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– Weekend Edition – VOLUME 173 • ISSUE 72 | $1.00
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FRIDAY, JULY 12, 2024
City to drop needle exchange ban Odin Rasco Senior staff writer
As part of a lawsuit settlement with the California Department of Public Health, the Placerville City Council is set to rescind an urgency ordinance banning the operation of needle exchange programs in the city limits which was passed earlier this year. Marking the close of a prolonged push against needle exchange programs in the city, the council introduced the rescission of the ban
Tuesday, July 9, during its regular meeting. State law requires the announcement to be made prior to a vote, meaning the ban lifting will have to be approved during the council’s next meeting. The Placerville City Council and El Dorado County Board of Supervisors have been involved in a now year-long campaign to limit or halt the activities of Sierra Harm Reduction Coalition in the area. In summer 2023, both government groups resolved to send letters to the CDPH asking the
state not to renew SHRC’s license to operate in the area, maintaining the group reduced less harm than it caused. Law enforcement officials, including El Dorado County Sheriff Jeff Leikauf and Placerville Police Chief Joseph Wren, have shared their concerns regarding the coalition with the city and county, claiming the organization operated in opposition to the county’s preferred approach to homelessness and drug use. Information provided by Leikauf claimed SHRC distributed
new, clean needles but was less than proactive in collecting used ones, leading to a high number of discarded needles in public spaces. A presentation by EDSO to the board also claimed paraphernalia distributed by SHRC was present at the scene of two overdoes deaths in recent years. Despite the letters sent by local leaders, CDPH renewed SHRC’s license to operate, prompting the ■ See NEEDLE EXCHANGE, page A9
CHP rescues stranded kayaker Eric Jaramishian Senior staff writer
California Highway Patrol Valley Division’s Air Operations assisted Cal Fire in rescuing a stranded kayaker on the South Fork of the American River near Camino on July 9. CHP Helicopter H-24 located the unidentified kayaker on the edge of the river adjacent to the kayak, which was found near an eddy in the middle of the river. The kayaker was separated from his kayak and could not hike back to his car due to being on a rocky cliff edge, according to CHP flight officer/ paramedic Brandon Hallam who helped conduct the rescue. Another individual
Video still courtesy of CHP
A stranded kayaker is hoisted to safety after being stranded on a remote riverbank on the South Fork of the American River. traveling with the kayaker was able to go back to his car and call for help. The CHP pilot, along with a rescue technician from the El Dorado
County Fire Protection District, conducted a hoist rescue to extract the kayaker due to the swift water and the steep vertical terrain.
The kayaker was transferred to ground medics after being rescued. The kayak was not able to be recovered.
morning of Wednesday, July 10, according to Cal Fire. Fire crews worked against the wildfire for five days, arriving at the scene of the hillside blaze near Lions Park shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday, July 6.
The fire’s steady rate of growth and close proximity to Placerville homes prompted the El Dorado County Sheriff ’s Office to enact evacuation orders in multiple neighborhoods over the weekend. Those evacuation orders
were downgraded Monday morning after firefighters had reached more than 30% containment. Forward progress of the fire was stopped Saturday, though
Courtesy photo
A big rig can be seen overturned off road on narrow Rattlesnake Bar Road Wednesday afternoon. Towing crews have yet to extract the vehicle as of Thursday morning, according to CHP officials.
Big rig overturns on Rattlesnake Pay Fire declared 100% contained Bar Road Odin Rasco Senior staff writer
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
Firefighters battling the Pay Fire in Placerville achieved 100% containment of the 77-acre blaze the
■ See PAY FIRE, page A9
Fire retardant covers the roadway, trees and a home in a residential area on Duden Drive near the Pay Fire, which started July 6.
Mountain Democrat photo by Odin Rasco
Eric Jaramishian Senior staff writer
It was “all hands on deck” as first responders worked to free a driver from the wreckage of his big rig after it rolled down an embankment on Rattlesnake Bar Road on July 10. The El Dorado County Fire Protection District, Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit, Georgetown Fire and California Highway Patrol all worked together for about 40 minutes to extricate the man after responding to the 8:30 a.m. accident. Once freed, the driver was taken to a waiting Calstar helicopter, which flew him to a Sacramento trauma center, according to an EDCFPC social media post. “The driver did suffer several injuries but was alert and talking to his rescuers throughout the extrication process,” the post notes. The big rig, which had a 30,000-pound load of fencing material, had not been extracted as of the morning of July 11, California Highway Patrol officials report. CHP was directing traffic in the area while Mid-Sierra Towing & Repair attempted to get the big rig out after the Wednesday accident, but more equipment was needed to retrieve the ■ See WRECK, page A9
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