C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
– E S T. 18 51
– Weekend Edition – mtdemocrat.com
FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2026
VOLUME 174 • ISSUE 29 | $1.00
Peanut Harms named a hall of famer Mike Bush
Pacific Hall of Fame at the sixth annual recognition awards banquet held in Richmond. Harms was one Peanut Harms has coached many of three people inducted, joining winning teams at El Dorado High running legends Ann Trason and Paul School. Spangler. The assistant coach for the El “It just came out of nowhere,” said Dorado boys and Harms of being girls track and notified by email field squads this “It just came out of nowhere. on his induction spring season, into the hall of There is no applying for his new role after fame earlier this serving as head anything like that.” year. “There is coach since 2001, —EDHS Coach Peanut Harms no applying for and the head anything like that. coach for the It was really cool Cougar boys and girls cross country the way it happened.” teams has won more than 40 Sierra More than 58 people who have Valley Conference and Sac-Joaquin made significant contributions to Section titles in the last 25 years. track and field, long-distance running Harms’ success in building the and race walking are honored in the lives of many El Dorado studentUSATF Pacific Hall of Fame thus far. athletes caught the attention of USA “It’s a good award,” Harms said. “It’s Track and Field, which recently ■ See HALL OF FAME, page A7 inducted the coach into the USATF Mountain Democrat correspondent
Photo by Mike Bush
Peanut Harms holds his USATF Pacific Association’s Hall of Fame plaque. The El Dorado High School boys and girls track and field assistant coach and Cougars’ boys and girls cross country head coach was recently honored for his involvement in the two sports at the Placerville campus.
Supes support letter asking for state funds
■ New mandates will cost millions Noel Stack Editor
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Already grappling with expenditures outpacing revenue and more difficult budget cuts to come, El Dorado County leaders must handle new mandates that could further drain the general fund. House Resolution 1 — the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — passed last summer and shifts some Medi-Cal and CalFresh responsibilities from the state to counties. However, the money to cover these new obligations didn’t follow. In an effort to encourage state leaders to include funding in the 2006-27 state budget, the California State Association of Counties is lobbying legislators and asking county leaders to join its effort. On April 7 the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors approved sending a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, the President pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly
that requests action to mitigate severe fiscal and operational impacts of HR 1 on county safety net programs. CSAC estimates the total cost to California’s 58 counties to be $6 billion-$9.5 billion and has requested $1.9 billion be included in the 2026-27 state budget and $4.5 the following year. El Dorado County officials are still crunching the numbers as to its anticipated funding need for mandated indigent care services, Medi-Cal and CalFresh eligibility checks and behavioral health services. Director of Communications and Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Carla Hass said it’s “likely in the millions of dollars.” Additional mandates without necessary financial support had supervisors shaking their heads after CSAC Chief Executive Officer Graham Knaus’ presentation Tuesday afternoon. “Counties can only do what the state funds us to do,” District 4 Supervisor Lori Parlin lamented. “But I don’t know if the legislators know that. I feel that they come up with these mandates and pieces of legislation ... (but) counties can’t run in a deficit. Do they know that? I mean, there’s just fundamental things I don’t know if the folks at the state level understand.” “I’m not sure how we get their attention. Obviously, this letter of support would be good, and I think ... there’ll be a lot of counties unified in it,” District 3 Supervisor Brian Veerkamp said. But, they don’t tend to listen very well so we’ve got to get their attention somehow.” District 1 Supervisor Greg Ferrero maintained the state has enough money — even though leaders at that ■ See MANDATE, page A9
Mountain Democrat photo by Andrew Vonderschmitt
MORE Culinary Arts Program participants Emmeret A., Michele M., Kristina K., Stephanie P. and Food Program Director Heather Avila, from left, are learning skills that apply in and out of the kitchen.
Dishing up MORE
Program builds skills, confidence, independence Andrew Vonderschmitt Features editor
A
t Mother Lode Rehabilitation Enterprises, the commercial kitchen has become more than a place to cook daily meals. It is a training ground where clients gain confidence, independence and, for many, a pathway to employment. “We started it because we had a lot of clients asking about working in the kitchen,” said Program Director Heather Avila. “In order to do that, there’s a process.” Trainees had to obtain food handler certifications and commit to the program.
Experts in the kitchen The program serves a dual purpose — preparing participants for jobs in local restaurants while helping them learn to safely manage their own kitchens at home. Many participants
Courtesy photo
Emmeret A. prepares a healthy salad for the day’s lunch at Mother Lode Rehabilitation Enterprises in Placerville. entered with limited experience. Some had cooked occasionally with family; others
were unfamiliar with basic kitchen tasks. “We do have a lot of independent clients
who don’t really know their way around ■ See MORE, page A8