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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
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Volume 170 • Issue 73 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
El Dorado Hills sees 3 wildfires in 3 days Mountain Democrat staff Firefighters have sprung to action three times in the past three days to battle vegetation fires on the west end of El Dorado County, with the largest of the blazes scorching 35 acres Monday afternoon and posing a threat to homes in the Blackstone Parkway area of El Dorado Hills. Things heated up on Father’s Day when a fire sparked near Serrano Parkway, close to its intersection with El Dorado Hills Boulevard. El Dorado Hills Fire Department firefighters, with the help of other area fire agencies, responded to the Sunday blaze at approximately 3:37 p.m. when temperatures soared to 103 degrees. EDH Fire Deputy Chief Michael Lilienthal said the fire jumped Serrano Parkway before crews could get a Mountain Democrat photo by Thomas Frey handle on the flames, which burned a total of Firefighters patrol a 35-acre grass fire that sparked Monday in El Dorado Hills. 7.48 acres.
“Some wood fences and storage containers were damaged in the fire,” Lilienthal said. “Firefighters were able to protect all houses and structures in the area.” In Monday’s blaze, which was reported at about 3 p.m., crews mitigated a fast moving grass fire progressing toward residences off Blackstone and Valley View parkways. “Crews were able to mitigate the threat to structures and put a wet line around the fire within two hours of dispatch,” states a Cal Fire press release. The 35-acre fire was 95% contained as of Tuesday morning with full containment expected later in the day, according to Cal Fire officials. No one was injured and no structures were destroyed although damage to some wooden fencing was apparent. n
See fires, page A3
Appeal denied Trojan to Tokyo over plaque placement Eric Jaramishian Staff writer In a 5-0 unanimous decision, a committee of federally chartered veteran organizations voted to deny an appeal of the El Dorado County Veterans Alliance’s decision to place a plaque honoring Navy Capt. Paul Jacobs’ on the Honor Wall of the El Dorado County Veterans Monument in Placerville. A hearing was held virtually over Zoom Monday morning. First to speak was Ken Schoniger on behalf of Richard Buchanan, founder of the Veterans Monument in Placerville, who was not present for the virtual meeting. Buchanan contested the placard’s placement on the grounds that Jacobs’ wartime heroism does not meet the monument’s specific criteria for honorarium established by the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors in 2007.
Jacobs, who died at his son’s Grizzly Flat home in December, has been credited with a humanitarian mission that rescued nearly 32,000 Vietnamese refugees in the Vietnam War. The criteria states: • Plaque honorees are defined as recipients of the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross or any person or unit who, while serving with the military, distinguishes himself in action by extraordinary heroism. • The action in which the plaque honoree is being honored must have taken place under one of three circumstances: while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States, engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict where the United States is not a belligerent party. • The act to be commended must have been performed in the presence of great danger or at great personal risk and must be performed in a manner that renders the individual highly conspicuous among others of equal grade, rate, experience or position of responsibility. “There has never been any lack of desire for recognition of Jacobs,” said Schoniger on behalf of Buchanan. “The only issue is there’s a set n
See Appeal, page A7
Photo by Mike Lewis/USA Swimming
Bryce Mefford, above wearing his Cal Berkeley swim cap, swims his way into the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The Oak Ridge High School graduate is the first Trojan to earn a spot on Team USA. He reached the milestone Friday, coming in second behind Olympian Ryan Murphy in the 200meter backstroke final with a time of 1:54.79. “It was a great swim. I felt great doing it,” Mefford said in an interview after the race. Other local swimmers made a splash at the Omaha, Neb., olympic trials, including Colby Mefford, Patrick Sammon, Ben Dillard and Matt Klotz. Representing Oak Ridge High School at a 2017 swim meet, Bryce Mefford, right photo, gives his all during the race. The entire community will undoubtedly be cheering for this talented young man during the Tokyo Olympic Games, July 23 through Aug. 8.
Newtown bridge to be replaced Carla Hass El Dorado County Chief Administrative Office The El Dorado County officials last week announced a victory in the appeal of Newtown Preservation Society, et al. v. County of El Dorado,” preventing further delay of the county’s project to replace the existing Newtown Road Bridge over South Fork Weber Creek. In February 2020 the trial court had ruled in favor of the county and petitioners appealed that decision. In a 34-page decision the Third District Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the county on all arguments and affirmed the trial court’s decision. “We are pleased that the Third District Court of Appeal ruled in our favor and affirmed the trial court’s denial of the petition for writ of mandate by a local resident and the Newtown Preservation Society, alleging that the county violated the California Environmental Quality Act in pursuit of this important public safety project,” said Deputy County Counsel Breann Moebius, who represented
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the county in the trial and appellate courts. “After more than two years of legal wrangling that risked delaying the project we’re happy to get on with the business of the county to replace the 90-year-old Newtown Road Bridge to make it safer for the residents in the area and the general traveling public,” said Department of Transportation Deputy Director John Kahling. The central disputes on appeal involved petitioners’ claims that the trial court erred in upholding the mitigated negative declaration because, according to petitioners, there was substantial evidence of a fair argument of potentially significant impacts on resident safety and emergency evacuation and the County impermissibly deferred analysis and mitigation of those impacts. The appellate court rejected these arguments, finding that petitioners incorrectly framed the issues. As one of a handful of CEQA cases
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See newtown bridge, page A7
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