Choose Marshall
Board Certified Physicians
THIS OPEN ENROLLMENT SEASON
Primary and Specialty Care
Cameron Park | El Dorado Hills Georgetown | Placerville Visit marshallmedical.org/physicians
172
nd
C ali forn ia’s Olde st Ne w spaper
mtdemocrat.com
Monday, September 25, 2023
– E s t. 18 51
Volume 172 • Issue 110 | $1.00
Photo courtesy of Damian Sowers
Mountain Democrat photos by Odin Rasco
Damian Sowers stands in his South Lake Tahoe home that flooded this past winter, which saw historic precipitation and snowfall.
“Don’t be afraid to shoot for a 3-pointer,” community mentor and Gold Country Basketball Inc. coach and organizer Tracy Bunch tells his team. Part of a program aimed at giving at-risk youth a chance to participate in team sports, the Golden Eagles played hard against a team from the El Dorado County Probation Department Wednesday night at the Placerville Boys and Girls Club.
Tahoe resident continues to fight Tahoe Conservancy Laney Griffo Tahoe Daily Tribune The South Lake Tahoe resident who alleges his home was damaged by flooding caused by the California Tahoe Conservancy hopes the lawsuit he filed against the agency is quickly and peacefully wrapped up. The conservancy acquired Upper Truckee Marsh land between Tahoe Keys and the Al Tahoe Neighborhood in the 1980s, although work didn’t begin on a meadow restoration project until the 2000s. The project ramped up in 2021 to dig new waterways through the marsh, place dams along the waterways and allow more water to flow into Trout Creek. The goal of project was to rewet the marshland so it can act as a natural filter for water flowing into Lake Tahoe, helping to increase lake clarity. Resident Damian Sowers grew up in an Al Tahoe home that abuts the marsh. He purchased the home from his father in 2020. In the lawsuit Sowers filed against the Conservancy in June, he states his house came within an inch of flooding during a minor storm in 2021 shortly after the 31 check dams were installed, thus it was obvious to him the project was putting his house at risk. During the historic winter of 2022-23, Sowers’ home completely flooded. Video footage Sowers took of the flooding shows about 3 feet of standing water in his house. He said sandbags weren’t able to prevent water from coming in and once water entered the house, it stayed there for many months. Because his house had sitting water for so long, it was no longer habitable. Sowers said he rented a second home and this summer embarked on a half-million dollar
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
n See sowers, page A3
Community basketball game builds up youth confidence Odin Rasco Staff writer
A
s part of a local effort to provide local at-risk youths the opportunity to connect and participate, the Boys and Girls Club in Placerville hosted a seasonal basketball game between youths and players from the El Dorado County Probation Department Wednesday night. Organized in partnership between local nonprofit Gold Country Basketball Inc. and the Probation Department, the game was about more than just 3-pointers and layups, according to community mentor and organizer of the event Tracy Bunch. “I work with the kids who often aren’t seen or heard,” Bunch explained. “Kids who might be out of group homes or the juvenile justice system. We show them drills, plays and fundamentals, so
that they might be able to make the teams at their school, and to build up their confidence.” The youth team, called the Golden Eagles, usually sees 10 to 20 kids coming to every practice. The roster might vary, but Bunch said there are some core kids who make sure to attend every practice they can. Building off the fundamentals, Bunch encourages his players to take command of the court, communicating and leading the way for one another while taking the chance to go big when they can; the only way to make a 3-pointer is to take the shot to begin with. With two back-to-back losses on the books from previous games, the probation team came to court looking for a comeback. The Golden Eagles brought their best but the trophy changed hands for the first time since its introduction, with n See Basketball, page A6
Community members cheer on the Golden Eagles, left photo, as they head into the Boys and Girls Club gymnasium. Youth from across the county, right photo, played hard against players from the probation department, but lost the game 24-51. The Golden Eagles are already planning for a comeback win this winter. Lic # 559305
Serving Sacramento & Surrounding Areas Since 1979
Get More with Gilmore Air Conditioning • Plumbing • Drains Free Estimates & Free Second Opinions on A/C System Replacements. Call Today!
SCHEDULE NOW:
(530) 303-2727 GilmoreAir.com
ALL THE SECURITY AT A BETTER PRICE! Introducing Sequoia Roofing and Construction Serving the Foothills & Greater Sacramento region. • Roofing • Decks • Remodeling New Construction • Emergency Repairs
( 916 ) 906-3731 FREE ESTIMATES!
3867 Dividend Dr., Ste. C, Shingle Springs trustsequoia.com Lic# 1064775