Local efforts are underway to send two talented young wrestlers to the National Wrestling Tournaments. Wrestling Coach Rodney Plamondon is going public in his fundraising efforts to send Marissa Foreman and Hannah Collins, both members of the Argonaut Wrestling Squad, though the Nationals in March. Funds raised are expected to cover air fare, a rental car, motel rooms, food, and registration fees for the tournament.

The girls need to fly in a day or two before the events for weigh-in. Because of budget restrictions, the girls’ regular coaches and assistants will be unable to attend. Foreman has been a four year Captain of her squad, has previously scored 12 and 6 in the Nationals, and is ranked as one of the top 6 girls in the state. Collins is ranked second place in the girls All-State division and was awarded the Outstanding Wrestler Award for the Heavyweight Division. According to Plamandon, the girls will return with a “priceless experience to share with the high schools and wrestling clubs in the county.” If you’d like to make a donation, please call Jeff Collins at 763-5533 or 256-5550.

The national average price for gasoline jumped 16 cents over the last two weeks, according to a survey released Sunday. The average price of self-serve regular gasoline on Friday was $3.10 a gallon, mid-grade was $3.22 and premium was $3.33, according to the Lundberg Survey of 7,000 stations nationwide. Of the cities surveyed, the cheapest price was in Phoenix, where a gallon of regular cost $2.87, on average.

The highest was in Honolulu at $3.37. Gasoline prices have risen sharply nationwide in recent days in response to oil's dramatic climb to a new record above $101 a barrel, leaving many analysts believing gas prices will rise this spring to new records near $3.75 or $4 a gallon this spring. Sacramento gas prices averaged $3.35 a gallon Sunday, according to AAA. That's up from $3.15 a month ago. Prices are similar in Stockton. In Modesto, gas was $3.30 a gallon on average and just below that in Amador County. The state's highest prices were in San Francisco where gas was going for $3.61 a gallon, on average. It was cheapest in Orange County where it was selling for $3.25 a gallon.

 

ABC contributed to this story

The County has announced its next Amador County Tax Collector's sale of tax-defaulted property is scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, 2008, at 10:00 am, in the Board of Supervisors' Chambers. The parcels shown on the Public Auction Property Listing will be offered for sale at public auction by the Tax Collector. The right of redemption on any parcel expires at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, March 11, 2008. Parcels which have been redeemed or withdrawn will be removed from the sale.

According to the Federal Bureau of Reclamation, fishermen and visitors to the New Melones Reservoir will be subject to “amenity fees”. The new fees will begin in two phases starting in April. While the Bureau does not currently charge fees in these locations, a current proposal intends to enforce fees on visitors in the future.

Jackson residents may be wondering why a Jackson home on Court St. has a shrink-wrapped roof. According to owner Robert Saracino, his roof now sports a large hole as a result of fire damage. Two blue tarps were originally used to keep out the rain but they both blew off. The shrink-wrapping is a temporary replacement until he can have the roof repaired – plastic wrap is applied and sealed with tape, then the whole thing is ‘shrunk” with heat guns.  Saracino said he worked with Weather Shield in Ione to get his house all wrapped up for winter  -- the wrap is good for up to a year, or until the roof is patched up.

Blood donations from Amador County donors are estimated to have saved 300 lives over the past year, according to Veterans Blood Drive Chair Robert Saracino. Six Veterans Blood Drives in 2007 collected 396 units of blood. Stephanie Kresse of Blood Source, the firm that performs the blood collection, says the Amador County Veteran’s blood drive is “phenomenal” in the way it has grown. Blood collected by Blood Source is used at Sutter Amador Hospital, Mark TwainHospital and other hospitals in the region. Blood collected at the Veterans Blood Drives also benefits veterans who need blood and don’t have insurance coverage.

The next Veteran’s Blood Drive will be held Feb.4 at the American Legion Hall in Sutter Hill. Along with the usual whole blood collection process, Blood Source will also collect “Double Red Blood Cells.” According to Kresse, Double Red Blood Cell Collection collects 2 units of red blood cells from one donor I one sitting. At this time, only men are being asked to donate with the new process and it takes a little longer.  According to the American Red Cross, only a fraction of those who can give blood do. Yet sooner or later, virtually all of us will face a time in which we will need blood. For more information about the Amador County Veterans Blood Drive, call Robert Saracino, 223-4389.

 

 

 

Tobacco Reduction of Amador County is offering a chance to help smokers fulfill a New Years Resolution. Tobacco Reduction and the American Lung Association are giving an 8-session “Freedom from Smoking” course beginning January 29th. This free program is one of many steps the organization is taking to reduce tobacco use in AmadorCounty. Other objectives include reducing access to tobacco products for minors, countering pro-tobacco influences and reducing exposure to second-hand smoke. In order to achieve these goals, the organization will be educating tobacco retailers and collaborating with Amador County schools, among other activities. One of the programs notable accomplishments is the adoption of an ordinance prohibiting smoking near the doors and ventilation systems of county buildings.

According to a study specific to Amador County, there were 68 smoking-related deaths and 74 potential years of life lost in 1999 alone. The County’s direct smoking costs that year was over 13 million, and the resulting loss of productivity cost the county an additional 8 million plus. Since this study, the local population has grown rapidly and there are still a significant number of smokers. For more information on the stop-smoking program, call 223-6638, or visit Tobacco Reduction of Amador County’s webpage at www.co.amador.ca.us.

 

The Amador County Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of the 5th Annual Margaret Dalton Golden Nugget Awards. The award honors celebrates and acknowledges local unsung heroes; those who contribute their time and efforts to the community and local causes with little fanfare or recognition. This year’s honorees are Rich Hoffman and Gloria Stoddard. Rich Hoffman is CEO of Jackson Rancheria Casino and Hotel – he serves on the Sutter Amador Hospital Board of Trustees and on the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. As the one who holds the purse strings at the Rancheria, Hoffman works with many local charities. Gloria Stoddard is the Clerk of the City of Plymouth –  she wears many hats in Plymouth City government and is the “go-to” person if you need something in Plymouth. She is active with her church and taught Sunday school for many years. The Golden Nugget Awards dinner will be held February 8 at the Jackson Rancheria Casino Conference Center and tickets are available from the Chamber of Commerce – 223-0350. 

Amador Water Agency Board Members and Department heads held a Strategic Planning Workshop on Wednesday. The Agency looked at how it is meeting its current goals and the future needs of the county. One key agency goal for 2007 was “zero” water quality violations from the State Dept of Health Services – the agency received 2 violation notices in 2007 and was required to make one public notification of a water quality issue last year. In an annual customer survey on overall customer service and the agency’s rate sensitivity, customers gave the agency a 93% satisfaction mark.

The Agency applies for grants and low interest loans for water and wastewater projects when possible to keep the cost to ratepayers down. Workshop participants reviewed a lengthy list of grants and federally assisted loan application and the status of those applications was presented. Major projects on the Agency’s to do list: Installing a small-diameter pipe in the lower section of the Amador Canal in August of 2010, Construction of the Plymouth pipeline in August 2009, expanding the Tanner Water Treatment Plant Spring of 2011, bringing treated water to JVID and Buena Vista Raw Water customer, and adding water storage capacity to Lower Bear River Reservoir.