Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

The county is considering adopting residential solar power financing under a statewide program known as AB 811.

Yup, a “green” program. Nevada City has been a leader in “going green,” as I’ve written before.

The item will be on the April 27th agenda seeking board direction. It helps accomplish the goals of the 2006 Global Warming Act. OMG. I can hear the firestorm of attacks now from the extremist “global warming is a hoax” contingent.

“Our hope is to learn from other counties’ experiences and make a recommendation in the next year,” said county executive officer Rick Haffey in his Friday memo. “There are many factors to consider before jumping into program implementation.”

Sounds like a prudent approach.

Assembly Bill 811 was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger in July 2008.

It allows cities and counties to create AB 811 Assessment districts that provide the upfront cost of solar installations and energy efficient improvements through financing provided by the sale of bonds.

Loans are repaid by property owners over 20 years through a new line item on participants’ property tax bills. More details are here.

Are we shifting more toward the middle? No, we’re already there. (Shssh! It’s a secret).

Filed under: Uncategorized | 9 Comments »

Filed under: Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

The county Assessor’s race between Sue Horne and Rolf Kleinhans is expected to tighten up with new endorsements for Rolf as the election gets into full swing.

Rolf is expected to receive endorsements from Supervisors Ted Owens and Nate Beason, and the mayors of Grass Valley, Nevada City and Truckee, according to my sources. So far, Rolf hasn’t listed any of his endorsements.

Beason confirmed that he is endorsing Rolf.

The election season is getting into full swing, with absentee ballots coming out May 10. Most people in our county vote by mail.

Sue has raised considerably more money than Rolf from longtime supporters (including die-hard Republicans and CABPRO supporters) when she was a supervisor. But Rolf could wind up with a broader support base. The upcoming endorsements suggest that.

Sue has a stronghold in the south county, particularly Lake of the Pines, but Rolf’s campaign is supported by friends of Ed Scofield, who has clout in the Alta Sierra neighborhood.

I predict a much closer race than people think for this “nonpartisan” race.

Filed under: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Smith Vineyard plans to open its tasting room on Mill Street in downtown Grass Valley on Saturday, while SummerThyme’s Bakery & Deli will open at Book Town Books a week from Friday.

Smith will open its tasting room at 142 Mill Street, where Bunce’s Place was located. The winery has renovated a building that dates back to 1871, when Ulysses Grant was president.

“We like being part of the downtown community,” said co-owner Chris Smith.

SummerThyme’s is opening an outlet at Book Town Books, at 107 Bank Street, on April 23. The “baby” SummerThyme’s, as its owners like to put it, will feature art from local artists as well.

Stucki Engravers also opened on Mill Street, and a wine tasting room featuring four wineries, called the Grass Valley Wine Company, is planned

Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Whenever the Tea Party Patriots hold a rally, the crowd estimated are wildly different, and Thursday’s gathering in Sacramento was no exception.

The Union relied partly on a Tea Party member, no less, for its newsgathering of the event. “Local Tea Party members estimated the crowd at the Capitol steps to be as many as 6,000 to 7,000 people, while other observers estimated as few as 2,000. But their enthusiasm was enormous,” it said.

The Sacramento Bee reported an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 demonstrators attended the rally, which was sponsored by the NorCal Tea Party Patriots.

Last year’s Tax Day rally at the Capitol attracted an estimated 5,000 people, according to the Bee.

So somewhere between 2,000 and 7,000 attended? Please. At least their “enthusiasm was enormous.” Let’s hope they arrived home “tired but happy.”

Some background on crowd estimates is here.

Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

A Pulitzer-Prize winning photographer from the Chronicle who now teaches at San Jose State thwarted a bank robbery in San Jose this week.

When Kim Komenich saw a teller being robbed, he walked up behind the man and held him in a bear hug until police arrived.

“Between classes, I go out there and do what I can do to make the world a little better for people,” joked Komenich to The Chronicle.

The story also was published in the London Telegraph.

Remembers Steve Cottrell: “He was one of the genuine good guys I met during my years at the M&M Tavern,” a popular hang-out for newspaper people in San Francisco in the ’80s and earlier.

Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »