Photo of the week

This #PlacerLife photo of a mandarin orchard in Newcastle was taken by @tyler_photography_folsom on Instagram.

Featured story

New chair to lead Board of Supervisors in 2026

Supervisor Shanti Landon will be the new chair and Supervisor Cindy Gustafson will be the new vice chair of the Board of Supervisors. As part of the rotational process, Supervisor Bonnie Gore passed the gavel to Landon on Jan. 6, the first meeting of the new year.

More than two dozen elected and faith leaders attended the meeting to show their support for Landon, whose first message as chair was one of unity and grace. This is the first time Landon has served as chair of the board since she took office in January 2023. We had an opportunity to speak with her about the leadership position.
Watch video 

North Lake Tahoe

Use alternative transportation or carpool if you’re headed to Tahoe

With roughly nine feet of new snowfall at Tahoe’s popular ski resorts, county officials are encouraging visitors and residents alike to plan ahead and do their part to help reduce traffic congestion throughout the region. Read more

Libraries

Reminder: Winter Book Bingo continues at your local library

You still have until Jan. 31 to participate in Winter Book Bingo and explore new genres, discover hidden gems and enjoy fun winter reading challenges. Pick up your card at any Placer County Library or join on Beanstack. Read more

Environment

Weather conditions extend former Lincoln Gun Ranges remediation

Recent weather has extended our cleanup at the former Lincoln Gun Ranges lead remediation project. So far, more than 12 tons of lead has been recycled and major soil removal completed. Read more

Health and safety

Red Sand Project: Stopping human trafficking

Placer County families and organizations are invited to participate in this year’s Red Sand Project, a community-wide effort to combat human trafficking, on Jan. 15 in Roseville. Additional events are planned throughout January. Learn more

In other news

Placer County Fire Safe Alliance meeting: Wildfire Behavior presented by CAL FIRE

Reminder: Parking along county-maintained roadways east of Emigrant Gap is prohibited through May 1 for snowplow operations

Read the Healthy Aging newsletter for January

This week in Placer County history

Placer County’s first hospital was built in 1855 near the corner of Court and Commercial streets in Auburn. It narrowly escaped a fire that year that destroyed much of the town but burned down in 1859. A replacement building was soon constructed, though it quickly became clear a larger hospital was needed and that it should be located outside the commercial district for safety reasons.

In 1863, county officials selected a site atop a hill about a mile away and built a new hospital. In 1899, the facility was expanded to include six male wards equipped with gas tubing, electric wiring, and piped hot and cold water. 

Around the same time, Auburn’s new courthouse was completed, and the old Greek Revival courthouse was relocated to the hospital grounds. The former courthouse was converted into a dining room and female ward and placed behind the original hospital building. The expanded complex was completed in January 1900.

East of the hospital sat a cemetery with an estimated 1,700 burials. The hospital closed in 1975. 

Today, Elm Street runs along the front of the former hospital grounds, now part of the Auburn town center. Most of the graves were excavated and relocated to the New Auburn Cemetery during construction of Interstate 80 in the 1950s and again during its expansion in the 1970s. Two headstones remain as the only markers of the former county hospital site.

Photo: Placer County Hospital, circa 1910. Placer County Museums collection.

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

• Cemetery Tahoe District

• Central Municipal Advisory Council

• Colfax Cemetery District

• Economic Development Board

• Fish & Game Commission

• First 5 Placer Children & Families 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

• Greater Auburn Area Fire Safe Council

• Historical Advisory Board

• Horseshoe Bar-Penryn Municipal Advisory Council

• Donner Summit Municipal Advisory Council

• Municipal Advisory Council - Granite Bay

• Municipal Advisory Council - Rural Lincoln

• Municipal Advisory Council - Sheridan

• 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: Placer County Dots Coffee Connect, Mahany Park Certified Farmers' Market, Maidu Park Farmers' Market, Roseville Fountains Farmers' Market, Kaiser Riverside Farmers' Market, Kaiser Eureka Farmers' Market 
Lincoln: Farmers’ Market at Fowler Ranch, Kaiser Lincoln Farmers' Market 
Auburn: Auburn Old Town Farmer’s Market – Placer Farmers Market
North Lake Tahoe: S'mores O'Clock, The Village at Northstar Après Music Series

...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

Granite Bay Municipal Advisory Council, Jan. 8, 6 p.m. Information
Rural Lincoln Community Forum, Jan. 12, 6 p.m. Information
Rural Lincoln Municipal Advisory Council, Jan. 12, 6:15 p.m. Information
North Auburn Municipal Advisory Council, Jan. 13, 6 p.m. Information
North Auburn Community/Supervisor Forum, Jan. 13, 6:30 p.m. Information
Sheridan Community Forum, Jan. 14, 6 p.m. Information
Sheridan Municipal Advisory Council, Jan. 14, 6:15 p.m. Information
Planning Commission, Jan. 15, 9 a.m. Information
Placer County Fire Safe Alliance, Jan. 15, 6 p.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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