News Archive (6192)
Amador County- 10th District Assemblymember and Amador County Representative Alyson Huber is staying busy with a number of upcoming events aimed at enriching connections with her constituents. On April 30th, from 6:30-7:30 in the Rancho Cordova Town Hall and again on May 7th from 6:30 to 7:30 in the Elk Grove Town Hall, Huber will conduct “introductory” workshops to address the concerns of residents. This comes after a successful town hall in Amador County earlier last month. Huber is also inviting residents to join her at an open house of the District Office this Sunday, May 3rd. The office will be open while the Lodi Street Faire is in progress from 8am to 4pm. District staff will be on hand to answer questions and show the resources the office offers. Finally Huber is set to host an event designed to help farmers comply with regulations regarding their workers and operations. This Farm and Ranch Compliance Informational Panel will be held Wednesday, May 6th at 6 pm in Lodi High School. The event will bring together representatives from OSHA, State Compensation Insurance Fund, and San Joaquin County Agriculture Department to discuss the rules and regulations governing farm and ranch operations. 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 –Plymouth City Council last week approved a resolution opposing expansion of Pardee Lake, with the bulk of the meeting going to the subject. The project is one of several identified in the Water Supply Management Plan 2040 under design by the East Bay Municipal Utility District. The plan’s author, Tom Francis presented it to the council and answered questions. Councilwoman Pat Fordyce asked for clarification on what raising a dam and what enlarging a lake would mean. Francis said there was a difference, noting that the 2040 plan included an element that looked at raising, or building up, the height of the dam at Lower Bear Reservoir by 33 feet. But he said East Bay MUD might be better served at Pardee by building a larger dam downstream from the existing dam and increasing the size of the reservoir. Fordyce asked: “Can you even build dams?” Francis said “you physically can, but you will probably hear tonight from some environmentalists that will say we will meet lots of issues” and roadblocks. He said East Bay MUD’s most work in the Foothills has been with the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority, but the agency has found that it needs “to reach out to the environmentalists too.” Francis said the comment period on the 2040 plan closes May 4th. The East Bay MUD board must answer comments in June, then it will look at the plan on July 14th and decide items to remove or keep. He said “ultimately, we are going to go forward with our water supply planning. We are a water agency.” City Manager Dixon Flynn asked what was in the equation for Plymouth, and will “Amador County get more water from this?” Francis said the county would get more water, but only through the Integrated Regional Conjunctive Use Project. Francis said agency studies of a new Pardee dam downstream would include “green energy” of hydro-generation, plus cold water pools beneficial to fish. He said injecting the aquifer, San Joaquin County desired solution to drought, would be done just as groundwater is extracted – through wells. “We won’t just be putting it everywhere,” Francis said. “We will have recharge well storage areas.” Fordyce said she could not believe that would work. The council adjourned the remaining agenda items to 5 p.m. today 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 County Board of Supervisors last Friday individually said they opposed expansion of Pardee Reservoir, setting up a likely vote to formally oppose the program at its board meeting Tuesday. The program is part of the East Bay Municipal Utility District’s 2040 Water Supply Management Plan, which the Oakland utility presented in an informational workshop to Amador supervisor on Friday. After a 3-hour presentation, Amador Chairman Ted Novelli said the Integrated Regional Conjunctive Up Program “is a great thing,” but the 2040 plan as presented to the county, he could “not support it in any way, shape or form.” He also noted that East Bay MUD officials made no mention of Alpine County, where 5 rivers originate, and he said East Bay should “get to know Alpine County.” Supervisor Brian Oneto said he saw problems with the 2040 plan, but he “would like to see a better water supply for this county,” through the IRCUP. Supervisor Richard Forster said he “will support staying involved in IRCUP,” but not the projects, especially the “enlarging of Pardee.” He said if East Bay MUD sought to build a new Pardee Dam downstream from Pardee would have the “same impacts as raising Pardee Dam, I don’t think I could support that either.” Supervisor John Plasse agreed, and said “trust is an issue.” Plasse said he should “not support the current project as proposed,” but he believed in collaboration to find regional solutions, and East Bay MUD should “put local support in its EIR.” Forster said if more local involvement was sought by East Bay at the outset, maybe there would be less local opposition. And he asked if “we can get an assurance form the (East Bay) board that Amador and Calaveras have to have a buy-in for this program” to work. East Bay Board Vice Chairman John Coleman said “we are not going to come up here and enlarge Pardee ourselves. We need regional support.” He said they would not pursue raising Pardee dam “without the support and benefits that are derived from local support.” Supervisor Louis Boitano said: “How much water are we taking about for our cut in this partnership? It’s kind of important to make an informed decision.” East Bay MUD General Manager Dennis Diemer said the IRCUP would give Amador County 20,000 acre-feet of water “from Lower Bear reservoir, Pardee or a combination.” Amador Supervisors on Tuesday will consider a resolution to oppose the 2040 plan but to support the Integrated Regional Conjunctive Use Project “Plus” program. 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 – Sutter Creek City Council on Monday tabled changes to an agreement with the Amador Water Agency on wastewater capacity expansion, pending review by staff. City Manager Rob Duke talked about the history of the agreement, which came about when increased solids and greases in the wastewater stream combined to cause a lack in capacity. He said was determined that the causes for the lack were equally due to new customers in AWA’s Martell Service Area 4 and also due to Sutter Creek. Upgrades in Sutter Creek’s aeration system led to a $1.5 million dollar project, which the city and the agency agreed to split, at a cost of $750,000 dollars each, and increase the wastewater capacity for each by 60,000 gallons per day. Duke said the expansion is not yet done and has not been approved, but the result will be “found capacity,” which Sutter Creek will be sharing with the AWA. A letter from AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie, with the AWA board’s signed agreement, asked the city or consultant Bob Reed to tally the cost per “Equivalent Dwelling Unit” to upgrade the sewer system from secondary to tertiary level treatment. Duke said the “AWA heard rumors that if Gold Rush (Ranch & Golf Resort) was approved,” it will require upgrading of the city plant to tertiary level. Duke said if Gold Rush is approved, “it doesn’t change anything about what we need to do to go to tertiary” treatment level. In public comment, Planning Commissioner Mike Kirkley said “it seems like they are getting a hell of a deal for 60,000 gallons a day capacity, and they could turn around and sell it for $1.5 Million Dollars.” Kirkley said the AWA board also indicated that Sutter Creek “can only charge them what it costs because of an old agreement” between the two. Bart Weatherly asked what the AWA would have to pay for tertiary level treatment. Duke said the city did “not know yet, because we have not chosen the technology yet.” City Attorney Dennis Crabb said he had a couple of questions about the contract on some procedural items, and Mayor Gary Wooten tabled the item to have it brought back to the next meeting, after review by staff. 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 County Joint Water Committee on Monday discussed some of the current and future water needs for both local and regional jurisdictions. Amador Water Agency General Manager Jim Abercrombie said an off-stream reservoir project at Duck Creek, south of the Mokelumne River, could possibly store 150,000 acre feet of water for the East Bay Municipal Utility District. And Foothill Conservancy’s Pete Bell said San Joaquin County can take up to 500,000 acre feet a year from the Moke. The joint committee was discussing the Mokelumne River Water Forum, whose 16 members signed a Memorandum of Understanding 4 years ago to study the water supply. Abercrombie said “the forum was put together because over the last 20 years, Amador has been good about protesting” East Bay MUD’s attempts to dam the Moke. The object is to work on each member’s projected future needs. “In our case,” Abercrombie said, “That’s 20,000 acre feet of firm water supply, excluding agricultural water.” He said that could also translate into additional firm ag water for the Jackson Valley Irrigation District, “we just don’t know yet.” He said “San Joaquin (County) really just wants to recharge the groundwater basin.” Supervisor Chairman Ted Novelli asked about the possibility of “5 or 6 years of drought in a row.” Abercrombie said “JVID wouldn’t get any water,” and the Central Amador Water Project, which serves the Upcountry, “would need additional storage just to get the water rights out.” Abercrombie said the forum process has been funded by state grants, and the state is “very interested in this conjunctive use project,” which could use Prop 84 money for targeting inter-regional projects. The Integrated Regional Conjunctive Use Plan is one of the elements in the East Bay MUD 2040 Water Management Plan that is being accepted by area water and municipal jurisdictions, while most of the local bodies have rejected the 2040 plan that would expand the Pardee Reservoir and flood parts of the banks of the Mokelumne River. 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 third annual 49er Bypass Fun Run & Walk race drew more than 100 entrants Saturday morning in downtown Sutter Creek. A crew of volunteers and staffers from the Amador County Recreation Agency led the 49er Bypass Challenge, and ACRA Executive Director Tracey Towner-Yep emceed the event and handed out medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers in each age group. The event started and ended at the crosswalk on downtown Main Street, in front of the Native Sons of the Golden West hall. It included 1-mile, 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer routes for both walking and running competitors. Christian Mullan, a junior at Amador High School, took first place overall in the men’s 5K race, with a time of 21 minutes and 5 seconds. Second overall was Drew Nasiatka in 22 minutes and 6 seconds; and third was Andrew Smith in 21 minutes and 56 seconds. Diana Sillivan was first overall among the women runners in the 5K race, and she finished in 26 minutes and 23 seconds. Taking second overall was Julie Taggart in a time of 26 minutes and 45 seconds. Katie Ross-Smith was third in 28 minutes and 6 seconds. In the 10K men’s division, first overall was John Allen, who finished with a time of 45 minutes and 36 seconds. Second was Dave Tearpak, running a race of 47 minutes and 45 seconds; and third was Mike Nesler. The women’s division 10K race was paced by Kellee Davenport, who had a time of 49 minutes and 35 seconds. Second place went to Carol Dustyn. Third place in the 10K was won by Mimi Holob. The money goes to funding ACRA programs around Amador County. 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 – Amador residents and officials turned out in droves for the Child Abuse Prevention Council’s first Bowl-a-Thon Fundraiser to raise awareness during April’s Child Abuse Prevention Month. More that 120 bowlers filled the 24 lanes at the Gold Country Bowling Center on March 28th to “strike out” an all too prevalent problem in our country. In total, nearly $9000 was raised in support of the council’s free education and prevention programs. Each bowler was also given a blue ribbon pin to recognize and celebrate April’s Child Abuse Prevention Month. Amador County Supervisors Richard Forster, Ted Novelli, Brian Oneto and John Plasse were also on hand to bowl their support. “I cut my fingers from bowling so much, but it was great fun and supports a good cause,” said Supervisor Richard Forster. That following Tuesday, March 31, the Supervisors showed their unanimous support for the council by presenting a resolution proclaiming April as Amador County Child Abuse Prevention Month. The resolution proclaims “that as a society, we have a responsibility to nurture and protect our children and help ensure they become healthy and productive adults. The resolution recognizes that parenting is the toughest job any of us will undertake and that as a community we must ensure that all parents and families have access to the support, information, and resources they need to succeed.” Other supporters and attendees of the event included students, local businesses, community organizations, bikers from as far away as Woodland, and two teams of wards from the Pine Grove Youth Correctional Camp. Amador Child Abuse Prevention Council is a non-profit organization providing free prevention education and training in our community. For more information please call 223-5921. 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 Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed and subsequently drafted a letter in opposition to EBMUD’s proposed Pardee Reservoir expansion on the ground that there has been insufficient time for public review. Within a day of submitting that letter, East Bay Municipal Utility District General Manager Dennis Diemer announced they will be extending the comment period another month beyond its original expiration date on April 6. “We have rights too, and they need to let us give our speal and see what happens,” said Board Chairman Ted Novelli. The letter was addressed to Thomas B. Francis of the Water Supply Improvements Division. The letter states that “due to time constraints and insufficient opportunities,” the public in Amador and Calaveras Counties have not been able to review the hefty 1,500 page Environmental Impact Report. EBMUD supplied only two copies of the 3-inch thick document for public viewing within the two counties, and these only became available on March 28. “In order for our comments to be meaningful, it is important for us to consider each of the elements,” states the letter. Novelli said he is also working to involve Alpine County in the process. The proposed Pardee Reservoir expansion included in EBMUD’s 2040 Water Plan would raise the dam by at least 33 feet and flood miles of the Mokelumne River. The comment period is now extended to May 6. No announcements have yet been made about future public meetings in our area with EBMUD officials. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Calaveras County - A new emergency food bank building in San Andreas is a big relief for local organizations whose resources have been stretched thin during the economic crisis. The building, which opened earlier this year and was celebrated in a ceremony in late March, is only the latest improvement in operations for the Human Resource Council, which changed its name last week to The Resource Connection. Russ Thomas, a Calaveras County Supervisor, was quoted as saying “I think there is some divine intervention in this” as he observed the opening of the 5000-square-foot facility on March 20. The new food bank includes modern multi-storage racks, a giant walk-in freezer, and meeting rooms where families can sit down with staff and assess their needs. The building was dedicated to Carol Phelps who served on the Resource Connection Board of Directors from 1986 to 2008, mostly as chairwoman. Calaveras Supervisor Steve Wilensky said the goal is to make sure Calaveras is the one county in California where no one goes hungry. He was also referring to another program recently launched by the Supervisors called Farm to Family, which encourages home gardeners and farmers to plant an extra row of food for donations to the food bank. The Resource Connection was started in 1977 by a small group of local women looking to solve local issues related to families, hunger and child care. It now employs over 170 people and runs locations throughout Amador and Calaveras counties on an annual budget of $8 million. Money comes from a variety of sources, from federal and state grants to local contributions. 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 35-year-old Home & Farm Kitchen Store is preheating the oven for a new location, a few doors down from its corner at Highway 49 & 88 and Main Street in downtown Jackson. “We are on our third generation,” said Janie Williams, who co-owns the Kitchen Store with her sons, Jess, 28, and Travis, 24. “Out sons are both heavily involved in the business.” It began as a butcher supply shop, opened by her parents, Monty and George Kenourgios. Janie said early on, her mother went to a supply convention in Kansas City and bought a few kitchen supplies. 3 years later, it was the Kitchen Store. Now, they carry 5,000 different kitchen items and have 300 different suppliers they order from. She bought into the company from her parents 24 years ago, and Jess and Travis bought in 5 years ago. They bought the former Pizza Factory Building, at 165 Main Street, from John Masters “a year ago and sat on it until January, not knowing what we were going to do.” Janie said now, her sons are working “7 days a week, 12 hours a day and pretty much they are the heart of all the construction over there and that’s what’s keeping it in our price range.” They have had some contractor help, but she was proud to say they have made all purchases for the new Kitchen Store at local, mostly Jackson sources. The new store will have a half-moon bar with 12 barstools. Janie said they already have a guest demonstration, Thai cooking by Helen Chin, scheduled for August. The old stained glass windows with the Kitchen Store logo, created by Cathy Wilson, are moving too, turned into oval windows by Volcano Glassworks, they will hang on either front of the building. It will have entrances on Highway 49 & 88, across from Mel & Fayes, and it will have an entrance on Main Street. The building is 2,600 square feet, up from the current building’s 900 square feet. They plan to open sometime between Mother’s Day and July 1st. Online, see www.biggestlittlekitchenstore.com, or for information, call (209) 223-0264. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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