Placer County to remove lead from former gun range near Lincoln housing developments
Roughly $750,000 has already been spent on assessments. The plan includes a $3.7 million budget for contracted labor and work is expected to begin later this summer, once a contract is awarded. The plan is expected to be completed by the fall.
The board previously selected the residential cleanup option in 2022, following a presentation by Eric Findley, the county's real estate services manager. That method, which involves off-site storage of contaminated soil, was the most expensive of the proposed approaches but was recommended due to its long-term benefits.
'Cleaning up to residential standards and hauling it off-site is the most conservative (option) in the sense that it would provide the most flexibility for future use of the property,' Findley told the board. 'It would increase the value of the property and I think it would ... lessen the chance of litigation in the future.'
The pricing estimates were developed by Sacramento-based Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group, which also prepared the project for contract bidding. The board approved a $400,000 contract extension for the firm as part of Tuesday's action.
The county has owned the site since 1968. The gun and skeet ranges, once used to train police officers, have been closed since 1999. In addition to lead, the county's staff report notes the site includes bullet and clay pigeon debris that must be removed to meet residential standards.
Supervisors Cindy Gustafson and Shanti Landon commended the Department of Facilities Management's work on the project, which has gone back to at least 2017.
Landon, whose district includes Lincoln, commended the staff's efforts:
'It's very important for the Lincoln community that this remediation project move forward to ensure this site is safe for future generations,' said Landon, whose district includes Lincoln.
Before Placer County developed the site into a police training range, it was home to a Cold War-era Titan-1 missile base. Built in 1962, the facility included three 160-foot-deep silos and miles of tunnels, which were later flooded and sealed. But the base also left behind trichloroethylene, or TCE, a cancer-causing solvent used to clean missile oxygen systems.
The chemical was first discovered in the area's groundwater in 1991, according to previous Bee reporting. A Placer grand jury report last year found that 'nothing substantial' had been done to remove it and warned that the contamination plume had advanced roughly 150 feet toward Sun City Lincoln Hills.
While the TCE leaks worried some residents of the Sun City development, data collected in July 2024 showed that monitoring probes near the closest homes show no signs of TCE.
The Army Corps of Engineers resumed its feasibility study in 2018 and estimates a $26 million remediation effort could begin in 2027. The city of Lincoln supports an accelerated timeline, citing ongoing housing development nearby, according to previous Bee reporting.
According to the county's development activity map, the area around the former range is rapidly developing.
To the north is the under-construction, 233-unit Hidden Hills project. South of the site is the approved Waterfront project, which will include 271 rental units and 50,000 square feet of commercial space. Nearby is the proposed Village 1 Specific Plan, which has been in the works since 2013 and envisions more than 5,000 residential units, parks, mixed-use areas, and a golf course.
Also on Tuesday, supervisors adopted a 2025-29 housing action plan with goals to increase the county's supply of 'achievable housing,' preserve housing stability and secure long-term funding. The plan sets a target of 1,300 new housing units by mid-2029.
According to the county, Placer's median home price is about $665,000, while the median household income is $108,000.
'We incorporated a lot of great feedback from the board into our updated plan to consider potential community impacts and outcomes across Placer's unique regions,' Housing Manager Nikki Streegan said in a statement. 'This plan advances broad priorities like economic development, infrastructure and strategic collaboration with our partners from the state and throughout the region.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
106-year-old puts his long life down to eating one thing every day
A WWII veteran celebrating his 106th birthday has revealed the secret to his long life - eating custard every single day. Great-great grandfather Leslie Lemon, from Aylesbury, Bucks., favours Bird's but always has a tin of Ambrosia's ready made in the pantry for emergencies. His current favourite treat is rhubarb and custard - but is also partial to trifle and custard - and prefers his sweet treat cold. He celebrated his 106th birthday this week - having been born on July 1, 1919. Mr Lemon, a corporal in WWII, said: "The secret to a long life is custard. Rhubarb from the garden and custard. "I eat it every day. I prefer it cold. It's nice in a trifle. You can't beat it. I usually have the powder but I've got a ready made Ambrosia in the pantry for emergencies. You should always have a pudding." READ MORE: Diogo Jota's wife and recent wedding as Liverpool forward dies in tragic accident days after tying the knot READ MORE: Disgraced Cold War veteran 89, may die in prison after he is unmasked as paedophile Mr Lemon has now been retired for longer than he worked - having worked as an 'office boy' for Inland Revenue, now HM Revenue & Customs until he was 60 in 1979. He served as a corporal, from 1939 to 1946, throughout WWII and received the Légion d'honneur medal from the French government five years ago. The great-great-grandfather-of-two said, despite turning 106: "I don't feel older at all. I've got no aches and pains. I don't take any tablets or medications. I never see a doctor." Mr Lemon, who has eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, said his second favourite food was fish and chips. He added: "You can put custard with apples, gooseberries, any fruit from the garden." For his 100th birthday, he was given his own Bird's custard jug. He has received three cards from royalty which sit on his mantle - a letter from Queen Elizabeth II on his 100th birthday and two from King Charles and Queen Camilla for his 105th and 106th birthdays. As for his advice for growing older, Mr Lemon, originally from Ealing, London, said: "Everything in moderation. I'm so lucky and I'm quite happy. The thing that has changed the most is video calls. I can't work it myself. I'm a bit old fashioned." Mr Lemon married his wife Doreen in 1944 and remained together until her death in 1999. They had three children - Michael, Mary and Richard - but Mary sadly died from hepatitis caused by polluted seawater when she was ten. Youngest son Richard, 73, said: "When we were growing up, we always had fresh fruit and veg - no one froze things in the 50s. "Dad is a believer in that you should always have pudding and he's had custard as long as I can remember." Mr Lemon has also been honoured with a year's supply of free custard from Asda. An Asda spokesperson said: 'We'll all be taking a leaf out of Mr Lemon's book and enjoying more custard going forward, we hope he enjoys a free year's supply on us. "When life gives you lemons add custard!' Mr Lemon's family said: "He's absolutely delighted. He'll probably put it all under his bed."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
5 Common Reasons Grandparents and Parents Miscommunicate—and How to Ease the Tension
Generational differences in parenting styles can cause misunderstandings between parents and grandparents When the either or both parties become defensive, conflict usually arises Many of this communication issues can be resolved by approaching the relationships with more compassion and empathyRaising children is a journey that if you're lucky, you can share with your extended family. When grandparents are involved, they often bring added love, support, and wisdom to your child's life. There's just one big problem: Parents and grandparents often have different views on parenting – shaped by the eras in which they were raised – which can lead to misunderstandings and conflict. Here, experts weigh in on the most common communications problems that plague relationships between parents and their kids' grandparents—and how to ease the tension. Rachel Carrell, CEO Koru Kids, a UK-based company that helps parents find reliable childcare, realises that navigating these conversations can be tricky so she recently took to LinkedIn to share her thoughts on some of the most common communication gaps between parents and grandparents while offering insight into how families can approach them with empathy and mutual respect. Carrell tells Parents she was inspired to write the post after noticing just how much parenting norms have shifted over the last few decades, and how these changes can cause real tension, especially between parents and grandparents. "In the 1980s, a 'good' child was often defined as quiet, obedient, and non-disruptive,' she observes. 'Emotions were frequently dismissed as dramatic or naughty, and tools like 'tough love' or physical punishment were still commonplace. In contrast, modern parenting puts a huge emphasis on emotional regulation, mental health, and connection. Many parents now work hard to be trauma-informed, to honor neurodiversity, and to interpret behavior as communication rather than defiance.' 'When we understand where these miscommunications come from, we can move away from defensiveness and towards collaboration,' she continues. 'This is much better for the relationship between the parent and the grandparent and also much better for the children involved.' This one comes up constantly, especially when a grandparent swoops in with advice that they consider well meaning and helpful but that feels more like judgment, says Dr. Cynthia Edwards-Hawver, PsyD. 'For example: Grandma shows up with a big bag of candy after you've finally cut sugar to help with your child's ADHD symptoms,' she says. 'You say something like, 'We're trying something new,' and she responds, 'I'm just trying to help!'' In this instance, grandparents often carry deep pride in how they raised you and struggle to understand why your parenting looks different, explains Dr. Edwards-Hawver. 'So when Grandma offers 'help' it can feel like she's second-guessing the thousands of micro-decisions you've already agonized over,' she continues. 'It's not about the candy, it's about feeling unseen and unsupported.' For older generations, some kids may have been raised to hold back their emotions; expressing them might have been seen as weak or lead to abuse from parents who weren't interested in their mental health. 'This one stings because it hits right at the heart of modern parenting: We're trying to raise emotionally attuned, self-aware humans, not just obedient ones,' explains Dr. Edwards-Hawver. 'You calmly ask your toddler to take a break after a meltdown and grandpa mutters, 'In my day, a good smack would've fixed that.' You hear: 'You're coddling your kid and failing as a parent.'' She explains that grandparents who grew up in a time when emotional expression was discouraged, 'may not understand why validating emotions matters, or that what they call 'soft' is actually emotionally regulated parenting. This clash isn't just about technique, it's about two different nervous systems shaped by two very different eras.' One of the most common miscommunications that Nilou Esmaeilpour, Clinical Director & Registered Clinical Counsellor at Lotus Therapy, observes between parents and grandparents is related to discipline and rules. 'A grandparent may give a toddler biscuits, ice cream, or juice, thinking it's a treat, not knowing the parent is trying to discipline the child,' in relation to an earlier incident of misbehavior. Or the grandparents think the parent is overreacting to an incident that in fact is not aligned with the parents values, and that they are hoping to discourage through a consequence like limiting treats. "In another example, a parent might have a hard and fast 'no screen after dinner,' rule, but a grandparent, not even knowing that they are assisting or rewarding the child, plays Peppa Pig to keep everyone calm while doing dishes,' she illustrates. To the grandparent, the situation might seem innocuous; after all, its just one episode of television while the adults do chores. 'But to the parent, it can seem like an attempt to undermine their authority or flout their well-planned routine,' says Esmaeilpour. Esmaeilpour says there's often a conflict over the kids' sleeping habits or routines, as many modern parents choose to follow strict bedtime rituals, while grandparents may recall simply putting them to bed when they seemed sleepy. Parents' nighttime routines might seem too rigid, though the parents themselves may have created these routines to help their children get more rest, and allow themselves some freedom at the end of the night. 'Grandparents were raising children in an era with fewer facts but more experience or practical methods, and they can look at contemporary methods of parenting as excessive or too programmed,' Esmaeilpour explains. 'On the other hand, contemporary parents are saturated with masses of research on children's development, online communities, and pediatric guidelines that shape their behavior and they feel compelled to get it right more often in a culture of criticism.' The grandparents might want the kids to stay up late so they can all spend more time together, not realizing that again, their parents feel undermined or judged when the grandparents question their parenting style. People from older generations who were not necessarily taught how to express their emotions in a healthy way might make passive aggressive remarks to signify their disagreement with a parent's choice—the parent might respond in kind when they feel attacked. Erica R. Turner, LMFT and owner of Rosewater Therapy, says that her rule of thumb for responding to a passive aggressive statement is to take it at face value. 'Don't defensively respond to the subtext. Either directly name the subtext or respond to the actual words the person said. For example, if the grandparent says, 'He doesn't act like that with me,' I would respond with, "Can you explain what you mean by that?' or 'It feels like you're saying I'm doing something wrong. That hurts because I'm doing the best I can, and I need your support.'' Whatever you do, Turner advises not to go into any kind of defense of yourself as a parent – that path is a trap, and a conversation that no one will win. 'The important thing is to find out how the grandparent actually meant the statement, to be clear that it was hurtful, and to not get into a back and forth about whose way of parenting is better,' she says. 'The more you engage with comments about your parenting, the more you send a signal to the grandparent that how you parent is up for debate,' she continues. 'That said, if your parent can offer constructive feedback in a helpful way, then of course you can [choose to] hear them out.' Unless your relationship with your parents is particularly strained or toxic, which might be the case, there's a good chance each party is approaching parenting with love—even when their attempts might be clumsy or awkward. 'I always encourage parents to approach these types of conversations with curiosity, not criticism,' advises Esmaeilpour. 'So if a grandparent is providing extra treats, a parent can say, 'I know you want to treat the kids to a good time, and they love spending time with you,'' instead of scolding the grandparents or making them feel ashamed. To make your parenting choices clear, however, Esmaeilpour says parents might try explaining your reasoning. A script she suggests might look like, 'Recently we've noticed that consuming too much sugar in the evening makes it so much more difficult to get to bed. Would you assist us in saving the treats for earlier in the day?' This rewording takes a situation that is potentially volatile and turns it into a request for to wrok together. Esmaeilpour says that if you're aware that the children are spending a weekend with Grandma, for example, talk about expectations beforehand. 'That might mean sharing a written routine, specifying what foods [aren't allowed], or describing any current behavior strategies used. Don't assume they just know parenting has changed a good deal the last 20–30 years,' she says. Remember that timeouts, emotional well-being, screen guidelines, and even allergy protocols have evolved from even a generation ago, and that its your responsibility to respectfully but firmly outline your parenting style to grandparents who might occasionally step in as caregivers for your kids. It might be a tall order, but giving the adults in these situations the benefit of the doubt even when you are frustrated with what you perceive as their interference, will de-escalate any tension. 'Grandparents grew up with different knowledge,' says Carrell. 'They didn't have Instagram therapists. And [they] didn't grow up in a culture where emotions were taken seriously. Each generation's reference points are different.' That being said, consider the other party's perspective: Grandparents are typically just trying to help in the best way they know how. Meanwhile parents aren't necessarily dismissing or shaming the grandparents parenting style, just making different choices. When you can try to see these interactions as two different generations of parents sharing knowledge, you might be able to communicate more positively in the future. Carrell wants to remind parents that their job of raising children can be challenging and exhausting, whether you're a working or stay-at-home parent or a grandparent who provides occasional childcare. So being hard on yourself or someone else who is trying their best to raise decent humans won't get you anywhere good. 'Take the 3 seconds to say "You're doing a brilliant job" and never underestimate how powerful that kind of encouragement can be,' says Carrell. Both grandparents and parents can share kind words with each other, as a way to diffuse conflict but also as a potent reminder that parenting is hard enough as it is, without butting heads with family members who only want the best for the kids. 'Even a simple 'I'm proud of you' or 'I so appreciate your help' message—not about school pickups or meal plans—goes a long way. Warmth sustains relationships,' advises Carrell. As the parent of the child or children in question, you can't expect the grandparents to simply understand your parenting style, no questions asked. That doesn't mean that parents need to justify their choices to the grandparents, but it does mean being forthright about how you expect your child to be treated while in someone else's care. Maybe that looks like letting the grandparents know that the kids don't respond well to sugar, that their emotional needs are just as important as any physical injuries, and that you won't tolerate your kid being yelled at or berated. If the grandparents can't agree to what seems to you like reasonable expectations, it might be time to reconsider what a relationship with them looks like. 'My biggest piece of advice would be to discuss expectations for how you will spend time together and how you each define the role of the grandparents in the family,' says Turner. 'Don't assume that you're on the same page, and be honest with each other about what you're looking and hoping for. You may not agree at first, but you can start the conversation on the right foot by being transparent.' Read the original article on Parents
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Rare Christian cross, Viking treasures unearthed — revealing ‘fascinating insights' to past
Advertisement Archaeologists recently unearthed a hoard of early medieval treasures on the banks of an inlet in northern Germany, all thanks to a metal detectorist. The State Archaeology Department of Schleswig-Holstein (ALSH) announced the discovery in a press release in late May. The hoard, dating back roughly 1,000 years, was found on the shores of the Schlei, an inlet in the Baltic Sea. Officials said that the area is near 'the once-significant Viking-era trading post of Haithabu.' The hoard was originally flagged by a metal detectorist named Arjen Spiesswinkel, who reported his finds to the ALSH. Advertisement 'A targeted follow-up search with additional detectorists helped narrow down the location of the find,' the ALSH said in a statement. 5 Archaeologists discovered early medieval treasures in northern Germany with the help of a metal detectorist. ALSH 5 Volunteers dug through the soil, finding over 200 artifacts. ALSH 'Subsequently, a systematic excavation by the ALSH, together with volunteer helpers, recovered the objects.' Advertisement Pictures show focused volunteers digging through the soil in search of the treasure hoard, which consisted of over 200 artifacts. 'In this case, the hoard includes around 200 objects, mostly made of silver, hacksilver, fragments of Arabic coins (dirhams), bar pieces and jewelry,' the statement noted. 5 The items found were 'mostly made of silver, hacksilver, fragments of Arabic coins (dirhams), bar pieces and jewelry,' the statement from The State Archaeology Department of Schleswig-Holstein said. ALSH 5 According to officials, the cross is 'an early testament to the beginning of Christianization in the region.' ALSH Advertisement Officials added, 'Particularly noteworthy is a delicate cross pendant – an early testament to the beginning of Christianization in the region.' 'Particularly noteworthy is a delicate cross pendant – an early testament to the beginning of Christianization in the region.' The ALSH also noted that hoard finds typically consist of 'buried or submerged objects that were either hidden to protect them from others or laid down as offerings.' A ceramic shard and a whetstone were also found at the site, which officials believe may be 'possible indications of a previously unknown settlement.' 5 A ceramic shard and a whetstone were also found at the site. ALSH 'The finds offer fascinating insights into the history of the 10th century, a time of trade, cultural exchange, and religious transformation,' the statement concluded. The Viking Age lasted from roughly 800 A.D. to 1050 A.D., meaning that the hoard dates back to the later part of the era. Advertisement The discovery comes as many recent Viking-related finds have been uncovered across Europe. In Sweden, officials recently announced the discovery of a Viking grave with 'Christian overtones' on the outskirts of Linköping.
