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News Archive (6192)
Sutter Creek – About 30 local and regional business leaders and politicians attended a public input session Tuesday at Days Inn in Sutter Creek with new Amador Regional Transit System manager, James Means, and got a local consensus: Local residents want to see the Kirkwood ski bus continue, and they want Saturday bus service. That came with a list of other ideas from the brainstorming groups, who were polled by Means as to their support of the 2 main ideas. Jackson City Manager Mike Daly added the proviso that he would support the Kirkwood bus, but “not at the expense of a weekday services compromise.” Means said “you can have it all, you don’t have to settle.” Amador County Transportation Commission Executive Director Charles Field said his board of directors talked about cutting the Kirkwood bus, and he said “it’s my job to remind you” that his “board gave him the directive to cut the Kirkwood service.” He said the meeting was a great first start for Means and ARTS, which is part of the ACTC. Means said he does intend to find funding for the Kirkwood service. Field said “just the price of gasoline could change everything you are talking about.” Amador County Recreation Agency Executive Director Tracey Towner-Yep, who founded and runs the Kirkwood ski buss program with ARTS, said the program is a “go,” it’s just a matter of getting funding. The program started 3 years ago and had its most popular year last year, when so many people took the $10 ride to Kirkwood that about 6 times last year, they had to send 2 busses. Also last year, Debbie Dunn set up “Sierra Tickets” to allow online ticket purchases. And the program received cost-sharing from Kirkwood. But bottom line, Towner-Yep said the program lost money. Chip Seamans, general manager and chief operating officer of Kirkwood Mountain Resort said he admired how ACRA and ARTS “stuck with it last year.” Seamans said Kirkwood is its “own separate entity up there,” part of Amador, Alpine and El Dorado Counties. Seamans said he would help “you figure out how to help us,” and “there’s a cost to both of us to make it happen.” He said it is important to Kirkwood to get kids involved in skiing and snowboarding at an early age. ACTC’s Mell Welsh said Kirkwood gave the program $150 for each 10 passengers it brought to the resort last year. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ione – The Ione City Council last week approved the release of a “request for qualifications” from companies that might want to build the city a new wastewater treatment plant. The object is to fix the system’s ills, and appease the state. City Manager Kim Kerr said “we have to do something with the wastewater facility to get out from under a cease-and-desist order.” She said the council will inevitably have to decide whether it wants to make improvements on its existing system, “or build a whole new facility.” Kerr said one option, which the council approved, 3-1, was to advertise a “request for a statement of qualifications.” Then the Wastewater Committee, consisting of Mayor Lee Ard and Vice Mayor Skip Schaufel, and financial experts, will review and rank the submissions, and bring in the 3 top firms to participate in a “Request For Proposals (RFP).” Kerr said that could include presentations by the companies to the city council, on separate days. Kerr said the RFPs “will come back (as) 30 percent complete” projects. She said the companies will, in effect, say: “We believe this is a project,” and submit a draft plan, but do nothing until the city council says so. Kerr said the council “can contract with someone to analyze the financing in the statements of qualifications. She said the companies’ financial data is proprietary and will not be open to the public (unless the company is publicly traded). Staff said the request for a statement of qualifications for the project was already written. Councilman Jim Ulm voted against the request for a statement of qualifications, saying that the city would be better off phasing in the city wastewater plant upgrades. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jackson – The Amador Vintners Association earlier this month reported 3 new wineries have joined the association, including 2 vineyards that are open to the public in the Shenandoah Valley, and 1 still working toward opening, on Latrobe Road. Jamie Lubenko, executive director of the AVA said the wineries will have tasting rooms and produce wine, and brings to 33 the number of wineries the association now has as members. The new members include Borjon Winery, Driven Cellars and Serra Fina Cellars. Borjon is located on Shenandoah Road. It’s owned by Islander (zilander) Borjon, and his wife, Iliana. Islander “is the son of Jesse Borjon, one of the area’s largest labor contractors,” Lubenko said, so she was “sure it’s a great realization for them to finally have their own winery.” At about age 24, she said Islander “is probably one of the youngest winery owners in the state.” Borjon’s has a “Spanish style” setting, surrounded by rockwork, a picnic area, and flowers. Another new winery to join AVA is Driven Cellars, located on Steiner Road, also a Shenandoah Valley winery. Driven Cellars is owned by Chris Chinco. Lubenko said: “It has a tire track on the label, and a delicious barbera.” The third new member to association is Sera Fina Cellars, whose owners have joined the association but have not yet opened for business. Owned by Paul Scotto, Sera Fina is “a first generation winery from a fifth generation winemaker.” Its tasting room opens this fall on Latrobe Road. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sutter Creek –The Sutter Creek Planning Commission voted 3-2 early Tuesday Morning to recommend approval of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort “Specific Plan,” and related documents. The documents then go on to the City Council for consideration. The council likely will meet September 8th, and hear a staff report and an explanation of what comes next in the process. An estimated 300 people attended the meeting, which began at 7 p.m. Monday in the Sutter Creek auditorium, and ended after 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. Attendees included about half a dozen people holding hand-lettered support signs, with messages such as: “Gold Rush is good for Sutter Creek,” and “Vote Yes on Gold Rush.” Those with green “I support Gold Rush” stickers outnumbered opponents, who wore red circle/slash stickers, crossing out “Gold Rush.” Foes included Foothill Conservancy Executive Director Chris Wright, who wore the anti-Gold Rush sticker. On the other side, former Sutter Creek auto dealer Frank Halvorson was among the many green-stickered supporters. The meeting opened at 7 p.m. and spanned 6-and-a-half hours, with the Planning Commission eventually approving the Gold Rush Environmental Impact Report in a 5-0 vote. They also worked on conditions of approval, on which Commissioner Frank Cunha said the commission stood firm. Cunha said there were no changes in requirements for grading, tree retention, the golf course, community parks and hiking and biking trails. Cunha and Commissioner Robert Olson and Chairman Robin Peters voted to pass a resolution recommending approval of the specific plan of Gold Rush, along with city General Plan amendments, zoning amendments, and a “phased vesting large lot tentative subdivision map.” Voting against the resolution were Commissioner Mike Kirkley and Vice Chairman Corte Strandberg. Cunha said the vote showed that the commission – by a 3-2 majority – “thought it was the best specific plan for the land” and the best use for “that 945 acres.” He said the commission made a lot of changes, as it looked through last-minute revisions that Gold Rush sought. The commission elected to go through each item, and it took public comment. Kirkley said the last-minute list of changes from Gold Rush’s Greg Bardini put pressure on the commission. Peters said he thought the commission needed to look at the list and digest it. Cunha agreed, saying “the attachments are by far the most important section of the Specific Plan, because they allow mass grading and mass building.” The commission still worked another 4 hours on the documents, going through each request and also taking public comment. Mary Beth Van Voorhis, clerk of the commission, said the meeting adjourned at 1:37 a.m. Tuesday. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County – Amador County Highway Patrol Officers assisted in a high-speed pursuit last Saturday that originated in Stockton and eventually ended in Calaveras County. The pursuit began on Highway 99 near Woodbridge Road after a San Joaquin County CHP Officer noticed Stockton resident Stephen Earl Wise, 50, driving recklessly. According to the official arrest report, Wise did not stop when prompted and the pursuit entered Amador County at Highway 88. Amador CHP units took over the pursuit of Wise, which passed through Jackson and continued down Highway 49 into Calaveras County. At times the chase exceeded 100 miles per hour. Wise veered off on Neilsen Road, where he lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree. Responding Calaveras CHP Officers tazed and subdued Wise when he resisted arrest. Wise was suspected to be under the influence of drugs and was charged on multiple felony counts. It was later determined that Wise was avoiding arrest because of parole violations. Wise was returned to San Joaquin County where he is being held in the county jail. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jackson – Following huge turnouts at recent town halls in Jackson and Citrus Heights, Congressman Dan Lungren announced Tuesday that he will be holding a district-wide tele-town hall on Thursday, August 27 at 5:30pm. Rough estimates indicate that over 600 people attended the Citrus Heights Town Hall and over 400 people strained to hear the Congressman speak in Jackson last Saturday. Each of these town halls focused on the highly contentious issue of health care reform. The tele-town hall will take place from Lungren’s Gold River Office. Between 175,000 to 200,000 homes will be automatically called in the 3rd Congressional District that night. Residents will be asked if they want to participate then placed in a cue and selected to ask questions of the Congressman. A third in-person town hall meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 26 at 2729 Prospect Park Drive in Rancho Cordova beginning at 7pm. Arrangements have been made to accommodate 2000 people. Congressman Lungren serves as Ranking Member on the House Administration Committee in addition to serving on the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sutter Creek – The Amador Regional Planning Committee next week will hear presentations on Jackson and Plymouth municipal wastewater treatment systems and also hear about those 2 cities’ plans for the future. The committee has requested that each member jurisdiction of the Regional Planning Committee present an overview of its wastewater treatment facilities and plans. The intent was to discuss challenges and share solutions related to the treatment and disposal of wastewater, and to seek opportunities to coordinate efforts whenever feasible. Next Wednesday’s meeting will feature presentations on the city of Jackson’s wastewater treatment master plan; and a presentation on the city of Plymouth’s wastewater treatment facilities and plans. In past Planning Committee meetings, staff members from Sutter Creek and from Ione have given presentations on those cities’ wastewater treatment systems. The Planning Committee’s membership includes the Amador County Board of Supervisors, represented by Supervisors Brian Oneto and Board Chairman Ted Novelli. Current committee members are Mayor Pro Tempore Tim Murphy of Sutter Creek; Mayor Connie Gonsalves of Jackson; Novelli and Brian Oneto; Councilwoman Andrea Bonham of Ione; Councilwoman Pat Fordyce of Plymouth; and public member Renee Chapman. Some future agenda items for the Planning Committee include General Plan Update Presentations. Amador County’s update is still in progress. Amador County’s General Plan Panel has met since last October on the project. The Ione Planning Commission 2 weeks ago made a recommendation to the Ione City Council, which will consider its General Plan Update in a meeting 6 p.m. Wednesday. On August 13th, the Plymouth City Council approved its General Plan Update. Plymouth has spent nearly half a million dollars on its update. Other Amador Regional Planning Committee future agenda items include individual presentations on current and proposed wastewater treatment and recycled water distribution facilities and programs. Another is the drafting of a program document supporting the sharing of revenues from major new and relocated commercial developments. Another future agenda item is establishing a system to share personnel and material resources between jurisdictions. Another is recirculation of the updated memorandum of understanding (which created the planning committee). The Amador Regional Planning Committee meets 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 2nd, at the Sutter Creek Community Building on Church Street. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sacramento – State Senator and 1st District representative Dave Cox announced on Tuesday that he is backing GOP candidate Paul Hegyi in his run for the 10th Assembly District seat in 2010. “Paul Hegyi will be a tireless public servant and is an outstanding candidate for the 10th district,” said Cox, adding: “Paul will be a reformer and understands the need to protect California families and businesses from increased taxes and reckless spending, which is what got us where we are today.” “I am proud to have Senator Cox co-chairing my campaign," said Hegyi. “As the Senator representing most of the 10th district, he knows the issues we face and I look forward to working with him as a member of the Legislature.” Cox’s support comes on the heels of endorsements from Assistant Republican Caucus Leader Martin Garrick of San Diego and Senator Tony Strickland, who represents portions of Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties. Garrick said Hegyi, “knows what needs to be done to fix the system and is committed to reining in out-of-control state spending.” Hegyi said the current 10th District Assemblywoman, Democrat Alyson Huber, voted for “the largest tax increase in California history” when she backed the February budget and associated tax hikes totaling an estimated $16 billion. He also said she refused to rein in out of control public employee pensions. “The current mess in Sacramento could have been prevented if our elected leaders would have the courage to make tough decisions. Unfortunately, Alyson Huber has chosen to leverage the future of our state and push those tough decisions off to future legislators,” said Hegyi. Hegyi is currently serving as chief staff to Assemblyman Van Tran and made an unsuccessful bid for the same seat in 2008. As of early July, he had raised nearly four times as much campaign money as his primary opponent, Lodi Republican Jack Seiglock. The 10th Assembly District was narrowly won by Huber after a heated campaign battle with Sieglock last fall. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jackson - An estimated crowd of 400 people filled and surrounded the Jackson Civic Center on Saturday morning to hear Congressman Dan Lungren give his take on the highly contentious topic of health care reform. TSPN was on hand to record the town hall meeting, which will be playing all week during the “Our Sports Show” segment. Lungren, a Republican who represents the 3rd Congressional District, spoke against health care legislation pushed for by President Obama and many Democrats, which includes the idea of a public option. He said it would be a slippery slope towards a government takeover of the country’s private health care system. Lungren’s words were met with a combined chorus of cheers and boos from the divided crowd in attendance. Although Lungren said he favored some reform, he called government-backed healthcare programs a form of “rationing,” and said he supported a more surgical approach. Outside, protestors and supporters of the reform plan paraded back and forth carrying signs. One fervent opponent carried a yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” flag, while a number of Democratic supporters waved signs reading “Health Care Can’t Wait” and “Medicare for All.” The majority of those in attendance seemed aligned with Lungren’s views on the matter, although supporters of Obama's healthcare plan turned out in large numbers as well, surprising for a county whose makeup consists mostly of older, retired Republicans. A couple heated arguments sparked outside between reform supporters and those satisfied with the status quo. We have two clips of speakers from the town hall representing both sides of the debate. The first is Amador County Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Hartmann, and the second is a union retiree. Check our online programming schedule at tspntv.com to find out when you can watch the debate on TSPN TV. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jackson – For the second consecutive year, Amador County will walk away with major prizes for its California State Fair exhibit thanks to the hard work of builders Kam Merzlak, Doug Westcott and Kurt Todden. Amador County was awarded one of only a handful of gold ribbons and Merzlak’s team won Best Design. The latter award was especially impressive considering stiff competition from other counties and six or seven exhibits constructed by set builders from Universal Studios. Fairgoers are going wild for the exhibit, which consists of a replica of the famous Kennedy Mine headframe and a turning tailing wheel. As if that weren’t impressive enough, the exhibit also includes a running stream and an animatronic gold miner panning for gold. “The more eye-catching it is, the more people will stop,” said Merzlak. So realistic was the display that some judges were convinced Merzlak himself was animated when he made a 90-second presentation on Amador County from atop the 18-foot high headframe replica. Merzlak said visitors have been so interested in the exhibit and what Amador County has to offer that they have already handed out literature to over 1000 people. “We wanted to replicate the Kennedy Mine experience for visitors to the Fair, and I think we succeeded,” said Merzlak. Financial backing for the project was provided in part by the Board of Supervisors, Stan Lukowicz, the Sutter Creek Promotions Committee, Sue Underwood, Sharyn Brown and Debbie Dunn. The Amador County Kennedy Mine exhibit will be on display at the State Fair until Monday, September 7. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
