Readers’ Choice
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Readers’ Choice 2020 Now in its 27th year, our annual survey reveals readers’ local favorites from best hamburger, to best car repair, to best salon and more.
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Wednesday, November 4, 2020
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Volume 169 • Issue 128
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Man fatally shot in south county dispute Dawn Hodson Staff writer
Mountain Democrat photo by Kevin Christensen
Placerville residents Dina Ray, left, and daughter Mikala fill out their ballots at the vote center at Placerville Town Hall Saturday. More than a dozen vote centers opened Oct. 31 throughout El Dorado County for in-person voting or ballot drop-off.
EDC sees surge in voter turnout n Turnout has not yet
surpassed 2016 election Dawn Hodson Straff writer Election returns are already strong according to the latest numbers from the El Dorado County Elections Department. Elections department data show 86,550 ballots had been submitted as of 6:45 p.m. Nov. 2. With a total of 135,201 registered voters, that’s a return rate of 64%, with another day of voting to go. Of those 86,550 ballots, 38,888 were submitted by mail and 47,662 at drop boxes. The total number of ballots that have been tabulated as of Monday evening was 68,252. Other ballots have yet to be opened, have been challenged or have been returned undeliverable. “Currently (the county) is far ahead of other elections at this time of the
process but it’s not the most ballots cast yet,” said Registrar of Voters Bill O’Neill, noting that more than 98,000 ballots were cast in the 2016 election out of 116,000 voers — 84%. “In March there were
approximately 75,000 ballots cast so we have surpassed March,” continued O’Neill, adding that on Tuesday he expected almost another 30,000 n
See Voter turnout, page A3
A man died Sunday night after he was shot during an argument with another man in south county. Two men were engaged in a verbal dispute that escalated into a shooting, according to reports from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, with one man fatally shot and pronounced dead at the scene and the other transported to UC Davis for a gunshot wound. Both men have been identified and there are no outstanding suspects or involved parties, states a press release from the Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Anthony Prencipe said the identity of the deceased man will not be released until next of kin has been notified. The Sheriff’s Office also will not be releasing the identity of the injured man until the investigation is completed. Information as to where the men are from or what charges might be filed against them was not available as of press time. The incident occurred near the Amador County border. Based on the location the Amador County sheriff’s deputies initially responded and assisted but after it was determined the shooting occurred in El Dorado County the investigation was then turned over to EDSO.
La Niña to dictate winter weather Dawn Hodson Staff writer
Mountain Democrat photo by Dawn Hodson
Craig Shoemaker, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Sacramento, said this year there is an equal chance of it being either slightly drier or slightly wetter than normal. Typically he said California weather runs in cycles of it being drier or wetter than average, adding that “it’s rare to have a normal year.” For example, 2016-17 was the all-time wettest year on record, 2017-18 was average and 2018-19 was one of the driest.
A vote center worker directs voters to Town Hall.
n
See La Niña, page A3
Halloween hijinks
Mountain Democrat photos by Sel Richard
Halloween lovers rode in style to the El Dorado Hills Community Services District’s drive-thru Trunk or Treat event Friday. Alexia Ferreira, 8, came as Audrey from Descendants; Michelle McManus, 7, as a pirate; Nykia Freudenberg, 8, as a zombie prom queen; Billy McManus, 6, as a park ranger; and Jack McManus, 9, as a stormtrooper, left photo, from left. What were they looking forward to the most? “The candy and riding in the back of the truck,” Alexia said. The drive-thru event at EDH Community Park was a big success with smiles all around. Harry, 9, dressed as a convict clown, and Josie Simpson, 6, dressed as a witch, right photo, waited patiently in a line that snaked all the way through the parking lot onto Harvard Way. “It’s better that they’re having a drive-thru than not having it at all,” Harry said. “I like it!”
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