Amador County – April is nationally recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Amador County’s Operation Care encourages community participation to decide to end sexual violence, and help by participating in Denim Day of Wednesday, April 27th.

The goal is to encourage everyone in Amador County to learn about sexual violence, how to help prevent it, and how to help survivors heal. The organization urges employers to allow their staff to break the dress code and the silence by wearing jeans during the month of April, and especially on Denim Day, Wednesday April 21st.

Why Denim? “Wearing jeans during April is a symbol of protest of harmful attitudes about rape in response to an Italian Supreme Court decision to overturn a rape conviction because the victim wore jeans. The decision did not recognize that coercion, threats and force are a part of the act of rape.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Social Security office officially ended its service days in Sutter Creek last week, cutting short the program earlier than previously scheduled.

Sutter Creek City Clerk Natalie Doyle announced the change last week, saying City Hall was notified by the Social Security Administration’s district manager that its “contact station at Sutter Creek City Hall” was ceasing operation. Doyle said “they were scheduled to come two more times before they closed for good, but now are not coming at all.” She said “many people use this service and would appreciate getting the word that they are no longer holding office here at Sutter Creek Auditorium.”

Doyle said the Sutter Creek City Hall has no forms or information regarding Social Security issues so people would have to contact the office directly, or use the Internet, as recommended by the district manager.

Muriel Behrens, district manager of the Social Security Administration, in Placerville, said she would be sending 100 flyers to post at the facility regarding the closure. The flyers say: “What you can do online” to start with. The flyer says to “boldly go to SocialSecurity.gov,” and it lists tasks that can be conducted via the Internet on the Social Security website. Those include applying for benefits, estimating future benefits and what to do if people get benefits.

The flyers said of April 21, the Sutter Creek Social Security Contact Station is closed. For info, call toll free 1(800)772-1213 or the Placerville Office at (530) 626-8421. The website is SocialSecurity.gov.

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Amador County – A “Super Bad Beat” jackpot worth $113,000 was awarded last week at the Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel.

Carol Cook, content developer for the Rancheria Marketing Department said the “cheers at the mezzanine Poker Room at Jackson Rancheria Casino could be heard throughout the casino below,” when the “Super Bad Beat” hit at $113,054,” last Tuesday.

A Sacramento man identified as Adam D. hit the Super Bad Beat with “quad tens and a nine kicker and 50 percent of the prize pool” for $56,527. Joseph S. of Stockton won the hand with a straight flush (hearts, Jack high) and 30 percent of the pool, $34,916. The table share was $3,768 each, Cook said, and it was “Good times, Rancheria Style.”

Adam, 18, is a freshman at Sacramento State studying statistics. Immediately after the big jackpot he wasn’t sure what he is going to do with the money but he’s hoping to transfer to U.C. Davis so it may go for college. He said: “I guess I could buy a car, but first I need to get a license.” He’s been playing at Jackson Rancheria since shortly after his 18th birthday last November.

Joseph, 20, is working at a pizza parlor until he goes into the Navy in September. He’s headed for nuclear power school and said he’d probably leave the money with his folks. Both are frequent players at Jackson Rancheria.

Shift Manager Glenn Pitts said the two men “are perfect examples of why Jackson Rancheria is a great place to play poker. Whether you are new to the game or a long time player, we make sure you are comfortable and have a great time.” Pitts said Jackson Rancheria now has “low-limit, high-limit, and even no-limit games, plus dedicated beverage service, a real-time tournament board, daily tournaments and frequent promotions. There’s always something going on here.”

The Super Bad Beat Jackpot award is based on a hand of four of a kind eights or better being beaten by a hand of greater value in a game of Texas Hold ‘Em. Jackson Rancheria’s Super Bad Beat last was awarded in December 2008, at a recording breaking $213,293.

The situation was ironically similar to the latest hit. Robert B. of Placerville’s four nines were beaten by a straight flush from Stephen B. of Utah. Robert took home $106,646 while Stephen got $63,987. The table share was approximately $6,000 each. The same Dealer, Tim Asper, dealt that game too.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – April is nationally recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Amador County’s Operation Care encourages community participation to decide to end sexual violence, and help by participating in Denim Day of today, that is Wednesday, April 27th.

The goal is to encourage everyone in Amador County to learn about sexual violence, how to help prevent it, and how to help survivors heal. The organization urges employers to allow their staff to break the dress code and the silence by wearing jeans during the month of April, and especially on Denim Day, Wednesday April 21st.

Why Denim? “Wearing jeans during April is a symbol of protest of harmful attitudes about rape in response to an Italian Supreme Court decision to overturn a rape conviction because the victim wore jeans. The decision did not recognize that coercion, threats and force are a part of the act of rape.”

The Italian Supreme Court dismissed charges against a 45-year-old rape suspect because his 18-year old victim was wearing jeans at the time of the attack. The Court stated in its decision that “It is common knowledge...that jeans cannot even be partly removed without the effective help of the person wearing them...and it is impossible if the victim is struggling with all her might.”

The unpopular verdict became an international symbol of myth-based injustice for sexual assault victims.

Operation Care provides hospital response, advocacy, accompaniment, and peer counseling for survivors for sexual assault victims.

For more information call Operation Care at (209) 223-2897, or its 24-hour crisis line (209) 223-2600. Talk to a counselor, call toll-free, 1(800) 675-3392.

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Amador County – Jackson City Council decided Monday night that it needs more surveys to reflect a wider demographic of the population, after seeing a preliminary report of a survey of recreation needs and desires at the Oro De Amador park in Jackson.

Amador County Recreation Agency conducted the survey toward a Proposition 84 grant, and ACRA Executive Director Tracey Towner-Yep discussed the findings. She said it was hard to get respondents. Most people respond favorably to her requests, but declined her staff’s requests for surveys.

Vice Mayor Keith Sweet said 41 percent of the respondents were under the age of 18, and that it needed a more “middle aged” demographic responses. He said the Prop 84 application was “dinged” in the past for not having a survey, and he feared they may be dinged again for the demographics missing the middle ages. Sweet said “unfortunately, 10-year-olds might be paying taxes by the time we’re into it.” Sweet said the survey might be able to be better used if they look at the results without the 41 percent juvenile respondents.

City Manager Mike Daly said he thought “it would help to get the additional demographics.” He said Prop 84 workshops emphasized sustainability and water efficiency to be included in the projects.

Councilman Wayne Garibaldi asked if they could meld an Oro De Amador park project with the expensive wastewater plant improvements they need. Daly said “that was part of Option C” in wastewater considerations, but it would require getting to a “tertiary level of treatment,” which was too costly an option. Daly said a “purple pipe” or reclaimed water system could be considered to deliver to the park.

Councilman Pat Crew said one problem he encountered in pushing the surveys was that people “have no concept of the Oro De Amador” property and location. They understand when he mentions that it’s “the old Wheel Development.” Daly said it is linked to the city’s website. Towner-Yep said “people have heard of it but they haven’t heard of it called that.” The survey showed 62 percent of respondents had never heard of Oro De Amador.

She said surveys during the freezing Dandelion Days were not as productive. Sweet said service groups could be a good place to get additional survey responses. Towner-Yep said she tried to get the Native Sons of the Golden West to take surveys, but she received one survey “with all of the club’s opinions.” Sweet said they could probably get 100 more surveys, from visits to Amador Council of Tourism, Jackson Business and Community Association, and Jackson Rotary.

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Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday directed staff to prepare to donate the replica train engine to a Colorado historical train group in exchange for a $5,000 donation to fill the hole it will leave on the ground of the Amador County Museum grounds.

The train would be donated to the Durango Railroad Historical Society of Durango, Colorado, whose president, George Niederauer told of the historical significance of the old movie prop. He said the wooden replica was modeled after the Rio Grand Southern Number 20, and the two trains “starred in the 1950 movie, ‘A Ticket to Tomahawk,’” a train film shot in Durango. The San Juan Mountains had films made form 1948-1957 and in 1952, Durango was called the “Hollywood of the Rockies.”

Niederauer said the wooden model, Emma Sweeney, was built for about $30,000. It was sold from a movie studio lot for $1,000 in 1960. County GSA Director John Hopkins said Emma Sweeney was donated to Amador County in 1979.

The train will join the club’s real train a Durango & Rio Grande Number 315 which is restored and fully operational. The Emma Sweeney was modeled for the RGS 20, which is in Pennsylvania and is being restored for the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado.

Amador County Museum Curator Georgia Fox said she read Niederauer’s proposal “and reluctantly agree with it.” But she thought the Durango group should be asked to make a $10,000 donation. She emphasized safety if the Emma Sweeney was removed, and it would leave “an empty nest on the historical ground.”

The $5,000 donation was noted by Niederauer to be made “to the Amador County Historical Society to support placing a more historically relevant object in the pavilion.”

Supervisors directed Hopkins to draft terms and conditions of the donation, including that the Durango organization would pay for removal, and restoration of the grounds and property for any impacts. They also requested a “good faith effort” by the Durango organization to look for a trade item that could be of more significant historical importance to Amador County, especially to Sutter Creek and the Knight Foundry, or possibly related to mining.

Niederauer said he would have to ask his board about a larger donation, and he said he really did not know about foundry or mining history. Supervisor Louis Boitano, a Knight Foundry board member, invited Niederauer to tour the foundry Tuesday afternoon. Boitano said purchase and inventory records at Knight Foundry could show some potential places to look for items. He also had a vintage product catalogue to show examples of the product line.

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Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 4-27-11 - Amador County Supervisor Richard Forster with the Supervisor Report on the meeting of 4-26-11.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 4-26-11 - TSPN's Tom Slivick speaks with Congressman Dan Lungren via telephone in Washington D.C. for an update on the 112th U.S. Congress, for District 3 of California.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 4-26-11

·       Alyson Huber pushes for Joint Power Authority to be allowed to operate Preston.

·       The Jackson Rancheria Casino awarded a $113,000 “Super Bad Beat” poker jackpot last week.

·       The Social Security office officially ended its service days in Sutter Creek last week.

·       A Rancho Cordova man last week was indicted on charges of credit card fraud and identity theft.

·       Denim Day is set for Wednesday, April 27 across Amador County, and the world.