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
Volume 170 • Issue 16 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
Monday, February 8, 2021
Need help signing up for vaccine? Dawn Hodson Staff writer El Dorado County is now offering a service to seniors aged 75 and older who want to make an appointment to get the COVID-19 vaccine but don’t have internet access or who have trouble navigating the online registration system. But before doing so, seniors are asked to first check with family members or friends to see if they can help. Those who do require assistance are asked to call (530) 295-4101 and leave a message that includes their name, age and a contact phone number. A staff member will return the call as soon as possible. People are asked to have their medical ID card on hand and an email address if available when the staff member calls them. Assistance is also available at these six county libraries if needed in signing up for a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. Call beforehand to confirm their days and hours of operation as they vary: Cameron Park library: 2500 Country Club Drive (530) 621-5500 El Dorado Hills library: 7455 Silva Valley Pkwy. (916) 358-3500 Pollock Pines library: 6210 Pony Express Trail (530) 644-2498 South Lake Tahoe library: 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd. (530)573-3185 Placerville library: 345 Fair Lane (530) 621-5540 Georgetown library: 6680 Orleans St. (530) 333-4724
Mountain Democrat photo by Thomas Frey
Eight-year-old Tino Conboy helped save his young sister Cami’s life when he noticed her drowning in the family’s swimming pool on a cold Saturday morning last month. He immediately called for his mom, a nurse who knew CPR and was able to revive her 18-month-old daughter.
A big brother’s call helps save young life
Thomas Frey Staff writer
W
hen Placerville mom Diana Conboy heard her 8-year-old son Tino scream on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 16, she immediately knew something was gravely wrong. Tino, a second-grader at Sutter’s Mill School, had been playing in the family’s living room and was enjoying the start of his weekend when he began to wonder where his 18-month old sister Cami was. Tino loves teaching her things and the pair loved to play on the floor and race around the house. “They always make each other smile,” Diana said. Tino began looking for Cami when he noticed the door to
Diamond Springs Parkway project hits bumps Dawn Hodson Staff writer
n
See Rescue, page 6
El Dorado Savings makes hall of fame
After the lengthy Jan. 26 hearing related to acquiring a piece of property via eminent domain for the Diamond Springs Parkway Project, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors voted to continue the item to Feb. 9. Now in the second of two-phases, the project will construct a connector road between Missouri Flat Road and Highway 49. The connector is expected to reduce traffic in Diamond Springs, improve traffic and pedestrian safety and create multimodal transportation features. The project requires 25 parcels in total. The one to be acquired through eminent domain is 1.74 acres in size, zoned light n
the backyard was propped open. Tino went outside expecting to see his sister playing but instead saw Cami on her back, floating helplessly in the frigid water of the family’s pool. “I looked in the pool and I saw her drowning,” Tino said. “Her hand was moving kind of slowly and she was trying to swim. The water was really cold.” Tino said his sister’s body was starting to turn blue. Alerted by Tino’s scream, Diana ran outside, dove into the pool and pulled little Cami out. Tino said his sister “couldn’t move anything. She couldn’t move any part of her, even her eyes.” “At first I was scared,” Tino said, “It was the worst
Dawn Hodson Staff writer At the Jan. 26 El Dorado County Board of Supervisor’s meeting El Dorado Savings Bank was recognized for being named to the 2020 Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame. “The bank opened for business in Placerville in January of 1958 to offer competitive savings programs to local residents while promoting homeownership through construction, purchase and refinance
See Parkway page 2
loans,” states the certificate of recognition from the county. “As El Dorado Savings expanded its operations over the years, the bank remained faithful to these original principles.” The certificate of recognition was signed by Chairman John Hidahl and approved unanimously by the board. John Cook, president and CEO of the bank, said they are very pleased to have been given the award by the Metro Chamber. The bank began with one office
in downtown Placerville. Cook said the bank now has 35 branches with offices in Sacramento, throughout the foothills and into northern Nevada; although its home office is still in Placerville. When El Dorado Savings opened in 1958 its pockets were as deep as deposits made that day. It now has $2.5 billion in assets and 93,000 accounts. “On behalf of our nearly 300 employees, I’d like to thank the n
See El Dorado Savings, page 3
Shingle Springs Community Center needs a little help Dawn Hodson Staff writer A place that celebrates rural community living and acts as a hub for community-minded events needs help. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the Shingle Springs Community Center has been closed since last March. As a result it has brought in little in the way of rental fees and has run through its reserves. Mike Williamson, who is president of the Shingle Springs Community Center Board of Directors, said the community center takes in revenue from memberships, events the community center sponsors and rental of the commercial kitchen. But their main source of income is renting their facilities, which include a hall that seats 160 people, a full commercial kitchen, an outside playfield and horseshoe pits. “But the COVID restrictions have put
a crimp in all that,” he said, “draining the community center of its means of staying in business.” Williamson said what money they had in reserve was to be used to renovate the 70-year-old building, including making the bathrooms and wheelchair ramp more ADA compliant and blacktopping the parking area. But those reserves have been used up to pay their normal monthly utility bills and now they are at the point where they only have enough money to get them into March. Located at 4440 South Shingle Road, the Shingle Springs Community Center is known for hosting regular community pancake breakfasts, second Saturday concerts, bunco and dinner nights, potlucks and other events. Their concerts are enough of a draw that people from all over El Dorado County n
See Community Center, page 3
Mountain Democrat photo by Dawn Hodson
Mike Williamson, president of the Shingle Springs Community Center Board of Directors, is asking for donations to help the center get through a shortfall in funds related to the COVID-19 shutdown of the facility.
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