HEALTH CARE
President Trump
Friday, October 13, 2017
Cal Fire’s NEU Unit Chief George Morris III begins Thursday evening’s standing room only community meeting on
area wildfires at the Nevada County government center. Cal Fire chiefs explained their initial attack response on
both the Lobo Fire and McCourtney Fire and gave updates on the status of each.
Fire victims asked to be patient
By Matthew Pera
Staff Writer
In less than two hours, the Lobo
Fire grew from 10 to 500 acres.
As aggressive winds picked up
early Monday morning, firefight-
ers called in for help battling the
flames, but resources were spread
thin with multiple fires burning
throughout the state, including the
nearby McCourtney Fire, which
prompted evacuation orders just
hours before the Lobo Fire began
spreading quickly.
Cal Fire’s Nevada-Yuba-Placer
Unit Battalion Chief Jim Hudson
recounted the initial attack Thurs-
day night at a community meeting
for Nevada County residents affect-
ed by wildfires.
“You can have all the line and
hose in the world around it, but
when the wind came up on it like
that it just blew it against the ter-
rain, downhill, and we were getting
significant spotting,” Hudson said.
Battalion Chief Landon Hack told
a similar story about the McCourt-
ney Fire, which spread rapidly Sun-
day night and into early Monday
morning as a result of heavy winds.
“With the conditions — the wind,
the smoke, roads being blocked
by trees, power lines — it made it
difficult to get a true assessment,”
he said.
MEETING, A6
River Valley Community Bank breaks ground
By Liz Kellar
Staff Writer
Nevada County’s economy has been
slow to recover from the recession.
One bright spot celebrated a mile-
stone Thursday, breaking ground for a
brand-new building to cement its roots
in the county.
River Valley Community Bank,
which got its start in Yuba City, first
moved to Nevada County a little over
four years ago.
In June, the bank closed escrow on a
parcel of land at the corner of Bruns-
wick and Town Talk roads for the
OBITUARIES WEATHER
Rosemary Hill; Evelyn Horan;
June McKenzie; Toni Thompson;
Sharon Tobiassen
Page A5
VOLUME 152 ISSUE 295
H: 67˚ L: 43˚
See full forecast,
PREP FOOTBALL
Bruins, Miners hit
plans to end subsi-
dies for insurers
NEWS | A8
FOUNDED IN 1864 TO PRESERVE THE UNION ... ONE AND INSEPARABLE
PHOTOS BY ELIAS FUNEZ/EFUNEZ@THEUNION.COM
TOP: Tom Tornell speaks with Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Martin out of
Santa Clara before Thursday night’s Nevada County Community meet-
ing on the Wind Fire Complex. ABOVE: Cal Fire NEU Battalion Chief Jim
Hudson gives updates on the Lobo Fire while a map of the fire’s boundar-
ies is shown on the screen behind him.
future construction of a permanent site, which fronts Brunswick Road
branch location. and which will also have access to a
“Our board gave us the green light to realigned Town Talk Road.
move into Grass Valley four and a half Wallis described the style of the
years ago and we opened the branch building as Gold Rush architecture
fairly quickly,” said CEO John M. Jelav- with a contemporary feel and noted it
ich. “That initial location was secured includes space for additional tenants.
quickly, but we knew it wouldn’t be Jelavich called the new facility “a vis-
sufficient in the long run. We had been ible demonstration of our commitment
looking actively for the last couple of to the community,” and said he hopes it
years as we built our customer base, will be up and running by next fall.
and the result is what we’re celebrating He said River Valley has started the
today — the groundbreaking.” preliminary groundwork and is hoping
On Thursday, Jelavich and build- to start construction soon.
ing architect Robert Wallis unveiled a
rendering of the new building at the BANK, A6
INDEX Woman who died in
RV fire identified
Advice B3
A 50-year-old Nevada
Blotter A2 County woman died Oct.
Comics B2 5 as the result of a fire that
Cryptoquote A6 started in an RV near North
Lottery A5 San Juan, authorities said.
Opinion A4 Shelley Elliott was pro-
Outdoors B1 nounced dead at the scene
when firefighters from Cal
Sports B6
Fire and the North San Juan
Stocks A6
Page A7 Sudoku A6
Sunny The Union Circulation: 530-273-9565
road for league
contests
SPORTS | B6
WWW.THEUNION.COM $1
Residents
return after
evacuation
order lifted
By Alan Riquelmy
Staff Writer
The final evacuation order was lifted for
the Lobo Fire almost four days after the first
flames began to spread through Nevada
County.
The necessary safety checks made, author-
ities at noon Thursday allowed people back
into the Rough and Ready area — ending the
last mandatory evacuation zone caused by two
wildfires that continue to burn.
The Lobo Fire, at 829 acres Thursday morn-
ing, destroyed buildings and left thousands
without power, though only about 60 PG&E
customers had no power that afternoon. The
fire was at
FOR YOUR 52 percent
INFORMATION
Residents who know their
home was destroyed, or who
contain-
ment
Thursday
evening.
want to find out if their home
Residents
was damaged, should call the
of the final
county at 530-265-1218.
evacuation
area were
allowed in as firefighters continued their work
to contain the blaze and ensure no embers
restarted parts of the fire.
Before the evacuation was lifted firefighters
examined electrical poles and lines as assess-
ment teams checked damaged and destroyed
buildings, said Mary Eldridge, public informa-
tion officer with Cal Fire.
“That’s a top priority — people obviously
want to get back inside their homes,” Eldridge
said about an hour before the evacuation or-
der was lifted.
RETURN, A6
ELIAS FUNEZ/EFUNEZ@THEUNION.COM
An evacuated resident of Lake Wildwood
makes phone calls as the Lobo Fire burns
across the lake Monday morning from the
Lake Wildwood dam.
ELIAS FUNEZ/EFUNEZ@THEUNION.COM
Community politicians and dignitaries gather on
the 500 block of Brunswick Road on the edge of the
Glenbrook Basin, for a groundbreaking ceremony of
the new River Valley Community Bank.
Fire Department responded was extinguished, said Eli
to reports of a structure fire Deakle with the Grass Valley
around 6:45 a.m. Thursday Emergency Command
near the intersection Center.
of Grizzly Hill Road and An investigation into
Turnagain Arm, according to the incident is ongoing,
the Nevada County Sheriff’s according to Freya Johnson,
Office. a public information officer
The fire spread to ap- for the North San Juan Fire
proximately one-quarter Department.
acre of vegetation before it — Matt Pera
 The Union | Friday, October 13, 2017 | A3

LOCAL
Wildwood market, pharmacy open during crisis
By Liz Kellar
Staff Writer

Monday, thousands of Lake

Wildwood residents were forced
to flee their homes, in some
cases waiting hours to exit the
gated community.
But several local businesses
worked overtime to make the
evacuation a little bit easier.
Holiday Market, just across
Pleasant Valley Road from Lake
Wildwood, was able to power up
by generator by 1 p.m. Monday,
said assistant manager Matthew
Tange.
Tange was awake by 4:30 a.m.,
packed up and evacuated his
own home before heading to
work at 7 a.m. After conferring
with his boss, a mobile gener-
ator was ordered from Chico,
Tange said.
“We got it up and running by 1
and we opened for business,” he
said. “That’s how smooth it was.”
Monday as people evacuated,
customers came in primarily
for water and quick snacks they
could take with them, Tange
said. Some evacuees opted to
stay in the parking lot in RVs
and other vehicles.
Holiday Market was a good PHOTO BY LIZ KELLAR/LKELLAR@THEUNION.COM
neighbor to the Thai restaurant Pleasant Valley Pharmacy stayed open during the power outage Monday and Tuesday, with pharmacist DeAnn Sumner putting up a large
next door as well, storing their “OPEN” sign on the door to let customers know.
food for them.
Tuesday, “As soon as they lifted Monday, pharmacist DeAnn prescriptions for anything any- Wednesday. to be able to do something for
the evacuation, we started get- Sumner got in at 9 a.m., and one needed,” Sumner said. “The “We were dead in the water people, to step up to help (my)
ting busier,” Tange said. made a large sign to hang on the doctors were amazing.” before the power came back neighbors,” Sumner said. “It was
Pleasant Valley Pharmacy went door to let customers know they Tuesday, the power came back on,” she said, showing off all fun, actually.”
above and beyond during the were open. on at 4:30 p.m., and Sumner of her hand-written lists of
power outage as well, ensuring “I was able to use my cell stayed until 8 p.m. to make sure patients and medications To contact Staff Writer Liz
its customers were able to fill any phone to call doctors in Grass she could fill everyone’s pre- needed. Kellar, email lkellar@theunion.
emergency medication needs. Valley and get emergency scriptions for when they came in “It was a real opportunity, com or call 530-477-4236.

Concert Involuntary manslaughter Firefighters

turned suspect back in jail battle 2 blazes
benefit
By Sean Jordan
Features Editor
By Alan Riquelmy
Staff Writer
in Glenbrook
Hightower-Malta, was
allowed to attend the res-
idential treatment facility
have been affected by a
lack of medication.
“My understanding is

What started as a regu-
lar event has turned into a
benefit concert for those who
have been affected by the re-
cent fires in western Nevada
County.
The Rayos with Ancient
Wave Tribe dance concert is
set to perform at the Miners
Foundry at 8 p.m. Friday.
Collaborating with Yu-
banet and KVMR, Saul and
Elena Rayos have decided to
enact change and help those
affected by donating all the
proceeds to a relief fund that
will benefit those who lost
their homes in the recent
fires in the community.
The fund will be created
after the concert with a web-
site to follow.
Donation jars will be up
on the stage so people who
Basin camp
A man facing an in-
voluntary manslaugh-
ter charge is back in the
Nevada County Jail after
authorities say he was
removed from a treatment
facility for
refusing to
go to bed.
Con-
ner E.
Milkey, 25,
remained
in jail
Conner Milkey Thursday
afternoon
under $65,000 in bond.
He returned to Nevada
County this week after
leaving a Santa Rosa facil-
ity, a probation officer tes-
tified Thursday in Nevada
County Superior Court.
Milkey, accused in the
May 2016 drug-related
in late September pending
trial. Judge Robert Tice-
Raskin allowed Milkey’s
release on his own recog-
nizance to enter the pro-
gram, though he couldn’t
leave the treatment center
without returning to jail.
His stint at the facility
lasted less than a week
after he was spotted in
the center’s kitchen after
hours, Probation Officer
Tarah Guild said.
“He was asked to go to
bed numerous times,” she
said. “He refused.”
According to Guild,
Milkey said the employees
couldn’t tell him what to
do. Employees then escort-
ed him from the building.
Defense attorney Jenni-
fer Granger, who rep-
resents Milkey, argued that
he was praying too loud,”
Granger said. “He was
singing too loud. He’s
exhibiting some behav-
ior problem we don’t
understand.”
Granger left open the
possibility that her client,
who didn’t appear Thurs-
day in court, could again
be released on his own
recognizance, a suggestion
Deputy District Attorney
James Morris opposed.
“He didn’t even make it a
week and we’re still talking
about possible O.R. in the
future?” he asked.
The judge then set
Milkey’s next court hear-
ing for Oct. 26.
To contact Staff Writer
Alan Riquelmy, email
ariquelmy@theunion.com
Firefighters early Thursday extinguished a quar-
ter-acre fire in a Glenbrook Basin transient camp
before responding to a second, nearby fire, neither
of which caused any injuries, authorities said.
The Grass Valley Fire Department responded
around midnight to a fire between Sutton Way and
Brunswick Road, staying for two hours, Battalion
Chief Steve Smith said.
“There was nobody there when we got there,”
Smith added.
Firefighters learned about a second, 10-by-10-
foot fire off Plaza Drive while at the first blaze, the
battalion chief said.
“The second fire was more roadside,” Smith said,
noting it was about 200 yards from the first blaze.
It’s unknown if the two fires are connected. The
causes of both remain under investigation, he
added.
Other agencies that responded to the fires in-
clude Nevada County Consolidated, Nevada City
and Cal Fire, Smith said.

Haunted
attend the show can also jailhouse death of Joshua her client’s behavior could or call 530-477-4239. — Staff Writer Alan Riquelmy

Haunted
donate what they can.
“If everyone in the com-
munity kicks down a buck
or two we can really make a

Nevada County
difference,” said Saul Rayos.
“I have a personal school

Nevada County
friend who lost his house on
the ridge. He was helping his

B R A H M S
neighbor and then his place
went down.
“After that I knew I had
to do something,” he said. “I
was thinking, ‘How do we
make this happen? How do
FIRST SYMPHONY
The Union will include a special section on Saturday, October
we help Yubanet so they can Friday, October 13 at 7:30 pm 21 featuring the ghost stories of Nevada County just in time for
keep everyone informed and
then how do we help the Amaral Center at the Fairgrounds Halloween. Haunted Places of Nevada County will include great
community that has been Andrew Grams, conductor stories from our rich history, as well as first person accounts of
affected?”
Rachel Barton Pine, violin hauntings that our neighbors have experienced.
Those who have been
affected by the fires or lost Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera Don’t be afraid; advertise today in Haunted Nevada County.
their homes may be able to PROKOFIEV Violin Concerto No. 1
attend the concert for free.
“We may not be able to BRAHMS Symphony No.1
take the pain away but we
can at least show that they
have support,” said Rayos.

To contact Features Editor

Sean Jordan, email
sjordan@theunion.com or
call 530-477-4219.

KNOW & GO
What: The Rayos with
Ancient Wave Tribe dance AD SIZE
concert and benefit.
3 Col x 6” (4.92” x 6”): $266 Black & White
When: 8 p.m. Friday
$347 Color
Where: Miners Foundry,
325 Spring Street Nevada Reserve your ad space by October 13
City.
Info: https://miners- Publishes October 21
foundry.org/event/
rayos-ancient-wave-tribe/
T IC K E TS START AT $35 Contact your Account Manager Today.
Tickets: $20. All proceeds ORD E R YO URS NOW ! Or contact Valerie Costa
will go into a relief fund to
(530) 477-4237
help those affected by the
recent fires.
(530) 265-6124 MusicintheMountains.org vcosta@theunion.com
A4 | Friday, October 13, 2017 | The Union
IDEAS & OPINIONS
DON ROGERS, Publisher | drogers@theunion.com 530-477-4299
BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor | bhamilton@theunion.com 530-477-4249
The opinions expressed on this page are those of the individual
authors who express them and do not necessarily reflect the views of
The Union. If you would like to share your thoughts with The Union,
email letters@theunion.com. See policies below for information.
Free, unfettered
press assures
America’s future
I
n a recent column,
Manny Montes indict-
ed both the American
mainstream press and
academia, attacking their
motives and patriotism
while decrying the evils of
progressive ideology. When
thoughtfully examined, his
attack is unbridled polemic
that seeks a return to the
past.
Mr. Montes takes aim
at the mainstream me-
dia, claiming that it “has
abdicated the traditional
journalist role at attempts
of reporting the news
objectively.”
Yet the role of the press is
not simply reporting facts.
“The Constitution specif-
ically selected the press ...
to play an important role
in the discussion of public
affairs. Thus the press
serves and was designed to
serve as a powerful antidote
to any abuses of power by
governmental officials and
as a constitutionally chosen
means for keeping offi-
cials elected by the people
responsible to all the people
whom they were selected
to serve.” — Justice Hugo
Black in Mills v. Alabama,
384 U.S. 214 (1966).
To prosper, America
needs a free press to shine
a spotlight on our politi-
cal leaders. While it must
report the facts, the press
must also question those
facts and the politicians
whose goals are oftentimes
self-aggrandizement rather
than leadership. Without a
press unencumbered by at-
tempts to limit its reporting
to “the facts” and mistaken
accusations of anti-Amer-
icanism, the people will
not merely be uninformed.
They will no longer believe
anything but what they
want to believe, and un-
principled politicians will
exploit that void in spades.
Mr. Montes’ claim that
academia provides a “dis-
torted, left-wing, political-
ly correct, anti-American
indoctrination,” is polemic,
not reasoned argument.
While the majority of ac-
ademics tends to the left,
and may sometimes appear
to express “politically-cor-
rect” views, claiming that
academia is “anti-Ameri-
can” is dangerous hyper-
bole. By characterizing
teachers and educators as
anti-American, he ques-
tions their patriotism, a
charge as easily made as it
is cheap and tawdry. What
does it mean to be a patri-
ot? G.B. Shaw opined that
“Patriotism is ... a convic-
tion that a particular coun-
try is the best in the world
because [one was] born in
it …” Samuel Johnson, a
keen observer of the human
condition, noted that “Pa-
triotism is the last refuge of
a scoundrel.” Even George
Washington warned against
the dangers “pretended
patriotism.”
Simply put, Mr. Mon-
tes confuses patriotism
with nationalism. The late
OUR POLICIES
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters are limited to 200 words.
Kudos must be 100 words or less.
Please include your name, address and
phone number.
OTHER VOICES
“Other Voices” may be 500 to 750
words in length. Please include your
name, address, daytime phone number
and a paragraph at the end describing
yourself.
EMAIL TO
letters@theunion.com
OTHER VOICES
Dick Sciaroni
Sidney Harris succinctly
explained the difference be-
tween the two notions: the
patriot loves his country for
what it does while the na-
tionalist loves his no matter
what it does. The former
creates a feeling of respon-
sibility while the latter only
foments blind arrogance.
Likewise, in his call for
common sense — a concept
each of us is free to frame
as we choose — Mr. Montes
complains that government
has become “a leviathan
that impinges on every
facet of our lives ... while
free enterprise is replaced
with the burdens of over
taxation and regulation.”
He elevates hyperbole over
pragmatism while ignoring
the obvious: The America
of 1789 no longer exists.
At the end of the Revolu-
tionary War — when we
exchanged the ruling aris-
tocracy residing in Britain
for another living in Ameri-
ca — there were some 2.7
million people in the new-
ly-liberated colonies. Today
there are some 320 million
Americans, more than a
hundred-fold increase.
While the primary struc-
ture of our government
remains unchanged — a
tripartite power-sharing
arrangement of Congress,
President and Supreme
Court — the government
established in 1789 has
understandably expanded
to meet the needs of a 21st
century America.
Calls for patience as Pres-
ident Trump pursues pol-
icies he claims will “raise
all boats” through free
(i.e., unregulated) markets
must be questioned. His
projections of 3 percent
growth in GDP, a return
of jobs from overseas, and
better education through
so-called school choice is
more than likely wishful
thinking. We study the
past not merely for its own
sake, but to understand the
future. A thoroughgoing
understanding of econom-
ic history is the product
of discussion and debate
— a dialogue of thesis and
antithesis — undertaken in
order to reach a consensus
to be applied to the future.
The vast majority of econ-
omists today tell us that
President Trump’s econom-
ic projections border on the
Pollyanna-ish and it will be
decades before we might
see the hoped-for results of
expanded school choice.
In other words, the hope
for a better future must be
more than a simple wish
for vindication of Presi-
dent Trump’s policies, one
grounded in history that
seeks the prosperity of all
participants in that unique
experiment begun some
228 years ago — the United
States of America.
Dick Sciaroni lives in Grass
Valley.
The Union accepts one submission per
author, per 30-day period, although
an opportunity for rebuttal will be
granted on a case-by-case basis. Due
to length, letters to the editor are often
able to be published sooner than Other
Voices submissions. In the interest of
clarity, The Union only accepts electronic
submissions. Selection of letters and
Other Voices for publication is at the
discretion of the editor. The Union
reserves the right to edit for length,
clarity and content on all submissions.
All submissions become the property of
The Union.
Neither rain nor fire
I
f you know reporter
Liz Kellar at all, you
know it could only go
this way: Roused by
a neighbor Sunday night,
seeing the fire front across
the NID ditch and coming
fast, she in flip flops and
her husband and son in
bare feet escape.
Oh, but wait! She needs
her laptop, and the other
car. They drive back, flames
about at the door now. She
finds what she needs and
flees.
Not necessarily the
brightest of colleagues at
that moment, but easily the
most determined.
It will surprise no one
she let her husband and
son scoot on down to Lin-
coln, figuring she couldn’t
sleep anyway. Might as well
cover this.
Editor Brian Hamilton
had no such harrowing
tale, thankfully. But he
was on it all night, too,
posting updates, catching
video from allegedly retired
photographer John Hart,
coordinating coverage
of what turned out to be
two surprisingly intense
wildfires.
About a quarter of The
Union’s staff had to evacu-
ate their homes, some not
knowing for another day
whether they still had a
house.
Me? Slept like a baby up
in Nevada City, practiced
my new routine of avoid-
ing email and media for
an hour after getting up
around 5:30 a.m., and had
a great writing session on
a side project, my medita-
tive art.
Only after all that did I
see my texts, my emails,
pull up the website to see
what a night our neigh-
bors and colleagues had
Thanks to ‘Love March’ attendees
W
e were so very
heartened to
see such an
outpouring
of support for Imani and
his family after the racist
event that happened just
days before. Over 1,000 of
you stopped what you were
doing to be there.
This is far more than
we’ve seen on the bridge in
Nevada City for Black Lives
Matter events. It’s also far
more than we’ve seen for
anti-racist workshops held
locally. It was beautiful.
As a group of local orga-
nizers, we’ve been imagin-
ing what it would be like if
this many people showed
up to prevent this kind
of event from happening,
rather than showing up in
reaction to it. We saw on
Facebook that one commu-
nity member said we must
walk for love “to show that
the horrible act a few days
ago against Jamal’s son is
NOT what this community
Union Now feature for
live reports collected posts
from our folks, competi-
tors, agencies and citizens
alike. No one cared whose
was whose or where people
went to find updates. That
wasn’t the point.
DON ROGERS But our online traffic
Publisher numbers were eye-pop-
ping: 186,000 article page
endured. views Monday alone, not
People hitting their counting visits to adver-
horns, beating on doors, tisements or classifieds or
sometimes risking them- such. Add Tuesday and up
The internet has changed everything,
of course, except for the essential fact
of small-town journalism … The local
paper and radio stations rely on real
participation, not just watching or
listening but joining in.
selves to get everyone out through Wednesday, we
ahead of the flames. had what once might have
Here, homes were been a month’s worth of
lost among the 50 or so article page views, at nearly
structures that burned up. 380,000.
Across Northern Califor- The live feed had 70,000
nia, it was worse: 23 dead visits. The metrics on our
as I write early Thursday live Facebook videos and
morning, having checked social media postings easily
email and for text alerts matched the count on our
first thing. website. The scanner feed
I’m proud of our staff. we added to The Union
They got after it, as col- Now peaked at 3,000 lis-
leagues across the state did, teners at the same time.
as they always do. What- The Facebook news
ever lapses we might have groups alone were of little
had, they weren’t from lack use, mostly the usual gos-
of effort, or dedication. sip and cries for someone,
We got video, stories, anyone to tell ’em what was
updates as timely and ac- going on. To the degree
curate as the circumstances news media posted reports
allowed. We did a good job or neighbors shared those
of getting it all in context reports, there was some
for the print edition, al- actual information amid a
though we should have run heavy dose of rumor and
maps there, too. “seen across the street”
We posted to local observations, valuable for
Facebook news groups, we what they are.
tweeted, we contributed There’s a hallowed place
everywhere we could. The for crowdsourcing. And
don’t know how. How many
OTHER VOICES
of us were on Mill Street
Janeen Singer, Daniela
and did nothing to help
Fernandez, Catherine Stifter
Imani, nothing to stop the
and Mags Yen-Chuang
perpetrators? How many
Matthews
Mill Street type of incidents
have occurred for people of
is about.” color in our community?
Can we consider for a This is not an isolated inci-
moment that what hap- dent, it just happens to be
How many Mill Street type of incidents
have occurred for people of color in our
community?
pened to Imani may be one that many folks heard
what this community is and about.
has been about? It’s wonderful that over
We don’t mean everyone 1,000 people can show
all the time, but if we’re up in the name of love
truly honest about both the and diversity. And, if real
racial slurs and the silence change is going to happen
of bystanders, Nevada in this community — more
County residents showed is required. Culturally, we
themselves to be complic- tend to react to crises yet
it with racism. Many do many fail to see the em-
not feel that they need to bedded patterns that create
step up to interrupt racism conditions for racism and
when they see it or they hate crimes. It’s even easier
lots of neighbors shared
photos, news reports, tips,
what they heard from a
neighbor, the downed
tree down the street. Juan
Browne, the airline pilot
with a true gift for vid-
eo and clear explanation,
provided great insights.
Tim O’Brien and Annita
Kasparian were, as always,
terrific contributors, too,
among a host of photogra-
phers who sent us enough
to fill photo pages in print
for days running.
The internet has changed
everything, of course, ex-
cept for the essential fact
of small-town journalism,
which is distinct from the
nose-holding big time
version. The local paper
and radio stations rely on
real participation, not just
watching or listening but
joining in.
No question this will
evolve. So-called legacy
news staffs are shrink-
ing. Today the local radio
station that once served
as go-to in times like this
but no longer can, maybe
tomorrow the newspaper.
Eventually blogs with no
income and few readers
may join echo chambers
online and agencies pump-
ing out press releases, and
that will have to do.
This is a possible future,
among others, for local
news. Plenty of communi-
ties go without now. I don’t
think they’re better for it.
But no doubt I have my
biases, too, assuming Liz
and others like her will al-
ways be there, dodging fire
at their own homes if they
must, so crucial is their
work.
Publisher Don Rogers can
be reached at drogers@
theunion.com or 477-4299.
to not see those conditions
when they benefit you and
your place in a hierarchal
society that places white
people at the top.
We want to invite you to
take a deeper look at the
conditions that perpetuate
racism within yourself, this
community, and the coun-
try at large. May the love
walk be a single step in a
journey of difficult and nec-
essary self-examination and
examination of the legacy
of “Gold Country.” Love is a
beginning.
If you’re looking for local
resources, check out the
work of Creating Com-
munities Beyond Bias,
Indivisible Women, and
our work through Racial
Literacy Nevada County.
Each group offers regular
local events.
Janeen Singer, Daniela
Fernandez, Catherine Stifter
and Mags Yen-Chuang
Matthews
Racial Literacy Nevada County
A6 | Friday, October 13, 2017 | The Union
FROM PAGE ONE
MEETING
From page A1
Residents who lost their homes in the fires were ad-
vised by county officials to be patient at the Thursday
night meeting.
Though evacuation orders have been lifted, resi-
dents should not disturb the wreckage on their prop-
erties before teams can assess the damages, officials
said.
Amy Irani, director of the Nevada County Envi-
ronmental Health Department, said teams will soon
check damaged properties for hazardous waste.
Nevada County Assessor Sue Horne said residents
should contact her office to begin assessing prop-
erties for damage, which may qualify some for tax
reductions.
The McCourtney and Lobo fires are still in progress,
firefighters said, and residents should remain cautious
until they are fully contained.
“Leave your property as it is and don’t do any dis-
turbance yet, because there are health protections
you should put into place … give us a few days, let
the folks from the state come down and assess your
property before you start doing a lot of work yourself,”
Irani said.
The causes of the Lobo and McCourntey Fires are
still under investigation, Cal Fire officials said.
To contact Staff Writer Matthew Pera, email mpera@ A pair of Nevada County Sheriff’s deputies assess an advancing front of the Lobo Fire Monday afternoon as the blaze
theunion.com or call 530-477-4231. grew to over 900 acres by Monday evening.
CRYPTOQUOTE RETURN
From page A1
The county’s second blaze
— the McCourtney Fire,
near the Nevada County
Fairgrounds — reached 76
acres Thursday evening. It
was 89 percent contained.
The McCourtney Fire’s
mandatory evacuation pre-
viously was lifted.
“Containment” is a word
used to designate that
THE DAY ON WALL STREET
OCT. 12, 2017
A DAY ON WALL STREET
Oct. 12, 2017
Dow Jones
industrials
SU| DO| KU -31.88
Fill in the grid so that 22,841.01
A M
every row, every column, Pct. change from previous: -0.14%
and every 3x3 box contains
Oct. 12, 2017
the digits 1 through 9.
Nasdaq
Tips and computer program composite
at: sudoku.com -12.04
Solution to previous puzzle 6,591.51
A M
Pct. change from previous: -0.18%
Oct. 12, 2017
Standard &
Poor’s 500
-4.31
2,550.93
A M
Pct. change from previous: -0.17%
▼ Gold $1,295.70
Name Last Prev. Cls.
AT&T 35.86
Bank of America 25.45
BNP Paribas SA 66.82
Emgold Mining .02
Hewlett-Packard 20.40
Newmont Mining 38.39
ELIAS FUNEZ/EFUNEZ@THEUNION.COM
firefighters have cut a line
around a blaze that’s at
shelters shortly after the
evacuation was lifted.
A fire weather watch is
in effect from tonight to
least the width of nearby Two shelters opened Saturday night. That watch
fire fuels. If nearby grass is earlier this week later takes into account wind
a foot tall, the line — cut to combined into one at Twin speeds, temperature, hu-
bare mineral soil — must Cities Church, which had midity and fire fuels, said
at least be a foot wide, El- about 25 people Thursday Brooke Bingaman, meteo-
dridge said. afternoon. The fairgrounds rologist with the National
“That also means trim- was used as an animal Weather Service.
ming up trees,” she added. shelter and held some 320 “We’ve had all summer to
animals, including hors- dry out and we haven’t had
WRAPPING UP es, goats and a 120-pound our first significant rainfall
County officials an- turtle, said Taylor Wolfe, an yet,” she said.
nounced the closure of its administrative analyst with Winds occur in areas
the county. where air pressure is dif-
Wolfe encouraged pet ferent. The closer high and
owners to collect their low pressure systems are,
animals and bring an ID
when they arrive at the fair-
the stronger the winds, Bin-
gaman said.
grounds, 11228 McCourt- Winds today are forecast
ney Road, Grass Valley. to reach around 6 mph and
23,000 between 5 to 7 mph tonight,
STRONG WINDS the National Weather Ser-
22,000
Strong winds late Sunday vice states.
21,000
20,000
and early Monday helped
fan the flames of fires
Saturday’s winds are ex-
pected to reach between 9
J J A S O across Northern California. to 13 mph.
High 22,884.82 Low 22,821.13 Winds are again in Nevada
County’s forecast, though To contact Staff Writer
6,600 they aren’t expected to Alan Riquelmy, email
compare with those earlier ariquelmy@theunion.com
6,400
6,200 this week. or call 530-477-4239.
6,000
5,800
5,600
J J A S O
High 6,613.50 Low 6,586.32
BANK “I think the economy is
From page A1 moving in the right direc-
tion,” he said. “People are
2,550
“Assuming we can get doing things that require
2,500
2,450
things started before the financing.”
2,400 wet weather hits, we would River Valley is “predomi-
2,350 be in good shape to relocate nantly a commercial bank,
2,300 by the third quarter of next that’s the sweet spot we
J J A S O
year,” Jelavich said. “A lot of serve,” Jelavich said. “We
High 2,555.33 Low 2,548.31
it will come down to weath- get behind that segment,
AP
COMMODITIES er and what we’re able to enable them to expand op-
get done.” erations or grow, and that
▼ Silver $17.26
Jelavich noted that the
region has been in a “pro-
helps the community with
jobs. We’re excited to have
longed period of economic that positive impact.”
LOCAL STOCKS malaise” but that there have For more information
Name Last Prev. Cls. been encouraging signs, visit www.myrvcb.com.
38.19 PG&E Corp. 64.50 69.15 with business owners mak-
25.83 Safeway Inc. Delisted ing investments that had To contact Staff Writer
66.82 TriCounties Bank 41.99 41.85
.02 Verizon 48.35 48.86 been deferred and starting Liz Kellar, email lkellar@
20.41 Wells Fargo & Co. 55.21 55.66 new projects, and with in- theunion.com or call
38.08 Westamer Bncp 58.45 58.88 terest rates trending up. 530-477-4236.