Village Life, Thursday, February 16, 2023

STAR IN THE SKY

Local Air Force pilot earns Distinguished Flying Cross

John Poimiroo

Special to Village Life

Tensions arose among more than 450 Afghan refugees aboard Reach 651 (the callsign of a US Air Force C-17 cargo plane) as the 292-ton transport circled above Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Aug. 22, 2021.

With more than 100 of these massive cargo planes evacuating 114,000 refugees from Afghanistan that day, transports were stacked high above Qatar as they awaited clearance to land. Each had its own in-air crisis, but conditions on Reach 651 were particularly critical.

The huge cargo plane had been alo for hours, had only one small toilet and no air conditioning as it ew through sti ing subtropic air ... and it was running out of gas. E orts to explain what was happening to a cabin packed with anxious passengers were complicated by language and cultural barriers.

Commanding the air transport was Maj. Drew Dela Cruz, a 2007 graduate of El Dorado Hills’ Oak Ridge High School and in 2012, the U.S. Air Force Academy. He knew in ight refueling procedures by heart as he’d piloted Air Force KC-135 tankers previ-

ously, but now he was on the thirsty end of the hose and he had an emergency on board.

The crew of Reach

651 had been briefed earlier that day that saboteurs planned to attack Hamid Karzai International Airport

Sports clubs call foul on rate hike

Sel Richard Staff writer

in Kabul, possibly in the form of suicide bombers. So, they’d

■ See CROSS, page A2

Spirited EDH Soccer Club and EDH Little League supporters packed last week’s El Dorado Hills Community Services District Board of Directors meeting to protest recently proposed eld rate increases, at times turning unruly. EDHSC, in particular, balked at a rate hike of 150%, from last year’s $81,917 to $201,263. The issue was initially broached in August 2022 when a youth athletic working group comprising local youth sports clubs was formed to make recommendations regarding eld fee changes. However, by November no consensus was obtained. In December, EDHSC and EDHLL leadership stated that any type of fee increase would be unacceptable to their clubs. CSD sta

Courtesy photo Maj. Drew Dela Cruz, a former El Dorado Hills resident, received the Distinguished Flying Cross late last year for his life-saving decisions during the Afghan evacuation.

What’s happening Now

The El Dorado Roses are searching for candidates to run for the 2023 El Dorado Rose. Candidates must be at least 60 years old, have lived in the county for 10 years and have many hours of volunteer service to her community.

The El Dorado Rose dresses in period clothing from 1849-1910 and then becomes the official hostess of El Dorado County for one year. For more information call Carole Burnley at (530) 626-4949.

Feed El Dorado and the Placer Food Bank host food distribution events throughout the year in Cameron Park, Pollock Pines, Placerville and Georgetown. For a complete schedule visit placerfoodbank.org/ pantrytogo.

The Master Gardener public office is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to noon at 311 Fair Lane, Placerville. Have a gardening question or problem? Come in and chat. Bring a cutting or insect in a Ziploc baggie or a picture. Can’t come in person? Call (530) 621-5512 and leave a voicemail or go online to the “Ask A Master Gardener” tool mgeldorado@ucanr.edu.

Feb. 16

El Dorado County

Poet Laureate Lara

Gularte leads Writing

Our Words: Writing Workshop every third Thursday of the month, 5:30-6:46 p.m. at the Cameron Park Library, 2500 Country Club Drive. All writers welcome.

Feb. 17

The Sierra Renaissance Society presents Honey Bees and Flowers to Feed Them presented by John Havicon and Janna Buwalda, 1-3 p.m. at the Mother Lode Lions Hall, 4701 Missouri Flat Road. Admission free for members; public invited to attend two meetings each year free. For more information visit srsedc. org.

Live music at Red Hawk Resort + Casino continues at the Stage Bar. Bands will perform every Friday, 8 p.m. to midnight, and Saturday, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. with the following acts scheduled: Flat Busted (country), Feb. 17; Hipper Than Hip (classic hits), Feb. 18; Cynthia Renee & Co. (country), Feb; 24; and Gotcha Covered (Top 40/dance), Feb. 25. Visit redhawkcasino.com for more details.

Feb. 18

First responder agencies compete for the Best Chili at the Battle of the Badges 911 Chili Cook-off, 4-8 p.m. at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville. Funds raised will support Snowline Hospice. For tickets and more information visit 911chili.org.

The Center’s Carnaval for Hope Gala takes place 6-11 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz of El Dorado Hills. For tickets and more information thecenterevents.org/ tickets-and-registration.

Feb. 19

Gardening specialist

Alicia DeVore will teach kids how seeds grow into plants and help them plant a seed of their choice to take home, 1-1:45 p.m. at

peOpLe taLK

What qualities make someone presidential?

El Dorado Hills

“Leadership and a pleasant personality.”

El Dorado Hills

“Honesty and the ability to communicate.”

phOtO Of the WeeK

El Dorado Hills

“Integrity and reliability. You have to know about the struggles of the average person.”

New council on the job

El Dorado Hills

“Politically they have to know what they’re doing.”

Jim

Cameron Park

“A warm personality and they should be knowledgeable.”

Courtesy photo The Gilmore Senior Center Support Council has voted in its new elected officers. The council is made up of volunteers serving the seniors within the El Dorado Hills Community Services District. Members help organize and execute events, plan future activities and work with CSD staff to keep the Senior Center running. The current members are as follows:

• President Marilyn Wright

• Vice President Mike Root

• Secretary Lee Blondino

• Treasurer Carol Hall

• Member at Large Ellen Miller

• Member at Large Doug Wright

• Member at Large Marilyn Elliott

The Gilmore Senior Center is temporarily closed. For a calendar of events and classes visit edhcsd.org/ seniors.

Rescue Union School District names new trustee

News release

Michael Flaherty has been appointed the Rescue Union School District Board of Trustees to fill a vacancy left by Michelle Bebout’s resignation to assume her elected four-year term.

Flaherty was selected at the board’s Jan. 31 meeting and will serve the duration of Bebout’s two-year term. The seat will be up for election in November 2024.

“We are glad to welcome Michael Flaherty to this position,” said Board of Education President Michael Gordon. “It was abundantly clear during the interview that Michael has a servant’s heart and is dedicated to

taken extra precautions to search every evacuee prior to boarding.

In the air as the aircraft awaited its turn to land, a 16-year-old Afghan mother began convulsing then fell unconscious. To better care for the stricken woman in an area away from the crowded cargo hold Dela Cruz authorized that she be brought up to the flight deck.

As the crew did so, two Afghan men forced their way to the front in an attempt to gain entry to the cockpit. A security staff sergeant, called a Raven, physically restrained one of them while an Air Force loadmaster pulled the other away, both using non-lethal force to defuse the attack and discourage panic within the crowded cabin.

A female senior airman saved the life of the convulsing woman, while a lieutenant barricaded the cockpit door as Dela Cruz declared a medical emergency and landed the aircraft.

On the tarmac at Al Udeid, the crisis inten-

sified as

so

our students and community. We look forward to working with Michael for the benefit of our Rescue USD community.”

Flaherty and his family live in El Dorado Hills. He will take his oath of office and be sworn in as trustee at the Feb. 21 meeting of the RUSD Board of Trustees.

“It is the greatest honor and privilege to serve on the Rescue USD school board,” said Flaherty.

RUSD Superintendent of Schools Jim Shoemake welcomed Flaherty to district leadership, noting, “Michael has been deeply involved in our community for years and our board is stronger as a result of adding him to our team.”

Continued from A1

remaining passengers had to stay on board until the plane could get to a safe location.

Temperatures soared above 100 degrees, as did the suffering of the passengers who screamed for relief so loudly that ground security forces grew alarmed.

Dela Cruz’ parents Jill and Rick, who live in El Dorado Hills, first thought there was little to worry about since their son was assigned to fly a cargo ship; then they realized how hazardous flying into Kabul to extract refugees might be and prayed for his safety.

Rick said, “We knew the Kabul airfield was surrounded by mountains, but learned later that it had no air traffic control system that would guide how to land or where to go after landing.”

Rick described his son as cool under pressure.

“In high school he played varsity golf at Oak Ridge. In golf you learn how to stay calm and he’s been that way since; the academy also did something to motivate him to be the way that he is.

“We had every confidence in him that he’d do the job, and he did. He’s a great pilot,” his father continued. “I was amazed at how they got those people out of there. It was incredible what they did.”

Drew’s poise, sound decisions and command authority aboard Reach 651 led to his being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for a single act of heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight. Seven other members of the crew of Reach 651 also received the DFC for their valor that day.

The last flight Drew took out of Kabul was, his father said, his proudest moment. “It was Marines that he took out and he said the proudest thing he did over there was to get those Marines out and back to safety.”

Maj. Drew Dela Cruz is stationed at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, where he lives with his wife Janessa. He has two brothers: Cory lives in San Diego and Robert lives in Livermore.

Photos and question by Sel Richard

Beryl Wilson

Christine Jackson

Dori starkey

Karl griffiths

Moore

MICHAEL FLAHERTY

there were

many aircraft jammed across the airfield that unsafe taxi instructions put Reach 651 in danger. Another pilot helped

Dela Cruz plot a safe route through parked planes to awaiting medics, but even after the sickened woman was taken off the aircraft

Courtesy photo

U.S. Air Force Maj. Drew Dela Cruz accepts his award during a special ceremony. When he’s not deployed Dela Cruz is stationed at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield.

Crime trends down but mail theft up

Sel Richard Staff writer

Crime was a hot topic at El Dorado County District 1 Supervisor John Hidahl’s Community Council February meeting when county sheriff’s Det. Aaron Lopez and Lyndell Scarr presented the latest statistics for El Dorado Hills.

Both Lopez and Scarr work in the property crimes division and Lopez shared that although he usually works in the Placerville area, recent activity has him shifting his focus to El Dorado Hills in particular. Scarr displayed data showing area crime trends declining overall except for information reports, which include criminal as well as civil issues.

“Mail theft is skyrocketing right now,” Scarr reported. “Typically our season for mail theft is between January and April when everyone is getting their tax returns. We just got out of package theft because of the holidays.”

Open house burglaries were cited to be a concern as well.

Serrano neighborhoods and the El Dorado Hills Business Park were highlighted as hotspots with criminals entering the area primarily from White Rock Road and Green Valley Road.

With regard to activity at the Francisco Safeway, notorious for its no-chase policy, Scarr pointed to local school-aged perpetrators. “Calls from the Francisco Safeway are generated due to the juveniles that are in the area causing mischief, causing numerous calls out there with kids being disrespectful, taking things off the shelf, throwing things on the ground as well as harassing businesses in the area,” he said. “We’ve

worked with Marina Village to have counseling sessions with these kids and notify their parents.”

Scarr also mentioned organized retail theft has made its way to the county and, while still a minor concern, the sheriff’s department is actively working to snuff it out.

Lopez revealed that 80%-95% of burglaries that happen in El Dorado Hills link back to Sacramento. “We are always in north Sacramento, Del Paso Heights, Orangevale, Citrus Heights because this is where our cases are leading us,” he said, mentioning Target as a frequent victim of theft, especially with Apple products. “All the Target cases have led us to Sacramento, even the ones that we are working on right now.”

Drugs are also a constant concern. “About a year ago we were able to locate hundreds and hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine that came from Mexico coming

into El Dorado County,” Lopez recounted. “It was a great bust.”

Out of El Dorado County, 20% of the sheriff department’s call volume comes from El Dorado Hills with response times showing at an average of less than 15 minutes. Comparatively, north and south county response times clocked in at more than 25 minutes, the discrepancy attributed to the distance from some of the more rural areas of the county to downtown Placerville. A daily average of four deputies is assigned to El Dorado Hills.

Scarr, who formerly worked as a school resource officer at Oak Ridge High School for 3 years and was also born and raised in the area, outlined some school programs such as the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team, which works with a clinician to respond to mental illness calls. The soon-to-be launched Pathfinder program gives the sheriff’s office keys and hard copy

maps for every school site within the county, enabling faster response times in active-violence situations.

As for ways individuals can discourage crime, Lopez said the simplest thing is turning on the lights. “When it’s dark, people have opportunities, especially if they can’t be seen,” he said. “It’s very difficult in a lot of places in our county because it’s so dark.”

Other things homeowners can do include trimming hedges to 2 feet tall, keeping tree limbs higher than 6 feet tall, installing video surveillance, ring cameras and even getting a dog. And both Lopez and Scarr insist residents should not hesitate to contact them.

“We chase everything,” asserted Scarr, who admitted to pursuing $25 stolen out of a vehicle. “We have spoken with criminals that we have arrested who said they didn’t realize they were in our county or else they

n See Crime, page A5

Photo courtesy of EDSO

El Dorado County sheriff’s Det. Chris Macres goes through stolen mail recently confiscated as part of a bust in Cameron Park.

Expertise That Is Never Equaled!

CRIB

NOTES by Julie Samrick

Living a happy life

Five years ago this month, in the rst hours a er my mother died, the words came out of nowhere, striking me like a lightning bolt: Life is all about relationships. The message was enough to pivot me back to teaching, a profession I’d le when my kids were born. I barely made it back when the pandemic hit and, as the world’s front doors locked and windows quickly shuttered, again the notion of community stretched out its hand before sinking into the abyss. The more isolated we’ve become as a nation, there is a rise in anxiety, depression, polarization and violence.

My favorite book of the past year, “What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing” by brain expert Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey, connects many of the dots I have intuitively known. The title comes from a belief that society should approach people who have been a ected by trauma — whether that is seen by drug abuse, poor relationships, chronic problems in school, depression and/or anxiety — with the question of understanding: What happened to you? Rather than: What’s wrong with you?

Perry can trace life choices and behaviors we make back to our rst two months of life, the most crucial time in brain development, particularly the cortex, where higher thought pathways are built, including how we learn, problem solve and process emotions. While love and having our needs met as babies sets us up for a smoother road later, the antidote to chaos and neglect is to be surrounded by a community of people who know and love us, which leads to building resilience.

We increasingly live in a world Perry calls “relationally impoverished,” however, where we see fewer people

In most of America, one of the worst impacts of high in ation is a sharp rise in property taxes. But that’s not the case in California. True, housing prices are some of the highest in the nation, due mostly to government policies restricting supply. But existing homeowners are protected by Proposition 13’s cap on annual increases in assessed value of 2%. According to the California Taxpayers Association, Californians would have seen their property taxes increase more than 7% this year without Prop. 13.

It is understandable why the political le — which wants all your money — has it in for Proposition 13, but we were surprised when the normally credible Tax Foundation, based in Washington, D.C., fell for some of the same falsehoods advanced by the “tax-and-spend” crowd. The foundation is advising other states not to adopt Prop. 13-style reforms. We disagree and believe all states currently struggling with out-of-control property taxes should take a good, long look at California’s system based on acquisition value. It is vastly superior to one based on market value.

While the Tax Foundation admits, “Proposition 13 and other property tax assessment limits have done their job, keeping incumbent property owners’ taxes in check,” it asserts that those systems result in “hidden costs.”

One clearly false claim is that assessment limits “discourage homeowners from renovating or adding onto their homes, for fear of incurring a dramatic tax increase.” In general, remodeling and repairs that are part of normal maintenance or cosmetic are not considered assessable. New additions that increase the square footage of a home or add new improvements that didn’t exist

and even when we do, we’re not really listening to one another or being fully present. “This disconnection is making us more vulnerable,” he continues.

“Disconnection is a disease … Rates of suicide, anxiety and depression are rising in our youth despite our advanced culture of wealth, creativity and productivity.

“So many people feel empty and are seeking connection, and o en seeking it in really unhealthy ways,” Perry writes. “There is a direct relationship between a person’s degree of social isolation and their risk for physical and mental health problems.”

The pandemic only exacerbated this problem. With school, work and school closures, family units became the only community many of us had. Perry states that families with ve or more people can have the same positive e ect on our well-being. However, households are shrinking. In 1790, 63% of American households had ve or more people; only 10% had two or fewer. Today those numbers have basically ipped. In 2006 only 8% of households had ve or more people; 60% had two or fewer. In a recent study of selected urban communities in the U.S., Europe and Japan, up to 60% of all households were just one person.

Add to this the impact of screen time and fewer family meals. “The result is a more self-absorbed, more anxious, more depressed — and less resilient — population,” Perry continues. “There is less bu ering when we do experience stress. We are becoming more sensitive to anything that feels potentially threatening, such as a person with a di erent political opinion.”

Studies nd the typical college-age adult is 30% less empathic and more

before are assessable — but that’s true everywhere. The di erence is, in California, the reassessment is limited to the value added by the addition, with the rest of the assessment unchanged. So what you would pay under Prop. 13 is still less than what you would have paid in a marketbased property tax system. Next, the Tax Foundation claims property tax assessment limits “make it less attractive for growing families to move past their starter homes or for empty nesters to downsize.” This isn’t true in California. Homeowners age 55 and older can move and take their Prop. 13 base-year value with them to a new home. For younger homeowners, moving to a larger and more expensive home means higher property taxes — but again, that’s true everywhere.

Before Prop. 13, the statewide average tax rate was 2.67%, applied annually to the current market value. That means a young family’s property tax bill would be more than double in the rst year of homeownership without Prop. 13. All homeowners bene t from Proposition 13, which capped the tax rate at 1%.

Next, the foundation states assessment limits “interfere with e orts to change a property’s use.” That’s a polite way of saying the land upon which your home rests is being “underutilized,” so perhaps you should be taxed out of it so it can be sold to someone who can build something deemed a better use, like a sales-tax-revenue-producing used car lot. No thanks.

Another myth is that acquisition value systems gradually “shi costs to newer, younger homeowners — the rising generation that [state] lawmakers want to keep in-state.” But under Prop. 13, all property taxes are based on the value

Face in a Book in El Dorado Hills Town Center. Sign up by calling (916) 941-9401.

The Great Composers Chamber Music Series presents Latin Fervor at 2 p.m. at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 6086888 or visit harriscenter.net.

Feb. 22

The Shingle Springs-Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce hosts a luncheon with featured speaker Assemblyman Joe Patterson, 11:30 a.m. at Los Pines Mexican Restaurant in Cameron Park. To register visit sscpchamber.org/mixers-luncheons.

Feb. 24

El Dorado Musical Theatre presents Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” Feb. 24 through

Rates

March 5, at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit harriscenter.net.

Feb. 25

The Big Brothers Big Sisters Crab Feed takes place 6-10 p.m. in the Forni Building at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville. For more information visit bbbsns.org.

Feb. 27

Vitalant will host an El Dorado Hills community blood drive, noon to 4 p.m. The Bloodmobile located in the parking lot near the baseball fields at the El Dorado Hills Community Services District, 1021 Harvard Way. Make an appointment at donors.vitalant.org and use blood drive code SMFM019 or call (877) 258-4825 and mention the

subsequently created a policy recommendation to present to the board.

In his staff report, Director of Parks and Recreation Mark Hornstra found annual field maintenance costs totaled to $926,150 per year. “Applying the minimum level of cost recovery (60%) to this number would require the total user fees to be $555,690,” the report reads. “The actual fees collected in 2022 will be $182,646 or just 19.7% cost recovery.”

One significant factor contributing to this shortfall is the monthly max fee structure that has allowed some teams to essentially use a field for free after a certain point. Previously, grass fields have cost $29/hour or a monthly max of $885. “If you take the $885 and divide it by $29, you get a breakeven on a grass field of about 30 hours,” explained Hornstra.

Synthetic fields cost slightly more with a breakeven point at 35 hours.

Last July EDHSC used 514 hours of synthetic field time. “So every hour from 36th to the 514th hour was essentially at no cost,” he said. “We are an outlier. Nobody has a monthly max. We really wanted to put that methodology aside and come up with a more reasonable field rate.”

Hornstra reported that the impact of the monthly max policy since 2019 (excluding 2020) totaled $1.16 million.

Several items were recommended by Hornstra: to relax Category A residency criteria from 90% down to 80% El Dorado Hills residents and raise the nonresidents fee on field hourly rates; to move recreation sports from Cost Recovery Tier D (60-99%) down to Cost Recovery Tier C (30-59%) and leave competition clubs at Tier D; and to set an implementation deadline of Jan. 1, 2024. In addition, no monthly max is applied to any user group.

EDHCSD Director Mike Martinelli spoke to the differences in individual benefit between recreational and competitive sports. “I understand that a lot of times kids don’t know what it is they really want to pursue … so that element certainly brings tremendous value to the community,” he said. “However, when it comes to the comp side of things, that is certainly more beneficial to the individual who is pursuing that specific sport.”

At one point, board member Ben Paulsen addressed the crowd. “Does anyone here think EDHSC should have exclusive rights and push out lacrosse or USA Stars or rugby?” he asked, reaping derisive jeers. “The monthly max payout excludes everybody else from joining into these fields; it doesn’t work.”

For more than an hour kids, parents and club representatives stood to plead against fee increases, asked for more time to offer community input and warned that rising rates could kill their competitive soccer pro-

self-absorbed than 20 years ago. We are shifting to a culture that values external goals such as materialism and status instead. This hardly means we need to live in a protective bubble. We need to go through some hardship to gain wisdom. How we weather hard times is by having resilience, and, you guessed it, we get resilience through connection.

at the time of purchase. All homeowners are taxed according to what they voluntarily pay for their property. Then they’re protected from unpredictable tax increases for as long as they own their home.

The worst thing that could happen to a young family is to be taxed out of a home they just purchased because their tax bill is based on the vagaries of the real estate market. Prop. 13 gives new homeowners the predictability of knowing what their tax bill will be years into the future as well as a reasonable 1% rate cap.

And the real surprise of Proposition 13 is how it helps local government. Because Prop. 13 allows increases in assessed value of 2% per year and requires reassessment of property when it changes hands, it

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Elder Options, Inc.

“A Life Lived Fully Every Day”

Since 1988

Continued from A2

Events Buses limited on Prez. Day

same code. Walk-ins will be accommodated if space allows.

March 1

The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce hosts a Business Builder luncheon at Hills Church, 800 White Rock Road in El Dorado Hills. The speaker will be FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jimmy Hassani of the White Collar 1, Sacramento Division. To register call (916) 933-1335 or visit eldoradohillschamber.org.

March 2

The Shingle Springs-Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce hosts a mixer, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Crafthouse Culture and Project Blue in the Burke Junction shopping center, 3300 Coach Lane in Cameron Park.

gram. “You promised you would help support youth sports. This is not supporting youth sports,” accused parent Elizabeth Gassaway.

“It is perhaps unsurprising that the big winner in those proposed changes is CSD, which would nearly double its revenues. And it does so on the backs of El Dorado Hills’ two largest nonprofit sports organizations, Little League and soccer, which collectively serve some 3,000 kids,” said TAZ Swim President Ben Glickman. “The notion that the Daddy and Me Valentine’s Dance or Girls’ Night Pajama Party provide significantly more community benefit than organized youth sports is absurd.”

He advised the board to come up with a plan to meet the community’s needs for new fields and facili ties.

Glickman, along with EDHLL President Brent McGhee and EDHSC board member Sean Krider, insisted youth sports should be put in Cost Recovery Tier B (1-29%) with most costs subsidized by the CSD.

“Please don’t raise the cost of the fields,” begged a young Taylor Sheldon. “If you do, so many of the little kids, big kids, maybe even adults will be crushed because they won’t be able to afford to play soccer.”

And young Emilia Tucciarone said she and her three siblings all play soccer. “Kids should not be respon sible for paying for your poor planning,” she declared.

“There are comments made about comp being an individual sport. To me, that is demonizing because you are saying that it is not beneficial to these kids to have their friends and their community and their team and their development and all those pieces,” countered EDHSC President Efrain Mercado. “Community val ues are extremely important here. Show us where your values are.”

A sole brave proponent of the CSD’s proposal in the crowd was USA Stars representative Jason Hitt.

“I want to give the board the perspective of a dif ferent user group who doesn’t share in that mostfavored-nation status,” he said. “Our small club pays on average $18-$25 an hour. We do not benefit from monthly max; we are punished by it.”

Hitt continued to assert that other user groups have been overlooked while EDHSC enjoys rates far below any others in the area, much less the state.

“I participated in the working group. I think the board should move forward with the changes that have been discussed for upward of six months,” Hitt said, prompting boos from the audience.

Board member Heidi Hannaman was visibly dis heartened. “I didn’t hear a lot of solutions,” she noted. “We moved rec down to 30%, we moved swim to 30%, we gave you all a one-time fee relief and we’re still the bad guys. We have limited funds and we’re

As painful as it can be to have our kids fly the nest, them leaving the nest is a healthy sign that they have a sense of safety and stability. “A child in an environ ment where they feel loved and safe will choose to leave their comfort zone,” Perry states. “A child who feels unsafe, however, won’t want this.”

Julie Samrick is an El Dorado Hills mother, teacher and writer.

provides a stable, predictable and growing source of tax revenue to local governments. Property tax revenue has grown virtually every year since 1978 in percent ages that exceed both inflation and population growth. Moreover, Prop. 13 provides a “shock absorber” effect during recessions when market values fall precipitously but assessed values — in the aggregate — fall slightly or not at all.

The good folks at the Tax Foundation should recall the words of Adam Smith who reminded us all, “The tax which each individual is bound to pay ought to be certain, and not arbitrary.” And that is a perfect description of Prop. 13.

Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

Our personalized care management, home care, respite and assisted living services are designed to ensure a safe, happy and fulfilling “every day.”

News release

El Dorado Transit’s business office and dispatch center will be closed and the following services will not operate on Monday, Feb. 20, in observance of President’s Day.

• Local fixed routes

• Commuter routes

• Dial-a-ride services

The Sacramento/South Lake Tahoe

Connecting bus will operate on a normal weekday schedule Monday, Feb. 20. All services will resume as normal Tuesday, Feb. 21. For more information visit eldoradotransit.com, follow El Dorado Transit on Facebook and Twitter or call (530) 642-5383.

responsible to so many taxpayers and multiple groups.”

“We hear that there’s not enough fields,” EDHCSD board President Noelle Mattock said, listing other things residents have asked for, such as a community center or a new pool. “If we use every little piece of our general fund to subsidize everything that everybody wants, then we aren’t going to have the ability to continue to build and invest in our community and that infrastructure that everybody is telling us they want and need. We’re trying to balance the needs of an entire community, 50,000 community members.”

The board voted unanimously to postpone the item to the May meeting and continue to work with youth sports groups to revisit the cost recovery plan.

would have never committed the crime.” Scarr also tracked a stolen $1,000 scooter from Red Hawk to Auburn for the arrest.

“See something say something,” urged Lopez, explaining that culprits can be caught in the act if alerted soon enough. “People don’t drive into our county just to hit one mailbox. They hit 15 or 20 of them. Having neighbors who are nosy is a great thing. We want you guys to call us.”

Celebrating Your Winners!

Best Mail & Shipping Services: The UPS Store

Best SandwichBest Painting Contractor: E. Durst Painting

35-plus years of experience to customers.

Ernie said he feels blessed to serve the wonderful residents of El Dorado County and hires locally in hopes of becoming a desired employer organization. What he likes most are residential repaints and the relationships he builds with homeowners.

“As an organization, we have committed from the start to providing the best possible coatings, quality of workmanship and service at a competitive price,” he said. “We keep our overhead costs low and pass those savings onto the customer. Thank you for your choice in our company as the best of El Dorado Hills. We are so honored and look forward to continuing to serve you.”

Best SandwichBest Private School: Golden Hills School

Big Apple Bagels

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the best version of themselves children require the broadest possible set of opportunities delivered by fully accredited teaching professionals in small-group settings. Students participate in academic endeavors, athletics and the arts. Daily physical education, art, music, computer science and Spanish language instruction are integrated into the curriculum. GHS is the only International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program Candidate Private School in the area. Ultimately, the team believes their eighth-graders graduate with a set of competencies that far exceed their typically excellent performance in standardized tests.

Best Asian Food: Thai Paradise

Coming from a long line of chefs trained at international hotels in Bangkok, Chef Jarunee Fleming brings a special touch to her authentic Thai recipes. With locally sourced produce and fresh meat and seafood brought in daily, Jarunee prepares her farm-to-fork dishes with rice bran oil, making them healthy and flavorful. “I like to make people happy with my food,” said Jarunee, and happiness abounds at the family-run eatery.

4361 Town Center Blvd., Suite 110, El Dorado Hills (916) 939-0389 thaiparadiseedh.com

The El Dorado Hills location opened in 2019 and locals already swear by favorites such as the traditional Pad Thai, spicy Drunken Noodles and curries. Round out a meal with some Thai fried rice and iced tea and your taste buds will know they’re in paradise.

Best SandwichBest Assisted Living Facility: EDH Senior Care

Sandwich lovers know they’re getting the best at Big Apple Bagels, a restaurant known for fresh bagels made from scratch daily. Whether ordering sensational, hot breakfast bagel sandwiches (Southern Tradition is a local favorite) or biting into a delicious choice from the lunch sandwich menu (try the turkey and havarti), customers delight in the satisfying taste of quality — all the time, every time.

“All our ingredients are fresh,” said owner Scott Walters, who opened Big Apple Bagels in June 2015.

In addition to great sandwiches, the eatery offers delicious pastries, coffee and more.

Best Sandwich Best Mexican Food: La Cascada

dining in or taking out. Offering everything from seafood — try their delicious grilled Fish Tacos or Mariscos Mojo de Ajo with sautéed shrimp or scallops — to vegetarian bites (like the Vegi Macho Burrito), this restaurant is sure to fill you up. The Tacos Alambre, with three grilled corn tortillas, choice of meat plus bacon, cheese, onion and jalapeños, are a local favorite if you’re craving more traditional Mexican cuisine.

La Cascada is open seven days a week for dinner and for lunch on weekdays with breakfast items available on weekends. Catering is also offered as well as playing host for special events.

Best Sandwich

2920 Tam O’Shanter Drive El Dorado Hills (916) 939-0962 eldoradoseniorcare.com

staple in El Dorado Hills since 1996. Offering 24-hour care for the elderly in a quaint, homelike environment, the facility has six beautiful, comfortable homes that have been designed and built specifically for care of the elderly in need of assistance. Each home houses up to six residents and private backyards connect each home to another.

A nursing support program is offered in the care facility’s list of services that also include everything from daily exercise to hospice care. Staff also keeps residents busy with activities suited for their needs, including bingo, arts and crafts, dog therapy and outings.

customers coming back year after year. With so many COVID restrictions let the experts at El Dorado Hills Travel help with all your travel needs. Some requirements of COVID-19 testing might be needed before you go and on return. El Dorado Hills Travel is a premier, full-service agency, specializing in cruises and leisure travel for families, corporations, groups and more. When you’re ready for a getaway or a family cruise, take a short trip to El Dorado Hills Travel and let Genny Arietta and her team help you plan your dream vacation.

Best Sandwich Best Pet Groomer: Dog’s Delight

As you pass the Purple Place on Green Valley Road in El Dorado Hills, you have likely noticed a small building at the edge of the road — home of Dog’s Delight owned by Jamie McNally.

She adds a touch of whimsy to her establishment with the display of several types of life-sized stuffed dog breeds that are decorated for the seasons.

McNally and her staff offer one-stop grooming services for dogs and cats of all breeds and sizes. Her shop is very easily accessed with ample parking to drop off and pick up your pet. So, stop by and see why Dog’s Delight is voted No. 1. Get your furry friend’s nails trimmed or treat them to a beautiful makeover. Walk-ins are always welcomed.

Best SandwichGift of Kids Daycare and Preschool

359 Green Valley Road El Dorado Hills (916) 939-3647

We offer education and care for babies, Preschoolers, Pre-K, private Kindergarten, homework tutor club and transportation for school agers. The teachers at The Gift of Kids Daycare and Preschool include talent that brings us music, yoga, and even Spanish on a daily basis. Teachers here are all educated in child development, CPR and First Aid certified, and make it a priority to continue their education.

5130 Golden Foothill Parkway El Dorado Hills (916) 521-1835 thegiftofkids.net

Best Bakery & Cakes: Yellow Button Bakery

(530) 676-1598

you take care of yourself. Ask about their Total Body Stretch and Advanced Skin Care services while scheduling your next appointment.

Best Flooring: Sacramento Area Wood Specialists

Sacramento Area Wood Specialists specializes in the installation of pre-finished hardwood, laminate, carpet and vinyl flooring in both the residential and commercial environment.

4510 Post St., Suite 340, El Dorado Hills (916) 941-6850 massageenvy.com

Best Sandwich Best Roofing: Nail It Roofing

2714 Mercantile Drive, Rancho Cordova (916) 879-1798 sawsflooring.com

Installing flooring since 1993 has given the company’s staff many years of experience in both remodels and new construction. Sacramento Area Wood Specialists has built many great relationships over the years and continues to work with many of the area’s investors, Realtors, property managers, retail shops, large area production builders as well as countless homeowners and numerous custom builders — no job is too big or too small.

Best SandwichBest Contractor: Straight Line Construction

2021 2020 Address: 981 Governor Drive, Suite 101, El Dorado Hills Phone: (916) 933-2117 Website: sharimerle.com

6188 Enterprise Drive, Suit A Diamond Springs (530) 677-5032 nail-it-roofing.com

Brothers Aaron and Christopher Meyer entered the roofing trade by working in all capacities — from laborer to superintendent, project manager and estimator. This gives Nail It Roofing customer the advantage of accurate bids and expert management over all aspects of their projects. Nail It Roofing is committed to providing the best possible service with seasoned professionals using the highest-quality products to ensure customers are satisfied with the quality of service. Considering much of their business is obtained through word of mouth, that says a lot.

Best Sandwich Best Financial Planner: Shari Merle, LPL Financial

builds relationships that span generations. “I still work with some of my original clients and now I’m working with their kids,” she said, a testament to her ethics, honesty and integrity.

V illage H OMES

Patricia Seide

CalDRE #00892540

(916) 712-1617

Patricia.Seide@ cbnorcal.com

6227 Pannini Way, El Dorado Hills

4,573 square feet

5 bedrooms, 4 full baths

0.5-acre property

Price available upon request

MLS #223006703

Single-story Serrano home a spacious oasis

This exquisite, single-level residence in El Dorado Hills’ Serrano Country Club guard-gated community boasts a spacious, open design with a seamless indoor/outdoor ow ideal for entertaining.

Enter the gated courtyard and admire the stacked-stone entry wall surrounding the front double doors, which open into the bright great room with a striking tilesurround replace and builtin custom cabinetry. Double sliding doors lead to the covered Serrano room with recessed lighting and backyard views.

The chef’s kitchen boasts bar seating at the stunning granite island with a large double sink, pendant lighting and dual dishwashers. Other kitchen amenities include a large walkin pantry, a built-in refrigerator, Thermador stovetop with mosaic tiled backsplash, a butler’s pantry with glass display case, dual Thermador ovens and a built-in microwave.

Adjacent to the kitchen is the elegant dining area, which also opens onto the covered back patio.

The home’s primary suite o ers privacy and relaxation with its own electric replace and outdoor access. The suite’s bathroom has dual sinks and a make-up counter with granite countertops. Relax in the soothing spa tub or wash the day’s stress away in the walk-in shower with dual nozzles.

Dual glass doors open into the suite’s walk-in closet with generous built-ins.

The home has three additional bedrooms/sitting rooms with transom windows and two bathrooms located in this wing, including a generous ensuite bedroom with a walk-in shower.

A possible guest quarters is located on the opposite side of the home with a separate entry and spacious sitting room. Double door sliders open onto a charmingly private outdoor sitting area. This wing houses another bedroom with double-door entry and a full bathroom with a walk-in shower and a kitchenette with washer and dryer hook-ups.

Other home features include a lighted terrarium in the powder room, Sierra Paci c windows, LED lighting, gorgeous hardwood ooring as well as a laundry room with a sink and generous cabinetry.

The beautiful front and rear landscaping is easy care with glowing garden lighting, shrubs and mature trees.

The side driveway leads to the home’s attached, oversized garage with built-in storage space and provides plenty of additional guest and family parking.

Interested in a private tour of this lovely Pannini Way property in El Dorado Hills? Contact Realtor Pat Seide at (916) 712-1617, patricia.seide@cbnorcal.com.

Pure puppy love: A special essay

Valentina Cheng

Special to Village Life

Ilove both dogs and cats. However, this article will be about my favorite dog in the universe: Blizzard.

Blizzard is my almost 3-year-old husky. He has so , u y gray and white fur that easily gets dirty. He also has large but adorable brown eyes that shine golden in the sun. His little paws do have sharp claws on them that de nitely help him bury his bone treats and his little wet snout is always sni ng around the house for more food.

Part of what I love about Blizzard are the memories and bonds we make — like when he rst went down the stairs. As Blizzard was a little puppy, he would run like the wind up the stairs but would always hesitate going back down. He would just lie there, reaching with his paw but then shook the thought out.

Everyone tried their best but couldn’t persuade him to not be afraid. I patiently waited and scooted his bottom down one step at a time. Sometimes I moved his legs and feet so he could get used to it. There was this one part of the steps where he was too scared and started going down the stairs backwards. He tried, step by step, to walk downward with his hind legs rst but it didn’t work out.

A er a few tries, he got used to it and ran up and down, up and down until he got tired. Month by month, he grew larger and started to skip stairs. Now, whenever he wants to y down the stairs he sprints down so fast he could probably set a world record — all thanks to my teaching and patience paired along with his courage and bravery.

I sometimes get too overwhelmed by his extreme adorableness. I just want to squeeze him so hard! There are many habits my dog has that I can fall in love with, starting with him sticking his nose under my arm and sni ng on the table for meat and wagging his tail while whining whenever he wants to go for a walk. I love the way he makes weird poses and Micheal Jackson dance moves when sleeping and the way his ears fold back while he walks back and forth, his loud howling announcing my arrival from school. That will always be stuck in my mind, waiting for it to happen again and again.

Blizzard just being in my presence always lightens up my day. My Blizzard, I will truly remember — from the past and into the future — all the love you showed me in my life.

Valentina Cheng is a sixth-grade student at Rolling Hills Middle School in El Dorado Hills.

Senior Nutrition needs more volunteers

News release

The El Dorado County Senior Nutrition Program is looking for community volunteers to help at its congregate dining sites. There are multiple open volunteer slots. Volunteers generally help one day per week, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“We need help with things such as greeting seniors, signing them in at our front desk, setting tables, serving meals and more” said Jillien Smith, program supervisor with El Dorado County Senior Services. “Anyone who enjoys volunteering and socializing with seniors is encouraged to apply for one of our volunteer positions. Currently, volunteers are especially needed for the El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park

congregate dining sites.”

The Senior Nutrition Program provides nutritious lunchtime meals for people aged 60 and older for a suggested donation of $3 per meal at one of several congregate meal sites located throughout El Dorado County. In addition to a healthy meal, the program gives an opportunity for older adults to socialize and connect with others and learn about community resources, local senior activities and more.

For a volunteer application and to learn more about the Senior Nutrition Program call (530) 621-6160. The Senior Nutrition Program is one of many senior service programs of the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency. For more information visit edcgov.us/SeniorService.aspx.

Courtesy photo

Blizzard the wonder dog brings a lot of joy to El Dorado Hills resident Valentina Cheng’s life.

V illage H OMES

Lisa Paragary

CalBRE #01196924 (916) 247-1303

Steve Miller

CalBRE #01860963 (916) 799-7547

729 Sundahl Drive, Folsom

3,700 square feet

4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms

0.188-acre property

Price $1,695,000

MLS #223005268

Luxury Folsom home in a great location

This immaculate, move-in-ready home sits on a quiet street in Folsom’s highly coveted Lakeview Oaks community.

The two-story, four-bedroom house with an open oor plan lives like a single story with the primary suite on the main level. The beautiful front door with decorative glass opens into a spacious entry with a formal dining room on one side and a home o ce behind double doors on the other. Both spaces are bright with natural light streaming in through large windows.

The great room is the perfect place to relax or entertain. Cozy up by the gas replace in the living room anked by custom cabinetry. When the weather warms up, step out the sliding glass doors onto the covered balcony and enjoy views of the greenbelt behind the property as well as stunning sunsets. A staircase on the balcony leads to the backyard pool.

The chef’s kitchen features quartz counters, stainless appliances, a pantry closet, oor-to-ceiling cabinetry and a large island with bar seating, wine storage, a large sink and a dishwasher. Enjoy meals in the dining nook.

The home has gorgeous hardwood ooring and recessed lighting, as well as designer light xtures, throughout the living spaces and lush carpet in the bedrooms.

The luxurious primary suite boasts a charming chandelier, balcony access and a spa-quality bathroom with a large walk-in closet, soaking tub, quartz counters, tile ooring and a glass shower with multiple shower heads.

The home has three additional bedrooms and two bathrooms as well as a laundry room with cabinetry and a sink.

The rear yard includes a sparkling pool and spa plus a repit with a peaceful, private setting. A huge, covered loggia with a porch swing is ideal for outdoor entertaining and has direct access to the 780-square-foot downstairs bonus room and home theater.

The front yard is neatly landscaped with easy-care shrubs and mature trees with a concrete walkway through the center, leading to the front door. A wide driveway leads to the attached, two-car garage.

Lakeview Oaks is a gated, luxury community near Folsom Lake, schools, shopping, dining and the freeway. Amenities include a large park and walking trails.

Interested in a private tour of this Sundahl Drive home in Folsom? Contact Lisa Paragary at (916) 247-1303 or lisa@ paragarymillerteam.com or Steve Miller at (916) 799-7547 or steve@paragarymillerteam.com.

GO TO: www.mtdemocrat.com

SELECT:

Monday-Friday ~ 8am to 5pm TOLL FREE 888-622-1255

Mid-life malaise hits the Stage at Burke Junction

Andrew Vonderschmitt Staff writer

“Becky’s New Car,” the decidedly theatrical, frenetic comedy about the consequences of mid-life choices, is now playing at Burke Junction.

Becky has been in a mid-life funk and she just doesn’t know how to scratch the itch that ails her. She is in the middle of her life, in a middling marriage and works in, you guessed it, middle management. Suffering a personal loss, she finds herself questioning everything about her seemingly good life and wondering if any of it is enough. While working late one night she meets a quirky yet charming millionaire who offers her a path away from the middle.

Let

Obituary ~ You may write the tribute in your own words or if needed we can provide assistance. Obituaries will publish on the day requested, subject to publication deadline.

Anniversary Remembrances ~ You may place an ad in memory of a deceased loved one on the anniversary of a significant date such as a birthday, wedding anniversary, or the anniversary of their death.

When you experience the loss of a loved one, our Village Life team can help you convey information in several ways! Call Elizabeth Hansen for more information 530-344-5028

“Becky’s New Car” premiered at Seattle’s A Contemporary Theatre in 2008 making writer Steven Deitz a finalist for the coveted Steinberg New Play Award given by the American Theatre Critics Association. Since then the show has enjoyed productions at many regional and community theaters around the country. Arguably one of the most prolific playwrights working in America in recent times, Deitz has more than 50 plays in his catalog. He was listed

by American Theatre Magazine as one of the 20 most-produced American playwrights in 2019 and his plays are produced all over the world.

Director Elisabeth

Nunziato is no stranger to Deitz’ work. Taking the driver’s seat of this production, pun fully intended, was a nobrainer having played the titular character at Capital Stage in Sacramento

more than a decade ago while the play’s ink dried from its 2008 premiere. “This is a show that I know is a home run — 100% crowd pleaser,” she said. “Everyone who walks through the door will see themselves on that stage.”

The storytelling style Deitz employs to tell Becky’s harrowing tale is markedly meta, making

Courtesy photo

Becky Foster (Lori Nalangan) chats with millionaire Walter Flood (Rick Kleber), who offers some excitement in Becky’s otherwise ho-hum life.

n See Becky’s, page B5

Julie Jensen’s mission is to inspire the spirit & soul

Jana Rossi

Staff writer

Julie Jensen has a message for people everywhere: “They need to know they are more powerful than they know.”

The El Dorado Hills woman is living proof of that, explaining with a strong spirit and a powerful will, even the most challenging of obstacles can be overcome.

“As long as you believe in yourself, all things will work together for your good.”

Jensen herself is living a full, engaging and meaningful existence, despite her physical body significantly deteriorating over the last several years after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that attacks the body’s central nervous system.

Since her diagnosis 20 years ago, this mother of five and grandmother to five has lost the use of her arms and legs, as well as her ability to verbally speak. What she has not lost is her ability to communicate and inspire those around her with her strength and upbeat, positive spirit. While her day-to-day activities may look different from how they once did, that has not deterred her from living in a world where she continues to find beauty and inspiration. Jensen said she is not defined nor inhibited by her physical body, but rather sees it as more of a vessel for her soul that continues to create a world filled with her vibrant spirit that she uses to inspire those around her. She communicates by mouthing words to her aides who then type out her messages. She is able to text her thoughts to those around her. She has also found other ways by which to express herself, such as painting,

becky’s

something she had not tried prior to the pandemic when out of boredom she picked up a paint brush with her mouth.

“I have always liked pretty things, so during that time I was inspired to start painting,” Jensen explained, adding that she uses the canvas to express what is in her heart. “I find inspiration through nature and the love I have for my family.”

In 2014 she published “The Essence of a Mother: Being Conscious of the Sacred Moments of Motherhood.” In her book she describes her experience

Continued from B4

the audience as important to the story as the onstage talent.

Becky’s challenge is a common human dilemma, according to Nunziato. Living in a part of her life that younger audiences will recognize as something they are preparing themselves for while older audiences will have been through a similar, if not as intense a dilemma, Nunziato said audiences will relate in one way or another.

“She’s us as a protagonist, a perfectly nice normal person. She loves her husband; she loves her kid,” said Nunziato. “And then all of a sudden she’s just making these incredibly wild and ultimately dangerous choices.”

Lori Nalangan plays the eponymous Becky for this production and Nunziato said she is the perfect person for the job.

“She just had a really great feel for it and was incredibly funny and charming and sympathetic — and people just love her the moment she hits the stage,” the director said, noting that if Becky was unlikable the story would be hard to swallow considering the questionable choices she makes throughout her odyssey.

Nunziato knew she had the right cast for the job and maintains the show is truly an ensemble piece with each character bringing something important to the journey.

“They’re very much an ensemble; they’re very cohesive,” she shared. “They’re very supportive of each other and they’re the hardest workers you’ll ever meet.”

“Becky’s New Car” allows the audience to hitch a ride on this humorous, sometimes absurd and oddly touching journey of choices and the consequences that come from them. the show runs through March 5 at the Stage at Burke Junction. Tickets and more information can be found at stageatburke.com.

of being a mother to her children during her decreasing mobility. Tasks she once took for granted, such as baking cupcakes and driving her children to various activities and parties, were no longer a part of her everyday world. Through her journey with this immobilizing disease, she learned her power of being a mother came from within, not through the activities she once physically participated in.

Ten years ago Jensen created the Global Shared Agreements program for girls. “I started the program because I didn’t want my daughters to

think what they had defined them. It is the person on the inside.”

She is also co-founder of The Essence Foundation, a nonprofit charity that provides transformative learning products and programs for mothers, teachers and girls.

“This challenge in my life has taught me many things, but most importantly, that I am a spiritual being with a divine purpose,” Jensen shared. “As long as you believe in yourself, all things will work together for your good.”

Drinking Water

Salary: I: $28.29-$34.39 II: $31.26-$37.99

Senior: $34.51-$41.95 per hour

Date Opened: January 27, 2023

Filing Deadline: Open until filled.

First review of applications on February 28, 2023

The Human Resources Department is currently accepting applications for the position of Construction & Maintenance Worker I/II/Senior for an eligibility list to fill current and future positions in the Drinking Water Division of Operations.

Courtesy photo

Julie Jensen, seated in front, lives life with her family to the fullest, not letting a debilitating disease slow her down.

“As long as you believe in yourself, all things will work together for your good.”

— Julie Jensen

A Valentine your heart will treasure is a gift of action! Jump rope, dance, run, skip and play active sports and games. Anything to get your heart beating a bit faster for 20 minutes a day or so.

Show yourself the love by taking good care of yourself. Here are some little Valentine’s Day gifts to give yourself!

Color in a heart every time you brush your teeth for the next week. Can you color in every heart? That would be a Valentine treat to keep your teeth strong and healthy!

Each night before you go to sleep, write down at least one happy thing that happened that day on a little slip of paper. Keep these slips of paper in a jar and read them whenever you are having a bad day.

Fill in the missing vowels to complete these Valentines messages by these healthy foods.

Every row and every column, plus the two diagonals will add up to same sum if you fill in the four missing numbers correctly.

Cut out five or more words from the headlines in today’s newspaper. Use these to write a funny Valentine message to your teacher! Then, make another one for a friend or family member.

Cut out the cards below.

Give the cards to the person who is “It.” When “It” tags someone, that person selects a card and performs the activity for the amount of time stated.

After the person completes the activity, they become “It.”

How many hearts can you count in three minutes? How many of Cupid’s arrows can you nd? Have a friend try. Who found the most of each?

A headline with two adjectives

A number larger than 1,000

A picture with an animal

Something that makes you happy

Something healthy

A word with three syllables

Tomorrow’s weather forecast

Standards

Use

VALENTINE VEGETABLE IMAGINE FARMERS FOREVER HEALTHY ACTION ACTIVE TEETH HEART LOVE GIVE PEAR SKIP

Standards Link: Physical Education: Use a variety of basic and advanced movement forms.

This week’s word:

TREASURE

The verb treasure means to value highly.

Lucas will treasure the chance to play basketball.

Try to use the word treasure in a sentence today when talking with your friends and family today.

Valentine Surprise

Make up a story about a Valentine’s Day surprise. Who was surprised? What was the surprise? Use five or more adjectives.

© 2017 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 33, No. 10

Holy Trinity youth reach out

Special to Village Life

Holy Trinity School students are on a mission to brings smiles and companionship to those in long-term care.

The caring youth have been making the rounds to local facilities, chatting with long-term care and assisted-living residents, playing games and making friends.

The program started in November 2022 and will end in May with students

in every grade expected to participate.

“To my knowledge as an ombudsman for seniors in long-term care this is first time an entire school has dedicated itself to seniors in long-term care,” El Dorado Hills resident John Raslear told Village Life. “What an awesome responsibility for the younger kids to enjoy the company of a group of older adults who often feel overlooked. Multigenerational efforts like this make such a difference in the future of those kids.”

‘Grease’ comes to Harris Center

News release

FOLSOM — Harris Center for the Arts presents six performances of”Grease, The Musical,” Feb 16-19.

After a whirlwind summer romance, leather-clad greaser Danny and girlnext-door Sandy are unexpectedly reunited when she transfers to Rydell High for senior year. But can they survive the trials and tribulations of teenage life and find true love once more?

Bursting with hits including “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “You’re the One That I Want,” this exciting new production reignites the

energy and joy of the show for a new generation. “Grease” was first performed Feb. 5, 1971, at Kingston Mines nightclub in Chicago. From there, it has been successful on both stage and screen. At the time that it closed in 1980, “Grease’s” 3,388-performance run was the longest yet in Broadway history. It went on to become a West End hit, a successful feature film, produced two popular Broadway revivals in 1994 and 2007 and is a staple of regional theater. It remains Broadway’s 16th longest-running show. Harris Center for the Arts is located at 10 College Parkway in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit HarrisCenter.net.

Support young poets at Poetry Out Loud finals

News release

After two years of virtual competitions, Arts and Culture El Dorado has announced the El Dorado County’s Poetry Out Loud finals will return to a live, in-person format in 2023.

Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition for high school students. In El Dorado County, the competition is administered by Arts and Culture El Dorado in partnership with the California Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. A vehicle for inspiration and instruction, Poetry Out Loud provides students with a variety of resources to help them memorize, interpret, and recite poetry, instilling in students not just an appreciation of poetry, but also a sense of accomplishment and confidence in their public speaking abilities.

Students from five high schools in El Dorado County — Ponderosa, El Dorado, Union Mine, Oak Ridge, and Charter University Prep — will

compete at Imagination Theater on the county fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Drive in Placerville, at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, for the chance to represent their school and the county at the California state finals. In addition to advancing to the next level of competition, the victor will earn $100; the second-place winner will rake in $75; and the third-place winner will take home $50. The winner of the state finals, which will be conducted in a virtual format, will get the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., to compete in the national finals.

Admission to the county finals is free and open to the public. Supporters of the arts, lovers of poetry and performance and finalists’ friends and family are all invited to attend this special evening of competitive poetry recitation by some of the county’s brightest young minds.

For more information about the national Poetry Out Loud competition visit poetryoutloud.org.

Photo by Joan Marcus / 2007 Broadway production

“Grease, The Musical” takes the stage Feb. 16-19 at the Harris Center at Folsom Lake College.