A Grass Valley woman faces arraignment later this month for allegedly supplying wine and vodka to 11 teenagers in her home.
Nicole Frances Osterholt, 43, has been charged with two misdemeanor counts relating to a party at her home in December, according to Nevada County District Attorney Cliff Newell.
The incident came to light when Bear River High School administrators and Nevada County sheriff's deputies were investigating alleged drinking by teenagers, including members of the girls varsity basketball team, on two separate occasions, Newell said.
On Jan. 25, the school suspended 10 players from the team for 30 days, which ended their season. The school didn't publicly disclose the reason, but at the time, parents said it involved drinking at a party.
After the suspensions, the Nevada County Sheriff's Department continued investigating the party at Osterholt's home, which occurred in early December, Newell said Sunday. Another party in Granite Bay occurred later and helped prompt the suspensions, he said. The second party was outside his jurisdiction and did not directly involve Osterholt, he said.
The Osterholt party was a sleepover for the varsity girls team, said Larry Uno, whose daughter, Chandre, was a player. He said Osterholt had a daughter on the team. The misdemeanor complaint against Osterholt, filed in Nevada Superior Court on Feb. 21, says nine girls ages 15 through 17 and two 16-year-old boys were involved.
Uno said Sunday he was upset to learn a parent allegedly supplied alcohol to local teens.
"I wasn't too happy to hear about it," Uno said. "I definitely don't think anybody should provide alcohol to minors."
Osterholt did not return a call from The Bee. She will be arraigned March 17, Newell said.
The counts against her – contributing to the delinquency of minors and providing alcohol to minors – carry a maximum six-month jail sentence and/or $1,000 fine, Newell said. Sentences for such misdemeanors are usually less severe, he said.
But Newell views the incident as serious and will "prosecute hard." Too many teenagers, he said, lose their lives in alcohol- related crashes and incidents.
"This is serious stuff. The bottom line is you had the parent providing alcohol to teenagers," he said. "When you involve other people's children in that kind of activity, it is irresponsible and downright not legal."
Uno said the parties and suspensions have caused concern and division in the close-knit Grass Valley community.
"There are factions now," Uno said. He said he was among those who thought the suspensions were too harsh because not all players drank at the parties. Others, however, applauded the tough discipline, he said.
Duwaine Ganskie, Bear River's athletic director, said he could not comment on the allegations. He said the athletes' suspensions caused the team to forfeit the last six games of the season.
The team, which won the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV championship the past two years, was 11-10 overall and tied for fourth in the Pioneer Valley League at 4-3.
Call The Bee's Deb Kollars, (916) 321-1090.
