News Archive (6192)
4 Charged in $25,00 Coldwell Banker New Year's Eve Burglary
Written by Tom
Amador County – The Jackson Police Department announced the issuance of arrest warrants for 4 San Joaquin County residents in connection with a $25,000 burglary of Coldwell Banker last New Year’s Eve in Jackson. JPD said in a release today that arrest warrants were issued December 4th for 4 people in connection with the early morning burglaries January 1st of this year at the Jackson Coldwell Banker Real Estate Office and an attached apartment. JPD said those facing charges are already in custody elsewhere for similar crimes. Facing charges in the Jackson crimes are Michael Oneill, 24, of Ripon; and 3 Tracy residents: Brian Correll, 26, Aaron Johnson, 24, and Jennifer Cowan, 24. The 4 were charged with first and second degree burglaries. The investigation by Jackson Police “revealed that the 4 accused suspects checked into a room at the Jackson Lodge on New Year’s Eve,” December 31st, 2008. JPD said: “The burglary was discovered when the occupant of the apartment below Coldwell Banker returned home around 4:30 a.m. The investigation revealed that the suspects made entry into the apartment and then into Coldwell Banker through a common door.” Both locations were ransacked and approximately $25,000 in jewelry, personal items and computers were stolen. JPD said: “The investigation focused on the 4 suspects soon after their departure from the Jackson Lodge as they left a multitude of items taken in the burglaries.” Additional stolen items were recovered a couple of weeks later when Oneill and Johnson were arrested at a motel room in Tracy. JPD said all 4 suspects are currently in custody elsewhere on similar but unrelated charges as they were linked to numerous burglaries in the San Joaquin Valley. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County - Torrance Assemblyman Ted Lieu has joined County Assessors from Amador, Lake, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Yolo Counties to warn homeowners about misleading and official-looking property tax reduction solicitations and to highlight a new law, Assembly Bill 992, which officially outlaws these fraudulent letters beginning January 1, 2010. “With property values dropping across the state, scammers are preying on unsuspecting homeowners by offering to help lower their property tax bill,” said Lieu. “These unscrupulous companies offer to file property tax reduction requests with the county assessor’s office, in return for an unnecessary fee of several hundred dollars from the homeowner,” he said. County Assessor Jim Rooney has said this same service is provided for free from the local assessor’s office, and there is no need for anyone to pay a fee to facilitate a property tax reduction. AB 992, a new law authored by Lieu, puts an end to this scam by preventing these miscreants to send solicitations that look like official government letters that attempt to collect a fee, and in some cases, even threaten a late fee if not acted upon immediately. County assessors from across California are being inundated with questions and concerns from property owners who have received misleading mailers. They are urging homeowners to be on the lookout for these mailers and to contact their local assessor’s office directly to properly file for lower assessments. “Assessors routinely value property reductions to ensure taxpayers are assessed at fair and equitable values,” said Dan Goodwin, President of the California Assessors’ Association and the County Assessor from Ventura, adding: “Unfortunately, there are people who are offering fraudulent services that not only cause confusion but charge homeowners unnecessary fees for a service that assessors routinely do for free.” AB 992 is sponsored by the Los Angeles County District Attorney and supported by the California Assessors’ Association and the California Association of Clerks & Election Officials. Lieu is chairman of the California State Assembly Rules Committee. He represents the 53rd Assembly District. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County – The Plymouth City Council last week testified before the Amador County Board of Supervisors in a winning effort to get an agreement in place on the Arroyo Ditch, and talked about this week getting closer to turning on its water pipeline with a rare test. The Amador Water Agency, partners in the potable water pipeline, must conduct a “hot tap” test on the pressurized water line. Engineering Manager Erik Christeson told the AWA board last week that anyone who had not seen the rather rare procedure should come to the “hot tap,” 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Plymouth water plant site. AWA Director Terence Moore of Plymouth said the “they tap into a pressurized line and it requires a little skill to do that.” Moore said Friday that Plymouth is having trouble with the state health department in getting its permit for the pipeline, but the state will allow them to release a little water to flow into the system. He said they were afraid that the water, treated at the Tanner plant in Sutter Creek, “would loose its chlorine residual” and “have to be treated again.” He said tests have showed that the water that travels through the pipeline reaches Plymouth still having enough chlorine to be usable. Plymouth City Manager Dixon Flynn told the council that the AWA needs “some flow in order to keep the water circulating so it won’t turn stale.” He said the city would be getting water into its storage tank. Mayor Jon Colburn said he found it “interesting that Joe Spanos (of the state health department) was holding up the activation of the pipeline.” Colburn said Spanos was also the one who started the city’s building moratorium with a cease & desist order “20 years ago.” City Attorney Steven Rudolph gave an update on what he called council members’ and citizens’ “excellent testimony” before supervisors last Tuesday on the subject of the Arroyo Ditch. Supervisors eventually voted to lift a freeze on an agreement with Plymouth that clears the way for an agreement between Plymouth and the Shenandoah Water Company on sales of water from the Arroyo Ditch, diverted from the Cosumnes River. Rudolph said it “finally clears the way for the county to finally execute” an amendment to a 1980s agreement with Plymouth. Mayor Jon Colburn said the amendment makes it so that ownership of the Arroyo Ditch “no longer reverts back to the county,” and it also “allows us to sell water outside the county if needed.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors put $31,000 toward preserving its computer data, and another $14,000 toward having a say in Delta Legislation by paying its dues with a state group. The board also approved $2,000 to host a quarterly Mokelumne River Forum. Director Terence Moore said AWA “volunteered to hold the meetings when times were good,” but the funds were removed from the budget. Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo recommended using operating expenses to pay for the forum, formed in 2005 with 14 member agencies. The board approved $31,000 for 2 generators for backup power supplies for computers. Engineering Manager Erik Christeson recommended the backups, one each at the Tanner administration office and its shop. Questions raised in the November meeting led staff to look at what other groups do for backup. Moore said “we had to bite the bullet” because “in today’s world of electronics, you have to protect your database.” He said in recent outages, the agency flirted with losing bases, and looked at other organizations’ generators. They looked at Calaveras County Water District, and Amador County, the latter of which uses one huge generator to back up its computers. Moore said their backup generators far exceed AWA’s. The agency has a 15-minute backup battery, before the system must be shut down manually to avoid a crash, and risks losing its customer data base, which could take weeks to restore. The board authorized buying 2 floor-mounted, propane generators. The board also authorized Mancebo to pay $14,000 in membership dues to the Association of California Water Agencies. Moore said the board sent a “nasty letter” to ACWA threatening to withhold payment because ACWA voted to support Delta Legislation, despite a split among membership over that support. Moore said they must remain a member of the state organization in order to be at the “table and protest.” He said it was “tokenism to withhold dues.” The board also tabled a presentation by agency attorney Steve Kronick on the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority. At the start of the meeting, Kronick said he had about 2-and-a-1/2 hours of presentations left to give on ARSA, as the board considers whether it will join that board. Kronick suggested having a special meeting to address it, and the board will likely set an ARSA workshop in a special meeting in January. The AWA board next meets January 14th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Condrashoff Takes AWA Presidency, Dunn Comes Back From the Dead to Take Vice Presidency
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Amador County – Debbie Dunn came back from a 3-0 early deficit to take a 4-1 victory to be the 2010 Amador Water Agency board vice president Thursday morning, and District 1’s Bill Condrashoff was selected 5-0 to be its 2010 president. District 3 Director Don Cooper withdrew his nomination after discussion, when Dunn (District 4) trailed, with herself and Condrashoff yet to vote. Cooper, Director Gary Thomas and Board President Terence Moore all had voted for Cooper. Dunn said she was promised the 2010 vice president’s seat 365 days ago when Condrashoff was named vice president. All of the directors said they thought Dunn would make a fine vice president. But Thomas said he was worried about continuity, and the fact that Dunn faced reelection next year. Condrashoff said “then let’s get behind Debbie’s reelection.” Thomas said if she chose not to run, or lost, the board would get a president without vice presidential experience. The top 2 board members sit on the most important committees. Dunn said she groomed herself for the job by attending many meetings, and accused Cooper of not attending as many. Cooper said he thought the ability to help the agency included not just attending meetings but also business experience, to help AWA prosper and provide adequate services. Dunn accused Moore of trying to slant the vote with an e-mail saying District 3 has not been represented by a president in a long time. Moore said he was just repeating what he said a year ago. Dunn said the 3 board members think “it’s OK to just put your heel on my forehead and say: Whoops, I changed my mind.” She said it was disheartening to spend public money in her attending meetings then go back on a promise she felt she was given. Moore told Dunn: “You attended meetings because you wanted to:” She had assigned meetings, but attended others on her own. Moore said “in fact, I had to get on you a couple of times for going to meetings and trying to charge the agency.” Moore said the vice presidency is an “in-training” position, and does not need preparation. Moore also said: “I’m not sure that we had a commitment about this last year,” and “there was a lot of turmoil” in the selection, and once it was all ironed out, he did not think the final intentions were noted. Condrashoff said he wanted to jog Moore’s memory, noting that Dunn was made an alternate on many vice presidential committees. Cooper then said he wanted to withdraw his name from the nomination, and Dunn was selected vice president on a 4-1 vote with Thomas voting against. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
State, Federal Officials Address Threat Posed by Abandoned Mine Sites
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Amador County - State lawmakers and federal officials are taking steps to address the threat posed by abandoned mine sites across California. “It's time for Congress to develop a comprehensive strategy to deal with the safety and public health problems of these abandoned mines,” wrote U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein in a guest commentary published in the San Bernardino County Sun. Feinstein has introduced legislation to pay for the cleanup of abandoned mines, with fees and royalties to be paid by the hardrock mining industry. Her plan would “set spending priorities for the cleanup fund based on the severity of risk to public health and safety and the impact on natural resources.” It would also establish an 8 percent royalty on new mining operations on federal lands, a 4 percent royalty on existing operations, and “would create a new limited reclamation fee on the gross value of all hardrock mineral mining on federal, state, local and private lands.” The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the California Department of Conservation’s Office of Reclamation estimate there are approximately 47,000 abandoned mines in California, two-thirds of them on Federal lands. Of the estimated 20,000 abandoned mines on public lands in California, BLM has evaluated 1,820 and characterized 60 as affecting water resources, and over 120 mining district with physical safety hazards. Since 2007, eight accidents at abandoned mine sites were reported in California. Last month, Jim Abbott, Acting State Director for the BLM in California, told a House Natural Resources Subcommittee that his agency is in the process of implementing an Abandoned Mine Lands program to remove these mine-related hazards. “For over a century and a half, miners scoured hillsides and mountains, dug mines, and subsequently abandoned them with little or no reclamation, creating the pollution and public safety issues we face today,” he said. One legacy of the famous California Gold Rush is environmental hazards created by mercury contamination. Abbott said mercury mining took place in California between 1846 and 1981, resulting in about 75 percent of the total mercury production in North America. According to a study by University of California Davis ecologist Fraser Shilling, mercury pollution renders fish unsafe to eat and risks the health of at least 100,000 people. He said the pollution disproportionately hurts poorer populations who rely on fishing from local waterways to supplement their diets. Feinstein said the metal mining industry has not taken responsibility for the clean up of abandoned mines. The California Department of Conservation estimates that California alone needs $4 billion to address the issue. Abbott said the sites with the highest potential for harm to the public health have been identified and are being addressed. “Congress must move swiftly to address this issue before more environmental harm, injuries or death occur,” said Feinstein. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County – The Jackson Police Department has arrested an Ione man as the result of an ongoing investigation on the theft and vandalism of area newspaper stands in the early morning hours of November 23rd. Phillip Bach, 41, a resident of Ione, was identified as the suspect with the help of newspaper employee Barbara Fincham, a Sutter Creek resident who witnessed the theft while walking his dog, and Ione Police Sergeant Rocky Harpham. “With the description of the suspect and his vehicle provided by Fincham and the dog walker, Harpham was instrumental in identifying Bach,” according to a press release from the JPD. On December 6th, Jackson Police Officer Mike Collins observed Bach driving in Jackson and arrested him on an outstanding arrest warrant. The release said “the subsequent probation search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a .22 caliber pistol beneath the front passenger seat and Bach’s arrest for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. “ Bach was later arrested for additional charges, including felony grand theft and vandalism in connection with the newsstands. JPD said burglary tools and other evidence linking Bach to the newsstands had also been found in Bach’s vehicle. During questioning, Bach confessed to his involvement in the theft and vandalism of the newsstands. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County – The Amador County Public Health Department announced Thursday that another H1N1 flu vaccine clinic has been scheduled for December 22nd from 9 am to 11:30 am. This is in addition to the already scheduled clinic on Wednesday, December 16th, from 11:30 am to 1 pm. These clinics will be open to all residents over the age of six months. The Public Health Department is located at 10877 Conductor Boulevard in Sutter Creek. For further information on H1N1 vaccination clinics call the Amador County Public Health Flu Line at 223-6697 for English, 223-6642 for Spanish, or Public Health at 223-6407. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador Behavioral Health Committee OKs Prevention, Intervention Strategies
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Amador County – The Amador County Mental Health Steering Committee last week selected a set of strategies to address Prevention and Early Intervention in the county. The committee met last Monday (November 30th) at the Amador County Health building in Sutter Creek, and reached a consensus in it planning to receive state Mental Health Services Act funding. Consultant Jennifer Susskind, senior program associate for Resource Development Associates led the committee in deciding the approach for the Amador County Behavioral Health Department in its preparation for MHSA funding. Susskind in an e-mail Thursday said the next steps in Amador County planning process are separate areas of “Prevention and Early Intervention,” as well as “Workforce Education and Training,” and “Innovation.” Susskind said the “Planning Council meeting was a great success, and members unanimously reached an agreement to move forward” with Prevention and Early Intervention” strategies “proposed by Resource Development Associates.” The agreed upon strategies by age group start with “Children and Families” including “Interventions for young children with depression and/or anxiety. At the “school-aged children” level, the strategy is to have “A Youth Wellness and Activity Center.” For adults and all-age people, the approved strategy is a “Field Based Mental Health Liaison” for primary care, jailhouse care, the probation department and other agencies. Strategies for older adults include “Grandparenting Support” and “Respite for Caregivers.” Susskind said Amador Behavioral Health and the steering committee are now in the process of finalizing the prevention and intervention plan. She said a draft of the plan will be available for public review by mid-January. Following the 30-day review period, there will be a public hearing of the plan at the Mental Health Board Meeting in February. Committee members also were asked to review a list of Workforce Education and Training strategies recommended by the RDA. They were asked to send comments or questions to Susskind by December 31st. The strategies will be brought to the community for prioritization during a meeting January 26th in Amador County. Susskind said the “Innovation component” of the state Mental Health Services Act “provides funding for new, novel, and creative strategies for addressing the mental health needs of each county.” She said the committee is “seeking community recommendations for potential Innovation strategies.” RDA is using a survey (ending January 4th) “to help the Behavioral Health Department develop a list of potential projects.” Findings will be presented at the Community Prioritization Meeting set for 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 26th. Committee members are asked to reserve the full day for the meeting. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County – Amador Regional Transit System made cuts in its bus routes last week, with the aim of saving money in the name of common sense. ARTS Executive Director James Means said that last week’s service changes included “realigning of routes and the times to catch all the people that are going to be affected.” And vanpooling and voucher programs are 2 other modes that will make up for the shortfall. He said ARTS will also “be adding back some routes, as long as they will be self-sustaining.” They also added an express route, between Jackson and Sutter Creek. And he is working on routes with businesses and vintners. He was also planning to meet Wednesday with the Sutter Creek Business & Professional Association about stay-and-ski trip packages with local bed & breakfast lodges, including ski passes and shuttle bus tickets to Kirkwood Ski Resort. Means said ARTS is working on handling lost routes with a voucher system and with a new program of “vanpooling.” Vanpooling, made possible with funding from the Amador County Air District, is operated by Foothill Rideshare, and is organizing van rides in the county. Means said vanpools, with 5-7 people, include a designated driver and will become ARTS routes, once they start to operate. In the face of falling revenue, the ARTS board of directors last week approved cutting 13 bus routes in the system, and realigning other routes to make up for redundancies. Of those, one route to River Pines was eliminated and replaced with a “voucher program.” Means said: The River Pines route “has one customer. It’s cheaper for me to put the guy in a taxi than to send a bus all the way out to get him.” Means said Pine Grove routes were eliminated because of low rider counts, but the area is still served with bus routes. The riders must simply catch an earlier or later bus. The same happened with elimination of some Jackson shuttle routes, which were not used. Means said that some of those routes were extended to cover areas visited by the cut routes. So the riders are still served at those stops, and bus drivers are more efficient because they do not drive around with empty busses. Instead of covering stops 3 times, they go to them twice. Means said the cuts eliminated redundancy, and removing routes with no passengers had a “zero-sum effect.” Another ARTS route returns December 19th with the first Saturday Kirkwood shuttle bus. ARTS surveys will see if riders’ needs are being met with the new schedules. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
