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Volume 170 • Issue 132
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Ceremonies to honor spirited, selfless veterans John Poimiroo Mountain Democrat correspondent Two glass ceilings are being shattered by the same person Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. at Veterans Day ceremonies in Placerville when the first California Air National Guard member and first female veteran is named El Dorado County Veteran of the Year. MSgt. Jennifer Newman, CAANG-Ret., was chosen by a committee of veterans as Veteran of the Year, from among nominated veterans, for her “extraordinary service to El Dorado County.” Newman was described as a “quiet hero,” giving of her time and talents generously with no thought of personal return. Standing just 5-feet, 1-inch tall, Newman
said these words spoken by Dwight D. Eisenhower represent her outlook on life: “What counts is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.” She, indeed, has demonstrated a fighting spirit many times her size. She is a volunteer hospital aide at Marshall Hospital, has volunteered at the Pope Humane Animal Shelter and has provided consistent and continual person-to-person assistance and referral to homeless veterans and the veterans community as a volunteer at the Placerville-based Military Family Support Group. Photo by John Poimiroo Most notably, Newman assisted last year’s Veteran of the Year, Leo Cooper, in providing MSgt. Jennifer Newman, CAANG-Ret., seen here holding a photo of her late husband who was also a veteran, was chosen by a committee of veterans as n See Ceremonies, page A5 Veteran of the Year in El Dorado County.
Eddie Hester sits in flight position from the left seat during his time flying helicopters in the Vietnam War. The Rescue resident’s story is featured in a new book.
Courtesy photo
Heroes of the air H H new book celebrates wartime pilots H H
Jana Rossi Staff writer
I
magine being 22 years old, flying a helicopter into central Vietnam on a mission to rescue South Vietnamese allies. PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
Gunfire blasts, smoke and shrapnel surround you. Will you complete your mission without being captured? Will you make it out alive to see your family again? This was reality for volunteer helicopter pilots, including Rescue resident Eddie Hester, interviewed by author Colin Cahoon for his latest book, “Mended Wings: The Vietnam War Experience Through the Eyes of Ten American Purple Heart Helicopter Pilots during the Vietnam War.” Cahoon, an Army pilot, was stationed at Ford Ord upon graduating from flight school in 1984. He was assigned to the 307th Attack Helicopter Battalion as an Aero Scout Platoon Leader with the 7th Infantry Division until 1988.
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“It’s not easy to talk about these things. Like most vets, I found it hard to talk about.” — Eddie Hester, Rescue resident and Vietnam veteran Army pilot It was during his flight school training that he became intrigued by the stories his Vietnam vet flight instructors shared. At times they would attach an anecdote to describe how the mirage of bullet holes came to be on the old wartime Hueys they once flew in combat and were once again piloting as instructors. While the holes have since been concealed with patches, the memories are not as easy to hide. “These Vietnam Vets became my heroes and mentors,” Cahoon shared, explaining that it was during those days
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of flying that he decided he would one day like to document their stories. As happens, life got busy and after law school and raising three children with his wife Susan, Cahoon went on to write two novels, neither one having to do with helicopter pilots or the war — but he never forgot about his dream of one day writing about the pilots he so admired. His good friend Chris Kilgore received a Purple Heart for his flight service in Vietnam and Cahoon decided Purple Heart recipients n
Redistricting maps get a closer look Eric Jaramishian Staff writer In the final redistricting workshop held at the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors chambers in Placerville Nov. 3, four alternative maps were presented by county staff for public and supervisor review. Nine maps were introduced at the previous redistricting workshop Oct. 14, where supervisors favored the City-Based Alternative map that spawned two revisions. City-Based Alternative Revision 1 adjusts district boundaries to prevent major communities from being split between two districts. Here’s what each district would include in that map: • District 1 — Serrano, Carson Creek and all El Dorado Hills specific plans • District 2 — Cameron Park and a majority of south county • District 3 — Placerville, Diamond Springs and the Camino and Mosquito communities • District 4 — Shingle Springs, Rescue and the majority of north county • District 5 — Pollock Pines and South Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Basin With the City-Based Alternative Revision 2 map each El Dorado County district would include: • District 1 — All El Dorado Hills specific plans except for a portion of the Bass Lake Specific Plan • District 2 — The remainder of the Bass Lake Specific Plan and the entirety of Cameron Park and the majority of south county • District 3 — Placerville, Diamond Springs, the portion of south county north of Sand Ridge Road and Camino • District 4 — Shingle Springs, Rescue, the Divide and much of north county • District 5 — South Lake Tahoe, the Tahoe Basin and Pollock Pines extending down south of Pollock Pines to include the Sly Park Hills and Sierra Springs communities Taking a different approach on redistricting, the county redistricting team requested a map that would put Pollock Pines in a district other than District 5. In the Pollock Pines Alternative portions of North and South County are included in District 5 to make up for the population loss. Starting on the east side of the county, District 5 would include South Lake Tahoe west to Fresh Pond and Jenkinson Reservoir, Somerset and Mt. Aukum in South County and Mosquito and Volcanoville in North County. District 1 contains
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