Do you know CPR? Do you need CPR/Defibrilator certification for your job? Do you wish you were trained in case you needed to give CPR to a family member in an emergency? The American Red Cross is offering 2 classes in Adult CPR and Automatic External Defibrilator training this fall in San Andreas. Classes on Wednesday October 24 and Wednesday November 28 will run from 6 – 10 pm at the American Legion offices at 265 West St. Charles Street. Red Cross CPR classes have been recently updated with latest techniques and information, and Red Cross certification is widely recognized and accepted throughout the U.S. For more information or to register for the classes, call the Sonora office of the Red Cross at 209-533-1513.

Amador County Treasurer-Tax Collector Michael E. Ryan has announced that the annual secured property tax bills for the 2007-08 fiscal year have been mailed.  If you own property in Amador County and do not receive your tax bill by October 15, 2007, please contact the Amador County Tax Collector’s Office at 810 Court Street, Jackson or call 223-6364, to request a copy of your bill.  Please note that State Law provides that the failure to receive a property tax bill does not relieve the taxpayer of the responsibility to make timely payments to the Tax Collector’s Office. Ryan indicated that there are over 23,000 secured tax bills for ad valorem taxes and voter approved special assessments, with tax charges totaling in excess of $48.3 million. Your Amador County property tax information is available on-line.  To view your tax information, visit www.co.amador.ca.us, Treasurer/Tax Collector link, and click on “Public Tax Information”. For additional information, please contact the Tax Collector’s Office.

For every two homes that are sold in the eight-county Sacramento region, another one goes back to the bank. The eight county area includes Amador County. That is the latest indicator of the area's housing market, considered among the worst in the state. Last month, 2,978 new owners bought homes in Amador, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties, according to La Jolla-based DataQuick Information Systems.

At this week’s Amador County Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting, a future facilities general obligation bond was discussed.Superintendent Mike Carey told the Board, during his report, that he and other district officials had been in contact with the consultants that helped the district pass the last bond measure, measure F. That bond was for 11-million dollars which, Dr Carey says, was matched with state funding to give the district a value of 25-million dollars in badly needed improvements.

The Jackson Rancheria Band of Me-Wok Indians will be breaking ground this week on a new Gas Station and General Store at the corner of Hwy 88 and Dalton Drive.  Jackson Rancheria Tribal Council Member Dennis Dalton will oversee the ceremonies on Friday, September 14, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. Plans for the project include a 4,500 square foot 24-hour “General Store” with food prepared on the premises, dining space, coffee, as well as a touch less car wash, a recreational vehicle wash, and 12 fuel pumps. The gas station will remain unbranded to allow for the most competitive fuel pricing.

On May 16, 2006 Title 19 of the Amador County Code was amended to include regulations pertaining to sea-land storage containers in order to encourage appropriate locations and uses for such containers and protect the visual quality of the County. 

The City of Jackson is looking into allowing local businesses to erect temporary signs. Currently, a city ordinance exists for permanent business signs and temporary “for sale” signs, but does not address temporary signage that is specifically for advertising. The issue came to the Planning Commission’s attention by way of City code enforcement officials. When asked to take down temporary banners, many local business owners complained and some were “flat out not removing them,” says City Planner Susan Peters. Due to number of complaints, city staff brought the issue to the Planning Commission, which heard the matter at their meeting Monday night. Many local business owners were in attendance to support the cause.

Staff provided the commission with a list of questions regarding amending the current sign ordinance. First, should temporary signs be allowed? If so, what size should they be, and what duration would be allowed? Also, should a permit fee apply as it does for permanent signs? And finally, what type of penalty should be imposed for violating the ordinance? Peters suggested that the Design Committee come up with a proposal, as they are already working on design aspects as part of the Economic Development Committee, a group charged with the revitalization of Jackson. Kam Merzlak of Merzlak Signs, who is on the Design Committee along with Shelly Scott, Cathy Yocheim, and Planning Commissioner Dave Butow, is excited about the task and says, “They are making a step in the right direction by having a professional in the (signage) field (help draft the proposal).” The Design Committee will bring a draft proposal to the next Economic Development meeting on August 14th. From there, that committee will bring the proposal to the Planning Commission at their August 18th meeting. Once the amendment language has been agreed upon, the Jackson City Council will need to vote on the amendment.

A new Mission Statement for Amador County and a set of three-year goals are the results of Tuesday morning’s Strategic Planning Workshop, which included 21 of the County’s top administrators and department heads. AmadorCounty’s new mission statement sought to answer the question, “Why does Amador County government exist, and for whom?“ The statement formulated at the workshop is as follows: “The County of Amador provides essential services that are responsive to the needs of the community and create a safe and secure environment.” In addition, the group came up with a four goals, which they will attempt to accomplish within three years. The goals are: Improve communication and cooperation internally and externally, Improve quality of services, Maintain and improve financial stability, and Improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency. A follow-up monitoring process, which included a set of roles, tasks and deadlines was also established to ensure the completion of these goals. The structure of the workshop centered on brainstorming and discussion about internal and external issues facing the county today. Local leaders identified hard working, efficient county employees, geographical diversity, public safety, and a relatively stable budget as some of Amador County’s internal strengths. Conversely, the complexity of policies, a lack of general direction in all departments, a lack of evaluation of past practices, and communication challenges were all identified as internal weaknesses. Increasing tourism, the potential passage of a ½ cent sales tax for fire services, the possibility of federal funding, and the new Regional Planning Committee were all cited as possible opportunities for the county, and Indian Casinos, aging employees, the state budget crisis, and water shortages were all perceived as threats. “This workshop was very productive for all participants,” said County Administrative Officer Terry Daly at the end of yesterday’s meeting.

After 19 years of business, Jackson’s popular restaurant Bonanza closed its doors last week. Bonanza was well known for its great steaks, hearty drinks, and raucous company. Owner Larry VanAnda, who is 69 years of age, told TSPN, “after only two vacations in 19 years, I am beat. It is just time to retire.” He also said that there were a couple of parties interested in purchasing the place, and that there is talk of continuing the restaurant and also making Bonanza into a cowboy nightclub venue. “I would like to thank all of my patrons, I had a great time and have lots of fond memories,” VanAnda said.

According to many wine experts, Amador County’s microclimate, or terrior , has proven to be exceptional for the production of high quality wines. The word ‘terrior’ is French for soil, but in wine terms it encompass much more, including microclimate, temperatures, drainage and a host of other factors that effect grape production. According to a recent editorial by wine expert Jeff Farance with News Journal online, Amador County is a prime example of all the elements of terrior working together. He went on to explain that any wine-grape-growing area will designate specific locales, from several-county areas to a particular hillside or even a single vineyard as being sufficiently different types of terrior.

Amador County, as it turns out, is prime territory for growing and producing Zinfandel. Wedged between the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada mountains, our unique local climate is where Zinfandel grapes thrive. Many local vintners have become famous for their contributions to the worldwide Zinfandel market, including Sutter Home Family Vineyards, Montevina Winery, Story Winery and Renwood. Although relatively small compared to the juggernaut that is Napa Valley, Amador County’s recognition as a competitive force in the worldwide wine industry continues to grow- and our terrior, deserves the most thanks.