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PET PROJECT
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The Props, Cops and Rodders Show & Shine Fly-In takes over Cameron Airpark this Saturday. B1
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VOLUME 171 • ISSUE 111 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022
Supervisors finally OK shelter Eric Jaramishian Staff writer In a single stroke El Dorado County supervisors voted to implement a temporary homeless shelter/navigation center at the former juvenile detention facility in Placerville, which includes ending an agreement between the county and Cal Fire for use of the building for seasonal operations. A packed agenda item heard at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting included the termination of the agreement as well as directing staff to implement the navigation center at 299 Fair Lane, move the juvenile court currently under
the old juvenile hall to where the Elections Department is housed in El Dorado County Government Center Building B, direct staff to come up with solutions on implementing a permanent navigation center at the former site of the sheriff ’s headquarters and directed staff to complete design and cost reviews for a new juvenile hall.
Cal Fire agreement The county contracted with Cal Fire to use the old juvenile hall to temporarily house firefighters during the fire season in August 2020 in the wake of devastating fire seasons. The agreement, which will end Dec.
15 once the Board of Supervisors sends its termination letter to Cal Fire, was month-to-month and never meant to be long-term, according to county leaders. The facility use termination does not mean the county will stop working with Cal Fire during fire seasons. “My understanding is they have been looking for other spaces to use anyhow, because they knew we were actually thinking of putting the psychiatric health facility in there and we were thinking of doing that sometime next year,” said Board Chair Lori Parlin. “So we’ve already given Cal Fire the heads up that we were going to end the contract.” Parlin referred to the Aug. 30 board
THE LONG HAUL
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See SHELTER, page A6
Visit to Apple Hill turns sour
A Cal Fire firefighter hauls hose from Mosquito Fire fire lines near Volcanoville Sept. 18. Some 85 miles of hose was used in fighting the fire that was 60% contained at 76,539 acres as of Thursday. All evacuation orders have been lifted. The combination of widespread precipitation and firefighters’ determination led Cal Fire fire behavior analyst Jonathan Pangburn to report, “Lingering heat within the fire perimeter will have an opportunity to start moving this weekend but I don’t anticipate any fire spread as the mop-up operations are going very well.”
Eric Jaramishian Staff writer Reno, Nev., resident John Buzzell, 50, has been coming to the popular El Dorado County destination of Apple Hill since childhood but the memories he returned home with after a visit this past weekend weren’t so sweet. Saturday morning he woke up to find his and his wife Theresa Brzezicki’s electric bikes stolen off their RV. They had been camping near Highway 50 Brewery in Camino with their 7-year-old son.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Forest Service
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
discussion regarding the county’s facilities update from Laura Schwartz, where it was reported that the current psychiatric health building on Spring Street in Placerville has a leaky roof. Some county leaders expressed their concern over terminating the use agreement. “You have to understand, we just went through another horrific fire and having Cal Fire here has been a blessing,” District 2 Supervisor George Turnboo commented. “I don’t think it feels right to kick them out but I’m glad it’s December and they have time to plan for that.” Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit public information officer Diana
The bikes, which were locked behind their camper, had trackers that led the family to a homeless encampment on upper Broadway in Placerville. Buzzell said they found one bike on the hillside and the other was being ridden by a transient staying at the encampment. Conflict ensued as Buzzell attempted to grab his bike from a man he described to be in his mid-20s. “Things got violent very quickly,” Buzzell said. “I approached ■
See APPLE HILL, page A8
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE CITY COUNCIL
Plastic water bottle ban moves forward Laney Griffo Tahoe Daily Tribune SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — The South Lake Tahoe City Council on Tuesday evening approved the first reading of an ordinance that would ban the sale of plastic water bottles. The new regulations would prohibit distribution of singleuse water bottles of less than 1 gallon at city facilities,
permitted temporary activities and special events. They would also prohibit sale of single-use plastic water bottles of less than 1 gallon within city limits. The new rules would go into effect April 22, 2023 (Earth Day), giving businesses time to sell the stock they currently have. The public turned out en masse to give council feedback, both pro and con.
Councilmember Cristi Creegan said this was the most public engagement she’s seen since being on the council. Representatives from the League to Save Lake Tahoe said over the past eight years of cleanups, they’ve collected 29,513 plastic bottle caps and 21,139 water bottles. “We are not against this ordinance. If we never have to ship another bail of plastic
water bottles, we would be happy,” said John Tillman, vice president of South Tahoe Refuse. He went on to say there are worse plastics he wished the city would focus on, such as trash bags. There were concerns raised regarding safety. “The CDC states water bottles are the safest, most ■
See BOTTLE BAN, page A5
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