The State’s budget cuts could mean a loss of some 200,000 dollars to the Amador Water Agency’s budget. The board of the AWA is concerned that the state will find legal ways to permanently borrow property tax funds that were supposed to be protected by Prop 1A. Part of Prop 1A’s purpose is to insure that those funds can only be borrowed. The agency will likely not receive funds this year, and there are concerns about future years. The AWA will continue to weigh the options in upcoming meetings.

The AWA has also received good news from the City of Ione regarding the new transmission pipeline. AWA reported that water quality had increased due to a reduction of dirt with the new system. The need to backwash the filters to clear them using raw water is also reduced, which in turn reduces the impact on the capacity of the Ione sewer system. Jim Abercrombie reported that the reduction of waste water was about 50,000 gallons per day.

AWA reported Thursday that the Plymouth pipeline is moving along and they may be able to request bids on the project as early as May of this year. AWA is also looking to create a Waste Water outreach Committee to work with other county entities such as the cities of Jackson, Sutter Creek, and Ione to discuss the Regional Wastewater Management Strategy and Implementation Plan. Board member Paul Scott said the project could cost 10’s of millions of dollars and they need the support of all entities. Board member Moore pointed out that not only are they trying to manage wastewater, but the county has an opportunity to save fresh water as well by using potable water. Abercrombie said a component of the plan will require new rate users and new developments to pay the costs of recycling and reclaiming waste water.

At the Sutter Creek Planning Commission Meeting, Commissioners talked about upcoming revisions to the city’s sign and tree ordinances. Early in the meeting, the commission tabled a motion for a sign permit at the new Ridge Business Park on Ridge Road. The commissioners felt it necessary to fix some inconsistencies in the city’s multiple sign ordinances before they approved the permit, in order to avoid piecemeal signage at the site. Chairman Robin Peters stated that he thought that the sign ordinances could be brought into step in a couple of months, and he and fellow commissioner Cort Strandberg volunteered to be a part of a review committee. The discussion then turned to the city’s tree ordinance, which is also up for review. Recent complaints to city officials about a property owner cutting down an excessive number of trees have led to the realization that more “teeth” are needed in the city’s tree ordinance. The planning commission decided that it will begin review of that ordinance once the sign ordinance update is underway.

Propelled by soaring prices for gold, copper, uranium and other metals, new mining claims on federal land are surging near heavily populated areas in the West, according to an analysis of federal records. More than 1,000 claims have been staked in the Sierra foothills and almost 500 in metropolitan Sacramento, including historic mining areas that have become high-tech employment centers. In California, active mining claims have increased by almost 20%. Millions of Californians in 293 cities or towns are within five miles of the current crop of mining claims.

With close to 100 former mining camps and a geographic location in the heart of California’s legendary “Mother Lode”, Amador County once claimed to be the leading mining county in the State. The county's mines produced over 160 million dollars in gold between the early 1850's and 1960’s. Although rusting metal gallus frames along the roadsides may be the only reminder of Amador’s heyday, new mining claims are sprouting up. The US Mining Database reports 79 new claims between Plymouth, Sutter Creek and Ione.

Mining claims on Western federal land are governed by a law passed in 1872 and signed by President Grant. But since then, the frontier has given way to suburbs, resorts and retirement communities, and the law provides little recourse for local, state or tribal governments if they object to the encroachment of an industry that could bring open pits, acid drainage, and pollution of water and air close to their borders. "The growing West is on a collision course with a global land rush for minerals," said Dusty Horwitt, senior public lands analyst for the Environmental Group. The National Mining Assn. estimates that fewer than 5% of claims are actually developed into mining operations. The issue is expected to be "part of the larger debate" about reform of the mining law, Wicker said. The House passed a revised mining law in November that expands federal agencies' authority to reject claims, and the committee has been holding hearings for a Senate version likely to be introduced this spring.

On Saturday March 15, 2008 at 7am, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s office responded to a domestic violence-attempted murder in Shingle Springs.  The suspect, Charles A. Bailey, age 50, fled the area with his 2 year old son Andrew.  As a result, the El Dorado Sheriff’s Office issued an Amber Alert for the child who was last seen with his father in a 1995 white Honda Passport, California license 4AJA283.

Charles Bailey was taken into custody later in the day by the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office who identified him through the Amber Alert. However, Andrew was not with his father.  A massive ground search began along Highway 49 utilizing various search and rescue resources as well as those of the El Dorado Sheriff and the Amador County Sheriff.

Based on information discovered by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, their investigators were led to an area behind the KMART store in Martell.  Assisted by deputies of the Amador County Sheriff’s Office, the body of 2 year old Andrew was discovered near a small creek running behind the store at 6:00pm.

At the request of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Martin Ryan granted jurisdiction over the investigation into Andrew’s death to El Dorado County.  The crime scene was processed by the FBI crime scene response unit at the request of El Dorado County. 

Charles Bailey is currently in custody of the El Dorado County Sheriff at their jail facility.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office at (530) 621-6600.

Wayne T. Garibaldi has been named Regional President of Bank of Amador after Larry Standing announced his retirement on March 7, 2008. Larry Standing is the founding president and CEO of Bank of Amador, which celebrates its 25th Anniversary this November. He helped facilitate the merger of Bank of Amador into American River Bank in 2004, creating a $574 million regional community bank.

Bank of Amador has three branches in Jackson, Ione and Buckhorn. Wayne T. Garibaldi has been named Regional will be responsible for the continued success of the Bank. Mr. Garibaldi has been with Bank of Amador since their doors opened in November 1983. He was previously Senior Vice President and Branch Manager of the Jackson Office. In addition to his responsibilities at the Bank, he is a Jackson City Councilman, Board Member of the Amador Economic Development Committee, Board Member of the Amador Community Foundation, Board Member of Hospice of Amador, Treasurer of the Italian Benevolent Society and Member of the Jackson Lions Club and Native Sons.

Representatives of the Me-Wuk Indians and the proposed Buena Vista Casino released a statement yesterday outlining the Tribe’s position now that the Board of Supervisor’s did not approve the Intergovernmental Services Agreement. “We’re surprised Supervisors Forster and Boitano voted against the ISA after we agreed to their requested changes. We all saw Supervisor Forster’s comments in the press that he intended to vote for the agreement. We are not sure what happened between then and now to change his mind, but it’s clear that the decision now belongs to an arbitrator,” says John Tang, CEO of the Buena Vista Rancheria. Indeed, Supervisor Forster’s position is a surprise to many who expected him to vote in approval of the revised ISA he had proposed in a counter offer last week.

Forster told the press that the position he conveyed publicly was a tactical part of the negotiation process, and that it was necessary to vote no and hold on to the county’s rights without giving the tribe a foothold. According with the Tribal Compact signed by the Buena Vista Tribe and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, each side will now present its best proposal to an independent arbitrator. The arbitrator must pick what they consider to be the better of the two proposals. This "baseball style" arbitration process is intended to force each side to present a fair and reasonable proposal. The compact states that the Tribe need not address alternatives that would cause it to forgo its right to engage in Gaming Activities authorized by the gaming compact.

Hospice of Amador is now working with a bay area healthcare services provider, sparking protest from a Jackson provider who feels the move betrays the organization’s duty to local service. Superior Healthcare, based in Martinez, is now on contract to provide many of Hospice of Amador’s services, including equipment, beds, and healthcare assistance. Hospice of Amador’s Executive Director Dan Riordan explained that the move will save a minimum of 22,000 dollars a year, and potentially larger amounts up to 45,000. “A business has to make good decisions.

If I didn’t find ways to maximize services, the future of Hospice could be at risk. My job is to make sure we are doing the best for Hospice,” says Riordan. Vince DeStigter, CEO of Western Healthcare, a locally based company that has worked with Hospice of Amador since its inception in 1982, says the move is a betrayal to his company and other localities that have always supported Hospice. “When you garner donations from your community, these donations need to be spent back into the community,” says DeStigter. He believes Riordan’s decision is an example of poor business ethics. Riordan countered that, with an annual budget of 2 and a half million dollars, 75 percent is spent locally to support services ranging from system support to property taxes to payroll. “I want to make sure Hospice is here to stay,” says Riordan.

Riordan says he used extreme due diligence in researching Superior Healthcare, which included contacting four other Hospice organizations that work with the company. “However, if I can save 20,000 dollars but would potentially be putting people at risk, I won’t do it,” says Riordan. “We’re a local company and Hospice of Amador was founded locally,” says DeStigter. “I’ve worked with local families. I know them personally.”

The proposed Jackson Hills Golf Course and Residential Community project was the center of intense discussions at Monday night’s Jackson City Council meeting.  New Faze Development and local broker Tom Blackman, the developers of this project, requested that the council rescind two resolutions that were approved by the council on November 13, 2007. The first resolution approved the Final Environment Impact Report, and adopted the Findings of Fact and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.  The second resolution adopted a General Plan Amendment for the first phase of the project.  Both resolutions are scheduled for the June 3rd ballot. The meeting was truly divided, with the developers on one side, and a large number of citizens on the other.

The developers say they want to “take a step back” and put more time into solving and researching issues, such as wastewater, citing that state and federal regulations have repeatedly changed during this process. Public comment went on for almost two hours and shared the same theme. Local citizens repeatedly asked the council to not rescind their decisions and allow the measures to stay on the ballot. Some citizens implied that the council accommodated New Faze Development by approving the zoning changes needed by the developers. Jack Georgette accused the council of “greasing the skids to accommodate New Faze Development.” Despite public opposition, both resolutions were approved by the council, effectively removing the measures from the ballot. Per the Election Code, these measures cannot be put back on the ballot for a period of twelve months.

A Tracy man’s habit of making two last bets each time he leaves Jackson Rancheria Casino paid off big time when he hit a $250,000 jackpot on March 4. “I have this tradition,” says Anthony Kronenberger of Tracy. “When I’m leaving, I stop in the High Limit Room and put 100 dollars in the 100 dollar machine and 100 dollars in the 50 dollar machine. This time I hit it, on that one pull. I couldn’t believe it.” Kronenberger put his usual 100 dollars in the 50 dollar 5by Pay – 10by Pay Quick Hit Progressive machine and won a jackpot of a lifetime. “At first I thought I won 12,000 dollars,” says Kronenberger. “I thought it was 25,000 dollars, and then I added it up on the calculator on my cell phone and I couldn’t believe it was 250,000 dollars!” The 30-year-old auto body shop owner has been coming to Jackson Rancheria for about five years. Kronenberger hasn’t figured out yet what he’s going to do with his windfall. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with it. I’m still in shock. For now I’ve just put it in the bank until my head gets clear and then I’ll figure it out.” The Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel is located in Jackson off New York Ranch Road. For more information, call 800-822-WINN or visit jacksoncasino.com.

Several Amador youth competed at the 2008 International Karate Championship February 29th through March 2nd in Ontario, California. Fifteen kids competed from Red Dragon Karate’s Team Amador, and all brought home awards. At the tournament, participants were judged in sparring, a contact sport where points are given throughout each program, kata, a choreographed series of movements, and a weapons division where kata is combined with a weapon, such as nun chuckus, bo staff, or sai. Placements ranged from 1st to 9th place, which according to Sensei Anthony Hanks, was a big accomplishment, as this was one of the “biggest American karate tournaments in the world.”  Sensei also noted that the kids’ “hard work, tenacity and discipline paid off” as evidenced by the awards they brought home.  Sensei motivates the kids by saying “the goals we set are the goals we get” and includes parental respect in his teachings.