Also at the Sutter Creek Planning Commission meeting, the commission approved a motion verifying that they had reviewed the grading plan for the Powder House Estates Subdivision, which will be comprised of 79 single family homes located adjacent to Sutter Crest Estates on Shakeridge Road. Grading will begin in the spring, and should not be visible from the downtown area.

Ione residents are being asked for their input into the city’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan. The city is included in the County’s overall Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan that identifies several possible bike lane and pedestrian improvements for Ione. A committee of city council members and citizens has received community input and proposed fine tuning and re-prioritizing the county list. On Wednesday, January 30 at 4:30 pm, the city council will hold a public hearing to discuss priorities suggested by the committee and submit a revised plan to Amador County Transportation Commission for their re-evaluation and adoption of the City’s plan.

Tuesday night, Jackson Planning Commissioners approved a recommendation to the City Council that no new homes be built in Jackson in 2008. The commission heard public comment on the city’s Housing Equivalent Units Allocation for 2008 - the annual recommendation of the number of new houses allowed based on the capacity of the cities infrastructure, including sewer and water facilities. The commission is also recommending that project designs include traffic improvement for bicyclists and pedestrians, affordable housing to meet or exceed the cities’ policy, child care opportunities, green building practices and show an economic benefit to Jackson. Commissioners suggested if the City Council did not agree with the Housing Equivalent Units Allocation, they could implement stricter Design Criteria.

Mel & Faye’s Diner may be serving hamburgers from a spiffy new building down the highway, but the original site of the classic burger stand will not be forgotten. Yesterday, the city of Jackson dedicated the parking lot built on the site of the much-loved restaurant to Mel Gillman and unveiled a bronze plaque commemorating Mel and Faye’s contribution to Jackson. Family, friends and city dignitaries gathered for the unveiling of the plaque featuring a photograph of Gillman and of the restaurant circa 1956.

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 what’s coming up this weekend:

The Interfaith Community of Choirs will perform at the Sutter Creek Open House, Saturday evening, December 8th. Their concert at the Methodist church will start following 6:30 pm Los Posadas candlelight Walk that begins at the Immaculate Conception Church on Spanish Street and ends at the Methodist Church. The concert is free to the public and will include music from their Festival of Carols concert, as well as, holiday sing-along songs.

 

The last 2 Senior Flu Shot Clinics held by Amador County Public Health Dept are scheduled for today and tomorrow. Today, flu shots are available between 2 – 3:30 pm and there’s an Early Bird Clinic on Thursday from 6:45 – 7:30 am. Both clinics will be held at Amador County Public Health office, 1003 Broadway, Suite 203 in Jackson. These clinics are targeted for high-risk individuals including those 60 and over or those with chronic medical conditions or children 6 months to 5 years. The cost is $20 for high-risk individuals and the Health Department will bill Medicare for those who are eligible. To find flu shots at other locations, go to the following websites: www.findaflushot.com www.raleys.com www.flumist.com

Anyone who works with children may want to attend a free training workshop on reporting child abuse or neglect. Childcare providers, clergy and church staff, teachers, or volunteers who work with children, may all be in a position to suspect child abuse or neglect. The Amador County Child Abuse Prevention Council will present a free Child Abuse & Neglect Mandated Reporter Training workshop on Wednesday, November 14, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the County Administrative Center, Conference Room C. Professionals who are mandated to report suspected child abuse and neglect, as well as volunteers and others who work with children are encouraged to attend. ACCAPC uses training materials provided by the State Attorney General’s office. Please R.S.V.P. to the ACCAPC so that enough training handouts will be available. 223-5921 or email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">'+addy_text50406+'<\/a>'; //--> . Additional workshops will be scheduled as requested.

Vino Noceto, a small, family operated vineyard, winery, and orchard in the Shenandoah Valley, has been named one of the winners of the state’s Waste Reduction Awards Program (also known as the WRAP Award). The WRAP Awards Program, established in 1993 by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, recognizes California businesses that have made outstanding efforts to reduce waste and send less garbage to our landfills. By-products of the vineyard and winemaking processes – pressings, leaves, stems -- are collected and composted into a nutrient-rich soil amendment used in organically-managed vineyards.  Owner Jim Gullett estimates that over 500 tons of winery by-products have been recycled into compost since opening Vino Noceto's winery in 1999. 

Information released last week reveals that the owners of a historic gold mine in the Sutter Creek are putting their company up for sale.  Sutter Gold Mining Inc., based in Vancouver, British Columbia, has hired the Toronto investment banking company IBK Capital Corp. to find a potential buyer, merger candidate or joint venture partner. The mining company (TSX Venture Exchange: SGM) hopes gold prices, which hit a 27-year high on Wednesday, will attract a suitor. Sutter Gold Mining chief executive officer Hal Herron told the Sacramento Business Journal that about 25 companies are interested. "Most likely it will be a stock-for-stock exchange so it will be tax-free for shareholders," he said.

The Amador County Elections office has certified that a qualifying 234 signatures were gathered on two referendum petitions against the proposed Jackson Hills Golf Community project.  The signature drive, organized by a group called “Concerned Citizens of Jackson” calls for a city vote on rescinding Jackson City Council’s certification of the Jackson Hills EIR and approval of a General Plan amendment that would change the land use designation from agricultural to Residential Single. At their next city council meeting on Nov. 13, Jackson City Council will consider the options of rescinding their previous votes on Jackson Hills, or sending the issue to Jackson voters.