Downtime creativity
C a l i f o r n i a ’ s O l d e s t N e w s pa p e r – E s t. 18 51
River Cats voice from EDH pens book.
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Trash in Tahoe
Land managers struggle as litter gets worse amid pandemic Laney Griffo Tahoe Daily Tribune With a surge of visitors coming to Lake Tahoe amid the pandemic land managers are struggling to keep up with overflowing dumpsters. “Trash has always been a challenge but this year COVID-19 has added pressure,” said U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Public Services Staff Officer Daniel Cressy. LTBMU is one of many agencies around the lake that is trying to keep up with the hordes of visitors
while also dealing with the pandemic. Cressy said that it’s not just that more people are visiting the beaches but that existing infrastructure is overwhelmed. LTBMU hasn’t been able to hire as many staff members this year because of the coronavirus. On top of that Cressy said people are handling their trash differently. For example, he said people are bagging their trash but leaving it outside of n
See Trash, page A9
Crowds in EDH
Kalithea Park neighbors say they are seeing too many people Sel Richard Staff writer
long,” admitted District 1 Supervisor John Hidahl, who has made efforts to crack down on illicit behaviors around Heaven, which is on privately owned property. Kalithea Park is under the El Dorado Hills Community Services District’s jurisdiction. “Private properties are being trespassed upon,” said Promontory resident Sita Burgess, adding that when cars are parked on both sides of the streets, residents find it difficult to get through their own neighborhoods. “There’s overcrowding in the park; there’s traffic hazards.” “From the fire department’s perspective, we’re interested in
Neighborhood residents bordering Kalithea Park and the spot known as “Heaven” in El Dorado Hills say they’re at the end of their rope, exasperated with disrespectful crowds discarding bras and used condoms in the park and adjoining private properties. The secret is out and the spectacular views afforded by these areas have become a regional destination. Frustrated neighbors and homeowners association representatives outlined their concerns over the past month at meetings with various agencies. “It’s gone on too
n
See Kalithea, page A8
News, Etc., B1
Volume 169 • Issue 97 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
Wren named new chief of Placerville police force Dylan Svoboda Staff writer The Placerville Police Department has a new police chief. Joseph Wren, who has served as the department’s interim chief since May, was named Placerville’s permanent top cop during a City Council meeting last week. “It’s an honor to accept this role for a city I care about deeply,” he said. “I’m looking forward to leading this department and keeping Placerville a beautiful, safe place to live.” It’s been a rollercoaster 2020 for the new chief. Wren returned from a threemonth stint at the FBI National Academy amid the height of coronavirus-caused lockdowns in spring. Weeks later Wren was thrown into the interim police chief role after former chief James Ortega suddenly stepped down in May. “We were dealing with something that we had no experience doing,” he said. “It was still so new; we didn’t know exactly how bad the virus was. We weren’t anticipating a pandemic that would lock down all of society.” Mountain Democrat photo by Krysten Kellum The city’s new police Amid the myriad challenges of a pandemic, Placerville Police Chief Joseph Wren first stepped chief has been with into his new role in May when he was appointed interim chief. the Placerville Police operating on a in crisis intervention. soliciting feedback from Department since shoestring budget.” Our officers are trained community members. January 2016. Now With what he calls and confident; they We have to stay affixed he’s charged with an already solid law don’t skip a beat.” to what they’re looking leading the agency enforcement team, Going forward Wren for.” through what’s sure to Wren doesn’t expect hopes to foster a high As for the focus of his be a difficult financial to make major level of transparency tenure, Wren said it’s period. adjustments to how the between the agency and a matter of keeping up “We shut down the agency operates. city residents. with the times in the economy and we’re “I don’t see a “The biggest thing ever-changing world of dependent on tax significant change with any policing modern policing. revenue to provide coming to how we organization is “There can always services the community police up here,” Wren ensuring the culture be more training and expects,” he said. said. “Every one of our of the organization is better equipment,” “Unless we get help officers is a community in tune with what the he said. “In law from the state or policing officer. All of community expects,” he federal government, n See wren, page A7 them have been trained said. “We’re constantly we’re going to be
Back to school
Mountain Democrat photos by Sel Richard
Lakeview Elementary School welcomed back students Monday, left photo. The Rescue Union School District has adopted a hybrid-learning approach during this time of COVID-19, combining on-campus learning with online classwork. Above, the Bezzerides siblings — George, 10, Grace, 8, and Andrew, 4 — get some hand sanitizer from Mom before they head to class. The Ward siblings — 5-year-olds Reese, Jeter and Raelee and Jaymon, 8, right photo, are all smiles before the school bell rings.
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