By Duncan A. Kennedy
CALPINE – In our April 28th edition, The Mountain Messenger detailed what is taking place in the current Plumas County electoral scene. This week, we are exploring the state of the races in Sierra and Nevada counties as the June 7th general primary draws closer.
Sierra County
Nine public offices are up for election this year, but only one is contested. The races are listed below, with incumbents depicted by an asterisk(*):
Assessor: Laura Marshall*
Auditor/Treasurer-Tax Collector: Van Maddox*
Clerk-Recorder: Heather Foster*
County Supervisor, District Two: Lila Heuer v. Sandy Sanders
County Supervisor, District Five: Sharon Dryden*
District Attorney: Sandra Groven*
Sheriff-Coroner: Mike Fisher*
Superior Court Justice: Charles Ervin*
Superintendent of Schools: James Berardi*
In the one contested race, with no incumbent due to the retirement of Sierra County stalwart Peter Huebner (Supervisor for District Two since 1999), two candidates have emerged to replace him.
Lila Heuer, age 75, is a long-time resident of Sierra City and the proprietor of a motel, My Sister’s Cottage, there. She also drives the Golden Rays Senior Citizens bus from Downieville to as far as Reno and Sacramento for her fellow seniors. She spoke at the Gold Nugget Republican Women’s April 20th candidate luncheon, an event The Mountain Messenger covered, and she has also expressed interest in speaking at future Sierra County Democrats events.
Heuer’s opponent is Gerald “Sandy” Sanders, a native of Georgia whose parents met in Sierra County and spent time in Sierra County every year during his youth; in 2021 he was able to fulfill a long-time dream by escaping here from the Bay Area. The Messenger interviewed him recently and will publish his story soon.
Continue reading “Local Elections, Part 2 – Sierra and Nevada Counties”