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VOLUME 173 • ISSUE 37 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2024
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Caldor Fire victims not giving up on lawsuit Eric Jaramishian Staff writer
Residents of Grizzly Flat who say the U.S. Forest Service was negligent in protecting their community from wildfire destruction filed legal claims against the agency in 2023 and are now looking to hire a law firm to take their case to federal court. The Forest Service, which had six months to respond, either denied or did not respond to claims made under the the Federal Tort Claims Act, which provides a legal means for compensating individuals who have suffered personal injury, death or property loss or damage caused by the negligent or wrongful act of an employee of the federal government. While claimants expected the Forest Service to deny their tort claims, it left the door open for the Caldor Fire
survivors to file a federal lawsuit. Now they are looking to hire a law firm to legally represent them. One law firm expressed interest in taking on the case, but the attorneys need the claims of all who filed in 2023. The firm is not being named at this time. Grizzly Flat residents Tabatha Walker, Jon Jochem and R.W. MacNeil lead the effort against the Forest Service, which started in August of last year with support of Grizzly Flat residents, as well as those from outside the community also affected by the Caldor Fire. Their justification is that the USFS did not conduct sufficient forest management work, which significantly contributed to the Caldor Fire burning more than 220,000 acres ■ See LAWSUIT, page A6
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
Grizzly Flat resident Tabatha Walker reads out a Standard Form 95 in front of her home in Grizzly Flat that is surrounded by a landscape left barren by the 2021 Caldor Fire. The SF95 form, or claims for damage, injury or death, is the tool being used by Grizzly Flat residents in their pursuit to take the U.S. Forest Service to court.
Trip to Green set for Mosquito Bridge pour Odin Rasco Staff writer
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
The big concrete pour to put a footing in place for the Mosquito Road Bridge Replacement Project has been scheduled for Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6, and Placerville is set to commence an overnight Trip to Green along Highway 50 to aid in the effort. El Dorado County’s Department of Transportation will conduct a 1,100-cubicyard concrete delivery and placement at the south side of the project on Mosquito Road — a task that equates to 120 concrete truckloads of concrete, poured 10 truckloads at a time for over 12 hours. In order to avoid issue and reduce traffic
or issue for concrete trucks, pumps and workers during the nighttime concrete placement, Mosquito Road is set to be closed at the gates overnight. With construction set to begin the evening of April 5, the gates will be closed to traffic from 8 p.m. April 5 until 5 p.m. April 6. The route for concrete trucks will be along Highway 50 and around 5 miles down Mosquito Road to the southern project staging area. With interruptions to a continuous concrete pour liable to cause a cold seam between layers — a potential cause for structural instability considered unacceptable for a vital part of the bridge such as the footing — Caltrans and the City of Placerville have agreed to implement a one-night Trip to Green through the city to alleviate potential traffic slowdowns. The implementation will see green lights for eastand westbound traffic at the three stoplights along the highway through Placerville from 9 p.m. on April 5 until 11 a.m. April 6; cross traffic will not be ■ See BRIDGE, page A6
Mountain Democrat photo by Odin Rasco
El Dorado County’s new Animal Services Director Craig Hall takes shelter dog Nova out for a walk March 26. Hall shared he is excited to take on the new role and brings nearly 18 years of experience in animal services.
CRAIG HALL TAKES THE REINS for county animal services
Odin Rasco Staff writer
A
nouncing he would be retiring as Animal Services director in October 2023 after close to two decades at the helm of El Dorado County Animal Services, the search for someone new to take the reins (or leashes or harnesses, depending on the situation) from Henry Brzezinski began later last year. After months of looking, Craig Hall came out as the clear pick to fill Brzezinski’s boots, and he stepped into the director role Dec. 2, 2023. Hall has 18 years of experience in animal services, a career he describes as a combination of his educational background in criminal justice and his lifelong passion for animals. “I have a degree in criminal justice. I started working probation, but quickly realized that
wasn’t the field I wanted to be in,” Hall explained. “I moved and I gave animal services a try. That was 18 years ago and I’m still excited to go to work.” Prior to his new position with El Dorado County, Hall worked for three years in Rancho Cordova as a supervising animal services officer in charge of neighborhood services that encompassed both animal services and code enforcement. Prior to his time in Rancho Cordova, he had worked in Contra Costa County for 14 years. The new position and new county have already presented Hall with opportunities and challenges he describes as unique to El Dorado County, owing to its size and the potent mix of communities amongst wilderness, and therefore, wildlife. Hall’s focus for the county’s approach to animal ■ See HALL, page A2
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