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Amador County – A head-on collision between two vehicles Tuesday left one person dead and sent three others to the hospital, according to a report from the California Highway Patrol. The collision took place just after 8 a.m. near Blue Sky Road on Highway 88 between Ione and Martell. The CHP report said a man driving a Honda CRV on westbound Highway 88 drifted into oncoming traffic and struck an truck. The report said the driver of the Honda was killed while the other driver, a 34-year-old woman, along with her two children, were taken to the hospital. The extent of their injuries has not been released. Traffic on Highway 88 was shut down for more than an hour. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Local

Wednesday, 24 March 2010 02:15

BOS Contracts Out For Representation in Labor Negotiations

Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors announced Tuesday that they have entered into a contract with the Industrial Employers and Distributors Association (IEDA) to provide representation in upcoming labor negotiations. County Administrative Officer Terri Daly said the non-profit will assist the county in “several important situations,” including new contracts and consideration of extending the 36-hour work week. Currently, the County’s Human Resources Department is operating at about half the staff it did two years before. “We simply don’t have the internal resources to dedicate staff to negotiations; we evaluated the most cost-effective alternative to providing sufficient staffing to negotiations and determined that hiring IEDA as the County’s representative in the coming negotiations would be the most effective solution,” said Daly. She said the County will save about half of what it would have spent in hiring the staff full time. Daly noted that “the County has maintained positive relationships with the employee unions over the years and wants to keep the best interests of the employees in mind when entering negotiations and feels having a qualified negotiator with the time to the effort will be beneficial.” A TSPN TV Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Local

Wednesday, 24 March 2010 02:13

Rebuttals Filed for Gold Rush Measure N

Amador County – Sutter Creek received 2 rebuttals Monday regarding Measure N on the June 8th ballot. Passage could overturn city council approval of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort project. The filings are rebuttals to statements previously filed in support of, or against the ballot measure, and all statements will be printed on the ballots. Both of the filings were signed by city council members. Mayor Pro Tempore Tim Murphy signed a “rebuttal to Yes on Measure N,” with Planning Commissioner Cort Strandberg, and residents Nancy Nasiatka, Mike Sweeney and Elsie Casagrande. Councilwoman Sandra Anderson signed a “rebuttal to the argument against Measure N,” with Planning Commissioners Robin Peters and Frank Cunha, Fire Chief Butch Martin and resident Ed Swift. Gold Rush foes argued that the “city’s threat of 1,800 dwelling units is pure speculation” that is “technically possible,” but “is so unlikely that it has no credibility.” They say the “most likely and desirable outcome of a ‘no’ vote on Measure N would be that the citizens and officials” could “immediately begin work on a smaller, less invasive plan” for the site. The filing says a “smaller development could be required to provide significant community benefits with less traffic, noise and risk to the small town quality of life.” The filing says the city’s support statement “oversimplifies and therefore misrepresents the most likely outcome of a no vote;” and community benefits promised by Gold Rush are “required” to bring the project into compliance with the city General Plan, or to mitigate “significant negative impacts.” The pro-Gold Rush filing says a yes vote on Measure N will “preserve historic Sutter Creek.” It says the Planning Commission and City Council “completely rewrote the developer’s proposal,” and approved “a plan that represents managed and responsible growth.” It says that “because of the project’s unique location, traffic and other impacts will not affect the heart of the city” as other scenarios would. The filing said “the council determined that Gold Rush Ranch is a better plan for growth than what current zoning allows” on property “already zoned for high density development.” The filing says council approval “forces the developer” to build a new sewer treatment plant and community park, and pay for open space and historic preservation, amenities that would otherwise be financed by “increased sewer rates and higher taxes.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Local

Wednesday, 24 March 2010 02:11

Public Health Investigates Probable TB Case at Jackson Junior High

Amador County – Amador County Public Health announced Monday that it has identified a “probable” adult case of contagious tuberculosis (TB) at Jackson Junior High School. In conjunction with administrators and school officials at the Amador County Unified School District, Public Health is evaluating all students, staff and faculty who may have been exposed. Officials are in the process of contacting parents of all children that were potentially exposed. Amador County Public Health Officer Dr. Bob Hartmann in a release Tuesday said: “Because TB is caused by a germ that is spread through the air, Amador County Public Health will be testing those students, teachers, and other school staff who had close contact with the probable case of TB.” TB can be treated and cured, Hartmann said, and “the most common way to become infected with TB germs is by spending a lot of time with a person who has active TB in an enclosed space.” He said it “is important to recognize that there is a difference between TB infection and TB disease.” People with TB disease “are sick from the germs that are active in their body.” They may cough a lot, feel weak, have a fever, lose weight, cough up blood, or sweat a lot at night. People with the TB disease may transmit the infection to others. People with a TB infection (without the disease) “have the TB germ in their body, but are not sick because the germ is inactive. They cannot spread the germ to others. About 1 out of 10 people with TB infection become sick with TB disease.” Hartmann said Public Health representatives will host an informational meeting, including a question and answer period, for all interested parents and school staff 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 24th at Jackson Junior High gym. “Although it may be a new experience for the parents, students, and school staff involved, communicable disease investigation is a regular activity for Amador County Public Health,” Hartmann said. Any students or staff who test positive for infection will receive further testing and medication to ensure that they do not develop the active form of TB disease. Parents with immediate questions or concerns may also call a school district nurse at 257-5377 or Public Health at 223-6407. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Health

Wednesday, 24 March 2010 02:10

Plymouth Looks at Leasing Lodge Hill to ACRA

Amador County – The Plymouth City Council on Thursday will consider leasing Lodge Hill to the Amador County Recreation Agency, with the agency paying for nearly $100,000 worth of renovation to the facility over a 9-year lease term. The agreement would lease the Lodge Hill community center to ACRA through March 1st, 2019, at a cost “not to exceed $99,500.” That amount would be paid in lieu of rent, and it would fund “the construction and upgrades of Lodge Hill, which are to be paid for with per capita program grant funds.” In the agreement, the city would “perform the construction and upgrades at Lodge Hill in compliance with all applicable requirements of laws, codes, rules, regulations, ordinances and standards.” ACRA would then reimburse the city for up to $99,500. The Plymouth City Council on Thursday will also consider a code enforcement law that will give the city “teeth” in getting residents to follow city laws. The code enforcement law would repeal part of existing city code and to make it compatible with the new code. City Attorney Steven Rudolph in February introduced the draft code enforcement law that was used by his law firm in other cities. He said it was not a perfect fit for Plymouth, but once in place for a while, it could be fitted for the city. City Clerk Gloria Stoddard said the code establishes regulations and with the purpose of obtaining compliance with the provision of the city code, to protect the health and welfare of city. If any individual is unwilling to follow city law, the code will allow methods to enforce city law. The preferred method would depend on the severity of the infractions, and the first preference would be to go with the “least intrusive” method, or an “informal dispute remedy.” Remedies will include an “administrative citation,” nuisance abatement, civil action, and criminal enforcement. Stoddard said “it gives them some teeth to enforce our codes.” With a first reading, and following processed, the ordinance would take effect roughly in May. The council Thursday will also receive updates from engineering consultant Richard Prima on the status of the city water pipeline, and also the sewer system project. The council also could look at an employment position for a fulltime sewer department worker. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Local