Amador County is among the 10 "Best Places to Live in Rural America," according to Progressive Farmer magazine. In a ranking released today, Amador placed ninth on the magazine's list based on quality-of-life indicators such as household income and spending, home and land prices, crime rates, air quality, education and access to health care. But what the magazine's senior editor, Jamie Cole, recalls most vividly is the diverse environments to be found within the county 592 . "You've got these small, sort of Gold Rush towns in one corner. You've got the wine country in one corner. Then, when you drive to Tahoe, it's cold and snowy," Cole told the Stockton Recors Wednesday from his magazine's offices in Birmingham, Ala. Cole was surprised to see a mild 70-degree day in Jackson, where he stayed in September, quickly give way to a "full-on deep freeze" upon driving east on Highway 88. 

Amador, Calaveras and Alpine County Taxpayers will pay an additional $12.8 million for the Highway 4 bypass around Angels Camp, a 27 percent price increase that just became widely known last week when state transportation officials began breaking the news to local planners. According to Charles Field, the Executive Director of the Amador County Transportation Commission, three fourths of this $12.8 million cost increase, or around 9.8 million dollars, will come out of tri-county shares of available State funds. This means, according to Field, that Amador as well as Calaveras and Alpine, will have to wait that much longer to get any funding for major State Highway widening or bypass projects. The earliest date of funds availability being 2012 or possibly even later.

The Board of Supervisor’s reviewed Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency’s (ATCAA’s) request for the approval of a sub-recipient agreement between the County and ATCAA for funding from the Community Development. The BOS had approved the submission a Community Development Block Grant Technical assistance application in October for the 2006/2007 grant cycle. The project was determined to be a Homeless Needs Assessment and Continuum of Care program.

On Tuesday the AWA made a request of the Board of Supervisors for the approval of grants from the Water Development Fund. Agency General Manager Jim Abercrombie was present to discuss the projects for which the agency was requesting the funds for. The first project was the economic, engineer, environmental and public outreach “fatal flaw” analysis of raising Lower Bear Reservoir so explained Abercrombie it “could provide additional water supply for Amador County.” While the agency is partnering with EBMUD and the Calaveras County Water District to pay for a study which is estimated to be in the range of 100 to 120 thousand dollars the agency still needs funds for consultants to complete environmental site work. The agency requested a grant of $40,000 for this purpose.

The Plymouth City council recently had the final reading of their newly completed Tree Preservation and Landscape Requirement ordinance. The goal of the ordinance is to create regulations for the city that will retain as many trees as possible while still being consistent with the economic enjoyment of private property for the protection, preservation and maintenance of native trees.

The city of Plymouth had their bi-monthly council meeting last Thursday the 26th.. During the Public comment session a few citizens stated their relief regarding a recent court decision that rejected the Municipal Services Agreement between the City and the Ione Band of Miwok. One person noted that she was relieved, however still concerned that there would be an appeal and the process would get drawn out another few years. She also noted that she hopes this is the end of it so that the city can move forward and take care of other pertinent issues that need to be addressed. Councilman Jon Colburn noted that the city will not take any position about the decision until the appropriate time has passed, approximately 30 days to 4 months, in which the Ione Band of Miwok could request an appeal hearing. According to Colburn, the fact that the 3 appeals court judges made a unanimous decision against the MSA, it is possible that the tribe will not go for another appeal. The city council is required to maintain the current MSA until the time has passed for the possible appeal, and then they can officially remove the current agreement.

With summer right around the corner and temperatures warming up, now is the time for Pacific Gas and Electric Company's qualifying customers to sign up for a 20 percent discount on their energy bill. And according to PG&E thousands of customers that qualify for the program are not applying for it. PG&E states that thousands of income-qualified customers eligible for the California Alternate Rate for Energy (CARE) Program can receive a 20 percent reduction on their monthly energy bill. Customers can see the discount on their bill after a full billing cycle. On average, CARE saves households $41 per month on their gas and electric usage.

The Amador County Sheriff’s SWAT team recently saw action when called to assist the El Dorado County’s Sheriff Department after a man barricaded himself inside his Cameron Park home last Thursday afternoon after shooting his wife. The woman was able to escape from the house and call El Dorado authorities who requested assistance from the Amador County SWAT unit.

This week the Sutter Creek Planning Commission further discussed revising the City's Tree and Landscape ordinance. City planner, Paula Daneluk(Dan-eh-luck) introduced the item to the commissioners, explaining that she was looking for direction from the commission as to how to go about drafting the revisions. She told them that changes in oak woodland preservations had two elements and the planning commission would have to specify whether they want to preserve oak woodlands, a whole canopy or habitat, or if they intended to preserve single oak trees which have some significance. Jerry Scott, coordinator of the Oak Tree Conservation for Amador and Calaveras counties, and Terry Strange, coordinator of a foothill conservation group, addressed the commission suggesting a comprehensive ordinance that would be in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA.

The Amador Water Agency had an entire agenda item devoted to mapping their system last week, as the Board discussed the Agency’s System Mapping. Scott Wolfskill, the AutoCad Draft-person, made a presentation to the Board on the Agency’s current system maps and future capabilities and enhanced software. Gene Mancebo, the Manager of Engineering and Planning, explained that the Engineering Department is currently responsible for producing system maps which are used by the Agency for day to day operations. Customer Service, Operations, Construction, as well as the Engineering Department, utilizes system maps daily in their course of work.