When a well-established local gas station like the Beacon on Highway 49 in Jackson closes down, residents take notice. It turns out the closure is only temporary. According to John Luy, the station’s owner, the station is undergoing renovations and is set to reopen as an unmanned station providing 24 hour service to credit card only customers.

Five students from Amador and Argonaut High Schools competed in front of a packed Teresa’s banquet room Tuesday night for this year’s Amador Rotary Speech Contest. The theme for this year’s county wide Contest was “How Sharing Promotes Peace In The World.” John Young, a junior from Amador High School, took home 200 dollars in cash, a trophy, and the opportunity to compete for a 1,000 dollar prize in Reno during the Rotary District 5190 Conference in May. Amador Senior Claire McCaffrey won second place and 100 dollars.  Third place and 50 dollars was awarded to Hana Casita, an Amador junior.  Katie Hancock of Argonaut and Amador’s Charlie Merritt tied for fourth place and won 25 dollars.

The County and several Cities throughout recently have undertaken comprehensive updates of their General Plans. A General Plan sets forth the policies, goals, and objectives for land use and development decisions for the next 20 years.  A General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) for the County was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to assist County staff and the consultant EDAW, in the preparation of the Draft General Plan.  The Amador County General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) meetings are open to the public and all County residents are encouraged to attend and participate in the meetings that define the future of Amador County.

 

The Board of Supervisors will be receiving an update on the Hwy. 49 bypass as well as consider the Relinquishment Agreement with Cal Trans. Larry Peterson addresses this item in a memo to the Board by stating “As part of the local Hwy. 49 Bypass Project, the County entered into a relinquishment agreement with Cal Trans in March, 2003, to take over sections of the old Hwy. 49 upon completion of the Bypass Project.” Peterson points out that this agreement expires December 31st. The agreement also states that a payment of $960,000 shall be paid to the County “for the purpose of meeting the State’s obligation to ‘…place the state highway (certain segment of existing Hwy. 49 in the county) in a state of good repair.’ “By receiving the state’s payment the County accepts ownership, maintenance, operation, and liability of the relinquishment highway segment,” states the memo.

Amador Public Health reports that three rabid skunks in the Jackson vicinity have been identified in the past two months. According to health officials, this is a significant increase for the county. These 3 rabid skunks were in close proximity to one another, indicating to health officials that the general skunk population could be experiencing a rise in rabies.  In these situations it is crucial that domestic dogs and cats be up to date on their rabies vaccinations. Several dogs and livestock have been exposed to these rabid skunks. “With only 2 rabid skunks reported in the past 10 years, we have concerns there are many more rabid skunks that we don’t know about and there will be more potential opportunities for people and their animals to be exposed,” says Dr. Robert Hartmann, Amador County Health Officer. Prevention is the best weapon for protection against exposure to rabies. Protection would include: keeping your dog and/or cat’s rabies vaccinations up to date, avoiding exposure to wild animals for both yourself and your animals, and not feeding wild animals and keeping your dog and cat feeding bowls away from wild life access.

At the Tuesday meeting the Board of Supervisor’s adopted several resolutions that ultimately put into motion a Community Facilities District (CFD) to levy a Special Tax to finance Fire Protection Services.  The properties within the CFD total 40.86 acres, which is split into 4 main areas and range in location from Martell to the upcountry. The first area is located north of Ridge Road and northeast of Climax Road; the second just east of Pioneer volcano Road and north of Hwy. 88 near Red Corral Road; while the 3rd area is located on the north east corner of Industry Boulevard and Prospect Drive; the final area is located west of Tower Drive and south of Industry Boulevard near the third area.

It was announced yesterday that a Mule Creek State Prison employee will be honored during a Medal of Honor ceremony held on the West steps of the State Capitol. Mike Dowd will be honored by the Department of Corrections and the Governor. Dowd is a vocational instructor and a leader in the development of the Prison’s successful Mill and Cabinetmaking program. “Mike teaches tolerance and  self esteem,” said spokesman Chris Weathersbee. “ He knows the importance of rehabilitation and reducing recidivism rates.” The ceremony is scheduled for May 16th.

Thursday’s Plymouth City Council Meeting revolved around two presentations. The first was from an electronic document repository software company. The program being presented allows small businesses to electronically house documents and make them easily available internally, as well as to the public online.  The council listened to the presentation and commented that it was worth further investigation. The second presentation was on the upcoming 3rd Annual Motorcycle Expo, which will be held May 31st through June 1st at the Amador County Fairgrounds.

An ordinance was discussed which would amend the municipal code regarding the operation of motorcycles, but was tabled until next week’s meeting.  Lorett Kinnicutt, President of “Women’s Motorcycle Events” announced that any Plymouth resident could attend the event free of charge. To prove residency, simply present a copy of your utility bill or other document with a Plymouth address.

Last night at the Jackson City Council meeting several important matters top the agenda beginning with a moment of silence for Jacob Strohm. Strohm was a former Amador Co. Supervisor and was involved with the founding of the Jackson Main St. Program and the Jackson Business Association.(1st clip) Next was  the swearing in and seating of incumbent City Councilman Andy Rodriguez and the newly elected Council Member Connie Gonsalves.Gonsalves formerly served on the Amador County Planning Commission.

Be on the lookout for future park improvements in Ione. Council Members and Ione’s Park and Recreation Commission took a tour of local parks and evaluated what the needs are for each. This tour included Grover Park, Oak Ridge, and Howard Park. A public hearing was held regarding Oak Ridge with “good input” provided by those who live around the park. However, this is just the beginning of the surveying process. Staff are currently working on obtaining public input through various outlets. A public hearing at the Oak Ridge park mentioned the need for a play structure, much like the one recently installed at Bryson Park.

Another consideration could be a park that looks similar to Ione’s Train park. A request for authorization for staff to purchase a play structure for the park at no more than 10 thousand dollars was added to the Ione City Council agenda. City Manager Kim Kerr reminded the council that a play structure would be considered a fixed asset, and would ideally be installed by July 1st if approved. The 10 thousand dollars includes the purchase of the structure but does not incorporate the cost of prepping the ground and installation. The instillation goal for the entire project would require “get as much volunteer work as possible” and Council intends to look into utilizing crews from Mule Creek State Prison. The Council approved the funds for the Oak Ridge Play Structure unanimously.