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 52 | 75¢
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Monday, May 4, 2020
Tahoe travel restriction extended indefinitely
“This place is my livelihood and it’s being taken away from me.” — Cherie Baldridge, owner of Cafe El Dorado
Dylan Svoboda Staff writer El Dorado County extended its order restricting nonessential travel into the unincorporated Lake Tahoe Basin area indefinitely. The order, which was originally set to expire April 30, will be re-evaulated by county public health officials and local health care professionals at least every two weeks, a press release from the county states. While the county is asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to ease local COVID-19 safety restrictions, Public Health Officer Dr. Nancy Williams said re-opening the basin to outside visitors is too risky for the area’s food and essential item supply, pharmacies and health care system. Democrat photos by Kevin Christensen
Cafe El Dorado owner Cherie Baldridge waits on patrons of her Pleasant Valley Road diner Friday morning. With reports of El Dorado County coronavirus cases on the decline, Baldridge decided to open up despite the governor’s orders for California residents to shelter in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Cafe El Dorado opens for dine-in customers
Democrat photo by Thomas Frey
Sheriff not enforcing state orders
Noëlle Pollastrini, owner of Theory Hair Studio in Cameron Park, has plenty of sanitizer on hand at her salon which she reopened Saturday, April 25, after being closed for about four weeks. She is taking clients by appointment only.
Dylan Svoboda and Kevin Christensen Staff writers
Newsom March 19. And it doesn’t seem as if anyone’s stopping them any time soon. In defiance of Gov. Gavin Despite resisting state Newsom’s COVID-19 safety mandates, the El Dorado restrictions, Cafe El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said was open for dine-in service they don’t plan on forcing Friday morning. closure or penalizing local Cherie Baldridge, the businesses for breaking the diner’s owner, told the order — for now. Mountain Democrat “(The sheriff’s office) is Thursday she had no choice still focused on working but to return to normal with our business partners,” operations. EDSO spokesman Bob Marable, left, and Dudley Dussau, both from Placerville chat “I will not survive another while waiting to be served breakfast at a busy Cafe El Dorado Friday Anthony Prencipe said month,” she said. “This morning. Both men are regulars and said they wanted to support the in a statement to the place is my livelihood and Mountain Democrat. “We local small eatery amid the COVID-19 saga. it’s being taken away from will continue to educate me.” them to make smart and The owner said she was two months behind rent on her responsible decisions for our community. Our goal is to not building at 5787 Pleasant Valley Road. Facing insolvency, have to enforce the stay-at-home order through citations.” Baldridge and her two employees decided this was their Coronavirus concerns didn’t stop patrons from flocking last resort. to the cafe Friday morning. Minutes before the diner’s 8 The restaurant’s move challenges statewide stay-at-home orders and dine-in restrictions brought down by Gov. n See Cafe, page 10
‘Non-essential’ hair salon taking appointments Thomas Frey Staff writer Theory Hair Studio in Cameron Park reopened Saturday. Before opening Noëlle Pollastrini, who owns the salon, sat in her new home knowing she needed to get back to work. She didn’t receive money from the government and had just put a lot of money into buying a house 12 days before she had to shut down amid COVID-19 concerns. “I’ve applied for both SBA loans, unemployment, disaster n
See Salon, page 10
Bare bricks remain as ivy torn from Cary House wall Pat Lakey Staff writer
Democrat photo by Krysten Kellum
Mary Dedrick who owns Dedrick’s Cheese, a shop neighboring Fountain Plaza, points out areas of the courtyard where different varieties of ivy grew along the brickwork. The ivy was removed in late April.
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manager, Josh Salmonson, there is every intention of allowing the showy, magnificent vine grow back — albeit If you want to see what it looks never to its most recent glory. like when the heart is ripped out of a Because that voluptuous vine that small town, take a look at the wall of inspired oohs and ahhs from visitors the Cary House hotel at 300 Main St. to the courtyard formed by the hotel in Placerville, and adjacent where ivy that businesses, “It’ll take a lot of time to grow has hugged the back, and it will never be like it including red bricks for Dedrick’s almost 100 years was … we will redirect the new Cheese, Totem has been torn Coffee shop, growth and not allow it to get out. Marilyn But the out of hand.” Abercrombie’s Boston ivy of the — Josh Salmonson, hairstyling salon same type that Cary House hotel general manager and a women’s graces Harvard clothing University had boutique owned to come down — it threatened the by Martha McGuire, apparently was very structure of the Cary House, potentially deadly. according to officials there. After five It was McGuire who alerted the years of soul-searching, the tough Mountain Democrat to what she decision was made. n See Vine, page 6 Plus, according to the hotel’s general
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