News Archive (6192)
Amador County - A head-on collision Friday afternoon in the turn lane in front of Jackson Creek Shopping Center resulted in at least four minor injuries and two serious injuries. According to a bystander, a Pontiac Vibe was exiting the shopping center and collided with a Mazda Tribute SUV as it entered the turn lane. Jackson Detective Chris Mynderup said the collision was “pretty much head on.” The two vehicles carried a combined total of six passengers. At least two of the vehicle occupants were minors. Within minutes, emergency crews from across Amador County were on scene. Traffic was guided by while two Jackson fire trucks, Jackson Police vehicles, two CAL FIRE trucks, an American Legion Post 108 Ambulance and a tow truck crowded the roadway around the wreck. Emergency crews worked together to carefully help the passengers from the car, most of whom could do so voluntarily. The driver of the Vibe and the passenger in the Mazda Tribute were fitted with neck braces and carefully extracted from the battered vehicles before being placed in the ambulance. They were both transported to Sutter Amador Hospital for further examination, but were expected to make a full recovery. No names were released at the time this story was written. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – Hundreds of families and friends filled the Jackson Junior High School sports field Saturday for the annual Jackson Lions Club fireworks display. The event went off without any apparent mishaps and a consensus of fun having been had by all. The field by dusk was nearly filled as people spread blankets, camping chairs and small card tables and ate picnics as they awaited nightfall. Lions club members read off names of raffle winners, with Paul Molinelli Junior hosting the awards. Other Lions members manned the concession stand, and fire trucks and firefighter personnel ringed the field. The first bursts of the fireworks came shortly after the first stars appeared in the darkened sky. The fireworks marked the culmination of a week of fundraising by the Jackson Lions Club, which hosted its fireworks sales booth beginning last Monday at the John Aime Field parking lot at Detert Park. Sales continued through Saturday, the 4th of July. The fireworks aerial display and picnic opened at 5 p.m. Saturday at Jackson Junior High School’s Butte Bowl sports field. The free event included the snack bar, Bingo, kids’ games, a 50/50 raffle and the aerial fireworks display. The events and fireworks sales are some of the major fundraisers for the Jackson Lions Club, which supports a variety of youth programs, such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Little League Baseball, youth basketball, wrestling, soccer and 4-H. JLC fundraisers provide more than $15,000 a year in scholarships a year “to deserving Amador area student, and also support guide dogs for the blind.” Another upcoming fundraiser is the Jackson Lions beer booth at the Amador County Fair. New President Craig Murphy and the Lions Club of Jackson have a weekly luncheon from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. at Mel & Faye’s Diner. For online information, see jacksonlionsclub.org, or send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – This year’s Fourth of July holiday marks the 234th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. As always, patriotic Amador County citizens will be out in force to celebrate this historic event at a number of events taking place throughout the County over the three-day weekend. Starting at dusk on Saturday, thousands of people are expected to gather in Jackson to view the annual Jackson Lions Club fireworks show. Families and friends will gather on blankets on the Jackson Junior High School football field as firefighters stand by at a safe distance to ensure the sparks don’t ignite any fires. The annual Volcano parade will be held a day early this year on July 3rd, beginning at 10 a.m. Another annual event, the Upcountry 4th of July Carnival, will take place on Sunday at Pioneer Park on Buckhorn Ridge Road in Pioneer. The upcountry event is always reportedly well-staged, and this year’s schedule includes a “Patriotic Cowboy Service,” cowboy demonstrations, and a carnival featuring waterslides, a bounce house, games, prizes, fire trucks and hay rides. The event stretches all day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Plymouth will host a parade and various celebratory activities on its Main Street beginning mid-morning on Sunday. You can also join the City of Ione for their popular downtown celebration scheduled for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. That will include food, drinks, rides, games, live-music, a bike parade, a pie-eating contest and street vendors. If you’re looking to head into the mountains, a Barbeque is planned on the 4th at the famous Plasse’s Resort. Finally, classic cars and hot rods will be featured Sunday at the annual “Cru-zin in the Vineyard” car show at Terra d’Oro Winery. An “all-American” barbeque lunch will be available for purchase. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and costs $25. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – Amador County Public Works last week announced the opening of its newest oil and filter recycling center, at Foothill Garage in Plymouth. Jim McHargue, solid waste program manager for the Amador Waste Management Department, announced the opening of the new recycling center at the Plymouth City Council meeting June 28th, and he said a grand opening and barbeque is planned for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, July 15th, at Foothill Garage & Wrecking, located at 9408 Pacific Street in Plymouth. McHargue said that since he came to work for Amador County, it has been his goal to open an oil and oil filter recycling center in Plymouth, and he was “proud to announce” that the waste management department was able to build a brand new facility, at the Foothill Garage, whose owners, Ben and Steve Crocker, helped get the project finished. McHargue invited the city council to the grand opening, and said the Crockers insisted on “firing up the barbeque” during the grand opening ceremonies. He said District 5 Supervisor Chairman Brian Oneto was planning to attend. The facility will take motor oil, antifreeze, car batteries and filters. McHargue said the facility was “funded 100 percent from the Oil Block Grant Program,” and it is the ninth such facility in Amador County. The other 8 are scattered around the county, including in Pine Grove, at the ATI Auto Parts in Martell, at the Pine Grove solid waste transfer station, and in Ione. McHargue said the next step for Plymouth is trying to open a household battery and florescent light bulb recycling station. He said he would like to see if there is a way to partner with the city and have a location for those to be dropped off in Plymouth. The grand opening and barbeque is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, July 15th, at Foothill Garage & Wrecking, 9408 Pacific Street in Plymouth. For information, call Foothill Garage at 245-3370 or McHargue at 223-6429. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County - The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) announced Thursday it will be taking a “zero tolerance stand against anyone possessing, transporting or using illegal fireworks over the hot and dry Fourth of July weekend.” Officials are stressing that the penalties for using illegal fireworks can range from a misdemeanor up to felony charges depending on the severity of the damage and cost incurred for fire suppression. “Because our area is so dry and vulnerable to fire… plan instead to attend some of the excellent professionally-produced public firework displays in our area,” said CAL FIRE’s Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit Chief Mike Noonan. Only fireworks that possess the approved “Safe and Sane” logo from the California State Fire Marshal on the packaging are considered legal. Illegal fireworks include such items as sky rockets, bottle rockets, and roman candles and are defined as fireworks that explode, leave the ground, or move about uncontrollably. CAL FIRE encourages citizens to contact their nearest CAL FIRE facility or local fire station if they are unsure whether their fireworks are illegal. “Use Safe and Sane fireworks responsibly, only where permitted, and never around dead or dying vegetation. Never allow children to use fireworks without adult supervision. Parents are liable for injuries or damages caused by their children’s use of fireworks. Check with your local fire department to see if Safe and Sane fireworks are legal to use in your area,” said CAL FIRE in a release. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County - The Eldorado National Forest is preparing for one of the biggest recreation weekends of the year. Other than the Wrights Lake, Woods Lake and Blue lakes campgrounds all recreation facilities in the forest will be open. “It is important that we all take responsibility to keep wildfire out of the forest”, said Fire Prevention Officer Barbara Rebiskie. “Visitors need to know that all types of fireworks are illegal in a National Forest. Citations will be issued to violators that have any fireworks.” Wood, charcoal, and propane fires are allowed in the Eldorado National Forest with a 2010 California Campfire permit at this time. These permits are free and can be obtained at any U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), or Bureau of Land Management office. Visitors must completely extinguish their campfire if they are not in camp. They can also help by educating others about fire danger and reporting abandoned or illegal fires to 911 or to the nearest Ranger Station. The Eldorado will be staffing extra patrols and patrolling after dark this
weekend. Motor vehicle use on the Eldorado National Forest is allowed only on the designated routes displayed on the free Motor Vehicle Use Map that is available at all Eldorado National Forest offices. Visitors planning to camp outside of developed campgrounds must park their vehicle on or within one vehicle length of a system route. More information on recreation opportunities and fire restrictions is available on the Eldorado National Forest website: www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado. A TSPN TV Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – A national tanning spa industry organization is urging its members to submit comments to the federal government on a temporary “Tan Tax,” which could become a permanent law. According to the Indoor Tanning Association, the so-called “Tan Tax” is a “10 percent excise tax on tanning services” which went into effect July 1st. The Tan Tax, on the indoor tanning service industry, was included in the federal health care bill, and was created to raise an estimated $2.7 billion over 10 years. One local Amador County hair salon with an old tanning booth that is primarily not used anymore was unaware of the Tan Tax, which went into effect Thursday. Another salon, What’A Beach Tan, in the Martell Business Park, was well aware of the Tan Tax taking affect, according to its clerks on duty Thursday. The Indoor Tanning Association said the Tan Tax “applies to returns that relate to calendar quarters beginning after June 30th, 2010.” The Internal Revenue Service “formally published the final and temporary regulations on June 15th,” and the ITA urged its members to review the regulations with their tax advisors. The IRS issued the “temporary” regulations “to provide guidance to users and providers of indoor tanning services,” the ITA said. “The text of the temporary regulations also serves as the text of the ‘proposed’ regulations. Before these regulations are final, the IRS is required to receive and respond to public comment.” ITA urged its industry members to voice concerns to the IRS, through written and electronic comments, which “must be received by September 13, 2010.” Instructions for submitting comments are in a “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,” in its first column on page 33740. Find information and links to those procedures at www.theita.com. Founded in 1999, the Indoor Tanning Association “represents thousands of indoor tanning manufacturers, distributors, facility owners and members from other support industries. The professional indoor tanning industry employs more than 140,000 people while promoting a responsible message about moderate tanning and sunburn prevention. The ITA’s website said it “was founded to protect the freedom of individuals to acquire a suntan, via natural or artificial light.” The group seeks “to work with federal and state governments to ensure that this freedom is not restricted. The “ITA tracks legislative developments across the country that potentially have a bearing on indoor tanning activities,” and “has formed a Political Action Committee to advocate on behalf of the indoor tanning industry at the federal level. Health advocates hope the Tan Tax will dissuade people from using indoor tanning, which has been linked to melanoma. The industry says it is unfairly targeted by a tax added to the health care bill only after the cosmetic industry forced removal of a 5 percent tax on elective surgeries. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors asked for more study on potential budget cuts Tuesday before deferring action until July. The board could resume discussion today. After several hours of discussion and 3 different motions yesterday, Director Terence Moore stormed out, saying the board should take action and was afraid to do its job. Moore said if they did not do a combination of recommendations by staff, they could lose 2 months of summer income that could be increased by a recommended 4 percent increase of rates in the Amador Water System. Moore said “I can’t believe you are still listening to these local gadflies who are always against the agency and never say anything positive.” Audience member David Evitt and Moore had a heated exchange, and Evitt and Ken Berry spoke against the rate increase and agency pursuit of the Gravity Supply Line. Vice President Debbie Dunn insisted staff look at a pipeline bond payment to see if it could change. President Bill Condrashoff sided with Dunn, and wanted to continue talking about options. Moore said the AWS system could have its rates raised because it was approved to do so in 2008 by the board, which only raised rates by 8 percent. The board could raise it another 4 percent. Moore said they were in error by not raising rates the entire amount. Dunn said she didn’t “feel like we made a mistake,” and pledged to protect ratepayers. General Manager Gene Mancebo said to correct the budget they would also need to make 4 to 6 layoffs. Employee negotiator Karen Gish said that without the 4 percent rate increase, the agency would need 6 to 8 layoffs to balance the budget. Finance Manager Mike Lee said the agency’s cash was at $500,000, and Mancebo said bluntly that cash problems mean “we are in trouble.” He said the budget took shape in the last week or so, as staff realized the rate increase in the Central Amador Water Project may fail. During public comment, Ken Berry said the AWA should expect 1,600 Proposition 218 protests at the CAWP rate hearing today (July 1st), though all of those might not be valid. Mancebo, Gish and Board Clerk Chris Thompson said the board should act now, and that department heads came together Monday, looked at numbers and found that 4 “full time equivalent” layoffs and the 4 percent rate increase would come $140,000 short. Mancebo said employee union negotiators had to know whether the rate hike was activated, and they “need to talk to bargaining units about putting a freeze on salaries and raises, which would almost equal the final $140,000 in cuts. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County - The Amador County Sheriff’ Department announced Tuesday the arrest of two male suspects for the theft of copper wire, among other charges. Jeffrey Scott Perry, 43, of Pioneer and John Wirth IV, 27, of Pleasanton, were arrested after an investigation stemming from a initial report of a suspicious vehicle parked on Highway 88, near property containing several abandoned residences. The Sheriff’s Office got the call on June 22 at 8:30 p.m. and arrived on scene to discover Perry on the property. “Upon further investigation, deputies located a bag concealed near the suspect’s vehicle which contained several rolls of copper wire and several electrical panel boxes,” said Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner in a release. He said a search of the property by the deputies on scene revealed several buildings had been stripped of copper wire. A backpack “containing additional burglary tools and drug paraphernalia was located within one of the abandoned residences.” He said, “A search of the suspect’s vehicle revealed miscellaneous burglary tools, evidence of other wire thefts, suspected stolen property including cell phones and jewelry, and a box of unexpended 9mm ammunition.” Wegner said, “The suspect ultimately revealed that he had not been alone and that a subject named John had been present with him but had fled into the woods upon our arrival and that he too was involved in the burglaries.” When deputies returned the next day, they discovered the second suspect, Wirth, hiding in a bathroom on the property where the wire thefts had taken place. Wirth was detained and during subsequent interviews admitted to advising Perry of the location of the abandoned buildings and the wire within. He denied involvement in actually stealing the wire. Jeffrey Scott Perry was arrested on scene and charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools, and being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition. John Wirth was also arrested on scene and charged with burglary and possession of burglary tools. He was also booked on an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. Wegner said, “Amador County Sheriff’s Detectives are conducting supplemental investigations to determine if these subjects can be connected to any other area burglaries or thefts.” A TSPN TV Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Thursday, 01 July 2010 06:09
Jackson Foresees Significant Costs Associated With Wastewater Fund
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Jackson City Council’s review and subsequent approval of the annual budget Monday revealed how tough economic times have affected key services, in particular the wastewater enterprise fund. “The General Fund continues to be the focus and driver behind most City services, although some other key budgetary issues are looming in the wastewater enterprise fund this fiscal year,” said City Manager Mike Daly in a report to the council. The Wastewater Fund is dependent on revenue derived from residential and commercial customers. During fiscal year 2009-10, sewer rates were increased in February and July for a cumulative total of 23 percent, yet revenues only increased 7.4 percent. Daly said “this is reflective of a higher vacancy rate for both residential and commercial customers, and lower water consumption by commercial customers whose sewer bills factor in water use.” Other factors could add significant costs for the City in the coming year, including regulatory compliance issues related to stricter water quality standards, and the implementation of a state regulated wastewater effluent discharge permit. A regulation in the City’s permit also requires an eventual reduction in the effluent discharge into Jackson Creek so that the percentage it contributes to effluent in Lake Amador is less than 5 percent. In addition, he said the City’s 25-year-old treatment plant is having trouble keeping up with demand. Daly said: “An intensive public education process will be required to explain the need for rate increases given the level of citizen interest in previous rate increases and the requirements associated with Proposition 218.” The newly-approved budget has yet to include costs associated with any of these issues or the water rights petition that will need to be circulated should the City move forward with removing effluent from Jackson Creek. In July, the City Council will consider an alternative analysis of the Wastewater Fund that includes financing options and detailed cost estimates. Jackson’s General Fund is expected to finish with a positive balance this year, and revenues are expected to exceed expenditures by $88,955. When considering the projected mid-year budget deficit of $264,000 and implemented reductions, the final deficit for fiscal year 2009-10 was reduced to $40,574. Daly said severe cuts over the last year mean the City is “in the black” for now. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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