Photo of the week

This #PlacerLife photo of a pond and oak trees in Auburn was taken by @joe_silchuk on Instagram. 

Featured story

Ready, set… record: Sprint or spin into history at the Placer County Track & Field Championships this weekend

Saturday’s Placer County Track & Field Championship meet at Twelve Bridges High School isn’t just about who’s the fastest on the track, it’s about who can leave their mark on history. As high school athletes from across the county compete in races, jumps and throws, attendees can step onto our brand-new 360-degree video platform and capture history from every angle. Whether it’s a victory dance, a team cheer or your best slow-motion finish line face, your clip could become part of Placer County’s 175th anniversary time capsule, sealed for future fans to discover in 2101.

And just when you think you’ve seen it all, stick around for the ultimate showdown: Our law vs. fire relay starts at noon and will prove who has year-long bragging rights in Placer. Plus, we’ll be handing out commemorative 175th anniversary gifts throughout the event. Learn more

Animal control

Zeus on the loose: Animal Control assists with escaped zebra

Coincidentally during Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week, our officers helped capture an escaped zebra in Lincoln this week — not once, but twice! Zeus's legal owner is making arrangements so he does not get loose again. See video/pics

Film Office

Revisiting a 1997 thriller: How Breakdown turned Placer into a movie set

Long before audiences felt the tension in theaters, quiet roads in Auburn, Cool and Newcastle became the backdrop for the production of “Breakdown,” an action thriller that would go on to grip audiences across the country.
Learn more

Local youth

Amid vaping crisis, Placer teens create educational children's book

One in 5 juniors in Placer County report a history with vaping — and our teen Youth Commissioners are taking action. The youth launched a new children’s book that uses a brave bunny to reflect the real challenges kids face and raise awareness for the next generation. Watch video

North Lake Tahoe

Planning Commission advances amended Village at Palisades plan

The Placer County Planning Commission today recommended approval of proposed amendments to the Village at Palisades Tahoe Specific Plan, advancing the item to the Placer County Board of Supervisors for final consideration.
Read more

In other news

Extended lane closure scheduled for crossover along I-80 starting Friday morning

PCWA and MIddle Fork Project Finance Authority reach $80 million settlement with PG&E over Mosquito Fire

Placer County updated capital plan advances key infrastructure projects

WATCH VIDEO: Health officials in Placer, Sacramento counties on what you need to know as measles outbreak grows

Get tickets and join over 200 business leaders at the 6th Annual Placer Valley Business Summit on April 23

Drug takeback day coming up April 25: Find a spot near you to drop off unused meds

New North Lake Tahoe newsletter: Fun on Fanny Bridge: Join the celebration on May 17 

175 years of Placer County history

During the earliest days of Placer County’s history, crime was a constant threat. Just as some people were successfully building their wealth, desperation and opportunity led others to explore alternative ways of making money. Highway robbers plagued wagons maneuvering throughout remote, switchback roads while burglars preyed upon miners and storekeepers.

The presence and skill of dedicated Placer County law enforcement officers were essential in tracking down and arresting alleged criminals to face justice.

Sheriff John C. Boggs occupies an interesting and important role in Placer County’s history. He left Pennsylvania for California in February 1849 and traveled by ship around the Horn of South America. Boggs landed in San Francisco and was in Wood’s Dry Diggings (Auburn) by late September 1849.

A man of many hats and enterprises, it is his time as sheriff of Placer County in 1859 that secured Boggs into the realm of legend. At the time, he was on the hunt for a notorious outlaw who went by the name of Rattlesnake Dick.

Dick’s real name was Richard Barter, who mined at Rattlesnake Bar in 1854, where he was arrested and tried on the charge of stealing clothing from a store, but was found not guilty. Just a few months later, he was tried and convicted of stealing a horse and sent to San Quentin for one year. Upon his release, Barter adopted the alias of Rattlesnake Dick and developed a reputation throughout Northern California for daring robberies and successful jailbreaks. During that time, Boggs became his nemesis.

On July 11, 1859, Barter was spotted riding near Auburn with a companion. Boggs and his deputies split up, hoping to catch the famed criminal. This led to a shootout that left Deputy Sheriff William Crutcher and Under Sheriff George Johnson shot and injured, while Deputy Tax Collector George Martin was killed. Dick was shot but rode away and Boggs, who was on the other side of town, missed the fray.

However, the following morning, Rattlesnake Dick was found dead and holding a note with the words scrawled on it, “Rattlesnake Dick dies, but never surrenders, as all true Brittons do. If J. Boggs is dead I am satisfied.” Or at least that is what was printed in the Placer Herald newspaper. 

Today, Martin Park Fire Station marks the site of the deadly shootout and a plaque in the Raley’s parking lot by the Foresthill Road stands where Rattlesnake Dick took his final breath. He was buried in Auburn’s East Street Cemetery in a $10 coffin, and reportedly moved to the Auburn City Cemetery in the 1890s.

Meanwhile, John C. Boggs went on to become the Newcastle postmaster for several years and died in 1909. His photograph and biography were placed into a copper box under the cornerstone of the Placer County Courthouse when it was dedicated in 1894.

Explore our new interactive timeline — updated every Thursday with photographs, milestones and the stories of people who built this county. Explore timeline

Did you know?

To date, the Placer County Conservation Program has conserved more than 9,000 acres of important habitats in West Placer County. The PCCP will celebrate its fifth anniversary on Earth Day, April 22. We are committed to conserving open spaces and clean air and water for our future generations. 

Learn more about the PCCP’s mission on Instagram, including recent posts with fun facts and information about vernal pool fairy shrimp, bird nesting season, invasive plants and recent land acquisitions.

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

• 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 - Horseshoe Bar Penryn

• 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 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

Earth Day is a good reminder that Placer County is worth protecting — and worth getting out and enjoying. Do your part at home with tips, resources and recycling information at Placer Recycles. Then get outside and discover a park, trail or open space that reminds you exactly why it matters. 

Two great community events are happening this week — stop by and show some love.

🚗 Placer County Air Pollution Control District — Earth Day Ride and Drive, April 23 | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Sierra College, Parking Lot E, Rocklin Learn more

🌲 Tahoe Truckee Earth Day Festival at Palisades Tahoe,  April 25 | 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Placer County Environmental Utilities will be there Learn more

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, Sutter Roseville Farmers Market, Earth Night Event

Rocklin: 26 Parks in 2026, Evenings In The Park

Lincoln: Farmers’ Market at Fowler Ranch, Kaiser Lincoln Farmers' Market, 

Loomis: Fire-Smart Expo & Garden

Auburn: Auburn Old Town Farmer’s Market – Placer Farmers Market, Farmers Market at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital, Apple Blossom Bazaar, Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB

Colfax: Sierra Vista Community Center Flea Market

North Lake Tahoe: Throwback Thursdays, Line Dancing Fridays, Tahoe City Earth Day Cleanup

...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

Greater Auburn & North Auburn Ophir Fire Safe Councils, April 17, 9 a.m. Information
Meadow Vista Community/Supervisor Forum, April 20, 6 p.m. Information
Foresthill / Iowa Hill Fire Safe Council, April 21, 5:30 p.m. Information
Planning Commission, April 23, 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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