Fiddletown, California – The Amador County Sheriff’s Office reported Monday afternoon that Fiddletown resident John Michael O’Sullivan was shot and killed Sunday during a dispute with his neighbor. The sheriff’s dispatch received a 911 call at 7:45 p.m. Sunday from O’Sullivan’s neighbor, Kenneth John Zimmerman, 56, who said that O’Sullivan, 47, had driven a tractor through his locked gate. The sheriff’s office said the two men had “a longstanding neighbor dispute.” Zimmerman, who faces a charge of murder, said that O’Sullivan struck him in the face with his open hand, and tried to run over him with the tractor. Zimmerman told the dispatcher that the sheriff’s office better hurry up and get there “before I shoot him”. Amador County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched immediately. Dispatch received a second call at 7:58 p.m. from O’Sullivan’s wife, Krista Darlene Clem, stating that she heard several gunshots and was unable to locate her husband. Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the Zimmerman property, located at 18000 Jura Lane in Fiddletown, at approximately 8:08 p.m., wherein they found Zimmerman blocking the roadway with a vehicle. In a release, Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner said: “Zimmerman reported O’Sullivan was near the gate he had damaged and the firearm in question was within the residence. Upon checking the area, deputies subsequently located O’Sullivan, deceased on his tractor, off the roadway, in the brush near Zimmerman’s residence.” Preliminary investigation indicates O’Sullivan was the victim of multiple gunshot wounds. Wegner said the sheriff’s department acquired a search warrant for the Zimmerman property and had been processing the crime scene since Sunday night. Zimmerman was arrested and booked in the Amador County Jail on one count of murder. Zimmerman is being held without bail. Wegner said “no further details will be released at this time in order to protect the integrity of this investigation.” John Michael O'Sullivan, a citizen of Ireland, was an Amador County housing developer, working with his wife and business partner, Krista Clem, on the Golden Vale housing development. The project proposed a “mixed use” of single- and multi-family units on 383 acres of property, located on the north side of Highway 88, just west of Sunset West, in Amador County. O’Sullivan is survived by his wife, Krista, and their four children: Tessie, age 2; Michael, age 3; Lydia, age 6; and Jacob, age 14. The family lived in Fiddletown, an unincorporated town in Amador County. O’Sullivan’s parents are Hanora Teresa O'Sullivan and Michael Frances O'Sullivan of Valentia Island, Ireland; and his grandparents are John William O'Sullivan of Valentia Island, Ireland, and Una O'Sullivan of Cardiff, Wales. (end) am Www.TSPNTV.com. Alex Lane and Jim Reece, TSPN TV News. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek - An upcoming fundraiser at the American Legion Hall will benefit Khylee Monson, a 4-year-old from Pioneer who was recently diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Khylee began to feel sick last fall and was diagnosed in June with pontine glioma, a rare form of brain tumor. Since then, she has undergone intense medical procedures, including six weeks of radiation and chemotherapy. Khylee’s mother, Jackie Harrison, ended her job at Volcano Communications so she can look after Khylee and drive her down to Sacramento for weekly hospital visits. The fundraising committee “For Khylee’s Sake,” created by Jennifer Wilson, is the organizing party behind this latest fundraiser, which includes a raffle and silent auction. Wilson is a close friend of Jackie and has a 4-year-old daughter who is friends with Khylee. “It’s important that people come to this dinner event to support Khylee and her family during this devastating time,” said Wilson. She said Saturday is also an opportunity to raise awareness. During the last 30 years, there has been little to no progress in fighting this and similar types of brain cancer, where other cancers have seen big increases in survival rates. “The goal for Saturday is to raise $15,000,” said Wilson. So far, her committee has raised over $10,000 through various fundraising efforts and private donations. In addition, the entire staff at Volcano Communications has donated portions of their paychecks towards helping Khylee, so far totaling over $16,000. Wilson said the money will cover a variety of expenses, from procedures not covered by insurance to general living expenses now that Jackie is out of work. “In a couple more moths she has to switch over to COBRA insurance, which will cost her at least $1000 out of pocket each month,” said Wilson. “Jackie has been overwhelmed and amazed by the show of support. She told me she is really grateful.” The fundraiser and auction to benefit Khylee Monson at the American Legion Hall in Martell takes place this Saturday, August 22. Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner starts at 6 p.m. There will be tri-tip sandwiches, salad and desserts. Tickets for the dinner cost $15 for adults and $7 for those ages 7 to 12. Children 6 and under are free. Some of the many raffle and silent auction items include a 30-minute helicopter ride over Amador County, $3000 worth of daycare at Pioneer Montessori, photography sessions, overnight stays in Tahoe, a huge vacation home in Santa Cruz for 3 nights, a cord of pine wood, web design services, artwork, jewelry, free babysitting, wine, karate classes, a Black & Decker cordless set of tools, and much more. Tickets for the event are available at Hein & Company Books in Jackson, Well Read Books in Martell, State Farm Insurance in Jackson, Pets n’ Stuff in Ione, Munnerlyn’s Ice Creamery in Pine Grove, and Pine Cone Drug in Pine Grove, as well as online at www.just-one-dollar.com. For more information, call Wilson at 419-3995. by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – The Plymouth Pipeline reportedly was nearing a connection to the Tanner Water Treatment Plant last week, among a handful of local projects that defy the dog days of the recession. Interim General Manager of the Amador Water Agency, Gene Mancebo, who takes over the post September 4th, said that contractors and AWA workers on Thursday were preparing to bury the final length of pipe on the Plymouth Pipeline. AWA Engineering Manager Gene Mancebo said they were “all but 100 percent done with the pipeline itself.” It would connect to the Tanner plant. More work remains, but this week, the crews could be pouring concrete footings for the Sutter Creek bridge, over which the Plymouth Pipeline crosses the creek. Paul Johnston of the Pine Grove Community Service District reported that the CSD was looking at an $80,000 to $85,000 project to increase fire fighting flows in the district. He told the AWA board last Thursday that they were looking at getting 4,000 fleet of 12-inch pipeline form their storage and out to Irishtown. They were doing “pre-bid” work. Johnston its purpose was also to “bring more water to developing areas.” He told the AWA board that they were looking at USDA grants and loans, and were “looking for AWA help with it.” He said they already have right-of-ways. Johnston said: “It’s ambitious for a small district like us, but we think we can handle it.” Mancebo said the Central Amador Water Project line goes to the district’s area. General Manager Jim Abercrombie said there “could be a small benefit to the Toma Lane customers.” He said staff would “get a little more meat on the bones,” bring it as a full item for the board, and see if they “want to participate financially.” The AWA Information Technology staff reported that it was changing its website domain name, to AmadorWater.org, which “more aligns with our infrastructure and business.” The agency still owns the old name, AmadorWA.com, but will be notifying all e-mail contacts of the new site name. Staff suggested the AWA board e-mail all its contacts with the new address. The change was made to provide a lot more security to the agency. Anyone who had been e-mailed by the AWA board would be notified automatically of the new websites and e-mail addresses. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – Sutter Amador hospital announced the addition of a new Nurse Practitioner, Yolanda Apedaile(Ah-ped-e-ailey), to join the team of health care providers at Sutter Amador Women’s Services. Apedaile has over 11 years of experience as a family nurse practitioner and almost five years of experience as a registered nurse. Apedaile most recently came from Lorna Adolfo MD & Associates in Roseville. Prior to that, she was a full-time FNP and manager for the MACT Health Board Jackson Rancheria Medical Clinic in Jackson for eight years. She also practiced as an FNP for Kaiser Permanente for about a year and was an RN for the Black Hills VA Healthcare System for almost five years in South Dakota, which is where she received her Masters and Bachelors of Science from South Dakota State University. “We are thrilled to have Yolanda join our team,” said Christine Sullivan, nurse midwife and manager of Sutter Amador Women’s Services. “This is a very busy practice and Yolanda is a welcomed addition. She not only has extensive experience and knowledge, but she also possesses passion for women’s health and the patient’s she serves.” Apedaile, along with her husband and youngest son, reside in Amador City and enjoy all this area has to offer. Her husband is a surveyor and her oldest son is a captain in the Air Force. “Sutter Amador Women’s Services has a very professional and caring team of providers,” says Apedaile. “I am delighted to be here and look forward to providing primary care services to women of all ages.” She is now accepting patients. To schedule an appointment with Yolanda Apedaile, call Sutter Amador Women’s Services at (209) 257-0177. Staff Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors added to its string of 5-0 votes Thursday by unanimously selecting Engineering & Planning Manager Gene Mancebo to be the agency’s interim general manager. The board of directors discussed the appointment in closed and open session, then motioned to select Mancebo and took the vote. Mancebo said he was excited about the appointment, which makes him interim general manager at 5 p.m. Friday, September 5th, “which is kind of the official end of Jim’s term.” He said there was no time frame was specified to the appointment, but it would be something the directors look at as they decide on a full-time general manager. Mancebo said he likely will be a candidate for the full-time position, and stated “at least that’s what I plan to do.” Mancebo said he is approaching his 22nd year at the Amador Water Agency, where he started in 1988 as an assistant engineer. In 1989, he took the job of supervising engineer, and in 1992, he took over as department manager of engineering and planning, the position he has held ever since. He called the $20 million Amador Transmission Pipeline his lifelong work. He has presided over the Plymouth Pipeline project, which on Thursday was placing in its last segment of pipe. Mancebo said: “I’m really looking forward to the agency moving forward on a number of fronts.” He said: “There’s a tremendous amount of things that they want to work on, and I’m excited to be in that mix.” AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie, who is taking over as G.M. for the El Dorado Irrigation District, recommended Mancebo’s appointment, saying: “Gene is extremely competent and capable.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Plymouth – The Plymouth City Council voted 4-1 Thursday to approve the long-awaited update to it General Plan, and voted 3-2 to approve an accompanying Final Environmental Impact Report. Councilwoman Pat Fordyce and others lauded the work of planners Paula Daneluk and D’Arcy Goulart over the past 3 years. Mayor Jon Colburn said the General Plan sets the city’s path until 2025, or 16 years, but he voted against both items, saying that corrections he wanted should have been made. City Manager Dixon Flynn said the General Plan has cost the city $312,000, with all of the work combined costing nearly $500,000. Flynn said it would never be perfect, but there is an amendment process, which can change the General Plan up to 4 times a year. He said that could be as extensive as replacing the entire General Plan. Flynn said he recognized there are “people in this room and the community that have concerns about it.” He said they should “always pay close attention to the naysayers. A lot of times they have something important to say.” Councilwoman Pat Shackleton also voted against the FEIR, saying she did not think everyone got a chance to comment on it. Colburn said he thought they should have surveyed the city, and the General Plan update has “nothing in there to benefit the current residents of the city.” He said they would be better served by the then existing General Plan. Fordyce said she “put a lot of faith in the Planning Commission,” and the city has the best commission it has had in years. Councilman Mike O’Meara said they “did a good job of trying to protect the land around us.” O’Meara disagreed with Colburn, saying: “I think this is a wonderful document. I want to be a consultant in my next life.” Vice Mayor Greg Baldwin said the “planning area” in the General Plan “tells the county that we want to know if something goes on.” City Attorney Steven Rudolph told the council that the documents were legally defensible, and the minor changes did not justify the need for a continuance of a public hearing because none of the mitigation remedies were changed. Thursday’s meeting was a continuance of a public hearing on the 2 documents, and about a dozen people commented before close of the hearing at about 8 p.m. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Plymouth – The Plymouth City Council last week took comments from several large-property landowners whose ranches touch on the outskirts of the city, then took planners’ advice to approve its General Plan and Final EIR. They approved both, ending a 3-year job of updating the General Plan, which will guide the city for the next 16 years. Amador County Agriculture Commissioner Mike Boitano spoke in the public hearing on ag buffers around developments. He said what caught his eye was developers saying a “single, 6-foot, non-climb fence was adequate buffer for agriculture.” His biggest concern was that the city did not tie itself “to any one method” for buffers, because they need the flexibility to create buffers on a case-by-case basis. Boitano said as ag commissioner, it was his job to regulate pesticide laws. He said: “Placement of schools and parks up against range land or production ag land will affect the ranch or farm,” and his “hands are tied.” He said he would like to see a lot of space, such as a 300-foot buffer, but “at least you have them talking to each other.” Rancher William Greer told the council he owns a 1,100-acre ranch in Plymouth’s “planning area,” and he said he doesn’t believe the language in the General Plan and EIR is specific enough. He was concerned about residential impact on ag land, including dogs chasing his 340 steers, trash, and fire. He also dispelled rumors. He said he is a board member of JTS Communities, but is not planning to put a golf course on his ranch. He said: “I am never going to develop my ranch, and I have applied for a rangeland trust agreement.” He said he spoke with Reeder, whose development is next to Greer’s ranch. He said “Bob’s a great guy, but what if he goes away?” Reeder is planning to annex his developments into Plymouth. Greer said he is looking for a buffer and a fence.” Greer and others requested a buffer ordinance. Planner Paula Daneluk said “what we’re hearing tonight is project-specific issues.” She said the “planning area” designation in the General Plan gave the city no power over the land in it. Greer and others asked for better notification of city business that might affect their property. Daneluk said Greer could ask City Clerk Gloria Stoddard notify him whenever his land is subject to potential impact. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – Jackson Rancheria officials are predicting construction work on areas of the hotel facility will be finished by January, allowing the venue to once again open its doors to top-notch entertainment. Jackson Rancheria CEO Rich Hoffman announced June 26 that all upcoming concerts and popular events like Karaoke and Dinner and a Movie will be cancelled due to building safety concerns. “After a careful evaluation of the deluxe portion of the hotel, our Building Official, CSG, communicated some concerns about the building's performance in the event of a fire. In a response to that report, the Tribe has elected to put the safety of our guests and staff ahead of any other concern, and discontinue the use of these areas until a correction is made,” said Hoffman. The specifics of the building official’s concerns were unclear but relate to the ability to properly evacuate the structure should a fire occur. “We will, under the guidance of our Building Official, continue to occupy the Tower building at the hotel, but the hotel rooms in the closed area, along with Lone Wolf's Steak & Seafood restaurant, the hotel kitchen and banquet facilities, meeting rooms and Grand Oak Ballroom will be unavailable,” said Hoffman. The casino has partnered with several motels in downtown Jackson and still has Tower rooms available. The casino also has a shuttle to and from Jackson. There is also a new RV Park with 100 plus spaces, as well as a 24-hour general store and a large gas station where members receive ten cents off a gallon of gas. He said all this falls during the transitional period from “a time when projects did not receive the appropriate scrutiny, to rebuilding in a way that will provide safety and function for years to come.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – The California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, announced last week that $48.5 million in new funding has been made available for 106 Safe Routes to School projects throughout the state. “Safety is Caltrans’ number one priority,” said Director Randy Iwasaki. “Nothing is more important than the safety of our children as they travel to and from school.” In March of last year, the City of Jackson became the first local city to qualify under the program and received a chunk of the $780,000 allocated for countywide improvements under the stimulus package. A local match of 10 percent is required. The first project on the list was curb, gutter and sidewalk installation from Hoffman to Mariposa Street near Argonaut High School. “It’s a great project in general and a great addition to the area near the high school,” said Jackson City Manager Mike Daly, adding: “The pavement there is in real bad shape.” He said the next project will be a reconfiguration of the intersection at Court Street and Highway 88. Many Jackson officials have stated their support for funding received through the grant and the cause it supports. Safe Routes to School is a program that encourages children to walk and bicycle to school by conducting projects and activities that work to improve safety and reduce traffic and air pollution in the vicinity of schools. California was the first state to legislate such a program with dedicated funding from the State Highway Account in 1999. According to CALTRANS, the program came partly as the result of a worrisome rise in obesity amongst children and teenagers. Thirty years ago, 60 percent of children living within a 2-mile radius of a school walked or bicycled to school. Today, that number has dropped to less than 15 percent. To date, the state program has awarded $243.5 million for safety projects, and the federal Safe Routes to Schools Program has awarded $91.5 million. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – The Amador County Planning Commission on Tuesday denied findings in the Wicklow Way Environmental Impact Report, effectively prohibiting further action on the massive Jackson subdivision unless the developer reapplies or is granted an appeal. Amador County Planning Administrative Assistant Heidi Jacobs said the decision was based on “significant and unavoidable impacts provided in the EIR.” The project, as proposed by Lemke Construction, involves the subdivision of an approximately 200 acre parcel into hundreds of residential units and commercial space. The project has been in the works for four to five years and would be located above the K-Mart and Wal-Mart stores in the Martell area, according to Lemke Construction Planning Manager Susan Larson. Lemke Construction was not present at Tuesday’s meeting, and according to one concerned citizen whose property is adjacent to the proposed project, the company has been “unresponsive and has not provided a fiscal analysis or other details.” The Planning Commission deliberated for 2 hours on findings in the EIR before denying in a 5-0 vote the subdivision map and parcel map. They also recommended denial of proposed zone changes to the Board of Supervisors, who will be voting on the matter at a to-be-determined date. Lemke Construction has ten days to appeal the decision, after which time they would have to start the application process over again. Planner Heather Anderson said that if the Planning Commission decisions are appealed, they will be scheduling another review at the same time as the proposed zone change denial is discussed. In total, the commission denied three of seven findings in the EIR. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.