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.

Last night, Jackson City Council chose Wayne Garibaldi to fill the council seat left vacant when Drew Stidger resigned from the council at the end of the year. Garibaldi was chosen from a field of 7 applicants for the job, who sent letters of interest to the council and made presentations on their qualifications at a special meeting a week ago. Mayor Pryor-Escamilla explained the criteria she looked at when considering each applicant: including prior Government experience, their skills and ability to work as a team player, the support garnered from the public, their intention to run for election in the fall, and other such factors.

A Jackson PG&E lineman was killed Friday near Cool in El Dorado County. Felipe Chavez, 31, of Stockton was working to repair a storm-damaged power line when he was electrocuted at about 1:45 pm on Friday. Chavez died at the scene, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s office. The Jackson crew was working in El Dorado County to help with repairs there when the accident occurred. Chavez’ father-in-law was a long-time member of the Jackson PG&E crew before he retired. Chavez’ mother is also a retired PG&E employee and Chavez’ wife Shallene is currently employed with the utility company. PG&E spokesman Jon Tremaine said that the family’s many ties to PG&E make this tragedy especially emotional for everyone at PG&E. A trust fund has been set up for Chavez’s wife and 2 young children – donations to the Felipe Chavez Memorial Fund will be accepted at any Wells Fargo Bank.

A Minden Nevada woman was seriously injured Friday morning on Hwy 88 east of Plasse’s Resort. According to the California Highway Patrol, the Minden woman lost control of her Ford F-250 pick-up truck on the icy highway, slid across both lanes and hit a tractor trailer truck head on. After impact with the semi, the pick-up came to a stop blocking both lanes of the highway. Another semi approached the accident, attempted to slow and began sliding on the slick roadway. That driver was able to steer past the first semi but struck the pick-up broadside. The Minden woman was flown to Reno with major injuries. The first semi driver suffered moderate injuries but sought his own aid. The second semi driver was uninjured. On Sunday morning, a 22-year-old Linden man slid on an icy curve on Hwy 88 east of Peddler Hill and rolled his Chevy pick-up when it hit a snow bank. He was taken to Sutter Roseville Hospital for injuries sustained in the accident. And on Sunday morning, an Oakland woman was driving west on Hwy 88 near Foster Meadows when she reduced her speed so she could turn off the road into the pull-out. A San Jose man, who CHP say was driving too fast for the traffic conditions, rear-ended the Oakland woman. Neither driver in that accident was injured.

The county has made available to the public several draft documents related to the County’s General Plan Update. The County is now entering into the Land Use and Alternatives segment of the General Plan update process -- the updated General Plan will set the policy for land use and development decisions in the county over the next 20-plus years. The Land Use Working Paper, the Land Use Classification System and Alternatives Workbook, and Map Packet are available on the General Plan website. Full-size colored maps are also available for review in the Planning Department office. The Working Paper provides information on current land uses and general plan land use designations.

Amador County Recreation Agency is holding a planning meeting tonight for the Volcano Communications Park in Pine Grove. The public is invited to bring their ideas and hear what others say about construction of a new 22-acre park in Pine Grove. The future park property, donated to the county by Volcano Communications, runs between Mt. Zion Rd and Tabeaud Road. The park planning meeting tonight will run from 5 pm to 7:30 pm at the Pine Grove Town Hall. Two more park planning meetings will be held, one on Jan 24 in Pioneer – no location announced yet, and another on Jan 29 at Pine Grove Town Hall. For more information about the park planning process, call the Amador County Recreation Agency at 223-6349

Amador County Public Health is offering free flu vaccine to all students in Amador County while supply lasts.  The flu shots will be offered at the Health department’s regularly scheduled vaccination clinics – those are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 2 – 6 pm, and on the 4th Tuesday from 9 – 11:30 am. So – there will be a clinic this afternoon, if your student needs a flu shot. The clinics are held at the Health Department’s new office on Lower Ridge Rd (near the bowling alley) at 10877 Conductor Blvd.fee will be waived for those who can’t afford the $10 fee. Please call the vaccination hotline at 223-6697 for more details. Other vaccines are offered at these clinics as well – the flu shots are free and the Health dept charges $10 for other vaccinations, though the

Amador Fire Protection District released its activity report for December 2007. AFPD had a busy month personnel responded to a total of 158 incidents in December. 81 medical aid & 27 vehicle accidents accounted for 68% of the total incidents.  8 of the incidents were fire-related with 2 structure fires, 3 chimney fires and 3 vegetation fires. 56% of all the calls occurred between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.