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C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
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TROJANS
BRING HOME Malachi Parker Staff writer
M
ove over Chiefs, the Oak Ridge cheerleading squad captured a shiny trophy of their own Super Bowl Sunday — winning the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship. “We’re very proud of this team’s hard work and resiliency,” Oak Ridge head cheerleading coach James Blank said. “They showed great character by dealing with adversity and overcoming some tough challenges right at crunch time.” Sixty-eight teams entered the competition at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, Fla., all hoping to cheer their way
VOLUME 173 • ISSUE 20 | $1.00
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2024
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NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
to the top of the Medium Varsity Division I category. Information shared with the media makes this win all the more amazing. Two weeks before the competition a cheer squad member suffered an injury, forcing Oak Ridge to alter plans. Rather than perform the routine they spent months working to perfect, the Trojans spent those two weeks coming up with a new routine that was, according to judges, more than up to par for the competition. The National High School Cheerleading Championship, produced by Universal Cheerleaders Association, is the pinnacle of cheerleading competitions for high school cheerleaders across
The Oak Ridge cheer team with their national championship banner on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. Oak Ridge brought home the title in the medium varsity Division I section.
Photo courtesy of Oak Ridge cheer
■ See TROJANS, page A8
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
Photo courtesy of EDH Fire
District 1 supervisor candidates Linda Campbell, Greg Ferrero and Margaret Fortune, from left, participate in the El Dorado County League of Women Voters candidate forum at the El Dorado Hills Community Services District building in El Dorado Hills Feb. 15.
The man rescued from a flooded creek early Monday morning hugs EDH firefighter Mark Netherton after getting back on dry land.
Eric Jaramishian
Noel Stack
D1 candidates take Crews rescue camper on county’s hot topics from flooded creek Staff writer
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The latest El Dorado County League of Women Voters
candidates featured District 1 Supervisor candidates Linda Campbell, Greg Ferrero and Margaret Fortune, all eyeing for the seat currently held by John Hidahl, who represents almost all of El Dorado Hills. The hopefuls took on a variety of issues concerning El Dorado Hills and the county at the packed EDH Community Services District pavilion Thursday evening. Hidahl is currently finishing out his term as supervisor this year. In a race that has generated much voter interest, League coordinators say it was the most questions they have received for any
candidate forum they have hosted. First to introduce herself was Margaret Fortune, founder and CEO of 12 public charter schools called Fortune School, which serve more than 2,000 students and employ 460 teachers in Sacramento and San Bernanrdino areas with an emphasis on “closing the African American achievement,” its website states. The education powerhouse also served eight years on the California State University Board of Trustees and has served on the California Commission on Teacher
■ See CANDIDATES, page A9
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A man camping next to Sweetwater Creek north of El Dorado Hills got a wet wake-up call early Monday. The atmospheric river that dumped rain in the valley and the foothills overnight sent runoff rushing into the creek. “We had that pretty decent cell come over about midnight,” El Dorado Hills Fire Department Deputy Chief Dave Brady said. “(Water) came up on both sides of him. It just flooded his campsite.” The deluge significantly widened the creek’s banks, trapping the man in the middle with no way to escape. “He was able to climb up a tree and hold on,” added Brady, who served as incident commander during the rescue operation. At 3 a.m. emergency crews got the call and jumped into action. El Dorado County sheriff ’s officials
were the first to arrive on scene but they couldn’t reach the man, described as a white male in his 30s, due to the muddy surroundings, Brady said. They were, however, able to pinpoint his location, which helped rescuers make their plan. EDH Fire Engine 84 and the department’s swift water rescue team made it to the scene shortly after and mapped out the best way to reach the man and get him to safety. Helping in the effort was Brady’s ability to talk to the man as he said he luckily had his cell phone with him and it still worked. At about 4 a.m. rescuers geared up and jumped into the water, navigating through tough conditions. “Swimming in pitch black is not fun,” Brady said. The crew members in the water swam from one high spot to the next and when they reached the trapped man still clinging to the partially ■ See RESCUE, page A8
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