The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok
Indians’ expansion to Red Hawk Casino, a 120,000-square-foot hotel, is set to open May 1. Walking into what’s now officially been dubbed Red Hawk Resort + Casino, hotel visitors see nods to tribe culture through artwork and architecture.
Light fixtures that replicate woven baskets hang over the lobby, a river of marble flows
The Placerville City Council decided Tuesday to hold an additional public meeting regarding the Main Street Farmers Market, a month after voting to relocate the event to the Mooney Lot.
The council discussed potential litigation from El Dorado County Farm Trails, the organization that has been holding the Wednesday night market for the past 14 years, in closed session during its April 11 meeting. Allegations of a potential Brown Act violation were also discussed in the closed session portion of the meeting. The council determined no breach of the act had occurred, but did move to hold an additional meeting regarding the market to allow for further public comment, according to City Attorney Mona Ebrahimi.
The market discussion has been tentatively set for the council’s upcoming April 25 meeting date, according to City Manager Cleve Morris. Morris noted background work that would need to be done may require the topic to be pushed out to the May 9 meeting.
In a decision that has been met with controversy and some cases of social media backlash, Placerville’s City Council decided to relocate the farmers market that had been held at the Bell Tower on Main Street. The reasons for the move included safety concerns and impacts to local merchants such as parking access.
El Dorado County Farm Trails President MikeAshleigh Goodwin
Tahoe Daily Tribune
After years of multimodal project planning
a second roundabout will be constructed at the intersection on Highway 50 and Pioneer Trail in Meyers as soon as summer of 2024.
Meyers has planned to have two roundabouts since the Meyers Community plan was developed in 1993, according to Donaldo Palaroan, senior civil engineer for El Dorado County Department of Transportation and project manager of the planned roundabout.
Palaroan added it’s not unusual to have two roundabouts for this area.
“Kings Beach is in development of a third roundabout to accomplish a similar goal of keeping the small
town feel versus a highpaced city,” Palaroan told the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
In 2019 Ron Boyle, senior manager of engineering and design company GHD, presented Roundabout 101 to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors, covering a typical roundabout and its impact on lowering speed while easing traffic flow.
Boyle explained a modern roundabout is more than a circle, its a yield-on-entry speed abatement tool that is more eco-friendly than a signaled intersection.
“Yes, you’re adding sidewalks, but you’re
Katherine A. Smith
Jan. 3, 1922 – March 20, 2023
Katherine ‘Kay’ Smith passed away at her Garden Valley home at the age of 101. She was the daughter of Harry Connor and Katherine Hanny born in Loomis, California on a strawberry farm and raised on a small ranch at Meadowbrook during the 1920’s to 1935 when her family moved to Missouri. After high school she moved back to California and worked as a waitress along with her sister Helen in Los Angeles as well as working as a riveter at an aircraft factory. She met James Smith, a Marine headed for the Pacific during WWII. They married and had three children. She and her husband, after living in the Bay Area, moved to Garden Valley and operated Jim’s Garden Valley Grocery Store from 1959 until 1979. Kay was active in the community and was a lifelong Grange member and volunteered at FOCUS for many years. Twice she served as Grand Marshall of the Garden Valley Fourth of July Parade. She enjoyed refinishing furniture and working in her garden.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Katherine Connor, her brothers, Harry Connor and Jack Connor, and her son James W. Smith. She is survived by her sister Helen Mathias of Roseville, daughter Sandra Mancuso (Lawrence) of Garden Valley, son Thomas Smith (Kathleen) of El Dorado Hills, grandson, Nino Mancuso (Claire), granddaughters Lauren Mancuso, Shelly Klose (Christian) and five great-grandchildren.
A memorial will be held at a future date to be announced.
Donations can be sent in her name to Snowline Hospice of El Dorado County.
M.D.
June 18, 1947 – Dec. 20, 2023
Please join the Washburn family as we honor the life of Earl (“Trey”) Washburn M.D. on Sunday, April 23rd, at 3:00 p.m. at Placerville’s Federated Church, Thompson Way. Reception to follow.
Aug. 27, 1933 – March 15, 2023
Florence Andre (Andy)
Ishmael, of Placerville, passed away at her home on March 15, 2023. Andy was the daughter of Brunhilde Kohler Woods Petosa and Bryan Morrill Woods. She was born in San Francisco and lived in Sausalito where she went to Tamalpias High School and met the love of her life, Don Delano Ishmael at a Valentines Day school dance.
She and Don married June 23, 1951, one week after she graduated from High School. They moved to Arizona where Don served in the Air Force during the Korean War. They were married 4 months shy of their 50th anniversary; he preceded her death in 2001. After Don’s discharge from the Air Force, they moved home with their 3-year-old son, Don Ishmael to Tiburon, Ca where they settled with their new family. A few years later they moved their family to Lucas Valley, Ca where they had deLysa (Ishmael) Touey and Scott Ishmael. In 1975 they built a house in Diamond Springs and moved their family to the foothills where they enjoyed the country living.
Both Andy and Don went to work for Pacific Telephone & Telegraph, where they both had long careers and retired from. Andy continued her career at Blue Shield of California in the Placerville o ce when it opened in 1982 and retired from there as well in 1992.
She and Don loved to travel, spend time in their boat, swimming in the backyard and camping with their family up the Pacific Coast across the western United States and down to Baja Mexico. Most of all they both loved to just spend time with their kids and grandkids any chance they could.
Andy loved people, she could work a room like no other and leave a person smiling. She volunteered at Marshall Hospital, at her kids and grandkids school. She was an amazing seamstress, she could make any kind of clothing, Halloween costumes, quilting, crocheting and famous for her knitted Christmas stockings for the family.
Andy is preceded in death by her mother Brunhilde, father Bryan, her beloved husband Don, grandson Brian David Ishmael, daughter in law Kimberlee Ishmael, brother Leslie Bender and sister Henrietta Francard.
Andy is survived by and will be deeply missed by her children Don Ishmael, deLysa Touey (Rick) and Scott Ishmael (Becky). Her Niece, Janine Bender and many nephews. Grandchildren Brenda Brown (CJ), Katie Ishmael, Brett Touey (Hilary), Michelle Haley (Colby) and Amanda Satterfield (David). Her 12 Greatgrandchildren Bella, Austin, Maddy, Mack, Prudence, Zoey, Cash, Cooper, Pierce, Jameson, Juniper and Brett Brian. Private services will be held with the family.
July 24, 1932 – April 8, 2023
Will E. Nelson was born in the small town of Winner South Dakota on July 24, 1932. He was the middle son of Walter and Elsie Nelson who raised turkeys and grew wheat on the homestead. After his service in the Korean War, he moved to Nebraska where he married Jane (Irene) Wilcynski in 1956. While attending the University of Nebraska, they welcomed their first child Nancy and 1 1/2 years later, another daughter Joanie into the family. Will graduated with a degree in Business Administration and the family moved to California.
After Will’s job with the Internal Revenue Service in the Bay Area, the family moved to the Sacramento area where he began his mortgage and real estate business. Will enjoyed flying his airplane and later the helicopter, riding snowmobiles, fishing and camping with the campers group. Will and Jane built a new home and moved up the hill to Shingle Springs and later another home in Cameron Park. They became founding members of the Light of the Hills church where they were very active and enjoyed fellowship with their church family.
The Lord called Will to his eternal home on April 8, 2023. He is survived by his daughters Nancy Nelson and Joanie McCreary (Tom); grandchildren, Jessica Wallace (Chad), Ali Smith (Andrew), Jake Ward and Tommy McCreary; and great-grandsons, Hunter Wallace and Jackson Smith. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers and wife Jane, of 63 years.
Memorial donations can be made to the Light of the Hills Fellowship Fund.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at Light of the Hills, 3100 Rodeo Road, Cameron Park, CA at 11:00 am.
Barbara Ann Mahach
Aug. 5, 1934 – March 29, 2023
Barbara Ann Mahach was born in Mt. Vernon, New York on Aug. 5, 1934 to Robert and Eleanor Whiffen. Barbara spent most of her early and teenage years living in White Plains, New York. Following her education in Business Administration she worked in New York City until she heard the call of the west. In her early twenties she and a girlfriend took a bus to San Francisco where she found work at the Union Oil Company.
It was in San Francisco where she met her first husband, Robert Hall. Together they raised three children and lived in various Northern California cities until they settled in San Bernardino, California. With her children now in their teenage years, Barbara began work as an Administrative Assistant with the San Bernardino School District. It was also in San Bernardino where she met and married her second husband, Colonel Tom Mahach in 1982.
Shortly after their marriage Tom was assigned to a three year tour at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. While in the Philippines Barbara was able to visit Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Barbara loved travel, documenting the various trips in numerous scrapbooks, gardening, and reading a book under an umbrella on a warm beach. Following Tom’s retirement in 1986 they settled in the Sly Park area of Pollock Pines, California. Barbara then began a second career working for the El Dorado County School District and eventually the County Health Department retiring in 1997. Her co-workers will remember her smile and her pleasant and positive demeanor. Following her retirement, she and Tom continued their travels to various parts of the world. Barbara was also a long-time member of the Dogwood Garden Club of Pollock Pines.
In 2019 Barbara suffered a partially paralyzing stroke and moved into a board and care facility. In early 2022 she experienced a second stroke and relocated to the Western Slope Health Center in Placerville, California. It was there while receiving excellent care, she passed on March 29, 2023.
Barbara is survived by Colonel Tom Mahach, her loving children, Michael Hall, Suzanne Hall Fassio, Mark Hall, her granddaughter Crystal Hall, her great-grandson Jervon Duncan and her stepchildren Melinda Pfeifer, Thomas Mahach and Marla Mahach. The family will morn in private with no planned services.
Instead of honoring Barbara with flowers or contributions, give something to or do something for someone that will make them smile.
The following was taken from Placerville Police Department logs:
March 30
8:14 a.m. Officers cited a 34-yearold man reportedly found with illegal drug paraphernalia on Forni Road.
8:14 a.m. Officers cited a 29-yearold man allegedly burning trash and reportedly found with illegal drug paraphernalia on Forni Road.
10:17 a.m. Officers arrested a 58-year-old man on suspicion of trespassing on Broadway Drive.
1:50 p.m. Officers arrested a 53-year-old man on suspicion of arson on Fair Lane.
March 31
3:02 p.m. Officers arrested a 54-year-old man who had outstanding warrants on Broadway.
5:39 p.m. Officers arrested a 29-year-old man who was reportedly found in possession of illegal drug paraphernalia on Main Street.
April 1
8:55 a.m. Officers arrested a 52-year-old man on suspicion of obstruction, being drunk in public and having an open alcohol container in public on Placerville Drive.
1:25 p.m. Vehicle vandalism was reported on Cold Springs Road.
April 2
2:58 p.m. Vehicle vandalism was reported on Schnell School Road.
6:23 p.m. Officers cited a 47-year-old man reportedly found in possession of illegal drug paraphernalia on Stone Lane.
April 3
6:23 p.m. Officers cited a 47-yearold man reportedly driving on a suspended license on Cold Springs Road.
8 p.m. Officers arrested a 47-yearold man on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance on Broadway.
April 4
8:19 a.m. Unidentified suspects broke in to a school district transit yard, siphoned gas and damaged vehicles on Schnell School Road.
2:41 p.m. Officers cited a 44-yearold woman who reportedly set up an illegal camp by the creek on Placerville Drive.
6:25 p.m. Officers cited a 24-yearold man reportedly driving on a suspended license on Green Valley Road.
9 p.m. Officers arrested a 45-yearold man who had an outstanding warrant on Broadway.
April 5
5:03 p.m. Officers arrested a 37-year-old woman on suspicion of vehicle theft on Drake Court.
The El Dorado Hills Community Services District will raise its development impact mitigation fees by 4.9%, effective 60 days after El Dorado County Board of Supervisors’ approval.
Supervisors OK’d the adjustment at their Tuesday meeting. The adjustment takes into account increases in the California Construction Cost Index, bringing the total to $13,496 for single-family residential units, $8,907 for multifamily residential and affordable housing units, $7,886 for agerestricted units, $7,215 for Serrano
single-family residential units, $4,761 for Serrano multi-family residential and $4,186 for Serrano age-restricted residential. Mobile homes and accessory dwelling units are exempt from development impact fees.
The California Mitigation Fee Act provides established fees on new development for the purpose of mitigating impact of new development on existing public infrastructure.
Development impact fees are paid by developers to fund improvements needed to serve new development.
The Board of Supervisors adopts the fees based on nexus studies and only makes adjustments by request from special districts.
Mountain Democrat staff
Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil’s Senate Bill 754 passed through the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee by a vote of 15 to zero April 10. The bill restores a prior rate-making and rate design methodology by the California Public Utilities Commission to ensure funding for small rural telephone companies continues to cover their cost of service and infrastructure SB 754 now moves on to the State Senate for consideration.
Installing networks through rugged terrain, mountains and forests to reach sparse populations is much more costly
Roundabout
than what customers can afford to pay and significantly higher than what it costs in the cities, notes a press release from the State Senate District 4 Office. Communities in California require affordable and reliable telephone and broadband service to keep businesses, schools, hospitals and other essential institutions connected to valuable resources.
“As a resident of a small mountain community myself, I can personally attest to the necessity of SB 754,” states Alvarado-Gil. “I am grateful to the Senate Energy, Utilities and
Odin Rasco Staff writer
Camino School District bus stops are seeing extra attention from sheriff’s deputies this month after an adult reportedly attempted to coerce a student into their car.
The suspect, described as a middleaged white male driving a gold sedan, approached an eighth-grade student the morning of March 31, according to an email sent to Camino parents from interim Superintendent Laurisa Stuart.
The student was at his bus stop at the Apple Pantry and refused the adult’s
attempt to coerce him into his car. The student then immediately reported the incident to his parents and school officials.
During the April 11 Camino School Board of Trustees meeting, it was announced by Stuart that El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office patrols near bus stops would be increased for a few weeks.
The incident is under investigation by EDSO detectives. Anyone with further questions or information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Camino School at (530) 644-2204 and the Sheriff’s Office at (530) 621-5655.
Continued from A1
reducing the impervious surfaces,” Boyle explained.
Roundabouts are proven to improve air quality by reducing idle time, as well as requiring less long-term maintenance, and it is statistically safer for maintenance to be performed in a roundabout in comparison to a signaled stop, according to Boyle’s presentation.
During the COVID-19 shut down in 2020 the consultant project team, along with state and county support, analyzed the project and crafted the environmental document, now known as the Intersection Safety Improvement Project, although it took longer than anticipated to complete.
Close to two years later, in January 2022 the Intersection Safety Improvement Project was presented to supervisors and gained approval to move forward.
According to District 5 Supervisor Brooke Laine, the project recently became fully funded after being awarded competitive regional grant funding from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency earlier this year.
Final designs are expected to be completed by the end of summer, with advertisements for construction bids anticipated to begin in winter 2023-24. While the project is currently in the design process, not everyone is convinced the roundabout is the right answer.
“There are so many unintended consequences — the people behind the traffic light on Highway 50 and the roundabout, (sometimes) we can hardly get out of the houses onto the street to the main road due to a nonstop flow of traffic,” Kenny Curtzwiler said he told project engineers when they called him to ask what it would take to get his support on the project.
The past supervisor candidate thinks it would first take fixing the existing roundabout in Meyers.
“Take out the bike path and make a dedicated right hand turn lane going from Highway 50 onto Pioneer Trail. Better signage is also needed, it’s confusing,” Curtzwiler said.
The current design for the roundabout at Highway 50 and Pioneer Trail includes a free right turn from eastbound Highway 50 to eastbound Pioneer Trail. It also includes a bypass
lane that will allow westbound Highway 50 traffic to bypass the roundabout, similar to the roundabout at Highway 50 and Highway 89 at the west end of Meyers, according to John Kahling engineering deputy director for DOT.
Laine anticipates the second roundabout’s completion would make traffic “flow like clockwork.”
Former District 5 Supervisor Jeff Spencer disagreed and said, “It is in my opinion that the one at 89 doesn’t work very well and putting one at Pioneer is going to back traffic up more, all the way up the hill.”
Palaroan discussed the roundabout with the Meyers community at the April 5 Meyers Advisory Council meeting. Concerns discussed were echoes of those previously expressed by the public.
One concern was having adequate room for emergency personnel to maneuver through the roundabout.
Lake Valley Fire Protection District officials requested to limit amount of signs in the splitter island, according to Palaroan, stating signs would add additional elements to an already challenging obstacle course.
Palaroan told the Tribune concerns regarding the Highway 50/89 roundabout were taken into consideration when designing the new infrastructure.
The only challenge the project currently faces, he added, is working with CalTrans to identify minimum signage and placement, otherwise designs are complete.
During the April meeting Meyers Advisory Council member John Dayberry asked about the possibility to enhance the visual aspect of the project by not only introducing “community art” to the center of the roundabout but also including a Meyers sign at the entrance of town.
“The project is to address safety,” Palaroan responded. “There may be opportunities for beautification in the future but funding limits the current project scope.”
“The project is funded with federal funds so has to meet federal standards”, Palaroan explained. “The MAC wanted to fund the sign but they have not committed to a set funding plan so it will not be part of the current project.”
Eventually every school system in America will have to fence in every school and put an armed guard at every gate. Inside the school building cameras will have to be focused on doors and vulnerable glass windows and someone will have to monitor all the cameras. Some school systems will be slow on adding such security but lawsuits from teachers will eventually bring more stringent security into reality.
GLENN MOLLETTEThe Nashville shooting of three children and three adult workers was another heinous act carried out by a deranged person. Someone who commits such an act is beyond mentally ill; they have become mentally deranged. Sadly, the individual waited too long to get psychological help.
I don’t want to mention the shooter’s name because too much attention is given to people who kill innocent school teachers and children and even people in houses of worship. They prey on places that are typically gun-free zones filled with people who are often trapped with no way of escape. Newspapers and media sources should eliminate mentioning the name of such killers. As evil as it is, these mentally ill people see such acts as a way for them to get massive negative attention and to go out in what they perceive to be a moment of glory.
The idea of such security at all our schools is di cult to embrace but we have no choice. This adds to the financial challenges facing school systems. A fence is not aesthetically appealing. It looks third world but that’s where we are in America. I’ve traveled to enough third world countries to have viewed walls around average homes, churches and schools. In Brazil many walls are erected around homes because of the high crime rate. Thieves are everywhere in
EDITOR:
There is a good watch about some of what is really happening with Project Frontier on YouTube. This project, one of Amazon’s largest fulfillment center in the world, is nearly three Disneylands large and being pushed through the county on a conditional use permit, which is essentially a checkbox approval.
The only checkbox that did not get this approved without any public hearings, Planning Commission evaluation and environmental impact study is the height. It is 110 feet tall and 4.8 million square feet. The tra c study was done during the height of COVD, May 2020. So far the height is the only piece that is stopping this checkbox approval.
The height will be reviewed by ministerial process, one person, Karen Garner the zoning administrator who built an Amazon warehouse in Gilroy along with several other warehouses.
She is new to El Dorado as of January of last year. This land is not zoned for heavy industrial use; it is zoned research and development. Even by El Dorado Hills zoning, this is not allowed even by conditional use permit. Seem strange to you? It’s strange to us.
KATHY WILLIAMS El Dorado HillsEDITOR:
Why isn’t anyone looking into why credit card companies are allowed to charge 15% to 30%-plus interest rates on credit card balances? The current prime rate is 8%.
One company reported its gross profit margin of 97.5% and net income of $14.96 billion, ending September 2022. This is more than most of the oil companies.
Everyone is complaining about high gas and food prices. Every time some people purchase these products they use their credit card.
An internet search came back with information that the average household has an average credit
card balance of $7,279. The average American has four credit cards.
RICK GROVE Shingle SpringsEDITOR:
Mr. Garon’s letter on Trump’s so called COVID-19 crime is a ludicrous hoot from end to end. It should be featured on Comedy Central.
Let’s look at some of his more hilarious points. He says nobody may ever now the origin of the virus. Let’s look at that. It breaks out right next to a Chinese lab partially funded by Dr. Fauci whose primary goal was to research the creation of exactly that type of virus. Saying we’ll never know the origin of COVID is like finding a body outside a Nazi concentration camp and saying we’ll never be able to guess what happened.
Then, like many lefties, he complains that Trump didn’t take drastic action on COVID. Gotta love the hypocrisy of the left, who at the time called Trump a xenophobe for taking immediate and drastic action by shutting down travel to the U.S. from China.
As to the drugs that Mr. Garon complained about, saying that Invermectin supposedly killed some people, the vaccine did the same thing to some people. People are di erent; the same drugs don’t always have the same e ect on everybody. But having a government Ministry of Truth telling doctors what they can say and prescribe is not the answer unless you’re in Russia.
Like I say, Garon is a comedian. The tragedy is that the left’s misguided lunge toward authoritarian rule a ects real people.
GEORGE ALGER PlacervilleWANT TO SEE YOUR LETTER TO THE EDITOR?
Visit our website at mtdemocrat.com, click on “Submissions” and then click on “Letter to the Editor” to submit your letter.
So, we have until Tuesday of next week to fi le state and federal tax returns — three days more than usual — because the 15th and Ides of April are tomorrow, and we shouldn’t have to taint an otherwise glorious, spring Saturday waiting in line at the post o ce.
OK, I know there are other ways to accomplish the odious annual tax-fi ling burden than having to go in person and drop the papers o at the nearest USPS facility. I’ve done it numerous di erent ways mostly clear cut and above board. A few have been a tad on the i y spectrum, but I’ve generally given them up in favor of clear cut and above board. It’s no longer worth the alternative.
It never was a question of refusing to pay taxes in opposition to “government” in the abstract or even in the specifi c. Most times it was because we weren’t very organized and didn’t get around to meeting the deadline on time ... or didn’t have enough cash on hand to cover what we owed.
The solution then was to acquire and work on the documents,
scrounge up the relevant receipts, put them somewhere safe, forget them and fi le for one or more threemonth extensions.
Easy. Simple. Legal. Worry about it in July or October, whichever came later. Unfortunately, if you owe something it’s still due on the 15th or a couple days after, like this year.
I’m good with paying my fair share for aid to Ukraine and support for friends and allies. And I’m good with paying my fair share for many of those in need at home and around the world. You could call me a globalist (small g).
National security is important to me as it is to most of us. And although I cringe when I hear the cost of Patriot missiles, nuclear submarines, combat arms and equipment, MREs and jet fuel, I trust that enough of our on-duty civilian and military folk are looking out for our interests and doing their jobs the best they can. And they should be paid accordingly and proudly by us.
I don’t begrudge the less fortunate among us and wish we as a society
could and would do more for them.
Having worked in more than one local public social-educational system, I know theres are always careless practices along with wasteful programs and operations. Regardless of their fl aws and defects, however, I’ve never been directly aware of or harmed by misguided or misapplied human error.
On the other hand, a few incidents in recent days have virtually pushed me into rethinking my optimistic view of government. The federal judge in Texas, Matthew Kacsmaryk, who ruled to ban the sale of and access to mifepristone and related medications has stepped way beyond the boundaries of fair jurisprudence. How dare one government functionary make universal life and death decisions that could directly impact more than half of this country’s population.
Not so far away and north of Texas, the Republican majority in the Tennessee State Legislature voted to expel two young fi rst-year representatives. They are Black and broke some traditional protocols
in the government center while protesting gun violence in general.
Gloria Johnson (not Black), Justin Pearson and Justin Jones were joined by hundreds of local students who had conducted formal and widespread school-walkouts that day. Johnson, Jones and Pearson admitted befouling the House’s “decorum” when they challenged colleagues openly with bullhorns and raised fi sts in the wake of the murders of three 9-year-old kids and three sta members in a nearby Nashville elementary school. Johnson was not expelled, as I noted, she is not Black.
The grotesque assault on democracy by Kacsmaryk and the Tennessee Republican legislators puts me in mind of Arlo Guthrie’s classic ’60s anti-war adventure “Alice’s Restaurant.” Guthrie said “If you want to end war and s**t, you gotta sing loud.” I think Arlo would consider updating his poetry to better refl ect 2023.
Chris Daley is a biweekly columnist for the Mountain Democrat.
CHRIS DALEY
I’m good with paying my fair share for aid to Ukraine and support for friends and allies. And I’m good with paying my fair share for many of those in need ...
I don’t own a semiautomatic rifl e but if China or Russia invades us, I want one. Actually, I want one for my wife, children and grandkids. We need at least a chance to defend ourselves.
For more than a decade the Main Street Farmers Market has operated at the Bell Tower in Placerville Wednesday evenings.
Mountain Democrat file photo
Continued from A1
Owen responded to the decision in a guest opinion article published in the Mountain Democrat, saying the organization “is willing to contemplate the move of the market to the Mooney Lot” if the city provides certain allowances/amenities. The list of requests included electrical connections for the market, trash receptacles and signage posted by the city directing visitors to the new market location for at least two market seasons.
Owen previously told the Mountain Democrat the council’s move of the market could qualify as a breach of the city’s existing contract with Farm Trails.
Mollette Continued from A4 Brazil. There are many wonderful people in Brazil but also plenty of thieves.
We didn’t grow up with fences and walls. We don’t want them today, but do we have a choice?
Many believe eliminating semi-automatic rifles is the answer. A killer with two six shooters could still kill someone and probably several in a classroom filled with children. If we outlaw guns in this country, then evil people will find a way to smuggle them into our country to other evil people who aren’t concerned about keeping the law. We will be defenseless and at their mercy. Fentanyl is illegal but more than a 100,000 people died in 2022 from fentanyl and synthetic opioids.
I don’t own a semi-automatic rifle but if China or Russia invades us, I want one. Actually, I want one for my wife, children and grandkids. We need at least a chance to defend ourselves.
By all means we must stop the mentally ill from having such weapons but that’s hard to do when someone has no record of any psychotic episodes. There is nothing wrong with a waiting period for buying a gun and a background check.
Obviously private and religious schools are targets like any other school. Everyone is vulnerable.
Every school and board of education must be in serious planning stages for implementing the best security possible for our children. This is something that has never happened to most schools or churches in America but everyone is vulnerable. It only takes one such act next month
or 10 years from now to kill people and devastate a community.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is a national columnist and the author of 13 books.
AL-ANON is here for you if you are bothered by someone else’s drinking. Call for meeting times. (916) 334-2970. https://sacal-anon.blogspot. comt
AMERICAN ASSOC. OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN Foothills of EDC Branch. Our mission is to advance gender equity for women & girls. Science and Math Camp Scholarships, programs & interest groups. Leave voicemail for Laurel (530) 417-7737 or Sara (530) 417-7138 eldorado-ca.aauw.net
El DORADO COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB Dedicated to all aspects of ham radio. Meetings held on the third Tuesday of each month at the El Dorado Sheriff’s office, 200 Industrial Drive, Placerville, 6:30 pm. Visitors and non-hams welcome. Info at www.edcarc.net
LEARN & PLAY CRIBBAGE Cribbage is a fun, fast paced game that will surely keep you on your toes! **All skill levels **Learn to play by ACC Rules (American Cribbage Congress) **Beginner instruction available **Compete in weekly Cribbage tournaments. Call 916-768-4452 for more information. Gold Country Cribbers play Wednesday afternoon 4:30 pm at the Moni Gilmore Sr Center, 990 Lassen Lane, El Dorado Hills, CA. 95762
Ready for real change?
CELEBRATE RECOVERY meets Wednesday nights at 6:30 pm at Bayside Church of Placerville, 4602 Missouri Flat Road, Placerville. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. We are a Christ centered recovery program to find healing and recovery from our hurts, habits, and hangups. Email elebratercovery@ baysideplacerville. com. Facebook: https:// www.facebook.com/ CRBaysidePlacerville.
Struggling with life? CELEBRATE RECOVERY is for any Hurt, Habit or Hang-up. We are a faith-based recovery program for life’s issues and struggles. Join us Thursday nights at 6:30pm at Green Valley Church, 3500 Green Valley Rd, Placerville. Doors open at
6:15pm. Children’s programs are available for ages 3 months to 18 years old. Email: celebrate@ greenvalley.church. Find us on Facebook: https://m.facebook. com/crgvcc/
DEMOCRATS – Come meet with the United Democrats of El Dorado County at Round Table Pizza–Missouri Flat Rd. in Placerville at noon on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Call (530)391-6414 or see edcdems. org for more information.
GOLD RUSH CHORUS now welcomes both men and women to share the joy of singing fourpart harmony in the barbershop style. To learn more or to book a performance, call Howard at (530) 647-6513 or Kent (530) 651-3575
Hangtown Women’s TENNIS Club. Join fun-loving women Wednesdays 9am-11am at El Dorado High School. Lessons, social events, only $50/year. Call Cindy 805-540-8654.
MARSHALL HOSPITAL
AUXILIARY is looking for volunteers. It is a rewarding opportunity to do something for the community. We will be holding interviews on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Please contact Linda Grimoldi at 530-6202240 or call the Auxiliary Office at 530-626-2643.
SENIOR PEER COUNSELING
Seniors 55 and over who are grieving, depressed or having issues related to aging can meet one-on-one with a caring senior, professionally supervised and trained to listen and encourage. Call (530)6216304 to leave a message and get started.
TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION OF EL DORADO COUNTY
Our mission is to educate the public on tax issues that affect them. Our meetings are held every Monday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 at Denny’s Restaurant, Fair Lane Drive, Placerville. Meetings are open to the public except the first Monday of each month. For more information call Louis (530) 622-6763. We are a nonpartisan organization
Since 1984! New & Refurbished Computers Sales and Service
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Sixteen gymnasts from Cameron Park’s Tumble Time Gymnastics became individual champions at the 2023 National Gymnastics Association State Championships at Cal Expo in Sacramento earlier this month. Scoring enough points to secure a position, Tumble Time will have the opportunity send all 73 of its athletes to Utah May 12-14 for the sport’s regional championships.
Along with other California athletes, Tumble Time gymnasts will vault, beam and bar, among other events, against competition from Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Washington and Idaho states.
“They performed and did exactly what they have been practicing to do which paid off this time at state,” said coach Haylee Brown. “It’s always fun when they win but I love the experience they get as a team traveling anywhere as a group, being able to compete together at these different championships they worked so hard all year and to see that
come to fruition in these post-season championship meets.”
Qualifying scores at regionals will send the athletes to a national meet that will be held in New Orleans, La., in June.
Boys
Level 1 Jacob Summerton; Still rings, vault and high bar
Henry Darby; All-around
Level 2 Ryder Garrido; Still rings Hudson Boston; Vault
Level 3 John Bronson; Floor and still rings
Mason Brown; Mushroom, vault, parallel bars, high bar and allaround
Girls
Level 1 Third place team overall
Level 2 Second place team overall
Networks Continued from A3
Communications Committee for recognizing the importance of this bill and helping to ensure that all residents of California receive equal access to these essential services which allow for democratic engagement, social mobility and economic equality and growth.”
“We deeply appreciate Sen. Alvarado-Gil being a fierce champion of closing the digital divide for rural communities across the state,” commented Rose Cullen, chair of
Eleanor Clapson; Vault, bars, beam, floor and allaround Gaby Hardisty; Vault, bars and floor
Everly Gillette; Bars
Samantha Dierks; Vault
Level 3
Ellie Nichols; Vault, beam, floor and all-around
Brooke Davis; Vault, beam, floor and all-around Lina Collins; Beam Lillian Oby; Beam and floor
Level 4 Olivia Mai; Beam
Level 7 Second place team overall Lexi Lehr; Beam
the California Communications Association. “As builders of the telecommunications networks in rural areas, we know firsthand the critical need for upgrading these networks so our customers can enjoy the benefits of high-speed internet access, like tele-health, tele-agriculture, distance learning, e-commerce and emergency notifications. The senator’s SB 754 is an important component of the state’s overall efforts to bring digital equity to all Californians.”
These Tumble Time gymnasts will have the opportunity to show off their skills in May at the National Gymnastics Association Regional Championships.
Courtesy photo
across the floor and tribal artwork can be seen as one walks through the doors of the hotel.
Across the lobby windows showcase sweeping views of El Dorado County to the north, a view that can also be seen from hotel rooms.
The five-story hotel, developed and designed by Williams and Paddon Architects and Planners, has 156 rooms available, including 25 suites. The rooms range in size from 440900 square feet.
Guests will also get to utilize a fitness center and an outdoor terrace with a pool that is expected to be completed by summertime.
Red Hawk Casino executives, who did not comment on the project’s price tag, say they hope the layout and design make the hotel the go-to overnight option.
“Casino guests and community
members have inquired for years about a hotel at Red Hawk Casino. We are beyond thrilled to finally bring this project to fruition and look forward to offering additional first-class amenities to our guests and community members,” said Red Hawk Casino President and CEO Bryan deLugo.
The hotel is directly connected to the casino, which opened in December 2008 and Apex, which opened December 2022.
Apex features multi-level go-kart racing, an interactive bowling alley, golf simulation bays, an arcade and virtual reality gaming rooms.
What’s next for Red Hawk?
“We are always looking into new stuff to stay competitive and provide what communities are looking for,” said Red Hawk’s Director of Marketing Emily Cady.
Solutions to puzzles in Classified section of newspaper.
CANCER (June
who contribute to the smoothness of your daily life. Some of them have gone unacknowledged recently. You have the opportunity to really make someone’s day.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You are adept at cracking codes of all kinds, but especially the kind presented by people who don’t know how to communicate their needs and feelings. You’ll tune in and start translating to the best of your ability.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It turns out, the issues you think are unique to you are actually experienced by many, some of whom have already come up with solutions that will work for you, too. Call out your questions, however strange you may think they are. You’ll get answers.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Don’t worry if you’re not sure which choice to make. There was a time you had no idea what you wanted, so you just chose the easiest thing. Look at all the good that grew from that one choice.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Even though you prefer everyone to get along, you can’t totally control the way people mix with the environment and with each other. After you’ve done all you can to promote harmony, all that’s left to do is observe.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). It wasn’t your intention to have so many things going on in your life at once, but that’s just the way it happens sometimes. A full agenda has the effect of putting things in their proper scale.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). There are many ways to stand up for yourself, but none is so satisfying today as simply doing what you want instead of what others would prefer. To treat yourself is to send the message to all that you like yourself enough to make your own wishes important.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). When the intensity of a situation turns up, you transform into a kind of inflatable. Your buoyant attitude keeps others afloat. Your air-sign nature combined with emotional warmth makes rising above it all relatively easy.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You will adapt to new places and circumstances. In some cases, it’s the other person who needs to adapt to you, though. Be very careful in your communication. Criticism would only put the other person on the defensive. Offer solutions instead and you’ll be golden.
And be entered into a very special raffle!
Thursday April 27th from 1:15-4:15pm
Explore all that Ponté Palmero has to offer as you stamp your passport to be included in the drawing for our BIG Raffl e Prize!
Enjoy Food and Drinks as you discover what Living Life without chores looks like!
Choose the retirement community that offers Independent Living, Assisted Living or Memory Care. Choose a life without chores but full of friendship and fun!
• Spacious fl oor plans
• Full kitchen with granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances
• Washer and dryer in your unit
• A robust activity calendar and transportation program
• Attached garages for every apartment and house
• Pet-friendly retirement community with NO pet fees! Dog walker available for additional fee.
Ask about our RENT FREEZE Promotion!
Choose the retirement community that you deserve! Come tour Ponté Palmero!
Stellar students
Congratulations to Alyssa Appel of Shingle Springs, who was named to the fall 2022 University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor’s List.
Congratulations to the following local students who were named to the winter 2023 Oregon State University Honor
Roll: Nicole G. Brown of Cameron Park; Nicholas Price of Camino; Cassidy
G. Rubin of Coloma; Anthony L. Barkley of Diamond Springs; Courtney M. Wagnon of El Dorado; Roxlynn Beecher, Sophia Costamagna, Alyssa Feutz, Aleksia N. Harris, Julia M. Hewitt, Tyler J. Honnold, Haley
E. Krueger, Ava K. Loge, Briella M. Miesner, Benjamin A. Reed, Gabriel
J. Rivera, Jacquelyn A. Sansone, Alexander
C. Uribe, Madison M. Washburn and Samantha
E. Willitts of El Dorado Hills; Alysa T. Bornstein, Joel Gilger and Lindsay
E. Scales of Placerville; Marissa L. Moore of Pollock Pines; Willamina R. Fleming of Shingle Springs.
April 18
Powell’s Steamer Company and Pub, 425 Main St. in Placerville, presents Eric Hill and Jonny Mojo for Taco Tuesday on the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 4-7 p.m. Stop by for some good food and good tunes. For more information call (530) 6261091.
April 19
The El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce hosts business luncheon with Assemblyman Joe Patterson, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cameron Park Country Club. Register online at business. eldoradocounty.org/events.
The Amador-El Dorado Forest Forum hosts Amador-El Dorado Unit Forester Megan Scheeline, 6 p.m. at The Breakroom, 4131 South Shingle Road, Suite 7, Shingle Springs. To reserve a space for dinner contact Diane Dealey Neill at dianedealeyneill@gmail. com or (530) 417-1960 by 5 p.m. Monday, April 17.
Cary Morin Duo performs 7-9 p.m. at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit tickets. clubgreenroom.com.
April 20
The Camino Fire Safe Council hosts a meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Camino Community Church, 4205 Carson Road. For more information visit edcfiresafe.org/camino.
Martin Media presents Rob Schneider’s I Have Issues tour, 7:30 p.m. at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit HarrisCenter.net.
Faythe Vollrath, a lecturer in the UC Davis Music Department, will perform music for harpsichord, with works by Manuel de Falla from 1926, Elliot Carter from 1952 and Libby Larson from 1989. This concert takes place at 12:05 p.m. at the Ann E Pitzer Center recital hall in Davis.
Sampada Aranke will talk about her new book, “Death’s Futurity: The Visual Life of Black Power” with Essence Harden, curator and program manager at the California African American Museum. The event takes place at 4:30 p.m. at the Jan Shrem
Democrats of El Dorado County recently celebrated the Fred Winn Democratic Party Essay Contest winners at a special luncheon. The winners in the annual event were:
Anandita Gupta, a junior at Oak Ridge High School, first place, winning $1,500; Cory Coker, a senior at Ponderosa High School, second place, winning $750; Anna Standeven, a senior at Union Mine High School, third place, winning $500; and honorable mentions Natalie Salter, a senior at Ponderosa High School, and Emma McDonough, a senior at Ponderosa High School.
Junior and senior students from all public high schools in El Dorado County were asked to submit an essay addressing: Schools have formal rules against bullying, yet it persists. Describe accounts of bullying you may have experienced or witnessed and suggest ideas to reduce bullying in your school.
Anandita’s moving essay addressed a personal account and her resolve to not let negative actions dictate her life. Cory wrote about cyber bullying on a large scale and how everyone has to work to end this cycle. Anna Standeven covered bullying at the school level and hoped facing the issue and being kind would solve the problem.
Dr. Ed Manansala, El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools, addressed the luncheon guests and noted each essay was “academically brilliant, engaging and empathetic” on the topic of bullying.
He said there are many issues facing students face many issues today, Manansala noted, adding that education is an important tool in dealing with the mental health of students and society.
“We must create partnerships with leaders, community members, parents — everyone – to make a safe environment,” he said. “Prevention needs to happen before things escalate and communication is a key factor. Communicate kindly.”
Equal access, compassion and caring are needed, Manansala continued. “We need to be persistent in stopping bullying.”
At school, I didn’t feel safe. I used to beg my mom to let me stay home. I had no friends. My grades dropped.
Simply put, I hated school. And it was all because of bullying. This boy made it his mission to single me out every day and pick apart every part of my being. My whole fifthgrade year was consumed by hiding from him. I wouldn’t do homework or study for tests because school stopped being about learning. It became a place of fear. That’s what bullying does — it keeps children from reaching their highest potential and causes immeasurable damage to their self-esteem.
Let me give you the background on my bullying. This boy transferred to my 5th-grade class at the beginning of the year.
I was ten years old, so I didn’t know that many of the insults he threw at me were racist. He would call me a “terrorist” and make countless 9/11 jokes. I didn’t understand the gravity of what he was saying. I just assumed that he would have said this to anyone, regardless of skin color. At one point, he asked me if I was related to Bin Laden. I didn’t realize who Bin Laden was. But I was used to people asking me if I was related to other Indian people. So I assumed Bin Laden was an Indian friend of his, and he was asking if he was a relative of mine. He teased me for my Indian name. His go-to name for me was comparing my last name to “poop,” because he seemed to think my last name sounded like the word “poop.” He made me feel ashamed of my culture. I hated how Indian my name sounded. As ashamed as I am to admit it, I would sometimes wish for a “Sophia” or a “Katherine.” Something that wouldn’t make him laugh. No matter what I was doing, he would seek me out. I had no friends. No one was there to protect me. It seemed like no one cared.
By Anandita GuptaEvery year, my school had shown mandatory bullying videos, which suggested solutions to bullying. So I tried them. I tried ignoring him, but that made him try harder. I tried to fight back, but that just made him laugh. At one point, I, in tears, reported him to my teacher. She shrugged and told him to apologize, and for a minute, I thought it was over. I thought I had won. But that seemed to make him angrier. He and the rest of my class labeled me a “snitch.” My parents were at a loss for how to help. They offered to tell the principal, but I begged them not to. I honestly believed that it was my fault for his behavior — that maybe I was rude or strange. It made me incredibly insecure, a trait that still stays with me to this day. I didn’t realize that I wasn’t the problem, but he was. To this day, I still don’t know why he singled me out.
I’m sixteen now, and he hasn’t looked at me since then. After fifth grade ended and sixth grade started, he seemed to have forgotten about me. But I haven’t forgotten him. Even today, if I see him in my path, I will turn around and walk the other way. Recently, I was sitting in a coffee shop so I could study. He and his friends were walking toward the entrance. I started to panic and hyperventilate. I sat in the restroom until I thought he was gone. I am still scared of him.
Now that I am older, I can recognize that he was also a tenyear-old child who didn’t know any better. I can rationalize every plausible reason as to why he did what he did — maybe he had a poor home life, maybe he had insecurities, maybe he was just bored. But I will never know, and it doesn’t erase the hurt he caused me. I’ve been in therapy for years, trying to
n See GuPta page B5
Unlike the dramatic fight scenes in movies like “The Karate Kid” (1984), which featured Ralph Macchio and Mr. Miyagi, bullying today is often more mentally draining and harmful to the victim than physical fights. Without downplaying the harm caused by physical damage or assault, in recent years, mental forms of bullying have been on the rise. In extreme cases, bullying has resulted in mass shootings, the murder of innocent people, or the suicide of the victim themselves. To blame others rather than the perpetrators themselves would be controversial, but in some cases, encouragement or being bullied by others could have led to their actions. It is essential to recognize that bullying is not just a harmless rite of passage but a destructive behavior that can have severe and long-lasting effects on the well-being of the victims. The semi-strict anti-bullying rules placed in our schools do not cut it, and there needs to be widespread awareness about the harmful effects bullying can cause and how it can be avoided or stopped altogether.
One of the more prevalent acts of bullying in our community, called “cyberbullying,” occurs not in person but rather from behind a screen of protection. Cyberbullying is a form of aggression that takes place online or through the use of technology. It includes the use of electronic devices such as smartphones, computers, and social media platforms to harass, threaten, or harm others. The worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 led to a significant increase in online schooling and the use of apps such as Zoom or Skype. The increased volume of adolescent users on these platforms has led to more encounters with cyberbullying. I myself have been a victim of
By Cory Cokercyberbullying many times in my life as a young adult and have witnessed it countless times. Throughout my life, countless slurs, offensive words, and threats have been said to me, but I have found that almost all of them have been said to me over the internet. This form of harassment has become so prevalent that I and many others I have asked have become desensitized due to the overexposure of the act. Cyberbullying has become a growing problem among children and adolescents, and it can have severe consequences for the victims. One of the reasons for the harsh effects of cyberbullying on mental and physical health is that victims may feel that they cannot escape the online harassment. Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying can follow the victim everywhere, as the victim may be constantly connected to the internet and social media. This can make it difficult for victims to find a safe space and can increase the negative effects of bullying. Although cyberbullying can be harmful, using technology in a positive way can also be a creative and rather unique way to prevent it. For example, schools can use social media platforms to create a positive, supportive community where students can share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a safe and controlled environment.
To reduce bullying in schools and society, a multi-faceted approach is needed. One important step is to create a culture of respect and empathy. This can be done by educating students, staff, parents, and anyone else included in a student’s life about the negative effects of bullying and the importance
n See Coker
Dementia is not an illness or disease.
It is a loss of brain function that directly impacts the ability to process, understand and respond to events and circumstances.
Dementia affects about 10% of Americans, most are 65 and older.
Author and national speaker Laura Wayman recently spoke to 100 attendees at a free public event held at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds.
“Everyone wants to feel loved, valued, secure and safe,” shared Wayman. This is especially true of those who struggle with dementia. During her talk, Wayman gave valuable insights into how caregivers can enhance and even enjoy their relationships with their loved ones or clients.
Wayman teaches an affirmative response method, an easy-to-learn, easy-toapply communication style for connecting with the person who has dementia. The key is to meet the person with dementia where they are — to join them in their feelings. Instead of saying “You can’t go home; you live here,” say, “I bet your home is lovely.” Create moments of meaning.
“I’ve gained a magnificent new perspective,” said one participant, which is the first step to what Wayman calls being “dementia aware.” This enlightenment improves the caregiving experience.
The free community event was sponsored by Marshall Medical Center, through a generous donation from Bill and Sue Faulkner to the Dementia Fund held at the Marshall Foundation for Community Health.
A separate seminar for healthcare professionals and caregivers was held prior to the public event. Through the Dementia Fund, the Faulkners hope to educate and support both seniors and those caring for someone with dementia or memory
loss. Those interested may contribute to the Dementia Education and Support Fund at the Marshall Foundation for Community Health at marshallfound.org. For more information on dementia care visit laurawayman.com.
Courtesy photos
Attendees, above, prepare to hear Laura Wayman speak. At right, Mindy Danovaro, Marshall Medical Center’s executive director of Philanthropy, and Sue and Bill Faulkner join Wayman for a photo.
Using a car seat correctly prevents injury and helps keep children safe. Keep your child in a forward-facing seat until they reach 40 to 65 pounds or the height restriction of the seat. Use booster seats until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years of age. When your child reaches those limits, they can use lap and shoulder belts that fit properly and should remain in the back seat.
Find what each kid has in common with the others in the same row, across, up and down, and diagonally. (Hint: In the first row across, they all have caps.) Then look to see which kid does not have their seatbelt fastened correctly.
Take this quiz and find out.
1. Why wear a seatbelt?
a. It’s a fashion accessory.
b. It hurts to sit on it.
c. It protects you in a crash.
2. Booster seats are for:
a. astronauts.
b. hockey fans.
c. kids until they reach 4’ 9”.
3. Booster seats are great because:
a. you ride high and can see out of the window.
b. you ride high, so the belt doesn’t poke your neck.
c. all of the above.
4. To sit in the front seat, you should be at least:
a. 103 years old.
b. 25 years old.
c. 13 years old.
5. Wear your seatbelt:
a. under your arm or behind your back.
b. loose so you can move freely.
c. snugly across the shoulder and chest, belt low on your hips.
6. In someone else’s car, should you ask for help if the seatbelt doesn’t fit right?
a. No. It’s rude.
b. No. They’ll think you’re dumb.
c. Yes. Otherwise, you could be seriously injured.
Are you an eagle-eyed reader? Circle the errors in the article below. Then, rewrite it correctly.
Last Teusday, our class read read an article in the newsppaer about the importance of child safety booster seats. In cars.
The article sad that 80-90% of kids who should be in child safety booster seats are not. Children who are 4'9" and and under should be using these seats insted of adult safety belts when traveling.
The kids in this car are buckled up and ready to go. Help this family find their way to the park.
Have a parent try. Who found the most differences?
How many differences can you find between these two pictures?
PASSENGER SEATBELT SHOULDER BOOSTER INJURY SAFETY WEIGHT
If the answer to the math problem following each statement is even, then the statement is true. If the answer is odd, the statement is false.
1. The back seat is the safest place to sit until age 13. 3 + 3 + 2 = ______
2. You should use a booster seat until you are 4’9” tall. 11 - 5 = ______
It’s the first day of school. Bobbing along in the current of kids heading for their first-block classes, I grin at familiar faces and wave to people I know. I glance around in time to notice something different: there’s a group of desks sitting on the lawn in front of the library. I slow down to look. It’s the student suicide memorial. Each desk has a rose and a card on it with the name of an El Dorado County teen who took his or her own life in the last decade. There’s about a dozen of them. Later, during second-block announcements, we’ll be asked to take a moment of silence to remember the classmates we’ve lost, but now, standing in front of the row of desks, I just feel sad. Suddenly, being an upperclassman seems bewildering. How could I have gotten so far without realizing what was happening around me?
This year, my school started a campus-wide anti-bullying campaign. Along with the student suicide memorial that was on display during the first week of school, there’ve been assemblies, reminders about mental health resources, and a crop of posters with messages like “be a buddy, not a bully”, “if you see something, say something”, and “we rise by lifting others”. The campaign is part of the district’s response to bullying incidents across the county. Before this year, I didn’t realize how much of a problem bullying was at my school, but the campaign has helped me notice more and has gotten me thinking about the challenge facing my community. Bullying is hitting kids harder now than it was a decade ago because it’s happening more often outside of school. In the past, for the most part, bullying was something that stayed on campus. Even though victims might’ve been facing other challenges outside of school, home was at least a
By Anna Standevenplace where they could be safe from bullies. Now, though, because of all the ways we’re connected by technology, it’s easier for life at school to find its way back home. Cyberbullying is a growing problem because a lot of teens had fewer chances to meet face-to-face during the COVID-19 pandemic and have become more reliant on the internet to keep up with their friends. Cyberbullies have more opportunities to target their victims anonymously, and the results are more devastating because so many relationships rely on text and social media. Additionally, unlike other types of bullying, cyberbullying can happen anywhere, and it’s often hard to spot. Because many schools are starting to crack down hard on cellphone usage, a lot of students are afraid to report cyberbullies, since telling a teacher may just mean losing their phone. “What’s the point?” kids wonder. “No one will be able to catch them anyway.” For many victims of cyberbullying, there doesn’t seem to be an easy way out. While doing research for this essay, I was on the lookout for statistics about the relationships between bullies and their victims. Some of the ugliest climaxes I’ve seen have come out of situations where the bully and victim knew each other beforehand, so I was surprised how hard it was to find articles that talked about how these relationships got started. At least in high school, bullying doesn’t seem to play out as the moviescene scenario “big kid dumps little kid in a trash can”. Although it’s true that bullies can be people the victim doesn’t know, teens have usually found a clique by sophomore or junior year, and a passing remark is easier to brush off than it was in middle n See standeven, page B5
Gupta Continued from B1
repair the damage he caused.
I think the best thing we, as a society, can do to remedy bullying is to educate. My bully should have been taught that what he was saying was racist and made aware of the seriousness of his actions. He was also a child and had to have learned that behavior somewhere. He likely grew up in a home where certain rhetoric about brown people was common, so he was just repeating it. But children need to learn how their actions affect others. Adults also need to be educated on how to recognize bullying and how to stop it. My fifthgrade teacher didn’t take real action. She made him apologize to me, but she did nothing when that worsened the bullying. Once, she even told me that boys tease girls when they have crushes on them, and that I should be flattered. I’ve had friends who were bullied by other girls, which the teachers chalked up to “girl drama.” According to J. Yoon of Wayne State University, some teachers consider bullying to be a normative behavior that may help children acquire social norms (Yoon). So
Coker Continued from B1
of treating others with kindness and respect. It’s also important to recognize that bullying is not just a problem for schools and parents to solve. It’s a problem that affects the entire community, and it requires the involvement of everyone to address. Parents, educators, community leaders, and government officials all have a role to play in reducing the incidence of bullying and creating a safer and more just society for all. Society must also provide support for victims of bullying. This can include counseling, mentoring, and other forms of support to help them cope with the trauma of being bullied. Another method of preventing harassment is by focusing on the bullies themselves. It’s important to understand that some bullies have unhealthy family lives, have had a challenging time in school, or can’t fit into social cliques in their class environment. Focusing on the possible oppressor can be a more effective way to hinder behavior like this, such as by encouraging students to be active in the community. This can include
Standeven
school. I think high school bullying, like kidnapping or abuse, is often done by someone the victim is close to, not a stranger. Of the confrontations I’ve witnessed, some of the worst have happened because of a bad breakup or a betrayed friendship. A bully who feels like he’s been wronged has more reasons to be cruel and less responsive to people telling him to stop. Known bullies can be even more dangerous because they usually have personal information like photos or phone numbers, making it harder for the victim to get away. There’s also another layer of pain that comes from being treated horribly by someone you once trusted, and that’s why I believe that scenarios where the bully and victim had a close relationship are the ones that can be the most devastating and that contribute to acts like school shootings and suicide. Seeing classmates sobbing in the school bathroom, hearing fights break out between kids on campus, and reading awful texts that exes have sent to my friends after a breakup, all I can think sometimes is: where will it end?
When it comes to bullying, sometimes real problems can be hard to recognize. At my school, a lot of the paths are lined with bushes, and it’s rare to
mtdemocrat.com mtdemocrat.com mtdemocrat.com mtdemocrat.com mtdemocrat.com mtdemocrat.com mtdemocrat.com mtdemocrat.com mtdemocrat.com mtdemocrat.com
with so much news, the site could get addicting.
much needless suffering happens because teachers and parents are unaware of what children are going through. Stop Bullying. GOV writes, “To ensure that bullying prevention efforts are successful, all school staff needs to be trained on what bullying is, what the school’s policies and rules are, and how to enforce the rules” (Stop Bullying.GOV). If staff are trained on how to effectively intervene in bullying situations and how to create a positive and inclusive school culture that promotes respect and kindness, it will help to ensure that the school’s bullying prevention efforts are effective and that all students feel safe.
My experience with bullying is just one example. and a tame one at that. No one ever physically attacked me or cyber-bullied me. And bullying stretches far beyond the examples previously mentioned. According to an article written by the Center for Education, Law, and Society at Simon Fraser University, “bullying is now viewed as a more complex and widespread problem.” Different categories of bullying have been identified, such as
volunteering, participating in charity events, and promoting community service projects. A requirement of service hours for an anti-bullying cause could help to establish this more firmly. These activities can foster a sense of purpose and belonging among students, which can make them less likely to bully others. Incorporating elements of mindfulness and meditation into the school curriculum could also be an effective way to prevent bullying. These practices can help students develop self-awareness and selfregulation, which can in turn reduce feelings of anger and aggression. Special classes or extracurriculars have proven to reverse habits like these. A class I began taking this year was an extracurricular called peer mentoring. Although this class focuses on the academic needs of students, it also teaches them healthy learning habits and positive views of others, such as their teachers and classmates. Although this class does not directly focus on preventing bullying, it teaches them important knowledge,
Continued from B4
go a day without seeing a group of guys shoving each other into them. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether a pushing match is horseplay or something worse.
However, real bullying is out there, and the campus community is starting to realize that something has to change. This year at my school, the awareness campaign has been a big step towards controlling bullying, but other measures like stricter enforcement and Safe School Ambassador trainings are also helping. The district has done a good job of posting things like emergency phone numbers, providing access to mental health resources, and including helpful links on the school website.
However, there are many factors that are hard to control, like broken homes and negative atmosphere on campus. Another part of the problem is that there can be a lot of peer pressure keeping students from doing the right thing.
Kids at my school are encouraged to report issues anonymously through the STOPit app, but often the students who report bullying end up getting made fun of
for bringing in adults.
In the end, I think the best way to prevent bullying is to keep spreading awareness. Programs like Safe School Ambassadors can be important because they teach kids how to help victims of bullying and defuse escalating situations, especially since students are often on the scene before adults. However, these programs also face stigma, and the teens who are willing to take them seriously often aren’t the ones who need the most help. Stricter policies, clear consequences, prevention committees, and serious talks with students may also help to discourage bullies, but I think the most important part of stopping bullying is going to be persistence. It can take a long time to change someone’s way of thinking, to change a community’s attitude, or to change the world, but I believe that if we keep trying, things will eventually change for the better. Hoping and hard work, along with a little pulling together and a lot of looking around, will make the future brighter, not just for the victims of bullying, but for all of us.
The Mountain Democrat, California’s oldest newspaper, and Village Life newspapers are looking for community-minded reporters to take freelance assignments.
Assignments will range from news coverage to features. Freelance reporters must have interviewing skills and photography experience and be able to meet deadlines. Journalism experience preferred.
Interested candidates should email a résumé, writing and photography samples and a brief cover letter to Krysten Kellum at kkellum@mtdemocrat.net.
overt and covert, physical, verbal, and psychological, as well as various forms of cyberbullying. Bullying causes irreparable damage and claims countless lives. And not just to the victims, but also to the bullies. Bullied children are more likely to drop out of school, and bullies themselves report a higher likelihood of substance abuse (CDC). Bullying also puts children at a higher risk of mental illnesses like anxiety and depression. It can even cause suicide. Research Gate says bullied students are twice as likely to commit suicide. And what’s more, kids who are bullied have been linked to 75% of school shooting incidents, according to the National Library of Medicine. Children should be allowed to reach their highest potential, and bullying only hinders that. Ignorance usually starts and perpetuates bullying, so education is the clear remedy. What if my teacher had been properly educated on recognizing and responding to bullying? He might have stopped sooner. I might not have felt so alone. I might not still be afraid of him.
similar to how a class focusing on bullying may. Even a semester-long class like the required “Information and Communications Technology” (ICT) can influence people’s opinions on this subject. If this could not be organized, a more focused view on the issue of bullying could be incorporated into the curriculum of health class, which is required for all freshman students in our county.
In closing, bullying is a destructive behavior that can have severe and long-lasting effects on the well-being of the victims. While physical forms of harassment have been around for a long time, mentally damaging forms of bullying, such as cyberbullying,
have been on the rise in recent years. A detailed approach is needed to reduce bullying in schools and society. This includes creating a culture of respect and empathy, providing support for victims of bullying, and focusing on the bullies themselves to understand and prevent their behavior and prevent it. Special classes or extracurriculars can also help students develop healthy learning habits and positive views of others. It is important for everyone to recognize that bullying is not just a problem for schools and parents to solve but a problem that affects the entire community requiring the involvement of everyone to address it.
El Dorado Irrigation District is seeking:
Senior Information Technology Analyst
Salary: I: $8,736.92-$10,619.78 per month
FFD: Open until filled.
First review of applications on April 24, 2023.
The Human Resources Department is currently accepting applications for the position of a Senior Information Tenchnology Analyst.
For a complete job description and the REQUIRED application, please visit our website at www.eid.org or call 530-642-4074.
Cafeteria Assistant
If you enjoy the beautiful outdoors and working with children, we currently have an amazing opportunity as a Cafeteria Assistant at our Sly Park Conservation and Environmental Education Center near Pollock Pines.
Starting Hourly Rate: $17.23
Click here to apply today: http://www.edjo.in/1746010
Maintenance Custodian
If you have experience performing custodial and general maintenance services and enjoy the beautiful outdoors, we currently have an amazing opportunity as a Maintenance Custodian at our Sly Park Conservation and Environmental Education Center near Pollock Pines.
Starting Hourly Rate: $20.47
Click here to apply today: http://www.edjo.in/1745652
For more information, contact Sacramento County Office of Education Personnel Dept. 916-228-2332
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Solution to Puzzle 2
Family Features
Over the last few years, self-care has taken on heightened importance for moms across the country.
that is why mrs. t’s Pierogies is partnering with actress, entrepreneur and mom Joanna Garcia swisher for its “all-star moms” campaign to spotlight the importance of finding ways to recharge and help these real-life superheroes prioritize me-time.
simplifying self-care for all-star moms everywhere can be as easy as designating a “recharging room” in the home, which offers a personal space to reset and relax. When creating your recharging room, keep these tips from Garcia swisher in mind:
•Balance Beautiful with
Functional: Find hosting staples like cutting boards, utensils and napkins that match the vibe of your personal space so the area can double as an entertaining space.
•Keep it Easy to Clean: Choose furniture and decor that can handle a little mess from snacks, like mrs. t’s mini Pierogies and your favorite dip, which are perfect for enjoying while binge-watching favorite shows.
•Add a Personal Touch: showcase a piece that tells a story, like a favorite embroidered pillow, piece of meaningful jewelry or framed photo of an amazing memory.
•Bring In Something
Cozy: add cozy touches like a blanket, fluffy pillow or favorite slippers for something comfortable.
•Make a Statement: let your inner designer shine by taking a chance on something bold that represents a part of your personality you don’t normally indulge.
•Plan an Anchor Piece: this item is the foundation for everything, such as a vintage armchair, comfy couch or storage piece that tells a story. Choose this item first then build around it. moms can also prioritize self-care by whipping up an easy-to-make recipe, like these margherita Pizza Pierogy skewers, for themselves, a gathering of friends or an afternoon family snack. Pasta pockets filled with creamy mashed potatoes, cheesy goodness and other big, bold flavors, mrs. t’s Pierogies are simple to prepare. this means more time for moms to do the stuff they love like unwinding from the day with favorite
Skewers
Prep time: 10 minutes
total time: 35 minutes
servings: 9
Pizza Skewers
1 box (12.8 ounces) Mrs. T’s Mini Classic Cheddar Pierogies
3 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for brushing pierogies, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1-2 cups mozzarella balls (18 total)
fresh basil leaves bamboo skewers (10 inches)
Fresh Pesto:
2 cups fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese salt, to taste ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat air fryer to 400 F.
to make pizza skewers: in small bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, olive oil, salt, ground black pepper and oregano; toss to
coat. transfer tomatoes to air fryer tray or basket. Cook in air fryer 10 minutes, or until tomatoes are slightly charred; remove and set aside. lay pierogies on same tray or basket. make sure not to overlap. lightly brush each side with olive oil. Cook about 12 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Flip halfway through cooking.
to make pesto: in food processor, process basil; garlic; olive oil; pine nuts; Parmesan cheese; salt, to taste; and pepper, to taste, until smooth. (if preferred, use store-bought pesto.)
add one pierogy to bamboo skewer followed by one tomato, one mozzarella ball and one basil leaf. repeat with ingredients until each skewer is filled. Drizzle with pesto.
Flatbread
adapted from butteryourbiscuit.co
2 flatbreads
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic, diced
4 chicken tenders, cooked and cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered salt, to taste pepper, to taste
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle seasoning
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Place parchment paper on baking sheet and add flatbreads. Sprinkle cheese on flatbreads. Top with garlic, chicken and tomatoes. season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake 16 minutes until cheese is melted.
in small bowl, mix ranch and chipotle seasoning.
Family Features
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Drizzle ranch dressing on flatbread and sprinkle with cilantro leaves.
For more al fresco recipe ideas, visit Culinary.net.