News Archive (6192)
By Jennifer Wilson - Jackson’s Building and Planning Departments came under fire earlier this week when a permit violation issued in front of the Jackson Planning Commission unexpectedly switched directions. On the agenda at Monday night’s meeting was a Landscape Planning Ordinance violation by Brett Yochheim, who owns property on Jackson Gate Road. City staff assert that Yochheim proceeded with grading before obtaining a permit and damaged several trees on the property. City Planner Susan Peters gave a brief overview of the events leading up to the violation. Initial reaction from the Planning Commission was somewhat harsh. Commissioner Walt Hoeser commented that “we need to stop this (type of abuse)… I can’t believe the amount of grading that has already happened (without a permit).” Yochheim claims that he has followed the city’s instructions to the letter, including the submission of a building permit, grading plan, and paying the appropriate fees. On October 10th, Yochheim claims his plan was accepted by Senior Building Inspector Larry White and he was told verbally to proceed “with brushing and cutting.” “I was never informed by the building department (about the trees). I (wasn’t trying) to sneak this in. I’ve lived in Amador County for 22 years and have been a contractor for 15, and I was under the impression that I followed the right steps,’ said Yochheim. Commissioner Dave Butow called the entire issue a “moot point” and questioned the organization of the City of Jackson. “The city manager should have dealt with this before it got to this point… he paid his money, and should have gotten his permit.” Then, looking at Peters and City Manager Mike Daly, he added, “you guys are on the hook.” Peters and Daly defended their positions, stating that paying the money doesn’t equal having a permit in hand. In the end, the commission decided to impose a five-year tree monitoring plan, as well as mandatory maintenance of the trees.
By Jim Reece - The Sutter Creek City Council saw the light, historically, Monday night in its regular session, hearing a presentation from a Midwest streetlight vendor and a Pacific Gas & Electric spokeswoman. They heard a presentation on vintage style street lights then got some lectures form citizens who worried about city coffers, before another item on the agenda, raising wastewater rates and avoiding a negative balance in the sewer department’s operating funds. Shelley Scott of PG&E said the utility would offer grant funding and also would pay for parts of the new lights, if the city added an extra street lamp to the downtown’s roughly baker’s dozen of them. Ed Swift showed a vintage style streetlight cover that he said was probably very much like the lampshades used in Sutter Creek’s downtown. Swift said when he moved to Sutter Creek in the 1950s, there were simple wooden posts with lights on them, unlike the cast iron posts introduced by Gary Goran from the company Holophane, of Newark, Ohio. Goran said the glass lights were guaranteed not to turn yellow for 100 years, except for on lamp, which showed a yellow light, but lightened as the bulb heated up. Councilman Pat Crosby asked what the cost was for the cast iron posts. Scott said they ranged in price from 2,000 to 5,000 dollars. Swift, resident John Monross and others urged the council not to dally with vintage lighting until the city’s economy recovered, or until the future of the American economy was better known. Crosby said the issue of vintage lights should be turned over to the newly formed architectural advisory committee, to discuss the lamps with the vendors. Scott said that PG&E needed an application from the city to work with city Staff on the lights. The council thanked the presenters and Mayor Gary Wooten said the city would call the companies when they were ready to consider the lights. The council later in closed session discussed the Knight Foundry, which at one time in the past had discussed building vintage cast iron streetlights for the city.
The action packed world of mixed martial arts returns to Jackson Rancheria Casino with the ever so popular Global Knock-Out - The Rancheria Beat Down on Thursday, March 22. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event begins at 6:30 p.m. in Dalton Town Hall. You must be 18 or older to attend. Tickets are $100, $70, and $35 and are going fast so purchase your tickets online or by phone from Ticketmaster or in person at the Jackson Rancheria Box Office. The Box Office is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and accepts credit cards, checks, Dreamcatcher's Club points, and cash. The Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians launched the Global Knock-Out series last October. This second event will feature many top local fighters, plus a four-man heavyweight tournament. The audience is guaranteed a lot of action-packed fights. For more information contact the Jackson Rancheria at 800-822-WINN or visit jacksoncasino.com.
Last Saturday April 19th marked the
long-awaited opening day for the new playground structure recently installed in Detert Park. The
ribbon cutting event followed the fifth annual “Clean Our Green,” a community
wide effort intended to give Jackson
a spring cleaning by providing helpful participants with litter bags and gloves
to remove litter in public areas throughout the community. Over 60 community
members participating in this litter clean-up event to help celebrate Earth
Day.
As the Clean Our Green event came to a close, attention shifted to the play area behind the Jackson pool. After years of reserving funds for a new playground structure, the City invested 60,000 dollars in new playground equipment in the area where previous equipment was removed due to safety regulations. The City received assistance from the Jackson Elementary School third graders to select the equipment and the City’s Public Works crew installed the equipment. The play equipment features several different structures intended for children ages 2 to 12. The event is funded with California Department of Conservation funds granted to the City from the deposits on beverage containers.
Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel’s popular
series of comedy shows return on Thursday,
April 3, when 3 Blonde Moms
deliver their high-energy, semi-scripted standup comedy show jam packed full of
hysterical material about being a Mom, having a Mom, kids, schools, husbands,
in-laws, and more. If you have a family, know a family, or want a
family, this is the show for you! The show is in the Grand Oak Ballroom
at the Jackson Rancheria Hotel. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the laughter starts
at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 each and are available at the Dreamcatcher’s
Club booth in the casino.
Local
Supervisors Brian Oneto and Ted Novelli spearheaded a movement for more time
and information regarding the Forest Service’s new Off Highway Vehicle Plan-
and now their efforts are being rewarded. The Forest Service says
the public comment period for the Eldorado National Forest Public Wheeled
Motorized Travel Management Draft Environmental Impact Statement has been
extended for an additional 45 days. Forest Supervisor Ramiro Villalvazo says the public comment period will
end on October 22. The extension is an outcome of public comments the
Forest Service received during six public meetings held in July and August that
were attended by more than 1,100 people. The DEIS was released for public
review on July 20, 2007.
Jackson Rancheria Does it Again Global Knock Out Scheduled for August
Written by
The Jackson Rancheria Casino has announced they have schedules a third Global Knock-Out event. The wildly popular action packed world of mixed martial arts returns to Jackson Rancheria Casino with Global Knock-Out – Summer Slugfest on Thursday, August 2. Dalton Town Hall doors open at 5:30 p.m. Must be 18 to attend.Tickets are $100, $70, and $35 and can be purchased online or by phone from Ticketmaster or in person at the Jackson Rancheria Box Office. The Box Office is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and accepts credit cards, checks, Dreamcatcher's Club points, and cash. These tickets sell out extremely quickly- so do not hesitate if you want to attend. Since the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians launched the Global Knock-Out series last Fall, these events have become among the most popular attractions at the Casino. The audience is guaranteed a lot of sprawl-and-brawl, clinch-and-pound, ground-and-pound action-packed fights.This third event will feature many top local fighters, plus another four-man heavyweight tournament. Mixed martial arts began as a way of pitting different martial arts and fighting styles against each other with minimal rules in an attempt to determine which system would be most effective in real combat situations. It has evolved into a dynamic sport with some rules but much of the original no-holds-barred concept. Fight card subject to change. For more information, call 800-822-WINN or visit jacksoncasino.com
Amador County Natives Featured On Discovery Channel’s “The Deadliest Catch”
Written by
Are you a fan of the Discovery Channel’s number one
show-a crab fishing series, The Deadliest Catch?- Well if you are hooked like the rest of America and think you
recognize the Capt. Of the Wizard- new to the show this season- you are not mistaken.
The Capt and first mate are
Amador County natives that attended Plymouth Elementary School. Keith Colburn
of Redmond, Wash., has served at the helm of the Wizard for the last 14
years. His brother Monte Colburn is also an experienced deck hand who takes
over as skipper for the last half of crab season.
