News Archive (6192)
Calaveras County – The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office announced on Tuesday reports of an additional 22 shots fired in the Valley Springs area. Calaveras County Sheriff Sergeant Dave Seawell said 15 calls of shots fired in the Rancho Calaveras area of Valley Springs were reported on Saturday, January 23, between 6:44 pm and 6:53 pm. Another 7 reports occurred on Sunday, January 24, between 9:56 pm and 11:44 pm in the Rancho Calaveras area of Jenny Lind. At least 37 separate reports of shots fired have left the area’s residents on edge since weeks before Christmas. In past incidents, shots were usually fired by an unknown person or persons in the direction of moving vehicles or homes. No injuries have been reported in any of the shooting incidents so far. Seawell said his office does not have any information linking the latest shootings to the current investigation. He said “investigators from the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, FBI and CHP continue to work the investigation aggressively.” The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives (ATF) has offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction for the person or persons responsible for the rash of shootings. Leading up to last weekend, there had been a total of 15 reported shootings in to both vehicles and homes in the Valley Springs and Burson areas in western Calaveras County. Anyone with information is asked to call the Calaveras County Sheriffs Office Tip Line at (209) 754-6030 or (209) 754-6500. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and firearms tip line is 1-800-ATF-GUNS. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Wednesday, 27 January 2010 00:53
Amador Mental Health Continues Work Toward State Funding
Written by Tom
Amador County – Amador County Behavioral Health hosted an all-day workshop Tuesday at the county health building in Sutter Creek, with about 40 people attending. Consultant Jennifer Susskind of Resource Development led the workshop for caregivers and clients aimed at securing some of the $5.7 million due to Amador County through the California “Mental Health Services Act.” Rima Spight of Resource Development said attendees would help in “developing county projects to be funded through three components of the Mental Health Services Act.” Those include: Workforce Education and Training; Capitol Facilities & Technological Needs; and Innovation. Spight said Workforce Education and Training looks to develop and maintain “a culturally competent and diverse workforce capable of meeting” local mental health. Susskind discussed some education ideas, including development of a “multi-media learning center” to “be used by staff,” with video teleconference training, and “e-learning” for “continuing education credits for behavioral health” service personnel. She said the purpose of “online classes” was to “reduce the isolation here in Amador County. A woman said it should be pointed out that Independence High School and also the General Services Administration both have multi-media learning centers. Susskind said they “may not focus on mental health, but they do exist.” Other training focus areas include “hard-to-fill positions,” such as psychiatric nurses and technicians,” Susskind said, where money can go to “people who want to see increased knowledge and work in behavioral health.” The program would include a commitment to work for 2 years in Amador County. Other programs included “deep training” for trainers; childcare liaisons and probation officers; and expansion of mental health training to broaden the community. The workshop discussed other areas in which previous community meetings provided input for Amador County needs. It also shared results of an Innovation survey taken from community members. The company and Amador County Mental Health will continue to take public comment as the series of workshops continue. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Monday, 25 January 2010 17:00
AWA to “Brainstorm” on Gravity Supply Line Alternatives
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Amador Water Agency will host a workshop February 1st to “brainstorm” with the public on possible alternatives to the Gravity Supply Line, and improving the Central Amador Water Project supply system, while trying to decrease costs. AWA Board Chairman Bill Condrashoff said Friday the “brainstorming” session was scheduled because “some board members and some members of the public don’t feel there’s been a fair comparison for an alternative project for the Gravity Supply Line.” Condrashoff said there “may be more, possibly viable” solutions to those rising costs, or there may not be better solutions. He said the meeting gives the public the “opportunity to offer suggestions to ways to serve the Buckhorn plant more economically.” He said AWA has “applied for grants for funding for the GSL,” but has not applied for grants to upgrade pumps on the pipeline that now carries raw water to Buckhorn. He said that to do a rate increase for the project, the agency must have environmental work completed on the GSL, and the project must be approved by the board. Condrashoff said in his opinion, an upgrade of the existing pipeline and pumps would also require a new Environmental Impact Report. AWA Attorney Stephen Kronick has said such a project would not require a new EIR. AWA staff has said a rate increase is needed in the Central Amador Water Project, regardless of how improvements are made. 2 weeks ago, Kronick told the AWA board that “Capital Improvement Projects can include expansion projects,” but “this is about raising rates.” Kronick said those projects, such as building a “big storage tank,” should be looked at in terms of purpose. He said if it is being built to assure adequate service in the area, it is exempt from needing a new EIR. The “brainstorming” workshop is 6 p.m. Monday, February 1st at the AWA office. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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California – A “Field Poll” released Sunday said California state legislators and the governor continue to maintain very low job ratings, with 59 percent of voters agreeing Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be “leaving the state in worse shape that when he took office.” The Field Poll, an “independent and non-partisan survey of public opinion said the “job ratings of the governor and state legislature remain very low.” Mark DiCamillo and Mervin Field wrote in a Field Research Corporation release Sunday that “California voters continue to give both the governor and the state legislature very low job approval marks.” 27 percent of the “electorate now approves” of the job Schwarzenegger “is doing, equaling the lowest ratings he has received in office.” The governor earned the same approval low mark last October. The poll asked voters about Schwarzenegger’s legacy and 59 percent said “it is likely that Schwarzenegger will leave California state government in worse shape than he found it when he took office in 2003.” 7 percent of “voters think he will leave state government in better shape, while 30 percent see no change.” The Field Poll, based in San Francisco, said very few voters approve of the state Legislature’s performance, with 16 percent (or about 1 in 6 voters) approving of work done by the Legislature. 72 percent indicated disapproval. The Field Poll said “very low approval ratings that Sacramento lawmakers are now receiving are comparable to those found in each Field Poll conducted since September 2008.” Sunday’s poll numbers mark the 5th successive time Legislators’ approval was below 20 percent and disapproval was above 70 percent since September 2008. DeCamillo and Field wrote that “views of both the governor and the legislature are very negative across all demographic subgroups of the registered voter population.” State Legislators actually gained ground in approval, even with its 16 percent approval rating. The rating was up from a 13 percent approval last October, when Legislators’ disapproval rate was 78 percent. The Field Poll release said disapproval of the Legislature also spans “all demographic subgroups.” 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 - California’s prison reduction plan began Monday, with the long-term goal of reducing prison populations by as many as 6,500 inmates over the course of the year. The changes were approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger last year. The controversial plan is intended to help reduce severe overcrowding by allowing some low-risk offenders to leave prison early by offering more credit against their sentences through education and rehabilitation programs. Inmates earn credits by working on firefighting crews, completing drug-and-alcohol programs, or getting high school diplomas and trade school certificates. Low-risk offenders will not have regular supervision by parole agents and will no longer be returned to prison for technical violations like substance abuse or address changes. Matthew Cate, Secretary of the State’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said the new rules will eventually lower recidivism and “save, over the course of a full year, a half a billion dollars for California taxpayers.” He said this will eventually cut the traditional workload for a parole agent down from 70 to 48 parolees per year. Instead of the traditional approach, he said the state will address overcrowding by “significantly increasing public safety by focusing our resources on high-risk offenders, serious offenders, violent offenders and sex offenders.” Critics say the plan will actually spark an increase in crime throughout the state. Some also say the one condition imposed on released inmates – that they be searched without a warrant - is fruitless because the offenders’ identities are not reported to law enforcement. Also on Monday, 10th District Assemblymember Alyson Huber and Assemblymember Ted Lieu joined Crime Victims United and law enforcement officials to discuss the impacts of the prison legislation. The panel included Amador County Sheriff Martin Ryan, Harriet Salerno of Crime Victims United, Los Angeles County Legislative Advocate Wayne Bilowit and Floyd Hayhurst, Vice President of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs. We’ll have the results of this panel in tomorrow’s broadcast. 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-This week’s succession of storms is expected to bring more heavy winds, resulting in unsafe roadway conditions and power outages. As of Sunday, nearly 5,000 customers remained without power in Tuolumne County and another 4,000 were without power between Calaveras and Amador Counties, according to electrical system outage information provided by PG&E. If you are without power for 48 hours or more you can call a special outage hotline to speak with a live PG&E representative. The number is 1-888-743-4743. 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 Sutter Creek City Council discussed its place in current slumping economic times last week, while looking for ways to shorten the city budget deficit. City Treasurer Cathy Castillo said she did not want to keep coming back to the council and “saying we are $100,000 or $200,000 short,” because “at some point, we’re going to run out of money.” She said Transient Occupancy Tax revenue was down $17,000 from a year ago, but they expected to get a sizeable amount of money from the state soon in the form of a “triple flip” refund. Former councilman Ed Swift noted that the San Francisco Chronicle reported that California was among 48 U.S. states with revenue shortfalls, and Finance Director Jeff Gardner said the state took back 95 percent of the city’s “recycling grant.” Councilwoman Linda Rianda said a city audit had identified “possible financial control issues,” and will make some recommendations on how to handle those issues. The city audit committee must answer the audit findings. Among discussion in budget committee, Rianda said the city is looking for a grant coordinator, with a current staff member to take on those duties. The auditor reported seeing some improvements in areas of city expenditure control, but will recommend more monitoring to keep city staff following spending policy. Castillo said the “audit committee has to respond to each comment in the audit report.” In Sutter Creek business news, the Planning Commission on Monday night planned to hold a public hearing on a request by the Sutter Creek Crossroads Shopping Center for a free-standing monument sign permit. The shopping center on Sutter Hill, which will be “anchored” by Walgreens, seeks a conditional use permit for two signs measuring 8 feet by 23 feet, and a third that would be 7 feet by 9 feet. The larger signs would be “muli-tenant free standing monument” signs, and the latter would mark a gateway entry for the shopping center, at the corner of Highway 49 and Ridge Road. 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 - A mother and son from Half Moon Bay are considered lucky to be alive after getting lost in a blizzard while skiing at Kirkwood Mountain Resort. Sally Coverdell, 55, and her son Robert Coverdell, 24, were reported missing after last being seen near the top of Kirkwood Chairlift 6 at noon last Wednesday. Kirkwood Fire officials said the Coverdells became disoriented in a blizzard but eventually found shelter in a cabin approximately 2 miles southwest near Silver Lake. An initial search conducted by Amador, Alpine and El Dorado County Search and Rescue personnel along with members of the U.S. Forest Service and a search helicopter from the Fallon Naval Air Station Friday morning proved unsuccessful. At approximately 10:30 Friday morning, radio reports said the pair had been found near the Carson Pass with “possible frostbite.” A statement from the Forest Service said the mother and her son walked out to Highway 88 where they came in contact with a Forest Service snowmobile unit that was preparing to conduct another search of the area. They were taken to the command station post at the Kirkwood Fire Station. The pair were subsequently reunited with family members later that morning. “They had become disoriented in the blizzard conditions the night before, and ended up in the Silver Lake area,” according to the Forest Service statement. “They were able to get into a cabin where they spent the night, hiking out this morning.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Monday, 25 January 2010 01:16
Ione to Revisit Howard Park Pool Plan, Fate of $500,000 Grant
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Ione Recreation Commission will consider Tuesday whether to maintain pursuit of a new swimming pool in Ione, with the fate of a $500,000 grant hanging in the balance. City Manager Kim Kerr in a report Friday gave details on a state grant the city council accepted in May 2005 to build a new pool, parking, and picnic area at Howard Park. Kerr said “the city must expend the funds by March 2012,” and should “revisit the grant and determine” whether or not the city is interested the project. The city council in December 2004 designated 5,000 square feet in Howard Park for the pool, including a 110 by 100-foot, area, 300 feet south of the cemetery and 200 feet east of Highway 124. It would include land for a facility, parking and transition zones. If the city decides against building the pool, it “would be required to release the grant funds.” Kerr said staff has spoken with the state,” which “indicated that the city must use the ($500,000) to build a new pool and not another project, but the city could relocate” the pool. Kristi Roots, coach of the Ione Swim Team, and others who use the Ione Junior High School pool told city staff “they are happy with the current pool and see no need for a new pool,” Kerr said. The city spent $70,000 to repair the junior high pool in 2007. Kerr said staff is seeking input from the Parks and Recreation Commission, and the city must “make a decision in the next few months.” Kerr said costs were unknown, and staff would provide more information at the meeting Tuesday. The recreation commission will also discuss the Howard Park Master Plan, and an agreement with the Amador County Recreation Agency to build restrooms at Ed Hughes Memorial Arena, with grant funding, on a project expected to cost $16,000. The city council is expected to adopt the park Master Plan February 2nd. The Rec Commission meets 6 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall. 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 approved a study of its raw water pipeline to Ione January 14th to see if it was a feasible power source. The board approved a study of building a hydroelectric plant at the Ione Reservoir. The study would determine how much electricity could be generated, find funding sources, and see how long it would take for income generated by a small hydropower plant to pay off the cost of construction. AWA directors made their decision based on a report by staff engineer John Griffin. The pipeline is about 38,800 feet in length and drops 1,149 feet in elevation, from the Tanner Reservoir to the AWA’s property at the Ione Reservoir. Interim Engineering and Planning Manager Erik Christeson said: “Theoretically, a hydropower plant … has the potential to generate a significant amount of electricity that could provide steady income to the agency.” He said “a feasibility study will tell us whether or not a project like this would be cost-effective under real-world conditions.” Griffin said over the years, staff has “peripherally explored” generating power with water flowing in the Ione pipeline, but “the anticipated initial capital expenditure has always been cost-prohibitive.” He said staff met recently with Energy Service Company to discuss possible planning, design, construction and funding. Energy Service Company has offered to fund a feasibility study, in exchange for a “sole source contract.” Griffin said AWA attorney Stephen Kronick “has confirmed that the agency is permitted to enter into sole source contracts.” Griffin said staff also had discussion with “an engineering firm that has performed similar hydropower projects on existing pipelines for neighboring water agencies.” Griffin said “soliciting proposals for a feasibility level study” is anticipated to cost less that $20,000” and gives the agency “full access to the report.” He said the AWA engineering committee members, President Bill Condrashoff and Director Terence Moore “recommended staff move forward with preparation of a Request for Proposals for the feasibility-level study from an independent consultant.” He said they expressed a “desire to obtain as much information as possible for the project.” The board approved the recommendation. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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