WORST-CASE SCENARIO
First responders train for the unthinkable
EDH resident pens book about
an internal investigation into Loewen’s activities a er members of the public expressed concerns related to a consulting business owned by the now-former GM as well as his professional relationship with consulting rm DTA while it had a contract with the district.
At the Nov. 9, 2023, board meeting Mattock con rmed the district had shi ed from an internal
KEVIN LOEWEN
Village Life photo by Eric Jaramishian El Dorado County sheri ’s personnel hold
gym in El Dorado Hills. This exercise brought
July 3
WHAT’S HAPPENING
The annual Fireworks & Freedom Concert at El Dorado Hills Town Center will celebrate the nation’s birthday from 6-11 p.m. Island of Black and White will perform at the amphitheater from 8-11 p.m. and reworks by Pyro Spectaculars will light up the night sky starting at 9:30 p.m. A Kids Zone and music by Funk Shui will also add to the night of fun for the family.
July 4
The El Dorado Hills Community Pool will host a 4th of July celebration from 1-4 p.m. Music, decorations, games and a snack bar will be available.
The El Dorado County 4th of July Family Blast returns to the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. Gates open at 3 p.m., with Locked-N-Loaded playing music from 5-9:45 p.m. The reworks will happen after dark, when the races at the nearby Placerville Speedway come to a close, at around 9:30-10 p.m.
July 6
El Dorado Musical Theatre presets “The Addams
Family,” July 6-14 at Harris Center for the Arts, 10 College Parkway in Folsom. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 608-6888.
July 8
The El Dorado County Transit Authority hosts a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Bass Lake Road Park-and-Ride in El Dorado Hills at 10 a.m. For more information call (530) 642-5383 or visit eldoradotransit.com.
July 9 Broadway
July 11
ESPECIALLY SPECTACULAR
Peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves often causing weakness, pain, numbness, tingling, and may also lead to serious balance problems.
This damage is commonly caused by a lack of blood ow to the nerves in the hands and feet. If not properly treated this lack of blood ow may cause the nerves to degenerate. As you can see in Figure 1,
FINANCIAL FOCUS
How strong is your emergency fund?
You can’t predict nancial emergencies — but you can prepare for them.
To do that, you can build an emergency fund to pay for unexpected expenses, some of which may be sizable. Without one, you might be forced to dip into your investments, possibly including your retirement accounts, such as your IRA or 401(k). If this happens, you might have to pay taxes and penalties, and you’d be withdrawing dollars that could otherwise be growing over time to help pay for your retirement.
In thinking about such a fund, consider these questions:
access the money immediately and you need to count on a certain amount being available. So, it’s a good idea to keep your emergency fund in a liquid, lowrisk account that o ers protection of principal. For this fund, you’re less interested in growth than you are in stability. But because interest rates have recently changed, you may be able to get a reasonable return without sacri cing liquidity or safety.
• What types of emergencies should I prepare for? Your emergency fund could be needed for any number of events: a job loss or early retirement, housing or auto repairs, unreimbursed medical bills, unexpected travel, and so on. But this fund may also be needed to help you cope with other threats.
The treatment to increase blood ow utilizes a specialized low-level
The amount of treatment needed to allow the nerves to fully recover varies from person to person and can only be determined after a detailed neurological and vascular evaluation. “My feet hurt so bad after sitting I could barely take the rst few steps. I have had 11 treatments and no longer feel sharp or shooting pains and most of the tingling is gone. I now have full balance and can walk without pain. As Dr. Mooney explained the treatment is not painful, nothing uncomfortable, and is actually very relaxing.” – Neuropathy Pain Patient In
the proper nutrients to heal and repair. It’s like adding water to a tree and seeing the roots grow deeper and deeper.
• How much should I save? The size of your emergency fund should be based on several factors, including your income, your spouse’s income and your cost of living. However, for most people in their working years, three to six months of total expenses is adequate. Once you’re retired, though, you may want to keep up to a year’s worth of expenses in your emergency fund because you don’t want to be forced to cash out investments when their price may be down, and you may not be replenishing these accounts any longer.
The name says it all — this is a fund that should only be used for emergencies. By keeping it intact until it’s truly needed,
• How can I build an emergency fund? Given all your normal expenses — mortgage, utilities, food, transportation and others — you might nd it challenging to set aside some extra money in an emergency fund. But you do have opportunities. If you’re working, you could set up a direct deposit so that part of your paycheck goes directly into your emergency fund. You could also save a portion of any extra income you receive, such as bonuses and tax refunds.
• Where should I keep the money? An emergency fund has two key requirements: You need to be able to
Consider this: In 2023, the U.S. saw a record 28 weather and climate disasters, each of which resulted in at least $1 billion in damages — and o en many times this amount — according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Depending on where you live, your home or business may be susceptible to tornadoes, oods, wild res, hurricanes and extreme heat and cold waves. These events can, and do, result in property repair and relocation costs, higher insurance premiums and even price increases for basic goods, such as groceries and prescription medications. One nal word about an emergency fund: It takes discipline to maintain it and to avoid tapping into it for everyday expenses or impulse purchases. The name says it all — this is a fund that should only be used for emergencies. By keeping it intact until it’s truly needed, you can help yourself weather many of the storms that may come your way. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by local Edward Jones Financial Advisor Suzy O’Neal, (530) 676-5402. Edward Jones, member SIPC.
DUI checkpoint coming to EDH
California Highway Patrol News release
The California Highway Patrol –Placerville Area will conduct a DUI checkpoint on July 6 somewhere within El Dorado Hills.
“All too o en members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on our local roadways by intoxicated drivers,” said Lt. Rick Hat eld, CHP Placerville commander.
The goal of the CHP is to ensure safe passage of each and very motorist by targeting roads where there is a high frequency of intoxicated drivers. A sobriety checkpoint is a proven e ec-
tive tool for achieving this goal and is designed to augment existing patrol operations.
“Tra c volume permitting, all vehicles will be checked for drivers who are under the in uence of alcohol or drugs,” Hat eld emphasized. “Our objective is to send a clear message to those individuals who consider driving and mixing alcohol or drugs: you will be caught and your vehicle will be towed away.”
Funding for this program was provided from a grant from the California O ce of Tra c Safety through the National Highway Tra c Safety Administration.
Malachi Parker Staff writer
Comments at recent Cameron Park Community Services District Board of Directors meetings indicate the district’s motto of “Yes We Can” has a way to go when it comes to building trust with the public.
“Deception is not transparency,” Cameron Park resident Bradford McMullin said at the June 19 regular board meeting. “There are holes in the ship and the ship is sinking.”
His harsh criticism was echoed by others who showed up Wednesday night as well as from residents who attended last week’s workshop to go over the district’s recently released re services report.
At that June 12 meeting the rst question raised by the public, and more than once was, “Where is the AP Triton report and when do we get the chance to see it?”
The CPCSD board last year signed an approximately $73,000 contract with AP Triton to complete a re services analysis report that was to focus on annexation options; however, when a report on that topic was released earlier this spring, it came from Municipal Resources Group consultant Don Ashton, not AP Triton.
“The relationship was terminated and we went in a di erent direction and that is all we are at liberty to say at this moment,” General Manager Alan Gardner told the crowd at the Cameron Park Community Center last week. “The report was never nished and that is why is was not released.”
The choice to go in a di erent direction was a choice the board made privately without public input or notice — which led to more questions from residents, some visibly irritated.
“I think there needs to be more analysis, presumably done by Ashton, to beef up and ush out his report,” Cameron Park resident Vicki Jacobs said. “I think we will never know anymore about the Triton report.” Ashton presented his ndings at the beginning of the June 12 workshop and answered questions. The former El Dorado County Chief Administrative O cer at times did acknowledge he couldn’t answer everything as, due to the time frame he was given, he could not dive deep into some topics.
Moves CPCSD leaders made around this report, amongst other issues, have caused a lot of distrust, meeting attendees noted.
“We are transparent with what we can be with right now,” Director Eric Aiston said. “It’s right for the public to ask the questions and I don’t want it to derail the need we have to address the issue.”
The re services analysis was done to present CPCSD leaders information about possible annexation with another re district. The district currently has a contract with Cal Fire to provide re protection services in the community through June 2025.
In its preliminary 2024-25 budget, the CPCSD carves out roughly $4.2 million for re services, $1.1 million more than than what’s expected to be spent this scal year ending June 30.
There are ve pieces of the pie when it comes to the CPCSD budget and re and emergency services take the biggest slice at 58%. The rest of the budget is split between administration (9%), parks (9%), recreation and community Center (16%) and xed costs (8%).
GM Gardner estimates a de cit of $250,000 as the budget sits now, implying cuts and tough decisions are on the horizon.
Suzy O’Neal Financial columnist
CRIB NOTES by Julie Samrick
Calling all BRATS
At every hgrade sleepover my friends and I would routinely watch “The Outsiders.” The house would rotate, but the movie remained the same. We each claimed our favorite outsider, as though we had a stake on them, and recited our favorite lines in giddy unison.
I was partial to Ponyboy, played by C. Thomas Howell. I didn’t think anything of it when one mom allowed us to make the leap to watching Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise (aka Sodapop and Steve) in their next lms, “Class” and “Risky Business.” The problem was those movies are R-rated, so my mother wasn’t so understanding when I came home one Saturday morning to excitedly share the news. A er that double feature, my mom burst the bubble by forbidding me from sleeping at that friend’s house again.
The Brat Pack movies, named for a group of actors who were in a succession of coming-of-age movies in the 1980s, were a staple of Gen X’s shared experience. These movies were unique because, for the rst time, the highs and lows of teenagers’ experiences took center stage.
I was thrilled when the documentary “BRATS” came out earlier this month. Created by another one of my 1980s big screen crushes, Andrew McCarthy of “Pretty in Pink” fame, the documentary explored what that time was like for him and many of the other actors. It was interesting to hear what cultural critics thought of the societal signi cance of those movies at that time as well. “If you took 100 17-year-olds in 1986, 90 would have seen ‘The Breakfast Club,’” said author and social commentator Malcolm Gladwell in the lm.
Beyond the Brat Pack movies,
Americans also bonded over television shows at the time, many of which were also about young people, from “The Facts of Life” and “Who’s The Boss” to “Growing Pains.” Sure, more choices and representation are a good thing, but the shi to so many entertainment options in the 21st century is one root to the division we are experiencing.
Americans are lacking shared experiences, missing out on the Monday morning “can you believe x happened?” even if it was small as we’re all watching on the small and big screens. Today we can also include a third type of screen — the tiny, handheld one. Our phones makes entertainment viewing the most isolating it can be.
Human beings inherently seek communities to which we can belong, but with so many options, culturally we’re not having a shared experience. Teens can now see anything they want by opening their phones to watch reels, TikTok and YouTube. They can stream just about anything, let alone movies and television shows.
My 16-year-old created a list of movies she wants to watch, and I was happy to see there are some from the 1970s and 1980s that I either never saw, don’t remember or would love to revisit. Some are classics to me, like “Breakfast at Ti any’s,” while arguably the most symbolic Brat Pack movie of the 1980s, “The Breakfast Club,” is a classic to her (gulp).
This summer take time to bond with viewers of all ages to share the movies you love.
Julie Samrick is an El Dorado Hills mother, teacher and writer. She is the author of “Murphy’s Miracle: One Dog’s Wild Journey” and “How People Get Their Politics.”
MESSAGE FROM EID by Jim Abercrombie
Infrastructure needs
To maintain a high quality of life, ensuring a reliable and e cient water supply is vital. El Dorado Irrigation District sta recently presented a dra water and recycled water master plan to the EID Board of Directors that identi es critical near-term needs that demand immediate action.
By tackling these needs now, we can safeguard our water resources and support a sustainable quality of life for our community. Let’s explore the key improvements and understand why they are essential.
The El Dorado Hills Water Treatment Plant is more than 60 years old and needs signi cant repairs. The plant is also struggling to meet peak demand. A planned expansion to 24 million gallons per day is essential to ensure that our growing community receives a consistent and reliable water supply without interruption. Additionally, constructing a new Oak Ridge pump station and related transmission mains will enhance water reliability and address bottlenecks that hinder e ective water distribution, ensuring that every part of our community receives the water it needs.
Transmission bottlenecks between our Reservoir A water treatment plant in Pollock Pines and El Dorado Hills limit our water system’s e ciency. Upgrading these transmission mains is critical to maintaining adequate pressure and ow during peak demand periods.
By gradually improving the infrastructure connecting Reservoir A to El Dorado Hills, we can enhance system reliability and reduce our dependence on the EDHWTP.
Resolving these bottlenecks is not just a matter of convenience but of necessity. These upgrades will allow us to maintain consistent water delivery even as demand increases, ensuring our community’s water system remains robust and reliable.
The master plan outlines a phased approach to implementing these critical improvements, starting with the most urgent projects from 2025 to 2029. This phased strategy ensures that we
can manage costs e ectively while addressing the most pressing needs rst. Financially, these projects represent a signi cant investment in our future. By integrating these projects into the upcoming 2025-29 capital improvement plan and updating facility capacity charges, we can distribute the nancial burden and explore funding opportunities, including grants and developmentfunded improvements.
Addressing the near-term replacement needs identi ed in the master plan is not just about maintaining our current water supply; it’s about investing in our future. By replacing critical facilities at the EDHWTP, increasing its capacity, and resolving the transmission bottlenecks ensures our community thrives sustainably.
The EID Board of Directors has demonstrated its continued commitment to water infrastructure with the recent approval of the Sly Park Intertie improvements project. This critical project, with a total funding request of just over $55 million, includes the construction of a new pipeline and pump station, enhancing EID’s water supply reliability and operational exibility. The project will be partially funded by a $10 million drought resiliency grant from the California Department of Water Resources and a $750,000 grant from El Dorado County through the American Rescue Plan Act, used during the design phase. By securing lowcost bond funding, including a planned $70 million bond issuance, EID ensures that these essential improvements are nancially feasible. Approximately $45 million from this upcoming bond will be allocated to the Sly Park Intertie improvements project, underscoring the importance of low-cost nancing in tackling our infrastructure challenges. With strategic use of low-cost bond funding and substantial grant support, we can address these challenges head on and build a resilient water infrastructure that meets today’s needs and anticipates tomorrow’s demands. Our families, businesses and environment depend on it. Jim Abercrombie is the general manager of EID.
ROAD CLOSURES
The following roads will be closed Saturday, July 13, 2024
for the annual Death Ride® Tour of the California Alps MONITOR PASS (HWY 89)
5 a.m. - Noon EBBETTS PASS (HWY 4) 5 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Please plan an alternate route. Thank you for your patience. Alpine County Chamber of Commerce (530) 694-2475 www.alpinecounty.com I www.deathride.com
Generations environmental document ready for review
The Generations at Green Valley project’s draft environmental impact report has been released and is now available for public review and comment.
The El Dorado County Planning and Building Department-Planning Division, as the lead agency, prepared the DEIR in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act. The DEIR is available for public and agency review for a 45-day period ending Aug. 12.
The Generations at Green Valley project proposes an El Dorado County General Plan amendment to amend the property’s land use designations from low-density residential to high-density residential, low-density residential and public facilities. The tentative subdivision map outlines plans to subdivide the approximately 280-acre site into 379 residential lots, a clubhouse lot, a park site lot, 13 landscape lots, nine open space lots and three lots for project roadways.
Age restrictions would apply to 214
of the residential lots. Proposed lot sizes would range from 6,000 square feet to 5.7 acres. Roadway access to the project would be provided through two main connections with Green Valley Road and three emergency access roads connecting to existing roadways along the project’s boundary.
The project site is located on the south side of Green Valley Road approximately 100 feet southeast of the intersection with Malcom Dixon Road in the El Dorado Hills area.
The purpose of this comment period is to consider the content of the DEIR and potential environmental impacts that may result from project implementation, not the positive or negative attributes of the proposed project itself. Comments pertaining to the environmental impact analysis, criteria and thresholds, mitigation measures and alternatives presented in the DEIR will be considered by the county during preparation of the final EIR. The final EIR will include copies of the comments and the county’s responses n See GENERATIONS page A9
Tumble Time gymnasts win big
News release
Tumble Time Gymnastics just competed at the National Gymnastics Association National Championships in Anaheim, where multiple athletes earned national titles.
Gordon Brown not only is the Boys Level 3 All Around National Champion, Pommel Horse National Champion, Parallel Bars National Champion and Vault National Champion, but he also scored the first Perfect 10 ever for Tumble Time Gymnastics.
Other National Champions are Level 3 Eleanor Clapson in the All Around, Vault, Bars and Beam. And Level 3 Natalie Banaga in the All Around, Vault and Bars.
On top of that Eleanor and Natalie had the Highest All Around scores of the whole week in all age groups and all levels. That is top two of almost 2,000 competitors.
Level 1 Boy Steven Caldwell won National
Champion on Mushroom and Parallel Bars. Level 3 Gaby Hardisty came away National Champion on Beam and Floor. Level 3 Samantha Dierks is National Floor Champion. Boys Level 2 Henry Darby is also a National All Around Champion. Level 8 Cassidy Iida is National Champion on Floor.
Tumble Time Gymnastics in Cameron Park also had more than 45 Top 3 finishes on events and all around.
Eleanor Clapson, Natalie Banaga, Oliver Kelly, Steven Caldwell, Charles Lee, Davis Brown and Gordon Brown also qualified as part of the National Team in their levels. This means that they scored in the Top 10 of their levels regardless of age groups. As part of the National Team, they are invited to National Team camp held in Tennessee in October with the National Team Staff. Other invitees to camp are Gaby Hardisty, Callie Yoast, Avery Mackay, Lauren Peters, Hope Disney, Eva Silveira and Cassidy Iida.
Golf pro Jim Stewart swings for PGA Master Professional designation
PGA of America Golf Professionals, and Stewart, a member of the Northern California PGA Section, joins a special group as the 446th to earn Master Professional status. He achieved his designation in golf operations.
The PGA Master Professional Program is available to those with at least 10 years of PGA membership along with having achieved advanced certification through the PGA Specialized and Certified Professional programs. The curriculum includes an extensive project based on the specific certification previously acquired by the PGA of America Golf Professional. PGA Master Professional status is earned upon successful completion of the presentation.
The program was established in 1969 to recognize PGA of America members who make a significant effort to improve as
golf professionals and maintain the highest degree of excellence for themselves and their operations. The curriculum is designed to ensure golf professionals are prepared to meet the
growing demands of the marketplace within the Executive Management, Golf Operations and Teaching and Coaching designations.
“The reason I chose to
become a PGA Master Professional is to become the best golf professional I can be, to remain in tune with industry standards,” said Stewart. “This was 22 years in the making, but
ALL-STARS HIT THE FIELD
this is not the end of the race; it’s really just the end of the heat because there’s constant learning to be done. I think every PGA member should become a Master Professional. I’m very relieved and honored to be a part of this small group of accomplished professionals.”
After attending California State University, Sacramento, and working a few years in the grocery business, Stewart got his start in the golf industry in 1996 at Woodcreek Golf Club in Roseville. He had his sights on PGA of America membership and passed the Playing Ability Test in 1999. He then worked for several Northern California golf facilities throughout his career. In 2005 he was hired by Granite Bay Golf Club in Granite as head professional, where he spent five years before becoming the head professional at Whitney Oaks Golf Club in Rocklin. Stewart was hired as an assistant professional at Serrano Country Club in 2012 and then promoted to head professional in 2022.
Stewart has received numerous awards in the Northern California PGA Section, including Assistant Professional of the Year (2004) and Ping Top 100 Fitter of the Year (2008, 2019).
Stewart lives in Folsom with his wife Becky and son J.T.
A dentistry that aims to be a home away from home
Jessica Cyphers Staff writer
For patients of Dale Stanec, Jr., DDS, going to the dentist feels a little like going home.
“We know all of our patients. They’re our friends,” said Dr. Stanec, who works alongside his wife and office manager, Elena, in his Cameron Park office. “The experience in our office is very personal. We’re very small and greet each patient by name when they walk in. It’s a comfortable, homey place to have dental work done, and we like it that way.”
Dr. Stanec has been in dentistry in the Cameron Park area since 2002. As a kid, he was “always into science and math” and loved the idea of owning his own business. “I ran a lawn-mowing business as a kid — always had some kind of business going — so becoming a dentist and owning my own practice just made sense,” said Dr. Stanec. Dr. Stanec did his undergraduate work at Cal Poly,
San Luis Obispo and then attended dental school at Northwestern University in Chicago. He graduated from Northwestern in 2001 and says that, although he was born and raised in San Jose, it was a natural draw to open his practice in the foothills. “Elena and I love this area. We had a lot of family and friends here and thought it would be a great place to raise our kids.”
In his office, Dr. Stanec offers a full scope of general and cosmetic dentistry with expertise ranging from porcelain veneers and dental implants to crowns and bridges and more. Unlike many other dentists, Dr. Stanec doesn’t employ dental hygienists or other technicians but does all of his dental work himself.
“I spend a lot of one-on-one time with my patients. It’s fun for me to do the work myself because I get to spend more time with my patients and hang out with them and really get to know them. It makes it fun to do what I do,” said Dr. Stanec.
Another advantage of keeping his practice small is that, because he sees every patient one at a time, Dr. Stanec can be very thorough and immediately answer any questions that come up. He is also able to really respect his patients’ time. “I am almost always early or on time,” said
Courtesy photo
Tumble Time gymnast Gordon Brown scored a Perfect 10 on the vault at the National Gymnastics Association National Championships.
Courtesy photo
Serrano Country Club Head Professional Jim Stewart has added a new title — PGA Master Professional.
Photo courtesy of Rick Maya
Congratulations to baseball players Ricky Maya, left, and George Shykowski, both of El Dorado Hills.
The talented young men, who recently graduated high school, were named to the 2024 Optimist AllStar Baseball Roster – Large Schools South. During their high school careers, Ricky played for Christian Brothers and George for Ponderosa.
El Dorado Hills Town Center will be rockin’ with a free concert, 7-9 p.m., featuring, Never a Dull Moment. Visit EDHTownCenter.com for all the details.
The El Dorado Hills Library hosts a visual presentation of Why We Need to Be Wild by local author, Jessica Carew Kraft and be inspired to get a little more fierce
Snowline Health Dementia Connection hosts the Caregiver Support Group, 3-4:30 p.m. at Foothills Church, 2380 Merrychase Drive in Cameron Park. Call (530) 621-6820 if respite care is needed for a caregiver to attend this group.
July 12
Enjoy a Friday Night Out at the Rescue Community Center from 5-9 p.m. For tickets and more information visit rescuecommunitycenter. com.
July 13
Take an 11 a.m. guided tour of the Nimbus Fish
to comments pertaining to the environmental review and DEIR.
A subsequent scheduled public hearing will be conducted on the project upon completion of the final EIR when the county considers action on the project. The county must certify the final EIR prior to project approval.
The DEIR and supporting information may be reviewed and/or obtained at the following locations:
• Planning and Building Department, 2850 Fairlane Court, Building C Placerville
• El Dorado County Library, 345 Fair Lane, Placerville
• El Dorado Hills Library, 7455 Silva Valley Parkway
• Cameron Park Library, 2500 Country Club Drive
All written public and agency comments must be received by 5 p.m. on
Loewen
investigation to hiring “an outside law firm separate from the one which the district legal counsel is a member of to conduct an independent investigation into the general manager’s conduct.”
The investigation report has been submitted to the EDHCSD, attorney Derek Cole confirmed at the March 14, 2024, board meeting but thus far has not been released to the public.
Two months later the district received a letter from Biggs Law Office in Walnut Creek stating Loewen “objects (to) any form of release of the confidential investigation report materials into the public domain” and “intends to file a legal action ... against (the) EDHCSD seeking a court order to exempt the confidential investigation report from public disclosure via California Public Records Act as well as any other channels.”
Last month the EDHCSD directors fired back with Board President Noelle Mattock announcing intention to fight any such lawsuit and release the independent investigator’s findings.
In the release sent to Village Life, Biggs writes, “Mr. Loewen’s position is that he simply overlooked a clause in his initial contract with the district that denied ‘outside consulting.’ Mr. Loewen resigned from his position without fighting the allegations as it was the right thing to do avoiding needless escalation into controversy.
“What further compounded Mr. Loewen’s misunderstanding of his ‘independent atwill contract with the county’ were emails by Mr. Loewen’s supervisors that expressed awareness and ratification of his outside consulting activities,” the release continues.
Loewen filed reports with the El Dorado County Elections Department in 2021 and 2022 indicating his personal business, Placerville-based Synergy Behavioral Systems, generated between $10,000 and $100,000 of income annually. Prior to the launch of this side business, the former GM reached out to EDHCSD directors about consult-
Continued from A2
Hatchery, 2001 Nimbus Road, Gold River. For more information call (916) 358-2884 or email molly.shea@wildlife.ca.gov.
July 14
Yoga in the Park will be held at Blackstone Park in El Dorado Hills from 9-9:30 a.m. Join this 30-minute family-friendly introduction to yoga postures and flows.
July 15
Snowline Health Dementia Connection hosts Living Well with Dementia Addressing Challenging Symptoms: Personal Care Complications, 1-3 p.m. at the Gilmore Center, 990 Lassen Lane in El Dorado Hills..
July 16
Face in a Book in El Dorado Hills Town Center welcomes Kelsey James, author of the new novel “Secrets of Rose Briar Hall,” 5:30-7 p.m. For more information call (916) 941-9401.
Aug. 12 and should be directed to: El Dorado County Planning and Building Department-Planning Division, Attention: Bianca Dinkler, 2850 Fairlane Court, Placerville, CA 95667. Include the name of the contact person if commenting on behalf of an agency agency, if applicable. Comments may also be submitted in person or via email to generationsatgreenvalley@edcgov.us.
El Dorado County will hold a meeting to receive comments regarding the content of the DEIR and answer general questions regarding the environmental process. The meeting will be held inperson with a remote option via Zoom, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 11, at the 2850 Fairlane Court, Building C, Placerville, in the Planning Commission hearing room. Zoom link: us06web.zoom. us/j/83691325117
Continued from A1
ing outside the agency, according to information shared with Village Life; via email, and without any public discussion or formal action taken, directors at the time supported his endeavor.
In July 2023 resident Robert Williams asked the board to confirm outside consulting was allowed by Loewen’s employment contract. He also questioned the directors’ seemingly informal approval.
LLAD Advisory Committee member Steve Gutierrez added another layer to the probe following his resignation from the committee, during which he said his search into Loewen’s professional activities outside the CSD indicated the general manager at one time worked for consulting firm DTA while it had a contract with the district — a potential conflict of interest.
Loewen resigned without explanation in December 2023. He served as general manager since January 2017 and worked for the district since February 2014.
“Mr. Loewen submits a sincere apology for any missteps on his part in pursuing expanded employment and experience,” Biggs’ recent release concludes. “Mr. Loewen believes that his efforts while working for the district put forth for much benefit of the community — which there are so many to point to if one were to just look at any of the public parks in the community — and which were always at the forefront, and again Mr. Loewen apologizes for any missteps, inconveniences or otherwise discomfort that this has resulted in.”
Current EDHCSD General Manager Mark Hornstra told Village Life, “The district at this time does not have any comment on Mr. Loewen’s press release.”
The GM did confirm the board would discuss the investigation and its impending public release at the July 11 EDHCSD Board of Directors meeting at the Norm Rowett Pavilion, 1021 Harvard Way in El Dorado Hills. Open session will begin at 6:30 p.m.
protection districts, El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park and Folsom fire departments, Cal Fire and U.S. Forest Service firefighters.
First responders participated in numerous drills and scenarios, testing their skills in location response, searching out the shooter, threat neutralization, triage and rescue in a simulated yet chaotic environment. Complete with gunshot boxes, “victims” and replica firearms, first responders got a taste of what could happen, but hopefully never, in an active shooter incident.
and the first responders put it all together.
“Your head is all jumbled. Everyone is running around,” EDSO Deputy Parker Hohman noted after the exercise. “It was a little hectic at first when we got in because we came from the gym and no one was there. Then we got to the first stairwell and there (were) two different teams converging toward us and you’re kind of wondering what is going on, but we were able to get it under control.”
All part of the training, Parker noted.
“It fosters thinking and problem solving outside of the box norms,” said EDSO Sgt. Kyle Parker. “That’s where we try to push our trainees into more reality-based situations to then foster and facilitate that problem-solving mindset, so when a problem that is similar, but not identical, presents itself, there’s that thinking process they develop by going, ‘Hey, I’ve done this before. This is similar to (the training),’ and they can apply these principles and foundations.”
The end goal is to get law enforcement to respond as fast as possible, according to Parker.
“The expectation is that if there’s something that has warranted this type of response, it used to be that we set a perimeter and waited for people to come and help out,” he explained. “But now we train to get in there, start solving the problem and take care of the threat.”
“This is where law enforcement and fire come together, with the law enforcement aspect providing security for the fire element to move in and extricate victims out of the scene so that we can get them to advanced medical care as fast as possible,” he said.
The training, one of the most important cooperative efforts between the local first responder agencies, is conducted every two years.
“Everybody, from fire crews and law enforcement, incident commanders and bosses, we all learn something new ... and the general population getting safer is the end goal.”
— EDH Fire Deputy Chief Dustin Hall
While law enforcement practiced tactical formations and techniques and how to gain access to locked rooms, fire personnel learned breaching methods and trained on advanced medical tactics, including how to extract injured people from the chaotic environment.
“In today’s scenario, firefighters aren’t going to be the ones forcing the doors open …. That’s going to be more of a law enforcement task because the building has not been secured yet when they’re making their initial entrance,”
EDH Fire Deputy Chief Dustin Hall explained. “When fire departments make their initial entrance, our primary focus is collecting the victims that are inside the building and getting them into a safe area until we can start doing treatment and transport.”
The training days culminated in a final exercise involving everyone; volunteers were in place, a mock call was put in to report the “active shooter”
“It’s super good that they throw us into these really high chaotic and intense situations because, God forbid it ever happens, if it does ever happen in real life we will be ready,” Hohman said. “There is stuff we all can work on, but all in all it was definitely a good training day.”
Hall also noted the training was well received by his firefighters.
“Everybody, from fire crews and law enforcement, incident commanders and bosses, we all learn something new and when you have that opportunity like that, success and the general population getting safer is the end goal,” Hall shared. “Everybody thinks highly of it and they really appreciate the opportunity.”
For some, it was their first active shooter training week. First-timer deputy Noah Keener noted the training teaches not only how to respond to active shooter incidents, but how his peers handle such situations.
“Even going to a call service, you never know what you’re going to get into when you get there and every scenario is going to be different, but having a baseline of what to do, what needs to be done and how to get there is crucial,” Keener said. “The biggest thing is working as a team, not trying to step on each other’s toes, having thick skin and finding something to do. It’s all about saving as many lives as you can.”
•
•
V illage H OMES
Lisa Paragary CalBRE #01196924 (916) 247-1303 lisa@paragarymillerteam.com.
6325 Western Sierra Way, El Dorado Hills
4,489 square feet
6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms 0.69-acre property
Listed at $3,499,000 MLS #224069700
Under construction now is an exceptional property featuring spectacular Folsom Lake views from a at lot at Serrano Country Club in El Dorado Hills.
Experience the ultimate in country club living in this luxurious, single-story, brand-new custom home designed by TailorMade Homes. This fantastic oor plan boasts ve bedrooms and ve baths and a completely separate one bedroom/one bath casita.
The open great room features a beautiful replace and oversized folding doors to the covered loggia for the perfect indoor/outdoor experience. The true chef’s kitchen provides dual islands, a stainless
Thermador appliance package and a scullery back kitchen with additional refrigeration towers and a second dishwasher.
The primary suite is a luxurious private retreat where homeowners can relax and enjoy the stunning Folsom Lake scenery.
Step outside to the resort-style yard complete with a sparkling pool with multiple cabana shelves and a built-in spa. The built-in barbecue and outdoor replace are ideal for entertaining.
The home has an oversized, four-car garage with epoxy oors.
The separate casita features a living room, kitchen-
ette and additional laundry area in addition to its bedroom and full bathroom.
Other property features include an owned solar power system and energy e cient materials used throughout.
Serrano is one of El Dorado Hills’ prestigious luxury neighborhoods with an award-winning golf course, immaculate landscaping and miles of hiking/walking trails. The community is close to shopping, restaurants, great schools and Highway 50.
Interested in this beautiful Western Sierra Way property in El Dorado Hills? Contact Lisa Paragary at (916) 247-1303 or lisa@paragarymillerteam.com.
The California State Fair comes roaring back
SEnthusiasm
There’s fresh energy at Cal Expo. And it starts, oddly enough, in the virtual world at calexpostatefair.com.
Instead of a website with just a few pages telling you about the fair, it shows you the fair, giving you a lot more information than in the past.
Experience. Check out handcrafted and vintage goods at the Rustic Charm Marketplace. Discover what goes on behind the scenes in animation at the Animation Academy. See the plans from construction to operation at High Speed Rail. Meet and learn about animals at Wild Wings Adventure. The CA Fresh Exhibit celebrates crops grown in the Golden State. After that, take in Taster’s Row and nom on the rich diversity of California’s food and agricultural products.
The mission of the California Exposition & State Fair is to create a state fair experience reflecting California including its industries, agriculture and diversity of its people, traditions and trends shaping its future supported by year-round events.
This year’s state fair opens Friday, July 12 and runs through July 28. There are a lot of things to see, do and eat, all packed into 21 days of big fun.
State of awe
This year, check out the many exhibits and experiences the fair has to offer.
Take a selfie at the Candy Maze Selfie
The California Cannabis offers a “trip” through the history of “weed.”
At the grandstand, visitors can enjoy thoroughbred horse racing. The Barn will feature animal judging events and there will be equestrian events next door at The Cavalcade of Horses.
Special events
These include (and do check online for dates) a SaveMart Employees Cooking Challenge, the Junior Livestock Awards, the Agricultural
Susan Laird The Arts
Heritage
Free
Every
there is a free concert at the fair. General seating is free, but if you want to sit closer, go online to order tickets for preferred seating. This year’s performances are by Vanilla Ice with All-4-One, Wilson Phillips, Cole Swindell, Queen Nation, Zapp, WAR, Chris Young, 90s Rewind, Patti Labelle, Viva El Mariachi, Kenny Cetera’s Chicago Experience, Flo Rida, Bush, Lukas Nelson, The Beach Boys, Mickey Guyton, and UB40 featuring Ali Campbell.
But wait …
There’s more. The Carnival opens Monday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday at 2 p.m. and at 11 a.m. on Tuesday/ Saturday/Sunday. It closes at 11 p.m. every night.
The Kids’ Park opens at 1 p.m. on the Monday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday
schedule and at 11 a.m. on Tuesday/ Saturday/Sunday.
Keeping it safe
Much as I regret the passing of the handbag and the backpack at public events, the fair staff explained this is simply impossible nowadays due to threats of violence and terrorism throughout our republic. No one wants a tragedy.
All fairgoers must abide by the fair’s Clear Bag Policy. Check online for specifics. This policy will be enforced. All youth younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Check the chaperone policy. Adults must have a valid California Driver’s License or state Identification Card or other government-issued ID (passport, military, etc.).
The fair also has a Code of Conduct that includes no bad behavior rule, nosmoking or vaping and no smoking/selling cannabis.
The California State Fair takes place at 1600 Exposition Blvd. in Sacramento. Hours of operation are: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Gates close at 8 p.m. on the last day of the fair, July 28. Send your event for consideration in Susan’s column to slaird@handywriting.com.
Hawaiian Day!
and
the hula.
and
treats.
Create your very own mini-golf course. Use buckets, cups, planks and more to make a challenging, fun course.
Make breakfast for your family. Plan the menu the night before and set the table, too.
Gently capture an insect and observe its behavior for a little while. Then, set it free!
Draw a self-portrait in chalk on your sidewalk. Then draw your whole family. Take a photo of it before it washes away!
Lazy Day! Stay in your pajamas all day. Curl up in a corner with a good book.
Give your bike a tune-up. Clean it with a rag, oil the chain, and add air to your tires.
Invite some friends over tonight to make s’mores and watch movies.
Make a recording of you and a friend singing your favorite song. Then, crank it up and dance to it!
Try watermelonspittingseeds into a cup. Who can hit the target from the distance?greatest
and thread it on a string.
Find a really great hiding place for “treasure.” Write out clues for your friends to try and find it.
Armchair Arnie travels the world without leaving home. He reads books about people and places in different parts of the world, in the past and even in the future! Do each math problem to see where Arnie’s book will take him.
Here are some fun games to play while camping or anytime you have a group of friends together.
Have a group of friends stand in a close circle. Have each person place one hand in the center. Then have everyone grab someone else’s hand at random.
Everyone should work together to slowly untangle and try to create one big circle.
On little pieces of paper, write things like TREE, MOUNTAIN, ROCK and other things that could be found on a camping trip.
Create your own recipe for an ice cream sundae. Be sure to include lots of fruit.
Be a weather forecaster.
Make a lemonade stand. Work out how much it will cost to purchase lemonade and cups and price your drinks accordingly.
Write down your weather predictions for the week ahead. Were you correct?
Making Headlines
Tape one of these on each person’s back without letting them see the word. Then they can ask others YES or NO questions to try and figure out what they are.
ca qu Bl th the leav
Blindfold a player and take them to a nearby tree. Let them touch the tree, feel the leaves or pine needles, for as long as they wish. Then bring them back to the starting point and remove the blindfold. Can they find their tree again?
Opposite Headlines
Have a group of friends sit in a circle. The more friends the better for this game!
Have everyone start passing a small ball around as fast as they can without throwing it. It must be handed from player to player.
Then add a larger ball and have that passed from player to player in the same direction.
The player that winds up with the large and small ball at the same time is OUT!
© 2014 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 30, No. 25
As a Tax Deferral Consultant, I help people eliminate, reduce or delay Capital Gains Taxes on the sale of Highly Appreciated Assets. As an Independent Financial Advisor, I’ll help guide you through the often overwhelming process of creating a financial blueprint.
BETWEEN THE COVERS
Bloody family stories
Sel Richard Village Life correspondent
“Every family has stories,” shared Josh Morgan, an El Dorado Hills resident who has ties to the area dating back to the mid-1800s. His family story was particularly bloody and little did he realize the violence he would uncover. Morgan has just published his first book, “The Folsom Prison Bloody 13: The Big Escape of 1903,” in which he details a prison break that would span six gunfights across multiple counties and many lives lost.
In 1860 Morgan’s great-great-grandfather, Bernard Steinman, traveled from New York and arrived in downtown Sacramento. Originally from Germany, Steinman was looking for opportunity and worked his way up from the railroad station, eventually ending up on the city council and serving as mayor in the 1890s. He was friends with the Folsom Prison warden and the lore in Morgan’s family spoke of an escape which resulted in Steinman being taken hostage.
However, it was only after his grandmother died that Morgan began to unravel the truth buried in a trove of letters. One stood out, a missive addressed to his 19-year-old great-grandmother Etta from Albert Wilkinson. Albert’s father, Thomas,
Don’t
Let Age Slow You Down: Why
was the warden of Folsom Prison. Contrary to what Morgan had been told, the letter outlines events where Thomas Wilkinson was taken hostage, along with several members of the guard.
“My great-great-grandfather wasn’t there,” said Morgan, admitting that the discrepancy only piqued his interest. “I started trying to learn more about what happened.”
Morgan spent the next four years investigating and reading newspaper accounts of the incident. On July 27, 1903, 13 prisoners escaped, attacking the warden and several guards with knives and razors. Morgan’s book exposes a fiasco which led to the escapees taking hostages, fleeing and eventually splitting up.
“Escape was a bit easier then because they hadn’t built a wall around the outside of it yet. They took the road, now underneath Folsom Lake, up to the Pilot Hill Hotel,” Morgan recounts. The convicts split into two groups. One headed toward Sacramento. The other headed toward Placerville and became embroiled in another gunfight near the Grand Victory Mine, during which two members of the California National Guard were shot and killed.
“When I was doing the research for the book, I ran into a lot of conflicting stories,” Morgan said, describing several of the articles as written in a spectacular fashion. “There were things added that n See ESCAPE, page B9
Strength Training
is Essential for Older Adults at Training the Older Adult
As the years pass, the stakes for maintaining your health and independence get higher. Ignoring physical activity, especially strength training, can lead to a rapid decline in your quality of life. At Training the Older Adult in Shingle Springs, we confront these risks headon, empowering you to maintain your strength, agility, and quality of life as you age.
Why is strength training critical? After 50, muscle mass decreases by up to 5% per year if not actively maintained through strength training. This loss is more than cosmetic; it’s a direct threat to your mobility and independence. Weaker muscles mean a higher risk of falls, one of the leading causes of serious injury among seniors. Furthermore, insufficient muscle strength contributes to the worsening of chronic diseases like arthritis and osteoporosis, potentially transforming manageable conditions into severe disabilities.
At Training the Older Adult, your safety is our priority. We provide closely monitored training sessions in small groups, ensuring personalized attention from our expert fitness coaches. This careful supervision ensures that every movement supports your health without risking injury.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Starting at just $89 per month, you can attend three closely monitored sessions a week, taking a proactive step towards preserving your health and independence.
At Training the Older Adult, we offer more than just exercise; we offer a lifeline to maintaining vitality and preventing the decline that too often accompanies aging.
However, it’s not just about preventing the worst. Strength training boosts metabolism, improves blood sugar levels, and strengthens the heart and lungs, fortifying your body against common age-related health challenges.
Protect your future by strengthening your present. Join us at Training the Older Adult and take control of your aging process today.
Photo by Sel Richard
El Dorado Hills resident Josh Morgan wrote a book about a sensational Folsom Prison escape.
Exciting talent, impactful performances planned
Ed Sengstack Harris Center for the Arts
FOLSOM — Harris Center for the Arts has announced its Harris Center Presents 2024-25 season of internationally acclaimed concerts and performances. Detailed information on each event, including the Broadway Series highlighted in an earlier article, can be found at HarrisCenter.net.
Aug. 15: The Spinners are one of the most iconic and enduring groups in R&B history. The group created and came to define the smooth sound of Philadelphia Soul with smash singles like, “I’ll BeAround,” “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love,” “Then Came You,” “The Rubberband Man,” “Working My Way Back To You,” and many more — earning six Grammy nominations, 18 Platinum and Gold albums, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and selling millions of records worldwide in the process. With a towering legacy spanning over six decades, The Spinners have never lost their universal appeal.
Sept. 7: Celebrating Folsom College’s 20th anniversary, the Los Rios Colleges Foundation together with the Harris Center for the Arts present Jay Leno, performing for one night only.
Acclaimed TV late night show host, admired stand-up comedian, bestselling children’s book author, muchin-demand corporate speaker, TV and movie voice-over artist, pioneering car builder and mechanic and philanthropist, Leno is widely characterized as “the hardest working man in show business.” Leno’s late night television ratings domination included two decades as the host of the No. 1-rated “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
Sept. 15: Award winning and Grammy nominated recording artist Michael Feinstein has partnered with Carnegie Hall to entertain and educate through his latest live touring show, Because of You: My Tribute to Tony Bennett featuring the Carnegie Hall Ensemble. This show pays tribute to American Songbook master Bennett created specifically for this musical partnership. Feinstein’s close friendship with Bennett — who he calls “one of the most enduring icons of the 20th century” — will add a profound layer to this tribute, as their shared camaraderie brings depth to each note performed.
Sept. 2: JD Souther, a luminary of the L.A. music scene of the ’70s collaborating with the Eagles & Linda Ronstadt, brings his unparalleled songwriting to the forefront, weaving together a tapestry of melodies that seamlessly blend together a lifetime of musical influences. Karla Bonoff’s timeless songwriting has touched everyone from Bonnie Raitt to Linda Ronstadt to Wynonna. Her emotive vocals and soul-stirring ballads have that effortless power to sweep audiences away. Performing together on stage once again, Souther and Bonoff promise an evening of musical magic, where the beauty of storytelling through song takes center stage.
Oct. 8: Here is your chance to see two legendary performers: Music icon Herb Alpert and his wife Lani Hall, Grammy-winning vocalist and former lead singer of Brazil 66 with Sergio Mendes. Alpert is celebrating his 62nd year since recording his first hit song, “The Lonely Bull” in 1962. Alpert, Hall and their incredible band, perform an eclectic mix of American standards, Brazilian jazz, some Beatles, some classic Tijuana Brass and Brazil ‘66 songs, as well as many surprises. The show features a giant video screen that displays hundreds of classic photos, videos, and various memorabilia of their music careers.
Oct. 19: Nick Carter quickly became an international pop superstar as the youngest member of the iconic boy band, Backstreet Boys. Since taking the world by storm in 1995, the band has sold more than 130 million records. In 2002, Carter ventured into a solo career with his debut album, “Now or Never,” marking the beginning of
a successful solo journey. Since then, Carter has released two additional solo albums, “I’m Taking Off” in 2012, followed by “All American” in 2016. His 2023 single “Hurts to Love You” became his most successful track, charting in seven different countries, topping the charts in the United States and charting No. 1 in Canada.
Oct. 20: esk and Silverback Films present a Netflix Original documentary series, “Our Planet Live.” Four billion years. Millions of species. Five mass extinction events (and counting, but more on that later). This episode tells the story of life on our planet, a stunning new series chronicling the ongoing rise and fall of lives on Earth, from the cataclysmic events that reshape our ecosystems to the creatures that survived (or didn’t) along the way. As this eightpart epic journey proves, the road from single-celled life-form to the biodiversity we know today was anything but drama free. Student tickets are available for this show.
Nov. 6: Shawn Colvin and KT Tunstall pack a double dose of star power into a single, awe-inspiring concert experience. Colvin, the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter of “Sunny Came Home” fame, has an emotional depth and on-stage vulnerability that has solidified her as a premier live performer. Her lasting appeal is due, in part, to her willingness to lay her emotions bare, coupled with an unmistakable dry wit.Scottish singer/songwriter Tunstall, best known for hits “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” and “Suddenly I See,” captivates audiences with her dynamic vocals and skilled guitar prowess. Paired with her pioneering looping skills, she has established herself as a must-see performer.
Jan. 23, 2025: The Texas Tenors are the most successful music group and third highest selling artist in the history of “America’s Got Talent” Since appearing on the series in 2009, JC, Marcus and John have released five studio albums, two PBS Specials, four DVDs, multiple singles and a children’s book that have earned them impressive recognition, including three Emmy Awards, The Gelett Burgess Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature, Billboard Magazine’s #10 Classical Artist in the World, and 2022 induction into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. Their most recent albums all debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts.
Feb. 18, 2025: R.E.S.P.E.C.T. is an electrifying tribute celebrating the music of the legendary Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. This concert experience takes audiences on a journey of love, tragedy, courage and triumph. Starring a live band and supreme vocalists, experience a night of music by one of the greatest artists of all time. The concert features all your favorite hits in one evening, including “Natural Woman,” “Think,” “I Knew You Were Waiting for Me,” “Chain of Fools,” “Respect” and many more.
March 2, 2025: Spend a deliciously chilling evening with renowned criminologist and serial killer expert, Dr. Scott Bonn, as he takes you inside the minds of the world’s most savage and prolific murderers. In this thrilling
CAMP THEME WEEKS
Tumble Time Kids combines early learning with gymnastics skills and more in our Gymagination Camp designed just for our 3-5 year olds! Gymagination Camp is available 8:45-11:45am Monday-Thursday
Courtesy photo
Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey will carry on the tradition of the renowned folk music with a performance at Harris Center for the Arts next year.
Courtesy photo
The Spinners have entertained audiences for decades. See the group this summer in Folsom
Shingle Springs Cameron Park
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
SHINGLE
SPRINGS~CAMERON
PARK
Chamber of Commerce
President’s Corner
Colette Thiel
Wow! June was a busy month with several ribbon cuttings; Networking After Dark mixer, luncheon at Koto Buffet AND Thunder in the Park, which had our highest attendance and classic car participation EVER! Such a fun day at Cameron Park Lake.
July 11thth (pushed back one week due to 4th of July) will be our monthly Networking After Hours Mixer at Wally’s Pizza Bar with delicious pizza and No-Host Bar from 5:30-7:30pm!
Another ribbon cutting for new member/business Training Older Adults (TOA) on 7/23/24 at 5pm. Please help us welcome this new business to the community.
Our monthly networking luncheon is on 7/25/24 at Koto Buffet at Red Hawk Casino begins at 11:45am. Our guest speaker is Rick Spencer, co-founder of Growth Factory. Capital, tools and expert mentorship to accelerate world-class founder and their companies from MVP to product-market fit, venture-backed, and beyond. The cost is only $18 per person for Chamber members and $23 for nonmembers.
The Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary partnership between businesses, professionals, and
individuals working together to build a healthy economy and improve the quality of life in the community. Chamber members are businesses, organizations and individuals concerned with the socioeconomic climate of our area. If you know a business that should be a member, we’d love the opportunity to talk with them. Just give us a call at 530677-8000. Our Chamber continues to have an open-door policy and encourages ALL our members to get involved.
Colette Thiel , President SSCP Chamber of Commerce
The SS/CP Chamber Needs Volunteers!
The Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce needs volunteers to spend a few hours a month helping the chamber with its events and management. The payback is helping your local business advocates support the community in which
JULY Events
they live and serve, while striving to make Shingle Springs and Cameron Park wonderful places in which to live! We have several key positions opening right now. Get involved today! Please contact Colette Thiel@ ThielHomes.com for more information.
Celebrating Family Fun Month
July (Fridays to Sundays)
CP Rotary Club Observatory
From 8:30pm to 10:30 pm, weather permitting, the observatory is open to the public on weekend evenings. Trained docents show the many celestial wonders of the universe through two 14-inch telescopes. Folsom Lake College, El Dorado Center, Campus Drive (continue through the back parking lots to the left of the observatory gate). For info and closure updates, call (530) 642-5621, Ext. 9.
July - Support Small Businesses And Keep It Local Shop locally by visiting the various shops and restaurants in El Dorado County!
July 11
SS/CP Chamber Networking Mixer
Starting at 5:30pm to 7:30pm, come to the monthly Networking Mixer and enjoy the ribbon-cutting event for new members, Wally’s Pizza, in Shingle Springs. Raf e prizes, plus networking with great community members!
TJuly 7
Farmers Market (Now Year ‘Round)
Sundays between 1am and 1pm, come shop our region’s most popular market with more produce and commodities than ever before. Choose from fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade honey and jams, cheeses, and other household favorites. For more information, contact Jim Coalwell at (530) 622-1900 or email jim@redshack.com.
July 19
Summer Concert
FREE concert in the park with a live band and food vendors! Joy and Madness will be performing. EDH Community Park from 7-9:30pm. FREE!
July 20
Third Saturday, Placerville Art Walk Saturday from 5-8pm, come have fun in Historic Downtown Placerville. Main Street galleries and merchants host changing art shows and late-night shopping every third Saturday of the month. Demonstrations, refreshments, music and more. Placerville Downtown Association, 376 Main St., Placerville. Read more on EventCrazy.com.
Join the Chamber
July 23
Ribbon Cutting!
Training Older Adults, located at 4050 Durock Rd., Suite 14, Shingle Springs, will celebrate their Grand Opening at 5pm. Please help welcome this great new business to our community.
July 25
SS/CP Chamber Networking Luncheon
Please join us at Koto Buffet in the Red Hawk Casino from 11:45am to 1:00pm for our monthly networking luncheon! Guest speaker is Rick Spencer, co-founder of Growth Factory. Contact the Chamber for more details at (530) 677-8000.
August 9
National Night Out
he Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce, originally formed as the Shingle Springs Business and Professional Association, Inc. in December 1967. It works to promote the area, encouraging business and industrial investment to provide the foundation for a solid community.
The Chamber’s mission statement re ects this premise: “To advocate, promote and preserve the quality of life in our Chamber Community, by means of a strong, healthy and diverse business community.”
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Shingle Springs Cameron Park
Agave: succulent stunners
Agave is a genus of succulent plants comprised of more than 200 species. It is native to arid regions of the Americas, especially Mexico and the southwestern U.S. Agave belongs to the Asparagaceae family along with asparagus, yucca and hostas. Carl Linnaeus coined the name agave in the 18th century; it derives from a Greek word meaning illustrious or noble.
For 10,000 years, agave has played a significant role in Mexican culture. Indigenous peoples used it for food, fiber, medicine and to make a fermented drink called pulque. Today it is used to produce agave syrup, a sweetener, and for fiber to make twine, clothes and rugs. Its most well-known products are tequila and other alcoholic beverages, which are distilled from the juice of the blue agave species.
Agave plants are perennial succulents, which showcase some fascinating features. Their rosettes are beautifully symmetrical, with leaves spiraling around a center point. The plants come in a range of sizes and colors, with an amazing variety of leaf shapes. Some leaves are as thin as needles, some are spaghetti-shaped, some are thick and fleshy and others display curly threads.
Agaves can range in color from green through bluish to silver gray; they can also be strikingly variegated.
Harris Center
90-minute show, Bonn reveals the insatiable, psychological hungers that drive the likes of Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer to kill repeatedly with impunity and no remorse. He explains why the majority of serial killers are either psychopaths or sociopaths, how the two differ, the powerful influences of nature and nurture on the development of fledgling serial killers and how/why serial killers are able to successfully avoid apprehension, blend into a crowd and become invisible.
April 4, 2025: Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey
Escape
may or may not have happened. I would find myself with three different versions of the story, trying to figure out what really happened at that time.”
In seeking corroborative evidence, Morgan joined forces with California State Library staff and the California State Archives, the Folsom Prison Museum archives as well as the Sacramento Room researchers at the Sacramento County Library.
His explorations also brought Morgan chance encounters, an unusually fortuitous one occurred during a visit to Grand Victory Mine.
“I was standing by the cemetery looking out toward the mine and a car pulls up and this old couple gets out,” he recalled.
That couple, George and Marion Cosens, soon revealed that George’s grandmother, Lizzie, as a young girl had stumbled into the escapees on the road near the mine. “It was really cool,” Morgan said. Morgan said he’s struck by the extent of change the area has seen. “We think of 1903 as the 20th century, but when this happened in 1903 there were no cars around here,” he mused, describing posses on horseback escaping into the hills. “It was just like the wild west. There was a moment when the sheriff is basically standing on the corner of Main Street in Placerville asking people to join his posse to go after these people. And people did.”
Five of the criminals were never caught, and although Morgan includes speculations on what may have happened to them, their stories remain a mystery.
“They just disappeared,” he said. “One of the other criminals said that he killed one and dumped them into an open mine, but was he just saying that so his friend could get away? We don’t know.”
His appetite for local history whetted, Morgan is already deep into his next project, a book on the 10 biggest escapes from Folsom Prison. He is an administrator at Sierra College and teaches marketing at University of the Pacific. Morgan enjoys running the trails around his home and exploring the foothills and their history with his wife Sheri.
“We love El Dorado Hills as a great place to raise our two daughters,” he said. “There’s so much in the area around us that we’re never going to get bored.”
“The Folsom Prison Bloody 13: The Big Escape of 1903” is published by History Press and available on
Some display embossed impressions on their leaves. These bud imprints are the result of the leaves’ unfurling from a central core, leaving toothy indentations on adjacent leaves.
Many agaves have needle-sharp spines on the leaf tips; others have teeth along the leaf edges. These tend to ward off browsers, such as deer and rabbits. But they can also be a hazard to children and pets, so it’s best to plant such agaves away from paths and walkways.
Agave blooms can be long in coming — five to 25 years — but can be a spectacular sight. Agave americana, also called the century plant, was once thought to bloom every 100 years! When agaves do bloom, a tall, spike-like stem emerges from the center of the plant. Some varieties grow flowers all over this stalk, while
carry on the tradition of the renowned folk music group Peter, Paul and Mary — a union that lasted 50 years. No American folk group lasted longer or amassed a more loyal following. They’ve remained committed to issues of social justice throughout their career. They also won five Grammys, produced 13 top 40 hits, of which six ascended into the top 10 and earned eight gold and five platinum albums. The loss of Mary Travers in September 2009 was a loss to her family, friends and the nation. Her life and legacy remain a great American treasure.
Continued from B6
others have flowers that appear at the ends of branches that spread from the sides of this stem. Some stalks can reach as high as 35 feet. The blooming period generally lasts three to four months.
An agave bloom is dramatic, but it usually signals the end of the plant’s life. This is because most agaves are monocarpic, which means that they flower once and then die. Many agaves, however, produce vegetative offsets or “pups” that will replace the dead plant.
Many species of agave are hardy in USDA Zones 8 to 10 and require little care. They thrive in full sun and gravelly, well-drained soil. Gardeners should water deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. Mulch around the base of the plant to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Agaves can be a great addition to any garden and the right species selection can create an eye-catching display in a variety of settings from rock gardens to borders to container plantings. Consider a visit to the succulent garden at the Sherwood Demonstration Garden in Placerville to get some ideas.
The Sherwood Demonstration Garden is open 9 a.m. to noon Fridays and Saturdays. Check the website for further information at ucanr.edu/sites/EDC_Master_Gardeners/ Demonstration_Garden.
Master Gardener classes are offered monthly throughout the county. Find the class schedule at mgeldorado.ucanr.edu/ Public_Education_Classes/?calendar=yes&g=56698 and recorded classes on many gardening topics at mgeldorado.ucanr. edu/Public_Education/Classes.
Have a gardening question? Master Gardeners are working hard to answer your questions. Use the “Ask a Master Gardener” option on the website, mgeldorado.ucanr.edu, or leave a message on the office telephone at (530) 621-5512. To sign up for notices and newsletters visit ucanr.edu/master_gardener_e-news. Master Gardeners are also on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
April 18, 2025: esk and Silverback Films present a Netflix Original documentary series, “Our Planet Live.” This episode explores the unforgiving frontier of climate change. The calving of a gigantic iceberg or the risks of fossil fuel exploration in the arctic are never far from our news screens. Yet what does it mean for those that live there? Join Emmy-award winning producer/director Sophie Lanfear as we follow polar bears, walruses, seals, and penguins as they find their icy edens in peril. Brought to you by the speakers, adventurers and explorers that have joined the tradition of the polar explorer and returned to tell us why this frozen frontier is vital for our planet. Student tickets are available for this show.
Bobbie McCaffrey UCCE Master Gardener of El Dorado County
Photo by Bobbie McCaffrey
Agave plants come in a wide range of sizes and colors, with an amazing variety of leaf shapes.
Dream Catchers EDH has a wonderful day program where our participants who have aged out of their programs or just want to come to us instead of their other program work on reallife skills both in the classroom and in public.
OUR MISSION
To empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDS) to live their best lives. We do this by providing opportunities for growth in character, health, social connections, and independence. Everyone who is in our program is in the Self Determination Program (SDP).
We also have an incredible theater program that rehearses every Tuesday evening from 5:30-7. This is not part of the SDP. This program is for ages 13 and up.
For more information contact: Jonathan Reis, Founder, CEO/Executive Director, at 209-400-1334 or Racquel Hall, SDP Administrator, at 209-443-0316 Or you can email us at jonathanr@dreamcatchersedh.org or racquelh@dreamcatchersedh.org
Courtesy photos
Accompanying the noises of summer construction projects at Oak Ridge High on June 5 was a cacophony of booms, hoots, pings, blares and rat-a-tat-tats. About 50 elementary- and middle school-aged children were welcomed to the high school in El Dorado Hills for a musical petting zoo, where kids got to know trombones, marimbas and many other instruments. The goal was to inspire young students to participate in music education and hopefully develop a lifelong love for creating music of their own. ORHS incoming senior Naomi Lojo organized the event with the help of her mentors, Nathan Tilley, the band director at ORHS, and Mila Olson, a music teacher in the Rescue Union School District. The petting zoo provided an opportunity for local kids to handle and play band instruments with guidance from high school band members. Participants rotated through stations featuring brass (trumpets, tubas and trombones), woodwinds (clarinets, saxophones and utes), percussion (marimbas, bells, chimes, gong, guitar, quint and snare drums) and music-oriented activities. ORHS band members donated their time and skills and the El Dorado Hills Music Store donated most of the reeds for the woodwind instruments. Read more about Naomi’s mission on VillageLife.com.
The Gift of Kids, Inc.
Jennifer Tommasini
5130 Golden Foothill Parkway
El Dorado Hills 916-521-1835
www.thegiftofkids.net
I would like to thank everyone for their vote for #1 Favorite Daycare and continuing to trust us with your precious children. I love being part of this community and helping children learn and grow. With 4 children of my own (now 25, 22, 13 and 12), my own journey began in the daycare preschool eld because I was unhappy with the care and education I was receiving.
I have been blessed to have a large facility in El Dorado Hills where I employ 30 loving teachers and care for 200 children. We offer education and care for babies, Preschoolers, Pre-K, and private Kindergarten. Don’t be fooled by our large size, our teachers make each classroom homey and warm. The kids have lots of outdoor space to play, we are on over an acre and have 4 large playgrounds, a soccer eld, and a an organic garden. The Gift of Kids outdoor area gives the kids space to explore, garden, and play on age appropriate playgrounds.
The teachers at The Gift of Kids Daycare and Preschool include talent that brings us music, yoga, and even Spanish on a daily basis. We have been working with soccer shots for over 8 years and have a very structured and advanced curriculum! Teachers here are all educated in child development, CPR and First Aid certi ed, and make it a priority to continue their education.
The Gift of Kids Inc. is celebrating 24 years in business, with 14 years in our same location, Business Park 1. We could not have done it without the many wonderful families here in the community that I have called home for 20 years! Again...Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me live out my dream in a business that I love and families that continue to bless us with their children. We have newly renovated the inside of our school, so come by to check it out and say hello anytime!
Discover the Most Spacious Senior Apartments in El Dorado County
e spacious Independent Living apartments at Ponté Palmero mean you can continue your independent lifestyle, with access to all the community services and amenities we o er to make your retirement easier and more enjoyable.
Floor plans up to 1,482 square feet | Private, attached garage | Full kitchen | In-suite laundry
You can continue to cook and entertain in your own home, or enjoy our chef-prepared meals in the community dining room with friends. We take away the worry of housekeeping and home maintenance, and provide social opportunities all month long. You can relax and spend your days with friends and family, and doing the things you enjoy most.
INDEPENDENT LIVING HOMES FEATURES
• Kitchen with full-size appliances and granite counters
• Private patio
• Attached garage
• In-home washer and dryer
• High ceilings
• Housekeeping, laundry, and trash service
• Utilities and basic cable included
• Air conditioning
• Pets welcome!
COMMUNITY SERVICES & AMENITIES
• Restaurant-style dining
• Swimming pool, hot tub, and outdoor grills
• Clubhouse and tness center
• Library and full-service beauty salon
• Activities, clubs, outings, and celebrations
• Transportation services
• 24-hour emergency maintenance
• Gated electronic entrance
We also o er Assisted Living Villas & Memory Care apartments for a full continuum of care.
