This film has ‘Soul’
And the winners are ... Mountain Democrat celebrates coloring contest participants.
Pixar has made another classic that will please audiences.
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Friday, December 18, 2020
mtdemocrat.com
Volume 169 • Issue 147
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Adult Protect d Human Services Agency ive Services
A Hero Gone But Capt. Paul Jacobs will never be forgotten by the many he saved Dawn Hodson Staff writer
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apt. Paul H. (Jake) Jacobs, 88, recently died at his son Tyler Jacobs’ Grizzly Flat home. But his passing Dec. 8 is not the end of his legacy — not by a long shot. Few can say they’ve saved the lives of thousands of people. Capt. Jacobs can.
A veteran’s story A Navy veteran who spent 26 years in the military before retiring, Paul Jacobs did five combat tours of duty in Vietnam. Two were on a minesweeper, one was as the executive officer of the Floyd B. Parks destroyer and one was as a plans officer of the CTF-7 in the Haiphong Harbor raid. The CTF-7 is the 7th’s Fleet primary
expeditionary task force. Jacobs most notable assignment was as the commanding officer of the USS Kirk, a Knoxclass destroyer escort responsible for one of the greatest humanitarian missions in the history of the American military. Actively engaged in rescue operations as communists swept through Southeast Asia, Jacobs and the USS Kirk first participated in Operation Eagle Pull and the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in April 1975. That was followed by Jacobs’ participation in Operation Frequent Wind and the evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam. Just as Jacobs and his crew steamed away from Vietnam — Saigon was about to fall to the communists — he got an order from his commander, Adm. Donald Whitmire: “We’re n
See Jacobs, page A8
Courtesy photo
Paul Jacobs was one of many on board the USS Kirk when the ships crew rescued thousands of Vietnamese refugees after the fall of Saigon.
In the holiday spirit
Graphic courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Mountain Democrat photo by Kevin Christensen
The residents at 2975 Five Mile Road in Placerville has decked its halls and them some, sharing the holiday spirit with the community. There are more than 50,000 lights, three “singing cedars” whose music is broadcast on the radio plus Santa Claus, of course, and The Grinch, according to information on californiachristmaslights.com. The display is lit from 5 to 9:30 p.m.
School, youth sports delayed again Thomas Frey Staff writer
shortage of substitutes and developing creative ways to safely bring all Due to a spike of COVIDstudents back.” 19 cases in El Dorado Oak Ridge Principal County, the El Dorado — ORHS Principal Aaron Palm Aaron Palm echoed Union High School District similar sentiments. “The announced that schools data that was coming in will not open full, in-person instruction Jan. 11 as just wasn’t in our favor. I think the board made the previously planned. right decision and we’ll get to that point where we’re On Nov. 10 the EDUHSD Board of Trustees able to open hopefully sooner than later.” announced plans to have students back in class The high schools are currently in a hybrid learning full time by the second week in January. Since model where students attend in-person class in that decision was made, El Dorado County has staggered model a couple days a week. seen a surge in COVID-19 cases, moving from the Neville said that has been sustainable at Union state’s orange tier and into the purple tier, the most Mine. restrictive. Then, under a plan devised by Gov. Gavin Oak Ridge moved to online only learning for about Newsom, the county and the entire Sacramento a week after cases spiked at the El Dorado Hills region was locked down for a minimum of three school; students have since returned to class part weeks due to dwindling ICU bed availability. time. EDUHSD Superintendent Ron Carruth said COVID-19 community data will be reviewed at the Sports Jan. 12 EDUHSD board meeting, during which trustees will look into the next steps toward moving High school athletes had hoped to start playing to full-time, in-person instruction. their respective sports by the end of December, but “Given the recent spike and increase in COVIDthat too has been postponed until at least Jan. 25. 19 cases since Thanksgiving, we understand that The California Department of Public Health coming back … on Jan. 11 would have exposed some recently released new guidelines for youth significant challenges,” said Union Mine Principal n See Delay, page A7 Paul Neville. “We’re currently working through a
“The data that was coming in just wasn’t in our favor. I think the board made the right decision …”
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COVID-19 vaccine has arrived Dawn Hodson Staff writer COVID-19 vaccines have come to El Dorado County. The county is receiving 975 doses of the Pfizer brand vaccine with Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe — where the most COVID-19 cases have been recorded — getting its supply of 510 vaccines first. Marshall Hospital in Placerville is set to receive 390 doses by Dec. 20. The Moderna brand vaccine should arrive in the county on or about Dec. 22. “The first allotment of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to El Dorado County has been allocated to frontline healthcare workers at both hospitals in the county …, emergency medical services first responders, as well as long term care facility and correctional staff due to their congregate environments,” states information on the county’s COVID-19 website. County officials hope everyone in this subgroup will be vaccinated by the end of January 2021 Public Health Officer Dr. Nancy Williams told the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors Tuesday priority is given to ensuring that the vaccination effort goes smoothly and timely. Both vaccines are said to be 95% effective, she said. Each person vaccinated will need to get two doses separated by several weeks in order for it to be effective; vaccines from different companies can’t be mixed. A priority system for who gets the vaccines lists those in Phase 1 receiving it first. Within Phase 1 there are three tiers. Those in Tier 1 are those providing direct patient care, including workers in hospitals (acute care, psychiatric), long-term care n
See Vaccine, page A7
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