Photo of the week

This #PlacerLife photo of fog rising below the Foresthill Bridge was taken by GoodThompson and posted on @auburnlocals on Instagram.

Featured story

Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014’s Coast-to-Coast tour stops in Roseville, Colfax this weekend

Big Boy No. 4014, the world’s largest steam locomotive, will pass through Placer County with two scheduled stops. The train will make a brief 15-minute whistle stop in Colfax (noon Sunday), providing short public viewing opportunities.

A longer public display will take place in Roseville on April 10–11. The locomotive will be on view from 1–5 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m.–3 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free, and no tickets are required. Parking may be available nearby for a fee.

On Saturday, additional activities will be held at Vernon Street Town Square from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., including a maker’s market and live music.

The visit is part of Union Pacific’s monthlong “coast-to-coast” steam tour. Big Boy No. 4014 will travel with two commemorative locomotives recognizing the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.

Learn more about the Big Boy steam locomotive
Roseville plans additional activities around the Big Boy stop
Track the Big Boy’s route to Placer

Transit

Placer County tabs Teichert with $61 million Placer Parkway contract

Our Board of Supervisors has approved a $61.6 million contract for Phase 1 of the long-awaited Placer Parkway. Construction starts this summer, bringing congestion relief, safer travel and better regional connections.
Read more

Affordable housing

Nearly 50 in attendance at Dollar Creek Crossing information night

Placer County staff hosted an information night for the proposed Dollar Creek Crossing affordable housing project in North Lake Tahoe last week. It gave local residents a chance to ask questions and learn more about the proposal.
Watch video

Health

New measles exposures signal growing outbreak in region

Placer Public Health is notifying the community of potential measles exposures linked to a case recently reported by Sacramento, while encouraging residents who are not vaccinated against measles to take additional steps. Learn more

Child safety

Prevention starts with You. Protect today, empower tomorrow

Across our community, Child Abuse Prevention Month has brought us together in meaningful ways – from planting bright blue pinwheels that symbolize hope and safe childhoods, to gathering at our Child & Family Resource Fair. Watch video

In other news

Join our virtual meeting to discuss the proposed Cabin Creek Biomass Facility in North Lake Tahoe on April 13

Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transit extends evening bus service through June 30. View the new spring service schedule

Placer’s Planning Commission to hear proposed amendments to the previously approved Village at Palisades Tahoe Specific Plan, April 16

175 years of Placer County History

This year Placer County turns 175. Every Thursday we're adding new photographs, milestones and the stories of the people who built this place.
Explore more with our interactive timeline →

When the California Gold Rush began, some of the earliest prospectors to explore the opportunity were rugged mountain men and explorers poised to pursue new adventures. Those who were already in the California territory at the time of the gold discovery were even more prepared to join the rush and seek the golden treasure. Among these iconic pioneers was JeanBaptiste Charbonneau, who had guided the Mormon Battalion into California in 1846-47 during the height of the Mexican-American War.

He was then appointed alcalde of the San Luis Rey Mission, witnessing firsthand California’s transition to a United States territory.As the son of Sacagewea, Charbonneau was just an infant when he accompanied his mother on the famed expedition of Lewis and Clark in 1805 to investigate the territory acquired by the United States during the Louisiana Purchase.

Constantly on the move, Charbonneau traveled Europe and Africa and spent much of his life as an explorer, guide and fur trapper throughout the western U.S., benefitted by speaking German, French, Spanish and several indigenous languages.Charbonneau was already a legend when he arrived in what would become Placer County in June of 1849, along with another famed mountain man named Jim Beckwourth.

It is in Placer County that Charbonneau then spent the longest period of his life in one place.In 1852 Charbonneau was paid $48 by the Placer County Board of Supervisors for guiding the county’s surveyor. In 1857, he petitioned and was approved by the board to operate a ferry across the North Fork of the American River at Manhattan Bar.

By 1861, at 56 years old, Charbonneau was the clerk at the Orleans Hotel in Auburn.In 1866, the lure of a new gold strike in Montana lifted his roots once again and Charbonneau left Placer County behind.

This would be the last adventure for this historic figure as he contracted pneumonia and died in Oregon en route to Montana and was buried near Inskip Station.

Placer County's Museums Division brings history to life across eight locations — from the Gold Rush era to the present day. All eight museums offer free admission, with dedicated docents ready to take you deeper into the stories behind the artifacts. Plan your visit at placer.ca.gov/Museums.

Advisory committees and commissions

• Agricultural Commission

• Area 4 Agency on Aging Advisory Council

• Building Board of Appeals

• Cemetery Tahoe District

• Colfax Cemetery District

• Economic Development Board

• Fish & Game Commission

• First 5 Placer Children & Families Commission

• Flood Control & Water Conservation District Board

• Gold Run Cemetery Committee

• Greater Auburn Area Fire Safe Council

• Greater Lincoln Area Fire Safe Council

• In Home Support Services Advisory Committee

• Juvenile Justice / Delinquency Prevention

• Library Advisory Board

• Donner Summit Municipal Advisory Council

• Municipal Advisory Council - Granite Bay

• Municipal Advisory Council - Olympic Valley

• Municipal Advisory Council - Rural Lincoln

• Municipal Advisory Council - West Placer Citizens

• Newcastle Ophir Municipal Advisory Council

• North Auburn/Ophir Fire Safe Council

• Placer County Behavioral Health Advisory Board

• Placer County Child Care Advisory Council

• Placer County Older Adult Advisory Commission

• Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council

• Solid Waste Local Task Force

• 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, Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 Coast-to-Coast Tour,
Rocklin: 26 Parks in 2026, Rocklin Clean Up Day, Run Rocklin
Lincoln: Farmers’ Market at Fowler Ranch, Kaiser Lincoln Farmers' Market, Vintage Market, 2nd Saturday - Downtown Businesses
Auburn: Auburn Old Town Farmer’s Market – Placer Farmers Market, North Auburn Artists Reception, Farmers Market at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital, Auburn State Recreation Area: Spring Bird Migration Walk, Sidewalk Sale Weekend,
Colfax: Colfax Railroad Days: Big Boy 4014 Celebration
North Lake Tahoe: Smore’s O’clock, The Village at Northstar Après Music Series, Throwback Thursdays, Line Dancing Fridays, Spring Thaw Shopping Scavenge, Spring Tracks Concert at Palisades Tahoe

...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

Board of Supervisors, April 14, 9 a.m. Information
West Placer Community Forum and West Placer Municipal Advisory Council, April 15, 6 p.m. Information
Planning Commission, April 16, 10 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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