Sentinel Top Stories

Final preparations make way for big event

Wednesday, 13 August 2008

Rodney Spangler, with Emerald Green Janitorial Services, discusses the Black & White Ball with Rachel Clegg, who is in charge of decorations.

Nearly 40 Black and White Ball organizers and city officials held a final planning meeting just one week before the big day, ensuring that all bases were covered.

According to Bruce Cosgrove, executive director of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, the event has received more financial support than it ever has.

“The Ball has the largest actual cash support in the history of the event,” he said. “Ticket sales are four times greater than they were this same (number of days before the Ball) last year.”

He said the Ball was on track to have 6,000 people in attendance.

Letters to the Editor - August 13, 2008

Wednesday, 13 August 2008

Moffat response to teen writer was unacceptable

The bio line at the end of “The Savage Spinmeister” (Sentinel, July 25 edition) that reads “Gary Moffat is a journalist,” is an understatement. I cannot believe what I just read. What were you thinking “Michael Savage’ing” a 13-year-old? Lucas E. Carlucci’s credibility just rose well above yours. His special interest is no less important to him and his peers than yours is to you and your wine peddling buddies. And, you are an ambassador to your industry? Perhaps you should try civil disobedience to shove your coveted wine ordinance through the jurisdictional process. I think an apology is owed. If not to Lucas, then to your industry for the setback you just inflicted.

Gary Mapa Applegate

Stay or Pay?

Thursday, 31 July 2008

Photo by Don Chaddock.

Auburn’s choice to keep its sewer plant local sparks water board warning

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board’s top official urged the Auburn City Council to reconsider its decision to upgrade its current wastewater facility plant or the city could face unforeseen costly upgrades and fines in the future.

Pamela Creedon, chief executive officer of the water board, addressed the council at their regular meeting on Monday night.

“I’m here to ask you to reconsider going regional,” she said. “I don’t believe you have thought out your decision carefully.”

Sports Corner - Raiders Hope Spending Spree Works

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

Since the Oakland Raiders last played in a Super Bowl back in 2003, they’ve had a very tough time trying to return. Whether it’s been misfires on free agent signings, three different head coaches in three years, the shoddy play of the offensive line, or the myriad of injuries at key positions the Raiders have had to suffer through – it’s safe to say that more has gone wrong than right for Oakland since that blowout loss to Tampa Bay. Yet despite winning only four games a year ago, the tide does seem to be turning for the Raiders. They have gotten considerably younger as they now can boast having one of the youngest quarterbacks, running backs, and head coaches in the league. The Raiders have also continued one of their oldest traditions this off-season and that is spending money – lots of it.

Notes From the Trail - Daughters take to Quarry Trail and No Hands Bridge

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

The Mountain Quarries Railroad Bridge, constructed in 1912, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Photo by Don Chaddock.

With my son otherwise occupied on a recent Saturday, I convinced my two daughters to give up cartoons and the Internet to spend some quality time on the trail with their papa. The task was not easy and there were protests, but victory was mine.

We chose to hike part of the Western States Trail, as suggested by my 8-year-old, but a different section than we usually find ourselves using.

With packs loaded with water and snacks consisting of apples and cheese, our skin glistening with sunscreen and insect repellant, we hopped in the car to drive into the American River canyon on Highway 49.

A piece of history now on display at courthouse

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

Photo courtesy Terry Barton.

The bell from the tower of the historic courthouse in Old Town Auburn was removed by crane on Saturday so construction crews can repair the dome. The steel bell was purchased in the fall of 1859 and was used to announce the opening of court and pulled double duty as a fire alarm. When the original courthouse was torn down in 1897, the bell was moved to its new home beneath the copper dome of the new courthouse. It will be on display in the lobby of the courthouse until repair and restoration work is completed. The building also houses the Placer County Courthouse Museum and the Museum Gift Shop, which are both open during construction.

Common Sense - Our Digital Waterloo

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

A careful reader can recognize the words of surrender and clearly see the large white flag flapping atop a besieged and battered castle. The article “How Many Blogs Equal Reading a Book?” Sacramento Bee (July 27, 2008), starts off describing how 15-year-old Nadia Konyk from Cleveland spends six hours or more every day on the Internet. Nadia e-mails her friends, logs into myyearbook.com (a social networking site), looks at music videos on YouTube and plays on Gaia Online, a role-playing site where users assume alternate identities as cartoon characters. Nadia’s mother, Mrs. Deborah Konyk, shrugs and says, “I’m just pleased that she reads something anymore.”

Hard choices ahead for Colfax’s wastewater treatment plant

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

With Colfax under a “cease and desist” order for the final construction phase of its upgraded wastewater treatment plant, the City Council is grappling with two major issues – complying with the order by conducting a study of the city’s aging system and residents who don’t want to squander funds on yet another study.

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board has ordered the city of Colfax to provide a base map of its sewer system and test the integrity of its pipes through a technique called “smoking.” They must also use small video cameras to visually inspect the pipelines.

Letters to the Editor - July 30, 2008

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

Moffat’s column is ‘socially irresponsible’

I am responding to Gary Moffat’s response to Lucas Carlucci in his column, “The Savage Spinmeister” (Sentinel, July 25 edition). Mr. Moffat has been aptly named “Savage.” Lucas is an intelligent young boy who is making an earnest attempt to make a difference in the Auburn community. Mr. Moffat, on the other hand, only cares about his personal agenda and this column is socially irresponsible.

As a writer, I am appalled that he would publicly ridicule Lucas’ grammatical errors. If he is petty enough to point out a 13-year-old boy’s grammar errors, then he has far too much time on his hands. I grew up in Auburn and have lived in Auburn a lot longer than Mr. Moffat. I can attest to the fact that we didn’t have a lot of social activities for teens. Mr. Moffat is once again wrong with his uninformed comments. Skateboarding is both an art and sport, and to demean a young boy’s love of skateboarding is unacceptable.

We shake our heads as to why our youth are turning to drugs and crime. What kind of message is Mr. Moffat sending? As an Auburn leader, I expect a more community-minded spirit towards our youth. Kids already feel like adults don’t care. Mr. Moffat’s suggestion to Lucas that he “hold his breath until he turns blue in the face” was horrible. Even if it was meant in a joking manner, our kids don’t need to hear that kind of message from an Auburn business leader.

A word of advice to the skateboarding teens of Auburn: ride your skateboards in front of Carpe Vino and wave to Mr. Moffat as you pass by his establishment. Our community doesn’t need this kind of negativity towards our Auburn youth. If Tony Hawk, world-renowned professional skateboarder, allowed adults to dissuade him from skateboarding, he wouldn’t be where he is today (both an amazing skateboarder and successful businessman).

Therese M. Pope Auburn

Notes from the Trail - Taking a nature hike with Dad

Written by Don Chaddock

Thursday, 24 July 2008

Cian Chaddock, 10, is shown walking along a connector trail to the Olmstead Loop in Cool early Saturday morning.

In need of some father-son time, I let Cian pick the trail we were going to hike. To my surprise, he asked to hike the trail I did a few weeks ago (Cool to Auburn, with most of the 7 miles on the Western States Trail), but I talked him out of that decision for his own sake. He’s only 10, after all.

On Friday evening, looking at the trail map spread over the dining room table, we settled on the Olmstead Loop in Cool.

At 5:30 Saturday morning, I rousted him out of bed. While he ate breakfast, I packed snacks (cheddar cheese and berries) in a small lunch cooler, filled six liters of water bottles (one liter for each of us to carry, while the rest went in my backpack), and tucked away a few granola bars and trail mix. While I knew this was “overkill” for the short hike we had planned, I’m trying to impress on the kids that it’s better to be prepared and have too much water and food. Of course, we also applied sunscreen and insect repellant before we left the house.

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