By Eric Johnson
Published Dec 18, 2023

JP Reese, a registered nurse, stands with a couple of Ukranian soldiers near the front lines of the war zone. The photo was taken by JP's bride, Dawn Davidson, two weeks after they were married in Sacramento.

Californians Supporting Ukraine

In one of his final acts as the most powerful California Republican, then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy capitulated to radical members of his party and refused to allow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address a joint meeting of Congress. Last week, as the brutal dictator Vladamir Putin predicted that Americans will grow weary of helping Ukraine defend itself against his murderous war, the same group of House members seemed to prove him right.

Meanwhile, as the progressive Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has pointed out, House Democrats are being unhelpfully obstinate by refusing to even discuss the situation on our southern border as a condition of funding the war, making things more difficult for Zelenskyy.

In this week's edition of The Newsletter, we bring our focus to Californians who are standing with the Ukrainian people.

Nurses on the Front Lines

My friend JP Reese is a wound nurse who has worked for the past decade as a home healthcare provider. Most Tuesday evenings we sit in a men’s group together, and occasionally JP will tell a story about visiting one of his patients, most of whom are house-bound and in serious need of his skills as a healer. It’s a powerful gift to witness the depth of his compassion—in my judgment, he was already a hero before he decided to spend his honeymoon in a warzone.

JP and his bride, Dawn Davidson, who is also a nurse, hoped to spend the weeks after their wedding helping wounded Ukrainian soldiers. As you will see in Graham Womack's wonderful telling of their story, they were unable to accomplish that, but they found other ways to help.

While very few Californians will manage to deliver aid to Ukrainians directly, plenty are doing what they can. Tamara Warta presents here a nunber of organizations that deserve your support.

A Honeymoon in Ukraine

JP Reese (left) and Dawn Davidson (right) celebrated their union with a honeymoon spent serving others.

After their October wedding, registered nurses Dawn Davidson and JP Reese spent their honeymoon in Ukraine, where they distributed humanitarian aid.

From California to Kyiv

With the war between Russia and Ukraine dragging on, California organizations are continuing to take action in support of embattled Ukrainians.

Ambition and Luck

How former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy became Califonria's most powerful Republican leader—and how it all suddenly and predictably came to an end.

Kevin McCarthy: A Look Back

Kevin McCarthy, the Bakersfield Republican whose fall from power was even more rapid than his rise, gave a farewell speech on Dec. 14.

Many conservatives believe success is achieved through hard work. So how did California’s most prominent conservative politician reach the top? Kevin McCarthy won the lottery.

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

→ View All

	Keep Tahoe Blue Works on Solution to Trash at Sled Hill
	In 2016, the League to Save Lake Tahoe, known as Keep Tahoe Blue, identified the unofficial sled hill at Spooner Summit as a trash hotspot. The problem grew exponentially.

	New Resources for Tahoe Backcountry Skiers, Riders, Seasoned and New
	Richard Bothwell hopes his new guidebook, “Light Tours of Tahoe,” will help others get out and have an A-plus day.

	Truckee Cultural District, NV County Arts Council Launch Holiday Shopping Campaign
	The Nevada County Arts Council, Grass Valley–Nevada City Cultural District and Truckee Cultural District invite locals and visitors to Show Up for the Arts! this holiday season.

	Tahoe Conservation Groups Sue Placer County
	Multiple nonprofits filed a petition against Placer County, alleging that several actions taken by the board regarding the Tahoe Basin Area Plan violated the California Environmental Quality Act.

	Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Resort Brand Meshes with Tahoe’s Colors
	“Genuine, palpable excitement” filled the air Dec. 14 as Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe debuted, becoming the only all-suite resort in the South Lake Tahoe area.

	Lincoln Potters Announce Move to Newly Formed Pacific Empire League
	A new era of baseball will begin this summer at McBean Stadium, as the Lincoln Potters leave the California Collegiate League and join the new Pacific Empire League.

	Auburn Recognizes Best Decorated Business, Residence
	Bragging rights and special signs were given out to two top decorators at the Auburn City Council meeting on Dec. 11.

	Colfax City Council Selects New Mayor
	The reins of the Colfax City Council changed hands as Kim Douglass was named mayor in a unanimous vote.

	Furry friends spread holiday cheer for Placer SPCA 50th anniversary
	Placer SPCA celebrated the adoptions of “tens of thousands of cats, dogs and critters” through its 50th anniversary with a holiday-themed open house event.

	Officers Make Holidays Merry During Shop With a Cop
	The Shop with a Cop program rewards kids ages 5-18 with the opportunity to purchase clothing and other necessities while shopping with a police officer.

	Mountaineer Celebrates Five Years of Impact on Lake Tahoe Transportation
	When the on-demand microtransit service called Mountaineer launched in Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows, the goal was to make it easy to get around the Palisades Tahoe resort community during the winter months without a car.

	Placer County Historical Society Presents Award
	The fifth annual Placer County History Award went to Phil Sexton, who has worked for the California State Railroad Museum and studied the history of Chinese workers who worked on the transcontinental railroad.

	City Council Votes Cody Bass as Next South Lake Tahoe Mayor
	Cody Bass was named the new mayor of South Lake Tahoe on Dec. 12 after the only two public commenters on the item voiced opposition to his selection.

	El Dorado County Sets Up Policy to Ban Syringe Exchange
	El Dorado County drafted an urgency ordinance that would take a big step toward eliminating syringe exchange programs on its turf.

	Historic Ski Clubs of Donner Pass, Part I: Hutchinson, Clair Tappan Lodges Built
	At Donner Pass, the era of modern skiing started in the 1920s when two brothers, Lincoln and James Hutchinson of Berkeley, introduced their friends to the sport.

	New Ski Flicks Debut
	Several new locally made ski films have been released. Follow the makers to find details on local shows and watch the trailers.

	Backcountry Ski Guide Released
	“Light Tours of Tahoe, California + Nevada” has been released, detailing 64 backcountry routes in the Tahoe region by guide and avalanche educator Richard Bothwell. The guidebook is accessible to a range of skiers and riders and includes routes to …

	Buy Bear Plaques to Fund Trails
	The Tahoe Fund has announced a partnership with Placer County to install personalized bear plaques along the railings in Tahoe City’s Heritage Plaza to raise funds for trails in the Placer County region of North Lake Tahoe.

	Nevada County Supervisors Create New Chief of Staff/Clerk of the Board Position
	In response to the coming retirement of longtime Clerk of the Board Julie Patterson Hunter at the end of December, the Board of Supervisors has added duties to the position and retitled it Chief of Staff/Clerk of the Board.

Recent Local News

→ View All

• New Report Explores Offshore Wind Transmission Scenarios

A new report from the Schatz Energy Research Center at Cal Poly Humboldt evaluates potential scenarios for electric grid transmission development to support floating offshore wind along the northern coast of California and the southern coast of Oregon.

(12/18/2023) → YubaNet

• GM Kevin Loewen Leaves EDHCSD

No one remarked on the empty seat at the Dec. 14 El Dorado Hills Community Services District Board of Directors meeting. After members of the public inquired, board Chair Noelle Mattock said General Manager Kevin Loewen’s absence was a “personnel and confidential” matter.

(12/14/2023) → Village Life

• Camino School Community Demands Superintendent’s Resignation

Camino Union Elementary School District parents, teachers and staff packed into the small portable classroom used for school board meetings to demand the resignation of Brett Nelson, the school's new superintendent/principal.

(12/11/2023) → Mountain Democrat

• Placerville Gets $1M for Police, Fire Facility

The city of Placerville was the recipient of a surprise early Christmas present when state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil announced she secured $1 million in state funds to go toward the creation of the Placerville joint public safety facility.

(12/11/2023) → Mountain Democrat

Recent Statewide News

→ View All

• SF Hits New Record for Overdose Deaths

The fentanyl epidemic has pushed San Francisco to a grim milestone: a new record for overdoses. A total 752 people overdosed in the first 11 months of this year, surpassing 2020’s record number of 726.

(12/14/2023) → SFGate

• Newsom Touts California to Seth Meyers

Gov. Gavin Newsom defended his work and that of current or former California leaders like Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris during an appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” Newsom suggested conservatives focus unduly on California's failures.

(12/14/2023) → SFGate

• Commute Times Highlight Income Divide

Higher-income workers are more likely to work from home, analysis of recent census data shows. Lower-income workers can face long and solitary commutes to get to work.

(12/13/2023) → Los Angeles Times

• Michelin Guide Adds Seven California Restaurants

Three restaurants in San Francisco, three in Los Angeles and one in San Diego have been added to the Michelin Guide. Two of the SF eateries also made Esquire’s list for best new American restaurants in 2023.

(12/12/2023) → SFGate

• Assembly Group on Retail Theft to Hold First Hearing

A new select committee in the California Assembly dedicated to retail theft will hold its first hearing on Dec. 19. This allows the committee to get to work before the next legislative session on an issue that’s drawn much press for California in recent years.

(12/12/2023) → Sacramento Bee

• Supreme Court Upholds California Ban on Conversion Therapy

By declining to hear a conservative group’s challenge, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a California ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth. California is one of 22 states to ban this practice.

(12/11/2023) → Sacramento Bee

• Yosemite Trying New Strategies to Reduce Food Packaging Waste

An estimated 100,000 pizza boxes have been removed from Yosemite’s waste stream. This is because the famed park now serves pizza on trays and puts to-go portions in compostable bags, part of a move to reduce food-related waste.

(12/11/2023) → SFGate