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– Midweek Edition – VOLUME 174 • ISSUE 79 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2025
$55K for JPA — Board of Supervisors asks why? Jo Carrerow
Mountain Democrat correspondent Questions were answered by Capital Southeast Connector Joint Powers Authority Executive Director Derek Minnema regarding El Dorado County’s annual payment of $55,000 from the Road Fund toward the Capital Southeast Connector last week during the Board of Supervisors meeting. County supervisors had asked
for a presentation on the 34-mile connection along Grant Line and White Rock roads from Elk Grove to Latrobe Road in El Dorado County, and what the county is getting from the partnership between Sacramento and El Dorado counties and the city of Folsom that began in 2006. Minnema noted the project’s environmental impact report, which took years and was challenged and successfully settled, California Environmental Quality Act and
National Environmental Policy Act documents, engineering design and right-of-way acquisition. “Those are the things that we are consistently working on and providing to El Dorado County.” The short El Dorado segment of the Capital Southeast Connector is “shovel ready,” according to Minnema. In his update on the connector Minnema presented to El Dorado County supervisors, he said they have 100% engineering design and permits,
right-of-way setbacks and a new traffic signal will be added at Carson Crossing Drive. “You have a four-lane facility in some places, for sure, on White Rock. But there’s a gap between Folsom and Latrobe. So this would be closing that gap and having a continuous four-lane facility that would go along in this area,” Minnema said. Other improvements include ■ See JPA, page A3
HOT RODS & FABULOUS FLYERS
Mountain Democrat photo by Shelly Thorene
Marshall CEO Siri Nelson, left, and Jonathan Russel, Marshall chief ambulatory officer, speak at the Zones public event at the Patra Corp. building in El Dorado Hills on Sept. 16. Marshall has commissioned Blue Zones to conduct a structured assessment to see if the El Dorado Hills area is a good fit for the partnership.
Marshall & Blue Zones join forces Shelly Thorene Staff writer
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
Marshall Hospital kicked off its Blue Zones Ignite initiative with a public event featuring Blue Zones Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer Dan Buettner Jr. at the Patra Corp. building in El Dorado Hills on Sept. 16. A Blue Zone is an area where people reach 100 years of age with lower rates of chronic disease. According to Marshall officials, Blue Zone experts are “performing a six-month-long readiness assessment and a structured
exploration to determine how Blue Zones can amplify the good work already occurring in El Dorado Hills and leverage existing plans to increase the wellbeing of all residents and stakeholders in our area.” In 2004 Dan Buettner Sr. partnered with National Geographic and the National Institute on Aging to identify areas where people lived longer, healthier lives. They drew from the demographic work of Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain, who identified Sardinia, Italy as having the highest concentration of male centenarians. Pes and Poulain drew concentric circles on a map to show where longevity was concentrated and referred to these areas as “Blue Zones.” Buettner and a team of scientists, often including Pes and Poulain, pinpointed five areas around the globe where people reach 100 years of age with lower rates of chronic disease and traveled to each area to identify lifestyle characteristics that correlate with longevity. The Blue Zones are: ■ See BLUE ZONES, page A9
DON’T MISS
Approximately 275 classic and custom vehicles were featured at this year’s Props, Cops, and Rodders Show & Fly-In at Cameron Airpark on Saturday, Sept. 27. Above, neighbors Madison Albee, 16, and pilot Julie Clark are pictured in front of her 1955 Beechcraft T-34A Mentor, which she previously flew as an airshow performer. Julie was one of the first women to fly for a major airline, became one of the first female airline captains and was a popular air show performer before retiring. In 2025, she was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. At right, Jim Mitchell of Placerville poses with his 1932 Auburn Cabriolet 8-100A classic car. Photos by Laurie Edwards
El Dorado County Sheriff’s Helicopter ECHO-1 lands at Cameron Airpark during the fly-in, guided by Tactical Flight Officer Patrick Becker.
Gold Mine
The
Published bi-monthly in the Mountain Democrat and Village Life
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5.000%3.61 5.30% YEAR3.250 1515YEAR 3.250 3.61
HOME LOAN HOME LOAN
Fixed RateFixed Rate
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PLACERVILLE • (Downtown) Main • 622-0833 PLACERVILLE • (Downtown) 247 Main247 • 622-0833
✓ No application ✓ No application fee fee W. PLACERVILLE l e Dr.Lawyer & Ray• Lawyer W. PLACERVILLE • Placervi•l ePlDr.acervi & Ray 626-3400• 626-3400 ✓ No prepayment ✓ No prepayment penalty penalty • 694 Val Plelasant Road • 626-5701 DIAMONDDIAMOND SPRINGSSPRINGS • 694 Pleasant ey RoadVall•ey626-5701 Local processing and servicing CAMERONCAMERON ✓ Local✓processing and servicing PARKCameron • 4060 Cameron Drive • 677-1601 PARK • 4060 Park DrivePark• 677-1601
PINESPony• 6462 PonyTrai Express Trail • 644-2363 POLLOCKPOLLOCK PINES • 6462 Express l • 644-2363 EL DORADO HILLSPark• 3963 Drive • 933-3002 EL DORADO HILLS • 3963 DrivePark• 933-3002 GEORGETOWN 193 • 333-1101 • 6310 Hwy.• 6310 193 Hwy. • 333-1101 Serving local over 54 years GEORGETOWN Member Member Serving our local our communities forEspanol over 54foryears Se communities Habla
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NMLSR ID 479256