News Archive (6192)
Amador County – The Amador Water Agency held a financial plan and rate workshop last week, hearing a recommendation to raise rates 5 percent next year in the Amador Water System. Bob Reed of the Reed Group presented a plan with a 5 percent increase across the board in the Amador Water System next year, and 3 percent increases each in fiscal years beginning in 2011 and 2012. The board hosted the workshop and took public comment, on Reed’s 3-year plan, and accompanying rate study. Amador Water System, or AWS, has about 3,500 customers, including about 2,900 single family homes. Reed’s financial plan included a 3-tiered rate system for single family customers based on water amounts used. He said rates currently are $1.83 per unit in metered, single family homes in AWS. A unit is 50 gallons. He said winter use for a family is about 200 gallons a day, or 8 units, with no outdoor use. That was basis for the first tier rate, which would go to $1.87 a unit in the first year of the plan, $1.93 in the second year; and $1.98 in the third year. Reed said the second tier of water users, using 9 to 55 units, would pay $2.34 a unit the first year of the plan, the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The rate would be $2.41 a unit in the second year and $2.48 a unit in the third year. Third tier flows were based on July peak usage of 56 or more units a day. The rates for third tier users would be $2.92 a unit next year, $3.01 a unit the second year, and $3.10 the third year. Vice President Debbie Dunn disagreed with Reed’s growth projections for new retail customers, and was concerned that the plan listed construction inflation at 4 percent beginning in 2012. Dunn said the agency was predicting construction costs could come in under bids, for projects such as the Gravity Supply Line, but Reed’s numbers didn’t seem to indicate that. General Manager Gene Mancebo said the agency continues “to get construction bids coming in under estimates.” As an example, he said a recent Jackson road project estimated at $800,000 received a bid of $580,000. President Bill Condrashoff said he would like the board to go through the entire financial plan, then give direction to staff and Reed. Dunn said she wanted to change the construction inflation rate and if they could not, they “might as well go home now.” Reed said actual revenues from water sales are a couple hundred thousand dollars under projections. 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 - Homeowners and business owners in Amador County have less than a month left to purchase flood insurance at the best possible rates before the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency's ( FEMA ) new National Flood Insurance Program ( NFIP ) rate maps go into effect. The new maps, part of FEMA’s nationwide Map Modernization initiative, are considered important tools in the effort to protect lives and properties throughout Amador County. By showing the areas of the community at high risk for flooding, the digital maps will help local officials manage floodplain development more efficiently, allowing business and property owners to make informed decisions about protecting their properties. The new digital flood maps for Amador County will become effective on May 20, 2010. Property owners in a special flood hazard area with federally-backed mortgages are required to purchase flood insurance. “Homeowners and business owners who take out a policy before May 20, 2010, can take advantage of lower flood insurance premiums that could save hundreds of dollars annually,” says a news release. Any flood policy purchased on or after May 20 could receive a higher rate if it is determined the insured property resides in a high-risk flood zone. Residents of Amador County are encouraged to purchase flood insurance at the best rates available. For more information on the new digital maps and flood risks, residents should contact local community floodplain managers or insurance agents. Information can also be found at www.fema.gov, or www.floodsmart.gov. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – A bystander asking for a driver to slow down was then hit by the vehicle in an Upcountry mobile home park, according to a recent report from the Amador County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff’s dispatch received a call just after 1 p.m. Friday, April 23rd to report an assault with a deadly weapon by use of a motor vehicle. The caller said a black diesel dually pickup truck (with signs on its sides) was driving erratically though the Meadow Pines Estates mobile home park on Carson Drive. The reporting party asked the male driver of the truck to slow down. The truck then ran over a telephone box, ran into the reporting party, and left the park on Carson Drive. The caller was not hurt and refused medical aid. Another caller on April 24th reported suspicious circumstances in Ione. The caller said he believed his ex-girlfriend was possibly at his residence in Ione on Highway 88, and he believed she stole his black Volvo the night before from his ex-wife’s home in Rancho Murieta. The caller feared the ex-girlfriend took keys to his car and shop from his jacket. He said he has a restraining order that states that the ex-girlfriend must stay away from his home, and he requested a deputy to check the area for her. On April 21st, a caller reported a suspicious person at Lake Pardee on Stony Creek Road. The report said a newer model black Corvette entered the park and subjects from the vehicle were on foot, approaching people and attempting to sell a wrist watch to get money for gas. 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 Fair Board of Directors recently released the poster for this year’s annual event, sure to be a roarin’ good time. “Amador County Fair Safari, It’s a Jungle Out There!” will be the theme for the 2010 county fair, taking place July 29th to August 2nd. The poster captures that theme in a simple but striking portrait of a lion drawn by local artist Rand Huggett, who has been creating the fair’s posters for over 28 years. Amador County Fair officials say they are in the process of printing the posters and hope to have them distributed throughout the county by mid-May. This year’s theme has generated a lot of excitement among fair coordinators. “I can’t wait to see the decorations and fantastic fun ideas that our exhibitors, staff and community will come up with for this year’s Amador County Fair,” said Amador County Fair Board President Robert Manassero after the theme’s announcement last December. He said “pith helmets, expedition gear, exotic animals and fun” will be used to set the mood. In choosing this year’s theme, the board considered the tough economic times and wanted to create an exciting affordable adventure here in Amador County. “We always look for a fun theme that our staff can decorate around, we can create fun contests for exhibitors, and coordinate our entertainment so that we can keep things fresh for fair visitors to enjoy,” explained Sherri Elliott, Amador County Fair office manager. In related news, the Fair office announced Monday that entry guidebooks are now available at the fair office in Plymouth. Beginning May 10, look for the guides in the usual outlets, including Amador High, Sutter Hill Cooperative Extension Farm Advisory Office, Jackson Library, Chamber of Commerce in Jackson, Argonaut High and the Drytown General Store. The Amador County Fair is the largest community event in Amador County and is proud to partner with local organizations such as 4-H and FFA, Interfaith Food Bank, Jackson Lions Club, Jackson and Plymouth Foothills Rotary and others to raise funds for community services. This year will be the 72nd edition of the Amador County Fair. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Monday, 03 May 2010 06:28
Roseville Transient Indicted for Hoax Mailings, Threatening President
Written by Tom
Amador County – In a related story, a federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment Thursday charging Timothy Cloud, 62, a transient generally from Roseville and San Francisco, with four counts of hoax mailings, four counts of mailing threatening communications, one count of threatening the President, and one count of crossing state lines after failing to register as a sex offender. Cloud was arrested in San Francisco on April 22, 2010. He is scheduled to appear for arraignment on May 7, 2010. If convicted, Cloud faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of count of sending the hoax mailings and the threats to the President. He faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count of sending threatening communications. He faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the count of crossing state lines after failing to register as a sex-offender. The charges are only allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Monday, 03 May 2010 06:31
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Anthrax Hoax
Written by Tom
Amador County – A Sacramento man was sentenced Monday to 51 months in prison after his conviction last September of three counts of committing an anthrax hoax and two counts of mailing threatening communications. According to a release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, “evidence presented at trial established that in January 2007, Marc M. Keyser, 66, of Sacramento, “mailed a package to the Sacramento News & Review, promoting a book that he had written about potential anthrax attacks in the United States by terrorists.” The package included “a note offering to discuss publication of excerpts of the book, and a cylindrical aerosol canister labeled “Anthrax.” This resulted “in the evacuation of the building and a full law enforcement and hazmat response.” After being warned by an FBI special agent that he risked prosecution under the hoax mailings statute if he sent more packages, Keyser continued to mail over 100 packages “that contained a CD with excerpts of a new book on terrorism that was labeled in large print ‘Anthrax Shock and Awe Terror’ and a small sugar packet that had been re-labeled with a bio-hazard symbol and the words ‘Anthrax sample.’” The mailings were sent to various media companies, retail outlets and officials nationwide, including Congressman George Radanovich of Modesto, whose aide testified at trial that “following receipt of Keyser’s mailing, police, fire department, and hazmat personnel responded to the scene, and two employees were transported to the hospital for medical screening. Keyser stated to investigating agents that he intended the mailings to be “provocative” and to generate “buzz.” In sentencing, Judge Damrell told Keyser that “you want attention more than anything, you crave it. The attention you get is more important than the effect you have on others.” U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner said “hoaxes like these hurt our national security, draining critical resources from investigation of and preparation for real threats against our homeland. The jury acquitted Keyser on eight other counts in the indictment. He will be required to serve at least 85 percent of the prison time. 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 – The Kennedy Mine Foundation is seeking volunteers to help in the 2010 Pioneer Days for 5th grade students, set for Thursday, May 13th. The mine hopes to improve on last year’s inaugural Pioneer Day, when more than 200 youths took part in the festivities. Dennis Price, School Tour Manager, requested Kennedy Mine Volunteers to mark the date for the second Pioneer Day at The Kennedy Gold Mine. Price said: “We are very hopeful the community will help us make this year's event a success.” He said they “especially need help assisting presenters as we move 350-400 kids through the activities.” They are “also very interested in those who may want to present or demonstrate activities from our rich historic past.” Those unable to attend the event were asked to help the foundation “connect with the numerous ethnic and religious groups with deep historic roots in our county, as well as mining, logging and ranch families, the Native American community and anyone who would enjoy sharing early California history with Amador County 5th grade students.” The May 2009 Pioneer Day was attended by nearly 250 5th grade students. The students, along with teachers, began the adventure by gathering at the Kennedy Amphitheater for instructions and entertainment. They divided into smaller groups to experience, candle dipping, button whizzer making, yarn doll making, rope making, and plowing with youngsters pulling the plow. They saw cowboy skills and learned to throw a lasso. A logging demo showed how to debark a log and handle a two man saw. They saw yarn making with a drop spindle and story telling. They played an Indian game with the help of volunteers from the Indian Grinding Rock State Park. Patty Reid led doll making and there was a blacksmithing demonstration. They visited a working blacksmith shop, watched the Kit Carson Mountain Men organization, where they could throw an axe. They hobnobbed with the Mormon Battalion, and Company “C” Civil War presenters, led by Jim McGuirk Company C later being treated to two very loud cannon shots by that group. There was a chance to visit a traditional store to purchase memorabilia and watched the start of a Pony Express mail ride. The Kennedy Mine Foundation is dedicated to educating youths “in understanding what came before them and what molded the world, as they now know it.” For information, call Dennis Price at 296-3106 or e-mail 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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Monday, 03 May 2010 06:26
Attorney General Candidate John Eastman to Speak At ACRCC Breakfast
Written by Tom
Amador County – John Eastman, labeled by some as the “most conservative candidate” for California Attorney General, is scheduled to speak at an upcoming breakfast event for the Amador County Republican Central Committee. In past incarnations, Eastman served as the former dean of Chapman University School of Law and clerked for Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas. On the ballot, he will be listed by another of his many titles: Constitutional Law Attorney. Eastman is one of three Republicans vying for the Attorney General seat in a field of 14 announced candidates from 6 political parties. Incumbent Jerry Brown has announced he will be running for Governor in 2010. Despite the heavy competition, Eastman is not shy in explaining why he believes his experience and beliefs make him the best man for the job. “We are a nation born of a belief in God-given natural rights to life and freedom, and the belief in government by self-rule and the consent of the governed,” writes Eastman in an essay titled “Returning to the Founding Principles.” “Along the way, the principles of limited powers and ‘consent of the governed’ have been tossed aside by the ruling elite,” he writes. Among his political stances, Eastman strongly opposes what he calls the “federal healthcare takeover,” defends the use of the controversial Three Strikes Law and wants to crackdown on illegal immigration. One of Eastman’s most contentious positions is his fervent opposition to gay marriage rights, which has already brought heat upon him from gay activist groups. He founded the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, which seeks out conservative stands in appellate briefs, some of them related to homosexuality. In an essay titled “Returning to the Founding Principles,” Eastman vows that as Attorney General he will “change Jerry Brown's path against traditional marriage and defend the people in court, and I will!” The Attorney General elect will serve a term of four years starting January 2011. The ACRCC Breakfast with John Eastman will take place Friday, May 14, 2010 at Thomi’s Banquet Room, 625 S. Highway 49 in Jackson. Seating is limited and guests are required to RSVP to the Committee by May 12. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – Authorities are searching a male driver of a silver Sport Utility Vehicle that was reportedly the cause of an injury accident last week on Highway 88, west of Ousby Road. California Highway Patrol said a man and woman from Pioneer suffered moderate and minor injuries Thursday afternoon when they were forced off the road by an oncoming vehicle that had crossed over the center line of Highway 88, leading to a violent crash, including their vehicle rolling several times. Richard Kelly, 80, and Barbara Kelly, 72, both of Pioneer, were both pinned inside a Chevy Blazer Thursday after Richard Kelly swerved to avoid a head-on collision with an oncoming car that had crossed the center line of the road. They two were extricated by firefighters using Hurst extrication tools. A witness in a vehicle following behind the Blazer confirmed that a silver Sport Utility Vehicle (driving west bound on Highway 88) and its driver allowed the SUV “to cross over the double yellow lines into the path of” Kelly. Driving east-bound on Highway 88, west of Ousby Road, Kelly “took evasive action by turning to the right.” CHP said Kelly “overcorrected to the left and lost control.” Kelly’s Blazer left the east-bound shoulder of the road and “rolled several times before coming to rest on its roof, on the north side of Highway 88.” The Kellys were both transported to Sutter Amador Hospital. Richard Kelly had moderate injuries and Barbara Kelly had minor injuries. The crash occurred at about 3 p.m. Thursday (April 29th). CHP said the silver SUV, driven by an unidentified male, “fled the scene west-bound on Highway 88.” CHP said witnesses described the vehicle only as a silver Sport Utility Vehicle with a “Fox” head sticker on the front bumper. Anyone with information about the vehicle or its driver is asked to call the Amador Unit of the CHP. The crash was listed as a “hit and run” with injuries. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Friday, 30 April 2010 04:14
Central Sierra Mining Assoc. Seeks Members For SMARA Board
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Central Sierra Mining Association met April 16th in Sutter Creek and has reactivated, with the intent of helping the mining industry. One of its board members this week announced that it is looking for supervisors and planning department people to join an “issues committee” to look at the California Surface Mining Reclamation Act. Association Board member Tim K. Smith on Tuesday asked colleagues and friends to spread the word about the formation of the “Issues Committee.” Smith said this week that Central Sierra Mining Association has “just become reactivated and are working to promote and protect the mining industry in Central California and the Central Sierras.” Smith said: “We are looking for members to sit on the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act Issues Committee.” He has himself and Joel Pitto “so far as volunteers.” Smith said he was “hereby asking” for members of county planning departments and Board of Supervisors from both Amador and Calaveras counties to sit on the committee. Smith said he would like to have an organizational meeting of the committee between May 8th and 14th. He said the Central Sierra Mining Association board will limit the committee to 9 members with balanced representation. The Association’s voting board membership is open to operators and associate operators. He said: “We currently are working on getting the treasurer’s report and the current bylaws in electronic format for your review.” Smith forwarded an answer to one question asked at the April 16th meeting. Stephen Testa, executive officer of the State Mining and Geology Board, gave a clarification of the definition of a mining operator. Testa said the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act defines an “operator” as “any person who is engaged in surface mining operations, himself, or who contracts with others to conduct operations on his behalf, except a person who is engaged in surface mining operations as an employee with wages as his sole compensation.” He said “obligations and responsibilities of an operator” are included in various sections of the law and the board regulations, but the definition is in the law. For CSMA membership information, contact Mike Del Orto at 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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