Photo of the week

This #PlacerLife photo of a Kings Beach dock in Lake Tahoe was taken by @scottytangphoto on Instagram.

Featured story

Udderly amazing: Cows join Hidden Falls Park to curb wildfire risk

Moo-ve over, hikers! Hidden Falls Regional Park in North Auburn has new seasonal residents—100 cattle grazing to reduce wildfire risk and promote biodiversity. Share the trails responsibly and enjoy nature’s helpers in action! Read more

Substance use & recovery

Unique substance use recovery facility opens in Roseville

Whether someone is transitioning from inpatient care or waiting for a spot in a residential program, The Harbor ensures they’re not left to navigate recovery alone. The new facility is supported by grant funding. Watch video & learn more

Water

Lake Spaulding repairs will affect PCWA supply for another year

The Placer County Water Agency is preparing for another year of water reductions as PG&E has halted releases from Lake Spaulding for infrastructure repairs. Customers are being asked to reduce water usage by 20 percent.
Read more

Mosquitoes

Dump and drain after rain to prevent mosquito development

As the weather warms, and after rain, expect more mosquito activity. Rice field mosquitoes do not spread disease in our county, but they’ve been overwintering in our communities and will become active as the weather warms up. Fight the bite

General plan

Did you miss our first Placer 2050 visioning workshop? Watch it now

Our Planning Services Division hosted a virtual Placer 2050 visioning workshop Feb. 26. This was the first of many events to offer your input on our general plan update on topics such as sustainability, community design and housing.
Watch video

In other news

Tahoe environmental report shows progress and outlines challenges

Placer District Attorney launches state’s first official fentanyl probation educational program and impact panel

Learn before you burn: Placer County Air Pollution Control District reminds you to only burn dry vegetative material and manage piles so that smoke does not bother neighbors

Sierra College enters land purchase agreement to construct new regional public safety training center

Placer County Water Agency approves project to increase storage at Hell Hole Reservoir; additional capacity could supply 10,000 households

Did you know?

Four movies filmed in Placer County have won Academy Awards. 

Over the years, Placer’s stunning terrain has played a role in some of Hollywood’s most iconic films. Here are the Oscar-winners with local scenes:

“The Gold Rush” (1925): Charlie Chaplin’s masterpiece was partially filmed at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort. It went on to win Best Original Score and Best Sound Mixing at the 1943 Oscars after its reissue.

“A Place in the Sun” (1951): Filmed at Lake Tahoe, this classic starring Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift won Best Picture at the 1952 Oscars.

“The Godfather Part II” (1974): Often celebrated as one of the greatest sequels in cinematic history, this film, also partially filmed at Lake Tahoe, took home Best Picture and a total of 11 Oscars in 1975.

“Her” (2013): Directed by Spike Jonze and starring Joaquin Phoenix, parts of this visionary movie were filmed in Placer County. It won Best Original Screenplay, along with accolades for Production Design and Original Score, and was nominated for Best Picture at the 2014 Oscars.

Placer County’s natural beauty and versatile landscapes continue to inspire filmmakers and create cinematic magic. Find a complete list of locally-filmed movies, TV series, commercials and more on our website. 

Following this year’s postponement due to the Los Angeles fires, the 97th Academy Awards will take place this Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theater. See all of the nominees here.

This week in Placer County history

At around 6:20 a.m. on the morning of Feb. 22, 1935, railroad workers in Roseville were startled by a fireball in the sky overhead. Some of the workers thought the object was moving toward Lincoln while others reported it was heading south.

A Southern Pacific freight train crew reported they saw an airplane in flames that crashed somewhere between Lincoln and Roseville. But no one in Roseville or Lincoln reported any crashed airplanes—or anything at all unusual. G.M. Boles, a switchman in the Roseville train yard, said it was a meteor. But which direction was it going and where did it land?

The answer was about 130 miles to the southwest in Monterey Bay. According to the Feb. 23, 1935, Santa Cruz Evening News: “Richard Rackerby of San Francisco and James Scott…parked in an automobile at the ocean cliff at the end of 41st avenue yesterday morning and saw a huge object drop into the waters of Monterey Bay…the object was three times the size of an automobile and it dropped into the bay about a mile from shore, causing a splash and huge waves. The belief of the boys was that it was a meteor.”

About 17,000 meteorites fall to Earth every year with automobile-sized meteorites falling about once per year. 

Photo: While we don’t have any meteorites in our collection, we do have a photograph of the Lake Tahoe passenger steamboat Meteor c. 1885

Advisory committees and commissions

Whether it’s representing your community or sharing your expertise on topics like agriculture or parks, there are always opportunities for you to help advise county leaders on the issues that matter to you most. Recruitment is open now to fill seats on the following committees or commissions, among others. Learn more and apply

Current recruitments include:

• Area 4 Agency on Aging Advisory Council
• Auburn Cemetery District
• Building Board of Appeals
• Colfax Cemetery District
• County Parks Commission
• Economic Development Board 
• First 5 Placer Children & Families Commission
• Fish & Game Commission
• Flood Control & Water Conservation District Board
• Gold Run Cemetery Committee
• Greater Lincoln Area Fire Safe Council
• Historical Advisory Board
• Housing Development Advisory Taskforce
• In Home Support Services Advisory Committee
• Juvenile Justice / Delinquency Prevention 
• Library Advisory Board
• Donner Summit Municipal Advisory Council
• Foresthill Forum
• Granite Bay Municipal Advisory Council
• Horseshoe Bar-Penryn Municipal Advisory Council 
• Newcastle Ophir Municipal Advisory Council
• Sheridan Municipal Advisory Council
• Placer County Behavioral Health Advisory Board
• Placer County Charter Review Committee
• Placer County Child Care Advisory Council
• Placer County Older Adult Advisory Commission
• Placer Resource Conservation District
• Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council
• Planning Commission
• Solid Waste Local Task Force
• Tahoe Cemetery District
• Wastewater Advisory Committee

Fun things to do this week

Don’t miss the fun coming this next week in...

Roseville: Food Truck Mania, The World's Worst Expo
Lincoln: Protect Your Pets: FieldHaven Feline Center’s Vaccine & Microchip Clinic
Auburn: PARC Winter Social: River Rendezvous, Lay of the Land: Geology Hike at Big Hill Preserves, Pie Party on the Preserve, Farmers’ Market, Envision Auburn 2045
North Lake Tahoe: North Lake Tahoe SNOWFEST 2025, SNOWFEST Street Faire, 

Colfax:  Clean Slate, Coffee & Conversation 

...and many Placer County Library and Placer County Museum events.

Visit our regional partners to discover more of the fun happening right here in Placer County!

Placer County Visitors' Bureau
North Tahoe Community Alliance
Tahoe City Downtown Association
The Arts Council of Placer County
Placer Valley Tourism
PlacerGROWN
Placer Wine Trail

Upcoming public meetings and events

Placer 2050 Visioning workshop in-person open house, Feb. 27, 6 p.m. Information
Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council, Feb. 27, 6 p.m. Information
Foresthill Forum, March 3, 7 p.m. Information
Board of Supervisors, March 4, 9 a.m. Information
Placer 2050 Visioning workshop in-person open house, March 4, 6 p.m. Information
Virtual Office Hours - Firewise USA Program questions, March 6, 9 a.m. Information

To learn about other Placer County committees and commissions and current opportunities to serve your community click here.

List of active projects throughout Placer County

Projects are listed alphabetically and by Board of Supervisors districts. A hard copy of the list is available at the Placer County Community Development Resource Agency, 3091 County Center Drive in Auburn. 

Active Projects

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