News Archive (6192)
Amador County – In early May, organizers sought a permit for a Barbera Festival in the Shenandoah Valley. On Thursday, promoters said festival tickets are now sold out.
Organizers said: “If you haven’t purchased tickets for the first-ever Barbera Festival, scheduled for June 11 in Plymouth, you’ll have to wait until 2012 to taste from the 80-plus participating wineries as the event is completely sold out.”
Brian Miller, organizer of the Barbera Festival anticipated selling about 1,200 tickets for the festival’s first year, but ended up selling out June 1st, at 1,500 tickets. Miller said “it’s a testament to wine lovers’ interest in the barbera varietal. We appreciate the continued support from those that are eager to be there, but we must adhere to our attendee limit.”
Miller said it is intended to be an annual event with net proceeds benefiting the Amador Community Foundation. The festival will be held at Cooper Ranch, on the west side of Shenandoah School Road, about a mile south of the intersection of Shenandoah Road.
According to Miller, there are no tickets available online or at the door. He recommended people become Facebook fans and submit their email address at the event website to receive alerts about the 2012 event and take advantage of early bird ticket discounts.
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CDF says having a Family Disaster Plan is critical to surviving a wildfire
Written by Tom
Amador County – The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Amador-El Dorado Unit started its wildfire safety and awareness campaign this week, with one of the big recommendations being to initiate and practice a “Family Disaster Plan.”
New AEU Unit Chief Kelly Keenan said “preparing and practicing your Family Disaster Plan is critical,” and “being ready for wildfire season is your best defense. Preplanning for a disaster can save your life and the lives of the ones you love.”
Preparing and practicing your families disaster plan is also key to being ready for fire season, Keenan said. The plan can make evacuating ahead of a wildfire or other disaster far less stressful.
Creating a “Family Disaster Plan” is the first step in preparing for a disaster, Keenan said. “It is important that every member of your family understands what to do in the event of a wildfire in your area.”
Keenan recommended that families “practice the plan on a regular basis so that each member of your family knows their role and what they need to do.” Keep a copy of the written plan in an accessible place so you can refer to it quickly and easily.
Things to include in the plan are: meeting locations away from the home; and communication and evacuation plans for the family and pets. Families should identify where gas, water and electrical shut-offs are and how to use them.
People should plan several evacuation routes in their neighborhood and drive them so they are familiar with them day or night. Keenan said to “assemble emergency supply kits and have them ready for yourself, family and animals. Don’t forget to include a portable radio and/or scanner so you can stay updated.”
He said finally, take steps to make your home more fire resistant. If you are building a new home or renovating your home, consider making “fire resistive measures” for “hardening your home.”
“Roofs are the most vulnerable surface on your house,” Keenan said. “Make sure your roof is made out of Class A materials, such as composition, metal or tiles. Rain gutters should be screened or enclosed to prevent accumulation of plant debris which can catch on fire from a flying ember during a wildfire.”
Home exterior should be made of ignition resistant materials such as cement siding, stucco or fire retardant treated wood. Windows should be double paned with one of the panes made of tempered glass which will reduce the potential of the heat from a wildfire breaking the window and catching the interior of the house on fire.
If a home is dependent on a well for water, Keenan said, people should install a backup generator so they have water in case the electricity goes out.
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Sutter Creek approved a 5.26 percent solid waste increase
Written by Tom
Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council unanimously approved a 5.26 percent rate increase for solid waste services Monday.
ACES Waste Service requested the adjustment based on a “Refuse Rate Index,” per the franchise agreement struck with the city in 2009. The Council made the 5-0 approval vote without reopening a public hearing that was closed at the last meeting in mid-May.
ACES accountant Paul Timba made a written response to a letter from Bill Condrashoff of the “Ratepayer Protection Alliance.” The letter asked about rate methodology, and also for credit for customers who leave recycling on the curb for ACES pickups. Timba said ACES agreed that the rate adjustment should consider savings for customers based on recycling.
Timba said Condrashoff’s comments were relevant to the third year of the franchise schedule, when a “detailed rate adjustment” takes place using “Rate Adjustment Methodology.” City Manager Sean Rabe agreed, saying “I do not believe that the detailed information requested” by Condrashoff “is relevant to the proposed action for this year’s increase. However, the information is very relevant to any increase proposed for next year.”
Councilman Jim Swift asked Timba to compare the city’s 5.26 percent increase, with the 2.13 percent recently approved by Supervisors for ACES Service Area 2. Timba said he could not specifically answer that without the county’s figures before him, which he did not have. He said generally, things like distance driven and routes affect the adjustment. ACES President Paul Molinelli said “given the fact that we’ve increased it 5.26 percent” means that “people with a 32-gallon container will be paying 17 cents more.”
Adjustments are made based on salaries and all labor costs, and costs of fuel, repair & maintenance, depreciation and all other costs. Disposal costs are adjusted based on actual costs.
Mayor Tim Murphy introduced the issue, saying the council needed “to focus on the issues related to the decision we need to make tonight.” Later, Councilman Gary Wooten said he would like to make a decision and did not want to reopen the public hearing. Councilwoman Sandy Anderson agreed, saying most of Condrashoff’s issues were “not relevant.”
City Attorney Derek Cole commented on the applicability of a Proposition 218 notice of the rate increase, which would allow for public protest to stop the increase. Cole said the “city is not providing the services, so this is not a fee that is subject to Proposition 218.”
He said a private entity is not subject to Prop 218, and he would be concerned that if the city represented it as a Prop 218 issue and it failed, then the city might be obligated to not approve the increase. Cole said some municipalities have taken the step, but “I don’t think it is necessary.”
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Amador County – The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Amador-El Dorado Unit launched its “Ready-Set-Go!” fire and life safety campaign Monday.
Teri Mizuhara of the Amador-El Dorado Unit said the unit released part one of its comprehensive educational program: “Surviving a Wildfire.” Unit Chief Kelly Keenan in the release said “living in the Sierra Nevada foothills is a dream come true but with that dream comes a responsibility that many urban and/or suburban dwellers do not face.”
He said “fire is a natural part of our ecosystem” clearing weeds and brush creates “a healthy forest dynamic. But with so many homes scattered throughout the rural foothills, naturally occurring fire is not allowed to do what it should because fire agencies must suppress fires that threaten lives and property.” ¶ Keenan said “people must do their part and create a space around their homes where fire can be better controlled as it approaches.”
“Defensible space” works, he said, and “creating a buffer zone between your home and the radiant heat or flying embers. These embers can destroy homes and even entire neighborhoods that are far from the actual flame front of a wildfire.”
Keenan said “wind driven embers can fly up to one mile during a wildland fire,” so “hardening” your “home with fire resistive material, creating a solid buffer zone of defensible space” is critical.
Keenan broke down defensible space into zones. He said “Zone One” extends up to 30 feet from every structure on the property, or to the property line if it is closer. Remove all dead and dying vegetation, and also leaf litter from the roof and gutters. Relocate woodpiles well away from the home. Trim trees so that they are a minimum of 10 feet from the chimney and roof line. Remove “ladder fuels,” which are “low-level vegetation that could allow fire to spread from the ground to shrubs and bushes to the tree canopies.”
“Zone Two” extends from 30 feet to 100 feet, or to your property line whichever is closer. “The key is to keep plant material separated from each other both horizontally and vertically. This prevents the vegetation from acting like a ladder and allowing the fire to move from the ground to the tree canopies.” Cut annual grasses down to a maximum of four inches in height.
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Alyson Huber will chair a hearing of the California Sunset Law joint legislative committee
Written by Tom
Amador County – Assemblywoman Alyson Huber announced Monday that she will be hosing a Joint Legislative Sunset Review Committee Hearing to discuss “Sunset Review Best Practices and Lessons Learned,” in a live televised and webcast meeting of lawmakers from around the country.
Huber, Chair of the Joint Legislative Sunset Review Committee, will convene the committee “for an informational hearing to examine the best approaches to the Sunset Review Process.”
Huber’s Chief of Staff Tim Reardon announced the committee meeting, and said the “hearing will bring together officials from Delaware, Florida and Texas to discuss with committee members the sunset review process in their respective states and suggest best practices to establishing a fair, effective and transparent sunset process in California.”
The newly comprised Committee of both Assembly and Senate members was established by legislation put forward by Huber and signed into law last year, Reardon said. “The Committee is charged with reviewing the many branches of state government and determining if they are operating effectively and efficiently. This oversight will help ensure that taxpayer money is being spent wisely and that duplicative or ineffective programs are eliminated.”
The Joint Legislative Sunset Review Committee will meet form 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 8, in Room 126 of the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The hearing will be televised on the California Channel and webcast at CalChannel.com.
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Amador Council of Tourism meets Thursday at Preston Castle
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador Council of Tourism board of directors will hold its quarterly evening meeting Thursday at Preston Castle.
ACT Executive Director Maureen Funk said the Preston Castle “generously offered to host ACT’s board meeting,” set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 9. She said Preston Castle will give tours to those people who are interested, and people should “not miss this unique opportunity.”
Funk said Terry Selk, the Director of Tourism for the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau will discuss the partnership between Amador County Council of Tourism and the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, “and how well that works for our organizations.”
Food and beverage for Thursday’s meeting will be provided by Clark’s Corner of Ione. Clark’s Corner is sponsoring the food.
The meeting will include the treasurer’s report with a mid-year review, along with the presentation by Selk. Projects to be discussed include a NorCal Guide, an iPhone App, and the Hotel/Motel Tax Increase, which is aimed for June 2012, and needs a chair person.
Travel Shows topics will include reports on the Amgen Lifestyle Festival from Sacramento and the Amgen Tour of Ione. Pow Wow committee has partnered with the Gold Country Visitors Association and will have a report from a San Francisco trip. Funk reminded that the California State Fair is July 14- 31, and the Amador County Fair is July 29-31.
Partner updates will include the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau and partner mailings, as well as the Gold Country Visitor Association’s partnering with Sierra County for an event at noon on Aug. 20.
Jackson City Manager Mike Daly announced Monday that “the Jackson Revitalization Committee’s meeting for June is being cancelled so that JRC members and others who may wish to attend the Amador Council of Tourism’s meeting on the same evening, Thursday, at Preston Castle don’t have to be in two places at the same time.”
The next regular meeting of the JRC will be Thursday, July 14.
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Shriner's Hospitals plan free children's health screenings June 11th
Written by Tom
Amador County – Shriners Hospitals this week announced it will be having “Free Medical Care for Children” health screening clinic on Saturday, June 11 at the Amador Public Health building.
A no-cost screening clinic will be held to identify children in the area who can benefit from the expert orthopedic and burn care provided at Shriners Hospitals. Those who know any children under age 18 who have problems of the bones, joints, or muscles, or problems associated with healed burns should be alerted of the Free Medical Care for Children event. They should be brought to the free clinic for an evaluation to find out if they are eligible for free, expert medical treatment.
All care that is provided at Shriners Hospitals is absolutely free of charge. Shriners Hospitals treat such problems as Scoliosis, Neuromuscular Disorders, and Hand and Back Problems. They also treat leg length discrepancies, rickets, congenital hip problems, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and orthopedic problems associated with cerebral palsy.
The clinic is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 11, 2011, at the Amador County Health & Human Services building, at 10877 Conductor Boulevard in Sutter Creek. For information, call Joe Gregorius at (209) 257-1017.
For information about Shriners Hospitals, call 1 (800) 237-5055, or in Canada, call 1(800) 361-7256.
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Ione staff hands over 24,500 documents to a Grand Jury auditor
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador County Grand Jury, investigating the city of Ione has reportedly cost the city more than $1,700 in document requests, according to a staff report for today’s Ione City Council Meeting.
Ione staff said it spent 35 hours to fill a request by an independent auditor working for the Grand Jury to turn over copies of 24,500 pages of city documents.
City Manager Kim Kerr in a report for today’s meeting said that staff had spent 35 hours making copies to answer the Grand Jury’s independent auditor’s request for information, and had submitted 24,500 pages of documents, not including copies of canceled checks.
Kerr said “staff submitted the requested documents to the auditor hired by the Grand Jury on May 31,” and “after submitting the requested documents, the staff realized we had failed to submit copies of the canceled checks, which staff submitted on Monday,” June 6. Kerr worked six hours on the request, the finance manager worked 13 hours, the account technician worked 5 hours and support staff worked 12 hours, for the total cost to fill the request, minus the check coping, totaling $1,725.
Recently, staff reported on document requests of varying detail, including getting 28 document requests over a two-month period, many coming from Ione Resident James Nevine. Those included several years of budget information.
Also today, Ione City Council will get an update on the Ed Hughes Memorial Arena restroom project. Kerr in a report said Park Grant Funds of $81,848 are available from funds already allocated through the State Resource Bond Act of 2002. She said park impact fees and funding from the Amador County Recreation Agency will assist with paying for the $180,000 project, including about $100,000 from ACRA. Kerr said “the project is in progress, is on schedule and is under budget.”
Kerr in the report said she had heard an update from Anne Baird of Assemblywoman Alyson Huber’s office about “the city’s request to extend our grant” funding for the restroom project to fiscal year 2011-2012. Baird said it “is pending adoption by the state Legislature,” and she “indicated the extension should be approved.”
The Ione City Council also will hold a special meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday to have a workshop on its newly released financial audit for fiscal year 2009-2010.
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El Dorado County man sentenced to 45 days in jail for his role in a cockfighting operation
Written by Tom
Amador County – An El Dorado County man was convicted of cockfighting last week and ordered to serve 45 days in jail, and pay $4,900 in fines, fees and restitution.
El Dorado County announced the sentencing Thursday, saying Saul Cuevas Ayala of Garden Valley, pled no contest to the misdemeanor crime for possession of game cocks for fighting purposes. Another man arrested with Ayala in February, Rogelio Reyes-Higareda, was not charged, but was deported.
As part of the plea, Ayala cannot possess fowl in the future or implements that could be used for cockfighting, and he must reimburse Animal Services for costs of response and investigation. That includes $4,200 in restitution. After serving jail time, Ayala will be on searchable probation for 3 years.
Chief of El Dorado County Animal Services Henry Brzezinski said cockfighting operations are a growing problem and he wanted the “message to get out into the community that these operations are going on.”
Brzezinski said: “Cockfighting is not just a concern because it involves cruelty to animals. Typically, large amounts of money, drugs and weapons are involved in cockfighting matches. There are also often other crimes and violence involved.” He said people “who see suspicious activity that could be associated with cockfighting should report it.”
Ayala and Reyes-Higareda were arrested Feb. 13 when injured game birds and cockfighting instruments were found in their vehicle. A search warrant and raid found more than 250 game fowl on Ayala’s Garden Valley property, with fighting implements and other evidence of cockfighting. All of the birds found were either in bad shape physically or too aggressive to be rehabilitated, and had to be humanely euthanized, Brzezinski said.
Cockfighting birds are bred to be aggressive and injected with powerful chemicals, stimulants and hormones. Prior to fighting, a knife, called a slasher, is attached to one leg of each rooster and the birds are taunted into fighting until one usually dies from its injuries.
Cockfighting is illegal in the United States. In California, where it is a misdemeanor, penalties can include jail time and fines up to $5,000 for a first offense and $25,000 for a second offense. States surrounding California consider cockfighting a felony, Brzezinski said and “this may be one of the reasons why we are seeing more cockfighting operations here.”
Since 2008, there have been more than 110 law enforcement incidences involving cockfighting in 35 of California’s 58 counties. More than 21,000 birds have been found dead or alive in connection with the bloodsport in that time. The U.S. Humane Society offers rewards up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in illegal animal fighting.
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A-TCAA plans its fifth annual Back-Pack 2 School Stuff the Bus program July 23
Written by Tom
Amador County – For the fifth year, Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency’s Camanche Lake and Upcountry Community Centers and Generation Life Church, with the Jackson Rancheria, are sponsoring the Back-Pack 2 School Project.
Ruthella Turner, A-TCAA Site Coordinator & Community Educator of the A-TCAA Upcountry Community Center at 19386 Highway 88 in Pine Grove, announced the fifth annual Back-Pack 2 School date, set for July 23.
Turner said: “This is a county-wide project which provides backpacks filled with grade appropriate school supplies for children whose families are financially stressed living in Amador County. Without the generosity of local individuals, businesses, and community organizations, many families would struggle to provide these much needed supplies.”
She said all together, 511 children received a backpack and school supplies for the 2010-2011 school year, and “this year our goal is to reach all of the families in our county who would like this assistance.”
Those who would like assistance with school supplies for the 2011-2012 school year can find applications at the A-TCAA Upcountry Community Center, the Jackson A-TCAA office, Generation Life Church or the Interfaith Food Bank.
To qualify, families must reside in Amador County, qualify for the free or reduced lunch program, and students must be entering grades K-12.
People who would like to sponsor a student can find a list of supplies online or by calling (209) 296-2785. The Stuff The Bus Program is set for noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 23 in the Save Mart parking lot in Jackson.
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