By Holly Boitano -

Sutter Creek’s Powder House Estates Subdivision is up for sale. The City Council approved the project’s final subdivision map in June of this year, and grading was supposed to take place this summer. However, due to the poor state of the housing economy, developer Stan Gambel of Trafalgar Homes chose to put Powder House up for sale instead. According to Sutter Creek mayor Gary Wooten, “(the developer) does not have the money to continue, and due to the state of the economy, has been unable to obtain loans. They basically have two options, to sell the project or hang on to it until funding becomes available- and they have chosen to put the project up for sale.” The Powder House Subdivision plan consists of 11 single-family residential lots and one town home parcel consisting of 54 lots. As part of their agreement with the City, Trafalgar was also planning to fund road improvements to Gopher Flat Road as well as walking paths to downtown Sutter Creek. However, as of now, Trafalgar Homes does plan to go ahead with the development plan for Golden Hills Estates, which is adjacent to the Sutter Crest Estates subdivision off of Gopher Flat Road. Golden Hills consists of 79 residential lots, and has been called “the final phase of the Sutter Crest Estates.”

By Jim Reece -  

The Ione City Council on Tuesday received an informational presentation on Measure M, the half-cent sales tax measure that would fund full-time firefighting brigades across Amador County. Ione City Manager Kim Kerr gave a Powerpoint presentation, noting that she and the city council cannot tell people how to vote on the measure but they can offer information. Kerr said that the city’s fire department had 35 actual firefighters who worked at full-time departments elsewhere in the region, along with 10 to 13 support staff. She said the need for full-time fire coverage was evident in the fire losses at two Ione residences recently, including the total loss of a home valued at 275,000 dollars, and another home burned with 50,000 in damage. She said the Ione fire brigade was a volunteer squad, with firefighters paid a small stipend on a per-fire ratio.

Kerr said Fire Chief Tim Mackey was paid one thousand dollars a month, fire captains received 400 dollars a month and others were paid 200 dollars a month. She said all firefighters were paid a lump sum at the end of the year, based on stipends per call. The total Ione Volunteer Fire Department’s annual budget was about 38,000 dollars in salary, Kerr said. That included Mackey’s 12,000 dollars. Vice Mayor Lee Ard, who represents Ione of the Amador Fire Protection Authority board, said Ione has one joint contract through AFPA. Ard said CAL FIRE rolls on every call in the county, under the “Amador Plan,” to support volunteers and paid volunteers. Kerr said the county pays 2.5 Millions Dollars annually for fire, noting “that is not enough to have fire coverage.” Kerr said supporters of the measure said that a general fund tax could not be earmarked for fire departments, but instead spread the funds across the general budget. She said a half-cent sales tax would be paid by all who spend money in the county, including those passing through. Kerr said if Measure M does not pass – with its required two-thirds majority – then Ione would have to look at how they can fund a paid fire department.

A resident of Pine Grove awoke to a commotion early Sunday morning to find a 400-pound black bear on her back porch. Carrie Harmon, who lives near Gayla Drive, says the bear was “sitting on its hind legs, with its forearms wrapped around her trash can” and was devouring her leftovers. Harmon attempted to scare the animal away by screaming and making noise, but the bear was unfazed. Later that same day, the bear was spotted in Gayla Manor, near the development’s private park, where neighborhood children were picking blackberries. Another local resident, Helen Foraker, who was at the park around that same time, was distressed to learn of the bear sighting. “I was just there with my kids! I’m not going to let them go by themselves for a while.”

Other residents also reported that their trash was knocked over and strewn about. Josh Bush, a Wildlife Biologist with the State Department of Fish and Game, says that in these situations, the department will first evaluate whether the bear is scared of people, and determine if there are attractants in the area, such as trash and pet food. If all trash is put away at night, or kept in a bear-proof trash container, and no other attractants are present, the department can issue a depredation permit, which allows for a trapper to catch and kill the animal.

Of course, this option is used as a last resort. Fish and Game prefers that residents follow some simple rules to reduce the nuisance of bears, such as putting your trash inside at night, and only putting out your cans the morning of trash pickup. Also, bring in pet food and other items with a scent. You can also install outdoor automatic lights, which may help to keep those pesky bears at bay. And, strangely enough, bears can also be attracted to your BBQ, so cleaning the grill will not only keep the bears away, but will also save you the job the next time you break out the steaks. Bush recommends using ammonia or bleach to clean outside, and says “basically, reduce all scents.” Fish and Game promotes its program, “Keep Me Wild,” which provides information and instructions on coexisting with wild animals. You can find more information on the department’s website at www.dfg.ca.gov\keepmewild. And of course, if you encounter a bear, do not run; instead, face the animal, make noise and try to appear as large as possible.

Congressman Dan Lungren will be in Amador County today at a local pharmacy on a fact-finding visit. Lungren will be at Ione Pharmacy at 307 Preston Avenue at 10:30 AM to talk with owner and pharmacist John Stremfel. Specifically, the Congressman wants to discuss “the valuable services independent community pharmacies provide their patients,” and discover some of “the challenges facing the industry” that might be helped by the passing of two bills pending in the U.S. House of Representatives. The first, H.R. 3140, called the “Saving Our Community Pharmacies Act of 2007,” will hopefully remedy the reimbursement shortfalls being experienced in our nation’s small pharmacies.

According to Brian Anderson, State Relations Manager for the National Community Pharmacist Association, pharmacies have been shorted an average of 36% in prescription drug reimbursements. “This bill is basically the plight of the small business (owner),” says Anderson. The second bill up for discussion is H.R. 971, which is also referred to as “the Community Pharmacy Fairness Act of 2007.” This bill will bring fairness to the relationship between community pharmacies and the “giant administrators of the prescription drug plans” by allowing these small pharmacies to “band together in buying groups” says Anderson, an action that is now currently not allowed. Stremfel says he “is looking forward to Lungren’s visit.” We’ll have more on the outcome of that visit later this week.

The Amador County Grape Harvest got off to a good start this Saturday at the Amador Ridge Vineyard, where the Murrill family began by picking about a ton of select zinfandel grapes from almost century old vines planted in 1916. Three generations of the Murrill family were out picking and cleaning, including brothers John and Steve Murrill, grandmother Ruth, and grandson Andrew. Most of Amador’s vineyards and wineries are family owned and operated, and some have been here for over a century. Amador County’s vineyards actually started during the Gold Rush era, but with the decline of gold mining in the late 1900’s and the onset of Prohibition in the 1920’s, local vineyards and wineries suffered. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that Amador’s vineyards and wine production resurfaced when entrepreneurs flocked to this region, attracted by the our warm climate, rolling hills, and rich volcanic soil.

Soon after, Amador wine country blossomed into what is now a major part of California’s wine history, and a major tourist stop. The next stop for Murrill’s select grapes will be Obscurity Cellars in Fair Play, where they will be crushed and will eventually be transformed into about 160 gallons of zinfandel wine, or 66 cases, which is about 800 bottles of wine. Amador Ridge Vineyards, off Ridge Road in Sutter Creek, is known for its award-winning “old vine” grapes, and is credited with that fact on the Obscurity label, which states, “Old Man Murrill Zinfandel 1916.” The Murrill Family predicts that Amador County will have an “excellent” harvest this year.

In a letter to the Amador County Board of Supervisors, Joan Villa, Vice President of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians Tribal Water Association is claiming that Amador County and the county’s Department of Environmental Health are interfering with “the efforts by Indian Health Service to upgrade (their) tribal water system and replace (an) aging water storage tank.” In the letter, dated August 19th, the band is charging that Amador County does not have any authority over their tribal lands, per a 1992 federal court order, which dismisses all claims to jurisdiction over tribal trust properties, including the band’s property on Jackson Valley Road in Ione. T

he Ione band is also claiming that Amador County has delayed the water upgrade project for more than two years, which they say has caused “irreparable harm,” and for which they may seek civil and/or criminal action “as allowed by law.” Villa has requested that the Board of Supervisors investigate the county’s involvement in the delayed water project, and that the matter be placed on the next regular board meeting agenda.

Local sign expert and AM Live Host Kam Merzlak was just recognized by the Jackson City Council for his “ongoing support and involvement in the local community.” Merzlak received the prestigious Mayor’s Recognition Award from Jackson Mayor Rosalie Pryor Escamilla at Monday night’s meeting. Merzlak is heavily involved in multiple local organizations and events, including the Historic Jackson Business Association, or HJBA, the Economic Development Committee, the Oro De Amador Planning Committee, and the Amador Chamber of Commerce, as well as for his assistance with the “For Kids, By Kids” Fishing Derby and his heavy contribution in this year’s State Fair county booth winning two medals. And, according to Merzlak, he’s just getting started. “I still have a couple of tricks up my sleeve for the city of Jackson,” hinted Merzlak.

Mother Lode Youth Soccer League opening day in Howard Park showed some of the reasons the family-friendly league has become so popular among Amador County’s young families. Coach Megan Eckhart of the Dwight Jennings DDS Ione Blizzards and her players’ parents formed a bridge at the sideline for the Blizzards to run through. And their foes, the Pizza Factory Ione Bandits also ran through the bridge -- to cheers, despite the Blizzards winning the match, 3-0. Eckhart is a 12th year coach in the MLYSL. She said she didn’t even have her own kids when she started coaching. Now she has four children, including two in the league – Corey, 7, of the U-8 Blizzards, and another on the U-6 Guard Dogs.

Daniele Molin is another parent-coach, assisting with the Blizzards and the U-6 Guard Dogs. Her son, Micah is a Blizzard. And her future player, Corra, 4 weeks old, she held on the sidelines. Molin has been coaching for five years. Michelle Moreno has been involved in MLYSL soccer for 10 years, now with her sons, Christopher, 9, and Kyle, 11, playing on teams. Moreno is one of the volunteer board members and is registrar of the league. All of her children started in the league at age 4, including Cody, 16, now trying out for the Thundering Herd soccer team at Amador High School. Coaches among the league’s ranks include Argonaut High School varsity coach Roque (Rocky) Mireles (also a parent), Argonaut JV coach and volunteer board member Mark Herberger, and Amador head soccer coach Tod Ruslender and JV coach Barron Peterson. Ruslender is president of the board and a coach and Peterson is also a board member and referees matches in the Saturday league.

The Love Boat variety show and benefit to support local victims of domestic violence has been playing to sold-out audiences, raising over 15,000 dollars for Operation Care. The sixth annual fundraiser for the organization was hosted by their board of directors and featured local volunteer talent. Susan Ross was chairperson of the planning committee, and wrote the show with Giles Turner, Amador High School drama coach and director. The colorful set was designed by Alan Ross, Erica Neville and Kylie Rasmussen delightful, and the music was provided by Bill Chiechi and Gerry Garner perfectly set the pace for the show. “I say this every year, but this was the best show ever,” said Bill Price, president of the board of directors of Operation Care. Attendees had a great time, and enjoyed a delicious steak sandwich dinner prepared by the Sutter Creek Native Sons of the Golden West. “We were very pleasantly surprised after the event when Native Sons voted to donate 1000 dollars toward the food - the maximum their bylaws allow - and Louis Boitano, Supervisor for District 4 donated the balance of over 800 dollars on behalf of the Board of Supervisors,” said Price. Operation Care is a non-profit organization founded in 1980 providing domestic violence and sexual assault support services, a safe house for women and children escaping violence, crisis intervention and education in our community. For more information call 209-223-2897 or visit www.operationcare.org.

More homes were sold for the fourth straight month compared to last year in the Sacramento and Amador County areas, according to Dataquick, a statistics gathering service. In fact, July sales were the highest for a month since June 2006. There were 1,200 more sales in July than the same month last year. It appears that prices have now dropped to a level for buyers to start returning to the market, including first-time buyers who have good credit, jobs and some cash to put down. August is generally the month when inventory peaks. Houses on the market are down over 21 percent from the same time last year but the rate of decline has slowed considerably and will take an inventory level south of 10,000 to stop the decline in prices. According to Dataquick, the median asking price for the homes currently on the market is 299,000 dollars.