News Archive (6192)
The City of Jackson has just adopted two proclamations regarding the month of September. The first recognized that September of 2008 is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. Vice Mayor Connie Gonsalves read the proclamation, which stated that substance use disorders impact 22.6 million people aged 12 or older in the U.S. The proclamation called upon “the people of Jackson to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies supporting this year’s theme, ‘Join the Voices for Recovery: Real People, Real Recovery’.” Also, September 2008 will now be Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in Jackson. Council member Andy Rodriguez read the proclamation and presented it to Karen Crabtree, 
whose husband successfully has beaten the disease. Crabtree provided the public with information on the cancer, including a group in San Francisco called the Second Opinion that offers free services on second opinions from a panel of five doctors. For anyone interested in that group, call 415-775-9956.
Public Encouraged To Provide Input To Ione's General Plan
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Residents are encouraged to attend the second in a series of public workshops on Ione’s General Plan Update. The meeting will focus on important issues related to the location of parks and recreation, housing developments, the utilization of downtown Ione and other land use topics. The workshop will be held Monday, September 8, 2008 at 7pm in Evelyn Bishop Hall. The meeting will feature extensive public input opportunities through interactive surveying, question and answer, and provide an open forum for comments. Participants will also learn to put their ideas on paper through several mapping exercises. This is an opportunity for participants to share their views and give insight on how to maintain Ione’s quality of life while planning for a thriving and enriching future.
The Amador County Treasurer and Tax Collector, Michael E. Ryan announced Friday that unsecured taxes for the 2008/09 fiscal tax year are now due and payable, and will become delinquent if not paid by 5 PM on Tuesday, September 2nd. Unsecured taxes are usually owed on items such as boats and airplanes, and also for business property, possessory interests, and mining claims. A 10 percent penalty will be added to any unpaid taxes after the September 2nd deadline. Payments mailed must be postmarked on or before the deadline, and can be sent to the Amador County Tax Collector at 810 Court Street in Jackson 95642. You can also make your payments in person at that address, or via credit card by calling 1-800-609-4599. In addition, you can make an e-check or credit card payment online via the web address shown on your County tax bill. If you have any questions about your bill, please call 209-223-6364.
The Board of Supervisors has approved much needed improvements to what many consider one of Amador County’s most dangerous intersections. At the meeting Tuesday morning, Public Works Director Larry Petersen announced the approval of two federally funded grants that will go towards traffic safety improvements at the intersection of Ridge Road and New York Ranch Road. Specifically, the improvements consist of installing a new traffic signal, lengthening the existing merge lane and improving the “road profile” west of the intersection. The total combined amount of the two grants is 2,234,000 dollars. The grants were applied for under the 2007/2008 Highway Safety Improvements Program and the High Risk Rural Roads Program. The County is providing matching grants of 100,000 dollars. Since the grants cover a wide range of projects, the County’s local share is identified as 434,000 dollars. By combining these projects into a single effort, it is expected that cost savings will reduce the local share to 300,000, said Peterson. Resident and former supervisorial candidate David Pincus said he lived right near the intersection, or at “ground zero.” He said the improvements were “long overdue.” Members of the Ridge Road Coalition, who have been the most vocal opponents of the current blinking yield light, were not present at the meeting. The Supervisors unanimously welcomed the improvements, but were skeptical about there permanency. “There are people out there who think this is just another band aid. Will we ever be able to do an ultimate fix?” said Supervisor Louis Boitano. Although hesitant to say, Peterson predicted that the new intersection would last 20 years and accommodate for predicted traffic growth.
Yet another accident at an intersection in Pine Grove is raising concerns amongst citizens opposed to what one resident referred to as, “the world’s most idiotic traffic signal.” The project, funded by Caltrans, has directly resulted in at least six accidents since the light was installed in mid-2005 at the intersection of Ridge Road and Highway 88. Most resident’s specific concerns center on an unsignaled left hand turn lane that seems to be the cause of every accident so far. TSPN’s contributing photographer Bill Lavallie has been following these accidents since their inception. Monday morning, a driver proceeding up the hill east bound failed to notice the small sign that states “yield to oncoming traffic.” 
The driver turned left at the light, and was broadsided by a pickup hauling a flatbed trailer loaded with scrap car parts. “This intersection has brought repeated accidents of this nature due to the fact that CALTRANS refuses to put a real turn signal on the left hand turn lane. It is only a matter of time before we have another fatality at this intersection,” said Lavallie. Moderate injuries were reported as a result of this latest accident. TSPN will have a more in-depth story later this week as we gather more information.
We have an update to an earlier story that Prospect Motors would be holding another rally on February 17th. Sources tell us that a national news station will be visiting Amador County by next Tuesday to cover the closure of Prospect Motors and its effect locally. There is not another rally scheduled, despite rumors to the contrary. The CBS news crew is expected to do one-on-one interviews.
Amador County – The Jackson City Council heard a report Monday that it may once again receive funding from the Jackson Rancheria Casino. After discussing city budget woes, City Manager Mike Daly said he had “good news: The Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund is back, after one year, after a slip of the blue pen by Mr. Schwarzenegger.” Daly recommended reviewing project ideas for the grant funding, with the application due to be submitted next Wednesday (February 18th) to the Indian Gaming Local Community Benefit Committee. That committee includes elected officials from cities within four miles of the casino, along with two members each from the board of supervisors and from the casino. The committee includes Mayor Connie Gonsalves and Vice Mayor Wayne Garibaldi of Jackson, Mayor Gary Wooten of Sutter Creek and Supervisors Richard Forster of District 2 and John Plasse of District 1. The Jackson Rancheria’s Rich Hoffman and Bo Marks round out the committee, which Daly said “has agreed to use the same application and review process used two years ago,” the last time funds were allocated. The amount to be shared with the communities will be $616,826 – the same amount total shared in 2007. Jackson Police Chief Scott Morrison said one project he would like to see paid for with the funding would be to outfit a vehicle for a new police dog, recently flown into Jackson from Germany. He said the dog will be handled by Reserve Officer Al Lewis, a recent retiree from the Bay Area. The vehicle would be outfitted with a special protective cage to keep the dog and passersby safe. It would also have an alarm to warn the handler of harmful conditions within the vehicle. Garibaldi suggested parking and road improvement since the Rancheria has directed all of its traffic to enter the Rancheria via Highway 88 and Dalton Way. Gonsalves asked about funding for programs about related crime. Morrison said since that was last mentioned, he has received “boxes and boxes of free literature” for that purpose and his department is going through it. Daly said “the funds are there for mitigating impacts in the community,” while the state keeps other funds for programs such as Gamblers Anonymous. Garibaldi said this could be the last year for the funding, due to “sunset laws.” Story by Jim Reece (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Amador County – The Amador Regional Planning Committee discussed potential projects for the upcoming year last week, hearing about water, wastewater, finances and regional solutions as possibilities. The committee met in Sutter Creek and Chairman Tim Murphy read an e-mailed suggestion from Krista Clem, whose husband, John O’Sullivan is developing two housing projects in Amador County. Clem suggested the committee look at and study being a part of the regional wastewater treatment plant. Ione Councilwoman Andrea Bonham said she thought that was a good idea, and she suggested that at a future meeting, each member give local updates on water and wastewater developments in the cities and the county. Bonham said “I’m not sure all of us understand what all of us already have.” Jackson City Manager Mike Daly, in attendance, said he thought the committee should have the Amador Water Agency attend to tell about the substantial work it has done for supplying water. Sutter Creek Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe (RuhBay) said the committee might want to divide the programs to have separate presentations on water and wastewater, given the likely extensive presentations that could ensue. Murphy said the wastewater meeting would have members “probably end up talking about a recycled water plant.” Bonham suggested that the members give presentations on or talk about information on economic stimulus funding or grant resources, in an effort to help generate information for the committee members and help with finances across the county. Jackson Mayor Connie Gonsalves agreed and suggested that because of trying economic times, the committee members give financial updates in March to tell what cities and the county are doing to cope with the recession, and what areas they are doing work. Murphy agreed and said that would be a good presentation topic for the Regional Planning Committee’s next meeting, March 4 in Sutter Creek. Story by Jim Reece (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Amador County – District Attorney Todd Reibe announced the arrest of Joseph Robert Maita, employee of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione. Maita, 49, of Ione, was arrested on November 25, following a seven-month criminal investigation. A felony complaint has been filed in Amador Superior Court alleging multiple counts of insurance fraud. The investigation indicates that Maita filed a workers compensation claim in March 2008 alleging a knee injury while working at Mule Creek Prison. Maita was allowed to take time off from work and began receiving workers’ compensation benefits and treatment. The investigation alleges Maita forged a medical document in order to extend his time off from work and continue to receive benefits. The case was investigated by the CDCR Office of Internal Affairs, the Workers Compensation Fraud Impact Team and investigators from the Amador County District Attorney’s Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit. The unit investigates insurance fraud cases in Amador, Placer and Calaveras counties through a grant provided by the California Department of Insurance. Staff Report (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Amador County - For the first time in decades, several local fisheries will not be stocked as part of a lawsuit brought forth by two environmental groups. Lake Amador and several fisheries in neighboring El Dorado County are among 200 California lakes and streams where trout plants from the Department of Fish and Game will be suspended until early 2010, when a comprehensive study on its stocking program will be completed. The action is intended to protect over 25 rare native fish and frog species. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Patrick Marlette was convinced by lawsuit backers - the Center for Biological Diversity and the Pacific Rivers Council - that scientific studies prove that fish stocking has a negative impact on existing species. The Kern River, where trout did not historically live above 7,000 feet, is one local example of the impact. The mountain yellow-legged frog was once the areas most common vertebra, but now occupies only a fraction of the range’s 4000 lakes.
Local popular trout fisheries impacted by the settlement include the Truckee River and the Kern River. Lake Kaweah and Lake Isabella will still be stocked. Lake Amador will not be stocked by the Department of Fish and Game, although they do have their own private trout planting program. According to Roland Knapp, research biologist at UC Santa Barbara's Sierra Nevada Research Laboratory in Mammoth Lakes, fish feed on frogs and tadpoles and play a greater role in species decline than disease and pesticides. Traditionally, stocking in California has been random without consideration for impacts on native species. Fishermen and businesses dependent on their business have been critical of the decision, fearing the financial impact this could have on fishing communities. Fish and Game officials said that while necessary and overdue, the ban could be unwarranted in certain waters. Although the stocking suspension will mean a major decline in trout population, Fish and Game said fish will still be available for the catch, just at a lower rate. Story by Alex Lane (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
