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The Berenstain Bears’ New Baby
Obituaries on this page are written and paid for by the families or funeral homes. They are edited minimally by the Mountain Democrat. To submit an obituary, call (530) 622-1255, e-mail obits@mtdemocrat.net, fax (530) 344-5092, or visit mtdemocrat.com under “Submission Forms” at the bottom of the website. Include contact information with all submissions.
Robert “Bob” O’Hara Oct. 31, 1930-Feb. 14, 2020 Bob passed away Friday, Feb. 14, after a short battle with cancer; he was 89 years old. Bob joined the Army Air Corps at age 16 near the end of WWII, serving as gunner on an A26 bomber in the Korean War. Post-war he was instrumental in building one of the largest Civil Air Patrol squadrons in California, fl ying 4,500 hours in an AT-6 on search and rescue missions, and later worked for the Air National Guard. A lifelong pilot, people often saw Bob fl ying over Georgetown and Placerville in his little yellow Taylorcraft.
A talented artist, Bob’s career included animating the original Pink Panther movie, backdrops, scenery and props for several fi lms, writing episodes of Outer Limits and Twilight Zone, and being in a few movies including Never So Few and Tora! Tora! Tora! He wrote for and edited Plane & Pilot and Air Classics magazines, and illustrated numerous books and articles including the Mountain Democrat “Behind the Wheel” series after moving to Camino in 1971 with his fi rst wife Dottie.
Bob and his second wife, Anne, built a home in Georgetown in the late ‘70s. He quickly became one of the “gang” at the Corner Kitchen. He had a quick wit and could tell a funny tale or joke to please the crowd. Bob never met a stranger and rarely had an unkind word about anyone. He truly loved his life. Bob was a founding member and early president of Chapter 512 of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in Placerville, and helped build their hangar and grounds. Bob’s favorite activity was fl ying kids in the EAA Young Eagles program, which he did for more than 25 years.
Preceded in death by his wife Anne, Bob recently moved to live with his daughter Colleen in Idaho. She was at his side when he passed away. Bob is survived by his two children, Colleen O’Hara and Randy O’Hara.
There will be a celebration of Bob’s life at Placerville Airport, EAA hangar, at 1 p.m. on June 13.
At the request of his family, in lieu of fl owers or cards, contributions to EAA Chapter 512 in support of Young Eagles may be sent to: EAA Chapter 512 3483 Airport Road Placerville, CA 95667 For those who knew Bob, please feel free to add photos, stories or remembrances at this link: wilksfuneralhome.com/m/obituaries/Robert-OHara-2/Memories
Adios amigo, and fl y high.
WEATHER
El Dorado Hills
Cameron Park 72/49 Diamond Springs 73/52 Somerset 73/51
Fair Play 73/51 Placerville 72/52 Coloma 76/55 Georgetown 70/50
Camino 69/48 Pollock Pines 68/46 Cameron Diamond Somerset 73/51
Fair Play 73/51 72/52 76/55 Coloma 70/50
69/48 68/46
South Lake Tahoe 78/47 South Lake Tahoe 59/29
PLACERVILLE 5-DAY FORECAST Map shows today’s Highs and overnight Lows
Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday HIGH: 72° LOW: 52° HIGH: 72° LOW: 50° HIGH: 46° LOW: 46° HIGH: 52° LOW: 43° HIGH: 53° LOW: 47° A mainly sunny sky. High 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. High 72F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Partly cloudy. High 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Overcast with rain showers at times. High 52F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Mostly cloudy skies. High 53F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
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El Dorado Irrigation District News release
The El Dorado Irrigation District has sent out Proposition 218 mailers to all of its customers regarding proposed rate changes that refl ect the maximum increase the elected fi ve-member EID Board of Directors could vote in each year beginning 2021 through 2025.
For 2021 the average (medium use) water customer would see an increase of $8.63 per bimonthly bill. The average wastewater customer would see a reduction of $6.79 per bill. The average water/wastewater customer would see a rise of $1.84 per bill and the average water/wastewater/ recycled water customer would see a $7.42 increase per bimonthly bill.
Find rate calculators for dual plumbed (water, wastewater and recycled water) customers and another for customers who have water and/or sewer service(s) only online at eid.org/customers/ proposition-218-notice-2020.
EID will hold two public workshops where customers can speak directly to technical experts (engineering and operations sta ) and board members regarding the proposed rates and why they are needed. There will also be information about upcoming and current projects that are in the works to keep water and sewer services safe and reliable.
Workshop dates
Wednesday, March 4 at 5:30 p.m. — Cameron Park Community Services District, 2502 Country Club Drive in Cameron Park
Monday, March 23 at 5:30 p.m. — El Dorado Irrigation District headquarters, 2890 Mosquito Road in Placerville
The board will consider the adoption of the proposed rates at a public hearing scheduled for Monday, April 27 at 9 a.m. The hearing will be held at EID headquarters.
For more information contact EID’s billing and customer service division at (530) 642-4000 or email at billing@eid.org .
GDPUD names interim general manager
Dawn Hodson Staff writer
Georgetown Divide Public Utility District o cials have announced that the district has hired Je Nelson as interim general manager until a permanent general manager can be hired.
Nelson is a licensed engineer in the state of California and has over 30 years of experience in the water supply and wastewater management fi eld. He comes with a bachelor’s degree in geological engineering from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in civil engineering from San Diego State University.
He has lived in California for more than 35 years and now lives with his family in Carmichael. Nelson will fi ll in for Steve Palmer who resigned Feb. 5. His position will be part-time until a permanent replacement is found. Palmer’s last day with the agency was Feb. 28. He worked for Vineyards Continued from A1
GDPUD for almost three years, starting o cially March 6, 2017. During that time some major projects were completed including building the new water treatment plant in Auburn Lake Trails. Georgetown Divide Public Utility District Board of Directors President Dave Souza said the board began looking for a new general manager as soon as Palmer announced he was resigning.
“He did a great job and we’re sorry he left,” said Souza.
Dozens attended last Tuesday’s meeting, including Michael Stettner, a neighboring resident who said his street is already overburdened with speeding drivers.
Frequent animal crossings, narrow bridges and sharp curves — most notably the “S curve” just south of the proposed development — on Malcolm Dixon Road concern Sarah Broadbent, whose grandchildren live in the neighborhood.
“When there’s a bicyclist in front of you, you have to follow that bicycle for a very long time,” she said. “People get impatient. It’s a very dangerous road.” Omni Financial spokesman Craig Sandberg said the project could improve tra c circulation in the area thanks to a connector to Malcolm Dixon Road. El Dorado County Department of Transportation Director Rafael Martinez indicated that while the project’s “level of service” tra c parameters are in line with regulations set by the state of California, that may not be adequate for rural El Dorado County residents used to little to no congestion. “When I moved here from Southern California,
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my (view) of the roads here in El Dorado County was amazing,” he said. “Now, after living here for six years, I get held up at the signal for more than 10 seconds and I’m like ‘ugh, I’ve got tra c.’ I can understand that perspective.
“... Unfortunately, as a municipality and a sta , we can’t negate a project if the thresholds are set by the highway capacity manual or the state of California aren’t passed.” Some community members told the board they think they have fallen victim to a bait-and-switch after supporting the lessdense Diamante Estates only for the previous developer to sell the property to another developer that has a di erent plan for the site. That issue and tra c concerns irked District 4 Supervisor Lori Parlin as well.
“This project, in the big picture of the county, is a tiny project,” Supervisor Parlin said. “But it’s huge with all the issues around it and the way that we got here.
“The community had to work really hard to get Diamante [Estates] and that’s a project the community is really happy with. It fi ts; it has tra c circulation that makes sense. And that was a hard-fought battle,” she continued. “Then you get happy with that, thinking it’s coming sometime, and then a new developer shows up and we’re in battle mode again … Where will it stop?”
While sympathetic to neighborhood tra c concerns, District 3 Supervisor Brian Veerkamp said he wouldn’t oppose a project that’s in line with the county General Plan. The project would be a benefi t to the county’s funding and housing woes, he added.
Some community members questioned the necessity of the project’s vineyards and trail. The vineyards would require maintenance, attention and possibly a vineyard manager, according to county Agricultural Commissioner Charlene Carveth, who added that as proposed the vineyards would be too broken up to produce many grapes. The board moved to leave the trail’s future in the hands of the development’s homeowners association. Sandberg indicated that both the vineyards and trail were part of an e ort to make the project more aesthetically and recreationally attractive, but are not a dealbreaker.
After a motion from Supervisor Parlin to deny the project failed, Supervisor Veerkamp moved to approve it. The project, with minor additional conditions, passed 3-2, with Supervisors Veerkamp, Sue Novasel and John Hidahl supporting it and Supervisors Parlin and Shiva Frentzen opposed.
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