Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

Iowa St., where my nephew is a quarterback, routed #20 Texas Tech 41-7 this weekend. That’s a big upset, considering Texas Tech beat Oklahoma a week ago.

The ISU team is now .500 and alive for a post-season bowl if it wins two more games.

I wish my nephew had been the starter – he led the team to its first three victories, including an upset over Iowa. But his replacement, red-shirt freshman Jarred Barnett, was suburb. The team had 368 yards rushing and Jarred was poised throughout, including a sideline hit at halftime.

I was glad to hear the announcer repeatedly recognize my nephew’s teamwork mindset – supporting and passing on plays to Jarred throughout the game. That’s his character.

His foot also is injured and very painful (a situation that has been downplayed because there really is no #3 QB on the team), so I’m glad it’s getting a rest (and I was able to confirm, he’s getting rides to class from his “hinterland” apartment near the ISU stadium – a long walk on a hurt foot).

He’s doing well in school, too; in fact he’ll get his bachelor’s degree early and may go on to a master’s. And he’s still lined up to get major playing time. College football is very unpredictable. A sheepskin and a pigskin.

That’s how an uncle thinks – watching his nephew grow up to be a successful young man in a multi-faceted way. Congratulations man!

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Emgold said quietly this week that it is going to ask the City of Grass Valley to put the EIR process on hold for reopening the Idaho-Maryland Mine for another “60 to 90 days,” because it needs to raise money to complete the funding of the EIR. I hope people who keep betting on this project understand what’s going on here. The hurdles need to be more clearly – and widely – understood.

The statement is here:

Idaho-Maryland Project Update

Emgold’s 100% owned subsidiary, Idaho-Maryland Mining Corporation (“IMMC”) submitted its revised Permit Applications to the City of Grass Valley in April, 2011. The Applications were accepted by the City in May 2011. The City is currently in the process of completing a competitive bid process to select a consultant to complete the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) and Final EIR for the Idaho-Maryland Project (described below). On October 12th, the City of Grass Valley interviewed three potential bidders. From these bidders, the selection panel for the City recommended Ascent Environmental, with offices in Sacramento and Stateline Nevada. Sub-consultants to Ascent will include Golder Associates, a global leader in mine related environmental, engineering, and reclamations projects, Fehr and Peers for traffic analysis, and Hausrath Economic Group for economic analysis. The contract with Ascent will be reviewed by Grass Valley City Council on November 8th. Subsequently a Reimbursement Agreement may be completed between the City and IMMC to fund the scope of work, which would be payable by IMMC as the Project Applicant. The completion of the Final EIR is expected to take approximately 12 months after work is initiated.

Upon completion of selection of the final bidder and prior to signing the Reimbursement Agreement, IMMC will request that the City of Grass Valley put the Idaho-Maryland Project temporarily on hold, to allow the Company 60-90 days to evaluate strategic alternatives to fund the completion of the EIR Process. IMMC does not plan to move forward with the EIR Process until sufficient funds are in place to ensure successful completion of the entire EIR.

The rest of the statement is here:

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From the county’s Friday memo:

Library Director Recruitment: Fifteen applicants were screened downed to the top five most highly qualified candidates. Two separates interview panels questioned these five candidates ultimately recommending 2 finalists. Further screening and background checks on these two finalists are now taking place. An appointment should be made in the next couple of weeks.

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One benefit of living here is real pumpkin patches. When I was growing up in Pasadena, we used to drive up to Carpenteria around Halloween to a pumpkin patch. It was a fun trip. As our son grows up, we have been going to Bierwagen’s in Chicago Park. Flower Farm outside of Auburn is another good “patch.” This year, while dropping our FoodWineArt magazines at the wineries, businesses and mailboxes (like the Carville’s) along the Colfax Hwy., I stopped at Bierwagen’s, visited with Jim, handed him some copies and bought a pumpkin and some cider. Jim told me the pumpkin patch business was outstanding this year (more so than apples, which suffered from the late rain). Hope you have a Happy Halloween! Here’s one of the pumpkins we carved this morning.

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