In an effort to plan for the future, Ione City Council members toured Galt and Jackson’s water treatment plants Monday.  According to Ione City Manager Kim Kerr, the city discovered that the capacity of their two treatment plants could only handle about 700 new homes, whereas capacity is needed for about 1200.  When the city decided to expand their current sewer treatment plant, a lawsuit was filed by a landowner adjacent to the plant, the outcome of which mandated the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report, or EIR, on any future work done at the plant.  As part of that process, the city decided to tour several nearby cities’ treatment plants, including Jackson, Galt, and Valley Springs, the latter of which had to cancel. Kerr said she felt that the plant tours would help the council get “a good visualization” of how a treatment plant works, and “what the potential footprint would be” in expanding their own plant. “It gives us more factors as we go forward,” says Kerr. 

The Amador Fire Protection District, or AFPD, has released its latest statistics for June of 2008. The AFPD responded to a total of 178 incidents last month. 103 of these were medical aid related and 21 were vehicle accidents, a total which combined accounted for 69 percent of the incidents. As is typical yet surprising to many who are unaware of the types of incident calls the Fire District receives, only 19 of the incidents were fire related. Of these, there were 5 structure fires, 1 cooking fire, 1 generator fire, 1 chimney fire, 2 vehicle fires and 9 wild land fires. 56 percent of the total calls occurred between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.

And now for a report on California’s ongoing wildfires. Dry winds and hot weather plagued firefighters in Butte County last weekend, despite significant progress on the deadly Butte Lightning Complex Fire that is now more than half contained. The road remains shut south of Big Sur, where the Basin Complex Fire continues to burn, but that closure will be lifted and the road entirely reopened this morning, according to a Caltrans spokesperson. But on the other side of the giant blaze, far from the Big Sur hotels and restaurants, morning winds blew the fire across a bulldozer line on the northeast flank.  "It crossed the line near the Mira observatory, about 10 miles southeast of Carmel Valley," said fire spokesman Jason Meyer. "Our priority continues to be holding the line along Highway 70," said Calfire information officer Tobie Edmonds. "The fire has reached there, but it's holding so far. The weather conditions are still challenging, with temperatures in the low 100s." That blaze has consumed 49,500 acres - an increase of 500 acres since Friday - and killed one resident, whose body was found inside a home and who remains unidentified. The blaze has injured 25 firefighters and destroyed 50 homes and 10 other buildings since being ignited on June 21 by a freak series of lightning strikes. In California's latest fire-related natural disaster, thunderstorms in the Sierra Nevada over the weekend prompted mud to slide into homes and across a highway north of Independence in Inyo County, where a blaze last year had chewed away vegetation that held the ground together. However, fire officials said they did not expect the storms - which delayed motorists as mud oozed onto Highway 395 - to bring the type of dry lightning that ignited devastating wildfires last month across a wide swath of Northern California. 

And in national news, in another push to deal with soaring gas prices, President Bush on Monday lifted an executive ban on offshore drilling that has stood since his father was president. But the move, by itself, will do nothing unless Congress acts as well. The president plans to officially lift the ban and then explain his actions in a Rose Garden statement, White House press secretary Dana Perino said. There are two prohibitions on offshore drilling, one imposed by Congress and another by executive order signed by former President Bush in 1990. The current president, trying to ease market tensions and boost supply, called last month for Congress to lift its prohibition before he did so himself. But Perino said Bush no longer wants to wait. She pinned blame on the leaders of the Democratic Congress, noting that no action has been taken on this issue. Bush's proposal echoes a call by Republican presidential candidate, Senator John McCain, to open the Continental Shelf for exploration.

Democrat Barack Obama has opposed the idea and instead argued for helping consumers with a second economic stimulus package including energy rebates, as well as stepped up efforts to develop alternative fuels and more fuel-efficient automobiles.U.S. can drill its way out a problem. Bush says offshore drilling would take pressure off prices over time. In addition, the president has proposed opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling, lifting restrictions on oil shale leasing in the Green River Basin of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming and easing the regulatory process to expand oil refining capacity. Congressional Democrats, joined by some GOP lawmakers from coastal states, have opposed lifting the prohibition that has barred energy companies from waters along both the East and West coasts and in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. A succession of presidents, from Bush's father - George H.W. Bush - to Bill Clinton, have sided against drilling in these waters, as has Congress each year for 27 years. Congressional Democrats have rejected the push to lift the drilling moratorium, accusing the president of hoping the Their goal has to been to protect beaches and coastal states' tourism economies.

The Amador County Sheriff’s Department is seeking a fugitive suspect charged with the attempted murder of a gun shot victim who staggered into the Sutter Amador Hospital emergency room early last week. On July 7, 2008 at approximately 1 am, Jackson Police Officers were dispatched to the hospital and determined that the shooting had taken place somewhere in the unincorporated area of the county.  Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies responded and began the investigation. The thirty year old male victim, a resident of Pine Grove, reported that he and a friend had gone to a residence at 17801 Redberry Lane in Pine Grove, where until recently he and his wife had been tenants.

The victim reported that upon entry into the residence his wife’s new boyfriend shot him three times with a short barreled shotgun.  The victim identified the shooter as Josh Walker.  The victim said he was able to exit the residence at which time his friend drove him to and dropped him off at Sutter Amador Hospital. The victim was subsequently transported to Sutter Roseville Hospital for treatment. Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the residence at 17801 Redberry Lane, in Pine Grove.  Upon arrival and after conducting an initial assessment of the residence, deputies observed a large quantity of blood and three expended shotgun shells. 

Investigators have also assessed numerous items of physical evidence and conducted supplemental interviews of the victim, witnesses and associates. The firearm used in the shooting has not yet been recovered. The suspect in the shooting has been identified as Joshua Cornell Walker, 23, a resident at 16626 Meadow Vista Drive in Pioneer.  Walker is wanted for attempted murder, felony possession of a firearm, and possession of an illegal firearm. In addition, there is currently a no bail warrant for Walker’s arrest for violation of parole. Anyone having information regarding this incident or the whereabouts of Joshua Cornell Walker is asked to call the Amador County Sheriff’s Office at 223-6500 or Amador County Secret Witness at 223-4900. 

District Attorney Todd Riebe announced late last week that Kevin Barnett has been sentenced to serve 180 days in jail after being convicted of felony embezzlement and felony grand theft by embezzlement. Barnett, 39, of Jackson committed the criminal acts while he served as the president of the Mother Lode Youth Athletic Conference, or MLYAC. Barnett was a MLYAC board member for 16 years and president for the past 6 years.“What makes this theft particularly egregious is the abuse of trust,” said Riebe. “The Mother Lode Youth Athletic Conference exists to benefit kids, and for a person purportedly working towards that purpose to turn around and rip them off is, quite frankly, reprehensible.” 

On July 9, in Amador County Superior Court, the Honorable David Devore sentenced Barnett to jail and ordered five years of formal probation and full restitution to MLYAC. During a preliminary hearing, Doug Grey from the Jackson Police Department testified about his investigation, which revealed 11 checks made out to cash by Barnett for at total of over 8,200 dollars. In addition to the checks were 24 ATM withdrawals for 3,500 dollars and 9 debit card transactions for 1,100 dollars. The thefts began within one week of Barnett opening a separate bank account for MLYAC. The type of bank account Barnett opened only required one signature for withdrawing money and the bank statements were sent to his home address instead of the mailing address for the association. The MLYAC consists of eight football teams with players and cheerleaders ranging in age from 8 to 14 from the counties of Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Tuolumne, and a portion of San Joaquin. The association serves over 2,500 children in five counties.

Smoke from the Butte Lightening Complex fire and other fires burning north of Sacramento is being blamed for the thick blanket of haze that has settled over Amador County. After a slightly windier 4th of July weekend that brought hope for clearer skies, the interminable haze has returned, stifling the sunshine and ratcheting ozone quality back up to ‘Very Unhealthy” levels. Particulate matter readings are registering very high at many of the monitoring sites throughout the local network. The Air Districts of the Sacramento region and our local public health department are advising residents to limit or avoid outdoor activities if they see or smell smoke. Exposure to smoke is unhealthy for everyone. Due to the high number of visits to the SpareTheAir.com web site, certain pages have been temporarily disabled. According to the Sacramento Air District, this is being done as part of an effort to restructure the site so more visitors can have access to the forecast, air quality maps, current conditions and health information pages.

It all started with a letter to parents stating that after 18 years, Pioneer Montessori School would be closing.  Owner and operator Ellen MacDonald had planned on retiring early due to family medical problems. “With my husband’s recent health problems and my own, I was overwhelmed and thought that closing the school was my only recourse.” The news sent a shockwave throughout the school’s family of kids and parents, some of which had sent multiple children there over the years.  Within days, two teachers at the school stepped up to keep the school open. 

It looks like Amador County residents will soon be able to enjoy movies in the park on a giant outdoor projection screen. Amador County Recreation Agency, or ACRA, has partnered with Sutter Amador Hospital to acquire an outdoor inflatable projection kit.  ACRA Director Tracey Towner-Yep is excited about the giant projection TV, saying “I’ve worked on this for two years,” referring to the difficult task of getting funding. The kit is comprised of a 30 by 17 foot theatrical grade screen, mounted in an inflatable 36 by 27 foot frame, with Mackie speakers and all the bells and whistles.

The bill for the projection kit was picked up by Sutter Amador Hospital.  Jody Boetzer Public Relations Specialist for the hospital, says that part of their non-profit status is partnering with various agencies throughout the county, including ACRA. “It’s part of our mission to give back to the community” says Boetzer.  The new projection TV will be unveiled at this year’s Amador County Fair in the Wii Pavilion, and Towner-Yep hopes to start showing movies in local parks starting in September.  Movies will generally be family and children-oriented.  “We’re thinking of Pixar-type movies, and that type of thing,” says Towner-Yep.  But ACRA does want to hear from the public, as well. If you have any suggestions, please call 223-6349 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..