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Volume 171 • Issue 6 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
Friday, January 14, 2022
Marshall working through omicron outbreak Thomas Frey Staff writer El Dorado County has seen its COVID-19 cases jump from about 17,000 to more than 20,000 since Dec. 20, 2021, due to the omicron variant. With that Marshall Hospital has seen a rise in hospitalizations and ICU intakes, according to Marshall officials. That’s more COVID cases in three weeks than there were between Oct. 7 and Dec. 19. The good news is that people aren’t getting quite as sick, according to Marshall
Foundation Medical Director Dr. Pete Barba “The issue is that you have three, four or five times as many people getting it,” Barba said. “Even though (patients) are getting less sick, it’s still severely straining the healthcare system. We are seeing a huge, huge strain on our staff.” Barba said Marshall employees didn’t let the Caldor Fire or the winter storm that knocked out power for more than 27,000 PG&E customers in El Dorado County stop them from coming to work.
“Even though (patients) are getting less sick, it’s still severely straining the healthcare system.” — Dr. Pete Barba, Marshall Foundation Medical Director What’s keeping them out of work is that a lot of them are getting COVID-19, according to Barba. “Even our staff who are vaccinated, doing everything possible to not get COVID, they’re still getting COVID themselves. The staffing shortage is the worst we’ve ever seen,” he said. Through it all, “I think our staff has been incredibly resilient,” Barba added. “Our hospital has quite a
large number of beds. When you don’t have enough staff to support those beds, it limits our capacity to care for our community.” Marshall CEO Siri Nelson shared similar sentiments. “The fact we have amazingly dedicated staff that wants to do the right thing every day, that shows up to take care of patients and help support each other, makes me super proud to be a part of this amazing
organization,” Nelson said. The CEO said she thinks COVID-19 is here for good. “It’s not going to go away, the genie’s already out of the bottle,” Nelson said. “I think we need to work on how we’re going to live with it. There’s probably going to be new variants. One of the blessings in the last year has been the vaccine and how that’s n
See outbreak, page A7
Hotel going in at Town Center Sel Richard Staff writer Touted as a hip, lively hotel for the nextgeneration traveler, construction for the new Aloft by Marriott in Town Center is imminent. “We’re ready to break ground this month,” said Sam Devdhara, partner of the hotel’s management company Core Hotels, LLC. “The rain has been a cause of delay.” Building and grading permits were issued by the county in October 2021. Located between the Mercedes-Benz dealership and Regal El Dorado Hills Cinemas, the modern, tech-savvy hotel offers voice-activated rooms and urban inspired design in a 68,000-squarefoot building. Guests will enjoy innovative programming such as the ability to use their smart phones as room keys. The $26 million, four-story project houses 115 units, an exercise room, meeting space, an outdoor pool and a lobby lounge boasting a full bar with light bar food. “It’s a very happening brand throughout the U.S.,” described Devdhara. There are currently 176 Aloft hotels in more than 25 countries and n
See Hotel, page A3 Mountain Democrat photos by Eric Jaramishian
The site of the proposed sports complex is adjacent to Charles F. Brown Elementary School and Union Mine High School in the Diamond Springs/ El Dorado area where Deadman Creek streams through.
New laws take Complex sports complications effect in 2022 Eric Jaramishian Staff writer
Mountain Democrat staff Among new laws that took effect Jan. 1 are protections for workers and measures to increase the state’s supply of affordable housing and expand voter access. Here are some of the new California laws of 2022: Senate Bill 3 takes the minimum wage
up to $15 an hour for businesses with more than 25 employees. Smaller businesses must pay no less than $14. Assembly Bill 37 makes permanent the measure implemented last year to send a voteby-mail ballot to every active registered voter. Senate Bill 389 allows restaurants, bars, breweries and wineries that sell food to continue offering to-go alcoholic beverages with food orders. Assembly Bill 286 prohibits food-delivery apps such as DoorDash and Uber Eats from taking a portion of a tip intended for restaurant workers. The legislation also requires companies to itemize customers’ receipts and disclose all added fees. Senate Bill 1383 requires Californians to toss excess food waste into green waste bins rather than the trash. The state aims n
See laws page A3
Questions remain to be answered regarding environmental impact and funding opportunities for a proposed sports complex for the Diamond Springs/El Dorado area in El Dorado County. The county received a gift of approximately 29.8 acres of land at 3447 Clemenger Drive off Highway 49 and adjacent to Charles F. Brown Elementary School and Union Mine High School. The property donation came from healthcare nonprofit Marshall Foundation for Community Health. The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors voted to accept the donation, 4-1, during its meeting Jan. 4, but not without deliberation on risks and complexities the project currently faces. After District 3 Supervisor Wendy Thomas introduced the agenda item, District 1 Supervisor John Hidahl kicked off the discussion, voicing concern over funding sources. The county applied for round 4 of Proposition 68 grants in early 2021, which create funding for state and local parks. In November 2021 supervisors gave direction to staff to submit
another application for Prop. 68, due Jan. 20, in case the state denied the county’s initial application. The county was notified in December 2021 that it failed to grab the round 4 Prop 68 grants. “We always have to be cautious because plan B of how you would fund this, if Prop. 68 funds do not come in, is still
“When an opportunity comes before you, you do not often have all the details flushed out.” — Wendy Thomas, District 3 supervisor a big question mark to me,” Hidahl said. “I don’t know how we would ever find money in the General Fund to pull for this kind of project; albeit it’s worthwhile and needs to be done, but given all our other priorities, I don’t know how we would fund it short of Prop. 68.” County Parks Manager Vickie Sanders said there are other funding opportunities she could pursue and, if needed, the park will be built incrementally
“one ball field at a time” as the county has done in the past with Henningsen Lotus Park in Coloma and Pioneer Park in Somerset. Once the property is acquired, the county will be in a better position to acquire Prop. 68 grants, Thomas said. Hidahl asked if it is possible to seek a bond measure through the county so local residents would be participants in developing the park, which would require voter approval. Another hiccup to the plan involves a lack of a California Environmental Quality Act report to determine possible environmental effects of the complex, leading to concerns from supervisors about water drainage issues in downtown El Dorado, vegetation concerns on the property and potential vandalism and loitering of homeless people. Even some who spoke during the meeting’s public comment noted that the county was “putting the cart before the horse” by not analyzing the property fully first. The county would hire an environmental consultant to identify any problems with the property that might change n
See Complex, page A2
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