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C ali forn ia’s Olde st Ne w spaper
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Volume 172 • Issue 114 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
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Show me the pony Mountain Democrat photo by Odin Rasco
Though this Gold Country Chiropractic sign met standards for pole signs in the city of Placerville when first built in 1998, rules have changed and city officials have opted to remove the sign, which has been advertising a business that closed more than two years ago.
Placerville targets old pole signs Odin Rasco Staff writer Placerville’s skyline will be a bit less cluttered soon, as City Council approved resolutions directing city staff to remove three pole signs that have fallen into disuse. “This is an evergreen issue,” Mayor Michael Saragosa said, celebrating the city once again having an employee devoted full-time to code enforcement. n See signs, page A3
EDHCSD looking into GM’s side job Noel Stack Managing editor
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An investigation is under way to determine if a consulting business owned by El Dorado Hills Community Services District General Manager Kevin Loewen poses legal or ethical issues for the CSD. At issue is Loewen’s possible professional relationship with DTA, a consultant that assists the district with its Landscaping and Lighting Assessment Districts, among other tasks, and whether the EDHCSD Board of Directors OK’d the general manager’s side gig. EDHCSD board President Noelle Mattock reaffirmed the investigation at the Sept.
Photo by Laurie Edwards
Nick Hawkins lifts his 20-month-old daughter Harper so she can have her first experience petting a horse. Samson, a Belgian draft horse weighing nearly 2,000 pounds, has been the partner of California Highway Patrol Officer Trevor Fee for more than seven years. In addition to the mounted patrol, the CHP brought its SWAT team, vintage cars and patrol vehicles to the eighth annual Props, Cops & Rodders Show & Shine Fly-in at the Airpark Estates in Cameron Park Saturday. Proceeds will benefit the Placerville CHP Community Fund, which provides support for charitable funds, as well as local community needs. CHP Senior Volunteer/Event Coordinator Larry Ellsworth said while it’s currently too early to ascertain this year’s proceeds, it’s worth noting that approximately $20,000 was raised during last year’s event.
Kevin Loewen 14 board meeting after EDH resident Robert Williams asked about its status; the topic was initially brought up during a July EDHCSD board meeting. “Let’s get the truth to come out,” Williams said. Loewen filed reports with the EDC Elections Department for 2021 and 2022 indicating the business he owns, Placerville-based Synergy Behavioral Systems, generates between and $10,000 and $100,000 of income annually. Williams asked the board July 13 to report and confirm outside consulting was allowed by Loewen’s employment contract and was not a conflict of interest. The Mountain Democrat reached out to Loewen for comment but he had not responded as of press time. The latest request for answers follows LLAD Advisory Committee member Steve Gutierrez’
Cameron Park pilot Damen Snow, above, relies on his 2013 A220 Aerotrek aircraft for both his daily work commute to Yolo County and adventurous camping trips into the backcountry. Mike Herrmann, right photo, of Cameron Park shares the features of his IHLE 300SL amusement car from the mid-1900s with Adlee Cuevas, 5, and her brother, Cameron, 8, of Rescue. Manufactured by the Ihle brothers in Bruchsal, Germany, the car was designed to resemble a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster and to be used by children at fairs and parks. It took Mike three to four years to completely restore the car, and on Saturday it was shown off for the first time. Rowan Fratarcangeli, 8, of El Dorado Hills, has fun inside a vintage 1958 Chevy Apache Rat Rod Monster motorcycle hauler truck owned by a family friend.
n See more photos online at mtdemocrat.com
n See Loewen, page A7
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Mountain Democrat
2022
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