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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2024
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A Magical Workshop
Hidahl’s fire board seat to be filled by appointment Noel Stack Editor
Acknowledging how much everyone missed John Hidahl, El Dorado Hills Fire Board President Tim White and the other three directors got back to the business at hand JOHN HIDAHL during a special Dec. 9 board meeting. The final agenda item: filling the seat Hidahl never got to take. The District 1 supervisor, who had previously served on the fire board for 33 years and then eight years as a county supervisor, died Nov. 2 — three days before he was reelected to the fire board. Hidahl won one of two full-term seats, taking the top spot in that race. The EDH Fire Board — including newly sworn-in Directors Dan Donelli and Kevin Gotro ■ See HIDAHL, page A9
EDHS woodshop transforms into holiday hub Placerville tobacco
ordinance progress snuffed again
Odin Rasco Senior staff writer
E
l Dorado High School’s wood shop was transformed into a winter wonderland Friday, Dec. 6 and Monday, Dec. 9, part of a yearly tradition that brings smiles to hundreds of local youngsters. Through the efforts of woodshop teacher and Chief Elf Lance Gunnersen and his students, the classroom normally home to awls, lathes, saws and hammers was given a festive facelift and turned into Santa’s Toy Shop. More than 400 local kindergarteners from nearby schools visited the workshop Friday morning, with a second batch of students visiting a
Odin Rasco Senior staff writer
Mountain Democrat photos by Odin Rasco
El Dorado High School’s woodshop was made virtually unrecognizable thanks to efforts by students and community members to transform the classroom into a holiday wonderland. Above, Carlene Hernandez from Camino tried her hand at tabletop bowling at Santa’s Toy Shop. EDHS shop students put months of effort into preparing the event, building a bevy of handmade toys and games. twinkling nighttime event Monday. EDHS students dressed as Santa’s helpful elves greeted the cheerful
tykes and helped run homemade games and experiences, such as a tabletop bowling lane and the perennially
popular rocking horses. “It’s an amazing event,” said woodshop ■ See TOY SHOP, page A8
Hopes for an expedient answer to the proliferation of smoke and vape shops opening in Placerville shrank back toward the horizon the night of Tuesday, Dec. 10, as the Placerville City Council determined it would likely have to once again revise its tobacco retail ordinance before adoption. Initially set on the council’s agenda as a second reading of a new ordinance, which would set a cap on stores selling tobacco in the city and set the stage for licensing rules and fees, now-former mayor Jackie Neau (John Clerici was made mayor of the city earlier in the meeting) moved to have the item pulled from the consent calendar to allow for further discussion. “I want to apologize, because this one does just keep coming back to us,” Neau prefaced her request to have the item pulled. In light of questions raised by local business owners paired with other potential inconsistencies in the ordinance spotted by other council members, the council ■ See ORDINANCE, page A10
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