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Monday, 01 February 2010 17:00

Sierra Snow Levels Close to Double Same Time last Year

Amador County – Statewide snow level surveys by PG&E show snowpack is 115 percent of average for this year, nearly double what is was just one year ago. The Sierra mountains east of Amador County boasts levels that are 116 percent of average, compared to 66 percent of average last year at this time. The survey is taken each year by the power giant in order to determine the amount of runoff expected to generate hydroelectric projects. Officials say that although the snowpack is encouraging, it is too early to signal an end to the three-year drought. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in Local

Monday, 01 February 2010 00:51

Ione Recreation Commission Seeks Prop. 84 Funds for Howard Park Lots

Amador County – The Ione Recreation Commission last week supported its staff work on trying to get grant funding for parking upgrades at Howard Park. Staff will work toward applying for state Proposition 84 grants due by March 1st, which could go toward a number of parking lot projects around Howard Park. City Manager Kim Kerr said the grant applications will receive “grading” points for their projects, to see if they can get a grant through the Prop 84 recreation funds, which can be used either to make improvements to existing parks, or build new parks. Money awards are based on a ranking system, Kerr said, based on the income level of townsfolk, in relation to the “poverty level. It is also based on an applicant’s existing park land. Kerr said the rankings may not be good for Ione, because not enough people in town are below poverty level, and they have a lot of parks, so the city may not qualify as disadvantaged in those categories. The city will try to get funding for things like parking lots, and Kerr said the grant could be anywhere from $100,000 up to $5 million The projects are based on the Howard Park “Master Plan,” which lists among its projects a new parking area for soccer. It would replace the parking areas around the dirt race track that circles the soccer fields. Another project would be parking for the baseball fields, at the opposite end from the soccer area. A third job would be rehabbing the parking lot for Evelyn Bishop Hall. The Recreation Commission last week also sent a $100,000 restroom project for Howard Park restroom project to city council. The city council is expected to adopt the Howard Park Master Plan February 2nd. After that, the council will consider an agreement with the Amador County Recreation Agency to build restrooms at Ed Hughes Memorial Arena at Howard Park. Kerr said the project will pursue grant funding, and has an estimated cost of $100,000. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in News Archive

Monday, 01 February 2010 00:55

AWA to Brainstorm GSL Alternatives Today

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency hosts a workshop today to look at possible alternatives to a new pipeline in the Upcountry. The board brought up some questions at a “debriefing meeting” January 15th, with questions they collectively cultivated at its Gravity Supply Line workshop held January 7th. AWA Interim General Manger Gene Mancebo said he hopes some of those items will be discussed in more detail at the workshop today. He said the meeting at 6 p.m. today is billed as a “brainstorming” session, but he looks “at it as additional information needed.” The board will get a short presentation on staff study of the costs of the pump system in the Central Amador Water Project, and plans to take “brainstorming” ideas from the public about possible solutions, besides a $13.4 million Gravity Supply Line project, one of 2 projects outlined in a “White Paper” the board sent out to CAWP customers in December. Mancebo said: “I don’t see the board making any decision, perhaps until they go through the environmental” documentation process. AWA has a pending negative mitigated environmental impact declaration document pending public comment for the Gravity Supply Line. Mancebo said the agency has received 7 or 8 comments letters, though some “may not be environmental issues.” Staff is in the process of responding to those, and hopes to have responses ready for the board’s February 11th meeting. The next step is up to the AWA board, Mancebo said. As lead agency in the environmental review process for the project, if the AWA board feels staff has adequately answered all questions raised in the comment letters, it can approve the negative declaration and also certify the project. Then it would be the end of the California Environmental Quality Act process. Comments include those from California cabinet departments, including Fish & Game. Mancebo said the U.S. Department of Agriculture awaits completion of environmental review process. The department is supportive of a $5 million grant for the AWA’s Gravity Supply Line project. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in News Archive

Monday, 01 February 2010 00:56

AWA to Hear About CAWP Pump Study Today

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors last week declined to issue a comment about a letter critical of the agency’s approach to the Central Amador Water Project, instead opting to work on a new “White Paper” of information about problems and needs in the Upcountry. Marty Stein wrote a letter December 27th criticizing the board for apparently having made up its mind on the Gravity Supply Line,” and asking how that decision was made. Stein told TSPN Friday he was not asking for an answer to his letter but rather asking for more information about alternatives to the Gravity Line, and information about problems that necessitate the project. AWA Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said Stein was critical of the agency’s “White Paper,” sent in December to give information about the Gravity Line project, or a project to repair pumps that serve the Central Amador Water Project, and carry water to the Buckhorn treatment plant. Mancebo said the board did not make a response to Stein’s letter, but made sure some items will be discussed at today’s “brainstorming” workshop on CAWP. He said the board will consider drafting a follow-up to the White Paper, or an additional release of information in relation to the Gravity Supply Line. Mancebo said Stein asked that the agency provide additional information as a follow up to original White Paper. Mancebo said the board’s new letter likely would be addressing items in Stein’s letter, which asked that the AWA be a little more clear on why they want to do the Gravity Supply Line project. Mancebo said he was “more critical that we lacked information in the White Paper.” Stein said “we really need point out why we need to do the project, what is the problem and how are we solving it.” Mancebo said the board is looking for more details about the pump option. Staff today will give a short presentation with more information about the study on the “pump station alternative.” Following that presentation, the board may address concerns and the public may comment. There will be no action, but only direction to staff. Today’s meeting is 6 p.m. at the AWA office on Ridge Road. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in News Archive

Monday, 01 February 2010 00:53

California to get $2.2 for High Speed Rail

California - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Thursday that California will receive $2.2 billion for high-speed rail development and another $100 million to improve existing rail systems in Southern California and the Capitol Corridor in Northern California. LaHood said California’s willingness to help pay for the projects put it at the top of the list when it came to securing federal funding. This allocation gives California a huge share of the $8 billion set aside by Congress, far higher than any other state. Few expected California to get anything close to the $4.7 billion it requested. The money will fund high-speed rail project construction costs on sections including San Francisco to San Jose, Merced to Fresno and Fresno to Bakersfield. The first phase of construction alone is expected to cost $43 million. Once completed, the trains will travel up to 220 miles per hour. The White House says that the high-speed rail projects will create or save thousands of jobs in engineering, manufacturing, planning and maintenance. Shortly after his State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama traveled to Tampa to view progress on a new high-speed rail connection between Tampa and Orlando which he says he will ride when it is completed. Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein told the Associated Press the California High-Speed Rail Authority estimates that every $1 billion spent on high-speed rail creates 20,000 jobs, “and I can't overstate how important this is to a state with 12.4 percent unemployment and more than 2.25 million people out of work.” California’s rail construction is set to begin in 2011. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in News Archive

Monday, 01 February 2010 00:48

Bray Vineyards Wins Chonicle Wine Fest

Amador County – Amador County winemakers the Bray Vineyards in early January took 2 top awards, including the Best of Class & Judges’ Choice Awards and the Pink Sweepstakes Award at the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The world record setting field included 4,913 entries, and Bray Vineyards’ 2008 Barbera Rosato took the top prizes in the pink wine division. Bray, at 10590 Shenandoah Road in Plymouth, is owned by Robin and Oliver Bray. Its staff includes Winemaker John Hoddy and crew members Eric Burns, Dick Carter, Jennifer Burns, Eric Lindner, Joel Medina, Augustin Solis, Stephanie Anderson and Dick Minnis. The Brays established Bray Vineyards in 1996 when they purchased land from an estate. They planted their first grapes over weekend jaunts form Martinez, and hired winemaker John Hoddy in 2004. Bray Vineyards received attention from critics for its Barbera wines made soon thereafter. Bray’s 2004 Barbera won Best of Class at the 2007 Chronicle Wine Competition. And Bray’s 2006 Barbera Rosato won the Gold Medal and Best of Show award at the 2007 Amador County Fair. The win capped off gold medals that year at the Central Valley Wine Competition, Grand Harvest Awards, National Women’s Wine Competition, and the Orange County Wine Competition. This year’s Chronicle Wine Competition concluded on January 9th. It included 5 days of tasting at the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds in Sonoma County. Judges included 63 professional wine experts from the media and restaurants and the fields of education, winemaking and retail wine industries. The panel tasted and evaluated a world-record breaking 4,913 entries, a number organizers said maintains the competition’s status as the largest competition of American wines in the world. Bray took the Sweepstake prize for pink wines, and was one of 3 California wines to win a Sweepstake prize, with the other 2 from the Russian River Valley. Consumers can taste the Sweepstake Award Winners, along with hundreds of additional wines, at the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting, February 20th in San Francisco. Northern California Wine Examiner’s Julia Hollister last week said the “unpretentious wine from a small Amador County vineyard” is “noticeable with its soft pink color and strawberry, cranberry and cinnamon essence.” She called the Bray Barbera Rosato “playful, delicate and vibrant.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.