Amador County – The 31-year-old Community Christian School of Pine Grove is working to expand, possibly in the fall to offer its first high school classes, with the intent of establishing the first Christian high school in Amador County.

Gregory F. Lange, a member of the Community Christian School Board of Directors of Pine Grove said the plan is to try to establish Community Christian High School with minimal students and make it permanent to serve Amador County education needs.

Lange said “it is great to see private school education expanding in this county.” He said: “It will hopefully start with this coming Fall school session.”

Lange said. “I am told that that CCS is desirous to launch this new education program with the minimum-number-required enrollment to qualify and successfully implement the program, and, then, subsequently increase enrollment each year, thus permanently establishing a High School into which existing lower-grade CCS students can graduate.

Lange said the “plan would give the school complete educational programs. So the intent here is to discover those High School student candidates in our community to initially enroll into the educational program.”

Lange said: “I have been delegated the task of promoting a new educational program for the school.”

He said Community Christian School was founded in 1980 and “has continuously educated pre-school through Junior High School students successfully for the past 30 years. CCS has become a highly respected institution of learning.”

Lange said “CCS is evolving, and is now desirous to extend its educational programs to include high school students. The school intends to offer on-line, accredited, high school learning opportunities.”

CCS’s new high school educational program is part of “an established and well respected, local Christian School,” Lange said, which “has evolved and expanded to become a complete Christian learning institution, the only one in the County of Amador, and among only a few in Northern California.”

Community Christian High School’s educational program will be directed by Dr. Ken Terry.

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Amador County – The Kirkwood Mountain Ski Resort announced plans for a low-rate “Locals Day” set for Friday, with a day pass for skiing or boarding for $20.

Kirkwood announced that “Friday April 22nd is Locals Day at Kirkwood because we love our locals.” The deal offers $20 lift tickets for all locals from Lake Tahoe, The Carson Valley, Jackson or any of the surrounding areas. Just bring local IDs and people can purchase a full day, all mountain lift ticket for $20. Those without a driver’s license can show a local school or college ID. A bill with their address on it with a matching photo ID will work too. Kirkwood invited locals to come and “enjoy the tail end of the greatest season in years.”

The Locals Day ticket sales will also benefit the “Bicycle Coalition.” Kirkwood officials said $5 of every lift ticket sold to local residents on Friday will go toward making Lake Tahoe “a more bicycle and foot traffic-friendly region.”

The Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition’s mission is to promote livable and sustainable communities by encouraging more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly facilities and promoting educational programs in which residents and visitors can safely and conveniently ride and walk on a more frequent basis.

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Amador County – Cal Fire’s Amador County unit urged people to burn safely while working on defensible space around their homes.

Defensible space is established with a 100 foot brush-free barrier around homes and outbuildings on property, and Cal Fire considers it is the best defense against a wildfire. Local Air Quality Management Districts govern whether there is a “burn day” or a “no burn day”, and residents can call those local Air Quality offices to get the local burn status. Cal Fire urged people to make sure they call the burn information line immediately prior to burning.

Local Air Quality districts may require a permit for burning. Call the Amador County Air Quality Management Districts at (209) 223-6246. Other Air Quality district offices are in El Dorado County, Sacramento and Alpine Counties.

To get a burn permit in Amador County, call the Sutter Hill Cal Fire office at (209) 267-5215. Online, see fire.ca.gov.

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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency Committee to discuss water issues in the Central Amador Water Project service area will hold its final meetings this week.

AWA is expecting a strong turnout at the last one 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Hall on Buckhorn Ridge Road in Pioneer. Upcountry AWA customers had three more opportunities this week (including 2 today) to meet with the committee on the Gravity Supply Line, and other issues facing the system.

The committee, AWA Directors Robert Manassero and President Don Cooper have held meetings at Upcountry restaurants and coffee shops this month to get feedback from customers on how to address the most pressing issues on the Upcountry water system.

AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo in a release Monday said “about 40 times a year,” the CAWP water system “breaks down. The aging and failing water system suffers from electrical and mechanical failures, computer and communication problems, and power outages,” and its pumps are “subject to increasing electric costs, currently about $300,000 a year.”

Staff said Cooper and Manassero were pleased with turnout in the meetings designed to inform customers about the Upcountry water system, current challenges it faces, what options are being considered, and “how to participate in decision-making for the system that needs to happen soon.”

The “drop dead” date for a USDA loan for the Gravity Supply Line is July 22. That is the date by which USDA requires a financial plan to be in place. At its last meeting, Cooper reported that in the series of coffee shop meetings with CAWP customers, 75-80 percent said they are in favor of the Gravity Supply Line. But they were not supportive of paying for it, and for “future customers.”

Staff last week presented new conceptual plans for funding, which need more study, including formation of an assessment district, or consolidation of water rates. Either plan could require seeking and attaining an extension from the USDA Rural Utilities Service on the $5 million grant. It would also require approval and backing from the Amador County Board of Supervisors, because an extension would also delay repayment of a $900,000 Water Development Fund Loan, which the AWA owes the county. At last week’s meeting, the board asked staff to also get word to Supervisors about the potential new funding plans, and seek their agreement.

AWA Director Art Toy asked Mancebo, “What do your tea leaves tell you” about an RUS extension? Mancebo said” Rural Utilities Service is very supportive of this project,” and such extensions have been given before for other projects.

Toy said he would “rather unhinge the time constraint with the cost,” before looking at other funding paths. He ultimately dissented in the 4-1 approval, but supported going to bid on the GSL right away.

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Amador County – Several organizations plan meetings this week. The City of Sutter Creek Gold Rush Implementation Committee meets 1 p.m. today in the Community Building, 33 Church Street.

The agenda includes considering approval of a committee mission statement. “Discussion” items include the “project implementation matrix” and the status of litigation against the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. Items also include discussion of the status of a development agreement and the status of Master Plans for the wastewater treatment plant and Amador Regional Sanitation Authority.

The Upcountry Community Council’s “Fire Protection Committee” meets 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at the Veterans Hall on Buckhorn Ridge Road in Pioneer. The meeting is open to the public. Topics include “Firewise Program: Dealing with Wildland/Urban Interface,” for which Cathy Koos-Breazeal of the Amador Fire Safe Council will make a presentation entitled “Hazards – A Community Solution to a National Problem.”

The committee will also discuss staffing of fire stations and get an update on hydrant inspections, from Amador Fire Protection District Battalion Chief David Bellerive.

The Amador Regional Transit System and Amador County Transportation Commission board of directors will meet 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Supervisors Chambers. ARTS will hold a public hearing to receive comment on Amador Transit’s grant application for buses and a radio system.

The board will also get Ridership Analyses for March for the bus system, and the Amador-Sacramento Express. The ARTS General Manager will give an update on Pending Grant Expenditures, the Route Planning Committee and the July 1st Rollout of “Your New Amador Transit.” The new Mobility Manager will give reports on Ridership Benchmarks, an Overview of the Program, Progress to Date and Goals and Objectives.

 The ACTC board will look at a funding from the Public Transportation Modernization, Improvement and Service Enhancement Account. It will also look at Proposition 1B Transit Security Project priorities, and review a potential call for projects and possible reprogramming of ACTC Transportation Enhancement funds for 2012-2013. The ACTC board will also discuss a “contract amendment with Fehr & Peers to provide traffic engineering analysis for up to 30 prioritized segments or intersections” for the Regional Transportation Plan.

The Amador Fire Protection Authority board of directors meets 4 p.m. Thursday in the Supervisors Chambers. The board will discuss Measure M Staffing, with an “update by each fire agency regarding their efforts toward providing paid fire personnel for their respective areas.”

The AFPA Board will also get a report on Paid Fire Personnel, with discussion and possible action relative to a proposal for a “format for future Measure M staffing presentations,” as presented by Director Hal Gamble. The board will also discuss the ISO Rating Process, and get an update relative to the “ISO re-rating application process.” The agenda also includes an update relative to testing fire hydrants.

Story by Jim Reece.

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