Mountain Democrat, Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Roby inspires community

bigger’

Odin Rasco Staff writer

After 16 years at the helm of the El Dorado Community Foundation, Bill Roby is readying to retire at the end of 2023.

An organization built to support and strengthen the El Dorado County community, the foundation maximizes donor impact though offering grants, scholarships, educational opportunities, emergency response funds and more. Though such foundations can be found in many metropolitan areas, the EDCF’s status as an accredited organization in a rural area sets it apart as a rarity. The foundation is powered by donations coming from the community itself, batching together donations to exceed what a single donation would otherwise be able to achieve.

“You can give $200 but be part of a $100,000 giving and that’s expanding philanthropy,” Roby said. “You don’t have to be a rich person to be a

philanthropist; you can give $25 and still be part of something bigger.”

Roby’s approach, bolstered by previous experience in the nonprofit and corporate sectors, focuses on innovating the foundation’s approach to philanthropy. One upshot of the approach is the speed and flexibility the foundation has to respond to community needs; when the Caldor Fire started the foundation was distributing funds less than a week later.

As executive director, Roby has seen the foundation grow substantially, going from providing $350,000 in yearly community distributions to $3 million. Roby’s leadership has also garnered the organization a bevy of accolades, including multiple proclamations from government officials and recognition as Business of the Year by the El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce in 2022.

Though the foundation has earned recognition

Oak Park Bloods plead guilty in EDH gun theft

Isaac Streeter

Staff writer

Members of the Oak Park Bloods, a Sacramentobased gang, have pleaded guilty to burglary of an El Dorado County home where firearms were taken.

Two suspects, 33-year-old Nigel Williams and 25-year-old Lamont Perry broke into an El Dorado Hills home March 30, stealing three handguns, one shotgun one AR-style rifle and two ballistic armor vests before returning to Sacramento to distribute the stolen items, according to Savannah Broddrick of the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office.

The identification and arrest of Williams and Perry April 5 was made possible by a joint effort of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and the Sacramento Police Department’s Gang Investigation Unit.

Two of the stolen firearms were recovered while an ongoing search for the remaining three, as well as the ballistic vests, is under way, Broddrick said.

On June 30 Williams pleaded guilty to grand theft of a firearm and Perry pleaded guilty to residential burglary. Both defendants also admitted the burglary committed by the pair was “for the benefit of, at the direction of and in association with” the criminal street gang Oak Park Bloods. Both of their charges are considered a “strike” under California’s three strike law.

Williams faces a seven-year, eight-month sentence and Perry a nine-year sentence in the state prison system. Sentencing is scheduled in an El Dorado County Superior Court courtroom Friday, Sept. 1.

Isaac Streeter

Staff writer

Professional hockey — and Tim Tebow — are coming to Lake Tahoe in

PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE

2024. The East Coast Hockey League announced in a statement Monday that 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback Tebow along with Stateline, Nev., had been selected for the league’s 29th franchise to begin play for the 2024-25 season.

Tebow attended an event at the team’s future home — the soon-to-be-opened 4,200 seat Tahoe Blue Event Center — Monday, July 10. While Tebow said he wants to have a winning team, he also wants a place for families to make memories for years to come.

“We hope that it’s a winning product on the ice but we hope it’s so much more,” Tebow said, adding he hopes to inspire the community’s youth to have “faith, hope and love to live out dreams so (they) can look up to some of (their) heroes.”

“The ECHL proudly welcomes the 29th member team to the league …expanding our geography in the western part of the continent,” reads a statement from ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin. “This new team will offer the only professional sports action in the

team will begin play at Stateline, Nev., for the 2024-25 season.

Mountain Democrat photo by Odin Rasco

El Dorado Community Foundation Executive Director Bill Roby is ready to “ride off into the sunset” and retire at the end of 2023.

to be part of

OBITUARIES

Obituaries on this page are written and paid for by the families or funeral homes. They are edited minimally by the Mountain Democrat. To submit an obituary, call (530) 622-1255, e-mail obits@mtdemocrat.net, fax (530) 344-5092, or visit mtdemocrat.com under “Submission Forms” at the bottom of the website. Include contact information with all submissions.

Jimmie G. Smith

June 30, 1932 - July 5, 2023

Beloved Father, Grandfather, and Great-Grandfather, Jimmie G. Smith, aged 91, passed away peacefully at home on July 5, 2023. A resident of Placerville for nearly 60 years, he retired from his CPA firm (Smith Maloney Accountancy Corporation) at the remarkable age of 83 in 2015! He clearly loved taxes and performing audits. Born June 30, 1932, in Blackwell, Oklahoma, he moved with his family to San Diego, California, in 1948. After honorably serving in the Navy during the Korean War, he married the love of his life, LaVonne LeBus and immediately began his college courses at San Diego State University in 1954. Their daughters, Donna Rae, born in 1955, Paula Jo, born in 1956, and Susan Lynn, born in 1958, quickly became his world, even while attending college and working part-time. After graduating with honors in 1958 and followed by five years working in a CPA firm in San Diego, he packed up and moved his family away from the big city in 1964. Placerville and the Sierra Mountains gave Jim the opportunity to enjoy his love of the outdoors through camping, fishing, hiking, and fourwheeling with friends and family. He and LaVonne joined and became active in the Placerville Seventhday Adventist Church, giving their girls a strong religious foundation, as well as creating a life-long community of friendships, which they cherished. Jim loved family get-togethers, with good food, the Raiders, lots of laughter, and his girls, who blessed him with his precious grandsons, Daniel Ward (Donna and Dan Ward), Kyle Sanderson (Paula and Dave Sanderson), and Doug and Jacob Maxwell (Susan and Mark Maxwell — Susan later married Chris Harris). Sadly, LaVonne passed away far too young, at age 65, which was a devastating loss for the entire family, but especially for Jim. In 2003, Jim married Elsie Sepe, whom he met through a local Widows and Widowers Club. Together, over the years, they adopted three little dogs, which gave Jim a lot of joy. Jim is survived by Elsie, his three daughters and spouses, four grandsons and spouses/significant others, six great-grandsons, and one great-granddaughter. He is, and will continue to be, missed by all. No service is planned. His family held a special celebration last summer for his 90th birthday and that will su ce as his family’s send-o as he joins his beloved LaVonne and many others in heaven. We love you, Daddy!

William Gerard Anderson

July 4, 1955 - June 30, 2023

William “Bill” Gerard Anderson, born on July 4th, 1955 passed away on June 30, 2023 from a brief battle with cancer. He stayed positive and fought hard, despite the pain, but found comfort and was called back to heaven.

He is survived by his son, Matthew (37), and his daughter, Katie (35), and will be sorely missed by his family and friends. Bill always lived his life on his terms, and has found camaraderie within the communities that he had resided in.

We hope to keep his cherished memory in our hearts at a celebration of life in the Placerville area on August 12th, 2023. There will be details to follow.

https://everloved.com/life-of/bill-anderson/ Matthew Anderson - (530) 230-7007

CONTACT US

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VACATION HOLDS

For temporary delivery hold, call at least one week prior to the rst day to be stopped or visit mtdemocrat.com and click “Vacation Hold Request” at the bottom of the website.

Charles “Chuck” Connitt

July 7, 1927 - June 18, 2023

Former longtime Sonora resident, Chuck Connitt passed away at his home in Modesto, CA surrounded by family. A Sonora High Class of 1945 Graduate, Chuck enlisted in the Navy attaining Seaman First Class STRIKER and was Honorably Discharged in 1946. Chuck’s career with Pacific Bell Telephone Co. spanned 42 years. While in Sonora, Hunter Safety classes allowed him to teach young people proper gun handling and safety rules. An outdoorsman himself, he enjoyed deer hunting, camping and family jeep rides. Chuck married Dolores Friary (Hall) with whom they had four children who survive him; Patty and husband Richard Williams of Fairfield, CA, Kathleen and husband Darrell of Vacaville, CA, Terry and wife Cindy of West Sacramento and Shirley and husband Gary Fox of Prescott, AZ. Chuck is survived by his wife of 35 years, Joann (Newman), her son Kenny Newman and family, all of Modesto, CA, his sister Rhoda Verkuyl of Myrtle Creek, OR, sisters-in-law Diane Stuller of Occidental, CA and Jan Colombani of Sonora, CA, many cousins, nieces and nephews, 8 grandchildren and 15 greatgrandchildren. Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, sister Frances Vassilou and his first wife, Dolores Hall. Interment will be private. A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date.

Warren Edward Tooker

April 8, 1929 – March 22, 2023

Warren Edward Tooker was born April 8, 1929 in San Francisco, California and passed March 22, 2023 peacefully at home of heart failure.

He was the first son of Floyd Llewellen Tooker and Marguerite May (Wills) Tooker. He had three brothers and one sister.

He attended Mt. View Academy and Pacific Union College where he met Marilyn Mazie Dennis in a music class. After multiple proposals, they finally married in Reno, Nevada on March 23, 1948. His first daughter was born in 1949, followed by two sons in 1950 and 1951. He got a job with the U.S. Forest Service and followed assignments to Bishop, Weaverville and Quincy, eventually settled in Placerville in 1956. His second daughter was adopted in 1964.

Warren was active in the Placerville Seventhday Church. He was an accomplish violinist and vocalist. He was a guest performer in various churches in the Placerville area as well as a soloist in the annual Handel Messiah combined choirs at the Federated Church.

His hobbies included photography, bird watching, book editing and writing a newsletter for his church. He liked red sporty cars.

He was proceeded in death by his wife, Marilyn, two brothers, Ronald and Duane. He is survived by his brother Raymond and sister Marlys and his four children, Tamra, Roger, Vikki and David, five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

CRIME LOG

The following was taken from Placerville Police Department logs:

June 29

4:22 a.m. Officers cited a 27-yearold man who lit an unsafe controlled burn on Main Street.

11:08 a.m. Officers arrested a 47-year-old man on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of illegal drug paraphernalia on Broadway.

5:38 p.m. Officers arrested a 33-year-old man on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance on Placerville Drive.

6:44 p.m. Officers arrested a 22-year-old man on suspicion of public intoxication on Marshall Way.

June 30

10 a.m. Grand theft was reported on Broadway.

July 1

1:07 a.m. Officers investigated a report of misconduct on Forni Road.

8:52 a.m. Officers arrested a 40-year-old man who had multiple warrants on Broadway.

10:28 a.m. Officers cited a 30-year-old man allegedly trespassing on Main Street.

July 2

5:39 a.m. Officers cited a 40-year-

The following was taken from El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office crime log:

June 29

4:45 a.m. Deputies made an arrest while investigating a suspicious circumstances report at a restaurant on Pony Express Trail in Pollock Pines.

8:23 a.m. Vandalism was reported on Bluebird Lane in Diamond Springs.

11:42 a.m. Grand theft was reported on Fawn Street in Shingle Springs.

1:45 p.m. Grand theft was reported on Greenview Drive in El Dorado Hills.

3:07 p.m. Petty theft was reported at a store on Town Center Boulevard in El Dorado Hills.

3:29 p.m. Petty theft was reported at a store on Town Center Boulevard in El Dorado Hills.

3:49 p.m. Grand theft was reported on Buckeye Road in Shingle Springs.

4:02 p.m. Vandalism was reported on La Canada Drive in Cameron Park.

4:33 p.m. Grand theft was reported on Rocky Ridge Road in Placerville.

4:43 p.m. Burglary was reported on Fortuna Mine Road in Placerville.

5:58 p.m. Grand theft was reported at a church on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville.

6:52 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 44-year-old man suspected of vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, occupying a redtagged building and a probation violation on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville. He was listed in custody in lieu of $96,500 bail.

10:08 p.m. Battery was reported on Johnson Lane in Placerville.

June 30

12:21 p.m. Battery was reported at a club on Highway 49 in Lotus.

2:15 p.m. Grand theft was reported on Lilliput Way in El Dorado Hills.

4:06 p.m. Battery was reported at an eatery on Coach Lane in Cameron Park.

6:12 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 45-year-old woman suspected of possession of a controlled substance for sale, transporting a controlled substance, being a felon in possession of a stun gun, driving without a license and conspiracy to commit a crime on Highway 50 at Bass Lake Road in El Dorado Hills. She was listed in

old man allegedly in possession of illegal drug paraphernalia.

July 3

1:03 p.m. A leaf blower was reported stolen from a school on Thompson Way.

1:16 p.m. Narcotics were reportedly found on Main Street.

July 4

12:47 a.m. Officers detained a man allegedly too intoxicated to care for himself on Heritage Lane.

10:14 a.m. Officers cited a 47-yearold man allegedly in possession of illegal drug paraphernalia on Broadway.

July 5

2:40 a.m. Officers cited a 49-yearold woman allegedly driving on a suspended license on Cold Springs Road. Her vehicle was towed.

7:37 a.m. Officers arrested a 63-year-old man on suspicion of failing to register as a sex offender on Main Street.

11:22 a.m. Officers arrested a 43-year-old man on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance on Fair Lane.

7:18 p.m. Officers cited one person and arrested a 44-year-old man on suspicion of drug-related offenses on Benham Street.

9:49 p.m. Officers cited a 47-yearold man allegedly in possession of illegal drug paraphernalia on Mosquito Road.

custody in lieu of $225,000 bail.

7:23 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 45-year-old woman suspected of possession of a controlled substance for sale, transporting a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit a crime on Highway 50 at Bass Lake Road in El Dorado Hills. She was listed in custody in lieu of $165,000 bail.

7:31 p.m. Deputies booked into jail a 30-year-old man suspected of possession of a controlled substance for sale, conspiracy to commit a crime, carrying concealed weapon, evading an officer and multiple other offenses on Highway 50 at Bass Lake Road in El Dorado Hills. He was listed in custody in lieu of $465,000 bail.

8:25 p.m. Grand theft was reported at an apartment complex on Cimmarron Road in Cameron Park.

11:11 p.m. Vandalism was reported on Mormon Island Drive in El Dorado Hills.

July 1

8:41 a.m. Battery was reported at a gas station on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville.

11:24 a.m. Burglary was reported on Sly Park Road in Pollock Pines.

11:30 a.m. Burglary was reported on Highway 50 in Kyburz.

3:12 p.m. Deputies made an arrest at a fast food restaurant on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville.

6:46 p.m. Deputies cited a suspect accused of battery on Red Hawk Parkway in Placerville.

6:53 p.m. Battery was reported at a winery on Stoney Creek Road in Somerset.

10:05 p.m. Battery was reported on Pony Express Trail in Pollock Pines.

July 2

2:03 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 41-year-old man suspected of possession of a controlled substance for sale, being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of illegal drug paraphernalia on Coach Lane in Cameron Park. He was released on $515,000 bail.

2:45 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 40-year-old man suspected of possession of a controlled substance for sale, being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of illegal drug paraphernalia on Coach Lane in Cameron Park. He was released on $375,000 bail.

CHP: Some without seat belts in head-on

Eric Jaramishian

Staff writer

Eleven people were injured and sent to different area hospitals, some by air ambulance, following a head-on vehicle collision on Wentworth Springs Road east of Sand Mountain Road in Quintette July 9.

First responders were called to the collision around 2:10 p.m., which involved a 2013 Toyota Sienna traveling eastbound carrying six passengers, driven by 46-year-old Sacramento resident Ivan Buzulan, and a westbound 2016 Ford Explorer carrying three passengers driven by 30-year-old Sacramento resident Timothy Frost.

An initial California Highway Patrol investigation found the passengers of the Toyota, including five teenagers between ages 13-15 and a juvenile, were not wearing seat belts and sustained various degrees of injuries, according to a report from CHP Officer Andrew Brown. Frost and three other passengers, including another adult and two children younger than 5 years old, sustained minor injuries.

Two helicopters from CALSTAR and one from CHP were used to transport two patients to Sutter Roseville Medical Center and two to UC Davis Medical Center, while Georgetown Fire Department and El Dorado County Fire Protection District ambulances took the other seven patients to Sutter Roseville Medical, UC Davis Medical and Marshall Hospital.

The cause of the collision is under investigation. DUI is not suspected, according to Brown.

No arrests were made at the time of the crash.

Georgetown Fire, CHP, Garden Valley Fire Protection District, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, Cal Fire and El Dorado County Fire personnel responded to the incident.

Man reportedly had firearm on Northside campus in Cool

Eric Jaramishian

Staff writer

El Dorado County sheriff’s officials report that deputies made an arrest at Northside Middle School in Cool June 28 after finding a suspect on the campus in possession of a firearm with scratchedoff serial numbers.

Resident sheriff’s deputy Gevork Madaryan responded to a call at the school regarding a suspicious subject, shown in county jail inmate records as 21-year-old Julian Eugene Edminister.

Edminister is charged with carrying a concealed weapon, altering or removing identification marks on a firearm and having a firearm at a public school. The Mountain Democrat did not receive a response from sheriff’s officials as of press time as to what town Edminister is a resident of.

He was listed in jail custody as of press time with bail set at $250,000.

While Northside School students are on summer break, the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado County is operating a summer clubhouse on the campus June 6-Aug. 11, from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

CDFW: Bear shot dead in downtown Placerville

Krysten Kellum

Editor

A bear breaking into a downtown Placerville chicken coop June 10 was scared off twice by the coop’s owner before the bear returned a third time and wouldn’t back off quite so easily. Feeling threatened by the bear as it advanced toward him, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers said the Clay Street resident shot and killed the animal.

It was not a criminal act, noted CDFW Capt. Patrick Foy. “The homeowner acted in self defense of his person, safety and in defense of his personal chickens.”

Described as a young or smaller bear by CDFW officers, it first reacted to the resident’s yelling that Saturday morning and reportedly left the area over a fence. The bear returned and was again successfully hazed away.

for the work it does, including community support following the 2021 Caldor Fire that saw the team working 80-hour weeks, Roby does his best to keep away from the spotlight.

“A lot of things we do are done quietly to move our initiatives forward,” Roby said. “I don’t want to trumpet the horn of the foundation; I want the foundation to trumpet the horn of the community. That’s what’s important.”

When asked what kept him motivated and engaged for the foundation for so long, he immediately had an answer.

“It’s passion,” Roby explained with enthusiasm. “Passion for what I do. I don’t think someone could do this job without the passion to care, to be engaged 24/7. It’s not something you just walk away from at the end of the work day, it becomes your life. Fortunately I have a spouse who understands that and has been very supportive.”

Current projects for the foundation include the recently launched Building a Better Nonprofit learning events and a series of master classes for the community starting this year that will invite experts from the Sacramento region to talk about public relations, finance and governance. The first Building a Better Nonprofit educational series led to four organizations — Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County Ag in the Classroom, Hands4Hope Youth Making a Difference and Tahoe Youth & Family Services — being awarded $50,000 each for capacity building, such as hiring new staff, hardware and software upgrades and development.

Roby’s involvement with the foundation can almost be chalked up to serendipity. Both equestrians, Roby and his spouse found that living in San Francisco was a barrier to having horses on their property, let alone getting more down the line. One trip to El Dorado County to just spend a weekend turned into looking at property in Shingle Springs — “Before I knew it, we closed escrow in November 2005 a week before Thanksgiving,” Roby recounts.

After the move, Roby was still commuting daily to the East Bay for a year and a half — “surprisingly, I just got tired of the commute and thought, ‘this is

The resident called local law enforcement to report bear activity and went to work to repair his coop to keep his flock from running off; he also armed himself with a pistol.

Back for a third visit, the resident found the bear inside the coop after it had broken in through the enclosure’s back side, according to Foy. The bear was then exiting through the front of the coop when it reportedly moved toward the resident and did not respond to yelling or hazing.

The resident reported the shooting to authorities; CDFW personnel came and picked up the bear’s body. CDFW officials noted the coop was “well constructed.”

CDFW’s Keep Me Wild campaign lists tips for living with bears, including installing motionactivated lights, noise or alarms; installing electric fencing around chicken coops and animal enclosures; installing electric mats or “unwelcome mats;” and deploying sensory deterrent where potential access to

insane, I really need to find something closer,’” Roby explained. When looking for new work, with a “real heavy corporate background in finance,” Roby didn’t even look in El Dorado County. When he was offered a job at the California Chamber of Commerce — a Wednesday, Roby recalled — he came home and didn’t seem very excited about the job, so his spouse encouraged him to keep looking. That same evening Roby saw the El Dorado Community Foundation had an opening; he sent his in his resumé, interviewed for the job Thursday and was hired that Friday. Reflecting on his time with the foundation, Roby said there are a few accomplishments he’s particularly happy with. The work the foundation has done alongside Housing El Dorado, “watching the organization become incredibly successful and securing for them some major gifts and grants to further the need of affordable housing in our community,” is high on the list. Expanding the focus of the foundation to also include the south side of Tahoe was also an important shift for the organization.

“We’re not just all centric on the Western Slope and comprise many communities, from the Divide to El Dorado Hills to South Lake Tahoe,” Roby said.

The El Dorado Community Foundation is in the process of selecting a new executive director, and ask that qualified applicants send a letter of intent by July 15 to bill@eldoradocf.org or by mail to: EDCF Search Committee PO Box 1388 Placerville, CA 95667. Information about the position, including preferred experience of applicants and potential salary can be found at eldoradocf.org/executive-director-positionopen.

Roby’s last big project is making sure the foundation is as ship-shape as it can when he hands off the reins at the end of the year. After that, he’s keeping his next steps open.

“I don’t think I’m the kind of person who can just fully retire. I always seem to have a passion and once one passion closes, I tend to find another one. So I don’t see myself just sitting around. All I know is I’m never going to run for public office; I wouldn’t wish that on anybody,” Roby said with a laugh.

attractants may occur (e.g., place ammonia in shallow bowl).

Dr. Little’s Dental News

Presented by Jeffery Little, D.D.S.

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and from the procedure. We will be glad to discuss implants and other available options of keeping your smile a beautiful, happy one. We believe in an informed patient, and we promise to provide you with information regarding all aspects of your dental care. You can always count on our experienced, honest recommendation for the treatment best suited to your dental needs. Our goals are the same as yours—a healthy mouth and a brilliant smile.

P.S. If you will be taking prescription painkillers after your dental implant surgery, make sure you fill the prescription before your procedure takes place.

Roby Continued from A1

California’s winners and losers in bids for more state budget aid

In the months leading up to last month’s passage of a new state budget, three major public service coalitions mounted full-blown lobbying campaigns to obtain billions of dollars in additional state aid.

Although all three said more state financing was vital to keep their services alive, they were hard sells because Capitol politicians were confronting a $30-plus billion budget deficit.

Letters to the Editor

Tripping to Green

EDITOR:

Russia.

summary

When the final budget was drafted, one of those three — the state’s public transit systems — had pretty much scored what they were seeking. A second — the state’s hospitals — got a partial win. The third — city and county providers of programs for the state’s huge population of homeless people — struck out.

Transit operators told Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislators that ridership on buses and rail transit had not recovered from severe declines during the COVID19 pandemic and were facing a “fiscal cliff” that could mean sharp reductions in service.

Three major providers of public services mounted strong campaigns for more state aid, citing financial crises, but the new state budget’s outcomes varied greatly.

Initially, Newsom shrugged off transit pleas but with support from sympathetic legislators, particularly those from the transit-heavy San Francisco Bay Area, the final budget deal provides $5.1 billion over four years with flexibility to use the money for either construction or operations.

Citing a study, the California Hospital Association said a fifth of California’s hospitals were in danger of closing, in part because reimbursements from Medicare, the federal medical care program for the elderly, and MediCal, the federal-state system of care for the poor, fail to cover costs of services.

The report said in 2022 California hospital care costs ballooned by $23.4 billion over prepandemic levels, leading to losses of $8.5 billion, on top of $12 billion in pandemic-related losses. Medical care providers won some reprieve in the new budget, which will levy a tax on medical

Guest Column

Caltrans and the El Dorado County Department of Transportation need to do more to accommodate the Bay Area and Sacramento area travelers.

In addition to making the lights green on holidays, they should also:

Convert Pony Express into a “stop and pottie” so people driving up in the summer and winter can do their business right on someone’s lawn or driveway.

Add lots of traffic circles at the Cameron Park Drive exit and Schnell School Road exit since people from the Bay Area love them.

And they should widen Highway 50 with four additional bike lanes for eastbound and westbound and paint them bright green and make it a $5,000 fine to cross them.

Then each holiday they could designate a free trash it up day. In the winter visitors could bring up cheap plastic sleds and dirty diapers and just leave them at Pollock Pines offramps.

During major holidays like the Fourth of July encourage visitors to dump trash off at Emerald Bay and at Pioneer Trail.

Yes! That’s a bad trip. Green or otherwise.

MATT SILVEIRA Placerville

Conservatives

EDITOR:

John Garon defining conservatives? That makes about as much sense as Vladimir Putin defining liberty.

Garon says conservatives resist change. You may be right. We resist the change of inflation from under 2% to over triple that. We resist the change that released thousands of violent felons from prisons and armed parolees after 10-day timeouts in jail. We resist energy dependence and the meteoric rise in fuel prices. We resist giving looters a free hand to empty stores. We resist the Justice Department going after one president while the other took classified papers from a SKIF that is not allowed, has millions of Chinese dollars in the bank and overlooked Clinton physically destroying subpoenaed evidence. We resist the Justice Department becoming an arm of state power like in

Yep, John, we’re just one big batch of resistance. And before you cheer that Justice Department sword of Damocles that is being wielded against the former president, remember that the hand on the handle of that sword may not always be yours.

GEORGE ALGER Placerville

2022-23 Grand Jury reports

EDITOR:

The 2022-23 El Dorado County Grand Jury reports are posted. Your fellow citizens comprise the grand jury and spent the last year conducting interviews and researching various topics with the goal to make our county better. There were four investigations completed: Building and Planning, Procurement and Contracts, Grizzly Flat Water District and a $28,000 sick leave overpayment.

We hope everyone in the county will take the time to read them at edcgov.us/Government/GrandJury/ Pages/2022-2023-Grand-Jury.aspx.

GINA GRIECO POSEY Shingle Springs

Look around

EDITOR:

Ilove it here in El Dorado County — and not just for its aesthetic beauty either. Heck the Bay Area is beautiful, but I wouldn’t want to live there. I love it here because our schools score the highest in the state. We trust our judges, District Attorney’s Office and Sheriff’s Office to do the best they can to protect our society. No coincidence that we live in one of the safest places on Earth. And even though nearly 200,000 people live here, I feel a real sense of civic pride for our community. That is why I don’t understand why people from the Democratic Party want to change things to be more like the rest of California. Where are their progressive programs working? Why would we want us to be like ’Frisco?

While I believe that we can always do better, the last thing I want to do is turn our county into a Sacramento or a San Jose.

KEN STEERS Cameron Park

The Supreme Court brings a new birth of freedom

The series of decisions handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court in its latest session are so consequential that I would call it “a new birth of freedom.”

These are, of course, the words of Abraham Lincoln at the bloody battlefield at Gettysburg.

There is a deep and meaningful connection between Lincoln’s words then, in 1863, and the words of our Supreme Court now in 2023. The 14th Amendment was added to the Bill of Rights after the Civil War to assure that all citizens receive equal protection under the law. This after the horrible history of slavery and the earlier Supreme Court decision, Dred Scott, which denied exactly that equal protection to African Americans.

The 14th Amendment was ratified to fix the blemish on this nation regarding its treatment of one large segment of humanity. And it is the 14th Amendment to which Chief

Justice John Roberts turned, in writing the decision on Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, to negate the use of race in college admissions.

The use of race in admissions “cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the equal protection clause” of the 14th Amendment, wrote Roberts.

The decision also captures the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous words in 1963: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Those words, and King’s “I Have a Dream” speech in general, captured the spirit of what the Civil Rights movement was supposedly about.

The complaint was not about American ideals but the failure to live up to the American ideal of a free

nation under God.

King famously concluded that great speech, dreaming of the day “when all of God’s children, Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we are free at last.”

But soon, the inspiration of God Almighty and freedom floated into the sky to be displaced on the ground with the cynicism and ambition of politics and political power. The ideal of individual freedom and equal treatment under the law was displaced by the idea that justice is achieved through government power and social engineering.

A federal bureaucracy grew out of the 1964 Civil Rights Act — the Civil Rights Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of Federal

Contract Compliance Programs, the Office of Minority Business Enterprise, etc. — all empowered with understanding that discrimination in favor of certain racial groups was lawful and constitutional.

Then, in the early 1970s, it went beyond correcting the historic evil of slavery and the legacy of racism against African Americans to become in general about race and ethnicity.

In 1973 the Federal Interagency Committee on Education was directed to produce rules classifying Americans by race and ethnicity and it responded with five racial/ethnic categories: American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, White and Hispanic.

In polling done by Pew several months ago, 50% said they disapprove of colleges using race and ethnicity in their admission policy and 33% said

n See Parker page A5

STar ParkEr

The ideal of individual freedom and equal treatment under the law was displaced by the idea that justice is achieved through government power and social engineering.

Dan WaLTErS

$2.4M to boost Tahoe housing

tahoe Daily tribune

Affordable housing in the Lake Tahoe region is getting a boost due to a $2.4 million from the California Department of Housing and Community Development awarded to the bi-state Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

With the assistance of regional government partners, the funding will help make housing, equity, and climate goals a central focus of land use and water quality programs, according to the TRPA.

As the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the basin, TRPA was also awarded a $567,000 grant through a related California program to advance housing choices, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and build upon the region’s sustainable communities strategy, a key transportation policy document.

“These grants are game changers for Lake Tahoe and our communities,” said TRPA executive director Julie Regan. “They are providing the resources for our region to leverage Tahoe’s unique limits on development while bolstering affordable housing and environmental improvements, and at the same time, better engaging with underserved

n See housing page A7

Walters Continued from A4 care organizations, use the proceeds to qualify for more federal funds and increase reimbursements for treating Medi-Cal enrollees. The budget also includes a $150 million fund to help hospitals in financial distress.

City and county officials are often at odds over how to deal with the state’s homeless crisis. Encampments are mostly found on city streets, but counties are responsible for health and welfare services.

However, they agree that providing effective services requires long-term financial commitments. Newsom, often critical of local efforts, has been unwilling to provide more than the annual allocations.

He maintained that attitude and the budget continued to give another one-year $1 billion appropriation, which drew sharp criticism from local officials.

“California is one of the largest economies in the world, yet home to the highest rate of homelessness in the country,” Carolyn Coleman, executive director of the League of California Cities, said in a statement. “So, it defies logic that the budget once again fails to include ongoing funding to match the scale of this emergency.

“City leaders throughout the state are on the front lines of what the Legislature and the governor agree is a crisis. Yet this budget agreement prioritizes short-term fixes over long-term, sustainable solutions. This short-sighted approach

will only worsen the state’s growing housing and homelessness crisis and will hurt the Californians who need the most help.”

Rachael Serrao, spokesperson for the California State Association of Counties, was equally critical, saying, “All levels of government simply cannot address this complex issue without ongoing funding to plan and support an effective system.”

While transit systems, hospitals and local governments begged for more aid, Newsom and legislators eagerly provided Southern California’s film and television production industry with enhanced long-term subsidies for basing projects in California. The $330 million per year in tax credits is twice the budget’s safety net for distressed hospitals.

Misplaced priorities, perhaps?

Dan Walters is a journalist and author who writes for CALmatters.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Parker Continued from A4 they approve. However, among Blacks, 29% said they disapprove and 47% said they approve.

Unfortunately, King’s great dream of freedom, which inspired the Civil Rights movement, has been lost in the hearts and minds of many Black Americans and eclipsed by social engineering.

What the Supreme Court has done is show that our Constitution embodies and codifies that dream.

We’ll all be better off for the court’s courageous decision against social engineering and for a nation of free citizens, treated equally under the law.

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

Announcements

AL-ANON is here for you if you are bothered by someone else’s drinking. Call for meeting times. (916) 334-2970. https://sacal-anon.blogspot. comt

AmericAN AssOc. Of UNiversity WOmeN Foothills of EDC Branch. Our mission is to advance gender equity for women & girls. Science and Math Camp Scholarships, programs & interest groups. Leave voicemail for Laurel (530) 417-7737 or Sara (530) 417-7138 eldorado-ca.aauw.net el DOrADO cOUNty AmAteUr rADiO cLUB Dedicated to all aspects of ham radio. Meetings held on the third Tuesday of each month at the El Dorado Sheriff’s office, 200 Industrial Drive, Placerville, 6:30 pm. Visitors and non-hams welcome. Info at www.edcarc.net

LeArN & PLAy criBBAGe Cribbage is a fun, fast paced game that will surely keep you on your toes! **All skill levels **Learn to play by ACC Rules (American Cribbage Congress) **Beginner instruction available **Compete in weekly Cribbage tournaments. Call 916-768-4452 for more information. Gold Country Cribbers play Wednesday afternoon 4:30 pm at Steve’s Pizza, 3941 Park Dr., El Dorado Hills, CA. 95762

Thursday, July 13, 2023

Ready for real change?

ceLeBrAte recOvery meets Wednesday nights at 6:30 pm at Bayside Church of Placerville, 4602 Missouri Flat Road, Placerville. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. We are a Christ centered recovery program to find healing and recovery from our hurts, habits, and hangups. Email elebratercovery@ baysideplacerville. com. Facebook: https:// www.facebook.com/ CRBaysidePlacerville.

Struggling with life? ceLeBrAte recOvery is for any Hurt, Habit or Hang-up. We are a faith-based recovery program for life’s issues and struggles. Join us Thursday nights at 6:30pm at Green Valley Church, 3500 Green Valley Rd, Placerville. Doors open at 6:15pm. Children’s programs are available for ages 3 months to 18 years old. Email: celebrate@ greenvalley.church. Find us on Facebook: https://m.facebook. com/crgvcc/

DemOcrAts – Come meet with the United Democrats of El Dorado County at Round Table Pizza–Missouri Flat Rd. in Placerville at noon on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Call (530)391-6414 or see edcdems. org for more information.

GOLD rUsH cHOrUs now welcomes both men and women to share the joy of singing fourpart harmony in the barbershop style. To learn more or to book a performance, call Howard at (530) 647-6513 or Kent (530) 651-3575

Hangtown Women’s teNNis club. Join fun-loving women Wednesdays 8am-10am at El Dorado High School. Lessons, social events, only $50/year. Call Cindy 805-540-8654. mArsHALL HOsPitAL AUxiLiAry is looking for volunteers. It is a rewarding opportunity to do something for the community. We will be holding interviews on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Please contact Linda Grimoldi at 530-6202240 or call the Auxiliary Office at 530-626-2643.

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. For more information, call (530) 622-1180.

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

tAxPAyers AssOciAtiON Of eL DOrADO cOUNty

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

El Dorado Hills Soccer Club team promoted

to the Democrat

The El Dorado Hills Soccer Club’s 2006 Boys Gold team has fought against the odds to be placed in one of the top leagues in the U.S., Elite National Club Level-Regional League, after a hard-fought season.

The ’06 Boys team and the ’09 Boys Gold Team were the first ever teams from EDHSC to achieve National Premiere League status. After placing in the top of their fall league, the ’06 boys were promoted to the Champions League, which consists of the top three teams from each division within Nor Cal Premiere Soccer.

After a long and competitive spring league the boys triumphed through major injuries and missed qualifying for the United States National NPL Championships in Colorado by only one game. Although just a little short of this impressive feat, the team’s play and consistency caught the attention of the decisions makers at NorCal Premier Soccer and the team received word that it has been promoted to ECNL-RL.

“We were definitely disappointed that we could not make the trip to Denver for the national championships, but these boys defied the odds all year,” said head coach Tony Guzman. “To think of the adversity and injuries this team faced throughout the season, it was great to see them get the acknowledgment

they deserve by being promoted to ECNL-RL.”

The ECNL-RL is the top division of competition in NorCal Premiere Soccer and features the best teams in state. The league also features 11 regional leagues, including the Carolinas, Florida, Heartland, Northeast, Northwest, Ohio Valley, Southern California, Southeast, Texas and Virginia. Each league allows for coordination and collaboration between the teams of different levels within ECNL clubs or opportunity for teams and players in other clubs to develop through regular high-level competition. The ’06 Boys team will have opportunities to not only play the best teams in the state, but will also play in college showcases and will have the opportunity to travel throughout the United States to play other regional showcases.

“This is truly unprecedented for our club,” said Adam Moffat, formerly of the Sacramento Republic and MLS and now director of coaching for El Dorado Hills Soccer Club. “This just goes to show that when you are dedicated to your craft and receive the support of those around you including the club, coaches and families, you can accomplish anything. We are proud that these boys are paving the way for future teams within our club.”

For more on El Dorado Hills Soccer Club visit edhsc.org.

Carrick captures first win in speedway season

Lincoln’s Tanner Carrick had been ultra consistent this year at Placerville Speedway and on Burgers and Brew Night the 21-year-old put it all together for his first triumph of the season Saturday.

Joining Carrick in victory lane were Bakersfield’s Brody Fuson with the U.S. Auto Club Western States midgets, Waterford’s Dakota Albright with the Bay Cities Racing Association lightning sprints and Diamond Springs’ Dan Jinkerson with the pure stocks.

The enthusiastic crowd saw some wild action during the night. The 25-lap winged sprint car feature saw Carrick jump into the lead and easily distance himself from the rest of the pack. Lots of moving and shaking was going on behind him though as Seth Standley, Michael Faccinto, Landon Brooks, Tony Gomes, Michael Ing and others went back and forth.

Lap nine saw Gomes and Ing make contact, resulting in Ing coming to a stop over the edge of the corner. Once Ing was pushed off however, he drove

up and contacted Gomes under caution, which saw both drivers come to a stop. The red lights were then flashed on and officials allowed Gomes to make repairs, while keeping his spot in fourth. Once going back green, two more laps were clicked off, before a caution waved again.

On the double file restart, point leader Faccinto shot into the lead, only to see the yellow lights come on for a jump start call. He was then docked two spots for being deemed early and on the ensuing restart things began to heat up again. With Carrick up front having his way, Gomes did his best to catch the leader.

A final restart with three laps to go saw Gomes keep him honest but Carrick hit his marks on the final circuit to accept the checkered flag. It marked his seventh career winged 360 triumph at the track.

Gomes finished second, with Brooks capping a strong night by finishing third. The Rio Oso racer set the fastest time and captured his heat race in exciting fashion earlier on. Faccinto

Gary Thomas Placerville Speedway

Top of Their game

COMiCS

n SHOE by Jeff MacNelly

n TUNDRA by Chad Carpenter

Courtesy photo

Pictured are the 2023 city of Placerville NFL Flag Football League champion Packers of the 11-14 year old age group. From left, top row, are Izaak M., Coach Isaiah Rheaume, Christian M.,

through mutual friends and “did a phenomenal job” helping coach the team, according to McPartland. The league was founded in 2022 and currently has 22 teams across three different age groups, with all being played at El Dorado High School.

DOT prepping to pave

Mountain Democrat staff

The El Dorado County Department of Transportation Roads and Maintenance Division is notifying residents of microgrinding projects in Camino Heights and Cameron Park this week.

From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. crews will be at work on Cameron Park Drive between Highway 50 and Green Valley Road through Friday, July 14.

On Saturday, July 15, microgrinding is planned for the entire length of Camino Heights Drive.

DOT officials note the work is “essential prior to the surface treatment, which will take place at a later date.” These road projects are being carried out by workers from Anrak Corporation.

n RUBES by Leigh Rubin

“The El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and the Sacramento Police Department’s Gang Investigations Unit for their detailed and thorough

Housing Continued from A5

Guilty Continued from A1 communities.”

Driven by the urgent need for affordable housing solutions, TRPA’s Governing Board is re-examining policies that have had the unintended consequence of incentivizing luxury development versus more affordable housing types.

Development standards in Lake Tahoe are central to protecting the basin’s water quality and reducing the impact of new homes and businesses on the environment.

However, most development in the basin was built decades ago and pre-dates these standards. In 2012, TRPA updated the Regional Plan to encourage redevelopment of preexisting homes and businesses so they can meet modern water quality standards and help create more walkable town centers.

While progress is being made, the agency says it is imperative to continue environmental redevelopment that simultaneously increases affordable housing options.

“Lake Tahoe can’t grow its way out of these challenges,” said Regan.

“While our unique integration of environmental protection and growth management has made great strides in cultivating sustainable communities, we’re facing a new housing affordability crisis. Now we must more meaningfully engage with Tahoe’s disadvantaged and historically underserved communities to find new housing solutions for everyone.”

While most funding support for affordable housing in the Lake Tahoe region has gone to construction of new housing on vacant land and financial assistance to individuals, the scale of challenges in the basin require solutions coming from every sector, according to TRPA.

Data compiled by the Tahoe Prosperity Center shows just 28% of Tahoe residents can afford the median-priced home, the cost of which tripled from 2012 to 2021. A little more than 50% of homes in the region are occupied, with some areas being 90% second homes. The agency worked closely with partner organizations and local jurisdictions to determine the most impactful set of programs for Tahoe.

“El Dorado County was honored to partner with TRPA on securing the HIT grant and we look forward to continuing the work to deliver

investigation,” DA’s Office officials state in a Facebook post. “(Their work) secured swift justice for the victim and the community and will help keep gang activity and violence out of El Dorado County.”

transformative housing changes in the Tahoe basin,” said deputy director of El Dorado County’s Tahoe Planning and Stormwater Division Brendan Ferry.

The funds will be applied over several years to deliver:

• An equity and climate assessment that will examine the impact of existing policies on affordability, access to opportunity and impacts related to climate change such as greenhouse gas emissions and the region’s ability to respond to climaterelated events.

• A community engagement plan to establish long-term, two-way engagement between communities and agencies with a particular focus on disadvantaged and historically underserved communities.

• An update of the regional growth management and development rights systems.

• A streamlined environmental review process for transit-oriented, multi-family developments that meet water quality and other environmental goals.

• Environmental analysis of proposed updates to the regional plan.

The smaller grant will help the agency move forward on priority housing actions identified by a special working group of the TPRA Governing Board members, local government and non-profit partners, real estate professionals, and affordable housing experts.

The Tahoe Living Working Group prioritized amendments to certain building standards to make it more financially feasible for private property owners and builders to construct deed-restricted workforce housing for multiple income levels.

Funds are also available for outreach and engagement and creation of tools to help the public use the new codes if approved.

The grant funds will be used to advance the feasibility of constructing multi-family rental units, like duplexes and apartments, in and around town centers.

Amendments to the regional code of ordinances currently under review could increase regional opportunities for building height, density and land coverage if a project is permanently restricted to more affordable rates. For more information visit trpa.gov/ housing.

n SPEED BUMP by Dave Coverly

HOROSCOPE by Holiday Mathis

n TODAy

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Because each individual is unique, the chemistry between people is unpredictable. You never can tell how energy will combine until everyone is in the same room. Throw the theories out the window and go for a real-life experience.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). There’s no digital bandit that can steal your time today because you’re too busy doing something in the real world to let imposing distractions win. All detours will be of your own choosing.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). There’s an art to seizing the day. It’s all in the grip — strong enough to hang on, but not so strong it constricts the spontaneous flow of movement. You have just the right touch.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Circumstances that seem fixed offer hidden options. Don’t accept what’s presented. Get creative. Poke around. Be bold. The alternatives are there for those who decide to find them. You always have choices.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Passionate energy is fueling a chase, though it’s more strategic than fast. All the thrill will be in the approach. Once the prize is attained, the excitement will be over, so take your time and enjoy the unfolding.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You may be drawn to someone older. This has to do with your love of learning and your need to grow in a certain area. A guide with experience will usher you just where you want to go.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Most things about relationships are about as wonderful (or annoying) as you allow them to be. Seemingly accidental happenings shimmer with a glittery dusting of hope. Love feels destined.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Here comes a challenge. You’re in just the mood to accept. You may even raise the stakes to make things more interesting. In the end, this isn’t about who wins the game, rather it’s about how you play.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You have no desire to show people how awesome you are because you would much rather reveal to people how awesome they are. You will shine a light on others and they will bask in your warmth.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Spread your attention around today. If you place too much expectation on one person or subject, life falls out of balance. It’s not the worst thing to tumble in this way, but it’s also not particularly productive.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Hug fear while it’s real. Listen to its voice — not because it’s accurate or true but because it wants to be heard. After it’s had its say, the charge will disperse and fear will dissipate like mist.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). If you knew the rest of the week would bring about the same vibe as today, what would you change? Instead of fantasizing about a different circumstance, you’ll actively shift and elevate the current vibe.

Coach Meg McPartland and Wyatt N. Rheaume. From left, bottom row, are Rita A., Enoch C., Christian C., Andrew V., Josiah C., Clayton M. and Giovani M. Former Folsom High School football player and current offensive lineman at American River College Rheaume got connected with the team

Suspect arrested after hours-long standoff

Mountain Democrat staff

A man attempting to evade authorities July 1 drove down a U.S. Forest Service Road near Georgetown and got stuck, leading to a standoff with El Dorado County sheriff’s deputies.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers had initially attempted to stop the driver, Franklin Shaffer, 38, on a vehicle code violation, according to CDFW Northern Enforcement District Assistant Chief Erica Manes. CDFW records indicate Shaffer is a resident of Garden Valley.

To assist in the pursuit, CDFW officers called sheriff’s personnel into the Darling Ridge Road area.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Alexander Sorey told the Mountain Democrat there were two occupants in the vehicle in addition to Shaffer, one who fled on foot and another

who was compliant and exited the vehicle.

CDFW officials said Shaffer, who is on probation, was armed and refused to comply with officers. El Dorado County sheriff’s SWAT responded and after many hours, Shaffer surrendered, Sorey reported.

Georgetown residents in the Lake Walton area saw a large law enforcement presence, including EDSO’s Rook critical incident tactical vehicle trailered into Darling Ridge Road via Balderston Road as part of the response.

Charges recommended to the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office by CDFW include probation violation, evading law enforcement and being prohibited from owning firearms or ammunition.

CDFW officials added that Shaffer was released from custody July 6.

DUI suspected in Ice House side-by-side rollover

Isaac Streeter

Staff writer

The Georgetown Fire Department along with automatic and mutual aid resources from the U.S. Forest Service, California Highway Patrol and CALSTAR air ambulance responded to an off-road vehicle roll over on Ice House Road near Loon Lake July 1 at 4:29 p.m.

The driver of the Can-Am Maverick off-road, side-by-side vehicle was identified by CHP public

Speedway Continued from A6

crossed the line in fourth with Bubba Decaires having a fantastic run from 14th to fifth.

The 30-lap U.S. Auto Club Western States midget feature saw former series champion Blake Bower take the early lead, before two-time champ Michael Faccinto passed him on lap four. Some of the best entertainment in the main event came from Cade Lewis, who ran the high side like a young Jac Haudenschild.

After bringing out an early caution Lewis blasted through the field and got back up third with 16 laps complete. As he rapidly closed on Faccinto and runner up Brody Fuson, Lewis got into the cushion a bit too hard and stalled the car, ending his stellar run.

After the restart, Fuson made the

information officer Andrew Brown as 27-year-old Brandon E. Pierce of Yuba City and his passenger as 26-year-old Oscar Vargas-Cervantes of Sacramento. Pierce was suspected of being intoxicated while driving the vehicle and was arrested for charges related to DUI causing injury. He was taken into custody by CHP officers at the scene. VargasCervantes was transported via CALSTAR air ambulance to Renown Medical Center in Reno, Nev., due to possible serious head injuries.

pass of Faccinto in impressive fashion and went on to accept the checkered flag. Faccinto, Randi Pankratz, Danika Jo Faccinto and Ron Hazleton completed the top five.

The 20-lap Tracy Taylor Memorial for the Bay Cities Racing Association wingless lightning sprints saw Dakota Albright lead up front for the duration, but several others did not make it easy on him. Youngster David Gasper, winged sprint car regular Shane Hopkins and others raced high and low on the bullring.

Early on it looked like lightning sprint legend Scott Kinney may have a shot at the win but he encountered issues with 11 laps down. Hopkins then appeared to have a car to beat but hopped over a right rear just past the halfway point, which sent him for a set

Two Georgetown Fire Department volunteers arrived quickly at the scene and began providing advanced life support care. They reported the vehicle had rolled over approximately 50 feet off the roadway. Both Pierce and Vargas-Cervantes sustained injuries but were not trapped when first responders arrived.

Brown also noted off-highway vehicles such as side-by-sides are not permitted on Ice House Road and DUI is “always prohibited everywhere.”

of barrel rolls. He luckily emerged OK but was done for the race.

After that Gasper ran the ragged edge in his attempt to get by the leader, but Albright never wavered en route to the victory. Gasper ended up second, with Greg Dennett, Cody Meyers and Zack Schmidt rounding out the top five.

The pure stocks displayed several thrills of their own. The 20-lap finale saw Oakley’s Nick Baldwin and Dan Jinkerson battle it out with the duo racing inches apart from each other. Fourth of July winner Thomas Arbogast then joined the party and

made it a three car fight up front. At one point in heavy duty lapped traffic the trio zigged and zagged their way down the front stretch, as the crowd came to their feet. Jinkerson ultimately withstood every challenge from Arbogast as the race wound down to pick up his 38th career pure stock win at Placerville Speedway. Arbogast capped a solid week by finishing in the runner up spot, followed by Baldwin, Kevin Jinkerson and Bill O’Neal.

The Placerville Speedway returns to racing this coming Saturday, July 15, with Red Hawk Casino Night.

region, giving locals a hometown team and fast-paced entertainment, with a commitment to giving back and growing the game of hockey in the community.” The ECHL has been active since 1988 and holds affiliations with 28 of the 32 National Hockey League teams on a minor league basis. The Tahoe expansion franchise will be the furthest west franchise in the league when play begins late next year.

The Tahoe team will have an NHL affiliate that is expected to be announced in February 2024.

Tebow is a minority partner in two ECHL teams, the Jacksonville Icemen and Savannah Ghost Pirates, and this will be the first franchise he owns himself as he goes into business with David Hodges, CEO of a firm based in Jacksonville, Fla., which manages several real estate companies and car dealerships.

Tebow, who lives in Florida, told the Tahoe Daily Tribune he does not plan to move to the Tahoe region.

The unnamed expansion team is taking suggestions for a team name through Friday, Aug. 4. Submitting a name enters participants into a drawing for an in-game experience as well as a signed jersey. Suggest a name at laketahoeprohockey.com/nameyour-team. Future fans can also place a $100 deposit for the season tickets waiting list.

When Tebow’s squad takes to the ice, it won’t be the first time Lake Tahoe has hosted a professional hockey team. The Tahoe Icemen played on the California side of the border at the South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena as members of the Western States Hockey League 2013-18. The Tahoe Blue Event Center in Stateline, Nev., is located at the center

of the busy Lake Tahoe area that attracts more than 15 million visitors annually, spurred by skiing and casinos.

“As a recreation and sports-passionate destination that has hosted numerous high-caliber sports over the years, we welcome the ECHL to Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Blue Event Center,” said Carol Chaplin, president and CEO of Visit Lake Tahoe. “The addition of an ECHL team will greatly complement our year-round venue programming, not to mention delighting both visitors and residents alike for years to come.”

The multipurpose arena is managed by OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, which owns and operates two NHL properties Seattle, Wash., and Belmont Park, N.Y., and manages two additional NHL arenas in Pittsburgh, Penn., and Phoenix, Ariz., as well as multiple AHL, ECHL and college hockey arenas across North America.

“We are excited to welcome the newest ECHL franchise to Tahoe and the Tahoe Blue Event Center,” said Kevin Boryczki, general manager of the Tahoe Blue Events Center. “The atmosphere inside the arena is going to be electric for both the fans and players.”

Outside of professional sports Tebow has become best known around the world for his work with the Tim Tebow Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission is to “bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need.” The foundation fights for people who can’t fight for themselves in more than 80 countries and counting.

Tebow is also an entrepreneur, fivetime New York Times best-selling author, sports broadcaster and investor. Tahoe Daily Tribune staff writer Ashleigh Goodwin contributed to this report.

Tebow Continued from A1

Tahoe Daily Tribune photo by Ashleigh Goodwin Tahoe youth hockey teams pose with NFL star Tim Tebow.

Photo courtesy of Matthew Cullum

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Rook tactical vehicle was among the resources called in during a standoff near Georgetown July 1.

In the KNOW

July 12

Find out what you have wanted to know about growing succulents through an interactive presentation with hands-on activities hosted by Master Gardeners of El Dorado County, 9 a.m. to noon at the Cameron Park Community Center, 2502 Country Club Drive.

FamilySearch Center hosts Teen Day, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This day is dedicated to teens, 10 and older, to enjoy activities, food and time to learn research techniques. For more information call (530) 6211378.

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.

The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce and Charm Photography host a business blender, 5:30 p.m. at 4364 Town Center Blvd., Suite 215. RSVP by calling (916) 933-1335 or visit eldoradohillschamber.org.

Jonny Mojo will perform at The Green Room Social Club in Placerville, 6-9 p.m. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

July 13

A opening reception showcasing new sculptures by Oran Miller at The Wine Smith in downtown Placerville takes place

5-9 p.m. The show runs through Aug. 11.

Join artist Ameera Godwin and curator Marya Osucha as they discuss FIRE/LAND: The Exhibition, 6 p.m. at the Switchboard Gallery, 525 Main St. in Placerville.

For more information about the exhibit visit artsandcultureeldorado. org.

El Dorado Hills Town Center hosts Live on the Boulevard free concerts every Thursday. The schedule features Forejour (July 13), Joy & Madness (July 20), Maroon Vibes (July 27), Island of Black and White (Aug. 3), Kalimba (Aug. 10), Petty Theft (Aug. 17) Stevie Ray

Visited (Aug. 24), Folsom Lake Symphony (Aug. 31) and Uptown Funk (Sept. 7). Set up begins at 5:30 p.m.

For more information visit edhtowncenter.com.

Laughs Unlimited Comedy Club and Lounge in Old Sacramento hosts a comedy show fundraiser for All About Equine. For tickets and more information visit laughsunlimited.com.

Aries Spears brings his distinctive and poignant comedy to the Punchline in Sacramento, with three evening shows July 13-15.

For tickets and more information visit tinyurl. com/AriesSacramento2023 or call (916) 925-8500.

July 14

Bring new school supplies to Hands4Hope’s Stuff the Bus event, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the El Dorado Hills Town Center parking lot near Target. A list of desired supplies can be found at hands4hopeyouth. org/schoolsupplydrive.

The Sherwood Demonstration Garden is open again every Friday

Creative Currents

James Marquez nurtures the next generation

James Marquez, director of Center Street Gallery and the Native American Center for Arts and Culture, sits facing the window of the gallery during an interview. The gallery, located at 3182 Center St. across from City Hall in downtown Placerville, has large windows that disclose a view of a bustling section of Main Street. Firetrucks and ambulances speed onto the freeway, trucks load and unload behind the shops and restaurants on Main Street and friends of the gallery routinely pass by, offering friendly honks and waves.

“I love this spot,” Marquez shared. “I work out of here a lot now. I love to just sit here and watch the world go by.”

Marquez, who has dedicated much of his adult life to the Native community in Northern California, is Lakota and White Mountain Apache. He is the director of two Native education initiatives: The Foothill Indian Education Alliance, a nonprofit, and the Indian Education Center, an El Dorado County agency.

When asked about his career achievements, he smiled and redirected the question, speaking instead about the achievements

of the community he has served, “We are on our third generation of students,” Marquez said. “Many have gone to college or been successful in other ways. Their kids come and then their kids’ kids come, so they must see the value of what we’re doing. In a few years we will have our fourth generation.”

Cleaning up his act

Marquez has been an artist his entire life. Once, when he was a child, he turned in a worksheet embroidered at the margins with intricate doodles. He received an A, his teacher told him, for the artwork, not the school work. “I kind of cleaned up my act after that,” he said with a laugh.

He enrolled in art school, where he found a community of Native artists and a blueprint for a career in the arts. He went on to co-found a graphic design firm in Sacramento, where he worked for 16 years. While working at the firm, Marquez made a point of supporting local nonprofits and underserved and marginalized communities by offering his services for free.

After leaving the firm and relocating to El Dorado County to become the director of Indian Education Services, Marquez found even more rewarding opportunities for service. When the program outgrew its limited accommodations, he helped it expand again and again and again — first adding an ancillary location for workshops and classes, then forming the Foothill Indian Education Alliance in order to receive grant money for operations.

Finally, in 2021, Marquez founded the Center Street Gallery, where he hosts family gatherings for Native people of all ages and a wide array of classes and workshops for young people and local teachers.

“We have wide open spaces, tables and chairs,” he said, gesturing around the gallery. “Within 10 minutes it becomes a classroom.”

The gallery also hosts exhibitions, which are curated with the help of Sigrid Benson of Concept: Art+Movement. These exhibitions are open to the public and often feature artist talks on Third Saturday Art Walks.

Artsit of the people

As he did regarding his career achievements, Marquez points to his Native community when asked what inspires him. “People. The people that I have met along the way,” he declared. “I like to launch people in a direction that maybe they didn’t even realize they had the talent to go in. The arts cost a lot

Photos by Caitlin Thompson

Artist James Marquez is director at Center Street Gallery in Placerville, home to Native American art and also a classroom for aspiring artists.

JORDAN HyATT-MiLLER Program coordinator, Arts and Culture El Dorado

Center Street Gallery hosts family gatherings for Native people of all ages and a wide array of classes and workshops for young people and local teachers. n See Marquez, page

Help kids start the school year right

Nicole Craine

Hands4Hope – Youth Making a Difference

For the 10th year in a row local nonprofit organization

Hands4Hope – Youth Making

A Di erence is collecting backpacks and essential school supplies to help local students in need start the year o on the right foot.

The community can join in the e ort by dropping o supply donations at locations throughout the region or at the Stu the Bus event on July 14, shopping the Hands4Hope Amazon wish list or contributing financially. This e ort is organized and led by Hands4Hope youth participants.

The National Retail Federation estimates the average American family will spend close to $850 on school supplies and back to school clothing this year — $59 more than last year. The school supplies collected during this drive are essential to o set these costs for local families who are struggling financially. There is an anticipated increase in need this year, so Hands4Hope is working to collect backpacks and supplies for 700 students before the distribution event in early August.

Donations needed include new backpacks, paper, composition books, colored pencils, mechanical pencils, ink pens, glue sticks, crayons, markers, rulers, calculators, ring binders, sharpies, highlighters, scissors, dry erase markers, pocket folders and packs of 3x5 notecards.

Supply donations are being collected through Friday, July 21, and may be dropped in Hands4Hope blue collection barrels located at more

Stuff the Bus!

Bring new school supplies to Hands4Hope’s Stuff the Bus event, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 14, in the El Dorado Hills Town Center parking lot near Target. Find a list of supplies at hands4hopeyouth.org/ schoolsupplydrive.

supplies that are needed most.

The Hands4Hope – Youth Making

Courtesy photo

In 2022 Hands4Hope – Youth Making a Difference provided more than 500 youth in need with backpacks full of supplies for school. The need has increased and Hands4Hope aims to provide 700 backpacks in 2023. Pictured are volunteers, left to right, Maya Moss, Emily Van Saun, Trenton Talmadge Sarahi

than a dozen locations from Folsom through Placerville, including Folsom Lake Bowl, the El Dorado Hills Library, Lyon Real Estate in Cameron Park and Thompsons Family of Dealerships in Placerville.

A complete list of items needed and drop o locations can be found on the Hands4Hope website at hands4hopeyouth.org/ schoolsupplydrive.

Additionally, donations can be brought to the exciting Stu the

Bus event on Friday, July 14 at the El Dorado Hills Town Center, near Target. Both youth and adult volunteers are also needed to make this event a success. Volunteer registration and more event information is also available on the Hands4Hope website. Hands4Hope also o ers donors the option of skipping going to the store by shopping directly from an Amazon wish list and is also accepting financial donations to purchase

A Di erence School Supply Drive Committee is youth led with the help of adult mentors. This year’s committee is composed of six subcommittee chairs, 11 participants and two sta mentors, all led by a Hands4Hope alumni/college intern. The committee’s goal is to ensure that all students have what they need to be successful in the 2023-24 school year. The committee develops advertising, markets for and hosts the School Supply Drive. It collects and distributes all donated supplies to the Placerville Union School District in conjunction with the El Dorado County O ce of Education.

Hands4Hope – Youth Making

A Di erence is a nonprofit youth driven organization with the mission to inspire and empower youth in leadership and service. The nonprofit o ers hands-on education and community engagement opportunities to youth from kindergarten through 12th grades through on-campus and after-school programs in Sacramento and El Dorado counties. For more information visit hands4hopeyouth. org or call (916) 294-7426.

Senior Services hosts summer history series

News release

El Dorado County Senior Services will host a free, two-part history event this summer for senior residents. A Step Back in Time is an informational series focused on the history of Placerville, and the surrounding area, and is presented by guest speakers from the El Dorado County Historical Museum and El Dorado County Historical Society. The two-part series will be held at the El Dorado County Senior Center, located at 937 Spring St. in Placerville, with dates, presenters and topics as follows:

• Thursday, July 20, 1-3 p.m. –This presentation will feature topics such as the history of Gold Bug Mine and Quartz Hill and the benefits of mining in El Dorado County. The presentation will be given by Jill Kearny, president of the El Dorado County Historical Society.

• Thursday, Aug. 17, 1-3 p.m. –This presentation will focus on the women of El Dorado County and the important role they played in El Dorado County’s history. Mary Cory, museum administrator of the El

Dorado County Historical Museum, will provide this presentation.

“The purpose of the informational series is to help share the rich history of our beautiful county,” said Andrea Muzzy, program assistant for El Dorado County Senior Services. “We’ve heard great things about this series and wanted to invite our local seniors to hear the information too. Anyone who enjoys history or would like to learn more is welcomed to attend.”

Light refreshments will be available, as well as time for questions and answers following each presentation. Seating for the informational series is limited. For questions or to reserve a seat contact the Senior Activities Program at (530) 621-6238. Senior Services is part of the Community Services Division of the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency. To learn more about the many programs o ered through Senior Services call the El Dorado County Senior Information and Assistance line at (530) 621-6369 or (800) 5102020 or visit edcgov.us/SeniorService. aspx.

Lopez, Ria Sahota, Aiden Chemmannure, Moniicaa Kishore Kumar and Sage Barden.

Can you find the three identical piggy banks? Time yourself. Then have a family member try it. Who found them the fastest?

Fritter, how much have you saved so far for your big Six Wags Amusement Park visit?

$12 this month!

But it hasn’t been easy, Thrifty! There are so many things I just NEED to buy!

I think you mean WANT to buy! You NEED to learn the difference!

ritter needs some help sticking to his saving plan. Write NEED next to each of the items below he must buy for his health or safety. Then write WANT by things that might be fun to have, but that he could do without.

A NEED is something you must have in order to survive or function. You need shelter, clothing, food, water and sometimes things like medicine or school supplies.

A WANT is something you would like to have, but can live without. A music player, computer, television and bike are wants not needs

Look around your room. Make a list of all the things you can see from your doorway. Then, write W next to each thing that can be considered a WANT. Write an N next to each item that can be considered a NEED. Do you have more WANTS or NEEDS in your room?

Look at these stores. Check the box above each store to show if it contains more things that you would WANT, NEED or BOTH. Below each store, list a few things it might sell that you would NEED.

WANTS NEEDS BOTH

WANTS NEEDS BOTH

WANTS NEEDS BOTH WANTS NEEDS BOTH

WANTS NEEDS BOTH

THINK ABOUT IT: Cake is a food, but is it a WANT or a NEED?

I’ve been working hard this month! Put a check in the box next to each job I did.

If you check the right boxes, they add up to exactly $10!

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow simple written directions.

Quantity

Find an ad in the newspaper. Rewrite the ad and substitute the words “many,” “few,” “several,” etc. for the numbers used in the ad. Are the numbers necessary? Why or why not?

Standards Link: Research: Use the newspaper to locate information.

This week’s word:

SURVIVE

The verb survive means to be able to remain alive.

The food delivery helped the family to survive the flood.

Try to use the word survive in a sentence today when talking with your friends and family.

Needs & Wants

List three things you NEED in your life and three things you WANT. Write a paragraph explaining your choices.

Knowing the di erence between WANTS and NEEDS is the best way to make sure your saving plan SUCCEEDS!

© 2016 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 32, No. 49

Grow for it!

What’s the buzz?

Mosquitoes!

Imagine this: It’s a beautiful clear evening in the foothills as you relax in your backyard with a beverage of your choice. All of a sudden you hear the irritating sound of a mosquito buzzing by your ear and then something settles on your arm. Ouch ... slap! You have just experienced a dreaded blood sucking mosquito bite. Only female mosquitoes require blood from vertebrates. They need this extra nutrition to nourish the large number of eggs they will lay in standing water. Obviously, humans are prime targets, but pets, livestock and wildlife are also fair game. Not just an itchy irritant, this bite could also transmit a number of diseases, including encephalitis, malaria and West Nile virus to

Mosquitoes are a real ‘buzz’ kill when people try to enjoy the great outdoors. Plants such as citronella, basil, catnip, lavender, marigolds and peppermint act as natural deterrents.

humans and heartworm to our dogs and cats. Due to an excessive amount of rain this spring, we are in an extraordinary predicament. Lots of rain means lots of these buzzing pests this summer and fall. Standing water is the main culprit, but mosquito eggs are also resistant to drying and can remain dormant for months, or longer, until they

are rejuvenated by more water. What can we do to minimize our current mosquito situation? There are a few basic steps that can certainly help.

First, be vigilant about eliminating standing water. Something as tiny as a bottle cap can be prime real estate for a female to lay her eggs. Tree holes and old tires filled with rainwater can also be a breeding ground. In your garden, make sure you constantly rinse and refresh bird baths. If you have a fountain, running the bubbler will help prevent mosquito eggs from hatching. Cover rain barrels and avoid a cluttered backyard, which may provide multiple water breeding sources. In water gardens and ponds consider adding fish to feed on mosquitoes. There are also biological control products called Mosquito Dunks that kill mosquito larvae, but are safe for people, pets and wildlife.

El Dorado County has an Environmental Management Department Vector Control Program. Its website gives some good tips to avoid mosquito bites, which include: draining standing water, avoiding going out at dusk and dawn, dressing appropriately with long sleeves and long pants, inspecting window screens for any holes and wearing a good insect repellent outside.

n See mosquito, page B5

Pauline Atkins UCCE Master Gardener of El Dorado County

Pixabay image

Know Continued from B1

and Saturday for open garden days, 9 a.m. to noon. Take a leisurely stroll through all 16 themed gardens. Docents are on site to assist with any gardening questions. Check the website before visiting at ucanr.edu/sites/EDC_Master_Gardeners/ Demonstration_Garden.

The El Dorado Hills Community Services District hosts a free concert featuring Grooveline, 7 p.m. at Community Park in El Dorado Hills. For more information visit edhcsd.org.

Myka Estates and 1850 Wine Cellars present a summer concert series — Wine • Dine • Vibe — in Apple Hill featuring great food and the following acts: Brisco County (July 14), TNTiki (Aug. 11), L84DNR (Sept. 22) and FBI Band (Oct. 13). For reservations visit 1850winecellars.com/pages/events.

The Ragged Jubilee will perform at The Green Room Social Club in Placerville, 8-11 p.m. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

American Mile performs at Red Hawk Casino’s Stage Bar in Placerville, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. For more information visit redhawkcasino.com.

Daniel Champagne will perform at 7 p.m. The Sofia in Sacramento. For tickets and more information call (916) 4435300 or visit bstreettheatre.org.

Flatstick Pub and Tahoe Art League host the Battle of the Brushes fundraiser, 3-8 p.m. at Flatstick Pub, 4101 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Suite 101, South Lake Tahoe. Competing artists will showcase their artistic talents and skills to battle it out for best design. There will be live music and various DJs throughout the event, as well as indoor golf, duffle board, fabulous food, $5 beers, refreshing drinks and more. For more information visit talart.org.

A schedule of superstar headliners will perform at the Harveys Outdoor Arena during the Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series

Acts featured: Sammy Hagar & The Circle (July 14), Dierks Bentley (Aug. 4), Foo Fighters (Aug. 10), Sam Hunt (Aug. 13), Darius Rucker (Aug. 19) and Kane Brown (Aug. 31 and Sept. 1). For tickets and more information visit visitlaketahoe.com.

July 15

Gold Bug Park & Mine in Placerville is open Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit goldbugpark.org.

Check out Placerville Cars and Coffee, every Saturday, 7-9 a.m.

Marquez Continued from B1

of money, sometimes, and people don’t have the means for it. Having a space where instruction and supplies and equipment are free during the class — that opens doors for people.”

Marquez plans to retiring from his county positions, but will continue to serve as director of the Center Street Gallery. Retirement will give him more time to focus on his own art and to expand the scope of the gallery’s service to the Native community. It will also give him more time to be with that community.

“I just love seeing people,” he said. “The elders come here and work on stuff and just talk and laugh for hours. It’s hard to have a bad time when they’re around.”

Mosquito Continued from B4

Finally, if you are a gardener you should know there are a variety of plants and animals that can act as a mosquito repellents. Consider planting scented Pelargonium ‘citrosum’ or citronella plant, basil, catnip, lavender, marigolds and peppermint. These plants will not eliminate mosquitoes, but if you rub the leaves on your hands, mosquitoes may be deterred. Also, be sure to encourage birds and bats to your garden by providing a welcome habitat. You will be rewarded because they love to feast on those pesky, irritating adult mosquitoes. For more information check out the UCIPM link: ipm.ucanr. edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7451.html. Enjoy a mosquito-free summer.

Master Gardener classes are offered monthly throughout the county. Find the class schedule at mgeldorado.ucanr.edu/Public_Education_ Classes/?calendar=yes&g=56698 and recorded classes on many gardening topics at mgeldorado. ucanr.edu/Public_Education/Classes.

Sherwood Demonstration Garden is open every Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon. Master Gardeners will offer tours, answer questions or guests can just enjoy the garden. Check the website for further information about the Sherwood Demonstration Garden at ucanr.edu/sites/EDC_ Master_Gardeners/Demonstration_Garden.

Have a gardening question? Master Gardeners are working hard to answer your questions. Use the “Ask a Master Gardener” option on the website, mgeldorado.ucanr.edu, or leave a message on the office telephone at (530) 621-5512. To sign up for notices and newsletters visit ucanr.edu/master_ gardener_e-news. Master Gardeners are also on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

at Lions Park. Hang out with other car enthusiasts.

Cars and Coffee EDH invites car people to meet up and hang out the first and second Saturday mornings of each month, 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.”

Carson Road Wineries hosts the Summer BBQ Series with grilled bites and great wines at Crystal Basin Cellars, Nello Olivo Winery, Findleton Estate and Myka Cellars July 15, Aug. 19 and Sept. 16.

Local author Sandra K. Sullivan promotes her upcoming book, “Tales From The Golden State of Mind,” noon to 4 p.m. at Placerville Newsstand on Main Street in downtown Placerville.

Camino resident and British artist David Yapp will be exhibiting a selection of original oil and watercolor paintings, along with prints of his paintings at his home in Camino, July 15 & 16. Enjoy an artist’s reception with English afternoon tea and a Celtic Harp performance by Kaitlin Lubetkin. For more information visit davidyapp.com/show.

Gwinllan Estate in Fair Play hosts a South American Barbecue inspired by trips to Argentina, 3-5 p.m. RSVP by Friday, July 14. Call (530) 723-2879 or email info@gwinllanestate.com.

Come to historical downtown Placerville for Third Saturday Art Walk’s Dog Days of Summer event, 4-8 p.m. The free raffle prize this month is a dog print by artist Steve Ellenburg. All kinds of dog items are on sale at many of the retailers staying open late. Seven galleries are having one of the following: special discounts, anniversary celebrations, unique exhibitions, or demonstrations. Live music will be playing at The Wine Smith and at Green Room Social Club. Face painting will be in front of Placerville Art Gallery. See more details at the Third Saturday Art Walk Facebook page.

The Cameron Park Community Center presents a Dive-In Movie Bring your floaties to the CPCSD pool and watch “Grown Ups” at 8:45 p.m. Entry fee is $6 and free to annual pass holders.

The Stage at Burke Junction in Cameron Park presents “For the Love of Dog,” July 15 through Aug. 13. For tickets and more information call (916) 524-2540 or visit stageatburke.com.

Loving’s Dead will perform at The Green Room Social Club in Placerville, 9 p.m. to midnight. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

Kirk Matthews Band performs at Red Hawk Casino’s Stage Bar in Placerville, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. For more information visit redhawkcasino.com.

Amador City hosts Dancin’ in the Streets parties, 6-9 p.m, with the following acts scheduled: On Air (July 15) and The Blowbacks (July 22). For more information visit the website, VisitAmadorCity.com.

Mick Martin’s Big Blues Band performs at 7 p.m. at Sutter Creek Theatre in Sutter Creek. For tickets and more information call (916) 425-0077 or visit suttercreektheater.com.

Fairytale Town hosts Mumbo Gumbo, 7-9:30 p.m. at Fairytale Town, at 3901 Land Park Drive in Sacramento. In addition to the live music, attendees can grab food from the Dish & Spoon Cafe and PFD Prime food truck on-site. For tickets and more information visit fairytaletown.org or call (916) 808-7462.

July 16

El Dorado Western Railroad offers train rides at the El Dorado Station, 4650 Oriental St., beginning at 10 a.m. the first and third Sundays of each month. Trains leave on the hour 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., weather permitting. Call ahead to ensure trains are running at (530) 663-3581.

Jazz Gitan will perform at The Green Room Social Club in Placerville, 4-7 p.m. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

The Shingle Springs Community Center hosts Ranch Days, 4-8 p.m., featuring a T-bone steak dinner, live country music by Colton Mountain, a raffle and more. For tickets and more information visit shinglespringscommunitycenter.org.

Now

Main Street Theatre Works presents “The Quest for Don Quixote” by Mark Brown and directed by Allen Pontes through July 15, at the Kennedy Mine Amphitheatre in Jackson. For tickets and more information visit mstw.org.

El Dorado Musical Theatre presents Disney’s “The Descendants: The Musical” through July 16 at Harris Center for the Arts on the Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit harriscenter.net.

Broadway at Music Circus in Sacramento presents “The Music Man” through July 16. For tickets and more information call (916) 557-1999 or visit broadwaysacramento.com.

Sutter Street Theatre in Folsom presents “Seussical Kids” through July 23. For tickets and more information call (916) 3531001 or visit sutterstreettheatre.com.

Capital Stage in Sacramento presents “Predictor” through July 23. For tickets and more information call (916) 995-5464 or visit capstage.org.

The Olde Coloma Theatre presents “Pirates Too: The Captain’s Triangle” or “No Time for Lowtide” through Aug. 6 at the Coloma theater. For tickets and more information call (530) 6265282 or visit oldecolomatheatre.com.

El Dorado County Certified Farmers Markets have begun Saturdays at Placerville Cinema on Placerville Drive, 8 a.m. to noon; Wednesdays at Burke Junction on Coach Lane in Cameron Park, 8 a.m. to noon; and Sundays at El Dorado Hills Town Center, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Placerville Main Street Farmers Market takes place Wednesdays, 4 p.m. to dusk, in the Mooney Lot on Main Street. This market specializes in local fruits and vegetables, sustainable agriculture and community.

include:

• Remotely monitoring the projects

• Periodic in-person visits

• Minor equipment maintenance including greasing bearings, clearing debris from screens and valves, and other similar activities.

• Logging plant data and communicating with our engineers. This position is suitable for retired individuals. No experience required (we will train) but the person must be reliable, have good transportation, and physically able to lift 40 pounds. The operator will be compensated on an hourly basis and have all costs reimbursed. The company pays for mileage at the maximum rate allowed by the IRS.

Contact Mark Henwood (916) 955-6031 markhenwood@

Solution to Puzzle 1

Solution to Puzzle 2