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By Eric Johnson
Published Dec 04, 2023

Image credit: Eric Johnson

Building Democracy in California

Happy Monday. In this week's edition of The Newsletter, you will find the following:

• An introduction to "How California Works: Building Democracy in the Golden State," by our own Jon Vankin.

• Jon's coverage of the "debate" between Gov. Gavin Newsom and Gov. Ron DeSantis.

• A local News Digest, curated by our own Sharan Street, from members of the California Local Media Alliance and other trusted sources. (Scroll down, but not yet.)

• A brief introduction to the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, which has launched its annual Give Back Tahoe campaign.

• Even more!

The State that is Shaping America's Future

Think of this book as a fun Civics 101 primer for students, community leaders and curious Californians.

How California Works: an Editors' Note

True stories about how, at its best, California has resisted and pushed back against anti-democratic forces. The histories and policies, deeply human characters, and controversies that have led us to where we are today.

	Placer County's Homepage
Direct your browser to https://placer.californialocal.com/ to catch up on the latest news in California and Placer County. Bookmark the link and visit often, there's a lot happening in your community!

The Red vs. Blue Debate

California Gov. Gavin Newsom confronted a hostile "moderator" and a slew of Fox News "facts" in a melee that generated more heat than light.

Newsom, DeSantis Finally Square Off in Wild Fox News Debate

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (L) and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faced each other in person at last in an acrimonious Fox News debate Nov. 30.

Governors Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and Ron DeSantis (R-FL) faced each other on a debate stage and traded blows, barbs, and zingers over the relative merits of their states in a Fox News debate that was nothing if not entertaining.

Get to Know a Group

Big Brothers Big Sisters

Big Brother Big Sisters provides children facing adversity with strong, enduring, professionally supported mentorship. The chapter serves Sacramento and Yolo counties, as well as southern Placer County.

→ Learn more

Help These Groups Help the Community

Lake Tahoe Dance Collective
LTDC Giving Season 2023
Now through December 31st, all donations will be matched by a generous group of LTDC supporters who want to guarantee the future of our programs and performances for generations to come.
(ends 12/31/2023)

Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation
Give Back Tahoe
For Tahoe Truckee, the Give Back Tahoe Giving Season brings together neighbors, visitors, and friends. It reminds us the spirit of the holiday season is about gratitude, giving and community. Donate to local nonprofits. Be a part of something big.
(ends 12/31/2023)

From Our Media Allies

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	SLT Cross-Country Coach Austin Angell Coaches Three Generations of Runners
	It’s rare that someone not only has an impact on one young person’s life but then goes on to mentor three generations of that person’s family.

	North Tahoe Community Alliance Launches Annual Grant Cycle
	The North Tahoe Community Alliance’s Annual Grant Cycle, part of its Community Investment Program, is designed to fund projects and programs for one year, with the potential to kickstart longer initiatives.

	Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Center Opens
	Tahoe Donner opened the Cross Country Ski Center on Dec. 2—the first XC ski area in California to kick off the season, offering a groomed loop for skating and classic skiing.

	Tahoe Beach Club Gives Thanks by Giving Back
	In the spirit of the holidays, Tahoe Beach Club delivered a Thanksgiving meal to Tahoe Douglas Fire Station 23, a gesture that exemplifies the club’s values of gratitude and community engagement.

	Fish and Wildlife Service Seeks Public Comment on Barred Owl Strategy
	The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public input on a draft environmental impact statement and draft management strategy that addresses the threat of invasive barred owls to native spotted owls.

	New Colfax City Manager Arrives From Live Oak
	The Colfax City Council appointed Ronald Walker as the next city manager, replacing Wes Heathcock, who left in June to serve as town manager in Loomis. Mike Luken has served as interim manager since July.

	New Auburn Councilwoman ‘Humbled’ by Selection
	The Auburn City Council appointed its newest member: Michelle Sierra-Sammons. The former Auburn Union School District trustee and Planning Commission member said she thought sitting on council would be a good way to contribute to the city.

	Lake Tahoe Pro Hockey Team Announces Name
	More than 1,000 names were submitted—from the Tahoe Tessies to the Bear Claws—for the Lake Tahoe pro hockey team. Come next October, the team will take the ice as the Tahoe Knight Monsters.

	Forest Service Issues New Food, Refuse Storage Order
	To help keep Tahoe bears wild, the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has issued an order that requires the proper storage of food and garbage on all National Forest System lands in the basin.

	More Than Books! Programs at Local Libraries
	Libraries go beyond being repositories of books; they actively contribute to the social fabric of their communities through a variety of outreach, educational, and cultural initiatives.

	SLT City Council: Long-Awaited Cannabis Lounge Decision Gets Carried Over to Next Meeting
	The last agenda item of the evening, the cannabis ordinance was carried over to the South Lake Tahoe council’s next meeting. Someone in the audience said, “We waited years for this.”

	Loomis Ups Salary Range for New Finance Director
	Loomis Town raised the bar this month to attract accounting talent to replace the late Roger Carroll, who was killed on his bicycle in an April hit-and-run.

	Shanti Landon: Want to Do Good This Holiday season?
	The Placer County supervisor shares suggestions for local nonprofits that play a distinct role in addressing the county’s diverse needs.

Recent Local News

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• California’s First Black-led Conservancy Acquires Land in Placer County

The 40 Acre Conservation League has recently acquired hundreds of acres of land in Placer County, 70 miles northeast of Sacramento—a significant step toward making outdoor experiences more inclusive.

(11/30/2023) → CapPublicRadio

Recent Statewide News

→ View All

• DMV Shift Appears to Spur Drop in ‘No Party Preference’ Voter Sign-Ups

The California Department of Motor Vehicles changed its voter registration process in 2019 to put a party selection dropdown on the same page. Since then, the number of people registering as Republicans or Democrats has jumped close to 20 points.

(12/04/2023) → Sacramento Bee

• New Assembly Labor Committee Chair Faces Ongoing Worker Unrest, but Scores Some Wins

With nine months’ experience in the Assembly, Liz Ortega will lead the Labor committee after a strike-filled summer and several wins for low-wage workers.

(12/04/2023) → CalMatters

• Oakland Might Have to Pay Developers Millions Over Coal Terminal

An Alameda County judge ruled on Nov. 22 that the city of Oakland thwarted a proposed coal export terminal. The judge will rule if the developer who sued is entitled to $159 million in damages or moving forward with the project.

(12/04/2023) → KQED

• Stolen Blue Shield of California Data Could Hit Dark Web

Hackers stole data this week from Blue Shield of California. Historically, this type of data has sometimes wound up for sale on what’s known as the dark web, the part of the internet not typically included in search engine results.

(12/01/2023) → The Mercury News

• Retailers Boost Pay Ahead of California Minimum Wage Increase

California’s minimum hourly wage will rise from $15.50 to $16 on Jan. 1. Ahead of this, retailers like Costco and Target have raised their minimum pay in recent years.

(11/29/2023) → Sacramento Bee

• DOE Analysis Confirms Salton Sea Is a Rich Domestic Lithium Resource

An analysis by the U.S. Department of Energy found that with expected technology advances, the Salton Sea region’s total lithium resources could produce more than 3,400 kilotons of lithium, enough to support over 375 million batteries for electric vehicles—more than the total number currently on U.S. roads.

(11/28/2023) → YubaNet

• Naked Man at Disneyland Shuts Down ‘It’s a Small World’

A man stripped naked at the Disneyland ride “It’s a Small World,” causing it to be shut down for nearly an hour. He could face charges of being under the influence of a controlled substance and indecent exposure.

(11/27/2023) → SFGate

• Data Explores Whether California or Florida Handled COVID Better

California and Florida took starkly different approaches to dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Data shows that more Floridians died per capita of COVID than did Californians.

(11/27/2023) → Los Angeles Times

• California Schools Need Funding for New Math Guidelines

State officials passed a 1,000-page document in July outlining new guidelines for teaching math in California. Funding has not been allocated, though the state superintendent intends to introduce legislation that could change this.

(11/27/2023) → EdSource

• More Migrants Getting Hurt Climbing Border Wall in California

Seven times as many patients have been admitted to the trauma unit at UC San Diego Health since the Trump administration raised the height of the border wall to 30 feet in California. The hospital also notes that 23 people have died in falls from the wall since 2019.

(11/27/2023) → New York Times

Government Announcements

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	County of Placer (12/01/2023) Placer County celebrates completion of the Lower Secline water quality improvement project
Placer County celebrated the completion of the Lower Secline Water Quality Improvement Project in Kings Beach -- a project designed to reduce sediment flow into the lake to improve water clarity.

	City of Colfax (11/30/2023) Community News
CITY OF COLFAX SELECTS RONALD WALKER AS NEXT CITY MANAGER See below for details. The post Community News appeared first on City of Colfax.

	City of Auburn (11/30/2023) American Canyon Roundabout Project Delayed Along State Route 49 in Auburn
Borland Avenue to Remain Closed Until December 22

	County of Placer (11/30/2023) Placer museums in Auburn and Penryn exhibit traditions of Christmas past
Placer County Museums is decking the halls at four museums in Auburn and one in Penryn with the nostalgic charm of Christmas past, featuring festive exhibits available for viewing until New Year's Day.

City of Auburn (11/29/2023)

View the latest City Council agenda here

	City of Auburn (11/29/2023) Auburn Planning Commission Vacancies
Recent changes to the City Council have resulted in two vacancies on the Planning Commission.

	County of Placer (11/29/2023) Placer County Resource Express Dec. 1
Get 'on track' with community resources! Family friendly fun, local services and more this Dec. 1 at the Auburn Boys and Girls Club (679 Lincoln Way).

	County of Placer (11/29/2023) CalFresh Alert: Replacement of Electronically Stolen CalFresh Benefits
CalFresh recipients who were victims of electronic theft between October 1, 2022 through November 30, 2023 must complete a Report of Electronic Theft Form (EBT 2259) by February 29, 2024 to be eligible to receive retroactive benefit replacements.

	County of Placer (11/28/2023) Placer County moves forward on phase 1 of Highway 49 wastewater capacity project
Placer County is moving forward on the first phase of Highway 49 wastewater capacity project to accommodate growth in Auburn. The first phase is expected to break ground in the spring.

	County of Placer (11/22/2023) $10 Adoption Event Nov 25 - Dec 30, 2023
Starting November 25th, we will be promoting our Home for the Holidays $10 Pet Adoption Event. This event will run through December.

Building Democracy in California

The State that is Shaping America's Future

Placer County's Homepage

The Red vs. Blue Debate

Get to Know a Group

From Our Media Allies

Recent Local News

Recent Statewide News

Government Announcements