Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

We bought an outdoor movie projector and screen last summer and have been enjoying outdoor movies on the lawn at our house. On Thursday night, my three nephews came over for dinner (a feat to get them together), and we watched Star Wars outdoors afterward. Some neighbors joined us too. It’s a fun past-time and [...]

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Here’s some more info you might not know about the Nevada City “pot shop” application: County defense lawyer Stephen Munkelt, who has defended the “nail gun” murderer and others, is representing a leading applicant, Harry Bennett, according to my sources. I’m sure you’ve seen Stephen’s name in the media, defending people accused of first-degree and [...]

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The county will be meeting with its budget subcommittee in mid-August to discuss significant impacts to local government from the recent state budget revision, according to the county’s Friday memo. Highlights (or lowlights, as it were) include: •Borrowing $2.7 million of county property taxes, representing 8 percent of the county’s property taxes. •Six month deferral [...]

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Here’s a cool “Nevada County people” item you might not know about: Joan McClellan, a familiar face in the Nevada City Post office, is retiring Friday after 33 years. Many people were offering her well wishes in the post office. “I love dogs, and I’m going to stay home and paint,” said Joan. Joan has [...]

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The Union’s editor/publisher hasn’t said a word about The Advocate to the readers of his newspaper, mind you, but he has wasted no time going to Russ Steele’s blog to comment on the startup with a tone of voice that might interest management in the Swift home office. On the other hand I often heard [...]

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Gary Gall has been named chief executive of Citizens Bank, replacing Judy Hess, continuing a management shakeup. “With the severity of today’s economic times it became clear to the Board and myself that Gary Gall’s specific strengths and vast experience were needed to lead our Bank into the future,” Hess said in a press release. [...]

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Here’s a small-town scooplet: The Gold Rush car wash — the county’s only full-service car wash and a visible sight off Hwy. 49 in Grass Valley — is being offered for sale for $1.495 million. “Excellent location. We are right off the freeway. Grass Valley is a friendly Foothill community and the perfect place to [...]

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As Nevada City leans closer to opening a pot shop (I keep hearing it’s a “fait accompli”), the local media should report who uses medical marijuana cards. Cardholders are not just older people with cancer and other ailments — the group includes high-school and college students. A lot of doctors know this and target them [...]

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Instead of editorializing about medical marijuana dispensaries or legalizing marijuana, I wish the local media would dig deeper to provide residents with the details. A place to start is the Nevada City Web site, where the draft ordinance, a staff report regarding dispensary sites and possible dispensary location maps were posted on the front door [...]

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I’m not a big fan of TMZ.com, but here’s a photo on their Web site — taken with an iPhone — of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs back on the job after a liver transplant. As I’ve written before, Jobs has done so much for technology and Apple, that it’s worth reflecting (and celebrating) his return. [...]

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