPOSITO
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Jan. 8
The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce and The Vine Wine & Tapas Bar hosts a mixer and ribbon cutting, 5-7 p.m. at 3907 Park Drive, Suite 110, El Dorado Hills. For more information call (916) 933-1335.
Jan. 10
El Dorado County Community Concert Association’s third concert of its 2024-25 season will feature Stephanie Trick & Paolo Alderighi at 7 p.m. at Union Mine High School in El Dorado. For tickets and more information visit ElDoradoCommunityConcerts.com.
SPMA Rock Orchestra presents live renditions of the hit soundtracks from “Guardians of the Galaxy Vols. 1 & 2” on Jan. 10 & 11 at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 608-6888. Connect with professionals from the Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Rancho Cordova and El Dorado County Chambers of Commerce at this month’s Highway 50 Corridor Power Lunch hosted by Folsom at Curry Pizza House in Folsom. For more information visit eldoradohillschamber.org.
Join the Cameron Park Community Services District for a BullyProof Workshop. Learn the various ways that children may encounter bullying and strategies for adults and children to respond to this behavior. The workshop starts at 7 p.m. and registration is $40. For more information or to register visit cameronpark.org.
Jan. 11
Mystery author James L’Etoile returns to Face in a Book at El Dorado Hills Town Center 3-5 p.m. for a launch party for his new thriller, “River of Lies.” It’s the second in the Detective Emily Hunter series, which takes place in Sacramento.
Jan. 12
The Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom presents the Folsom Concert Association’s presentation of the Highland Divas. Enjoy a musical journey that spans the folk music of Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand, culminating in the soaring heights of Rock Opera. Show starts at 2 p.m. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 608-6888.
The Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom presents the Folsom Lake Symphony’s Young Artist Recital at 2 p.m. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 608-6888.
Jan. 13
The Shingle Springs-Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce and Wally’s Pizza Bar celebrate the restaurant’s 10th anniversary with a special event 5-7 p.m. Meet Wally, win ra e prizes and more at 4079 Cameron Park Drive, Cameron Park.
Jan. 14
Vitalant will host an El Dorado Hills community blood drive noon to 2:45 p.m. The Bloodmobile bus will be parked near the baseball elds at the EDH Community Services District, 1021 Harvard Way. Make an appointment at donors.vitalant.org and ■ See HAPPENINGS page A6
Life photo by Noel Stack
Katie Gilchrest, left, gets a welcome to the board handshake from Cameron Park Community Services District board President Dawn Wolfson at the Dec. 18 meeting after Gilchrest took her oath of o ce. Gilchrest replaces former Director Eric Aiston, who did not run for another four-year term.
Photo courtesy of
UNCONVENTIONAL
Chris Daley Staff writer
“Jeopardy” fans will love one of the new laws on the books for 2025.
“A crab, a slug and a black abalone shell have this in common.”
“What are the state’s newest symbols?” is the right answer.
An animal from nearly every category of creature is represented in the registry of the state’s official symbols.
For example, the world of insects features the dogface butterfly, native only to California, which is almost a prerequisite for consideration to be a state animal symbol. While this butterfly is a speedy aerialist and quite often difficult to see, its image has been featured on the California driver’s license and on a U.S. stamp.
Likewise, the state’s official amphibian, as if you didn’t already know, (drum roll please), is the red-legged frog.
Compliments of the California State Museum and the California State Capitol Museum, most of this information is available on their websites.
It’s fairly common knowledge that a bear is the state animal; however, not so commonly known is the fact that ours is the “only state in the union to feature the image of an extinct animal on its state flag and seal.”
That ubiquitous bear is the California grizzly bear, formerly the fiercest beast in the Golden State.
The last known physical specimen of a California grizzly was shot in Fresno County in 1922. The last of its species “was seen in Sequoia National Park in 1924 and was already officially extinct by then.” It became the state animal in 1953.
The new year’s Assembly Bill 1797 gives us the Dungeness crab as the state crustacean. This delicacy is an economic powerhouse and a multimillion dollar contributor to California’s economy, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“It’s an iconic symbol of the seafood history that California has,” Baldo Marinovic, professor of ecology and zoology at UC Santa Cruz, told Sacramento’s ABC television Network in October.
Anyone who has walked in and around the coastal forests and wetlands is probably familiar
with the Pacific banana slug. There are several types of banana slug, but the Pacific is most common in California.
Thanks to Assembly Bill 1859, that guy/gal is now the official state slug. Marinovic explained that he/she/they are hermaphrodites who sport both
Getty Images
The Pacific banana slug, above, is officially California’s state slug — slime and all. While Assembly Bill 1797 gives us the Dungeness crab, below, as the state crustacean.
n See SYMBOLS, page A5
California Highway Patrol highlights new laws for 2025
News release
SACRAMENTO — The California Highway Patrol reminds residents of the new public safety laws passed during last year’s legislative session and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Unless otherwise noted, the laws referenced below took effect on Jan. 1.
Combating retail theft: Senate Bill 982 (Wahab) makes the crime of organized retail theft permanent and strengthens measures to address retail crime. The bill eliminates the expiration date for specific provisions targeting organized retail theft, ensuring longterm tools for law enforcement to combat this issue.
Fires: Senate Bill 1242 (Min) amends Penal Code Section 452 regarding the unlawful setting of fires. It updates penalties and legal language to clarify offenses, including circumstances involving organized retail theft.
Sentencing enhancements: Senate Bill 1416 (Newman) focuses on combating organized retail theft by increasing penalties for those involved in the resale of stolen goods, often referred to as “fencing.” The bill, until Jan. 1, 2030, creates sentencing enhancements for individuals who sell, exchange or return stolen property for value, particularly when the property exceeds specific thresholds. Punishment increases from one year to four years based on a property value scale ranging from $50,000 to over $3 million.
Theft: Assembly Bill 1779 (Irwin) addresses the issue of organized retail theft by streamlining the prosecution process. Specifically, it allows district attorneys to consolidate charges for theft offenses committed across multiple counties into a single trial, provided all affected county district attorneys agree.
Organized theft: Assembly Bill 1802 (Jones-Sawyer) ensures that the crime of organized retail theft remains permanently defined in state law and extends the CHP’s Property Crimes Task Force indefinitely. This bill eliminates the sunset clause that would have otherwise allowed the statute and the task force to expire.
Regional Property Crimes Task Force: Assembly Bill 1972 (Alanis) expands the scope of the CHP’s Regional Property Crimes Task Force to include cargo theft as a property crime for consideration and requires the task force to provide logistical and law enforcement support for railroad police.
This bill emphasizes cargo theft as a specific priority and aims to strengthen resources for law enforcement agencies to combat these issues. As an urgency statute, AB 1972 went into effect immediately upon its passage in August 2024 to address these concerns promptly.
Shoplifting: Assembly Bill 2943 (Zbur), also called the California Retail Theft Reduction Act, strengthens measures to combat organized retail theft by creating a specific crime for serial retail theft, allowing the aggregation of property value for thefts committed within 90 days to qualify as grand theft. It empowers law enforcement to make arrests using video evidence
Symbols
male and female reproductive organs.
This slimy hero is a member of the “decomposer class, known as detritivores (who) consume decaying plants and fungi in forests throughout California,” Marinovic said. “They are
or sworn statements, shields businesses from lawsuits for reporting crimes and promotes rehabilitation through diversion programs for minor offenders. The bill aims to dismantle theft rings while balancing public safety and criminal justice reforms.
Retail theft restraining orders: Assembly Bill 3209 (Berman) creates a retail crime restraining order. A court may issue a restraining order when sentencing an individual for specific retail theft-related crimes, including vandalism of a retail store and assaulting a retail store employee. The restraining order prohibits the individual from entering or being on the grounds of the establishment and may include parking lots adjacent to and used by the establishment.
Electronic toll collection systems information sharing: Assembly Bill 2645 (Lackey) allows transportation agencies operating electronic toll collection systems to share real-time license plate data with law enforcement during active emergency alerts, such as AMBER, Ebony or Feather Alerts. This legislation eliminates the need for a search warrant in such situations, enabling quicker responses to locate suspect vehicles linked to emergencies, such as child abductions.
Speed contests: Assembly Bill 1978 (Sanchez) permits storing a vehicle when an individual is arrested but not taken into custody for obstructing or placing a barricade a highway or off-street parking facility for purposes of aiding a speed contest or exhibition of speed.
Impoundment: Assembly Bill 2186 (Wallis) permits the arrest and custody of individuals engaged in an exhibition of speed in an off-street parking facility. It also permits the impounding of the individual’s vehicle for not more than 30 days.
Sideshows and street takeovers: Assembly Bill 2807 (Villapudua) defines a sideshow and a street takeover as the same type of event.
Vehicle removal and impoundment: Assembly Bill 3085 (Gipson) provides authority to seize and impound a vehicle with a warrant when the vehicle was used in violation of a speed contest or exhibition of speed (including aiding or abetting). This bill also permits electronic service of the notices of impoundment and storage hearings.
Electric bicycles, powered mobility devices and storage: Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, SB 1271 (Min) focuses on improving the safety standards for electric bicycles (e-bikes), powered mobility devices and related lithium-ion batteries. It requires these devices and their components, such as batteries and charging systems, to be tested by accredited laboratories to meet specific safety standards. The bill also mandates labeling these products to show compliance with safety regulations, ensuring consumers are informed. Furthermore, it prohibits distributing, selling or leasing e-bikes and related equipment unless they meet these standards, aiming to reduce risks like fire hazards and electrical malfunctions. Beginning Jan. 1, 2028, the bill would prohibit a person from renting or offering for rental
the recyclers of the community.”
As the new state seashell, (AB 2504) the black abalone is unique with “its mother-of-pearl appearance on the inside of its shell.” The shell has been found in “middens” created by human
an electric bicycle, powered mobility device, charging system, or storage battery unless it has been tested to the specified safety standard.
Electric bicycles: Assembly Bill 1774 (Gipson) prohibits modifying an electric bicycle’s speed capability to an extent it no longer meets the definition of an electric bicycle. Also, it prohibits selling a product or device that can modify the speed capability of an electric bicycle to an extent it no longer meets the definition of an electric bicycle.
High-occupancy vehicle lanes: Assembly Bill 2678 (Wallis) permits vehicles with a Clean Air Vehicle decal to drive in High Occupancy Vehicle lanes until Jan. 1, 2027, if federal law permits.
Driver monitoring defeat devices: Senate Bill 1313 (Ashby) prohibits using, possessing or selling devices designed to interfere with driver monitoring systems in vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems or autonomous technology. These systems monitor driver alertness and help ensure safety when automated features are used. Violating this law is classified as an infraction. Exceptions are provided for manufacturers testing new technology, vehicle repairs, and updates compliant with safety standards or modifications for disability accommodations. This law aims to enhance road safety by preventing tampering with critical monitoring systems.
Autonomous vehicles interactions with first responders and traffic violation notices: Upon the Department of Motor Vehicles adoption of necessary regulations, AB 1777 (Ting) creates new authority for a law enforcement officer to issue a “notice of autonomous vehicle noncompliance” to an AV manufacturer for an alleged traffic violation committed by one of their vehicles. Beginning July 1, 2026, AB 1777 establishes additional requirements for how AVs that operate without a human operator in the vehicle interact with first responders, including a requirement for manufacturers to provide a two-way device in the vehicles to communicate with first responders.
Transit buses sign: Assembly Bill 1904 (Ward) authorizes a transit agency to equip a transit bus with a “yield” right-of-way sign on the left rear of the bus. The sign may be a static decal or a flashing light-emitting diode (LED).
License plates obstruction or alteration: Assembly Bill 2111 (Wallis) prohibits any alteration of a license plate’s reflective coating to avoid detection from any entity, not just law enforcement.
Theft from a vehicle: Senate Bill 905 (Wiener) creates the crime of unlawful entry of a vehicle, which addresses unlawfully entering a vehicle with the intent to commit a theft or any felony. It also adds the crime of automotive property theft for resale, which addresses possessing stolen property obtained from a vehicle with the intent to sell or exchange the property for value. The property’s value must be over $950 and not for personal use. The value of property can be combined within two years of separate acts.
settlements dating back 7,400 years.
“I know a lot of indigenous people in California … would use the abalones for rituals,” Marinovic said. Disease and overfishing have led to the mollusk’s status as an endangered
species. An outbreak of withering foot disease almost wiped out the black abalone in the 1980s; since then, conservation efforts saved the new 2025 state seashell. Thus, it hasn’t gone the way of the California grizzly bear.
use blood drive code SMFM019 or call (877) 258-4825 and mention the same code. Walk-ins will be accommodated if space allows.
The El Dorado Hills Genealogical Society will meet on Zoom at 6 p.m. for a presentation by Cindy Brennan titled “Should I Stay, or Should I Go” showing how to use Emigrant Guides in Research, followed by an in-person workshop on Jan. 28 at 6 p.m. at the El Dorado Hills Library on Silva Valley Parkway. Interested genealogists are welcome to join the EDHGS by contacting Pat Kriz at patkriz@earthlink. net in advance of the Zoom meeting or by attending the workshop. All are welcome. The group seeks to promote
Investigation
access to helpful and friendly resources for research, problem solving and discussion.
Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom presents San Francisco Falun Buddha Study Association’s Shen Yun 2025, China Before Communism Jan. 14 & 15. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 6086888.
Jan. 17
The Shingle Springs Community Center presents a Bunko Dinner fundraiser with hearty soups at 5:30 p.m. For tickets and more details visit shinglespringscommunitycenter.org.
Sutter Street Theatre in Folsom pres-
reelected Director Mattock. That is the ultimate judge and she beat the odds, and she’s here. So I’m not really willing to go forward with keeping this open.”
EDHCSD General Manager Mark Hornstra said the district paid approximately $11,150 for the investigation and report.
Director Ferry agreed with Hannaman and made the suggestion to forward the investigation to the FPPC. “… if we really pin this down as hard as we can pin it down over the next three or four months, we’re just gonna stop getting things done that this board needs to get done.”
Director Martinelli echoed those sentiments, sharing he didn’t think another investigation would reach a different conclusion. “I don’t believe it’s necessary to have, yet again, another investigation tie us up further, bog us back down.
“Did we make some mistakes? Probably. Are there some things we can do better? Probably,” Martinelli added, “and I believe that we will figure them out and figure a better way forward. But it’s time; it’s time to move on. Put this to rest.”
“I think you said it best,” newly elected Director King responded to Martinelli’s comments. “If this is where we are, let’s move on. Let’s try to take care of some business.”
The investigation was prompted by Dean Getz, a frequent EDHCSD board meeting attendee and oftentimes critic, in early July and directors voted to hire an independent attorney to look into the issue in August. In a letter sent to the district, Getz claims both Mattock and Paulsen were aware that former EDHCSD General Manager Kevin Loewen, who resigned in December 2023, was working for district consultant DTA while also employed with the CSD. A report released earlier this year confirmed Loewen’s employment and noted it was a clear conflict of interest and violation of CSD policy.
That relationship, Getz alleged, led to district leadership’s refusal to sign a document attesting to the accuracy of LLAD assessments as prepared by DTA. El Dorado County Auditor-Controller Joe Harn requested the letter after he expressed concerns about discrepancies in DTA’s work. Assessments were left off the property tax rolls for two years, amounting to an approximately $2.8 million loss for the CSD. The
ents “The Game’s Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays” by Ken Ludwig through Feb. 16. The danger and hilarity are non-stop in this glittering whodunit set during the Christmas holidays in 1936. For tickets and more information call (916) 353-1001 or visit sutterstreettheatre.com.
Jan. 18
Mother Lode Rehabilitation Enterprises presents Art & Wine with Something MORE at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville. Indulge in tastings from local wineries, breweries, distilleries, restaurants, bakeries and caterers, all while enjoying an evening filled with unique activities and enter-
CSD Board of Directors later sued the auditor.
tainment plus exceptional MORE client art. Visit morerehab.org for tickets and more information.
The Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom presents the West Coast Performing Arts Concerts presentation of Zep Live! The Led Zeppelin Concert Experience. Two show times at 3 & 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 608-6888.
Jan. 19
Join the El Dorado Hills Community Services District for Yoga in the Park — a family-friendly introduction to yoga postures and flows. This free event is brought to you through a partnership with YogaSix. Classes are held at 9 a.m. For more information visit eldoradohillscsd.org.
“... as documented in the Loewen investigation, President Noelle Mattock admitted knowing that Loewen worked for DTA,” Getz’s letter notes. “Despite this knowledge, she chose to initiate costly litigation with the county’s auditor-controller rather than risk exposing Loewen DTA, or her awareness of Loewen’s conflict of interest with DTA, etc.
“I assert that district records support the fact that ... Paulsen actively participated in the district’s deliberate evasion of signing the attestations for DTA’s work products mandated by the county,” the letter continues.
In a public statement made at the August board meeting, Mattock denied knowing Loewen worked for DTA and called Getz’s accusations politically motivated as she and Paulsen were up for reelection.
Paulsen did not publicly respond to allegations and did not run to retain his seat.
Attorney Jennifer Shaw with the Shaw Law Group conducted the investigation and prepared a final report noting:
• Mattock’s and Paulsen’s explanations related to the attestation Harn required are more credible than Getz’s allegations.
• It is more likely than not that Mattock and Paulsen acted for legitimate reasons in supporting the decision not to sign the 2022 and 2023 attestations Harn required.
• Although the district lost revenue in 2022 and 2023 because of the board’s refusal to sign the attestations Harn required, the loss in revenue was not the result of Mattock’s or Paulsen’s alleged improper use of their authority.
• It is more likely than not that the board’s refusal in fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2023 to sign the attestations Harn required did not violate any district policy.
• Although the district is incurring attorneys’ fees in its litigation with the County, there is no evidence that the litigation is the result of Mattock’s or Paulsen’s alleged improper use of their authority.
EDHCSD directors and community members expressed many concerns about apparent holes in the investigation, notably that Shaw failed to interview Harn — a decision later revealed was made by Shaw
2553 Greenwood Ln Cameron Park A PLACE FOR SELF CONFIDENCE.
Now
The Sacred Arts of Tibet Tour of Gaden Shartse Norling Monastery will return to Placerville and Folsom, through Jan. 18. The tour begins in Placerville with Wheel of Life Mandala, Jan. 2-12 at the historical Federated Church, 1031 Thompson Way in Placerville. The tour moves to Folsom with Medicine Buddha Mandala, supported by Mercy Folsom and Dignity Health, Jan. 14-18 at 1580 Creekside Drive, Community Education Room 1, Folsom. Check out the full schedule at placervillefriendsoftibet.org.
Continued from A1
on the advice of EDHCSD counsel Derek Cole as the district still has an active lawsuit against the county official. Shaw also apparently never requested email or text messages exchanged between CSD directors and the former general manager related to his consultancy business, which led several commenters to call it incomplete.
“This report has done nothing to satisfy my concern relevant to the issue,” King noted in a lengthy statement made before directors decided to move on. “I truly wish this had been a thorough, fact finding investigation with a solid timeline and a true effort to uncover supporting documents whenever possible so we could put this behind us and move on …. I believe a good investigation would have done so much more for the integrity, accountability and transparency of the board of directors and Directors Mattock and Paulsen.”
Getz expressed multiple frustrations related to the investigation, including Cole’s guidance of Shaw even though the CSD attorney had previously said he would not be involved in the process. He said the attorneys focused too much on whether Mattock and Paulsen gained monetarily.
“An example of a personal gain for a wrongful act is if a public official uses … the staff or any of the other resources of the agency to cover up their misconduct, to pursue a personal lawsuit or otherwise shield themselves from accountability,” Getz said. “They’re deriving a personal benefit from the use of money that was intended to be used for the public benefit, not their benefit.”
EDH resident Bill Jamaca also shared his concerns with Cole’s definitions. “So I I’m disappointed that Mr. Cole sounds more like a defense attorney than an advocate for the citizens of El Dorado Hills,” Jamaca said during public comment. “His characterization of personal benefit seems way off to me. Personal benefit and political benefit are almost the same thing in this context.”
Cole didn’t respond to public comment but he did advise the four directors present that the entire board should take a close look at the district’s Board of Directors Code of Conduct and make revisions to ensure more clarity in the language as it relates to investigations of board members.
00 per session, per day, per child Monday through Friday
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For more information check out our website tumbletime net or contact us at (530)677-3893
Business Spotlight
Refuge Jiu Jitsu
Village Life sta
Anew kicking business opened in Cameron Park last year. Refuge Jiu Jitsu — a sanctuary where the timeless art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu brings people together — o ers more than physical skills; the lessons are driven by morals and ethics.
■ 3342 Coach Lane, Cameron Park (530) 464-5184 refugejiujitsu.com
Jeremiah Loser and associates teach a mix of martial arts, starting with jiu jitsu and expanding into realms of muay thai. Instructors have also incorporated selfdefense into their general curriculum and the refuge o ers classes for youth and adults.
“We are a family-oriented, safe environment with a lot of experience between all the instructors,” Loser said. “We can cater to a lot of styles of teaching.”
As the website notes: “More than just a physical discipline, the essence of Brazilian jiu-jitsu lies in concepts like mutual respect, diligent training and the perpetual pursuit of knowledge. On the mats, a spirit of camaraderie blossoms as you ow through choreographed drills and free-rolling sessions with training partners.”
Loser runs extensive background checks on anybody he brings into the establishment to help teach because, he stressed, safety is a large part of what his refuge is about. He spent over two decades in the services between the Coast Guard and the Air Force, and his cohorts are military trained as well.
“We have a lot of experience with military and special operations, so we can cater to di erent atmospheres with teaching,” Loser said.
As for doing business in his chosen community, Loser explained, “Location, clientele and having the ability to develop our classes with people who want to be there and learn are ... my favorite things about being in El Dorado County.”
FINANCIAL FOCUS
Avoid these estate planning mistakes
By the time you reach retirement age, you may have accumulated a 401(k), IRA and other investment accounts, along with insurance policies and physical properties. You’ll use some of these assets to support your retirement, but the rest may end up in your estate — which is why an estate plan is so important. So, to leave a legacy for your family and those philanthropic groups you support, you need a comprehensive estate plan and you need to
avoid making mistakes. Here are some of the most common ones:
• Procrastinating — Estate planning, and its implications about our mortality, may not be a pleasant topic to think about. Yet, putting o your estate plans can be risky. If you were to pass away or become incapacitated without doing any estate planning, the results could be costly for your loved ones. One possible consequence: If you haven’t at least created a basic, simple will, the courts could decide how to divide and distribute your assets, and they may do so in a way you wouldn’t want.
• Not updating wills and other documents — Dra ing a will and other legal documents, such as a living trust, is an important step in your estate planning. But you shouldn’t just create these arrangements and forget about them. Changes in your life and among your loved ones — deaths, divorce, remarriage, new children and more — may result in the need for you to update your estate plans, so it’s a good idea to review them periodically.
• Not updating ben-
County offers new property tax payment option
Carla Hass
El Dorado County Chief Administrative Office
In a commitment to provide taxpayers with exible and a ordable property tax payment options, El Dorado County Treasurer-Tax Collector Karen Coleman has announced a partnership with Easy Smart Pay that allows taxpayers to split their bi-annual property tax bill into manageable monthly payments, enhancing convenience and accessibility.
“With the lowest credit card transaction fee in the state at just 1.99% and 0% for ACH (e-check) payments, Easy Smart Pay o ers a competitive solution for paying property taxes,” said Coleman. “This collaboration enables taxpayers to avoid large lump-sum payments while ensuring timely remittance to the county.”
Bene ts of Easy Smart Pay
• Flexible monthly payments: Taxpayers can now manage their property tax obligations with ease through monthly installments.
• Automatic renewals: Enroll in monthly payments that automatically renew, ensuring on-time payments without hassle.
• Simple enrollment process: Signing up is quick and straightforward, allowing taxpayers to start bene ting immediately.
• Access to payment records: Taxpayers can keep track of their payment history easily through the ESP platform.
•No late fees: By using ESP, taxpayers can avoid penalties associated with late payments.
To take advantage of these new payment options, taxpayers can visit easysmartpay.net/el-dorado-ca and enroll in Easy Smart Pay today.
Easy Smart Pay is a privately owned and operated company that works closely with the county Treasurer-Tax Collector’s O ce to provide payment options for taxpayers who do not have an impound or escrow account. Easy Smart Pay is not a lending service or bank and does not provide funds to the taxpayer to pay their taxes.
e ciaries — Similar to updating your will to re ect changes in your life and family situation, you may also need to update the bene ciaries listed on your nancial accounts and insurance policies. These designations carry a lot of weight and can even supersede instructions in your will,
so you’ll need to make sure they are current and accurate.
• Not properly titling assets in a trust — Depending on your situation, you may bene t from establishing a living trust, which may allow your estate to avoid the time-consuming and expensive process of pro-
bate. A living trust also helps give you control over how, and when, you want your assets distributed. However, you need to retitle your assets in the name of the trust for the trust to be e ective.
• Not choosing the right executor — An executor carries out your wishes based on the instructions you’ve given in your will or trust documents. But ful lling an executor’s duties is not as simple as, say, following a recipe for a basic meal. Consequently, while you might just want to pick a close family member as executor, you need to
Courtesy photo
Jeremiah Loser, owner of Refuge Jiu Jitsu, with some help from his dog, teaches more than martial arts at his Cameron Park studio.
Suzy O’Neal Financial columnist
Gift of Kids opens second location, secures purchase
Sel Richard Village Life correspondent
El Dorado Hills resident Jennifer Tommasini struggled 25 years ago to find a daycare she was happy with for her 2-year-old son, John. After rejecting five facilities, she made a lifechanging decision. She quit her career as a restaurant manager and started a daycare when her daughter was 10 days old.
“I decided to do everything I thought was missing for my son,” Tommasini shared. “I was fed up and I never wanted parents to go through what I felt.”
While seeking professional development and training in early childhood education, she opened the doors to her home. “We had structured lesson plans, homecooked meals and loads of fun,” she said of the first in-home location. Now her Gift of Kids daycare has celebrated the opening of its new annex, The Gift of Kids Nook, only a mile down the street from the original building, a longtime El Dorado Hills fixture. Addressing a waitlist bulging with more than 200 names, Tommasini is excited to accommodate 70 more children per day in the new location.
and continued through the fourth grade in afterschool programs and summer adventure programs. She is Gift of Kids’ first recipient of a $1,000 college scholarship.
The Gift of Kids partners with Quality Counts, an El Dorado County of Education program through which staff can receive coaching, earn education certifications and obtain scholarships. Brittney Kelly, who is Tommasini’s daughter and a Gift of Kids pre-K teacher and preschool supervisor, is an avid proponent of the partnership as well as Tommasini.
“My mom has been my biggest inspiration because of what she has done here,” she said. “The Gift of Kids only changed my life, but every family and child’s life who walked through those doors.”
“Both locations have the same philosophy and mission. However, instead of a classroom style structure, The Gift of Kids Nook is an open concept,” explained Tommasini. Kids can rotate throughout large rooms with centers that support interests for babies, engineering, music, science, the jungle and art.
Dorado Hills Business Park. It was a process she said took 16 years and a lot of hiccups.
Along with the expansion, Tommasini has just purchased her original facility, affectionately known as the “Big Blue Building” in the El
spearheaded projects that expanded the Mountain Democrat’s reach in El Dorado County and beyond, including Adventures Magazine, a tourism magazine, published for several years. He is described by Mountain Democrat staff as a hands-on manager who genuinely cared about the quality of the publications.
“We worked closely together on all the special sections and editions we published,” recalled Mountain Democrat Graphics Manager Letty
“Everything happened at once and I went for it,” she shared. “Thankfully I have had community and daycare family resources along the way that helped in the financial aspects of starting my new location.”
She credits her handy-
Bejarano-Carvajal, who called Esposito a wonderful boss and a good friend. “He would stand over my shoulder paying particular attention to content and layout design.”
Esposito worked with five different Mountain Democrat editors.
“Richard brought much wisdom to our newsroom from his many years in the newspaper industry,” shared Krysten Kellum, who held the editor title from November 2021 to May 2024. “He always has a can-do frame of
man Scott Elliot, who was one of Tommasini’s original daycare clients, with helping repair and renovate for the last 20 years. Campbell Keller donated much of the furniture. And she is especially grateful to her husband Brian, who installed flooring at the new location along with supporting her long hours.
Tommasini has also
recently formed a scholarship program for former daycare kids. One of Tommasini’s first charges in her Serrano El Dorado Hills home was Isabella Bowers, now an Oak Ridge High School senior. “All of it was so fun and we felt so loved by everyone there,” she remembers. Bowers spent her days with Gift of Kids from the age of 6 months
mind and was super supportive of our team.”
That support has been especially meaningful to current Editor Noel Stack. “We had a rough end of 2024 with the sudden death of senior staff writer Eric Jaramishian and later freelance writer Dawn Hodson. Both Richard and T. Burt have been incredibly supportive as I navigate losing these friends, staffing issues and other personal matters,” Stack said. “Having managers who not only care about quality products but also the wellbeing of staff makes challenges easier to address.
“Though Richard is no longer publisher, I’m glad he’s staying on with the company in a consulting role as he has the ability to talk me off the ledge when I’m feeling stressed,” Stack added.
Tommasini has lived in El Dorado Hills for more than 20 years and saw her adult kids through Oak Meadow, Rolling Hills and Oak Ridge. Her younger children, Brielle and Gianna, attended Brooks and Valley View elementary schools, with one now at Ponderosa High. All of them worked summers at Gift of Kids. “I wanted to raise my children where schools were great and the sense of community was small,” Tommasini said. “It’s changed but still amazing.” For more information visit thegiftofkids.net.
deeply about the communities they live in and enjoy everything the area has to offer. If not for the distance that separates us from our children and grandchildren, we would have enjoyed living here in retirement,” Esposito shared. Esposito retires with nearly 50 years of experience in the newspaper industry, having held the publisher role at newspapers in Oak Ridge, Tenn.; Valparaiso, Ind.; Sikeston, Mo.; Placerville and Grass Valley. Additionally, he spent five years at the Chicago, Ill., regional headquarters of Thomson Newspapers Inc. as the Midwest/West Coast marketing consultant, overseeing 23 community newspapers for the company.
Esposito’s involvement extended far beyond the Mountain Democrat. He’s a past two-term president of the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and past president of the Snowline Hospice Board of Directors. He also served on the statewide California News Publishers Association Board of Directors.
“El Dorado County is a special place with a storied history. Its residents care
O’Neal
be sure this person is competent, good with details and won’t be overwhelmed by the financial and legal issues involved in settling an estate. If your initial choice doesn’t have these skills, you may need to find a responsible person outside the family. Finally, here’s one more mistake: going it alone. Estate planning is not a do-it-yourself activity. To help ensure your estate plan addresses all the issues involved, you’ll need to work with a
“A local community newspaper is only as strong as the readers who support it. And the Mountain Democrat, for the past 174 years and counting, continues to thrive to report on events and people of the county.” Esposito said. “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity the McNaughton family gave me in managing their newspapers.”
He and his wife Janie look forward to spending more time with their two daughters, Madelyn and Chelsea, and grandchildren Isla, Rocco, Tilly and Olive.
legal advisor and possibly your tax and financial professionals, too.
Devoting the necessary time and effort can help you avoid many of the mistakes that threaten the effectiveness of estate plans — and the fewer mistakes you make, the better off your beneficiaries can be.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by local Edward Jones Financial Advisor Suzy O’Neal, (530) 676-5402. Edward Jones, member SIPC. Continued from
Courtesy photo
Brian Tommasini, Jennifer Tommasini, Brittney Kelly and Isabella Bowers celebrate the opening of The Gift of Kids Nook in El Dorado Hills.
Bowers attended The Gift of Kids Daycare & Preschool when she was younger and received the business’ first scholarship.
e
You can continue to cook and entertain in your own home, or enjoy our chef-prepared meals in the community dining room with friends. We take away the worry of housekeeping and home maintenance, and provide social opportunities all month long. You can relax and spend your days with friends and family, and doing the things you enjoy most.
INDEPENDENT LIVING HOMES FEATURES
• Kitchen with full-size appliances and granite counters
• Private patio
• Attached garage
• In-home washer and dryer
• High ceilings
• Housekeeping, laundry, and trash service
• Basic cable and utilities included — stay warm this winter!
• Pets welcome
COMMUNITY SERVICES & AMENITIES
• Restaurant-style dining
• Swimming pool, hot tub, and outdoor grills
• Clubhouse and tness center
• Library and full-service beauty salon
• Activities, clubs, outings, and celebrations
• Transportation services
• 24-hour emergency maintenance
• Gated electronic entrance
We also o er Assisted Living Villas & Memory Care apartments for a full continuum of care.
V illage H OMES
Lisa Paragary CalBRE #01196924 (916) 247-1303 lisa@paragarymillerteam.com.
6325 Western Sierra Way, El Dorado Hills
4,369 square feet
5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms 0.69-acre property
Listed at $3,499,000 MLS #225001057
Home a dream under construction
This brandnew custom home being built by TailorMade Homes in El Dorado Hills will be the talk of the neighborhood when completed.
With four spacious bedrooms and four bathrooms, plus a separate 682-square foot casita with a bedroom suite and living room, this single-story home has plenty of space to stretch out. Residents and guests have their own spaces for relaxation and can come together in the gorgeous living spaces both inside and outdoors.
Resident chefs and guest caterers will love the kitchen’s Thermador stainless appliance package and scullery back kitchen. The home has great dining space options, whether it’s an intimate dinner for two with the lighting turned down low or an al fresco esta for a few dozen.
The luxurious primary suite is the ultimate escape with a crackling replace and private patio featuring breathtaking
views of Folsom Lake.
Outdoor entertaining is a breeze with a luxurious pool, spa and outdoor kitchen. There’s also room for pickleball sport court, a huge lawn area and more, giving the new owners the opportunity to customize their stunning lot even further.
The property has plenty of guest parking space and the home features an attached, four-car garage plus a h garage bay attached to the casita. Construction is scheduled to be completed in August 2025.
The Serrano gated community includes an award-winning golf course, immaculate landscaping and miles of hiking/ walking trails. The gated community is close to shopping, restaurants, great schools and Highway 50. Interested in this beautiful Western Sierra Way property in El Dorado Hills? Contact Lisa Paragary at (916) 247-1303 or lisa@paragarymillerteam.com.
Symphony wants families to make a connection
Folsom Lake Symphony News release
The Folsom Lake Symphony’s popular family concert, which in past years was scheduled in March, has now been moved to January. This year’s theme, Connections@ TheSymphony, invites families to explore fascinating connections between symphonic hits and literature, geography, arts and sports. The program also features the grand-prize winner of the symphony’s Young Artist Competition and the ever-popular Instrument Petting Zoo. —fun for the whole family.
As part of the Community Outreach Concert Series, this specially priced family concert has been moved to an earlier date: 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at Harris Center for the Arts on the Folsom Lake College campus. Open to everyone, but geared Connections@TheSymphony
Photos by David J. Grenier
The Instrument Petting Zoo at Folsom Lake Symphony’s family concert allows children to check out many musical instruments.
of seeing what is invisible to others.”
When you enter the state-of-the-art Mother Lode Rehabilitation Enterprises Inc. facility, there’s an immediate sense of purpose and creativity. At the front entrance you’ll find an open-beamed space that sets the tone —the Something MORE Artist’s Gallery.
This space showcases the work of MORE’s artisan group and serves as a visual testament to their talent. The artwork displayed here speaks to the heart, inviting visitors to engage with both its beauty and the stories it tells.
For 55 years, MORE has been building pathways to support its Vision Statement: “Full Inclusion for All People.” In 2005, MORE artisans made their debut at the first Art & Wine with Something MORE event, and 21 years later their work is not only recognized but celebrated.
At MORE’s Creative Arts Lab, qualified instructors collaborate closely with clients, helping them unlock their potential. These clients, who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, awaken their creativity and intellect through customized approaches. As they gain self-esteem and confidence, their artistic abilities flourish.
The process nurtures skills and talents, giving them the recognition they deserve. The desire to share their creations with others empowers them further, revealing the value of something MORE.
MORE’s CEO, Susie Davies, reflected on what inspired her in 1969: “I
saw that a population of people was being devalued. As positive laws began to be enacted, it became clear that a gentle, kind and appreciative group — people who live in the moment — deserved recognition and integration into communities. I can’t imagine not working with such generous souls.”
Here’s a glimpse into some MORE artisans’ stories:
Jennifer G. is a talented watercolor artist, specializing in landscapes and floral designs. She brings whimsy and elegance to her canvases and has even sculpted a “Yellow Submarine” sculpture featuring the Beatles. Jennifer also creates plywood sculptures adorned with clay, paint and other materials.
When asked what she sees in her work, she
simply replied, “I see excellence.”
Jessica M., who recently celebrated her 43rd birthday, has been with MORE for 22 years. She’s known for her enchanting paintings of unicorns and castles, often with shimmer-
ing elements that seem to dance in the light. Currently, she’s working on a captivating cat-inthe-window sculpture that’s sure to spark the viewer’s imagination.
Lauren H. loves painting but is also collaborating on a multi-artisan
textured sculpture. The background features a stunning relief of joint compound and moldable clay, ready for tinting with special inks. This piece has architectural qualities and would make a striking wall treatment. Lauren has expressed
deep
Michael
or just want to come to us instead of their other program work on reallife skills both in the classroom and in public.
OUR MISSION
To empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDS) to live their best lives. We do this by providing opportunities for growth in character, health, social connections, and independence.
Everyone who is in our program is in the Self Determination Program (SDP).
We also have an incredible theater program that rehearses every Tuesday evening from 5:30-7. This is not part of the SDP. This program is for ages 13 and up.
For more information contact:
Happy New Year, gentle reader! I hope 2025 is off to a hopeful, sparkling start for you. There is optimism in the air. Challenges ahead, too. No doubt.
And before we know it, we will be looking back and wondering, “Where did all the time go? What have I accomplished?”
That’s why goal setting is so important. If you haven’t already done so, take some time today to jot down what you’d like to do this year and break those objectives down into small, achievable tasks.
Susan Laird The Arts
One of the dreams I hear many people voice is the desire to learn a little bit more Spanish/Italian/German/ Portuguese, etc.
There’s an app for that. Why not make this your year? Here are a few of the top language apps.
Duolingo
This app has a free side and a paid side. Through fun games, the user learns speaking, reading, vocabulary, grammar and social situations one is likely to encounter when traveling. In quick, bite-sized lessons, the user gets feedback even on pronunciation. Duolingo uses AI and scientific research to pace the lessons at the level that is right for you. Over 40 languages are offered, including Klingon for the sci-fi lovers out there.
Duolingo is dedicated to preserving endangered languages, also. So if you want to learn Navaho or Hawaiian, this is a place to start. Duolingo is free, but offers video interaction and more one-on-one feedback on the paid side. Cost: free to less than $200 annually. Available in the Apple app store and on Google Play.
Babbel
This app focuses on getting you to real-life conversations faster. Thirteen languages are offered. Like Duolingo, Babbel offers course material that is tailored to the user’s proficiency level and time commitment. However, in addition to the app, Babbel offers live online classes with master teachers.
In addition, Babbel offers podcasts, online videos and a magazine offering
tips and an in-depth look into different cultures. Cost: The basic price is $108 for six months of learning or $600 for lifetime learning. Babbel offers frequent sales, so check the app store of your choice.
Rosetta Stone
The granddaddy of language learning is Rosetta Stone. It works by mirroring the way you first acquired language as a child, a method called “Dynamic Immersion.” This provides maximum exposure to your new language through audio spoken by native speakers, written words and real-world images.
Rosetta Stone offers 25 languages. Lessons are bite-sized and leading speech recognition technology helps you to learn how to correctly pronounce words. The app has 4.8 stars and is available for Apple and Google Play devices. Cost is regularly $16 a month for three months, $11/month for a year or a one-time payment of $179 for lifetime access to all 25 language programs, which is actually a good deal.
Scope it out
Hop online and do an internet search for your new language. There are many resources out there. YouTube offers videos, tutorials and more. Amazon Prime has movies and children’s videos in many languages. The TuneIn Radio app will even let you listen to live radio stations around the world for free. Online tutors are available for hire, too.
The benefits of learning a new language are many. It’s never been easier to get started. Whether your 2025 goal is to connect better with family, to make new friends, expand your career opportunities, have a new hobby or simply stimulate your mind, you can do this — at any learning level. Set your expectations on getting better, a little every day, and you will emerge as a winner. And remember to have fun. We will all, God willing, be 12 months older in 2026. Let’s set our goals for good and make this a better place in 2025.
Carpe diem! Send your event for consideration in Susan’s column to slaird@handywriting.com.
GROW FOR IT!
Discover a beautiful plant hiding in the garden
Do you have a beautiful plant in hiding? Would you like to see more color in your garden? Take inventory and think about how and when you are pruning. There seems to be a way of thinking that a plant can’t look neat and well cared for unless it’s been pruned into a ball, square or rectangle. For some, a formal hedge is a chosen style and can be lovely, but you do have other pruning options to add beauty to your garden. With good hand tools and a lot less work, you can have a beautifully shaped shrub that highlights the characteristics you bought it for — whether it’s the leaves, bark, or flowers. Careful pruning will keep the plant healthy. You will be ready with a few tools, such as a good pair of pruning shears, something to sharpen them, a pruning saw and a little bit of knowledge about your plants and pruning cuts. When plants are trimmed with a hedge trimmer it stimulates the plant to grow just below the trimmed area requiring more trimming in just a few weeks. In the summer, the newly cut areas can show signs of scorching. And
Morrison UCCE Master Gardener of El Dorado County
since this type of trimming stimulates growth, the plant will require more water. Eventually the outside of the shrub becomes very dense with little light entering the center of the plant causing spindly growth and dead branches to accumulate.
Knowing when to prune your plant is critically important. Winter is a good time to prune many plants, but you need to know if your plant blooms on this year’s growth, new wood, or on last year’s growth, or old wood. Newly planted shrubs don’t need to be pruned in their first year unless there is a broken branch. Later pruning will be to guide the shape and growth of the plant. You may need to prune just twice a year. A full-service nursery should be able to answer these questions when you buy a plant. If you need help identifying your plant, the Master Gardeners of El Dorado County can help. Can you restore a plant that has been pruned into a ball? It depends on the plant and its age. Several plants such as azalea, camellia, ligustrum, abelia, nandina, lilac and crape myrtle benefit from rejuvenation or renewal pruning. Rejuvenation pruning usually means cutting the plant down about 6-12
Pixabay image
With good hand tools and a lot less work, you can have a beautifully shaped shrub that fits right in with the rest of your garden.
Dolores
Texas Country Music Hall of Fame inductees coming to Harris Center
Ed Sengstack Harris Center for the Arts
F
OLSOM — Harris Center for The Arts presents The Texas Tenors, the most successful music group and third highest selling artist in the history of “America’s Got Talent,” on stage Jan. 23.
Since appearing on the series in 2009, Marcus Collins, JC Fisher and John Hagen have released five studio albums, 2 PBS Specials, four DVDs, multiple singles and a children’s book that have earned them impressive recognition, including three Emmy Awards, The Gelett Burgess Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature and the distinction of being Billboard Magazine’s No. 10 Classical Artist in the World. The tenors’ most recent albums, “Outside the Lines,” “Rise” and “A Collection of Broadway and American Classics”
all debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts. These classically trained, versatile tenors have performed more than 1,700 concerts around the world, including headline shows in Las Vegas, China and a 24-city tour of the United Kingdom. Recently they were honored to be included among the top 50 acts in the world and the only vocal group from the United States invited to appear on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent: The Champions.”
At the Folsom concert, guests will hear music from the group’s new No. 1 album along with patriotic favorites and everything from country to classical.
Individual tickets for The Texas Tenors are on sale now at the Harris Center box office at (916) 608-6888 or online at HarrisCenter.net. Harris Center for the Arts is located at 10 College Parkway in Folsom.
Women’s Fund El Dorado offers scholarships, grants
Cathy Harris Women’s Fund El Dorado
Applications are now available for Women’s Fund El Dorado’s Wickline Scholarship.
Since 2012, WFED has awarded $73,500 Wickline Scholarship dollars, making a difference in the lives of 46 women.
The Wickline Scholarship was established to assist women 22 years of age and older who reside on the western slope of El Dorado County and are furthering their careers by pursuing a post-secondary education. The Wickline Scholarship is an award of up to $2,000 distributed annually to one or more recipients. Funds are awarded directly to the school. Applications are scored by financial need, personal history and completeness of application.
A legacy gift from Marian Wickline in 2009 as well as a generous gift from U.S. Bank and Kevin Nagle with El Dorado Town Center provides the opportunity to offer this scholarship. For more information visit womensfundeldorado.org/wickline-and-lighthousefunds.
Women’s Fund El Dorado grant applications will be available Jan. 2. El Dorado County nonprofit agencies serving the county’s western slope are invited to apply. In an effort to remain an effective grant making organization, WFED continues to expand its grant opportunities to cover a broad range of needs including basic human needs, children and youth development and arts and culture.
$100,000 is expected to be awarded
in grants in 2025. Request for proposals must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 30. An Applicant Workshop for prospective grant applicants is set for Jan. 16. Details will be provided on the Women’s Fund El Dorado website, womensfundeldoado.org.
For 2025, WFED’s Inspiration Grant will award a total of $52,000. By design, the grant does not have a specific focus, thereby inspiring nonprofits to identify and address the community’s most pressing needs. Applicants may apply for up to $26,000.
In addition to the Inspiration Grants, six additional grants totaling $48,000 will be awarded: a total of three Acorn grants of up to $8,000 each will be awarded to nonprofit organizations that have not previously received a grant from the WFED; a total of three Impact Grants of up to $8,000 each will be awarded to nonprofit organizations offering direct impacts on the western slope of El Dorado County. This includes but is not limited to human services, such as those pertaining to mental or physical health, education, youth development, services to children, families, seniors, arts, community beautification, animal welfare or community development.
An organization must choose to apply for either an Inspiration grant, an Acorn Grant or an Impact Grant; it cannot apply for more than one.
Following the Jan. 30 due date, all proposals are reviewed and scored by
Join EDCF Scholarship Giving Circle
Chris Ringnes
El Dorado Community Foundation
The El Dorado Community Foundation announces a giving circle where anyone can contribute, and all funds collected will go toward scholarships for graduating seniors who are pursuing higher education at each of the following high schools (and donors can choose which high school scholarship their funds are designated for): El Dorado High School, Golden Sierra High School, Ponderosa High School, Oak Ridge High School, South Tahoe High School and Union Mine High School.
Become a member of this new giving circle for $40 or more and 100% of
donations will go toward a new scholarship at the EDC high school of the donor’s choosing. Visit eldoradocf.org/ edcf-scholarship-giving-circle to join this giving circle any time until Feb. 1.
Membership will allow donors to vote on how the funds are allocated for the scholarships (minimum scholarship amount will be $1,000). The foundation will collect memberships through Feb. 1, and then allocate all the dollars back to scholarships for the designated schools; it’s a great way to be part of a scholarship to help students pursue their educational dreams.
For more information email Kathy Haven, EDCF director of Grants, Programs, and Community Impact. at kathy@eldoradocf.org.
A dentistry that aims to be a home away from home
Jessica Cyphers Staff writer
For patients of Dale Stanec, Jr., DDS, going to the dentist feels a little like going home.
“We know all of our patients. They’re our friends,” said Dr. Stanec, who works alongside his wife and office manager, Elena, in his Cameron Park office. “The experience in our office is very personal. We’re very small and greet each patient by name when they walk in. It’s a comfortable, homey place to have dental work done, and we like it that way.”
Dr. Stanec has been in dentistry in the Cameron Park area since 2002. As a kid, he was “always into science and math” and loved the idea of owning his own business.
“I ran a lawn-mowing business as a kid — always had some kind of business going — so becoming a dentist and owning my own practice just made sense,” said Dr. Stanec. Dr. Stanec did his undergraduate work at Cal Poly,
San Luis Obispo and then attended dental school at Northwestern University in Chicago. He graduated from Northwestern in 2001 and says that, although he was born and raised in San Jose, it was a natural draw to open his practice in the foothills. “Elena and I love this area. We had a lot of family and friends here and thought it would be a great place to raise our kids.”
In his office, Dr. Stanec offers a full scope of general and cosmetic dentistry with expertise ranging from porcelain veneers and dental implants to crowns and bridges and more. Unlike many other dentists, Dr. Stanec doesn’t employ dental hygienists or other technicians but does all of his dental work himself.
“I spend a lot of one-on-one time with my patients. It’s fun for me to do the work myself because I get to spend more time with my patients and hang out with them and really get to know them. It makes it fun to do what I do,” said Dr. Stanec.
Another advantage of keeping his practice small is that, because he sees every patient one at a time, Dr. Stanec can be very thorough and immediately answer any questions that come up. He is also able to really respect his patients’ time. “I am almost always early or on time,” said Dr. Stanec. “My patients know that, so they’re usually early or on time for their appointments, too. It’s a win win for everyone.”
Dr. Stanec is located at 3955 Cameron Park Drive — in Cameron Park. His office is right near the Goldorado Shopping Center, directly across from the new Walgreens on Palmer Drive, and is very conveniently located for all of his patients. The move is just one more way Dr. Stanec shows his commitment to providing the best possible care for his patients.
“I look forward to going to work and getting to see who’s on the schedule every day,” said Dr. Stanec. “I love the work that I do and am proud to do really
work. Originally I’d planned to be a little bigger,
Courtesy photo WFED honors Marian Wickline’s tenacity and strong spirit through her scholarship fund.
n See WOMEN’S FUND, page B7
Shingle Springs Cameron Park
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
SHINGLE
SPRINGS~CAMERON PARK Chamber of Commerce
President’s Corner
Colette Thiel
As we wind down a very successful year for our Chamber, we wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season and a very Happy New Year!
Looking ahead, we’re excited to host the Installation of O cers and Chamber Awards Luncheon. This special event will replace our regular January luncheon and will take place on Thursday, January 23rd, at 11:45 a.m. at the Red Hawk Casino Koto Bu et. Join us as we welcome the 2025 Board of Directors and celebrate our Chamber’s achievements. Seating is limited, so be sure to register early. Tickets are $25 for Chamber members and $30 for non-members. This promises to be a memorable event, and we look forward to seeing you there!
o er individual membership for community members looking to contribute and support the Chamber’s mission. Additionally, we are always seeking new ambassadors to join our team and help make a positive impact.
Thank you for your continued support of the Chamber and our community. Together, let’s make this holiday season and the year ahead one to remember.
Sincerely,
Cole e Thiel, President Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce
Finally, we want to remind everyone that our Chamber maintains an open-door policy and encourages all members to get involved. Did you know you don’t need to own a business to become a member? We also
The SS/CP Chamber Needs Volunteers!
The Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce needs volunteers to spend a few hours a month helping the chamber with its events and management. The payback is helping your local business advocates support the community in which
they live and serve, while striving to make Shingle Springs and Cameron Park wonderful places in which to live! We have several key positions opening right now. Get involved today! Please contact Colette Thiel@ ThielHomes.com for more information.
January (Fridays to Sundays)
CP Rotary Club Observatory
From 8:30pm to 10:30 pm, weather permitting, the observatory is open to the public on weekend evenings. Trained docents show the many celestial wonders of the universe through two 14-inch telescopes. Folsom Lake College, El Dorado Center, Campus Drive (continue through the back parking lots to the left of the observatory gate). For info and closure updates, call (530) 642-5621, Ext.
January 18
9.January - Support Small Businesses and Keep It Local
Shop locally by visiting the various shops and restaurants in El Dorado County!
January 12
Farmers Market (Now Year ‘Round) Sundays between 10am and 1pm, come shop our region’s most popular market with more produce and commodities than ever before. Choose from fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade honey and jams, cheeses, and other household favorites. For more information, contact Jim Coalwell at (530) 622-1900 or email jim@redshack.com.
TPlacerville Third Saturday Art Walk Free! Enjoy the Art Walk on Placerville’s Main Street between 5-8pm. Artist demos, music at the Bell Tower, wine and drink specials, and more!
January 20 – Martin Luther King Day
January 23
SS/CP Chamber Of cers Installation & Awards Luncheon
Please join us at Koto Buffet in the Red Hawk Casino from 11:45am to 1:00pm for our monthly networking luncheon! Join us as we welcome the 2025 Board of Directors and celebrate our Chamber’s achievements. Seating is limited. Cost is $25 for Chamber members, and $30 for nonmembers. Contact the Chamber for more details at (530) 677-8000.
January 20 – Inauguration Day
Join the Chamber
January 25 – Gold Discovery Day
Join the celebration of James Marshall’s gold discovery back in 1848, a historical event for California. Learn what it was like to be a miner in Coloma and what tools were used to nd gold. Try your hand at panning, put a barrel together, visit a Gold Rush merchant, or stop by the Blacksmith’s Shop. $10 per vehicle day use fee collected. For more information, call (530) 622-3470. February 2 – Groundhog Day!!!
he Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce, originally formed as the Shingle Springs Business and Professional Association, Inc. in December 1967. It works to promote the area, encouraging business and industrial investment to provide the foundation for a solid community.
The Chamber’s mission statement re ects this premise: “To advocate, promote and preserve the quality of life in our Chamber Community, by means of a strong, healthy and diverse business community.”
2025 — A new year to make art admiration part of your resolutions
ACRAMENTO
S— If enjoying more art is on your New Year’s Resolution list, check out these two exhibits currently on display at the Crocker Art Museum.
David Cerný:
Rebellion, an exhibition of 29 works by Czech artist David Cerný, on view through Jan. 12
Cerný is often described as a street artist, engineer, architect, pilot, rebel and provocateur, but the terms most akin to his nature are innovator and disruptor. He is widely recognized for his monumental sculptures in public spaces, which speak directly to everyday people and protest authority through satire and derision.
All his works have a personal connection to the evolving history of his country — the Czech Republic — and Europe broadly in the post-World War II era. His political views — anti-authoritarian, anticommunist and anti-censorship — stem from his journey as a contempo-
rary artist during a time when regressive ideologies have returned, wars continue to be waged and societies are dehumanized by governments and economics.
“This striking exhibition presents work that is challenging and engaging,” said Scott A. Shields, Ph.D., the Crocker’s Ted and
toward families and students who may not be familiar with classical performances, this family concert is offered as part of the symphony’s commitment to extend music education and appreciation more broadly in the community. The program consists of an hour-long concert performed by the orchestra with Maestro Peter Jaffe introducing each piece with a lively interactive discussion that incorporates education and music appreciation. It is followed by the Instrument Petting Zoo, which will return bigger than ever with instrument
the WFED Grants Committee. The top scoring proposals in each category move forward to the entire WFED membership, which then votes on the agencies to receive funding. Member voting opens immediately after the WFED Ballot Showcase event scheduled for March 27 and closes on April 24. Grant recipients are notified May 9. To qualify for funding, organizations must have nonprofit status and an established office on the western slope of El Dorado County (El Dorado Hills to Silver Fork). Request for proposals and additional details are available online at womensfundeldorado.org. For more infor-
inches. Regrowth can be quite rapid. There is so much to share about pruning but so little space. Fortunately, there are some great resources. The Master Gardeners of Marin County have excellent information online regarding what to consider when getting ready to prune, tools, types of pruning cuts and their use as well as demonstration videos. Check it out at marinmg.ucanr.edu/CARE/ HOWTOPRUNE.
A wonderful book, out of print but usually available in used bookstores is “American Horticultural Society Pruning & Training” by Christopher Brickell and David Joyce. It is also available in El Dorado County libraries. Master Gardener classes are offered monthly throughout the county. You can find a schedule at mgeldorado.ucanr.edu/ Calendar/ and recorded classes on many gar-
for 21 years, specializes in dragon and castle-themed artwork. He meticulously designs his creations on paper before building wire-framed, paper mâché-covered sculptures, which can take months to complete.
“Dragons come from dinosaurs and can have a temper. I hope my sculptures inspire others to create them,” Michael said.
Tony S., a country music enthusiast, is also a skilled artist known for his stylized, graphic bulls. His pieces, often adorned with bold colors like red, yellow and black, are striking. Tony’s talent doesn’t end there; he also excels in Bob Ross Painting Class, where his cabin in the woods painting captures the beauty of nature in rich blues and greens. Tony is also a graduate of the Gentlemen’s Class, where he’s learned the importance of manners, relationship-building and kindness. His team regularly creates greeting cards for holidays and assembles gift baskets for the
Melza Barr chief curator and associate director.
“Cerný’s deep ties to political protest and representing the concerns of the people resonate with so many.”
Cerný’s goal is to generate an open debate and provoke audiences to think about his message. The shapes, materials and themes of each sculpture are chosen to create the biggest impact possible, leaving no one indifferent to his work. In the Crocker’s exhibition, the power of Cerný’s political satire is abundantly clear.
stations in the lobby, Stage 2 and Stage 3. Children will have hands-on experience trying out various instruments of the orchestra guided by symphony members. Tickets for this family concert are available on the symphony’s website, folsomlakesymphony.com, by phone at (916) 608-6888 or at the ticket office on the Folsom Lake College campus, 10 College Parkway, Folsom. The Folsom Lake Symphony is the resident orchestra at the Harris Center for the Arts.
mation contact WFED Grant Chair Rachel Stahl at grants@womensfundeldorado.org.
Women’s Fund El Dorado, a fund of the El Dorado Community Foundation, is a collective giving organization that is open to all for a donation of $200 a year or more. Funds collected are pooled and leveraged in the form of grants and voted on by members who support community philanthropy to enhance the quality of life on the western slope of El Dorado County. Since it was founded 15 years ago, membership has grown and the organization has awarded more than $1,230,806 to 114 community projects.
dening topics here: mgeldorado.ucanr.edu/ Public_Education/Classes.
The Sherwood Demonstration Garden is open, weather permitting, on the first Saturday of the month, from November through February 9 a.m. to noon. The First Saturday tour starts promptly at 9 a.m. Please check the website for further information about activities at the Sherwood Demonstration Garden at ucanr.edu/sites/ EDC_Master_Gardeners/Demonstration_ Garden.
Have a gardening question? Master Gardeners are working hard to answer your questions. Use the Ask a Master Gardener option on mgeldorado.ucanr.edu/Ask_a_ Master_Gardener or leave a message at (530) 621-5512. For more information on the UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County visit mgeldorado.ucanr.edu. Master Gardeners are also on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
community.
“The 21st annual Art & Wine with Something MORE event is a unique and meaningful opportunity for our clients to proudly showcase their art,” said Kelli Nuttall, director of finance and fund development. “It also provides a powerful platform to raise awareness for MORE’s vision of full inclusion. Bringing the community together in support of this shared cause is truly inspiring.”
Art & Wine with Something MORE will be held 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville. This event combines the art of wine, spirits and culinary bites with a curated art show and sale, making it the perfect way to kick off the new year. Attendees are encouraged to dress in Roaring ’20s style and enjoy the excitement of live and silent auctions, as well as raffle prizes. For more information contact Jamie Pitts Garcia at (530) 622-4848 or jamiepitts-garcia@morerehab.org, or
The works included in the show communicate the artist’s concern for the dehumanization of society and the rise of extremist ideologies, while exploring themes
of dominance, power and destruction. Originally conceived for a museum show in Chicago in 1991, the first set of Cerný’s “Babies” was not realized until 2001, when they were made to crawl up the Žižkov Television Tower in Prague. The oversized infants debuted in the same year the city was recognized as the cultural capital of Europe, an annual award bestowed upon cities rich in arts, music and theater. Ironically, by climbing the 300-foot tower, the babies shed light upon the building’s intent, which was to act as a signal jammer used by Russian censors to block Western shows from being seen by the Czech public. Russia’s efforts at blocking programming that might disrupt communist-only propaganda were highlighted by the presence of the sculptures, which turned the symbol of restriction into site for creative freedom. A version of “Finger” is also included in the Crocker’s presentation.
Crocker Art Museum, gift of Lois and Barry Ramer, M.D.
Viktor Kolar (Czech, born 1941), Untitled (Coal Miners on Railway Track), 1977.
Exceptional, trailblazing women recognized this year
News release
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the California Museum recently inducted the 18th class of the California Hall of Fame in a virtual ceremony. This all-women posthumous class consists of trailblazers in athletics, civil rights, culinary arts, entertainment and more. They join more than 100 inspirational Californians previously inducted for embodying the state’s innovative spirit.
California Hall of Fame 18th Class inductees
• Julia Child: Cook, author, television personality
• Ina Donna Coolbrith: California’s rst poet laureate
• Vicki Manalo Draves: Olympic gold medalist
• Mitsuye Endo: Civil rights activist
In 2013, on the eve of the Czech general elections, Cerný placed a 30-foot middle nger on a barge in the Vltava River in front of the presidential palace, an in-your-face message to President Miloš Zeman, a communist sympathizer.
“This nger is aimed straight at the castle politics,” Cerný explained. “A er 23 years, I am horri ed at the prospect of the communists returning to power and of Mr. Zeman helping them to do so.”
The monumental sculptures included in the exhibition also showcase the artist’s skill with a variety of materials, including metals, resins, plastic, berglass and electronics. Cerný’s resin and LED wall sculpture “Albert Einstein” depicts one of the world’s most renowned scientists and thinkers. Using a proprietary technique in which three-dimensional objects oat within a polymer resin as if seen via X-ray, Cerný showcases gears, cogs, bones and other items that denote the inner workings of brilliance within the seemingly translucent makeup of Einstein’s playful face. A series of works using this process are included in the exhibi-
Watch the induction ceremony at youtube.com/ live/QUxDzVqCFV8.
“We are very proud to induct the California Hall of Fame’s 18th class,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said. “This all-female cohort consists of powerful women who remain beloved cultural icons and civil rights luminaries today, truly embodying the California spirit.”
“These trailblazing women have shattered barriers, challenged societal norms and driven progress that has transformed California and the world,” added First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “By celebrating their extraordinary and lasting accomplishments, we are moving closer to truly honoring the rich diversity that de nes our great state.”
Launched in 2006, the California Hall of Fame honors history-making Californians whose embodi-
tion.
Free-thinking, strongwilled and eccentric, Cerný continues to provoke and encourage contemplation in everything he creates, including in a recently unveiled monumental sculpture titled “Vera” for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, a piece honoring the late Czech gymnast and dissident Vera Cáslavská. Whether paying homage, assaulting politics or creating whimsical metaphors of contemporary society, he aims to connect directly with the public, making works that are impossible to ignore.
Frames of Mind: The Ramer Photography Collection on view through May 5
The exhibition celebrates the recent gi of 68 photographs from the Davis couple, whose collection is united by an engagement with the human condition and a concern for social equity. This donation marks the 50th anniversary of the Ramers’ journey in collecting photography.
Frames of Mind explores the shared experiences that
ment of California’s spirit of innovation changed the state, the nation and the world. Inductees are selected annually by the governor and rst partner for achievements in arts, business and labor, entertainment, food and wine, literature, music, public service, science and sports.
“The California Museum is honored to be the home of the California Hall of Fame, celebrating remarkable individuals who have shaped our state and nation,” shared Anne-Marie Petrie, chair of the California Museum Board of Trustees. “The 18th class highlights the inspirational achievements of women who overcame obstacles, making indelible contributions to our culture and in uencing the path of history. We are proud to play a part in recognizing their enduring legacies.”
The California Museum is located at 1020 O St., Sacramento. For more information call (916) 6537524 or visit californiamuseum.org.
connect people across di erent cultures, regions and time periods. Whether focused on human subjects, streetscapes or landscapes, the photographs encourage viewers to slow down and view the world — and one another — with greater empathy and understanding.
The exhibition includes photographs by acclaimed Harlem Renaissance photographer James Van Der Zee, whose images capture the vibrant and growing African American middle class in Harlem, New York in the 1920s and 1930s. Van Der Zee’s work is presented alongside that of other artists from the 1930s, including Japanese architect Iwao Yamawaki, who moved to Germany to study at the Bauhaus and there embraced architectural photography, as well as American photographers Lewis Hine and Walker Evans, both employed by initiatives connected to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal during the Great Depression.
Socially conscious photographs of post-war Europe feature prominently in the exhibition. German-born British photographer Dorothy Bohm, who received a Leica camera from her father as she boarded a train to ee from the Nazis, focused her lens on the everyday people of Europe during and a er the war. Similarly, British photographer Shirley Baker’s sympathetic images of working-class children playing in the blighted streets of Manchester and Salford in the 1960s and 1970s reveal how wonder and joy can persist during times of hardship. The Ramers’ gi also includes many photographs taken in the former Czechoslovak Socialist Republic while the country was still under communist rule, as well as works by signi cant women photographers and contemporary California artists.
“As a renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Barry Ramer developed a sensitive eye for imagery that delves into the human psyche and leaves a lasting impression. The Ramers’ collecting interests are not limited to celebrated photographers. They are also captivated by the work of lesser-known artists whose unique way of seeing the world resonates with them personally,” explained exhibition curator Francesca Wilmott, Ph.D.
Frames of Mind — which spans both second oor temporary exhibition galleries — presents more than 100 photographs in total. In addition to recently acquired works, it also includes artworks the Ramers have gi ed to the Crocker since 2015. Artists include Thomas Annan, Eugène Atget, Jaroslav Bárta, Flor Garduño, Susan Felter, Ana Mendieta, Richard Misrach, Sebastião Salgado, Young Suh and Beth Yarnelle Edwards, among others. Many of the photographs in this gi represent the rst works by an artist to enter the Crocker’s collection, while others deepen the museum’s existing holdings. The Crocker Art Museum is located at
MITSUYE ENDO DIAN FOSSEY
JULIA CHILD
VICKI MANALO DRAVES
TINA TURNER
ALICE PIPER
INA DONNA COOLBRITH
Photo by Pablo Quezada, courtesy of Centro Cultural Tijuana
David Cerný (Czech, born 1967), “Albert Einstein,” 2019. Resin and LED light.
The Gift of Kids, Inc.
Jennifer Tommasini
5130 Golden Foothill Parkway AND NEW SECOND LOCATION: 5041 Robert J. Mathews Pkwy., Suite 200 El Dorado Hills 916-521-1835 • www.thegiftofkids.net
I would like to thank everyone for their vote for #1 Favorite Daycare and continuing to trust us with your precious children. I love being part of this community and helping children learn and grow. With 4 children of my own (now 27, 24, 14 and 13), my own journey began in the daycare preschool eld because I was unhappy with the care and education I was receiving.
I have been blessed to have a large facility in El Dorado Hills where I employ 45 loving teachers and care for 200 children, and we are now expanding! We offer education and care for babies, Preschoolers, Pre-K, private Kindergarten, and school-agers, where we transport to 9 local schools. Don’t be fooled by our large size, our teachers make each classroom homey and warm. The kids have lots of outdoor space to play, we are on over an acre and have 7 large playgrounds, a soccer eld, and a an organic garden. The Gift of Kids outdoor area gives the kids space to explore, garden, and play on age appropriate playgrounds.
The teachers at The Gift of Kids Daycare and Preschool include talent that brings us music, yoga, and even Spanish on a daily basis. We have been working with soccer shots for over 10 years and
have a very creative curriculum! Teachers here are all educated in child development, CPR and First Aid certi ed, and make it a priority to continue their education.
The Gift of Kids Inc. is celebrating 25 years in business, with 15 years in our original location, Business Park 1, and I just purchased my new building at 5041 Robert J. Mathews Pkwy. We could not have done it without the many wonderful families here in the community that I have called home for 20+ years! Again... Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me live out my dream in a business that I love and families that continue to bless us with their children.
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As we close out 2024, it’s impossible to ignore the challenges this year has brought to the luxury real estate market. With uctuating trends and economic uncertainty, many property owners faced dif culties in selling. Yet, despite these hurdles, we’ve remained committed to helping our clients successfully market and sell their properties in El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park, Shingle Springs & Rescue.
We’ve always believed in the power of a personalized, strategic approach. We’ve continued to set a higher standard for real estate, ensuring each listing we represent stands out and gets delivered to the right buyers. Whether the market is up or down, our attention to detail, creative marketing, strategic partnership with San Francisco Chronicle and passion for what we do have allowed us to stay ahead of the curve, delivering exceptional results for our clients.
This year has reinforced how important it is to trust the process, especially when the market is unpredictable. By treating every property as our own, we ensure each home gets the attention it deserves, and our clients’ goals are met—often surpassing their expectations.
As we look ahead to 2025, we want to take a moment to thank everyone who trusted us with their real estate needs this year. We wish you all a healthy, prosperous New Year lled with success and happiness. Remember, no matter what 2025 brings, we are always here to help with your real estate journey!
Here’s to another truly successful year in El Dorado County’s luxury
