171
C ali forn ia’s Olde st Ne w spaper
st
– E s t. 18 51
Volume 171 • Issue 131 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
Wednesday, november 9, 2022
Veterans Day
County heroes to be honored John Poimiroo Special to the Mountain Democrat
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
Elections Department staff count and review mail-in ballots in preparation for processing in the Nov. 8 general election. Go to mtdemocrat.com for election results and coverage.
Ballot count begins Eric Jaramishian Staff writer A stormy Election Day in El Dorado County could affect voter turnout, Elections officials shared. Out of 138,516 registered voters in the county, only about 56,000 — fewer than 40% — had cast their ballots as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, according to county Registrar of Voters Bill O’Neill. “We expected it to slow down because of the weather and
it hasn’t been terrible, but it has been slower,” O’Neill said, predicting a 50-55% voter turnout when all is said and done. “We will beat the number of voters (who) turned out in June but it is not going to be by much,” O’Neill added. “Today we’ve had 1,237 people vote in person so far.” The snow line dropped to Pollock Pines Tuesday and weather forecasts show about 2-3 feet could fall in the South Lake Tahoe area.
Elections Department staff took measures to make sure everyone got a vote in, dropping off generators at polling places in case the storm knocks out the power. “We get a huge number of mail ballots dropped off on Election Day at our drop boxes and voting centers, so I am expecting that again,” O’Neill told the Mountain Democrat. “We’ve had as much as 30,000 dropped off on election n
See ballot count, page A5
Wine harvest dodges a few bullets in 2022
Lee Hodo Contributor
T
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
he El Dorado American Viticulture Area in the Sierra foothills just finished bringing in wine grapes from the 2022 vintage. The AVA’s vineyards are planted between
1,100 and 3,500 feet in elevation. Above 1,800 feet, growth starts four to six weeks later in spring and as a result finishes roughly a month later in fall. The fall ripening period is critical in distinguishing El Dorado from lower elevation locations as phenolic ripening occurs when temperatures have cooled in late summer — a scenario that limits the loss of acidity and the accumulation of excess sugar. This delayed ripening window and cooler growing conditions are particularly important as climate change forces lower elevation locations to harvest earlier with lower acidity and lower phenolic maturity. The high elevations do, however, come with the risk of late spring frost, early fall snow and the ever-present fire danger
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
Wine grapes have all been harvested for the El Dorado American Viticulture Area’s 2022 vintage. faced across the state, but the rewards of highelevation wine growing are worth the risk. The region saw unseasonably warm weather in January and February. “February gave us almost two straight weeks of 65- to 70-degree days, unusual for the region,” said Derek Delfino, vineyard manager and owner of Edio Vineyards
1 Dentist!
#
seven times! New Patients Always Welcome!
Jeff Little, DDS
General & Cosmetic Dentistry
“Look For My Column On Page 3 Today!”
at Delfino Farms in Camino. “This heated up the soil just enough to begin bud swell and just break the bud scales on a few of our estate blocks. Once the bud scales break, the temperature threshold for injury is higher than when the bud is fully dormant.” Continuing into March, cooler temperatures n
Five of El Dorado County’s greatest heroes will be honored at Veterans Day ceremonies at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, when bronze plaques describing their heroic actions are dedicated at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument, 360 Fair Lane in Placerville. The five each were recipients of a medal of valor, second only to the Medal of Honor, for their heroism in combat. They include the late Master Sgt. William Cathcart, U.S. Army who received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism during the Korean War. On an icy February day in 1952, Cathcart rushed to aid the men of another unit and rally them after their leader had been killed. After the unit was forced to withdraw from its attack on a strongly held enemy position, Cathcart realized wounded men had been left behind and headed back up the slope to evacuate his stricken comrades, directly into the face of heavy fire. Six times he went up and six times he came back with a wounded man, being cited for utter fearlessness and completely selfless devotion to his men and his duty. In 1967 Lt. Col. Greg Etzel was an Air Force Captain flying a 22,000-pound Sikorsky HH-3E rescue helicopter, nicknamed the Jolly Green Giant, when he earned the Air Force Cross in Vietnam for gallantry against an opposing force. He flew his big, slow chopper into one of the most heavily defended areas of North Vietnam to rescue an F-105 pilot but was forced to turn back due to oncoming darkness. Despite minimum rest, Etzel volunteered to return the next day, flying through intense fire, dodging missiles
See harvest, page A3
n
GOING SOLAR?
Let us Quote Your Project!
Master Sgt. William Cathcart
Cpl. Richard Buchanan
S.Sgt. Sky Mote
1st Lt. Andy LePeilbet
Lt. Col. Greg Etzel
See Heroes, page A7
5.375% 5.68% 1515YEAR YEAR3.250 3.2503.61 3.61
HOME LOAN HOME LOAN • Re�• nance Purchase Purchase Re�nance
Fixed RateFixed Rate
Annual Percentage Annual Rate Percentage Rate
180180 Monthly ofof $8.10 per $1,000Borrowed Borrowed 180 Monthly Payments of $7.03 per $1,000 Borrowed MonthlyPayments Payments $7.03 per $1,000
PLACERVILLE • 4040 El Dorado • 622-1492 PLACERVILLE • 4040 ElRoadDorado Road • 622-1492
Check the El Dorado Advantage: Check the El Dorado Advantage: PLACERVILLE • (Downtown)• (Downtown) 247 Main •247 622-0833 PLACERVILLE Main • 622-0833
VOTED #1 FOR A REASON START SAVING TODAY!
(530) 344-3237 3867 Dividend Drive, Suite C, Shingle Springs info@SolarSavingsDirect.com • solarsavingsdirect.com
✓ No application fee fee ✓ No application W. PLACERVILLE • Placervil e• PlDr.acervi & Rayl e Lawyer W. PLACERVILLE Dr. & Ray• 626-3400 Lawyer • 626-3400 ✓ No prepayment penalty penalty ✓ No prepayment DIAMONDDIAMOND SPRINGS SPRINGS • 694 Pleasant y RoadVal• l626-5701 • 694ValPlleasant ey Road • 626-5701 ✓ Local ✓processing and servicing Local processing and servicing CAMERONCAMERON PARK • 4060PARKCameron DrivePark • 677-1601 • 4060Park Cameron Drive • 677-1601
POLLOCKPOLLOCK PINES • 6462 Express l • 644-2363 PINESPony• 6462 PonyTraiExpress Trail • 644-2363 EL DORADO HILLS • 3963 DrivePark • 933-3002 EL DORADO HILLSPark• 3963 Drive • 933-3002 Serving our local communities over yearsGEORGETOWN • 6310 Hwy.• 6310 193 •Hwy. 333-1101 GEORGETOWN 193 • 333-1101 Member Serving ourServing local communities for over for 54foryears Member our local communities over 61 54 years
Se Habla800-874-9779 Espanol 800-874-9779 Maximum loan$417,000.00, $650,000, vacationresidence. residence. Se Habla Espanol Maximum Maximum loan $417,000.00, primary orprimary vacationorresidence. loan vacation NMLSR ID 479256 20% minimum downcash payment purchase. 25% equity25% required refinance. Other loansOther available different 20%cash minimum downonpayment on purchase. equityonrequired on refi nance. loansunder available underterms. different terms.