Helicopters dropped fire retardant over Peardale just south of the Cedar Ridge “Y” after a trailer there caught fire Monday afternoon.

The fire started on the 12000 block of Crescent Drive and was reported at 1:40 p.m. Fire departments including Ophir Hill, Chicago Park/Peardale and Calfire responded to the call.

Nobody has been hurt in the fire, according to Calfire Communications Operator David Wachendorfer.

For more on the story, see Tuesday’s edition of The Union.

Congressman Tom McClintock will be visiting Nevada County residents.

A town hall meeting with McClintock is set for 5 p.m. Thursday at Lake Wildwood Clubhouse, 11255 Cottontail Way, in Penn Valley.

Another town hall is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds Organ Room, 100 Placerville Drive, in Placerville.

It was all about tradition as participants and bystanders streamed into downtown Nevada City to take part in the annual Fourth of July parade.

Boy Scouts trundled little red wagons loaded with ice-cold sodas and water up and down Broad Street, as a long line formed in front of Hot Dog Heaven.

At the top of the hill, longtime parade organizers George and Pat Harper were keeping the chaos under control. After 23 years, the couple said, they know how to keep the annual event – as well as the Constitution Day Parade – running smoothly.

“It’s hard at first, but not once you’ve got it all figured out,” Pat Harper said.

“It takes a good wife,” joked George Harper.

“It’s a year-round job, but a lot of things you just remember from year to year,” he added on a more serious note. “Our parades go smoother because of the continuity. We know what problems are going to happen before they happen.”

One constant?

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Customers crowded the Sierra Cinemas when the theater opened in the summer of 1989.

The size of the crowd at the movie house on East Main Street, Grass Valley, took owners Mike and Barbara Getz by surprise. They recruited friends at the last minute to help them get the guests seated for showings of Disney’s “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” and “Field of Dreams.”

Daughter Azriel, then 14, operated the popcorn maker.

“We were so busy, and had never done this before,” said Azriel, now 34 and married to Michael LaMarca. “The butter on the popcorn kept dripping onto the floor, and I was having a hard time keeping my footing. I told my parents we needed a rug.”

Azriel LaMarca, like many Nevada County youth since, worked at the theater for her first job. She and her husband have come back to the family business and plan to take it over from her parents someday, though Mike Getz has no plans to retire in the near future.

“Re

Unusually high and swift water prevented searchers from retrieving the body of a man who drowned in the South Yuba River Friday afternoon.

The victim has been identified only as a 20-year-old man from Auburn, who reportedly slipped from a rock into the river at about 2:55 p.m. Friday, and never surfaced.

Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, CHP (H-20 helicopter), State Parks, Nevada County Consolidated Fire District and North San Juan Fire all responded to the incident at the river at the Highway 49 bridge, between Nevada City and North San Juan.

A sheriff’s dive team searched for the man for several hours, but efforts to recover his body were called off at dusk. Sunday, the body still had not been recovered due to the extremely high flow of the river.

The scenic bridge and large granite boulders make the area popular for summer recreation, but the water – melted snow rushing down from the high Sierra Nevada – can quickly overcome even expert swimmers.

The r

Truckee’s July 4th parade was a smashing success. The streets were filled with shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of people, some of who had saved their seats as early as 6 a.m. This year’s parade was themed “We Love Our Truckee”.
The parade, produced by the Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce, is a true showing of Truckee’s community spirit, small town charm, and as always is a real slice of Americana. Making a special appearance, and a real crowd-pleaser, was the Wells Fargo horse-drawn stagecoach. The legendary stagecoach is priceless, and a true symbol of American history. And returning once again was the always popular Sierra Highlanders Pipe Band.
Special award winners included the Mayor’s Trophy being awarded to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Truckee.
The Theme Trophy (best presentation of parade theme) was awarded to Tahoe Donner Association. The Innovation & Craftsmanship Trophy went to the Contractors Association of Truckee Tahoe (CATT). Best of Show wen

At 7:32 p.m. Saturday, a caller from the 600 block of Walsh Street in Grass Valley reported a physical fight. One man had a flashlight and one had a baseball bat. Another caller reported one of the men attacked the other with a knife and fled the scene.

The victim was taken to the emergency room. A be-on-the-lookout advisory was issued for the suspect.

For more from the police blotter, read Monday’s edition of The Union.

The flashes, cracks, and booms of fireworks may be fun for you, but for your pet they can be frightening and confusing. Keep your pets inside, especially during the evening hours.

On July 4, as well as for a few days after, there may be fireworks set off near your home that can panic your dog or cat. In trying to get away from the noises, pets can become lost.

Pets should be kept in a quiet, familiar area on 4th of July night and any time loud noises are nearby.

Last year after the 4th of July, quite a few dogs came in that had gotten scared and ran off, said Cheryl Wicks of Sammie’s Friends, the nonprofit group that manages the Nevada County animal shelter.

On Sunday, Wicks sent out a request for help from volunteers to board dogs temporarily in order to free up space at the shelter.

The annual Fourth of July parade celebrated our nation’s independence in true Truckee style, with the Railroad Regulators shootin’ up a storm, a horseback Truckee Rodeo Queen, horns, sirens and water streaming from fire trucks old and new and plenty of candy for the children. Donner Pass Road was lined with locals and visitors a sea: of red, white and blue regalia. Visit sierrasun.com/photos to view the photo gallery.

With warm weather and family events, the Fourth of July can be a fun time to create great memories. It can also be a tragic time for fires and critical burn injuries. CAL FIRE would like to remind all Californians that before your family celebrates, make sure everyone knows about fireworks safety.

“Fireworks not only create significant dangers to citizens when used improperly or illegally, but also increase the demands on fire departments and firefighters,” said CAL FIRE Director Del Walters. “We recommend that you and your family make memories by attending a local professional fireworks display. If you live in a jurisdiction that allows fireworks, only use legal fireworks displaying the “Safe and Sane” State Fire Marshal seal and follow common sense practices to ensure your Fourth of July holiday remains festive and safe.”

Consumers who choose to purchase legal fireworks need to obey local laws. State fire officials urge you to check firs