News Archive (6192)
Fall 2011 college classes are scheduled for Amador County’s satellite campus
Written by Tom
Amador County – Community college classes in Amador County will continue in Fall 2011, but changes may come after that, including loss of federal funds, or advent of an online distance learning center.
Supervisor Chairman John Plasse, Chairman of the Amador Community College Foundation, said in June that Cosumnes River College is still offering classes through next fall, though a federal grant that has been funding the program runs out at the end of that year. He said it is not clear if that funding will continue, or if the Foundation and the School District want to continue with the CRC agreement, which brings college instructors to Amador County for about seven college-level classes.
Plasse said the long-term for the ACCF includes looking at possible locations for online, virtual classrooms, where students can take “distance” classes, via audio-video online interaction. He said the Amador Health & Human Services building in Sutter Creek has been looked at as an ideal spot for the distance classes, as the building is fully equipped with the fiber-optic high-speed computer connectivity necessary for the classes to be successful.
Plasse said American River College, a member of the Los Rios Community College District, does not have a presence in Amador County. Cosumnes River College does hold classes and commit teachers to come here. Amador County has federal grant funding to pay for the classes, but that may not be extended after the next school year.
Karen Dickerson, a member of the Amador Community College Foundation board of directors, said “American River College does not offer classes in Amador County. Cosumnes River College does,” and has a fall schedule planned, including seven classes.
Dickerson said the “ACCF board is discussing various options for higher education in Amador County presently,” but wanted to correct a report from a school board meeting saying ARC was ending classes, because “we would like the classes to be full in the fall.”
Cosumnes River College will have classes in the fall of 2011 at Independence High School in Sutter Creek, including Introduction to Business; Principles of Macroeconomics; Basic Emergency Medical Care; College Composition and Advance Composition & Critical Thinking; Beginning Digital Photography; and General Principals of Psychology.
For class information, call (916) 691-7411.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sutter Creek Police Sergeant, Sheriff’s Deputies briefly revived a Sutter Creek man after a crash
Written by Tom
Amador County – Amador County Sheriff’s Office and the Sutter Creek Police Department issued a joint release giving details of an incident last month in which the agencies’ respective personnel helped revive a man after a crash in Sutter Creek, although the man later died.
At about 7 a.m. on June 24, Sutter Creek Police Sergeant Ken Powers was patrolling the Valley View Way area of Sutter Creek. Powers found a tan 1997 Toyota Tacoma with substantial front end damage resting against a tree. The vehicle’s safety airbag was deployed and a male subject, later identified as Jerry Orres, 73, of Sutter Creek was found behind the wheel, unconscious.
Powers checked Orres and determined that he was not breathing and had no pulse. He notified the Amador County Sheriff’s Office dispatch and requested responders. Powers then removed Orres from the vehicle and began Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation.
At that same time, Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies Diana Garrison and Joshua Cazadd arrived at the scene. Garrison assisted Powers by providing rescue breathing for Orres while Powers performed chest compressions.
Within four minutes, an American Legion Ambulance arrived at the scene and its personnel began medical intervention. Orres was transported to Sutter Amador Hospital. Orres subsequently succumbed to his medical condition the following day. The Amador County Sheriff and Coroner’s Office determined the cause of Orres’ death to be Coronary Artery Thrombosis.
Sutter Creek Police Chief Brian Klier and Amador County Sheriff Martin Ryan in a joint release last week said they were both proud of the life saving efforts of the officers and although Orres subsequently passed away, the efforts of the Powers, Garrison and Cazadd “allowed family to be present with him at the hospital before his passing.”
Ryan said “this is another positive example of the daily inter-agency law enforcement cooperation which occurs in the service of the community.” Both said everyone physically capable should make the effort to be trained in basic first aid and CPR.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue receives help in search for hiker
Written by Tom
Amador County – A lost hiker was found by a National Guard helicopter on July 4th, ending a 43-hour hunt that started two days before when a woman strayed from a trail in the Tragedy Creek area.
On Monday July 4, the search for missing 53-year-old Camarillo hiker, Lauren Ellen DeLaTorre, continued with search efforts being expanded.
Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner said at about 11:30 a.m. on Monday, a helicopter crew from the California Army National Guard, spotted DeLa Torre “several miles from her last known location in a remote area near Bear Creek.” She “was recovered and transported by helicopter to the Amador County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue Staging Area where she was medically cleared.”
DeLa Torre “was provided food and water and was then reunited with her family.” She “expressed her sincere gratitude for the tireless efforts put forth by those searching for her.”
Amador County Sheriff’s Office was notified at about 4:15 p.m. Saturday July 2 that DeLa Torre had gone missing while hiking in the Tragedy Creek area of Amador County within the El Dorado National Forest.
DeLaTorre “was hiking with a group of friends and family that were staying at a remote nearby cabin. The group separated with some of the group returning to the cabin and the others continuing on with the hike. DelaTorre initially planned to continue with the hike but then separated from that group to return to the cabin.”
Wegner said she was last seen at about 2:30 p.m., about a quarter-mile from the cabin near Tragedy Creek. “The group of family and friends conducted their own search for DeLaTorre prior to notifying the Amador County Sheriff’s Office that she was missing.
The Sheriff’s Office responded and “immediately activated the Amador County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue Team. An initial search was conducted with two teams of ground searchers, ATVs and aircraft.”
The search resumed Sunday July 3 with about 50 ground searchers from five counties’ Search and Rescue Teams, plus aircraft and canine teams participating in the search. Monday’s search expanded, with more regional help and eight county Search & Rescue Teams involved, along with other organizations.
Amador County Sheriff Martin Ryan said Monday he would “like to recognize and thank those agencies that assisted with this successful rescue” including the Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, San Mateo and Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Teams; the California Highway Patrol; California Army National Guard; US Forest Service; the Red Cross; Cal Trans; the California Rescue Dog Association; and Cal EMA.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County Fair kicks off with the crowning of Miss Amador on Thursday, July 28
Written by Tom
Amador County – The 2011 Miss Amador winner will again kick off festivities of the Amador County Fair’s fair week, with the crowning to take place Thursday, July 28.
The Fair expects family and friends to find standing room only at the Miss Amador Pageant on the first night of the Fair. The contestants show off their talents and inner beauty in hopes of winning educational scholarships and representing the Amador County Fair at public events throughout the coming year.
The Miss Amador Scholarship Competition will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 28th on the Central House Bandstand.
The 2011 Contestants are Chelsea Anderson of Jackson; Savannah Gray of Jackson; Morgan Hirschel of Jackson; Allison Nelson of Pioneer; Julianne Nevin of Ione; Kylie Ohm of Ione; Brittany Patrick of Ione; and Sarah Ruttan of Plymouth.
The Competition’s organizers said “not only do the contestants have an opportunity to win a scholarship, the competition offers the opportunity to reach and grow as a young person of accomplishment and achievement.”
Organizers said “participating in a pageant is an exciting and rewarding experience for young women who use the process to sharpen their talents, expand their leadership and communication skills, and broaden their community service.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Upcountry Community Council plans to discuss Buckhorn as a future “Town Center”
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Upcountry Community Council meets Monday, with the primary focus being a discussion of the Buckhorn Town Center as it is defined in the updated draft Amador County General Plan.
The Upcountry Community Council meets from 6-8 p.m. Monday, July 11 at the Veterans Memorial Hall on Buckhorn Ridge Road in Pioneer.
Chair of the UCC, Lynn Morgan in announcing the agenda said “our primary focus for this meeting will be discussion of the proposed Buckhorn Town Center within the current amended County General Plan. To initiate our discussions, County Planning Staff will attend to present the general outline of what is expected of such town centers and to answer questions that we may have about how to provide our input.”
The discussion of elements for the Buckhorn Town Center in the County General Plan will follow a presentation of information by Amador County Planning Department staff. Following that will be further discussion of a Community Plan for the Buckhorn Town Center, with a presentation by Debbie Dunn.
The meeting agenda includes a county update from District 3 Supervisor Ted Novelli. Also Gary Reinoehl will give an update on Upcountry transportation issues. Amador Water Agency board President, Don Cooper will give a status report on the Amador Water Agency.
Rich Farrington will give a report from the Fire Protection Committee. Rebecca Brown will give a report from the Amador County Regional Planning Committee, and Dunn will give an update on the Amador County Recreation Agency.
The agenda noted that all items on the agenda “may result in a consensus opinion” from the Upcountry Community Council.
For information, contact Morgan at 295-8626 or UCC Vice Chairwoman Sherry Curtis at 295-6404.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
East Bay Municipal plans public scoping meetings next week in Jackson
Written by Tom
Amador County – The East Bay Municipal Utility District plans an “outreach” and “public scoping” meeting next week in Jackson for its 2040 water management plan, and potential affects on the Mokelumne River.
East Bay MUD hosts a public scoping meeting 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 13 at the Jackson Civic Center, 33 Broadway in Jackson. Two other meetings will be held July 14 in San Andreas, and July 21 at the District office in Oakland, before the comment period ends, July 29.
The District released a notice of its upcoming public scoping meetings “for a revised Program Environmental Impact Report” for its Water Supply Management Program 2040. The notice said East Bay MUD “is supplementing the Program EIR that examined the environmental impacts” of the 2040 Program, “which is a long-term water supply planning effort.”
The notice said “EBMUD is doing this work to comply with a court order issued in response to a challenge to the plan.” The District noticed the meetings to “individuals, agencies and organizations that submitted comments on the Draft Program EIR” for the 2030 Program when it was released for public review in 2009. EBMUD “has prepared a Notice of Preparation describing the work planned.” Notices can be requested by mail, or seen on the District’s website.
The “purpose of the meetings is to assist EBMUD in reviewing the appropriate scope of the additional analysis to refine the existing PEIR.”
East Bay MUD information officer Charles Hardy said the District’s new General Manager Alex Coate plans to attend the meetings.
The East Bay Municipal Utility District Board of Directors voted unanimously in May to comply with an April Sacramento Superior Court order to set aside its 2040 Management Program and related program approvals and conduct further analysis. The Board voted to not appeal the decision and will instead follow the “court’s recommendations for supplementing the environmental analysis in the District’s 30-year water plan.”
People wishing to comment on the Notice of Preparation can attend one of the meetings, or submit written comments due by 5 p.m. July 29.
Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Timothy M. Frawley issued a ruling April 11 directing East Bay Municipal “to study several areas in greater detail, including potential impacts on the Middle Bar segment of the Mokelumne River to the Miwok ancestral gathering places and the potential for involvement in neighboring Contra Costa Water District’s Los Vaqueros Reservoir expansion.”
The District has a goal of publishing a new draft document for review in October,” followed by “more public meetings locally and upcountry,” and “a lengthy comment period before the Board would consider certification of a final Program EIR and approval of the program in February 2012.”
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Lungren bill protecting chemical facilities passes House Committee
Written by Tom
Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday passed Congressman Dan Lungren’s bill to secure thousands of at-risk U.S. chemical facilities from terrorist attack with a majority of Democrats joining Republicans to pass the “common sense extension” of anti-terror legislation.
Lungren, (Republican-CA), who represents Amador County, wrote H.R. 901, the “Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Security Authorization Act of 2011,” which he said Wednesday passed the House Committee on Homeland Security “by a strong bipartisan 26-5 vote.”
Lungren staffer Robert Ehlert said the legislation, as amended, provides a “seven-year extension to the Department of Homeland Security’s authority to regulate the security of high-risk chemical facilities.”
Lungren is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies. He introduced H.R. 901 March 4. The bill is co-sponsored by Full Committee Chairman Peter T. King (R-NY) and 8 other Committee Members.
King said: “Securing our Nation’s chemical facilities against terrorist attacks is critical to securing our homeland.” He said the “strongly bipartisan” Committee vote “demonstrates that it is common sense legislation” without “imposing additional burdensome, costly, job-crushing regulations on the chemical industry.”
King said without it, Homeland Security “will not be able to continue its work-in-progress of protecting high-risk chemical facilities, their employees, and American citizens living near these facilities.” He said he appreciated “Lungren’s leadership on this issue.”
Lungren said: “Chemical Facilities are a known target of terrorist interest.” He said H.R. 901 “extends the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Security Standards enacted in 2006 for an additional 7 years. This gives industry time to complete their high risk security investments with confidence” that the “program will be continued. It also reaffirms Congress’ commitment to fight terrorism by improving the security of this nation’s chemical facilities.”
Ehlert said in 2006, Congress first authorized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to regulate security at high-risk chemical facilities. In response, DHS developed Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards, which require high-risk chemical facilities to complete Security Vulnerability Assessments, develop Site Security Plans, and implement protective measures necessary to meet risk-based performance standards established by DHS.
DHS is still in the process of fully implementing facility standards, Ehler said, “necessitating an extension of the existing regulatory authority.
“To date, DHS has reviewed information submitted by more than 39,000 chemical facilities and determined that 4,744 are high-risk and, therefore, covered under” the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards.
H.R. 901, as passed by the Committee Wednesday, “does not impose additional burdensome or costly requirements on chemical facilities,” Ehlert said. “The legislation does not include language mandating so-called inherently safer technologies; allowing civil lawsuits; or extending (Standards) regulations to facilities that have been exempt such as drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities.”
Co-sponsors, all Republicans, are Representatives Mike Rogers (Alabama), Michael McCaul (Texas), Candice Miller (Michigan), Tim Walberg (Michigan), Joe Walsh (Illinois), Billy Long (Missouri), Jeff Duncan (South Carolina), and Tom Marino (Pennsylvania). All are members of the Committee on Homeland Security.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Recent arrest may have links to regional Walmart robberies
Written by Tom
Amador County – A man arrested June 14 for alleged vandalism at Kmart in Amador County may have connections to a burglary at the local Wal-Mart, as well as the Wal-Mart stores at 7 cities in the region, after a Sheriff’s Sergeant spotted a suspect Ford truck in Martell.
Amador County Sheriff’s Office in a release Tuesday said “Jerome Bruce Fletcher, 28, of Tracy was wanted on a felony larceny warrant in Manteca” and “Fletcher was the registered owner of the white Ford pickup. The other subject was not wanted.
“A search of the truck revealed a police radio frequency scanner, miscellaneous burglary tools, .22 caliber ammunition and marijuana,” the report said. “Fletcher was arrested and charged with possession of burglary tools, vandalism, conspiracy to commit a crime and being a felon in possession of ammunition. Fletcher was also arrested on the active felony larceny warrant.”
Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner in a release Tuesday gave details of the ongoing investigation, which began around 3 a.m. Tuesday, June 14. An “Amador County Sheriff’s Sergeant was patrolling the Martell area” and there had been “two recent burglaries of a locked storage area reported at Wal-Mart, wherein vehicle batteries had been stolen.”
Wegner said “a possible suspect vehicle, a white extended cab Ford pickup had been observed in the area at the time of one of the burglaries. This is consistent with multiple burglaries reported at Wal-Mart’s in Tracy, Stockton, Antioch, Pleasanton, Lodi, Folsom and Rancho Cordova. A white extended cab Ford pickup was also observed on surveillance video during some of these burglaries.
“As the Sheriff’s Sergeant pulled into the east entrance of the Kmart parking lot he observed a white Ford extended cab pickup with both doors open, parked near the front of the store,” Wegner said.
As the Sergeant “drove toward the vehicle, he observed two subjects quickly enter the truck.” The “Sergeant made contact with the two subjects,” who said “they had just stopped to buy a soda. A check of the vending machines revealed that one of the vending machine’s bill deposits had been forcefully pried and damaged. A portion of the damaged vending machine was found near the rear of the truck.”
Wegner said that “Amador County Sheriff’s Detectives are conducting follow-up investigation into Fletcher’s activities. Detectives have also sent fliers to regional law enforcement agencies regarding the arrest and they are working with Wal-Mart Asset Protection Investigators in relation to the string of burglaries.”
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County – The Amador County joint panel on the General Plan Update reconvenes Wednesday, June 29, and will review the “Preliminary Draft Implementation Plan,” along with an “Industrial” land use designation in the Carbondale Road and Michigan Bar Road areas.
The Amador County Planning Department announced the meeting in a report issued Thursday, that said the “remaining item which is the focus of this meeting is the review of the Preliminary Draft Implementation Plan. The information in the Preliminary Draft General Plan document and the Goals and Policies have all been reviewed at previous meetings so their review is expected to be cursory and limited to changes that may be necessary as a result of any changes to the Implementation Plan.”
The report, from Planner Heidi Jacobs, said the Implementation Plan includes “Related Policies” listed at the end of each program. Jacobs in the report said that “if changes are proposed to an implementation program, the Related Policies for that program should be reviewed to ensure the program, as amended, continues to implement” the Policy or Policies.
Jacobs said “again, please remember” that people “raising items or having comments on the merits of the General Plan or previous direction that are more appropriate for the future public hearings will be asked to save those items or comments until that time.”
The Amador County Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission will meet in a continuation of the May 25-26 Joint Panel Meeting, from which previous information and a staff report is posted on line.
During the May sessions “direction was given to staff on several items.” Jacobs said one of the items staff received direction on was to add an “Industrial” designation “to an area from Highway 104 to the County’s Carbondale Industrial Park along the existing railroad. The exact boundaries were not identified and staff was to bring back some suggested configurations. In a report for Wednesday’s Joint Panel meeting, the Planning Department included two suggested areas for the Panel’s consideration. After review and discussion the Panel can determine the final configuration staff is to proceed with in the documents.”
Also, “public input was received, and the Glossary was reviewed and changes made per Panel direction. Glossary terms which do not exist in the document were removed and changes were made to other term definitions per the Panel’s direction.” The revised Glossary was attached to the previously distributed draft minutes of the May 25-26 meeting.
For answers to questions or information, call the Planning Department at (209) 223-6380. The meeting is 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 29 in the supervisors chambers.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County – The Sutter Creek City Council on Monday approved a noise ordinance based on “Civil Twilight,” during daylight savings time, with the approach of summer literally hours away.
City Attorney Derek Cole recommended the draft noise ordinance, which he crafted with comments in mind from many people at previous meetings who were concerned about outdoor music at the American Exchange Hotel. He also said codifying a time may require the end of amplified sound “way before sundown,” and sometimes “even before they get started.”
He recommended a “Twilight Ordinance,” to have amplified sound outdoors end based on Civil Twilight, which is “literally the end of all daylight” and beginning of all night light. He said the Navy measures it, and has a website indexing the exact daily time, so it will not be arguable.
Cole said at Monday’s meeting: “It turns out I believe today is the longest day of the year, so Civil Twilight will end at 9:02 p.m. tonight.” He said “I wanted to present this as soon as possible because it is literally the first day of summer.”
He made the recommendation in “trying to find a happy medium between the needs of the merchants and the needs of the residents who live here full time. This is just a suggestion.”
Mayor Tim Murphy asked about “nuisance noise and special events.” Cole said the current ordinance extensively covered nuisance noise, with decibel levels.
Councilman Jim Swift asked about omitting the 7 p.m. amplified sound deadline. Cole said as recommended, “it will only be effective during daylight savings time,” and if Civil Twilight dips below 7 p.m., the ordinance deadline ends at 7 p.m.
Councilman Gary Wooten said he thought it may still be challenged. City Manager Sean Rabe said Civil Twilight was meteorologically set, and regularly indexed online.
Councilwoman Sandy Anderson said she felt that “dark is fair, and we may cross over into getting a little crazy about this.” She said “each person can have special events.”
Cole said the ordinance would segregate home dinner parties with guests and outdoor music, from special event requirements. Anderson asked if it was a “tradition that noise not last past 10 p.m.” Murphy said the “nuisance noise” ordinance time limit is 10 p.m. Cole said that ordinance is “pretty comprehensive” and has decibel level limits to noise.
Police Chief Brian Klier said his predecessor purchased a decibel meter, but he has not found it since taking over as chief.
The council voted 4-0 to approve the new ordinance. It will return for final adoption July 5.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
