Thanks to inmates of the Mule Creek State Prison, Preston Castle, a national historic landmark located in Ione, is closer to restoration. The two entities have teamed up through the Mule Creek State Prison Vocational Cabinetmaking Program. The program ensures the restoration of all of Preston Castle’s windows and gives inmates the opportunity to learn valuable skills and give back to the community. Each inmate participating in the program works on some aspect of the window restoration project. Instructor Mike Doud supervises the inmates that participate in the five-year cabinetmaking program that is accredited by San Joaquin Delta College.

The restoration of Preston Castle’s windows began in 2007 and will continue until all windows are completed. “We are very excited about this partnership with Mule Creek State Prison,” says Marie Nutting, president of Preston Castle Foundation. “It benefits the prison, the castle and the community.” Chris Weathersbee, public information officer for Mule Creek State Prison, is also enthused about the partnership. “An inmate is much more likely to obtain employment with a contractor or cabinetmaking shop if he can reference specific skills that relate to either of these related trades.” The Vocational Cabinetmaking Program began in 1987 and instructs inmates on all the traditional cabinet construction techniques. The 27 inmates who participate in the program learn every aspect of the cabinetmaking trades and every student who graduates obtains certification as an entry-level tradesman, as well as  the ability and opportunity to achieve economic success.

With two weeks to go before tax day, state Controller John Chiang is urging Californians who haven't yet completed their tax returns to visit the Web site of the Franchise Tax Board. Chiang says a completed tax return might be waiting for you. The tax board has automatically completed returns for roughly 250,000 residents who were single, had no dependents and had only one employer last year. Taxpayers can accept the return, make changes or disregard it. The so-called "ReadyReturn" was one of several tips Chiang outlined for last-minute filers. Last year, more than two-thirds of all California taxpayers received state refunds of more than $850, Chiang said.

Jackson is looking at some proposed childcare land use designations. The Jackson Planning Commission is in the process of reviewing modifications to its Land Use Element.  As part of that process, the city has been collaborating with local organizations that have recommended policies to the commission. Joyce Stone of the Amador Child Care Council, or ACCC, proposed several policies that would allow the City of Jackson to “facilitate and promote the development of child care centers and homes in all areas, and encourage inclusion of child care centers in non-residential areas.”  Stone noted that there is a shortage of day care centers in Amador County.  In 2004, the ACCC conducted a childcare needs assessment that found that Amador County had enough childcare spaces to accommodate only 24 percent of Amador’s working parents.  Today, the need is just as great, especially for infant and toddler care facilities, says Stone. 

The ACCC’s recommendations to the planning commission propose that the city “streamline processing and permit regulations to promote the development of child care facilities.” Additionally, those recommendations include that the city provide incentives to, as well as require, developers to build daycare centers in or near their developments.  Some citizens questioned the use of the word “streamline,” saying that word was too vague.  Stone explained that term was used to mean that the city would take all steps possible to encourage and promote development of daycares.  Stone’s suggestions will be incorporated into the draft General Plan, which will eventually go before the Jackson City Council.  The Planning Commission will continue their review until the next scheduled meeting on April 21st.

The Board of Supervisors has adopted a resolution for funding that could potentially assist many people throughout Amador County. Larry Busby of the Central Sierra Planning Council and Karen Glaze of Motherlode Job Training each fielded questions from the Board concerning funding from the State’s Community Development Block Grant Program. The money received will be designated for two purposes: job training and a first-time homebuyers program, both for Amador residents of low income who qualify. 500,000 dollars was applied for first time homebuyers and 340,000 dollars was requested for job training.

Supervisor Richard Forster questioned Glaze on why she had only requested 340,000 for job training, considering that the request could have been up to half a million. Glaze said the reason was two-fold: the Motherlode Jobs staff is limited and can only work with a particular budget, and because the State was more likely to consider requests within realistic budgetary limits. “I would have been happy to request maximum amount, but I wanted ours to be reasonable and competitive with the other counties. Amador County’s unemployment has not taken as big a hit as other areas of the state,” said Glaze. The Board praised Karen’s work so far. The job training portion of the plan is intended to serve up to 77 people over a two year period. Further information about he grant will be available to the public shortly.

Yesterday in Placerville, Forest Supervisor Ramiro Villalvazo signed his decision designating a total of 1,847 miles of roads and trails open for motorized public use in the El dorado National Forest. The decision follows two and one half years of environmental analysis and public involvement. The long anticipated decision also creates a seasonal closure of dirt roads from January 1 to March 31 and allows visitors to safely park their vehicles one car length off a designated route. Villalvazo’s decision is expected to assist in the environmental protection of meadows, watersheds, wildlife habitats, and other sensitive areas, and provides quiet recreation opportunities. “I am pleased to say that we have a new starting point for travel management within the Eldorado National Forest,” said Villalvazo. Villalvazo says his final decision met the standards and guidelines found in the Forest’s Land and Resource Management Plan, minimized impacts to meadows, and reduced impacts to stream courses and riparian habitat. For more information on this decision, visit the El Dorado National Forest website on your screen.

Starbucks Corporation does not plan to compensate its California baristas for tips they shared with shift supervisors, defying a San Diego Superior Court ruling last week. "The ruling would take away the right of shift supervisors to receive the tips they earn for providing superior customer service," said Chief Executive Howard Schultz, in a voicemail message to employees Wednesday night. "I want you to know that we strongly believe that this ruling is extremely unfair and beyond reason. The company said in a separate statement Wednesday that there is no money to be "refunded or returned from Starbucks."

The California lawsuit was filed in 2004, and was granted class-action status in 2006. Last week, San Diego Superior Court Judge Patricia Cowett ordered Starbucks to pay baristas more than $100 million in back tips and interest, saying state law prohibits managers and supervisors from taking a cut from the tip jar. Cowett also issued an injunction preventing Starbucks' shift supervisors from sharing in future tips, but Starbucks said it would not comply with the order while it appeals the court decision. Since the ruling, two similar lawsuits against Starbucks have been filed, one in Minnesota and one in Massachusetts.

A four car injury collision occurred Friday, adding to a string a multi-car collisions reported by the California Highway Patrol last week. The crash occurred at the intersection of Ridge and New York Ranch Road, which continues to be a hot spot for Amador emergency responders. Friday it became the location for a 4 car crash which sent two people to the hospital and left one car up in the air atop another. The intersection continues to be a hot spot for Amador emergency responders. According to the official CHP reports, one driver pulled out directly into the path of another, apparently unaware of oncoming traffic. Two other vehicles failed to navigate the collision in time. CHP were still investigating the crash when these photos were taken, however, no major injuries have yet been reported. This was one of many moderate collision accidents reported last week.

The Amador Water Agency has much in store for the upcoming months.  At Thursday’s Board of Directors meeting, general Manager Jim Abercrombie updated the board on the many upcoming projects, meetings, and studies planned and in progress by the agency. On April 11th, all members of the Mountain Counties Water Resources Association are invited to provide input at the California Water Plan Update meeting in Sonora.  The Amador Water Agency will discuss with the state their concerns over the preparation of the new water plan.  Past issues have been related to water rights, increasing small local storage projects, and how to meet the growing population demand in the foothills. In the Lake Camanche area, the agency will be conducting the second year of a three year endangered species study. 

 

The agency and local land owners want to construct a Lake Camanche Wastewater Site and Recycling Area to provide for tertiary recycled water for cattle grazing; however, the US Department of Fish and Wildlife is maintaining that the California tiger salamander may be impacted. With the help of Congressman Dan Lungren’s office, the agency was able to get approval to conduct a second year of the study. A new Ione booster pump station is on schedule and is coming in under budget.  The new station, which is being paid for by a local developer, will help to fill a new two million gallon steel water tank, which Abercrombie expects will “fully maximize storage capacity in that area.” The station is situated between the Wildflower development and Howard Park and is scheduled to be operational sometime in April.  And the much talked about Plymouth Pipeline project will be going out to bid in May or June.  Abercrombie will be giving an update on that project at the board’s April 24th meeting.