Water quality standards are always part of the continuing dialogue at Amador Water and local city meetings, and for good reason. According to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, the City of Jackson avoided a 201,000 dollar penalty by completing 234,000 dollars in improvements at its wastewater treatment plant. Although the AWA’s foresight prevented hefty fines, the fate of other nearby city agencies has not been so lucky. For example, Placerville faces 270,000 dollars in penalties from the Control Board for alleged water quality violations dating back to Jaunary 1st, 2001. The Control Board said it may charge minimum mandatory penalties for violations in treated wastewater at the Hangtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Separately, the Control board has proposed assessing a 411,000 dollar penalty against Nevada County Sanitation District’s Cascade Shores plant. The Central Valley Board’s duty and goals are to enforce and oversee water quality standards throughout our area. They check for violations in chlorine residual, nitrate, pH, and cloudiness, among a host of other more technical terms. Toxic substances and high populations of certain microorganisms can present a health hazard for drinking and non-drinking purposes such as irrigation, swimming, fishing, rafting, boating, and industrial uses. Water quality has become a larger issue in the public eye after EPA authorities conducted a five-month inquiry and discovered that traces of pharmaceutical drugs were recently detected in the drinking-water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas serving at least 41 million people. It is duly noted that these were microscopic amounts. Nevertheless, officials in Amador County say they are committed to providing a quality water supply for Amador residents.

Summer is fast approaching, and the City of Jackson has adopted new pool rates for the 2008 season.  Daily rates for children and seniors will now be $2.00, and adult rates increased to $2.75. Swim lesson rates also went up, with the new rates for a two-week session at $40, up from $37, and the one-week session at $21, up from $18.50.  Season and monthly pass rates also increased, and lifeguard staff hourly rates were raised to accommodate rising utility and labor costs, and to raise some of the wages above the California minimum wage of $8.00 per hour.

 

Operation Care, a local non-profit organization providing domestic violence and sexual assault support services, is offering a 10-week support group for women survivors of  Domestic Violence. The workshop is intended to provide a confidential setting for women to connect with each other and build healthy friendships. Discussion topics will include the cycle of violence, the effects of violence on children and building healthy relationships. Amador County has received reports of domestic violence, and at least 3 fatalities resulting from violence against women in the last decade. These figures may be skewed, as many victims of Domestic Violence do not report abuse. The first session begins on Thursday, February 21 at 5:30pm. For those interested in attending, please call  Denise at 223-2897. For the Operation Care 24-hour crisis hotline, call 223-2600.

Ione City Council held a special workshop last Wednesday afternoon to discuss and review the Proposed Pedestrian and Bikeway Projects, which were originally outlined and evaluated in 2005 by the county. The project list however was called into question and the Bike-Ped Pathway Committee of Ione asked that certain projects be re-evaluated and reprioritized, including such items as the Church Street project,(adding sidewalks, widening the paved shoulders, and a multi use path adjacent to Howard Park as many students are utilizing this area) which was given a low priority title but was a very important to the citizens of Ione because of safety issues .

Jackson Rancheria Casino has indefinitely suspended Bingo games in response to the structural problems discovered at the casino earlier this month. The casino has also halted all concert entertainment until further notice. Gamblers were moved out of a 28,000-square-foot portion of its gaming floor after engineers found a "potential structural defect" in the building in the course of investigating water leaks. Until the building can be repaired, casino officials are relocating the gaming activities to nearby DaltonTown Hall – as “a precautionary measure.” Inspectors have evaluated the rest of the facility and deemed it fundamentally sound. Terry Cox, Vice President of Marketing & Player Development said, “The decision to indefinitely suspend Bingo was a difficult one as our Bingo guests are a valued segment of the history of the Jackson Rancheria Casino.” Cox said they expect to have the gaming area completely relocated to Dalton Town Hall by January 31. If you’ve already purchased tickets for an upcoming show at the casino, refunds are available at the place of purchase.

An Amador County landmark, Pine Acres Resort on Tabeaud Rd in Pine Grove, is being transformed into a Jellystone Park, complete with Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo. The new Bay Area-based owners of Pine Acres are transforming the decades-old resort into a Jellystone Park, a franchise of over 70 family camping parks in the U.S. and Canada.

Jackson Rancheria Casino CEO Rich Hoffman said it would be complete before Thanksgiving – and he was right. The 50 foot-tall monument sign on Hwy 88 announcing the entrance to the casino and 14-foot tall video display screen that advertises casino acts and entertainment, events, restaurants and more is definitely up and running. Hoffman described the design of the sign and a portal arch over Dalton Way as having a “Frank Lloyd Wright” architectural feel, consistent with the Hotel and other Rancheria facilities. The Jackson Rancheria Casino and Hotel constructed the Dalton Way entrance to the casino complex to encourage guests to use the route over Highways 49 & 88 to the casino rather than the Ridge Road – New York Ranch Road routes. The new sign and portal arch definitely let those headed to the casino know they’ve reached their destination.

Sacramento International Airport is preparing for its busiest ever Thanksgiving travel period. Sacramento International Airport estimates the two busiest days this Thanksgiving will be Wednesday and Sunday, with approximately 40,000 passengers on each day. Sacramento International Airport plans to use uniformed officers to direct traffic during holiday peak travel periods. For those picking up or dropping off passengers, you can stop circling the airport and save gas -- 30 minutes of free parking is offered in Hourly parking on the bottom floor of the Terminal A parking garage, and in the Hourly B parking lot. The airlines at Sacramento International Airport recommend arriving 2 hours early for domestic flights and 3 hours early for international flights. And be sure to check your airline’s baggage restrictions, for both carry-on and checked luggage, before coming to the airport. The airlines strictly enforce these limits, especially during the busy holiday season.

Jackson City Council met Tuesday evening to a public hearing and multiple discussion items. The two most hotly contested items of the evening were the public hearing regarding the consideration of water and sewer rate increases and the Consideration of Jackson Hills Golf Course and Community Project Referenda. The public hearing began with a presentation by City Manager Mike Daly on the city’s projected deficit of $193,718 for the sewer system and $157,281 for the water system. Since August, the Amador Water Agency has increased the wholesale treated-water rate by 22% and the current water purchase cost is projected to increase from $606,000 to $741,000 in 2007/2008. The last water rate increase by the City was 4.0% in 2004 after a citizen committee scrutinized water and sewer department operations.

A group of Amador County citizens is forming an organization of volunteers to help stabilize and reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Amador County. Project spokesperson Jerry L. Scott says the new group plans to work with all stakeholders including concerned citizens, business organizations, agricultural organizations, faith based organizations and the cities of Sutter Creek, Jackson, Ione, Plymouth, Amador City, and the County Board of Supervisors to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Amador County. The group calls itself Amador County Citizens For Stabilizing & Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and will be implementing a national program called Cool Cities and Cool Counties, a program Scott says has been successful in over 500 cities and several counties throughout the U.S.  Scott is asking for interested volunteers to join the group -- If you’d like more information about this effort, call Jerry Scott at 296-1775.