Photo of the week

A Thanksgiving hayride 🦃 This #PlacerLife photo of a tractor-pulled hayride in Penryn was posted by @jasoneverett on Instagram.

Featured story

Meet the ‘modern-day master’ who created his art in Placer County

Discover the extraordinary story of Martín Ramírez, the world-renowned self-taught artist who created hundreds of his iconic drawings while institutionalized at the former DeWitt State Hospital in North Auburn.

Our latest episode of “The Placer Life” brings together Dr. Víctor Espinosa, author of “Martín Ramírez: Framing His Life and Art,” and Auburn resident Phil Dunievitz to explore Ramírez’s journey from Jalisco, Mexico, to California and how his visionary art was recognized long before the world knew his name. Listen

Fostering and adoption

Celebrating new families on Adoption Day

Twenty children found forever families this year, including eight celebrated on Placer County’s Adoption Day earlier this month. Learn more about fostering and adoption in Placer County, and hear some families' stories. Watch video

North Lake Tahoe

New Launchpad program reserves $725K to fund housing projects

Two new local worker housing projects in North Lake Tahoe will move forward thanks to $725,000 in funding reserved from Placer County’s Launchpad program. Each unit will be deed-restricted for local workers for 55 years. Read more

Holidays

Find Christmas tree perfection in Placer

Make your holidays brighter with a locally grown Christmas tree. Visit PlacerGROWN to find fresh-cut tree farms or learn how to cut down your own with a required permit. Bring home a fresh tree and support local farms.

Placer people

California’s best cookie baker… is a probation officer?

The Best in Show cookie at this year’s California State Fair was baked by our Probation Department’s Mark Eger. Just in time for your holiday baking, Mark shares his top five tips for better cookies. Get his tips and hear his story

In other news

Reminder: Join the Dec. 1  virtual informational meeting discussing the amended Village at Palisades Tahoe Specific Plan

Board of Supervisors to hear Hope Way Apartment project appeal Dec. 16

Caltrans reminds drivers of safe driving tips in foggy conditions 

Join the Placer County Film Office at the Tahoe Film Fest, Dec. 4-7

Watch: Staff present opportunity to develop an eastern Placer County housing trust

This week in Placer County history

Turkey has been a beloved centerpiece of the American Thanksgiving table long before President Abraham Lincoln made the holiday official in 1863.

In the 1920s and 1930s, turkey production grew rapidly in western Placer County, as local producers began competing with a variety of breeds. By the 1970s and 1980s, poultry became the county’s leading agricultural industry, bolstered by large processing facilities near Lincoln.

A snapshot from 1952 captures William Cannon of Long Valley with some of the more than 10,000 broad breasted bronze turkeys that he and his partner, Louis Brenzo, brought to market that year.

As Thanksgiving approaches, Placer County extends its warm wishes to all, wherever you may be celebrating.

Photo: Placer County Museums collection, 1952

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

• Building Board of Appeals

• Colfax Cemetery District

• Economic Development Board

• Fish & Game Commission

• Gold Run Cemetery Committee

• Greater Lincoln Area Fire Safe Council

• Housing Development Advisory Taskforce

• In Home Support Services Advisory Committee

• Juvenile Justice / Delinquency Prevention

• Granite Bay Municipal Advisory Council

• Historical Advisory Board

• Horseshoe Bar-Penryn Municipal Advisory Council

• Donner Summit Municipal Advisory Council

• Central Municipal Advisory Council

• Newcastle Ophir Municipal Advisory Council

•  North Auburn/Ophir Fire Safe Council

• Placer County Child Care Advisory Council

• Placer County Older Adult Advisory Commission

• Solid Waste Local Task Force

• Tahoe Basin Design Review Committee (DRC)

• Veterans Advisory Council

• Wastewater Advisory Committee

Fun things to do this week

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

Roseville: Downtown Holiday Celebration: Tree Lighting
Lincoln: Small business Saturday
Auburn: Christmas Tree Lighting, PlacerGROWN Farmers’ Market
North Lake Tahoe: Tahoe:Tahoe City Farmer’s Market

...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

Foresthill Forum, Dec. 1, 7 p.m. Information
Placer West Fire Safe Council, Dec. 2, 5:30 p.m. Information
Placer County Planning Commission, Dec. 4, 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

Click here to sign up for emergency notifications