■ GREAT ART SHOW
Local art association hosts a national exhibit sure to turn heads. ■ INSIDE, B2
I N E L D O R A D O H I L L S ■ NOVEMBER 19, 2025
Keeping ‘an oar in the water’ Local inventor, advisor reflects on success in new book Wendy Schultz Village Life correspondent
I
Courtesy photo
The EDH Chamber has relocated its headquarter to 2023 Vine St., Suite 105, in El Dorado Hills Town Center. This includes space for a scaled-down California Welcome Center.
Chamber, Town Center step up to save local welcome center Ann-Marie Fullmore El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce Earlier this year, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors cut tourism funding, which included support for the El Dorado Hills California Welcome Center. As a result, the CWC closed in July. Since then, the El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce has stepped in to operate a scaled-down welcome center using its own staff and resources in order to continue serving visitors and the community. “The California Welcome Center draws hundreds of visitors per month,” said EDH Chamber President & CEO Debbie Manning, “and these visitors support local businesses when they fill up their tanks, shop and dine here. They’re also looking for the best kept secrets and things to do in El Dorado County. They’re appreciative of the many ■ See CHAMBER, page A5
Gary Kinghorn wins open EDHCSD seat Noel Stack Editor Gary Kinghorn will join the El Dorado Hills Community Services District Board of Directors. Kinghorn earned 12,029 votes (61.08%). Candidate Wayne Lowery received 7,666 votes (38.47%), according to the Elections GARY KINGHORN Department summary as of Nov. 13. “I’m very humbled by all the support and encouragement I’ve received since being virtually unknown about six months ago,” Kinghorn shared the day after the election. “I knew it would be very challenging to get past an opponent who has been a pillar of the community for decades with so much direct CSD experience and deep ties through Rotary, charities and the cityhood effort. “It’s a shame this isn’t next year, when multiple board members can be seated,” he added. “But, at the end of the day, I think I appealed to a large and somewhat disenfranchised community that felt like they didn’t have a voice on this board. It’s their perspective that I hope to be bringing forward for ■ See KINGHORN, page A5
t’s 5,802 miles from Placerville to Moscow but an even bigger jump from growing up on a pear farm near El Dorado to meetings at the Kremlin with Mikhail Gorbachev and advising the leaders of a Communist country about how to improve their economy. Steven Puthuff, now 84, made that jump in 1979 when he was 38 years old. In his new book, “First Capitalist in the Soviet Union: A Story of One Man’s Odyssey to Reshape the Russian Economy and His Reflections of Today’s Political Reality,” Puthuff shares the details of his life — one filled with huge entrepreneurial successes, world-wide travel and rich family relationships. He’s proud of his accomplishments, but the El Dorado Hills resident willingly gives much credit to his wife of more than six decades, Judy (Waldron), and the many experts on the teams he built over the years. The intention of the book, according to Puthuff, is to alert readers to the dangers posed by socialism — a path, he said he believes leads to stagnation and lack of hope, something he saw over and over again in the Soviet Union in the 1990s. Born in El Dorado County, Puthuff and his seven siblings attended local schools and he remembers picking pears with his brothers and getting up at the crack
Courtesy photos
Steven Puthuff, right, visits Russia to consult with leaders on economic opportunities. of dawn to go out to the neighbor’s pear orchard to clear the sprinkler heads of ice and bugs. After graduating from El Dorado High School, Puthuff went to Arizona State University and majored in electrical engineering. He made a career plan with a specific goal: to be the vice president of Engineering of a $200 million company by age of 35. His plan detailed the positions and salaries he would achieve on the way to reaching that goal. “Fix your gaze firmly on the prize,” states Puthuff in his book. His first post graduate job was with IBM, working on the Ramac and Ramac disc drives for data storage. Soon, armed with his experience from IBM, Puthoff accepted a job at Aerojet where he developed some of the first integrated circuit test ■ See PUTHUFF, page A7
Steven and Judy Puthuff of El Dorado Hills built a successful life in El Dorado County and abroad. Steven shares his adventures in a new book.
Veterans Day event honors the brave Shelly Thorene Staff writer
L
ocal veterans and their families were honored at the Veterans Day ceremony held at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument on Nov. 11. Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is observed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to mark the armistice between the Allies of World War I and Germany. At 11 a.m., Officer in Charge Capt. Jack Babbitt USMC (ret.) and Sgt. at Arms Sgt. Tyler Dennis, USMC, issued a call to order, which was followed by a presentation of the colors by Civil Air Patrol Squadron 85 and the Pledge of Allegiance. Master of Ceremonies Joe Thuesen, Marine Corps veteran, recognized and honored recipients of Medals of Honor from all branches of the service. Thuesen also recognized those who had been held as prisoners of war and Gold Star families.
Village Life photo by Shelly Thorene
The Civil Air Patrol Squadron 85 Color Guard presents the colors at the start of the 2025 Veterans Day Ceremony at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument in Placerville on Tuesday, Nov. 11. The Ponderosa High School Chamber Choir, under the direction of Craig Mason, sang the the official service anthems for the Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy and the National Anthem. William Feigles, deputy secretary of the California Department of Veterans
Affairs – Home Loan Division, read a proclamation issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom which thanked service personnel and addressed the ways California continues to serve veterans. El Dorado County District 3 Supervisor Brian Veerkamp represented the Board of
Supervisors and spoke about the sacrifice veterans make and mentioned the recent passing of local veteran Ed Hagen. City of Placerville Mayor John Clerici presented a proclamation on behalf of the City Council thanking veterans. ■ See VETERANS DAY, page A5
INSIDE NEWS VOL. 32 ■ ISSUE NO. 22 FOR GUARANTEED WEEKLY DELIVERY, SUBSCRIBE BY CALLING 530 3445000
■ TIMELESS AND ELEGANT HOME
■ WINTER ADVENTURES ABOUND
This spacious Serrano home exudes elegance and offers modern living at its finest.
The American River Conservancy hosts winter events and activities to reconnect residents with nature.
■ VILLAGE HOMES, B1
■ INSIDE, B4
PRESORT STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 215 FOLSOM, CA 95630 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED