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C a l i f o r n i a ’ s O l d e s t N e w s pa p e r – E s t. 18 51
Volume 169 • Issue 48 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
Friday, April 24, 2020
“The last few weeks have been about as busy as I’ve ever seen it.” — Diane Muirhead, Upper Room food manager
Democrat file photo by Pat Dollins
Former state Sen. John Briggs, known for championing Proposition 13’s property tax restrictions and 1972’s Clean Indoor Act, passed away April 15.
Remembering state Senator John Briggs Dawn Hodson Staff writer Democrat photos by Krysten Kellum
Placerville resident and retired conservative Southern California state Sen. John V. Briggs died April 15 at the age of 90. His son, former El Dorado County supervisor Ron Briggs, joked his father probably enjoyed the liberty of dying on tax day “because everything my dad did was oriented to beat the tax man out of as much money as he legally could.” While in office John Briggs was noted for being a prolific legislator, concentrating much of his attention on insurance reform, a wider application of the death penalty, nuclear energy development and construction regulation. Born on March 8, 1930, John was the fourth of five children born in Alpena, S.D. After his mother Jessie divorced his father, a strict Southern Baptist minister, she moved the children to Fuller Park — a place in Southern California now known as Fullerton. At one point all the children were in foster homes for a year or more so Jessie, who worked as a waitress, could stabilize her income and offer them a home. John spent two years in foster care but eventually his mother regained custody of all her children. Later Jessie met and married Dan Zickler (known as “Pop”), who John n
Upper Room Director Charlie McDonald, left, and volunteer coordinator Karen Stinson, center, receive a delivery of donated meals Tuesday from Placerville resident Terry Klass, right, who teamed up with fellow members of Holy Trinity Church and Taqueria Tepa to provide dozens of meals to the Placerville dining hall.
Upper Room soldiering on amid coronavirus outbreak
Dylan Svoboda Staff writer
distancing themselves at home, Muirhead said. A wave of new and n a normal day younger volunteers — the Upper Room many of whom having serves about 100 been recently laid off or free meals to hungry furloughed from their folks at their facility in respective jobs — have Placerville. come in to help. Now as the coronavirus “The last few weeks have pandemic sweeps up jobs been about as busy as I’ve and closes down local ever seen it,” Muirhead restaurants, the upper said. Broadway dining hall is Those looking to help serving almost 300 meals can donate directly to every day — for pick-up — Karen Stinson and Charlie McDonald sort through food supplies at Upper the Upper Room or by as the financially strapped Room. The mealsite is in need of donations as community needs rise. purchasing meals from and food-deprived seek a local restaurants and bite to eat. staff, according to food manager donating them to the “Our numbers have tripled,” said Diane Muirhead. dining hall. Upper Room volunteer coordinator Before the pandemic most of the Normally scheduled Upper Room Karen Stinson. “A lot more families organization’s volunteers were seniors. fundraisers that provide muchand a lot of new faces.” Said to be the most vulnerable to needed financial support have been The Upper Room has weathered the the deadly virus plaguing the nation, crisis with a mostly new, volunteer n See Upper Room, page A6 those elderly volunteers are socially
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See Briggs, page A10
Coronavirus cases in El Dorado County at 39 Dylan Svoboda Staff writer The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in El Dorado County is now at 39, with five cases still active. County health officials reported one additional case of the coronavirus Tuesday evening in the El Dorado Hills area. The county reported Wednesday that 35 COVID-19 patients have fully recovered from the virus. El Dorado Hills has the highest count with 15 cases of the coronavirus. There have now been 13 cases in the South Lake Tahoe region and five in the greater Placerville area, according to data provided by the county. Three cases have been found in the Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue area and
two cases have been found in the north county. On Friday, April 17, the county reported its first case of COVID-19 in the Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz area. No cases in Diamond Springs, El Dorado or the south county areas have been reported as of Wednesday evening. There have been about 1,655 tests conducted on county residents, according to the data. Women make up 20 of the 39 cases in the county. The median age of people who have contracted the virus is 47. Over half the cases — 51% — involve patients between the ages of 18 and 49. About 38% are aged 50-64. There are four cases involving those 65 years or older, the age group said to be at highest
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