Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved a letter opposing the East Bay Municipal Utility District plan to expand Pardee Reservoir. The board also opposed another plan that would build a dam downstream from Pardee, if it would have the same adverse affects on the Mokelumne River as a Pardee expansion. The letter, to be signed by Chairman Ted Novelli, also will encourage and express support of the Oakland-based utility’s Integrated Regional Conjunctive Use Plan. Supervisors also requested that a statement by East Bay MUD Vice Chairman John Coleman be included in the Draft Program Environmental Impact Report of the utility’s Water Supply Management Plan 2040. Supervisor John Plasse motioned that the letter should encourage that the EIR include Coleman’s statement that East Bay MUD would “not go forward with expansion of Pardee without local support.” Amador Water Agency General Manager Jim Abercrombie asked for clarification of the letter, which opposes expanding Pardee, or any expansion having the same effect. He said they also supported the IRCUP and its related expansions at Lower Bear Reservoir, Pardee Reservoir and Duck Creek. Supervisor Brian Oneto said he supported IRCUP and wanted to work with East Bay MUD on future projects to increase Amador’s water supply. Supervisor Richard Forster said “I hope they learned something from this, that you better bring all the partners in and have them sitting at the table.” Supervisor Louis Boitano said “I definitely want to sit at that Thanksgiving table with East Bay MUD, but I don’t want to be the turkey.” Plasse said East Bay MUD claimed that Pardee was not a part of its “Safe Harbor” plan, which would seek permission for incidental “taking,” or killing, of endangered or protected wildlife. Plasse said the language included expansion of dams, an obvious reference to Pardee. He said it was evidence of “the way they once again show little or no concern for the effects of their projects on Amador County.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - A preliminary model of the 2009 California State Fair Exhibit was presented by local sign expert Kam Merzlak to the Board of Supervisors during Tuesday’s Supervisor meeting. Merzlak, who won both the Silver and Superintendent's awards on behalf of the county for last year’s exhibit, brought to the podium a miniature of what he plans to be a functional replica of the Kennedy Mine head frame and tailing wheel. This involved a 16 inch replica of the Kennedy Mine head frame and a 10 inch diameter functional replica of the tailing wheel. The actual exhibit will be many times that size and will be used to promote Amador County at the State Fair, August 21 to September 7 in Sacramento. “If people can leave our booth with a little taste of Amador County, we’ve done our job,” said Merzlak. An actual flowing stream is planned to surround the exhibit, which will include an area for visitors to pan for gold. Small clear vials of gold will be available for lucky prospectors. Supervisor Oneto questioned where this gold would come from, but as Maureen Funk of the Amador Council of Tourism put it, “Kam has a plan.” The meat of the funds will come from the Supervisors, who initially agreed to contribute $1,250 each from their discretionary funds. This was revised to $1000 each after Supervisor Richard Forster expressed concerns over coming up with the money. Supervisor John Plasse, whose fund has not yet been established, agreed to contribute funds from his own pocket if the other Supervisors could put in $1000 each. $3,250 was budgeted for the exhibit in the last fiscal budget. Another $2,800 leftover from the film commission budget could also be authorized for the exhibit. In total, Merzlak will receive a minimum of $7,250 to build the project. In reference to the flowing stream, Supervisor Novelli jokingly said: “Don’t get mad if you find me floating in there in an intertube.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

State - On May 19th, Amador County voters will have the opportunity to vote on six budget-related propositions in a statewide special election. In a special series here on TSPN, we’ll bring you information on each ballot measure, what it means for California, and more specifically, how it affects Amador County. Proposition 1A, also called the "Rainy Day Budget Stabilization Fund," would create a spending cap and make it harder for the state to spend its emergency cash reserve, or rainy day fund. It also extends for two more years the increased income tax rate, the 1-cent sales tax hike and a near doubling of the vehicle license fee approved by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature just months ago. Supporters, which include many business groups, say it would “limit spending”, stabilize the state budget and help prevent roller-coaster ups and downs. It’s predicted that the teacher’s union will spend nearly $6 million in support of Prop. 1A, which is similar to Schwarzenegger's 2005 measure that the teachers' union so strongly opposed. Their reasoning for this is because school-supported Prop. 1B, which would eliminate the minimum school funding guarantee to protect K-12 and community college funding, is tied to a "supplemental education fund" created by Prop. 1A. Both 1A and 1B must pass in order for schools to receive the $9.3 billion," says a radio ad paid for by the teachers' union. Opponents to Prop. 1A, which include almost every Republican legislator, say it’s just a ploy to extract more money from taxpayers without truly reforming state spending. Proposition 1A would "make it harder to approve spending increases in some years," the Legislative Analyst's Office says, and “would not cap the total level of spending that could be authorized in any year.” This means a larger rainy-day reserve but also higher spending and taxes, which would suck the oxygen out of economic growth, opponents say. May 19th, you’ll have the opportunity to vote on this and other contentious issues. Stay tuned for more information on the propositions in upcoming newscasts. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency announced Monday that a quorum of the AWA board may attend today’s meeting of the Amador County Board of Supervisors to discuss their opposition to the East Bay Municipal Utility District’s proposal to expand Pardee Reservoir. The public notice effectively allows the AWA board to discuss agency business at the meeting without violation of the Brown Act. Supervisors will discuss and possibly take action relative to the proposed expansion of Pardee Dam, by building up the dam, as part of the East Bay Municipal Utility District 2040 water plan. The meeting starts at 9 a.m. today. Last Thursday, the AWA board took input from the public urging opposition for various reasons, and the board voted unanimously to oppose the Pardee expansion. Board member Debbie Dunn said if the project were “vehemently opposed, what is East Bay MUD’s next step?” Abercrombie said opposition should include points of contention, to which East Bay would “be required to evaluate and provide detailed responses.” Katherine Evatt of the Foothill Conservancy said if enough people oppose the expansion, East Bay MUD “can change that 2040 Plan now (and remove the expansion of Pardee). They need no environmental study to do that.” Dunn said the reason East Bay prefers the Pardee expansion is obvious, because it would produce 52,000 acre-feet of water a year, compared to a desalination project by the Bay, which could spout 10,000 to 12,000 acre-feet a year. Dunn said in the last week and 3 days she had not met anyone who supported expanding Pardee. A board member of the Jackson Valley Irrigation District was the only one who spoke in support of the expansion, at the workshop 2 weeks ago. Evatt said the expansion of Pardee Reservoir would not give any new water to Amador County, and the project would require a 400-foot dam and hundreds of millions of dollars, if not a billion dollars. She said East Bay MUD directors “rejected an off-stream dam in their own district,” but pursue one in Amador. Evatt said “people love that river and they use it. And if you threaten it, they show up.” She recited a list of groups that attended the meeting in the AWA office, and said “these people have money and they will fight it tooth and nail.” To comment, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - The Amador Water Agency has drafted and approved a response to East Bay Municipal Utilities DIstrict’s proposal to raise the Pardee Reservoir outlined in its 2040 Water Management Plan. In a 5-0 vote during the Water Agency meeting Thursday, the Board approved a response drafted by AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie. “The Agency is opposed to the enlargement of the Pardee Reservoir as currently proposed, especially the water backup, past the Hwy 49 Bridge,” wrote Abercrombie. AWA feels this project is greater in scope than previously proposed, and there “are significant environmental, aesthetic, biological and recreational impacts that the public raised that need to be addressed.” However, the Agency does support continuing discussion on the concept of the IRCUP project, which indicates a need for an additional 20,000 acre feet of water to meet the general plan build-out of the County. Abercrombie writes that the “draft program EIR (of the 2040 Water Plan) does not address the water rights that may be needed in order to carry out the enlarged Pardee Reservoir alternative or the new Buckhorn Canyon Reservoir alternative.” Among other reasons cited for opposing the plan, Abercrombie said “there is no mention in this section regarding the need for State Water Resources Control Board permit approval for the enlarged Pardee Reservoir alternative, the Buckhorn Canyon Reservoir alternative, or the banking of Mokelumne River water in the San Joaquin Groundwater Basin. Abercrombie goes on to site specifics that need further clarification. The letter also echoes a primary concern of many who attended the overflowing meeting in the Amador Water Agency building two weeks ago. “The Agency is requesting EBMUD hold a second meeting in Amador County and extend the comment period due to the lack of adequate space for all attendees to participate in the presentation and discussion,” said Abercrombie. “ln summary,” he writes, “the Agency is opposed to the proposed Pardee Reservoir enlargement; however, the Agency is open to discussions regarding the IRCUP with EBMUD to secure additional water supplies for the benefit of Amador and EBMUD.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - Earmarks inserted into the $410 billion federal spending bill were signed into law Wednesday, including $180,500 for the Pine Grove Corridor Improvement Project. Congressman and Amador County Representative Dan Lungren included the funding as part of nearly $38 million in earmarks he authored or co-authored with other local representatives. This was far more than the Amador County Transportation Commission expected, with original fund estimates closer to $40 or $50 thousand. … In total, the federal bill includes at least $69 million for the Sacramento region, including money to extend the city’s light rail system, repair ship channels and fix sewer systems. Lungren’s largest approvals were joint requests for funding with Democratic Representatives Doris Matsui of Sacramento and Mike Thompson of St. Helena. These include $13 million towards American River watershed improvements, $12 million for South Sacramento flood control, $11 million for Folsom Dam modifications and raising the dam, and $1.4 million for food safety research at UC Davis. “In the face of the current economic situation, it is vital that we continue to bring federal resources to Sacramento,” said Democratic Representative Matsui. Lungren’s solo requests include $500,000 for a Folsom Emergency Operations Center, $275,000 for wastewater upgrades in Galt, and $142,500 for ADA-compliant infrastructure in Citrus Heights. All this comes at the same time that many in Washington have criticized pork-barrel earmarking for bloating the federal budget. Republican Senator John McCain and many House Democrats have been staunch critics of the system while still receiving large earmarks for priorities in their own states. Senator McCain and Tom Colburn of Oklahoma tried to pass an amendment that would eliminate earmarks, but with no success. Two Democrats voted with McCain and eight Republicans voted against him. President Obama called the bill “imperfect” but said he didn’t want Congress to get “bogged down at this critical juncture in our economic recovery.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

State - Companies across the United States stepped up staff layoffs in February, feeding the latest set of grim unemployment statistics during this nationwide economic decline. The United States lost an estimated 778,000 jobs in February- the biggest one-month loss of the recession so far. 2.1 million jobs, or 1.6 percent of the nationwide workforce, have been lost in the last three months. This is the biggest loss since February of 1975. It is estimated that an additional 650,000 jobs will be lost in the next four to six months. Statewide, the jobless rate exceeds 10 percent for the first time in 26 years, forcing many homeowners into foreclosure if no action is taken. California’s unemployment rate was 10.1 percent in January, and nonfarm payroll jobs declined by 79,300 during the month, according to the California Employment Development Department. Unemployment statistics in Amador County are not seasonally adjusted, but rates in neighboring counties are a good indicator of what to expect. Both El Dorado and Sacramento county rates stand above 8 percent as of January 2009. On the bright side, California’s State Employment Development Department announced Tuesday that it began sending recipients of unemployment benefits an additional $25 a week in payments, thanks to the new stimulus bill signed into law in Washington D.C. two weeks ago. Although job losses increase, the latest Spherion employment report indicates that the statewide employee confidence index rose 5.5 percent to 43.2 percent in January. The monthly survey of California workers indicates that more workers believe that it is unlikely they will lose their jobs and more workers have confidence in their ability to find a new job. And despite the grim economic statistics Americans hear almost daily, a new poll shows high approval for President Barack Obama and his administration. A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows Obama has a 60 percent approval rating with 67 percent favorability- even though 76 percent of those surveyed also think the economy will continue to get worse. In California, 65 percent of registered voters approve of the job Obama is doing, compared with 21 percent who do not. Among voters non-affiliated with the two major parties, 69 percent are favorable towards Obama. Opinions about Obama’s economic stimulus plan are more polarized, with 52 percent of the voters approving while 36 percent disapprove. Obama’s plan to use the government to jolt the economy back to life signals the most significant ideological shift in Washington since President Reagan took office in 1981. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Backups and delays due to a couple of major bridge construction projects in Northern California could affect your Thanksgiving Holiday driving. If your holiday plans take you north of Redding or on into Oregon, be advised that you can expect moderate to major delays on Interstate 5 due to the Pit River Bridge emergency deck replacement project, 10 miles north of Redding.   The Rio Vista Bridge on Hwy 12 is also undergoing major repairs – if you’re headed through the Delta on Hwy 12 this Thanksgiving weekend, you should not be affected by closures on the Rio Vista Bridge. However, you will need to detour around the Rio Vista Bridge if you are traveling on Hwy 12 before November 21 or after November 25, Sunday through Thursday night between 9:00 pm and 5:00 am,. Caltrans asks motorists to be patient, plan extra time to reach their destinations and choose off-peak times to travel. You will want to travel with extra water and snacks. Make sure your vehicle is in good working condition and the gas tank is full. You may also want things to occupy children.

Concerns over how much lottery money is actually going to schools has prompted a judge to give the state lottery another eight months to seek legislation that guarantees California's participation in the multi-state Mega Millions lotto- is not shorting education its share of gambling revenue.  Assembly Bill 1251 by Assemblyman Van Tran, R-Costa Mesa, would have extended the deadline for claiming a Mega Millions Grand Prize from six months to one year, but stalled for the year when Democrats forced unrelated amendments, opposed by the lottery. 

Californians are buying less gas these days according to State the Board of Equalization and AAA. State tax figures show a decline in gasoline sales -- the first sustained drop since 1992. Californians bought 112 million fewer gallons from April to December 2006 than during the same period the year before. In February, the most recent month for which figures are available, the state's drivers bought 2.5% less gasoline than in February 2006.