Representatives of non-profit groups who would like to be a part of the Amador Community Foundation’s AMADOROPOLY 2008 Main Street in Jackson. Participating groups share in the funds raised at the event and in the promotion and tickets sales. If you have any questions, please contact the Foundation at 223-2148. fundraiser should RSVP to the foundation’s executive director Shannon Lowery as soon as possible. The event will be held on February 22, and raises money by inviting community members to come play a life-size version of the Monopoly game, where each square represents a local non-profit organization. The 2008 kick-off meeting will be held this afternoon at 4:00 at the Amador Community Foundation office on

Now it’s time for TSPN’s Home for the Holidays series – featuring fun, free or low cost activities for the whole family to enjoy right here in Amador County, now through New Years Day! Here’s a look at activities coming up this week:

Attention Parents! Merzlak Signs will personalize your child’s Christmas gift at absolutely no charge. Call 223-4818 or bring your child’s gift to 215 Sutter Street in Jackson before Christmas.

You can help keep someone warm this winter by donating new, or slightly used in good condition and clean coats, to the UpcountryCommunity Center in Pine Grove, or the Elks Lodge in Martell, by Friday, December 14th.

The Jackson City Council has opened the door to several opportunities for residents to become involved in the community, starting with the City Council seat vacated by Drew Stidger effective at the end of the year. According to City Manager Mike Daly, the City Council plans to appoint a Jackson resident to serve out the remainder of this Council seat term – which expires November 2008 -- at the January 14, 2008, City Council meeting.  Interested residents should submit a letter of interest to the Jackson City Clerk, 33 Broadway, Jackson, no later than Thursday, January 3, 2008 at 5:00 p.m.  The City Council also decided to form two citizen committees for review of the water and sewer rates and for future planning of the 159-acre Oro de Amador property.

Sheriff’s Lieutenant Charles Ray and American Legion Ambulance President Al Lennox were recognized and congratulated in special resolutions by the Amador County Board of Supervisors Tuesday for being selected as the 2007 Amador County Peace Office of the Year and Citizen of the Year. The resolutions outlined highlights of both men’s accomplishments – Charles Ray was born in El Paso, Texas and attended college at the University of Nebraska where he played football for the Cornhuskers. Ray served as a member of the 82nd and 101st Airborne and was an Infantryman and Combat Medic, served in Grenada, and was involved in a hostage rescue at St. George School of Medicine.

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday agreed to allow the use of a vacant office in the Airport building at Westover Field for a pilots’ briefing room for checking flight conditions, and as an office for the Civil Air Patrol. General Services Director Jon Hopkins reminded the supervisors at their regular Board meeting that the Airport Building was not in compliance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and by allowing this new public use of the building, the county would incur a small additional risk of being sued for ADA noncompliance. Supervisors asked what it would take to come into compliance – Hopkins said it would take major renovation, as the building had several accessibility barriers.

And this time they really mean it--- CAL FIRE has officially closed Fire Season within the Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit. This includes theSan Joaquin and Stanislaus that are within the State Responsibility Area. CALFIRE closed Fire Season several weeks ago but rescinded the order when weather conditions remained dry through November. During the 2007 Fire Season, 303 vegetation fires burned 1,874 acres with a total of a little over 1.8 million dollars in damages. Total fires to date for 2007 including: vegetation, vehicle, structures and personal property is 647 with 1,920 total acres burned. Total year to date dollar damage is estimated at about 7.15 million dollars.  With the end of fire season, burning will be permitted 24 hours a day, but only on “Permissive Burn Days” as established by the Air Pollution Control District in each county. CAL  counties of Calaveras, Tuolumne, and those eastern portions of FIRE burn permits will not be required until May 1, 2008.

 

Now it’s time for TSPN’s Home for the Holidays series – featuring fun, free or low cost activities for the whole family to enjoy right here in Amador County, now through New Years Day! Here’s a look at activities coming up this week:

Come join your friends and neighbors for Christmas caroling tonight, December 11th at 7pm at the Jackson United Methodist Church and raise your voices in holiday song. There will be hot cider and cookies afterwards. All are welcome.

 

Plymouth City Council will consider withdrawing city fire department service from the Amador Fire Protection District. At a special city council meeting scheduled for 5 pm – just prior to Thursday evening’s regularly scheduled council meeting – the Plymouth City Council will hear a financial report on the city’s contract with the AFPD and receive public input on the subject of the county fire protection district’s services to the city.

Starting January 1st, all new buildings built in California will have to meet new state building codes, which went into effect in July. Many of the new requirements are designed to make homes more fire resistant, improve earthquake safety and increase energy efficiency. At a recent workshop for local builders and building designers sponsored by Amador County city and county building officials, about 100 construction professionals were briefed on the new code.

Significant among the many changes include requiring tempered glass windows, fire marshal-approved roof vents and fire-resistant decking materials for moderate to very high fire hazard areas. State maps delineate the various fire hazard areas, and most of unincorporated Amador County falls in at least the moderate hazard zone. Many areas of the county have been designated high or very high fire hazard zones. To the dismay of the audience, the workshop instructor from the California Building Officials Association pointed out that some of the required building materials, in particular fire marshal-approved roof vents and fire-resistant decking materials, are not currently available for purchase.