News Archive (6192)
Amador County Narcotics Team expects loss of supervisor and funding
Written by Tom
Amador County – Amador County was reportedly among a list of dozens of drug and narcotics task forces that could lose Department of Justice funding, though the Amador County Sheriff’s Department is ready for the potential impact.
Undersheriff Jim Wegner said the Department of Justice did not cut funding for the Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team. Wegner said: “They do not control any of the task force finances or grants. The ACCNET council does.”
Wegner said the Department of Justice “suffered massive budget cuts which has led them to discontinue their participation in numerous anti-drug and anti-gang task forces state wide, including ACCNET.” The Justice Department “participated as a partner in ACCNET and provided a Special Agent Supervisor to oversee the day-to-day operations of ACCNET.”
Wegner said “ACCNET will not be terminated due to (Department of Justice) funding issues or withdrawal of their supervisor. This is something that was foreseen, and as such,” Sheriff Martin Ryan “already had a plan ready to present to the ACCNET Council to address the daily supervision of the unit.”
The Council and the Sheriff’s department will adapt to the loss of funds with a resolution that has been planned, Wegner said. He said the narcotics and gangs taskforce will continue, with local supervision, which does not necessarily mean decreased levels of service to the community. He said it could in fact increase the services of ACCNET.
Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team is one of the 48 regional narcotic task forces operated by the California Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement. The Amador team’s members include the state office; offices of the Amador County Sheriff, District Attorney and Probation; Amador Child Protective Services; police departments in Jackson, Sutter Creek, and Ione; Mule Creek State Prison; and the Amador Unit of the California Highway Patrol.
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Elk Grove pork rancher Steve Weaver to speak to Amador Upcountry Rotary
Written by Tom
Amador County – A local pork producer with national industry experience will speak next week at the Amador Upcountry Rotary Club in Pioneer.
Pork producer Steve Weaver of Weaver Farms in Elk Grove will address the group at 7:15 a.m. at Meadows Restaurant at Mace Meadow Golf Course in Pioneer.
Weaver’s presentation, “The Pork Industry: More Than Just the Other White Meat” will “showcase the industry’s rural economic impact, plus on-going programs to enhance the nutritional quality of pork, to protect the environment and to treat livestock humanely.”
He said “due to new technologies and management systems, U.S. pork producers have trimmed pork’s fat content 31 percent since 1983.”
Weaver said: “Like other industries facing strong competitive pressures, we’re working to constantly improve our ability to provide tasty, affordable and nutritious pork products in a responsible manner.” He said he will discuss how pork producers are providing quality products, “benefiting the local economy and being responsible neighbors.”
Weaver is one of 68,000 U.S. pork producers in the United States. He said the typical size sow operation can generate $27,000 in property taxes, $65,000 in state taxes and 21 jobs, and support another 19 indirect local jobs.
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USDA Farm Service Agency opens enrollment for 2010 disaster crop losses
Written by Tom
Amador County – Disaster assistance enrollment for farmers in Amador County opened this week for losses to crops that occurred in 2010.
The California USDA Farm Service Agency will assist in filing for the “Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments” program for 2010 crop year losses. The enrollment period began Nov. 14 for the 2010 losses, for qualifying operations.
Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Valente Dolcini in October said the “program provides a safety net of assistance to producers when disaster strikes,” according to Western Farm Press. Dolcini encouraged “California farmers and ranchers with 2010 crop losses to contact their county FSA office to learn more about the program.”
Two qualifications for the program include that the farm and operations must be within a county that was declared a disaster in 2010, with a designation given by the USDA Secretary. Or the operations must be located in a county contiguous to a disaster declaration, where the natural disaster caused a minimum of 10 percent loss of crop production, and of a crop economically significant to the operation.
Another qualification for the benefits is that any producer of any county is eligible if the operation lost at least 50 percent or more of its typical production due to any natural disaster deemed as qualifying of the benefits.
2010 California counties that were designated as disaster areas by the Agriculture Secretary were Lassen, San Joaquin and Tuolumne counties. The adjacent or contiguous qualifying counties in California include 15 counties, including Amador, Alpine, Calaveras and Sacramento counties.
Another requirement for being eligible for the program funds is that the operations must have been insured through the Federal Crop Insurance Program, for any crop upon which insurance can be made. For any crops not covered by FCIP, the crop must have been covered by the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
For more information contact the Elk Grove regional office, at (916) 714-1104.
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Supervisors deflect criticism of using Proposition 172 funds
Written by Tom
Amador County – Amador County Board of Supervisors briefly deflected criticism last week that they had taken fire department funds when they spent Proposition 172 funds on the “Amador County Plan,” the annual agreement to staff off-season stations with California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Dominic Moreno, chief of the Sutter Creek Volunteer Fire Department, spoke during “public matters not on the agenda,” saying that Proposition 172 money was lost by local fire departments when Supervisors used it to pay for the Amador County Plan, and he requested that the issue be placed on an upcoming agenda. He said he had a letter of support from the Amador County Fire Chiefs Association.
Supervisor Chairman John Plasse said the Prop 172 funds are part of the county General Fund, as identified by County Administrative Officer Chuck Iley.
Supervisor Richard Forster said the “money was used so we have complete, 24-hour coverage.” He said Lockwood Fire Department said they would not have 24-hour coverage, then reversed themselves, to support keeping the 172 funds.
Forster said: “I’d rather have that 24-hour coverage for those people in the Upcountry.” The agreement with CDF keeps staffing and an engine during the off-season winter months at its Pine Grove Mount Zion station.
Supervisor Louis Boitano said: “I have been in favor of canning the Amador Plan now for about 10 years now,” but he said Amador Fire District’s vehicles are not 4-wheel-drive. Moreno said they do have 4-wheel-drive trucks, though some trucks do not typically go Upcountry, while others do. Boitano said “they have to be in the right place at the right time.”
County Counsel Greg Gillott said they were getting into merits of an issue that was not on the agenda. Plasse said he just “wanted to clarify for the public” that there was an omission of facts of what Prop 172 funds were meant to do. Plasse said during the backing and pursuit of countywide measures, and the statewide Prop 172, he said the number one recommendation was consolidation. But they have multiple cities that do not support the consolidation, and the effect is that they have funding “going to lots of chiefs and very few Indians.”
Moreno said Sutter Creek Fire Department will lose $18,000 from the funding change. Boitano pointed out that Sutter Creek Fire also got another $60,000 more than last year from increased funding. Supervisor Brian Oneto said: “We are doing this to buy services for Amador County residents.”
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Sutter Creek hears its 2010-2011 fiscal year preliminary budget numbers are in the black by $30,000
Written by Tom
Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council last week heard a preliminary budget summary for its fiscal year 2010-2011 showing the city $30,000 in the black.
Finance Director Joe Aguilar said the report for the close of June was about 30 days behind schedule. He said bills and invoices come in September, and are reconciled from grants and the general fund. He said he and his staff have created a preliminary summary showing the city is $30,000 in the black and “without a $50,000 hit, we would have been $80,000 in the black.”
City Manager Sean Rabe said the hit was a little bit over $60,000 but the city had an $88,000 contingency, and “we beat that.” Aguilar said “that’s why the contingency was there” and it was “very wise of the Council to approach it that way.” He said the final numbers could change by $5,000 up or down after all numbers are reconciled.
The summary estimated $1.42 million in general fund revenue through June 2011, and $1.39 million in expenditures. In public comment, Mimi Arata asked if it was “normal to be several months late.” Aguilar said “we don’t have our sales tax until September” and the report was probably about a month late.
Arata said it was difficult to see what changed in the 40-page summary. Aguilar said “this is the first time that we have seen the June numbers.” He said he could have a summary with the next report. Vice Mayor Linda Rianda said she did not think a summary was necessary, as she herself looks at budget changes by the page.
Rabe said they should have a summary because when it is finalized, numbers will changes.
Aguilar said “finance staff is in the middle of closing the fiscal books” with “additional accruals and adjustments to be made to various accounts.” He said: “We do not expect the final adjustments to materially change the final outcome in the General and Sewer Funds.” He expected the work to be ready for review in about a month.
Also last week, Aguilar gave a first quarter report for the city General Fund, saying they “don’t have any surprises.” He said “cash flow is in the negative but that is normal because our big revenues come in December, January and April.” He said “there are no changes in our expectations in the General Fund budget.”
His next report will be on the Gas Tax Fund. He said overtime, retirement costs and health insurance are on target and taxes and benefits need to be on target because it affects employee W-2 forms.
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Amador County – The annual free Holiday Hay Rides at Jackson Rancheria, one of the most popular local holiday traditions, returns this year on Monday through Thursday, December 5-15, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Jackson Rancheria Fire Station on Dalton Road. Look for the big tent.
The Holiday Hay Rides feature a festive ride around the extraordinarily decorated Rancheria, which has more than 2.5 million lights, followed by a visit with Santa for the kids and refreshments for everyone.
The Rancheria recommends dressing warmly and bringing your camera for this great family photo opportunity.
The Rancheria will also be collecting toys for the annual Jackson Rancheria/Amador County Sheriff’s Office Christmas Toy Drive.
The Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel is located at 12222 New York Ranch Road in Jackson. For more information, call 800-822-9466 or visit JacksonCasino.com.
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Amador Catholic Center to begin remodel for new parish home
Written by Tom
Amador County – Changes on the horizon for Amador Catholic Center include a remodel starting this weekend, and the unveiling of a new namesake for its parish later this month.
The remodel of the front of the building begins this weekend, with the razing of a false wall at the front of the building, said Penny Dominici, a member of the Amador Catholic Pastoral Council. She said John Gonsalves is overall contractor of the remodel, which will include building a stone wall on the front, and landscaping in the front area of the building.
Dominici said the Center is also well on its way to getting a commercial-grade kitchen, thanks to Lodi Memorial Hospital, which donated kitchen equipment after a remodel of its own.
On a special service day, Nov. 30, Bishop Jaime Soto of the Sacramento Dioceses will reveal the saint or “blessed” person after which the new parish will be named. Soto will make the decision, and will be given results of a preference vote taken among parishioners. Dominici said Father Larry Beck knows the results of that vote, but did not disclose the preferences to parishioners.
Dominici said: “We were encouraged to read their biographies and to choose someone whose life we would like to emulate.” Soto gave church leaders three modern saints or “blessed” level church figures who are “up for grabs” because they do not have churches yet dedicated to them in the diocese. One is Blessed Teresa; one is Saint Frances Cabrini; and one is Saint Katherine Drexel.
She said, Blessed Teresa, better known as Mother Teresa of Calcutta, is “blessed,” meaning she has achieved a level of designation closer to church canonization as a saint. The Indian missionary was blessed in 2002.
Saint Katherine Drexel of Philadelphia was the second American saint, canonized in 2000. She was a vocal advocate of racial tolerance and founded Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Black and Native American people, which now has 63 missions.
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini was elevated to sainthood in 1946. Cabrini was born in Italy in 1850 and in 1889 came to the United States to work among Italian immigrants, at the urging of the Pope. She founded schools, hospitals and orphanages in America, expanding to houses in Europe and South America at the time of her death in 1917. Cabrini is the Patron Saint of Immigrants, and was the first American resident to be sainted by the Catholic Church.
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Sutter amador Hospital donates $2,000 to the Interfaith Food Bank
Written by Tom
Amador County – Sutter Health and Sutter Amador Hospital has contributed $2,000 to the Interfaith Food Bank of Amador County, and has given $255,000 to 29 Northern California Food Banks this holiday season.
Sutter Amador Hospital announced the donation Wednesday, saying that Sutter Amador Hospital officials, Director of Ancillary Services Kim Vagt, and Chief Executive Officer Anne Platt presented a check to Interfaith Council officials, Board of Directors member Lee Snell, and Executive Director Kathleen Harmon.
Sutter Amador Hospital and Sutter Health announced the $2,000 donation to Interfaith Food Bank, saying the funds are a portion of a quarter-million-dollar donation by the Sutter Health network to 29 food banks throughout Northern California, which will help provide more than a million healthy meals to families in need.
Food banks say monetary donations help maximize the amount of food available for the hungry. In many instances, a $1 donation can translate to over $5 worth of distributed food.
Anne Platt, CEO of Sutter Amador Hospital, said: “Many of our patients and neighbors are still struggling to afford healthy, regular meals. We hope that by supporting our local food bank we can provide some comfort this holiday season.”
Platt said: “We recognize that health care extends beyond the walls of our care centers. Wellness begins in our communities with a healthy meal on the kitchen table.”
The $2,000 given to the Martell Food Bank, was part of $50,000 in donations that Sutter Health made in the Sacramento and Sierra Region. Donations ranged from $250 to the Brownsville Lutheran Ranch Church, to $10,000 each to the Sacramento River City Community Services and the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services.
The Sutter Health network of care has donated $762,500 over the past three years to food banks in local communities.
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Amador County – The Amador Cannonball railroad train replica has reached its believed last stop, along the Animas River, south of Durango, Colorado, after a 960-mile trek via truck, and after a legal challenge and ruling in local court.
The movie prop, which has had several names in different movies, arrived in Durango where it was placed on a short piece of narrow gauge track under a pole barn constructed specifically for the engine and replica fuel car, according to the Farmington, New Mexico Daily Times’ online Nov. 7 edition.
Chuck Slothower of the Times wrote that the replica of the Rio Grande Southern locomotive used in the 1950 film “A Ticket to Tomahawk” arrived by truck on Nov. 4. The engine replica was painted as the Emma Sweeney in the film, as a replica of the Rio Grande Southern No. 20 locomotive. He wrote that the “locomotive replica’s return was engineered by the Durango Railroad Historical Society, a small non-profit group that promises to restore it.”
He said the wooden train, refurbished by the Mule Creek State Prison community, is housed in a pavilion at Santa Rita Park, a park owned by the city of Durango, on Highway 160, south of Durango, along the Animas River.
The train was subject of a suit in Amador County in which a former co-owner, John Queirolo, sought a restraining order on the Amador County Supervisors to stop the train from leaving county possession, and its place of rest for 31 years on the Amador County Museum grounds.
Queirolo said he was not allowed by the Amador Superior Court Judge to represent the former owners, whom he said conditionally donated the train, on condition that it not leave Amador County. He could not produce ownership documents of the train, and a temporary restraining order was lifted, allowing the train to leave.
Durango Railroad Historical Society said the replica was returning home, so to speak, after 60 years, since making “Ticket to Tomahawk,” which featured Marilyn Monroe in a bit part.
The Railroad Society donated $5,000 to the Amador County Museum in exchange for the donation to them of the train, by Amador County Supervisors. Part of the agreement was a good-faith effort to find mining or other artifacts, related to the Knight Foundry in Sutter Creek, which the Society could donate back to Amador County.
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Amador County – The Amador Catholic community on Tuesday announced an upcoming service planned for Nov. 30 when three local parishes become one and the diocese will reveal the new church’s namesake.
Most Reverend Jaime Soto, bishop of Sacramento, will preside over a special liturgy including “Solemn Evening Prayer, Installation of the New Pastor, Father Larry Beck, and the announcement of the name of the patron saint of a new, single parish comprising all of the Catholic churches of Amador County,” said Jeannine Crew, secretary of the Amador Catholic Pastoral Council.
Crew said “dating as far back as 1852, Reverend Bobard of Saint Andrew Parish, San Andreas was recorded visiting Jackson, Volcano and Sutter Creek mission communities in the soon-to-be-formed Amador County. Two years later the first Catholic church, Saint Bridget, was erected in Volcano.”
Today, she said, “the Catholic Community of Amador County has grown to almost 1,500 families, with six unique and distinct church communities” of Buckhorn’s Our Lady of the Pines; Volcano’s Saint Bernard; Jackson’s Saint Patrick; Sutter Creek’s Immaculate Conception; Plymouth’s Saint Mary of the Mountains; and Ione’s Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“Formed into three separate parishes over the decades, the acquisition of the new Martell property and buildings, will allow the three parishes to become one,” Crew said. “Each church will remain fully operational conducting weekly services, as will the new church location in Martell, once renovations are complete.”
Organizers said the historic event will take place at the Amador Catholic Center, 11361 Prospect Drive in Martell. Formal services will commence at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30. A video presentation of the new patron Saint will be shown at 6:30 p.m. with a festive reception of light refreshments to follow.
Crew said Amador County residents of all faiths “are invited to share and celebrate this defining moment with the Amador Catholic Community and experience our new location.”
Penny Dominici, a board member and volunteer, said “being centrally located, this is going to be a real cultural center” for parishioners. The service area and altar, with seating for 700, will be located in the former mechanics’ bay of the building. At one end will be a basketball court, as she said with any church, you must cater to your youth.
The parish will be made up of Father Larry Beck, Father Roland Ramirez, Deacon Gary Evans, Deacon Jaime Garcia, and Deacon Ed Pogue. For information or directions, call (209) 223-2970.
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