Amador County –Construction crews began work Wednesday on the long-awaited Walgreens shopping center to be erected at the corner of Highway 49 and Ridge Road in Sutter Creek. The Amador County Transportation Commission board of directors approved an agreement in (VIDEO) March between Sutter Creek and the Petrovich Development Company that paved the way for today’s activity. The agreement allows Petrovich to pay a Regional Traffic Mitigation Fee of $1,200 to ACTC. Sutter Creek Assistant City Manager Sean Rabe said the total reduction of fees is $88,000 dollars. The agreement includes rights-of-way, frontage improvements and fee credits, as discussed by the ad hoc Transportation Policy Advisory Task force. The right-of-way is required for the highway and intersection expansions which were determined to be needed by a Traffic Impact Study of the Crossroads Shopping Center. The ACTC’s board unanimously voted to have Field sign the document when the legal team finishes drafting it. Supervisor and ACTC Board Chairman Louis Boitano said the project is “putting our people back to work” in a time “when jobs are scarce.” Sutter Creek City Manager Sean Rabe said the city is supportive of the project and excited to get the Walgreens built. Sutter Creek approved the project, formally known as the Crossroads Shopping Center, in 2004. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Hundreds of VIPs attended a noon luncheon hosted by the California Shock Trauma Air Rescue Unit 10 helicopter ambulance service, topped off with a ribbon cutting on the tarmac at Amador County Airport. The luncheon was hosted at the American Legion Hall, and speakers from CALSTAR told about the new branch, which serves Amador County, and told of the celebration that marks the air ambulance service’s 25th year in operation. Attendees included county supervisors, Chairman Ted Novelli, John Plasse and Louis Boitano. Boitano took a flight on MD902 helicopter, which was one of 3 aircraft at the Amador Airport, though it is based in McClelland. CALSTAR executives attended, including Regional Director David L. Osuna, along with staff of the Amador branch, which opened April 1st. Flight nurse Katherine Hansen said the Amador base, a 24-hour service, is the newest of 10 rotor bases that CALSTAR has around the state, including in Concord, Ukiah and Lake Tahoe. The company also has fixed-wing bases, including at its headquarters at McClelland Air Force Base. Also at the Amador Air Port was a Cessna 421B twin engine fixed wing airplane, piloted by Chris Reeder, son of Plymouth developer, Bob Reeder of Reeder Sutherland, who was among the luncheon attendees. CALSTAR’s 3-person crew includes a pilot and two flight nurses who can get in the air in 5 minutes and fly up to 180 miles to assist with medical trauma suffered in Amador, El Dorado and Calaveras counties. CALSTAR Unit 10 is based in a house on Airport Road in Martell. CALSTAR 10 pilot Rod Jamieson said the helicopter is a BO-105, with Rolls Royce C30 engines, which can carry the crew of 3, plus 2 patients and equipment. CALSTAR is built for the speed to act in the “Golden Hour,” the crucial time frame in which severe trauma is in need of medical attention. The craft carries ventilators, cardio (VIDEO) monitors and defribulators and cruises at 130 knots. CALSTAR sells membership cards because of the “financial ramifications of an air ambulance transport, which can cost $25,000 or more.” To see the organization’s Membership Program, see www.calstar.org. Supervisor Novelli called CALSTARS presence “a great benefit to our community.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – ACES Waste Service of Pine Grove may just get a few more customers, after the solid waste company there notified Ione City Hall that it would no longer be operating in Ione. ACES, owned by Paul Molinelli, recently outbid Amador Disposal for the franchise contract in Sutter Creek. It also holds the franchise in Jackson, but Ione City Manager Kim Kerr said in Ione, there is only a permit allowing solid waste business, not the franchise agreement. Kerr told the Ione City Council Tuesday that the operators of Amador Disposal notified the city and customers that it will cease operations in Ione effective August 1st. Kerr said stopping its work here was economically motivated, and “it’s a double digit increase they would need to do business here.” She said operating under the agreement, the city “can’t guarantee cooperation in the transition” from company to company. The city can mention in its newsletter that Amador Disposal is leaving the city, but due to antitrust law, it can only give contact information for ACES. Amador Disposal will pick up their containers at the end of July, and residents have a month-and-a-half to make their decisions. Kerr said “they lost Sutter Creek, now they are pulling out here.” The will continue to offer “porta-pottie” services, and will run the transfer station in the Buena Vista area. “ACES is going to get a lot more customers,” said Councilman David Plank. If ACES does take over the city customers’ routes, Plank said they cannot change rates, which were set by a city council resolution. Kerr said the city will give people information with their sewer bills. Plank said the 2 companies must communicate. Kerr said “I did ask Amador Disposal to provide a customer list and the rates they were charging and they refused to do that.” In public comment, resident Elmer Rohde said the transition was simple. He called Amador Disposal Friday to cancel his account and called ACES Friday also, and “they start my service tomorrow.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – In its second workshop on the 2009-2010 budget, the Amador Water Agency board of directors on Tuesday clarified its directions to staff from the previous meeting. Board member Don Cooper pointed at a 13.9 percent rate increase in wastewater and told staff he thought he had told them to look at “no rate increases.” AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie said he thought the direction of the board was to have “staff come up with some kind of revenue stream to close the gap.” Board member Bill Condrashoff criticized Finance Manager Mike Lee for “math errors” and figures that did not add up correctly. Lee projected the last 6 weeks of the fiscal year, and “it’s the most realistic prediction I can give you.” Cooper said “I would like to see the impact of removing $800,000 dollars from this budget. We are not supposed to build this budget line by line.” He said “I’m a little frustrated because that is not our job.” Board member Debbie Dunn said the only changes staff pointed out in the new draft budget was the Cost of Living Adjustment. Abercrombie said he was looking at 5 different board members’ directions, and “some want to go line by line and go through the minutiae,” and some want a more wide view. Board member Gary Thomas said he would like to see the broad budget and then go line by line when needed. Chairman Terence Moore said “I would like to see this thing flat, see if we can give them a breather for a year.” He suggested balancing the budget using reserves. Condrashoff said he would like to see it balanced this year, but not by using reserves, because they would just face the same problems next year. Cooper said he thought the budget was over-projecting revenues and “stacking the deck – you are expecting to get more revenue that you will probably get.” Condrashoff said he wanted to minimize rate increases and cut the budget. Moore said he did not “know if we can cut out all the rate increases.” He suggested trying to keep the increases low, in the 2-4 percent range. Cooper said “we probably can’t take it to zero, but I’d like to see what happens when we take ti to zero. I would like to see what it looks like without the wound getting cut open.” Condrashoff agreed, saying he would like to see the Amador Water System rate increase “down to zero.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Region - Non-profit agencies throughout the region are seeing their budgets wiped away by the cost of toilet paper, but an unusual drive in Sacramento was organized to alleviate that problem. The United Way of Sacramento is spearheading a toilet paper drive to collect rolls for the region’s nonprofits. Loaves and Fishes, a Sacramento area charity, estimates its spends up to $15,000 per year on toilet paper. The numbers are similar for other charities and food banks providing essential services to the less-fortunate across the Mother Lode. By collecting toilet paper, more money can be allocated for other basic services these organizations provide. More than 140 nonprofits in Sacramento and the surrounding four counties – Amador, El Dorado, Placer, and Yolo - were estimated to benefit from donations received at Golden 1 Credit Union headquarters, Cal Expo main entrance and Folsom High School on Wednesday. The collection goal was 30,000 rolls. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – There will be stagecoach robberies, and 40-minute closures for horseless carriage traffic on Sutter Creek’s Main Street, next Saturday, June 20th. Recently retired former Councilman Bill Hepworth, a member of the Sutter Creek Promotions Committee, donned a shaggy wig and cowboy hat, boots and duds to announced the upcoming Third Annual Black Bart Hold-Up Day all day long next weekend in Sutter Creek. He said instead of closing Main to vehicle traffic all day, the street will be temporarily closed for 40 minutes, during each of the stagecoach robbery reenactments. Hepworth said those mini-dramas, the stagecoach robbery reenactments will take place at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Otherwise, the coach, a remake of the final Wells Fargo coach robbed by Black Bart, will sit out in front of the American Exchange Hotel on Main Street. He said “actually that’s where the stage did leave when Black Bart robbed it” for the last time, 126 years ago, on June 23, 1883. Hepworth said it was Black Bart, or Charles E. Boles’ last successful stagecoach robbery. Black Bart was injured in the robbery and in his escape dropped a handkerchief, with a San Francisco launderer’s mark, which was traced to Boles, leading to his capture and conviction of that final robbery. He said Black Bart served 5 years in San Quentin Prison for that robbery, then was never heard from again, leading to rumors that Boles was given a pension by Wells Fargo. The 3rd annual Black Bart Hold-Up Days will feature robbery reenactments by the Kit Carson Mountain Men, Sierra Six Guns, and Doc & The Foothill Vigilantes. It will also feature tomahawk throwing and local artists featured, including writers Larry Cenotto, Loretta Armstrong and Caroline Fregulia; and work by Ron Scofield, a reenactment participant and an old-time blacksmith. Events will be featured at Amy Peterson’s Garden Shop and around the Brignoli home. For information, call the promotions committee at 267-1344 or 1-800-400-0305, or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or go online to www.suttercreek.org. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Sutter Creek Planning Commission decided Wednesday that it wanted to try to preserve oak trees and minimize grading in the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. In a 4-1 vote, Commissioners decided those issues were pertinent to their recommendation. Chairman Robin Peters asked lead consultant Anders Hague to “come up with a bulleted list of ways for us to implement those concepts.” That must be done in time for their next meeting, 6 p.m. Monday. Hague said it might mean that the commission has more than one meeting left, to get the issues handled and addressed properly. Commissioners took public comment on the Gold Rush Final Environmental Impact Report and took commissioner comments. Peters told the public not to “feel that if they are not prepared that this is the last opportunity to comment, because it is not.” The public may comment at later meetings. Peters said foremost for him was satisfying Goal Number 2.1 of the 1994 Sutter Creek General Plan. It was an issue in previous meetings they put aside to take up later. Goal 2.1 said the General Plan should “Allow the city to grow and prosper while protecting existing neighborhoods and the existing quality of life that is the essence of Sutter Creek. The existing quality of life includes the city’s rural small town atmosphere, its historic qualities and its current level of public services and facilities.” Peters said it was his intent to look at project’s General Plan consistency from the perspective of Goal 2.1. Hague said the Angels Camp housing development, Greenhorn Golf Course, was the model for Sutter Creek City Council and Planning Commission members in their vision of developing the city. Peters agreed, saying that Greenhorn had grading and tree removal done for roads only, and he wanted to apply that to Gold Rush as much as possible. Commissioner Frank Cunha said in the consistency analysis, “there’s at least a dozen policies that speak directly to Goal 2.1. And from the 1994 general plan to 2007 neighborhood meetings, everyone wants the same thing:” just like at Greenhorn, “we don’t want any mass grading.” Cunha said Greenhorn was built by a “handful of people who lived in Angels Camp.” It had “no grading or tree removal except for (building) pads, driveways or streets. I think this is what we’ve been moving toward for 2 years.” Commissioners Mike Kirkley and Robert Olsen agreed, while Corte Strandberg said he thought grading and tree removal were good concepts. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Ione City Council on Tuesday discussed the defaulting of bond payments by local developers JTS Communities Incorporated at the Castle Oaks Subdivision, but dismissed it as not the same as the last Mello-Roos Bond situation. City Manager Kim Kerr said the city knew ahead of time that Sacramento-based JTS and its partners would pay the first half of the year’s special tax on the 99 parcels it owns, then miss the second half of the year’s payment. “We knew they weren’t going to pay,” Kerr said, so city staff worked to be prepared, and waited to hear a report that the taxes were not paid, so that paperwork would be ready to initiate foreclosures. JTS is owned by Jack Sweigart and Larry Carter, and its partners in the Castle Oaks Subdivision are Stone & Youngberg LLC of San Diego; S&Y Capital Group of Los Angeles; and Tower Investments LLC of Woodland. Kerr said the documented agreement would pay administrative expenses off the top. Kerr said “we are not concerned. There is enough money in reserve to make any payments on the bonds for 3 years.” She said JTS “just came and pulled 11 or 12 building permits in the last 2 weeks,” and “they are selling homes.” Though it was before her time, Kerr said “this is totally different than the way it was with the previous bonds.” In the past, the bonds were on the open market. This time, the developer owns most of the properties. Mayor Lee Ard, one of three council members who lives in Castle Oaks, said JTS and its partners were just building capital at the moment. Ard said it was worthy to note that people will not lose their homes as long as they pay their special taxes. Kerr said “there may be a deal worked out between the bold holders and the property owners.” She said any default on a parcel that is more than $5,000 dollars can be foreclosed. She said the parcel owners in default includes private residents, but it was too soon to tell exactly how many. Most likely were not past the $5,000-dollar threshold. She said Improvement Area 1 held large, commercial parcels, owned by JTS and its partners. It exceeded that threshold and would be subject to foreclosure. But it was expected, Kerr said. She also said the $5,000 dollar amount was “negotiated by the bond holders.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - The Native Sons of the Golden West, Excelsior Parlor #31 was “deeply saddened to announce” Thursday that the Annual Father's Day Free Fishing Derby at Lake Tabeaud has been cancelled. After over 30 years of providing free fishing, prizes and food to the youth and disabled veterans of Amador County, the Native Sons have been forced to cancel the derby this year due to the settlement of a lawsuit by The Center for Biological Diversity from Tucson, Ariz. against the California Department of Fish & Game temporarily banning trout plants in certain state lakes. “I'm very disappointed that after 30 years of serving the youth of our community, we've been forced to cancel the derby because of this frivolous lawsuit,” said Past President Chad Simmons. “It only hurts our children and the irony is that PG&E is allowed to stock Lake Tabeaud as part of the settlement, but we can't stock a few hundred pounds of trout for Amador County's children and disabled veterans.” After numerous calls to the California Department of Fish and Game and the County's legislators, neither relief nor assistance materialized leading to the cancellation of the Father's Day Fishing Derby. The Native Sons are urging those with questions or concerns to contact Senator Dave Cox at 223-9140, Assembly member Alyson Huber at 333-5330, or Stafford Lehr, DFG Senior Environmental Scientist at (916) 358-2900. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Jackson City Council on Monday approved a resolution authorizing the City Attorney to support litigation challenging the constitutionality of proposed state seizures of the city’s street maintenance funds. The litigation is championed by the League of California Cities, an association of city officials working to combine resources that may influence policy decisions that affect cities. Formally titled “Resolution Number 2009-26”, the resolution states that the “current economic crisis has placed cities under incredible financial pressure and caused them to make painful budget cuts,” among a number of other negative results of those impacts. Jackson received the league’s request last Friday and is the first city in Amador County to formally profess its support. “They want to help create an awareness with the public that the state is up to no good…and we chose to support that,” said Jackson City Manager Mike Daly. In his Fiscal Year 2009-10 budget, Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed transferring $1 billion in local gas taxes and weight fees to the state general fund in order to help balance the budget, and another $700 million in future years. Daly said the Governor’s proposals would effectively violate restrictions on the state supported in Proposition 5 in 1974 and Proposition 2 in 1998. The resolution states that the estimated $78,335 in local gas taxes proposed to be taken from Jackson “will seriously compromise the City’s ability to perform critical traffic safety related street maintenance.” The resolution directs City Attorney Andy Morris to “take all necessary steps to cooperate with the League of California Cities” and other parties involved if the governor’s proposal becomes law and “unconstitutionally diverts the City’s share of funding from the Highway Users Tax Account, also known as the ‘gas tax’.” Morris is also directed to send the resolution and a letter to the Governor and each legislator in order to express the “City’s adamant resolve to oppose any effort to frustrate the will of the electorate.” Furthermore, a copy of the letter will be sent to all other appropriate parties involved. The resolution was approved by council members Pat Crew, Wayne Garibaldi, Keith Sweet and Mayor Connie Gonsalves. Councilwoman Marilyn Lewis was absent. “We know that the states in a bind but local governments are in a bind as well,” said Daly. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.