Local superstar
ART HONORS HEROES
Lexi Boeger set to receive a prestigious award.
Sculpture in Tahoe commemorates those who fought Caldor Fire. Prospecting, B2
News, etc., B1
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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
Volume 170 • Issue 122 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
Monday, October 18, 2021
Worker shortage shuts down repair shop Eric Jaramishian Staff writer Sierra Nevada Tire & Wheel temporarily closed its location in Pollock Pines Friday due to a shortage of available workers. The auto repair and tire shop was operated by a skeleton crew of two employees, manager Travis Beckett and crew member Victor Carrillo, who for about two-and-a-half months tried to keep the business running. “Business has not slowed down,” Beckett said. “We just keep moving and trucking right along. I mean, business is going great but we just don’t have the people to keep up with the amount of work coming in.” The Pollock Pines location is the only tire shop in that area. “People really appreciate having us up here so close to everything,” Beckett said. “Now they get to drive to Placerville to have anything done.”
Beckett and Carrillo will transfer to the business’s location in Placerville, where there is also a shortage of workers. Geoff Bodle, owner of the business since 2013, said they usually run a crew of 25 for both locations. Now they are working with 15 employees trying to keep up with customer demand. The problem started in January. Crew members left one by one over about six months, either to go to school or to look for other work, which is normal turnaround for the business, according to Bodle. The issue is hiring new people to fill the rotation of employees. “I’ve had individuals tell me ‘No, I don’t want a job,’” Bodle said. “We throw it out to whoever walks in and they say, ‘Nope, I’m riding the wave.’ That’s what their responses are.” n
See Worker shortage, page A3
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
Sierra Nevada Tire & Wheel crew member Victor Carrillo and manager Travis Beckett work on tire installation Wednesday, Oct. 13, at the Pollock Pines auto shop. Carrillo and Beckett were the only two employees operating the business’ Pollock Pines location, which will be temporarily closed due to a shortage in staff.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Forest Service
Enough burned trees have been removed in some areas of the Eldorado National Forest to open recreation areas back up.
Photo by Sherri Bergmann
The Lady Bruins Mountain Bike Team frequents land near Rasmussen Park for training year-round. From left to right are Willa Fleming, Avery Daubert, Gabriella Worth, Megan Price and Catherine Cambridge.
Residents hope to protect
‘hidden treasure’
Sherri Bergmann Mountain Democrat correspondent
L
and adjoining Rasmussen Park has for years been used as part of residents’ recreational PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
lives, ideal for walking/ they have come to hiking, fishing, dog cherish. walking, horseback “We’re building riding, bird watching, ourselves out of any nature exploration, land,” said Chris Cockrell, photography and even mountain biking. “It became a natural The area known sanctuary of tranquility to locals as for me. I would miss it Rasmussen Pond is hidden beyond terribly if it were gone.” the baseball — Resident Vera Nicholas field and tall grass. However, a “for sale” sign has brought it owner of Sam’s Town out of the shadows Cyclery in Shingle and now community Springs. “We need to members have shared have more natural their concerns about landscape and recreation area.” the land being razed The current property for development — it’s owner has been zoned as R1A (1-acre kind enough to keep residential) and is Rasmussen Pond open designated as HDR for public access. Serious (high-density residential high school mountain – one to five residential bike riders on the Bruins units per acre) — and Mountain Bike Team destroying the natural have trained on the trails and uncommon beauty
weekly, year-round for the past nine years. “It’s centrally located. We don’t have to travel far. It’s safe, no traffic. The girls on the team love the trails — the beauty of the area, the flowers,” head coach Jay Morris said. “We help to clean the trails, the litter and remove fallen branches, etc. They have grown up enjoying the land while their brother or sister plays on the sports fields at the adjacent Rasmussen Park.” Five long-time residents formed a collaboration to preserve the Rasmussen Pond land for public use a few months ago when the property came up for sale. To inform the Cameron Park n
See Hidden Treasure, page A7
Fire closure on forest reduced Mountain Democrat staff With Caldor Fire containment nearly at 100% and fire suppression repair and hazard tree removal complete in some areas, Eldorado National Forest officials pulled back the burn closure area a little bit Friday. Also, although it’s a bit chilly and most developed campgrounds are closed, the camping prohibition order was lifted and gas stoves are again allowed outside the closure area. “Keep in mind that most developed campgrounds and day use sites are closed for the season, as is typical for this time of year,” forest officials said. Check the forest website at tinyurl.com/rsvbwbty for recreation facility status. Desolation Wilderness, areas north of Highway 50 and west of the closure area, and areas on the south side of Highway 88 will reopen. Exceptions are small areas around Wrights Lake and Thunder Mountain due to ongoing fire suppression repair work. Forest officials say boundaries of the fire closure area will continue to be evaluated as conditions change. Winter recreation sites that are currently within the closure area will be assessed and will be opened if determined safe to do so, including Sierra-at-Tahoe, Adventure Mountain and sno-parks. Desolation Wilderness trailheads that access its south side are within the Caldor Fire closure area and are still closed to public use for both overnight and day use access. Those trailheads are Rockbound, Twin Lakes, Lyons, Pyramid Creek/Horsetail Falls, Ralston and Echo Lake. Forest visitors are asked to reference fire closure details and a map at tinyurl. n
See Forest closure, page A8
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