Pierre Rivas
the man who wore two hats, retires
Odin
Rasco Senior sta writer
“Listen, I think a know a perfect way to start this,” Pierre Rivas, soon-tobe-former Director of Development Services for the city of Placerville, said as he stepped away from his desk to retrieve something resting atop a nearby file cabinet. His desk was organized in the style familiar to the perpetually busy, with papers half-piled in a state of organized chaos; one look around his o ce, it’s hard to image that he’s set to retire in just a couple weeks. “Now, what do you think of that?”
Rivas holds aloft a gift from previous District 3 Supervisor Jack Sweeney: a one-of-a-kind black baseball cap with a bill at both ends. One side of the cap reads “City of Placerville” and the other “El Dorado County.” Though “someone who wears many hats” has been a prevalent idiom for ages, Rivas might be one of the only people to do it in such a literal sense as his career juggled between working for the county and city for nearly three and a half decades. He shared the hat’s origin
story, explaining how county supervisors used to jokingly ask which hat he was wearing when he would appear at board meetings during a stretch of time where he served on the Placerville City Council while simultaneously working as planning manager for the county. Toward the end of Rivas’ time with the county, Sweeney had the hat custom-made for Rivas to clear up any confusion. Now, almost 35 years after his first day of work in the county, Rivas is ready to retire on Nov. 1.
As a kid growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Rivas had no grand aim to work in public planning, let alone city government. Instead, he had dreams of flying cargo planes for the United States Air Force. He participated in the ROTC program at Canoga Park High School, but discovered in his senior year that a childhood ailment meant he would not qualify to be a pilot.
“I was honestly kind of adrift after that,” Rivas recalled. “I was razor-focused in high school and kind of floundering after my plans to fly fell through. I enrolled as a biology major at
Truck stuck on Mosquito Bridge
Odin Rasco Senior sta writer
Mosquito Bridge, and a stretch of the connecting road, was unexpectedly shut for repairs Tuesday, Oct. 29, after a truck got stuck on the bridge. As of Wednesday afternoon the bridge had reopened. While traveling across the narrow, historical bridge a large truck became wedged against the railing midway along the short span, El Dorado
Bucks Bar bridge project taking shape
Eric Jaramishian Senior sta writer
El Dorado County is moving forward with the Bucks Bar Road bridge replacement with the Board of Supervisors unanimously voting to certify the project’s final environmental impact report. Construction could start as early as 2026, contingent on how long it takes to get the National Environmental Protection Act approval.
The new bridge will be a two-lane, on-alignment bridge raised higher than the current bridge by 5 to 8 feet over over the North Fork of the Cosumnes River. The estimated cost is $15.3 million, most of which will be funded by the Highway Bridge Program. The rest will come from local tra c impact fees and the Regional Surface Transportation Program.
The current bridge was constructed and opened in the 1940s with approximately 4,200
vehicles crossing daily. The river has topped or nearly topped the bridge several times in the past 25 years, with a notable flooding incident in 1997, according to Department of Transportation Deputy Director John Kahling. “It was opened in 1941 for (that time’s) cars and tra c levels, and it is not the same anymore,” Kahling told the board Oct. 22. “It has been determined functionally obsolete by Caltrans
■ See BRIDGE, page A5 ■ See STUCK, page A5
Courtesy photo
An El Dorado County Department of Transportation bridge crew member begins work on a portion of the Mosquito Bridge damaged by a stuck vehicle. Two truss rods were bent and some webbing was damaged.
ESSENTIALS
OBITUARIES
Thomas G. Mahach
Aug. 31, 1938 – Oct. 16, 2024
Col. Thomas G. Mahach USAF (Ret.) Born Aug. 31st, 1938 in St. Louis, M.O. Passed away on Oct. 16th, 2024. He served 26 years in the U.S.A.F. as a Vietnam Veteran and a command pilot earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and 10 Air Medals. He retired in 1986 and then started the second half of his life in El Dorado County becoming involved in the EDC Historical Society, OCTA, working in the EDC Services Division and serving on the Camino/ Pollock Pines Fire Board as well as the EDC Planning Commission in District II. He is survived by his daughter Melinda J. Pfeifer (Mahach), son Thomas G. Mahach II, daughter Marla K. Mahach along with 7 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers or cards, please donate to the EDC Historical Society or OCTA in his honor.
Robert Roger St. John
Nov. 16, 1938 – Oct. 17, 2024
Marco Torres Ramos
May 18, 1971 – Oct. 13, 2024
It is with a sad heart that on October 13th, Marcos was taken by Angels to cross over the rainbow bridge to heaven. He left his mark on the landscape and vineyards of El Dorado County. He was a vineyard manager for Naylor Farms for over 29 years. He has left many nephews that he called his kids, to name a few are Jamie, Pedro, Luis, Manuel, Primativo and Jonathan. He also left many beloved friends. Mass will be held at St Patrick’s in Placerville on November 8th at 10 am and a celebration of life will be held at Cedarville Vineyard in Fairplay on November 10th. He will always be in our hearts and never forgotten.
Shirley Metz Edwards
May 17, 1932 – Oct. 11, 2024
Robert Roger St. John passed peacefully on October 17, 2024 at the age of 85 in Santa Clara, California. “Bob” is survived by his wife Carol St. John, sister Marilyn (David Jolley) St. John, brother Richard (Bonnie) St. John, daughters Suzanne (David) St. John-Crane and Elizabeth (Mary) St. Holland; and his granddaughters Sadie, Hannah and Ruby. Bob was born November 16, 1938 to Roger and Jean St. John of Niagara Falls, New York. He attended DeVeaux High School and Cornell University. He met his first wife Nancy and moved west in the ‘60s where he was a salesman in the South San Francisco trucking industry for more than three decades. They raised their two daughters in San Bruno and were active members of St. Robert’s Parish. Bob eventually retired to Flagsta , Arizona, and then back to Cameron Park, California to be near his daughters’ growing families. He was also a singer, songwriter, poet and a runner for much of his life. He loved spiritual retreats and was a proud member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 44 years. Members of AA are asked to put a few extra dollars in the meeting basket in Bob’s honor. A celebration of life is planned for January 11, 2025 at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in San Jose, CA.
Gloria “Glo” Anderson/ Kuner
Sept. 21, 1951 – Aug. 18, 2024
Born in Auburn, Glo worked and retired from the USF/USDA Placerville Nursery in Camino. She is survived by her recent husband William “Bill” Kuner, her two sons Zac Randolph and Rick Lorda, 3 Grandchildren and a niece Mindy. Rest in Peace Glo! Services will be held on November 7th at Green Valley Church on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville at 1pm.
Cal Fire lifts burn permit suspension
Wendy Oaks Cal Fire
E ective at 8 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit Chief Mike Blankenheim formally lifted the burn permit suspension in the Amador-El Dorado Unit State Responsibility Areas of Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento and San Joaquin counties.
Cal Fire burn permits are required and are available online at burnpermit.fire.ca.gov. Those possessing current and valid agriculture and residential burn permits can resume burning on permissible burn days. Agriculture burns must be inspected by Cal Fire prior to burning until the end of the peak fire season. Inspections may be required for burns other than agriculture burns. This can be verified by contacting the local air quality management district.
6538 Lonetree Blvd, Suite 200 Rocklin 95765 (916) 724-2575 5TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT Joe Patterson
District O ce 460 Sutter Hill Rd, Suite C Sutter Creek 95685 (209) 267-5033 EL DORADO IRRIGATION DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2890 Mosquito Road, Placerville (530) 622-4513
Division 1: George Osborne, (530) 647-0350
Division 2: Pat Dwyer, (530) 642-4055
Division 3: Brian Veerkamp, (530) 642-4055
Division 4: Lori Anzini, (530) 642-4055
Division 5: Alan Day, (916) 235-3295
O ce 8799 Auburn Folsom Road Granite Bay 95746 (916) 774-4430 1ST ASSEMBLY DISTRICT Megan Dahle District O ce 113 Presley Way, Suite 2 Grass Valley 95945 (530) 265-0601 State Senator, DISTRICT 4 Marie Alvarado-Gil Capitol O ce 1021 O St., Suite 7240 Sacramento 95814 (916) 651-4004
Shirley Helen Metz was born on May 17, 1932 in East Oakland to Leroy and Adelma Goeltz Metz. She passed away on October 11, 2024 in Placerville, CA. She was an eighth generation Californian whose ancestors were members of the 1776 (second DeAnza Expedition), to Northern California. Her ancestors founded six major cities in the Bay Area, five missions, and were awarded four large land grants by the governor of Mexico. She attended Fremont High School in East Oakland and the University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1954 with a degree in history and a teaching credential. Shirley married her high school sweetheart, Ronald Holm and moved to Fresno, CA to teach third and fourth grades. There they had their son, Bradley and shortly thereafter they moved to San Jose, CA. A few years later her beloved daughter, Dana Lynn was born. Shirley taught English as a Second Language in San Jose’s Adult Education Program. She continued her education as San Jose State University and received her Master’s degree. She was soon promoted to vice principal and principal in the San Jose School District. She was a mentor to many of her students and co-workers. In 1974 she married Art Edwards, an old high school friend. They built a house n Aptos, CA and remained there until their retirement. In 1992 she and Art moved to Pollock Pines to enjoy living closer to their mutual childhood friends. Shirley and Art were active in the sailboat community on San Francisco Bay, enjoyed traveling to Europe and Japan and traveling in their fifth wheeler in the Western US. Shirley was an avid readers and an e ective volunteer with her positive energy and can-do attitude. She was active in the Federated Church of Placerville and was heavily involved with helping the unsheltered people of El Dorado County find warmth and a good meal. She loved to explore the backroads of California and was a master at creating delicious picnics for these outings. She cultivated close relationships with her women friends. Just like her mother, Shirley had an uncanny ability to spark up genuine conversations with strangers and hear their stories. Her smile could light up any room. Family and friends were always the most cherished part of her life and she was grateful for each and everyone. She will be remembered for her unconditional love, guidance, inclusivity and strong will; she will be deeply missed. Shirley was predeceased by her parents Leroy and Adelma Metz, brother Edward Metz, daughter Dana Holm and stepdaughter Diana Edwards. She is survived by her husband of fifty years, Art Edwards, brother Howard (Nancy) Metz, son Brad (Amy) Holm, grandson Matthew (Geneva) Holm, granddaughter Kaleigh Holm and great grandson Elias Holm. Stepsons, Doug (Laura) Edwards and Bruce (Susan) Edwards and step grandchildren Aurora Edwards, Conner, Trevor and Toria Edwards, Harmony Walker and Amber, Blake and Sophia Edwards. Nieces, Debbie Barker, Cindy Keenan, Cheryl Mapes and nephew Je Metz along with her caring friends at Eskaton Village. A service celebrating Shirley’s life will be at 2 pm on November 16, 2024 at the El Dorado County Federated Church. Memorial contributions may be made to the Federated Church, 1031 Thompson Way, Placerville CA 95667
Permits must be in possession either by printed copy or digitally. Permits are valid beginning May 1 of each year and require annual renewal. Permits are issued free of charge and allow for the burning of dry landscape vegetation (not household trash) that originates from the landowner’s property. Hazard reduction guidelines are listed on the permit and must be followed at all times. If an online permit is not an option, call (530) 644-2345 for assistance.
Property owners conducting residential debris must contact their local air quality management district to determine what permit requirements or burning restrictions apply in their area and must always call to ensure burn day status: El Dorado County (530) 621-5897 or South Lake Tahoe (530) 621-5842, (888) 332-2876.
As the burn suspension lifts, cooler temperatures, higher humidity and the chance of winter weather have helped to begin to diminish the threat of wildfire. However, dry conditions remain across much of the area, so Cal Fire o cials urge property owners and residents to use caution when conducting debris or agricultural burns. Just because burning is allowed does not mean it is always safe; please assess local conditions carefully, follow all guidelines and always maintain control of the fire. Individuals can be held civilly and/or criminally liable for allowing a fire to escape their control or burn onto neighboring property.
As a reminder, the use of burn barrels is illegal in all counties. Vigilance is essential to preventing unnecessary fire hazards and keeping local communities safe.
For tips and information on residential landscape debris burning safety visit readyforwildfire.org/ permits/burn-permit-information.
The following information was taken from El Dorado County sheri ’s reports: Oct. 9
8:47 a.m. Burglary reported on Shingle Springs Drive in Shingle Springs.
10:57 a.m. Deputies booked into jail a 60-year-old man on suspicion of probation violation on Slug Gulch Road in Somerset. He was later released.
10:57 a.m. Grand theft reported on Cimmarron Road in Cameron
1:09
DON’T MISS
Gettysburg College students take a cross-country trip to Apple Hill
Odin Rasco Senior staff writer
Asmall team of hardworking seniors from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania recently travelled to Apple Hill as part of a year-long study into the future of labor.
Every year, a select Gettysburg seniors are invited to participate in the Eisenhower Institute Undergraduate Fellows Program, a significant undertaking which helps students develop leadership skills and improve their understanding of public policy. The year-long program changes themes each year, with prior themes including presidential elections, space policy and U.S.China relations. The topic this year is The Future of Work: Labor and Climate Change.
The fellowship, guided by professor Patturaja Selvaraj, is exploring the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities, including Adams County (where Gettysburg College is located), and other regions around the world. Their studies look at the ways climate change intersects with and impacts society, business and the global environment and how the economically disadvantage often shoulder the harshest effects.
A specific focus of study is on the agricultural industry which can suffer from inconsistent or lessened rainfall and temperature shifts can impact yields and disrupt supply chains, to heat waves and inclement weather which can threaten the lives of the workers. The ultimate goal of the program is to have fellows conduct field work locally and globally while comparing case studies and labor policies developed in the U.S. and internationally.
“These states (California and Pennsylvania) are both labor-friendly,” Selvaraj explained. “Part of why we’re here is to understand what legislative action is being taken to protect workers and consider what strategies are being employed to approach this issue.”
With Adams County’s primary agricultural products being apples and Christmas trees, among other things, El Dorado County served as a perfect place to compare and contrast how climate issues have impacted businesses and laborers on the other side of the country. Students started their three-day tour of the region in Apple Hill, getting a taste of the “tourist-y” side of things before speaking to local workers and farmers who took time out of the busy fall schedule to talk with them.
The students stopped by Wofford Acres Vineyards, where Paul Wofford gave them some hands-on experience with the winemaking
n See VISIT, page A5
Jeanne-Marie Thomas, above, a Gettysburg College senior in the Eisenhower Institute Undergraduate Program, mashes fermenting grapes while taking a study stop at Wofford Acres Vineyards. A group of seniors with the Eisenhower Institute visited Apple Hill recently as part of a cross-country survey of how climate change, labor and agriculture are intersecting. Longtime winemaker Paul Wofford, right, demonstrates how the alcoholic content of a wine is determined, and how that information can help determine how far along the fermentation process a batch of grapes is. Wofford fielded questions from the Gettysburg students and highlighted climate concerns in the region including inconsistent rainfall and the continuous financial headache surrounding fire insurance in California.
Mountain Democrat photos by Odin Rasco
Prime wetland conditions awaiting waterfowl hunters
California Department of Fish and Wildlife News release
California’s statewide waterfowl season has opened and waterfowl hunters headed to public hunting areas this season will encounter some of the best habitat and wetland conditions in years.
“Overall, it should be a great year to get out and enjoy your public wildlife areas and refuges,” said Jeff Kohl, Wetland Conservation Program Habitat Coordinator for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “The majority of wetlands in California received close to a full water allocation this year, so hunters should generally expect habitat conditions across the state to be in pretty good shape for this fall.”
up and facelift of the hunter check station. Several habitat projects have been completed over the past couple of years, including the complete rebuild of Pond 12, several levee and water infrastructure improvements and a new water lift station that will be able to flood acres in the hunting zones that haven’t seen water in over two decades. Grizzly Island should be close to fully flooded for the opener. At the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, staff were able to flood the landscape much earlier than normal, which should allow for more hunting opportunities earlier in the season than in the past. Staff were able to irrigate close to 1,000 acres this spring and summer.
San Joaquin Valley/Southern California
Opening and closing dates of waterfowl seasons vary by zone. Waterfowl season for the Balance of the State, Southern San Joaquin Valley and Southern California zones all opened Oct. 26 and extend through Jan. 31, 2025. The Colorado River Zone opened Oct. 23 while the Northeastern Zone kicked off on Oct. 5.
CDFW waterfowl biologists and habitat specialists offered the following highlights of wetland conditions at some of California’s most popular waterfowl hunting areas throughout the state:
Sacramento Valley
Thanks to significant upgrades and improvements to the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area’s water conveyance infrastructure in recent years, CDFW was able to irrigate close to 2,000 acres of seasonal wetlands this summer, particularly on the east side.
At the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, the Sacramento, Delevan and Colusa refuges received 100% of their base water allocations, which allowed staff to irrigate close to 6,000 acres. Flooding wetlands seasonally, particularly in the spring and summer months, can stimulate food growth and provide habitat for waterfowl broods.
Suisun Marsh/Delta Hunters will notice significant improvements at the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area in the Suisun Marsh, starting with a long-overdue sprucing
Habitat conditions in the San Joaquin Valley have recovered nicely after a multiyear drought and last year’s flooding events. Having received 100% of their water allocations, the North Grasslands, Los Banos and Mendota wildlife areas were able to irrigate several thousand acres of seasonal wetlands collectively. Favorite duck foods such as watergrass and smartweed responded well. Habitat conditions at the San Luis and Merced national wildlife refuges are mostly positive with significant food growth in units that were disced recently.
Farther south, CDFW staff and California Waterfowl have been working together on a major overhaul of wetland units at the Imperial Wildlife Area in Imperial County to produce more wetland acreage and improve habitat quality overall.
California waterfowl hunters are reminded to obtain a HIP Validation, California Duck Validation and a signed Federal Duck Stamp along with a valid hunting license before entering the field or visiting a stateoperated wildlife area to hunt. A wildlife area pass is often required to hunt many of these state-operated lands. Licenses, validations and passes are not sold at wildlife areas or federal refuges so hunters must purchase these items in advance.
Waterfowl hunting and public land regulations are available within CDFW’s 2024-25 California Waterfowl, Upland Game, and Public Use of Department Lands Regulations digital booklet.
Trading
Eric Jaramishian Senior staff writer
Courtesy photo
Many wetlands in California received close to a full water allocation this year, creating great conditions for waterfowl hunters.
Courtesy photo
About $2,000 worth of trading cards displayed in an EDSO evidence room were reportedly stolen by an EDH man.
YOUR VOTE COUNTS
Voting begins! Though election day is Nov. 5, you can vote early by dropping off your ballot at any El Dorado County ballot drop box. There is also the option to vote in person starting Nov. 2 up until election day at local vote centers. Visit eldoradocounty.ca.gov/Elections for more information on times and dates, or call (530) 621-7480 for more details. You can also livestream the entire election process on the Elections Department website. Brendan Ferry, above, a deputy director of the county’s Planning and Building Department and South Lake Tahoe resident, puts his ballot in a drop box in front of Building C of the El Dorado County Government Center in Placerville Oct. 29. Cindy Rinaldi of El Dorado, in the background, dropped off her ballot in the box the same morning, but noticed the box was getting full. Rinaldi informed the Elections Department staff and guarded the popular ballot box like a good samaritan until staff swiftly arrived to clear the box. More voters were seen that morning dropping off their ballots, which has become a popular and convenient way El Dorado County residents to vote.
Stuck Continued from A1
County officials shared. The truck took some time to be removed, with the assistance of the Mosquito Fire Protection District, but the bridge remained closed through most of Wednesday as El Dorado County Department of Transportation engineers assessed the damage and made repairs.
The bridge maintenance crew had to replace two bent truss rods and repair broken webbing, according to a
Bridge
Continued from A1
due to the nonstandard bridge depth width, and it turns out they didn’t use bar reinforcing steel in 1941 as much as we do now, so there are some seismic concerns.”
Though county staff are looking to limit temporary impacts, Kahling said Bucks Bar Road could be closed for approximately 10 months. The county will to detour through traffic to Pleasant Valley and Mt. Aukum roads, and will develop an evacuation and sheltering plan for the Bucks Bar corridor. DOT staff will work with county counsel to include incentive and disincentive clauses for the reopening of Bucks Bar Road at the bridge.
Bridge designs were being considered by DOT staff as early as 2010. Subsequent community pushback and design factors set the project back by over a decade, according to staff. Construction of the new bridge would begin the Monday after Thanksgiving and would be completed the summer of the following year, to take into account the wildfire seasons, according to Kahling.
“The new abutments are going to be far enough away from the river that we can build them during the winter, unless we have a really bad winter,” Kahling said.
Visit Continued from A3 process while talking about climaterelated challenges the region faced.
“It’s really been interesting to hear about the differences between here and where we’re coming from,” Jeanne-Marie Thomas said. “With wildfires so prevalent over here, the impacts of hot and dry weather and also the issues regarding fire insurance are things we just don’t really have in Pennsylvania.”
Rather than heat and dry
Crime Log
Continued from A2
social media announcement posted by county officials Wednesday morning.
The Mountain Democrat reached out to a county representative to discern the cost of the repairs and further details on the accident, but has not yet heard back.
While the bridge remained closed, travelers were advised that Mosquito Road was closed at the gates and Rock Creek Road should be used as an alternate route.
The board, recognizing the project has been long overdue, applauded county staff for their work.
“I’m glad that we got through it and that we can get this done,” said District 2 Supervisor George Turnboo.
“I’m glad you are bringing it just after Thanksgiving and making sure it is done just before wildfire season.”
Public access to the river from the bridge will not be possible or approved due to topography, traffic, safety and maintenance factors, Kahling said.
Other work needs to be done before the project can officially break ground. Staff need to address the fact that the existing bridge is listed as a tribal cultural resource and as a cultural resource on the California Registry of Historic Resources. Construction might damage or relocate unknown tribal cultural resources.
To help mitigate the impacts addressed in the EIR, the county will conduct an endangered or protected animals or plants survey prior to construction and will create a Historic American Engineering Record for the 1941 bridge.
Staff will also work with local tribes if any tribal cultural resources are found during construction under NEPA guidance.
conditions, students explained the primary concerns agriculture business in Pennsylvania face are on the other end of the thermometer.
“Before we came here, we interviewed workers in Pennsylvania about the impacts of climate change over the past 20 years and they said frost had become a growing worry,” Joey Labrie said. “It’s been really interesting to see these comparisons.”
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
OPINION
California Commentary
More big government, less freedom in the state
Normally, the legislative session ends in September as the constitution requires.
But this year, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association’s end-ofyear legislative review was delayed because the governor immediately called the Legislature back into special session.
Sacramento politicians have been very busy this year. According to Chris Micheli, a lobbyist and adjunct professor at McGeorge School of Law and UC Davis King Hall School of Law, “(Newsom) acted on 1,206 bills, which is the highest number of bills during his six years in o ce. He had a veto rate of 15.7%. He signed 1,017 bills and vetoed 189 bills.”
That’s a lot of new laws. Nonetheless, citizens should never confuse activity with productivity. In fact, most of what comes out of the Capitol is either counter-productive or downright silly.
Here is a look at the bad (and a few good) bills we were still watching at the end of the legislative session. It isn’t pretty.
Assembly Bill 1827: HJTA opposed AB 1827 because it introduces methods of billing based on speculative factors like potential water use and fabricated peaking factors, leading to unfair and possibly unconstitutional water charges for residential users. Signed by the governor.
Assembly Bill 1973: HJTA supported AB 1973 because it would, for taxable years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2020, and before Jan. 1, 2029, provide an exclusion from gross income for any qualified taxpayer that received a settlement for costs and losses associated with the 2020 Bobcat Fire in the County of Los Angeles. Vetoed by the governor.
Assembly Bill 2257: HJTA opposed AB 2257 because it imposes superfluous requirements for challenging property-related fees, hindering taxpayers’ ability to evaluate charges e ectively and limiting their legal options to an unreasonable time limit. Signed by the governor.
Assembly Bill 2813: HJTA opposed AB 2813 because it furthers the purposes of ACA 10, which lowers the existing two-thirds vote threshold for local bonds to 55% for a myriad of purposes. Signed by the governor.
Assembly Bill 3259: HJTA opposed AB 3259 because it would authorize Solano County to impose a transaction and use tax that would exceed the state’s 2% cap on local transactions and use taxes. Signed by the governor.
■ See COUPAL, page A7
The Balancing Act
Letters to the Editor
Mans eld has my support
EDITOR:
Do you think safe, reliable water for your home or your business is important? I sure do. The question is relevant because we have the opportunity to vote for two open seats on the El Dorado Irrigation District Board of Directors in this election.
I live in Division 3, with two candidates vying for the position: Chuck Mansfield and Brad Popejoy. There is a world of di erence between these two. Chuck Mansfield has every qualifying positive characteristic for EID director. Since graduating from Cal Poly, he has been engaged in private sector and technical work. He runs and manages his extensive family farm in Camino. In the process he has become a leader advocating for the wellbeing of agriculture in El Dorado County. He also lives in the city of Placerville with his young family, so he experiences both residential and commercial aspects of the ratepayer. His core message is the delivery of reliable and safe water at reasonable rates and he discusses the strategies to ensure that happens.
By contrast, Popejoy’s main message is to cut water rates by “thinking outside the box.” By this, his sole strategy seems to be to build a new dam in the Texas Hill area. (Proof: his recent interview with the local TV station Foothill 7). I invite you to think about what the cost of building a dam just outside the city of Placerville would be. That astronomical cost would lower your water rates? Not in the world I live in.
Additionally, Popejoy has had a serious issue with law enforcement that you may have read about several times in the Mountain Democrat. That doesn’t seem like a positive résumé for someone who wants to handle essential public resources.
This is a clear choice for the voter. Choose a knowledgeable man with extensive experience and know-how, or choose someone unable to contribute anything other than meaningless slogans. I’m enthusiastically voting for Chuck Mansfield for EID Division 3.
MARIAN WASHBURN Placerville
Misleading message
EDITOR:
Iwon’t be voting for Popejoy who is running for EID Director in District 3. His signs say “no rate increases.” How can he possibly promise no rate increases? And in the voter pamphlet, he says something about no “unnecessary rate increases.” Did he change his mind? Seems like his signs are trying to mislead the public.
Not the kind of candidate I will vote for.
DAN WRIGHT Placerville
Who is really dividing the country?
EDITOR:
Divisive nature? Mr. Taylor, look in a mirror. We have Obama labeling conservatives as basically Neanderthals clinging to God and guns. Hillary calls conservatives a basket of deplorables and we have Harris and Biden and the Democrats telling America that if Trump wins he will take over the country despite him not doing anything like that for the four years he was in o ce.
In fact is was the Democrats who had 51 current and former intelligence o cials sign a letter saying the Hunter laptop was Russian disinformation when the FBI knew it was genuine. We had the FBI lie to the FISA court so that the Democrats could use the intelligence apparatus of the federal government to spy on a rival campaign.
We had Garland’s Justice Department try and convict conservatives for contempt of Congress while never charging a Democrat for the same thing. We have a lawfare campaign against a political rival like nothing we have ever seen.
We have the left busy importing millions of Democrat voters from across the border that Harris said she wants to put on a path to citizenship and voting while constantly inciting the public that the country is gone if Trump makes it.
So far there have been two assassination attempts spawned by such rhetoric. So, Mr. Taylor,
The irony of who should really be called the fascist
To understand fascism, you need to know the definition. First is the traditional definition from Webster’s New World Dictionary from 1980: “A system of government characterized by rigid one-party dictatorship, forcible suppression of the opposition, private economic enterprise under centralized governmental control ...” It is similar to communism, except instead of direct governmental control and ownership of property, it is still “owned privately” but controlled by the government. As with Nazism, Fascism is not a right-wing movement but is a left-wing movement. NAZI is an acronym for National Socialist German Workers’ Party. According to Webster’s NAZI is a fascist, German party. Fascism and Nazism are left wing, radical movements. Donald Trump is anything but. So let’s look at what Democrats
have been saying. Harris surrogate and VP candidate Walz said we (the government) need to suppress misinformation. John Kerry said we need to modify the First Amendment to disallow free speech because we cannot control the climate without the suppression of free speech. That is an exact tenet of fascism, forcible suppression of the opposition. When Antifa attempts to shut down speech at colleges by force and violence, its members are the fascists. When private enterprise is told by the government what to produce (think electric vehicles, no internal combustion engines) and then bans gas stoves and regulates production via massive (undemocratic) bureaucratic regulation, which is characteristic of the Biden/Harris administration, that is fascism. When Biden and Harris order you to be vaccinated by force, that is fascism. Yet they say women should have total
While calling the opposition a fascist is now a central Democrat theme of the party’s campaign, the campaign has also shifted from the “joy and vibes” theme to one of anger and nastiness.
control of their bodies. Would they be exempt from vaccination?
We had four years of a Trump presidency. Did he try to limit speech or any of the freedoms of the Bill of Rights? No. Did he forcibly try to limit opposition? No. Biden/Harris/ Walz have called for that. In fact, Biden/Harris tried to have a federal agency to limit free speech in the creation of the Federal Disinformation Governance Board under the DHS. It was in existence and sta ed in 2022 and 2023. And its purpose was to limit speech and content — what the government deems disinformation/ misinformation. It was not a form of government censorship; it was absolute censorship. Did Trump in his four years as president do such a thing? No. Who is the fascist? The answer is obvious.
Has Trump tried to regulate and control the economic production of the United States? No. He
unregulated business to the tune of a negative of nearly $300 billion in regulatory costs and expenses. What did Biden/Harris do? They added $1.4 trillion dollars to business costs in their massive increase in the regulatory burden. That would be called “private economic enterprise under centralized government control.” That too is part of the definition of fascism.
While calling the opposition a fascist is now a central Democrat theme of the party’s campaign, the campaign has also shifted from the “joy and vibes” theme to one of anger and nastiness. Democrats don’t say a word about their program to stop inflation, strengthen the economy, stop illegal immigration; they are down to unsubstantiated name calling.
That’s likely because electing
LARRY WEITZMAN
JON COUPAL
Continued from A6
Assembly Constitutional Amendment 10: HJTA opposed ACA 10 because it would allow local governments to approve general obligation bonds with a 55% vote of the electorate — instead of the two-thirds vote currently required under the California Constitution — if the proceeds are earmarked for public infrastructure or a ordable housing. That’s now Proposition 5. Vote no.
Senate Bill 542: HJTA supported SB 542 because it would provide a qualified taxpayer with an exclusion from gross income for amounts received from a settlement to replace property damaged or destroyed in connection with the 2021 Dixie Fire or the 2022 Mill Fire. Vetoed by the governor.
Senate Bill 904: HJTA opposed SB 904 because it would authorize special taxes for the SonomaMarin Area Rail Transit District to be approved with less than the constitutionally required twothirds majority vote if the measures were placed on the ballot via the initiative process. Signed by the governor.
Senate Bill 1072: HJTA opposed SB 1072 because it could leave taxpayers without proper compensation for overcharges by o ering only future credits instead of actual refunds, potentially violating constitutional rights and due process. Signed by the governor.
Senate Bill 1441: HJTA opposed SB 1441 because if a recall, initiative or referendum is determined
NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD
to have an insu cient number of valid signatures, the proponents have the right to review rejected signatures and the reason for the rejection. SB 1441 puts an unreasonable 60-day time limit on the review process and adds a new requirement for proponents to pay the costs of the review, which could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Signed by the governor.
And what about that special session?
Well, that’s Assembly Bill 1 (ABX2-1). It empowers the California Energy Commission to impose fuel storage requirements on oil refineries. HJTA opposed AB 1 because we already pay some of the highest gas taxes in the country and this isn’t going to prevent price shocks as the governor claims; it’s going to create them.
By a strange coincidence, the day after the governor signed the bill, Phillips 66 o cials announced they were going to shut down their refinery in Los Angeles in 2025. So gas up while you can.
In the meantime, rest assured that the California Legislature continues to address the most pressing problems facing citizen taxpayers. Don’t believe me?
Pursuant to Assembly Bill 1850, California now has an o cial state slug: The Banana Slug. What could be more important?
Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Edited by Joel Fagliano
if you and the radical left want to see a threat to democracy go to the store and buy mirrors.
GEORGE ALGER Placerville
Less guardrails for a crazy
man?
EDITOR: T rump is asking voters to give him, as president, total control over our country’s laws, courts, military, civil service and more. This is dangerous.
We Americans want freedom and the guardrails of the U.S. Constitution that keep us safe, not autocratic rule.
The worst authoritative nations lack civil liberties and, to understate it, they treat human beings horribly. Most, such as North Korea, China, Russia and Iran, rule harshly with an iron fist, using their militaries to quell citizen dissent. Trump has even said he’d use the military to do the same here.
From the late 1930s–1945 in Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler ruled with an iron fist, killing more than 6 million Jews plus millions of others.
Most of us are too young to know anyone who once knew someone who lived under Hitler’s regime.
Check this out: Hitler came to power because voters were angry about the bad economy; they blamed the Jews for their troubles. Hitler simply capitalized on this and came to power.
Unless you’ve read books about Hitler’s autocratic and psychopathic rule, you might not realize the danger. Still, you can get a clue looking to news of current autocratic leaders of countries around the world or, better yet, have a conversation with somebody who has lived in one of these countries.
An American wouldn’t want to live under this kind of leader and be subjected to very little freedom and have no input on how the country is run. Corruption under these authoritative leaders, as well, has been documented by journalists regularly.
Trump likes to say there is corruption in our voting process here in the United States. But investigators found no basis for the claims he makes.
Who would want to live under a leader who claims one wild thing after another, and who admires autocratic leaders?
Donald Trump as president would disrupt our country even more than he has already done with his falsehoods, misinformation and o -base and wild-ass presumptions.
Let’s be done with this crazy man and vote for sanity: Harris and Coach Walz.
LINDAGAIL HANF Shingle Springs
Announcements
AL-ANON is here for you if you are bothered by someone else’s drinking. Call for meeting times. (916) 3342970. https://sacal-anon.blogspot.com
AMERICAN ASSOC. OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN Foothills of EDC Branch. Our mission is to advance gender equity for women & girls. Science and Math Camp Scholarships, programs & interest groups. Leave voicemail for Laurel (530) 417-7737 or Sara (530) 4177138 eldorado-ca.aauw.net
AMERICAN LEGION POST 119 welcomes Veterans and guests to attend our monthly membership dinner and meeting the rst Wednesday of the month at 6:00 PM. Legionpost119.org
El DORADO COUNTY AMATEUR
RADIO CLUB Dedicated to all aspects of ham radio. Meetings held on the third Tuesday of each month at the El Dorado Sheri ’s o ce, 200 Industrial Drive, Placerville, 6:30 pm. Visitors and non-hams welcome. Info at www.edcarc.net
PLAY CRIBBAGE
Join the Gold Country Cribbers 916-212-2465 or 916-768-4452.
We Play - We Teach - We Have Fun. Wednesdays 4:00 PM. Gilmore Senior Center 990 Lassen Lane, El Dorado Hills, CA Struggling with life? CELEBRATE RECOVERY is for any Hurt, Habit or Hang-up. We are a faith-based recovery program for life’s issues and struggles. Join us Thursday nights at 6:30pm at Green Valley Church, 3500 Green Valley Rd, Placerville. Doors open at 6:15pm. Children’s programs are available for ages 3 months to 18 years old. Email: celebrate@greenvalley.church. Find us on Facebook: https://m.facebook. com/crgvcc/
DEMOCRATS – Come meet with the United Democrats of El Dorado County at Round Table Pizza–Missouri Flat Rd. in Placerville at noon on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Call (530)391-6414 or see edcdems.org for more information.
GOLD RUSH CHORUS now welcomes both men and women to share the joy of singing four-part
harmony in the barbershop style. To learn more or to book a performance, call Howard at (530) 647-6513 or Kent (530) 651-3575
HANGTOWN WOMEN’S TENNIS CLUB. Come play tennis for fun and friendship. Meet at El Dorado High School, Acacia Street, Placerville, Wed 9 AM – 11 AM. (June - Aug 8 AM –10 AM). Social activities, lessons. Minimal cost. Not a beginners group. Some tennis experience/ability required. Call Cindy 805-540-8654. MONDAY CLUB BRIDGE seeks more players. The club is a very informal, friendly group and invites interested men and women party bridge players to join. The club meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month at Denny’s Restaurant on Fair Lane in Placerville at 10:00 am.
Addiction or Relationship problem? Call 530 231-7728 our free counseling can help you. Positive Realism, 3430 Robin Ln., Cameron Park. Meet rst and third Wednesday of every month, 7pm. Come and have a paid lunch with the Retired Public Employees Association (RPEA) for CalPERS retirees and spouses. The meetings are held at 11:30AM on May 20, July 15, September 16, November 18,2024 at Denny’s (3446 Coach Lane) Cameron Park. Call 530 919 7515 for programs and information.
SENIOR PEER COUNSELING Seniors 55 and over who are grieving, depressed or having issues related to aging can meet one-on-one with a caring senior, professionally supervised and trained to listen and encourage. Call (530)621-6304 to leave a message and get started.
TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION OF EL DORADO COUNTY
Our mission is to educate the public on tax issues that a ect them. Our meetings are held every Monday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 at Denny’s Restaurant, Fair Lane Drive, Placerville. Meetings are open to the public. For more information call Louis (530) 622-6763. We are a non-partisan organization.
University of California, Los Angeles, but later transferred to UC Santa Barbara to study geography and environmental studies, because I wanted to work outdoors more. While there, I took a course in urban and environmental planning, and I just knew that was what I wanted to do.”
After college, Rivas took a job as research librarian for Ogle Petroleum, then moved on to work as a land use planner for Kern County from 1986 to 1990. During his time there, he was able to hit one of his career highlights by aiding in the planning stages for the internationally-acclaimed large scale art piece by Christo where the hills of Kern county along the Grapevine exploded into a vibrant landscape dotted with countless yellow umbrellas in 1991.
“It was a giant art project, and I got to do the permit for that,” Rivas recalled. “It was very cool. I was a pretty new planner, so I felt pretty honored to have been given a project like Christo’s Umbrellas.”
Rivas moved on from Kern County to a job with El Dorado County in 1990. He served the county until 2013, during which time he oversaw the update of the county’s General Plan.
“The biggest project someone in my profession would always hope to have a chance to work on at least one point in their career is a comprehensive general plan update,” Rivas explained. “You always want to do it, but you also really only ever want to do it once.”
While working for the county, Rivas eventually moved to Placerville, where he befriended a neighbor who would often walk by his house — former Placerville City Councillor and ex-mayor Kathi Lishman. In
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Discretion is one of your superpowers, and others can sense it, even if they never quite catch you in action because you’re keeping all your cards close to the vest.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). As far as you’re concerned, happiness that comes at someone else’s expense isn’t happiness at all. You make it your business to know what the real story is. Your moral compass is sharp, and you’ll seek fairness.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The focus is on relationships and interdependence. Don’t hesitate to ask for help and offer it in return; it’s how we thrive together. Also, even if it feels like a luxury, take the time to exercise because the mental clarity you gain will be priceless.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your creativity is ever-evolving. You’ve got the core ideas, and you’ll land in a dream collaboration -- the sort that doesn’t make you second-guess your moves as you commit to turning out the best craft possible. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Too much attention too soon can smother even the best concepts. Let things grow on their own without hovering over them. Your ideas spread like wildfire when they’re given space to breathe.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). People won’t ask for what they really need. For instance, they ask for advice when they really want approval, or they ask for input when they really want attention, funding, or, in today’s case, something more subtle like a feeling of power.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Beware of the smile that spreads
across the mouth but never reaches the eyes. The eyes are supposed to be the starting point. Real smiles will come from true hearts and point to sweet opportunities.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Having candy or not having candy isn’t a reason to cry. But, just ask any 2-year old, insignificant events can significantly impact the mood for those with a limited perspective. Broadened your perspective and a “candy” crisis will matter less.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). There’s something occupying too much of your mental space. It’s draining your energy without offering a solution. Let it go so you can redirect your focus to something productive.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). It’s a trope of crime movies -- the board of pictures, facts, evidence and the red yarn making connections. Today there’s a mystery to put together... not a crime, but a complex issue with characters and timelines and connections that are best sorted in a visual way. You’re so close to a breakthrough.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ve seen things go off track, and you’ve also gone the distance with projects that
So while it doesn’t
Rivas’ telling, Lishman repeatedly encouraged him to get involved with the city’s Planning Commission, though he was less than excited at the idea at first.
“I was young, footloose and fancy free; it took years for her to get me to do it,” Rivas said.
Once he was on the commission, people started to tell Rivas he ought to pursue a seat on the city council. Though the first attempt at election didn’t work out, he was encouraged to try again, now that people knew who he was.
“I already had the signs made, so I decided I may as well give it a second shot,” Rivas said.
Rivas ultimately served two terms on the city council, from 2003 to 2010; in 2006 and 2010, he served as the city’s mayor. While on the council, Rivas and fellow councillors approved the hiring of Cleve Morris as city manager.
After leaving the county Planning Division in 2013, Rivas was hired by Morris as the city’s Development Services Director, a role he’s held since. Rivas’ contribution to the the city is hard to summarize; even the proclamation issued by the council in recognition of his service to the city was a challenge to make fit to their one-page-only rule. His 23 and a half years of service to the city was recognized by the council during an October meeting, where it was declared that Nov. 1 would be recognized as Pierre Rivas Day.
“It was almost like Cleve was returning the favor when he hired me,” Rivas joked in front the council in October. “Thank you, Cleve. I am in your debt. I’ve enjoyed every — or, at least, almost every — minute of it.”
Harris will cause more inflation, destroy the economy, raise energy prices and allow as many illegal aliens as possible. Even their supposed “Border Security” bill would have continued to allow at least two million illegals a year in perpetuity. And you will get to pay for them. When it’s all added up, the cost of the current illegal alien influx of at least 10 million people will top $1 trillion. The Biden/Harris plan is to get them registered to vote in securing their power. Talk about one party rule.
As Bud Collyer said almost 70 years ago, will the real fascist please stand up? It is not Donald J. Trump. Even more interesting is the fact that five democrat candidates for Senate, Sherrod Brown (OH), Bob Casey (PA), Tammy Baldwin (WI), Elissa Slotkin (MI) and John Tester (MT) have all produced ads showing them working with President Donald Trump to pass legislation. Have they too become fascists? Harris is a nasty person. Some of her staff have shared horror stories and tirades. Harris berated her campaign manager, Julie Chavez, for more than 30 minutes. She “shred her to pieces,” putting her in tears (she is the granddaughter of Cesar Chavez), calling her “an idiot, inept, horrible at her f-ing job and that her stupid advice is going to be the reason she loses.” Chavez advised Harris not to go to the Al Smith dinner as it might hurt her proabortion stance. What this really is — the pot calling the copper kettle black. Larry Weitzman is a
El
former
Dorado County resident.
n SHOE by Jeff MacNelly
n TUNDRA by Chad Carpenter
n RUBES by Leigh Rubin
n SPEED BUMP by Dave Coverly
Weitzman
Rivas Continued from A1
Mountain Democrat photo by Odin Rasco
Placerville’s Oct. 22 City Council meeting included a sweet surprise, with a cake served in recognition of Rivas’ upcoming retirement.
Scientists think eating bugs could fight hunger and help protect our planet’s health.
According to entomologist Arnold van Huis of Wageningen University in the Netherlands, about 80% of the world’s population eats insects.
Divide
Mealworms, crickets and locusts are the most common bugs people consume. But there are more than 1,700 kinds of bugs that are safe to eat, including termites and cockroaches!
In Louisiana, people eat a lot of crustaceans called crawfish Use the code to find out their nickname:
Divide the roaches into two equal groups.
id you know that crustaceans, like lobsters, crab and shrimp, belong to the same part of the animal family tree as insects? So if you’ve ever tried these tasty treats, then you’ve dined on the insects of the sea!
According to the United Nations, the planet’s will reach 9 billion before 2050. The demand for meat will double. Raising cattle, pigs and other livestock takes a lot of land, a lot of and a lot of money to feed them.
Insects are much and cheaper to raise than livestock. They like to live together in spaces, so they need less land. They can also eat food . According to entomologist Arnold van Huis, we throw away one-third of our food. Insects could eat the we throw out, turning it back into food for people to eat.
In Thailand, poor rice who often lose their crops to bad weather, are finding that raising mounds of crickets is helping them to survive and keep their farms. There are more than 20,000 cricket farms in Thailand, 7,500 tons of crickets each year. Thailand leads the world in raising insects for food.
Divide the crickets into five equal groups.
On one newspaper page, find and circle the letters that spell the names of each of the bugs below. Then connect the circled letters to make and color a design. Find the words in the puzzle. Then look for each word in this week’s Kid Scoop
and
© 2015 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 31, No. 22
FIELD NOTES
Life in the Eldorado National Forest after wildfire strikes
Hilary Clark USDA Forest Service Public Affairs Specialist
Charred trees punctuated the Eldorado National Forest like blackened skeletons of their former selves, victims of the Mosquito Fire. Two years earlier, the Mosquito Fire started in Tahoe National Forest, moved north to the Eldorado and torched a total of 76,788 acres, making it California’s largest wildfire in 2022.
For me, the sight of those burned trees was shocking. But for USDA Forest Service biological science technicians Avery Sigarroa and Adam Wood mapping and gathering data about the scorched landscape was part of their job.
“That data will inform a long-term study of how the Eldorado is faring, years after the Mosquito Fire struck in 2022, capturing points in time” explained Sigarroa, who also served as crew lead.
September 2024 marked the end of their season in which they had recorded data on plants and wildlife in 60 plots in the Mosquito Fire’s footprint. That data will contribute to a long-term study that looks at the health of burned forests over time. Researchers with diverse specialties will comb through that information to see what wildlife is coming back or visiting the forest, what plants are growing there, the ability of trees to regenerate after a wildfire and more. Looking at large swaths of land, they will compare areas where logging has occurred to those left untreated. Compiling these findings, will give researchers a sense of what’s happening to scorched forests and the life they sustain over time.
Thinking of this, I trailed behind Sigarroa and Wood, following them deeper into the forest to our plot. When we arrived, Wood hiked off to retrieve a wildlife camera and set up acoustic bat and birdsong devices that recorded the animals’ distinctive calls. Later, scientists will sort through that data to distinguish each species by sound.
While Wood focused on the wildlife, Sigarroa placed a stake in the ground with four tape measures over it. Using a compass, she unraveled and walked with each tape in the four cardinal directions — north, south, east and west — marking 66, 58.9 and 24 feet with orange and blue flagging. My job was to measure the circumference of the trees that fell within these transects or divided sections.
As Sigarroa set up the plots, I noticed something I never expected to see in a scorched landscape — signs of life. A butterfly flitted by flashing vibrant orange patches on either wing. A woodpecker drummed on a ponderosa pine and seedlings encircled some of their burned parents.
“Look!” Sigarroa said, excitedly, pointing to a nearby sugar pine. A black bear’s claw marks etched the tree’s bark. The furry mammal also left a calling card by the foot of the tree in the form of scat or dung filled with berries, suggesting the bear enjoyed dining in the forest.
After marveling over the bear’s presence, we returned to our tasks. Rubbing my hand over the platted bark of the ponderosa pine, I gazed up at its towering canopy of evergreen needles that reached to the sky. Maybe this one will survive, I thought, wishing the tree well.
I held a puck against the tree, a circular object, in Sigarroa’s line of sight. They aimed a square device — a hypsometer — at the center of the puck, which relayed the tree’s height.
Placing the edge of the tape measure in the furrow of the tree’s bark to keep it in place, I walked around the base of the tree, pulling the tape tightly around it.
“31,” I announced, and Sigarroa jotted down the tree’s circumference.
“The minimum burn height is about a foot and the maximum is 17 feet,” I added. Then, I was off to the next tree.
Measuring trees and determining fire effects took me a little time to get the hang of, and the sun’s heat sapped my energy. But after a while, the work took on a rhythmic quality.
Soot covered my clothes and coated my face, as I measured ponderosa pines, incense cedars, white firs, sugar pines, black oaks and Douglas firs. The more trees I measured, the deeper my connection to them grew. Wrapping my arms around their girth I felt a connection to a living thing that provided shade, oxygen and wildlife habitat.
The physical nature of the work was rewarding and the hours peeled away. I rolled up the
tape measures while Sigarroa pounded orange conduit into the ground to mark where we surveyed.
“Five years later the next crew can compare our results to what they find. This will provide a real-time snapshot of how the forest is faring,” she said.
I thought of this as I rested on a burned log serving as a makeshift seat with Sigarroa and Wood. Charismatic wildlife, captured on a motion sensor camera, captivated our attention. Scrolling through photos, we admired a fawn staring into the camera, a fox wandering by, a mountain lion lurking and a mamma bear running with two cubs in tow.
Buoyed by the wildlife photos, we packed our equipment, took a swig of water and started the quarter-mile hike back to the truck to drive to our backcountry campsite.
Darkness descended quickly and soon we sat in camping chairs under a sea of stars in an inky sky, enjoying the silence and peace, watching bats dart back and forth. Wood and Sigarroa spoke animatedly about
their experiences. Wood received a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in ecology from Cal Poly Humboldt.
Sigarroa earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Nevada, Reno with a double major in conservation wildlife ecology and environmental science. Along with their affinity for science, both shared a passion for the outdoors. Previously, Wood worked for the Forest Service in Montana using hand tools to cut down trees in the wilderness. While Wood was clearing trees, Sigarroa was monitoring desert springs, analyzing water quality and more, for the National Park Service’s Mojave Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network.
“I feel proud of the work we’re doing on the Eldorado and how it can inform research on making forests more resilient for the future for all of us,” Wood said. Sigarroa nodded in agreement. Listening to Wood and Sigarroa, I felt privileged to be part of their team, even if only briefly.
Photos by Hilary Clark / USDA Forest Service
Adam Wood and Avery Sigarroa, above, record data in Eldorado National Forest. Wood, below, sets up a wildlife camera to monitor the critters who run, fly and saunter through a part of the Mosquito Fire burn area.
Photo by Adam Wood / USDA Forest Service
A black bear cub grasps onto a tree in the Mosquito Fire burn area.
IN THE KNOW
Now
The Shingle Springs Community Center hosts its annual tamale drive-thru fundraiser, 4-7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 15.
Pre-orders are due Nov. 1 at shinglespringscommunitycenter.org with chicken, pork, chili/cheese and vegetarian options — all $30 per dozen and handmade with love in the SSCC commercial kitchen.
The Stage at Burke Junction presents the West Coast premiere of “Rogues” through Nov. 3. For tickets and more information visit stageatburke.com.
Sutter Street Theatre presents “R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps,” a family-friendly spooky play, through Nov. 3. For tickets and more information call (916) 353-1001 or visit sutterstreettheatre.com.
Sutter Street Theatre presents “Evil Dead the Musical” through Nov. 3. For tickets and more information call (916) 353-1001 or visit sutterstreettheatre.com.
Big Idea Theatre in Sacramento presents “POTUS” through Nov. 9. For tickets and more information visit bigideatheatre.org.
B Street Theatre in Sacramento presents “What the Constitution Means to Me” at The So a in Sacramento through Nov. 10. For tickets and more information call (916) 4435300 or visit bstreettheatre. org.
The California Museum presents Arte de Inspiracón: Día de los Muertos 2024 through Nov. 17. For more information visit californiamuseum.org.
Capital Stage in Sacramento presents “The Heart Sellers” through Nov. 17. For tickets and more information call (916) 995-5464 or visit capstage.org.
Nov. 1
Carsen & Mike will perform at 5 p.m. at HWY 50 Brewery in Camino. For more information visit hwy50brewery.com/livemusic.
Direct from Nashville, Cash Creek and Friends present a bene t concert from 6:30-10:30 p.m. at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. Presented by the Pollock Pines-Camino Rotary Club, proceeds bene t Progress House residential Treatment for Women and Children. General admission tickets are $35 and VIP tickets are $50. For tickets and more information visit pollockpines-caminorotary. org. Dark Side of the Abbey Road ft. Love Mischief will perform at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville 6-8 p.m. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy takes a trip to the Harris Center with its all-original core lineup to remind the world it’s still cool to swing. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter. net or call (916) 608-6888.
Oak Ridge High School’s fall show “Mamma Mia!” opens Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. and will run through Nov. 9. For tickets and more information, go to ortab.org.
Cynthia Renee Band will perform at the Red Hawk
National Mother Lode Art Exhibition showcases creative artistic gold
Sylvia Coleman Placerville Arts Association
There couldn’t be a better time or place to refresh your soul than attending Placerville Arts Association’s 58th National Mother Lode Art Exhibition, Nov. 7-23.
Last year’s exhibition was highly praised by Cheryl Gleason, the gallery’s curator, as one of the finest art exhibits that the Mills Station Arts and Culture Center had ever hosted. This year’s exhibit is again at the MACC, 10191 Mills Station Road in Rancho Cordova (Mather Field and Folsom Boulevard). The exhibit hours are 2-7 p.m. Thursdays & Fridays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
The public is invited to a reception, 5-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. While enjoying live music and refreshments, guests can walk the gallery. At 6 p.m. the show judge will present the award-winning artists with their ribbons and give a slide presentation discussing the show and her process of selecting artworks for the awards.
There will be 15 awards presented during the reception: Best of Show, Awards of Excellence, Awards of Merit, Honorable Mentions, three PAA awards and two Memorial Awards. The combined cash awards total $3,150. To view the exhibition online visit paa. gallery.
Juror and judge for this year’s show is D. Oldham Neath, also known as “The Art Lady.” She is the co-founder of Second Saturday and has been part of the Sacramento arts community for more than 38 years. Neath also managed the Solomon Dubnick Gallery for seven years, served as president of the Center for Contemporary Art for three years and has been the owner and director of Archival Gallery since 1983. Neath was active in the region’s nonprofit arts community as the art curator for KVIE Public Television, 2009-19, and currently supports a number of other fundraising and awareness organizations. As The Art Lady, she is a guest curator and art judge for exhibitions across the region and is a regular contributor to Good Day Sacramento, covering
visual arts news stories. To learn more visit her website a artladysacramento.com.
Neath had quite an undertaking selecting artwork for this year’s show from the 695 pieces submitted by 295 artists. Because of space
■ See ART SHOW, page B2
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ” — Picasso
Coffins, colors, culture: Sugar Skull Art Walk returns
Odin Rasco Senior sta writer
Acelebration of the spirits is coming back to Main Street Placerville Saturday, Nov. 2, with Arts and Culture El Dorado’s popular Sugar Skull Art Walk event returning for a second year, just in time for Día de los Muertos.
For the past month ACED’s Switchboard Gallery has been home to community-made ofrendas — altars made to honor loved ones and ancestors who have passed away. This year, many of the ofrendas on display were made by locals who were born in other countries, according to Melinda Velasco, who has served as project manager for the Day of the Dead celebration. Though every ofrenda is di erent, designed in accordance with the artist’s own inspiration and aesthetic interests, some common threads are present almost universally, hearkening to traditional ofrenda design.
The altars typically feature vibrant orange and yellow marigolds or their petals, as the Mexican
■ See SUGAR SKULL WALK,
“Waiting for Gadot” by Rita Bartel
Mountain Democrat photo by Odin Rasco
The abuelitos ofrenda features a table set for a game of cards with a bottle, shot glass and cigars ready for the spirits. Behind the table, photos sit alongside sugar skulls, marigolds and candles.
“Howe Ave. Bridge” by Polly LaPorte
“Shadow” by Sharony
Church rekindles its joyful celebration of music
Eli Ramos Tahoe Daily Tribune
SOUTH
LAKE
TAHOE — South Lake Tahoe’s historical Heller Estate celebrated its 100th year on Saturday, Oct. 26, with a community gathering at the Valhalla Tahoe to “enjoy the property for its original purpose — a gathering place for leisure, entertainment and connection.”
Valhalla’s origins date back to 1924 as the summer home of Walter Heller and his then wife, Claire Strauss Heller. Walter was an investment banker, patron of the arts and philanthropist who was active in the Jewish community throughout his years. Shortly before his death, Claire sold the estate in 1956 to Wilbur Kuhl. As the years went on, the estate would pass
News release
El Dorado County Federated Church presents Make a Joyful Noise! — a free concert series open to the public. The 2024-25 season begins with a performance by Matthew Black at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10. Black is an indie-folk singer-songwriter known for incisive lyrics and singable melodies. The literal son of a preacher man, Black left his job as a mildmannered IT manager in 2022 to make music fulltime. His songs are honest, earnest, questioning and provocative — humorous to deeply serious and profane to sacred. He performs simple, melodic tunes that can transport you and make you believe there might be meaning and kindness in a chaotic world. And you’ll still be humming the chorus days later.
Black has been compared to songwriter heroes like Cat Stevens and Paul Simon, along with contemporaries Jason Isbell, Sufjan Stevens and Joe Pug. His sophomore album, “A Little Closer,” was released in 2024. He lives in Louisville, Ky.
Admission to the concert series is free and seating is first come, first served. El Dorado County Federated Church is a Presbyterian USA and United Methodist welcoming congregation practicing the love, compassion and radical hospitality of Jesus Christ. All are welcome, all the time. The church is located at 1031 Thompson Way in Placerville. For more information about the work of Federated Church visit eldoradofederatedchurch. org or call the church office at (530) 622-0273.
through several hands, including Santa Cruz lawyers and dentists, the South Tahoe Valhalla Corporation and the U.S. Forest Service. After being used as a dormitory for forest service workers, Valhalla Tahoe and the Tahoe Heritage Foundation
restored the estate to its use as a gathering hall. Now, the venue hosts year-round programming like concerts, open mics, theater performances and art workshops. Valhalla Tahoe continues its restoration work on the location
to this day, which is a major part of how the foundation uses its funds. In past years the nonprofit installed new sidewalks, restored the siding and floors of the building, performed electrical and window repairs and added accessibility features like
a ramp and parking lot.
In 2023 Valhalla repaired a broken beam in the Grand Hall, reroofed the Boathouse Theatre and replaced the theater lights with new LED lights; in total, the project cost over $70,000.
Attendees to the
program learned about Valhalla’s current projects and restoration plans, including plans repair the Grand Hall and upgrade the projector equipment in the Boathouse Theatre. The nonprofit offers memberships, accepts donations and offers volunteer opportunities. Meg Peart, executive director of Valhalla Tahoe, notes in the press release, “Our nonprofit is committed to honoring Lake Tahoe’s south shore history while looking to the future and how our mission to bring arts and culture to the basin supports the historical structures of the Heller Estate.”
The event featured live music by Bread and Butter and food provided by The Hidden Table. South Lake Brewing Company provided a special anniversary beer.
Olde Coloma Theatre welcomes Christmas caroling kids, teens
Kat Mendenhall Staff writer
The Olde Coloma Theatre is currently in rehearsal for its final production of the 2024 season, “Mrs. Waldecott & the Christmas Spirits!”
Or “The Coloma Christmas Specktacular!”
A few more children who want to portray Christmas carolers are needed. This event is great fun with no costumes to buy and no experience necessary. This is also a great way to
introduce young people to the theater. Children, ages 10-18, who can sing in a group or sing on stage in front of an audience are welcome. Rehearsals are scheduled over the next four weeks for the Christmas show that begins on Nov. 22. Memorization of
limitations (and the large sizes of a number of pieces), this year’s exhibit has a total of 93 artworks, including 12 3D pieces. There is a broad range of media among the artworks — oils, watercolor, multimedia, pastel, cold wax, ceramics, photography and more, created by remarkable artists from across the U.S.
This is Placerville Arts Association’s 58th Mother Lode Show event, but PAA wasn’t granted nonprofit status until 1975. Next year, the organization will celebrate 50 years as a nonprofit.
The Mother Lode show is always a major event for PAA. One of the group’s primary purposes is to promote visual arts in the community through art shows, exhibitions, art demonstrations, workshops, community art outreaches and art-oriented field trips. PAA is always excited to sponsor this annual art event. For more information visit placervillearts.com and rcmacc.org.
lines is not required, nor is speaking on stage. Children will simply sing approximately seven to nine Christmas carols during scene breaks. For those interested contact OCT by email at oldecoloma@gmail.com or call (530) 626-5282.
Photo by Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
Guests enjoy a celebration a century in the making at Valhalla Tahoe.
Courtesy photo
Folk singer Matthew Black kicks off this season’s Make a Joyful Noise! concert series at Placerville’s Federated Church.
Group exhibit comes to Viewpoint Photographic Art Center
News release
SACRAMENTO — Viewpoint Photographic Art Center in Midtown Sacramento announces the first ELEVEN: A Fine Line, a juried group exhibit that will run Nov. 6 through Dec. 14.
The public is invited to the artists reception, 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10.
The show’s theme focuses on language, which is full of lines: inline, online, outline, what’s my line and more. The phrase “a fine line” points out narrow distinctions in comparisons, such as it’s a fine line between great and excellent. More than 145 photographers from seven states coast to coast submitted their interpretation of a fine line. Juror Randy Snook, selected 90 images from the 570 plus submissions for the exhibit. The show promises to be full of imaginative images representing the theme. Snook is professor of photography and applied art and design at Sierra College, where he also served as department chair. He is considered a master teacher by students and colleagues alike. In addition to exhibiting in solo and group shows, Snook is the author of several books, including “Fathers and Sons: Photographs, Quotes and Essays” and “Many Ideas Open the Way, A Collection of Hmong Proverbs.”
Viewpoint Photographic Art Center is located at 2015 J St., Sacramento. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday (4-7 p.m. the second Saturday of the month). The center is closed Thanksgiving day. For more information visit viewpointphotoartcenter.org.
The Sofia will welcome musician Ross Hammond and Friends
Mindy Giles News release
ACRAMENTO — Ross
SHammond and Friends will perform at The Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts on Nov. 8
The lauded Sacramento jazz guitarist will be joined by his excellent colleagues: bassist Mike Palmer, percussionist Dominic Garcia and drummer Tom Monson, collectively known as Deep Water. They’ll be playing music from their 2024 release on Prescott Recordings.
Hammond and Deep Water’s music leans heavily into percussion. The band is rooted in the tradition of jazz but also pulls influences from blues, Latin rock, cumbia, soul, funk and R&B.
“This music represents what it feels like to live in Sacramento. We have so many cultures with their own sounds, vibes, customs, joys
FOOD
and struggles. That’s what makes Sacramento great. And that’s what makes this music great, to me. It is celebrating the roots that we all come from and harvesting something new,”
The elegance of the holidays starts at the table with meals, desserts and drinks shared among loved ones. This year, let grapes add easy elegance to seasonal recipes as a signature ingredient perfect for special occasions.
As a highly versatile addition to appetizers, snacks, main courses, sides and desserts, grapes are an essential ingredient to keep on hand. Thanks to their delicate sweetness and juicy texture, Grapes from California can be the star at the center of the meal in unique and tasty Braised Pork Chops with Spiced Honey and Grapes served with Spiked Grape Cider for a cozy adult beverage. Finish the celebration by sharing Grape Basque-Style Cheesecake, where delicious, fresh grape juice is used in the cheesecake batter to lend natural sweetness and enhance flavor. Decorate the top with fresh, juicy grapes for a final festive touch. Find more sweet ideas to celebrate the holidays at GrapesfromCalifornia.com.
Braised Pork Chops with Spiced Honey and Grapes
Servings: 4
4
1/3
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Hammond said. Percussionist Garcia often is brought into the forefront as a soloist, trading lead duties with Hammond.
are longtime rhythm section partners, having played in several projects together over the past two decades such as Bellygunner and the Tony Passarell Quartet.
Hammond has been a fixture in the West Coast jazz community for the past two decades. He has released more than 50 recordings, toured the United States and Japan and has created a jazz hub in Sacramento with several long-running concert series at Luna’s Cafe, Old Soul and Old Ironsides. Hammond is also the instrumental music teacher at Christian Brothers High School, of which he is an alum.
The Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts is a nonprofit live entertainment venue and arts education hub located at 2700 Capitol Ave. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the concert begins at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. For tickets and more information visit bstreettheatre.org/ music/ross-hammond-and-friends.
A Sweet Party Starter
“Magical Arboretum” by Beth Savidge
Drummer Monson and bassist Palmer
Courtesy photo
Ross Hammond, a fixture in the Sacramento jazz scene, and his talented friends will come home for a special Nov. 8 concert.
Leila Srouji The Center for the Arts
GRASS VALLEY — The Center for the Arts presents Richard Thompson Ship to Shore Tour in the Marisa Funk Theater on Nov. 6. Thompson’s musical influence cannot be overstated. Having co-founded the groundbreaking group Fairport Convention as a teenager in the ’60s, he and his bandmates invented the distinctive strain of British folk rock. He left the group by the age of 21, which was followed by a decade long musical partnership with his then-wife Linda and then over 30 years as a highly successful solo artist.
In 2011, Thompson received an Order of the British Empire personally bestowed upon him by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. The Los Angeles Times called him “the finest rock songwriter after Dylan and the best electric guitarist since Hendrix” and Rolling Stone named him one of the Top 100 Guitarists of All Time.
retreated to Applehead Recording in Woodstock, N.Y., where he was joined by his longtime band — guitarist Bobby Eichorn, bassist Taras Prodaniuk and drummer Michael Jerome — along with harmony vocalist Zara Phillips, fiddle player David Mansfield and Applehead engineer Chris Bittner. The team worked quick — roughly a week to track and another three or four days to mix — and recordings were mostly live takes, vocals included.
“There was a slight feeling of being under the gun, which isn’t a bad thing,” Thompson said. “We spend a lot of time playing together, so we can knock tracks off pretty quickly.”
His genre-defying mastery of both acoustic and electric guitar along with engaging energy and onstage wit continue to earn him new fans and a place as one of the most distinctive virtuosos and writers in Folk Rock history. On May 31, 2024, Thompson released the highly anticipated “Ship To Shore,” his first studio album in six years. To craft “Ship To Shore,” Thompson
Even with the compressed schedule, Thompson and the band managed to cover a lot of stylistic ground. There’s the rumbling, Motown-style rhythm that propels “Trust” and the straightforward riff-rock of “Turnstile Casanova.” The drone-y “The Old Pack Mule,” an “old man’s song” that takes musical cues from 1600sera European music, and “Life’s a Bloody Show,” an ode to “snake-oil salesmen and hucksters” that floats on a glammy, cabaret-like melody that’s “almost like a parody of a Noël Coward song, or something from Berlin in the 1920s,” Thompson said. And if you’re looking for some of that patented Thompson guitar dazzle? Look pretty much anywhere
This
Sutter Creek show has soul
SUTTER CREEK — Enjoy a fabulous evening of soul and R&B hits of Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, Lou Rawls, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson and Etta James when Tony Lindsay’s Soul Soldiers comes to Sutter Creek Theatre on Nov. 2.
After 25 years as the lead vocalist for Santana, Lindsay has garnered 11 Grammy awards, traveled on world tours and recorded on eight CDs. Vocalist Fred Ross was born and raised in San Francisco has been playing in the Bay Area for 35 or so years with some of the best local bands in the bay like Tower of Power. He has appeared at the theater in Soul 4 the Season and with Lydia Pense & Cold Blood, as well as for this show. He has recorded with Aretha Franklin, Boz Scaggs, Narada Michael Walden, PeeWee Eills, Fred Wesley and many more.
Janice Maxie Reid is a world class vocalist and keyboardist from the San Francisco Bay Area. Her musical delivery is a captivating fusion of jazz, blues, gospel and soul. Her distinctive four-octave voice range, fierce keyboard skills and engaging stage presence make her a unique “one woman band.” She nearly stole the show last time with her renditions of Aretha Franklin hits.
Rounding out the line up is Allen Leong on keyboards and vocals, David Jones on bass, David Stuhl on guitar and Deszon Claibourne on drums. This was a killer show last time that nearly sold out; the vocals alone are amazing and the musicianship is excellent. Tony Lindsay’s Soul Soldiers will play the Sutter Creek Theater, 44 Main St. in Sutter Creek, 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. For tickets and more information visit suttercreektheater. com or call (916) 425-0077.
his first studio album in six years.
Photo by Tina Abbaszadeh
Tony Lindsay’s Soul Soldiers will perform at Sutter Creek Theater this Saturday evening.
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Casino Stage Bar, 8 p.m. to midnight. For more information visit redhawkcasino.com.
Sacramento Ballet presents “Dracula,” choreographed by internationally renowned choreographer Michael Pink, Nov. 1-3 at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center. For tickets and more information visit sacballet.org or call (916) 552-5810.
Nov. 2
Shop gently used and new Christmas decorations for your home and an assortment of gifts 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Patrick Church Hall 3109 Sacramento St. in Placerville. For more information call (530) 622-0373.
Calling all young performers. Imagination Theater is excited to announce auditions for “Stuart Little: The Musical,” an adventurous and heartwarming story based on the beloved classic by E.B. White. Auditions are scheduled 9 a.m. to noon on Nov. 2 and call-backs (if needed) will be 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 4 This musical will be performed Feb. 7 through March 2, 2025. “Stuart Little” is a wonderful opportunity for children ages 8-17 to showcase their talent and be part of a fun and uplifting musical production. For more information visit itplacerville.org/auditions.
The El Dorado County Historical Society presents Dare to Tread at Murderer’s Bar & Mountain Quarries, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Quarry Road Trail, 150 Highway 193 in Auburn. During this historical hike guests will learn about the 1849 blood massacre in the area. Purchase tickets online at edchs.org or call (530) 626-0773.
The Placerville Shakespeare Club invites the public to a dazzling murder mystery, Champagne Bubbles & Dangerous Dames at 2940 Bedford Ave. in Placerville. Doors open for socializing at 11:30 a.m. and an array of items in a silent auction will be available. The luncheon and show will begin at 12:30 p.m. Paid reservations must be made in advance by calling (916) 802-0186. For more information visit placerville-shakespeare.com.
Solo acoustic singer/songwriter Drew Butts will perform at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville from 4-6 p.m. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.
Rock Candy will perform at 4 p.m. at HWY 50 Brewery in Camino. For more information visit hwy50brewery.com/live-music.
Arts and Culture El Dorado’s Sugar Skull Art Walk and Community Celebration returns to Main Street Placerville with multiple groups set to perform traditional dances in celebration of our ancestors. The event will begin at the Switchboard Gallery at 5:30 p.m. and continue down Main Street, ending near City Hall at 8:30 p.m. Placerville’s Gold Rush Chorus presents the annual Barbershop Cabaret Show featuring the chorus and multiple quartets, 6 p.m. at the American Legion Hall Post 119, 4561 Greenstone Road, Placerville. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students. Call Howard at (530) 647-6513 or email howtekinc@gmail.com for info or to purchase tickets.
The Fabulous Thunderbirds are ready to rock the stage at the Harris Center starting at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 608-6888.
Backstreet Boulevard will perform at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville from 8-11 p.m. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.
Cynthia Renee Band will perform at the Red Hawk Casino Stage Bar, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. For more information visit redhawkcasino.com.
The WordWave 1-Act Play Competition will be held Nov. 2 & 3 at Valhalla Tahoe. The top three plays out of more than 100 submitted will be performed. For tickets and more information visit valhallatahoe.com.
Celebrate the Day of the Dead at Fairytale Town in Sacramento from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Little ones can craft sugar skull masks and listen to captivating stories as they enjoy this cultural event. For more information visit fairytaletown.org.
Tony Lindsay’s Soul Soldiers will perform at Sutter Creek Theatre in Sutter Creek 7-9 p.m. For tickets and more information call (916) 4250077 or visit suttercreektheatre.com.
Nov. 3
El Dorado Western Railroad offers excursion rides with trains running on the hour, 10 a.m. through 1 p.m., weather permitting, at the El Dorado Station. For more information visit facebook.com/ ElDoradoWesternRailroad.
Silver City will perform at 3 p.m. at HWY 50 Brewery in Camino. For more information visit hwy50brewery.com/live-music.
Join with others for a service of prayers and music for Healing and Hope for Our Nation 6:30 p.m. at Church of Our Saviour, 2979 Coloma St., Placerville. Service leaders represent a variety of faiths, including Jewish, Christian and Hindu. Music is by Rob Sabino with Gabriel Silva as cantor.
The Harris Center presents Earth Gang, an Earth, Wind & Fire and Kool and the Gang tribute. The homage to two classic groups begins at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 608-6888.
The Crocker Art Museum presents Zine Zone, a dive into the dynamic realm of DIY publishing starting at noon. For tickets and more information visit crockerart.org.
Nov. 4
Snowline Health Dementia Connection hosts Addressing Home and Community Safety Issues, 1:30-3 p.m. at the Camino SDA Church, 3520 Carson Road in Camino. Caring for someone with dementia often involves navigating a complex landscape of safety risks, both within the home and in the community. From late-day confusion and wandering to falls and kitchen dangers, these concerns can be a constant source of worry and stress for caregivers. In this free class we offer helpful and supportive suggestions to make home and community safer and more enjoyable.
Nov. 5
The El Dorado Hills Garden Club celebrates its 59th year with a special meeting at Green Acres in Folsom. The public is invited and refreshments will be served. Call Yvonne to RSVP at (916) 803-1921.
Powell’s Steamer Company and Pub, 425 Main St., presents Eric Hill and Jonny Mojo for Taco Tuesday on the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 4-7 p.m. Stop by for some good food and good tunes. For more information call (530) 626-1091.
There will be a Freedom from Politics Election Watch Party at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville from 5-9 p.m. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.
Nov. 6
Vitalant will host a Shingle Springs Community blood drive sponsored
by the Placerville Elks Lodge No. 1712, 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the lodge, 3821 Quest Court off Durock Road. Make an appointment at donors. vitalant.org and use blood drive code SMFM551 or call (877) 258-4825 and mention the same code. Walk-ins welcome if space allows. A double dose of star power will soon hit the Harris Center stage when singer/songwriters Shawn Colvin and KT Tunstall perform together. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 608-6888.
Nov. 7
El Dorado High School’s Studio 81 presents “You Can’t Take It With You,” running Nov. 7-16. Opening night starts at 7 p.m. For tickets and more information go to studio81arts.com.
Ponderosa High School’s presentation of “Puffs” runs Nov. 7-16. The first show opens at 7 p.m. For tickets and more information go to pondodrama.com.
Funcheap SF Presents: #HellaFunny Comedy Night @ 10pm / $25.25-$35.25 Cobb's Comedy Club, San Fran‐cisco
Somatic Stroll @ 9:30am A facilitated nature stroll, with pauses for somatic practices and meditation. Fair�eld Cordelia Li‐brary, 5050 Business Center Drive, Fair�eld. ldetomaso@ solanocounty.com
Brenda Mallory: In the Absence of Instruction @ 12pm In the solo exhibition, Brenda Mal‐lory includes prints, multi-media and installation artworks to con‐sider the complex relationships and structures of power and iden‐tity. Gorman Museum of Native American Art, 181 Old Davis Road, Davis. cngorman@ucdavis.edu, 530-752-6567
Artist Talk with Alejandro Rubio @ 2pm Join us at the Pence for a free Artist Talk by Alejandro Rubio! Pence Gallery, 212 D Street, Davis. pencesocialmedia@gmail.com, 530-758-3370
MoAD and SFJAZZ present August Lee Stevens @ 2pm Museum of the African Diaspora, 685 Mission St, San Francisco
Los Cochinos: Dia de los Muertos Vacaville
2024 @ 4pm Andrews Park, 614 E Monte Vista Ave, Vacaville Adrian West Band at Sudwerk Brewing @ 4pm The �ve-piece Adrian West Band returns to Sudwerk for another rousing two hours of acoustic rock & jazz ! Enjoy �ne food and awe‐some live music outside in Sudw‐erk's lovely beergarden! Free show! Sudwerk Brewing Co., 2001 2nd Street, Davis. info@sudwerk brew.com, 530-756-2739
West Coast Premier of Rogues
@ 5pm / $25 West Coast Premier of "Rogues" A play by Charlotte Higgins, Directed by Lori Russo The Stage at Burke Junction, 3300 Coach Lane, Suite E-1, Cameron Park. stageatburke@ gmail.com
Chris Baron Music: ChrisBaronMusic @SouthOfNorthBrewingCo @ 6:30pm South of North Brewing Co., 932 Stateline Ave Suite B, South Lake Tahoe
California Symphony: Brahms Odyssey @ 7:30pm / $25-$95 California Symphony journeys through the orchestra with music by Benjamin Britten, former Resi‐dent Composer Mason Bates, and Brahms. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. info@californiasymphony.org, 925943-7469
West Coast Premier of Rogues @ 12pm / $25 West Coast Premier of "Rogues" A play by Charlotte Higgins, Directed by Lori Russo The Stage at Burke Junction, 3300 Coach Lane, Suite E-1, Cameron Park. stageatburke@ gmail.com
Brenda Mallory: In the Absence of Instruction @ 12pm In the solo exhibition, Brenda Mal‐lory includes prints, multi-media and installation artworks to con‐sider the complex relationships and structures of power and iden‐tity. Gorman Museum of Native American Art, 181 Old Davis Road, Davis. cngorman@ucdavis.edu, 530-752-6567
Victor and the Callers Show @ Lakeside Village @ 1pm Landside Landing, 2504 Ocean Ave, San Francisco
JEXXA: Crest Theater @ 7pm Crest Theatre, 1013 K St, Sacra‐mento
California Symphony: Brahms Odyssey @ 7:30pm / $25-$95 California Symphony journeys through the orchestra with music by Benjamin Britten, former Resi‐dent Composer Mason Bates, and Brahms. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. info@californiasymphony.org, 925943-7469
Taylor ShinesThe Laser Spectacu‐lar @ 6:30pm Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street, Sacramento
9th Annual Slap Frost Tour @ 8pm The Golden Bear, 2326 K St, Sacra‐mento
Vocab Slick: Slap Frost 9 Presents Slap Frost Revue 2024 @ 8pm The Golden Bear, 2326 K St, Sacra‐mento
Killgurls @ 8pm The Starlet Room, 2708 J St, Sacramento
Rotary Club of Davis Weekly Lunch & Program @ 12pm See website for details. ro‐taryclubofdavis.com Davis Com‐munity Church, 421 D Street, Davis. teainsworth@gmail.com
SFM-Steve Fulton Music: An Acoustic Evening With John Hiatt + Steve Fulton Music @ 8pm Crest Theatre, 1013 K St, Sacra‐mento
Phora @ 8pm Harlow's, 2708 J Street, Sacra‐mento
Mateo Briscoe @ 8pm Kilowatt Bar, 3160 16th St, San Francisco
INTICA @ 8pm Kilowatt Bar, 3160 16th St, San Francisco
Phora w/ Tyla Yaweh
@ 8pm Harlow's, Sacramento
Justin Nozuka
@ 8pm The Chapel, San Francisco
Ripe (21+ Event)
@ 8pm The Independent SF, 628 Di‐visadero Street, San Francisco
Zinadelphia @ 8pm Cafe Du Nord, 2170 Market Street, San Francisco
Splendid Torch @ 8:15pm The Lost Church San Francisco, 988 Columbus Ave, San Francisco
JourneyDay Music @ 6pm Napa Palisades Saloon, 1000 Main St #100, Napa
Pro Am
Comedy Showcase @ 7pm / $5 New comics and seasoned pros share the stage at Laughs Unlimited to bring you the funny. Laughs Un‐
Brenda Mallory: In the Absence of Instruc‐tion @ 11am In the solo exhibition, Brenda Mallory includes prints, multi-media and in‐stallation artworks to con‐sider the complex relation‐ships and structures of power and identity. Gor‐man Museum of Native American Art, 181 Old Davis Road, Davis. cngor man@ucdavis.edu, 530752-6567
Club 87 Blue & White Post Election Party w Mercury Rising, Cyah Envy, and DJ
Rotten Robbie @ 6:30pm / $6.67-$19.74 Blue Note Napa, Napa
GamperDrums FunkJazz @ 7pm Black Cat, 400 Eddy St, San Fran‐cisco
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard @ 8pm The Regency Ballroom, 1300 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco
Labrats @ 8pm The Starlet Room, 2708 J St, Sacramento
Sunking @ 8pm The Starlet Room, 2708 J St, Sacramento
Billy King & The Bad Bad Bad: San Francisco, CAKilowatt
@ 8pm Kilowatt Bar, 3160 16th St, San Francisco
Noah Rinker @ 8pm Cafe Du Nord, 2174 Market St, San Francisco
@ 8:45pm Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club, 39 Fell St, San Francisco
Brenda Mallory: In the Absence of Instruction @ 11am In the solo exhibition, Brenda Mal‐lory includes prints, multi-media and installation artworks to con‐sider the complex relationships and structures of power and iden‐tity. Gorman Museum of Native American Art, 181 Old Davis Road, Davis. cngorman@ucdavis.edu, 530-752-6567 Dia de los Muertos
Brenda Mallory: In the Absence of Instruction @ 11am In the solo exhibition, Brenda Mal‐lory includes prints, multi-media and installation artworks to con‐sider the complex relationships and structures of power and iden‐tity. Gorman Museum of Native American Art, 181 Old Davis Road, Davis. cngorman@ucdavis.edu, 530-752-6567 Pence Gallery Holiday Market @ 11:30am Nov 8thDec 24th
Make holiday shopping easy by visiting the Pence's annual Holiday Market! Pence Gallery, 212 D Street, Davis. pence socialmedia@gmail.com, 530-758-3370
Muusic at Noon Free Concert - 11/8/24, Jia-mo Chen, cellist; John Cozza, pianist at the Davis UU! @ 12pm Jia-mo Chen, Cellist, and John Cozza, pianist, perform works of Bach, Beethoven, and Shostakovich at the Second Friday Free Concert Series, Muusic at Noon, November 8, 2024! 27074 Patwin Rd, 27074 Patwin Road, Davis. luannhiggs@gmail.com, 916-600-8872
JourneyDay Music
@ 4pm Be Bubbly Napa Valley, 1407 2nd St, Napa
Landry @ 7pm
Laughs Unlimited Comedy Club and Lounge, 1207 Front St, Sacra‐mento
Hello It's Me - Adele
Tribute @ 8pm Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street, Sacramento
Club 90s Presents Pink Pony Night - Chappell
Roan (18+ With ID) @ 8pm / $17
Ace of Spades, Sacramento
Die Mad/ 4199/ The Great Other/ Eleventeen @ 8pm / $12.33 Neck of the Woods, San Francisco
Dueling Pianos at Johnny Foley's: Dueling Piano Show @ 9pm Johnny Foley's Irish House, 243 O'Farrell St, San Francisco
Rohlffs
The Deadbeats return to NorCal for a new acoustic concert
Paul Emery Presents
EVADA
return Nov. 2 to the Nevada Theatre presented by Paul Emery.
The Deadbeats understand the essence of the Grateful Dead’s music and believe it is best experienced live. Since their debut at Nevada City’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen Pub on Aug. 4, 1994, The Deadbeats have played the music of the Grateful Dead with a respectful nod to the long-form rock ‘n’ roll sound they pioneered. The lineup has seen changes over the years but the core group remains intact.
Featuring Tom Menig, Gary Campus, Eric Menig, Rob Kopp, Glenn Tucker, Peter Wilson and Jenn Knapp, The Deadbeats bring a unique blend of improvisation and reverence to the Grateful Dead’s extensive songbook. Their dedication to honoring the music while infusing their own creative spark sets them apart and creates a truly magical experience for fans old and new.
Thompson Continued from B4
on “Ship To Shore.” But maybe linger just a bit on “Maybe,” a snappy ditty that sees the protagonist losing his mind over the girl of his dreams … or nightmares. As the song reaches its fervid climax, Thompson’s guitar goes as haywire as the poor guy’s brain, spitting hot licks, playful note bursts and madcap phrases across the sonic spectrum.
“That’s one that will be great to play live,”
“The songs have taken on a life of their own; they still go deep,” Wilson reflected.
The legacy of the Grateful Dead is undeniably one of the most revered in rock history, with a
staggering 2,300 live shows performed during its illustrious 30-year career. Even after the band’s heyday, spin-offs such as The Other Ones and Dead and Company have managed to keep the spirit of the Dead alive, captivating new generations of music lovers along the way.
Thompson noted, “because the possibilities are quite open. It’ll be fun to just be improvising on that every night.”
Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, at The Center for the Arts, 314 West Main St. in Grass Valley. For tickets and more information visit thecenterforthearts.org or call (530) 274-8384.
Such is the enduring power of the Grateful Dead’s music that it continues to resonate deeply with audiences worldwide, a sentiment echoed by The Deadbeats as they pay homage to the band’s late great frontman, Jerry Garcia, on what would have been his 78th birthday. The Deadbeats Unplugged concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at Nevada Theatre, 401 Broad St. in Nevada City. For tickets and more information visit paulemerymusic.com.
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Courtesy photo
The Deadbeats bring a unique blend of improvisation and reverence to the Grateful Dead’s extensive songbook. Hear the band live Nov. 2.
Sugar skull walk
marigold is believed to invite good spirits. The altars also feature offerings of food (bread is a common one), death iconography such as sugar skulls, photographs or pictures of dead loved ones and small items of significance to the people the altars are meant to honor. The Day of the Dead tradition, including the construction of ofrendas, is recognized by the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization as an intangible world heritage art form. The celebration of the dead isn’t limited
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to just the ofrendas, however, as the art walk community celebration
will feature performers from a variety of traditions. There will
A creative spin on the ofrenda tradition, this
abuelitos (grandfathers).
Public Notices
reasonable
notices and for
When making their bids, all bidders except the Secretary must submit a deposit totaling $56,354.17 [10% of the Secretary’s bid] in the form of a certified check or cashier’s check made out to the Secretary of HUD. Each oral bid need not be accompanied by a deposit. If the successful bid is oral, a deposit of $56,354.17 must be presented before the bidding is closed. The deposit is nonrefundable. The remainder of the purchase price must be delivered within 30 days of the sale or at such other time as the Secretary may determine for good cause shown, time being of the essence. This amount, like the bid deposits, must be delivered in the form of a certified or cashier’s check. If the Secretary is the high bidder, he need not pay the bid amount in cash. The successful bidder will pay all conveyancing fees, all real estate and other taxes that are due on or after the delivery of the remainder of the payment and all
costs associated with the transfer of title. At the conclusion of the sale, the deposits of the unsuccessful bidders will be returned to them. The Secretary may grant an extension of time within which to deliver the remainder of the payment. All extensions will be for 15-day increments for a fee of $500.00, paid in advance. The extension fee shall be in the form of a certified or cashier’s check made payable to the Secretary of HUD. If the
forfeit the cash deposit or, at the election of the foreclosure commissioner after consultation with the HUD Field Office representative, will be liable to HUD for any costs incurred as a result of such failure. The commissioner may, at the direction of the HUD field office Representative, offer the Property to the second highest bidder for an
be a Sacramentobased mariachi band, a musical trio featuring Velasco, Elena DeLacy and Daniel Torres and dancers from Aztec and Oaxacan tradition.
In addition to the performances which will take place along the walk from the Switchboard Gallery and down Main Street, food such as tamales and champurrado will be offered.
Though a celebration of the dead may lead some to believe the procession and
• E-mail your public notice to legals@mtdemocrat.net
• Be sure to include your name and phone number
for
Commissioner’s attendance at the sale, reasonable and customary costs incurred for title and lien record searches, the necessary out-of-pocket costs incurred by the Foreclosure Commissioner for recording documents, a commission for the Foreclosure Commissioner, and all other costs incurred in connection with the foreclosure prior to reinstatement. Date: 10/16/2024 Total Lender Solutions, Inc. U.S. Dept. of HUD Foreclosure Commissioner By: Rachel Seropian 10505 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 125 San Diego, CA, 92121 Phone: 866-535-3736 Fax: 866-242-8599 A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of that document. State Of CA County Of San Diego On 10/17/2024 before me, Kimberly Alise Lokey, a notary public personally appeared, Rachel Seropian who proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) whose name(s) is/are subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/ she/they executed the same in his/ her/their authorized capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity upon behalf of which the person(s) acted, executed the instrument. I certify under Penalty Of Perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing paragraph is true and correct. Witness my hand and official seal. Kimberly Alise Lokey (Seal) 10/25, 11/1, 11/8 13837
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. FB2024-0996
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PEYTONS PLACE BEAUTY, located at 4535 Missouri Flat Road Suite 200-A, Placerville, CA 95667/Mailing Address: 4076 Chestnut Lane, Placerville, CA 95667 Registrant’s Name & Mailing Address: Peyton L Barney, 4076 Chestnut Lane, Placerville, CA 95667 This business is conducted by an Individual The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 11/22/2019 Signature of Registrant: /s/ Peyton L Barney PEYTON BARNEY I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).) This statement filed with the county clerk of El Dorado County on 10/18/2024 NOTICE-IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE
Bunny Lane, Garden Valley, CA 95633 Registrant’s Name & Mailing Address: June Kristine Mangino, 4282 Brush Bunny Lane, Garden Valley, CA 95633
MANGINO,
JUNE
I
in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).)
This statement filed with the county clerk of El Dorado County on 10/07/2024 NOTICE-IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (see section 14411 ET SEQ., Business and Professions Code) 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, 11/15 13841
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the County of El Dorado (“County”) intends to conduct a public hearing on November 5, 2024, at 9:00 am to consider adoption of a resolution revising County Airports rates, charges, and fees, in accordance with Section 18.04.100 of Title 18 of the El Dorado County Code of Ordinances. The Public Hearing shall be held in the Board of Supervisors Chambers located at 330 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA, and virtually. Instructions for participating in the meeting can be found at https://eldorado.legistar. com/Calendar.aspx. For information on this matter, and copies of associated documents including Exhibit A, Airport Fee Schedule, and Exhibit B, Airport Division Fee Policies and Procedures, may be obtained at the
The purported property address is: 3790 SKIS ROAD, PLACERVILLE, CA 95667 Assessor’s Parcel No.: 327-050023-000 NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property
the lien being auctioned off may be
lien. If you are
bidder at the auction, you are or
be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call 1-800-2802832 for information regarding the trustee’s sale or visit this internet website http://www.qualityloan. com, using the file number assigned to this foreclosure by the Trustee: CA-23-966985-BF. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the internet website. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. NOTICE TO TENANT: You may have a right to purchase this property after the
events will be a dour, serious affair, Velasco encourages those who want to participate or watch the event to bring high spirits and energy.
“This is a joyful celebration,” Velasco explained. “Come here to share in music, dance and food. Feel free to bring instruments, wear face paint and colorful clothes, carry streamers and flowers and bring a lot of energy.”
Velsaco is excited to bring the community event back for a second year, and for the ofrendas to be on display for a fifth year at ACED’s gallery.
“It’s the opportunity to use art as a bridge between communities, and create space for people who often don’t feel like they have any,” Velasco said.
The community event is set to begin at the Switchboard Gallery on Main Street Nov. 2 at 5:30 p.m., walk along the street toward City Hall and conclude with a series of performances that are expected to end around 8:30/9 p.m.
Solution to Puzzle 1
Solution to Puzzle 2
n SUDOKU SOLUTIONS
Mountain Democrat photo by Odin Rasco
altar honors lost
Wild & Scenic festival’s
News release
Wild and Scenic Film Festival coordinators have selected next year’s official artwork — a gorgeous wood cut print was created by artist Nick Wroblewski, a Midwest based printmaker of hand cut woodblocks.
Wroblewski’s interest in art was cultivated young by a strong community of artists in Minneapolis, Minn., where he grew up. Early experiences in puppetry, painting and sculpture led to his work as a printmaker.
Wroblewski focuses on large multicolor woodcuts and has developed a distinct aesthetic reminiscent of stylized Japanese masters, yet uniquely his own. His work depicts the reverence he has for conversations of the wild and loyalty to the honesty of handcrafted arts. He currently lives in Duluth, Minn., and prints from his studio near Lake Superior.
WSFF coordinators asked Nick to share what made him
excited about making artwork for the festival. “”Because I think when I was first asked, it just conjured that experience I had in that area,” he responded. “I think that was the real spark of it for me, especially the Yuba [River].
“In years past, I traveled over the mountains to get out to California .... I had always visited some friends in that area and spent some time on the river and just really ... appreciated it,” Wroblewski continued. “And then also the work that [SYRCL and WSFF] has done, you know; I love the mission and the themes.
“And so, I like the challenge of it ... trying to create an image that would be rewarding for my own pursuits, but also something that you all would really find striking and useful and meaningful,” he concluded.
The Wild and Scenic Film Festival takes place Feb. 13-17, 2025. For more information visit wildandscenicfilmfestival.org.
