Amador County – Congressman Dan Lungren announced recently that he has been appointed to be chairman of a Congressional subcommittee on cybersecurity, infrastructure protection and security technologies for the 112th Congress, which opened this week.

Lungren, the representative of California’s Third Congressional District, including Amador County, announced the appointment by e-mail Dec. 20 from Washington, D.C. Lungren was selected by the new Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security.

U.S. Representative Peter T. King (R-NY), the Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, announced the appointment of Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA) as chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies for the 112th Congress, which was to convene Wednesday, Jan. 5.

Lungren released the following statement, with the announcement. He said: “One of the first responsibilities of government, as stated in the preamble of the constitution, is to ‘provide for the common defense’ of our great country.” ¶ He said he is “honored to be selected,” and “Representative King’s steadfast oversight of our nation’s security is commendable and I am pleased to serve with him.”

Lungren said: “The threats our nation faces are ever present and ever changing,” and “it is vital that we continue to identify, assess and confront these threats so those who wish to harm our country and our citizens fail in their attempt.”

Lungren is also a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security Committee, and on his House website states that the United States should “create a homeland security strategy based on rational risk assessment rather than pork barrel politics".

He came back to Congress after the 9-11 attacks on America, and believes that to “prevail in the fight against global terrorism,” the country “must develop and maintain unsurpassed training and equipment for our troops,” and “provide the resources for our intelligence community to adapt to the changing world.”

The Third District includes all of Amador, Alpine and Calaveras counties, and portions of Sacramento and Solano counties.

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Amador County – The Amador County Unified School District board of trustees voted 5-0 Wednesday to deny a petition for a charter by the Foothill Charter School, with independent analyses finding dozens of legal insufficiencies.

Superintendent Dick Glock in a report to Trustees requested denial of the application because a “review of the three independent analyses reveals numerous insufficiencies.”

The petition was denied on 53 legal insufficiencies, Glock said, and the Foothill Charter School, led by local parent Ramona Longero must decide its next steps. The Foothill group was given a matrix and results of the analyses, which showed them how to improve and correct the petition.

Glock in the report said three independent reviewers analyzed the Foothill Charter School petition. The agencies were the San Joaquin County Charter School Authorizing Consortium, School Services of California, and the school district’s law firm of Girard Edwards & Hance. He said each agency “regularly reviews charter petitions,” and the San Joaquin Consurtium has reviewed hundreds of petitions over many years.

The Foothill petition was presented Nov. 10 by Longero and six others, and the school board was required to grant or deny the petition within 60 days.

Glock submitted and the board approved a resolution denying the petition. The draft resolution said the “board hereby finds the petition not to be consistent with sound educational practice.”

The resolution said Foothill Charter School’s petition “presents an unsound educational program for the pupils,” and petitioners are “unlikely to successfully implement the program set forth.”

The analyses found legal bases for denying the petition, based on the San Joaquin Consortium’s “standard approval measures,” including that the petition “does not contain the necessary assurances for a successful operation.” It also did “not propose a coherent academic program and student assessment system,” and did not “propose a governance and administrative structure that will support student and organizational success.”

The petition lacked a “a reasonable facilities plan” and a financial information. It also made “enrollment estimates that are likely to be too high,” and “unreasonable assumptions” regarding receipt of state charter program grants. It also failed to “adequately identify the facilities needed for its operations.”

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Amador County – After a denial of its petition last week, Foothill Charter School proponents must decide if they want to withdraw the petition, correct it and resubmit it, or appeal the decision to the state.

Superintendent of School Dick Glock said Thursday that the proponents must decide their next steps, after a denial of their petition for a charter by the Amador County Unified School District Board of Trustees.

Foothill Charter School President Ramona Longero she may appeal the denial to the California Board of Education, and has 30 days to do so. She requested a 30-day extension on the decision, but was denied, and said the board preferred the petition be resubmitted. She said she had already submitted a revised petition, after getting results of an analysis two weeks ago from the district.

Longero spoke by phone Thursday with Glock, who said they had received a revised petition, but according to his research, Glock was concerned that “we won’t be fiscally sound.” She said the budget must show capital outlays, for items such as a flag, or desks, and they “just don’t have the details yet.”

She said she and her six partners in the school are confident to move forward with Foothill Charter School, and “as long we can build confidence in the financial plan, then we are good to go.”

Glock said they had three independent agencies look at the petition in an efforet “to be as impartial as possible.” San Joaquin County Charter School Authorizing Consortium found 53 items that did not meet state statutes, and all of those items have to be adjusted.

He said Longero was not discouraged and was “appreciative that we are sharing the information,” which they “can use for a prescription for success.” The Consortium’s findings were put in a matrix and given to Longero two weeks ago. They revised the petition, which was submitted before last Wednesday’s hearing.

Glock said some of the things they denied the petition for are still insufficient, and the county board of education would not approve the petition “in its current condition.” He said they must refine parts of the petition to make it statutorily accurate, and the board’s decision would be based on whether the petition does or does not meet state statutes.

“Talking to her today, they know a lot more than when they began the process,” Glock said, calling it, a “painstaking, meticulous and exhausting thing to do,” and the district is just trying to be impartial.

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Amador County – The Jackson Creek Dental Group announced that it will once again open its office for no-cost treatment of children who “fall between the cracks” in healthcare, who would not otherwise receive dental treatment.

The “Smiles for Kids 2011” is set for 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 22. Doctors and their staff have provided this service to the community on a volunteer basis for the past 26 years, said Dr. Ron Ask. Patients who meet the criteria will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis.

To qualify for treatment, children must be 2-18 years of age, qualify for free or reduced fee school lunches, WIC or CHDP, be a resident of Amador or Calaveras County, and they must not be covered by private dental insurance. A parent or legal guardian must accompany the child throughout the appointment.

For more info, call (209) 223-2712 or visit www.JacksonCreekDental.com

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Amador County – Layoff notices went out last week to employees of Preston Youth Correctional Facility, and transfers reportedly already have begun.

Ione City Manager Kim Kerr said notices arrived last week and transfers have begun. She said all Preston corrections officers reportedly will have a chance to transfer to other regional prisons, but support staff may not have the same opportunities.

CDCR agreed to another public meeting, at an undetermined date, at Evalyn Bishop Hall. Kerr hoped to get high level representation from CDCR, which has indicated it may send a public information officer. Kerr said she wanted people who had not attended one of the other two meetings to get the same information given before. Both were attended by Corrections Secretary Matthew Cate.

The Jackson hearing was called by Assemblywoman Alyson Huber, who in a Jan. 4 letter to constituents gave a “quick update on what my office knows about the proposed Preston closure and what will be happening in the near future.”

“As discussed at the public hearing in Jackson Dec. 8,” Huber “introduced Assembly Bill 8 to prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Facilities from closing any youth correctional facility during the six-month period following the effective date of the legislation.” The Assembly Rules Committee met Jan. 3 and did not take action on any bills. Huber said: “Once the Rules Committee refers the bill to a policy committee I will let you know how to submit letters of support and the hearing date for those interested in attending.”

As of late December, Huber said she is “no longer the Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee,” so she is “unable to set another public hearing. However, anyone can attend the hearing on AB 8,” and she will let people know as soon as that hearing date is set.

Huber said that last week, her “office was contacted by the Department of Corrections and made aware that layoff notices had been mailed. Most people should have received their notice by this time.”

She said “if impacted staff needs help or has any trouble getting questions answered, please feel free to contact my office for assistance.” She said she “will continue to keep everyone updated as things move forward.”

Kerr said Ione also received a copy of Amador County Supervisors’ Dec. 22 letter questioning the legality of the CDCR’s closure of Preston, calling it a possible violation of the California Environmental Quality Act. Kerr said city staff was not sure about the argument, but the city may contribute to a legal challenge, if asked to do so by the county.

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Amador County – The 2010 Amador County Sheriff’s Department Christmas Toy Drive again was a success this year, holding the drive Dec. 18 at the St. Sava Mission in Jackson.

The Sheriff’s department hosted its annual Christmas Toy Drive with assistance from California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation of Mule Creek State Prison.

The Sheriff’s office, in announcing the successes, said: “During these harder times it is more important than ever to lend a helping hand, and that could not be possible without the assistance of our community joining together as they have done every year.”

This year the Sheriff’s Office with the help from the Amador County Superintendent of Schools implemented a local voucher program, to ensure that toys donated by local citizens were placed with local children.

Sheriff Martin Ryan and his department acknowledged the assistance of many private or public groups. One was the employees of Mule Creek, whose “Toy Drive Committee” collect money year-round through bake sales, parking lot sales, and raffles. Mule Creek has partnered with the Sheriff’s Office for the past three years and through their donations, typically account for almost half of the toys donated each year.

Warden Michael Martel purchased a flat screen TV and offered it as a raffle prize for employees who brought in a new toy for the toy drive. Mule Creek employees successfully acquired and donated several thousand toys.

The Stockton Bicycle Club donated toward purchase of bicycles, and the Sheriff’s Office was able to purchase several bicycles, raffled off to local children December 18.

Kmart assisted in purchasing bicycles with its Kmart Care program, to collect a total of 18 bicycles. In all, 30 bicycles were given to local children.

Wal-Mart, another noteworthy contributor, through a grant program allowed the Sheriff’s Office to purchase additional toys and supplies.

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Amador County – With the economy in a bad place, the local homeless shelter operator has been getting help from local organizations, to assure that she can still offer a good place for homeless families and individuals.

Denise Cloward, Amador Emergency Shelter Coordinator said last week that churches really helped the Jackson shelter and Amador County homeless people make it through the holidays recently. She said 10 churches are now involved in the Amador Faith Based Emergency Housing Committee, which meets once a month and helps people get back on their feet. She hopes to get all churches in Amador County involved eventually.

Assistance includes gasoline vouchers, tire purchases, and apartments. The Jackson shelter had 22 families and nine children over Christmas, and last week had 16 people staying there.

Cloward and the group Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency will be helping with a survey of the homeless in Amador County. A-TCAA Housing Resources Director Margaret “Beetle” Barbour said the survey will be conducted for 48 hours on Jan. 25-27. And she gave some examples of the last survey in Amador. It said 42 percent of those surveyed were in the age range of 50-64 years old. She said “Amador has an older overall homeless population compared to Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, and other areas with similar geography.

Barbour said about “87 percent of the adults surveyed had housing and then became homeless while they were already living in Amador County.” And 91 percent consider Amador County their home, and “are actual residents having a strong connection to the community.

The 2009 study said about 74 percent of adults planned “to either sleep outside or did not know where they were going to sleep on the day they were surveyed.” Barbour said “additional emergency or transitional housing would alleviate much of this problem.”

About 41 percent of Amador homeless people were considered to be “Chronically Homeless,” defined as having “been homeless more than four times in the last three years or homeless for more than a year at the time they were surveyed. This was down slightly from the 52 percent in 2007.

47 percent ,nearly half of homeless adults surveyed were women, Barbour said, a “clear trend in Amador County’s homeless demographics,” up from 45 percent in 2007. “Most jurisdictions have a much lower percentage of homeless female adults,” Barbour said, and this “may indicate a profound need for women-only shelters since homeless women are in greater danger of being victims of rape and other violent crimes.”

To volunteer to help with the 2011 survey, call (209) 223-9215.

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Amador County – With several people from District 2 raising questions about their new neighbor’s proposed emissions, Amador County Board of Supervisors last week satisfied at least themselves with regulations in place to govern the Buena Vista Biomass Power plant on Coal Mine Road.

Supervisors approved the permit for the combustion-powered electricity plant but not before talking about emissions, among other things.

Jackson Valley resident Donna Oglevie asked if there will be “built-in,” and “ongoing monitoring to assure compliance” of emissions standards at the plant. Air Pollution Control Office Mike Boitano said if they do not comply with monitoring, they do not get a permit to operate.

County consultant Gary Jakobs of Ascent Environmental said his study of impacts called the emissions “cumulatively significant,” but he said “mountain counties” do not have a threshold in place for emissions. He said new California Environmental Quality Act thresholds were used, and Ascent’s work was “based on substantial evidence and based on a goal the state wants to meet.”

A woman with a ranch near the Buena Vista plant asked “why they did not aim for the lowest possible emissions.” She also liked Supervisor Richard Forster’s idea to require keeping up on new technology. Forster said he would like to remove wording from conditions of approval that allow for newer technology when “economically feasible,” and make it “enforceable” to require the best technology available.

Planner Nathan Lishman said the 1983 conditions could be changed at the board’s desire.

Supervisor Chairman John Plasse said to put that condition “on a company this size” would not be economically viable, “unless you are going to have an endless stream of ‘Cash for Clunkers’ for biomass plants.”

Supervisor Louis Boitano said the EPA requires upgrades when it deems them needed. Air Officer Mike Boitano said “we don’t regulate systems, and I’m not sure where my authority starts and stops on something like that.” He said the EPA “will certify equipment but they won’t tell you which ones to go out and get.”

County special counsel Al Herson said federal, state and local law apply, and provisions may be added when permits are renewed. After a break, County Deputy Counsel Greg Gillott said “there is no time limit on the validity of a use permit,” but “the board can place one on it.” He said the county can review the facility for compliance, and if in violation, the permit can be revoked.

Ascent’s Doug Brown said “the facility will get the best technology available,” and will achieve the required emission level.”

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