C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
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– Weekend Edition – VOLUME 175 • ISSUE 5 | $1.00
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2026
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Mountain Democrat photo by Andrew Vonderschmitt
Eric Sanchez, Dan Hoskins and Cary Ayres, from left, with Hangtown Painting, were proud to add a new coat of paint in the Legacy Hallway of their shared alma mater — El Dorado High School.
A FRESH COAT OF PRIDE El Dorado High School alumni spruce up school
Andrew Vonderschmitt Features editor
T
he main entrance at El Dorado High School has undergone a transformation that blends school pride, alumni legacy and community support thanks to a new Legacy Hallway project led by the El Dorado High School Foundation. The project, funded in part by proceeds from the foundation’s Blue & White Gala, is giving the school’s primary hallway a fresh look while creating a permanent space to honor decades of students, graduates and memories. The hallway has been painted in the school’s blue-and-white colors ■ See PRIDE, page A9
Photo courtesy of the Mosquito Fire Protection District
A partial deck is all that remains of a Gravel Road home that caught fire Wednesday morning.
Mosquito home lost in fire Mountain Democrat staff A Mosquito area home burned to the ground Wednesday morning, the Mosquito Fire Protection District reported. Fire crews responded to the Gravel Road blaze just after 9 a.m. on Jan. 14. Upon arrival, fire ■ See FIRE, page A8
Courtesy photo
El Dorado High School Foundation members Lori Veerkamp, Megan Thomas, Cindy Wilkinson, Polly Raffetto, Heather Hill, Vince Hill, Gary Ritz, Robert Madison from Hangtown Painting, foundation President Tina Helm and El Dorado High School Principal Liz Sisson, from left, enjoy the fruits of their labor in the main hallway at El Dorado High School.
Code Enforcement Amnesty Program making a difference Noel Stack Editor
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
The Planning and Building Department’s Code Enforcement
Amnesty Program continues to help property owners who have found themselves taking the fall for unpermitted improvements done before they purchased their property and not disclosed during the transaction. Acting Code Enforcement Supervisor Nicolaus Heuer updated the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors last week, sharing the program’s successes and challenges. “It’s always difficult when … it’s discovered something was unpermitted,” Heuer said. “But my staff, myself, we review our old cases and new cases to ensure that if
someone is eligible for this program (we) get them that information and we get them signed up and rolled into the process.” Since the program was launched: • 42 property owners requested an Amnesty Application • 23 cases have been approved • 3 cases are actively pursuing permits • 13 cases were not approved • 7 property owners have not responded after applying • 2 cases, the owners decided not to pursue • 1 case is pending approval and more information from the owner • 1 owner abated the violations
Mayor wraps up with hopeful, yet cautionary speech Andrew Vonderschmitt Features editor
Part of the program includes waiving fees and fines to help homeowners who are working in good faith to remedy the issues. From inception to present: • $159,100 in Code Enforcement fines have been waived. • $12,568.14 in Code Enforcement investigation fees have been waived during the permitting process. Once a property owner is deemed eligible for the program, Code Enforcement conducts a pre-site inspection to assess the situation and provide information to the owner on the best
Placerville Mayor John Clerici delivered an upbeat but candid State of the City address, telling residents the city is “doing fine” while acknowledging looming financial pressures that will require difficult public conversations in the year ahead. Clerici framed JOHN CLERICI the address in conversational terms, comparing the question of the city’s health to a casual “How are you doing?” exchange. The short answer, he said, is positive. “Generally speaking, the city is in a good place,” Clerici said, noting progress has continued even as the city navigates transitions and uncertainty. A major theme of the address was stability through change. Over the past year, Placerville has seen significant turnover in top leadership positions, including the finance manager, planning director and city manager, along with newer leadership in engineering and community services. Public works and the police department remained
■ See AMNESTY, page A9
■ See CITY, page A9
WINTER SPECIAL Up to
$2,000 OFF a new roof
and
Up to
$750 OFF roof repairs!
Some exclusion may apply. Coupon must be presented prior to estimate. No cash value.
Y O U R
R O O F E R
F O R
L I F E
• ROOFING • REPAIRS • GUTTERS Lic# 1069901
4261 SUNSET LN, SUITE 100, SHINGLE SPRINGS, CA 95682
roofgeeksca.com
FREE ESTIMATES
CALL TODAY 916-888-7663