California District 3 – Amador County Congressman Dan Lungren called North Korea’s sentencing of 2 U.S. journalists unacceptable Tuesday and called for their release. Lungren said in a release Tuesday that one of the sentenced journalists has family living in his District 3. Lungren said communications with the U.S. Department of State indicate “Laura Ling and Euna Lee were denied their fundamental rights.” Lungren said North Korea has a less than stellar record on protection of human rights, but the country “has acceded to a number of international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, under which those charged with a criminal offense have certain inalienable rights.” Lungren said it appeared Lee and Ling have been denied their rights to: “be informed of the nature and cause of charges against them;” prepare their defense; “communicate with counsel of their own choosing in a language they understand;” “confront and examine the witnesses against them; and “not to be coerced into a confession.” He said Ling “was sentenced last weekend to 12 years hard labor,” and noted that she “suffers from a medical condition, which could put her life in jeopardy should she be forced to serve out this undue punishment.” To date, very little information was released “on the nature of her trial and the crimes of which she was convicted,” Lungren said, so he could “only assume that she did not have the benefit of counsel, either before or during her trial.” The North Korean government said only that they were convicted of “grave crimes,” and “observers were not permitted to attend the trial,” meaning information was “selectively filtered through the North Korean press.” NPR reported that at least one of the two women was accused of espionage. North Korea seeks to avoid sanctions for violations of international law, Lungren said, indicating the arrests make Lee and Ling “convenient political hostages.” Lungren on Tuesday joined Rep. Ed Royce “in asking President Obama to take urgent action on behalf of” Ling and Lee and “to pursue every avenue to secure their release.” He called on U.N. Human Rights Council condemnation “in the strongest terms.” Lungren requested that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton investigate to ensure that Ling and Lee’s rights as U.S. citizens are upheld. And he supported Rep. Ros-Lehtinen’s legislation making the lifting of restrictions against North Korea contingent upon their release and “safe return.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Calaveras County – Calaveras District 2 Supervisor Steve Wilensky is in Washington D.C. today to testify before the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands in an Oversight Hearing on "The Future of the Forest Economy.” The hearing takes place at 10 am EDT, and will be webcast live on the resource committee website. Wilensky will join California representatives of forestry, carpentry and renewable energy services as part of the 4-panel discussion. Wilensky will be joined in Panel 3 by Keith Balter, Senior Economist with Oregon’s Forest Capital Partners; Glenn Zane of Renewable Energy Providers Incorporation in Redding, CA; and Mark Pawlicki of Sierra Pacific Industries in Redding, CA. The hearing will be webcast live at resourcescommittee.house.gov. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

National - Sending a letter will soon be a little more expensive, the U.S. Postal Service announced Tuesday. The price for a first-class mail stamp will increase 2 cents to 44 cents, starting May 11. The Postal Service said the price increase was necessary because of rising production costs. Under law, the price of stamps is not allowed to rise faster than the U.S. consumer price index, which measures inflation. The increase will cost the typical family about $3 a year. Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Amador County and District 3 Congressman Dan Lungren was recognized for support of key business issues by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce yesterday, winning the Chamber’s annual “Spirit of Enterprise Award.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce spokesman J.P. Fielder announced the award yesterday and said Lungren was recognized “for his support of pro-growth legislation during the second session of the 110th Congress.” Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber said that last year, Congress had to make some tough choices, and “Lungren clearly demonstrated his commitment to the economy and keeping America competitive in an ever-changing global market.” Fielder said eligibility for the award is based on how members of Congress vote on the U.S. Chamber’s “priority” business issues. Congressman Lungren will be in Amador County to meet constituents, 7 p.m. Wednesday April 8th, at the county Republican headquarters in Martell. Staff Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

By Jim Reece -

Volunteers filled their respective Amador County party headquarters office this week as Democrats and Republicans geared up for the final stretch into Election Day 2008, Tuesday, November 4. Candidates of the second election of the New Millennium likely need no further introduction at this point, but as McCain and Obama gird up their loins, the same occurs in races around Amador. Said to be “non-partisan,” – pretty much only in name – the races locally nevertheless separate many of the candidates by the two major parties. Both of the major parties, Democrats and Republicans, have headquarters staffed by volunteers in Amador County. The Amador Republican Party is in Martell and the Amador Democratic Party is in Jackson. The Democratic Headquarters sells bumper stickers and buttons for the various races from the top down, that is, down to local races that have stickers and fliers on the front window. Those include Bill Condrashoff, who is running for the Amador Water Agency, and Keith Sweet and Judy Jebian, who are both running for the Jackson City Council. The Republican displays focused on bigger races, McCain and Palin and Congressman Dan Lungren’s reelection bid, along with Jack Sieglock for Assembly, who faces Democrat Alyson Huber in the District 3 race.

State – Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is pledging $260 million in federal stimulus money to help California address its water shortages. The stimulus funds are part of $1 billion announced by the Bureau of Reclamation for water projects that create jobs in the Western US. Salazar made his announcement after touring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, one of the state’s most vital arteries. The delta sends water to nearly two-thirds of Californians. Also on his aerial tour by helicopter, Salazar surveyed the Mokelumne River, a much-sought-after water source for millions or residents both local and in the east bay area. Salazar said Delta projects will include rock barriers to improve water quality. An additional $135 million will be available for water reuse and recycling projects. Last week, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service announced a special 30-day sign up window until May 8 to allow farmers in Amador County and 43 other California counties to apply for $2 million available for drought assistance. Specifically, these funds are intended to maintain areas of fallowed fields, keep orchard trees alive, and protect natural resources on ranch and pasture land. "Record low levels of water storage combined with low snow melt has dried up water deliveries to a point where folks are struggling just to keep trees going so they can live to bear a crop next year," says Ed Burton, State Conservationist for NRCS in California. Over half a million acres of California cropland have become unfarmable and are sitting in wait while officials seek answer to the water shortage crisis. Projections suggest that half million could rise to 840,000 acres, with a projected $2.8 billion direct loss to agriculture. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in February. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

State - New statistics released by the Board of Equalization on first quarter 2008 suggest that the economic recession began in California –and more specifically, the Sacramento area, before it began nationally. California’s taxable sales fell 3.7 percent overall in the first quarter of 2008 versus a year earlier, but taxable sales in Sacramento County were down 5.3 percent. In Placer County, they were down 7.3 percent. All these numbers give a portrait of the economy when it was first entering the recession. There is a noticeable difference when comparing these numbers to other states during the same time period. Some economists are frustrated with the “enormous time lag” involved in releasing such numbers, but nevertheless say the data is interesting. Taxable sales totaled $127.9 billion in the first quarter of 2008, down $4.9 billion from the first quarter of 2007. How much more of a drop these numbers have taken since that time are still being studied and evaluated. In Amador County, the annual decline in first-quarter 2008 taxable sales was minus 10.6 percent, far more than a larger county like Los Angeles, which experienced a drop of only 2.3 percent. Alpine County experienced no decline, while Yolo County dropped just .2 percent and Kern County was off by only .4 percent. Automotive sales accounted for $3.7 billion of the first-quarter 2008 numbers. Retail businesses associated with eating and drinking made up $3.6 billion, and service stations generated another $3.2 billion. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - Erratic and rainy weather patterns darkened the skies over Amador County, but the end-of-winter gales were not enough to bring rainfall back to normal levels. In the upcountry, residents reported a variety of weather patterns, from heavy snowfall to hail. Local measurements indicate that rainfall in Amador County is now approximately 82 percent of normal. Rainfall in the Sacramento region as a whole is now 76 percent of normal, according to climatology reports by the National Weather Service. About a tenth of an inch of rain fell in downtown Sacramento on Sunday, while other areas reported four-hundredths of an inch. Sunny skies and warmer temperatures will continue this week. The good news is that there was a significant amount of snowfall in the Sierras, which makes up the majority of year round water supplies in our reservoirs. From 1 1/2 to 2 feet of snow fell at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and in the Soda Springs area. The same levels were predicted at Kirkwood Ski Report. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

By Alex Lane -

And now, our continuing report on the Propositions you’ll be deciding on in the November ballot. Today we’ll discuss Proposition 2, sponsored by the Humane Society, which would outlaw caging practices that prevent farm animals from lying down, standing up, turning around or extending their limbs. Proponents describe this as a “moderate measure that stops cruel and inhumane treatment of animals.” They site what they see as an increasing number of factory farms that “cut corners and drive family farmers out of business when they put profits ahead of animal welfare and our health.” Proponents also note the numerous supporters of this Proposition, including Democratic and Republican leaders, the American Public Health Association, and the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. The Sacramento Bee, one of the opponents to the measure, says that, “California doesn’t have much of a pork or veal industry, so this measure would mainly affect caging of egg-laying chickens.” Opponents see Prop 2 as “unnecessary, risky and extreme.” They say that by eliminating the modern housing systems that incorporate these practices, you are increasing the chances of salmonella contamination and the spread of Avian flu. Opponents say California’s eggs will be more expensive and thousands of jobs will be lost. They also fear that Prop 2 could prompt many egg producers to relocate to outside states and Mexico. While Proposition 2 could have a significant economic impact, the Humane Society is appealing to voters to vote yes on moral grounds. On November 4th, you’ll be the one to help decide.

By Alex Lane -

Today will be the first in our series on statewide propositions set for the November ballot. Every day throughout the coming week’s newscasts, we’ll bring you the details of Propositions 1A through 12 and how they could affect you. Today we’ll focus on Proposition 1A, which would provide nearly 10 billion in bonds for a high-speed rail network that would initially link the Bay Area, the Central Valley and Southern California. The measure authorizes the State to sell 9.95 billion in general obligation bonds to fund construction activities and passenger rail system improvements. These bonds will not raise taxes. Proponents of the measure see this as a “safe, convenient, affordable and reliable alternative” that “will bring California electric-powered High-speed Trains running up to 220 miles an hour on modern tracks safely separated from other traffic.” They highlight that the proposed train could remove “12 billion pounds of CO2” and create “nearly 160,000 construction jobs and 450,000 jobs in related industries” in addition to providing a match for at least 9 billion dollars in federal funding and private investment. But opponents see this as “a boondoggle that will cost taxpayers nearly 20 billion dollars in principal and interest.” In their opinion, “the State already has over 100 billion in voter approved bonds and our bond rating is already among the worst in the nation.” Finally, they point out that the money will be controlled by “politicians and bureaucrats” with “no reporting requirements so the public can see how the money is spent.” Popular opinion dictates that the State needs clean alternatives to air and freeway travel, and that the Central Valley needs economic development. But opponents say this proposition would pull up to 647 million from the General Fund without oversight. On November 4th, you’ll have the opportunity to decide.