Mountain Democrat, Friday, March 24, 2023

Piper convicted of sexually exploiting girl

Odin Rasco

Staff writer

The former Placerville resident facing charges for allegedly killing and torturing his 11-yearold son Roman Lopez pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to sexual exploitation of a minor.

Jordan Thomas Piper previously entered a not-guilty plea to an amended complaint filed March 7 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. The complaint alleged that Piper had secretly recorded video of a minor from around Oct. 3, 2019 to Jan. 9, 2020.

Piper changed his plea to

JoRDan THoMaS PiPER

guilty and was convicted Monday on child pornography charges as part of a plea agreement. The child porn charges against Piper were originally filed in late June of 2022 following an FBI investigation.

Footage recovered by

Medic 49 rolls back in service

Human r ights Commission deCommissioned

Eric Jaramishian Staff writer

Tuesday’s El Dorado County Board of Supervisors meeting saw one final attempt to stop the Human Rights Commission from being disbanded.

A final reading for an ordinance to dissolve the commission indefinitely became a consent item, meaning a formal discussion among supervisors would not commence, but some residents did not let the topic slide.

Inside board chambers protestors carried signs with messages of oppression or discrimination to show their disapproval of the board action.

“Human rights affect all of us at every facet of our lives,” said Michel Brandt, an El Dorado Hills resident. “We are bringing up young children and if they do not understand that everyone has value and importance, then they are growing up in a void.”

Brandt, like others who spoke during the public comment

portion of the meeting, expressed concern the county was doing away with a resource meant to promote tolerance and respect among different genders, races, religions and individuals experiencing homelessness.

Placerville resident Janet Rossi

wrote a letter to the board, one of many supporting the Human Rights Commission, questioning the issues that sparked the board’s divided decision.

“Our county is already known

Supervisors look on as former Human Rights Commissioner Robin Valicenti pleads with county leaders using signs describing discrimination and oppression while playing soundbites from past meetings relating to Human Rights Commissionrelated discussions.

OBITUARIES

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.

Caroll S. Tuttle

July 13, 1930 - Jan. 9, 2023

Caroll Tuttle, 92, of Placerville, California, passed peacefully, surrounded by family on January 9, 2023.

A native Californian, Caroll lived in the Bay Area most of his life. He graduated from San Leandro High School and earned degrees from CSU Hayward, Santa Clara University, and Eastman School of Music.

A musician, college teacher, and psychotherapist, Caroll made a lasting impression through the years. Most will remember Caroll best as a musician spreading joy through his music. He began performing at a young age and later toured throughout the country with various shows and bands. He was still arranging and performing music locally into his 92nd year!

Caroll was a life-long learner, with interests which included gourmet cooking, entertaining, and deep conversation.

Caroll is survived by his much-loved blended family.

A celebration of Caroll’s life will be held on April 8, 2023. Please contact the family at TuttleCelebration@gmail.com for information.

Michael Edgar

Coulson

Aug. 18, 1951 – Jan. 9, 2023

Beloved husband, father, grandfather, teacher and coach, Mike is survived by his wife Diane; daughters McKenzie, Hillary, and Kym; sister Sharon; brothers Ron and Bob; and grandchildren Jake, Andrew, Basil and soon-to-beborn Rory. The oldest of five children, Mike was born in Denver, Colorado, to the late Annabelle and Edgar Coulson.

A lifelong athlete and spirited coach, Mike attended Ponderosa High School and played football at American River Community College and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He was an All-American selection at Cal Poly, where he earned his BA in Physical Education and an MA in Education.

In the early 1980s, Mike was a teacher and head football coach at El Dorado High School; his team won the regional championship in 1983. While at El Dorado, Mike met and married the love of his life, Diane Moravek, whose two daughters he embraced as his own. The arrival of their third daughter, McKenzie, completed their family.

Mike’s career included 15 years as athletic director and head football coach at Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon, followed by seven years as Director of Community Schools for the Lake Oswego School District, overseeing all youth sports. Mike loved teaching and mentoring young men to become the best versions of themselves. A 1998 New York Times article on the state of high school football in America included this quote from Coach Coulson: “For you on Friday night at 7 p.m., football should be the most important thing. But at 10 p.m. it shouldn’t be. On Sundays it shouldn’t be. It needs to be important to you while it’s going on, but at other times other things should be more important.”

His colleagues and former coaches regard Mike as one of the funniest, most sincere people they ever worked with. Though serious and driven, Mike invariably found the positive in everyone and was known universally for his infectious laugh and bright smile.

He also loved fishing, hiking, and hunting; at the time of his passing from a heart attack, he was duck hunting on Sauvie Island with one of his closest friends.

An open-to-the-public celebration of life will be held at the Foundry in Lake Oswego on April 22, 2023, from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Betty Lou Lucy

Aug. 29, 1933 - March 14, 2023

Betty Lou Lucy, 89, died March 14. “Betsy”, daughter of Elsie and Alexander Craig passed away peacefully in her home in the Gold Hill area of Placerville, Calif. She is survived by her partner, Brian Lemley, her two sons, Scott Lucy and Brian Lucy, her daughter, Sharon Lucy, four grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Betsy Lucy was a homemaker for most of her life. She lived in many places across the country, but after arriving in the Placerville area with her (now deceased) husband, Jim Lucy, in 1983, she created and operated an antique furniture store, “Betsy’s Place”, in Diamond Springs. Betsy loved to reminisce about her childhood which included weekend trips with her parents to visit her grandfather’s (Noble Rhinesmith) farm in upstate New Jersey. She enjoyed restoring old furniture, cooking, reading, gardening, dancing, painting, and traveling. Her travel adventures took her across our country and all over the globe. Everyone who met her admired her spirit, her style, her beauty, her sense of humor, her kindness, and her willingness to experience all that life o ered to her. She is already greatly missed by family and many friends near and far.

David Anthony

Sauvé

Sept. 9, 1945 – Jan. 23, 2023

David Anthony Sauvé was born to parents Francis and Irene Sauvé on September 9, 1945 in Bay City, Michigan, and passed away on January 23, 2023 in Placerville, California.

He leaves behind his wife of 36 years Julie, and daughter Lindsay and spouse Peter, son Daniel and spouse Christina, and son Benjamin, as well as his siblings Paul Sauvé, Kathy Smock, Thomas Sauvé, and Jeanne Sharpy, numerous nieces and nephews, and countless friends, colleagues, and comrades.

Dave is best remembered for the fullness of the life he lived, accruing a vibrant range of interests, experiences, and talents that he loved to share with those important to him in life, of whom there were many. As a child and young man in Detroit, Dave grew a passion for cars (the “Motor City”), a love for music (“Motown” and later Detroit Rock n’ Roll), and a fandom for baseball and ice hockey. Dave was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1966 and served a tour of duty in Vietnam, a formative experience from which he took with him a lifelong dedication to duty, service, and compassion for all people. Dave remained active as an enthusiastic and essential life member of VFW Post 10165. He served as a board member of several veteran’s service organizations, and was honored as the 2023 El Dorado County Veteran of the Year.

Following his military service Dave completed his degree in fine arts at Wayne State University, where he developed his passion and talent for photography and journalism, and appreciation for art of all forms. Fed up with the frigid winters of Michigan, Dave struck out west for California, settling in Venice Beach, where he was able to live his dream with an apartment on the beach, sunny days playing volleyball, and trips to his favorite place to be in nature, Death Valley.

In his 32 year career with the U.S. Postal Service, he formed lifelong friendships with co-workers from Michigan to Venice to Shingle Springs where he retired in 2004. Dave was so skilled at so many of the tasks he put his mind to that he forayed into a variety of “side gigs,” including work as a handyman in Santa Rosa, California, where he met his wife Julie in 1982. Dave and Julie moved with daughter Lindsay to El Dorado County in 1985 where he found a community that he was proud to call home and raise a family in. He loved the open road, taking the family on weeks long car camping trips throughout the American west, and eventually visiting all 50 U.S. States; he loved sunsets over the fields and oaks of the gold country, and sunrises soaking in his hot tub. He was sharp and intellectual until the end, a dedicated Jeopardy fan and voracious reader, routinely consuming three newspapers per day. He was kind, caring, thoughtful and generous, always remembering “those less fortunate than us” at every family meal.

As Dave would say for all the service men and women, friends, and family that went before him, he is “gone but not forgotten.”

A Celebration of Life will be held at Shingle Springs Community Center on May 13, 2023 at 11 a.m.. Remembrances may be made to the charity of your choice.

Christine G. Ferris

July 27, 1952 - Dec. 13, 2022

Christine G. Ferris from Placerville, California passed away December 13, 2022.

Chris was born July 27, 1952 in Fresno, California to Dewey and Myrtle Poe. She was raised and educated in Rescue, California and graduated from Ponderosa High School.

Chris had a variety of interests. She was an Oakland Athletics fan and listened to many of the games on the radio. Other interests included Ballroom Dancing-Reading-the ocean and meditation-working with plants and traveling. She traveled to various places. Her last trip was to Vietnam. She spent many enjoyable hours pursuing family history and the study of genealogy. Her results were amazing!

Chris was always interested in healthcare and helping people. She volunteered as a candy striper after high school, assisted many to medical appointments, and eventually became a live-in caretaker for the elderly.

Chris is survived by her Son: Jason (Sue) Ferris of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Grandchildren: Sofi, Madison, and Ethan; Sisters: Linda (Bob) Keller of El Mirage, Arizona, Kathy (Alan) Elliott of Minot, North Dakota, and Charlene Muniz of Placerville, California.

She was preceded in death by her Parents and Brother-in-law Joe Muniz.

Chris will be cremated and her ashes will be scattered in San Francisco, a place that she enjoyed.

Gordon H. Smith

Dec. 28, 1940 - Jan. 21, 2023

Gordon was raised in Richmond, Calif., and served in the U.S. Army. A resident of El Dorado County for 47 years where he worked as a truck driver.

Gordon passed away suddenly after a short illness. He is survived by his wife Norma; daughter Christina Bist; son Edward Smith. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and his brother Edgar Smith. He was preceded in death by his father Harry Smith, mother Evelyn Smith and is sister Jeanine Munson.

A Celebration of Life will be held April 2, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Wilkinson-Hupcey Building, 681 Main Street, Placerville.

Janet Joanne Valladao

Swart

May 1, 1944 – Feb. 23, 2023

Janet is survived by husband

Ralph Swart; daughters

Kimberly Swart Embree (Gary); and Melissa Swart Weikel (Mark); grandchildren Andrew Swart (Heather), Jordan Embree, Mariah Embree Hildebrandt (Eric), Logan Embree & Bethany Embree; brother David Blalock; & sister Roxine Johnson. Read full obituary & leave remembrances @ greenvalleymortuary.com

WEATHER

PLACERVILLE 5-DAY FORECAST

/ odin@mtdemocrat.com

Mary Susan (Sue)

Craig

April 18, 1938 – Feb. 17, 2023

Thirty-two years to the day after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, Mary Susan (Sue) Craig, was born at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, California - April 18, 1938. She was predeceased by her mother, Mary Virginia Olson, previously of Santa Barbara and Happy Camp, CA. Sue was surrounded by a loving family who saw to it that she was as spoiled (in a good way!) as she was loved.

Sue’s independent streak first glowed when her grandmother, whom she referred to as Mom, would chastise her for some misdeed and threaten to go after her. Sue, about 3 years old at the time, would run for her bedroom and throw herself under her bed where Mom knew she was hiding but couldn’t get her out. That rebellious nature never fully deserted her. She scored many firsts for getting into trouble at a young age…for example, riding horses far and wide across the hills of Castro Valley, testing the boundaries of her familiar territories and of Mom’s patience.

One summer in the 50’s she spent a couple of weeks on horseback working a cattle drive to move a herd from near Folsom (a small town at the time) to summer pastures in the High Sierra. She was in her element!

For years, she attended a Girl Scout Camp up in the glorious Redwoods. From age 8 on into her late teens, Sue went the entire summer. They had tents but they could also make a sleeping nest in the trunks and roots of the huge trees. She was about as natural as they come!

She was not only California born and bred but also lived and died within her beloved state. It suited her, especially her love of nature, everything flora and fauna, and also her love of history: places, artifacts and tools that spoke of an earlier time.

There was a part of Sue that could easily have been born 100 years ago and she would have thrived: she was a cowgirl, loved everything about black-smithing, never owned a power tool and preferred to split wood with a maul and wedges well into her 80’s. She had vehicles but if someone else would drive, all the better.

She never met an animal she didn’t like, except for rattlesnakes. Wherever she went, she ended up with something in her arms or on her lap, petting, stroking, smiling, and snuggling: dogs, cats, someone’s pet snake, interesting insects,

deer, goats, raccoons, newts, salamanders, chickens, llamas, donkeys, or horses….All of these critters were pets at one time or another.

She graduated high school and went to San Jose State and LaVerne University for her BA. Her first career employment was California Youth Authority and in a few years she was the youngest Head Supervisor on the force. After several years, she returned to Cal Lutheran for her Masters program In psychology while working at Camarillo State Hospital as a teacher and a researcher within the Autism Program.

Under Ivar Lovass and his Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program at UCLA, she participated in some of the earliest educational research on behalf of children with autism. The method of ABA and Intervention remains a standard model for working with early autism to this day. It was also embedded in Sue’s teaching methods when she spent another 20 years teaching children with special needs including autism, and especially ones with reading difficulties at Gold Oak Union School District and with the El Dorado County Office of Education.

In 1978, Sue and a cohort of friends, moved onto 70+ acres outside Placerville, CA. They built a large geodesic dome, another country elegant home and a big barn that was completely Women Built. There was a large organic garden, running and hiking trails on the property, and through the years it was filled with hundreds of animals. From dogs and cats, to horses, a donkey, and a magnificent stud llama along with milking goats and their babies, several dozen laying hens, and a couple of attack geese.

Sue was an avid cheese and tofu-maker. Most people don’t know it, but warm tofu just out of the press is about as tantalizing as freshly baked bread!

She was an active volunteer in El Dorado County. She used her many years as a horsewoman and years of teaching to assist Kris Van Winkle with the Ride N Shine program that used horse-back riding to provide therapy to handicapped and severely handicapped children.

During the 80s and early 90s, she was instrumental in the revitalization of the El Dorado County Humane Society. Sue was active in many areas of the Society from donations and sales, to the Feral Cat Spay, Neuter, and Feeding program, and to finding homes for hundreds of homeless animals.

Sue was also a Docent at Coloma’s Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in the Blacksmithing Shop. She had a deep love of hand wrought and used tools. Although she came to blacksmithing as a mature adult, she loved every aspect of it and spent many an hour at shows, forge-in gatherings, and buying and selling tools of the trade. Sue helped many new blacksmiths outfit new shops. Educationally, California

History is a mandated class for all 4th graders and for most of the school year, they came by the busloads a couple of days each week. Her teaching and blacksmithing skills blended nicely!

Sue was always active in sports, starting as a competitive gymkhana rider, then a catcher in softball, and she was a fearless volleyballer who dove head-first for the dig. She also enjoyed cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and both summer and winter camping, She and a group of friends would go tent camping in Yosemite Valley in the dead of winter. She loved long car trips throughout Canada and the USA, and enjoyed international travel to Latin America, South America, Europe and the Middle East.

One of Sue’s greatest gifts was her artistic eye that found beauty and meaning in obscure articles of nature and humanity. She could visit an antique store, or yard sale, or walk through someone’s barn or backyard and find something incredible, and walking through her home was like visiting an interestingly curated museum. Numerous talented artists and artisans loved Sue, and unsolicited, they would ‘make her something’ — they really appreciated her ‘eye.’ Sue’s business card read ‘Rust-N-Dust’ which was a tongue in cheek homage to her love of many things old.

In the mid-90’s, Sue was introduced to Buddhism by a good friend.

The calm, quiet, meditative, and self-inquiry required within Buddhism worked for Sue. Always a person to step up and help, she had no trouble with the concept of loving-kindness for all living beings. She practiced both with the Davis Shambhala Center and a small group of Buddhist friends until her death.

Sue was a breast cancer survivor of nearly 20 years. Her later years included facing Parkinson’s and Lewy Body with concomitant dementia. She was a trouper and didn’t let her situation keep her from living life. What she could no longer do alone, she did with friends or friends did for her. She took off her boots for the final time about a week before she passed.

During a profoundly quiet moment in the middle of the night with her long-time partner present, Sue slipped away into the Cosmos. She left us with a gentle smile.

Sue was both a force of nature, and a quiet hero, well-remembered and beloved by her Chosen Family and numerous friends. As she did with everything she touched, Sue did Life, Her Way.

A Celebration of Life, outdoors of course, will be held when the weather is warmer — Sue was an outdoors woman as we all know! Keep watching this site and as soon as we can secure a proper venue, we will post the Date, Time, and Place. It will be towards late April when the weather warms up a bit. Bring any Sue Snaps or Sue Stories to share!

The diversity training disaster

All big American companies now require DEI training: diversity, equity and inclusion.

All big companies!

Really.

It sounds responsible. But it turns out DEI courses are often useless and sometimes racist.

First comes groveling.

A video about DEI shows a conference that begins with a “land acknowledgement.”

A Microsoft employee apologizes for taking land from “the Sammamish, the Duwamish, Snoqualmie, Suquamish, Muckleshoot” and more.

I guess it’s a nice gesture. But they aren’t giving the land back!

Companies go through the motions.

“They feel like they have to,” says York College professor Erec Smith. “They have to signal to the world that they’re doing something.”

They hope it will protect them from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and lawsuits.

Smith was once a diversity officer. He left the position because he thought it was “useless.”

Or worse. “It makes people less likely to interact with people unlike them,” he says. “It’s a minefield now.”

At diversity trainings, employees learn about “microaggressions,” speech that’s subtly biased.

“If you ask somebody what they do for a living, somehow that’s racist,” says Smith. “If you learn that, then why would you take a chance? ... ‘I’m going to silence myself’ ... not talk to Black people.”

A Coca-Cola diversity training tells employees, “Be less white.” “Being white” includes being “oppressive, arrogant, defensive, ignorant.”

“That is by no means a white thing,” says Smith. “The point is to demonize the other side.”

Worst of all, despite the $3 billion spent on DEI training by American companies today, DEI trainings don’t do what they’re supposed to do.

A Harvard professor analyzed studies of them and says, “Sadly enough, I did not find one single study which found that diversity training leads to more diversity.”

A different Harvard Business Review study analyzed data from 800 companies and found that five years after diversity training, the share of Black women managers decreased by 9%.

“It is not about data,” says Smith. “It’s about a

n See StoSSel, page A5

Guest Column

Letters to the Editor

Hospice and first responders

EDITOR:

On a recent Saturday night, the Battle of the Badges 911 Chili Cook-off pitted fire, law enforcement and associated organizations in competition in support of Snowline Hospice to prepare the best chili and present the best booth. I took a moment in that reverie to compare the efforts of our first responders, and though it may seem counter-intuitive, with the work of Snowline in end-of-life care, noting they exhibit significant similarities.

As an emergency manager with a fire and EMS background (26 years as an EMT), I am acutely aware that most of the population purposely ignores the existence of emergency services until it is desperately needed. That is a perfectly natural perspective. We build protections around ourselves in our everyday lives. When events occur and those protections falter, we turn to those with a badge to make the situation better or at least make things “not worse.”

In those circumstances, the first responders know their actions must be “done, done right and done right now!” It takes a certain type of person, both professionals and volunteers, to enter that uncontrolled environment to help those in their time of need, often at risk of their own safety.

So too with hospice. Our society tries to ignore end-of-life matters. As the time comes, as it will for all of us, many are unprepared or unwilling to accept the outcome. Snowline personnel and volunteers provide care wherever it takes them. It takes a certain type of person, both professionals and volunteers, to provide care for those in their most trying of times.

In both settings the people impacted are often terrified and confused. Emergency and hospice providers subject themselves willingly to emotionally traumatic circumstances to ease pain and ensure comfort. Whether it is a structure or wildland fire, an accident or violence or the loss of a loved one, there is a toll for all involved. For those surrounding the subjects of the event grief often follows.

I am biased. Having previously served on the Snowline Board of Directors for seven years, with two terms as president, I am in constant awe of the work of that nonprofit organization. While the for-profit hospice industry has been subject

to justifiable criticism, Snowline has for over 43 years been a stalwart beacon of compassion in our community at no cost to patients or families. The grants, thrift store revenues and fundraising such as the Battle of the Badges (thanks Laurie and Dion and all the BoB volunteers) support the efforts that public and private insurance do not cover.

Hospice workers do not carry a badge or drive through the community with lights and sirens. Nonetheless, like emergency responders, they carry the weight of the community when our families, friends and neighbors need it the most.

PAUL PENN Diamond Springs

Trump’s COVID crime

EDITOR:

On July 17, 1983, at the height of the AIDS epidemic, Bulgaria’s Intelligence Services planted a story in an Indonesian newspaper, alleging that the AIDS virus had escaped from Fort Dietrick, Md., the U.S. Army’s biological warfare center. “The Times” of India picked up the story and Indira Ghandi, India’s prime minister and America-skeptic, glommed onto that story and rattled our cage, an American humiliation that did not go unnoticed by other nations. This is probably the most successful Soviet propaganda coup of the Cold War.

The story confirms Mark Twain’s admonition: “A rumor has gone around the world twice before truth has put its pants on.”

Concerning COVID-19, reputable scientists say that we may never know the origin of the virus. Nevertheless, the GOP is wasting congressional time and dollars trying to prove the unprovable: that COVID-19 is a Chinese plot.

Dr. Deborah Brix, Trump’s head of the COVID Task Force, wrote in her memoirs that on Nov. 2, 2019, she sent a memo to Trump, warning him that it was past time to take drastic actions to stop the spread. Dr. Brix was rebuffed because, she was told: “... bad news would negatively affect Trump’s re-election campaign.” Trump’s misinformation and disinformation campaign kicked into high gear, touting bleach, Mr. Clean, Ivermectin and other chimeras as cures that likely killed some people. If the GOP were truly trying to get to the truth,

n See letterS, page A5

President Biden’s job is running the U.S., not Israel

Widely reported in the press is that President Joe Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his concern about judicial reforms currently being considered in Israel.

We must wonder why Biden, who demonstrably cannot run our own country, feels behooved to tell others, particularly one as successful as Israel, how to run theirs.

Looking into Biden’s own backyard, per latest Gallup polling, a paltry 20% of Americans say they are satisfied with the direction of their country.

The White House reported that Biden told the Israeli prime minister that “democratic values” are “a hallmark of the U.S.-Israel relationship, that democratic societies are strengthened by genuine checks and balances and that fundamental changes should be pursued with the

broadest possible base of popular support.”

But Israel is governed under a parliamentary system that ties the government, on a dayto-day basis, to popular sentiment more closely than our own system.

On any given day, in Israel’s parliamentary system, a vote of no-confidence can bring down the government.

And, indeed, as a result of a deeply divided electorate, Israel has had five elections within four years. As the only democracy in their part of the world, it doesn’t seem like democracy and elections are subjects on which Israel needs tutorials from Biden.

Really what is going on is not a problem with democracy but a problem with those who are unhappy with the results that democracy produces. It happens that Israelis, in their last election, returned to power Netanyahu, who has put together a right-of-center government that does not please Israel’s left or America’s

left-wing president, who has been recruited to put in his two cents.

Biden touting the importance of democracy and checks and balances is more than a little ironic as he waits for the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of his unilateral move to wipe out $400 billion of student loans. Most assessments point to the likelihood that Biden’s move will be found unconstitutional.

Regarding the importance of the “broadest base of popular support,” the U.S. banking system is now teetering, already with several bank failures, with others looking for support. Banks have been ravaged by interest rate increases, the direct result of inflation caused by trillions spent by Biden’s administration.

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan and the $735 billion Inflation Reduction Act both passed the House and Senate without a single

Republican vote and were signed into law by Biden. We might recall that the U.S. healthcare system was overhauled when Biden was vice president.

The Affordable Health Care Act — “Obamacare” — was passed in the House and the Senate without a single Republican vote and signed into law by President Barack Obama.

Despite the love affair with political systems, we must appreciate that human beings ultimately produce the realities under which we live, not any system. Well-designed systems are important, but the outcome of words on a page are the result of which human being reads, interprets and carries out those words.

The founders of our country, and the drafters of our Constitution, would never believe that the

n See Parker, page A5

Really what is going on is not a problem with democracy but a problem with those who are unhappy with the results that democracy produces.

STaR PaRkER

Worst of all, despite the $3 billion spent on DEI training by american companies today, DEI trainings don’t do what they’re supposed to do.

JOHn STOSSEL

Winter snowfall record broken

Odin Rasco

Staff writer

The persistent snowfall busting buildings and battering byways is also breaking records, as this winter has now taken the title of the second-snowiest season on record in Tahoe.

Data collected from U.C. Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Lab located at Donner Pass shows that this nearly relentless winter has surpassed the snowfall records set by the 1982-83 season. This winter now trails behind only the 1951-52 season for the most snowfall on record.

Climatologists raised concerns in early March that a then-incoming atmospheric river had the potential to melt away the snowpack. Water managers across the state prepared for potential flooding in anticipation of snowmelt runo taxing water storage.

The precipitation that came to the central Sierra stayed frosty, however, dumping more than 288 inches of snow onto the region between Feb. 22 and March 21. With an average of 10.6 inches per day for the past month, the snow has taken a toll on residents and businesses.

The weight of snow on a roof can cause potential failures; a Cal Fire El Dorado-Amador Unit report issued March 14 showed that of 129 buildings

■ See SNOWFALL page A8

Stossel Continued from A4 power grab.”

One that starts in schools.

Smith attended a conference of rhetoric professors where the conference leader, Asao Inoue, declared it racist to grade students on traditional English.

“If you use a single standard to grade your students’ languaging, you engage in racism. ... White language supremacy.”

Smith sent a group email in response, saying it’s a disservice to minority kids not to teach standard English. Instead of addressing Smith’s point, other professors attacked him, calling him racist.

“Do you enjoy using Western modes of argument to invalidate people of color?”

“I hope for the day that folks like you will learn how to check their privilege.”

“We are professors in communication,” Smith told me. “I thought we could communicate. I was so wrong. ... They saw in me a threat. ... a Black person saying it’s OK to teach Black students standardized English.”

An academic named Eve accused Smith of “perpetuating harm.” Other academics joined in to praise the “tremendous labor” Eve spent writing the email.

“They’re victims!” I say, bewildered.

“That’s the point,” Smith responds. “Perpetuate the victimhood.”

“This isn’t even logical! Has academia gone insane?” I ask.

Smith laughs. “Yes, it has gone insane.”

Today some sensible people are pushing back. Education reformer Chris Rufo proposes a DEI alternative called “EMC.” EMC stands for equality, merit and colorblindness.

Sounds good to me, but woke college activists say “colorblindness” is evil because it denies that racism exists.

“Merit” is bad because the way it’s measured must be biased, because the results show racial disparity. This is why some colleges have dropped admission tests and why many high schools eliminated honors classes.

“If you wanted to hold down a group of people,” says Smith, “... this ‘woke’ thing is a good strategy.”

The achievement gap between Black and white students has been widening lately.

A better solution, says Smith, is to ignore the censors. Debate.

“People don’t say what they feel because they don’t want to get canceled, get called racist. People are censoring. We have to stop doing that.”

Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom. He is the author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.”

Parker Continued from A4

beautiful system they designed, conceived to limit government and protect individual liberty, would someday see government at all levels taking almost half our gross national product, generating massive deficits and national debt larger than our nation’s entire economy.

Nor would they believe that the courts have been used to remove all vestige of religion from public life or that Supreme Court justices felt it was their job to redefine marriage.

The percentage of Americans that have a “great deal/quite a lot” of confidence in their major institutions, reported by Gallup last July, are as follows: the presidency 23%; U.S. Supreme Court 25%; Congress 7%; public schools 28%; newspapers 16%; criminal justice system 14%; television news 11%.

Please, Mr. Biden, do your own job and let Israelis run their own country.

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.”

Letters Continued from A4

they’d be investigating Trump for the murder of 1.4 million Americans sacrificed on the altar of his vanity, his ego and his lack of humanity. How this monster can still attract converts to his cult of personality is beyond comprehension.

JOHN GARON Placerville

Announcements

29 Was very exciting, informally

31 Something you might hear while you’re on hold

32 Lion dance holiday

33 Its index case occurred in Meliandou, Guinea

34 Was successful at the carnival booth, say

35 As small as two cups?

36 Outerwear for an old 7-Down

37 Flora

39 Native of the Dutch Caribbean

40 Cellist Pablo

41 Whistler

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 $50/year. Call Cindy 805-540-8654.

SENIOR PEER COUNSELING

Seniors 55 and over who are grieving, depressed or having issues related to aging can meet one-on-one with a caring senior, professionally supervised and trained to listen and encourage. Call (530)6216304 to leave a message and get started.

TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION OF EL DORADO COUNTY

Our mission is to educate the public on tax issues that affect them. Our meetings are held every Monday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 at Denny’s Restaurant, Fair Lane Drive, Placerville. Meetings are open to the public except the first Monday of each month. For more information call Louis (530) 622-6763. We are a nonpartisan organization

Blaze destroys China Hill Road residence

Flames consumed a home in El Dorado Wednesday afternoon, displacing two residents.

While no injuries were reported, the structure is considered a total loss, according to El Dorado County Fire Protection District Capt. Jacob Poganski. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Diamond Springs-El Dorado Fire Protection District.

Firefighters from El Dorado County Fire arrived to the China Hill Road residence at 3:12 p.m. Wednesday afternoon to assist Diamond Springs-El Dorado crews. The fire was well-involved and had already spread to a significant portion of the structure, according to an EDCFPD social media post. Personnel from the Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit and Cameron Park and Rescue fire departments also assisted in the firefight, coordinating to extinguish the blaze quickly.

Play ball!

Photo by Daniel Linhardt Hangtown Little League players celebrate opening day Saturday as each team parades around the Union Mine High School stadium. This year baseball and softball leagues were brought together under the Hangtown Little League name.

Photo by Cecilia Clark

The ceremonial first pitch is thrown by youngest softball player Charleigh Watson to oldest player Aryanna Childers.

Photo by Cecilia Clark Team members, parents and coaches take

Photo courtesy

Courtesy photo

Union Mine’s Shane Van Noord gets the tip off over El Dorado at the start of the

GAMe on!

Mountain Democrat staff

Fans filled the Snake Pit

March 16 as Union Mine High School hosted the annual Unified Sports Gold Nugget game — a crowd favorite event.

Union Mine’s Unified Sports basketball team is still at the top of its game, winning for the second year in a row against rival El Dorado, 23-17.

Special Olympics Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team to engage in sports.

eID Cost of Service analyst bid selected

Michael Raffety

Mountain Democrat correspondent

With a full board in attendance

March 13, directors of the El Dorado Irrigation District voted 4-1 to accept the midrange bid for a cost-of-service analysis by NBS.

Director Lori Anzini shifted her vote from the Feb. 27 meeting when she and Director Alan Day voted for the lowest total cost bid. At the March 13 meeting Day was the sole no vote. For the March 13 meeting additional analysis revealed the lowest total bid

COMiCS

n SHOE by Jeff MacNelly

had the higher average cost per hour — $217.60 per hour compared to the midrange bid at $212.77 per hour.

The lowest total proposal came from Raftellis at $83,777. The proposal recommended by staff was NBS at $115,750. NBS is familiar with EID’s complex system, having previously done a cost-of-services analysis for the district and was proposing to meet with staff in person and review records instead of via Zoom meetings. Raftellis would work through Zoom

n See EiD page A8

n TUNDRA by Chad Carpenter

Courtesy photo

Paramedics Brian Duffy, left, and Brad Gates had the honor of returning Medic 49 to service in Diamond Springs March 15.

Medic 49

Continued from A1

staff while being hosted by Diamond Springs-El Dorado Fire Protection District at Station 49 in Diamond Springs. This cooperative approach is making this endeavor possible and fills an important void in the county’s emergency medical services system, note fire district officials.

El Dorado County Emergency Services Authority (West Slope JPA) oversees the eight West Slope ambulances operated daily by local fire agencies. These ambulances directly serve approximately 150,000 county residents. El Dorado County Fire provides the service for five of the eight

n RUBES by Leigh Rubin

JPA ambulances.

Prior to the shut down of Medic 49 last year, it was the second busiest medic unit in the system, running more than 3,200 incidents annually, according to the news release.

Medic 49’s re-opening will be officially recognized during a ceremony at Station 49 Saturday, March 25, beginning at 11 a.m. During the ceremony the new paramedic ambulance operators will be sworn in and receive their badges. A ribbon cutting will follow to commemorate the return of Medic 49 to the 911 system.

n SPEED BUMP by Dave Coverly

Solutions to puzzles in Classified section of newspaper.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’ll make an impression on someone without trying to. In fact, not trying is the secret to your charm. You’ve thought about the image you wanted to portray, but it turns out that you are at your magnetic best when you’re just being yourself.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Keeping up with the world can have you feeling simultaneously connected and sad. Choose your input carefully. This is an excellent day to clean up your social media feeds and find sources of news and entertainment that are likely to bring uplift.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Delineations of right and wrong do not seem as clear-cut to you as they once did. To think of morality in terms of helping and harming could make this easier. Who or what will be helped or harmed? Know this before you make your move.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Expecting to get it right on the first try — or the first 10 tries for that matter — is silly, and possibly unkind. Be nice to yourself instead. Give yourself plenty of leeway to try what interests you whether or not you’re any good at it.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Step back and let your loved ones learn and do on their own. You have better things to do than get involved in situations that don’t require your input. If you can get it, sunshine and exercise will be the self-care of happiness.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Just when things were in danger of growing monotonous, as if on cue the tedium is broken by a new challenge. You respond with swift action and a willingness to take risks. You have a way of minimizing the risk in your mind though, so it hardly feels like the coura-

geous act that it is.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Because you care about someone, their lives and actions have impact on you. You ride along through the range of emotions that they are experiencing. This isn’t necessarily unhealthy codependency; rather, it’s part of the human social bond.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You’ll make superb decisions today, the sort that would not be possible had you not learned from past experience, most notably the mistakes. As you continue to build on your yesterdays, you’ll have an advantage in the game of life.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You can’t see the fascinating aspects of yourself because they all seem so normal to you. However, your lovable quirks, talents and natural gifts will be seen and appreciated by others.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). When others around you feel comfortable, so do you. You’ll provide a safe space with encouraging words, an affirming smile, a healing touch. This, teamed with a great sense of timing, will make a difference in the lives of others.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Someone has to lead. The one in charge isn’t necessarily any more talented than the others on the team, but they have the role. Respect and defer to authority today because it makes everything run better.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Memories are malleable. The way you frame the past can change. It’s best to think of the past in a way that makes moving forward easy. Some of your old

2023 Unified Sports Gold Nugget Game.

Photo courtesy of Natalie Mae

After scoring a 3-pointer, El Dorado player Gavin Smith hypes up the crowd.

inspected in the south Tahoe area, 86 were labeled as damaged and nine deemed unsafe to occupy due to storm impacts. Snow buildup also led to road closures in the Tahoe Basin and on the West Slope, and caused roof damage in Camino and Pollock Pines.

Below are the five snow seasons with the most snowfall measured since the CSSL began keeping records in 1946. Snow seasons begin Oct. 1 and continue to Sept. 30.

• 1951-52 — 67.7 feet

• 2022-23 — 56.4 feet

• 1982-83 — 55.9 feet

• 2010-11 — 53.6 feet

• 1981-82 — 52 feet

Human rights Continued from A1

Snowfall Continued from A5 for its bias against and less than welcoming attitude toward people of color and minorities and this would seem to support that perspective,” Rossi writes. “That is exactly why there should be a Human Rights Commission. It is of no great cost to the county and does not consume taxpayer dollars. Even if it is at present functioning less than efficiently (which I heard is the reason for disbanding), it still serves a purpose and has the potential for improving. Despite multiple political issues around other commissions, they were not disbanded.”

The goal of the commission when it was formed in 2018 was to collect data on human rights violations in the county and make reports to the board while spreading awareness on human rights issues.

According to former commissioner Robin Valicenti, the county is losing that portal for marginalized people and “silencing many voices here in the county.”

“(The board’s) decision is negligent and poor governance and will cause harm to the homeless, LGBTQ individuals, refugees, everyone,” Valicenti told the Mountain Democrat.

Some constituents, as well as supervisors, felt the commission had gotten too political and lacked guidance on its duties, which Valicenti called “reframing the situation to justify removing the commission.”

“We were mostly a testimony-based commission, all about education and we never did anything political,” Valicenti said.

Although members of the board sit on the commission at any given time, Supervisor Lori Parlin previously stated a lack of resources provided by the county to the commission has made its operation difficult.

“This has been an item of concern for quite some time,” Parlin said Tuesday, referring a meeting held in 2020 regarding the commission when the board discussed giving commissioners

Piper Continued from A1

law enforcement revealed that Piper had hidden a recording device in a bathroom wall in a Groveland rental home.

The recordings were discovered while officers from the Placerville Police Department searched for evidence related to the discovery of Roman’s body in a storage bin in the basement of Piper’s rented Placerville home. Lopez was reported missing Jan. 11, 2020, and police located his body hours later. The video recordings in question were of a girl younger than 18, according to a previously filed complaint.

Law enforcement seized a digital camera, cell phone and storage device that contained recordings of the minor, including 433 naked pictures and videos of the girl using the bathroom and bathing other children, according to court documents.

Dec. 16-24, 2019, Piper allegedly sent texts to the minor regarding a sexual “Christmas gift,” asking her opinion. Investigators say Piper went on to send pictures to the minor and offer her $250 to use the “gift” on

meetings and conduct one public meeting.

NBS also proposed more public meetings and outreach in addition to having a lower average cost per hour than Rafellis. NBS’s hours totaled 544 compared to 385 for Raftellis.

The proposals were reviewed by six senior and mid-level managers as representing “the best value.” NBS, with “an excellent track record of successful completion of similar studies for other agencies,” has proposed “approximately 40% more labor hours than Raftellis.”

Key staff of NBS has a combined 75

implicit bias training and other de-bias training.

“The reason there was a recommendation to disband (the commission) at that time was because there was risk to the county without proper training, so I feel like we are following that direction from back then,” Parlin added.

Then Chief Administrative Officer Don Ashton recommended either providing more resources to the commission or disbanding it altogether at that Sept. 29, 2020, meeting.

The board has bounced around ideas to address human rights issues at the government level, including implementing a county liaison to the El Dorado chapter of the nonprofit Bridging Divide, which addresses growing social and political disparities in communities, implementing a single civil rights commissioner and creating a statement in the board’s Good Governance Handbook stating its commitment of holding values of human rights.

While the latter is the only formal plan the county has, Board Chair Wendy Thomas said she is in talks with county Superintendent of Schools Ed Manansala to address discrimination issues in the county’s schools.

“We share your heart and we look forward to seeing which way this goes,” Thomas said, addressing the public.

Regardless, the public expressed disappointment in the board’s divided vote. Supervisors John Hidahl and Brooke Laine voted “no” on disbanding the commission.

“This (decision) reflects systematic racism and discrimination against the rights of others,” commented El Dorado Hills resident Esther Figueroa, who said she and her children have experienced racial profiling living in the county. “It is just excuses for government to close these doors and we cannot advance on these issues. It is a disregard for kids too because this affects them.”

herself.

Piper is scheduled to return to court June 12 for sentencing, which may include 15-30 years in jail and fines totaling as much as $305,100. Criminal forfeiture of the recording devices and cell phone have also been stipulated in the amended complaint.

Piper and his wife Lindsay Piper have been in custody since February 2021 as suspects in the murder of Roman. Jordan additionally faces charges of torture and child abuse “under circumstances or conditions likely to produce great bodily injury or death,” and failure to provide for a child.

Lindsay, who was also charged with poisoning, pleaded no contest to the second-degree murder of her stepson in May 2022. She is now serving a sentence of 15 years to life at the Central California Women’s Facility in Madera County.

Piper is in custody at the El Dorado County Jail and is scheduled to appear in El Dorado County Superior Court Dept. 1 at 8:30 a.m. June 27 for a preliminary hearing for a murder trial.

years of experience compared to six years for Rafellis.

The highest proposal was from Carollo Engineers for $159,532.

The cost-of-service analysis will produce rate proposals for the next five years following a Proposition 218 notice to ratepayers. The last five-year rate structure produced 5% annual water rate increases and zero wastewater increases for the first three years.

Until the cost-of-service analysis is completed the rate structure cannot be predicted.

EID Continued from A7

Photo courtesy of Caltrans

Heavy equipment clears the way through deep snow on Highway 89 at Emerald Bay March 18. The route has been closed since Feb. 23 due to historic snowfall.

Using a car seat correctly prevents injury and helps keep children safe. Keep your child in a forward-facing seat until they reach 40 to 65 pounds or the height restriction of the seat. Use booster seats until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years of age. When your child reaches those limits, they can use lap and shoulder belts that fit properly and should remain in the back seat.

Find what each kid has in common with the others in the same row, across, up and down, and diagonally. (Hint: In the first row across, they all have caps.) Then look to see which kid does not have their seatbelt fastened correctly.

Take this quiz and find out.

1. Why wear a seatbelt?

a. It’s a fashion accessory.

b. It hurts to sit on it.

c. It protects you in a crash.

2. Booster seats are for:

a. astronauts.

b. hockey fans.

c. kids until they reach 4’ 9”.

3. Booster seats are great because:

a. you ride high and can see out of the window.

b. you ride high, so the belt doesn’t poke your neck.

c. all of the above.

4. To sit in the front seat, you should be at least:

a. 103 years old.

b. 25 years old.

c. 13 years old.

5. Wear your seatbelt:

a. under your arm or behind your back.

b. loose so you can move freely.

c. snugly across the shoulder and chest, belt low on your hips.

6. In someone else’s car, should you ask for help if the seatbelt doesn’t fit right?

a. No. It’s rude.

b. No. They’ll think you’re dumb.

c. Yes. Otherwise, you could be seriously injured.

Are you an eagle-eyed reader? Circle the errors in the article below. Then, rewrite it correctly.

Last Teusday, our class read read an article in the newsppaer about the importance of child safety booster seats. In cars.

The article sad that 80-90% of kids who should be in child safety booster seats are not. Children who are 4'9" and and under should be using these seats insted of adult safety belts when traveling.

The kids in this car are buckled up and ready to go. Help this family find their way to the park.

Have a parent try. Who found the most differences?

How many differences can you find between these two pictures?

PASSENGER SEATBELT SHOULDER BOOSTER INJURY SAFETY WEIGHT

True or False? Do the Math!

If the answer to the math problem following each statement is even, then the statement is true. If the answer is odd, the statement is false.

1. The back seat is the safest place to sit until age 13. 3 + 3 + 2 = ______

2. You should use a booster seat until you are 4’9” tall. 11 - 5 = ______

In the KNOW

March 24

Sherwood Demonstration Garden is open again every Friday and Saturday for open garden days, 9 a.m. to noon. Take a leisurely stroll through all 16 themed gardens. Docents are on-site to assist with any questions regarding Sherwood Demonstration Garden or your personal garden. May be closed for inclement weather or poor air quality. Check the website before visiting: ucanr.edu/sites/ EDC_Master_Gardeners/ Demonstration_Garden.

Theatre at the Mine presents “Be More Chill” at Union Mine High School in El Dorado March 24 & 25. For more information visit facebook.com/ TheatreUMHS.

Oak Ridge Theatre Arts presents “Clue: On Stage” March 24 &25 at the ORHS theater in El Dorado Hills. For tickets and more information visit ortab.org. Oak Ridge High School hosts TrojanJam, 5-7 p.m. in the ORHS large gym. Staff (old school) with face off against students (new legacy) in a basketball game and 50% of proceeds will go to MJ’s Project, which supports local, at-risk teens. Admission is $5.

The Neon Moon Band will perform 5-8 p.m. at HWY 50 Brewery, 3544 Carson Road in Camino.

Live music at Red Hawk Resort + Casino continues every weekend in March at the Stage Bar. Bands will perform every Friday, 8 p.m. to midnight, and Saturday, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. March 24: Hill Street Band (Top 40/classic rock), March 25: American Mile (country rock) and March 31: Ariel Jean (country). Visit redhawkcasino.com for more details.

March 25

The El Dorado Hills Community Services District hosts a free Nature Walk at Bass Lake, 9-11 a.m. Meet in the Sellwood Field parking lot. All ages welcome; wear comfortable shoes.

UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County and Master Food Preservers host Tomatoes: from Seed to Table, 9 a.m. to noon at the El Dorado Hills Community Services District Teen Center, 1021 Harvard Way in El Dorado Hills. Master Gardeners will show you how to choose the right varieties, deal with insects and diseases, care for and harvest your tomatoes. Master Food Preservers will talk about what you can do with your tomato harvest: canning, dehydrating and freezing.

UCCE Master Gardeners

Artists embrace nature & history

Lee Reyes

Gold Country Artists Gallery, an awardwinning artists’ cooperative in Placerville, features the work of Carol Quinn, Michael Maloney and Melissa Bruno in March.

Loving light

Quinn loves the strong, golden light that transforms everything it touches, particularly during late afternoon and evening, what she calls the “Golden Hour.” Living in the foothills of El Dorado County, the surrounding natural landscapes grace her paintings and fulfill her desire “… to connect emotionally with the viewer by drawing them in with the comforting feeling of familiar scenery that provides a beautiful respite from a busy world.”

While Quinn paints plein air, or in the outdoors, she often takes reference photos from different viewpoints for use in her compositions. After some rough sketching on the panel, she applies a layer of underpainting. Depending upon what she decides as the predominant palette of color, this transparent layer creates a deep glow she describes as “the tones that pop through in random places between the brush strokes to create a pleasing vibration.” She lifts paint in other areas of light and adds thinly applied darker tones for shadow, connecting

them to provide a strong underpinning to the overall design. While she uses paint to create that signature glow, it is Quinn’s own inner light that truly brings her work to life.

During a visit to Yosemite, she stood on the banks of the Merced River, and looking up she saw Half Dome looming above. “It stopped me in my tracks, and struck me with awe,” she said. Inspired, she recreated both the scene and her overwhelming feeling of amazement in her painting, “Awe Inspiring.” The viewer stands with her on the edge of the river with its bright reflections of trees, sky and mountain. She guides the eye through a line of trees

to the majestic precipice rising beyond, bathed in glorious patterns of light, shadow and a palette of colors that change depending on the time of day.

Quinn’s process of creating a painting begins long before she picks up a paintbrush. It is her nature to always observe the world around her, studying the landscape and what inhabits it for certain combinations of light and dark that set the stage for a composition.

One day near sunset while in the hills above Petaluma, she observed a bank of shadow quickly moving across a field where horses and cattle grazed. Compelled to memorialize the moment, her painting “Evening’s Song” reflects

her love for the design of light and shadow she observed there.

On a visit to an organic farm in Petaluma, she noticed old barns with people working within the surrounding rows of flowers and vegetables. Loving the colors and textures, she decided to paint “100% Organic.”

“I pay attention to creating a path for the viewer’s eye to travel through my paintings using edges, contrast and directional line,” Quinn explained. From the rows of lavenders and leafy greens to the rolling hills and bright clouds in the distance, her painting cultivates feelings of calm and a bit of nostalgia for a world that, for a moment in time, seems

Fresh Food & Local Eats

closer to the ground. Quinn is active in the local artist community with her work published in print and online. She participates in art shows, including the KVIE art auction. Her award-winning artwork is exhibited in galleries, resides in private collections and in numerous places of business, including several paintings purchased by Marshall Hospital.

Getting the shot

A self-taught photographer, Maloney’s first passion was landscape photography. “I rely on intuition and sensitivity and staying in the moment — with eyes

n See Gallery, page B4

Inspiring” by Carol Quinn

“Ouija Ghost” by Melissa Bruno

D.

News release

“Sunset Magic” by Michael Maloney

Drytown social club makes it official this weekend

DRYTOWN — After more than a year of renovations the Drytown Social Club, home to the Feist Wines tasting room, celebrates its completion with a grand opening March 25 & 26 amidst the Amador Vintner’s Behind the Cellar Door event.

For celebration, the club hosts twotime Grammy Award winner Gill Landry, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 25.

Landry is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, photographer, storyteller, shade tree mechanic, painter, ranch hand and linocut artist. In his 20-plus years as a writer and performer he’s released five solo albums and contributed to dozens of others with various artists on various labels while touring extensively in the U.S. and abroad.

In the early 2000s he met Old Crow Medicine Show playing in Jackson Square one Mardi Gras and in 2004 he joined them, recording and performing with the band from its van-and-trailer days in dives to headlining festivals and becoming members of the Grand Ol’ Opry.

Sunday, March 26, The Babybacks will perform at 3 p.m. to finish off the celebration. This band is a subset of the Blowbacks, a local band playing rock, soul, blues, jazz and swing. Made up of some of the foothill’s best musicians, this band’s dedication to rehearsal and playing gigs in the region have put the musicians in the center of the foothills live music scene. They are always sure to fill the dance floor.

Owner Susan Feist started Feist Wines in 2011 with a baby soon to be born. The L.A.-born, Northern California transplant moved to Amador County in 2003 with with a commitment to local, sustainable agriculture. She started her career working for an organic farm in Berkeley and established an extra virgin olive oil company, which sourced organic oil from family farms.

Upon moving to Amador she became entrenched in the restaurant and wine industry. “I didn’t know what I was getting into,” said Feist when describing her foray into the wine industry. “Thank goodness for that.”

Feist has won a multitude of awards for her small lot wines, including a handful of Best of Class awards at the California State Fair and the awards for Best Zinfandel and Best Italian varietal at the Amador County Fair.

The winery’s first tasting room was in Amador City and then made a jump to Sutter Creek. Amidst CODIV19 she purchased The Drytown Club out of foreclosure and moved the tasting room there, adding craft beer to the mix.

The building at 15950 Highway 49 in Drytown was in need of rehabilitation; she cleared the property and renovated the building. The business went from a dive bar to a roadside-chic gathering place.

The Drytown Social Club offers farm-to-fork wood-fired pizza, artisan cheese and charcuterie, organic salads, desserts by local pastry chef Ingrid Fraser as well as an assortment of non-alcoholic beverages. For tickets and more information visit feistwines. com.

Music fills the Harris center

News release

FOLSOM — Harris Center for the Arts presents exceptional back-to-back musical events: Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel on Friday, March 24, and 11-member a cappella sensation, Voctave, on Saturday, March 25.

Concert with commentary

The popular Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel returns to the Harris Center. American pianist Siegel has been a soloist with the world’s

great orchestras. A passionate communicator as well as performer, his brilliantly polished concerts with commentary combine captivating comments with dynamic performances of piano masterpieces. The concert concludes with a lively Q & A. New listeners discover an informal, entertaining and instantly accessible introduction to the vast repertoire of the piano and to classical music in general. Seasoned music lovers discover an enriched, more focused listening experience.

On March 24 Siegel will perform

n See Harris Center page B3

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen

Courtesy photo

Voctave brings together musicians with diverse backgrounds. See them in Folsom Saturday.

buttered and salty

‘Return to Seoul’

When five of the top 10 films last weekend were sequels (and in long running franchises at that) one is wont to cleanse the palette with original content and programming. This is where my mindset was when searching out writer and director Davy Chou’s exceptional “Return to Seoul.”

Right off the bat the opening production logos greet you with the realization that this is a French-German-Belgian coproduction (and official submission of Cambodia for the Best International Feature Film category of the 95th Academy Awards in 2023), which piqued my interest right off the bat. The drama is seen through the eyes of a 25-year-old French woman who returns to Korea, the country where she was born before being adopted by a French couple, for the very first time. She decides to track down her biological parents, but her journey takes a surprising turn. A bit of research and knowledge into South Korea will tell you there is a history of high adoption rates and parentless children between the 1950s and 1990s. This character is a product of that.

Actress Park Ji-min plays Frédérique Benoît AKA “Freddie,” who at first assures her friends that she is not in Korea to find her parents but is stuck there for a few days due to a flight cancellation. Fate, as well as biological curiosity, take us on a journey that spans almost eight years as Freddie slowly but surely searches for her biological family.

Ji-min is exceptional in this role. She is a powerful and dangerous performer in the best way in that she is a master of subtlety but

the intensity behind her eyes is completely unpredictable and can lash out at any moment.

This is a character who is searching not only for the parents who abandoned her but for her place in the world when the film starts.

The fire that burns in this character is subtle but always smolders just below the surface.

This is heavy material for any actor to place on their shoulders (not to mention speaking two or three languages throughout), let alone an experienced one.

Here’s the rub — this is Park Ji-min’s first movie. Yes, you read that correctly. Park is an artist and sculptor by trade but director Chou knew Ji-min and finally convinced her to act in the film after hearing her input on the story and screenplay ... and the film is better for it. First movie or not, this is a nomination-worthy performance that will resonate. There is no better example of the powerful collaboration of Chou and Ji-min, or the powerful subtlety of the latter, than a scene where through a translator friend Freddie’s biological father asks Freddie if she speaks Korean. How could she? She may be from Korea but was adopted by a French couple when she was a baby. She doesn’t

and discuss American Pianistic Treasures — the rarely heard solo piano version of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” the “Maple Leaf Rag” of Scott Joplin and music of Leonard Bernstein. The concert begins at 8 p.m.

Hitting the right notes

Known for its gorgeous performances of Disney and Broadway hits, Voctave has had more than 150 million social media views of its videos and the group’s latest album, “The Spirit of the Season, Deluxe Edition,” reached No. 6 on the Billboard charts. A previous album, “The Corner of Broadway & Main Street, Vol. 2,: debuted at No. 3 on the iTunes charts.

Voctave members have roots in musical theater, contemporary Christian music, barbershop, pop and choral music. Formed in 2015 by

speak Korean, know the country or connect to its culture in any way in relation to her life. Instead of answering the question verbally Frédérique gazes out the car window. We see her confusion and pain in all its quiet power without having to say a single word in response. This shows director Chou’s complete confidence in his performer.

What started as a recommendation of a friend who caught “Return to Seoul” at the Denver Film Festival last year has moved its way onto my Top Ten list for 2023. It may be off the beaten path from the sequelstuffed multiplex but if you can find your way to a theater that is showing it and watch this wonderful international drama, you will be rewarded with a poignant story, nuanced and emotional performances and wonderful direction. Highly recommended.

Joshua B. Porter is a writer/director/producer. His most recent project, the feature film “No Evidence OF Man,” won Best Original Screenplay of a Feature Film at the 2022 Madrid International Film Festival. He finally received his award this week. He can be reached at @joshuabporter or joshuabporter@ mtdemocrat.net.

producer and arranger Jamey Ray, the voices that bring their arrangements to life represent a wealth of diverse backgrounds and musical experiences. Hailing from central Florida, the 11 members of Voctave have performed across the globe and appear on countless recordings. The group has performed with Grammy, Dove and American Music Award recipients, including Sandi Patty, Pentatonix’s Kirstin Maldonado, Mark Lowry, David Phelps and Jody McBrayer. Voctave’s eight albums are digitally available on all platforms.

With multiple No. 1 songs and albums on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify, Voctave has also ranked in the top 25 on Billboard Magazine’s charts. The concert begins at 8 p.m. Harris Center for the Arts is located at 10 College Parkway in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit at HarrisCenter.net.

The fire that burns in this character is subtle but always smolders just below the surface. This is heavy material for any actor to place on their shoulders (not to mention speaking two or three languages throughout) ...

Shemekia Copeland celebrates new album with concert

News release

AUBURN — Award-winning blues, soul and Americana singer Shemekia Copeland will celebrate the release of her powerful, trailblazing Grammy-nominated Alligator Records album, “Done Come Too Far,” with a live performance at the Auburn State Theatre March 30.

Possessing one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of the time, Copeland is beloved worldwide for the fearlessness, honesty and humor of her revelatory music, as well as for delivering each song she performs with unmatched passion. Copeland connects with her audience on an intensely personal level, taking them with her on what The Wall Street Journal calls “a consequential ride” of “bold and timely blues.”

In addition to receiving a Grammy Award nomination, “Done Come Too Far” was honored as the 2022 No. 1 Blues Album of the Year by UK tastemaker magazine MOJO. The equally influential Americana music site No Depression named the release among the Top 10 best albums of the year. The album’s title track was the

No. 2 most played track on SiriusXM’s Bluesville channel, where Copeland continues to host her own daily radio program.

According to Copeland, “This album

was made by all sides of me — happy, sad, silly, irate — they’re all a part who I am and who we all are. I’m not political. I’m just talking about what’s happening in this country.”

Gallery Continued from B1

and heart wide open to all of the possibilities,” Maloney explained. His exceptional skills led to a career as a photojournalist, beginning as a staff photographer at a small newspaper in the Bay Area, then to joining the San Francisco Chronicle in the 1980s. Until his retirement, he traveled around the world capturing images for the paper that memorialized moments in history.

While he especially enjoyed sports photography, including the World Series and the Olympics, he has since returned to his first love, photographing the landscapes and nature he discovers in locales from Yosemite to his own backyard.

The slower pace of living on 12 acres surrounded by nature in the Sierra foothills gives Maloney the time to focus on his passion, using the lens of his camera to capture the beauty he sees in the natural world.

Just under the waves off the coast of Mendocino lies Bowling Ball Beach, a geological wonder that awaits those who are resolute enough to visit it. For a photographer, it requires a treacherous hike from the bluffs above while laden with camera equipment. Timing the tides and weather are also factors, along with more than a bit of good luck. For Maloney, these elements came together — perfect tide and beautiful sunset — for him to create “Sunset Magic,” an image that transports the viewer into a realm that feels both dreamy and ethereal, a place where the viewer would find solace and wonder.

Maloney always wanted to photograph the beautiful bonsailike tree growing near Caples Lake in the high Sierra, capturing the image with a full moon rising behind it. However, the angle he sought only occurred once a month. Maloney’s willingness to sacrifice comfort to get the perfect image led to him braving the icy conditions of the nearby lake and lying on the freezing ground at eye level with the tree, as he wanted only a portion of the rock exposed in his shot. Despite the uncomfortable conditions and with an incredible degree of patience and perseverance, he caught the stunning image

With “Done Come Too Far,” Copeland hits harder than ever with musically and lyrically adventurous songs and jaw-dropping performances that are at once timely and timeless.

As for the continuing evolution of her music, Copeland is very clear. “Once my son was born,” she said, “I became even more committed to making the world a better place. On ‘America’s Child,’ ‘Uncivil War’ and now ‘Done Come Too Far,’ I’ve been trying to put the ‘United’ back into United States. Friends, family and home — these things we all value.”

Copeland was recently nominated for four Blues Music Awards for Album of the Year and Contemporary Blues Album of the Year (for “Done Come Too Far:), Song of the Year (for “Too Far To Be Gone,” written by John Hahn and Will Kimbrough) and Instrumentalist of the Year (Vocals). The awards ceremony will be held in Memphis, Tenn., May 11.

Hear Shemekia Copeland live at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at Auburn State Theatre, 985 Lincoln Way in Auburn. For tickets and more information call (530) 885-0156 or visit auburnstatetheatre.org.

he envisioned, the aptly named “Bonsai Moonrise.”

Maloney has the gift of seeing beauty even in chaos and destruction. Following the Caldor Fire, he set off to the Mormon Emigrant Trail area near Sly Park in El Dorado County, expecting a full moon rising at sunset. He climbed the hill and turning, he saw the sun setting into the distant western haze, silhouetting the remnants of charred trees against the smoldering burnt oranges of the sky and the sun’s flaming yellow. He captured the image, “Wildfire Sunset,” moments before the approaching night claimed it.

Ultimately, Maloney wants to share the joy he finds in the world around him. “With my images, I hope to encourage people to go and explore the world with a spirit of curiosity, astonishment and hope … to see the beauty that I see in this wonderful, but fragile environment we live in,” he said. “I hope my images draw the viewer in emotionally and move them in some way.”

Letting go

As with all good things, potterer Bruno said that her process begins with a lump of clay, and as a metaphor, it has the potential to take on many forms. Bruno’s love for clay and pottery took shape during her early childhood when she learned how to wheel throw from her grandfather. Her passion for the medium has not diminished with time. As a teacher, painter and potterer, she delights in sharing her knowledge with young people, just as her grandfather did with her.

To imbue the raw clay with form and function, Bruno starts with wedging, a process of pulling and pushing the clay on a board rather like kneading dough to remove air bubbles. Many steps follow over days or weeks to the final firing. Throwing, or forming the clay on the wheel, drying time, trimming, carving, imprinting the clay, attaching handles and adding other details are just the beginning of her process before the first “bisque” firing to remove any remaining moisture that could cause a piece to explode in the kiln. Then

comes the glazing.

Bruno’s deep understanding of how the chemistry in the various glazes she brushes, dips and drips onto her ware interact with heat and the clay is revealed in the beautiful glazes that result. Her glazing choices range from earthy hues to jewel toned blues with lustrous hints of violet. Some of her pieces, like her series of ghosts and incense burners, have creamy white glazing. Other creations, like her charming ring dishes, feature dazzling colors with leaf and geometric designs. Her most intriguing glazes encompass a subtle sparkle, a surprising bit of shimmering treasure born of firing in the kiln.

As an art historian and anthropologist, Bruno enjoys incorporating cultural themes into her work. For example, a cup may feature a Mayan zodiac, a seer or a yin yang design, small plates could exhibit dots and swirl designs and she incorporated a Marauder’s Map and Ouija board themes onto her series of unique ghost night light covers. Bruno honors ancient Egypt with “Tomb Wall” and “Field of Reeds” and her lovely “Dendera Lightbulb” cup has an ethereal quality with its subtle depictions of ancient hieroglyphs. Many of her pieces are elevated by the addition of decorative chains and jewels, swirl designs and various textures.

Bruno is the creator of the brand Existential Entropy, which conveys the theme of existing in chaos: “From mud through fire, pottery experiences a metamorphosis just as we do throughout our lives,” she said.

“There is only so much I can control before I give it up to the kiln gods. The rest is in flux.”

Gold Country Artists Gallery, 379 Main St. in Placerville, features the work of many awardwinning regional artists working in fields as diverse as fine jewelry, photography, fused glass, wood turning, pastels, colored pencil, scratch board and watercolor, acrylic and oil painting. The gallery is open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on the third Saturday of each month until 8 p.m. For more information call (530) 642-2944 or visit goldcountryartistsgallery. com.

Photo by Victoria Smith Shemekia Copeland brings her powerful voice and inspiring music to the Auburn State Theatre.

Know Continued from B1 of El Dorado County hosts All About Roses, 9 a.m. to noon at the Sherwood Demonstration Garden, 6699 Campus Drive in Placerville. Join Master Gardeners who will cover the basics of what you need to know about these flowering favorites — from selection and planting to pests, care and pruning. Many gardeners are intimidated by the beautiful rose plant and think they are harder to grow than they really are. But the truth is, with just a little care and knowhow, you can grow gorgeous rose bushes that will produce perfect blooms for you to enjoy and others to marvel at season after season.

Golden Leaves Vineyard & Winery in the Fair Play area hosts a Spring Vine Event, March 25 & 26. Grow tempranillo, merlot or petit sirah in your own garden with a start from the vineyard. For more information visit goldenleaveswines.com.

Element 79 Vineyards in the Fair Play area hosts the Divining experience, a unique food and wine event at 11:30 a.m. For reservations and more information call (530) 497-0750 or visit element79vineyards.com.

The Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera presents two performances in Rancho Cordova — 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Sacramento Children’s Museum, 2701 Prospect Park Drive, and 2-5 p.m. at KP International Market, 10971 Olson Drive. All performances are free.

Smith Flat House hosts Back to the ‘80s Extravaganza, 8-10:30 p.m., featuring Shirl Jam. For tickets and more information call 9530) 621-1003 or visit smithflathouse.com.

Island of Black and White and Red Dirt Ruckus will perform 8 p.m. to midnight at The Green Room Social Club, 251 Main St. in downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

See folk group The Trials of Cato, 7 p.m. at The Sofia, 2700 Capital Ave. in Sacramento. For tickets and more information call (916) 443-5300 or visit bstreettheatre.org.

March 26

Oakstone Winery in the Fair Play area hosts Paint & Sip, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jamie Nowell with The Healing Palette will guide guests

through a beautiful scenic nature painting. For tickets and more information visit thehealingpalette.org/event-details/oakstonewinery-paint-sip-in-fair-play.

The Neon Moon Band will perform 4-7 p.m. at The Torch Club, 904 15th St. in Sacramento.

March 27

Vitalant will host an El Dorado Hills community blood drive, noon to 4:30 p.m. The Bloodmobile will be located in the parking lot near the baseball fields at the EDH Community Services District, 1021 Harvard Way. Donors will be entered into a drawing to win one of two $10,000 pre-paid gift cards from Vitalant, which can be redeemed by email. Make an appointment at donors. vitalant.org and use blood drive code SMFM019 or call Vitalant at (877) 258-4825 and mention the same code. Walk-ins will be accommodated if space allows.

March 28

Placerville FamilySearch Center, 3275 Cedar Ravine Road in Placerville, hosts Saving Photos and Documents in FamilySearch at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Learn to add pictures and documents to keep it for generations to come. Using your phone or computer scans, it is just a few clicks to get it done. For more information call (530) 621-1378.

Face in a Book in El Dorado Hills Town Center hosts a Dog Man Party, 3:30-4:30 p.m. to celebrate the release of “Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea.” Enjoy treats, games and more. For more information call (916) 941-9401.

March 29

“Let’s Make A Deal” — the Placerville Shakespeare Club annual Bridge Party will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the clubhouse, 2940 Bedford Ave. Play begins promptly at 10 a.m. The community is invited to a day of brilliant bridge, fabulous food and delightful door prizes. Men and women bridge players are welcome; $50 a pair includes a morning snack, lunch, cash prizes as well as door prizes. Partners will play together the entire day. Call Ruthie (530) 919-6392 for reservations and/or more information.

March 30

LunaFest, a program of short films all by, for and about women, will be held both virtually and in person. Virtually it will be available for 48 hours beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 30, through Saturday, April 1, and in-person March 30 at the Cameron Park Community Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. and films start at 7 p.m. Small plates and beverages are available for sale but complimentary desserts are an event signature. Films celebrate unique, touching and inspirational roles of women in local, national and international communities. A raffle is also featured. Funds support education, especially for women and girls, as well as local agencies working to stop human trafficking. For more information go to lunafest.org/screenings and for ticket information go to: lunafest.org/screenings/hybrid-soroptimistcameron-park-el-dorado-hills-033023.

The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors hosts the 2023 Installation & Business Awards Dinner, 6-9 p.m. at the Serrano Country Club. RSVP online at eldoradohillschamber. org or call (916) 933-1335.

Now

The Gilmore Senior Center in El Dorado Hills seeks volunteer art teachers to teach seniors two-day art lessons. The lesson can be in any art medium and will take place between May 1 and Sept. 30. Duration can be as long as needed: a week, month or quarterly. The center is open all week days and the lesson time slot is 2-4 p.m. For more information or to volunteer contact Chelsie Harrison at (916) 292-193 or charrison@edhcsd.org.

Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons issues a call to artists to submit works for the 45th annual AWASH with Color juried membership show. All paintings must be entered online at client.smarterentry.com/WASH. Entry deadline is March 24 and the show runs March 28 through April 15 at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center.

The Mills Station Arts & Culture Center in Rancho Cordova, in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, presents Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II through March 25. For more information visit rcmacc.org.

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Appointment Needed

Stay up to date with news, columns, photos, videos, and more with a subscription to the Mountain Democrat website: mtdemocrat.com. Call (530) 622-1255

Tempest performing a tempting concert at historical theater

News release

SUTTER CREEK — Since forming in 1988, Tempest has delivered a globally-renowned hybrid of high-energy folk rock fusing Irish reels, Scottish ballads, Norwegian influences and other world music elements. Hear the group live Saturday, March 25, at Sutter Creek Theatre. The last 30-plus years have seen the San Francisco Bay Area based act release 17 critically acclaimed CDs and play more than 2,500 gigs. The group has also enjoyed an evolving line-up that’s enabled musicianship and creativity to rise with each new member. Hailing from Oslo, Norway, founding member and lead singer/electric mandolinist Lief Sorbye is recognized as a driving force in the modern folk-rock movement. He started

Tempest after years of touring and recording on the folk circuit.

Newcomer and San Francisco native fiddler Lee Corbie-Wells comes to the band with a special passion for Celtic and Scandinavian music and Gaelic language traditions. A touring and performing child of a musical family, she plays fiery traditional fiddle tunes and is also known to keep a bit of blues and folk improvisation up her sleeve.

And straight from Bologna, Italy, Tempest welcomes the big, rich bass playing talent of Mirco Melone, who has a diverse background in rock, jazz and ethnic music and holds an advanced degree from Italy’s Classical Music Conservatory. Recently relocated to the Bay Area from Chicago, the band introduces Kevin Florian’s progressive rock guitar and lush

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She is a lovely Russian Blue DSH garden kitty looking for her own garden. Do you have a place for her? 10 mo.

About the size of a bread basket and not a hound dog, he is a portable alarm clock with brown feathers. New Hampshire age unk.

Argentino at the shelter this week. 11mo.

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Courtesy photo

For 30 years Tempest has entertained crowds with its lively tunes. See the group in Sutter Creek this Saturday.

n See tempest, page B7

Musicians to perform Bach masterpieces

News release

The American Guild of Organists in the Sacramento Valley invites the public to an afternoon of organ music by the great Johann Sebastian Bach and composers from his circle, 2-5 p.m. Sunday, March 26, at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 2620 Capitol Ave. in Sacramento.

Guild members and organ scholarship students will perform selections of organ music throughout the afternoon, sharing both flashy and lyrical selections for the king of the instruments, the pipe organ, bringing its thousands of pipes to life in the grand cathedral space. The public is invite to come and go at any time between 2 and 5 p.m.

A free-will offering will be taken to support the guild’s organ scholarship program for young musicians. Cash or checks accepted.

Convenient parking is available in the Sutter garage across the street. For more information visit sacvalleyago.org/news/bachathon or email SacValleyAGO@gmail.com.

Tempest Continued from B6

stage antics to the fans.

Cuban-born drummer Adolfo Lazo, an original Tempest member, thickens the band’s sound with inventive rhythms and rock-steady drumming

Signed to Sony-distributed Magna Carta Records, Tempest’s releases are acclaimed worldwide. This year the group celebrates its 30th anniversary with the latest studio CD, “Thirty Little Turns,” a collection of inspired new original and traditional material — with a cheeky surprise or two.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Sutter Creek Theatre is located at 44 Main St. in Sutter Creek. Open seating, beer and wine are available at the former silent film theater. For tickets and more information call (916) 425-0077 or visit suttercreektheater.com.

Public Notices 

INVESTORS, LTD., A CALIFORNIA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, RECORDED OCTOBER 23, 1989, IN BOOK 3227 OF OFFICIAL RECORDS, AT PAGES 279 AND 303. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 7045 TARVISIO WAY, EL DORADO HILLS, CALIFORNIA 95762 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be held, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, condition, or encumbrances, including fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust, to pay the remaining principal sums of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is: $767,989.93 If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. The beneficiary under said Deed of Trust heretofore executed and delivered to the undersigned a written Declaration of Default and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and Election to Sell. The undersigned or its predecessor caused said Notice of Default and Election to Sell to be recorded in the county where the real property is located. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call (800) 758-8052 or visit this Internet Web site WWW.HOMESEARCH. COM, using the file number assigned to this case 012366-CA. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site.

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