Smog owner Steve Hawthorne.
Photo by Chris Woodard
To Do
Top activities in the region
Now
Studio 81 at El Dorado High School presents “Hadestown” through May 17. For tickets and more information visit studio81arts.com.
El Dorado Musical Theatre Presents “Legally Blonde” at the Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom through May 17. For tickets and more information visit harriscenter.net or call (916) 608-6888.
The Stage at Burke Junction presents “Waiting for Godot” through June 1. For tickets and more information visit stageatburke.com.
Imagination Theatre at the El Dorado Fairgrounds presents “The Importance of Being Earnest” through May 25. For tickets and more information visit itplacerville.org.
May 16
The Sierra Renaissance Society presents “How to Get More Out of Art and Life!” by Deborah Pond-Hindle, 1-2:30 p.m. at the Mother Lode Lions Hall, 4701 Missouri
Flat Road. Admission free for members; public invited to attend two meetings for free. The Sierra Renaissance Society of El Dorado County is dedicated to lifelong learning and hosts presentations and workshops throughout the year. For more information visit srsedc.org.
May 17
The El Dorado Hills Community Services District will host the Youth Fishing Derby; Derby 1: 8-9:30 a.m.; Derby 2: 10:15-11:45 a.m. Registration is required for this free event. For more information visit eldoradohillscsd.org.
Placerville Arts Association will host the Used Arts Supply Sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 5500 Silver Lode Drive, Placerville. For more information visit placervillearts.com.
Pleasant Valley Grange will host a Craft and Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 4765 Pleasant Valley Grange Road, Placerville. Vendors wanted, call (530) 644-1602 for information.
Join All About Equine Animal Rescue for its 12th annual Boots and Bling at 4 p.m. including barbecue dinner, live, silent and virtual auctions, entertainment and a nohost bar. Boots and Bling raises funds to support AAE’s horses and operations. For more information visit allaboutequine. org/events.
SPOTLIGHT Business
GS Smog & Repair in Shingle Springs has been a reliable destination for vehicle emissions testing, offering efficiency, honesty and family-oriented customer service for more than 20 years. Owner Steve Hawthorne, who took over the family business in 2004, prides himself on treating every customer with respect and care.
“I treat everyone the way I’d want my grandma treated,” Hawthorne said. “That’s the standard we hold here.”
What sets GS Smog apart is its commitment to convenience and expertise. With four smog machines and multiple technicians on-site, the shop operates without appointments, ensuring quick service for a diverse set of vehicles. The business specializes in testing just about all cars built from 1976 to the present.
Community ties run deep for Hawthorne, who coaches middle school basketball and sponsors local high school sports teams. Hawthorne prefers to keep advertising to a minimum
and rely on these connections that often bring in loyal customers, with generations of families returning for their emissions testing.
“We get a lot of word-of-mouth business because people know we’re honest and don’t push unnecessary services,” Hawthorne said.
Transparency is vital at GS Smog. Whether a car passes or fails, Hawthorne and his team provide straightforward assessments without pressuring customers into extra repairs.
“If I don’t know something, I’ll tell you,” Hawthorne said. “And if I can’t help, I’ll recommend someone who can.”
For Hawthorne, the shop’s success comes down to treating customers like neighbors, because it’s not just Shingle Springs that he services but people from Folsom to Lake Tahoe.
GS Smog’s reputation as a trustworthy, community-focused business continues to grow, proving that honesty and personal service still make for a solid business plan.
“I take pride in being someone people can rely on,” Hawthorne said. “That’s what keeps them coming back.”
Photo by Chris Woodard
GS Smog & Repair owner Steve Hawthorne works on
STARS AT SCHOOL
Taking the Oath
Oak Ridge High School
Oak Ridge High School proudly celebrated six outstanding seniors at its annual Military Send Off on April 30. The heartfelt ceremony recognized students who have committed to serving in the U.S. Armed Forces after graduation, honoring their courage, dedication and sense of duty.
The event featured opening and closing remarks from English teacher and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Hugh Corkery, while the Beale Air Force Base Honor Guard presented the colors and the school’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble performed the National Anthem.
U.S. Army representatives spoke about the students’ character and achievements, affirming their readiness for military service.
Captain Saif S. Hasson administered the Oath of Enlistment, marking a milestone for:
Amanda Haase – U.S. Naval Academy
Jackson Craine – U.S. Air Force
Robert Silos – U.S. Air Force Academy
Sanii Turner – U.S. Air Force Reserves
Cole Esten – U.S. Air Force ROTC
Trevor Brown - U.S. Air Force
Each student’s path is unique, but all share a commitment to service above self.
Make fresh produce a summertime staple
Family Features
Summer brings sunshine-filled days along with the season’s bounty of some of the most delicious, locally grown produce. Now is the time to enjoy those in-season fruits and vegetables when they are at the peak of freshness.
In fact, if the rich, creamy texture of avocados is one of your favorite additions to summer meals, there’s exciting news: it’s California avocado season and the state’s 3,000 avocado growers are expecting their largest harvest in five years with an estimated 375 million pounds of this locally grown favorite on its way to grocery stores and restaurants this season.
California’s avocado groves are thriving thanks to growers’ stewardship of the land and long-term investments in the crop. The rich soil of the state, warmed by its sunshine, cooled by gentle coastal breezes and tended to by dedicated growers, gives the fruit its exceptional taste and rich texture.
Peak availability is expected through summer, allowing those eager to track down fresh, delicious and local avocados the chance to enjoy recipes like Avocado Superfood Salad,
which combines seven superfoods in a tasty, colorful salad: kale, spinach, walnuts, blueberries, sweet potato, tomatoes and creamy avocados.
For an easy, shareable appetizer, all you need are some sustainably farmed California avocados and a few fresh ingredients to create Quick and Easy Guacamole, which you can make your own simply by adding your favorite ingredients.
“While California avocados are a seasonal treasure, this year’s robust harvest means more people will have the chance to enjoy them,” said Terry Splane, vice president of marketing at the California Avocado Commission. “From the subtle nutty flavor they bring to morning smoothies to adding a creamy decadence to fresh salads and serving as the star ingredient in quick and easy guacamoles, California avocados are a delicious addition to any meal — so go grab them now while they are still in season.”
Find more recipes by visiting CaliforniaAvocado.com or by following along at Facebook.com/CaliforniaAvocados and Instagram.com/ca_avocados.
Avocado Superfood Salad
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4
8 cups kale or baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste, divided
1 cup walnuts
1 cup blueberries
1 cup diced, cooked sweet potato
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
2 large, ripe, fresh California avocados, seeded, peeled and sliced horizontally vinaigrette dressing, for serving
Directions: Slice kale and spinach into fine shreds and place in mixing bowl. With clean hands, massage 1 tablespoon olive oil into shredded greens. Place on serving platter or individual plates and sprinkle with a little salt.
In medium skillet over medium heat, heat remaining oil. Add walnuts and stir to coat. Toast 2-5 minutes, stirring frequently, being careful not to burn walnuts. Remove from pan and let cool slightly.
Arrange blueberries, sweet potatoes, grape tomatoes and avocado slices on top of kale and spinach, leaving space for walnuts. Add walnuts to salad and sprinkle with remaining salt. Serve with vinaigrette dressing.
Note: Walnuts may be toasted ahead of time or skipped if you prefer not to toast them.
Quick and Easy Guacamole
Total time: 5 minutes
Servings: 8
4 ripe, fresh California Avocados, peeled and seeded
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced
sea salt, to taste
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced fresh tortilla chips or veggie dippers, for serving
Directions: Coarsely mash avocado with juice and pepper. Season with sea salt, to taste. Fold in diced tomato and serve with fresh tortilla chips or veggie dippers.
Find the 7 words to match the 7 clues. The numbers in parentheses represent the number of letters in each solution. Each letter combination can be used only once, but all letter combinations will be necessary to complete the puzzle.
CLUES
1 verb for a dog with a bone (4)
2 not proper (8)
3 like a jungle (4)
4 still water alternative (9)
5 Patti Smith’s debut album (6)
6 like a martinet (6)
7 actor Ryan’s children, maybe (8)
SOLUTIONS
©2018 Blue Ox Family Games, Inc., Dist. by Andrews McMeel
CHUNK (A164616)
He is a solid black DSH and absolutely not a goonie. He is a hunk of love. 1yr.
FANCY (A163982) Here is your chance to adopt a yellow furred F Anatolian Shepherd mix. Don’t let her down; ADOPT. 2yr.
Adopt Today! Second-Chance Animals Make First-Class Pets!
To Ask about these pets at the El Dorado County Animal Shelter (530) 621-7631 • 6435 Capitol Avenue, Diamond Springs
RUBY (A164642)
ou can take this love-able pooch to town in a nice harness. Come on down to meet her. Mocha brindle, Boxer mix 1yr.
GINGIE (A164111)
Large selection of handmade artisan chocolates • Our chocolates paired with wines from El Dorado & Amador Counties
• Gift boxes of all sizes for any occassion
THAT (A163522)
HENRYETTA (A165181) It is “that” time of year. Yes! Kitten season is here. M black 13 weeks DSH
you have a fenced pasture in need of some tilling? This is your girl. Gray Pot-bellied pig age unk.
All Things Equine
How to Tell if a Horse is Too Hot
As summer approaches and temperatures start to rise, you might be wondering if your horse is too hot. If you don’t have much experience in this area, it is difficult to tell if your horse is just tired from being worked, or if they’re actually in danger from being too hot.
How can you tell if a horse is too hot? A horse that is too hot might demonstrate the following symptoms:
• Continuous rapid breathing
• Body temperature above 105 degrees Fahrenheit
• High heart rate
• Unwillingness to move
• Weak or sluggish movements
• Disinterest in the environment
• Skin that does not retake its form quickly after a pinch test
• Discolored gums
Being able to tell if your horse is too hot is essential if you’re planning on working with them at all throughout the warmer months of the year. Study these warning signs to recognize the symptoms.
The Chimney Smoke RIP offers $599 to $2,000* to replace a non-EPA certified woodstove with a new efficient, cleaner burning, eligible EPA certified device. *$2,000 incentive available to low -income residents or residents of designated low -income communities
The expanded Clean Lawn equipment Incentive Pr ogr am (CLIP) offers $100 to $2,000 to replace a piece of gas powered lawn equipment with a zero-emission cordless electric version. Now includes push and riding mowers, leaf blowers, weedeaters, and more!
The new CHar ge At your Residence and Go Electric (CHARGE) incentive program offers plugin car owners and lessees a $300 incentive to purchase and install a home EV charger.
The Drive Clean! incentive program offers El Dorado County residents a $599 incentive towards the purchase or lease of an eligible electric, plug-in hybrid, or hydrogen vehicle.
