LAST GAME
Blooming art
El Dorado tops Union Mine as season comes to a close.
Flowers and art collide at de Young Museum next month.
Sports, A8
News, etc., B1
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C a l i f o r n i a ’ s Ol d e s t N e w s p a p e r – E s t . 1 8 5 1
Volume 170 • Issue 60 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
Friday, May 21, 2021
County to ‘fully explore’ cultivation of hemp
Lured to the lake
Chris Daley Mountain Democrat correspondent
Young angler Alexis Adkins, above, celebrates her top catch with Michelle Wirt of Pioneer Fire Protection’s District Quick Response Team at the South County First Responder Fishing Derby Saturday at D’Agostini Reservoir. The event saw dozens of anglers 15 and younger cast their lines in the Mt. Aukum lake with winners in the various age categories taking home bragging rights and fishing derby medals. The derby was sponsored by the Pioneer Fire Protection District, Pioneer Volunteer Firefighters Association and D’Agostini Family Ranch. Assisting with demos and displays were the Amador Fire Protection District, Cal Fire, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and others. Fishing derby participants, left photo, line the banks of D’Agostini Reservoir. They had two hours to snag the biggest fish out of the pond. Photos by Michael Shepard
n see more photos on page A6
South Tahoe fireworks show a no-go Tahoe Daily Tribune STATELINE, Nev. — The fireworks display in South Lake Tahoe that has traditionally been watched in person by tens of thousands has been canceled due to public safety concerns around peak visitation during the ongoing pandemic. The Tahoe Douglas Visitors Authority states in a press release Wednesday that it made the final decision to cancel the 2021 Fourth of July Lights on the Lake fireworks display following months of careful discussion and consultation with area partners. The annual display draws tens of thousands of visitors to area beaches and interest is already strong for lodging this year with the holiday falling on a weekend, officials said. “The dramatic shifts in our lives and activities in a COVID world are not yet completely in the rear-view
mirror,” said Carol Chaplin, president and CEO of the TDVA. “Although restrictions have been lifted, we feel that this past year of uncertainty has taught us that caution and preparedness is paramount to keeping our residents and visitors safe. We are extremely sensitive to what the destination needs and to creating a quality experience for both visitors and residents. During an already busy weekend that has the potential for environmental impacts in the basin in the way of increased trash at our beaches, fire danger and strain on our various agency resources, we need to be good stewards of the lake. We join our other Lake Tahoe basin partners in maintaining this focus by pausing the fireworks show one more time.” Chaplin added that the board received input from regional partners, land management agencies, residents and businesses in coming to this decision.
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors kicked the proverbial can(nabis) down the road after nearly three hours of discussion and public comment during Tuesday’s board meeting. At issue was the countywide regulation of hemp cultivation. A moratorium created by an urgency ordinance in December 2020 and subsequently extended until next December by an interim urgency ordinance is currently in effect. The moratorium prevents the issuance of new and/or continuing registrations for hemp growers. Of the approximately 10 licensed operations, most licenses scheduled to expire in July. Agriculture Department Director Charlene Carveth opened the discussion. Reporting on the efforts of the ad hoc committee, Carveth noted that hemp cultivation is a “complex issue with a lot of things involved. It needs more research.” She pointed out a number of negative factors that complicate the regulating of the official designation “industrial hemp.” Its strong odor is a significant issue, particularly for people with high sensitivity. Carveth especially noted that the cannabis sativa Linnaeus plant is difficult to distinguish from its cousin, cannabis sativa linn, commonly known as marijuana. In effect they are the same plant that has been employed into two very different functions and purposes. Hemp is used in a wide range of products from rope to paper to animal bedding, dog medicine and cosmetics. Marijuana, of course, is used recreationally and medicinally and has a much higher level of the intoxicating compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) than hemp. Hemp generally has less than 1% while marijuana produces 5% to 20% THC. District 4 Supervisor Lori Parlin participated along with District 1’s John Hidahl in the ad hoc committee. “Experts at every meeting created more confusion,” Parlin recounted. “We need more time to study and it could take a couple of years to find solid research.” Parlin further explained that several of the growers who participated in the committee candidly admitted that hemp growing was the “plan B.” Growing marijuana is their real goal. Carveth suggested the real “clash is between the hemp and the cannabis grower community” rather than between the hemp growers and wineries or other agricultural production. However, many n
See Cannabis, page A10
Memorial Day ceremonies to again be held virtually John Poimiroo El Dorado County Veterans Alliance El Dorado County Memorial Day ceremonies will again be prerecorded, broadcast and streamed. “Last month we faced a ‘go, no-go’ decision whether to hold a public Memorial Day ceremony. At the time El Dorado County was struggling to drop out of the COVID-19 orange tier, which restricts public gatherings. We’re still not there. So, there’s no safe option but to hold another virtual ceremony, as was done on previous Memorial and Veterans days,” said El Dorado County Veterans Alliance President Gary Campbell. Last year’s virtual ceremonies were seen by more than 32,000 viewers on Sierra Community Access Television (cable Channel 2) and on county veterans Facebook pages. Again, this Memorial Day, the pre-recorded ceremony will be broadcast over Channel 2
and streamed on Facebook at 11 a.m. Facebook users will be able to see the ceremony online at the following pages: • Facebook.com/1ElDoradoCountyMilitaryVeterans • Facebook.com/EDCVeteransAlliance • Facebook.com/groups/EDCVeteransMonument This year’s Memorial Day ceremony will recognize the valiant and heroic feats of El Dorado County’s Capt. Paul Jacobs, U.S. Navy, who died in December. He is credited as having led the most significant humanitarian mission in U.S. military history when he and his crew of the USS Kirk — the smallest warship in the U.S. Navy — rescued more than 30,000 Vietnamese sailors, their families and refugees from certain capture, incarceration, torture or execution in the final moments of the Vietnam War. A plaque honoring Jacobs’ extraordinary accomplishment will be dedicated and placed on the Honor Wall of the EDC Veterans Monument.
The late Capt. Paul Jacobs
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