Mountain Democrat, Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Magic’s in the air

shoppers busy on Main street

Andrew Vonderschmitt Staff writer

Main Street Placerville buzzed Friday afternoon as holiday shoppers made their way from store to store.

Merchants reported a strong start to their fourth-quarter sales which is good news leading into the busiest time of year.

“Business has been great,” said Mary Meader, who with her son Jeff owns Placerville News Company. Jeff added he is looking forward to a

El Dorado Hills teen succumbs to head injury

An El Dorado Hills family lost their son and Oak Ridge High School lost another student after senior AJ Brosnan died following a skateboarding accident in mid-November.

“AJ had the spirit, ability (and fashion sense) to become almost anything (if) given a chance,” his uncle Dan Brosnan noted on a GoFundMe page set up for the family.

“AJ excelled at golf, mountain bike racing and animal rescue on top of high school and a part-time job.”

As AJ loved cats, some are making donations in his name

to local shelters: animaloutreach.net and fatkittycity.org.

Dan shared that the 17-year-old “fell while skateboarding … and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He was rushed to the hospital, kept on a ventilator and had multiple surgeries to relieve cranial

Placerville’s own “The Voice” contestant Jaclyn Lovey and Shane Q of Sacramento took the stage with their talented vocals.

The Sharp family from Garden Valley and the Cornelius family from Placerville are ready for holiday fun.

Mountain Democrat photo by Andrew Vonderschmitt

A bustling crowd fills Placerville Hardware Friday afternoon.

Robert Roehr, a family friend, carries 4-yearold Nora Brewer on his shoulder as she tries to catch magical snowflakes at the Festival of Lights in downtown Placerville Friday night. The community celebrated the beginning of the holiday season with special performances on the Main Street stage and the official lighting of the town Christmas tree as well as trees along Highway 50.

Photos by Laurie Edwards

Noel Stack Managing editor

AJ BRoSNAN

Joanne (Jodi)

Margarethe Rider

Feb. 23, 1932 – Nov. 14, 2022

Joanne, Jodi to her friends and family, was born to Andrew and Edythe Fossgreen in Aurora, Il. on Feb. 23, 1932. She passed away peacefully on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Jodi received her BA from Sacramento State and MA from the University of LaVerne, and dedicated her life to her love of teaching for over 20 years, primarily at Roberts Elementary School in the San Juan Unified School District. She was a lifelong learner who loved traveling the world and exploring the United States and Canada in an RV with her husband, Jerry. Jodi loved taking long walks and hiking. She was civic-minded and was a founding and involved member of Foothills United Methodist Church and Super Seniors, El Dorado Hills Friends of the Library, and the American Association of University Women.

Jodi was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Jerry Rider, her older brother Robert Fossgreen, and his wife Doris, and sister Naomi Dunlap, and her husband Tom. Survived by brothers Drew Fossgreen and wife Barbara and Lee Fossgreen and wife Judy; daughters Pamela Goepp and husband Sam; Jennifer Terri and husband Joe; son Bryan Rider and wife Katie; grandchildren Clint Goepp, Collin Goepp, Chris Goepp, Ryan Terri, Kevin Di Silvestro, Andrew Rider, Emily Labesque, and 12 great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, at Foothills United Methodist Church at 11:00 A.M., 3301 Green Valley Road in Rescue, CA. There will be a luncheon reception immediately following.

Remembrances may be made to Foothills United Methodist Church.

Rose Richmond (Blomquist)

Sept. 11, 1930 – Nov. 19, 2022

On Saturday, November 19, Rose Richmond (Blomquist), loving wife and sister, passed away peacefully at the age of 92.

Rose was born on September 11, 1930 in Altadena, Calif. to Ivar and Catherine Blomquist. Rose spent her childhood years in Pasadena & Baldwin Park, Calif. She met her husband, Richard “Dick” Richmond, through his Navy-friendship with her brother Ivar II, before moving to the Placerville area in the 1950’s.

Rose was an energetic part of her small-town community, being a member of many volunteer groups (her biggest passion was the American Heart Association) and taking part in countless local activities, like the Timber Little League. She began her career in banking at Motherlode Bank, and after a series of acquisitions, ended up as a valued employee at Bank of America.

When it was time to retire… She did! Rose and Dick traded in their Diamond Springs home for a home on wheels, traveling the country, spending time with their many friends & families, and becoming campground hosts at several di erent campgrounds… Which they loved immensely!

Rose spent her later years living in the Apple Valley area with her sisters, Charlotte and Nancy. Rose’s joy and happiness in life truly transformed the lives of everyone she encountered. She brought a bounty of beauty to everything she did, and she had a remarkable ability to connect with people.

Rose was preceded in death by her father Ivar, her mother Catherine, her husband Dick, and her brother Ivar II. She is survived by her sisters Charlotte Young & Nancy Kraus, and by her brothers Charles “Chuck” Blomquist & Richard Blomquist, as well as her many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of a traditional memorial service, the family will gather privately in celebration of Rose’s life.

Remembrances and donations can be sent to JHC Hospice: jhccenter.org/jhc-hospice/

CHP Propane truck rolls onto oncoming vehicle

Eric Jaramishian Staff writer

Placerville’s California Highway Patrol unit reported no injuries after a propane truck rolled over and hit another vehicle on Grizzly Flat Road near Moonracer Drive in south county Friday afternoon.

California Highway Patrol o cer Shawn Callaway said the propane truck was headed eastbound on Grizzly Flat Road while the driver of the 2019 Honda Ridgeline was driving westbound when the collision occurred Nov. 25. While no injuries were reported, the driver of the Honda was transported to the hospital by ambulance as a precaution.

CHP o cers say the propane truck went o course, striking the Honda then rolling o the roadway.

Pictures posted on Facebook by the Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit show the overturned propane truck o the

roadway, coming to a rest on its side, as well as major damage to the front of the Honda truck.

The propane truck driver is a resident of Camino and the Ridgeline driver is from Grass Valley, according to Callaway. CHP did not release their names.

The Ridgeline had one

Shopping Continued from A1

strong season.

Tony Windle at T.W. Bonkers admitted he is not sure if the numbers were better or worse than previous years but his store had been busy all day.

“I mean, so far so good,” he said. “We’ve been packed almost every day.”

Lead sales associate Jennifer Schnieder at Home Inspirations said the season was o to a great start with a lot of foot tra c downtown.

“Between the locals, Apple Hill and the travelers, it’s been great,” she commented. “We’ve been blessed.”

other passenger when the incident occurred.

Propane held in the propane truck’s tank was burned o as a safety precaution.

First responders from the Amador-El Dorado Cal Fire unit, Placerville o ce of the California Highway Patrol and Pioneer and El Dorado

County fire protection districts responded to the incident around 3 p.m., which closed Grizzly Flat Road for several hours while hazardous materials were being mitigated.

CHP is investigating the cause of the incident, according to Callaway.

was feeling optimistic.

“Things should be picking up,” she said. “We’re hopeful that this year will be good and abundant for everybody.”

Just down the street at The Bookery, owner Nancy Dunk noted the used book store has been busy for a couple weeks and that she is “looking forward to a really big season.”

Business was also up at

“It’s been busy for a couple weeks. Then today, boom.”

Zack Pangborn, owner of Volution Gallery, was cautiously hopeful.

“Today is poppin,” he said. “I am curbing my expectations for the rest of the year, but hopefully I’m wrong about that.”

Over at holistic health shop The Scarlet Halo, owner Penny Chabot

Therapy Stores. Retail associate Nicole Miliate said,

Courtesy photo

A propane truck reportedly struck a Honda Ridgeline in a rollover crash on Grizzly Flat Road Nov. 25.

Photo by Laurie Edwards

Trojans play tough but Folsom wins D-I

Mike Bush

Special to the Mountain Democrat

Oak Ridge High School football head coach Casey Taylor stressed defense this season.

The Trojans’ performance in this area was evident against the Folsom High School squad in the CIF SacJoaquin Section Division I title game at Hughes Stadium on the Sacramento City College campus Friday. For most of the game, Oak Ridge kept the Bulldogs’ potent o ense out of the end zone.

On top of that, the Trojans were on the cusp of taking a lead over their Sierra Football League rival. An extrapoint kick after a touchdown was all Oak Ridge needed to get that edge.

But Folsom proved, again, why it’s still the team to beat in D-I. The Bulldogs posted a 23-13 win over Oak Ridge (103). This was the ninth section crown since 2010 for Folsom (12-1).

“First of all, our defense is outstanding all night,” Taylor said. “You’ve got to give them credit. They kept making play after play. They were tough on them. Our o ense just couldn’t get it going tonight; we were backed up all night. Credit to their defense; they are so fast.”

Folsom’s second win of the season over Oak Ridge keeps its dominance alive for more than a decade. The Trojans posted a 47-28 victory over the Bulldogs on Sept. 15, 2006.

Winning the section title also advances the Bulldogs to the California Interscholastic Federation Regional Football Championship Bowl Games. Folsom will host De La Salle of Concord in a Division 1-AA game this Friday. The Bulldogs beat De La Salle 24-20 in a non-league game at Prairie City Stadium on the Folsom campus Sept. 23.

“There’s a lot of pride in the community,” said Folsom head coach Paul Doherty. “It takes a lot to get to this point.”

The De La Salle-Folsom winner will play the South winner of the Lincoln of San Diego-Sierra Canyon game for the state crown on Dec. 9 or 10.

Against Oak Ridge Friday night Folsom held a 6-0 lead, thanks to two field goals from Jake Tremain. Then the Trojans used a double pass to set up the first touchdown in the fourth quarter. Jasen Womack, only a freshman, completed a 35-yard pass to tight end Kaleb Edwards to move the ball into Folsom territory.

“We have a trick play every week,” said Taylor of the double pass. “It got the guys rolling.”

pressure to keep him alive. AJ fought bravely before passing.”

Nearly $40,000 has been raised to help the family cover more than $100,000 in medical bills not covered by insurance.

In a message to Oak Ridge families, Principal Aaron Palm expressed his condolences to AJ’s family, writing, “AJ was an outstanding young man who will be missed deeply. The school will not be the same without him.”

Palm assured parents that counselors would be available to talk with any student who needs help processing AJ’s death. Students returned to class Monday following the Thanksgiving break.

“Processing the loss of a classmate is di cult,” the principal noted in his message. “Whether your student was close to AJ or not, the loss of someone in the school can cause a range of emotions to happen. The Oak Ridge Wellness Center is ready to help

Oak Ridge tied the game 6-6 with 8:37 left in the game when quarterback Maddox Varella found running back Jake Hall on a 4-yard pass.

The Trojans lined up for the extra point, which would have given them a one-point lead. But Carson Nichols’ kick went to the side of the goal post on the south end of the stadium, leaving the game knotted at 6-all.

Folsom scored three times in the remaining minutes of the quarter, which led to a 23-6 lead en route to another blue banner. Slade Wilson aided his Bulldogs, took the kicko return and ran it back 58 yards to the Trojan 41-yard line.

Bulldog running back Donovan Maxey-Parler scored on the 41-yard line just 19 seconds after the Trojans scored. The extra-point kick gave Folsom a 13-6 advantag e.

“As I was telling these guys earlier, everyone has got to step up and save the day,’” Doherty said. “You have to stay patient, stay together.”

The Bulldogs’ defense served another knock-out punch to the Trojans after the go-ahead touchdown.

Wilson, from his strong safety spot, picked o a Varella pass and ran it back deep into Trojan territory. Folsom upped its lead to 16-6 at 4:34 when Tremain watched a low line-drive field goal of 21 yards good.

An Oak Ridge fumble after a wide receiver dropped the ball led to a Folsom possession near mid-field. The Bulldogs made it 23-6 when MaxeyParler scored his second touchdown, this time 45 yards, with 2:31 remaining on the clock.

Varella had a say in the Trojans’ final touchdown of the game and subsequently the season. The quarterback found an open wide-open receiver in Sebastian Sutton.

Oak Ridge players and coaches gathered at the north end of the field after the game. Some players let their emotions show. Other Trojans hugged fellow teammates and coaches, and extended good sportsmanship to Folsom players, who were at the south end of Hughes Stadium celebrating their section title and taking photos with teammates, family and friends.

“I’m just proud of my kids,” Taylor said. “My seniors’ leadership is outstanding since Day 1, giving everything we’ve asked of them. We kind of set the tone of this culture, what we want to do every year. We want to win section championships. Until we beat Folsom, we have a lot of work to do.”

any student who needs help with this loss.”

AJ’s death comes one month after ORHS

mourned the loss of another student, Bryce Bazor, who lost his battle against cancer.

Dr. Little’s Dental News

Presented by Jeffery Little, D.D.S.

TMJ DISORDERS AND TEETH

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders are a group of condi tions that affect the jaw joints and their surrounding muscles and lig aments. The temporomandibular joints connect the jaw to the skull and allow us to open and close our mouths. When someone has a TMJ disorder, the area around their jaw becomes irritated and inflamed. Acute TMJ problems are often caused by a jaw injury. Teeth grinding, arthritis, joint dislocation, and an improper bite can all lead to chronic TMJ disorders. TMJ dis orders affect the mouth, jaw, and gums, causing pain in these areas. They also tend to damage and mis align teeth, putting a person at risk for dental problems such as tooth

decay and gum disease.

Whether it involves TMJ disor der, cosmetic work, wisdom teeth, simple fillings, or complex resto rations, any treatment program we suggest for your dental health will be thoroughly discussed with you before we begin. When you are looking for state-of-the-art, person alized dentistry from people who really care, we welcome you to our office. Our dental team works smoothly and efficiently together, devoted to making your dental experience comfortable as well as enhancing.

P.S. A dentist can diagnose a TMJ disorder, which can often be treated with dental work and orthodontics.

Dr. Little provides quality family and cosmetic dentistry. His office is located at 344 Placerville Dr., Suite 19, Placerville. (530) 626-9127 Visit us at: www.jefflittledds.com

Hangtown Little League

Fall Ball was a big hit for the 2022 season with 16 teams across all divisions. We had a total of 193 players. Everything that happens with Hangtown Little League is all because of our community members that step up to the plate and volunteer. These individuals are not sitting on the sidelines, they are making a lifetime of memories for our top notch little leaguers. HTLL board would like to recognize these dedicated community members for all their hard work. We would be honored to have you back for spring season. We can’t play ball without you!

Juniors

Dave Melvin – Coach

Majors

Everett Gordon – Coach

Michael McIntosh – Assistant Coach

Greg Thompson – Coach

Minor AAA

Tiffany Carter – Coach

Phillip Arthur Jr. – Assistant Coach

Nathan Leach – Assistant Coach

Amber Snyder – Team Parent

James Chilcott – Coach

Chad Ehrlich – Assistant Coach

Josh McGaughey – Coach

Jason Sams – Coach

Colin Fajardo – Assistant Ccoach

Brian Mendenhall – Assistant Coach Lisa Starr – Team Parent

Minor AA

Michael Stewart – Coach

Gabriel Coleman – Assistant Coach Malinda Stewart – Team Parent

Minor A

Mohamed Ahmed – Coach

Luke Gadow – Assistant Coach

Anthony Lopez – Assistant Coach Noelle Morton – Team Parent

Minor A (continued)

Cory Duarte – Coach

Charles Barwis – Assistant Coach

Thomas Pulvino – Assistant Coach

Zach Schmidt – Assistant Coach

Sydney Durte – Team Parent

Michael McIntosh – Coach

James Abercrombie – Assistant Coach

Kevin Stigall – Coach

Kristy Romney – Team Parent

Robert Porter – Coach

Scott Stewart _ Assistant Coach Michelle Porter – Team Parent

T-Ball

Anthony Middleton – Coach

Kenneth Cochrane – Assistant Coach

Brandon Tuck – Assistant Coach

Cassondra Miller – Team Parent

Travis Kleeburg – Coach

Aaron Todd – Assistant Coach Brandy Kohler – Team Parent

Dustin Forni – Coach

Kevin Bracken – Assistant Coach Milissa Forni – Team Parent

Jessica Nichols – Coach

Photo by Mike Bush

Oak Ridge running back Jake Hall

an open hole to run in Friday’s Sac-Joaquin

Section Division I football title game against Folsom at Sacramento City College Friday. Hall scored a touchdown in the game.

Chamber Champions: DECEMBER 2022

Dec

Dec

Friday. Reserve your charcuterie board by 12/1, noon. Wine can be purchased by the bottle or the glass. Each Pod has its own heater so these are usable in any conditions! Reservations for the Pods are $20 to hold

spot, which goes toward

purchases. Pod Reservations will be in 1.5hr blocks and space is limited. The Pods have spending minimums (Tiger’s Den- $75, Savanna’s Suite- $75, Cabernet Chalet- $50, and Chardonnay Chateau- $50) Pods are available to reserve 7 days a week. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Food will only be offered on Saturday’s. 530-622-7221. www.sierravistawinery. com/reserve-a-pod

Dec 3 Holiday Celebration with Sacramento Opera Chorus

Join us for our annual Holiday celebration at David Girard Vineyards. Performance by the Sacramento Opera Chorus, singing traditional holiday favorites. Visits with Santa. Tickets $10.00 (free admission for children), book by emailing us (club@davidgirardvineyards.com) or giving us a call at (530) 295-2833. Tickets are limited, we hope to see you there! Wine available by the glass or bottle. Holiday Gift Sets available. Wine Club Membership Gift Cards Available. 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Dec 3 Holiday Paint and Sip

Join us for a fun afternoon of Holiday Painting and Wine with Cathie! $35 Wine Club. $40 General Public. Pricing includes 4 tastes and all necessary art supplies for the snowman painting. We will have wine specials and cheese & crackers available for purchase. 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. 530-622-7221. www.sierravistawinery.com/ shop/events/painting

Dec 3 El Dorado Hills Town Center Christmas Tree

Lighting J4 p.m. - 8p.m. Town Center - Theater Plaza, 2085 Vine Street. edhtowncenter.com/upcoming-events

Dec 3 Pollock Pines Christmas Holiday Spectacular

In front of El Dorado Savings Bank at 6462 Pony Express Trail. 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Christmas carols, On Stage Production dancing parade, performances on stage, hot chocolate and noshes, handmade crafts to help middle school youngsters earn their way to Washington DC in the spring, and the presentation of 25 to 30 lit TREES FOR TEENS donated by community businesses, organizations, and individuals. Culminates in the lighting of the grand Pollock Pines Christmas tree! The entire community shows up for this interactive display of holiday spirit! Jeanne Harper (530) 6131332.

Dec 4 44th Annual Hangtown Christmas Parade Don’t miss this year’s Parade which supports Toys for Tots, featuring oats, decorated vehicles, marching band, and dancers. Santa and all his helpers will be there to welcome you and your family. The Parade starts at 1:00 p.m. on Broadway west of Schnell School and proceeds through Main Street and terminates at Sacramento Street. There will be a ROAD CLOSURE along Main Street and Broadway from Noon to 4 p.m. hangtownchristmasparade.com

Dec 4 Jingle! Mingle! Revel in the holiday ambience, enjoy food and beverage samplings, take in all the fabulous items being offered, plus so much more! 1 - 5 p.m. Cameron Park Community Center 2502 Country Club Drive. Tickets available online. Adults $50 ($60 at the door), Children (12

Dec 10 Christmas Concert

Church. 6831 Mother Lode Drive. Tickets are available from Cantare members, online at https://www.cantarechorale.com/, by phone at (530)957-4600, or in cash at the door prior to the concert

Dec 17 -18 Sweet Pairings Bakery Local Artisan

Craft Faire

Sweet Pairings Bakery hosts a local artisan craft faire with free games, photos with Santa and more, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 681 Main St. in Placerville.

Dec 17 Third Saturday Artwalk

Third Saturdays of every month. The Galleries and merchants stay open late and often have special events like live music, guest artists, food and beverage specials, and artists’ demonstrations. 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. www.facebook.com/PlacervilleArtWalk

Dec 22 Menora Lighting

El Dorado Hills Town Center hosts the community menorah lighting to celebrate the beginning of Hanukkah, 6:30 - 8 p.m.

For more information on these and other events, visit www.visiteldorado.com Event date, time, cost or locations are subject to change. Prior to attending an event

con rm the information.

Remember that budget surplus? Never mind

Six months ago, while proposing a revised state budget, Gov. Gavin Newsom bragged about the state’s having a $97.5 billion surplus that would finance some landmark expansions of social and educational services.

“No other state in American history has ever experienced a surplus as large as this,” Newsom told reporters as he unveiled a 2022-23 fiscal year budget that topped $300 billion and, with a few tweaks, was eagerly adopted by the Legislature. Never mind.

Last week the Legislature’s budget advisor, Gabe Petek, issued a sobering report on the state’s finances, saying revenues are likely to fall $41 billion short of what Newsom and legislators anticipated, leaving the state with a $25 billion projected deficit for the 2023-24 budget. Moreover, he said, if recession hits, as many economists expect, the gap between income and outgo could be much higher.

If it’s just a $25 billion problem — as large as that number might seem — it could be handled relatively easily with some adjustments, such as throttling back on some of the spending the current budget contains, Petek said.

“It’s not insignificant, but it’s also manageable,” he told reporters. “We don’t think of this as a budget crisis; we just think of it as a notable budget problem.”

However, he cautioned against maintaining spending and using the state’s sizable emergency reserves to cover the shortfall, because there is a strong chance that the current economic slowdown, being dictated by the Federal Reserve

California Matters The

Letters to the Editor

Thank you, highway patrol

EDITOR:

Irecently broke one of my fundamental rules; I left my phone on top of the car. Forgetting my phone, I drove onto the freeway. I went through all sorts of e orts to find it with no luck.

While shopping for phones, I received a call from California Highway Lt. Comm. Rick Hatfield. He had found the phone on the shoulder of the freeway while investigating an accident. He had business in my area that afternoon and o ered to drop the phone o at my house. Amazing!

My thanks to Lt. Hatfield for his sharp eye and help returning the phone. This Thanksgiving I was thankful for Lt. Rick Hatfield and his belief in good karma.

WILLIAM SOMER Pollock Pines

New shelter at juvenile hall

EDITOR:

Just for openers, this idea was advanced/ proposed over two years ago by local writers to the Mountain Democrat. These writers were local citizens, not politicians.

To guarantee that this endeavor works, may I suggest the Upper Room Dining Hall (currently located on upper Broadway) be relocated to the juvenile hall also?

Not economically feasible? Civil rights violation? Too costly? Too much hassle/red tape for the elected elite?

Well, some of the elected city/county people have enjoyed free upgrades to their commercial property locations, bridge work/repairs to the Eskaton site. Perhaps those folks could contribute a little more than rhetoric (i.e. time and money).

Relocating the Upper Room will, without fail, eliminate the homeless saturation/desecration in the surrounding area, e.g. upper Broadway, the Grocery Outlet shopping center. Let’s face it, the evacuees from the last major fires were everywhere

but the Grocery Outlet center. Some locals are afraid to even shop there. It’s a disgrace to our city, to the council and the board — and they don’t do anything about it. Hey, don’t those su ering businesses pay taxes and business license fees while employing people who are willing to work?

Many of these homeless will sleep in the mud, blood, garbage and beer if their free food is nearby. The relocation of the Upper Room will essentially force them to relocate to the new shelter where a hot meal and sleeping quarters/hot showers are waiting for them. They also will be surrounded by the courts, the library, two shopping centers and no neighborhood with families to pollute and plunder.

I’m owner of Sierra Consignment Co. for 39 years in historical Placerville and am in “Ground Zero” at my shop. I’m fully aware of the encroachment, disruption, fighting, lurking, the filth, the thefts, the aggressively yelling and carrying on in front of tourists and locals, the swearing and so on. Time to settle them.

ANDY GILLESPIE Placerville

Heating oil

EDITOR:

Iwas watching the news — NBC in the morning, lighten up. And they were talking about the price of home fuel oil skyrocketing. My initial reaction was — as someone who once lived in a house heated by fuel oil (Alaska) — stinky, nasty, smelly, gross. Why does any home use fuel oil today?

Per Statista, the answer is no one in California, but over 20% of homes in New York and Pennsylvania do and the trend is continuing with over 350,000 new homes built there using home heating fuel. Maybe it’s my California roots but I thought using heating oil to be something done away with in the 20th century. The oil smoke coming from those houses brings back the memory

Rural

Life Celebrating your body — the miracle-worker

Few among us are perfectly happy with our bodies. We see them as too short or too tall, too heavy or too thin, too bulky or too scrawny, too curvy or too flat.

As we age, you can add to that list too sti , too creaky, too ouchy, too saggy.

Rarely at any age do we think, “This body is just right!” Yet our assessment might change if we stopped to consider just how much our bodies do for us, every single moment of our lives. Here’s a not-so-fun game. Sit quietly until you can sense the beating of your heart. Then think, “What keeps it going?” And, “What would happen if it were to just stop?”

Unnerving, isn’t it?

Of course your heart isn’t going to simply stop, at least not at the moment. Our hearts work continuously from a few weeks after conception until the end of our days. Can you imagine any mechanical pump lasting that long — perhaps seven decades or more — without stopping? A heat pump, water pump, oil pump? Not a chance.

Your trusty heart beats more than 100,000 times a day, pushing 2,000 gallons of oxygen- and nutrient-rich

blood around to all your cells — to keep you alive. It adapts to your specific circumstances, too. Need more energy to get up the stairs?

Your heart automatically kicks it up a notch. Time to sleep? It powers down.

To get an idea of your heart’s strength and stamina, grab a tennis ball and squeeze it tightly in your fist. Now imagine squeezing the ball repeatedly that way for 70 to 80 years, without stopping to rest. That’s your heart.

As amazing as it is, though, your heart is far from the only miraculous organ in your body.

There’s also your liver, a veritable biochemical factory. It’s responsible for more than 500 vital functions, including removing waste products from your bloodstream and regulating your blood sugar. It also stores essential nutrients and chemicals, releasing them into the bloodstream precisely when your body needs them.

Imagine being in charge of all that! Having to do it consciously. Fortunately, that’s not necessary. Your liver handles it all for you.

Another of your miraculous organs is hiding in plain sight — your skin. It’s actually the largest organ of the body, weighing about 8 pounds and

The Mountain Democrat welcomes letters up to 300 words. Letters may be edited. We reserve the right to edit submissions. Include your name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Email: editor@ mtdemocrat.net

covering roughly 22 square feet.

It’s your waterproof, insulating wrap, protecting you from temperature extremes, damaging sunlight and harmful chemicals. In that your body is about 60% water, without skin you would simply evaporate — not a pleasant thought.

Skin is miraculously self-healing, too. When you get a cut or scrape, usually all you have to do is keep the wound clean. Your skin does the rest. It forms a protective scab, replaces damaged cells and eventually knits the edges of the wound back together. All without your having even to think about it.

Skin is also our first line of defense against pathogens. Contained in your skin are several types of immune cells that stand guard against invading germs. That makes skin part of another miraculous function within our bodies — our immune system.

Fever is part of that system. By raising your body’s temperature, fever kills o some microbial invaders, plus triggers cellular mechanisms that help your body fight the infection. The enzymes in natural killer cells,

for example, zap virus-infected cells or even those showing early signs of cancer.

That’s right, every day thousands of times over, your immune system sends monitors to inspect the DNA strands of your cells for faults, then repairs them before they turn into tumors.

Meanwhile, you don’t have to lift a finger.

And what about the wonder of sleep? On its own, your body rejuvenates itself every 24 hours. No matter how awful or exhausting your day has been, you can turn in and your weary body will somehow refresh itself overnight — in ways medical science still doesn’t fully understand.

I could go on and on. There’s your hardworking digestive system, your multi-purpose kidneys, your remarkable (in so many ways) reproductive organs. It’s an astonishing list.

And all that your body asks in return is that you treat it as you would a beloved pet. That is, feed it well, exercise it regularly and lavish it with

JENNIFER FORSBERG MEYER

projected $97.5 billion budget surplus has failed to materialize and the state now faces at least a $25 billion deficit that will require major adjustments.

DAN WALTERS

Forsberg Meyer

love and acceptance.

Continued from A6

That’s what I’m telling myself, anyway, whenever I feel like complaining about how I look. In return for not having to monitor the beating of my heart — or oversee any of the other essential, miraculous functions my body performs for me — I

figure I should just shut up.

Except to say thanks.

Jennifer Forsberg Meyer is a columnist with the Mountain Democrat and the author of “Friends With Four Legs.”

Leave a comment for her online, or for a reply, reach her at jfmfeedback@gmail.com.

Letters Continued from A6

of a dark-smoke, hazed San Joaquin Valley in the ‘70s. Even crazier is that 2% of homes are still heated with coal, (that can’t be healthy). Poor Bob Cratchit — one piece of coal on Christmas Eve.

In California 70% of homes use natural gas; 50% of homes use natural gas in New York and Pennsylvania.

These stats show how much more environmentally sensitive California is to the East Coast. What I’m saying is there is a fine line between criticizing the government and appreciating some of its policies. One should point out things they do right every once in a while.

I complain about the Coastal Commission but love the fact that I can drive hundreds of miles along our coast and enjoy the view. Have you driven along Florida’s coast lately? You can drive 100 miles along their coast and never see the ocean.

So, yes, I know, people hate me for saying this but I’m a conservative living in a progressive state who appreciates “some” of California’s leftist environmental policies.

And it’s why I believe this is one reason among many that this is the best place in the world to live.

KEN STEERS

Cameron Park

Continued from A6

to counter high inflation, could easily morph into a recession.

“Based on historical experience, should a recession occur soon, revenues could be $30 billion to $50 billion below our revenue outlook in the budget window. As such, we suggest the Legislature begin planning the 2023-24 budget without using general purpose reserves,” Petek said in his report.

Newsom’s budget staff did not dispute Petek’s rather gloomy fiscal forecast. California “is in its best-ever position to manage a downturn, by having built strong reserves and focusing on one-time commitments,” Department of Finance spokesman H.D. Palmer said.

That’s true, as far as it goes. Newsom and the Legislature did commit most of the supposed surplus to reserves and limitedtime spending and in theory the latter could be cancelled or scaled back. A multi-billiondollar cash giveaway, now being processed, is the largest example of such one-time expenditures.

However, one-time appropriations, while not legally required to be longterm commitments, raise expectations that the state will continue to finance what it started. The recipients of those funds, therefore, will press the Legislature to honor what they consider to be commitments to their particular programs and projects.

Hints that the state’s roaring economy might be slowing down surfaced within weeks of the current budget’s passage last June and Newsom vetoed dozens of bills for additional off-budget spending, citing economic uncertainty.

Ever since the budget’s enactment, state revenues have been running well below expectations, with virtually all of the shortfall in personal income taxes, which generally account for three-quarters of the state’s general fund revenues.

The vast majority of those taxes come from a relative few high-income taxpayers, whose incomes are intimately sensitive to fluctuations in the economy, particularly stocks and other capital investments. The stock market has taken a beating from the Federal Reserve’s sharp increases in interest rates and Silicon Valley, source of much of the state’s taxable income, is undergoing a retrenchment with massive layoffs of workers.

Petek’s report is another reminder that California’s budget depends on a very narrow and very volatile tax base and it is, therefore, foolish to make long-term financial commitments that assume the golden goose will always lay golden eggs.

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

Announcements

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

AmericAN AssOc. Of UNiversity WOmeN Foothills of EDC Branch. Our mission is to advance gender equity for women & girls. Science and Math Camp Scholarships, programs & interest groups. Leave voicemail for Laurel (530) 417-7737 or Sara (530) 417-7138 eldorado-ca.aauw.net

el DOrADO cOUNty AmAteUr rADiO cLUB Dedicated to all aspects of ham radio. Meetings held on the third Tuesday of each month at the El Dorado Sheriff’s office, 200 Industrial Drive, Placerville, 6:30 pm. Visitors and non-hams welcome. Info at www.edcarc.net

LeArN & PLAy criBBAGe Cribbage is a fun, fast paced game that will surely keep you on your toes! **All skill levels

**Learn to play by ACC Rules (American Cribbage Congress) **Beginner instruction available **Compete in weekly Cribbage tournaments. Call 916-768-4452 for more information. Gold Country Cribbers play Wednesday afternoon 4:30 pm at the Moni Gilmore Sr Center, 990 Lassen Lane, El Dorado Hills, CA. 95762

Ready for real change?

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

Struggling with life? ceLeBrAte recOvery is for any Hurt, Habit or Hang-up. We are a faith-based recovery program for life’s issues

and struggles. Join us Thursday nights at 6:30pm at Green Valley Church, 3500 Green Valley Rd, Placerville. Doors open at 6:15pm. Children’s programs are available for ages 3 months to 18 years old. Email: celebrate@ greenvalley.church. Find us on Facebook: https://m.facebook. com/crgvcc/

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

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

Hangtown Women’s teNNis club. Join fun-loving women Wednesdays 9am-11am at El Dorado High School. Lessons, social events, only $35/year. Call Cindy 805-540-8654.

seNiOr Peer cOUNseLiNG of El Dorado County is seeking volunteer counselors. Do you possess such qualities as warmth, empathy and nonjudgement, as well as having varied life experiences, and being over the age of 55? If you do and would like to help and listen to fellow seniors who are dealing with age related issues such as loneliness, isolation, health and grief, we would love to talk to you. Counselors receive training and are supervised by a professional in the field.

SPC Clinical Supervisor Jayann Askin, MFT, shares “We are looking for volunteers who are interested in psychology, counseling, and mental health and would like to be a part of a supportive group of ongoing learners in this field.” For more information on this greatly rewarding volunteer opportunity, please call 530-621-6304

In the

KNOW

Now

It’s that time of year for togetherness, comfort, celebration and peace. Unfortunately, not every family will experience those feelings as some are faced with uncertainty, loneliness and broken hearts for their children.

To help, The Center for Violence-free Relationships has the Adopt-A-Family program and the Holiday Shopping Boutique to help local families. To donate and for more information email info@TheCenterNow. org or call (530) 626-1450.

High School students may apply now for the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program to study abroad in Germany. ASSE is one of four well-established international exchange organizations that administer this prestigious program, which is jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the German Bundestag. ASSE has 50 scholarships available to American youth from the western and northwestern regions of the USA. Students are encouraged to learn more and apply at UsaGermanyScholarship. org. The deadline to apply is Dec. 1.

Community Gift Trees are set up through Dec. 9 at El Dorado Hills Raley’s, El Dorado Hills Safeway, El Dorado Hills Library, Cameron Park Library, Placerville Raley’s, Placerville Library and Pollock Pines Safeway. For more information contact Dana Schmalz at (530) 676-0707, Dschmalz@ catalystcomm.org or Patricia Gordon at (530) 295-2305, Pgordon@ edcoe.org.

Nov. 30

Join El Dorado County Poet Laureate Lara Gularte for the latest stop on the Laureate Trail, 5:30-8 p.m. at the Cameron Park Library, 2500 Country Club Drive. The free event will feature a poetry workshop, readings and open mic.

Enjoy a Pride Celebration with DJ Zephyr at 6 p.m. at The Green Room Social Club, 251 Main St. in Placerville. For tickets visit tickets.clubgreenroom.com.

Dec. 1

Folsom Lake College Dance Department presents Fall 2022 Evening of Dance: Nutcracker Reimagined! featuring the MOSAIC Dance Company at 6 p.m. at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit harriscenter.net/events.

The Placerville Area Chess Club meets every

Spirited Christmas classic

Noel Stack Managing editor

meaning of the season teaches the

Three ghosts, one crotchety old miser and a family battling a little one’s health woes — don’t think this sounds like an uplifting holiday classic?

Two words will change your mind: “Bah humbug!”

Charles Dickens’ timeless story, “A Christmas Carol,” comes to the Imagination Theater stage, Dec. 2-21.

Directed by Andrew Vonderschmitt, this production offers a genderbending twist with talented actress Jan Le Pouvoir taking the lead role of Ebenezer Scrooge and budding actress Morgan Vonderschmitt playing Tiny Tim.

“Why not?” Le Pouvoir said of her decision to audition for Scrooge. The former high school teacher turned actress has about a dozen Imagination Theater shows under her belt. She said she enjoys being on stage, creating her characters and sharing compelling stories with the audience. Her experience

See Carol, page B6

Mountain Democrat photos by Noel Stack

The Cratchit family — Martha (Callista Angelli), Bob (Tom Loeprich), Mrs. Cratchit (Kin Allen), Peter (Dean Elder) and Melinda (Eve Lathrop), left to right — rallies around Tiny Tim (Morgan Vonderschmitt), who cheerfully proclaims, “God bless us every one.”

Ebenezer Scrooge (Jan Le Pouvoir), back right, gives his nephew Fred (Malcolm Hoag), left, a “bah humbug” at Fred’s Christmas greeting while Bob Cratchit (Tom Loeprich) works away at those books in “A Christmas Carol,” opening Dec. 2 at Imagination Theater in Placerville.

Jana Rossi Staff writer

Those who like Agatha Christie and classic whodunits and love to be an armchair detective guessing until the very end, should fill Theatre at the Mine seats for Union Mine High School Drama’s performance of “And Then There Were None,” opening Dec. 1.

Eight unassuming invitees arrive on a small, desolate island for what is supposed to be an enjoyable weekend. They are immediately greeted by two leery caretakers, who are themselves none too happy to be there. Guests are told their hosts, the Owens, have not yet arrived. As the guests settle in and introduce themselves, they soon realize that not one of them personally know their hosts. They immediately conclude they were brought to the island under false pretenses, just as a message is played revealing the nowhere in sight Owens seem to know a lot about each one of them, as all of their dirty, little secrets are brought to light.

Unable to leave the island until Monday, one by one the guests begin to turn up dead. Suspicious of who the Owens really are, the remaining guests begin to turn on each other as they try figure out who the killer really is before it’s too late.

Nicolas East plays Phillip Lombard, a smooth-talking, ex-rifleman and soldier. East described his character as suave and charming, a real “ladies’ man,” a trait he said

he does not share with his character. “Maybe if I was more suave ...”

What he does share is “having fun and making jokes that don’t always land with people, even though I think they are funny,” he explained. “Lombard, has a dark sense of humor that nobody shares.” This trait, of course, makes an initial suspect.

East has been performing since first grade and recently

played

“Heathers.”

to major in musical theater.

Comparing this new character to J.D., East said he enjoys playing Lombard much more. “Although his jokes are socially unacceptable, he has a moral sense of right and

wrong,” East shared. “I can get behind him; he doesn’t mean what he says or does.”

However, the actor added, degrading others is also high on Lombard’s list. “I would never degrade someone the way he does. We wouldn’t be friends.”

Vera Claythorne is the professional secretary on the mysterious island and is played by senior Emma Beckham. “I can relate to Vera. She is the most caring character in the play and wants to help everyone. She’s so genuine in how much she cares.” The same way Beckham said she is with her friends.

Beckham has been performing at Union Mine High School since her freshman year but began taking drama in the third grade. She continues to take acting classes and performs in church plays.

The very grave and stern death row judge, Sir Lawrence Wargrave, is played by senior Micah Williams.

“Wargrave is the calm during everyone else’s hysteria,” Williams explained, a trait, he said he can relate to. “As president of the Drama Club, I am used to everyone coming up to me with different things. I can separate from it to get the job done.”

He described his character as complex and, fortunately, that’s exactly the type of character Williams said he likes to play, aspiring to Heath Ledger’s role, The Joker, in “The Dark Knight.”

J.D., the male lead in Union Mine’s 2022 spring play,

He told the Mountain Democrat he hopes to continue his acting in college and is applying to Southern Oregon University

Photos by Anna MacKay

Characters have a mystery to solve — and they better work fast before they’re gone in “And Then There Were None,” playing at Theatre at the Mine in El Dorado. At right, Antonia Marsden (Sage Akers), Vera Claythorne (Emma Beckham) and Philip Lombard (Nicolas East), left to right, are trying to unravel the whodunnit.

NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION sponsors

p.m.

Got popcorn? Curtain is rising on Tahoe Film Fest

Miranda Jacobson Tahoe Daily Tribune

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — The Tahoe Film Fest returns to the north shore Dec. 1-4, bringing a variety of films to guests, with proceeds going to the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center.

While many of the films shown are environmental films, the festival also celebrates a section of important American independent films, new films from Latin America and awardwinning music documentaries.

Notably, this year there will be three special screenings that will offer intimate looks at select films.

At 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the North Star Village skating rink “Free Rider: The Jake Burton Story” will screen for free.

The intimate and revealing documentary features interviews with Burton’s family, friends and fellow snowboarders, including action sports icons Shaun White, Kelly Clark and Mark McMorris. Burton, who is credited with creating snowboards, died in 2019 and the movie pays homage to his beloved and loyal “riders,” the audience he faithfully addressed for decades on the first

page of his snowboard company’s catalogs.

The film is narrated in art by acclaimed actor Woody Harrelson, a close friend of Burton.

National Geographic Documentary Films has partnered with Tahoe Film Fest since the beginning and this year presents “Fire of Love,” “The Territory,” “Retrograde” and “The Flagmakers.” Several other notable films in this category include “Wildcat,” “All the Breathes,” “Path of the Panther” and “Dark Hobby.”

At 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, the film “Subject” will show at the Crystal Bay Club Casino Crown Room. Directed by Incline Village’s Jennifer Tiexiera, this film premiered at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival and unpacks the ethics and responsibility inherent in documentary filmmaking through putting some of the most successful documentaries of the past three years under a microscope.

Throughout the film, Tiexiera reveals the impact of documentaries commercial success on the lives of onscreen participants.

Teixiera will participate in a Q&A following the film with some of the n See Festival, page B5

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The Mountain Democrat’s Newspapers in Education program (NIE) was established in 2002 to provide and educational service arm for the newspaper.

NIE’s goal is to assist schools, teachers and parents in developing future readers who can use the newspaper to enrich their own lives and participate responsibly in their community, state and nation. Not only does the Mountain Democrat provide valuable information on a wide range of topics daily, it also can be used as a resource for teaching numerous skills to various age groups and in many different disciplines. It helps students connect classroom lessons to the real world around them and develop a positive and

relevant lifetime reading habit. A study released by the Newspaper Association of America Foundation shows data indicating students in NIE programs do 10 percent better on standardized tests and that significant increases in student performances occur, especially in middle schools.

Donations from our sponsors allow our educators to order the newspaper for their classrooms free of charge. These sponsorships contribute to literacy and allow thousands of teachers and students in El Dorado County to learn from a living textbook, the Mountain Democrat, and develop a life-long reading habit that will benefit them throughout their lives.

Billy Hodges

HFW Enterprises, LLC

Courtesy photo

“Women Talking” will screen at Incline Village Cinema and will kick off the Tahoe Film Fest at 6

Thursday, Dec. 1.

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Take things as you find them. Facts are facts. The longer you hold on to information, the more you influence it. It will help you now to know how things stand independent of you. Only then can you really understand your influence.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Theatrics are unnecessary, especially if your aim is to stir things up. To surprise and alarm people, you don’t have to do anything other than tell the truth. The more unpretentious and real you are, the more effective you’ll be.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The drama unfolds. There’s no clear winner here, nor is there a solid sense of right and wrong. Humans are messy. They connect and disconnect haphazardly. Don’t worry about making sense of it. Time will reveal additional relevant details.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). There’s a heightened quality to the day. The natural world invites your appreciation. You’ll experience visual poetry. Things seem more dra

matic set against the ever-changing sky.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You don’t have to seek trouble, nor should you go out to meet it. There’s much that can happen in the stretch between you and the problem. This time, it will be better to sit back and see who intervenes.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Like all resources, your time, money and attention become undervalued when they are given too freely. The value increases when you hold some back.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). With certain people, you’ll keep your feelings tucked away. It’s appropriate. They wouldn’t know what to do with the full-fledged version of you. Be sure to air those feelings when it’s safe, as no good comes from bottling up indefinitely.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You’re not trying to live dangerously; it’s just what naturally happens when you aim for daring goals. You’ll keep your eye on the prize, and the periphery will be a blur. To be a bit fuzzy about the risks involved works to your advantage.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). It doesn’t matter who is chosen first or third or not at all. What matters is what happens. It’s a waste of energy to worry about rankings or status indicators. Just stick to your mission and things will work out.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Relationships are like chords — built one note at a time. Stay on your lovely note and see who chimes in with you. It only takes one other tone to make it a chord, and really any tone will do.

What tree should I plant?

Did the scorching temperatures of summer leave your landscape begging for an update? If so, plant now. Plant trees when they are dormant to give them the best opportunity to adapt to their environment while not disturbing their seasonal process of storing food and energy for the following year.

How does one decide what to plant and where? There are three main considerations: tree characteristics, site conditions and other plant considerations. Selecting a tree with these criteria in mind will ensure you choose well and help you achieve your landscape vision.

One of the most important things to consider is maximum size at maturity. It can be difficult to envision this when planting a 5- or 15-gallon tree, but planting a tree with a mature height of 50 feet and canopy spread of 30 feet is not the right choice for a planting space of just 20 feet. Crown shape, foliage type, growth rate, leaf arrangement, leaf shape, leaf color, flowers, flower color, flower type, flowering time, fruit, fruiting time, litter type, bark and whether it’s a California native round out tree considerations.

Site conditions include available planting area, water use, Sunset Zones sunset.com/garden/climatezones/sunset-climate-zonescalifornia-nevada, USDA Hardiness Zones planthardiness.ars.usda.

gov, sun exposure, soil texture, soil pH, deer resistance, utility precautions, fire resistance and salt spray. Most plants prefer a neutral soil pH range of 5.5 to 8. A soil test will determine if your soil needs amending to alter the texture, pH, or nutrients. Soil test kits are available at nurseries, online or you can send your soil to a soil testing laboratory. Find a list of El Dorado County soil laboratories at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources website: ucanr.edu/sites/MG_of_CS/ files/376967.pdf.

Other plant considerations include branch strength, rootdamage potential, potential health issues, biogenic emissions, wildlife interactions, disease and pest susceptibility, disease and pest resistance and whether it is power line friendly. Do not plant a tree with a high potential for root damage next to a foundation or sidewalk.

There are tools that aid tree selection. The SelecTree database (a tree selection guide at calpoly.edu) from the Urban Forest Ecosystem Institute at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is one. There are approximately 1,500 species in this database with pictures. A second database is the UC Davis Arboretum. This database has 100 plants proven to grow well in El Dorado County. Both databases allow a user to search based on the above criteria. A word of advice:

FREEDOM. TO BE YOU.

If you think oxygen therapy means slowing down, it’s time for a welcome breath of fresh air.

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Darla Mills

UCCE Master Gardener of El Dorado County

n tUndra by Chad Carpenter

n rUBeS by Leigh rubin

n SPeed BUMP by dave Coverly

HoroSCoPe by Holiday Mathis

SACRAMENTO — Capital Stage shares the return of Jane Austen’s “Pride & Prejudice” beloved characters with its holiday production of “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley,” Nov. 30 through Dec. 24.

It’s Christmas at Pemberley again! This warm holiday comedy is the second piece to Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon’s Christmas at Pemberley trilogy. “The Wickhams” takes audeinces downstairs where servants are bustling with the arrival of holiday guests. In the warmth of the Darcy kitchen, two years after the conclusion of “Pride & Prejudice,” family secrets are revealed and loyalties are tested. It’s a bright holiday tale full of mirth, wit and the power of giving back to others.

Continued from B3

film’s participants following the showing Sunday. “Free Puppies!” will be showing in the Crown Room at the Crystal Bay Club Casino at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, and the screening will benefit the Incline Village Pet Network Humane Society.

When Hurricane Katrina left more than 250,000 pets stranded, the infrastructure of modern pet transport for a nationwide dog rescue effort was born. This film reveals the challenges that contribute to the rescue of dog crisis from step one.

Tickets purchased to this screening will come with complimentary food and beverages to be served at the show.

General admission to the event is $35 and all proceeds will benefit Pet Network Humane Society. Tickets can be purchased at petnetwork.org/ filmfest.

Tahoe Film Fest was also chosen as one of only

Capital Stage co-founding member Peter Mohrmann will direct the second installment of Gunderson and Melcon’s series. Mohrmann has more than a dozen Capital Stage production under his belt as director and he also also performed in several regional shows. The director received his master’s degree in fine art in acting from the Theatre School/DePaul University and is an adjunct professor at Folsom Lake College and Sacramento City College.

The cast will feature returning actors Brittni Barger as Lizzy Darcy, Colin Sphar as George Wickham and Stephanie McVay as Mrs. Reynolds. Performances will be available live at Capital Stage Theatre, 2215 J St. in Sacramento, and virtually on demand. For tickets and more information visit capstage.org or call (916) 995-5464.

three film festivals to screen Steven Spielberg’s new film “The Fabelmans,” the other two being AFI Film Fest in Los Angeles and Toronto Film Festival in Canada where it won the People’s Choice Award.

“Women Talking” and “She Said” are two hugely important films that have gained global attention this year at many major film festivals.

Several American independent films will be showing, including “Kaepernick & America,” “Only in Theaters,” “God’s Country,” “Pretty Problems” and Amy Redford’s new film “What Comes Around.”

Ticket prices to films may vary and can be found at tahoefilmfest.com/tickets. All-access passes are available for $75 for access to all films throughout the festival for one person and the Green Pass is available for $125, and includes access to special events plus access to films. To learn more visit tahoefilmfest.com.

as a tough teacher has morphed into a commanding stage presence‚ a necessity when taking on a curmudgeon like Ebenezer.

His transformation by the end of the show is Le Pouvoir’s favorite part. “He starts to peel away like an onion when he discovers that his commanding presence ... and ego are not really conducive to personal growth,” she explained.

Morgan’s sweet disposition and bubbling excitement makes Tiny Tim that much more lovable.

“It’s my first show ever,” she enthusiastically shared. “I like when I get to say my lines.”

When she’s not hamming it up on stage with a sweet “God bless us every one,” the 6-year-old enjoys hanging upside down on the hand railing between theater seats.

And Morgan, director Andrew’s daughter, isn’t the only little Vonderschmitt in the production. August Vonderschmitt, 4, plays Ignorance and an urchin. Mom Martina Vonderschmitt is the show’s narrator, one of her many other roles.

“Working with my family on this production has been a crazy, wonderful experience,” Andrew shared. “I knew I couldn’t do this show and be away from the family so much leading up to the holidays unless, somehow, they could do it with me. It has worked out wonderfully. I can imagine more Vonderschmitt family shows in our future.”

Andrew’s wife and kids aren’t the only ones appreciative of his efforts. Actor Bob Steele, who plays the chain-rattling Jacob Marley, said the director has built great relationships with cast members, creating a cohesive group that works well together. The retired high school teacher has been acting steadily since 2009 and said the challenge of this role is finding that balance between being frightening enough “to get Scrooge to pay attention” but also showing sincerity and affection for his former business partner.

“I’m giving him a chance and hope of avoiding the same fate,” Steele explained.

And while the actor said he’s perfecting that technique, the most trouble he’s having is keeping his chains quiet when he moves backstage. With opening night two days away, an urgent solution is required.

“A Christmas Carol,” published 179 years ago, has been featured countless times on stage and screen — everyone from Sir Patrick Stewart to Mickey Mouse has taken on the classic ... and let’s not forget The Muppets.

“I think that ‘A Christmas Carol’ is always going to be incredibly poignant,” Andrew said. “Unfortunately greed and fear will be a thing we have to deal with for as long as humans are, well, human. Making a choice to embrace love instead of fear can happen at any time in one’s life and if Scrooge can change his ways, any one of us can.”

Performances of “A Christmas Carol” are scheduled Dec. 2-21 at Imagination Theater on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Drive in Placerville. For showtimes, tickets and other information visit ITPlacerville.org or call (530) 663-6983.

Georgetown Divide Public Utility District P.O. Box 4240 Georgetown, CA. 95634 For further information call (530) 333-4356 or visit our website at www.gd-pud.org

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Cambridge Garden Apartments

Cameron Park 1, 2, 3 bedrooms, close to freeway, covered parking and pool. small pets aCCepteD. (530) 677-6210

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Cast: Ebenezer Scrooge (Jan Le Pouvoir), Bob Cratchit (Tom Loeprich), Jacob Marley (Bob Steele), Ghost of Christmas Past (Alison Loeprich), Ghost of Christmas Present (Jeff Lathrop), Tiny Tim Cratchit (Morgan Vonderschmitt), Fred, Broker, Other (Malcolm Hoag), Mrs. Cratchit, Other (Kim Allen), Fezziwig, Joe, Other (Scott Howard), Belle, Martha, Other (Callista Angelli), Fan, Belinda, Other (Eve Lathrop), Janet, Fezziwig, Oliver, Other (Erika Molinari), Peter, Young Ebenezer, Other (Dean Elder), Poulterer, Tackleton, Other (John Le Pouvoir), Urchin, Guest, Other (Darcy Phillips), Dilber, Woman, Other (Martina Vonderschmitt), Want, Urchin (Azlyn Phillips), Ignorance, Urchin (August Vonderschmitt), Man About Town (Dan Clark).

Know

Continued from B1

Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Denny’s in Cameron Park, 3446 Coach Lane. For more information call Neville Arroues at (530) 6429043.

Dec. 2

The Cameron Park Community Services District hosts its annual tree lighting, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at Christ McAuliffe Park, 2400 Merrychase Drive in Cameron Park.

Musician Ed Wilson will perform at Citizen Vine in Folsom, 6-8 p.m.

Dec. 3

Scout Troop 460 has the freshest Christmas trees and best prices. Come by the Mother Lode Lions Hall parking lot, 4701 Missouri Flat Road, Dec 3-4, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and support local Scouts and their summer camp goals.

The Placerville Shakespeare Club hosts a special Winter Rummage Sale, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the clubhouse, 2940 Bedford Ave. in Placerville. For more information visit placervilleshakespeare.com.

The Celebration of Christmas Tea and Bazaar will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 6417 Main St. in Georgetown, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Find homemade crafts and items baked by the ladies of Trinity Lutheran and enter a drawing for Thomas Kinkade collectibles while enjoying complimentary tea and cookies.

Landscape artists David Yapp hosts an exhibition of pen and ink, watercolor and oil paintings, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 3 & 4 at 3948 Valley Vista Drive, Camino. For more information visit davidyapp.com/show.

David Girard Vineyards hosts a Holiday Celebration with Sacramento Opera Chorus, noon to 3 p.m. featuring traditional holiday music and a visit from Santa Claus. For tickets and more information call (530) 293-2833.

Get into the true spirit of Christmas and come sing carols with a fabulously gifted choir, 7 p.m. at Church of Our Saviour 2979 Coloma St. in Placerville. Hear stories of the promise of a Messiah and the birth of Jesus. Cider and cookies will be served after the program. For more information call (530) 622-2441.

There’s a lot to consider when planting a tree, including its mature

how many leaves do you want to rake out of the driveway?

Gardener

Continued from B4

when using any database, limit the number of filters you add. Sometimes using too many filters can result in a “no plant found” result. This does not mean there is not a plant that fits all the chosen filters, it means the database does not have one.

Now that you know the considerations for choosing trees and databases to aid in your selection process, happy planting.

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

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Williams’ past performances include playing the Genie in “Aladdin” and Veronica Sawyer’s dad in “Heathers.”

Williams currently writes scripts for Crocker House and plans to pursue acting and directing. He has Northwestern University high on his college list.

“The theater is who I am. I don’t know where I would be without it. This is my family,” he shared, giving high regard to drama teacher Heather Freer.

Showtimes for “And Then There Were None” are 7 p.m. Dec. 1-3 and Dec. 9-10 and 2 p.m. Dec. 3 & 10 at

The Sherwood Demonstration Garden, 6699 Campus Drive in Placerville, is open for a free public tour on the first Saturday of each month, starting at 9 a.m. Check the website for details at ucanr. edu/sites/EDC_Master_Gardeners/ Demonstration_Garden.

Have a gardening question?

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

Theatre at the Mine, 6530 Koki Lane in El Dorado. General admission is $12, students $10. Visit our.show/ theatreumhs for tickets.

Cast: Thomas Rogers (Jacob Paturel); Ethel Rogers (Ashleigh Barnes); Vera Claythorne (Emma Beckham); Phillip Lombard (Nicolas East); Antonia Marston (Sage Akers); Emily Brent (Anna Standeven); Sir Lawrence Wargrave (Micah Williams); Dr. Armstrong (Benjamin Rorden); William Blore (James Doyle); General Mackenzie (Kate Ciraulo); Fred Narracott (Sophia Wilencheck).

Photo by Summer Brasuel

size and roots system. Also,