News Archive (6192)
25-mile trail along the South Fork of the American River to open October 1st
Written by Tom
Coloma – A 25-mile trail along the South Fork American River will open Friday (October 1), according to a regional organization. The American River Conservancy announced last week that the trail would be open.
Noël Robinson, of the ARC, said the trail has three access points, located in Magnolia Ranch in Coloma; Cronan Ranch at Pilot Hill; and Salmon Falls, a newly built bridge at Acorn Creek in El Dorado Hills.
Robinson said the South Fork American River conservation initiative was launched in 1990 “to protect native fisheries, wildlife habitat and the high quality of water flowing to Sacramento and 22 million water consumers downstream.”
ARC and the Bureau of Land Management have worked together to protect the “river canyon from impacts of subdivision and development,” he said. South Fork American River is immediately above Folsom Lake and the greater Sacramento region and “is the most popular river for whitewater boating in the western United States.”
The river provides drinking water via the federal Central Valley and State Water projects. Robinson said the canyon hosts 117 bird species including bald eagle and osprey as well as black bear, bobcat, river otter, rainbow trout and kokanee salmon.
The trail will open October 1st and take hikers, fisherman, bird watchers, mountain bikers and equestrians through pine and oak landscapes to river side and scenic overlooks of the lower South Fork American River Gorge.
A ribbon cutting ceremony opens the trail on 10 am to noon Thursday, September 30th at Salmon Falls.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County – Amador County may be the source for high concentrations of arsenic found in nine percent of northern San Joaquin County’s groundwater.
A newly released, five year study from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reveals high areas of arsenic concentration appear to be in the areas surrounding Stockton and south of Stockton near the eastern edge of the Delta.
Wells in Lodi did not have high arsenic concentrations.
The study’s authors say most of the arsenic arrived in the area as runoff from the Sierra Nevadas. Samples for the survey were taken from 61 wells in areas of Amador, Alameda, Calaveras, Contra Costa, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.
The USGS analysis focused solely on untreated groundwater from wells. More than 40 percent of the state’s drinking water comes from groundwater.
The report is designed as an informational tool to increase awareness of the issue for regional resource managers and water agencies. It is the most recent indication that higher than average levels of arsenic are prevalent throughout this region.
The Sierra Fund conducted soil tests on a number of public trails near mine shafts in the foothills earlier this year and discovered some cases of extremely high levels of arsenic, lead and asbestos. Researchers said these levels are a result of the extensive mining conducted in our area since the Gold Rush era, when miners dug deep into the earth to expose pockets of toxic contamination.
Speaking with SFGate.com in June, Elizabeth Martin, Sierra Fund chief executive, called these findings “the longest neglected environmental problem in California.”
Arsenic occurs naturally in many minerals and is mainly associated with sulfur and metals. It is considered extremely poisonous. People exposed to arsenic in their drinking water may be at increased risk for more serious illness or death.
Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Washington, D.C. – President Barack Obama signed the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 into law on Monday, providing a $30 billion lending fund and $12 billion in tax breaks for small businesses. The bill contains a host of proposals aimed at giving the nation’s small businesses support and incentives to make new investments and expand.
The bill provides eight small business tax cuts. This includes the elimination of all capitol gains taxes on small business investments held for more than five years. It gives businesses the ability to write-off the first $500,000 of investments in new equipment purchases. It also allows those who are self-employed to deduct 100 percent of the cost of health insurance from their self-employment taxes.
The bill includes a change in rules so that cell phones can be deducted without burdensome extra documentation.
It will allow certain businesses to “carry back” their general business credits to offset five years of taxes, as well as give them a break on their taxes for this year.
A new $30 billion Small Business Lending Fund will also be established to provide capital to small banks with incentives to increase small business lending. A new State Small Business Credit Initiative will support at least $15 billion in new lending by strengthening state small business programs that leverage private-sector lenders to extend additional credit.
According to Larry Cope, Director of Economic Development for the Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority, “the bill will give our nation’s small businesses support and incentives to help them grow and hire…and small businesses will start benefiting from the bill on day one.”
Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Traffic stop leads to felony methamphetamine arrest in Ione
Written by Tom
Amador County – A minor traffic enforcement stop led to a felony methamphetamine drug-related arrest Monday in Ione. Ione Police Chief Michael L. Johnson said a minor traffic infraction led to felony and other drug charges for two people.
Johnson said a Ford Ranger traveling through Ione on Main Street at about 2 a.m. Monday was stopped by an Ione Police Department officer for a minor license plate California vehicle code infraction. The male driver of the Rander, John Haynes, age 56, and a female passenger told the officer they were on their way to the Jackson Rancheria Casino.
Johnson said: “The officer, upon speaking with the occupants, detected the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle.”
A driver’s license check of Haynes returned showing he had a suspended driver’s license and an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Johnson said Haynes were placed in custody.
“A search of the vehicle produced an open alcoholic beverage, a glass pipe commonly used for ingesting illegal drugs, and a baggy of substance believed to be methamphetamine,” Johnson said. A small amount of marijuana was discovered in the possession of the female passenger.
The female was cited and released at the scene for possession of marijuana, and the vehicle was towed from the scene.
Haynes was arrested on the warrant, California Vehicle Code and Health and Safety Code violations, including Transportation of Methamphetamine.
Story byJim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
2nd Annual Great Sierra River Cleanup gathers 151 tons of trash
Written by Tom
Amador County - An estimated 4,500 volunteers collected approximately 151 tons of trash, appliances, car parts and other debris during the Second Annual Great Sierra River Cleanup last Saturday. The event, which is sponsored by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC), involves dozens of partner organizations throughout the Sierra Nevada.
“It was a huge success and we are thrilled at the turnout and the enthusiasm for this event,” said SNC Executive Office, Jim Branham. “65 percent of California’s water supply comes from the Sierra so it was great to see so many people coming out to be good stewards of their rivers, lakes and streams.”
Volunteers scoured beaches and riverbanks to collect paper trash, aluminum cans, plastic bags, cigarette butts, cardboard, glass bottles and more. Some of the more interesting items removed during this year’s cleanup include shopping carts, a bottle of moonshine and a boogie board.
The Great Sierra River Cleanup took place at more than 125 sites in the Sierra, virtually every watershed was included. Plans are already underway for next year. The Cleanup began last year and is conducted in conjunction with the annual California Coastal Cleanup event. Combined, the two events make up the single largest one-day volunteer event in California.
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Amador County – Ione City Council last week received a report of a grant-funded workshop by a national group helping pool local efforts to preserve the city and county. The council heard about the “Your Town” workshop, one of a handful held across the country this year with grants through “Your Town: The Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design.”
Local consultant Renee Chapman helped get the grant for the “Amador Regional Design Workshop,” which in August drew an average of 52 participants.
Chapman in a report said the workshop goal was “to collaboratively explore and discuss ways to enhance Amador County’s economic and community development through design.”
Part of the workshop was the Ione Community Program. Ione City Manager Kim Kerr said 14 people from Ione attended.
Three separate projects related to design for downtown Ione were selected by the group, and “intended to educate and inform the public about Ione and attract visitors.”
One project is to install “specialty plaques on historic properties.” It would identify 14 historic landmarks in the city, and could be incorporated into a walking tour, with plaques or signs giving brief history and showing photos of original buildings.
Another project identified would create murals in the downtown district. Chapman said the group liked the project because it could “add more murals on sides of buildings” to “tell the story of the history of Ione.” The workshop identified some buildings that could be locations for new murals downtown.
A third project would build an “iconic sign” or arch for Ione, to identify and illustrate city history and “serve as a welcome to anyone coming into town.”
Projects identified work plans that included gathering community support, identifying funding and making decisions on themes and the like.
Kerr said the workshop also made clear the value of trees, and showed how fast food restaurants can gauge their design to match a city’s preferences and architecture.
The workshop drew planners, staff and interested people from cities, Amador County government, and the county at large. Chapman said the attendees were productive, and the format was creative. She said the workshop actually had attendees designing things on paper by drawing pictures, so they all saw the same thing.
Kerr said there will be more information coming back at that next workshop in February.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday looked to squelch any controversy over pay increases for county government employees by deferring a raise in their own salary and benefits until 2012.
Supervisor Richard Forster told TSPN that Supervisors want to “set the record straight” after receiving complaints about recently approved pay raises for Health Director Kristen Bengyel and Social Services Director Matt Zanze. “We know the budget times are tough and it doesn’t look like they are going to get better any faster,” he said. “At some point you have to do that for positions where there is obviously a disparity.” He said no other county positions are being considered for raises.
Forster criticized the Amador Ledger Dispatch for publishing a story on county salaries that he called “misleading” by showing “a significantly different picture.”
Supervisors alluded to other complaints they have received.
“The accusation that somehow we’re feathering our nests when everybody else is being asked to take a cut is just blatantly untrue,” said Supervisor John Plasse. “We’ve postponed (increases) twice before, refused COLA (cost-of-living adjustment) funds, and took a ten percent pay cut.”
According to Amador County Code, Supervisor salaries would have been adjusted from 35 percent to 40 percent of the Amador County superior court judge’s salary. Last June, they deferred the adjustment to take place on July 1st, 2011. Supervisor gross base salaries are currently $4,733 a month after furlough days, not including benefits.
On Tuesday, they approved an additional deferment until July 1st, 2012. The motion passed unanimously.
“These are tough, tough times,” said Board Chairman Brian Oneto. “Right now something like this is just not necessary.”
Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County - This year’s “Big Crush” event takes place on October 2nd and 3rd from 10 am to 4 pm, on what promises to be a gorgeous autumn weekend. Thirty-three Amador wineries will treat wine lovers to an amazing array of fine wines poured from barrel and bottle and accompanied by delicious barbecue fare, great live music (from rock, jazz and blues to bluegrass and accordion music), special “Crush”-related activities and unbeatable discounts on bottle and case purchases.
Sponsored by Sacramento Magazine “The Big Crush” offers wine lovers an unparalleled opportunity to savor the best of Amador County, a beautiful and historic wine region forty miles east of Sacramento that dates to the early days of the Gold Rush.
Tickets for the “Big Crush,” good for both days of the event and all activities, are $30 per person in advance ($20 for Sunday only) through September 28th and $35 on event days at participating wineries ($25 Sunday only), and include a commemorative, vintage-dated wine glass. Tickets and information are available at www.amadorwine.com or by calling 1-888-655-8614.
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Amador County – About a dozen people commented at a public hearing on the Buena Vista Biomass Power plant Subsequent Environmental Impact Report Wednesday in Jackson. The comment period ends today (Thursday, Sept. 30).
Planning Commissioner Andy Byrne asked about soil contaminants, and whether the EIR had a plan to sample and test soil as grading occurred. Consultant Gary Jacobs of Ascent Environmental said he would take that as a question to be answered with other comments, but if hazardous material was found, it would be addressed with appropriate agencies.
Byrne asked about heavy truck traffic combined with daily vehicle trips to the proposed Indian casino, saying “there is a way they overlap in cumulative effect,” but it was a comparison the commission had not yet seen. ¶ Rhonda Morningstar Pope, chairwoman of the Buena Vista Band of Me-Wuk Indians, spoke about her tribe’s EIR for its proposed casino. She said she liked the power plant’s consultants’ approach because they had met with the tribe, “which is the most impacted neighbor because we are right across the road.”
Pope said the tribe in its casino EIR is “already mitigating” impacts on roads and flooding. She said: “Read the documents because they are being answered.”
Commissioner Denise Tober asked if the SEIR addressed that Amador Water Agency has requested additional water rights from Jackson Valley Irrigation District.
One man worried if there was enough slash to fuel the power plant, and said one such plant had closed.
Steve Brink of the California Forestry Association said “there’s no feed stock issue with this power plant,” and what the area needs is another 18-megawatt plant to open, because area forests could fuel it.
Brink said Amador and El Dorado county forests could produce 100,000 “bone dry tons” a year of wood waste, through forest fire fuels reduction programs. He said that slash is burned in the open air, and burning it in a combustion boiler gives a “98 percent reduction in emissions.”
Jerry Cassesi said he didn’t doubt there would be less impact than forest fires, but he worried about getting correct information. He said numbers in the EIR differed from those in a 2009 “Environmental Information Form.”
Cassesi wanted to know the number of fuel trucks expected daily at the plant, but “simple questions like that don’t seem to get answered in this EIR.” He said “without good information, it’s impossible to make good decisions.”
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
AC Planning Commission hears from public on BV Biomass Power use permit amendment
Written by Tom
Amador County – More than 50 people attended a public hearing Tuesday as part of the permit amendment process for the Buena Vista Biomass Power plant in the Jackson Valley.
Amador County Planning Commission Chairman Ray Ryan asked speakers to stay on point, reminding them that comment should be about the Subsequent Environmental Impact Report.
Ascent Environmental principal Gary Jacobs gave a presentation on the EIR, saying the company was hired by Buena Vista Biomass Power, but the EIR was prepared under the direction of the county. Once the comment period closes (today, September 30th), they will prepare written responses.
Jacobs said the study found some “significant and unavoidable impacts” that “can’t be mitigated.” Those include operational noise, light affects on the dark evening sky in the Jackson Valley, traffic impacts on the small roads, and emission of greenhouse gasses.
He said there would be cumulative visual and air quality impacts, the latter including nitrogen oxides and Particulate Matter emissions. He said “during excavation and grading, hazardous materials may be found.”
The EIR listed three alternatives, being: To have no project and no operation; to have no project and operate under the existing permit; or to reduce the size of the operation. Jacobs said “the plan is to buy or procure residual waste at the forest sites,” and to run the 18.5 megawatt power plant with “solely renewable woody waste biomass.”
In the public hearing, Ray Stacey of Big Horse Ranch on Camanche Road, said he was undecided about the plant and wanted more information so he could evaluate it. He said: “I would sure love to be plugged into that system,” but said he heard Sacramento Municipal Utility District, which will purchase the plant’s power, “will be selling it for half of what PG&E charges.”
Donna Ogilvie of Camanche Parkway North, “downwind from” the plant, said the “no project, no build” option was the “only alternative that is environmentally superior.” She asked who would pay for road improvements, or monitor wind and the plant’s “five-minute idle times.”
Rob Scott of Coal Mine Road said he is torn by the project, but believes everyone should be able to use their property as they want. He worried about excessive nitrogen oxide emission, and its effect on sensitive receptors.
Ryan said comments would be addressed in writing by the applicant. Planner Susan Grijalva said after the comments comes the Final EIR, for which the turnaround might be two to three weeks.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
