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C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
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– Midweek Edition – mtdemocrat.com
FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2026
VOLUME 175 • ISSUE 57 | $1.00
Mountain Democrat photo by Noel Stack
Mountain Democrat photos by Shelly Thorene
Robinsons Pharmacy has served the Placerville community for more than 90 years. Later this year it will become part of the Marshall healthcare system.
Goldbud Farms owner Chuck Mansfield shows new growth on a vine that is part of an experiment in a vineyard he manages in Camino. He said he has found a way to help growers by chainsawing the cordons and grafting new vines later. This method will cuts costs by retaining the vines and infrastructure, and helping the grower start up again when the market levels out.
Marshall taking GLASS HALF FULL? Grape growers embracing new strategies to cope with industry reset ownership of local pharmacy Shelly Thorene Staff writer
Marshall News release
Two of Placerville’s oldest and most respected names in healthcare will come together this fall as 67-year-old Marshall assumes ownership of Robinsons Pharmacy, a Main Street landmark that has served the community since 1932. Discussions began earlier this year between Marshall’s leadership and Dennis Thomas, Robinsons’ owner, former Placerville mayor and a lifelong resident, about the future of the only pharmacy within the city limits — a trusted healthcare partner that has served generations of local families. It was immediately clear that the shared identities of the two organizations made their alignment a natural fit. Marshall’s investment in Robinsons’ future helps ensure continued access to essential pharmacy services, preserves a locally owned community resource, strengthens the region’s economy and supports Marshall’s own long■ See PHARMACY, page A8
Suspect Lighthall still in custody
T
he wine industry is experiencing a structural reset, not a seasonal decline, which has had a greater effect on the county’s overall economy, El Dorado County Farm Bureau President Mike Ranalli shared with the Mountain Democrat. The local vineyard owner and former District 4 county supervisor created his own agriculture industry study with information provided by the El Dorado County Department of Weights and Measures that details recent trends, individual crop trends, a breakdown of the county’s Ag lands in regard to rangeland, irrigated land, public and private timber and more.
Mike Ranalli, vineyard owner and president of the El Dorado County Farm Bureau, sits at a table on his Lotus property and shares information he gathered detailing recent trends in the wine industry. Ranalli said thoughtful land use initiatives can generate more revenue from tourism and local policies need to keep pace with neighboring regions that are strengthening agri-tourism. The study findings show a decline in both production and sales. “When you are reducing production, you’re selling assets. You’ve got more
equipment than needed for processing,” Ranalli said. “This wine industry is part of a broader commodity group in El Dorado County, unique in that
outside of grazing area, it is the most field area. So when you lose wineries and are reducing or removing ■ See STRATEGIES, page A5
Lance Armstrong Staff writer
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
JOSHUA LIGHTHALL
Joshua Joseph Lighthall, the Sacramento man accused of killing El Dorado County resident Tyson Fiddler nearly two years ago, has been denied bail. During Lighthall’s July 13 hearing in El Dorado County Superior Court, the judge found “clear and convincing evidence” that the accused killer is “a risk to public safety or the victim’s safety.” As a result of this ruling, Lighthall remains in custody at the El Dorado County Jail in Placerville. Lighthall, 47, is scheduled to next appear in court for a pre-preliminary hearing at the El Dorado County Courthouse in Placerville on Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. Tyson Fiddler was last seen alive at PJ’s Roadhouse in Placerville during the early morning of Oct. 5, 2024. His body was discovered by detectives in a remote area five days later, following a days-long search by law enforcement and community members. ■ See LIGHTHALL, page A9
Mountain Democrat photo by Shelly Thorene
Jeep Jamboree USA participants make their way up The Hot Rock on the Rubicon Trail for an off-road trek to the Tahoe area on July 10.
JEEP JAMBOREE USA TACKLES THE RUBICON Shelly Thorene Staff writer
Around 200 Jeep enthusiasts converged last week on the Rubicon Trail for the Jeep Jamboree USA — a three-day off-road excursion beginning near the trail’s midpoint at Loon Lake Chalet and ending at Lake Tahoe near Tahoma. The Loon Lake Trailhead is the most popular staging area for the trail as it is conveniently located off Ice House Road and Highway 50. A hazmat shed near The Hot Rock is staffed by a
park aide on the weekends during the summer season and restrooms and trash receptacles are available. Off-roaders can pick up a spill kit and check out a sign board with a map of the entire 22 mile trail. The 12-mile section from Loon Lake to Lake Tahoe winds through trees and rugged granite and passes through the the Eldorado National Forest and private lands. A&P Helicopters out of Richvale was on ■ See JEEPS, page A9