CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : PLACERVILLE : Plan to Send Trees to Troops Hits Snag

A plan to send El Dorado County Christmas trees to troops in the Middle East has hit a snag. Volunteers were informed by the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia that the importation of any product for religious holidays other than the Islamic religion is prohibited. The county’s Christmas tree growers have made 35 trees available to be shipped in specially designed mailing tubes. Local banks donated money and schoolchildren planned to make decorations. Placerville City Councilman Carl Borelli said his group still has 13 days to find a way past the restriction.