Auburn’s Historic Courthouse, shown in this Sentinel file photo taken last spring, will be getting a new roof.
The Historic Placer County Courthouse, Auburn’s landmark for the past 113 years, will soon be receiving a $1,080,000 roof repair job.
The board of supervisors authorized the project this week after County Facilities Director Jim Durfee described the severity of roof leaks, especially in the walkways at the colonnade and the stone gallery of the dome. Leaks are also prevalent on the exterior metal cladding on the walls, columns, parapets and other features.
The county still owns the Courthouse despite the fact that state courts take up most of its space. On a proportional basis, Durfee said the county will pay up to $275,000 toward the roof work while the Administrative Office of the Courts pays the lion’s share.
Unsolved murders in Placer County, no matter how long ago they
occurred, remain active in law enforcement case files. There are a
number of vicious murders still being investigated since there is no
statute of limitation for a homicide. These cold case files remain open
and detectives continue to look for clues and information that could
lead to solving the crimes. The Sentinel will be revisiting some of
those brutal, unsolved slayings, and the progress in bringing the
murderer or murderers to justice, in future editions.
by Bill Wilson, Sentinel contributing writer
A 14-year-old boy walking with a friend southbound along Highway 49 near Palm Avenue on a warm August evening was struck and killed by a pickup truck whose driver fled the scene. Gabriel Swendner, a graduate of E. V. Cain School a few months earlier, died in a ditch alongside the highway and the other youth, whose identity is being protected by authorities, was injured. Swendner was hit and thrown into his friend, knocking him away from being hit or run over by the pickup, police said.
Assemblyman Rick Keene (R-Chico) isn’t your typical politician. Rather than sit in Sacramento and watch the clock tick down as his time in office expires next year due to term limits, Keene is actually touring his vast district.
Over a cup of coffee at Depoe Bay on a recent Thursday morning, Keene spoke about the regional waste water treatment plant, Highway 49 traffic safety improvements and hinted at his plans for the future.
Representing the 3rd District in the state Legislature, Keene’s broad territory not only includes parts of Placer County such as Colfax, Meadow Vista and North Auburn, but extends all the way to the Nevada border.
Water issues are something Keene speaks about with passion, especially regarding what he sees as the state’s role in helping small sewage treatment plants meet the new guidelines.
Vineyards, agriculture not the ways to preserve ‘natural resources’
Dear Editor,
Recent columns by Gary Moffat and Kevin Hanley (Sentinel, Nov.2, 2007 edition) are quick to favor large scale agricultural uses, such as vineyards – as opposed to residential development – as the best means of “preserving” our rural lands and natural resources. Maybe this position needs a bit more thought. I recently witnessed the “construction” of 40 acres of new vineyard. The land was totally cleared and scraped to bare dirt. All vegetation and topsoil were removed into huge piles. Natural habitat components such as fallen trees, old stumps, rodent burrows and nests and every blade of grass was removed to create a barren clean slate on which to plant the new vines that will form this forever-manicured vineyard. It’s also worth noting that this very devastating “construction project” did not require any environmental reviews. Were this same natural land developed for residential use, the result would likely be much less devastating and would actually preserve more of our flora and fauna.
Steve and Nancy Bender and Don and Katie Gwinn have been named honorary hosts of this year’s Faith and Fantasy “Midnight in Marrakesh” Ball, sponsored by the Sutter Auburn Faith Foundation.
The black tie dinner and dance will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10 at the Ridge Golf Course in Auburn.
A second trial appears likely for Veronica Martinez Salcedo, the nanny who remains accused of shaking the baby in her care to death in May of 2006.
An Auburn jury deliberated for more than a week before announcing on October 31 that it was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. The panel reportedly stood 10 to 2 for conviction. Martinez Salcedo is charged with the death of 15-month-old Hannah Juceam of Roseville. Prosecutors claimed she died from injuries sustained when she was shaken by the nanny.
Martinez Salcedo remains in custody in the Placer County Jail. If convicted of assault on a child causing death, she could be sentenced to state prison for up to 25 years.
Moderate retail water rate increases will be considered at the November 15 meeting of the Placer County Water Agency Board of Directors. The meeting will start at 2 p.m. in the PCWA Business Center at 144 Ferguson Road in Auburn.
Agency directors approved 2008 rate hikes last week for wholesale water customers, saying they are necessary to meet the demands of state regulators, replace water delivery facilities and, in general, pay for the cost of doing business.
A dinner hosted by the Colfax VFW Post 2003 will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Colfax Veterans Memorial Hall, 22 Sunset Circle. The dinner will include lasagna, salad, garlic bread, cookies, coffee or hot apple cider and costs $8 per person, plus an item for our troop care packages. Suggested items are beef jerky, granola bars, hard candy, gum, new socks (white or black), a music CD, a movie DVD or a small holiday ornament. Sodas, wine, beer and mixed drinks will also be available for a donation. If you can’t make it to dinner, but still want to help, monetary donations will be accepted to offset postage costs, and care package items can be dropped off at Colfax Area Chamber of Commerce, Dawn’s Hallmark in Auburn, or the Colfax Record in Colfax.
Guess what! Paul Kovacich, the pensioned Placer County sheriff’s sergeant accused of killing his wife a quarter century ago, is getting a new lawyer.
During an appearance before Superior Court Judge Larry Gaddis in Auburn last week, it appeared that John Lyman, a deputy public defender, will be the next attorney to represent Kovacich, who remains free on $1.5 million bail.
The judge was informed that Kovacich’s most recent ex-lawyer, John Spurling, had left the public defender’s staff. Spurling was appointed to represent Kovacich a few months ago after Tom Leupp and Clyde Blackmon, the ex-cop’s private lawyers, said they were leaving the case because their client could no longer afford to pay them.
Saturday’s 12th annual Fall Brewfest, to be held from 5 to 9 p.m. at The Ridge in Auburn, features microbrews, appetizers from local restaurants, a silent auction and live music by Catfish and the Crawdaddies. Tickets are $45 at the door. For more information, call 530-885-9500.
