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Volume 171 • Issue 83 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
Monday, July 18, 2022
Honoring Ishmael
City Council: Post office not perfect fit Eric Jaramishian Staff writer
Mountain Democrat photos by Eric Jaramishian
An El Dorado County Department of Transportation bridge maintenance team works under the Mosquito Bridge July 12 to identify needed repairs to the historical crossing.
Time for a tune up,
Mosquito Bridge Eric Jaramishian Staff writer
W
hile construction of a new Mosquito Bridge is in the early stages of site preparation, the historical bridge that connects Mosquito and Swansboro to Placerville is undergoing its annual July maintenance. An El Dorado County Department of Transportation Maintenance and Operations crew consisting of Bob Richerson, Tino Arteche, Dino Klare, Benjamin Strauss and Christian Olmos are out there for three weeks checking and maintaining the suspension bridge — originally constructed in 1867 and rebuilt in 1939. The repairs began July 11 and are expected to be completed Aug. 8. The process is the same every year. Workers assess the bridge’s beams, cables, bolts, tire runners and wheel guards for damage and conduct repairs and replacements as necessary. Vehicles too wide have been known to cross the bridge and cause damage, especially to the wheel guards, according to Richerson. The bridge is only 9 feet, 2 inches wide. Such is the case this time around. The bridge team will focus on a corner of the bridge that was hit, as well as tire runners that have become split and wheel guards that took damage. But it looks to be a minor year for the crew, said PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
Benjamin Strauss and Dino Klare prepare a cable suspension for the “spider basket” used to support workers as they conduct wear-and-tear inspection directly under the bridge. Richerson. The project is worked on from top to bottom at the same time. For crews to get under the bridge they assemble what is called a “spider basket” that is set down with a crane near the bank of the South Fork of the American River. The basket is then raised right under the bridge so crew members can check for loose or damaged bolts and use a “sound” testing method with a sledge hammer to check beams for dry rot. Workers go through training and gear check-up before repairs begin on the bridge. “We have a perfect safety record of 32 years since I have been here and I haven’t heard of any previously, but there is a lot of pre-training that goes on before
these guys ever come out,” said El Dorado County Department of Transportation deputy director Brian Mullens. Everything is checked multiple times. Those working under the bridge are supported by cable suspension and at least two crew members remain on top of the bridge at all times to make sure things go smoothly for those in the basket. “Safety is No. 1 when dealing with someone’s life,” Klare, 34, commented. He has worked on Mosquito Bridge repairs over the last 12 years. Strauss, a 29-year-old Marine veteran, has been employed by the county for four weeks and commented the “spider basket” is a more sophisticated process than n
See Mosquito Bridge, page 5
house firefighting and law enforcement services, would be a better fit. “Mark even went so far to say let’s do one better and make
Congressman Tom McClintock has proposed a bill to rename the Placerville Post Office after Brian Ishmael “Let’s put our but the Placerville City Council has money behind our other ideas of how officers, show we to memorialize the fallen sheriff ’s appreciate them deputy. and that we want The House of Representatives them to have resolution is ready everything they to go, according need to be the best to McClintock’s Community they can.” Outreach Director — Placerville councilwoman Kimberly Pruett, Jackie Neau on naming who told the proposed public safety facility council at its for Brian Ishmael July 12 meeting Ishmael’s family and Sheriff John D’Agostini supported this really meaningful the idea of honoring to make this center Ishmael at the 3045 happen and put some Sacramento St. post federal funding behind office. While the this,” Neau added. bill will ultimately “These people are be decided upon at going to come behind the federal level, the someone who’s given congressman was the ultimate sacrifice, seeking support from so let’s give them the local community best opportunity to leadership. follow in his footsteps City Council was and have the ability unconvinced it was to do their best. Let’s the proper location put our money behind to honor Ishmael, our officers, show we a Placerville native appreciate them and who was murdered by that we want them to gunshot in the line of have everything they duty in 2019. need to be the best The council voted they can.” to table the topic to a Councilmember later date, but not after Patricia Borelli agreed having a back-andwith Neau and gave forth with Pruett. her opinion that while Councilmembers the council wants to said they thought honor Ishmael, post it inappropriate to offices should retain rename what they the names of their described a rundown respective cities and post office after she would rather Ishmael and suggested see him honored another location would elsewhere. be better suited to “I thought that honor his memory. was an excellent Councilmember suggestion from Jackie Neau Mark,” Borelli said. “I paraphrased a letter think we are moving from Mark Acuna, in a progressive way former mayor of with the building Placerville, who and it is all about law suggested honoring enforcement and fire Ishmael at a new safety.” public safety facility Pruett clarified that proposed for the post office is a Placerville. Acuna federal building but pointed out the facility, which will n See Post Office, page 6
Bikes approved for Browns Ravine Trail Sel Richard Staff writer Mountain bikers will get to legally ride an additional slice of Folsom Lake due to the recent approval of the Browns Ravine Trail Change-in-Use project by Gold Fields District Superintendent Barry Smith. While cyclists have pedaled the stretch for years, formal requests were made to officially add bike use to this 11-mile segment along the South Fork arm of Folsom Lake in 2014. Since that time, a CIU Evaluation Team with representatives from visitor services, law enforcement,
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natural and cultural resources staff and trail specialists and planners evaluated the proposal, walking the trail multiple times to assess criteria and potential modifications. Members included Senior Park and Recreation Specialist Jim Micheaels, Park and Recreation Specialist Greg Wells, Environmental Scientist Cara Allen, Associate State Archeologist Steve Hilton and State Park Ranger Mike Green. A virtual public meeting held in January 2022 was attended by approximately 150 people and more than 750 comments were received over the following month. The Gold Fields District completed an
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environmental review and a notice of determination was filed in June 2022. The team recommended approval for the addition of bikes on the trail, prompting Smith’s final decision. “Superintendent Smith considered the CIU Evaluation Team evaluation and recommendation, the information developed through the CIU process, the extensive public comment received regarding the project and the environmental review of the proposed trail modifications prior to reaching this decision,” reported Micheaels. See bikes, page 6
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