News, Etc.
Sports
Lady Cougars end winning season at Golden 1 Center.
Tim Robbins, Academy Award winner and director, speaks with the Mountain Democrat.
A6
EL DORADO
COUNTS
CENSUS 20
B1
20
See page A
8.
mtdemocrat.com
Monday, March 2, 2020
Volume 169 • Issue 25
| 75¢
BE COUNTE D, BECAUSE W E ALL MATTE
R!
City officials, residents join voices
‘Hey, Caltrans — don’t raise the Hwy 50 speed limit!’ Pat Lakey Staff writer It was a clear chorus heard Tuesday at Town Hall in Placerville, with the city engineer preaching to the choir regarding whether the speed limit on Highway 50 as it runs through town should be raised from 40
to 50 mph — but the ears that needed up the beat — even though that state to hear this particular tune weren’t division’s own rules seem to require present at Town Hall Tuesday. a representative attend such public A special meetings, meeting “Hopefully they’ll come to their senses called of the City solely for and agree with us.” Council, discussion held an — Patty Borelli, Placerville city councilwoman of a hour Caltransbefore its related regular meeting, found a smattering topic, according to City Engineer of local residents ready to express Rebecca Neves. their absolute opposition to such a Neves earlier had reported to plan, with everyone who took to the the crowd gathered for the 5 p.m. podium rendering a cappella solos meeting, explaining that city officials that struck the same chord: Don’t are squarely against raising the speed raise the speed limit, Caltrans! limit — but that they had received But Caltrans wasn’t there to pick a letter from Caltrans saying state
Doom? Gloom? — Blooms!
statistics show such an increase is warranted ... and will happen. After Mayor Michael Saragosa and other council members expressed disappointment that no representative from Caltrans attended the Tuesday meeting, even though they were requested to do so, the mayor asked Neves whether, in fact, the state requires attendance by an official. n
See Caltrans, page A7
PG&E appears to be listening to Placerville n Utility assigns liaison to
communicate with local officials Pat Lakey Staff writer
Democrat photo by Krysten Kellum
Despite it being one of the driest Februaries on record, it’s business as usual with the bright yellow petals of daffodils adding a pop of color to the scenery in downtown Placerville. It’ll be time to spring forward one hour Saturday, March 8, as daylight saving time begins. The spring equinox follows March 19.
It appears that PG&E has improved at least one of its lines in the wake of the dreaded public safety power shutoffs of the last couple years — the lines of communication. While the utility giant admittedly still must repair and replace woefully neglected power transmission lines and other infrastructure that tends to ignite fires in the event of windstorms — such as the destruction in 2018 of the city of Paradise in Butte County — Placerville officials appear to have gotten through to PG&E with concerns and complaints over how the power shutoffs have been handled throughout El Dorado County. Former mayor Mark Acuna, who also is a former PG&E employee, took the company to task publicly during last year’s power interruptions in October and November. Acuna was interviewed by the Mountain Democrat following incendiary comments the then-mayor had made at earlier Placerville City Council meetings, saying PG&E was n
See PG&E, page A3
EID concept to build Texas Hill Reservoir no longer viable drawn recent inquiries from adjacent property owners regarding the current zoning of property within the proposed reservoir “take” line and what the district’s plans are for the property. Dawn Hodson The “take” line are parcels that Staff writer would be underwater “Texas Hill Reservoir is an idea Land in the or affected by Texas Hill whose time has passed.” the dam and area purchased — Tom Cumpston, former general counsel for reservoir. In years ago by El Dorado Irrigation District other words, the the El Dorado take line is the Irrigation high water mark of a reservoir. District to be turned into a reservoir The idea of a Texas Hill Reservoir was the topic of an informational dates back to the 1950s and 60s when presentation at Monday’s EID Board the idea was to build a new reservoir of Directors meeting. on Weber Creek south of Placerville. Presented by Engineering Director
n District may opt for
more affordable water storage
Courtesy map
The El Dorado Irrigation District acquired approximately 62% of the land needed to build Texas Hill Reservoir along Weber Creek before pursuing less costly water projects.
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See EID, page A5