Photo of the week

This #PlacerLife photo of an airplane crossing the setting sun was taken by @thewinningshotphotos in Rocklin and shared on Instagram. 

Featured story

Shining a light on human trafficking in our community

The call to action is loud this January: Human Trafficking Prevention Month brings a wave of events and resources to empower our community.

The annual Red Sand Project event was recently held in Roseville. In partnership with county and community organizations, participants poured red sand into sidewalk cracks to honor children and families impacted by human trafficking. The red sand serves as a visual reminder not to let anyone “slip through the cracks” and to raise awareness about this important issue. Watch a recap video here 

People who were unable to attend the event are encouraged to participate throughout January by picking up free bags of red sand to use at home or by their office. Bags are available at the following Children’s System of Care locations:

• 11434 B Ave., Auburn

• 1000 Sunset Blvd., Rocklin

A panel discussion, hosted by the Placer County Office of Education, is also scheduled for next Thursday for those interested in learning more about the issue of human trafficking in our community. Placer County will also display artwork created by youth impacted by child exploitation in the lobby of the county's Sunset Boulevard location in Rocklin.

More on how to keep kids safe

When people think about child trafficking, they often picture a child being grabbed by a stranger in a park or parking lot. In reality, the majority of exploitation begins with grooming — a slow, deliberate process where predators earn a child’s trust, isolate them and then coerce them into sexual abuse, trafficking or online exploitation. Today’s grooming often happens through screens, not strangers.

The Placer County District Attorney’s Office has launched a new campaign to educate parents about the risks and how to guard against them, called Guard Against the Groom(ing). Learn more

Public safety 

Share your concerns about possible violent predator placement in Alta

Alta area residents turned out for a community meeting this week to share concerns about the state’s proposed placement of a sexually violent predator in their community. Local elected and safety officials oppose the release.
How to help

Trails

Trailhead project helps expand recreational access in North Tahoe

Placer County recently completed paving, access and trailhead improvements at the Lower Sawtooth parking lot to enhance winter recreation options at the popular entrance to U.S. Forest Service Road 06 in the Truckee area.
Watch video

Wildfire safety 

ICYMI: CAL FIRE discusses wildfire behavior

CAL FIRE provided an overview of wildfire behavior at the latest Placer County Fire Safe Alliance meeting, covering how wildfires start, how they spread, suppression strategies and which agencies have authority during wildfires.
Watch video

Transportation

Caltrans completes SR-49 roundabout and safety barrier project

Caltrans has announced the completion of the $33.2 million state Route 49 Roundabout and Safety Barrier Project in Placer County on Grass Valley Highway, which will improve operations and reduce crashes along the corridor.
Read more

In other news

Watch: Placer County leaders honor and remember U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa
Olympic Valley Design Review Committee special meeting scheduled for Jan. 30 to discuss appendix B of amended Village at Palisades Specific Plan

January is Stalking Awareness Month. Report stalking crimes to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office at 530-889-7800

Improve bus stops in Placer County by taking this short survey (with a chance to win a $50 gift card!).

Join us Jan. 28 for a virtual town hall on emergency shelters, supportive housing and residential care home ordinances (Zoom link available)

Important information for CalFresh customers about upcoming work rules

Register to attend an online town hall with Supervisor Shanti Landon and Senator Roger Neillo

This week in Placer County history

On Jan. 24, 1848, James Marshall looked down into the tailrace of the sawmill he was building for John Sutter on the South Fork of the American River at Coloma and noticed bright glimmering flakes of what turned out to be gold. By early May, word of the discovery began to spread and Claude Chana, a former coworker of Marshall’s, traveled with a few companions from what is now Wheatland to Coloma via Sacramento to verify the rumors. Returning to their home, they gathered supplies and more companions, with plans to quickly return to Coloma.

Chana’s companions on this return journey included a few Frenchmen familiar with the area and they proposed an old shortcut from Wheatland, which brought the group to what is now Auburn.  On May 16, Chana scooped up pans of sand and gravel from the Auburn Ravine and washed out three considerable pieces of gold. Some of the group moved on in hopes of greater riches, while Chana and others stayed for three weeks and collected about three pounds of gold from the ravine.

It was just a matter of time before hopeful prospectors from around the world rushed to California in search of wealth. This historic migration changed the course of history for the state and its impacts are still felt today. It was also the first time in history that commercial photographers were able to document such a moment in time.To learn more about this historic event, plan your visit to our Gold Rush Museum. Open Thursday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free admission.

Photo: This daguerreotype is one of the most famous images taken during the early days of the Gold Rush. It was taken in the Spanish Flat area of Auburn along today’s Nevada St. Circa 1852. California State Library 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: 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 

Loomis: Entertainment Zone Open House

Auburn: Auburn Old Town Farmer’s Market – Placer Farmers Market, Nature Quest 2026 Kick off, The Golden Thread-Stories That Shine

Colfax: Trivia Tuesday

North Lake Tahoe: Smore’s O’clock, The Village at Northstar Après Music Series, KT Bass Bar 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

Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council, Jan. 22, 6 p.m. Information
Board of Supervisors special meeting, Jan. 26, 9 a.m. Information
Newcastle/Ophir Supervisor Forum, Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Information
Newcastle/Ophir Municipal Advisory Council, Jan. 26, 6:15 p.m. Information
North Auburn Ophir Fire Safe Council, Jan. 27, 4 p.m. Information
Planning Commission, Jan. 29, 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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