Amador County - Chaw’se Indian Grinding Rock State Park in Amador County is among hundreds of state parks considered for closure as one solution to the state’s deepening budget crisis. State park officials last week predicted that Schwarzenegger's plan would take more than $213 million away from state parks over the next two fiscal years. 80 percent, or 220 of 279 parks would be shut down as early as this fall. In our region, this includes Sutter’s Fort, Indian Grinding Rock, Columbia State Park and Calaveras Big Trees Park. Last year, Schwarzenegger proposed a smaller plan to close 48 parks, but the idea was dropped during budget negotiations. “Chaw’se brings in so many children from school districts throughout the state to see these Indian artifacts. This would be a shock to these learning institutions,” said Supervisor Ted Novelli. Chaw'se is nestled in a little valley eight miles east of Jackson. The park is named after a great outcropping of marbelized limestone with over 1,185 mortar holes - the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America. “I would consider its closure an awful shame,” said one Jackson resident who has volunteered at the park for many years. Novelli said the money saved through these proposed closures is a fraction of the $24.6 billion debt the state has incurred. Novelli wondered aloud about the repercussions, asking: “If people are out of work and out of a job, where will they bring their families if the parks are all closed?” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.