Mountain Democrat, Friday, July 5, 2024 by mcnaughtonmedia

Moccasin Fire scorches wildland

Noel

Editor

Stack

Fire crews continue to battle the Moccasin Fire, which has thus far burned 51 acres and is 25% contained, according to the latest Cal Fire report.

“Crews will continue throughout the day to strengthen the control lines and mop up hot spots,” a Cal Fire social media post notes.

Evacuation orders

remain in place for all or portions of Oak Hill Road, Moccasin Trail, Nashville Trail, Metate Trail, Calamity Lane, Rocky Ridge Road, Los Cerros Drive, Pepperland Road and Meander Lane in southern El Dorado County. Evacuation warnings have been issued north, east and southwest of the ﬁre. See link here for a ected areas: app. perimeterplatform.

com/incidents/ polygon/22774. The blaze began as a structure fire around 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, and spread into nearby vegetation. By 3:15 p.m. the El Dorado County Fire Protection District reported 15 acres had burned. At 6:10 p.m. that figure was estimated at 50 acres with multiple fire agencies on scene, including aircraft.

Fireﬁghters are

working in triple-digit heat, traversing hilly terrain ﬁlled with trees and brush in some areas.

“Good progress has been made on the Moccasin Fire thus far. The ﬁre has slowed considerably and retardant lines are holding,” EDCFPD o cials reported shortly before 4 p.m. July 2. Crews worked through the night to maintain those containment lines.

Law enforcement officers on Oak Hill Road direct traffic away from the fire Tuesday afternoon. Road closures and detours remained in effect as of press time.

“The ﬁre was very active and the access and geography presented challenges to ground crews,” an EDCFPD post noted Wednesday. “Aircraft,

both ﬁxed wing and rotary, were used heavily with great success.” Roadblocks remained in place along the

Cannabis cultivation getting new tax structure

Eric Jaramishian Senior sta writer

El Dorado County o cials are in the process of changing the county’s commercial cannabis cultivation tax structure from square footage rates to a gross receipt percentage, which is likely to become e ective July 16.

Sta with the Commercial Cannabis Division of the Planning and Building Department and the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s O ce brought Ordinance 5203 to the Board of Supervisors during its June 25 meeting which would change the tax rate structure for all cannabis cultivation from square footage rates to a 3% percent

CHP motorcycles back on the road

Eric Jaramishian Senior sta writer

Placerville’s California Highway Patrol o ce has brought back motorcycle patrol after nearly a decade-long hiatus, rolling out two bikes this far.

CHP–Placerville temporarily halted the

program in 2015 due to personnel transfers, retirements and lack of ridership interest; the bikes were transferred to another CHP agency. The law enforcement agency is revamping motorcycle patrols due to increases in

■ See CHP, page A11

of gross receipts for one year.

“(It’s) a little cleaner and you’ll recall in earlier conversations with the industry that this is something they were asking for as well, and all of us agreed,” Assistant Director of Planning Chris Perry told the board. The percentage would escalate by one half every year until it reaches

4%, with increases set to begin on July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026.

“This will give us time to evaluate its appropriateness and we can always come back to the board if it needs to be recalibrated, but we at least wanted to have that small percent escalator,”

Cal Fire firefighters ready a hose lay to contain a fire that broke out at the 1500 block of Moccasin Trail, west of Somerset, which spread to 50 acres and burned at least one building on the afternoon of July 2.

California Highway Patrol Officer Alex Whitley rolls through downtown Placerville on a motorcycle Monday morning. Placerville’s CHP office has brought back motorcycle patrols after not having the service for nearly 10 years.

Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian

ESSENTIALS

OBITUARIES

Eva Kimberly Darr-Ritchie

May 9, 1971 – June 12, 2024

Eva Kimberly Darr-Ritchie passed away peacefully at home after a valiant struggle with cancer. Eva leaves son Travis Rivard, husband Je rey W. Ritchie, brother Edd J. Darr, Jr. (wife Hannah May Darr), step-son Je rey C. Ritchie, stepbrother Perron Simpson and step-sister Theresa Hopkins. Eva joins father Edward J. Darr, Sr. (June 27, 1945-Nov. 26, 2002), mother Laura Loreen Lewis Darr (July 9, 1949-Dec. 7, 1992), son Tyler James Rivard (Sept. 10, 1997 - March 14, 2018), and step-father John P. Simpson (Oct. 1948-Feb. 11, 2015).

Eva was born in Placerville CA, attending both El Dorado and Folsom High Schools, graduating from El Dorado in 1989. Eva worked at various jobs, including Home Builders, El Dorado County, and most recently for Epicor, a business systems corporation, as a well-respected IT Support person. Eva lived most of her life as a resident of Mosquito on the family homestead, and was ﬁfth generation Darr to make improvements to the homestead by putting her stamp on both the inside and outside. Eva so encouraged her sons’ friends that many became her ‘bonus’ children.

Eva was a warm, funny, loving and lovable woman who brought joy to those who were fortunate to know her. Eva will be sorely missed by her family, friends, and neighbors. Love you more, Eva.

A celebration of Eva’s life will be held on Saturday, July 27, 4pm, at Edd and Hannah Darr’s home, 6880 Log Cabin Lane, Placerville, CA. A potluck dish would be appreciated.

Doris Beers Beemer

May 25, 1926 – May 24, 2024

In loving memory of Doris Beers Beemer who passed away on 5/24/24

Doris was predeceased by her beloved husband of 62 years, James G. Beemer in 2005. She lived a most wonderful life surrounded by her devoted family. She leaves children Patsy Stoneking (Sam), Jean Beemer, Rebecca Beemer (Kent Fickett) and David Beemer (Patti). Grandchildren Penny Castillero Smart (Steve), Diana Castillero Kantola (Kelly), Gina Stoneking Gray, Kimberly Stoneking Hewel (Chris), Ellena Fickett Chen (Nick), Aaron Beemer, Kevin Beemer, and Daniel Fickett. Fourteen great grandchildren and ﬁve great great grandchildren.

Doris’s greatest love, pride and joy was being the matriarch of ﬁve generations. Both she and Jim loved nothing more than to point out that they “started all this.” It gave her great joy to attend every and all of her children’s and grandchildren’s and great grandchildren’s school and sports events.

Doris grew up on a ranch in Wabuska, NV, and in Fair Oaks, CA. She married the love of her life, James, at 18 in the middle of WWII. They were stationed in Georgia for a while, then back to CA where they spent most of their life together.

Of all her myriad interests and talents, Doris loved most the family homes she and Jim lived in so comfortably. There she could create award winning quilts, sew, bake every cookie known, but mostly chocolate chip, and throw together incredible family meals for everyone. Only their curiosity to see the world could get them out. And see it they did: Europe, South America, Africa, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia, and almost all 50 states.

Because of her love of history Doris also thoroughly enjoyed being a volunteer docent in the El Dorado County Historical Museum. Rest in peace mom/grammie. You are missed. Per her request there will be no services. Please honor her memory by loving your family with all your heart, just as she did.

Doyle L. Whisenhunt

June 6, 1940 – May 17, 2024

Doyle was born June 6, 1940 to Albert W. Whisenhunt and Bertha L. Parks. He passed away May 17, 2024 after a lengthy illness and is preceded in death by his parents. Doyle joined the Army in 1959. After a Honorable Discharge, he went to work for Yuba City Fire Dept. In 1967, Doyle joined the California Highway patrol assigned to Los Banos area after completion of the Academy, transferring to the North Sacramento area and ﬁnally the Placerville Area where he retired after 28 1/2 years. He then went to work for the El Dorado County Sheri s Depart as a Deputy Sheri in the Courts for another 13 years. He was a Master Mason, Shriner, Elk and a member of the American Legion. Doyle is survived by his wife, Sheryl of 31 years, daughters Sonia (Joe) Esteves of Dos Palos, Leah (David) Forte of Arkansas, Denyse (Daniel) Shirley of Gustine and two stepchildren, Michael Blagg and Sheri Blagg, brother Ron Whisenhunt (Patti) of Sutter Cree, sister Susie Applegarth of Cheyenne WY. He also leaves several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Kathleen (Kathy) Adele

Kimble

April 26, 1935 – June 9, 2024

Kathleen (Kathy) Adele

Kimble, 89, of El Dorado, CA, a resident of El Dorado County for over 70 years, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2024, of natural causes following a multiday vigil by family and friends. She was born in Auburn, CA, on April 26, 1935, to her parents Margaret Ellen Pool (Fassett) and Irvin L. Pool of nearby Loomis. The family moved to Carmichael, CA, in the late 1940’s, and Kathy graduated from San Juan High School in Citrus Heights.

Following a brief courtship at age 18, Kathy married a handsome “cowboy,” Silas P. “Bud” Kimble of Fair Oaks, CA. They settled in rural El Dorado County where their son, Steven, was born a year after their marriage. Bud and Kathy were married for over 30 years until Bud’s untimely death at age 58.

Kathleen is survived by her beloved son, Steven P. Kimble, of El Dorado; younger brother Michael W. Pool, sister-in-law Celeste and niece Beatrice of Rohnert Park, CA; and two children of her recently deceased older brother Irvin C. Pool, nephew Thomas C. Pool, Citrus Heights, CA, and niece Brenda J. Sherman, Carmichael, CA.

A celebration of life is planned for an outdoor venue in October of 2024.

As the daughter of a U.S. Army cavalryman who guarded the Arizona-New Mexico border in the days of Pancho Villa, Kathy learned to ride horses early in her life. During her high school years, she was a member of the American River Riders for three years, a state championship horseback drill team, competing in events throughout California. With a friend as passenger, at age 16, she famously drove a horse trailer to Palm Springs and back for one competition.

Kathy was a highly capable horse rider into her middle age. She spoke often of winning three equestrian events one year at the Amador County Fair, earning the “Purple Rose”, on her beloved horse, Cinnamon Twist. Kathy also told stories of taking part in a cattle drive on horseback up old Highway 50.

She had an immense love and compassion for all animals and kept pet horses, cats, dogs, and parakeets over the years. Kathy kept six hummingbird feeders full of sugar syrup almost all year, once counting over 50 birds feeding at one time.

She cherished flowers, esp. roses, and for decades propagated specific varieties of heirloom plants in her garden and continued to enjoy gardening into her final year of life. Her creative spirit and love of flowers led her to design and enter dozens of flower arrangements as well as potted plants in the Amador and El Dorado County fairs. One year she won Best of Show for her arrangement, “50 Years of Fairs — Jackson Night Life”.

Like all good country women, Kathy was skilled in the homemaking arts and brought her creative hand and eye to needle craft, food preservation, cooking, esp. baked goods made with local fruits, home decoration, and making clothing for her family. She was also a talented amateur painter, favoring ﬂowers and landscapes as her subjects. Always active, she worked “regular jobs” in shoe and fabric stores in Placerville, where she made lifelong friends, and picked pears at her grandparents’ orchard in Camino, cut wine grapes in Amador County, and sold hand-made wreaths. A full life well lived.

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PLACERVILLE POLICE CRIME LOG

The following information was taken from Placerville police reports:

June 2

10:44 a.m. Vandalism was reported on Maria Vista Way.

1:08 p.m. O cers booked into jail a 34-year-old man on suspicion of DUI and possession of controlled substance on Main Street. He was later released.

1:52 p.m. Petty theft was reported at a business on Placerville Drive.

7:40 p.m. A person allegedly drunk in public was reported at a store on Placerville Drive.

8:56 p.m. O cers booked into jail a 24-year-old man on suspicion of DUI on Coloma Street. He was later released.

10:37 p.m. O cers booked into jail a 33-year-old man on suspicion of DUI on Turner Street. He was later released.

June 3

1:51 a.m. O cers booked into jail a 35-year-old woman on suspicion of possession of unlawful paraphernalia on Broadway. She was later released.

1:35 p.m. O cers booked into jail a 51-year-old man on suspicion of parole violation on Main Street. He was listed in custody.

1:48 p.m. Burglary was reported on Fair Lane.

7:36 p.m. O cers booked into jail a 40-year-old man on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on Fair Lane. He was released on $50,000 bail.

June 4

3:51 a.m. A possible prowler was reported on Smith Flat Road.

12:29 p.m. Vandalism was reported at a church on B Street.

3:04 p.m. Petty theft was reported at a store on Broadway.

5:22 p.m. Battery was reported at a facility on Broadway.

8:16 p.m. Petty theft was reported at a store on Placerville Drive.

June 5

3:48 p.m. Petty theft was reported at a store on Placerville Drive.

9:46 p.m. Battery was reported at the parking garage on Center Street.

June 6

8:38 a.m. O cers booked into jail a 68-year-old man on suspicion of trespassing and refusing to leave property on Broadway. He was listed in custody in lieu of $20,000 bail.

June 7

1:21 p.m. Brandishing was reported on Marshall Way.

3:52 p.m. Battery was reported on Eskaton Drive.

4:33 p.m. O cers booked into jail a 38-year-old man on suspicion of contempt of court on Placerville Drive. He was listed in custody.

June 8

1:47 a.m. Brandishing was reported at a restaurant on Fair Lane.

8:41 a.m. O cers booked into jail a 35-year-old man on suspicion of probation violation on Marshall Way. He was listed in custody.

11:05 a.m. Vandalism was reported at a business on Broadway.

2:10 p.m. Battery was reported at a motel on Broadway.

7:52 p.m. O cers booked into jail a a 36-year-old woman on suspicion of driving with suspended license for DUI on Forni Road. She was later released.

10:42 p.m. Petty theft was reported at a business on Placerville Drive.

EDC SHERIFF’S OFFICE CRIME LOG

The following information was taken from EDSO reports:

June 6

Midnight: Deputies booked into jail a 61-year-old woman on suspicion of perjury and fraud to obtain aid on Pleasant Valley Road in El Dorado. She was released on $10,000 bail.

12:46 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 31-year-old man on suspicion of driving with a suspended license on Post Street in El Dorado Hills. He was released on $15,000 bail.

4:41 a.m. California Highway Patrol o cers booked into jail a 45-year-old man on suspicion of driving with a suspended license on Highway 50. He was released on $3,000 bail.

8:56 a.m. Vandalism was reported on Deerhorn Lane in El Dorado Hills.

9:49 a.m. Grand theft was reported on Palmer Drive in Cameron Park.

11:47 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 36-year-old man on suspicion of probation violation on Marva Lane in Placerville. He was released on $25,000 bail.

12:16 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 37-year-old woman on suspicion of contempt in court and burglary on Tullis Mine Road in Diamond Springs. She was released on $85,000 bail.

4:05 p.m. Burglary was reported on Pony Express Trail in Pollock Pines.

7 p.m. Grand theft was reported on Howard Circle in Diamond Springs.

7:43 p.m. California Highway Patrol

o cers booked into jail a 50-yearold man on suspicion of DUI on Forni Road in El Dorado. He was later released.

8:49 p.m. California Highway Patrol

o cers booked into jail a 57-yearold man on suspicion of DUI on Greenstone Road in Placerville. He was later released.

released.

5:12 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 40-year-old man on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance on Grassy Run Court in Placerville. He was released on $30,000 bail.

5:21 a.m. Vandalism was reported on Forni Road in Placerville. 8:55 a.m. Grand theft was reported on Industrial Drive in Placerville.

12:58 p.m. Burglary was reported on Cimmarron Road in Cameron Park.

5 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 41-year-old man on suspicion of driving with a suspended license (location not listed). He was later released.

7:02 p.m. Battery was reported on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville.

10:22 p.m. Battery was reported on Shadow Court in Pollock Pines.

10:52 p.m. California Highway Patrol o cers book into jail a 68-year-old woman on suspicion of DUI, hit-and-run and driving with a suspended license on Errante Drive in El Dorado Hills. She was released on $10,000 bail.

11:58 p.m. California Highway Patrol o cers booked into jail a 38-year-old man on suspicion of DUI and possession and use of controlled substance on North Street in El Dorado. He was released on $5,000 bail.

June 8

2:14 a.m. California Highway Patrol o cers booked into jail a 31-yearold woman on suspicion of DUI on Highway 50 (town not listed). She was later released.

9:06 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 33-year-old woman on suspicion of violating probation on Pollock Avenue in El Dorado. She was later released.

A Celebration of Life Memorial was held June 30, 2024 from 11am to 3pm at the American Legion Hall, Placerville. Burial is pending and will be in the Veterans Section of Sutter Cemetery, Sutter CA.

June 7

4:14 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 65-year-old man on suspicion of possession of controlled substance on Grassy Run Court in Placerville. He was released on $75,000 bail.

4:51 a.m. Deputies booked into jail

a 34-year-old man on suspicion of parole violation on Grassy Run Court in Placerville. He was later

12:54 p.m. Battery was reported on Marshall Way in Placerville. 4:23 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 37-year-old woman on suspicion of parole violation on Cameron Park Drive in Cameron Park. She was later released.

10:15 p.m. California Highway Patrol o cers booked into jail a 40-year-old woman on suspicion ■ See CRIME LOG, page A3

Crystal Creek Tree Farm recognized for excellence in ag

Odin Rasco Senior staff writer

Following a winding road through a forested patch of Apple Hill, visitors may find themselves at Crystal Creek Tree Farm, a family-run Christmas tree farm that has become part of a yearly tradition for families near and far. Dee and Bob Kobervig, owners and operators of the decades-spanning operation, were recently recognized by peers and neighbors across the county and named Farm Family of the Year for 2024.

The Farm Family of the Year title is presented by the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce’s Agriculture Council, a group representing “virtually everyone in the industry; growers, resource conservation districts, and so on,” according to chamber CEO Laurel BrentBumb. Every year, the council conducts a round table discussion and presents the family grower of the year award, which is decided through a set of criteria set by the group.

The Kobervigs have been fixtures on Apple Hill for decades; they bought their Camino property in 1984 and moved there from Tahoe two years later.

The early years were an undertaking, to say

the least. The front of their plot alongside Cable Road was “basically an unofficial dump for this part of the county,” Dee recalled. It took no small effort, according to Dee, to clear away tossed-aside detritus and countless blackberry vines in order to set up the space that now serves as a picnic area near the farm’s entrance. At first, the 20-acre property was home to apple and pear trees, which required a lot of attention and frequent spraying for bugs. The Kobervigs made a go

of DUI on Jenrose Lane in Shingle Springs. She was later released.

10:51 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 40-year-old man on suspicion of vandalism on Latrobe Road in El Dorado Hills. He was released on $10,000 bail.

11:34 p.m. Battery was reported on Cameron Park Drive in Cameron Park.

June 9

1:06 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 62-year-old woman on suspicion of DUI with prior convictions on Cameron Park Drive in Cameron Park. She was later released.

10:06 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 30-year-old man on suspicion of violating probation on Merchant Circle in Placerville. He was later released.

10:59 a.m. Grand theft reported on Prado Vista Court in Placerville.

2:54 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 28-year-old man on suspicion of battery on Cambridge Road in Cameron Park. He was later released.

6:38 p.m. Battery was reported on Lotus Road in Lotus. 6:51 p.m. Grand theft was reported on Zeller Court in Diamond Springs.

8:42 p.m. Battery was reported on Bear Creek Road in Garden Valley.

10:37 p.m. California Highway Patrol officers booked into jail a 22-year-old man on suspicion of DUI on Highway 50 and Ponderosa Road. He was later released.

11:19 p.m. California Highway Patrol officers booked into jail a 49-year-old woman on suspicion of DUI on Highway 50 and Ponderosa Road. She was later released.

11:53 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 30-year-old man on suspicion of driving without license and possession of a control substance while armed with loaded firearm. He was released on $100,000 bail.

June 10

3:41 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 27-year-old woman on suspicion of battery and vandalism on Wilson Boulevard in El Dorado Hills. She was released on $9,000 bail.

10:10 a.m. Battery was reported on Pony Express Trail in Pollock Pines.

10:34 a.m. Battery was reported on Sunset Lane in Shingle Springs.

1:39 p.m. Grand theft was reported on Heagey Hill Road in Placerville.

5:03 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 24-year-old man on suspicion of two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. He was released on $25,000 bail.

7:02 p.m. California Highway Patrol officers booked into jail a 37-year-old man on suspicion of DUI and

at selling fruit at a roadside stand.

“We’d see cars lining up on the road, but we couldn’t get people to buy our apples at the roadside. And the market at the time was just horrible prices; you could sell the apples at maybe 12 cents a pound, while the supermarket was selling for 59 cents a pound. It didn’t even pay to have them picked,” Dee said.

While still living check-to-check, Dee decided to pivot and had all 12 acres of apple and pear trees pulled up and replaced with Christmas

driving without a license on Highway 50. He was later released.

8:37 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 28-year-old man on suspicion of disorderly conduct and obstruction on Panther Lane in Diamond Springs. He was released on $3,000 bail.

8:46 p.m. Battery was reported on Town Center Boulevard in El Dorado Hills.

8:50 p.m. Battery was reported on Delos Lane in Placerville.

June 11

12:49 a.m. California Highway Patrol officers booked into jail a 33-year-old man on suspicion of DUI at Sly Park. He was later released.

8:05 a.m. Trespassing was reported on Thornhill Drive in El Dorado Hills.

8:24 a.m. Vandalism was reported on Rock Creek Road in Placerville.

8:59 a.m. Burglary was reported on Sunset Lane in Shingle Springs.

11:08 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 72-year-old man on suspicion of trespassing on Forni Road. He was later released.

11:57 a.m. Grand theft was reported on Pomeroy Lane in El Dorado Hills.

6:25 p.m. California Highway Patrol officers booked into jail a 27-year-old woman on suspicion of DUI on Forni Road. She was later released.

6:34 p.m. Deputies booked into jail 42-year-old man on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville. He was listed in custody.

7:36 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 41-year-old woman on suspicion of vandalism and obstruction on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville. She was listed in custody in lieu of $25,000 bail.

June 12

6:41 a.m. Battery was reported on Bottle Hill Road in Georgetown.

6:53 a.m. Vandalism was reported on Mosquito Road in Placerville

10:53 a.m. Grand theft was reported on Gutierrez Place in El Dorado Hills.

10:57 a.m. Burglary was reported on Business Drive in Shingle Springs.

2:03 p.m. Grand theft was reported on North Shingle Road in Shingle Springs.

2:17 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 51-year-old man on suspicion of failure to appear and possession of unlawful paraphernalia on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville. He was released on $25,000 bail.

2:38 p.m. Burglary to a vehicle was reported at Estates Drive in El Dorado Hills.

trees, which they have been selling since. At first, convincing people to stop over at the farm was difficult, as many people had already been going to other tree farms for years, Dee recalled. These days, she joked, getting people to stop at the farm isn’t as much of an issue as having people’s navigation apps lead them to the wrong house.

Dee started a mailing list and made efforts to offer some of the cheapest trees in town, which helped gain a loyal customer base.

“It’s the people

who keep this work worthwhile,” Dee said.

“People who once came with their parents to pick out a tree are now coming up with kids of their own. COVID was a challenge, but this let people get a chance to get outside and be with their families and they came out in droves.”

For 15 of the early years as a tree farm, Dee and Bob decided to put all the money they made from sales into a college fund for their two daughters. By the time the kids were collegebound, the fund helped cover tuition costs at UC

Berkeley and UC Davis. Though the selling season for Christmas trees is quick, lasting just around a month, a tree farm takes more time and patience than many customers might expect.

“It’s work,” Dee explained. “It takes a long time to have trees ready to be anything more than a kind of tabletop Christmas tree.” Most trees will take 7-10 years until they are adequately size, though some might take as long as 10-15 years. Dee noted one benefit of a Christmas tree farm is that trees that don’t sell one year aren’t a loss, and “are just a bigger tree for next year.” Dee and Bob have been active in the community since they moved to the area, being involved with Apple Hill since the beginning and serving on multiple groups, including Dee’s 15-year stint as president of the growers association. Though they have slowed on participation, they still help where they can, such as working with a local resource conservation district to put up multiple bat boxes across their property.

The Kobervigs are “staying the course” at Crystal Creek Tree Farm and enjoying the work they do.

“It’s a nice place to live, and a nice lifestyle,” Dee remarked.

Mountain Democrat photo by Odin Rasco

Bob and Dee Kobervig have been growing Christmas trees at Crystal Creek Tree Farm, 2019 Cable Road in Camino, for decades and were recently named Farm Family of the Year for 2024 by the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce’s Agriculture Council.

Crime

‘FAIR TRIAL’ FOR KILLED BEAR?

DA answers bear advocates’ petition questioning CDFW investigation

Katelyn Welsh Tahoe Daily Tribune

SOUTH LAKE

TAHOE — The Bear League’s nearly 3,000 signature strong petition got the attention of the El Dorado County District Attorney who on June 25 released an independent review of the incident. The petition requested the DA’s office conduct a criminal investigation into the Memorial Day bear shooting, claiming the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s investigation fell short.

“Please join the BEAR League,” the petition reads, “in calling on the District Attorney to do what CDFW will not do.”

The Bear League’s Ann Bryant said after releasing the petition, “This bear didn’t get a fair trial.”

District Attorney Vern Pierson’s office answered the call and came to a conclusion posted in capital letters at the top of its independent review — ”BEAR SHOOTING DID NOT VIOLATE THE LAW.”

It was the same conclusion CDFW had come to on May 28, one day after the shooting happened in which they deemed the shooting self-defense.

The DA’s decision determined the suspect shot the bear out of concern for the safety

of himself and the property. In addition, they found no other criminal liability such as negligence in discharging a firearm, a concern voiced to the Bear League by residents.

In a statement responding to the DA’s review, Bear League officials noted they were initially encouraged when they heard the office was looking into it. “We also feared it was simply an attempt to ‘calm the masses’ and would not actually be conducted with the goal of finding the truth,” the statement expresses and continues, “After reading the scant details of the ‘independent DA investigation’ it was perfectly clear this is exactly what happened.”

Bryant said she thinks CDFW officials initially made a hasty decision when coming to a conclusion just one day after the shooting. “They just screeched to a halt within 24 hours,” she said. “It takes longer than that to gather information.” That, as well as unanswered questions, influenced the Bear League’s issuance of its petition.

Captain Patrick Foy with the CDFW Law Enforcement Division responded, “What did we cut short? We interviewed all the witnesses and collected all the necessary

evidence, so what else was missed?”

While the petition claims the department dismissed the eyewitness accounts of neighbors who saw the shooting, the captain says those testaments were fully incorporated into the investigation.

The Yamkovenkos’ accounts, who have been outspoken about the incident since it occurred, differed from the shooter’s in a way that colors the incident in a poaching light, instead of self defense.

“Rarely do you interview people that are associated with a potential crime investigation and you come up with exact same stories,” Foy said.

He explained their job as officers is to conduct an investigation, develop facts and look at how the evidence supports or refutes testimony.

The evidence consisting of bear hair in the man’s house and an empty shell casing in the living room, Foy said, supported the shooter’s claim the 75- to 85-pound bear threatened him and his dog inside his house, where he then shot it twice, causing it to flee back into the backyard and climb a tree. It’s reported the bear fell out of the tree, upon which the shooter shot it a third time to euthanize it.

Foy also stated

gunshot wounds and ballistics were consistent with the man shooting the bear in self-defense.

But the Bear League still had questions.

“Where was the bear hair?,” Bryant asked. “Was there any blood splatter?”

This was all in question by the league since the Yamkovenkos provided an account that the bear didn’t enter the house entirely and say they heard the first shot when the bear was exiting the house.

Disparate witnesses statements at hand, Foy says when deciding whether to charge the man, the wildlife officer was faced with a question: Does he have enough evidence to prove a bear poaching case beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law?

“It was a simple conclusion,” the captain said. “No.”

The DA’s review agreed and much of the review dismantled the neighbors’ testimony. One thing that impacted reliance on the Yamkovenkos’ story, according to the DA’s report, was their vantage point from where they observed the incident.

Evidenced with a photo, the report describes their view into the suspect’s backyard as obstructed by a tree and shed, “making it plausible that the bear entered the residence at some point when the neighbor’s vision was obscured.”

The district attorney investigator found this observation spot to measure 80 feet away from the suspect’s back door. Along with obscurities by the foliage and buildings, the DA report finds it was improbable that the neighbor could have observed the entire

incident from that position.

The Yamkovenkos provided the Tribune with a response to the district attorney’s evaluation. They stated at the time of the incident, their vision of the entry point into the suspect’s residence was never obscured by structures and the foliage was not yet there on May 27.

According to the DA’s office, the photo used as evidence was taken the day after the incident, on May 28.

The investigator also found the neighbor had trouble placing the bear at the time the first shot was heard. The report states the neighbor told the investigator the bear was casually exiting the residence when the shot was fired, where he had initially told CDFW that the bear was quickly exiting.

The Yamkovenkos revealed they intended their reference to the bear casually exiting the residence to mean that when the bear backed out to run away, it did not seem extremely frighted as it would have been if it had already been shot. They say this corresponds to their statement that the first of three shots didn’t occur until the bear was out of the house and already fleeing.

The report continues to say the neighbor said he immediately went to the far side of the suspect’s property once he heard the first gunshot from his balcony. “This makes it implausible,” the report states, “that he observed the suspect fire the second shot from that position.”

The Yamkovenkos told the Tribune, “We observed the bear leaving the house and we observed the bear climbing the tree. We

did not observe the bear as he ran from the house to the tree, but we don’t see why this is material since the bear was running away. And, as we mentioned before, we had an unobstructed view of the entry point to the residence the entire time.”

They estimate the time the bear was in front of the house, entering and backing out, took at most 30 seconds, the Yamkovenkos claimed, “which makes an altercation inside the house very unlikely.”

The report states the bear was undeterred when these neighbors banged pots and pans to keep the bear from entering the suspect’s residence, corroborating the suspect’s claims that waving and yelling at the bear did not deter it.

According to the report, the suspect’s interview with the district attorney investigator was largely consistent with his initial interview with CDFW. The suspect did concede the second shot was fired when the bear had exited the back door.

However, the DA investigator noted that the wounded bear would have been trapped in a confined area in the backyard and presumably could have still been a threat at the time the second shot was fired.

Bryant and the Bear League believe this isn’t the man’s first incident of this nature with a bear and in their statement responding to the DA’s report state, “The shooter’s past nefarious dealings with bears on his property were discounted.”

DA officials reports receiving comments from the public about alleged prior incidents

are treated, they will be transported offsite for proper management. DTSC has determined that these chemicals pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to human health and the environment if not properly managed. Therefore, an Emergency Permit should be issued. This Emergency Permit is effective from June 24, 2024 through August 30, 2024. The Emergency Permit includes measures to minimize any adverse impact to the community and the environment. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA): DTSC has determined that the issuance of this permit is exempt from the requirements of CEQA and

Mackinaw Hotel project deadlines extended

Odin Rasco Senior sta writer

The Placerville Planning Commission recently approved a 12-month extension for the site plan review for a project that would bring a boutique hotel to Placerville’s upper Broadway area. Once projected to open in late 2023, the 112-room Mackinaw Hotel would be built at 3001 Jacquier Road, near Smith Flat Road and Highway 50. The project, co-developed by Eat. Drink.Sleep and Apple Hill Hospitality, LLC, would be the ﬁrst new hotel to be built in the Placerville area in decades.

The city completed an initial review of plans for the building in July 2023, according to commission sta reports, returning them to the project architect for revisions and later resubmitting. That same month the commission approved a oneyear extension of the original entitlements granted in 2022.

City ordinances allow for such extensions, but site plan review approval has a maximum deadline of ﬁve years; currently, the project is halfway through this time window, with the extended expiration date now set for July 5, 2025.

“We are still working with the city of Placerville to ﬁnalize design, so we can get accurate construction costs and seek ﬁnancing,” wrote Eat.Drink.

Sleep Executive Vice President

Stacy Warner in an email to the Mountain Democrat.

Plans for the hotel include 3,000 square feet of meeting and event space, a restaurant and a rooftop gathering area. The design is described as “mountain modern,” deﬁned by focus on utilizing traditional stone and timber materials to preserve a sense of place, according to a statement by Eat.Drink.Sleep CEO Brett Miller. Though the developer is based out of Southern California, the Mackinaw reﬂects careful thought about the Placerville region and its history; the name for the hotel is derived from the type of wool jackets Snowshoe Thompson wore.

The extensions also include two variances: one because the hotel would exceed the allowed 40 feet in hight by 6 feet and 7 inches, and the other to allow for a higher percentage of compact parking spaces.

The site where the Mackinaw is set to be has a long history of proposed developments; it’s been eyed as a hotel location by at least four di erent developers since 1986, and at one time was considered as a potential site for a Pea Soup Andersen’s. The space currently contains the 20-year-old foundations for a previous project, the Gateway Hotel, which failed to get o the ground after developers completed grading and road improvements.

Social media is the go-to place to post mountain lion sightings

Eric Jaramishian Senior sta writer

El Dorado County Sheri ’s O ce o cials request the public note “simple sightings” of mountain lions on a Facebook group due to a “signiﬁcant volume of mountain lion sightings” in the area.

An EDSO Facebook post encourages residents to go onto the El Dorado County Mountain Lion Sightings page, which was created in May in response to a jump in reported sightings. Those who spot a mountain lion are asked to post details as part of new mountain lion safety protocol.

The group, which has consistent postings of mountain lions all across the county, including photos, video footage and other related-media, had more than 7,600 followers as of July 3. Sheri ’s o cials also encourage folks to report injured or dead livestock, or pets, to the El Dorado County Agriculture Department at (530) 6215520. Those in immediate danger, or if livestock and pets are threatened, should dial 911.

like Ring cameras with 24/7 capturing, they are capturing the wildlife,” CDFW information o cer Peter Tira told the Mountain Democrat in April. “It is not necessarily that the population is increasing, but we are seeing more images of lions and other wildlife as opposed to 20 years ago when some of this technology didn’t exist. Maybe your dogs barked and three minutes later the animals were gone in the past, but really the sightings can be alluded to the explosion in technology throughout the state.”

Some residents remain unconvinced.

A recent cause for concern came after neighbors spotted three mountain lions roaming the neighborhood o Blanchard Road in Placerville. Bryan Thornton, who owns property and a business near where the lions were spotted, said his neighbor saw the group at around night time earlier this month.

“It is not necessarily that the population is increasing, but we are seeing more images of lions and other wildlife as opposed to 20 years ago when some of this technology didn’t exist.”

— CDFW information o cer Peter Tira

Concerns of mountain lions have heightened after two brothers were attacked in the Georgetown area in the Eldorado National Forest in March, resulting in the death of 21-year-old Taylen Brooks, the ﬁrst in the county in 30 years and 20th in the state.

Since then, sightings and reports have increased, o cials say.

However, California Department of Fish and Wildlife o cials insist that while advances in technology are capturing more sightings, the population and danger of mountain lions is not necessarily higher. “Phone cameras, security cameras on homes

“They have probably always been around, but I think, on the ﬂipside, if you live in di erent parts of the county and you have an animal that’s coming and killing your livestock, it should be euthanized,” Thornton said, who added he lost livestock last year in what he believes to be a mountain lion attack.

In that instance, CDFW biologists found “nothing that stood out” when investigating the area, according to Tira.

“These are mountain lions behaving as mountain lions in their natural habitat and CDFW has received no reports of pets or livestock loss or any threat to public safety,” Tira said at the time.

“Still, it is a good reminder to keep pets safe by not letting them out unattended in the early morning or evening hours when mountain lions and other wildlife are most active and to secure small livestock at night in their enclosures.”

Plans for the Mackinaw Hotel include 3,000 square feet of meeting and event space and 830 square feet of dedicated restaurant space.

Richard B. Esposito Publisher

California Commentary

The governor, Legislature and Supreme Court collude to crush tax reform

In a shocking exercise of raw political power that comes with one-party rule, the California Supreme Court has removed the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, a qualiﬁed initiative, from the November ballot. Doing the bidding of Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state’s supermajority legislative leaders, they have ignored the rights of more than 1.4 million California voters who signed petitions to put the initiative on the ballot.

The Taxpayer Protection Act, or TPA, is the latest battle in the 46-year war over whether it will or will not be easier to raise taxes in California. TPA was sponsored by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the California Business Roundtable and the California Business Properties Association. It had broad support among hundreds of business associations, chambers of commerce and virtually every taxpayer association in California all concerned with the preservation of Propositions 13 and 218.

Prop. 13, adopted by voters in 1978, cut property taxes and capped annual increases in taxable value. It requires a two-thirds vote of each house of the legislature to increase taxes at the state level and imposes voter approval requirements for local taxes. Prop. 218 solidiﬁed the right to vote on all local taxes and set rules for fees on property so that they could not be imposed as an end-run around Prop. 13’s property tax rate cap.

Tax-and-spend interests have sought to destroy Propositions 13 and 218 ever since, persuading courts to carve loopholes in their constitutional protections and invent new ways for government agencies to raise revenue. Taxpayer advocates, often led by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, have come back time and again with new initiatives to close those loopholes.

That’s exactly what the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act was written to accomplish; it restored, not revised, the state constitution.

But the California Supreme Court, in deﬁance of reality, declared that the TPA was a “revision” of the constitution, something that can only be launched by the legislature through a constitutional convention.

A close look at the decision reveals that the court has now devolved into just another tool of the progressive power structure in California. Ignoring over 100 years of case law recognizing the court’s duty to “jealously guard” the initiative power, the court now sees no value in the right of the sovereign people to control their government. Hiram Johnson must be spinning in his grave.

Now, the threat to Proposition 13 has never been greater. The Legislature has placed two proposed constitutional amendments on the November ballot

■ See COUPAL, page A7

The Not So Weekly Daley

Noel Stack Editor

Letters to the Editor

The takeover

EDITOR:

It started out as anyone who wasn’t a Democrat was only for the wealthy. Then it changed to not only are people who aren’t registered Democrats ignorant, they are systemically racist, fascist, bigots and religious zealots.

For the sake of our society, those who aren’t Democrats have had to ignore their behavior — riots, looting, Antisemitism, Anti-Christian, indoctrination of our children and the failure of government to provide basic services that were promised.

For decades now, to debate with a Democrat you ﬁrst must explain why you aren’t any of these things they label you as. And to say anything negative against the government is viewed as an attack on them personally.

We are to the point that their leader Joe Biden proclaims that Republicans want a Civil War. Hillary Clinton says today that Republicans need to be re-indoctrinated. Democrat leaders tell their constituents to confront anyone who is a Republican, whether at a restaurant or gas station; tell them they don’t belong in their country. They claim Republicans have formed armies in the hills readying for Civil War.

I don’t want a Civil War. I want my children to have the same opportunities that I had at their age. I prefer a limited government and that the detached federal government is no way to run a

country. For instance, the federal government has spent $7.5 billion to make electric vehicle fueling pumps and has created only seven over two years.

I have watched for decades the evolution of the state centralizing authority, taking away counties’ rights, duties and responsibilities by placing the tax revenues in the state’s general fund and then allocating what it deems ﬁt back to the counties. This disgusts me to no end.

The Democrats have forever changed the Constitutional Republic that our country was founded upon. Soon Washington, D.C., will be just like California’s one-party rule and I’ve accepted that fact.

My ignorance is I thought common sense would prevail overall, but to no avail. I’ve decided to accept the fact that the Progressives have won. They run our country, and I can’t do anything to stop them from achieving their goals. I’ll stay here as long as they let me because there is nowhere to run.

KEN

Self-insure to protect our county

EDITOR:

t should be painfully obvious to you and your pocketbook that we are on our own against insurance companies and the state. Even the

Take cover — court says covert assassinations are a go

pledge allegiance to the fraud of the Untied (sic) States of America, and to the RePutins to whom it bends, our nation under Trump, now divisible, with liberty and justice for some.”

If you haven’t heard yet, on July 1 the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision on the issue of “presidential immunity.” Donald Trump’s attorneys brought that question to the court relative to the Jan. 6 insurrection and the then-president’s alleged attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 election.

Evidently, as president, now he really could order Seal Team Six to assassinate anyone and everyone he so desires. Quite legal “under the Constitution” as long as he does it properly, within the scope of “o cial acts.” The underlying “motive” may not be used as evidence in any subsequent case of presidential wrongdoing, according to the court’s ruling. (I wonder if that ruling would thus allow President Biden to order a comparable “o cial act” between now and Jan. 20, 2025. Or even thereafter.

Evidently, as president, now he really could order Seal Team Six to assassinate anyone and everyone he so desires.

Probably not, considering the makeup of this court.”)

I thought the CNN debate moderators missed an opportunity last week. They didn’t ask me to submit a question or two for the candidates. My ﬁrst would have been: “Former President Trump, who would be your ﬁrst targets for elimination by “S.T. 6?”

My money would be on Hillary “Nasty Woman” Clinton, Liz “The Traitor’’ Cheney, Bill “The ChickenS..t” Bar, and probably Barack Hussein and Michelle Obama just for color.

“President Biden, same question please.”

I’d expect something like: “Richard Nixon, maybe Dick Cheney, not sure. Clarence Thomas, probably, and uhhh, ummm, that North Korean “Guy.” Oh, yeah, ‘Unkim the Jong’ or something like that.”

But CNN didn’t even ask me to pitch in, and I watch the television station quite regularly, not exclusively though. I still believe it would have livened up the debate, not that it was needed, of course.

Chris Daley is a biweekly columnist for the Mountain Democrat.

STEERS Cameron Park

CHRIS DALEY

JON COUPAL

county can’t come forward with an idea to help us. Therefore, we must save our homes, our county and our state on our own.

I have an idea that will work. The federal, state and county government insure themselves. This idea will take some planning and work to put online. We may be saving other people in other counties from the insurance companies’ gouging of home and business owners.

I mentioned this idea when I was running for supervisor earlier this year. Had I been elected, this was going to be my No. 1 priority. My idea is to self-insure ourselves. Here is how this could work for us for a change.

First, we must put it up for your vote. If the measure passes then ask the county for its cooperation to set up a council of ﬁve people, one from each district and not appointed by the supervisor and a sta . A charge for insurance is then put on your tax bill and paid with your property taxes. The collected money is put in an account for insurance use only and beyond the reaching hand of the county.

According to the assessor there are 135,000 taxable parcels in the county. Let us do the math.

135,000 x $1,000 = $135,000,000 or 135,000 x $2,000 = $270,000,000

Any money not spent would be in the account for next year’s payments to be added going forward. Your commitment besides your payment would be to keep your property ﬁre safe every year. At

present, the county, with little input from you, is poised to pass a far-reaching update on the county’s current vegetation ordinance. These changes could severely a ect your pocketbook. Seniors on ﬁxed incomes could be seriously a ected by the new changes. Forthcoming could be a ﬁne or the county will come in and do the work for you and then charge accordingly. Failure to pay could lead to a lien on your property, which again a ects seniors and others. These changes have other issues that need your attention before they are approved.

We must have some guidelines on the cost of land clearing and the potential e ects on our wildlife. I have pictures of a doe standing on my table on the deck eating birdseed earlier this year because, in my opinion, a food shortage is a ecting our animal population negatively from loss of their habitat.

A side thought, in my opinion, fire is the No.1 business in El Dorado County. Pause for a moment and look around you. Getting ready and preventing a fire, stopping a fire and the cleanup afterward are big moneymakers.

Look at all the private companies doing clearing for PG&E and others. The millions of dollars invested in specialized equipment sitting idle. Let us work together and make history to save our homes and county.

BRIAN DeBERRY Diamond Springs

Assembly Constitutional Amendment 1 (having been amended into what is now ACA 10) would eliminate the two-thirds vote rule for local bonds — which are repaid only by property owners. This two-thirds voter requirement has been a part of the California Constitution since 1879 and its elimination would open the door to virtually unlimited property taxes. Moreover, the tax increment that comes with these bonds creates a lien on real estate, and the failure to satisfy the obligation can result in foreclosure.

Just as bad if not worse is Assembly Constitutional Amendment 13. Throughout California’s history, all constitutional amendments have needed a simple majority vote of the electorate to pass. ACA 13 would increase this threshold selectively; citizens’ initiatives that require a two-thirds vote to raise taxes or borrow money would require a two-thirds vote to pass. Even Prop. 13 would have narrowly missed that mark as would all previous constitutional revisions and virtually every initiative since the early 1900s.

Today, TPA proponents are justiﬁ ably angry and disappointed. But like so many instances when progressives overplay their hand, there is a swift and ferocious reaction. Here, the extraordinary coalition of hundreds of taxpayer, business and property rights organizations — as well as their thousands of members — aren’t going to give up. We all are committed to saving California, no matter how long the battle lasts.

Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

by Joel Fagliano

AL-ANON is here for you if you are bothered by someone else’s drinking. Call for meeting times. (916) 3342970. https://sacal-anon.blogspot.com

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) 4177138 eldorado-ca.aauw.net

AMERICAN LEGION POST 119 welcomes Veterans and guests to attend our monthly membership dinner and meeting the rst Wednesday of the month at 6:00 PM. Legionpost119.org

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 Sheri ’s o ce, 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 916-212-2465 for more information.

Gold Country Cribbers play Wednesday, 12 noon at Steve’s Pizza, 3941 Park Dr., El Dorado Hills, CA. 95762

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 four-part 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. Come play tennis for fun and friendship. Meet at El Dorado High School, Acacia Street, Placerville, Wed 9 AM – 11 AM. (June - Aug 8 AM –10 AM). Social activities, lessons. Minimal cost. Not a beginners group. Some tennis experience/ability required. Call Cindy 805-540-8654. MONDAY CLUB BRIDGE seeks more players. The club is a very informal, friendly group and invites interested men and women party bridge players to join. The club meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month at Denny’s Restaurant on Fair Lane in Placerville at 10:00 am. Addiction or Relationship problem? Call 530 231-7728 our free counseling can help you. Positive Realism, 3430 Robin Ln., Cameron Park. Meet rst and third Wednesday of every month, 7pm. Come and have a paid lunch with the Retired Public Employees Association (RPEA) for CalPERS retirees and spouses. The meetings are held at 11:30AM on May 20, July 15, September 16, November 18,2024 at Denny’s (3446 Coach Lane) Cameron Park. Call 530 919 7515 for programs and information. 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)621-6304 to leave a message and get started.

TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION OF EL DORADO COUNTY Our mission is to educate the public on tax issues that a ect 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. For more information call Louis (530) 622-6763. We are a non-partisan organization.

Fire restrictions in place througout Eldorado National Forest

Eldorado National Forest News release

With the temperatures soaring and vegetation drying out, the Eldorado National Forest is encouraging responsible recreation by the visiting public.

In response to the increasing potential for wildland fire starts, Eldorado National Forest officials announced that fire restrictions will be implemented throughout the forest effective July 3. These restrictions will affect the use of campfires, stoves, smoking materials and internal combustion engines, and will remain in effect until Nov. 30.

“As fuel conditions continue to dry through the Eldorado National Forest we will be entering fire restrictions. Human caused fire continues to be the leading cause of

destructive wildfires,” said Deputy Fire Chief Lani Brown. “As forest visitors head into their favorite camping and recreation spots it’s important to understand and follow these fire restrictions to reduce the opportunities for a dangerous fire start.”

Current restrictions in effect

• No open fires, campfires or charcoal fires will be permitted outside of designated developed recreation sites, even with a valid California Campfire Permit. Lanterns and portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel will be permitted, but only with a valid California Campfire Permit, which can be obtained free of charge at readyforwildfire.org/ permits. Forest visitors must clear all flammable material for 5 feet in

Investigation Continued from A4

but did not elaborate of what those comments were, though they said they discovered the rumored incidents to be unfounded.

They say a records check revealed two prior contacts with the suspect, both related to reporting bear activity but that neither of the prior incidents involved misconduct by the suspect against the bears.

Bryant said, “No previous incidents involved misconduct because, just as this time, he was believed without question and no charges were filed.”

DA officials said investigators considered these past experiences in order to determine if the individual’s use of force was reasonable. They cite law that says in order to determine this, they have to consider all the circumstances as they were known to and appeared to the suspect at the time of the shooting, pointing to past experiences.

Although the report states two bear related incidents occurred in the past, it only detailed one that happened on Sept. 22, 2021, providing images, in which a mother bear and three cubs entered this man’s residence, damaging the living room and kitchen as well as attacking his dogs. It does not detail the man’s actions toward the bears in this incident.

“This prior incident makes it likely that at the time of the shooting, the suspect actually and reasonably believed that the bear was a threat to himself, his property, or his dog,” the DA’s review reads.

Given the two prior bear incidents at this man’s home, the Bear League noted, it begs the question

all directions from their camp stove, have a shovel available and ensure that a responsible person always attends the stove during use.

• Smoking is prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle, building or a designated developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.

• Welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame.

• Internal combustion engines must have an approved spark arrestor that is correctly installed, maintained and operating properly.

The fire restrictions forest order with the list of exempted recreation sites can be found on the forest website at fs.usda.gov/eldorado under the regulations section.

of why the shooter left his door open, as the report states the suspect told CDFW the bear had entered his backdoor that was partially open.

The DA’s release provides a list of evidence considered in the review. It includes the CDFW’s report, recordings of the 911 call, photos taken by CDFW of the suspect’s home interior, shell casings and the DA investigator’s interviews, scene examination and photos as well as other evidence.

The Bear League notes that no bear expert was interviewed or asked to assist and that certain claims this man made about the bear’s behavior should have alerted a knowledgable investigator.

The report states the suspect told CDFW officers during the initial investigation that the bear cub entered his backdoor, advanced toward and aggressively growled at his dog, which was lying on a dog bed.

The report later notes the suspect stated the bear was aggressive, snarling, grunting, and posturing by standing up as it continued its slow further advance into the residence and kitchen before the shots were fired.

The Bear League states bears can’t growl and a USFS report on bears notes they seldom, if ever growl, but fear-moans of treed or trapped bears are often mistaken for growls.

Bryant and the league, with bear biologists on their advisory board, maintain in the over the 30 years working on human and bear conflicts, have many times been told by individuals that a bear growled at them. She explains after discussing the noise further with those individuals, they find the bear actually having a defensive huff and blow,

Forest updates & safety reminders

• Campground status — With the exception of Camino Cove Campground on Union Valley Reservoir, all campgrounds are now open.

• Hell Hole Campground has reopened. The campground has been closed since the winter of 2020 when it was severely damaged by major windstorms. Over the last year, Forest Service staff have removed nearly 100 trees that snapped in half, were uprooted or were otherwise severely damaged. Forest Service staff from both Eldorado National Forest and Tahoe Basin Management Unit joined together with an American Conservation Experience trail crew to

whine or cry instead of an offensive growl.

“Calling it a growl sounds much more dangerous [than] a bear whining or crying, much like claiming a bear stood up and was preparing to attack,” Bryant said.

When a bear stands up, it is typically trying to get a better view of what it is encountering, she added, not planning to attack.

Over the month since the incident, the Tribune and the Bear League has received reports of the suspect bragging and showing no remorse over the shooting.

According to the DA’s report after reviewing the 911 audio recording, it notes the suspect sounded very nervous and out of breath, at one point saying, “I didn’t want to do it. He was going to eat my dog.”

And according to the responding CDFW officer’s notes, the shooter appeared very distraught and shaken up.

“You can’t imagine the kinds of allegations that are being made against this person, who, a lot of these people probably never met in their life,” Foy said, listing the names he’s been called on social media. Having not been charged, authorities have not released the name of the man.

The Bear League doesn’t plan on stopping its advocation anytime soon, stating, “While the DA may have concluded that it cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the shooter committed a crime, BEAR League will work tirelessly to ensure that this unfortunate event does not repeat itself, whether by the specific individual who was investigated, or by others who may emulate his vigilante tactics.“

•

delays during the week from 30 minutes to an hour.

• Post-fire hazards: Fire killed trees are a hazard in the Caldor and Mosquito burned areas. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid areas with hazard trees that could fall especially on windy days. Drive safely and look out for large logging trucks.

• Cold/swift water safety: Rivers and streams are running high, fast and cold from melting snow. Lakes will be extra cold too. Hypothermia from exposure to cold water can be life threatening for you and your pets.

• Campfire permits: Obtain a campfire permit if you are not camping in a developed campground and check for fire restrictions which may affect your visit. Never leave a campfire unattended and make sure campfires are drowned out before you leave.

• Bear safety: Remember that the forest is the natural habitat for bears. To reduce or avoid bearhuman conflict please properly store your food and other scented items. Use metal storage lockers if provided. Bear resistant canisters are required when camping in Desolation Wilderness. Review other food storage and safety tips at fs.usda.gov/visit/ know-before-you-go/bears and bearwise.org.

• Stay on the road: Visitors are also reminded that motor vehicles are a potential ignition source and are allowed only on designated National Forest System roads, routes, trails and areas identified on the Eldorado National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map.

For the latest updates and more information, contact the Visitor Services team at:

• Forest Supervisors Office, (530) 622-5061

• Georgetown Ranger District, (530) 333-4312

• Pacific / Placerville Ranger District, (530) 6442324

• Amador Ranger District, (209) 259-3774

McClintock reps coming to town

News release

Congressman Tom McClintock invites El Dorado County residents to join his staff at upcoming district office hours in Placerville on Wednesday, July 10, to discuss important issues facing the nation and district, along with any difficulties they may be experiencing with a federal agency.

Field representatives will be available 2-3 p.m. at the El Dorado County Government Center (Conference Room A), 330 Fair Lane in Placerville.

Staff are also available to assist constituents at the El Dorado Hills District Office, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office is located at 4359 Town Center Blvd., Suite 210. For more information call (916) 786-5560.

perimeter of the fire as of press time. Law enforcement could be seen turning away residents wanting to return to their homes on Oak Hill Road the day the fire started. Approximately 160 people living in the area were evacuated, according to El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kyle Parker, who added that five horses, two dogs and a cat are staying at animal shelter locations. A timeframe on when

evacuation orders will be lifted is currently being evaluated, he told the Mountain Democrat Wednesday morning.

The El Dorado County Library on Fair Lane in Placerville served as a temporary day shelter for evacuees Tuesday. Those needing a place to spend the night were directed to the Cameron Park Community Center. The large animal evacuation shelter is located at Saureel Vinyards, 1140 Cold Springs Road in

Cannabis Continued from A1

Perry added.

The county’s commercial cannabis ordinance currently sets taxes for all cultivators at $2 per square foot for outdoor cultivation, $4 per square foot for mixed light cultivation and $7 per square foot for indoor cultivation.

The board unanimously, with little discussion or doubt, voted to approve the ordinance and the tax rate restructuring.

“It seems like a very straightforward, common sense approach that has full buy-in,” Board Chair Wendy Thomas said.

The ordinance will return to the board for its a second reading on July 16. If the board approves the change, likely via the consent calendar, the

resident population and daily traffic volume, according to Cmdr. Rick Hatfield. “We’re seeing a lot of daily traffic volume increases not only on Highway 50, Lake Tahoe traffic for example, but also in El Dorado Hills, which is our most populated area in the county,” Hatfield said. “There’s approximately 30,000 cars that are on El Dorado Hills Boulevard in a 24-hour period and so, because of that congestion, the major distinct advantage of the motorcycles is they’re able to quickly access victims from crash and crime scenes.”

The ability to maneuver around traffic and to traverse areas larger patrol cars cannot is the key advantage to the motorcycles, Hatfield added.

“Say, for example, there’s two patrol vehicles and a crash happens a quarter mile away, if there’s a little opening, which is pretty standard, a motorcycle is able to maneuver up the narrow pathway and get to the victim quicker,” he explained.

The motorcycles can also be used for crowd control, to patrol community events and to provide assistance to other law enforcement agencies, Hatfield said.

The riders

Residents will be able to spot these patrols during the day, including CHP Officer Alex Whitley, who said he is excited to be on the bike during daytime after working graveyard shifts his entire almost 15-year career with the agency.

“It’s just completely different, almost like a career change,” Whitley said. “At night, nine times out of 10 you are focusing on DUIs and there is a lot less traffic out. Mainly my focus on graveyards was taking impaired drivers off the road, which I still do here, but there’s a lot less of them

COMICS

Placerville.

Assisting Cal Fire are the U.S. Forest Service – Eldorado National Forest, El Dorado County Fire Protection District, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, El Dorado Hills Fire Department, Diamond Springs-El Dorado Fire Protection District, Garden Valley Fire Protection District, CHP – Placerville, Tribal Fire – Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and Rescue Fire Department.

new tax rate will take effect.

The action was taken as part of the county’s efforts to amend the cannabis ordinance. The county filed a notice of intent last October to make such changes to the ordinance, including when the Agriculture Commission reviews cannabis projects, removing application material resubmission requirements for annual operating permit renewals and considerations for implementing a multi-year cannabis license.

“I applaud the efforts of the board to make the cannabis industry easier for the farmers in El Dorado County,” said Lee Tannenbaum, CEO of cannabis cultivation farm Cybele Holdings.

out at daytime hours than graveyard hours.”

Whitley has worked in South L.A, Hayward and South Sacramento, and said though he has ridden motorcycles since 17, training to be a motorcycle patrol was still difficult. After 10 days at the motorcycle patrol academy and 240 hours of riding with a certified motor training officer, he is ready to hit the road.

“Doing traffic stops is different in patrol cars,” Whitley said. “Cars can just pull over wherever they want, like on road shoulders or curbs, but it’s a little bit different for me since I have to pick and choose where I want to make the stop so I don’t put myself in a bad situation.”

Going from a regular patrol to a motor bike patrol is like “night and day” for Whitley.

“It’s a nice career change, and now my family, who only knows me working night shifts, gets to see me when I come home every night, have dinner with them and get my kids to bed,” he shared.

Community response

The return of CHP motorcycle patrols have gotten praise from the community at large, CHP officials said.

“We’re happy to be able to add that tool back to our toolbelt after being gone from this area for a little while,” said Officer Andrew Brown. “We’re so happy that, from the top to the bottom, there’s been internal support of it and also extreme community support. People will be happy to see it out there.”

It is also a great recruiting tool for the agency, since motorcycle patrols get skill pay in addition to regular officer pay, Hatfield said. CHP is trying to recruit hundreds of new officers to fill statewide vacancies.

SUDOKU

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Tension will build deliciously. You may butt heads with a dear one but it’s the conflict that brings more beauty, awareness, communication and clarity into your life and relationships.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The growth of plants is not up to the plant. It’s usually because the environment or some other factor is not conducive to growth. There’s something in your life that you really wish could be taking off, and it certainly will, in circumstances that are a good fit.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You’ll elevate your work, relationships and lifestyle through specificity and choices that meet a select criteria. You’ll have a kind of success that’s better than what money can buy, though it also comes with a few high-dollar perks.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’re not picky but you’re discerning and this is precisely why your choices get you noticed. There’s a taste-level being reflected here and it will make your life easier as well as serving as a magnet that attracts similarly tasteful folks as well as people who want your services.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Though it won’t be natural for you today, try to think of yourself and your own needs first. They are important, and you’ll have the resources to speak to them. When you do this, it will allow you to be in a better position to assist others.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’ve needed guides throughout life and you need them still. It’s something that none outgrow, so don’t be afraid to reach out to new people and listen to their wisdom. It can come in many forms today, and

book form will be the most profound. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You will understand so much more than you ever did, not because you cram information, but because you do the opposite. You sit back and let things settle. You relax and make space in your life for ideas to come together quite on their own.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Everyone’s reality is different, but some situations are much more conducive to imaginative interpretation than others. If no one is agreeing about what happened, that just means that you took part in something interesting.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Are you a wizened elder? Are you a

is you feel like doing without judgement. The freer you are, the more you will learn about your boundaries, which are limitless.

(Jan.

n SHOE by Jeff MacNelly

n TUNDRA by Chad Carpenter

n RUBES by Leigh Rubin

n SPEED BUMP by Dave Coverly

Fire Continued from A1

CHP Continued from A1

Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian Fire crews douse flames near the edge of the Moccasin Fire on July 2.

The following roads will be closed Saturday, July 13, 2024

Free Fishing Days around the corner

California Department of Fish and Wildlife News release

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife have established Free Fishing Days for 2024 — Saturday, July 6, and Saturday, Aug. 31.

Have you ever felt the excitement of watching your bobber suddenly jiggle, then dive out of sight? Or feeling the tap-tap-tap of a bass as it tastes the worm on the end of your line? Or having a salmon practically tear the rod out of your hands as it smashes your lure? What’s that? You say you

never learned to fish?

If you are new to the sport of fishing, and not sure if you will enjoy it, a great opportunity awaits you. CDFW offers two Free Fishing Days each year. On these days you can fish without a sport fishing license. Free Fishing Days provide a great, low-cost way to give fishing a try.

While all fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect, there are two days each year when anyone can fish without purchasing a fishing license.

Investments reduce wildfire risk

Philip Oviatt Bureau of Land Management

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

The Bureau of Land Management has finalized a new long-term agreement with El Dorado County to reduce the impact of wildfire near communities adjacent to BLMmanaged public lands. BLM will provide an initial investment of $100,000 to the agreement starting this year, with funds provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“While the initial funding for these projects is being provided by BIL, additional funds and in-kind partnership contributions may also be added in the future,” said Central California District Manager Chris Heppe. “As this partnership flourishes,

the BLM is excited to coordinate across land ownership boundaries and leverage additional funding for project implementation.”

The agreement includes projects that create defensible space around homes or structures on private properties adjacent to areas of critical environmental concern, including the Pine Hill Preserve and the North Fork Cosumnes River. Other projects include expanding strategic fuel breaks, performing wildland-urban interface fuels reduction treatments and conducting community outreach and education.

The cooperative agreement could provide up to $10 million in investments over a five-year period from a variety of sources.

Courtesy photo

PROSPECTING

Section B ■ mtdemocrat.com

IN THE KNOW

July 5

Olde Coloma Theatre presents “The Whirling Dervish of Coloma” or “Ladies, Gentlemen and Others?” through Aug. 11. For tickets and more information visit oldecolomatheatre.com.

The Cynthia Renee Duo and the Steven Denmark Band will perform at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

The Papa Day Blues Band will perform at 5 p.m. at HWY 50 Brewery in Camino. For more information visit hwy50brewery.com/livemusic.

Lynsey’s Prime Country will perform at the Red Hawk Casino Stage Bar, 8 p.m. to midnight. For more information visit redhawkcasino.com.

Valhalla Tahoe presents its summer musical “Enter the Guardsman” through July 14. For tickets and more information visit valhallatahoe.com.

July 6

EDH Cars and Co ee invites car people to meet up and hang out Saturdays, 7-9:30 a.m., rain or shine, in the right-side parking lot of the Regal movie theater in El Dorado Hills Town Center. Everyone and every type of vehicle is welcome. The motto is “If it rolls, it goes.” Check out Placerville Cars and Co ee every Saturday, 7-9 a.m. at Lions Park. Hang out with other car enthusiasts.

The Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 512 invites the public to its famous pancake breakfast, 8-11 a.m. on the rst Saturday of each month, through October, at the Placerville Airport, 3501 Airport Road. Enjoy airplanes on display, old cars, old friends and more. Proceeds go to the Sunny Atkin Scholarship Fund for students of aeronautical related studies.

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.

AcustaGruve will perform at 4 p.m. at HWY 50 Brewery in Camino. For more information visit hwy50brewery.com/ live-music.

Born and Raised and Moonshine & Honey will perform at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

Rockify will perform at the Red Hawk Casino Stage Bar 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. For more information visit redhawkcasino.com.

Mediterranean Vineyards in the Fair Play area hosts Music in the Vines with Late for Dinner. The RSVP by calling (530) 240-8386 or email info@medivineyards. com.

InConcert Sierra and the Sierra Master Chorale present the third annual Sip ‘n’ Song at Pioneer Park in Nevada City, 5-8:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at inconcertsierra.org/sip-nsong-2024 or at the door.

Valhalla Tahoe hosts the Rotary Club of South Lake

Persistence & Patience

pay off for nature photographer

D. Lee Reyes Gold Country Artists Gallery

Gold Country Artists Gallery, an awardwinning gallery in Placerville, welcomes its newest artist, photographer Richard Miles.

Passionate about photography since he was a teenager, Miles began taking photos with an old Rolleiflex — a very limited type of camera with a top-down viewfinder and fixed lens — that his dad brought from Germany.

“No bells and whistles like automatic light metering or through-the-lens viewﬁnders or telephoto lenses, and the 120mm ﬁlm only came in rolls of 12,” he explained.

Working with these limitations, he learned to be careful with every shot, developing discipline, patience and knowledge of his equipment and subject matter, which made him a very e cient photographer.

After a full and rewarding career in the tech industry, he moved with his wife to South Africa for several years, and it was there he discovered his love for photographing the landscapes and animal life of Tanzania. On a morning game drive he spotted a herd of zebras and a pair of roughhousing adolescent males. He snapped what became his award-winning photo, “Boys Will Be Boys,” the action made more dramatic set against a stark black background.

He and his wife eventually returned to California and the Amador County area of the Sierra foothills where he continues to develop his stunning images, including a series focused on Sutter Creek, Amador City, Volcano and other towns of the Motherlode.

He shares a story about one of the most exciting moments of an artist’s life: the first sale. He recalls trudging through winter snows in Yosemite to take the photo. “I ventured out in the icy cold an hour before dawn. My fingers were freezing. I could see the waterfall across the valley, snow piling at the bottom, smell the scent of pine in the air, and longing for a cup of co ee! As the sky lightened, I clicked the shutter and it became the money shot — my first sale!”

His determination to get that shot remains a consistent quality of his work. Scouting locations and waiting for the right light and conditions is

followed by hours of editing with Lightroom and Photoshop on his PC to bring about the vision he sees in his head.

“Like a painter creating a landscape, still life or portrait …. My tools are digital, not physical, but the creative process is the same. My camera is a tool, but it can’t see what my eyes and heart see.”

He learned to construct his images by generating a series of several shots where he changes the exposures, then blends them. “It is what the artist’s eye truly sees,” he explained. “I

don’t take pictures; I make art.”

Images that demonstrate his dedication to perfecting his craft include “Pierhenge” and “Firefall 2024.”

“Pierhenge” is his exceptional photo captured by his lens at a moment of a singular event on one particular day in November when the setting sun lines up precisely between the wooden post “henges” of the Pismo Beach Pier. Lying on the chilly wet sand, he waited for the perfect shot.

“Firefall 2024” was captured in Yosemite, again at sunset.

During an eight-day period the last week of February, and for only a few minutes, the sun’s rays strike Horsetail Falls at the exact right angle to illuminate the wetness of the rocky walls, which produce the illusion of a ﬁery cascade down the cli s. “I stood in the snow for three days of overcast weather, then on the last day, the skies cleared,” he recalled. “Cold ﬁngers, cold toes — how we su er for our art.”

“Firefalls 2024” by Richard Miles

“Pierhenge” by Richard Miles

“Boys Will Be Boys” by Richard Miles

Exciting talent, impactful performances planned at Harris Center

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, best-selling 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 soulstirring 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 eight-part epic journey proves, the road from singlecelled 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 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 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.

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.

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.

Holly’s Hill Vineyards keeps guests coming back

Lee Hodo

Special to the Mountain Democrat

Longtime students and artisans of exceptional Rhône style wines, the folks at Holly’s Hill Vineyards are embracing change to enhance the overall experience for customers.

Holly’s Hill is located in the Pleasant Valley region within the El Dorado American Viticultural Area. Recognizing the evolving alcohol preferences of younger wine enthusiasts and their growing interest in casual yet engaging experiences, the vineyard has introduced a brewery and a market menu to complement its celebrated wines and the tastes of easy lifestyle consumers.

This transformation aims to attract a younger demographic that values the experience of discovery in a relaxed setting. At Holly’s Hill guests can choose their level of engagement whether they prefer leisurely connecting with friends over a shared bottle of wine or a more in-depth exploration of brewing techniques from Josh Bendick, brewer, co-winemaker and chef. By offering this broader range of choices and experiences, Holly’s Hill appeals to both wine aficionados and casual visitors seeking a memorable day out without the

time constraints or the high tasting fees found elsewhere.

“This has been a natural progression for us as we have added elements of our own preferences when going out,” said Carrie Bendick, co-winemaker and owner of Holly’s Hill Vineyards. “Holly’s Hill is a welcoming environment where guests can gather with friends and family to enjoy not only our wonderful wines but also a variety of highquality beers and food that enhances their

overall experience. We believe these additions resonate with a diverse group of people and encourage them to make lasting connections with us.”

Located on the same picturesque grounds in the fresh mountain air as the winery, Holly’s Hill Vineyards Brewery, offers a range of classic beer styles crafted by Josh. There are regularly five beer styles on tap

with a sixth rotating seasonal brew. Visitors have regularly enjoyed Josh’s lunch pairing events with offerings like seafood tostadas to paella to tri-tip sandwiches that appeal to a wide and varied audience. These lunches continue each month, highlighting the distinct flavors of Holly’s Hill mountain-grown wines and beers. Now visitors can also indulge

any day of the week in a selection of small bites from the market menu such as artisanal cheeses, charcuterie and French sausages providing ideal pairings for an easygoing vineyard picnic.

Since introducing its brewery offerings last year, Holly’s Hill has attracted a broader audience who appreciate the variety and craftsmanship of

both wine and beer. The success of the brewery and the introduction of new lunch pairings underscore the vineyard’s dedication to providing exceptional quality and variety while appealing to visitors who are looking to find respite from daily hassles.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen how much our guests enjoy the option to explore craft beers alongside our wines” said Josh. “Our first anniversary is coming up and we’re excited to make it a celebration.”

On July 13 & 14, Holly’s Hill will host the brewery anniversary. Guests will be treated to French sausages from the market menu while they sample beer offerings. Reservations for the celebration can be made online at hollyshill.com, emailing Holly’s Hill at winery@ hollyshill.com or calling (530) 344-0227. Live music is also on tap all summer long: July 6: Jordan Wells July 13: According to Bazooka July 21: Sunny Barno Band July 27: Retro Addicts Aug. 3: Sherman Applegate Aug. 10: MANNA! Aug. 18: Sunny

“Even

The

Photo by Lee Hodo

With the weather getting warmer, my pal Fritter decided to open a refreshment stand to make some money.

Work with a partner at home to complete the following dandy Dollars and Cents Challenges!

Name:

Fritter has been saving towards a summer visit to Six Wags Amusement Park. His goal is to save and earn a total of $100. Fritter is now up to $97.50!

Can you help Fritter count out the correct change for his customers?

Tonya bought a glass of lemonade plus two cookies. She paid with two dollars. Circle the coins Fritter should give her in change.

What could you buy from Fritter’s Refreshment Stand with this exact amount?

Lien-hua bought a bag of peanuts, a glass of lemonade and a copy of Kid Scoop. She paid with a $5 bill. Circle the bills and coins Fritter should give her in change.

Name of Learning Buddy:

1. Look through the newspaper for five or more numbers that represent money. Cut these out and glue them on the box below in order from smallest to largest:

2. Give each letter of the alphabet a money value. Starting with A = 1¢, B = 2¢, C = 3¢ and so forth until Z which equals 26¢. Using these letter values, add up the “value” of each word in the headlines on the front page of the newspaper.

Which word is the “most expensive?” Cut it out and glue it here:

refreshment stand this weekend! How much money will you earn?

Each picture below represents a slang word for money. Can you guess what each one is?

Ever hear “A penny saved is a penny earned”? Well, to become a millionaire, you’d have to save lots of pennies! In fact, a stack of $1 million’s worth of pennies would rise 95 miles high!

If you stacked all of the pennies made in the U.S. in one year, you would get a stack more than 6,000 miles high!

and buck.

You

Look for the price of the newspaper on the front page. Draw the coins you need to pay for the newspaper. How many different ways could you use coins to pay for the paper? You

Which is the “least expensive?” Cut it out and glue it here:

3. Look at the sports news. Find and circle ten or more numbers. Calculate the sum and the average of these numbers.

You

Try to use the word earn in a sentence today when talking with your friends and family. Fritter could earn money by looking after a puppy.

ANSWERS: Bread, dough, clams

trees’ death certificates, so they didn’t want beetles attacking healthy pines.

“We were thoughtful about where we were attracting beetles and also made sure the trees we used were not located near communities,” Cluck said.

Cluck has worked as an entomologist for the Modoc, Lassen, Plumas and Tahoe national forests, and the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit for over 20 years. Corralling beetles for this documentary was not his first rodeo.

“I took staff from San Francisco’s KQED NPRaffiliate out into California forests to film beetle infestations for their ‘science shorts.’ I think those films helped capture the attention of Our Living World’s producers,” Cluck stated.

Filming process

The executive producer for the UK-based Wild Space Productions first approached Fettig about assisting with the documentary in 2019, to which he gave a resounding “yes!”

“I thought it was a great opportunity to amplify our work to a public audience,” Fettig stated.

Five years later, in April 2024, the documentary went live. It features breathtaking footage that transports viewers to far-flung destinations, including the Tahoe National Forest. Aerial footage with drones gives viewers a beetle’s eye view of flying. For this scene, the scientists summoned their inner beetles.

“No one truly knows how beetles actually fly, but we gave it our best, educated guess,” Mortenson said.

After capturing beetles boring into pines, the documentary pans to a forest engulfed in towering flames. Although bark beetle outbreaks alter forest fuels by killing large numbers of trees Fettig cautions that they don’t always cause or worsen wildfires.

“Bark beetles are only one factor influencing wildfires. Dense forests from a history of fire suppression, the location of a fire, weather during the fire, and other factors also affect wildfire severity,” Fettig stated.

Ironically, after filming a wildfire scorched an area of the Tahoe National Forest featured in the documentary.

“That was especially sad,” Mortenson stated.

Natural and human partnerships

The documentary opens with the quote: “Realize that everything connects to everything else,” attributed to Leonardo Da Vinci. The scientists see parallels between the documentary’s theme of the interconnectedness of nature and that of their interdependent partnerships.

“We rely heavily on our partners across the Forest Service and often work together as a team,” Fettig stated.

Some of those partners include the Pacific Southwest Region, Forest Health Protection the National Forest System, academia and more.

“Had it not been for the support of Tahoe National Forest staff, we never would have had acquired the film permits to shoot the documentary. We’re grateful for that,” Cluck added.

Reason for hope

In that spirit of teamwork, the scientists are working together to make forests more resilient in the future. And they’ve made strides.

Fettig and fellow scientists, for instance, have had success in repelling beetles from trees using a pheromone called verbenone and other repellents. Like a flashing “no vacancy” sign, verbenone tells the beetles that “this tree is full and closed for business.”

“The documentary is powerful and has a valuable

message. But we also want those who watch it to believe that there’s reason for hope in the fight against climate change,” Fettig shared.

Miles Continued from B1

Miles’ excitement for his art has not waned since his first camera and that first sale. “It still brings me such great joy to think of my artwork on someone’s wall,” he said.

He continues his lifelong pursuit of having his photographs touch and inspire people by capturing moments in time and space with his camera lens and artistic eye. People all over the world collect his award-winning photographs.

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 until 8 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month. For more information call (530) 642-2944 or visit goldcountryartistsgallery.com.

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High schoolers invited to put ‘Rail Innovation in Action’

Traci Rockefeller Cusack News release

ACRAMENTO — The California State Railroad Museum is preparing to launch a new online program titled Rail Innovation in Action designed for high school students interested in real world problem solving and learning about the future of railroads.

Supported by the California State Railroad Museum Foundation and working in partnership with The LemelsonMIT, a national leader in advancing invention education, the firstyear focus of the virtual program will center on powering locomotives and reducing the environmental impact (from diesel electric to fuel cell).

“This unique program represents philosophy in action. CSRM is

more than a museum, it is an active laboratory of learning and a

museum without walls,” said Dr. Ty Smith, museum director of

the California State Railroad Museum.

“By having young people throughout the nation engaged with invention and innovation education, especially in the area of rail innovation, CSRM and LMIT help people to imagine their futures through understanding our collective past. Railroading is central to who we are as a people, but it is not merely a part of our distant history; it is fundamental to our present and future. The

next generation of rail engineers, inventors and innovators may not exist yet. It is our job to create them.”

Students will have the opportunity to engage with guest experts in the modern rail industry, work on lab simulations and in group exercises and participate in career talks. Prior experience about railroading is not required to participate in this pilot program, simply a desire to gain knowledge, acquire new skills and learn how to

work collaboratively to problem solve.

“The program is exceptionally high quality and will have a significant impact on those that are able to participate,” said Stephanie Couch, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Center. “We also want young people to discover challenges they can help solve if they choose to pursue a college/career path related to the transportation sector. In this first offering, students will work in teams to identify a research topic, an idea for an app or an idea for an invention that solves a problem they care about.”

The Rail Innovation in Action course will take place in threehour sessions on six consecutive Saturdays starting on Sept. 28 and applications are open now through Aug. 16. The accessible and free online program is open to high school students of all backgrounds and interests who are based locally, regionally or nationwide. At the conclusion of the interactive course, participants will receive a certificate of completion plus develop research and invention skills that are transferrable to college and future career endeavors.

To apply or find our more information about the new Rail Innovation in Action program visit californiarailroad. museum/RIA. And, for more information about the California State Railroad Museum or its foundation visit californiarailroad. museum.

Photo by Kelly B. Huston

Legendary Count Basie Orchestra comes

Leila Srouji The Center for the Arts

GRASS VALLEY — The Center for the Arts presents the Count Basie Orchestra with special guest Gunhild Carling in the Marisa Funk Theater on July 13.

In the history of jazz music, there is only one bandleader who has the distinction of having his orchestra still performing sold out concerts all over the world, with members personally chosen by him, for more than 30 years after his passing. Pianist and bandleader William James “Count” Basie was and still is an American institution that personifies the grandeur and excellence of jazz.

The Count Basie Orchestra, today directed by Scotty Barnhart, has won every respected jazz poll in the world at least once, won 18 Grammy Awards, performed for kings, queens and other world royalty and appeared in every major jazz festival and major concert hall in the world.

Basie started the Count Basie Orchestra in 1935, in Kansas City, Mo. Within a year, America was listening in on popular radio shows throughout the country to hear what would become “The Swingingest Band In All The Land”! A phenomenon was born in 1935 that is still going strong today.

The Count Basie Orchestra has won 17 Grammy awards and 20 Downbeat and Jazz Times polls, more than any other big band in jazz.

Some of the greatest soloists, composers, arrangers and vocalists in jazz history such as Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Frank Foster, Thad Jones, Sonny Payne, Freddie Green, Snooky Young, Frank Wess and Joe Williams became international stars once they began working with the

Tahoe’s Crawdad Festival. For tickets and more information visit valhallatahoe.com.

July 7

Jazz Gitan will perform at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

legendary Count Basie Orchestra. This great 18-member orchestra is still continuing the excellent history started by Basie of stomping and shouting the blues, as well as refining those musical particulars that allow for the deepest and most moving of swing.

Swedish musical sensation Gunhild

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.

Carling is an internationally-acclaimed superstar and internet phenomenon. Whether she’s singing favorite jazz standards, playing one of her many instruments (trumpet, trombone, harmonica, oboe, harp, flute, recorder or jazz bagpipe), or juggling and tap dancing, Gunhild’s sublime

Monday of each month at Denny’s Restaurant on Fair Lane in Placerville at 10 a.m. For more information call (530) 622-1180.

July 9

showmanship shines. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 13 at The Center for the Arts, 314 West Main St. in Grass Valley. For tickets and more information visit thecenterforthearts.org or call (530) 274-8384.

July 10

Linden Wood will perform at 3 p.m. at HWY 50 Brewery in Camino. For more information visit hwy50brewery.com/live-music.

Monday Club Bridge seeks more players. The club is a very informal, friendly group and invites interested men and women party bridge players to join. The club meets on the second and fourth

Broadway At Music Circus presents “Fiddler on the Roof” at the UC Davis Health pavilion in Sacramento July 9-14. For tickets and more information call (916) 557-1999 or visit broadwaysacramento.com.

The Sons in Retirement – Gold Country branch meets the second Wednesday of the month at the Cameron Park Country Club. Check out the club and be a guest for a complimentary lunch. Contact Branch 95’s membership chairman at SIRBranch95@ gmail.com for more details.

Matt Rainey will perform solo at The Green

Know Continued from B1 n See KNOW, page B11

Courtersy photo

The Count Basie Orchestra with special guest Gunhild Carling bring jazz hits to The Center for the Arts.

Don’t put yourself in danger for more ‘likes’

n Viral social media challenges create new poison risks and cause more frequent visits to emergency rooms

Elaine Murphy California Poison Control System

Whether it’s a ludicrous and eye-popping stunt, or the latest social media challenge, young adults, teens and children in particular will do anything to go viral. Unfortunately, some social media challenges promote disturbing poisoning trends that can prove to be very dangerous, according to the California Poison Control System.

The National Safety Council reports poisoning is the No. 1 preventable leading cause of injuryrelated death in the U.S. Everyone should think about that before they rise to the next social media challenge promoting the improper use of chemicals, over-the-counter medicines or the consumption of dangerous amounts of toxic substances.

“When it comes to social media challenges, nothing is off-limits for some people and they’ll do anything for a few brief minutes of viral fame, ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ by competing in dangerously risky social media challenges such as eating

Know Continued from B10

Room Social Club in downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

July 11

Thursday Night Market at Burke Junction runs July 11 through Sept. 26 at the Cameron Park shopping center. Enjoy vendors, food and entertainment 5-8 p.m.

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! Jessica tells the remarkable story of the potential benefits rewilding has for us and our planet, and questions what it truly means to be human in today’s world.

Snowline Health Dementia Connection hosts the Caregiver Support Group, 3-4:30 p.m. at Foothills Church, 2380 Merrychase Drive in Cameron Park. This hybrid in-person and online group offers support from a faith-based perspective to caregivers and family members who are caring for or have a loved one with dementia. The group’s goals are to provide inspirational caregiving strategies and sharing in a welcoming, non-judgmental space and promote emotional and physical health, awareness of resources, problemsolving, stress reduction, and personal growth. Call (530) 621-6820 if respite care is needed for a caregiver to attend this group.

The Crocker Art Museum hosts ArtMix: Lei, an ages 18+ event featuring dance performances, tropical cocktails and colorful flowers. For tickets and more information visit crockerart.org.

Vices to Virtues will hold an album release event at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

The Mills Station Arts & Culture Center presents Length x Width x Depth: A Multidimensional Exhibit through July 27. For more information visit rcmacc.org.

Now

El Dorado County Certified Farmers’ Markets offer fresh fruit and vegetables and much more: Burke Junction in Cameron Park, 8 a.m. to noon Wednesdays; Placerville Cinema, 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays; and El Dorado Hills Town Center, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. For more information visit eldoradofarmersmarket.com.

Marshall Hospital Auxiliary is looking for volunteers. Help people and make new friends. Interviews are held monthly. For more information call Norma at (530) 676-1844 or email grizzyq98@ gmail.com.

The Sacramento Fine Arts Center in Carmichael presents California Landscapes, featuring the state’s long coastlines, majestic mountains, deep valleys, and vast deserts through July 11. For more information visit sacfinearts.org.

Sutter Street Theatre presents “Rock of Ages: High School Edition” through July 14. For tickets and more information call (916) 353-1001 or visit sutterstreettheatre.com.

B Street Theatre in Sacramento presents “The Newlywed Game” through July 14. For tickets and more information call (916) 4435300 or visit bstreettheatre.org.

Capital Stage in Sacramento presents “Now Circa Then” through July 21. For tickets and more information call (916) 995-5464 or visit capstage.org.

Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento presents: Denying Gravity – Woods Davy and the Assembly of Stones through Aug 11; Penetrating Expressions – Kifwebe Masks of the Songye and Luba People through Aug. 11; and The Proland Vase – Mania and Muse through Sept. 8. For tickets and more information visit crockerart. org.

California Museum in Sacramento presents America at the Crossroads through Sept. 1. Discover the evolution of the guitar as the United States’ most popular instrument and its relationship to historical events and cultural moments over the centuries. For more information visit californiamuseum.org.

The California State Railroad Museum and Foundation welcome guests aboard the historical Sacramento Southern Railroad Enjoy a 50-minute scenic train ride along the Sacramento River and experience railroading as it was in the early part of the last century. Rides are offered Saturdays and Sundays. For tickets and more information visit californiarailroad.museum.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2680 in El Dorado County invites veterans of World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War as well as those seeing action in Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries during the war on terror plus those serving peace-keeping missions throughout the globe to become VFW members. Member benefits are plenty and there is no fee for the first year. For more information call (530) 499-2950.

laundry pods or improperly using large amounts of medications,” said Rais Vohra, medical director for the Fresno/Madera Division of CPCS. “Some of them are lucky and escape the challenge relatively unharmed. But untold numbers of people have been severely injured or have even died.”

Among social media challenges that went viral calling for people to do something that overrides basic safety and common sense are:

• The Benadryl challenge urges users to take large amounts of Benadryl (upward of 12 tablets at a time) to cause hallucinations or an altered mental state. Related injuries — high body temperature and heart rate; confusion, sedation, delirium, hallucination; blurred vision; urinary retention; nausea, vomiting and dizziness; and death

• NyQuil chicken challenge encourages people to cook chicken breast in NyQuil, claiming it helps you sleep, nourishes you and can help you get over a cold. Related injuries — nausea, vomiting and/or stomach pains; dizziness; blurred vision; confusion; drowsiness; slurred speech; slow reaction time; and death, in severe cases

• BORG (blackout rage gallon) Challenge: college students are using gallon size water jugs, filling it with hard liquor, a color sweetener and an electrolyte supplement. Related injuries — alcohol toxicity and death

• Tide Pod challenge: encourages people to ingest a brightly colored laundry detergent. Related injuries — severe burns to the mouth, esophagus or respiratory tract; and death

“Social media isn’t going away, so people must use caution when engaging in social media challenges and prioritize their safety and wellbeing,” Vohra shared.

Social media safety tips

For young adults, teens and kids:

• Be “social media challenge” savvy, know when to opt out.

• Understand that social media is not all fun and games; there are dangers on the posts.

• Don’t post with strangers; stay within your social network and trusted circle, and double check whether you really want to do/post something that may backfire.

For parents:

• Connect with your child: Talk openly and compassionately and frequently to children about the potential dangers of social media challenges.

• Practice safe storage of medicines and chemicals.

• Supervise young children. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for questions about poison encounters.

p.m. on July 12.

Visitors will have an opportunity to talk with artists and ask questions about their artwork. All attendees will be entered to win a raffle for artwork donated by AODC artists.

AODC Gallery

“Americana Spirit” by Carol “Cj” Nelson

“Remains of the Past” by Stacy Pedri

Courtesy photo