Sutter Creek – The Amador Water Agency today will consider supporting a U.S. House of Representatives bill that would establish a Water Protection and Reinvestment Fund. The bill, HR 3202, would create a 4-cent tax on all “water-based” beverage containers (up to 5 gallons in size), and also would establish a fund “to support investments in clean water and drinking water infrastructure.” The bill was introduced in the House July 14th by Steven LaTourette (Republican-Ohio), Norman Dicks (Democrat-Washington), Mike Simpson (Republican-Idaho), and Thomas Petri (Republican-Wisconsin). The “Water Protection and Reinvestment Act of 2009” includes “establishment and funding of a water protection and reinvestment trust fund.” It would appropriate to the Trust Fund “amounts equivalent to the taxes received in the treasury before January 7, 2016,” under provisions relating to the clean water restoration tax, and taxes relating to water.” The bill was put on today’s Amador Water Agency agenda on a suggestion by District 3 Director Don Cooper, and the board will discuss the bill and decide whether to support it. The bill includes limits to expenditures, and says funds will be available “only for purposes of investments in clean water and drinking water infrastructure.” Grants under the bill may be used by a public water system only for expenditures helping compliance with national primary drinking water regulations. Approved spending would include planning, design, and associated preconstruction activities. Funds may not be used for monitoring, operation, and maintenance expenditures. The bill would also place a 3 percent tax on the sale of “water disposal products” and a 1/2 percent tax on the sale of pharmaceuticals. All taxes in the bill would have a termination date, and cease to apply December 31st, 2015. The term “water disposal product” refers to soaps, detergents, toiletries, toilet tissue, water softeners, and cooking oils. The Water Protection and Reinvestment Fund would be run by the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and would allocate funds in the amount of 48 percent for capitalization grants for state water pollution control and 35 percent for making capitalization grants under the Safe Drinking Water Act relating to capitalization grants for state drinking water treatment. The remaining 17 percent would be split among 10 other programs. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson - A back-to-school speech by President Barack Obama caused unexpected controversy across America Tuesday, including here in Amador County, where Supervisor Dick Glock received a number of calls from outraged parents. The majority insisted their child either not be allowed to view the address while another group felt it should be required viewing. Glock said “the speech might be the most controversial” issue he’s dealt with in his time as Superintendant. “It’s certainly been a lighting rod for opinion,” he said. Following procedures suggested by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Glock and local school principles dialed parents with an automated voicemail message announcing that the speech would be taking place and each teacher could determine whether their students could view it based on their lesson plans. In some cases, parents were also contacted by individual school sites. In response, the Amador County School District received angry calls and mass emails were distributed expressing outrage over the district’s action and the speech itself. Several emails referred to the event as a forum for pushing a “socialist agenda.” Obama’s speech was made during a nationwide telecast broadcasting live from Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. Much of the controversy stemmed from conservatives who feared the President’s speech would be used as a springboard to push a partisan political agenda. But Obama made no references to anything political, instead urging students to work hard and stay in school. One Amador County parent and former teacher called the reaction “a prime example of the fear that has overtaken irrational individuals who see our President as an enemy instead of a leader and in turn project that upon their children.” Others criticized the short notice given before the speech was made. Glock said he was only informed of the speech a couple days in advance, nor was it realistic to send a permission slip home and get it back, which sometimes takes at least a week. There was also a major reaction from those who felt the President’s speech should be mandatory viewing. One parent said that “because of the right (wing’s) uproar, our children are not given the opportunity to be inspired and motivated by one of the finest president's we've ever had.” “I haven’t had any reports that somebody watched the speech and didn’t want to, nor did someone not get to watch it who wanted to,” said Glock. Much of the controversy fizzled out after the President spoke and stuck to talking points that highlighted the importance of education, personal responsibility and hard work. Superintendent Glock will appear on our noon news program this Friday to discuss the issue further. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Martell – Mental Health America of California celebrated the opening of its new wellness and recovery center Wednesday afternoon with a Barbeque lunch and open house. Volunteers and officials from a variety of agencies were in attendance to enjoy tri-tip steak sandwiches and share in celebrating the new center located at 12265 Martell Road in Jackson. “We’re happy about this location because there’s a tremendous need up here and there aren’t very many services to meet that need,” said Susan Gallagher, Executive Director of Mental Health America. Although the center has officially been open since July, the open house was arranged in order to reveal its new title, the “Sierra Wind Wellness and Recovery Center.” The center was made possible through a grant of $250,000 from Proposition 63, passed in 2004. Also known as the Mental Health Services Act, Prop 63 levies an additional 1 percent state tax on incomes of $1 million or greater to fundamental health services programs. According to David Schroeder, a family and youth advocate coordinator and the center’s director, that funding will have to last until next June when there will be another financial evaluation. Gallagher said Schroeder was chosen as center director because he has five years experience working at another center in Sacramento and because of his “passion for self-help support services.” Schroeder said this is a “unique” center in Amador County because it provides medical, psychiatric, socialization and other support services to both individuals and families. He said it is also unique because “Amador County has formally expanded that to include people with drug and alcohol addictions.” He said mental illness and substance abuse are often interrelated because mentally ill people “often self-medicate with alcohol and street drugs.” Apparently the need for these services locally is great. Sierra Wind served 87 people in its first month and now serves over 164 people. “The focal point primarily is to re-teach people with mental illness how to live their life,” said Schroeder. The overall goal is for Sierra Wind to become more than just a center and an integral part of the community. ARTS Director James Means recently installed a bus stop directly in front of the center. The Church of the Nazarene provides one or two hot meals each week for clients, and a top Sacramento chef volunteered his time to cook the free lunch. Schroeder said this assistance in turn encourages center clients to volunteer at these other organizations. Mental Health America, a non-profit formally known as Mental Health of Sacramento, is the oldest advocacy mental health organization in the United States. For more information on services provided at the Sierra Wind Center, or to volunteer your assistance, call 209-223-1956. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – The Amador County Recreation Agency board approved a resolution recognizing a continued, cross-country relationship with its grant writer, Liz MacLeod, a longtime Calaveras County native, who will continue to give back to Amador County, from her new home in Clarksville, Tennessee. MacLeod said she had “never been called a magnanimous captain,” but that’s what the resolution said. ACRA Executive Director Tracey Towner-Yep’s resolution “kindly rejected” MacLeod’s letter of resignation submitted on August 21st, and said MacLeod “will remain as an employee of (ACRA) until such time as her services are no longer required.” MacLeod will “telecommute” from Tennessee. ACRA Board Member, Supervisor John Plasse said MacLeod was “instrumental in utilizing this new county grant writing software.” The resolution said MacLeod as grant writer garnered more than $100,000 in grant monies for ACRA, where she as a Recreation Aide 1 at Ione Junior High School’s after school program and leaves as Coordinator of Services and Public Affairs. Towner-Yep said she and MacLeod will continue as co-grant writers for ACRA, using the online-accessible software for grant writing. ACRA board Chairman Lee Ard said he first met MacLeod when she worked as a reporter for the Ledger Dispatch. Ard said her accuracy in reporting restored a faith in the accuracy of the newspaper, which was hard to meet when she left the paper. The resolution, passed on a 7-0 vote, said MacLeod “is intrinsically motivated, passionate, inquisitive and reliable.” She “performed her duties above and beyond expectations consistently” and was “an excellent team player and a magnanimous captain.” She took over as editor of the ACRA newsletter, and “her altruistic attitude has served the agency well, as she has volunteered countless hours and lent her expertise anywhere necessary.” Towner-Yep said she constantly asks MacLeod if she has changed her mind about leaving, but she has not. MacLeod told the ACRA board that the job was by far her best, and that the ACRA staff and director had become her family. According to its website, ACRA’s “mission is to maximize recreation opportunities for all the people in all the areas of Amador County by working collaboratively and thinking regionally.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.