Tonight, Jackson City Council will decide whether or not to adopt a water and sewer rate increase that the city says is needed to cover hundreds of thousands of dollars of rising operating costs for the city’s utility systems. An effort to persuade citizens to send protest letters that would have prevented the rate increases apparently failed. Jackson City Manager Mike Daly said after last week’s protest deadline that letters protesting the increases had been counted and verified, and both fell short of the votes needed to stop the rate increase. Protest letters from over 50% of Jackson water and sewer customers were needed to prevent the rate increase.

Jackson Planning Commission has OK’d a request to make the shopping center sign at Jackson Creek Plaza 6 feet taller. The commission met Monday night to a sparse crowd and a short agenda. The one discussion topic was a public hearing regarding a request from BRAD Management, who manages the Jackson Creek Plaza, to remodel the existing shopping center sign six feet higher than it currently stands, which would also be 6 feet higher than the Jackson Municipal Code allows. Two additional monument signs are also planned to be added to either end of the business park.

We have more details on our earlier story on Sutter Gold Mining’s announcement that it would entertain offers to buy the company. On September 5, 2007, Sutter Gold Mining Inc. announced that it had retained IBK Capital Corporation, a prominent investment banking company out of Toronto, to evaluate alternative strategies to enhance its shareholder value. Alternatives might include bringing in a joint venture partner, selling a working interest in the project or the potential sale of the project with the goal of moving the mine to full production.

The City of Ione will be holding a special meeting on Tuesday October 30th to address several issues, one of which includes the Wastewater treatment options for the City. The meeting will begin with a discussion surrounding the First-Time Homebuyer Program the city is working to administer and then move right into the sticky issues regarding City’s wastewater treatment and disposal options. To assist in the process the City hired Lee and Ro, to evaluate the cities current treatment capabilities, as well as provide future direction for treatment. Bob Godwin of Lee and Ro, has been working closely with the City and has developed 12 options that at this point that are possible, however the City staff and council must narrow the possibilities down to 3 to 4 preferred options. At the meeting on Tuesday the Council will be reviewing Godwin’s report, taking public comment on the proposed solutions, and then hopefully narrowing down the options to the possible 3 best solutions, or 4 at the most,  for the city. The public is invited to attend and learn more about what challenges the City is facing when it comes to wastewater treatment, and express their opinions about the proposed options. The special meeting will be held at the City Council Chambers at 5pm.

What will happen to the old Amador county Courthouse building in Jackson, now that the courts have moved to their new quarters? That is the subject of a feasibility study commissioned by Amador County and paid for by a state Community Development Block Grant. Synthesis Design, Inc., of Placerville looked at several scenarios for re-using the courthouse and 4 historic wood buildings nearby including: Affordable or workforce housing on the site, a multi-use community center, a parking structure, or a county library.

Amador’s wine grape harvest began late this year, but the quality is expected to be high. With the harvest almost complete, Montevina wine maker Chris Leamy would have preferred a couple more weeks of warm dry weather to finish the harvest, but recent light rains interfered with that wish. Chris said the crop may be a little smaller this year than most, but it was looking like the harvest was going to be great for most vineyards and wine lovers should expect good quality in the 2007 vintage. Price per ton for Amador County grapes seems to be holding steady while Calaveras County winemakers are reporting that the weather has affected their yield and price per ton. {flv}10-18harvest{/flv}

A logging project made a drastic turn for the worst on Thursday when a worker was fatally injured. According to the Amador County Sherriff’s Office, on Thursday October 11, 2007 at approximately 11:30 am, the Sheriff’s Office received an Emergency 911 call reporting that an individual working at a logging job site had been injured.  Amador County Sheriff’s Office, American Legion Ambulance Service, Cal Fire and Lockwood Fire Department personnel all responded to the scene of the accident, which was on a logging road several miles east of Volcano and approximately one mile north of Shakeridge Road. 

Amador County Public Health is urging consumers to stop using canvas lunch boxes with a logo reading EAT FRUITS & VEGETABLES AND BE ACTIVE, after testing showed elevated levels of lead in three lunch boxes. Approximately 300 of these lunch boxes have been distributed throughout Amador and Calaveras counties at health fairs and other events. The lunch boxes that tested positive for lead were obtained through a manufacturer, TA Creations, which has factories in Canton, China.  Individuals who have these lunch boxes should return them to Amador County Environmental Health, 810 Court Street, Jackson; Public Health at 1003 Broadway, Jackson; or UC Cooperative Extension, 12200-B Airport Road, Jackson.  

Did you know that you can recycle used oil filters at ATI Parts for free?  There is a Free Filter Exchange scheduled for MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at ATI PARTS, located at Hwy 49 & Ridge Road, Sutter Creek. Bring your used oil filters to ATI Parts and receive a free oil & filter recycling container and $6 off your purchase of a new oil filter.  This offer is limited to the first 50 people. You can recycle your used oil & oil filters at ATI Parts FREE everyday, but the FREE container and filter offer is only valid for Monday, October 15th. 

Wednesday morning, students from Sutter Creek Elementary and Primary Schools in Sutter Creek walked to school along with parents, teachers and community leaders. They joined schools around the world celebrating International Walk to School Day. Sutter Creek City Council members and Mayor, the Chief of Police/City Manager, School District officials and School Board members, and the County Health Officer were among the dignitaries joining the Walk to School Day to celebrate the completion of the Safe Routes to School project along Sutter-Ione Road and Spanish Streets.