An Amador City business owner is using her expertise to launch a new flea market. Linda Weber, 10-year operator of Linda’s Cloth Creations, is utilizing space at the Amador County Fair Grounds in Plymouth to create a new Amador County Country flea market. Like many local towns, Plymouth has its share of markets, auctions and sidewalk sales, but this will be the first year-round flea market. Weber is renting out 15 foot square places for vendors to set up and sell their goods. “We are hoping to get 200 vendors and give people the opportunity to buy a lot of things,” said Weber. Weber says running a flea market has been a lifelong dream. Spaces will cost $40 on the first Saturday of each month, beginning June 7th. The flea market will include sections for collectibles, antiques, household items, crafts, a farmers market and an area to sell cars, trailers, boats and tractors. Weber will continue to operate her business in Amador City while simultaneously running the flea market. For more information or to reserve a space, call 245-3192.

With the June 3rd election just around the corner, some may be wondering how the supervisor candidates funded their campaigns and how that money was spent.  As required by law, candidates must disclose campaign contributions and expenses to the Elections Department on a campaign disclosure statement. Here’s a look at who spent what as of May 17th. For District 1, the candidates are John Gonsalves, Rosalie Pryor Escamilla, John Plasse and Ken Berry.  All but Berry had campaign contributions. John Gonsalves has received just shy of 26,000 dollars in contributions and donations, mostly from area businesses and individuals, with the largest contributions from Stan Lukowicz and Mother Lode Real Investors for a combined total of 2800 dollars. Largely, Gonsalves spent money on campaign paraphernalia, literature, signage, and print advertising. Almost half of Rosalie Pryor Escamilla’s 10,941 dollars worth of contributions came from the Amador County Association of Realtors, with 1500 dollars out of her own pocket. So far, over 9000 dollars of that money has been spent, mostly on print and TV advertising, signage and campaign events.

Although John Plasse’s total contributions totals almost 44,000 dollars, about half of that amount was non-monetary contributions, including cases of wine, artwork, and other miscellaneous raffle prize items.  But the biggest contribution came from Plasse himself: over 12,000 dollars worth of jewelry that he used for a raffle and auction during fundraising events.  Plasse spread his funds throughout the media, advertising in print, radio and TV. For District 4, incumbent Louis Boitano has raised over 11,000 dollars, 2000 of which is a carryover from his 2004 campaign. Most of the remaining 9000 dollars consisted of 100 to 200 dollar amounts from local individuals and area businesses.  Boitano has spent just over 8500 dollars so far, mostly on fundraising events, print and TV advertising, campaign mailers, and signage. Also running for District 4, David Pincus has contributions totaling over 11,000 dollars, consisting of 3000 from his own pocket, almost 3000 in monetary contributions, and a 5200 dollar non-monetary donation of advertising from Jack Mitchell, Publisher of the Ledger-Dispatch. So far, Pincus has spent about 5600 dollars, mostly for signs, fundraising events, and campaign literature. Will all these expenditures pay off?  We’ll find out this Tuesday.  Don’t forget to vote!