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170
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
th
Volume 170 • Issue 41 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Pollock Pines bear found with neurological disorder Democrat staff Young bears around the state are showing symptoms of brain inflammation causing the wild animals to display “dog-like” behavior. California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists say they identified one such bear in Pollock Pines last month. Pollock Pines residents reported to CDFW the bear showed up at a utility workspace and was ignoring attempts to shoo it away. Soon after the bear moved into a residential backyard showing no fear of people. Residents began feeding the
The neurologically impaired Pollock Pines black bear eats an apple in a residential backyard as a CDFW wildlife officer and wildlife biologist observe its behavior before taking it to CDFW’s Wildlife Investigations Laboratory for testing and observation.
“The more we investigate, the more confounding it becomes.” — Peter Tira, California Department of Fish and Wildlife bear and admitted they had become attached. The bear also reportedly jumped into a housekeeper’s open car trunk and, contrary to CDFW guidance, people said they approached and petted the bear. When a CDFW wildlife biologist and warden went to investigate, they found a bear too young to be “out on its own, dog-like in its behavior, completely comfortable
around people and picking up an apple to eat in front of them on the backyard patio,” states a post to CDFW’s Bear Naked Truth blog. Physically and mentally biologists said the bear just didn’t seem quite right, walking oddly, dull and not responsive. The bear was taken to CDFW’s Wildlife Investigations Laboratory in n
CDFW photo by Shelly Blair
See Bear, page A3
Key Club sprouts plan for community garden Andrew Vonderschmitt Staff writer
G
eorge F. Duffey Park in Placerville will be the home of a new community garden aimed at offering apartment residents a chance to cultivate their own fruits and vegetables. At the March 23 Placerville City Council meeting Director of Community Services Terry Zeller brought forth a recommendation to approve the construction of a garden at the south edge of Duffey Park. The garden would be funded by the Key Club of El Dorado High School and city staff would assist in the preparation of the site and alteration of irrigation systems. Tenants of nearby Cottonwood Park Apartments and the Cottonwood Senior Apartments will be offered space in the garden. Being next to apartment buildings worked out perfectly for the Key Club goal to create a viable opportunity for those who do not have yards to cultivate their own healthy foods. “We were looking for a project to reach out to the community and we realized that there weren’t really any Mountain Democrat photo by Andrew Vonderschmitt community gardens in Placerville,” said Placerville Director of Community Services Terry Zeller, Community Garden Committee Chair Aubrey Bonham, Key Club President Jayce Kaldunski Aubrey Bonham, 14, a freshman at El and Kiwanis Key Club advisor Sophie Cabrera, from left, are ready to get to work building a community garden at Duffey Park in Placerville. n See Garden, page A7
New facility to keep recycling, green waste services local Jana Rossi Staff writer Cameron Park residents will soon have a new, more secure place to drop off their recyclables. El Dorado Disposal, a Waste Connections company, is moving its Palmer Drive buy-back center to a new site on Saratoga Lane in Shingle Springs. The new location will offer California redemption value for aluminum cans, glass bottles and plastic bottles as well as self-serve bins for electronics, cardboard and paper drop off. As an added perk, residents will also be able to drop off green waste at the site instead of having to haul it down the hill. The new center will open as soon as permits from the state are received. “I am really excited to offer our residents a larger, more secure facility for their buy back and recycling needs,” said Cameron Park Community Services
District Director Monique Scobey. “I am thrilled this facility will include green waste and that residents do not have to go to El Dorado Hills and can stay local.” That sentiment was echoed by Cameron Park resident and county Environmental Management Director Greg Stanton. “It’s a great opportunity for our residents to not have to go to El Dorado Hills.” CSD Director Ellie Wooten called the new location “a great improvement,” referencing challenges at the Palmer Drive facility, where people have been know to illegally dump items and scavenge the site. The new buy-back center is located at 3371 Saratoga Lane (behind Big-O Tires) and will be secured. Service hours are 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Green Waste drop-off may require residency identification. For more information about services visit eldoradodisposal.com.
LEES’ FEED
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Three Years Straight!
Mountain Democrat photo by Jana Rossi
A new recycling buy-back center is planned off Durock Road in Shingle Springs. Standing at the site are EDC Environmental Management Director Greg Stanton, CPCSD CC&R Compliance Officer Jim Mog, CPCSD General Manager Jill Ritzman, CPCSD Director Ellie Wooten, CPCSD Director Monique Scobey, Jeff England with Waste Connections/ El Dorado Disposal; Kristina Nobel with Waste Connections/El Dorado Disposal; CPCSD Director Sidney and Ross Reaksecker with Waste Connections/El Dorado Disposal.
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