Daffodil Hill is in full bloom, and TSPN’s contributing photographer Bill Lavallie took some stunning visuals of the spectacle this last weekend. Daffodil Hill was a regular stopping place for teamsters hauling timber from the Sierras down to the Kennedy and Argonaut Mines, and for eastbound travelers heading for the Comstock Lode on the Amador-Nevada Wagon Road. Today, much of the landscape around the old homestead is covered with more than 300 named varieties of daffodils. More bulbs are added each year, with the help of private donations. The bulbs number more that 300,000 and include not only 300 varieties of daffodils, but also a large number of other varieties of bulbs and flowers as well. The best time to visit Daffodil Hill is the spring, usually from the end of March through the first three weeks of April. Daffodil Hill is open only at this time of year, after that it goes back to a working ranch. Please call Daffodil Hill at (209) 296-7048 for additional information.

Republican Senator Dave Cox recently pushed through a resolution honoring an Amador County soldier by renaming a bridge in his memory. It has been roughly a year since Army Pfc. Jay-D Ornsby-Adkins fell to enemy gunfire outside of Baghdad, making him the only Amador County soldier thus far to have died in Iraq or Afghanistan. Ornsby-Adkins was close to his mother, Australian-born Robyn Ornsby, and left behind a wife whom he had married only months before shipping out. When word of the news reached his hometown of Ione last month, mourners placed hundreds of assorted memorabilia, flags and notes in front of his mother’s beauty salon. A large turnout is expected at an upcoming memorial ceremony at 7:30pm on April 28th in the park across from the salon. The Board of Supervisors recently discussed Cox’s measure proposing a renaming of the Amador Creek Bridge in Amador County the Jay-D Ornsby­ Bridge. A motion was moved by Supervisor Novelli, seconded by Supervisor Escamilla, and unanimously carried.

The California Exposition & State Fair yesterday announced that it is seeking entries for its 2008 Commercial Wine Competition. First held in 1855, the State Fair's wine competition, limited to California wines, is the oldest and most prestigiously judged wine event in North America. The 2007 competition brought a record number of entries with over 650 wineries participating in the judging.  "The California State Fair Wine Competition is not only a ranking of the state's best wines as viewed by our judges, but also a reflection of the growing quality of wine as it continues to have a wide impact on all Californians, the nation, and the global marketplace," says Norb Bartosik, CEO of the California State Fair. Entry forms, fees, wine labels, and the wine itself may be submitted by Friday, May 9 to Expo Center, Building 6, located on the grounds of Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Boulevard, Sacramento. Commercial wineries can access a Competition Handbook and Entry Form by going online to www.bigfun.org. Interested parties may obtain additional competition information by calling the California State Fair Wine Department at (916) 263-3159.

According to the April edition of Sunset Magazine, Sutter Creek is one of California’s best small towns and the best town in the Gold Country. Magazine columnist Peter Fish cited many reasons for what he considers a very competitive ranking. “Set in a tidy green dell — Sutter Creek is the kind of town that makes you recall words like "dell" — with a Main Street lined with balconied 19th-century buildings. The prettiest Main Street you've ever seen? Quite possibly.” Said Fish. Fish describes the town as a compact and convenient place to experience the flavor of the local area. He wrote that Sutter Creek’s qualities included “first-rate home stores, restaurants that reach beyond the steak-and-whiskey gold country staples, and wine-tasting venues that celebrate Amador County’s way with the vine”. He notes the Sutter Creek Visitor’s Center, the Monteverde Store and Museum, Sutter Gold Mine Tours, and Daffodil Hill as prime attractions.

TSPN was on hand to capture the grand opening of Jackson Rancheria’s new RV Park on Wednesday. Grand Opening ceremonies included a Native American blessing, ribbon cutting, and refreshments. Located in a secluded forest setting, the RV Park is only a short ride from the fast-paced action of the Casino. Rancheria representatives describe the park as, “the perfect home base for exploring the scenic and historic Motherlode area.” The Park, located on Dalton Road, features a full service clubhouse with kitchen, fireplace, and large screen TV, heated pool and two spas, cable TV, 24-hour surveillance, Wi-Fi internet, restrooms with showers, and a dog walk and walking trail. In addition to the RV Park’s amenities, those staying there are eligible to enjoy the pool, salon, fitness center, arcade and other luxuries of the Hotel. A nearby general store and gas station, scheduled to open soon, will include both a car and RV wash. For more information visit jacksoncasino.com or call 800-822-WINN.

Also, the Ione City Council will appoint a new member at a meeting on Monday, at 6:00 pm at city hall. Councilman Jeff Barnhart suddenly resigned from the council in March, leaving one seat vacant. The deadline to submit a letter of interest in the position was April 3rd. At the council meeting on Monday, City Manager Kim Kerr stated that the council had received several letters of interest that they were currently reviewing. 

Ione is one of many cities in Amador County currently working on its general plan. PMC, a planning firm contracted by the city, estimates the current price tag for updates at 592,000 dollars. At last week’s Ione City Council Meeting, Councilmember Sherman stated that the amount of money is quite a large sum, and although he has no issue with the PMC firm, he’d rather the Council put the project out to bid and explore other offers. Vice Mayor Ard said he and Mayor Andrea Bonham had a two hour meeting with the team from PMC and feel they are qualified.

Ard referenced a previous PMC project in Rancho Cordova. After lengthy deliberation, the council approved a motion allowing PMC to work on the General Plan Update Process. Also on the agenda were changes to the Ione Municipal Code. The main discussion revolved around two different guidelines traditionally used as a guideline in constructing and updating Municipal codes.  The council opted to schedule a workshop on April 29th at 4 pm to review and learn about the rules before a vote for adoption is put into motion. 

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.

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.

Daffodil Hill, a famous local ranch known for its floral beauty, has reopened to the public. According to County Tax Collector Michael Ryan, Daffodil Hill’s opening was delayed by bad weather last weekend. Members of the Ryan family have managed the old homestead for decades. In the early days of the Gold Rush, Daffodil Hill was a regular stopping place for teamsters hauling timber from the Sierras down to the Kennedy and Argonaut Mines, and for eastbound travelers heading for the Comstock Lode on the Amador-Nevada Wagon Road.

Today, much of the landscape around the old homestead is covered with more than 300 named varieties of daffodils. More bulbs are added each year, with the help of private donations. The bulbs number more that 300,000 and include not only 300 varieties of daffodils, but also a large number of other varieties of bulbs and flowers as well. The best time to visit Daffodil Hill is the spring, usually from the end of March through the first three weeks of April. Daffodil Hill is open only at this time of year, after that it goes back to being a working ranch. Please call Daffodil Hill at (209) 296-7048 for additional information.