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Staff Writer The two congressional candidates vying for the 1st Congressional seat are entering the home stretch of a prolonged and contentious campaign rife with combative debates, accusations of unethical behavior and attempts to delineate where they stand on matters of national policy. Jim Reed, D-Fall River Mills, and Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, are making several campaign stops leading up to Tuesday’s election in the hopes of earning the votes of those still undecided. “The single most important difference between me and my opponent is our approach to taxes,” said Reed, a tax attorney. “Our income tax system has been hijacked by special interests, and it’s time to close the loopholes.” ....
Staff Writer As the Nevada County Board of Supervisors approved a project despite the proposed structure poking above a ridge line, it simultaneously denied another project on an adjacent parcel because it also would protrude above the ridge line. The couple on the losing end of both decisions complains the county is acting unfairly. “We’re extremely surprised the supervisors would make that decision,” said Juliet Erickson, who along with her husband Peter Lockyer has been battling the county for about a year over plans to construct a 48-foot cellular tower near their property line. In November 2011, Lockyer and Erickson first learned of Verizon Wireless’ plans to build the communication tower about 9 feet away from their property line, atop a prominent ridge near Lake Wildwood. ....
Staff Writer The Nevada County board of supervisors approved five individuals to serve as mediators in cases where medical marijuana growers want to appeal an order from the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office to abate their grow operation. The appointment will pave the way for the administrative process necessary to enforce the controversial medical marijuana ordinance, passed by the board of supervisors in May. Under the ordinance, the NCSO is empowered to serve abatement notices requiring property owners growing medical marijuana to destroy their plants or alter the grow operation enough to be in compliance with the regulations. If a property owner receives a “Notice to Abate” and feels the notice is in error, he has the right to file an appeal, which is heard by a “hearing officer.” ....
Staff Writer The opening salvo in what figures to be a long engagement between owners of a gold mine, nearby residents and county officials arrived on a cordial note Tuesday. The San Juan Ridge Mining Corp., led by CEO Tim Calloway, is attempting to reopen a gold mining operation, located near North Columbia, which last operated between 1993 and 1997. The Nevada County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a contract with Rancho Cordova-based environmental consultant PMC for about $180,000 to conduct a comprehensive environmental analysis of the proposed mining project. Gary Parsons, president of the San Juan Ridge Taxpayers Association, attended Tuesday’s meeting with about 25 residents to express concerns about the impact the mining project will have on the local community. ....
Staff Writer The Nevada County Board of Supervisors will discuss signing an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management regarding how to cooperate in managing the large amount of public land in Nevada County. In the staff report, signed by Chairman Ted Owens and Supervisor Nate Beason, the officials state that the agreement will give the county “more equal footing with the federal government” in making decisions and receiving information regarding projects that may affect county decisions. “The (memorandum of agreement) provides earlier notification and communication from the federal land managers to the county than currently afforded in federal statutes,” the report states. ....