Give big
Film festival
Local nonprofits participate in the Big Day of Giving.
LUNAFEST raises funds used to empower local women.
News, etc., B1
Insuring your life helps protect their future. James White, Agent, Insurance (530) 626-4020
Inside, B6
550 Pleasant Valley Rd., Suite 1A Diamond Springs, CA Lic# CA-0H76831
It can also provide for today. I’ll show you how a life insurance policy with living benefits can help your family with both long-term and short-term needs. We put the life back in life insurance. TM CALL ME TODAY.
State Farm Fire and Casualty Compay, State Farm General Insurance Company, Bloomington, IL State Farm Florida Insurance Company, Winter Haven, FL State Farm Lloyds, Richardson, TX 1708136
170
C a l i f o r n i a ’ s O l d e s t N e w s pa p e r – E s t. 18 51
th
Volume 170 • Issue 53 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Man gets life Goal achieved! sentence for deadly crash n Felony EDD fraud
committed while incarcerated Mountain Democrat staff Convicted of second-degree murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, Timothy Neil Clark, 51, of Cool was Timothy Neil sentenced to life in Clark prison Monday by El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Daniel Proud. He took the lives of Roseville husbandand-wife Daniel Sanford, 93, and Shirley n
See Life sentence, page A2
Mountain Democrat photos by Thomas Frey
Union Mine athletes Jaxon King and Tanner Sellers celebrate as the 2021 Inclusion Game between Union Mine and El Dorado concludes Thursday on El Dorado’s soccer field. King was Sellers’ buddy for the match, which brings athletes of all abilities together in what’s becoming a cherished tradition between the rival schools.
20-year-old confesses to Inclusion Game takes the field “It’s really hit-and-run about uniting Thomas Frey Staff writer
Cory Gutierrez runs the Special Olympics torch onto the El Dorado High School soccer field Thursday to open the 2021 Inclusion Game.
A
Mountain Democrat staff Efrain Gonzalez, 20, was taken into custody Friday after video surveillance captured near the scene of an April 23 hit-and-run on Broadway in Efrain Placerville that Gonzalez claimed the life of Placerville area transient Ronald Ameral helped police identify a suspect vehicle and subsequently the driver who speed away that night. Police say Gonzalez, a Placerville resident, confessed to being the driver of the vehicle — his Infiniti G35 — that n
s announcer Logan Murdock so we have kids yelled “goal” of all different into the El Dorado High School PA system, abilities out the entire crowd on that field to cheered Cory Gutierrez’ score to put El Dorado make this day High School up 1-0 memorable.” over Union Mine High — Camry Schoenahl, School at the 2021 Inclusion Game, which El Dorado High School is part of Northern Special Olympics liaison California Special Olympics. The game between the two rival schools took place on El Dorado’s football field April 27. As the players warmed up, students and parents began trickling into the stands, scoring seats that were almost all gone by the time the game started. Gutierrez ran the Special Olympics torch
See Confession, page A3
n
See Inclusion, page A3
PG&E power shutoffs are coming; some relief in sight Andrew Vonderschmitt Staff writer Now entering the fourth year of PG&E public safety power shutoff events in the region it looks like the shutoffs will remain a constant for years to come. While giving a report to the City Council at its April 27 meeting, Mark Acuna, a former councilman and the city’s liaison to PG&E, noted getting through the compartmentalized structure of PG&E was a large a task. However, he did report some good news is on the horizon. Generators will be back on Broadway as early as September this year, Acuna
said, powering micro grids that supply power to key locations in Placerville during shutoffs. “It is key to preventing a complete and total disastrous blackout in this community, so we thank them for that micro grid effort,” Acuna said. But the generators don’t power all of Placerville or even all of Main Street and Acuna said PG&E does not currently have a plan to power the south side of Main Street. “They have been out in the field and walked the alleys from Pacific Street,” he said. “At this time they do not have a commitment as to a project. “We have shared with
LEES’ FEED
1 DENTIST!
#
Three Years Straight!
them what a tremendous inequity that is and what a tremendous public relations nightmare it is,” Acuna continued. “I will continue to press them to be as creative as they can be.” Acuna was appointed to be the city’s community utility liaison at a Jan. 12 City Council meeting and he’s a natural for the job as he worked very much in the same capacity while serving on City Council, being a 40-year PG&E employee with more than 20 years of experience as a field design engineer and project manager. In the first year power shutoffs hit and every year since he went
20 14 -2
LOOKS LIKE SPRING!
01 6
Shop new Arrivals
New Patients Always Welcome!
Jeff Little, DDS General & Cosmetic Dentistry
“Look For My Column On Page 3 Today!”
, Walk in, or de Curbsi ry! e v li De
Shop locally! 530.677.4891
Mountain
Democrat
2019
4110 Datsun Ct., Shingle Springs • leesboutique.net
“We have shared with them what a tremendous inequity (having power on just one side of Main Street is) and what a tremendous public relations nightmare it is.” — Mark Acuna, city of Placerville community utility liaison right to work advocating for Placerville residents. Automatic switches are being installed by PG&E at several micro grid locations to reduce outage time in response to Placerville leadership’s concerns over the length and breadth of shutdowns. Locations getting automatic switches:
• Broadway and Hangtown Village Square (currently under construction) • The Pines at Placerville Healthcare Center and Western Slope Health Center (currently under construction) • Eskaton Village and Blairs Lane (planned for 2022) Acuna cautioned that PSPS n
See shutoffs, page A3
15 YEAR 2.250 3.250 2.53 3.61 HOME LOAN Fixed Rate
Purchase • Re�nance
Annual Percentage Rate
Monthly Paymentsofof$6.55 $7.03 per 180180 Monthly Payments per $1,000 $1,000Borrowed Borrowed
PLACERVILLE • 4040 El Dorado Road • 622-1492 PLACERVILLE • (Downtown) 247 Main • 622-0833 ✓ No application fee W. PLACERVILLE • Placerville Dr. & Ray Lawyer • 626-3400 ✓ No prepayment penalty DIAMOND SPRINGS • 694 Pleasant Valley Road • 626-5701 ✓ Local processing and servicing CAMERON PARK • 4060 Cameron Park Drive • 677-1601 POLLOCK PINES • 6462 Pony Express Trail • 644-2363 EL DORADO HILLS • 3963 Park Drive • 933-3002 Servingour ourlocal localcommunities communitiesfor forover over5461years years GEORGETOWN • 6310 Hwy. 193 • 333-1101 Member Serving
Check the El Dorado Advantage:
Se Habla Espanol 800-874-9779 Maximum primary oror vacation vacation residence. Maximumloan loan$417,000.00, $500,000, primary residence. 20% minimum cash down payment on purchase. 25% equity required on refinance. Other loans available under different terms.
Call (530) 344-5000 for convenient home delivery and free online access to www.mtdemocrat.com 2 col (3.3”) x 1.5” Mountain Democrat