Mountain Democrat, Friday, February 3, 2023

Homeless shelter to open Monday

Eric Jaramishian

Staff writer

Preparations for the county-approved, referralonly temporary navigation center/homeless shelter at 299 Fair Lane in Placerville have an end in sight as the shelter will become operational Feb. 6. The navigation center will act as a safe indoor space for those experiencing homelessness in El Dorado County. The center will be open to individuals by referral only — it will not take walk ups. Referrals to the navigation center will come from the county Health and Human Services Agency,

Man guilty of sodomy charges

Odin Rasco

Staff writer

A man arrested in Cameron Park by El Dorado County sheriff’s deputies pleaded guilty Jan. 31 to multiple charges, including sodomy by use of force.

Andrew Scott Holtzen, 31, is facing a sentence of 24 years in state prison for two counts of sodomy and one count of injuring a spouse, cohabitant or girlfriend, according to a news release from the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office.

Holtzen admitted to a prior strike and made a full confession when initially contacted by law enforcement.

“It was my birthday and I wanted to,” Holtzen allegedly told detectives as his reason for sodomizing the

‘Burns’ with Scottish revelry

victim.

Prior to his encounter with the victim Holtzen was homeless, DA’s officials told the Mountain Democrat.

Holtzen was taken into custody on Sandhurst Drive Sept. 11, 2022, according to inmate records from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.

The case was presided over by El Dorado County Superior

Gold Country Retirement sold

Retirement Housing Foundation, a California nonprofit that through its affiliates sponsors multiple senior care facilities, has announced the sale of four properties in California, including Gold Country Retirement Center in Placerville.

The purchaser, Pacifica Companies LLC has agreed to a total cash price of $183.5 million for an asset purchase that actually includes all real and personal

OBITUARIES

Alexander (Al) E. Herron, Jr.

1955 – Jan. 13, 2023

Alexander (Al) E. Herron, Jr. passed away of complications due to cancer at Marshall hospital on the afternoon of Jan. 13, 2023. His family and friends were in attendance. Al was born in Whittier, Calif. in 1955. Al grew up in Rialto, Calif., racing motorcycles with his brother, Patrick (Pat). He met wife, Gail, in 1983 while still living in Southern California. They married in 1987 and moved to Placerville in 1995. He was employed for 21 years by Gencorp/Aerojet of Rancho Cordova. A lifelong lover of flying, Al purchased his first plane in 1988. He sold it after the move to Placerville to invest in a homebuilt plane kit which he assembled in their garage. An active member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Al completed the plane (RV-7A) in 2008. He and Gail spent many hours flying to visit family and attend air shows. Al was preceded in death by his parents, Alexander Herron Sr., and Jeanette (Hodges) Herron, and half-brother, Larry Schildberg. Al is survived by wife, Gail, brother Pat and many loving in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins. A celebration of life will be held at the EAA hangar at the Placerville airport on April 29, 2023.

Michael Neal Atwell

Jun 21, 1942 - Dec. 23, 2022

Michael Neal Atwell died after a short illness in Folsom, Calif., December 23. He was surrounded by his family. Mike was born in Chicago, Illinois to Olin and Janice Atwell and moved to Los Angeles, Calif. when he was 6 years old. The family later moved to Burlingame, Calif. where Mike graduated from Burlingame High. He attended San Jose State and the College of San Mateo before graduating from San Francisco State. The College of San Mateo was where he met the love of his life, his wife Barbara. He attended Hastings School of Law and after graduation and passing the bar, he joined the Merced County District Attorney’s O ce. He was then hired by the San Francisco Public Defenders O ce. Life long fans of the Lake Tahoe area, Mike and Barbara decided to move their family to the South Shore in the early 70s where Mike went into private practice. In his long and successful career that he loved so much, Mike would be a county conflict attorney, assistant DA and assistant public defender for El Dorado County. He was active with the law library, Sunrise Kiwanis and the local theater and arts community including being a founding member of the Tallac Association. Mike had recently retired from his dream job as the District Attorney of Alpine County, Calif.

Mike is survived by his wife of over 55 years, Barbara, his two daughters, Lara and Sara, and his son, Duncan, daughter in law Charity and his grandchildren, Emma and William in addition to an extended group of family and friends. A celebration of life will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Valhalla Arts Association.

Gloria Edwina GrayMarshall

Jan. 26, 1941 – Jan. 18, 2023

Our mom, grandma, greatgrandma, sister, aunt, friend and dog momma passed peacefully, Jan 18, to her heavenly home surrounded by family. She was born in Tonganoxi, Kan. on Jan 26, 1941 to Edwin and Georgia Gray.

During the war her family relocated to Rodeo, CA and later during her early high school years they moved again to Hercules, Calif. Gloria graduated in 1958 from De Anza High School. She married in 1960 and had three children during the course of her marriage. After her divorce she moved her family to the Fresno area where she went to work for L’Eggs as a delivery driver. She later went to work for UPS as the first female driver in Fresno and made many friends along her routes. This is where she learned to back any size of truck with exact precision a talent she possessed until the end. This career ended due to an injury and Gloria later went on to work for PG&E where she retired in 2003.

In 1992 Gloria moved to her beloved mountain home in Pollock Pines. Life in the Sierra’s isn’t for the faint of heart but she thrived. In her retirement she enjoyed bowling with her Knotty Pines Bowling League friends whom she considered family. She also fancied herself as an animal rescue and left behind 5 dogs and 2 cats. She is survived by 3 children, sons Kelly (Deborah) and Corey, daughter Stacy, eight grandchildren, and four great-grand babies with one on the way, her sister Glenda, brother Jerry, several nephews and nieces, friends, and her ‘Big Yellow’ lifted Chevy truck.

The family wishes to thank Snowline Hospice and her wonderful caregiver Shelsea. In lieu of flowers please make a donation in mom’s name to the American Cancer Society or Snowline Hospice. A memorial service will take place March 23 at 1 p.m. at Green Valley Community Church. Come celebrate with us and bring your best Gloria story.

James Edward “Chappy” Chapman

Apr. 20, 1942 – Nov. 27, 2022

Jim was born in Placerville, Calif. He was proud to be a lifelong resident. He was a graduate of El Dorado High School and a veteran of the United States Navy. When he returned from his service he had many di erent jobs. He worked for El Dorado Limestone Company and El Dorado County Road Department. He was co-owner of John S. Hocking Company, driving his lowbed and operating his crane, hauling immense loads for SMUD, Bigge Drayage Company and others. He also worked for Ed Akin Trucking and Doug Veerkamp General Eng. Inc. In 1996 he began teaching heavy equipment maintenance & repair for Sacramento County O ce of Education. Upon retirement from teaching, he returned to Doug Veerkamp General Eng. Inc., where he restored antique Caterpillar tractors and various makes of antique trucks for Doug & Matt’s impressive collection. Jim said it was like working at Disneyland. A job he enjoyed immensely.

Jim had countless hobbies. The thing that he loved the most was operating his Caterpillar bulldozer, Snorty. There were numerous friendships created by doing earth moving all around El Dorado County and beyond. He enjoyed wood work and metal work and made many beautiful pieces. In later years he took an interest in machining and was quite talented at it. The restoration of his 1956 Ford pickup was an amazing accomplishment and he was able to take it to several car shows, winning a first place trophy at Sacramento Autorama. He had a life well lived.

Jim was proceeded in death by his father Maurice Chapman, mother Nona Sweeney Chapman, sister Sharon Redding, daughter Stephanie Chapman Pope and son Timothy Chapman. He is survived by his loving wife Bonnie Chapman, grandchildren Mercedes Chapman, Wyatt Pope, Isaac Chapman, Owen Pope and Eric Chapman. He is also survived by his sisterin-law Margie Carrick (Mike), and his former wife Marilyn Chapman. He had very close and loving relationships with his nephews and nieces and is survived by Adam Cole (Elly), Jim Cole (Tina), Laura Mosher, Tom Redding (Shelbi), Ti any Baxter (Brett), Annique Jeske (Ben) and several other great-nephews and great-nieces who adored him.

His friends were abundant and he will be missed dearly by all who knew and loved him.

A Celebration of Life will take place July 1, 2023. Details to follow at a later date.

Donations in Jim’s memory may be made to Snowline Hospice of Placerville, 6520 Pleasant Valley Road, Diamond Springs, Calif. 95619

Evelyn Mae Morris

Sept. 10, 1932 – Jan. 21, 2023

To those of you that were blessed to know and love Evelyn Mae Morris — She passed to a heavenly place on Jan 21, after 90 years beautifully spent loving on her 3 Children, 10 Grandchildren, 16 Great Grandchildren and 9 Great-Great Grandchildren.

We are abiding by her wishes to not have a funeral.

Her world was Stew and their love for one another was a living testimony of a beautiful marriage; “SOUL MATES” they often said lovingly. She found joy in holding many babies close to her chest, often closing her eyes and savoring those precious moments.

Her hugs and unconditional love have been passed down 5 generations!!

That love is passed on each time we hug our children and their children and their children…

We, her family, never knew a day without love.

“Knowing that it’s only for a while that we will be apart, and then together again when we are also… Welcomed Home”

Linda Wagner Azevedo

Apr. 24, 1950 - Jan. 15, 2023

Linda passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family. She was born to Fred and Olga (Hove) Wagner in Kalispell, Montana. Her favorite early memories were gathering and working cattle on horseback at her family ranches and contributing to the homesteading life. Linda was a natural leader during her school years in Tacoma and Olympia, Washington and continued to be highly engaged in social, academic, and extra-curricular settings throughout high school in Battleground. Any extra time was spent riding and training her saddlebred for dressage and hunter competition.

Linda’s equestrian achievements didn’t go unnoticed and she became the professional trainer at a saddlebred barn in Montana, then moved to the California Bay Area to work as a trainer at a renowned Morgan horse stable. Linda was an inquisitive spirit and always wanted to learn. She was encouraged by her optometric technician colleagues to apply to optometry school. At UC Berkeley she met her husband Loren, and after graduating they started a life together on California’s North Coast.

As an industrious, resourceful, fun-loving woman, she became involved with the community while growing a family and building a successful business. Linda enriched her children’s lives with a sense of adventure and wonder of nature. She adored her children and provided a grounding and loving home.

Linda was an enlightening influence on anyone she met. Just a short conversation would leave one with a sense of clarity, confidence, and direction. She was a brilliant asset to organizations where she volunteered. She did not require recognition and never shied away from di cult decisions. Linda listened to what was important to others, valuing their ideas, and creating a space of inclusion. She radiated warmth, support, and inner strength with friends and strangers alike.

After retiring from their optometric business (first Azevedo and Azevedo, and now A to Z Eyecare), Linda and Loren moved their ranching passions to the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills in 2016. Linda brought her favorite horses, cattle, cow dog, and pioneering spirit along with her.

Linda is survived by her husband Loren Azevedo; son John Azevedo; son Thomas Azevedo; daughter Katie Cole and her husband Michael Cole; and her cherished granddaughter Bryn Cole. Momo: We will always love you and we hope to carry your internal light of kindness, dignity, and wisdom forward with us as inspiration to ourselves and others.

For those of you who knew Linda, you are invited to do the same by keeping her wonderful qualities in your hearts and minds. If you would like to make a donation on her behalf, they will be accepted at a nonprofit organization founded by Linda: Oak Hill Area Fire Safe Council, PO Box 75, Diamond Springs, CA 95619.

PLACERVILLE 5-DAY FORECAST

California Department of Water Resources photo by Kenneth James Sean de Guzman, right, manager of the California Department of Water Resources Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit, inserts the snow depth survey pole into the snow as Jacob Kollen, left, and Anthony Burdock, center, both Department of Water Resources engineers, take the measurements during a Feb. 1 survey of the snowpack at Phillips Station near Echo Summit.

Snow survey reflects atmospheric river boost

California Department of Water Resources News release The Department of Water Resources’ second manual snow survey of the season at Phillips Station recorded 85.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 33.5 inches, which is 193% of average for the location on Feb. 1. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water

and dry, but the past few months have demonstrated how much more extreme those swings are becoming,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “California is preparing for more intense and dangerous climate swings by bolstering both drought and flood preparation. While today’s results are good news for water supplies, we know from experience how quickly snowpack can disappear if dry conditions return in the months ahead.”

FINALLY, Medicare & Most Insurance Companies Pay for Treatment of Neuropathy!

CALL

The snowpack received a significant boost from one of the wettest threeweek periods on record in California, following the driest three-year period on record. California also experienced above-average precipitation in December just months after one of the hottest heatwaves in state history in September.

“California has always experienced some degree of swings between wet

DWR’s electronic readings from 130 snow sensors placed throughout the state indicate the statewide snowpack’s snow water equivalent is 33.7 inches, or 205% of average. While those results are currently outpacing the record 1982-83 season, two months still remain.

“Large snow totals like today are a welcome sight but also present new challenges for water managers as they walk the fine line between water supply and flood control,” said DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit Manager Sean n See Snow Survey, page A6

Peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves often causing weakness, pain, numbness, tingling, and may also lead to serious balance problems.

This damage is commonly caused by a lack of blood ow to the nerves in the hands and feet. If not properly treated this lack of blood ow may cause the nerves to degenerate.

Placerville, CA – Currently the most common method most doctor’s recommend to treat neuropathy is with the use of prescription drugs. Although these drugs may temporarily reduce your symptoms they may cause a feeling of discomfort and in some cases lead to a variety of terrible unwanted side effects. We have a different method!

The treatment to increase blood ow utilizes a specialized low-level light therapy (not to be confused with laser therapy) using light emitting diode technology. This technology was originally developed by NASA to assist in increasing blow ow.

The low level light therapy is like watering a tree. The light therapy will allow the blood vessels to grow back around the peripheral nerves and provide them with the proper nutrients to heal and repair. It’s like adding water to a tree and seeing the roots grow deeper and deeper. The amount of treatment needed to allow the nerves to fully recover varies from person to person and can only be determined after a detailed neurological and vascular evaluation.

“My feet hurt so bad after sitting I could barely take the rst few steps. I have had 11 treatments and no longer feel sharp or shooting pains and most of the tingling is gone. I now have full balance and can walk without pain. As Dr. Mooney explained the treatment is not painful, nothing uncomfortable, and is actually very relaxing.” – Neuropathy Pain Patient

Family Owned and Operated Since 1991

FLOOR MODEL CLOSEOUT! SAVE UP TO 50%

A Distinctively Different Mattress Store Established 1991

ELK GROVE (916) 685-0555 10064 Bruceville Rd. Elk Grove, CA 95757 Cross Street Whitelock Pkwy Across from Super Walmart

NEUROPATHY What Causes It? John Mooney, DC at Premier Healthcare will do a neuropathy severity examination to determine the extent of the nerve damage for only $47. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE PAIN! CALL TODAY! John M. Mooney, D.C. QME 1980 Broadway, Placerville Call 530-622-3536 NeuropathyPlacerville.com Most major health insurances are accepted, including BCBS, Aetna, Humana, and Medicare. SACRAMENTO (916) 614-9004 1417 Howe Ave. Sacramento, CA 95825 Corner of Hallmark Dr. and Howe Ave

VOTED BEST MATTRESS STORE 16 YEARS IN A ROW! CLEARANCE Event! NewYear ON SELECT FLOOR MODELS While supplies last.

We Will Any Advertised Mattress PRICE! PRICE! BEAT BEAT We will beat any advertised price by 10%. This offer expires 2/6/23. With $600 minimum purchase. Not valid on prior sales. See store for details. www.MatthewsMattress.com • BUY BY 5 PM SLEEP BY 9 PM* • FREE DELIVERY, SET-UP & REMOVAL** **EXCLUDES SUNDAYS 30 MILE RADIUS $600 MINIMUM PURCHASE *SEE STORE FOR DETAILS.

CAMERON PARK (530) 677-5301 3291 Coach Lane Cameron Park, CA 95682 Next to Applebee’s

UP TO 70% OFF SACRAMENTO CLEARANCE CENTER (916) 568-1036 2210 Arden Way Sacramento, CA 95825 Near corner of Howe and ArdenNext to Del Taco • *See store for details.

California Matters

Would ‘wealth taxes’ bring big bucks or spur exodus?

Would imposing “wealth taxes” on the richest Californians generate a cornucopia of revenues to fill gaps in the state budget, particularly for services to the poor?

Or would such levies, added to income taxes that are already the nation’s highest, persuade more wealthy Californians to abandon the state, à la Elon Musk?

California voters could pose those questions if newly introduced wealth tax legislation makes it through the Capitol, including a signature from Gov. Gavin Newsom, and appears on next year’s ballot.

A phalanx of left-leaning legislators, led by Assemblyman Alex Lee, a San Jose Democrat, introduced the new measures — a bill and a constitutional amendment — as part of a nationwide drive by progressives for wealth taxes in California and other blue states. They hope that imposing wealth taxes at the state level would spur a national tax.

Summary

Lee and other advocates cite a 2021 ProPublica article that detailed how very wealthy Americans use loopholes in the federal tax system to avoid paying billions of dollars in income taxes. “This is all in the spirit of making those who are not paying their fair share pay what they owe,” Lee said.

There’s an ironic element to that contention in California. By happenstance, the wealth tax measures were introduced three days after the New Yorker magazine published an article about a lawsuit alleging that two daughters of Gordon Getty, a San Francisco billionaire who is Newsom’s close friend and financial patron, used shell trusts based in Nevada to avoid paying millions of dollars in California income taxes on earnings from money Getty gave them.

Lee’s measure, Assembly Bill 259, contains elaborate language aimed at preventing rich taxpayers from dodging wealth taxes, which would be initially imposed on those with at least a billion dollars in net assets — 1.5% each year — and later be extended to those with over $50 million at 1%.

The taxes would be levied on worldwide assets,

The Not So Weekly Daley

Letters to the Editor

A challenge given with no reply

EDITOR:

In an earlier letter to the Mountain Democrat

I made a challenge to the Gang of Five to go to Deb’s Frosty in Diamond Springs on any weekday between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. and get a firsthand look at what years of poor planning and wrong priorities have created in this historical town that residents love.

This challenge was made because they will have to make a decision about Dorado Oaks, a 384lot subdivision in the area that would overwhelm the existing services of sewer and water. It will have a huge impact upon the current traffic load on Highway 49/Pleasant Valley Road with major impact upon residents, commuters and first responders.

This project has been around for 19 years, still has the same problems and the county and previous Gangs of Five have not chosen to fix any of these critical problems. They found ways to shovel money away into wrong priority ratholes but the most crucial areas — our roads — are given a pittance.

On Jan. 24 I challenged the supervisors again to go to Deb’s Frosty on a weekday, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

I also commented that they should get out from behind their desks, out of the building and meet the residents of Diamond Springs who work every day to support their families and cannot make board meetings. I was given no commitment to take on my challenge. In my opinion, I will never get an answer.

As I sat there and watched the proceedings and faces of the gang, less one, I looked at the way the room was set up — a mini coliseum where you come to state your case and sit in the bleachers. The gang sits up and above your speech location, leaving you with a sense of your inferiority while they sit on a level above you to disclose their superiority. They are no better or worse than anybody in the room; however, a person could feel intimidated in this situation. Somewhere lost in the dust is the saying “All men are created equal.”

It is sad. The foregoing are my opinions; however, the question remains the same. Will they go as a group to Deb’s Frosty and tell me when they will be there? Maybe I can get a news crew from one of the local TV stations to commemorate such a brave undertaking. Only time will tell.

BRIAN DeBERRY Placerville

What the traffic must bear when traveling west

Ihaven’t used I-80 to drive to the Bay Area in several years. It’s always like a barely controlled road race game of chicken that I’ve avoided by taking longer and, of course, slower alternatives such as I-5, CA 99 and combinations of 580, 680, 12 and 4 depending on the actual destination.

Sunday I was heading to Walnut Creek and decided to give it a try. I figured early Sunday wouldn’t be too terrible and it wasn’t. Of course the usual maniacs didn’t appreciate me only hurtling along between 65 and 70 mph and felt compelled to rocket past me at 85 or 90 mph or more. It was OK because there weren’t nearly as many “maniacs” on the road that morning.

The reason for my trip was to stay at my son Aaron’s house and ride

with him into San Francisco Monday morning. He works at University of California, San Francisco and had arranged a consultation for me at the neuromuscular clinic. The presenting problem has been a gradual “wasting away” and ultimately loss of the bicep in my right arm. I can’t recall any particular occurrence or precipitating incident and therefore wasn’t the most effective reporter when the doctors started asking me an extensive battery of questions, but I persevered for almost two hours as did they.

Stripped down to my shorts and my fun personality, the clinic provided one of those funky gowns with the open back and a couple of warm blankets, very welcome in such circumstances I’ve found. But I digress.

We left Walnut Creek at 7:15 Monday for a 9:15 check-in at UCSF. It’s only 27 miles but it took us a hair shy of two hours door to door, rather door to parking garage and another 10 minute walk to the clinic. Traffic came to a screeching halt on the approach to the Bay Bridge and crawled thereafter most of the way across the city. Hundreds of thousands of people do that every day. More’s the pity.

Throughout the 1970s I commuted from West Sacramento to Fairfield to teach at the continuation high school from 1971 to 1973. That was about 40 miles each way on I-80. Then I drove from outside Diamond Springs to Davis for another five years to teach high school and junior high. Got my only moving violation on Missouri Flat Road early one morning in 1974 — speeding. I haven’t done too much

of that since then ... well, nothing that ever made it into any official record.

In those days, there was precisely one stop sign between my house and my job in Davis. So it took me about an hour to go 62 miles. Not so bad. I don’t know what that commute might take on a bad motoring day today. More than one hour I’d bet.

The ride back to Walnut Creek Monday took just over an hour from our lunch venue at the Beach Chalet, a few miles farther west than UCSF. That was from 2-3 p.m. so wasn’t the meat of rush hour and relatively benign and not too bad. Still, over an hour (plus the two hour morning jaunt) to go 27 miles is not a way I would want to spend many days of my “golden years.”

ChriS DALEy

n See WalterS, page A5

DAN WALTErS

Stripped down to my shorts and my fun personality, the clinic provided one of those funky ... and a couple of warm blankets, very welcome in such circumstances i’ve found. n See Daley, page A5

Walters Continued from A4 would hit wealthy taxpayers even if they left the state and hefty penalties would be imposed for underpaying.

The first question is whether Lee’s new bill has any better chance of winning legislative approval than his previous version, which never got to first base. There are huge Democratic majorities in both legislative houses, far more than two-thirds, but many Democrats are leery of voting for new taxes.

A key element is whether Newsom, who is personally quite wealthy thanks to the PlumpJack wine and restaurant business he founded with seed money from Getty’s trust, would support such a measure.

Newsom has hinted that he’s concerned about an exodus of wealthy taxpayers, who already provide a huge share of the state’s revenues. Last year he opposed a ballot measure, Proposition 30, which would have hiked taxes on millionaires to support efforts to counter climate change.

For the first time wealthy Californians actively opposed the measure, having remained passive when previous tax-the-rich propositions were placed before voters, and with Newsom’s added opposition, voters rejected it.

Even if the wealth taxes pass the Legislature, voter approval of the constitutional amendment is problematic. With potentially billions of dollars at stake, a lavishly financed opposition campaign is certain, meaning proponents — particularly public employee unions — would have to commit big bucks as well.

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD

Moreover, another measure to hike income taxes on the wealthy is already ticketed for the 2024 ballot. Its advocates, who want more money for pandemic readiness, stayed off the 2022 ballot to avoid conflict with Proposition 30.

It’s another test for an old saying about Californians’ attitudes on taxes: “Don’t tax you, don’t tax me, tax the fellow behind the tree.”

Dan Walters is a journalist and author who writes for CALmatters.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Daley

Continued from A4

The two doctors who examined me didn’t give any quotable conclusions beyond ordering two tests for nerve conduction and comprehensive blood “labs.” I can do that. I don’t know why my right bicep has failed so miserably, but I can go and get those tests, hopefully someplace closer than 130 miles and potentially many hours away.

If I have to go back to UCSF for more tests, I think I’d rather take the train and stay in the city for a night or two then Uber to and from the clinic. Dealing with that level of traffic day in and day out must feel like a perpetual round of Russian Roulette ... and I think I’ll leave that to the Russians from now on.

Chris Daley is a biweekly columnist for the Mountain Democrat.

crime log

The following was taken from El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office logs:

Jan. 20

7:36 p.m. Burglary was reported on Speckled Road in Pollock Pines.

8:10 p.m. California Highway Patrol officers booked into jail a 45-year-old man suspected of DUI on Wentworth Springs Road in Georgetown. He was later released.

8:15 p.m. Vandalism was reported at an apartment complex on Valley View Parkway in El Dorado Hills.

11:31 p.m. Battery was reported at a pub on Pleasant Valley Road in Diamond Springs.

11:52 p.m. California Highway Patrol officers booked into jail a 50-year-old man suspected of DUI on Oak Leaf Circle in Placerville. He was released on $5,000 bail.

Jan. 21

5:09 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 31-year-old man suspected of giving false identification officers and a felony probation violation. He was listed in custody.

8:27 a.m. California Highway Patrol officers booked into jail a 24-year-old man suspected of DUI on Point View Drive in Placerville. He was released on $10,000 bail.

1:11 p.m. Grand theft was reported at a business on Cameron Park Drive in Cameron Park.

1:14 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 37-year-old man suspected of being involved in selling a controlled substance on Desperado Court in Somerset. He was listed in custody in lieu of $50,000 bail.

1:24 p.m. Petty theft was reported at a business on Green Valley Road in Cameron Park.

3:23 p.m. An accidental shooting was reported on Sand Ridge Road in El Dorado.

8:52 p.m. Vandalism was reported on Bothwell Circle in El Dorado Hills.

Jan. 22

4:28 a.m. Deputies cited a suspicious subject on Cimmarron Court in Cameron Park.

7:26 a.m. Deputies cited a suspect following a traffic stop on Knollwood Drive in Cameron Park.

12:17 p.m. Battery was reported on Mosquito Cutoff Road in Placerville.

12:26 p.m. Grand theft was reported on Newtown Road in Placerville.

12:49 p.m. Burglar was reported on Watsonia Glen Road in El Dorado Hills.

4:24 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 61-year-old woman suspected of trespassing on Malaga Court in Cameron Park. She was later released.

4:35 p.m. Vandalism was reported on Pony Express Trail in Pollock Pines.

6:28 p.m. Burglary was reported on Birchtree Circle in El Dorado Hills.

8:37 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 54-year-old man suspected of possession of a stolen vehicle, displaying false registration a vehicle, possession and transport of a controlled substance for sale, unlawful possession of tear gas and other offenses on Terrace Court in El Dorado. He was listed in custody in lieu of $345,000 bail.

10:27 p.m. California Highway Patrol officers booked into jail a 44-year-old man suspected of DUI on Highway 50 at Oriole Drive in Kyburz. He was later released.

Jan. 23

2:12 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 33-year-old man suspected of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful drug paraphernalia on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville. He was listed in custody.

4:05 a.m. Vandalism was reported on Rattlesnake Bar Road in Pilot Hill,

7:49 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 60-year-old man suspected of disorderly conduct on Sunset Lane in Shingle Springs. E was listed in custody.

9:18 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 27-year-old woman suspected of assault with a deadly weapon (not a firearm) on Forni Road in Placerville. She was listed in custody in lieu of $50,000 bail.

11:57 a.m. Vandalism was reported on Kissela Court in El Dorado Hills.

1:02 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 46-year-old man suspected of unauthorized entry of a dwelling, possession of a controlled substance, passing a fraudulent check and resisting arrest on South Shingle Road in Shingle Springs. He was listed in custody in lieu of $30,000 bail.

1:54 p.m. Vehicle burglary was reported at a church on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville.

Announcements

AL-ANON is here for you if you are bothered by someone else’s drinking. Call for meeting times. (916) 334-2970. https://sacal-anon.blogspot. comt

AmericAN AssOc. Of UNiversity WOmeN Foothills of EDC Branch. Our mission is to advance gender equity for women & girls. Science and Math Camp Scholarships, programs & interest groups. Leave voicemail for Laurel (530) 417-7737 or Sara (530) 417-7138 eldorado-ca.aauw.net

el DOrADO cOUNty AmAteUr rADiO cLUB Dedicated to all aspects of ham radio. Meetings held on the third Tuesday of each month at the El Dorado Sheriff’s office, 200 Industrial Drive, Placerville, 6:30 pm. Visitors and non-hams welcome. Info at www.edcarc.net

LeArN & PLAy criBBAGe Cribbage is a fun, fast paced game that will surely keep you on your toes! **All skill levels **Learn to play by ACC Rules (American Cribbage Congress) **Beginner instruction available **Compete in weekly Cribbage tournaments. Call 916-768-4452 for more information. Gold Country Cribbers play Wednesday afternoon 4:30 pm at the Moni Gilmore Sr Center, 990 Lassen Lane, El Dorado Hills, CA. 95762

Ready for real change?

ceLeBrAte recOvery meets Wednesday nights at 6:30 pm at Bayside Church of Placerville, 4602 Missouri Flat Road, Placerville. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. We are a Christ centered recovery program to find healing and recovery from our hurts, habits, and hangups. Email elebratercovery@ baysideplacerville. com. Facebook: https:// www.facebook.com/ CRBaysidePlacerville.

Struggling with life? ceLeBrAte recOvery is for any Hurt, Habit or Hang-up. We are a faith-based recovery program for life’s issues

and struggles. Join us Thursday nights at 6:30pm at Green Valley Church, 3500 Green Valley Rd, Placerville. Doors open at 6:15pm. Children’s programs are available for ages 3 months to 18 years old. Email: celebrate@ greenvalley.church. Find us on Facebook: https://m.facebook. com/crgvcc/

DemOcrAts – Come meet with the United Democrats of El Dorado County at Round Table Pizza–Missouri Flat Rd. in Placerville at noon on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Call (530)391-6414 or see edcdems. org for more information.

GOLD rUsH cHOrUs now welcomes both men and women to share the joy of singing fourpart harmony in the barbershop style. To learn more or to book a performance, call Howard at (530) 647-6513 or Kent (530) 651-3575

Hangtown Women’s teNNis club. Join fun-loving women Wednesdays 9am-11am at El Dorado High School. Lessons, social events, only $35/year. Call Cindy 805-540-8654. seNiOr Peer cOUNseLiNG of El Dorado County is seeking volunteer counselors. Do you possess such qualities as warmth, empathy and nonjudgement, as well as having varied life experiences, and being over the age of 55? If you do and would like to help and listen to fellow seniors who are dealing with age related issues such as loneliness, isolation, health and grief, we would love to talk to you. Counselors receive training and are supervised by a professional in the field. SPC Clinical Supervisor Jayann Askin, MFT, shares “We are looking for volunteers who are interested in psychology, counseling, and mental health and would like to be a part of a supportive group of ongoing learners in this field.” For more information on this greatly rewarding volunteer opportunity, please call 530-621-6304

A vehicle that was reported stolen sits in

Pines following a chase involving

Forebay Road chase ends with a splash

Odin Rasco

Staff writer

Pursuit of two previously convicted felons by El Dorado County sheriff’s deputies ended with a splash, according to a Facebook post from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.

Officers attempted to pull over a vehicle they identified as stolen on Sunday night but sheriff’s officials say the occupants, considered armed and dangerous, kept driving. A chase ensued along Forebay Road in Pollock Pines and came to an aquatic end when the suspects drove the car they were in over a pile of driftwood and directly into a lake.

In a photo shared by the Sheriff’s Office, the stolen vehicle is seen in about a foot of water on the boat ramp of what appears to be Brush Creek

Reservoir.

One suspect has been identified as Spencer Vine, 29; officials with the sheriff’s department were unable to be reached to provide the identity of the other person in the vehicle. Vine had active warrants out for his arrest for a parole violation and failure to appear on a felony charge, according to county jail inmate records. Booking details also show Vine was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol when he was arrested.

An unregistered firearm, sets of keys officers suspect may have been used for mail theft and drug paraphernalia including a clear glass pipe were found in Vine’s possession at time of arrest, according to EDSO’s Facebook post. Vine remained in custody Thursday with bail set at $590,000.

County asks for input on website redesign

Odin Rasco Staff writer

A website survey posted by El Dorado County officials Thursday seeks input from county residents on how they prefer to receive information and what types of information they find the most important, as well as on how the website looks and functions.

El Dorado County Director of Communications and Outreach Carla Hass thinks a website redesign needs to focus on hearing from the residents who will use it.

“The county’s website is the most visible, accessible and comprehensive tool to keep our citizens informed and updated on the thousands of services and activities it offers and should be responsive to the needs of those we serve,” Hass notes in a press release. “While we have some ideas on how to improve it, we’re asking the end users, the public, to provide their input so we can launch a new website that is more functional and intuitive.”

The county website was last redesigned more than six years ago, n See website page A8

After nine back-toback winter storms, the snow along Highway 50 nearly blocks a roadway sign. At nearby Sierraat-Tahoe Ski Resort the snow total for winter 202223 season is 380 inches, with 179 inches of that snow falling in January.

Snow survey Continued from A3

de Guzman. “As we move into the snowmelt season in the spring, water managers will work to manage flood risk and optimize the snowpack’s water supply benefits during peak demands in the summer.”

On average, the Sierra snowpack supplies about 30% of California’s water needs and is an important factor in determining how DWR manages the state’s water resources. Its natural ability to store water is why the Sierra snowpack is often referred to as California’s “frozen reservoir.”

DWR conducts five manual snow surveys at Phillips Station each winter near the first of each month, January through April and, if necessary, May. The next survey is tentatively scheduled for March 1.

DWR is currently conducting Airborne Snow Observatory survey flights to collect more information on the snowpack accumulated by these powerful storms. Data from these flights, which use LiDAR and spectrometer technology to measure snowpack across broad swaths of key watersheds, will be used by DWR to get an accurate account of California’s snowpack and its water content and will increase the accuracy of water supply runoff forecasts.

Since the storms California experienced in January saw variable snow elevations, this data, combined with snow course and snow sensor data, will help DWR understand how snow has been distributed across the Sierra Nevada.

DWR photo by Fred Greaves

New oN NewtowN

n SHOE by Jeff MacNelly

FREEDOM. TO BE YOU.

If you think oxygen therapy means slowing down, it’s time for a welcome breath of fresh air.

Introducing the Inogen One family of portable oxygen systems. With no need for bulky tanks, each concentrator is designed to keep you active via Inogen’s Intelligent Delivery Technology.®

Hours of quiet and consistent oxygen flow on a long-lasting battery charge enabling freedom of movement, whether at home or on the road. Every Inogen One meets FAA requirements for travel ensuring the freedom to be you.

No heavy oxygen tanks

Ultra quiet operation

• Lightweight and easy to use

• Safe for car and air travel

• Full range of options and accessories

FDA approved and clinically validated

Call 1-866-435-1940 for a free consultation and info guide.

MKT-P0253

n TUNDRA by Chad Carpenter

n RUBES by Leigh Rubin

n SPEED BUMP by Dave Coverly

ARIES (March 21-April 19). When you feel like you’re not quite getting the attention, respect or remuneration you’re due, it’s an opportunity to step up and a chance to refine the skills and techniques that help you attain greater influence over your world.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Deep inside, you know who you are and what you want. But distractions make you forget. When you lose the thread, look inward. Get still and reflect on the core of your being.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). To live in the world is to accept premises all day long. To accept every premise thrown at you would lead to a puppet’s life of following a script you didn’t write. Today you’ll question everything and be better for it.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You realize that what stands between you and what you want is a habit that is either hard to quit or hard to form. But you are capable of doing either. Much depends on tinkering that first, small move that leads to the bigger ones.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Because of the negativity bias humans have evolved to, it’s probably not your first instinct to look on the bright side. Still, you can guide and train yourself to positivity. Optimism needs to be planned for. Employ environmental cues.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). One definition of trauma is “unprocessed feelings.” There’s a chance it’s not all uncomfortable or painful feelings. There’s a chance it all can be handled quickly and gracefully with someone who knows how. It’s time.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You can avoid mistakes by taking a step back to ask if the job, system or personal agenda before you is in alignment with your own. It will keep you from getting hemmed into a situation you can’t get out of without a seam ripper.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The perfectionist will want to win today, but there is no prize! The perfectionist will never be totally happy because nothing is ever totally perfect. When it’s good enough, say so and step on.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Is the thing you like also good for you? Anything can be harmful in the wrong dosage, but some things are harmful in any dosage and better avoided entirely. You’ll have a sense of which you’re dealing with.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). People have their favorite laments they will return to again and again for the sweet release of commiseration. You like to let people vent to a degree if there’s something to bond over, but not enough to dim your bright mood.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Bundled in with praise and admiration will be requests and expectations. If appreciation obligates you, it’s not appreciation so much as manipulation. You shouldn’t have to agree to anything to be liked.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The toll to the future is paid with what you’re willing to let go of about the past. You’ll love the sensation of moving forward. The traffic frees up and you can finally take the highway at the speed limit.

Photos courtesy of El Dorado County Department of Transportation Maintenance and Operations Division Water once again flows under Newtown Road in Placerville thanks to a new culvert placed by Doug Veerkamp Engineering workers. Construction was completed Wednesday on the replacement drainage culvert that was damaged in January storms. The roadway had been fully closed since Jan. 30 between Big Barn and Mining Brook roads but was able to reopen a day ahead of schedule.

property of 16 Retirement Housing Foundation communities in multiple states.

According to Doug Hawkins, administrator at Gold Country Retirement, the sta will be staying on through the transfer. He also mentioned an intent on expansion in the near future.

“(We) will be growing our patient population to better serve the community of El Dorado County,” he said.

No hard date has been set for the transfer but Hawkins expects it in the spring with a ribbon cutting with the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce over the summer.

Gold Country Retirement, which includes a 68-bed skilled nursing facility, is joined by Auburn Ravine Terrace in Auburn, Bixby Knolls Towers in Long Beach and Pioneer House in Sacramento. Of the total purchase price, $48.5 million is going toward the four California properties with $18 million of that allocated for Gold Country Retirement.

All sale proceeds will be used to discharge any mortgage debt, bonds or reimbursements owed to RHF and other expenses, according to the notice of sale.

Why sell?

The notice of sale cites a decline in cash flow starting in 2014. Factors attributing to this decline include government reimbursement for Medi-Cal and Medicare not keeping pace with inflation and increases in minimum wage and labor shortages. The notice of sale also lists building upkeep and capital replacement as contributing factors leading to the decision to sell. COVID-19 lockdowns that banned new admissions in longterm care facilities also are noted as having a negative e ect.

In 2017 the Retirement Housing Foundation Board of Directors asked sta for options to reduce losses in skilled nursing facilities. In 2020 sta returned with several recommendations that included the sale of RHF properties with skilled nursing facilities.

By 2021 RHF leadership and its a liates agreed the sale of these properties would address the severe financial losses by finding a buyer who had the “financial wherewithal, experience and reputation” to continue to provide a high level of services and care. RHF o cials decided to include in one portfolio sale communities in their holdings that were experiencing similar hardships. In May 2021 RHF sta was authorized to proceed. B.C. Ziegler and Company were brought on as financial advisors/brokers and authorized to solicit o ers on the properties.

By October 2021 eight o ers had been made on the portfolio. No nonprofit organization bid for the portfolio sale.

Retirement Housing Foundation chose Pacifica Companies LLC, a privately held real estate company based in San Diego, for its experience in the senior care industry, the financial strength of the organization and its familiarity with California regulatory requirements. Pacifica Companies’ a liates owned 84 senior retirement communities prior to the RHF portfolio sale.

On March 18, 2022, after four amendments to the sale agreement, the two organizations agreed on a modified purchase price of $183.5 million, down from an original purchase price of $203 million.

In a health care impact statement prepared by David Farrell of Farrell Consulting Services for the state Attorney General’s O ce, the four California Retirement Housing Foundation’s skilled nursing facilities up for sale were scored in a fivestar rating system by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The four facilities, when combined, rate slightly above average in overall performance.

Sta turnover and sta retention are important metrics when rating overall quality of care, states the report. The skilled nursing facilities in question show a turnover rate of 34.4% for overall nursing sta compared to the statewide average of 46.5% and the national average of 53%. These numbers indicate a stable sta and therefore a higher quality of care, according to the report.

The report names Cypress Healthcare Group LLC as the proposed management company for three of the four California properties in the sale, including for Gold Country Retirement Center.

Cypress Healthcare currently operates six skilled nursing facilities in California with five in Sacramento and one in Roseville. The report cites the same Care Compare star rating system employed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

According to the report, Cypressmanaged properties show an aboveaverage overall Campare Care rating of 4.2 stars.

However, Cypress’ six properties showed an average number of complaints or facility-reported incidents nearly 50% higher than Retirement Housing Foundation’s sold properties. Cypress’ sta turnover rate at its current facilities is 52%.

The report shows Cypress’ quality of care measures are well above average but outcomes of sta instability and inconsistency negatively impacted long-term residents.

The report concludes with a recommendation of conditional approval of the sale. The conditions would limit Pacifica from changing care levels for any of the currently available beds. This would include surrendering licensure held at the time of closing. Limitations are also included on transferring or discharging patients who transition from a private pay rate to Supplemental Security Income monthly rates and on reducing access to Medi-Cal patients.

A similar healthcare impact statement was prepared for the attorney general by Christopher Cherney of Skilled Review Consulting ahead of another proposed purchase by Pacifica Companies in August 2022.

This report provides an evaluation of Pacifica Companies. According to the report, Pacifica’s regulatory performance was below average. It showed the rate of citations as being 3.9 times higher than the statewide average and five times higher than the average rate of facilities with a similar bed capacity.

Visit State Parks for free in 2023

News release

California State Parks and the California Natural Resources Agency are reminding visitors about three ways to explore the great outdoors for free.

Fourth-graders can obtain a California State Park Adventure Pass to explore 19 select state parks for free for a full school year.

All Californians can check out a California State Parks Library Pass by using their library cards to access more than 200 participating state park units.

Families receiving California Work Opportunity and Responsibility for Kids, individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income and income-eligible Californians 62 and older can apply for the Golden Bear Pass with a smartphone or other webbased device in just minutes and have access to more than 200 California state park units.

The state champions the right of all Californians to have access to

opportunities and enjoy cultural, historic and natural resources. The state is prioritizing e orts to expand all Californians’ access to parks, open space, nature and cultural amenities.

“California is home to more than 200 state parks and it’s never been easier to visit them,” said California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “These easy-to-use programs give all Californians a chance to experience our world-renowned nature. Sign up for one of these programs or check out a park pass from your local library and discover a new state park this weekend.”

Amanita phalloides or “death cap” mushrooms are poisonous.

After storms, beware of poison mushroom crop

News release

Heavy rains spawned a bumper crop of wild poison mushrooms, according to the California Poison Control System.

CPCS experts are warning the public about the potential dangers of eating wild mushrooms. Buying cultivated mushrooms at a reputable food market is the safe way to eat them, rather than eating wild mushrooms that were picked by friends or family members. Heavy rains, which California just experienced, provide the right conditions for growth of a tremendous number of poisonous amanita phalloides or “death cap” mushrooms. Death caps lead to an increase in human poisonings reported to CPCS.

“No matter how experienced one is at mushroom identification, there is always a risk in eating wild mushrooms,” warns Dr. Rais Vohra, CPCS medical director for the Fresno/ Madera division of CPCS. Contrary to folklore that says poison mushrooms

Website Continued from A6

with only small changes since. There are more than 4,000 web pages that will be assessed for usefulness, importance, accuracy, functional links and content when the site is redesigned.

“Technology changes so rapidly and our county is changing too, in terms of what our residents need and expect

Shelter Continued from A1

September 2022 approved utilization of the now vacant former site of the county’s juvenile detention center, which had been leased to the Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit during the heart of 2022’s wildfire season.

The center will provide short-term shelter for 60 individuals at a time. The county Health and Human Services Agency contracted with Volunteers of America Northern California to operate the facility 24/7 and to provide case management services.

VOA management reports its sta has received training in trauma care, de-escalation, health and safety and will continue to receive education to provide services to its clients for longterm housing. Additionally, the county will provide

are brightly colored, poison mushrooms typically look like most edible mushrooms.

Death caps, abundant in California, can easily be mistaken for other edible mushrooms, growing mainly under coastal live oaks. There are more than 700 cases of mushroom ingestion reported to CPCS each year. Fatalities are uncommon but do occur.

Eating poisonous mushrooms can cause abdominal pain, cramping, vomiting, diarrhea, liver damage and death. Symptoms typically develop six to 12 hours after eating. The most serious illnesses and deaths have been linked to mushrooms that cause liver damage, including amanita ocreata or “destroying angel,” as well as the death cap.

Call Poison Control at (800) 2221222 for questions about poison encounters. Trained pharmacists, nurses and other providers are available to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service is free, confidential and interpreters are available.

from government information tools,” Hass states. “With the input from this short survey, we hope to develop a new website that not only improves on what we currently provide but exceeds the expectations and needs of our public.”

The survey is open until Feb. 10 and can be found at bit.ly/CountySite.

housing assistance and behavioral health services and Marshall Hospital and the Upper Room Dining Hall will also provide services in support of the project.

The center will be low-barrier, meaning easily accessible to homeless individuals. Clients will be given storage space for their belongings and will be able to bring their pets. There is also a secured outdoor recreational area.

The temporary navigation center is expected to stay in operation for two years until a permanent facility is constructed. A permanent center is planned for the site of the former El Dorado County sheri ’s headquarters, located close by at 300 Fair Lane on the El Dorado County Government Center in Placerville.

California State Park Adventure Pass

This is the second year of the three-year pilot program made possible by Assembly Bill 148, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in July 2021. To date, more than 26,000 passes have been provided to families.

The California State Park Adventure Pass Program expands the opportunity for fourth-graders and their families to enjoy the benefits of connecting with nature, each other and their communities. The pass for this school year’s fourth-graders is valid until August 31, 2023.

Obtaining a free pass online at ReserveCalifornia. com is simple. All that is needed is for a parent and/or guardian to provide a name, address, phone number and email address. Individuals who do not have access to a smartphone, computer or printer and/or do not have an email address can still request a pass by visiting a State Parks pass sales office or by calling (800) 444-7275. For a list of pass sales offices go to parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30366.

Parks nearest El Dorado County where the California State Park Adventure Pass can be used include:

• California State Railroad Museum (Sacramento)

• Empire Mine State Historic Park (Grass Valley)

• Calaveras Big Trees State Park (Arnold)

• Clear Lake State Park (Kelseyville)

California State Park Library Pass

In partnership with the California State Library, State Parks launched the California State Park Library Pass in April 2022 with a total of 5,000 passes distributed to 1,184 public libraries across the state. As part of a three-year pilot program, each library jurisdiction received an average of at least four special day-use hangtags to circulate, allowing library cardholders to check out the pass for the allotted number of days allowed by the local library.

State Parks and the California State Library are

Holtzen Continued

excited to announce that an additional 28,000 park library passes are being distributed statewide to all public libraries, bringing the average number of passes available at each branch to 24. The library pass program is being expanded to also include the addition of tribal libraries throughout the state.

The pass is valid for entry of one passenger vehicle with a capacity of up to nine people or one highwaylicensed motorcycle at more than 200 participating state park units.

“California’s libraries serve their communities in all kinds of ways besides providing the books Californians want to read,” said California State Librarian Greg Lucas. “They check out tools, DVDs, provide online learning you can access 24/7 — even homework tutoring. And now they’re helping open the window on California’s breathtaking state parks. Just one more great reason to visit your local library — in-person or online.”

In El Dorado County the California State Library Parks Pass will allow free entry to:

• Auburn State Recreation Area

• D.L. Bliss State Park

• Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park

• Emerald Bay State Park

• Folsom Lake State Recreation Area

• Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park

• Washoe Meadows State Park

Golden Bear Pass State Parks and the California Department of Social Services made it easier for CalWORKs families to

receive a free, annual vehicle day-use pass for use at more than 200 state parks and beaches.

“Outreach efforts to reach eligible recipients have proven successful, as more than one in 10 families receiving CalWORKs benefits have already received their Golden Bear Pass,” said California Department of Social Services Director Kim Johnson. “The Golden Bear Pass represents yet another resource for families receiving CalWORKs, building on other recent supports such as increased monthly grants and targeted outreach to connect families with critical tax benefits, such as the child tax credit.”

Created in 1977, the Golden Bear Pass Program was relaunched last spring with the goal to directly notify approximately 300,000 families receiving CalWORKs about their eligibility and the overall health benefit of spending time in the outdoors. To date, more than 35,000 Golden Bear Passes have been distributed since the relaunching of this program. Individuals participating in SSI and low-income adults 62 and older can apply for Golden Bear Passes online at ReserveCalifornia.com, by mail or in person. Additionally, all adults 62 and older can apply for a Limited Use Golden Bear Pass, for off-season access. “Spending time in the outdoors is so important to our physical and mental well-being and State Parks is proud to receive the support from the Newsom Administration, Natural Resources Agency, our state legislators and state departments to make the outdoors more accessible to all Californians,” said State Parks Director Armando Quintero.

For more information on all three State Park Pass programs visit parks.ca.gov/OutdoorsForAll.

Mountain Democrat photos by Eric Jaramishian

Cameron Park resident Liam Irish, left photo, pipes in the haggis held by Auburn resident Tim Sands as attendees of the Burns Night Supper at the Placerville Shakespeare Club make their way through a seven-course traditional Scottish dinner. Garrick Matheson of El Dorado Hills, right photo, recites the work of 18th century Scottish poet Robert Burns.

“O my luve’s like a red, red rose that’s newly sprung in June.” Folsom resident Stuart Stackhouse, left photo, recites “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns to his wife Terri. Scottish clan members gather for a group photo, right photo.

Voctave

Photo

In the KNOW

Stellar Student

Congratulations to Isabella Veffredo of Placerville, who was named to the fall 2022 Dakota Wesleyan University Dean’s List.

Feb. 3

The Tahoe Art League hosts an opening reception for its winter show, 4:306:30 p.m. at 3062 Lake Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe. For more information visit talart.org.

Smith Flat House in Placerville hosts line dance lessons, 6-9 p.m. the first Friday of the month. For more information call (530) 621-1003 or visit smithflathouse.com.

Red Dirt Ruckus & The Ateliers perform at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville, 7-11 p.m. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

Black Ice presents Broadway Live Goes to the Movies at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 & 4 to raise money for the Black Ice Theatre Co. and the Barbara Kelly Memorial Scholarship Fund. See the show at 2307 James Ave. in South Lake Tahoe.

UC Davis studio art master of fine arts students will open their studios, 6-8 p.m. About a dozen students in the twoyear program invite visitors to see their in-process works that include a wide range of mediums from painting to installation to video. The studios are located in the TB 9 building and the Art Studio Graduate

Feb.

UCCE

Artisan Mind stirs memories for clients

Rasco Staff writer

“It’s almost like magic.”

That’s the way Tiffany Ramirez describes the moment she witnesses again and again as she runs Artisan Mind programs across the county — when clients react to art that deeply resonates with them.

“When I see somebody who may be confused or feeling anxious, and (they) see art that reminds them of their past or of old feelings ... that total emotional shift as they kind of ‘wake up’ and connect to something that makes them feel whole again, that is the most rewarding part of this job,” Ramirez explained.

Artisan Mind is a nonprofit organization based in El Dorado County that works with individuals who have Alzheimer’s, dementia and other cognitive and physical challenges and uses art to foster feelings of joy and hope while encouraging lifelong learning. During its nine years of operation, the organization has worked with assisted living, memory care and community care groups, as well as directly with families for one-on-one programs.

Artisan Mind’s Art Reveals program recently received a grant from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America for the second year in a row. The $6,000 grant, in addition to an additional $8,300 raised from other sources, will go toward making the program available to individuals from low-income communities who may not otherwise have access, Ramirez shared.

“We’re really looking to reach further out to low-income communities,” she told the Mountain Democrat. “Sometimes life enrichment falls to the side when everyday costs like food, housing, heat and care take so much. Everything just adds up. We’re hoping that the AFA grants we’ve received can help us make this program accessible for anyone who wants it.”

The Art Reveals program is centered around art appreciation, sharing art history information while showing different works of art selected to fit seasonal themes. For example, Ramirez explained the paintings selected for February typically focus on themes of love, while April highlights pastoral scenes and other imagery evocative of the spring. Based on studies regarding the power of images to remind people of possibly dormant memories, Ramirez said Art Reveals has had measurable impacts on clients’ lives.

“This isn’t just an art class,” she shared, “We aren’t just doing crafts; something bigger is happening.”

Guided conversations often elicit similar responses from clients, where they begin to recount moments from their past stirred by the art, she added. Observation and analysis of Art Reveals sessions show individuals who attend typically exhibit 40% to 60% increases in general mood and social engagement, according to Ramirez.

“It’s a non-pharmacological kind of treatment,” Ramirez concluded.

wildlife gets rescued, rehabilitated and released.

The Buck Stop Gun Show takes place Feb. 4 & 5 at the Mark D. Forni Building at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville. For more information contact Sam at (530) 3066011. The ASCA Dog Show takes place Feb. 4 & 5 in Vicini Pavilions A & B at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville. For more

Ramirez pointed to one story of an Art Reveals session which encapsulates the goals of the program as a whole. While Ramirez was displaying Mary Cassatt’s “Maternal Caress,” a client named Barbara was reminded of how she once held her sister, never wanting to put her down. That memory in turn brought others back, with Barbara recounting her experiences as a mother of five children.

Ramirez’ work with Artisan Mind almost seems like an inevitability. Her grandfather, who would go on to have Alzheimer’s later in life, ran a steel factory in Pennsylvania and paid for all of his children and grandchildren to attend college. Ramirez fell in love with art early and studied at Parsons School of Design in New York.

After years of working, Ramirez decided

she wanted to do something “a bit more meaningful.” She took a job with ARTZ Artists for Alzheimer’s, where she learned much about operating art programs for those with cognitive challenges before starting Artisan Mind nine years ago. Ramirez said her Christian faith plays a large role in how she approaches Artisan Mind’s operation but ensures the programs are inclusive for individuals of all walks of life and religious affiliations. “God made every one of us as important and valuable and sometimes that gets lost, but art can help people feel seen and heard,” Ramirez said as she explained her reasons for starting Artisan Mind. “It fills the soul. Art and spirituality are both like that, in a way. You can communicate directly soul to soul without words. Jesus showed us all how to love and I think this is my way of doing that.”

Mary Cassatt’s “Maternal Caress,” above, and “St. Clair Beach” by Henri-Edmond Cross, below, are paintings used in Artisan Mind’s Art Reveals program.

“God made every one of us as important and valuable and sometimes that gets lost, but art can help people feel seen and heard.”

Romancing the heart with the Folsom Lake Symphony

The course of true love never did run smooth, according to Shakespeare.

If it did, tales of love and romance wouldn’t be half so interesting.

Whether they are writers, poets or musical composers, those who seek to tell stories need characters. And those characters need to present challenges or be challenged.

That is how we get caught up in the tale, mentally and emotionally. But it’s mostly about capturing our hearts.

This month the Folsom Lake Symphony presents Tales of Romance, four works that showcase the rousing action and high emotionalism of romantic music.

‘Don Giovanni’

Susan Laird The Arts

The overture to this opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91) introduces us to the life (and loves) of the scandalous Spanish libertine Don Juan. Although Mozart’s time was before the Romantic Era, he was certainly aware of “Sturm und Drang“ — the German proto-Romantic movement of his time. Such a grand villain demands glorious music.

And Mozart delivers.

The overture opens with stern notes that foreshadow the hellish fate of the libertine lover. Yet the beauty of the loves he pursues is present in the

music as well.

Composers in later generations would build on Mozart’s innovative use of dissonance and chromatic harmonies in this work. “Don Giovanni” is widely regarded as one of the greatest operas of all time.

Mendelssohn’s violin concerto

Here we have a real treat. Musical prodigy Amaryn Olmeda will guest solo with the symphony. They will perform the “Violin Concerto in E minor, Opus 64,” by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-47). Completed in 1844, Mendelssohn wrote this work for his friend Ferdinand David, who was a concertmaster — the principal first violin player in an orchestra.

Since the first performance in 1845, this concerto is considered central to the violin repertoire and essential for every aspiring concertmaster violinist to master. This work is a joyful piece and an audience favorite.

Olmeda is a high school student and studies violin under Ian Swenson. Her talent and performances with symphonies in the U.S. have gained her national recognition as a rising star. She is a Joseph Chan Scholarship recipient at the San Francisco

■ See SYMPHONY page B6

KARMA (A151336)

CHLOE (A151159)

This handsome gentleman will help you find the 5th element, love. Adopt today. Rottweiler, black, 3yr.

CORNELIUS (A135292)

Courtesy photo

Teen violin prodigy Amaryn Olmeda is the guest soloist with the Folsom Lake Symphony in February. They will perform Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto in E minor.”

Sweets

Dinner and a movie at Our Saviour

News release Church of Our Saviour, 2979 Coloma St. in Placerville, hosts a showing of the film “The Most Reluctant Convert,” 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4. A ham dinner will be served at the conclusion of the movie. The community is welcome and there is no charge for this event. Parking is available in the rear of the church.

Beautifully filmed in and around Oxford, this engaging biopic follows the creator of “The Chronicles of Narnia” from the tragic death of his mother when he was just 9 years old through his strained relationship with his father to the nightmare of the trenches of World War I to Oxford University, where friends like J.R.R. Tolkien challenged his unbelief.

“The Most Reluctant Convert” features award-winning actor Max McLean as the older C.S. Lewis and Nicholas Ralph — breakout star of PBS Masterpiece’s “All Creatures Great and Small” — as young Lewis. The film introduces Eddie Ray Martin as a boyhood C.S. Lewis. Amy Alexander brings Lewis’ mother, Flora, to life on screen. The film was shot in and around Oxford where Lewis studied, lived and taught. His father, Albert, is played by Richard Harrington.

Written for the screen and directed by two-time Emmy and BAFTA winner Norman Stone (BBC’s “Shadowlands”), “The Most Reluctant Convert” brings to life the spiritual evolution of one the 20th century’s sharpest minds and keenest wits.

This film is a production of the Fellowship for the Performing Arts, founded by Max McLean. FPA is a nonprofit New York City-based production company producing theater and film from a Christian worldview to engage a diverse audience. McLean also adapted and performed a version

of “The Reluctant Convert” as a one-man show, which he performed at the Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. Dinner will provide an opportunity to discuss the film. The menu includes ham, scalloped potatoes and a choice of lemon or cherry chocolate cake.

Mesmerizing musical coming to Sac

News release

SACRAMENTO — Celebrating its 50th anniversary, a new, mesmerizing production of the iconic musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” returns to the stage. The traveling company comes to Sacramento Feb. 7-12.

Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader and cuttingedge choreographer Drew McOnie, this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival, garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historical 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.

“This is not your grandmother’s ‘Superstar,’” notes a review in the Chicago Sun Times. “Drew McOnie’s choreography has the explosive feel of barely contained ecstasy, filled with

flailing movements that evoke old time tent revivals where snake handlers spoke in tongues and miraculously cured the sick. Tom Scutt’s smoke-colored costumes give the piece a timeless feel, as does his towering, sleek, steel-and-scaffolding set. Stark and shadowy, lighting designer Lee Curan’s work is so rhythmic it almost feels like a part of the orchestra.”

With lyrics and music by Emmy, Grammy,

Oscar and Tony winners

Tim Rice and Andrew

Lloyd Webber, “Jesus Christ Superstar” is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Gethsemane” and “Superstar.”

“The central message in ‘Jesus’ I think

is still incredibly important, something particularly today, which is redemption and forgiveness,” Webber notes in a video commemorating his musical’s 50th anniversary.

See “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, 1301 L St. in downtown Sacramento. For tickets and more information call (916) 557-1999 or visit broadwaysacramento. com.

Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade Jack Hopewell and the company of the North American Tour of “Jesus Christ Superstar” come to Sacramento Feb. 7-12.

buttered and salty ‘Knock at the Cabin’

HHH

R, 1 hour, 40 minutes

Horror, Mystery, Thiller Opens today in theaters

It’s hard to imagine that almost a quarter century (!) has passed since filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan released “The Sixth Sense” and wowed audiences with that film’s mood, performances and unforgettable reveals. Since that time Mr. Shyamalan has had some wonderful hits (“Unbreakable,” “Signs”) and arguably just as many misses (“After Earth,” “The Lady In the Water”) but he’s always delivered classy, Twilight Zone-esq thrillers that, if nothing else, are memorable. His newest film, “Knock at the Cabin,” is successful in its simplicity as well as its performances. While vacationing, a girl and her parents are

taken hostage by armed strangers who demand that the family make a choice to avert the apocalypse. Like I said, simple, right? There are questions, of course: Will the family make the choice? What more is there to learn about the armed strangers? Those answers will (mostly) come, but within that premise is a strong rollercoaster of a thriller built on the shoulders of its performances. And capable shoulders they fell on, starting with the broad shouldered, former wrestler and muscleman Dave Bautista (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Glass Onion”) who has clearly cemented

himself as a nuanced and emotionally effective actor after this performance. We all love him as Drax in the Marvel films, but he has really stretched himself as a performer as of late and his turn as Leonard in this film has the distinction of being a blend of terrifying, empathetic and kind. This is a difficult performance — stew to cook. I don’t know if awards season will remember this performance next year (and horror films tend to get the raw end of the stick anyway), but they should. It’s an excellent supporting turn from Mr. Bautista and I look forward to the material he chooses as he continues to hone his craft.

The rest of the cast, regardless of screen time, is excellent as well.

Jonathan Groff (who can forget his whimsical turn as King George in “Hamilton?”) and Ben Aldridge (“Pennyworth”) play the loving and protective parents to

little Wen (Kristen Cui) and all three are wonderfully cast. Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rupert Grint (yes, Ron Weasley from the “Harry Potter” films) and Abby Quinn round out the cast as home invaders Sabrina, Redmond and Ardiane, respectively. Being that 95% of this film takes place in a cabin, that makes up almost all the cast besides a couple of short flashbacks peppered throughout the film.

The script, written by Shyamalan with Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman and based on the novel “The Cabin at the End Of The

Bulwinkle’s diverse work on display

News release

DAVIS — See selected sculptures and prints from the 50-year career of legendary artist Mark Bulwinkle, the Oakland-based innovator of graphically cut steel, at the John Natsoulas Gallery. The exhibition is open through Feb. 26.

Known for his manic steel silhouettes of dog-faced flowers and perverse, joyful figures with electrified grins, Bulwinkle’s nutty artwork can be spotted across the Pacific Coast, displayed proudly in windows, overgrown gardens and small businesses. Bulwinkle’s graphically cut steel propelled him into fame, influencing the creation of Burning Man in the 1980s and even leading him to reject an interview with Oprah in 1991.

However, lesser known but equally impressive is his extensive work in diverse media: ceramics, silkscreen, papier-mache and even digital illustration.

Bulwinkle’s mastery acquired from 100-hour work weeks as a ship welder for Bethlehem Steel was important to the development of his cut steel works, but equally key was his early training as

a skilled printmaker and graphic artist. He received a master’s of fine art in printmaking from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1974, making hundreds of fabulously intricate industrial enamel silkscreens and woodcuts. In these early years he also learned ceramic slipcasting techniques from the renowned trompe l’oeil artist Richard Shaw. This retrospective exhibition showcases Bulwinkle’s mastery of color and form in both two and three dimensions

throughout the last 50 decades, tracing the development of his art through diverse materials and revealing the stories embedded in his work. On display are a selection of his woodcuts and screen prints, including several gorgeous prints from his time at the San Francisco Art Institute.

Bulwinkle’s flamboyant ceramic works from graduate school will also be featured, as well as papier-mache works that once decorated the walls of his iconic Manilla Street House, a towering steel assemblage sculpture

built around a modest townhouse that became a landmark in Oakland from 197591. Recent cut steel works painted with colorful enamel will also be featured, which are often imitated but unmistakably Bulwinkle’s.

In addition, the gallery presents “Freedumb,” a brandnew, 18-foot steel piece by Bulwinkle installed on the gallery façade.

The John Natsoulas Gallery is located at 521 1st St. in Davis. For more information call (530) 756-3938 or visit natsoulas.com.

Crocker-Kingsley exclusive exhibit opening Sunday

News release

SACRAMENTO — The biennial, juried Crocker-Kingsley exhibition continues a tradition that began in 1926 through a collaboration between the Crocker Art Museum and the Kingsley Art Club. Established in 1892 by 15 Sacramento women, the Kingsley Art Club supports arts and culture in the community. The full Crocker-Kingsley exhibition is displayed at Blue Line Arts in Roseville. From that show of 134 works, seven are selected to appear at the Crocker, Feb. 5 through April 30.

This year’s selections:

• Bryan Valenzuela — “(DIS)APPEAR”

• Ric Ambrose — “Brunch at Abbot Kinney”

• Mark Goudy — “Wave Form Object (#1280)”

• Nate Ditzler — “In Stride”

• Shelley Gardner — “Coiffure”

• McCormick Brubaker — “Blue Morning”

• Marianne McGrath — “Knots”

This year celebrates the 81st Crocker-Kingsley exhibition, a show that attracts both emerging and established artists. Past Crocker-Kingsley exhibitors include many of the premier names in California art, including Robert Arneson, Kathryn Uhl Ball, Elmer Bischoff, Fred Dalkey, David Gilhooly, Ralph Goings, Gregory Kondos, Roland Petersen, Mel Ramos, Ruth Rippon, Fritz Scholder, Jerald Silva and Wayne Thiebaud.

The Crocker Art Museum is located at 216 O St. in Sacramento. For more information call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerart.org.

Symphony Continued from B2

Conservatory of Music and performs with the Sacramento Youth Symphony.

Her instrument is a J.B. Vuillaume violin made in 1828. The instrument is on generous loan from Florian Leonhard Fine Violins. Olmeda is becoming a sought-after soloist for her expressive and bold performances.

Intermezzo

Pietro Macagni (1863-1945) wrote his intermezzo as part of a short, one-act opera, “Cavalleria rusticana,” which premiered in 1890. The intermezzo from the opera is one of the richest, most luxurious pieces of music from the Romantic era.

You may recognize this piece as the melody to “Sancta Maria,” as performed by Andrea Bocelli, Charlotte Church or Friar Alessandro. To hear this romantic music performed live is worth the ticket price all by itself.

‘Don Juan’

Closing out the evening is Richard Strauss’ (1864949) tone poem, “Don Juan, Opus 20.” Remember that libertine lover Don Giovanni? Well, Strauss happened to be conducting Mozart’s opera in Munich. Inspired by the material, he began writing about the same character, but cast him in his Spanish name: Don Juan. (Side note: Strauss fell in love with the opera’s lead soprano and married her. Romanic, no?). It debuted in 1899.

This is true programmic music that pops with color as it tells the story. Indeed, you can see where later composers (such as Korngold and Williams) drew inspiration for their movie scores.

Close your eyes and picture Don Juan as he pursues love, finds it, then becomes dissatisfied and keeps looking. It doesn’t end well for him, but the musical storytelling for us is entirely satisfying.

Tales of Romance begins at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the Harris Center for the Arts on the Folsom Lake College campus. For tickets visit folsomlakesymphony.com.

Send your event for consideration in Susan’s column to slaird@handywriting.com.

Courtesy image

“The Future is Not Ours to See” by Mark Bulwinkle, 1973, industrial synthetic enamel silkcreen.

“(DIS)APPEAR” by Bryan Valenzuela, ink and acrylic on wood panel.

Send love with a singing valentine

News release

Valentine’s Day is almost here and while some people give flowers, or candy or a card, others might desire something more musical.

Quartets from the award-winning Sacramento Valley Chorus will deliver singing valentines — two songs sung a cappella to a sweetheart, friend or family member — 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 14.

The package can be delivered to a home or a place of business of the purchaser’s choice in the greater

Buttered Continued from B5

Sometimes the simplicity of a premise can allow a director to really stretch their arms and “Knock at the Door” has allowed Shyamalan to focus on performances. It’s a film that would work well as a stage play; though it also would have benefited from a bigger budget and scale in the third act as the story races (sometimes too briskly) toward its conclusion. The filmmaker asks a lot of questions

Sacramento area, including Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, San Joaquin and Nevada counties. Call (916) 7612998 to arrange for delivery.

The award-winning Sacramento Valley Chorus, under the direction of Master Director Dede Nibler, has approximately 60 members and performs several times throughout the year. Ladies from the community are invited to attend rehearsals at the Center for Spiritual Awareness in West Sacramento any Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit SacramentoValleyChorus.com.

in this small, apocalyptic tale about humanity and its ability to look itself in the mirror and judge itself before other, larger powers do it for us. The first half is certainly stronger than its second and there are a few details that get glossed over, but this works well like a Stephen King short story would: compelling with a terrifying premises that force the characters (and by extension, the audience) into a tad bit of selfreflection.

Joshua B. Porter is a writer/director/producer. His most recent project, the feature film “No Evidence OF Man,” recently won Best Original Screenplay of a Feature Film at the 2022 Madrid International Film Festival but the award is currently lost in the mail due to the UK Royal Mail strike. He can be reached at @joshuabporter or joshuabporter@mtdemocrat.net.

Notices 

to you of a notice under section 9052 of the

section 11489. If your claim is properly filed, the District Attorney

Know

Continued

information visit asca.org.

See Roots Man Project, celebrating Bob Marley’s birthday, at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville, 8-11 p.m. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

Feb. 5

Miraflores Winery in Placerville hosts Soup Sundays. Stop by for wine tasting, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and enjoy a complimentary cup of soup prepared by Chef Tara Martinez every Sunday through March 26.

SoulFull Sunday Sound Healing & Movement takes place at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville, 3-6 p.m. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

The popular Barbara K. Jackson Rising Stars of Opera concert with the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra and San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows will this year include the full first act of the opera “La Bohème” by Giocomo Puccini. See the performance on the UC Davis college campus.

Feb. 6

The Music in the Mountains Chorus will host auditions, 5-6:30 p.m. The chorus performs several times a year. To schedule an audition email kevin@musicinthemountains.org.

Feb. 7

Placerville FamilySearch Center, 3275 Cedar Ravine Road, hosts Basic German Research classes at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Where can you look to find German records? What resources are there that will help you get started and move forward in finding more about your German ancestry? Class will discuss the basics and share ideas. For more information call (530) 621-1378.

Powell’s Steamer Company and Pub, 425 Main St., presents Eric Hill and Jonny Mojo for Taco Tuesday, 4-7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Stop by for some good food and good tunes. For more information call (530) 626-1091.

Feb. 8

UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County hosts Gardening in Small Spaces. Join Master Gardener Mike Pavlik in a discussion that will cover site location, design, raised bed options, container gardening and other methods that will allow anyone to have a vegetable garden in a small backyard setting. Class runs 9 a.m to noon at the Cameron Park Community Center, 2502 Country Club Drive.

The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce hosts a business blender and ribbon cutting at Pete’s Restaurant & Brewhouse in El Dorado Hills, 5:30-7:30 p.m. For more information visit eldoradohillschamber.org.

Now

or about June 17, 2022, $7,565.00 US Currency was seized from vicinity of Highway 50 and Ponderosa Road, Shingle Springs, CA in connection with a violation of H&S Code Section 11359. 0241867. On or about January 22, 2021, $2,000 US Currency was seized from xxx in connection with violations of H&S Code Sections 11351 and 11352. 0250857/0250859. On or about July 7, 2022, $1,696 was seized from 6387 Mother Lode Drive, Placerville, CA in connection with a violation of H&S Code Section 11378 and 11379. 0253540. On or about March 21, 2022, $1,300 was seized from 4689 Abrijio Road, Cameron Park, CA in connection with violation of H&S Code Sections 11375(b)(1) and 11378. Pursuant to section 11488.4 and 11488.5 of the H&S Code, procedures to forfeit the above listed property are under way. If you claim an interest in this property, you must, within 30 days of the last publication of the Notice of Seizure and Administrative Forfeiture, file a verified claim in the Superior Court Clerk’s office located at 495 Main Street, Placerville, CA. You must also provide an endorsed copy of the claim, stating your interest in the property, to the office of the El Dorado County District Attorney, 778 Pacific Street, Placerville, CA 95667. The claim must refer to the specific item of property listed in this notice. If your claim is not timely filed, property described in the Notice will be forfeited pursuant to H&S Code