Effective: 03:09 PST on 01-16-2012
Expires: 15:45 PST on 01-16-2012

...FREEZING TEMPERATURES TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING...

.COLDER AIR MOVING DOWN FROM THE WEST COAST OF CANADA WILL MOVE
INTO CALIFORNIA BEHIND THE WEAK COLD FRONT TODAY. CLEAR SKIES
TONIGHT ALONG WITH A COLD AIR MASS OVER THE AREA WILL BRING BELOW
FREEZING TEMPERATURES FOR 6 TO 12 HOURS TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY

...CHANGE IN THE WEATHER OVER INTERIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TODAY...

AFTER A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER OVER INTERIOR NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA...AT LEAST PORTIONS OF THE NORTH STATE WILL SEE SOME
RAIN...MOUNTAIN SNOW AND WINDY CONDITIONS TODAY.
MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL FALL NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 80
CORRIDOR AS THE TAIL END OF A FRONTAL BAND MOVING THROUGH THE

The Pacific Ranger District in the Eldorado National Forest has a new ranger. Richard Thornburgh was selected to direct the day-to-day operations on the Pacific Ranger District, headquartered in Fresh Pond, three miles east of Pollock Pines. Thornburgh’s new district includes the Crystal Basin, a portion of Desolation Wilderness, and part of the Rubicon Trail.

EL DORADO COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SUPPORTS THINK BIG -- chambers of commerce joined Mayor Kevin Johnson and Think BIG Sacramento to deliver letters of support for a new entertainment and sports complex in the region.
http://www.sacobserver.com/2011/07/regional-chambers-sign-on-in-support-of-%E2%80%98think-big%E2%80%99/ 

MURDER TRIAL HEARS DETAILS OF 2004 KILLING OF CLAYTON SKINNER -- Clayton Skinner was an unemployed draftsman, a bike racer and artist who grew up in the Placerville area
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/07/22/3786397/murder.html 

PLACERVILLE SPEEDWAY TO HOST TWO-DAY INAUGURAL BULLRING NATIONALS -- it’s been more than two decades since the 46-year-old dirt track has hosted a national competition
http://www.prpond.com/51/placerville-speedway-host-two-day-inaugural-bullring-nationals-jul-22-2011.html 

CRYSTAL BASIN CELLARS VICTORIE RED BLEND -- Why is this a good summer wine? Because it has all the bigness of a good red wine without the “bite”.
http://cakegrrlscakery.blogspot.com/2011/07/drink-me-crystal-basin-cellars-victorie.html 

HARD ROCK GOLD MINING RETURNS TO CALIFORNIA -- Sutter Gold Mining Inc. will reopen the historic Lincoln Mine near the town of Sutter Creek. The company believes there is twenty tons of gold worth over a billion dollars still left in the company’s 3.6-mile parcel of land, an area that includes a long list of famous gold rush mines. The company expects that by the summer of 2012 they will be

 — The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is seeking public input on the Upper Echo Lakes Hazardous Fuels Reduction project. The proposed action includes tree thinning and surface fuels reduction that is intended to reduce the risk of wildfire and improve firefighting effectiveness.

The project area is located on national forest system lands within the wildland urban interface  on approximately 100 acres at Upper Echo Lake in El Dorado County, with a portion of the project in the Pyramid roadless area. Brief closures of areas adjacent to the Pacific Crest Trail are possible. This would ensure public safety while the project is implemented. In addition, resource protection measures are included in the project design to maintain the scenic nature of the trail.

The proposed treatments would establish a defense zone around seasonal residence cabins and outbuildings, allowing firefighters to carry out effective fire suppression activities, in the event of a wildfire. Cabin owners would retain the responsibility to

SHAKEDOWN AT THE PUMP! -- Gasoline futures tumbled almost 8 percent after a government report showed the strongest evidence yet that higher pump prices are forcing Americans to drive less. But in California, the Assembly has now scheduled Los Angeles Assemblyman Warren Furutani's 30 cent a gallon gas tax hike to be heard in their Revenue and Taxation committee on Monday.
http://www.prpond.com/51/shakedown-pump-may-14-2011.html

HIGHWAY 50 CLOSURE LEAVES PLACERVILLE WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC -- The California Highway Patrol said the normal Friday afternoon commute in Placerville is almost nonexistent due to the closure of Highway 50 at Echo Summit. Normally there is a large rush of traffic Friday afternoon, the CHP said, due to people heading to the Sierra for the weekend. Because of the two week closure at Echo Summit, many drivers are avoiding Highway 50 altogether or following the detour signs to Highway 88. Placerville residents have noticed the difference. “It’s like completely dead,” said Jacob Pile, a Placerville Resident. “There is no traffic whatsoever.” Business owners in historic Placerville told KCRA 3 they are losing valuable tourist dollars. “It’s frustrating because this is a tough time of year for everybody,” said Robert Huston, the owner of Buttercup Pantry and Restaurant, a visitor hot spot. “The local economy has been struggling for the last few years. This is like a double punch.” Huston has reduced his staff by 40 percent because ...
http://www.kcra.com/news/27890429/detail.html

TOUR OF CALIFORNIA: SNOW COULD SPOIL BIKE RACE'S TAHOE LEG -- As the Amgen Tour of California prepared to come to Lake Tahoe for the first time in the professional cycling race's six-year history, the excitement was tempered by the prospect of a spring Sierra storm and the recent death of a racer in Italy. The first of eight stages is set to start at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday in South Lake Tahoe. More than 140 riders are to travel clockwise around the lake, passing through Emerald Bay, Incline Village and back through South Lake Tahoe before making a left onto California 267 for the Northstar-at-Tahoe finish. If conditions allow. "Safety is paramount," ...
http://www.rgj.com/article/20110513/SPORTS/105140313/Tour-California-snow-could-spoil-bike-race-s-Tahoe-leg

EL DORADO COUNTY, SCHOOLS HAVE OPTED NOT TO RESCIND ANY OF THE 25 OR SO PINK SLIPS THEY ISSUED MARCH 15 -- said Vicki Barber, superintendent of the El Dorado County Office of Education. "We just feel it's too much of a gamble to bet that this is all going to be OK," she said. About a third of the county's 15 school districts had to issue layoff notices. Most trimmed their staff through attrition or by offering retirement incentives, Barber said. El Dorado County's 25 pink slips pale in comparison to Sacramento area school districts that send out 1,200 final teacher layoff notices.
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/14/3626042/sacramento-area-school-districts.html

MORE EARNS HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACCREDITATION -- Mother Lode Rehabilitation Enterprises Inc. is proud to announce that it has again been awarded the highest level of accreditation bestowed by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, an international accreditation organization. The award was earned for MORE’s work activity and supported employment programs. This outcome of the three year accreditation period is awarded to organizations that show substantial fulfillment of the standards established by...
http://www.mtdemocrat.com/features/more-earns-highest-level-of-accreditation/

LANDSCAPES ON TOUR BRING FANTASIES TO LIFE -- What's your garden fantasy? An El Dorado Hills woman spent seven years building an Italianate villa surrounded by a 25- acre Mediterranean garden – fit for Tuscan fantasies. "The 25-acre Italianate mansion is being shown for the first time to the public," Dixon said. "The house and garden were the vision of the owner, a Bay Area designer, who had tried to build this house in Umbria (in central Italy) for several years, but was unable to obtain building permits. She then purchased a parcel of land in El Dorado Hills and built her magnificent home and gardens there. "The property is breathtaking and is so unique to the Sacramento region," Dixon added. "Everything has been imported from Italy, where the owner lived for eight years. It took the owner five years to build the house and its formal Italian gardens. It's so extraordinary, it's almost impossible to describe." Antique Venetian rose-colored glass fixtures decorate the entrance. Roses cover arbors above the driveway staircase. Wisteria vines wind around more arbors, leading to a magnificent gazebo. Italian fountains, stone benches, planters and

The only bi-state rolling historical event starts its 62nd year when the wagons circle up at Zephyr Cove, Nev., for registration and a kickoff dinner June 4. It’s the Highway 50 Association’s Wagon Train. And the destination is Old Hangtown or bust.

California counties are getting a shocking Christmas gift from the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) in the form of an updated actuarial report for the retirement system. Of course, pension liabilities are soaring, which will further stress county budgets. In the small county where I reside (El Dorado County), the unfunded pension liability has increased $172 million in one year, to approximately $264 million. Those are big numbers in a mostly rural county.

Brown puts campaign for Supervisor on hold.

POLLOCK PINES – Kevin Brown, the leading candidate to replace the term limited Helen Bauman for El Dorado County Supervisor, announced that he would suspend his campaign to deal with a medical emergency in the family.

The Tahoe Area Sierra Club is gearing up for its fourth annual celebration of great regional art, music, wine and food. This year the party will be from 5 p.m. to sundown Aug. 19 at historic Berkeley Camp atop Echo Summit.

Placerville Founder's Day and Wagon Train
Next Saturday, June 9th, 2007 will see the wagon train arrive in the street of "Old Hangtown", Placerville, CA. Historic Main Street will be closed to traffic for this annual affair which includes vendors, musical entertainment and a street dance.