Mountain Democrat, Friday, August 4, 2023

Lil ’ recruits

New aquatic robot cleans

Tahoe’s waters

League to Save Lake Tahoe News release

Neighbors

n see more Photos on A3

East Ridge plan gets extension

Eric Jaramishian

Staff writer

El Dorado County officials approved a development agreement that includes an extension for a subdivision within the Valley View Specific Plan in El Dorado Hills.

The subdivision map for the East Ridge Village development, located above the Blackstone community east of Valley View Parkway, was approved in 2015 with an expiration date of July 2024 and has been granted an extension until 2034. It includes 701 residential lots as well as landscaping lots, 12 roadway lots, two recreational park lots and a water tank lot.

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors also found the Valley View Specific Plan environmental impact report and other subsequent environmental impact reports continue to be relevant to address development impacts of the East Ridge Village project and will not require further study.

Tacked onto the development agreement is a $500 per dwelling unit community benefit fee.

Discussions on how to use special tax

n See eAst riDge, page A3

To Keep Tahoe Blue, the League to Save Lake Tahoe teamed up with ECO-CLEAN Solutions and the Tahoe Keys Marina to introduce an aquatic robot that glides across the surface, removing water-borne debris and aquatic weeds. Meet the PixieDrone.

“Together, we’re embarking on a mission to safeguard the pristine beauty of Lake Tahoe, combining cutting-edge technology with environmental stewardship,” said JT Chevallier,

OES hosting fire season town hall

News release

Office

The El Dorado County Office of Emergency Services will hold its fire season town hall Aug. 8 at 6 p.m. at the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office in Placerville.

OES officials plan to discuss how the agency and the county prepare and respond to wildfires, alert and warning systems (where to sign up, how alerts work, what is an order and warning and what do they mean), what the Emergency Operations Center is and why jurisdictions open them during emergencies, partners and cooperators (who and why, fire agencies, cities, state agencies, hospitals, schools, etc.).

Topics also include what to expect in an evacuation, shelters to include animal shelters, non-government resources (Food Bank of El Dorado, El Dorado Community Foundation, PG&E, Liberty Utilities and water districts), where to get verified information and other details.

Where

Photo by Cecilia Clark

across El Dorado County got together for National Night Out fun Tuesday, including opportunities to meet local first responders. Pollock Pines sisters Kayla, 5, and McKenzie Forrest, 4, are fitted with their very own firefighter helmets with the help of El Dorado County Fire Protection District firefighters John Wheeler and Collin Carroll.

Courtesy map

The East Ridge Village development, part of El Dorado Hills' Valley View specific plan, proposes 701 residential lots.

n See PixieDrone, page A7

Michael Wright

June 19, 1942 – July 15, 2023

Born on June 19, 1942 in Sacramento, CA to Ed and Irma Wright (nee Atwood), part of the historical Atwood family, he was raised in Auburn, CA where he lived for 38 years. Mike passed away on July 15, 2023 at his home in Placerville. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Michael E. Wright of Sacramento, CA, his sisters Virginia Connolly of Lake Havasu City, AZ, and Nancy Hiebert of Pahrump, NV. He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Judy Wright, his sons Ken Wright and wife Darla, and Sean Wright and wife Tracy, 12 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mike graduated from Placer High School in 1960 and married Judy Braswell in 1963. He worked for Sutherland Construction, PG&E Gas Dept, then PG&E Civil-Hydro for 28 years. Mike was part of extended PG&E family. His grandfather Earl Atwood, father Ed Wright, and many other family members all worked for PG&E. Mike retired from PG&E in 1992. He then returned to PG&E as a private contractor to rebuild El Dorado Canal, then worked for El Dorado Irrigation District for 10 years before retiring for good.

Mike enjoyed playing baseball as a child and shared his love of the sport with his boys, coaching their teams as they grew up. Mike was an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved spending time in Sierraville at his family cabin, teaching his children and grandchildren how to fish the numerous creeks and lakes, and how to hunt in the mountians around the Sierra Valley. He looked forward to his out of state archery hunting trips with his good friend Richard Smith and brother-in-law Dale Hiebert. Mike fulfilled his lifelong dream of hunting in the Kaibab National Forest, successfully bagging a huge mule deer buck.

Mike loved his family and was a wonderful father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle and friend to many. He will be missed by all.

There will be a celebration of life on Saturday, Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. at the VFW Hall in West Point, CA.

Jane Hamilton

Sept. 9, 1933 - July 27, 2023

Jane Hamilton, resident of Placerville for over 60 years, passed away peacefully on July 27, 2023.

Born Araminta Jane Cooper in Marshall, Arkansas on Sept. 9, 1933, she was known at various times by her friends and loved ones as Bugsy, Janey, Mrs. H, Arameta, A.J., Auntie Jane, Mrs. Hamilton, and Janey Bear, along with Mom and Gramma.

A child of the Depression and World War II, she grew up in Tulsa and then moved to Los Angeles in the early ‘50s to pursue a career in fashion modeling. There she met L.A. cop and law school student Lloyd “Bud” Hamilton, whom she married in 1955. Following law school, the couple moved to Placerville.

In addition to modeling, she dabbled in various careers and pastimes — Las Vegas showgirl, dental assistant, book keeper, real estate agent, o ce manager, etc. — but she only had two true passions: politics and her family. She worked tirelessly on campaigns for various candidates and causes throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s while participating in an array of clubs and organizations. She was an active and enthusiastic collaborator in her husband’s long career as a public servant, attorney, and judge. At the same time she shepherded their three children through school and on to successful careers and lives. Her happiest times were when she was surrounded by her grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband in 2007, after 52 years of marriage. She is survived by her three children — Bret Hamilton and his wife Rebeca, Heather Hamilton, and Holly Salvestrin and her husband Paul, along with five grandchildren: Michael Hamilton, Ryan and Beau Hamilton, and Anna and Grace Salvestrin. Ultimately, her life experience far exceeded her expectations growing up in Oklahoma. She traveled the world from Asia and the Middle East to Europe and throughout the United States and Canada. She crossed seas by air and by ocean liner. She had homes in Hawaii and Oregon in addition to California. She had a life filled with intrigue and adventure and was surrounded by great friends and an adoring family. She was loved. And she will be missed.

Per her request, no memorial service is planned.

Rene Louise Girardin

June 2, 1966 – July 7, 2023

Rene Louise Girardin (Curtis), 57, of Somerset, CA, passed away on July 7, 2023. She was born on June 2, 1966, in Sacramento, CA, to Karen Scott Curtis and adopted by Robert Curtis.

Rene, known to many as Auntie Ne Ne, was a loving mother, sister, and friend. She had a heart of gold and always went out of her way to make others feel appreciated and loved. Rene had a special gift for noticing the outsiders and welcoming them into the fold, putting them in the middle of the party. She had a remarkable ability to see a need and bless someone, whether it was by helping with cleaning, providing food, or o ering a kind gesture to those less fortunate. Rene’s compassion touched the lives of many.

In addition to her caring nature, Rene had a passion for karaoke. She loved working with Jim entertaining at many venues. To honor Rene’s love for music, a memorial will be held on September 23, 2023, from 2pm to 4pm at Bones Roadhouse. Family and friends are invited to join in celebrating Rene’s life and are welcome to sing a song in her memory.

Rene is survived by the love of her life, James Damgaard, her children Frank Girardin, Charles Girardin, Ricky Girardin, and Scott Damgaard, as well as her three sisters, three brothers, father, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother, Karen Curtis Scott, and brother, Michael McKinney.

Rene Girardin will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. Her kindness, generosity, and warm spirit will forever live on in the hearts of those she touched.

William Louis Mack

July 30, 1949 - July 24, 2023

William “Bill” Louis Mack was an amazing husband, father, son, grandfather, brother and friend. He left this world on July 24, 2023 at age 73 due to complications from surgery.

He was born in Chicago, Illinois to Norbert and Betty Mack on July 30, 1949 and grew up in a tight knit family of 5 kids who kept in touch often and are close to this day, swapping family and grandchildren stories.

Bill served in the Air Force during the Vietnam war and had some of his photography published in military journals. He married the love of his life, Nancy, and they moved to Somerset where they built a house and had two daughters, Jenny and Kim. Bill really enjoyed spending time with his family and grandkids as well as on creative hobbies such as writing short stories and designing board games.

Pioneer Bible Church became a big part of his life, where he got to know God and also made some good friends.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, Norbert and Betty Mack, and his sister, Cathy.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Nancy, his daughter, Jenny (Matt) and grandkids Zach and Whitney, his daughter, Kim (Seth) and grandkids Rachel and Logan, his brother, Jim (Diane), his sister Penny (Rob), his sister Margie (John), and many beloved nieces and nephews and their kids.

A memorial service is scheduled for 3 pm on August 6, 2023 at Pioneer Bible Church, 6851 Mt. Aukum Road, Somerset, CA 95684

Thomas Neil Cooper

Sept. 15, 1946 - July 16, 2023

Tom passed away peacefully from complications due to Alzheimer’s Disease. He spent his last nine months at The Courte at Citrus Heights where he received loving care.

Tom was raised in Davis, CA, the eldest child of Tom and Elaine Cooper. He graduated from UCD (1968) and UCD Law School (1973). Tom married Holly Bowen in 1969. They raised their two children in Davis while Tom practiced law, Construction Litigation, at Downey Brand in Sacramento. In 1998, they moved to Sacramento to begin establishing their vineyard and winery in Placerville. In 2001, Tom and Holly, along with their daughter Carrie and son-in-law Josh opened Holly’s Hill Vineyards.

Tom enjoyed fishing, hiking, skiing and boating. He loved his trips to Lake Tahoe and to his cabin in Strawberry.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years Holly, son Scott Cooper (Vickie), daughter Carrie Bendick (Josh), grandchildren Marin, Isabel, Esme and Darwin, his sisters Sue Me ord (Steve) and Cindy Evans (Scott), brother Stan Cooper (Valerie) and many nieces and nephews. Tom will be missed by all.

Doris Anne Jurgens

Aug. 24, 1930 – July 22, 2023

Doris Anne Jurgens Born Aug. 24, 1930 – July 22, 2023. Doris died in her home with family at her side. She was 92 years old. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she moved to Citrus Heights, CA. This is where she met Robert Jurgens her husband of 68 years until his passing in 2019. They were residents of El Dorado County for 60 years. 20 years in South Lake Tahoe and 40 years o Jurgens Road in Rescue, CA. She is survived by her two daughters Lori Nista, Julie Jurgens, son Je Jurgens, four grandchildren, great grandchildren and her dog Willie. Doris stayed busy as a housewife and mother not missing a single school activity or kids sporting event. In her retirement years they enjoyed trips in their motorhome, boating, fishing and Giants baseball games.

Ralph William Haslam

Sept. 30, 1946 – July 6, 2023

His family is sad to announce the passing of Ralph William Haslam of Pollock Pines, CA.

Ralph died at the age of 76 surrounded by his loved ones on July 6, 2023. Ralph was born in Napa, CA on Sept. 30, 1946. Soon, his family moved to Garberville, CA, where he attended elementary and high school, graduating in 1964. Ralph earned his BA from Chico State in 1968 and his teaching credential in 1969, and later earned an MA and administrator’s credential from Sacramento State. Ralph met his wife Donna while they attended college. They were married on Aug. 30, 1969, and celebrated nearly 53 happy years together. Ralph was a teacher and vice principal for 10 years in Vacaville, CA. In 1980, Ralph and Donna moved to Pollock Pines so he could become principal in the Pollock Pines school district, a role he worked in at di erent schools for the next 31 years. Ralph loved science and getting kids interested in the field and visited K-4th grade classrooms as “the Principal of Science” to perform interactive experiments with them (Ralph also loved a pun). Ralph retired in 2011. In Ralph’s recent years, in his spare time he enjoyed reading, tinkering at his workbench, volunteering at the Snowline Hospice Thrift Shop, and being a collection counter for St. Patricks in Placerville. All the way into his 70s, Ralph enjoyed camping, fishing, and family gatherings. He held a special reverence for the outdoors, fostered by time in the Humboldt redwoods where he worked as a park ranger in his youth.

Ralph is predeceased by his parents Frank and Eunice Haslam and his in-laws John and Betty Soletti. He leaves behind his wife Donna, his son Alan (fiancée Brionna), his son Matthew (wife Laura), and his step-granddaughters Hannah and Makenna. He also leaves behind his brotherin-law John Soletti (wife Irene) and sister-in-law Patsy Hough (husband Tom). Ralph will always be in their hearts. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Aug. 10 at 11 am at St. Patrick Catholic Church with a luncheon reception to follow. A private family burial will be held at the Mt. Shasta Memorial Chapel.

Pilot Hill barn fire sends one to hospital

Eric Jaramishian

Staff writer

A fire that burned a Pilot Hill barn the morning of Aug. 1 resulted in one man being sent by air ambulance to an area hospital for burn injuries.

The fire broke out at about 9 a.m. at property on the 4000 block of Red Cloud Lane and extended to vegetation nearby, as well as a disabled vehicle, according to El Dorado County Fire Protection District Capt. Jacob Poganski.

The man who suffered burn injuries was a resident of the property. He was transported by

ground ambulance to Northside Elementary School then airlifted to UC Davis Medical Center for treatment, Poganski said. The resident did not sustain lifethreatening injuries, he added.

The barn took major damage and is a “total loss,” according to Poganski.

El Dorado County Fire personnel were assisted by crews from Cal Fire, Garden Valley Fire Protection District, El Dorado Hills Fire Department and an ambulance from the Georgetown Fire Protection District.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Party time

An outbuilding on Red Cloud Lane in Pilot Hill was damaged in a fire the morning of Aug. 1.

East Ridge Continued from A1

revenues ultimately led the board to decide to create a new community facilities district to help finance road improvements. A CFD is a taxing district that allows such public improvements along with others, including flood control, wastewater facilities and drainage projects that benefit a specific area.

The El Dorado County Planning Commission approved the extension of the development agreement with the condition that development company MJM Properties meets with the El Dorado Hills Community Services District to consider including East Ridge Village in the El Dorado Hills CFD to identify unmitigated impacts in the district. Planning commissioners also considered a request from the El Dorado Hills Fire Department to consider taking special fees to be used for fire and emergency services, which president of the company Michael McDougall told the board they could not come to an agreement on.

“It undermines what we are trying to do, which is to give money to the county through PAYgo funds because every dollar that goes to another CFD is one less dollar that we can use to fund infrastructure, which diminishes the PAYgo,” McDougall explained.

County Auditor-Controller Joe Harn agreed, speaking on behalf of the new CFD and reiterating that road maintenance in the area would not be funded by PAYgo funds.

“If the board wanted to slice off some special taxes and give those taxes to special districts, you would be giving the money away that

we were talking about for road maintenance,” Harn said. Harn, who brought forth the item approved by the board to create the new CFD in the East Ridge Village area, also noted the special tax money cannot be used for capital improvement projects when asked by the board why the money cannot go into the Traffic Impact Fee Program.

“You couldn’t use these road fund monies to unplug a culvert in the area but you could use it to do an overlay or to widen White Rock Road or any road that is in the area where there’s evidence that additional trips are being created by this subdivision,” Harn said. “It will be up to your board to make a finding periodically which areas or roads are affected by the new traffic caused by this subdivision and the money would be available to do the overlay or a new traffic light.”

The board also considered a regional connector road that would connect areas east of Latrobe Road and White Rock Road in Sacramento County to be added into the development agreement, but found it was not necessary to add it at this time. Planning and building staff said they were looking into a regional connector road regardless.

The board unanimously voted to approve county staff’s recommendation to extend the development agreement, approve the subdivision map expiration date, create the new CFD in the area and to leave out a requirement for a connector road. Supervisors also decided PAYgo special district funds would go to road maintenance.

Fiddlin Brothers Ari and Aven Nercessian, ages 13 and 11, from Stonyford, played dueling violins at the Pollock Pines National Night Out celebration.

Photo courtesy of El Dorado County Fire Protection District

Photos by Cecilia Clark Camino Community Church had the perfect picnic space for a National Night Out community get-together.

The Newmeyer family of Pollock Pines learns about wild things from Stephanie Calloway, botanist with the Eldorado National Forest.

Mountain Democrat photo by Isaac Streeter

Members of Save the Graves El Dorado County pan for gold with makeshift paper plate pans at the group’s National Night Out event at Placerville Union Cemetery. Save The Graves put on the event as a means to draw attention to its mission of preserving and protecting El Dorado County’s historical cemeteries.

Tariffs are the last thing U.S. consumers need

Inflation is finally subsiding.

It’s welcome news for families who’ve struggled to keep up with rising costs of food, fuel and transportation.

Unfortunately, policymakers are considering a “can tax” that could increase certain grocery costs by up to 30%.

The proposal in question comes from an Ohio mining and steel conglomerate called ClevelandCli s. The company wants the Commerce Department to slap massive tari s — up to 300% — on steel shipments from abroad, even if it means higher consumer prices.

The tari s would apply to “tinplate” steel imports from Canada, China, Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, Taiwan Turkey and the United Kingdom. Tinplate is used to make containers for food, co ee and chemical sprays — among other things.

Cleveland-Cli s accuses foreign steelmakers of selling ultra-low-cost tinplate on U.S. markets. Imports are undermining America’s domestic steel industry, their argument goes. The company is also accusing China of unfairly subsidizing its own tinplate producers.

These claims don’t hold water. The reason the United States imports so much tinplate steel is far more benign than Cleveland-Cli s claims. The fact is that some U.S. steel producers who previously specialized in tinplate have re-focused on other, higher-margin steel products, like steel used in machinery and vehicles. Even at full bore, U.S. producers would only be able to fulfill around 50% of domestic tinplate demand.

That American firms rely on high-quality tinplate imports from foreign firms that do specialize in tinplate production isn’t something to bemoan; it’s an example of why international trade is a positive good in the first place.

Cleveland-Cli ’s focus on China is a smart PR

Letters to the Editor

Above and beyond

EDITOR:

Iwas involved in a serious vehicle crash last weekend. Rescue paramedics responded to treat my injuries. I was ultimately transported to the hospital. My dog was in the car and of course not able to go to the hospital with me. The firefighter paramedics agreed to take my dog to my house and leave her in the house. I consider this to be above and beyond action. Thank you Rescue paramedics for your excellent medical care and kindness to take care of my dog.

JERRY SHEPARD Cameron Park

Attention supervisors

EDITOR:

Talk about pandering for votes. Your proclamation asserting we were founded as a Christian nation is so far o the mark that I feel the need to remind you of a few facts:

1. At no time does the Constitution mention Christianity, Christ or God.

2. Article 6 states, “No religious test shall be required as a qualification to any o ce …” Past Supreme Court decisions have rea rmed that this Article is to be interpreted broadly, meaning: “Thou shall keep thy religion to thyself, particularly if thou art a government o cial.”

3. The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …” It intentionally avoids saying that religion has any role in government.

4. Article 2(1) spells out the Presidential Oath of o ce. It does not end in “… so help me God!”

The Founding Fathers, most of whom were Deists, penned our founding documents without

ever mentioning the words “Christian nation,” nor did they demand that elected o cials swear to God they would uphold the Constitution.

John Hidahl led three of his fellow supes to the Kool-Aid and, sadly, they drank it.

PATRICIA A. BURKE Placerville

Bus driver appreciation

EDITOR:

Some of the bus drivers’ schedules take them to the same stop where they have a few minutes to visit with each other before boarding their buses again. Cheer goes up led by ... you know who you are. Corps d’esprit? Yes. Joie de vivre? That too. The motley group, of which I am a proud member, await. Some riders have brought all of their worldly goods along, it seems. Ladies move to the back for less able-bodied riders. A man with his little dog is on his way to a luncheon at which the little dog is always the guest of honor. Everybody’s here.

If I had the words for the things which must somehow be said, I could write my masterpiece. I’ll do what I always do when stuck. I’ll quote Robert Frost: “Men work together, I told him from the heart. Whether they work together or apart.”

ELIZABETH CAFFREY Placerville

WANT TO SEE YOUR LETTER IN THE PAPER? Visit our website at mtdemocrat.com, click on “Submission Forms” and then click on “Letter to the Editor” to submit your letter.

The Not So Weekly Daley Apparently, we got a chunk of history all wrong

Ididn’t know what to do after high school. I was all set to enlist and go to the Army Language School in Monterey, which eventually became the Defense Language Institute. Almost too late, I found out on the bottom step of the bus to Fort Lewis that was not how the Army worked. Still isn’t, I’m sure. (I did actually spend nearly all of 1967 there.)

But in 1962, instead, I went to community college. Back then it was called junior college — now College of San Mateo. I thought I might learn something useful that would benefit me later in life, maybe a trade or a valuable skill.

If only I had realized then, I could have saved a whole lot of time and money going to school. I should have signed up to be a modern-day slave. Who knew in those days? All we’d ever heard in American history class was that slavery was bad. It was brutal and monstrous, dehumanizing, not only a horror on the bodies and lives of the enslaved but on the souls of the enslavers as well.

Yeah, right. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, as we used to say when confronting the absurd or outlandish. Sure, you could be a struggling student or an apprentice for the next umpteen years. But you’d still have to pay your rent and spend money on

food, clothes and tools, transportation to the job and every kind of insurance for the rest of your life. Not that attractive an option, is it?

Thanks to more modern thinkers like Ron DeSantis and Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld (also a San Mateo kid, BTW) we now know we could have had our cake and eaten it too by living on somebody else’s dime all these years.

“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Black people learned beneficial skills as slaves … They’re probably going to show that some of the folks … eventually parlayed, you know, being a blacksmith into doing things later in life,” DeSantis said at a press conference, according to an NBC News report.

The New York Times quoted DeSantis noting, “Slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

Thomas Je erson had a slave, Isaac Je erson, who as a young lad became the absolute best nail forger in the whole middle region of 18th- and 19th-century Virginia. His owner contracted Isaac and a gang of other young iron-working slaves to hand-craft custom nails and stu for other white landowners. The locals considered some of them to be true artists.

Other nail boys went on to become

blacksmiths or branched out into comparable trades. Eventually, Isaac was given to one of Je erson’s white children and may have lived happily ever after.

It goes without saying that farming, animal husbandry and the broadest spectrum of agriculture and extraction industries all represented a nationwide marketplace of jobs and an enormous need for experienced workers in the day.

And that’s just one obvious example. The domestic slaves who worked in Je erson’s home learned and practiced the fine art of home economics. Such women could have been in high demand, and not just among the plantation elite. Urban and professional folk needed “domestics” every bit as much as their rural brethren did.

As we all know there has always been an opportunity for those who are able, if not willing, to do a ”dirty job.” Mike Rowe has a successful TV show about doing just such things. Well, American slaves historically did a world of “dirty jobs.” They did jobs nobody in their right mind would or could do. You could say slaves had a corner on the “dirty jobs” market.

DeSantis and Gutfeld might even consider that a basis for job security and a lifetime of employment.

A guy (slave) set a record for hoeing a row of corn (or cotton) in under three minutes. The row was pretty long, the story goes. The temperature that Georgia afternoon neared the 100-degree mark and the humidity wasn’t far behind. It’s unclear if the guy (slave) ultimately benefited from his dirty jobs, but that’s the way I heard it from a grandson of the actual guy (slave) himself.

Gutfeld really expanded on DeSantis’ notion of some relative value of slavery as preparation for slaves’ potential future. The Fox News host and pundit reminded that many Jews lived somewhat longer and some even survived Nazi death camps because of their skills. It was their “utility, utility, utility” that carried the day for them, Gutfeld said.

On Fox News “The Five,” he quoted renowned psychiatrist and death camp survivor Viktor Frankl. “Vik Frankl talks about how you had to survive in a concentration camp by having skills. You had to be useful. Utility. Utility kept you alive.”

Gutfeld didn’t clarify that Frankl also described that “alive” status as mostly temporary.

Chris Daley is a biweekly columnist for the Mountain Democrat.

CHRIS DALEY

Well, American slaves historically did a world of “dirty jobs.” They did jobs nobody in their right mind would or could do. You could say slaves had a corner on the “dirty jobs” market.

■ See CHAVERN, page A5

DAVID CHAVERN

Brooks finds victory lane

Gary Thomas

Placerville Speedway

Nineteen-year-old Landon Brooks from Rio Oso captured his second career winged sprint car victory at the 18th-annual Mark Forni Classic July 29. Brooks has shown tremendous consistency over the last few years despite never before reaching victory lane at Placerville Speedway.

Diamond Springs’ Dan Jinkerson with the pure Stocks, Diamond Springs’ Wyatt Lakin in the mini trucks and Waterford’s Dakota Albright with the Bay Cities Racing Association lightning sprints also made trips to victory lane.

The 25-lap winged sprint car feature began with Hollister’s Ryan Bernal setting the early pace.

Caution flags slowed the flow over the first half of the contest but Bernal hung tough up front. Roseville’s Colby Copeland began to stalk him and when Bernal got bound up in turn two on lap 13, he took advantage to snag the lead.

A caution flag just after that created a double file restart, which saw Brooks carve his way to the inside of Bernal to assume second. Brooks set the fast time earlier but had to run the B-main after a DNF in his heat race. After winning the semi, Brooks started ninth and charged to challenge Copeland for the lead.

Oakley’s Dylan Bloomfield put together the finest run in the pure stocks with a charge from 19th to sixth. A total of 29 winged 360 sprint cars

competed, with Dan Jinkerson leading all 20 laps.

Kevin Jinkerson tried to find a way by his brother but Dan held on up front and claimed his 39th career pure stock win at Placerville Speedway. Kevin crossed the stripe in second, followed Tyler Lightfoot, Baldwin and Kenny Bernstein.

Wyatt Lakin started on the pole of the mini truck division and led throughout the 20-lap contest.

Lakin’s fifth career victory tied Austin Struthers for second on the all-time mini truck win list at Placerville Speedway. Kevin Jinkerson ended up second, followed by point leader Mike Miller,

Sales Corporation

Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018

1-800-972-3550

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

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.

August

2023 Edited by Will Shortz No. 0630

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

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/

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.

Chavern Continued from A4 strategy meant to appeal to rile up policymakers eager to counter Beijing’s growing influence. But it doesn’t align with the facts: Less than 10% of U.S. tinplate imports originate in China, a far cry from a national security crisis.

Cleveland-Cli s can’t be faulted for trying to quell competition. Steel, like many other raw materials, became more expensive during the pandemic. Cleveland-Cli s saw its annual revenue grow 1000%. Now, as prices normalize, firms like Cleveland-Cli s are desperate to preserve the bigger profit margins they’ve gotten used to.

But their proposed course of action goes directly against the broader interests of American consumers and the U.S. economy. The Consumer Brands Association recently released studies showing the proposed tari s could lead to a 30% price increase for certain groceries, like canned food. That’d come down especially hard on lowincome families who rely on food banks, where canned goods and other nonperishable items are staples. Research also showed Cleveland-Cli ’s proposal would kill 40,000 manufacturing jobs by increasing the cost of tinplate.

Americans are finally getting a much-needed break from historic inflation. Massive new taxes would reverse this encouraging trend and subject families to new financial pain.

David Chavern is president and CEO of Consumer Brands Association, the trade association for America’s $2.1 trillion food, beverage and consumer products industry.

I’m a reliable, clean, quiet, respectful person. Have references. Looking for, safe, pleasant, dependable place, close to work to call home for 3 months. I own my own home in Redding, so hope to pay moderate, to low rent, can’t pay excessive rent, due to obvious double cost. Need as close to Apple Hill — Placerville as possible. Open

Contact Lynn

Email: laffwalk@gmail.com

Courtesy photo Landon Brooks pilots his winged sprint car around the Placerville Speedway quarter-mile. Brooks took home a win in the 18th annual Forni Classic.

■ See SPEEDWAY page A7

Speedway Continued from A5

Michael Murphy and Paige Miller.

Former BCRA lightning sprint champion Dakota Albright has become the man to beat at Placerville Speedway.

Going into Saturday, Albright captured all four series appearances at the track this year.

Colorado racer Chris Crowder put together a solid run in second, with Greg Deennett in third, Hunter Kinney fourth and Bradley Schmidt rounding out the top five. The BCRA lightning sprints return in November as part of the annual Hangtown 100.

Carnett Clash

The final month of the championship season opens this Saturday with the Carnett Clash, one of Placerville Speedway’s biggest nights of the year for

the late models and pure stocks. Speedway also welcomes the winged 360 sprint cars and the Nor-Cal Dwarf Car Association. There are just three championship point races remaining in 2023.

Thanks to the El Dorado County Fair Association, parking will be free of charge during the month of August.

The Carnett Clash honors the late Bryan Carnett, a true fan of stock car divisions at Placerville Speedway while racing, owning and sponsoring both pure stocks and late models throughout the decade he spent at the track.

The pit gate will open at noon, with the front gate opening at 3 p.m. The pit meeting will be held at 4:45 p.m. with cars on track at 5:15.

For more information log onto placervillespeedway.com.

co-founder and chief strategy officer of ECO-CLEAN Solutions.

The PixieDrone is an electric, autonomous and programmable, motorized skimmer. As it moves through the water, the robot captures debris inside its open “mouth,” just like manta rays and humpback whales capture prey. Thanks to on-board Lidar technology (light detection and ranging), the PixieDrone avoids obstacles and adjusts its course in real time, allowing it to navigate between docks, pilings and boat slips as it cleans along a pre-mapped route.

“Traditional ways of protecting water quality in the marina simply weren’t enough,” noted Katie Linton, general manager of the Tahoe Keys Marina, the largest marina at Tahoe. “The PixieDrone is an innovative approach to solving a fundamental challenge — safeguarding our beautiful lake. When the League to Save Lake Tahoe and ECO-CLEAN brought this idea to us, we jumped at the opportunity to be part of the solution.”

The Tahoe Keys Marina is almost entirely infested with aquatic invasive plants. As boats leave the marina, plants are carried into the Lake, threatening to start new infestations when they settle to the bottom and resprout. The PixieDrone will corral, collect and remove the harmful

weeds, so they can’t spread. It can also clean up gas spills and be fitted with scientific equipment to assess water quality. The PixieDrone is currently being tested in the Tahoe Keys Marina where data is being collected and operations perfected for potential future use in other parts of Tahoe.

The PixieDrone is the first technology of its kind to be used on the West Coast. Like its robotic, beach-cleaning cousin BEBOT, the PixieDrone represents a novel approach to mitigating environmental impacts. The project partners know that these new tools, if they prove effective, will bolster time-tested techniques and elevate the standard for environmental protection in the Sierra and abroad.

“Conservationists and natural resource managers around the world see Tahoe as the blueprint for how to maintain public access while protecting the environment,” said Jesse Patterson, chief strategy officer for the League to Save Lake Tahoe.

“For more than six decades, the league has used science, innovation and pilot projects to Keep Tahoe Blue. By sticking to that commitment to evolve, we will overcome new challenges and continue to make Tahoe an example for others to follow.”

Learn more about the PixieDrone at keeptahoeblue.org/pixie.

its Finest

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You are the best person for the job, which is why it falls to you. Don’t waste a second in doubt; just assume you were meant for this and take the next step and the next, each with confidence.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Drama seems to follow certain people, who you might even say are agents of chaos. To avoid getting swept up in it, skim the surface of social interaction. Keep things light and move the action swiftly along.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It takes time for relationships to solidify. People need to settle in and relax before they can be receptive to the exchange. Once you place your trust, keep it there a while to see what happens.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You don’t have to know what you’re doing to get it done. Don’t intellectualize this one. Your mind will light up when your body is in motion, so dive in and trust that the connection will happen naturally.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). As a leader you’ll give your

all and get back so much more than you give. Embrace expansion. Your group grows and yet doesn’t become more work. A good group takes care of itself as it gets bigger.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). In some ways, you feel like you are out to sea with no land in sight. But just because ocean is all that’s visible doesn’t mean your land doesn’t exist. Hold on to hope and stay the course.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You feel indebted, but are you really? Perhaps you’re not valuing your own contributions. Your humble assessment will endear you to generous, fair and greedy people alike. Ask objective parties what they think of your deal.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Compliments may feel good, but what you prefer is the honest feedback that will help you fix or improve things. You’ll welcome and receive constructive criticism to help you level up your work and relationships.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Those who risk rejection regularly become somewhat immune to its otherwise crippling effects. You can be proud of today’s opportunity because you earned it by being bold enough to try.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your inner commentator is loud and strong today, which works well when cheerleading and encouragement is going on but plays terribly if negatively focused. To stay inwardly optimistic, stick with supportive and nurturing environments.

n SHOE by Jeff MacNelly

n TUNDRA by Chad Carpenter

n RUBES by Leigh Rubin n

PixieDrone Continued from A1

Photo courtesy of the League to Save Lake Tahoe

The PixieDrone makes its debut at the Tahoe Keys Marina.

In the KNOW

Aug. 4

Sherwood Demonstration Garden is open every Friday 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.

Bryson Musiq and the Caribbean Soul will perform at 9 p.m. at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

A schedule of superstar headliners will perform at the Harveys Outdoor Arena during the Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series. Next up is Dierks Bentley. For tickets and more information visit visitlaketahoe.com.

Aug. 5

UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County host Water, Weeds & When to Pick, a kids class, 9 a.m. to noon at the Sherwood Demonstration Garden in Placerville. Preregistration required at surveys.ucanr.edu/survey. cfm?surveynumber=41114.

Find or sell treasures at the El Dorado County Fair and Event Center Swap Meet in Placerville, open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to the public. Admission is free. Event will be canceled if temperature is 100 degrees or hotter. For more information and to reserve a spot visit eldoradocountyfair.org/ swap.html.

Holly’s Hill Vineyards in Pleasant Valley hosts a Patriarche vertical tasting Aug. 5 & 6. Taste a vertical of eight vintages of the Patriarche. Make reservations in advance by calling (530) 344 0227 or emailing winery@hollyshill. com.

Miraflores Winery, 2120

Four Springs Trail in the Pleasant Valley area, is serving its acclaimed Pairings Lunches on the Vineyard Terrace on Saturdays and Sundays with seatings from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 2-4 p.m.

Pairings 2023 combines a chef’s creativity with the beautifully crafted Miraflores wines. Diners will be able to talk to the chef du jour about the wine and food experience.

On Aug. 5 & 6 chef Robb Venditti is preparing The Offally Good Menu. Call (530) 647-8505 or email info@mirafloreswinery.com to make a reservation.

Join El Dorado County Ag in the Classroom for 20 Mile Taste at Rainbow Orchards.

Moonraker lands in Cameron Park

Krysten Kellum Editor

Asail set on a mast a notch above the rest, moonrakers pushed possibilities for speed-seeking clipper ship sailors in the trade wars of the 1800s and the brewery of the same name that just landed in Cameron Park is also making its push — in the everburgeoning craft beer scene.

Moonraker Brewing Company’s first brewhouse opened in Auburn in April 2016 with Northern California beer connoisseurs quickly creating a buzz for a brewery serving a style of beer relatively unavailable in the region at the time — the New England IPA. Also known as a hazy or juicy IPA, hops are added later in the brewing process, which brings out the floral and fruity aromas of the hops as opposed to the bitterness characteristic of a West Coast IPA. Rolled oats and flaked wheat give a hazy IPA its characteristic opaque appearance and full body.

Solely self-distributed, Moonraker customers would wait in lines that wrapped around the brewery on can release dates. Folks came from all over Northern California to purchase $16-$20 four-packs of 16-ounce cans by the case before they sold out.

Moonraker brew really made waves in 2017 when at a renowned Bay Area IPA festival it bested Russian River Brewing Company’s holy grail of a triple IPA — Pliny the Younger. That brew was called Extremis. Homebrewing hobbyists Karen and Dan Powell are the husband-wife team behind Moonraker. Karen was a nurse and Dan a solar company CEO before they went all-in in the

craft beer industry. Karen told the Mountain Democrat she and Dan used to sail together when they first met; that became the inspiration for the brewery’s name.

A hazy brew named Yojo, which craft beer information resource RateBeer.com awarded Best New Beer, was their first hazy beer and it’s still one of the most popular. Yojo is a reference to Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick.” In the

years that followed Moonraker produced dozens of different ales, including barrel-aged ales and sours, as well as flavored hard seltzers. Each with its own unique name — Space Nectar, Bubble Dust, Electric Lettuce — and eye-catching labels designed by Moonraker’s own Chris McCreary and Dan Powell.

Dan’s favorite beer is

n See Moonraker, page B5

— Moonraker owner Dan Powell

Mountain Democrat photos by Krysten Kellum

Moonraker Brewing Company’s Head Brewer Brad Johnson runs a 5,000-gallon brewhouse in Cameron Park.

Moonraker beertender Sam Smiley is all smiles as she pours a West Coast IPA for a customer.

“We are forever changing to stay the same. New labels, new beers. People need to be constantly entertained and it is our job to do it.”

turn around ... and around on railroad museum’s turntable

Traci Rockefeller Cusack News release

SACRAMENTO — After a hugely successful first-time experience offering public train rides on the historical turntable for one day during California State Parks Week, the California State Railroad Museum & Foundation are proud to announce more turntable rides are available on select Fridays and Saturdays during August and September.

When the Railroad Museum & Foundation offered this new experience for one day during Parks Week in mid-June, more than 600 people showed up to take a spin on the historical turntable. Originally built in 1911 by the American Bridge Company for use by Union Pacific in Yakima, Wash., the turntable was installed in Old Sacramento State Historic Park in 1980 as part of a feature of the roundhouse portion of the California State Railroad Museum. These fun new train rides are designed to connect the importance of railroad turntables and roundhouses with railroad history and operation.

Dates of availability include Aug. 4, 5, 11, 18, 19 & 25 and Sept. 1, 8, 15, 22, 23 & 29. A first-come, first-serve experience, train departures start at 10 a.m. and leave every half hour with the last departing at 2 p.m. The small but mighty No. 2 locomotive will pull an open-air gondola for 15-minute train rides that include a few spins

Offer Expires 7/31/23

JESSIE (A153308)

KITTEN FOSTERS NEEDED!

BLANCHE (A153861)

Photo by Kelly B Huston

Take a spin on the historical turntable at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. n See TurnTable page B5

Artist Doreen Irby finds inspiration in natural world

News release

Art on the Divide Cooperative Gallery will feature guest artist Doreen Irby during the month of August.

Her show, Ars Natura, runs through Aug. 28 and includes drawings and paintings from the natural world. Meet the artist at a reception, 2-4 p.m. on Aug. 12 in the AODC Gallery, where light refreshments will be served.

Irby, a native of California, now calls Georgetown her home. Having moved here two years ago, she enjoys camping in the area with her family. She also has historical ties to the Divide as her grandfather was born in Coloma. His father was a miner and farmer in the area where Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park is located.

Irby graduated in 1976 from California State University, Chico with a bachelor’s degree in art and also studied botanical drawing at

Merritt Community College in 198384. Artists she admires include Georgia O’Keefe, Frida Kahlo, Joan Brown, Chiura Obata, Vincent Van Gogh, Steve Macmillon and Guy Rose.

Now retired from working in Alameda County and city of Pleasanton libraries, Irby spends time with her art and other interests. She likes exploring the area, local history, gardening, reading, nature and music.

“I am fascinated and constantly intrigued by the shapes and colors in plants and the natural world — so much variety,” Irby shared. “I am always striving to capture a certain feeling or mood in nature. It is a challenge that I love working to achieve.”

AODC gallery is located at 6295 Main St., in one of Georgetown’s historical buildings. Gallery hours are Thursday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information go to artonthedivide.com.

Courtesy photo Art on the Divide Gallery’s August featured artist Doreen Irby studied botanical drawing and tries to “capture a certain feeling or mood in nature.”

Botanical artwork by Doreen Irby.

Young actors group brings Oregon Trail adventures to the stage

News release

SACRAMENTO — Journey down

“The Trail to Oregon!” with Trailblazer Student Productions. This special performance runs Aug. 4-6 at the DDSO Parkway Theatre.

Follow a family of pioneers preparing for their journey to Oregon. Led by Father, they face comedic challenges and misadventures along the way, including encounters with outlaws and unscrupulous merchants. The family bonds, bickers and makes difficult decisions on their arduous trek. Daughter’s interaction with the Bandit King, the revelation of Grandpa’s lobster-war past and a near-fatal snakebite contribute to the unfolding drama. As the journey continues, Daughter gets abducted, causing the family to frantically pursue her. With determination and help from unexpected sources, Father goes to great lengths to rescue her and reunite the family.

Trailblazer Student Productions is

comprised of students who are hardworking theater lovers with the crazy determination to create a theatre production company from scratch. The idea of putting on an entirely student produced show started when a group watched the original production of “The Trail to Oregon!” on YouTube. They thought it would be a blast to get to do this show and recruited a small but mighty group to pull it off.

“The Trail to Oregon! The Musical,” with music and lyrics by Jeff Blim, book by Nick Lang, Brian Holden and Blim, is arranged by Clark Baxtresser and Pierce Siebers. Alexxa Riley directs this PG-13 production with vocal direction by Hannah Hurst and choreography by Riley and Roseanna Boyd.

The show runs Aug. 4-6 at DDSO Parkway Theatre, 5051 47th Ave, in Sacramento. For reservations visit trailblazer.thundertix.com or email TrailblazerStudentProductions@ gmail.com.

Photo by Serena Boyd

Hannah Hurst, Alexxa Riley, Riley Reece and Kenny Brian Gagni, standing left to right, join Roseanna Boyd and Linden Tarr, sitting left to right, on the stage in “Trail to Oregon!”

Know Continued from B1

Once again, John Sanders of Old Town Grill will contribute his creative culinary creations for this fun event. Enjoy dessert and wine pairings plus hot apple cider donuts while listening to live music performed by Red Dirt Ruckus. The event runs 4-7 p.m. Visitors will also have the option to select a drive-thru/take out meal. Tickets are available at agintheclass-edc.org/events.

Sierra Vista Winery in the Pleasant Valley area hosts live music by Plaid City, 5-8 p.m. The Dinner Station food truck will have great eats for purchase. For more information visit sierravistawinery.com/event/plaid-city.

Kilt & Cork presents When Doves Cry – a Prince tribute and 2BAD – a Michael Jackson tribute at Saureel Summer Nights at Saureel Vineyards in Placerville. For tickets and more information visit kiltandcork.com/saureel-summer-nights.

Moonraker Continued from B1

Outrigger, a sailing theme iteration in an American IPA that took gold in the 2022 Best of Craft Beer Awards among 482 breweries.

“We are forever changing to stay the same,” Dan said. “New labels, new beers. People need to be constantly entertained and it is our job to do it.”

The Powells knew they wanted to open a second location in the region where people “feel like they came to a destination, an outdoor environment, without having a long drive to get there,” Karen explained.

They looked high and low, eventually choosing a 16-acre wooded parcel in Cameron Park in March 2020. Dubbed the Moonraker Millhouse, the roughly 20,000-square-foot brewhouse opened on Robin Lane in May 2023.

Karen and Dan have a strong commitment to sustainability and reducing Moonraker’s carbon footprint. The Auburn location has more than 1,100 solar panels powering the taproom as well as brewing operations, including an electric boiler.

Commitment to sustainability carries on in Cameron Park; it’s one of the few breweries in the state to use a CO2 recapture system that reduces the brewhouse CO2 requirement by 80%. There is also a water recapture system and plans to put in covered solar parking to cover the electrical load.

The property also includes a private venue for weddings or smaller events.

Inside and under covered patios customers find a variety of seating options — chairs, benches, couches, tables plus dozens of picnic tables outside. Design and decor is fresh and modern with Karen doing plenty of the shopping herself.

“We are hands-on business owners,” Karen said. “It is important to stay involved to ensure the business is operating or continues to operate

Turntable

Continued from B2

on the turntable. The historical turntable is located just outside the roundhouse at the west end of the museum.

Same day tickets for train rides on the historic turntable are available at the Central Pacific Passenger Station located at Front and J streets in Old Sacramento State Historic Park. Train ride tickets cost $5 for adults, $3 for youth ages 6-17 and are free for members and children 5 and younger.

For more information about the California State Railroad Museum & Foundation visit californiarailroad. museum.

at a high level.”

Moonraker has plenty of dog-friendly space and Karen and Dan can often be seen hanging out with their grandkids as well as furkids Ranger the Great Pyrenees and Fiona the teacup poodle.

Carefully selected ingredients, meticulous brewing techniques, state-of-the-art canning tech and self distribution are among Moonraker Brewing Company’s methods that have earned industry accolades and sent hop heads scrambling for a sip.

In the 2022 U.S. Beer Open Championship, one of the largest brewing competitions in the country, judges awarded gold medals to Moonraker in three styles — International Style Pale Ale, New England/Hazy India Pale Ale and Barrel Aged Sour. Moonraker was also named seventh best brewery overall — the

HipNosis will perform at 9 p.m. at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

Aug. 6

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.

West Coast Performing Arts presents Hello Gorgeous! A live Tribute to Barbra Streisand, 3 p.m. at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit harriscenter.net.

only California brewery to make the top 10 out of 622 breweries to enter the U.S. Beer Open.

In the World Beer Cup, called “the olympics of beer competitions,” Moonraker saw gold in 2023 in the Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale category with The Great Coneholio, a brew name that gives a nod to hop anatomy and ‘90s MTV cartoon “Beavis and Butt-Head.”

Head Brewer Brad Johnson took a break from brewing operations to share with the Mountain Democrat secrets behind the success. It starts with ingredients such as new artisanal malts and hop varieties hand-selected by the Moonraker team in the fields of the Pacific Northwest. Johnson, once a homebrewer who turned pro working at Track 7 Brewing Co. and studying brewing science at UC Davis,

Aug. 7

The Taxpayers Association of El Dorado County meets at 7:30 a.m. at Denny’s in Placerville with Justine Kilcrease, El Dorado County Adult Protective Services, scheduled to speak.

Now

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.

Arts and Culture El Dorado’s show FIRE/LAND: The Exhibition runs through Aug. 6. For more information visit artsandcultureeldorado.org/fire-land-the-exhibition.

said he has “fine tuned” a closely monitored fermentation process that can be a significant factor in the flavor of each brew.

“You have to be passionate about what you are brewing,” Johnson said.

Hops concentrated in a cryogenic process and hop and cannabis terpenes make up the recipe bill for some of the more unique offerings, most of which aren’t like anything found on most grocery store shelves.

All that attention to detail in brewing might be lost if not for followthrough all the way to a customer’s pint glass.

Some of the brews, notably the IPAs, are best consumed within 30 days, according to

Mountain Democrat photo by Krysten Kellum

and Dan Powell founded Moonraker Brewing Company in Auburn in 2016. The brewery added a second location in Cameron Park this spring.

Photo by David Grenier