Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

From SYRCL:

The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) announced the creation of its River Ambassador Program, a volunteer-based initiative to reach out to Yuba River users about how both local residents and out-of-towners can help keep the river clean, safe and healthy this summer.

Although the South Yuba River State Park was recently saved from closure by a concerted community effort led by SYRCL, more assistance is needed to address the serious risks from fires in the canyon, garbage dumping, and water pollution due to unsanitary practices.

“Severe cutbacks in services, such as park rangers and trash pickup are putting the most popular river access areas at risk,” says SYRCL Executive Director Caleb Dardick. “As advocates for the preservation of the river, the River Ambassador program is one-way that SYRCL volunteers can partner with State Parks and the Bureau of Land Management to maintain the river’s natural beauty.”

The primary purpose of the River Ambassador Program is to educate and motivate the thousands of annual visitors to the Yuba River to help keep the park clean and safe. By talking face-to-face to visitors at river crossings, at beaches and on trails, SYRCL’s corps of River Ambassadors will vastly expand outreach about the Yuba and how visitors can care for it.

“The Yuba River is much-loved. In fact, with over 450,000 annual visitors it’s in danger of being unintentionally loved to death,” says SYRCL Volunteer Coordinator Miriam Limov. “We are looking for friendly, outgoing volunteers who love and care for the river to serve as River Ambassadors.”

The River Ambassadors will target two heavily used river crossings along the South Yuba River, the Highway 49 Bridge and Purdon Crossings. The pilot program will run every weekend from June 30th to September 15th, as well as the Fourth of July and Labor Day holidays. SYRCL is currently recruiting at least 30 volunteers.

River Ambassador training will focus on how to educate visitors about river stewardship and to encourage responsible behaviors at the river. Ambassadors will not be trained to be park rangers or police and will have no enforcement responsibilities. River Ambassadors must commit to at least five shifts (3 hours each) over the course of the summer.

According to California State Park Superintendent Marilyn Linkem, financial strain on the state park budget has made monitoring such a large river corridor very difficult. “We commend SYRCL for taking this proactive approach in providing a trained volunteer corps of community members who can support our efforts and help to improve the experience visitors and locals have in this beautiful area.”

SYRCL has a long history mobilizing volunteers to care for the river. Over 650 volunteers removed over 14,000 pounds of garbage during last fall’s Annual Greater Yuba River Cleanup and Restoration Day. In addition, SYRCL will continue to pay for the placement of much needed porta-potties at Purdon Crossing. SYRCL envisions a day when there will no longer be a need for an annual cleanup days as everyone who visits the river will be good stewards, which means if you “pack it in, please pack it out.”

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For the most part, I’ve enjoyed the campaign mailers this season. They are mostly informative and upbeat. I always like a family photo.

The most negative one I’ve heard about has come from George Smyrnos’ campaign in one of the judicial races. It made its way to our home this week — addressed to both of us.

The mailer has some inflammatory photos — a man in handcuffs with a banging gavel, juxtaposed with happy children running together, while a law enforcement officer watches over them.

Below the photo is the proverbial scale of justice. “George Smyrnos is the right choice for Judge,” it reads. “He’s on OUR side in the fight against crime in Nevada County.” (And his opponent, Tom Anderson, isn’t? Come on. Tell us what you’ve accomplished, George.)

The other side is more overtly negative, with a chart comparing Smyrnos to Tom Anderson under the heading “Public safety or leniency for criminals? You decide.”

It goes on to make some subjective judgments about “courtroom sentencing philosophy,” “rights of crime victims” and “petty crimes in downtown areas.”

George Smyrnos is a good person. But whoever came up with his campaign strategy should be fired and held accountable. It has been amateurish, petty and negative. George should have nixed it.

And it is one of the main reasons he’s going to lose this judge’s race on June 5. “Next case.”

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I’m excited to watch the Giants-Cubs series this weekend, two of my favorite teams. The series have been exciting going back to 1908:

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Republished from Sierra FoodWineArt magazine:

THE SIERRA VINTNERS’ WINE TRAIL on June 2-3, from noon-5 p.m., is an ideal way to explore the Gold Country, while enjoying wine tasting, food, live music and art displays in spectacular settings.

Your journey begins on the back roads of Nevada County, where you’ll find small, family-owned wineries that produce premium, award-winning wines. Along with winning prestigious awards in California, one of the wineries—Solune Winegrowers— just won an award in an international wine competition in Paris, France.

You’ll want to be sure to visit as many as 15 of the county’s wineries, set amid the rolling hills of Grass Valley, Nevada City and Penn Valley.

Spring is ideal, because the wildflowers are in bloom, rivers are full, and wildlife is plentiful.

There’s some unique sightseeing too: On the drive to Naggiar Vineyards, for example, you are likely to see a herd of buffalo—redolent of the American West.

Be sure not to miss the unique tasting rooms in the historic downtowns of Nevada City and Grass Valley.

The wineries are in spectacular settings, ranging from the Mediterranean-style tasting room at Naggiar, to scenic vistas at Pilot Peak’s flowered terraces and Sierra Starr’s new winery building. Also visit the charming red barns at Smith Vineyard and Solune.

The wineries are offering food and music to go with the wine tasting, and the winemakers will be on hand. Local artists also will display their artwork.

During the Wine Trail, you’ll learn firsthand about the specialty grapes grown at Avanguardia and Montoliva, among others. Don’t miss the new wine tasting room off Hwy. 49 at Bear River Wine Tasting, featuring Sierra Knolls wine.

Begin your tour at any of the participating wineries, where you will receive your commemorative wine glass, a wristband and a program outlining what each winery will be offering (program preview available online at www.SierraVintners.com).

Know-and-Go

SIERRA VINTNERS WINE TRAIL
June 2-3, noon-5 p.m.

$40 2-Day
Weekend Pass
Price increases to $50 after noon on Friday.

$30 Saturday only
$30 Sunday only
Limited amount; buy early.
Price increases to $35 after noon on Friday.

$10 Designated Driver
No wine tasting.
For tickets, go to SierraVintners.com.

(Photo credit: Dan Senkbeil)

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“Mitt Romney and his allies opened a multi-pronged attack Tuesday on President Obama’s stewardship of taxpayer dollars, as Romney won the Texas primary and clinched the Republican presidential nomination,” as The Washington Post is reporting.

“Romney garnered at least 88 delegates in the Texas primary, bringing his total past the 1,144 delegates needed to win the nomination, according to an Associated Press count. But the candidate’s historic feat — he is the first Mormon to win a major party’s nomination — and his economic message were overshadowed by Donald Trump, who was helping Romney raise money at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.

“The provocative real estate magnate used the spotlight to promote his long-debunked contention that Obama was born in a foreign country. Romney aides admitted that this was an unhelpful distraction. At a moment when they wanted to put the president on the defensive, it was Romney who found himself in that position, leaving it to his aides to assert that he disagrees with Trump — while Obama’s aides said his refusal to publicly condemn his surrogate showed poor moral leadership.”

The rest of the article is here.

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Tom Anderson’s campaign sent around this email:

Truckee—Today the Contractors Association of Truckee-Tahoe PAC (CATT PAC) announced its endorsement of Presiding Judge Tom Anderson for re-election to Nevada County Superior Court. CATT PAC stressed that the key factor in its decision was Judge Anderson’s depth of experience and his intimate familiarity with Nevada County’s court system.

“The responsibilities of a Superior Court Judge go far beyond ruling on criminal matters,” CATT PAC President Mike Rodarte said. “Our county courts handle civil issues like business disputes, probate issues, and family law on a daily basis. They also include alternative courts where the role of a judge goes far beyond merely handing down sentences.”

“Judge Tom Anderson is the only candidate with experience in these areas of the law,” Rodarte continued. “He impressed us as the kind of knowledgable and experienced leader Nevada County needs on the bench.”

Judge Anderson was first elected as a Nevada County Superior Court Judge in 2006, and has served as Presiding Judge in Nevada County since being elected by his peers on the bench in 2010. He has presided over both civil and felony criminal court. He is a supporter of Nevada County’s alternative courts, and has presided over Adult Drug Court, Dependency Drug Court, and Mental Health Court.

With this endorsement, CATT PAC adds its support to a list that includes current and former Nevada County Supervisors, active and retired law enforcement and public safety professionals, sitting and retired Nevada County judges, California Court of Appeals Justices J. Anthony Kline and Bill Newsom (ret.), and Superior Court Judges from twelve Northern California rural counties.

CATT PAC raises industry and public awareness in order to support political candidates, initiatives, measures, and campaigns that support the best interests of the building industry in the Truckee-Tahoe region.

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Though declaring itself “nonpartisan,” the local tea party group continues to gear up for the busy election season in our county.

“Wrap-up meeting to receive your written instructions and poll assignment. Location to be announced,” is the word on the local tea party website under “election integrity wrap.”

The group’s “election integrity” effort comes ahead of the June 5 election and will be worth watching. Some poll watchers in Truckee created a stir in Nov. 2010.

The local tea party also is bringing more well-known activists to the county. This month, the group’s scheduled speaker was Brad Dacus, outspoken spokesman for the religious right.

The Dacus-led Pacific Justice Institute has fought vociferously to stop SB 48, a state bill to teach gay history in public schools. A PJI-effort initiative to overturn the bill failed to get enough signatures to qualify for this year’s ballot.

Dacus’ highly charged remarks about Prop. 8 during a “Yes on 8″ rally in Sacramento in 2008 were widely publicized. Dacus also appears in a news video about SB 48 (see below).

Politics aren’t nearly as sleepy as one might expect in our quaint “Mayberry RFD” — seemingly exacerbated with the rise of tea party cofounder Mark Meckler and Congressman Tom McClintock in the foothills. The rancor can be downright uncomfortable at times. I’d like to read more about this in our local newspaper.

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We attended the Memorial Day ceremony at Pioneer Park in Nevada City this morning, with splendid weather. Some Blue Star Moms were present. We visited with them and others who attended (Nate Beason, Fred Buhler, Alan Kilborn, Bill Falconi and Lou Trovato, among others). We are “regulars” at this ceremony, one of the most pleasant, simple and respectful ones I know of.

My son collected the shells from the “21 gun salute” in the parking lot and studied them closely. He brings them home every year.

Afterward, we went to Ike’s Quarter Cafe for breakfast and discussed the meaning of Memorial Day together.

Now we’re back to work on our magazine — planning the summer issue — while our son is swimming and playing “disc golf” at his older cousins’ house. I hope you’re enjoying the day.

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I have a photo of my grandmother and her friends on the Golden Gate Bridge the day it opened. (My grandmother experienced the Great Earthquake of 1906 as well). For more than a decade, I commuted across the bridge to work. We’ve walked across it too, on previous anniversary celebrations. We also brought our son home from the hospital across the Golden Gate Bridge in his new car seat. The Bridge remains a wonder to behold, offering lasting memories. Happy Birthday!

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