Mountain Democrat, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 by mcnaughtonmedia

A fatal head-on collision on Highway 50 at Echo Summit Thanksgiving evening resulted in the deaths of two motorists, according to information from the California Highway Patrol.

A westbound 2001 Toyota Sequoia and an eastbound 2015 Chevrolet Traverse collided near Audrian Way in the eastbound lane at around 5:35 p.m. The driver of the Chevrolet and a passenger in the Toyota both sustained major injuries and died. The driver of the Toyota sustained major injuries and their three other passengers sustained moderate injuries and were transported to a local hospital for medical care.

The road was closed for more than four hours as El Dorado County sheri ’s deputies, CHP o cers and Caltrans crews cleared the scene. Tra c at one point was backed up to Sierra-atTahoe in the eastbound lane.

The cause of the incident is still under investigation, and the identities of the two deceased motorists has not been made public at this time.

CPCSD leaders get a budget wake-up call

Noel Stack Editor

Looking at di erent revenue scenarios, consultant Don Ashton presented ﬁve-year budget projections to the Cameron Park Community Services Board of Directors and shared a troubling trend.

“The district is getting worse,” Ashton said. “The deﬁcit is growing.”

His conclusion: Taking out ﬁre services makes the district more ﬁnancially stable but “tough decisions” will still have to be made to get out of the red. CPCSD is in

PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE

negotiations with the El Dorado Hills Fire Department to annex the Cameron Park Fire Department; ﬁre services are currently provided by Cal Fire under contract.

Ashton looked at three budget scenarios — cautious projections, conservative projections and aggressive projections. Only with the last scenario did the district’s deficit begin to shrink; however, Ashton cautioned board members, “I think it would be irresponsible for the district to balance its budget using aggressive projections.” Those projections assume a 5% growth in property tax revenue and 3% growth in all other revenue streams over the next five fiscal years. In contrast, the cautious projects assume 2% annual revenue growth across all revenue streams.

Residents attending November’s meeting expressed frustrations about the board’s past budget decisions and lack of transparency.

“You can’t follow the money ... and it has been like that year

■ See BUDGET, page A9

Dazzling start to the Christmas season

Photo by Shelly Thorene

El Dorado County residents and guests filled Main Street in downtown Placerville the day after Thanksgiving to enjoy holiday

ESSENTIALS

OBITUARIES

Osvaldo Isidoro Scariot

Oct. 15, 1926 – Nov. 18, 2024

Osvaldo Isidoro Scariot, better known as “Ossie”, passed peacefully November 18, 2024 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was 98. Ossie was born in Portola, California in 1926 to Siro and Emma Scariot. His family moved to Diamond Springs in 1934. Ossie graduated from El Dorado County High School in 1944 and began his first job at California Door “Cal Door”. Later in 1944, he joined the Navy and served in the war. After he was discharged, he went back to work at Cal Door where he became the youngest lumber grader this side of the Mississippi. He met Linda Brown in 1952, and they married in 1953. Ossie became a pear rancher after getting passed over for a promotion when the company changed hands. Then when pear decline hit, he partnered with his best friend Harry De Wolf in the garbage business. Together they owned El Dorado Disposal for 39 years until selling the disposal company in 1998. Ossie also started Western Sierra Bank with several members of the community in 1984. Ossie was also well known for his charitable work in the community. He was an active member of the Mother Lode Lions, a board member of CASA El Dorado, and a well-known part of the 3 Benevolent Italians with Carl Borelli and Gordon Vicini. He and his wife Linda supported many local charities. Throughout Ossie’s storied lifetime, he was an avid trap shooter, winning numerous belt buckles and trophies and several national championships. He was also an avid golfer, although he did not win any trophies. He loved to travel, go fishing and play poker. He is survived by his wife Linda of 71 years, daughter Lori (Daryl) Warden, son Mike (Sandy) Scariot, grandchildren Melissa (Kevin) Placek and Sara Warden, and 2 great grandchildren, Kyle and Austin Placek. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Boys and Girls Club or Snowline Hospice. Memorial services will be held at 3pm, December 19th at the Chapel of the Pines.

Richard D. Wagner

Nov. 11, 1938 – Aug. 18, 2024

Richard (Dick) David Wagner from Mariposa, CA passed away on August 18, 2024, in Omaha, NE at age 85. Richard is preceded in death by his parents, William (Bill) and Helen, brother Donny and wife Ardel (Hahn). He is survived by his children, daughters and sons-in-law and many grandkids and great grandkids. A tribute to Richard will be made at Bible Baptist Church in Placerville, CA on December 8, 2024 at the 11am service. We welcome all who knew and loved him.

James Macko

Dec. 06, 1948 – Sept. 26, 2024

CRIME LOG

Jim was born in Redwood City, California on December 6, 1948 to Winifred Caroline Ladlow and John Michael Macko. He passed away peacefully in Westminster, California on September 26, 2024 at the age of 75 years old from dementia. He attended Sequioa High School and lettered in gymnastics, soccer and tennis. He attended The College of San Mateo and majored in computer science. The majority of Jim’s career was spent at Intel while living in Placerville, California from 1984 until 2021. Jim’s favorite activities were golfing, music and bowling. He scored two perfect 300 games during his lifetime and was proud of the two gold rings he received from the American Bowling Congress. Jim’s smile would light up a room, his sense of humor was loved by all and his welcoming hugs were without compare. He was a master at joke telling and occasionally pushed the limits! Jim is survived by his brothers Michael (Paula) and John (Amy), best friend Doug Franksen (Paulette), nieces/ nephews (Jessica, Kari, Robbie, Tim, Francie and Elizabeth) and godsons (Jerry and Travis). He is predeceased by his grandparents Earl Ladlow and Caroline Whysall Clough, step-grandfather John “Jack” Clough, parents and godson Christopher Franksen. Jim’s family has peace knowing that he is now healed in heaven, in the presence of Jesus Christ and reunited with cherished family and friends.

Julie Fields-Tiemann

Jan. 14, 1967 – Oct. 6, 2024

Julie Marie Tiemann (née Fields), born January 14, 1967, in Anaheim, CA, passed away on October 6, 2024, in Placerville, CA. A devoted mother, she is survived by her children, Courtney Tiemann of Portland, OR. and Roland Tiemann of Placerville, CA. Julie was the beloved daughter of Jack and Connie Fields of Shingle Springs, CA, and sister to Jack Fields of Monterey, CA. She is also survived by her life partner, Matt Miller. Julie had a deep love for animals and nature, especially her faithful companion, “Roxy.” Her kindness and warmth will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Nov. 26

7:59 a.m. Trespassing reported at a business on Broadway.

9:20 a.m. O cers issued a citation after responding to a suspicious subject report on Mosquito Road.

12:23 p.m. Burglary reported at a grocery store on Placerville Drive.

9:01 p.m. O cers issued several citations after responding to a suspicious vehicle report on Sacramento Street.

10:42 p.m. Trespassing reported on Marshall Way.

Nov. 27

11:59

8:28 a.m. Petty theft reported on Marshall Way.

9:34 a.m. Petty theft reported at a business on Broadway.

8:51 p.m. Trespassing reported at a bar on Main Street.

9:11 p.m. Petty theft reported on Coloma Street.

9:13 p.m. Trespassing reported at a grocery store on Placerville Drive.

Nov. 28

6:54 p.m. Petty theft reported at a bar on Main Street.

Nov. 29

1:44 a.m. Batter reported at a bar on Main Street.

4:02 p.m. Petty theft reported on De Bernardi Court.

6:39 p.m. Trespassing reported at a grocery store on Placerville Drive. Nov. 30

8:42 a.m. Trespassing reported at a

1:24

Petty theft reported at a business on Morrene Drive.

2:41 p.m. Petty theft reported on Sacramento Street.

3 a.m. Petty theft reported on Marshall Way.

7:03 a.m. O cers made an arrest after responding to a suspicious subject report on Center Street.

Justin Lamson stays relentless on and off the field

Mark DeVaughn Special to the Mountain Democrat

BERKELEY — When Stanford threatened to upset Cal this year, a potential hero emerged at quarterback. He appeared in seven plays and threw one pass.

Oak Ridge High School alum Justin Lamson sparked Stanford to a 21-7 lead. He ran for two touchdowns, setting a school record in the process. He dragged defenders for first downs. His impact was as inspiring as his playing time was limited.

Lamson rushed for eight touchdowns in 2024, a record for Stanford quarterbacks. He also fell short of meeting his own high, personal expectations. In four years of college, he has started only two games. Lamson transferred to Stanford after two seasons at Syracuse, where he suffered serious injury and never played a down.

He has two years of college eligibility remaining. Two years remain to fulfill his dream of becoming a full-time starting college quarterback.

“Nobody gets a perfect path to success,” he said. “I’m not going to give up on my dream. I won’t put my head down and walk away from it. This is me, being relentless.”

Lamson led Oak Ridge to a Sac-Joaquin Section title in his junior campaign of 2019. After the season, he underwent knee surgery. Nearly four years passed until he played in his next competitive game.

The pandemic prevented colleges from hosting official inperson recruiting visits. Undaunted, Lamson visited Syracuse in June 2020 before signing with the Orange. He graduated early from Oak Ridge. During spring practice at Syracuse in 2021, he injured his knee again.

“You work to get back healthy, you do all little things and then you have to start the cycle all over again,” Lamson said. “There was a long stretch of time where I asked myself: ‘What am I doing?’ I wasn’t getting the fruits of my labor. That was rough.”

Both his parents thrived in competitive circles. Jeff Lamson played tight end for Washington State in the mid-1980s. Lisa Lamson served as a San Francisco 49ers cheerleader alongside actress Teri Hatcher (her high school friend from nearby Sunnyvale).

Four years after Lamson graduated, persistence is his Oak Ridge legacy. A former teacher vividly recalled his ability to inspire classmates by example.

“He wasn’t afraid to say out loud if he didn’t understand something,” algebra teacher Megan Watson said. “I think that perseverance made the classroom better. It had a positive effect on other students. I think there’s a lot to be said when a football player humbles himself in front of his peers.” Megan Watson’s father Mark Watson is a longtime coach at Oak Ridge. He served as Lamson’s offensive coordinator with the

Trojans.

“Justin doesn’t take criticism defensively,” Mark said. “He knows how to absorb a lesson and just move on with it.”

Lamson’s brother started at left tackle for UC Davis. Colton Lamson enjoys mentoring his younger brother of six years. One early lesson he remembers preaching is the importance of sacrifice.

“Why can’t you hang out with your friends after school? If you want to get what you want, you’re going to have to do things people aren’t doing,” Colton said. “We’re pretty tight. Whatever I tell him, he’s

receptive.”

For decades, the NCAA severely restricted transfers. College players transferring from one top-tier program to another had to sit out a year. Coaches could attempt to limit their potential destinations. This arrangement lasted until the 2018-19 school year. The transfer portal erased those restrictions. There are no limits on the number of transfer recruits a football program can sign, or how many times a player can transfer.

Lamson arrived from Syracuse in the summer of 2023. He’s one

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of five transfers to join Stanford’s roster since. The Cardinal has lost more than 30 players to the transfer portal during that time. Troy Taylor is 6-18 in his two seasons as head coach. The team’s quarterback situation is still unsettled. Stanford plays in the 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference. In 2024, junior Ashton Daniels ranked 14th in ACC passing efficiency. Freshman Elijah Brown was the most highly recruited of the team’s quarterbacks. Lamson says he’s “50-50” on returning to the Farm

next year.

“The transfer portal is not the ideal situation. It’s hectic,” he explained. “People judge you for being disloyal when you transfer, but that’s not the case. The transfer portal is crazy and it’s stressful, but it opens a lot of opportunities.”

For now, Lamson feels at home on campus full of academic achievers. His favorite Stanford professor is Jeremy Bailenson, a world-renowned expert in virtual reality. Lamson is due to graduate in May with a degree in sociology. Despite Lamson’s

heroics, Stanford suffered a 24-21 loss to Cal last month. The concourse at Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium intersects with the path leading from the visitor’s locker room. Cardinal players gathered there with family and friends postgame.

Nearby Cal students lobbed insults unsuitable for printing.

“I heard all of that,” he said. “It fired me up, but it’s nothing. In a rivalry game, you’re going to deal with those situations. I appreciate them. At the end of the day, we lost. I had to wear it and deal with it.”

Photos courtesy of ISI Photography / Stanford Athletics

Despite starting only one game in 2024, Lamson set the Stanford single-season record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.

Justin Lamson, seen here with head coach Troy Taylor, came to Stanford via the “hectic” transfer portal.

County tobacco-related ordinances set to go live

n Enforcement begins next spring

Carla Hass

El Dorado County Chief Administrative Office

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors formally adopted two ordinances that will create tobacco retail land use and tobacco retail license regulations.

The Tobacco Retail License Ordinance establishes a requirement for tobacco retailers to obtain an annual county-issued license and requires the county to regulate tobacco retailers in the unincorporated areas of the county. The new Tobacco Retail License Ordinance will go into effect Dec. 5 and enforcement begins on April 1, 2025.

New rules

The ordinance prohibits tobacco retailers in El Dorado County from:

• Selling flavored tobacco products, single-use electronic cigarettes and nonFDA authorized electronic cigarettes;

• Establishes minimum tobacco product pricing and packaging sizes;

• Prohibits pharmacies from selling tobacco products;

• Requires on-site tobacco product sales and

libraries.

• Imposes a cap on the number of licensed tobacco retailers based upon population, with a maximum of one license per 2,500 residents; however, existing businesses operating legally on the date of passage will not be impacted.

The Tobacco Retail Land Use Ordinance incorporated zoning code amendments that prohibit the location of a tobacco retailer within 1,500 feet from sensitive and same-use sites such as childcare facilities, schools, youth-oriented facilities, churches, parks and public

“The board’s action holds business accountable for illegally selling tobacco to those under the legal age of 21,” said El Dorado County Director of Public Health Jennifer Byrne. “Ninety percent of those who struggle with addiction started before they turned the legal age, according to experts at Stanford Medicine REACH Lab. If we can protect youth from starting before it's legal, we can potentially protect them from a lifetime of

tobacco addiction.” County staff will engage in a robust outreach effort to provide detailed information to all affected retailers to support their understanding of and compliance with the new regulations.

Developing a Tobacco Retail License that prohibits the sale of non-FDA authorized electronic cigarettes, commonly known as “vapes,” was at the forefront of the community’s concern. Alarmingly, health

officials note the most popular vape is the non-FDA authorized Elf Bar, which contains an amount of nicotine equivalent to what would be found in 590 cigarettes. The California School Climate, Health, and Learning Surveys results from 2021-23 indicated 2%-13% of El Dorado County youth in grades seven, nine and 11 reported tobacco vaping in the last 30 days.

“These ordinances demonstrate the county’s commitment

to protecting the health and safety of our youth,” said Byrne. For those seeking assistance in quitting tobacco resources are available through kickitca.org. The adopted ordinances can be found at:

• library.municode. com/ca/el_dorado_ county/ordinances/ code_of_ordinances? nodeId=1325707

• library.municode. com/ca/el_dorado_ county/ordinances/ code_of_ordinances? nodeId=1325706

Photo by Benjamin Robinson / Getty Images

The sale of single-use electronic cigarettes, which often end up as litter, is banned in El Dorado County.

Women, Infants and Children program celebrates 50 years

Margaret Williams

El Dorado County Health and Human Services

The holiday season can be stressful for families trying to balance their budget and provide nutritious food, but the Women, Infants, and Children Program can help.

“WIC offers families the resources to meet important nutritional needs while being mindful of a limited budget,” said Juliet Barwis, supervisor of El Dorado County WIC. “The program provides nutrition education, breastfeeding support, benefits for nutritious foods and referrals to healthcare providers and community services like Community Based Nursing visits, car seat education and more.”

WIC is a federally funded nutrition program administered through the California Department of Public Health and implemented locally through the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency, Public Health Division. The program serves those who are pregnant or have recently been pregnant, infants and children up to their 5th birthday.

“This year, the WIC program is celebrating 50 years of growing healthy families,” said Barwis. “The program, which started

in 1974, has continued to evolve over the years to meet the needs of participating families.”

“An important recent WIC update is the increase in cash benefits to purchase fruits and vegetables,” she added. “Monthly dollar amounts are now $26 for each child ages 1 to 5 years old, $47 for those who are pregnant or postpartum, $52 for those fully or partially

breastfeeding, and $78 for those breastfeeding more than one infant.”

Barwis noted that WIC staff have made appointments more convenient than ever.

“Our WIC staff can meet with families in the Placerville and South Lake Tahoe Health and Human Services Agency office locations or over the phone. Families can receive resources and information by mail or text

message,” she said. “Staff are also available every month at the Georgetown Library and the White Rock Village Apartments in El Dorado Hills.”

The El Dorado County WIC program also serves Alpine County. WIC staff are available to meet with families at the Alpine County Health and Human Services building in Markleeville every other month.

Individuals or families may qualify for WIC if they:

• Are pregnant, breastfeeding a baby up to 1 year old, just had a baby (or recent pregnancy loss);

• Have a child or care for a child under the age of 5; and

• Have a low to medium income or receive MediCal, CalWORKs (TANF) or CalFresh (SNAP) benefits; and

• Live in California.

WIC welcomes partners, caregivers, grandparents, and foster parents who care for eligible children. Newly pregnant individuals, working families (including military and migrant families) are encouraged to apply. To determine if they meet WIC income guidelines, and for more information about WIC, individuals may visit MyFamily.WIC.ca.gov. El Dorado County WIC serves residents throughout El Dorado and Alpine counties. WIC staff on the western slope of El Dorado County can be reached at (530) 621-6176. WIC staff in South Lake Tahoe can be reached at (530) 573-3491. WIC offices are located at 931 Spring St. in Placerville and 1360 Johnson Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

CARE program offers assistance, therapy to mentally ill residents

News release

El Dorado County Superior Court of California has begun accepting petitions for the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act.

The CARE Act authorizes specified adult persons, outlined in Welfare and Institutions Code § 5974, to petition the court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or a court-ordered CARE plan for another person, called a respondent. If the court finds the respondent is eligible for the CARE

program, the county behavioral health agency and respondent will work together to enter into a voluntary agreement for services and treatment. The CARE plan or agreement can include services such as clinical behavioral health care; counseling; specialized psychotherapy, programs and treatments; stabilization medications; a housing plan; and other community-based services. A respondent must be at least 18 years old, have a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorder and meet other

County high-schoolers have options

The El Dorado Union High School District announces that limited open enrollment at El Dorado, Ponderosa and Union Mine high schools for the 2025-26 school year will be offered to incoming ninth-grade students who reside within the El Dorado Union High School District attendance boundaries. The enrollment projection for the school's permanent capacity will allow for 35 transfers at El Dorado, Union Mine and Ponderosa.

Applicants may obtain the limited open enrollment request packets at the front office at each high school within the district, online at eduhsd. k12.ca.us/Resources/StudentTransfers or at the district office, 4675 Missouri Flat Road, Placerville.

The El Dorado Union High School District will consider only those request forms submitted during the limited open enrollment period, which ends Jan. 31, 2025, no later than 4 p.m. The district will perform a computer-generated random selection

from all of the valid requests received by the enrollment deadline. A list will be developed based on this randomized numerical ranking and the first 35 requests for El Dorado High School, Union Mine High School and Ponderosa High School will be offered enrollment at their requested site. If one of the initial 35 requests should decline the offer of enrollment, then the next request on the ranked list will be offered enrollment.

Applicants should thoroughly read the instructions for limited open enrollment for additional information regarding submission of forms, district policy regarding siblings, sports eligibility, and parent/guardian responsibility for transportation to and from school.

Parents/guardians who have questions regarding the limited open enrollment process may contact the district's Student Services and Innovations Office at (530) 622-5081, extension 7229 or rlbryant@eduhsd. k12.ca.us.

requirements.

CARE Act petitions can be filed at the Placerville Fair Lane and South Lake Tahoe superior court branches. CARE Act petitions, reports, and proceedings are confidential.

To find out if you or someone you know may be eligible for the CARE program visit courts.ca.gov/ care-act/about. For information on how to file a CARE petition visit selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/care-act/ how-to-file. For location and other court-specific information visit eldorado.courts.ca.gov/care-act.

OPINION

California Matters

$165 billion revenue error continues to haunt the state budget

History will — or at least should —

see a $165 billion error in revenue estimates as one of California’s most boneheaded political acts.

It happened in 2022, as the state was emerging from the effects of the COVID19 pandemic.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Department of Finance, based on one short-term spike in income taxes, projected that revenues from the state’s three largest sources would remain above $200 billion a year indefinitely.

Newsom then declared that the budget had a $97.5 billion surplus, although that number never appeared in any documents.

“No other state in American history has ever experienced a surplus as large as this,” Newsom bragged as he unveiled a 2022-23 fiscal year budget that topped $300 billion.

With that in mind, he and the Legislature adopted a budget with billions in new spending, most notably on health and welfare programs and cash payments to poor families.

Within a few weeks, Newsom and legislators learned that real revenues were falling well short of the rosy projections. But the damage, in terms of expanded spending, was done.

Petek’s grim outlook coupled with the more conservative bent of voters, as shown in last month’s election, present a political dilemma for a governor and a Legislature oriented toward expanding government.

Two years later, buried in its fine print, the deficitridden 2024-25 budget acknowledged that sales taxes and personal and corporate income tax revenues would fall well short of the $200 billion a year projection, estimating a $165.1 billion shortfall over four years.

The past two years have seen budgets with deficits papered over with direct and indirect borrowing, tapped emergency reserves, vague assumptions of future spending cuts, and accounting gimmicks. For instance, the current budget “saves” several billion dollars by counting next June’s state payroll as an expenditure in the following fiscal year.

This bit of fiscal history is important to remember because the twin 2022 acts of overestimating revenues and overspending billions of nonexistent dollars on new and

■ See WALTERS, page A7

As we gathered this Thanksgiving, it was easy to take abundance for granted. Leftovers are practically guaranteed. It wasn’t always this way. For most of history, there were no Thanksgiving feasts. Hunger, if not starvation, was the norm. Today, supermarkets are stocked with exotic foods from all over the world. Most of it is more a ordable than ever. Even after President Joe Biden’s 8% inﬂation, Americans spend less than 12% of our income on food, half of what they spent 100

Letters to the Editor

Wonderful event

EDITOR:

This letter is to thank the men and women of the Pollock Pines-Camino Community Center for a wonderful, free Thanksgiving dinner. There were lots of volunteers working tirelessly (and joyfully) to make their many visitors feel welcome and valued.

We were beyond happy to be a part of this wonderful event.

BONNIE & JEAN FLINT Camino

See you in church

EDITOR:

Aprogram on Vermont public radio recently ran a story about the di culty of ﬁnding ministers for its many small ministries. I lived there in the ‘70s and ‘80s and attended a church that had Baptist and Congregational ministers, in turn, the Congregational having been the church of the Pilgrims. But Vermont had every denomination, it seemed.

I moved to Vermont from the suburbs like a lot of back-to-the-landers. We learned from the farmers certain values for which there was not so

much opportunity in suburban life. We introduced “health” food to them and they gave it their respectful attention.

The small farmers in Vermont have continued to “go out” because of competition from bigger dairies in the other states.

People who would have retired to Florida in my day are now moving up to Vermont. They don’t have any particular reason to want to ﬁt in.

The little church I have been attending up on Highway 49 was founded generations ago by members of a local family who still attend it. They have a quality that is rare today and that I have missed. They didn’t just establish a church. They actually built it.

years ago. Why?

Because free markets happened. Capitalism happened.

When there is rule of law and private property, and people feel secure that no thief or government will take their property, farmers ﬁnd new ways to grow more on less land.

Greedy entrepreneurs lower costs and deliver goods faster. Consumers have better options.

Yet today many Americans trash capitalism, demanding government “ﬁxes” to make sure everyone gets equal amounts of this and that.

But it’s in countries with the most government intervention where there

Collectivist systems encourage dependency, sti e initiative and waste resources. The same communal conceit that nearly starved the Pilgrims destroyed lives in the Soviet Union and led to mass starvation in China.

are empty store shelves and hungrier people.

In socialist Venezuela, a ordable food is hard to ﬁnd.

In Cuba, government was going to make everything plentiful. But people su ered so much that, to prevent starvation, the Castros broke from communist principles and rented out state-owned land to private capitalists.

Millions still go hungry around the world. The cause is rarely drought or “income inequality” or colonialism, but government control. Corruption,

tari s, political self-dealing and short-sighted regulations block food from reaching those who need it most.

Last week, we celebrated the Pilgrims, who learned this lesson the hard way.

When they ﬁrst landed in America, they tried communal living. The harvest was shared equally. That seemed fair. But it failed miserably. A few Pilgrims worked hard, but others

See STOSSEL, page A7

ELIZABETH CAFFREY Placerville

JOHN STOSSEL

DAN WALTERS

didn’t, claiming “weakness and inability,” as William Bradford, the governor of the colony, put it. They nearly starved.

Desperate, Bradford tried another approach. “Every family,” he wrote, “was assigned a parcel of land.” Private property! Capitalism! Suddenly, more pilgrims worked hard.

Of course they did. Now they got to keep what they made.

Bradford wrote, “It made all hands very industrious.”

He spelled out the lesson “The failure of this experiment of communal service, which was tried for several years, and by good and honest men proves the emptiness of the theory ... taking away of private property, and the possession of it in community ... would make a state happy and flourishing.”

Fast forward 400 years, and many Americans have forgotten what Bradford learned.

I see why socialism is popular. The idea of one big, harmonious collective feels good. But it brings disaster.

Family dinners already have plenty of disagreements — children fight; adults bicker. Imagine what that would be like among millions of strangers.

Collectivist systems encourage dependency, stifle initiative and waste resources.

The same communal conceit that nearly starved the Pilgrims destroyed lives in the Soviet Union and led to mass starvation in China.

When everyone is forced into the same plan, most people will take as much as they can and produce as little as they can get away with.

Economists call it the “tragedy of the commons” referring to a common plot of land, controlled by, say, sheep owners. Each has an incentive to breed more sheep, which then eat the common’s grass until all of it is gone and everyone goes hungry.

Only when the commons is divided into private property does each owner agree to limit his herd’s grazing so there will be enough for his sheep to eat tomorrow.

These same principles apply to many aspects of our lives: We thrive when individuals have a deed to their property and are confident that they can keep what they create. Then they create more.

That’s what the Pilgrims learned: Incentives matter. Capitalist ownership is what creates American abundance.

Every Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for free markets and private property.

They are the ingredients of prosperity.

Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom. He is the author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.”

expanded services continues to haunt the state, as a new analysis indicates.

The Legislature’s budget analyst, Gabe Petek, recently unveiled his office’s annual overview of the state’s finances and it wasn’t a pretty picture.

There’s been a recent uptick in personal income tax revenues thanks to wealthy investors’ stock market gains, some stemming from Donald Trump’s presidential victory. However, Petek said, government spending — much of it dating from 2022’s phony surplus — is continuing to outpace revenues from “a sluggish economy,” creating operating deficits.

“Outside of government and health care, the state has added no jobs in a year and a half,” the analysis declares. “Similarly, the number of Californians who are unemployed is 25% higher than during the strong labor markets of 2019 and 2022. Consumer spending (measured by inflation‑adjusted retail sales and taxable sales) has continued to decline throughout 2024.”

Meanwhile, it continues, “One reason the state faces operating deficits is growth in spending. Our estimate of annual total spending growth across the forecast period — from 2025‑26 to 2028‑29 — is 5.8% (6.3% excluding K‑14 education). By historical standards, this is high.”

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, reacting to the analysis in a statement, indicated that he’s gotten the message.

“We need to show restraint with this year’s budget, because California must be prepared for any challenges, including ones from Washington,” Rivas said. “It’s not a moment for expanding programs, but for protecting and preserving services that truly benefit all Californians.”

Newsom will propose a 2025 26 budget in January, but no matter what he and the Legislature decide, the structural budget deficit will still be there when he exits the governorship in 2027. It will be part of his legacy.

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

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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 first 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 Sheriff’s office, 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 first 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 affect them. Our meetings are held every Monday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 at Denny’s Restaurant, Fair Lane Drive, Placerville. Meetings are open to the public. For more information call Louis (530) 622-6763. We are a non-partisan organization.

your letter to editor to

Not only does litter look ugly, it can cause serious harm to wild animals – even to animals that live far away from where the litter was first dropped. Some litter looks like food. Other litter can tangle animals, leaving them trapped so that they can’t find food or escape predators.

Litter can wash into rivers and streams and be carried to oceans and bays. There, birds, sea turtles and even whales can become entangled. Sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and try to eat them. Eating plastic bags is very dangerous for any animal.

Do you like helium-filled balloons? They are fun to ______ and bat around.

When these balloons are let loose, they float up into the air and seem to _______. But they don’t.

Ultimately these balloons lose their ______ and fall back to earth as litter. Some end up in the _____ where marine animals, especially sea turtles, eat them. The swallowed balloons can block air _______ or get caught in the animal’s ___________. Either way, balloons can be dangerous.

Find the words that complete the story before they float away!

Circle the things you can do to keep your community clean and beautiful.

Homonym Hunt

Keep Mylar balloons

Outside, a Mylar balloon needs to be ____________ down or attached to a weight.

When getting rid of Mylar balloons, make sure to poke __________ in them to be sure left over helium doesn’t cause them to _________ and blow around if the garbage container is overturned.

If a Mylar balloon, kite or any object becomes _______________ in an overhead power line, call 9-1-1 or 1-800-743-5000. Do not try to ___________ it yourself.

Different places have different fines for littering. In some places, fines are $500. In other places, fines can be $5,000 or more. Pretend you got fined $500 for littering. Look through the newspaper and find things you could buy with $500, instead of paying a fine. Be sure to find items that add up to exactly $500.

One meaning of the word fine is a sum of money that someone is ordered to pay for breaking

The girl was fined for dropping litter in the park.

If I Were a Teacher

all of the litter hidden in the park. Draw a line from the litter to where it should go.

Pooch pulled from peril

Odin Rasco Senior staff writer

An injured motorist and a small dog were aided by El Dorado County Fire Protection District firefighters responding to a reported single-vehicle collision on Mount Aukum Road Friday, Nov. 29.

Engine 319, Medic 25 and Cal Fire Engine 2781 arrived at the scene of the collision near Tiger Eye Road in Somerset shortly after 12:40 p.m. and

discovered a severely damaged vehicle. One patient was treated for serious injuries and transported to Pioneer Park, where an air ambulance was on scene and took them to Sutter Roseville Medical Center.

A dog was originally unaccounted for, but was later found uninjured in a cramped part of the front of the vehicle. The dog was removed from the wreckage with the aid of strong machinery used to remove the passenger side door.

Communities at risk can now apply for Community Wildfire Defense Grants

News release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USDA Forest Service is accepting applications for the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program to assist at-risk communities, including tribes and Alaska Native Corporations, with planning for and mitigating wildfire risks. Now in its third year, this competitive program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Out of the up to $200 million available, individual grants of up to $250,000 can be used to develop and update community wildfire protection plans. Individual grants of up to $10 million can be used for wildfire resilience projects that implement community wildfire protection plans. Projects must be completed within five years of the award. The number of projects selected will be determined by available funding, which is up to $200 million.

Notices of funding opportunities are available on Grants.gov. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on Feb. 28, 2025. Applicants are strongly encouraged to develop proposals in consultation with state or Forest Service regional cooperative fire contacts listed in the Notices of Funding Opportunity.

About the program

In the first two years of the program, the Forest Service awarded $467 million to 259 projects across 36 states, two territories and 18 tribes. These projects directly support the agency’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy to treat up to 20 million acres of national forests and grasslands and 30 million acres of other federal, state, tribal and private lands to reduce wildfire risk to communities, infrastructure and natural resources.

The Forest Service is working with underserved communities, tribes

Budget Continued from A1

after year,” said Barbara Rogers, a resident and CPCSD board candidate this year. As of the most recent election results she was in third place for one of the two open seats. Another resident lamented about the deteriorating quality of Cameron Park’s parks and worried that more budget cuts will only make things worse. Ashton said it would be up to the board how they make the cuts, saying the district could still provide a high level of service with a few, highdemand programs or cuts could be made across the board to retain more programs — though services and quality of those programs could suffer. Director Sidney Bazett stressed to CPCSD General Manager Alan

COMICS

n SHOE by Jeff MacNelly

and community-based organizations to provide equitable access to this funding opportunity. Partners — including American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association, Coalitions and Collaboratives Inc., First Nations Development Institute, Hispanic Access Foundation, the Federation of Southern Cooperatives and the Watershed Research and Training Center — are working with the Forest Service to increase awareness of this funding opportunity, help complete grant applications, comply with post-application financial and reporting requirements, and build community capacity to do this work independently in the future.

The Community Wildfire Defense Grant program prioritizes at-risk communities in an area identified as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential, low-income and/ or impacted by a severe disaster, declared, designated or recognized by a government authority as having caused damage, loss or destruction to an extent and scale that an unusual or abnormal increase in wildfire risk or hazard potential to a community has occurred. The program also helps communities in the wildland urban interface meet the three goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy to maintain resilient landscapes, create fireadapted communities, and improve wildfire response.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to view one of the two-hour applicant webinars about the grant application process. Webinar dates and information will be posted on the Community Wildfire Defense Grant webpage. Recordings will be posted once available. All webinars cover the same content. However, the webinar on Dec. 4 will be more focused on tribal applications.

Register for webinars in advance: fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/ grants/cwdg. Previous applications, including raw scores: cwdg.forestrygrants.org.

Gardner that the board needs regular budget reports — revenue and expenditures. That sentiment was echoed by Director Monique Scobey. Gardner cited a lack of staff as an impediment to monthly budget reviews.

The board thanked Ashton for his report and unanimously approved a $50,000 amendment to the consultant’s contract to continue working on the fire services annexation process. Funding comes from salary savings as the district has not replaced two management personnel, according to Gardner.

“I think (the negotiations) are going well,” Ashton said. “We’re at the point now where the rubber is really starting to hit the road.”

n TUNDRA by Chad Carpenter

n RUBES by Leigh Rubin

n SPEED BUMP by Dave Coverly

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Love isn’t always sweet smiles and cozy moments. Experimenting with different sides of yourself could enrich the relationship. Today, stay open to expressing yourself in new ways and being someone you haven’t met yet.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Talk about who you want to be as if you’re already that person. You’ll cross paths with people who can open doors, inspired by your confidence and vision, ready to help you bring your dreams to life.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You may not have intended to end up here in the relationship, but this is where it’s landed. Accept it as your new starting point, and with an open mind, you’ll find fresh ways to move forward together.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ve found work you enjoy even more than conventional “fun” activities, and that’s a gift. Today, embrace what brings you that unique satisfaction; it’s a rare pleasure to find joy where others might not even look.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Even if you tried, you couldn’t trace exactly how you arrived here, nor would you be able to duplicate your successes were you given the chance. Trust life’s mysterious, winding road, and go forward knowing you’ll always be in the right place.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). When things work out the way you want, it feels like destiny is sending you to the heart of your dreams. When they don’t, it might feel bad at first, but it’s still destiny, sending you to the heart of your dreams, but on a different route.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Balance usually comes naturally to you, though every now and then, you trip up. This is actually a gift; it helps you appreciate your innate talent for keeping things steady, even when life feels momentarily out of sync.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Because you are curious, social and multifaceted, you have relationships with people from different walks of life, with whom you have little in common but for a shared interest or two and the

into the light. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). With so much experience with a subject, it would be easy to overlook something basic. Step back and look at things as though you’d never seen them before. Starting from the very beginning elevates your work to a new

your need and delight your

by Holiday Mathis

Courtesy photo

Firefighters pose with a pup after it was safely retrieved from the wreckage of a single-vehicle collision on Mount Aukum Road Friday, Nov. 29.

Trojans end great season at Hughes Stadium

Thomas Frey Special to the Mountain Democrat

In 2019 Eric Cavaliere, Justin Lamson and the Oak Ridge Trojans were holding up the cherished blue banner earned by the Sac-Joaquin Section football champions as the rain bucketed down at Hughes Stadium at Sacramento City College.

“These aren’t given; they are earned,” Cavaliere said proudly to his team after the Trojans won the first Division I title in school history.

Five years later to the day, the Trojans were back at Hughes for the Division I Sac-Joaquin Section final. A lot has changed. It wasn’t raining cats and dogs.

Lamson now plays quarterback at Stanford, Cavaliere stepped down as head coach after a magnificent career and coaching legend Casey Taylor is the head coach for the Trojans.

It’s the third year Oak Ridge has reached the title game in the SacJoaquin Section’s highest classification. Folsom has been the opponent each time and the Bulldogs talent has been better than ever led by five-star junior Ryder Lyons. Lyons is the No. 2 ranked quarterback in the country with offers from just about every college including USC, Alabama and Oregon.

Folsom has had dozens of players succeed at elite colleges and several in the NFL. Lyons is rated higher than any Bulldog before him.

In three previous games against Oak Ridge, Lyons tallied up 15 touchdowns and 1,108 total yards. He added two touchdowns on Saturday in the Bulldogs 41-0 win over Oak Ridge.

Aside from Lyons, the Bulldogs have players committed to USC and Texas with several more players holding significant offers.

Folsom has been ranked nationally this season and this loss is nothing for the Trojans to hang their heads on.

“They are a really good team,” Oak Ridge junior Jasen Womack said. “They have depth at every position, really athletic and really good coaching.

The loss ends a magnificent season for the Trojans. Oak Ridge started the season 0-3 after losses to three elite teams outside of Northern California.

Once the Trojans reached league play, they rolled through Del Oro, Granite Bay, Jesuit and Whitney before closing the regular season out at Rocklin, then ranked No. 2 team in the section. A tough game in the rain, Oak Ridge won 17-6 and held Rocklin scoreless until the fourth quarter.

“Our mindset shifted and we realized what we wanted out of the season,” Oak Ridge senior All-American Kaleb Edwards said. “We locked in, hit the weight room hard, hit practice harder and we just figured out what we want.”

Rocklin was also

the first test for senior quarterback Joaquin Graves-Mercado, who returned from a broken collarbone sustained earlier in the season.

“He amazed me playing with a broken collarbone,” Womack said. “It’s crazy how good he still played. Proud of that guy, love that guy.”

Graves-Mercado finished his career with 32 passing touchdowns, nearly 4,000 passing yards and a 14-3 record against teams not named Folsom. His targets are reliable, as Edwards, Womack and sophomore Isaac Pierce are major playmakers on both sides of the ball.

Pierce caught a touchdown against Rocklin and went over 700 receiving yards on the

season. Defensively he intercepted four passes. Womack truly did it all this season. He totaled 22 touchdowns and scored six different ways. Not only did he pass, run and catch touchdowns. But he also returned interceptions, punts and kicks long distances for scores. Overall, he picked off seven passes, including two off of Lyons in the championship game on Saturday. It’s the first time this season that Lyons has been picked off twice by the same player in a game.

Just a junior, Womack holds offers from Colorado State and UNLV.

“Jasen is special,” Edwards said. “He is one of our key players and he does everything for us. I think he should have more love from colleges than he does. He’s great and I just can’t wait to watch him next year.”

Edwards will be playing at Alabama this fall. He is ranked as the No. 8 tight end in the country and finished his

career with 23 receiving touchdowns. In the Sierra Football League, he was named defensive MVP after recording 61 tackles and 8.5 sacks heading into the title game. His best game may have been in the regular season against Folsom where he caught a touchdown and sacked Lyons twice.

“It means everything,” Edwards said about playing Folsom. “I love playing them, they are great competition so being able to play them every year has been fun.”

Although Oak Ridge lost 35-7 in the regular season to Folsom, it was a 14-7 game at halftime.

Saturday was the sixth meeting between the two schools since 2022 and Oak Ridge has played Folsom closer than any team in the Sac-Joaquin Section.

In the first five games, you can find spots in the second half where Oak Ridge has the momentum with a chance to win.

But time and time again Lyons has shown why he is one of the

nation’s top recruits. He has the same play style as Josh Allen and Box Nix, physical passers who have the option to use their rocket arms, or use their bodies to barrel over defenders on his way to the end zone. He also has the pedigree. His father Tim played at BYU and his brother Walker is a tight end at USC. Last season with the game tied 27-27 in the title game and less than a minute to play, Lyons ran for a touchdown to break the Trojans’ hearts.

This year in the title game he passed for one score and ran for another as Folsom took a 28-0 lead into halftime and won 41-0.

Following the game each Oak Ridge player and coach met one-onone for a moment with everyone on their squad.

“I’m just proud of my guys,” Womack said.

“We played so hard today, played really hard all season. I’m really proud of them and I wouldn’t want to play with any other team.”

Photos by Thomas Frey

Deep fog arrived in the second half of the Sac-Joaquin Section championship game between Oak Ridge and Folsom Saturday evening.

Jackson Taylor and Alabama commit Kaleb Edwards of Oak Ridge prepare to run out on to the field prior to the Division I Sac-Joaquin Section championship. Edwards is rated as the No. 8 tight end in the nation.

Oak Ridge head coach Casey Taylor hugs Junior Jasen Womack following the Trojans 41-0 loss to Folsom in the Division 1 SacJoaquin Section championship. Womack intercepted five-star quarterback Ryders Lyons twice.

Christmas Coloring Contest

NEWS,

IN THE KNOW

Dec. 4

Dementia Connection hosts Living Well for Brain Health: Mindful Connections and Community, 10 a.m. to noon at Holy Trinity Church, 3111 Tierra De Dios Drive in El Dorado Hills. For more information call (530) 6217820.

Dec. 5

Reserve your spot for photos with Santa at the California Welcome Center in El Dorado Hills Dec. 5- 24. Visit the event page at edhtowncenter. com/upcoming-events/ to secure your picture shoot.

The Rotary Club of Cameron Park will hold its annual Holiday Dinner and Silent & Live Auction at the Cameron Park Country Club. All proceeds provide for academic and vocational scholarships and support of local projects, including parks and the Community Observatory. For tickets and more information call Daniel Gott at (916) 990-3039 or Marlyn at (916) 933-8205.

Folsom Lake College Dance & Music Department presents Nutcracker Reimagined!

Journey through the Land of Sweets with the Sugar Plum Fairy, face o against the Rat King, and witness the elegance of classical ballet contrasted with the raw energy of Hip-Hop. Explore new lands with vibrant multicultural dance styles, from Hula to Classical Chinese dance, and more. The show begins at 6 p.m. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 608-6888.

Twisted Metal hosted by Mallachi Norwood will be held at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville 7-10 p.m. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

Dec. 6

The El Dorado Hills Community Services District will hold a Christmas Luncheon for Seniors, including entertainment, a ra e and dancing. The event is $7 a ticket and will go from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the CSD gym. For more information visit eldoradohillscsd.org.

The Food Bank of El Dorado County, in conjunction with the Shingle Springs-Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce and the El Dorado County Sheri ’s O ce hosts a toy and frozen turkey drive, 6-9 p.m. at the food bank facility, 4550 Business Drive in Cameron Park. Enjoy the evening of food, drinks, photos with Santa, dancing and ra e prizes — a free event open to the community. See “The Gift: A Holiday Show,” directed by Chrissie Addison, at the Stage at Burke Junction in Cameron Park Dec. 6-15. For tickets, showtimes and more information go to stageatburke.com/thegift.

Productive happiness

local

Dawn Hodson Mountain Democrat correspondent

Ta new hobby based on an ancient craft

his could be the year when everything old is new again, especially when it comes to ancient handiworks such as making woven pots from naturally found materials.

A craft with a rich history in America dating back thousands of years, basket weaving is believed to have originated in Native American cultures, speciﬁcally among tribes in the southeastern United States.

One material that lends itself to such an enterprise is long leaf pine needles, which are as plentiful as they are beautiful once woven together. Tribes such as the Seminole, Cherokee and Choctaw used long leaf pine needles to create intricate baskets to carry grain and other items. Seminoles were able to weave their pine needle baskets so tightly they could even hold water.

But for Native Americans the baskets served a cultural purpose as well because they symbolized the connection between nature and the spiritual world, with each basket carrying the prayers and intentions of the weaver.

Making pots with native materials was also known and brought to America by slaves who came from West Africa except that their baskets were originally made with bulrush or other sea grasses.

The art of making baskets from natural materials has since gone on to capture the hearts of many Americans who use them to express their creativity as well as to produce something practical — not to mention a thoughtful holiday gift.

One of those is Placerville resident Mary Trask.

She got her start in basket making after retiring from a demanding job and moving to Florida. She soon became friends with a woman from Michigan who would make reed baskets in her garage since she had all the materials. She invited Many and another woman to join her.

“One day I saw some pine needle baskets and mentioned I would love to learn how to make them,” Mary recalled. “She told me,” ‘I know how. I’ll show you how.’”

Plunging in, one of the ﬁrst things Mary

had to learn was to use the right kind of pine needle. The ones typically found in this area are 6 to 8 inches in length. The ones she uses, long leaf pine needles, are 12 to 18 inches in length, which makes them much easier to bundle and bend.

“You can order kits with the long leaf pine needles but in Florida they had trees

shedding the long leaf needles all around us so we’d wait until a branch fell and then dry the needles until they turned golden,” she explained. From there the process includes removing the nub at the end of the pine needle and

MARSHALL FOUNDATION FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH celebrates 50 years supporting local healthcare system

Kara Sather

Marshall Foundation for Community Health

The Marshall Foundation for Community Health marked its 50th Anniversary with a magical gala on Nov. 16 at the Apex Ballroom at Red Hawk Casino. With more than 200 attendees, the event highlighted decades of service and the community’s enduring commitment to health and wellness.

Through sponsorships, donations and a special fund-a-need campaign, the gala raised over $250,000 to support vital health initiatives, including contributing to the $7 million cost of building a new cardiac catheterization lab with state-of-the-art technology

at Marshall.

“This incredible evening was a reﬂection of the deep connection between Marshall and the community it serves,” said Siri Nelson, CEO of Marshall. “For decades, Marshall has been the heart of healthcare on the Western Slope, and the success of this gala reinforces the trust and support we’ve built together. We are proud to celebrate our shared commitment to advancing health and wellness in this region.”

The evening’s success was made possible by the generous support of its sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor, the Hernandez

Photo by Dawn Hodson

Mary Trask holds up a large basket she created from long leaf pine needles at her Placerville home.

Courtesy photos

Marshall CEO Siri Nelson, at left in both photos, congratulates Heart of Volunteerism Award winner Norma Wilson, left, and Heart of Giving Award Barbara Ashwill, right, at last month’s gala.

Do you see what I see? Holiday cheer abounds

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks

Dressed in holiday style In the air there’s a feeling of Christmas … From Lake Tahoe to West Sacramento, there is an explosion of cheer and optimism.

On Black Friday, families were out on sidewalks in great numbers. It was almost a nuisance at street intersections, until you saw the smiles. People are happy. Likewise, the holiday events calendar is full. Here are a few of the highlights for December.

Sacred Heart Parish Holiday Home Tour, Dec. 6–8 — This is the BIG one, the original holiday home tour for the region. In East Sacramento’s Fab 40s neighborhood, the tour features several houses decorated by local professional designers to celebrate the holiday season. Walk through each one on your own time and enjoy soaking in the holiday spirit in this historical neighborhood. Includes a free Christmas boutique filled with amazing gifts. Visit sacredhearthometour.com.

Assistance League Sierra Foothills Homes for the Holidays, Dec. 7 & 8 — Tour six private, festively decorated homes in the El Dorado Hills area, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. In addition to the tour attendees will have the opportunity to purchase gifts at the Heartfelt & Handmade boutique. All crafted items were lovingly created by our talented members. One of the homes will also have beautifully curated baskets of goodies and two lovely themed quilts available in a raffle. Proceeds benefit children, youth and seniors throughout El Dorado County’s western slope and South Lake Tahoe. Tickets can be purchased online at assistanceleague.org/sierrafoothills or at the California Welcome Center in EDH Town Center.

German Christkindlmarkt, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 7 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 8 — Enjoy an authentic German julfest at East Sacramento’s Turn Verein Building featuring authentic food, mulled wine, spiced cider, music,

vendors and more. Visit sacramentoturnverein. com.

Sierra Symphony Christmas Concert, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. — This annual event will be at the Cameron Park Community Center Gym, 2502 Country Club Drive. Visit sierrasymphony.org.

Folsom Lake Symphony Holiday Cheer concert, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. — Brilliant vocalists and adorable young talents join the festivities for a program packed with goodies — “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “O Holy Night,” music from “The Nutcracker,” “Frozen” and “Home Alone,” audience sing-along and more — at Folsom’s Harris Center for the Arts. Visit folsomlakesymphony.com.

Hangtown Christmas Parade, Dec. 8, 1-3 p.m. — This Placerville parade on Main Street is the holiday event that locals and visitors alike look forward to every year. Enjoy the festive decorations, hot cocoa and the sound of holiday music in the air plus vintage fire trucks, horse-drawn carriages, local bands and dance troupes, all decked out in holiday cheer. An appearance by Santa is guaranteed.

Tahoe Festival of Winter, Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. to Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. Take a trip up the hill for South Lake Tahoe’s annual Festival of Winter Lights. The city of South Lake Tahoe and the Lake Tahoe Historical Society invite everyone to this free, outdoor holiday market that features festive fun, including Borges Winter Carriage Rides, “Holiday in History” at the museum, kids’ activities with the Tahoe Art League, photos with the Christmas Fire Engine (Friday 5-6 p.m.), the Trail of Lights and Santa’s House. Join the celebration at the Lake Tahoe Historical Museum parking lot.

Town Center Carriage Rides, Dec. 13-15 and Dec. 21 & 22, 4-8 p.m. — Snuggle up for a magical holiday carriage ride through the festive lights of El Dorado Hills Town Center. With the soft jingle of bells and cozy

DAY HIKER

Bloomer Cut – a step back in time

Did you know that Bloomer Cut was once considered the 8th Wonder of the World in the late 1800s? This hand-cut train tunnel, stretching 800 feet long and 63 feet high, is a testament to the monumental efforts of a small band of Chinese laborers who carved it out of solid rock and clay. After learning about it from a local history book, I had to see it for myself. At the end of Herdal and Quinn streets off Auburn-Folsom Road in South Auburn, a plaque tells the short but fascinating story. Have you explored Bloomer Cut? Share your photos and tag #DayHikerCA.

Bloomer Cut, named after the Bloomer

located, has remained virtually unchanged since its construction in 1864. The work was painstakingly carried out by Chinese laborers, using only picks, shovels, and black powder to chip away at the hard conglomerate rock and clay. When it was completed, the first

blankets, you’ll be transported to a winter wonderland, perfect for capturing holiday memories with family and friends.

Christmas in Coloma, Dec. 14, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Tour many of the historical houses rarely open to the public in Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park. Hear the history told by costumed docents. Games, holiday crafts and a visit with Santa will keep young and old entertained.

Play in the snow, decorate a cookie and make a wreath for your door. Enjoy live music, wagon rides, and refreshments. Parking: $10 Historic House Tours: $5 per person. Call the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park museum at (530) 6223470 for more details. Placerville Art Walk, Dec. 21, 5-8 p.m. — Enjoy the extended art gallery

Hiker

Susan Laird The Arts

Courtesy photos

Nutcrackers and many other holiday decorations grace several residences for the year’s Assistance League of Sierra Foothills Homes for the Holidays tour, Dec. 7 & 8. Carriage rides, below are offered through Dec. 22 at El Dorado Hills Town Center.

Photo by Mary West

Bloomer Cut was an engineering feat in its day.

El Dorado County Visitors Authority Hosts 2025 Tourism Summit

The 2025 El Dorado County Tourism Summit is set to bring together tourism professionals, business leaders, and media experts for a day of insights and innovation on Friday, January 31, 2025, at the Holiday Inn Express in El Dorado Hills.

This full-day event, running from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., will explore the latest trends and strategies shaping the future of tourism in the region. Attendees will gain valuable knowledge on how to adapt to changing visitor expectations and position their businesses for success in an evolving market.

Chamber Champions: DECEMBER 2024

Spotlight on a Gold Member

Richard Hockett Roo ng

At Richard Hockett Roo ng, we take pride in being a trusted, local roo ng contractor serving the El Dorado County community. With decades of experience, we’ve built our reputation on delivering high-quality roo ng solutions with a commitment to professionalism, honesty, and customer satisfaction.

Our mission is simple: to protect what matters most to our customers— their homes and businesses. We specialize in a wide range of roo ng services, including new installations, repairs, and replacements. Whether it’s a residential property or a commercial building, we approach each project with precision and care, ensuring that every roof we work on can withstand the test of time and the elements.

What sets us apart is our dedication to personalized service. We understand that every roof and every customer’s needs are unique.

From the initial consultation to the nal inspection, we communicate openly, offering clear explanations, detailed estimates, and tailored recommendations to ensure the best outcomes.

At Richard Hockett Roo ng, our team is more than just skilled professionals—we’re neighbors, community members, and proud residents of El Dorado County. Supporting our community is at the heart of what we do. From partnering with local businesses to participating in community events, we’re dedicated to making a positive impact beyond roo ng.

As a company, we’re also committed to staying ahead of the curve in the roo ng industry. We use top-quality materials and the latest techniques to ensure durability and aesthetic appeal. Additionally, we’re proactive in adopting sustainable practices, helping our customers explore energy-ef cient roo ng options that bene t both their wallets and adhere to Title 24 requirements.

To our loyal customers and the El Dorado County community: thank you for trusting us with your roo ng needs. Your support has been instrumental in our growth and success, and we are honored to continue serving this beautiful region.

When you choose Richard Hockett Roo ng, you’re choosing a partner who values integrity, craftsmanship, and community. We look forward to keeping you covered—literally and guratively—for many years to come. 6601-A Merchandise Way, Diamond Springs, CA 95619 (530) 334-0651 • richardhockettroo ng.com

Miners on Main Scavenger Hunt

There are ten “Miners” hidden throughout Main Street Placerville from Sacramento Street to Clay Street. These Miners all had an impact on Placerville and El Dorado County during the Gold Rush period. Each miner has a QR code on the medallion that will take you to a webpage about the miners when scanned with your phone camera. So grab your phone and begin your hunt. visit-eldorado.com/miners-on-main/ Thru Dec 22 Miracle on 34th Street Presented by Imagination Theater!, 100 Placerville Dr., Placerville. A nostalgic and heartwarming tale about faith and the true spirit of Christmas. 530-663-6983 www. itplacerville.org/miracle-on-34th-street/

Dec 1 – 21 Handblown Glass Open Studio & Extended Shopping

10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. 4191 Business Drive, Suite D-F, Cameron Park. Explore thousands of handblown glass pumpkins, acorns, gourds, and more at this unique and enchanting artisan tradition! hello@2bglass. com http://www.2bglass.com

Dec 6 Walk Through Bethlehem

6 p.m. – 9 p.m. 6831 Mother Lode Dr, Placerville. A free immersive experience at the Placerville SDA Church. Enjoy a 25 minute guided tour through a replica of Bethlehem market. Interact with shopkeepers, Roman Soldiers, and finish the experience with a moment at the manger. 510366-4762 & robert.pgp@gmail.com https:// placervillesda.co/walk/

Dec 6 – 7 Annual Holiday Market

9:00 am- 3:00 pm, Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indian, 5281 Honpie Road, Placerville. Featuring many Native vendors who make jewelry, art, and other hand crafted items. There will also be a food truck and a coffee truck too! The event is free and there is no charge for parking! (530) 210-4593 or marketing@ssband.org

Dec 6 – 15th “The Gift” A Holiday Show

This original show was designed for The Stage to share light and warmth with our community of friends during the solstice/holiday season. To celebrate another year, eight actors, perform inclusive and intimate songs, dance, poetry, and scenes. Presented by The Stage at Burke Junction, 3300 Coach Ln, Ste E1, Cameron Park. https://www.stageatburke.com/thegift

Dec 7 Friends of the Library Book

Sale 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. 345 Fair Lane Court, Placerville. Fill up and take away a bag of books for only $7. There is a wide variety of fiction, non-fiction, vintage and children’s books. Puzzles, DVDs, sheet music, and more! Located in the garage behind the Placerville library. FOLPLV@icloud.com

Dec 7 The Great Gingerbread Showdown 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. 2502 Country Club

Making Sense of Minimum Wage Requirements

By Erika Barbara

With different federal, state, local, and industry-specific minimum wage requirements, how do I know if I am properly paying my California employees?

The first step to compliance is determining which minimum wage applies to your employees.

When it comes to your California employees, you won’t have to worry about the federal minimum wage — that’s because at $7.25 per hour, it’s substantially less than California’s required minimum wage.

When state and federal law differ, you must follow the law that is more protective of employees. The California state minimum wage is higher, so that is the rate that you must pay employees in California.

California Minimum Wage

California’s minimum wage applies to all non-exempt (or hourly) employees in the state — unless, as discussed below, they are covered by a local ordinance or industry-specific minimum wage. California’s minimum wage is currently $16 per hour and is set to increase to $16.50 per hour on January 1, 2025.

The November 2024 election gave California voters a chance to weigh in on the state minimum wage with Proposition 32, which voters rejected.

Industry-Speci c

You also should confirm whether either of California’s industryspecific minimum wages apply to your employees. Currently, there are separate minimum wage requirements for certain fast food

D ECEMBER C ALENDAR OF E VENTS

Drive, Cameron Park. Get ready for a gingerbread showdown at our second annual event! Join us for a thrilling 30-minute gingerbread house decorating challenge, a fantastic family-friendly affair. Meet Santa, sip on hot cocoa, and indulge in a day packed with family fun activities. foodandfunmagazine.com

Dec 7 Nutcracker Sweet 2 - 4:00 pm. Oak Ridge High School,1120 Harvard Way, El Dorado Hills. Camino Classical Ballet performs the Nutcracker Suite! Free photos with the Sugar Plum Fairy after the 2:00pm show.. Tickets: $20. Children under 12: $10. Purchase at the door. Venmo, Zelle, check or cash only. caminoballet.weebly.com

Dec 7 Christmas Concert 4 - 6:00 pm. Sierra Symphony, 2502 Country Club Drive, Cameron Park. Please join us on for an afternoon of fabulous musical selections. This year’s holiday experience is the perfect way to kick off your season as our talented musicians deliver a collection of family favorites, resounding choruses, and as a special treat, a salute to our brave service men and women. publicity@sierrasymphony. org. https://sierrasymphony.org/

Dec 7 Country Line Dancing & Lessons

Presented by VFW Auxiliary, 6 - 9:30 p.m. Veterans Memorial Hall, 130 Placerville Dr., Placerville. $10/per person. All proceeds go to support our veterans. vfwpost2680.org

Dec 7 El Dorado Hills Town Center Festivities

2 – 4 p.m. Various performers will light up Theater Plaza with music and dance.

The El Dorado Hills Fire Department’s Santa Run will officially kick off at the Town Center Tree Lighting on 6:30 p.m. This community-loved tradition brings Santa through local neighborhoods on a fire engine delighting children and families while collecting unwrapped new toys and canned food for those in need during the holiday season. Tree Lighting Ceremony will illuminate the night bringing families, friends, and neighbors together to kick off the holiday season. This cherished annual tradition features festive performances by the Holy Trinity Choir and the Jessica Malone Band setting a joyful atmosphere for the whole community. As excitement builds, Santa himself will arrive at 6:30 p.m. to greet the crowd and spread holiday cheer. The evening will also include a “Stuff Your Stocking” game and opportunities to support local families in need. Don’t miss this magical evening that marks the start of the holiday season in El Dorado Hills. https://edhtowncenter.com/upcoming-events/ Dec 8 Hangtown Christmas Parade

1 - 3:00 p.m. Main Street, Placerville. The Parade starts on Broadway and Schnell

School Road traveling West to Downtown Placerville. Featuring floats, classic cars, marching band, Santa Clause and much

and health care workers.

The minimum wage for fast food workers is $20 per hour, and the minimum wage for health care workers varies from $18 to $23 depending on the type of health care facility in which they work. If your employees are covered by either of these laws, they must be paid the higher, industry-specific minimum wage — not the state minimum wage.

Local Ordinances

It’s important also to determine whether your employees work in cities or counties that have local minimum wage ordinances. The ordinances generally apply based on where your employees are working, not where your business is located. So, pay close attention to employees who are working away from your facilities, such as from their home or at client sites.

Once you have confirmed which minimum wage applies to your employees, ensure that employees currently are being paid at least that wage and then increase their pay as needed whenever the minimum wage increases.

Exempt Employees

Lastly, don’t forget about your exempt employees. The salary test for the executive, administrative, and professional exemptions is based on the California minimum wage and thus increases when the minimum wage increases. The fast food and health care worker minimum wage laws set a higher salary test for exempt employees so ensure that any exempt employees covered under those laws meet the applicable test.

more. Santa and all his helpers will be there to welcome you and your family. 530-6137228, tim_taylor@usa.net hangtownchristmasparade.com

Dec 8 Music on the Divide 3 - 5:00 p.m. IOOF Hall, 6240 Main Street, Georgetown. Vibrant and versatile Pianist Jennifer Reason returns for our annual holiday concert. 530-350-8354 www.musiconthedivide.org

Dec 12 EDC Chamber Luncheon

Guest Speaker Attorney Jessica James has a wealth of experience representing companies in employment-related disputes and advising on a wide range of workplace issues, including compliance, pay equity, and policy development.

11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Red Hawk CasinoKoto Buffet. $18 members/$23 non-members. RSVP with payment required. 530-621-5885

Dec 13 – 22 Carriage Rides

Experience the enchantment of the season with holiday carriage rides at El Dorado Hills Town Center! Enjoy a cozy ride through our beautifully decorated streets on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 4 – 8 p.m. Hosted by Hands4Hope and Young Life, this magical outing is perfect for families, friends, and couples. Support Young Life by reserving tickets in advanc. Online reservations go live on December 6th. Support Hands 4 Hope by reserving in person on a first come first served basis. Make it a holiday tradition and create memories to treasure forever! https://edhtowncenter.com/upcoming-events/ Dec 14 Annual Swap Meet 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 100 Placerville Drive, Placerville. (530) 621-5860 or visit eldoradocountyfair.org/swap.html to rent your space today. Please email application to fair@eldoradocountyfair.org if purchased space online. Dec 14 Sierra Vista Prime Rib Dinner 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. 4560 Cabernet Way, Placerville. RSVP to 530-622-7221 or info@ sierravistawinery.com . Please put in the notes what time you will be arriving. www.sierravistawinery.com/event/primerib-dinner/ Dec 14 Placerville Speedway Awards Banquet 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. 100 Placerville Dr, Forni Building, Placerville. 530-344-7592 www. placervillespeedway.com

Dec 15 Christmas Kaleidoscope Holiday Concert 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. 3301 Green Valley Rd, Rescue. Enjoy the magic of the season at our “Christmas Kaleidoscope” program, featuring the Folsom Lake College choirs. This program features a delightfully diverse set of works by composers from all over the world. lumrachelc@gmail.com www.cantarechorale.com/ concerts/christmas-kaleidoscope-at-theDec 14 – 15 Christmas in Coloma 10:00 a.m. – 4 p.m. Join us as we official-

room.com/

Dec 19, 22 & 24 Candlelight Services Newcomers and guests, please, come as you are! We are so happy to have you! Cold Springs Church, 2600 Cold Springs Road, Placerville. 12/19 and 12/22, 7 – 8 p.m.;

thirdsaturdayartwalk@gmail. com /www.instagram.com/3rdsatartwalk/ Dec 25 Christmas Eve Family Service El Dorado County Federated Church, 1031 Thompson Way, Placerville. 4 p.m. – 5 p.m Traditional Lessons & Carols Service 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. 530-622-0273 office@eldoradofederatedchurch.org

Dec 26 Menorah Lighting Come experience Hanukkah! Join us and Rabbi Yosef 6:30 – 8 p.m. in the Steven Young Amphitheater, 4364 Town Center Blvd, El Dorado Hills for this beautiful, cultural celebration. Enjoy the enchanting melodies of Hanukkah songs, savor delicious traditional foods, and warm your spirits with a variety of hot beverages. Everyone is welcome to partake in this joyous festival, as we come together to celebrate the Festival of Lights and the enduring spirit of togetherness. Enjoy the lights of the Menorah displayed in our community through January 3rd, 2025. https://edhtowncenter.com/upcoming-events/ For more information on these and other

Whetheryou're hosting or attending a seasonal gathering, the surest way to spread warmth during these cool winter months is with a treat that's been made with love and care. This season as you gather with friends and family, offer a luxurious treat that tells them how special they are. Chocolate and popcorn lovers will gladly indulge in these recipes for Cocoa Popcorn Crunch and Popcorn and Peanut Truffles. The health bonus? The flavonoids, whole-grains, and proteins are a nice dietary boost, but with taste like this, who cares!

Cocoa Popcorn Crunch

3 cups sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon glycerin, optional (available at drug stores)

6 quarts popped popcorn

• Place popcorn in a large bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray; set aside. Line a baking sheet or work surface with waxed paper or foil.

• Stir sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla together in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture registers 250º F on a candy thermometer. Stir in glycerin, if desired, and pour hot mixture over popcorn. Stir to coat popcorn completely. Spread popcorn onto prepared surface and allow to cool completely. Break into pieces to serve. Store in an airtight container.

Note: popcorn will have more sheen with the addition of glycerin.

For more great popcorn recipes, visitwww.popcorn.org.

Popcorn and Peanut Truffles

6 cups popped popcorn

1 cup roasted and salted peanuts

1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup honey

• Stir popcorn and peanuts together in a large bowl; set aside.

• In microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips 10 seconds. Stir chips and repeat, stirring after each 10 seconds, until chips are melted. Warm honey in microwave 10 seconds and stir into chocolate until well blended.

• Pour chocolate mixture over popcorn mixture and stir until popcorn is evenly coated. Using a small ice cream scoop, push popcorn mixture into scoop and release onto wax paper to form ‘truffles’. Refrigerate until firm. Store truffles in an airtight container up to 5 days.

Yield: about 30 pieces

Easy, Elegant

Holiday Popcorn

8 cups popped popcorn 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Candy sprinkles

• Spread popcorn in thin layer on serving platter.

• Melt chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. Drizzle over popcorn.

• Melt white chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. Drizzle over popcorn.

• Immediately sprinkle desired amount of sprinkles over warm chocolatecoated popcorn. Allow drizzles to set up until firm. Serve.

PRESERVE IT!

Did you grow in your garden, find at a farmers market or were gifted heads of cabbage by a friend or neighbor this year?

With this boon of cabbage, did you try your hand at making sauerkraut only to find out that some family members were not excited about it and now you have several rather large jars in the fridge?

Laurie Lewis UCCE Master Food Preserver of

This is the month of December and the season of sweetened indulgences. How about trying something different for a dessert? We have carrot cake, zucchini cake and condensed tomato soup cake, why not sauerkraut cake?

There are plentiful stories on the origins of this cake. A favorite tale

Day Hiker

Continued from B3

starts with the school lunch programs in the 1930s tasked with looking for ways to use excess stockpiles of commodity foods. Fast forward to the 1962, the Chicago public school system, a surplus of canned sauerkraut and a creative lunch-lady. The result was a double-tiered, krautfilled chocolate cake with mocha whipped cream on top. The fermentation process in making sauerkraut adds a mild tangy flavor to the cake. The added acidity limits the development of gluten, giving the cake a tender crumb and keeps it moist for days. The texture reminds folks of added coconut. Give this recipe a try this holiday season.

Central Pacific train rolled into Auburn on May 11, 1865, marking a significant moment in California’s railroad history. To delve deeper into the lives of those who built it, I recommend reading Ghosts of Gold Mountain — it’s a compelling account of the laborers who shaped these monumental projects.

There isn’t much of an official trail to Bloomer Cut, and much of the route runs behind a residential neighborhood. Once you find the railroad tracks, it’s just a matter of following them until you reach the cut. Exercise caution, as trains still operate on this stretch of track and the terrain can be uneven. While the hike isn’t a long one, the historical significance and impressive engineering make it a worthwhile visit.

Tips for visiting Bloomer Cut

• Directions: From Auburn-Folsom Road, turn onto Herdal and continue to Quinn Street. Look for the plaque marking the site and start your exploration there.

• Safety note: Be cautious around the active train tracks. Keep a safe distance, stay alert and make sure

Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake

Makes two 8-inch cakes

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 ½ cup granulated sugar

3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup water (OR cooled coffee)

1 cup well-drained, finely chopped sauerkraut

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8-inch square or round pans.

2. Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

3. Sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Add dry ingredients alternately with water to egg mixture until thoroughly combined. Fold in the

to bring appropriate footwear for the rocky terrain.

• Local insight: The site is a fantastic glimpse into California’s railroad history. Imagine the laborers’ immense efforts as you stand in the cut they created over 150 years ago.

Have you visited Bloomer Cut before? What were your impressions of this historic site? Share your stories or photos with @MaryWestHikes!

Seasonal advice: The site can be visited year-round, but it’s best to go in cooler weather or early morning to avoid the heat. Spring offers pleasant temperatures and an opportunity to explore other nearby trails in South Auburn.

Mary West is author of the book series Day Hiker – Gold Country Trail Guide I, II and III (second edition available on Amazon). The books are a collection of the Day Hiker columns where West shares her longtime love of the outdoors, favorite hikes in Northern California’s Gold Country and beyond. West was the recipient of the 2017 and 2019 Craft Award for Best Outdoor Column and the 2020 Craft Award for her second book in the Day Hiker series by the Outdoor Writers of California. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

sauerkraut until combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out mostly clean. Remove cakes from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Carefully remove cake layers, frost the layers, and serve.

A favorite frosting

½ cup butter

6 oz cream cheese

2 ½ cup powder sugar

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla Cream together. Spread on cooled cake. After everyone enjoys this delicious dessert, THEN tell them the secret ingredient.

The UC Master Food Preservers of El Dorado County are a great resource for answers to your food safety and preserving questions. Call (530) 6215506 or email edmfp@ucanr.edu. For more information visit ucanr.edu/ sites/mfp_of_cs and on Facebook.

hours and experience the magic of the season as you stroll along historical Main Street.

Folsom Ice Rink, open through December — Take the family outdoor ice skating in Folsom’s Historic District on Sutter Street. Visit folsomicerink.com.

Dinos Alive, open through December — Located at 31 15th St. in West Sacramento. Take a walk on the wild side as you meet dinosaurs you thought you knew and several other lesser-known species. Visit dinosaliveexhibit.com/sacramento.

Hear the snow crunch

I leave it to you to decide, gentle reader, if it is “animal spirits” adding dollars to family pocketbooks or if it’s just a general sense of optimism for the year ahead. But this appears to be a most special time. Get out there and enjoy it.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Send your event for consideration in Susan’s column to slaird@handywriting.com.

Laird

Continued from B3

El Dorado County

Family Foundation, started by Lauren and Dastin Hernandez, whose commitment to improving community health has made a lasting impact. The Foundation is also grateful for the support of Platinum Sponsor, Aborn Powers, for its dedication in ensuring the event’s success.

The gala also recognized the extraordinary contributions of four individuals who embody the Foundation’s mission to create a healthier community.

Barbara Ashwill, Heart of Giving Award: Ashwill has been a tireless advocate for community health, dedicating countless hours and resources to improving healthcare access in El Dorado County. Her philanthropic leadership inspires others to give back in meaningful ways.

Gael Barsotti, Heart of Service Award: A devoted community leader and former board member of both Marshall and the Marshall Foundation for Community Health, Barsotti has contributed over two decades of service. His steadfast dedication has helped

shape the foundation’s mission to serve the region’s health needs.

Dr. Stan Henjum, MD, Heart of Care Award: A beloved physician with more than 30 years of service, Dr. Henjum has dedicated his career to the well-being of Marshall’s patients. His commitment to compassionate care and excellence in medicine embodies the values at the heart of the Marshall community.

Norma Wilson, Heart of Volunteerism Award: With a long tenure at Marshall, Wilson has touched countless lives through her compassionate service. Known for her exceptional sense of humor and warm spirit, she has brightened the days of patients and coworkers alike, leaving a lasting impact on all who meet her.

“The gala was a perfect blend of celebration, recognition and purpose,” said Mindy Danovaro, executive director of the Marshall Foundation for Community Health. “We are proud to honor these exceptional individuals and thrilled to have the community’s support in advancing healthcare for

generations to come.”

The Marshall Foundation for Community Health extends its heartfelt gratitude to the sponsors, volunteers and attendees who made this milestone event an unforgettable evening. For more information about supporting the Marshall Foundation for Community Health and its initiatives

Public Notices

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

visit marshallfound. org, email ksather@ marshallmedical.org or call (530) 642-9984.

The Marshall Foundation for Community Health is

Baskets

a catalyst for a healthy community, supporting Marshall and vital health programs throughout El Dorado County’s Western Slope.

Celebrating 50 years of

Continued from B2

then bundling and stitching them together with a waxed thread. Mary said she was taught one stitch pattern by her friend but has since developed her own.

The bundled pine needles are attached at the bottom to some kind of centerpiece with predrilled holes. For small baskets one can use a sliced walnut and for larger baskets lacy edged plates work fine as the centerpiece. Such plates are a staple at outlets like Snowline Thrift, Goodwill, garage sales or flea markets. Once the basket is finished it is sprayed with shellac and other items such as seashells can be added to embellish it.

Mary said she’s probably made hundreds of baskets over the past four years with most of them given away to friends and family members. “It only takes a couple of hours to make a small one,” she said, adding that larger ones take a month or more, depending upon

service, the foundation is dedicated to improving health outcomes and access to care through philanthropic partnerships and community engagement.

how many hours she puts in each day.

“I don’t do it exactly the way my friend told me how because I’ve come up with my own way,” she said, adding it makes her happy as she sits outside with her music and materials and makes her baskets.

Over the years she has bought several books on the topic and credits them with most of what she has learned.

“All the supplies and books you will need on the subject can be bought on Amazon, Etsy or at a craft store,” she said, adding that some colleges also offer classes.

“I’m in heaven when working on a basket because I can be creative and when I’m done I have something beautiful to give away,” Mary shared. “Everyone should have some kind of creative outlet that makes you happy and makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something. I call it productive happiness.”

E-mail your public notice to legals@mtdemocrat.net

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) 11/13, 11/20, 11/27, 12/4 13904

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: 24CV2484 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner: Nicole Roemer-Clark filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: SIERRA CLARK Proposed name: SIERRA ROEMER-CLARK

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS: c/o 3221 Monukka Drive Cameron Park California 00000 USA

that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: JANUARY

Courtesy photos

Gael Barsotti, winner of the Heart of Service Award, left, and Dr. Stan Henjum, Heart of Care Award winner.