Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

This is cool:

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I noticed The Union’s 16-page election guide leads with a full-page ad from Sue McGuire’s campaign. Then the first page lists a Q&A with Sue. The guide doesn’t seem to list the candidates in an alphabetical fashion. There are three paid ads: One from McGuire, one from George Smyrnos, one from Tom Anderson and a house ad to balance the 1/4 page ad from Smyrnos. It is here.

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From Emgold’s website:

Emgold Mining Corporation (“Emgold” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Andrew MacRitchie, C.A. as an independent Director of the Company. Mr. MacRitchie holds a B.S.C. Honors degree from the University of British Columbia and received his Chartered Accountant designation in 2003 while articling with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Between 2003 and 2007 he worked for Quorum Management Services as Corporate Controller. Quorum provides accounting services for a group of exploration stage companies (including Emgold) with corporate offices in Vancouver, B.C. and gold, silver, and base-metal projects located in North and South America. In 2007, Andrew joined Helio Resource Corp., a gold exploration company with projects located in Africa, as Chief Financial Officer.

Mr. MacRitchie is a Director of the Kidney Foundation of Canada. He will bring to Emgold’s Board over 10 years of accounting experience in the mining industry and will serve as Chair of Emgold’s Audit Committee.

Mr. MacRitchie has been granted a total of 200,000 incentive stock options, exercisable at CDN$0.15 per share for a five-year period and expiring May 22, 2017. The stock options were issued in accordance with the Company’s 10% rolling stock option plan (“the Plan”) adopted by the Company’s shareholders on June 8, 2005. The Plan is approved annually by shareholders and was last approved on September 6, 2011.

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Agenda Item 25 (not Agenda 21, thank goodness) at Tuesday’s county Board of Supervisors meeting seemed straightforward enough: “Presentation by Sierra Business Council (SBC) on the results of the Nevada County 2005 Community-wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory.”

After all, seven counties and 11 cities in the region are participating. And it was an information only presentation; no board action was being considered.

But George Rebane, Russell Steele and Judi Caler all showed up to speak out against the inventory, global warming proponents, Agenda 21, even the “I” word (as in vaguely worded international policies targeting our small, rural county).

The SBC contingent just stuck to their presentation, avoiding the political rhetoric. One gentleman came to the podium to thank the group for their work.

Several times Brian Sussman’s book “Climategate” was cited as an authoritative source. The agenda item meeting ran long — but not as long as some others that featured this contingent.

I was surprised at the group’s vigilance, too, since the board largely was sympathetic to concerns about the greenhouse gas inventory process, the “I” word and “more regulations” — perhaps more than they should have been given that Prop. 23 lost in our county, not just the state.

It’s tough to keep all your constituents happy, including the ones who show up at board meetings to protest. It’s important to remember that most of us don’t have time to attend. I call them the “silent majority.” They vote, though.

Some more background is here.

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The national entertainment media is ecstatic about a winning performer on America’s Got Talent this week named “Granny G.” Her video has gone viral on the internet.

As it turns out, “Granny G” (AKA Paula Nelson, 80) is from our county! according to my sources. The hazel-eyed Nelson has a fine “alto” voice, according to a bio.

“America’s Got Talent has had its share of eclectic acts, but Tuesday’s episode featured one of the most unique that we’ve seen to date,” writes TV Guide.

“Eighty-year-old Paula Nelson (aka Granny G) isn’t about to let her age — or walker — stop her from achieving her lifelong dream of being an entertainer. Clad in a pink dress, strands of pearls and orthopedic shoes, Granny G took the stage and instantly won over the audience and judges with her family values-inspired rap performance.”

“Granny G Quickly Becoming TV and Internet Star After Surprising Rap,” said the headline in Social Barrel.

“Granny G, 80 – Former Real Estate Broker,” wrote one reviewer. “She entered the stage with her walker – so inspiring. She shared her opinions on family values in a mixture of rapping and standup. Hilarious!”

A review in Rolling Stone is here.

America’s Got Talent celebrity judges — Sharon Osbourne, Howard Stern and Howie Mandel — all gave “Granny G” a thumbs up, meaning she goes to Las Vegas for more competition.

Congratulations “Granny G”! She now has a Facebook page too.

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The Union has done a good job of carrying water for local political gadfly Barry Pruett over the years, whether it is dutifully posting Tom McClintock press releases on its website, omitting key facts from the AtPac lawsuit or publishing uninformed columns by the editor/publisher about our judicial system that benefit candidates whom Pruett supports. Whether intentional or careless, it helpes fuel the perception by some citizens that The Union is the “Tea Party Gazette.”

This time, however, Pruett should have helped out with the rudimentary headline writing (a task the Editor oversees in a newsroom) — not just the story — on his latest campaign: “dirty tricks” allegations against LaMalfa involving a website.

“Aanestad files SEC complaint against rival,” said a big headline on page A3 of this morning’s newspaper.

Come on. As the first sentence reads, “Congressional candidate Sam Aanestad on Monday filed a formal complaint against his biggest rival with the Federal Election Commission, alleging several violations of election law.”

It’s the FEC, not SEC. These regulatory agencies have vastly different roles. At least correct it in the online “paywall” story ASAP.

My prediction: LaMalfa beats Aanestad (whom McClintock is supporting) handily. Negative campaigning is losing its luster, as I’ve been writing recently.

All this “high-brow” political ethics discussion brings to mind another local topic relating to campaign election laws: Do the anti-Nate Beason campaign signs that are being poked in the ground around Nevada City comply with the political sign ordinances? Will the electorate get to know who paid for them?

Funny how one case gets scrutiny and the other gets none. Small-towns, and their political machinations, are a hoot!

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Dear Friends:

May is National Preservation Month and this year’s theme is “Discover America’s Hidden Gems.” Communities from coast to coast are filled with unexplored historic treasures—and May’s the month to celebrate them! Reach out to a growing audience of neighbors, tourists, students and preservationists by promoting historic places in your community, and encourage newcomers to learn more about your local preservation programs. You can learn more at this website: http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/preservation-month/

This Tuesday evening May 22 at 7:00 p.m. City of Grass Valley City Council will consider whether or not to protect all the lovely historical homes near the central downtown area. In Grass Valley we have one of the most unique collection of residential architectural styles including beautiful old Victorians, wonderful examples of the arts and crafts movement and even an old rammed earth home!! You can learn more about historic homes in Grass Valley by reading this article by Gwynn Waldsmith at: http://www.theunion.com/article/20100807/NEWS/100809813 . I love old houses because they add so much character to our community and protecting old houses helps to protect property values for us all !! I hope to see you at the City Council this Tuesday evening.

Tuesday, May 22 at 7:00, Council Chambers, 125 East Main Street, Grass Valley, CA 95945

Cheers,

Kateri Harrison

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I noticed this press release from “just say no” Dan’s office:

North State Assemblyman and Chief Republican Whip Dan Logue will announce at a press conference today that he has coauthored a bill to help save California’s state parks. The press conference will be held at 11 a.m. on the East Steps of the State Capitol to discuss the California Park Stewardship Act of 2012.

“I am proud to fight to keep state parks like Bidwell Mansion open for the public to enjoy,” said Logue. “These parks are a part of California’s rich history, and serve to remind us of the beauty of God’s creation and of our state’s great accomplishments. We cannot allow them to be lost.”

Assembly Bill 1589 (The California Park Stewardship Act of 2012) by Assemblyman Jared Huffman would require the Parks Department to work on finding an alternative before closing a park, and disclose to the public its reasoning to close down a certain park. The bill would also limit the number of parks that can be closed from 2012 to 2016 to no more than twenty-five, unless the Legislature specifically authorizes it.

The bill would also allow a park with extra money to share excess revenue with another park. Finally, in order to raise more funds, the bill would allow individuals to receive a tax deduction if they donate more than the cost of an annual park pass, and require the DMV to create a special license plate that honors California’s parks with sale proceeds going towards state parks.

“In these difficult economic times, there are certainly tough decisions that have to be made,” Logue added. “But I will do everything I can to ensure our parks stay open.”

AB 1589 is currently in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and will be voted on later this week.

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“Facebook Inc. FB -11.30% shares plunged on their second day on the stock market, a black eye for all those involved with the social networking company going public,” the Wall Street Journal is reporting.

“‘The underwriters completely screwed this up,’ said Michael Pachter, analyst at Wedbush Securities. ‘This thing should have been half as big as it was, and it would have closed at $45.

“While investor enthusiasm early on was high for Facebook shares and while bankers on the deal increased the stock price and number of shares ahead of the offering, many observers questioned the valuation of more than $100 billion that was placed on the social network, where revenue and earnings growth were already beginning to slow.

“The shares fell 13.7% early Monday before pulling off the low.

“Facebook’s IPO priced at a level well-above where we foresaw compelling 12-month returns,” BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield said in a research note Monday. With revenue and earnings growth decelerating in 2012, “we find Facebook’s current valuation unappealing.”

The rest of the article is here.

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“The intensifying flood of uncapped donations to outside political groups is transforming not just campaigns but the entire business of politics,” as The New York Times writes this morning.

“Once seasonal affairs, campaigns from the presidential race down to House contests are becoming longer and more intense, driven by deep-pocketed donors eager to see incumbents pummeled throughout the political cycle. Decisions about attack ads and negative campaigning that once weighed on candidates are now made by consultants and donors with little or no accountability to the public.

“The transformation drew new attention last week with the revelation that Fred Davis, a prominent Republican advertising strategist, had sought financing from a conservative billionaire for a $10 million campaign linking President Obama with the fiery, race-infused sermons of the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., Mr. Obama’s former pastor. The proposal was condemned by, among others, Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, which has been trying to keep the focus on the economy.”

“Amid the first presidential campaign since the Supreme Court opened the door for ‘super PACs’ and unlimited campaign spending, it is still unclear how voters will respond. But the political professionals who make a living from the billions of dollars spent each cycle on campaigns are quickly embracing the shift.”

The rest of the article is here.

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