Jackson – With the annual seasonal season fast approaching, Amador Health Department said Tuesday that it is important to remember that there are two different types of flu this year. Every year there is a strong focus on seasonal flu prevention, but this year there is also the H1N1 flu strain to deal with. At this time, the severity of H1N1 illness is no worse than the seasonal influenza. Amador County Health Officer Bob Hartmann said symptoms of both types of flu include a fever of 100 degrees or higher and a cough. In addition some people experience headache, muscle aches, runny nose or sore throat. Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea could also be present. People should stay home from work or school when they have a fever of 100 degrees or higher. They should return if they have been fever-free for 24 hours. Hartmann said: “It is recommended that everyone plan on getting their seasonal flu vaccination this year.” He said “vaccination against flu is the best prevention measure we have.” The vaccine is now available at some local pharmacies and health care providers now. Amador County Public Health has organized the seasonal flu vaccination clinic schedule with the first clinic scheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, September 29th at the Amador County Health and Human Services Building conference rooms. An additional clinic at the same location is scheduled for 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 7th. A third seasonal flu clinic is at the Sutter Amador Health Festival on October 16th. A separate set of H1N1 flu vaccination clinics will be organized focusing on different high-risk groups than the seasonal flu. H1N1 is a new flu strain which requires a different vaccine with 2 vaccinations given at least three weeks apart. High-risk groups include pregnant women, children age 6 months to 24 years and individuals with underlying conditions that would compromise their immune system, such as heart disease, diabetes or asthma. Flu prevention measures are important every year, but are particularly crucial during this flu season. Key recommendations include washing hands often with warm, soapy water for at least 30 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizers. Also, cover your cough and sneeze. If you cough or sneeze into a tissue, throw if away and then wash your hands. Stay home if you are sick. Get your annual seasonal flu vaccine. For current flu information, see the Amador County Public Health website, call (209) 223-6407, visit Public Health at 10877 Conductor Blvd, Ste 400 Sutter Creek, or -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.

Sutter Creek – A banquet room full of Amador County community leaders became a steering committee for Amador Regional Transit System last week at Days Inn in Sutter Creek. New ARTS Manager James Means said the meeting is kind of a “let’s get the word out” activity. Leaders from cities and the county brainstormed over mass transit in Amador. Most groups said people did not always get information they needed, due to difficulty reading the ARTS bus schedule. Means, whose “professional heritage is centered around rebuilding stagnant entities,” said understood the importance of getting information to people. He said “not only are we going to make it happen, we are going to make it happen first.” Means said the group is a “steering committee,” and wanted it to meet regularly and determine changes needed to the bus system. Some ideas included a mid-week senior bus to Kirkwood Mountain Resort. Tracey Towner-Yep suggested after-hours routes for late workers. Tracy Birkner said so many local young adults are going to colleges, it would be a good idea for express routes to some of the colleges around Sacramento. Stan Lukowitz said his store has a bus stop out front, and his staff finally got a schedule and learned to read it, to help people use ARTS. Mike Daly suggested getting a core backbone to the system, focusing on senior needs, looking at comfort for riders, getting adequate bus stop shelters, and using private shuttles. Pat Crosby suggested a Sacramento to Mokelumne Hill backbone to have regular service people can count on. Means said “ridership is really depending on people knowing where we are, what we do, where we can take them and when we can bring them back.” David Plank said you should make the entire county aware that you exist. He said a handicapped community in Ione, living at Josie’s apartment complex, could be a dedicated customer of ARTs. And he said the Highway 124 & 16 area is a “natural hub.” He said the Ione area would benefit from a Wal-Mart service, and “clearly, easily understood, marked routes.” He said “tourists are blind until they can see a route.” He also suggested a bus route from Ione to Sutter Hill. Pam Weatherly and Maureen Funk suggested coordinating with B&Bs to have Saturday winery tours. Means said “you can have an extra route, as long as it’s clearly defined.” He said special routes can also include special events. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – Authorities say that Todd Castaldi, 40, of Pine Grove, is facing pending felony charges, possibly manslaughter and DUI, after his passenger was killed in a 3-vehicle crash Tuesday morning on Ridge Road. California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Craig Harmon said Wednesday that Castaldi has felony charges pending against him, and was under the care of Sutter Roseville Hospital. Harmon said charges will be filed when he is released from the hospital or when the CHP finishes its investigation. CHP arrested Castaldi at Sutter Roseville Hospital on Tuesday, then released Castaldi to the hospital for medical care. Harmon said the investigation continues, but charges could lean toward vehicular manslaughter and DUI involving alcohol and/or drugs. Harmon said Castaldi faced similar charges after a 2002 crash on Highway 26, after CHP arrested him for a DUI after a fatal crash. Castaldi faces charges pending from Tuesday morning’s fatal crash in which his passenger, Christina Wise was killed in Amador County. CHP reported that Wise, a 27-year-old Pine Grove resident, died from injuries sustained in the crash on Ridge Road, when Castaldi turned directly into the path of a 40,000-pound crane truck that was travelling west on Climax Road. Harmon said other charges are pending, and the investigation was leaning toward manslaughter charges. Harmon said Castaldi was arrested for same thing in 2002, after a vehicle collision death, resulting in DUI charges. CHP’s Amador Unit reported Tuesday that Wise was a passenger in a 1998 Dodge Intrepid driven by Castaldi when the collision occurred about 7 a.m. Tuesday. The Intrepid was east bound on lower Ridge Road when Castaldi turned left onto upper Ridge Road, into the path of a 2002 Sterling crane truck, which was travelling west on Climax Road, approaching Ridge Road. The crane truck broadsided Castaldi’s Intrepid. Following the impact, Castaldi’s vehicle was sent out of control, and clipped a three-quarter ton Chevy pickup truck, which was stopped at the stop sign on upper Ridge Road. CHP said the crane truck driver began to lose control of the vehicle, and yanked his steering wheel hard to the right, turning the truck onto its left side, to avoid traveling into oncoming traffic. The crane truck came to rest on Woodside Lane. Castaldi suffered right rib pain and was taken by helicopter ambulance to Sutter Roseville Hospital. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ione – Mule Creek State Prison inmate David Noles, 73, who was serving a 34-year sentence for rape with foreign object and sexual battery, was pronounced dead on August 30, after he was discovered unresponsive in his cell. Michelle Hamilton, PR officer for the prison, reported the incident Thursday in a news release. Hamilton said staff immediately began lifesaving efforts, and Noles was transported to Mule Creek State Prison’s Triage Treatment Area where he was subsequently pronounced dead. An autopsy performed on Wednesday by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office determined the cause of death was strangulation. Prison officials and the Amador County District Attorney’s Office are investigating Noles’ death. Noles was convicted in 1993 in Sonoma County. The facility where Noles was housed at Mule Creek is a Level-4 Maximum Security Facility with approximately 1,200 inmates. Noles’ assigned cellmate has been placed in higher custody pending the investigation, per prison protocol. Story from press release. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – Amador County Solid Waste Program Manager Jim McHargue received an award Tuesday for diverting state-mandated waste that he can no longer bury in the ground. More specifically, he was honored for his handling of “bans without plans.” Deputy Chief Administrative Office Kristin Bengyel said McHargue has already received recognition from the state, and said “we are more than fortunate to have an outstanding individual named Jim McHargue.” McHargue said state mandates to keep items out of the landfills, including electronics and light bulbs have kept increasing, “the list just keeps going and going,” compiling those “bans without plans,” or unfunded mandates. Items, such as batteries, cannot go into the landfill. Heidi Sandborn of the California Product Stewardship Council presented McHargue with the Annual Associate Award, “for outstanding support and dedication to the principles of Extended Producer Responsibility and making the planet healthier through actions and deeds.” Sanborn said McHargue has done exemplary work in Amador County, working with companies to be drop centers for light bulbs and other items that have been placed on the banned list for landfills. Supervisor Richard Forster said Monday that McHargue is in charge of florescent bulbs and battery capture at a couple of outlets in the county, and works with Meek’s as a bulb drop-off location. Forster said the award for extended producer responsibility, or, “when producers sell a product, it’s what happens to that product down the road.” Sandborn said “through (McHargue’s) outreach, ACES Waste Services actually became a partner of ours.” Supervisors thanked McHargue for his work and accomplishments. Sandborn said her council worked with manufacturers, such as thermostat makers, on legislation to help with easier recycling, and they try to tell the state: “No more bans without plans.” Earlier this year, Jill Firch, Integrated Waste Management Board specialist over Amador County’s region, said McHargue and the county are doing a great job in meeting state diversion mandates, of 50 percent. She said Amador’s programs are strong, including green waste diversion. Firch said: “Amador is above the curve. It’s very proactive.” Firch, whose region includes Amador, Alpine, Calaveras and El Dorado Counties, said Mule Creek and Preston also both have excellent programs. She said waste haulers and agencies report information on diversion numbers. Forster said Monday thought that the 50 percent mandated diversion goal is soon going to be raised, to a ratio of 65 percent or even higher. Firch said diversion goals are based on disposal pounds per person per day, and the number varies per jurisdiction. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – Officials with the Buena Vista Biomass Power company last week took public comment and direction from the Amador Air District board of directors to answer questions raised. BVMP Managing Partner Mark Thompson answered some last Tuesday, and will answer more in a September 22nd meeting. But he also made it clear the company wants to open and will do what it needs to open. He said partners hope to get the plant “on line” by May or June of 2010. It has been extensively restored, since 2000. The plant has received a $2.4 million federal stimulus grant, awarded to Buena Vista Power through the U.S. Forest Service. He said wildfire emissions “are much more damaging that the project would be.” Regarding permitting, he said they will “not receive the permit to operate until we prove we can do what we say we can do.” Supervisor Richard Forster asked about monitoring, and if there was any way to get direct access or an immediate tie-in to monitoring data. Thompson said the “Sims System is exactly that,” a computer data relay system. He said they will have a metering system that organizes data, including “emissions, heat levels, output, conditions in the boiler – about 250 to 300 different numbers of data.” He said every 4 seconds it sends information to powerful software. Thompson said they will have 200 miles of coax cable and conduit, connecting software to 250 motors and valves throughout the plant, with all the sensors part of the “energy management system.” Thompson said the technology exists to have immediate data, but “it’s a massive amount of data.” Supervisor John Plasse asked about forest fuel sources for the plant. Thompson said Buena Vista Power had identified 180 slash piles in the Amador and El Dorado forest service district, and “we are working to contract for those.” He said each slash pile amounts to 8 to 10 loads per pile, and “that’s about 25,000 tons, or about 25 percent of what we would need to operate for a year, so there is some concern about getting enough fuel.” Top among the questions staff will try to answer is whether Buena Vista Power is legally required to conduct a new Environmental Impact Report or supplement, and whether the plant’s operation permit is transferrable. Thompson said Buena Vista Power will post answers to questions raised last week on its website, www.bv-biomass.com. The air district board next meets 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 22nd. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – An 18-wheeler loaded with produce T-boned a recreation vehicle early Thursday, closing the road for several hours and sending 2 Jackson residents to the hospital. California Highway Patrol said that about 7:30 a.m. Thursday, authorities responded to a 2 vehicle collision on Highway 88, at Ousby Road. An 18-wheel tractor trailer, loaded with corn and headed from Stockton to Nevada, collided with a recreation vehicle. James Rasmussen, 75, of Jackson, suffered major injuries and abrasions and complained of pain, and was taken to Sutter Amador Hospital, along with his passenger, Ladessa Johnstone, 84, also of Jackson. The big rig driver, Kenney Hensley, 30, of Escalon reported no injuries. CHP reported that Rasmussen was driving a 1999 Coach motorhome, with Johnstone as a passenger, north bound on Ousby Road, and approaching the stop sign at the intersection with Highway 88. CHP said Rasmussen “made a complete stop at the intersection but failed to see the tractor trailer approaching.” Rasmussen started to make a left turn into the westbound side of 88, and turned directly in front of the tractor trailer. CHP said Hensley “immediately applied the brakes to the tractor tailer, but was unable to avoid the motorhome.” The 18-wheeler “collided with the left side of the motorhome, in a broadside manner,” CHP said. “The violent impact resulted in significant intrusion into the motorhome interior by the tractor and injuries to” Rasmussen and Johnstone. The collision also resulted in both vehicles being tangled together and blocking both lanes of Highway 88. The 18-wheeler was pulling a 48-foot long cargo box, loaded with corn, and headed for Nevada, from Stockton. As wreckers worked, CHP diverted traffic through the Jackson Rancheria Casino, Hotel & Conference Center on Dalton Way, sometime after the 7:30 a.m. crash. CHP reported that the road opened sometime in the 10 o’clock hour. Pat Money, a Highway 88 resident who was a bystander at the scene of the collision, said she heard the crash, a “huge bang.” Money said the Highway 88 and Ousby Road is “such a bad corner,” and she wished “they would do something about it.” Story by Jim Reece and Alan Sprenkel, photos by Alan Sprenkel. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ione – Mule Creek State Prison inmate David Noles, 73, who was serving a 34-year sentence for rape with foreign object and sexual battery, was pronounced dead on August 30, after he was discovered unresponsive in his cell. Michelle Hamilton, PR officer for the prison, reported the incident Thursday in a news release. Hamilton said staff immediately began lifesaving efforts, and Noles was transported to Mule Creek State Prison’s Triage Treatment Area where he was subsequently pronounced dead. An autopsy performed on Wednesday by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office determined the cause of death was strangulation. Prison officials and the Amador County District Attorney’s Office are investigating Noles’ death. Noles was convicted in 1993 in Sonoma County. The facility where Noles was housed at Mule Creek is a Level-4 Maximum Security Facility with approximately 1,200 inmates. Noles’ assigned cellmate has been placed in higher custody pending the investigation, per prison protocol. Story from press release. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – An 18-wheeler loaded with produce T-boned a recreation vehicle early Thursday, closing the road for several hours and sending 2 Jackson residents to the hospital. California Highway Patrol said that about 7:30 a.m. Thursday, authorities responded to a 2 vehicle collision on Highway 88, at Ousby Road. An 18-wheel tractor trailer, loaded with corn and headed from Stockton to Nevada, collided with a recreation vehicle. James Rasmussen, 75, of Jackson, suffered major injuries and abrasions and complained of pain, and was taken to Sutter Amador Hospital, along with his passenger, Ladessa Johnstone, 84, also of Jackson. The big rig driver, Kenney Hensley, 30, of Escalon reported no injuries. CHP reported that Rasmussen was driving a 1999 Coach motorhome, with Johnstone as a passenger, north bound on Ousby Road, and approaching the stop sign at the intersection with Highway 88. CHP said Rasmussen “made a complete stop at the intersection but failed to see the tractor trailer approaching.” Rasmussen started to make a left turn into the westbound side of 88, and turned directly in front of the tractor trailer. CHP said Hensley “immediately applied the brakes to the tractor tailer, but was unable to avoid the motorhome.” The 18-wheeler “collided with the left side of the motorhome, in a broadside manner,” CHP said. “The violent impact resulted in significant intrusion into the motorhome interior by the tractor and injuries to” Rasmussen and Johnstone. The collision also resulted in both vehicles being tangled together and blocking both lanes of Highway 88. The 18-wheeler was pulling a 48-foot long cargo box, loaded with corn, and headed for Nevada, from Stockton. As wreckers worked, CHP diverted traffic through the Jackson Rancheria Casino, Hotel & Conference Center on Dalton Way, sometime after the 7:30 a.m. crash. CHP reported that the road opened sometime in the 10 o’clock hour. Pat Money, a Highway 88 resident who was a bystander at the scene of the collision, said she heard the crash, a “huge bang.” Money said the Highway 88 and Ousby Road is “such a bad corner,” and she wished “they would do something about it.” Story by Jim Reece and Alan Sprenkel, photos by Alan Sprenkel. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – The Amador County Board of Supervisors voted 3-0 with 2 absences to submit a statement of qualifications for a chance at getting a stewardship ownership of parts of the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed lands. The paperwork shows the county’s interest in 3 lands, the Blue Lakes area, the Lower Bear Area, and the North Fork Mokelumne River. Blue Lakes would occur by coordination with Alpine County, and North Fork Moke would occur by coordination with Calaveras County for lands within that county. John B. Hofmann, a natural resources consultant for Amador County, and Supervisor Brian Oneto, attended a donee’s meeting August 20th, and Hofmann gave an update on parties that were still interested in being recipients of surplus PG&E lands, as owners, in the Pacific Land & Forest Stewardship Council Land Conservation Plan. Amador General Services Administration Director Jon Hopkins said: “We have now been directed to submit another statement of qualifications for Amador County as a potential landowner donee to the Pacific Forest” program. The rationale for seeking land ownership in the program, Hofmann said in the statement, was that “Amador County is very concerned that the lands within the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed be managed and available for the residents and visitors of Amador County.” Hofmann said several organizations have pulled out of their interested in the program, though 7 organizations, including the board of supervisors, remain on a list of prospective donees. Hofmann said “we certainly can have multiple owners of this land.” The Mokelumne Coast To Crest Trail organization was interested in ownership for a while, but has pulled out. Likewise, California Fish & Game also is no longer interested. Supervisor John Plasse said several properties span 2 counties, and asked if they are still considered 1 parcel. He also asked if the U.S. Forest Service was still trying to be a donee in the Upper Moke Watershed, despite its own bylaws prohibiting it from having trust lands with easements. Hofman said those were issues that needed to be cleared up, but the Forest Service limits against easements kept it from being a steward of Kennedy Meadows. Hofmann said there educational interest in the land. Amador donees include the Planning Department, Recreation Agency, Resource Conservation District, Fire Protection Authority, Fire Safe Council and Agriculture Department. A public meeting on the Pacific Land & Forest Stewardship program is set for Oct. 7th, at the Amador Senior Center. Hofmann said they expect about 200 people. The 3-0 vote of approval included yeses by Supervisors Louis Boitano and Plasse, and Chairman Ted Novelli. Supervisor Richard Forster was absent, and Oneto had stepped down from the dais. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.