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Harriers sweep Sierra Valley Conference finals.
Hands-on history event takes guests back to the Gold Rush.
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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 128 | 75¢
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Monday, November 1, 2021
Mountain Democrat file photo by Shelly Thorene
Ceremonies will return to the El Dorado County Veterans Monument in Placerville Nov. 11 to mark Veterans Day.
Veterans Day honors return John Poimiroo Mountain Democrat contributor For the first time in two years, an in-person ceremony will be held at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument on Veterans Day — Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. The El Dorado County Veterans Alliance, which has been assigned by the county to oversee improvements to and ceremonies at the Veterans Monument, has announced in-person ceremonies will be reinstituted. The decision follows consultation with county Health Officer Dr. Nancy Williams, who authorized the public gathering. “Dr. Williams explained to us that nearly 73% of El Dorado County residents over 50 years old are now fully vaccinated,” EDCVA President Gary Campbell said. “Considering that and because the ceremony occurs outdoors, we determined it’s time to return to holding an in-person ceremony. Nevertheless, we encourage any unvaccinated person attending the ceremony to wear a mask for their own protection and that of other unvaccinated persons.” The EDCVA had discontinued in-person Memorial and Veterans Day ceremonies in 2020 and through this past Memorial Day due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions, opting instead to conduct webcast and broadcast virtual ceremonies. “The pre-recorded virtual ceremonies were extraordinarily well-received with as many as 35,000 people watching this past Memorial Day ceremony,” Campbell said. “In comparison, only 1,000 to 2,000 people normally attend these ceremonies. “Regardless that virtual ceremonies draw more viewers, attending in person is particularly important to veterans and their families who are soothed by seeing warbirds fly overhead in tribute, smelling the n
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See Veterans Day, page A2
Mountain Democrat photos by Andrew Vonderschmitt
Smoke from the Caldor Fire laid down over Lava Cap Winery’s vineyards for weeks but much of the crop is expected to still yield quality El Dorado County wines.
Harvest optimistic
2021 vintages in the barrel while some grapes take hit
Andrew Vonderschmitt Staff writer
W
ith the Caldor Fire fully contained El Dorado County residents and businesses are returning to normal, at least as normal as can be expected. The wine industry is no exception. It is no secret that wine is big business in this county with more than 70 wineries making the best use of the unique terroir, sun exposure and weather conditions. When the call to evacuate came for many county wine grape growers the worst was imagined. What if crops are lost? What if smoke damage is too great? What if entire wineries succumb to flames? And the fire came smack in the middle of some wineries’ harvest seasons. Other than some minor cases of smoke effects, most of the county’s grapes seem to have been saved from the worst. Miraflores Winery east of the community of Pleasant Valley is back to normal operations and getting cleanup under way on the property, which was right on the fire line. “Though the amount of damage to our estate vineyards was small (we lost just a few rows), approximately 70% of our forested
Winemaker and owner of Madroña Winery Paul Bush checks on a 2021 vintage after some time in the barrel. Local winemakers say that while some of El Dorado County’s harvest this year was effected by smoke from the Caldor Fire, most was not. acreage was burned, including two small outbuildings,” Miraflores staff reported in an email update to wine club members. Lava Cap Winery in Camino was not near the fire but did experience a thick layer of smoke that seemed to lie on the vineyard some days, according to Nolan Jones, marketing and outreach manager at Lava Cap Winery. They had many grapes already in production when the smoke started to affect the area. Management closed the tasting
room and focused on testing the various grapes for any smoke effects that might be present. “Our whites were totally fine; most of our reds were fine,” said Jones. “All of them were fine except the cabernet and the cab franc.” He added that perhaps they were more susceptible due to the time of their ripening coinciding with smoke coming through the region. “I think the Bordeaux grapes are n
See Harvest, page A7
Parlin hopes to keep District 4 supe seat Mountain Democrat staff El Dorado County District 4 Supervisor Lori Parlin has announced she will run for re-election in 2022. “Representing the residents of District 4 has been a great honor and I am asking the voters to continue their support and confidence in me to represent them for another four years to ensure they
have a voice on the Board of Supervisors,” states Parlin, in a news release announcing her re-election campaign. Parlin said she is a strong advocate for communities and brings the community’s voice to board discussions. She said she also strives to communicate with constituents so there is an understanding of the constraints the board must work within.
“The public often feels that board decisions are made without consideration of public input,” states Parlin. “I work hard to share information with the public through my District 4 newsletter and on Facebook to help explain the processes we all have to follow and to ensure the community has the opportunity to be included and understand those
Lori Parlin processes.” As stated in the El Dorado County
General Plan, El Dorado County’s rural character is one of its most important assets and is something Parlin said she cherishes, has fought to retain and works to protect. Some District 4 residents in recent years have shown opposition for chain stores developers have proposed for their n
See Parlin, page A3
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