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C a l i f o r n i a ’ s O l d e s t N e w s pa p e r – E s t. 18 51
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Volume 171 • Issue 4 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
Monday, January 10, 2022
Robot to patrol in EDH Sel Richard Staff writer
Mountain Democrat photo by Andrew Vonderschmitt
Upper Room Board of Directors President Jennifer Mouzis and newly minted Executive Director Ron Marlette prepare to serve a meal in the Upper Room Dining Hall.
Marlette to lead Upper Room Andrew Vonderschmitt Staff writer In September 2021 Upper Room Dining Hall’s Executive Director Charlie McDonald stepped down, prompting a search for new leadership. Ron Marlette of Solano County answered the call. “I was excited for the change,” he said. “After reviewing their mission and values I was ready for the challenge.” According to Upper Room Board of Directors Board Chair Jennifer Mouzis, the Upper Room is planning for growth and an expansion of services. “We are very intent on serving more people with more services,” she said. One thing that would help that goal would be more space. “We would like some more room so we can provide more services more consistently,” she said, adding that the Upper Room’s strategic plan “essentially is to expand who we’re serving and expand how we’re serving them.” Marlette is no stranger to serving the un-housed population. In 1998 he founded Mission Solano Rescue Mission, a homeless services organization in Fairfield. In 2003 the organization was awarded nonprofit designation and Marlette served as the executive director until 2017. Marlette said he has experienced homelessness n
See Marlette, page A8
It may not be R2-D2, but El Dorado Hills Community Park patrons will soon encounter a security robot patrolling the grounds. What’s more, instead of beeps and whistles, it speaks English. El Dorado Hills Community Services District General Manager Kevin Loewen explained at the December EDHCSD Board of Directors meeting that CSD staff had expressed a decline in a general feeling of safety. Although he assured that video presence at Community Park is substantial and recently updated, robot security would be an enhancement to the existing cameras. “This is something that would roam around, branded to the CSD.” Weighing in at 398 pounds and more than 5 feet tall, the Knightscope autonomous security robot has a durable, tamper resistant design, is all-weather functioning and sports a strobe light, call button, performance analytics and postincident investigation data, route scheduler and a command center managed by a human. It responds to moving objects, including cars, humans and animals
Courtesy photo
A robot will soon patrol El Dorado Hills Community Park, providing additional security to the area. and an application interface allows staff to make real-time adjustments. Features the robot offers include crime and vagrant encroachment deterrence through 24/7/365 service, 360-HD viewing and recording, live audio broadcast, twoway intercom, prerecorded broadcast messages based on
time increments, people detection or alert threshold triggers, license plate recognition and suspicious parking detection and alerts. “This really comes down to a technology improvement in terms of security and presence out there,” Loewen explained. “It’s not a cost savings item. It’s a value add in actual
security, monitoring to see what we have going on.” The staff proposal did not request full 24/7 ASR presence as the evening hours are not of concern due to locked gates after 10 p.m. “It can actually go around and engage residents, participants, attendees and give n
See Robot, page A7
Rose left behind as tree suspected stolen Thomas Frey Staff writer When Diane Lehr with the El Dorado Roses went to pack PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
up the lights and ornaments on the organization’s Highway 50 Christmas tree Jan. 2 she expected to be there for about an hour taking the tree down. Instead, the Roses’ tree was gone as many others still stood, ornaments and lights waiting to be retrieved. For 50 years comunity members have adopted and decorated Christmas trees that line Highway 50 through downtown Placerville during the holiday season. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was baffling to me,” Lehr said. “The first thing that went through my mind was somebody in our group came and took it down.”
But Lehr, who is in charge of the Roses’ Christmas tree, said she quickly became suspicious. She had previously emailed members of the El Dorado Rose organization, asking if they could help take the tree down. When she returned home, she sent out another email. “I asked, ‘Who was kind enough to take down the tree? We’d like to know so we can thank you.’” Lehr said. “Nobody replied.” Left behind was a single red rose ornament and the group’s extension cord. The extension cord had been secured with a lock since it went n
See Tree, page A3
Courtesy photo
The El Dorado Rose organization’s Highway 50 Christmas tree was nowhere to be found when the group went to take it down Jan. 2.
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