Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

Terry Lamphier completed his paperwork Friday to challenge incumbent John Spencer for the District 3 Supervisor race.

The race is expected to be one of the most contentious, pitting an arch-conservative against a progressive. (The post is supposedly “nonpartisan,” however).

Though Lamphier lost in the last go around, the county’s demographics are becoming more “middle of the road” than conservative, and the county sided with President Obama and Congressional-candidate Charlie Brown in the last general election.

District 3 is evenly split among Democrats and Republicans, and more than 60 percent of residents vote by mail.

Lamphier is a licensed contractor.

The roundup of candidate filings is here.

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Former Nevada City Mayor and Historian Steve Cottrell passed along some sad news on Friday night: the passing of county Historian Ed Tyson. Steve, an eloquent writer, penned this obituary about Ed for the community:

“Nevada County’s official historian, (as designated by the board of supervisors several years ago) has died. Ed Tyson, a native of Missouri but forever linked with this region, passed peacefully at his Nevada City home at 1:15 p.m. Friday.

“Born January 8, 1918 in Maryville, Missouri, Ed settled locally following his 1972 retirement as librarian at San Jose City College and was quickly recruited as the volunteer librarian for the Searls Historical Library in Nevada City.

“Although he was asked only to help the historical society organize its collection of old books, documents and photographs, Ed remained on the job –– without pay –– for the next 38 years. It was only when his health failed him late last year that he began to reduce his hours at the library.

“Ed Tyson served on the boards of the Nevada County Historical Society, Nevada County Cemetery District and Nevada Theatre Commission. In addition, Ed was proud to have been Grand Noble Humbug of E Clampus Vitas.

“In 1986, Ed was recognized by the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce as its Elza Kilroy Award recipient for longtime community service, and a year later was named Citizen of the Year by the Nevada County Historical Society.

“Later, he served as Grand Marshal at Nevada City’s July Fourth celebration and, more recently, was recipient of the Col. William Lambert Award for outstanding community service, presented by the Nevada City Marching Presidents.

“Included in his long list of honors was the designation ‘Nevada City Living Treasure,’ proclaimed by then-Mayor Steve Cottrell in May 2007.

“It was Ed’s countless volunteer hours of painstaking research that created an inventory of construction dates and building histories that served as the key element that led to downtown Nevada City being placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“Although regarded as one of the most thorough and scholarly historians in the the state, Ed Tyson was also a Renaissance man in the best tradition — an accomplished pianist who enjoyed good literature, fiery politics, great food, live theater, and music of all kinds (but especially opera).

“At his request, there will be no local funeral services, but a memorial is being planned for early spring and will be announced soon.”

The memorial is expected to occur in mid-April.

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Here’s a small-town scooplet: Summer Thymes Bakery and Deli is expanding to historic downtown Grass Valley in April.

It will be opening an outlet at 134 South Auburn Street, where Booktown is located.

“We are very excited about being a part of downtown Grass Valley,” according to Summer Thymes.

The popular bakery and deli features fresh, local food.

“People used to know where their food came from, and it tasted better,” as co-owner Amy Cooke told Sierra FoodWineArt magazine. “We believe strongly in bringing some of that back.”is

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The public hearing to debate a new gaming room in Grass Valley will be held at 7 p.m. on March 23 at City Hall.

The gaming room proposes to relocate from 106 East Main to 115 Bank Street, next to the Holiday Inn, as I reported previously. (Still no word in the local media).

It would be called Towers Casino and the number of gaming tables would be expanded to eight from five.

“The city council will consider all statements and testimony at the public hearing for and against this proposal,” according to a legal ad on Friday. “After considering all written and verbal testimony, the city council shall take whatever final action is determined necessary and appropriate.”

Any public hearing may be continued to a later date.

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Nevada City Seafood will open in the historic downtown on the Ides of March, as I reported previously.

The store at 115 S. Pine will be open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

A grand opening is planned March 19 and 20, with a sampling of fresh seafood and tours of the new digs at the Nevada City Marketplace.

“Nevada City used to be a ‘real’ town. There was a (full-fledged) grocery store, a hardware store, a barber, a whole host of services necessary for everyday life right here in our little town,” said Owner Eric Juell. “We hope that we can embellish on this fine heritage and bring back to downtown a few of the small town services that we used to enjoy.”

The business’ Grass Valley store will remain open for business Thursday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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The South By Southwest “geekfest” begins in Austin on Friday night, a gathering that is growing in importance.

The 17-year-old, two-week festival is booming despite the recession.

“Austin, Texas! We meet again,” Jesse Locks, business development director of the Nevada City Film Festival, wrote on her Facebook page.

The festival pumped about $99 million into the Austin economy last year — a reminder that film festivals are a boon to local economic development.

In our county, we benefit from the Wild & Scenic Film Festival and Nevada City Film Festival.

SXSW features films but also parties, “meetups” and cool technology.

“The Tweet House” is teaming up with the Hollywood Reporter for a big opening night bash.

Foursquare and Gowalla are squaring off for the title of top tagger at the festival, as Fortune magazine is reporting. The services help you locate where your contacts are at any given moment.

The films are getting bigger and better too.

Last March, The Hurt Locker made its Texas debut at SXSW. Last week it took home six Oscars, including best picture and best director (Kathryn Bigelow), as the Dallas Morning News noted.

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A fight has divided backers of a November ballot initiative to suspend California’s global warming law, known as AB 32, the Los Angeles Times is reporting.

“Big money interests have come in and shut out the people,” Ted Costa, chief executive of Sacramento-based People’s Advocate, one of the initiatives original sponsors, told the Times.

Costa’s anti-tax group drafted the initiative along with Congressman Tom McClintock and Assemblyman Dan Logue.

Costa, however, said he was shut out of the process after a group, the “California Jobs Initiative Committee,” raised about $600,000, supposedly from two Texas-based oil companies.

The complete article is here.

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