Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

Readers are asking why The Union is publishing a story in Thursday’s newspaper about a store opening in Yuba City, well outside its circulation area.

This happens to be the same store that took out a full-page ad in The Union a day earlier called the 99 cent store. I wrote a blog item about this on Wednesday.

Under the byline “special to The Union,” the story reads: “The Yuba City High School band will perform at 7 a.m. Yuba City Vice Mayor John Duke will cut the ribbon at 8 a.m. Two city council members, Tej Maan and Leslie McBride, and Assistant City Manager Steve Kroeger, Division Fire Chief Peter Daley and Economic Development Manager Daron Gale also are expected to attend.”

Why is that relevant to our community, readers are asking.

“I was with Steve F. as far as it being bad to set a precedent that local papers should reject out-of-area advertising,” reader Max Norton wrote on this blog.

“But it’s advertising no more–apparently the opening of this store is now legitimate news. This, I do find a bit silly.”

Meanwhile, “mom and pop” stores are opening in our community, such as “Stik It” Kabob restaurant and a second Nevada City Seafood store — both in Nevada City — that have not yet been reported in the paper.

“Great to see the paper promoting the Shop Local campaign! Oh wait…,” one reader wrote on The Union’s website.

“Are the residents of Penn Valley closer to GV or YC? Do they all work in GV or NC, or do they drive to YC or Marysville to work? So what would be local for them?” wrote another. “If there was an ad for GM or Ford in the Union would you complain that they are not promoting shop local?”

Filed under: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Former Los Angeles Rams superstar Merlin Olsen died on Thursday after a long battle with mesothelioma.

Olsen was undergoing chemotherapy and treatment but passed away this morning.

His pro football career spanned 15 years, including 14 of them in the Pro Bowl.

Olsen was a part of the legendary “Fearsome Foursome” along with Roosevelt Grier, Deacon Jones and Lamar Lundy. Later in life, he was an actor and sports commentator.

(Grier, you may remember, took control of the gun that Sirhan Sirhan used to shoot Bobby Kennedy in 1968. He also wrote a needlepoint book for men. Olsen and Jones are in the NFL Hall of Fame.)

When I was a youth growing up in Southern California, I went to a football camp hosted by Olsen and some other members of the “Fearsome Foursome.”

Olsen was gracious, friendly and a wonderful mentor for children. He is a lifelong sports hero of mine, bringing back fond memories of the Rams and Dodgers in their heyday, as well as Dodger sportscaster Vin Scully, whom I hope will never retire.

I still have a Pro Bowl football from the ’60s, signed by Olsen and the team that my parents passed along to me. It’s sitting on the shelf in our house.

RIP Merlin Olsen and prayers to your family.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

The Grass Valley Planning Commission plans a site tour and study session of a revised plan to build hundreds of houses at Loma Rica Ranch on Tuesday.

The public is invited. Interested parties already include planning consultant Laurie Oberholtzer, who has challenged the project in the past, as well as Charlotte Farmer, who wants to honor the famous racehorse Noor at the site, according to emails that have gone out.

Three housing neighborhoods are planned, according to the City Hall document.

The “lake neighborhood” is a mix of housing types for a maximum of 102 homes; the “farm neighborhood,” with a maximum of 298 homes; and the “creeks” neighborhood with a maximum of 300 homes.

The “trailhead neighborhood” also proposes about 300,000 square feet of office, commercial or light industrial, as well as a business park that includes the possibility for residential care facilities, a neighborhood market, deli and cafe.

The “creeks” neighborhood also allows for services such as a restaurant, cafe, day care, general store, bed and breakfast and professional offices.

The plan also provides for open space and the possibility of an outdoor dining venue overlooking McBoyle Lake.

Traffic “calming” measures include two traffic new round-a-bouts along Brunswick Road.

The tour leaves the City Hall parking lot at 2 p.m., and it returns to City Hall for a study session at 5 p.m.

The documents are here:

• 031610_PCagenda-4

•March 16th Loma Rica Ranch Tour 2-4

•LRR tour map handout-2

Filed under: Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

A Shish Kabob restaurant called “Stik It” is replacing what used to be Tortilla Grill on Commercial Street in downtown Nevada City.

It will open Thursday.

“Stik It” is featuring all-natural beef from Neiman Ranch, a popular and ongoing theme in Nevada City.

The menu items are listed on a blackboard: Kabobs made of beef, chicken, shrimp, tofu, veggie and fruit. The kabobs are served with organic brown rice.

It’s good to see another vacancy sign coming down in the historic downtown.

Nevada City Seafood opens in the new Nevada City Marketplace on South Pine Street next week, as I reported previously.

Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »