Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-8-12 - TSPN's Tom Slivick talks with Rich Farrington, the new District 3 director of the Amador Water Agency. 

Amador County – Regional union workers of Raley’s groceries have voted to support a strike and will go into bargaining Friday, June 8 with management and a federal mediator.

The Northern Region of Raley’s includes 7,750 union employees represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 8, including employees in Jackson.

Raley’s and workers reached an impasse in March and the sides have not spoken since, and Raley’s has requested a federal mediator, according to Local 8. An extension to Raley’s employees’ contracts expired Wednesday, June 6.

John Segale, a spokesman for Raley’s Northern Region said Thursday the Jackson store’s employees are members of the Local 8 United Food and Commercial Workers union, and they had the opportunity to vote this week on the strike issue. He was not sure whether or not they voted. He said 81 employees work at the Jackson Raley’s, including 75 who are union members.

Segale said we’re meeting tomorrow morning (Friday, June 8) with a federal mediator. Both sides will meet and this is the only negotiation session planned at this point. Employee contracts are on a day-to-day extension.

Segale said the contracts will likely be extended through the of end month. During the extension, employees receive full benefits and wages. ¶ Raley’s Northern California and Nevada has 7,750 union employees and 3,125 non-union employees, Segale said. As a company, it has a total of 13,000 employees, including in management, warehouse, trucking, pharmacy and meat cutting.

Segale said Raley’s negotiators will be working toward a peaceful resolution, and he thought it was clear employees do not want to strike, the management does not want a strike, and customers do not want a strike, “but we must reduce our operation expenses to become more competitive.”

He said he is familiar with Jackson, facing competition from new, non-union retailers. Segale said in the Northern California Raley’s territory, they have had more than 200 non-union stores open since 2007, when their last contract was agreed to.

Segale said the Northern Region includes California and Northern Nevada, from the coast to northern Nevada, and from the Oregon border to Madera County. In the region, he said 209 non-union retail outlets have opened since 2007. In comparison, Raley’s operates 131 stores in the region, including 115 in California, and 16 in Nevada.

Jacques Loveall, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 8 released a statement saying Raley’s is trying to spin results of the strike vote. He said “8 out of 10 Union members working at Raley’s and Nob Hill voted, in an overwhelming turnout, to support the Union calling a strike, if necessary.”

The company has said 30 percent of workers voted “no” on the strike. Loveall said “once again they are posturing instead of bargaining.”

Loveall said “we remain confident cooler heads can still prevail.” He said the contract is on a day-to-day extension requiring three days’ advance notice by either party to cancel,” and “a bargaining session is set for Friday, June 8 with the federal mediator.”

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

Amador County – Amador County Supervisors next week will revisit a request by local business leaders to increase the hotel and motel tax in the county.

At their May 22 meeting, supervisors discussed a request by the Amador Business Council to raise the Transient Occupancy Tax from 6 to 10 percent, and use the funds from the extra 4 percent to promote the county, through the Amador Council of Tourism. County Counsel Gregg Gillott sought direction from supervisors on wording for a potential ballot measure, and was concerned about complexity and wording issues.

Jennifer McGee of the counsel’s office said community groups support the measure and hopefully will get together and put a support statement on the ballot, at a maximum 300 words. Opposition groups have the same option, and a county statement on the ballot can be 500 words. The measure itself would be limited to about 75 words.

Amador Business Council Executive Director Jim Conklin said business groups support bringing in camping and other lodging to the TOT tax “in one fell swoop,” and the Business Council has already raised $1,000 to do outreach to let people know who will be affected, and to educate people.

Conklin said it is a tax for tourists, and residents are not going to be paying this tax. McGee said stays of longer than 30 days are exempt lodging from TOT. Supervisor Richard Forster said if camping is the “kiss of death” for this, they may want to consider removing it. Conklin agreed.

Supervisor Ted Novelli said he preferred a special tax in the measure, but said he was speaking for himself. Forster said business groups proposed the increase as a general tax.

Amador Council of Tourism Executive Director Maureen Funk said the county Transient Occupancy Tax at 6 percent is the lowest in the state, but if it was raised to 10 percent, it would still be among the lowest rates in the state. She said most measures typically include camping.

Supervisor John Plasse asked if they could charge TOT tax on state, federal and water district lands if they are operated by concessionaires. Gillott was not sure, and also not sure if any are run by concessionaires.

Forster said it was a very competitive market, and suggested they might want to consider a TOT fee based on short-term visits or a fee based on lodging. Plasse said if they are not able to charge the TOT on state, federal and utility camp sites, then it is further giving private camp sites another disadvantage.

Plasse asked for an inventory of the campsites and a study to see if the county has the authority to impose this tax or not. Supervisors return to the issue at their Tuesday, June 12 regular meeting.

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

Amador County – Two Pioneer men were arrested recently for possession of a stolen railroad car that had been largely dismantled and sold for scrap metal.

The Amador County Sheriff’s Department announced the arrest of David Glenn Parsons, 42, and Troy Allen Whisler, 42, both of Pioneer who were charged with possession of stolen property and violation of probation. Both men were booked into the Amador County Jail and are being held without bail.

Undersheriff Jim Wegner released details of the investigation Wednesday: “On May 31, Sierra Pacific Industries contacted the Amador County Sheriff’s Office to report that a large rail car, which was being used as a bridge, had been stolen from SPI property located off Fiddletown Road. The initial investigation by Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies determined the theft occurred in El Dorado County.”

Wegner said on June 1, an SPI employee called the Amador Sheriff’s Office to report that the stolen railroad car had been found on a parcel of property in an area near Bootstrap Road in Amador County.

“Deputies responded and contacted two suspects associated with the stolen rail car,” Wegner said. “The investigation determined that the two individuals had stolen the rail car and were dismantling it for sale as scrap metal. Approximately two-thirds of the rail car had already been dismantled and sold to a regional recycler. Only three sections, approximately one-third of the car was left on the property. Deputies also located three large storage containers on the property which were locked with stolen SPI pad locks.”

A search of the property conducted by Amador County Sheriff’s Detectives revealed an unreported stolen truck and several items stolen from the California Department of Transportation, the County of Amador and the United States Postal Service.

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

Amador County – Adam Dalton of the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians gave his weekly report on the field and park restoration project Wednesday, saying that “excitement perseveres in Volcano this week.” Dalton said: “We are also personally assisting a fellow project partner Sharon Lungren with a few renovations as she prepares for the reopening of the St. George Hotel.” Dalton said “Volcano is a project that continues to grow successfully thanks to volunteer efforts and donor contributions.”

Once renovations are complete within Volcano, the Amador County Park Restoration crew will begin renovation on its third project, with the exact location yet to be determined.

Dalton again asked people to join and help renovate park and recreation areas of communities. He said: “Summer is approaching and provides the perfect opportunity to engage with your children in learning the value of community outreach. Contact the Project at (209)223-8405.

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

Amador County – Thirteen members of the Pine Grove Camp Crew Four and their captain marched in the Italian Benevolent Society parade Sunday, June 3 in Sutter Creek. The parade drew dozens of float entries in the parade to kick off the final day of the 130th Italian Benevolent Society Picnic.

Lieutenant Wade Wayland released details of the parade for the Conservation Camp members. Wade said: “Since 1882, the Italian Benevolent Society of Amador County has hosted its Italian Picnic and Parade on the first Sunday in June in Sutter Creek. Pine Grove Camp has been a participant in the parade for a number of years and this year was no exception.”

He said Amador-El Dorado Cal-Fire “Division Chief Brian Estes asked Crew Four Captain Martin King to represent the Camp in the parade. Youth Correctional Counselor Tom Menley, a 15-year Camp veteran and Sutter Creek resident, accompanied Captain King, and drove the Emergency Crew Vehicle during the parade, and served as the event photographer.”

The crowd was enthusiastic and greeted Crew Four with cheers and waves. He said the only disappointment expressed by the firefighters was that the parade route was too short.

Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp Superintendent Mike Roots released photos of Crew Four’s participation, the photos taken by Youth Correctional Counselor Tom Menley.

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

Amador County – Family and friends of Len Jagoda marked the anniversary of his passing and raised $9,090 May 18 at the first Len Jagoda Memorial Fundraiser.

Lori Jagoda said it was the first fundraising event in Amador County for lung cancer research and awareness. A check was sent to LUNGevity. The foundation is the largest private financial supporter of lung cancer research in the United States and granted $2 million to researchers in 2011. The organization, works with top experts to identify and fund promising and innovative research into early detection and targeted treatment of lung cancer.

The LUNGevity organization hopes to assure patients the same promise that is now enjoyed by breast, prostate, colorectal and other cancers – earlier detection, more effective treatment options, higher quality of life and hundreds of thousands of lives saved.

The organization “funds scientific research with the express purposes of finding a better way to diagnose and treat lung cancers and prevent their recurrence.”

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

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-8-12 - Foothill Critters visits Jim and Bonnie Sallee and witness a chicken brood hatching.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-8-12 - Jim and Bonnie Sallee discuss what it takes to manage multiple flocks of chickens as well as Mareks Disease.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-8-12 - Jim and Bonnie Sallee demonstrate how they select and prepare chickens for showing.