Last Friday, the Ione Band of Miwok Indians announced the publication of their “Notice of Availability” for their Draft Environmental Impact Study in the Federal Register, a federal government publication. Tribe Chairman Matt Franklin discussed the announcement in an exclusive television interview with TSPN. “This has been a long process for the Tribe,” said Franklin. “Having our Draft EIS published means our quest to place land into trust is closer to becoming a reality.” The Tribe’s plan to build a casino in Plymouth has faced intense local opposition for years. The Ione Band of Miwok Indians has spent over two years performing a review in preparation for this Draft EIS. The Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS in the Federal Register begins an extended 75 day public comment period which the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or BIA, will manage. The BIA has scheduled a public hearing for May 21st at the Amador County Fair Grounds, beginning at 6PM. “We would like to invite all people, including local, state and federal governments to read and comment on our Draft EIS,” said Spokesman Peter Tateishi in a statement. A copy of the Draft EIS is available online at www.ioneeis.com.

A controlled burn escaped its lines and started a wild land fire around noon last Friday, April 18th near Buena Vista in Ione. Crews from the Ione area CDF were called in to fight the fire. In the blazing afternoon heat, the fire quickly spread out of control and took several hours to extinguish. CDF crewmembers wearing heavy suits and hauling even heavier equipment worked bravely to battle the blaze. Fire crews approached the multi-acre burn from uphill and downhill positions, dragging out fire hoses and beating pathways through prickly vegetation. With the assistance of a helicopter crew, the fire was extinguished in a matter of hours. According to Cal Fire crewmembers, the fire demanded seven engines, a dozer and two hand-crews. No injuries were reported and no structures were damaged. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

Jackson Police Department Detectives are now offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for an arson which took place approximately one year ago. This case of arson, which occurred on May 25th, 2007 at 835 Vogan Toll Road in Jackson, is the subject of an ongoing investigation and pertinent information could result in a $15,000 reward. In the early morning hours on May 25th, 2007, local and state fire fighting personnel were dispatched to the location to find a secluded, single-story office building fully engulfed in flames.

Investigators with the California Department of Forestry and the victim’s insurance companies concluded that the fire was intentionally set. Since 1994, civil attorney Stephen Zalkind occupied the office building that had previously been owned by the Soracco family. According to the Jackson Police Department, there are currently no viable suspects. Jackson police have requested that anyone with information concerning the fire please contact Detectives Grey and Mynderup at 223-1771. Insurance companies for Zalkind and the Soracco family have offered the award.

California, home to 1 in 10 American state prison inmates, is getting a nudge from the federal government to move faster to revamp its overcrowded prison system. Operating at almost double capacity, with almost 172,000 inmates in 33 facilities, California's problems reflect a national pattern, say experts. Inmates at the Mule Creek State Prison, for example,  fill a gymnasium that was modified to house prisoners last year. Already engaged in an extensive $7.7 billion plan to dramatically expand prison capacity, the state now faces federal pressure to oversee another $7 billion in upgraded healthcare facilities for prison inmates. The legislature this week will examine a request to approve the new spending, which would require new borrowing. The plan comes at a crucial time for California's prison system – and the state's finances. The combined tab of nearly $15 billion for prison reform has dismayed lawmakers already faced with a $16 billion budget deficit that has prompted huge proposed cuts in spending on education and health care. "This couldn't have come at a worse time," said Steven Maviglio, spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. "It makes a disastrous budget scenario even worse."

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.

Two men suspected of beating another man to the point of unconsciousness over the Dandelion Days weekend now face charges by the Amador County District Attorney.  The men were recently apprehended and the case has just been submitted to the Amador County District Attorney’s office. On March 15th, officers responded to an 11:30 pm report of a fight occurring in front of 31 Main Street in downtown Jackson. Arriving officers found a man, Bruce Borba, lying in the street. He was badly beaten and attended to by a female bystander.

Medics who arrived on the scene determined that Borba’s injuries were sufficient enough that he require helicopter transportation to Mercy San Juan hospital in Carmichael. Witnesses  described the two male attackers as a Caucasian and Hispanic man, both with facial hair. The subjects were seen getting into a vehicle. The following day, on an unrelated call, a Jackson Officer received a complaint about loud music and was called to the scene of a house where he observed a vehicle matching the same decryption. James Gileno, who was standing nearby, and Mathew Flores who was the vehicle’s registered owner, both matched the description of the attackers form the night before. The case is expected to be heard by the court shortly.

A local Pioneer businessman who says he is looking to support Amador County commerce has run into some intense opposition.  Danny McCauley, owner of Sierra Homes & Properties in Buckhorn, and property manager of Buckhorn Plaza, has plans in the works to open an upscale liquor and wine store featuring Amador county wines, cheeses, breads, olive oils, and related items. McCauley has been in contact with numerous local vintners who want the store to be a distributor for their fine wines. McCauley lives and works in Buckhorn, and “wants to make it a destination spot,” and says “my sole intention is to promote the Buckhorn area for the Buckhorn people.” The proposed store site, located in the Buckhorn Plaza, was left empty when Buckhorn Liquors moved to the Buckhorn Village a few hundred yards away.

McCauley decided to lease the space for his new store, and started renovating the interior, which is now nearly complete. After McCauley filed with the California Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control, or ABC, he received copies of numerous complaint letters sent to the state from local residents. Last week, McCauley contacted one of those residents, Richard Vinson, to discuss his concerns with the store.  According to McCauley, he has heard the same comment from all those opposed to the store – that Buckhorn doesn’t need liquor store.  In response to that, McCauley says the majority of his products will be Amador County-produced wines and goods, as well as liquor and cigarettes, and adds that he wants to provide a larger supply of quality products so that locals don’t have to drive all the way to Jackson or Folsom for liquor and wine. The matter is scheduled to go before the Board of Supervisors at tomorrow’s meeting; however, McCauley is looking to postpone this until he has a chance to meet with the board, noting that he just received notice of the agenda item last Tuesday the 15th.

Amador County is one step closer to constructing a new bus transit center in Sutter Hill. Last week, the Amador County Transportation Commission voted to approve design modifications and authorize execution of related documents for the construction of a new transit center off of Valley View Drive, at the dead end extension of Bowers Drive. Thursday night, the commission heard an hour long presentation on the project from Matt Boyer of Dokken Engineering. The project will be completed in two phases. The first phase involves the construction of the new transit center and a parking lot. The second phase includes the extension of the parking lot to accommodate a park-n-ride service, as well as the possible addition of a new office for ACTC. In addition to being a transit center, the new facility will also serve as a welcome center for tourists.

Boyer noted that his engineering firm had partnered with Maureen Funk of the Amador Tourism Council, and that in addition to local transportation services, the center would accommodate tourist busses. The Tourism Council would also establish a 24-hour presence on the site, which Boyer said would help to alleviate safety concerns. Boyer also detailed some of the design elements of the project. He noted that the architecture of the transit center would include some design elements from the old Martell Railroad Depot, and may even include an exhibition on the history of the Amador Railroad. Supervisor Richard Forester inquired about the “green aspect” of the center, asking about the incorporation of solar panels and recycling facilities. Boyer responded that his firm was looking at incorporating solar panels on the Phase 2 parking facility, and that he would make sure that there was a system for recycling on site. In sum, the new transit center is budgeted at 3.2 million dollars, and if all goes well with funding, will go out to bid July 1st.

Amador County commuters who utilize the Amador Regional Transit System, or ARTS, may start paying an extra 25 cents for bus fare, but may also see an expansion in services. Thursday evening, the Amador County Transportation Commission heard an extremely detailed presentation from Gordon Shaw of LSC Transportation Consultants Incorporated, which looked at alternatives for a five-year Transit Development Plan for the county. Shaw began his presentation by looking at Amador County’s population statistics. He noted that Amador’s population has grown from 35,400 in the year 2000 to 38,400 in the year 2007.

18 percent of Amador County’s population is comprised of senior citizens,Amador’s major population increases over the next 20 years will be concentrated in the towns of Sutter Creek, Martell, and Jackson. He also noted a 16% increase in ARTS rider-ship from 2001, mainly along the Sutter Creek-Jackson Corridor. One expansion under consideration is an additional, faster line that would go between Sutter Creek and Jackson. The current line takes about 1 hour 45 minutes round trip, something that makes it less appealing to the general public.

At the end of the meeting, the commission unanimously voted to look at options for expansion along the Sutter Creek to Jackson Route.  many of whom rely on public transportation. The number of senior citizens is expected to grow from 6,400 now to 15,500 by the year 2030, a 142 percent increase. An additional 2.4 percent of Amador’s residents have a mobility condition, and 8 percent are below the poverty line. About 5 percent of households struggle to get around the county without access to an automobile. The Commission went on to discuss the future of the ARTS system, namely how to increase services for the general public without cutting services for seniors and disabled citizens. Shaw stated that ARTS is currently a 1.5 million dollar business, and that revenue and operating costs are about the same. He noted that

Council met last week to discuss progress on some ongoing projects, as well as assess budget issues and analyze funding sources. Executive Director Kathy Koos-Breazeal reported on several items, including the recent completion of three fuel breaks, which greatly reduce the threat of wildfire by removing vegetation along a strategic strip of land. The Marz Shaded Fuel Break, comprised of 60 acres adjacent to Clinton Road, the Jackson Fuel Break, a 50 acre strip along Tebeau and Clinton Roads, and the Antelope Fuel Break, 160 acres in Buckhorn were all completed this year. The total cost of the projects was $307,800, and all three are to be funded using the CDF Fuels Reduction Program within the California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks and Coastal Protection Act of 2002, more commonly known as Proposition 40. Although Koos-Breazeal commended the council for their efforts in the completion of three major projects, she also noted that some serious discussion had been taking place regarding continued utilization of Prop 40 money.

She stated that although the projects have been completed, several of the contractors had not been compensated for their work. “It seems that the invoices just sit at the state office for months,” said Koos-Breazeal. “It gives Prop 40 and the AFSC a bad name for not paying.” The council went on to discuss some of the AFSC’s other projects and funding sources. Work is underway on a Low Income Senior/Low Income Disabled Defensible Space Project funded by the US Forest Service. The AFSC received funding for 140 homes, and Rubini Tree Services has completed work at 80 homes so far. The AFSC was also awarded funds from the Bureau of Land Management for a Chipper Program, and is awaiting those monies. In addition, the AFSC has been working on receiving funding from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy for the implementation of a County Wild Fire Protection Plan, and will soon begin the bidding process for that work.