By Jim Reece - An armed robbery shook the solace of Amador County Monday night, with three agencies searching Jackson for the suspect. At around 8:11 p.m. Monday, Jackson Police Department responded to a reported armed robbery at Papa Murphys Pizza, 777 Highway 49 in Jackson. Captain Christy Stidger in a release said Jackson police contacted the lone Papa Murphys Employee, who said a male entered the store, walked up to the counter and demanded money. The male suspect reportedly simulated a weapon beneath his clothing. The employee removed an undisclosed amount of money from the cash register and handed it over to the suspect. The suspect then fled the scene. Jackson police officers along with responders from the CHP, Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies and Sutter Creek Police Department combed the area, looking for the suspect with negative results. Responders included Sutter Creek City Manager and Police Chief Rob Duke, who responded to the call with another Sutter Creek officer. The two took the call while Sutter Creek’s City Council was in session, ran out of the meeting room and left the area with sirens running. The case is still under investigation with leads being followed. Anyone with information about the robber is urged to call the Jackson Police Department at 223-1771.

By Jim Reece - The Amador County Board of Supervisors approved a $72.2 Million county budget with $5 Million in cuts Tuesday, with reduced spending in every department. Chief Administrative Officer Terri Daly said cuts came with the help of department heads, while the major lowering of the budget was a halt on Capital Improvement contributions toward the purchase of the Jail property, and also halted a victim witness relocation program, saving 200,000 dollars. Daly said the museum roof repair is still in the budget, but “Anything that wasn’t already committed was taken out.” Last Thursday, after her talk with the unions, she said personnel increases, promised in MOUs in labor contracts, such as Cost Of Living Adjustments and uniform allowances, had given too much to personnel. The final budget, she said, usually has minor changes. “This year, it’s really different. We have major changes,” Daly said. Instead, she offered county unions a 7-day, non-paid furlough, to make the budget. This came with 28 applications for early retirement. She said the county could make macro adjustments to the budget, and also carry out reorganization – finding out how to work more efficiently without hiring – doing so with structural changes. “We can’t let personnel costs skyrocket year after year after year,” Daly said. “I don’t anticipate that we’ll be back in good budget days for many years.” She said next year could be worse. Cuts included 3.28 Million dollars from the general fund; 1.07 Million dollars from county Improvement; 352,000 dollars from Health; 266,000 dollars from Social Services; and 150,000 each from Behavioral Health and Water Development. Daly said in March 2007, the county has had 10 positions that were, in effect, a “rotating hiring freeze.” Now with personnel costs, Daly requested the board to have a “hard hiring freeze” with no hiring and no promotions. With the only changes recommended as transfers from one department to another. “I do want to warn you that there is no slack in this budget,” Daly said. “If we experience any hiccups, it’s going to be in layoffs.” She said a wildfire or any kind of catastrophic event will mean layoffs. She also recommended that the administrative committee oversee every purchase over $500. “I am just talking about scrutinizing every purchase that we make so that we responsibly spend taxpayers’ money.”

By Jennifer Wilson - The Jackson Planning Commission finalized wording of a proposed temporary sign ordinance that will fill a previously empty space in city municipal code. After City code enforcement officials began noticing business owners using temporary banner signs as permanent signs, the city noticed that their code didn’t specifically address temporary signs. Due to the current economic downturn, many businesses have erected temporary signs advertising special deals or sales in an effort to pull in more business. The Design Subcommittee of the Jackson Economic Development Committee has been working on the code. Involved in the effort is local sign expert Kam Merzlak, EDC member Shelley Scott, and Planning Commissioner Dave Butow, as well as city staff. As it stands, the ordinance, once adopted, will allow a temporary sign only to advertise a special promotion or sale, and may not be used as a permanent sign for naming the business. New businesses will be allowed to use a temporary sign for 60 days while a permanent sign is being made, and current business owners in Jackson will have 6 months to replace any temporary sign. Additionally, use will be limited to two signs at any given time, which may be erected up to 3 times a year, for a period of 30 days each. A permit fee of $25 will apply, and sign size will be limited to 16 square feet. The size limit drew some opposition. Currently, there are many signs erected throughout Jackson that greatly exceed that size limit, namely real estate “for sale” signs. Sally Bligh of Sierra Homes & Properties noted that limiting the size would be a detriment to most agents. “Most of my business comes from brokers driving through town and calling me from one of my signs,” explained Bligh, referring to the ease of noting her name and number on a large 3 by 20 foot sign. Bligh’s opinion was mirrored in a letter to the city from Joel Lesch, President of the Amador County Association of REALTORS®, which requested that commercial real estate signs have a 90-square foot size limit. The commission agreed to omit real estate signs from the ordinance, and will address that issue in a separate item of the municipal code. The next stop for the proposed ordinance is the Jackson City Council for review and consideration for adoption.

By Jim Reece - The Board of Supervisors passed a Resolution honoring retiring Amador County printer, John Escamilla who retired after 30 years with the County. Board Chairman Richard Forster read the resolution, and in the introduction noted some of Escamilla’s milestones. He was born September 19, 1942 on Hill Street in Jackson. Married Rosalie Pryor Escamilla in September 2003, “to whom he is married today and living in a newly constructed home on a lot less than half a block from the house in which he was born.” He graduated from Jackson High School in 1961 and played football at Sacramento City College from 1961 to 1963. He started in the mail room at the Sacramento Bee in 1963 and transferred to the composing room in 1964. He spent 6 years as an apprentice at the International Typographic Union and became a journeyman printer in 1970. During a strike, while visiting his parents, Escamilla applied for the job of Amador County Printer and was hired by the County September 14, 1978. Forster said John Escamilla worked as the sole printer for Amador County until 1998 and endured some office woes. He started in with an office in the basement of the old hospital. In 1982, he moved the office into a double-wide trailer in the public works yard, “managing to keep paper dry in spite of numerous leaks in the old trailer.” In 2000, GSA moved into its new building on Airport Road, creating a spacious, dry print shop facility. Escamilla assisted with planning, layout and arrangement of equipment in the shop. Forster said “John is well known for his love of the game of tennis and now looks forward to becoming a professional tennis buddy.” The resolution commended Escamilla for 30 years’ service with Amador County. John is the brother of District 1 Supervisor Richard Escamilla, who after the presentation said John “did a Hell of a job.”

By Jim Reece - Local fugitive the “White Owl,” Albert Carl Fernandez, was captured near the Amador-El Dorado County line last week with the help of the Amador County Combined Narcotic Enforcement Team. The Amador Narcotic Team assisted the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and the El Dorado County Code Enforcement Unit in conducting a building code compliance inspection of several small buildings and camping tents along the Cosumnes River off Bootstrap Way, between Amador and El Dorado counties. El Dorado Code Enforcement had conducted inspections in past years and found health and county building code violations, including marijuana cultivation. Law enforcement personnel conducted a sweep of the encampment but found no one inside the small, makeshift shacks. In one shack, the narcotics enforcement team and El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office teams discovered multiple syringes, methamphetamine injecting paraphernalia, marijuana growing materials, drying marijuana plants and enforcement and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reports in the name of Albert Fernandez. During the search of this shack, a male subject was seen running from an area adjacent to the encampment. The male subject ran toward perimeter personnel, who gave chase on foot. The subject subsequently surrendered to narcotics enforcement team personnel who were pursuing him. The male subject confirmed his identity as Albert Carl Fernandez, 52, also known as “White Owl”, the long-time Parolee at Large from West Point. A search of the encampment resulted in the seizure of 16 marijuana plants and the posting of five of the shacks as not fit for human occupation by the El Dorado County Code Enforcement Unit. Fernandez was arrested for Parole Violation, Cultivation of Marijuana, Possession of Hypodermic Syringes and was booked at the El Dorado County Jail.

By Jim Reece - A 31-year-old former Arizona resident crashed into the Jackson Fire Department after an apparent medical episode Monday morning in downtown Jackson. Jackson Police Department responded to the one-vehicle crash, after Joe Sanders, 31, formerly of Arizona and now living in the area, turned his 1988 BMW into the front wall of the Jackson Fire Department. JPD said minimal damage resulted. A spokesman said Sanders reported that he felt the beginning of a medical episode and tried to turn his BMW into the fire department parking lot but failed to stop and hit the wall that faces Highway 49 and 88. No injuries were reported and no charges were filed in the incident.

Via News Release - A 52-year-old Avery man was killed in a one-vehicle crash in Alpine County Sunday, with alcohol use suspected. William Wells was killed at approximately 8:30 p.m., while driving a 1981 Pontiac Firebird, heading home from Alpine Lake Resort, on Highway 4, west of Highway 207. The San Andreas CHP office said Wells failed to maintain the Firebird on the road, drifting to the right. The Firebird completely left the road, striking trees and overturning down an embankment. Wells was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected and came to rest under the Firebird, where he succumbed to his injuries. The road level was 10 to 12 feet above the location of the vehicle. A bicyclist discovered the overturned vehicle at about 8 a.m. Monday and called for help.

By Jim Reece - Driving Under the Influence charges were filed after two crashes this weekend on Amador County Roads, including one with major injuries. The Amador Unit of the CHP reported arrests in both cases. CHP said at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Mathew Marton, 26, of Turlock was driving a 1993 GMC pickup truck while intoxicated at a high rate of speed on Campo Seco Road, west of Watertown Road. Due to his intoxication, Marton failed to negotiate a curve in the road, and the front wheels of his truck left the road and the vehicle hit a tree. His passenger, Tresa Giannini, of Sutter Creek, suffered major injuries. Both extricated themselves and flagged down a passing motorist. They were taken to Sutter Amador Hospital and Marton was arrested for felony DUI. At CHP reported another DUI arrest 9:15 p.m. Sunday. Preston E. Vanslochteren, 52, of Ione, was riding his 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle west bound on Reservation Road, east of Camanche Road. Due to his intoxication, he allowed the motorcycle to drift off the paved portion of the road and into the drainage gully, where the motorcycle flipped, throwing off the rider. CHP responded and arrested Vanslochteren for DUI and booked him into the Amador County Jail.

By Jim Reece - The Ione Planning Commission met last week and discussed the city’s new home-based business code, looking at prohibiting signs in residential areas. City Manager Kim Kerr said the commission asked staff to revise language in a proposed change to a resolution now in place that creates the municipal code on home businesses. Commissioners asked staff to insert language removing signs from people’s homes and make some adjustments on the types of businesses that would be allowed to be operated in homes in residential areas. They also discussed limiting the number of cars parked at home businesses. The discussion included disallowing small appliance repair. Other types of businesses discussed included beauty shops, barbers shops and massage parlors. Kerr said there was still another step in the process, a public hearing, tentatively scheduled for Oct. 14. The hearing would be needed for any changes made by the council, as the code was enacted in August by an emergency resolution. The home occupation resolution is in effect but the draft ordinance is not. The city council meets at 6 p.m. today (with closed session to begin at 5 p.m.). The Council today will consider reappointing Planning Commissioners David Plank and Mike McDermed to 4-year terms, through October 2012. The council will also consider reappointing Park & Recreation Commissioners Russ Baldwin, Rosemary Johnson and Laurie Lord to 2-year terms, running through 2010. Also on today’s agenda, the Ione Business and Community Association seeks to install a sign adjacent to Howard Park, with staff recommendation that the IBCA be responsible for its maintenance.

Via News Release - The Amador Water Agency and the City of Ione are hosting a dedication of the new 2-million gallon Wildflower Water Storage tank Thursday morning on Brickyard Road, east of Highway 124. The tank’s construction cost of about $2.2 million was paid for by private developer Ryland Homes, while JTS Communities paid $330,000 toward the cost of the tank’s new booster pump station. The AWA, in a release announcing the dedication, said the 2-million gallon tank will increase fire protection flows and emergency storage for the entire city, and create better operational capacity for Ione’s water treatment plant. The tank will also serve the future 276-home Wildflower Subdivision. The AWA board of directors, council members of Ione, and members of the Amador County Board of Supervisors are expected to attend the dedication, along with officials from Ryland Homes and JTS Communities. The Wildflower Water Storage Tank is east of Highway 124 on Brickyard Road.