Amador County – The Amador County Unified School District Board of Trustees heard a budget update last week that said figures are looking to be on target and the district could end the year with Nine-hundred-thousand dollars in reserves.

Tim Zearley, assistant Superintendent for business said with the “Basic Aid” revenue settlement from Amador County, some $500,000 dollars, the School District was headed toward finishing the fiscal year with a projected ending fund balance of $4.2 million dollars, and the equivalent of a 14 percent “basic aid reserve,” of $895,000 dollars.

Zearley said being a Basic Aid school district, Amador Unified is not subject to a midyear budget change, under the Governor’s May revise.

Also last week, the Board approved District policy toward revising the age criterion for admission into kindergarten or first grade, to meet new law, Senate Bill 1381 of 2010. The District approved the policy that will move the birth date that triggers enrollment eligibility one month each year between the 2012-2013 school year and the 2014-2015 school year.

For the current school year, a child had to be 5 years old by Dec. 2 of the school year to enter kindergarten and age 6 by that date to enter first grade. The policy change makes the date Nov. 1 of the school year for those birthdays, to enter those grades in the 2012-2013 school year. The date changes to Oct. 1 for the 2013-2014 school year, and Sept. 1 for the 2014-2015 school year, per the new policy.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Ione Band of Miwok Indians last week announced that the U.S. Department of Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs had approved a fee-to-trust application by the tribe for 228 acres of land to build a casino in and around Plymouth in Amador County.

Tribal Chairwoman Yvonne Miller said the “Ione Band of Miwok, a federally-recognized indian tribal government, has been landless ever since their land was taken from them more than a century ago.”

Miller, in a release Friday, May 25 said that in the early 1900s, the United States government promised the Ione Band of Miwok Indians that it would restore its land base in Amador County. She said: “Today (May 25) the Ione Band was pleased to learn that the United States government has taken a giant step toward fulfilling that promise by issuing a notice of its decision to accept in trust 228 acres near Plymouth in response to the application of the Band.”

Miller said the Ione Band “has acquired rights to that land in order to have it held in trust by the United States for purposes of economic development of benefit to the Band and its members and their neighbors.”

Miller said “several generations of my people have waited for this day to come.” She said: “I am honored to stand in a long line of leaders who have worked hard to regain our land. And I am overwhelmed with joy as I tell our people we have come much closer to our promised land.”

She said “for generations we have welcomed others who have moved into areas next to these 228 acres and we have stood proudly with them in efforts to better our region. We look forward to working with our neighbors to make this trust land decision a win-win opportunity for jobs and economic growth for everyone in our community.”

The Department of the Interior announced the approval Friday, marking the start of a 30-day protest period on the decision to take the land into trust.

The project has been in the works in Plymouth since scoping sessions were held toward environmental documentation starting in 2004. A recall election removed three Plymouth City Council members from office in 2004 after they signed a Municipal Services Agreement with the tribe.

Miller said last week that the tribe is still planning to pursue its casino, which does not have a name because the project has been idle for so long. The project also includes a hotel, restaurants and other amenities.

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Amador County – The 25th annual Pi Kappa Phi Journey of Hope will ride into Jackson for the 23rd time next Tuesday, June 5 looking to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities.

PUSH Journey of Hope publicist Paul Willar said a team of cyclists will arrive in Jackson as a stop on their 4,000-mile cycling event across the country to raise funds and awareness for people with disabilities. The 25th Journey of Hope is presented by KRG Capital.

The team, which will include Arc Executive Director Mike Sweeney, will ride into Saint Sava Mission in Jackson to be greeted by Arc of Amador and Calaveras Counties for lunch and a Friendship Visit at noon on Tuesday, June 5. Sweeney said this is the 23rd time that Arc has hosted the PUSH riders, as many years as Sweeney has directed the organization. That evening at 5 p.m., dinner will be provided by the Jackson Lion’s Club at Mel and Faye’s Diner.

The Journey of Hope is a program of Push America, the national philanthropy of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, which raises funds and awareness for people with disabilities. The Journey of Hope team consists of men from Pi Kappa Phi chapters across the country. The team will cycle an average of 75 miles per day, beginning in San Francisco and ending in Washington, D.C., on August 5.

Riders take three routes, North, South and TransAmerica and at stops across the country, they will distribute grants directly to assist organizations in serving people with disabilities. Arc provides services to people with disabilities in Amador and Calaveras counties, including assisted living, work and travel.

Willar said for the touring team, “the real journey will not be on a bike, but spending time with the people for whom they are riding. The Journey of Hope team members will spend every afternoon with people with disabilities in many different community events and activities.”

Willar said: “These men are striving for community inclusion of people with disabilities and are helping to break the barriers of society that keep people of all abilities from living life to the fullest.”

This year marks Push America’s 35th anniversary and Journey of Hope’s 25th. The organization was founded in 1977 with the hope of committing its members to enhance the lives of people with disabilities.

With the combined efforts of sponsors and individual team members, this year’s Journey of Hope will raise more than $500,000 on behalf of people with disabilities. Push America and Pi Kappa Phi have raised more than $15 million dollars to date and continue to be on the cutting edge of the disability movement.

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Amador County – Amador High School’s Drama Club member Cecily Swason won the Rotary Club District speech contest in Nevada May 19, and a prize of $1,000.

Amador High drama advisor Giles Turner announced the award Tuesday, saying that Amador High senior Cecily Swason won the Rotary Club International District 5190 Speech Contest May 19 at John Ascuaga’s Nugget in Sparks, Nevada.

Speaking with 11 other area winners, Swason, the Secretary of the Amador Drama Club took the $1,000 first place prize, speaking on this year’s topic, “Reach within to transform the world, one life, one family, one community at a time.”

Swason qualified for the District Finals by winning the Amador County speech competition held March 21 at the Amador Senior Center in Jackson. The daughter of Elizabeth and Steve Swason of Shenadoah Valley, Cecily Swason is also the president of Interact at Amador High and is bound for University of California at San Diego in the fall.

Two years ago, Caitlin Schaap of Amador High Drama also won the District Speech Contest and $1,000.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.