Amador County – The California Department of Fire Protection last week announced a plan to have prescribed burns on 10-acre blocks of land in Amador County in the fall, after the first rains and the burning season opens. The Amador-El Dorado unit CALFIRE Forester Patrick McDaniel on Friday gave a “smoke notification we'd like to get out to the public right now. More specific details about the exact dates, sizes and locations will be available later as this is going to depend on the weather.” McDaniel said during the months of October and November, the Amador-El Dorado unit of CALFIRE plans to conduct a “prescribed burn live fire training exercise” on private properties located along Shake Ridge Road and Fiddletown Road in unincorporated areas of Amador County. The burns are part of CALFIRE’s “Vegetation Management Program,” of the Alpine-Amador-El Dorado-Sacramento Unit, based in Camino. The burns will not be conducted until the start of burn season, after the area gets the appropriate amount of rain. McDaniel said residents of Shake Ridge Road and Fiddletown Road should be aware of the “Shake-Fiddletown vegetation management plan,” which will be a live fire training exercise. McDaniel said people who are sensitive to smoke are requested to contact CALFIRE Forester Patrick McDaniel at (530) 647-5288. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Camanche – The California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board announced last week that funding has reopened the state Healthy Families insurance program. The board said funding is now sufficient to avoid dis-enrolling children” and “to open the program to new enrollment,” which began September 17th. The agency has already begun processing waiting list applications. Funding came from passage of Assembly Bill 1422, setting “a gross premium tax paid by Medi-Cal managed care plans,” and from the state First Five Commission. Cuts to expenditures, and increased premiums and co-payments also helped reopen the program. The Healthy Families Program provides low cost health, dental and vision coverage to uninsured children, until the age 19, in working families. To qualify, children must be uninsured with no employer-sponsored insurance in the last three months. It is open to California residents, who are not enrolled in no-cost Medi-Cal. Children must meet citizenship, immigration and family income requirements. The Insurance Board said Healthy Families keeps nearly 900,000 California children insured, and gives thousands more children access to health care. Shannon Mosher, operations manager of the Camanche Lake Community Center, runs an enrollment program for the Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency. She said “people can sit down with me and I’m certified to help them fill out their applications.” A-CTAA has a grant from the United Way, Mosher said. “This is the fifth year we’ve been funded by them.” They normally get $40,000 a year, and this year received $42,000. She said: “We’ve enrolled about 100 kids every year for the last 5 years. We’d love to help more.” She said she was sure there are more people who may need help, due to the recession. The program gives medical insurance at different premium rates, based on family size and income. Premium rates depend on income level and children’s ages, but there are different deductions that are factored in, Mosher said. “For a family of four, you can make up to almost $48,000 a year, but that’s after the deductions have been taken off,” so it could be close to $50,000. She said enrollment has reopened, and she helped a family apply on Wednesday. Mosher said applications take about a half hour online. Call Camanche Community Center at 763-2794 or the Upcountry Community Center at 296-2785 to sign up. If they cannot make it to those offices, families can arrange for a meeting in Jackson, Ione or Sutter Creek. Online, see www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov or call 1(800) 880-5305. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – Unemployment rates remain high across the United States, including here in Amador County, where Mother Lode Job Training agency in Jackson sees the face of these statistics everyday. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Amador County’s unemployment rate is 12.3 percent as of August 21, 2009, not seasonally adjusted. Karen Glaze, Manager of Mother Lode Job Training, said that accounts for 2,240 people out of a labor force of approximately 18,000. Glaze said the majority of those who visit her office seeking employment are former construction workers, with another large portion seeking clerical or customer service jobs. In contrast, she said “there hasn’t been a commensurate amount of jobs.” Her office has seen 57 visitors so far in September compared to 12 in the same month last year. “We are definitely stressed because of the volume of people seeking work and the plight they face,” she said. Former bastions of employment like the Jackson Rancheria have also been affected by the economy and have in turn reduced the number of new job openings they offer. She said recent construction at the Rancheria also greatly reduced the number of jobs offered at what she called “a good place for entry-level employment.” Other major business closures and a sharp decrease in the number of new housing and business construction has also played a role. Glaze praised the Obama administration for committing stimulus funds to programs like MLJT through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). As a consortium, employment and job training agencies received $1.2 million from the ARRA, including additional funding to address business retention and expansion. “We were hanging by a thread during the previous administration…but we actually have training money now,” she said. She also commended the U.S. House of Representatives for voting to further extend unemployment benefits an additional 13 weeks in states with the highest levels of unemployed. This latest extension would be available to residents in the 25 states that have had an average jobless rate of at least 8.5% for three months, or over 70 percent of the population, according to U.S. House Democrats. The House voted 331-83 in favor of the measure, with a strong majority of lawmakers of both parties approving it. With the national unemployment rate rising to 9.7 percent in August, the worst of the economic recession may still be far from over. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – The Sutter Creek City Council recovered from nearly stalling on the Gold Rush Ranch project Wednesday by unfurling a massive mitigation list. It included building a new public safety building and schoolhouse, and a guarantee on the completion of the golf course within 10 years. Mayor Gary Wooten moved to have a condition of approval that the ownership of the golf course property revert back to the city – at the developers’ expense – if the golf course is not built after 10 years. Wooten said the property, Noble Ranch, was originally purchase for effluent disposal, and “if it isn’t a golf course in 10 years, it probably never will be.” Councilman Pat Crosby said: “That’s a good point, Mr. Mayor,” but later asked if the council should be fitted for flak jackets. The council voted 5-0 to direct staff to draft a golf course guarantee, ending a similar string of votes for draft conditions of mitigation. Earlier, they agreed with the Planning Commission that the golf course should be built by the time the 300th housing unit it built, unlike Gold Rush developers’ wish to build it with the 500th unit. Wooten also suggested requiring the developer to build a public safety building, in addition to donating of 2.5 acres for a firehouse site. The building would house fire, police and safety personnel. The motion included a plan for the city to reimburse the cost of building it “with fees generated out of fire and police assessments.” The council voted 5-0 to draft those conditions, and did so on Wooten’s motion for developers to build a schoolhouse, in addition to donating 17 acres of property to the school district. Crosby said “a developer can build a school better than a school district.” Wooten said the school would not have to be built on the 17 acres, adjacent to the Gold Rush property, but could be built anywhere in the city. Wooten said a new school could house kindergarten through 8th grades, and “move the junior high back to Sutter Creek.” The council also agreed to create a table of impact mitigations for recreation, with the purpose to actively build parks and trails. They also formed council subcommittees to look at traffic mitigation fees, fiscal impacts and regional traffic fees. Wooten said all of the subcommittee meetings would be open to the public and public comment. The results and staff directed draft agreement and condition changes will be prepared for the council’s next Gold Rush meeting, October 19th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – The Sutter Creek City Council nearly split on the size of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort Wednesday, then agreed to have staff gather numbers for an evaluation of its size. The council talked about sending the plan back to developers for a revision of the total 1,334 housing units. Councilman Pat Crosby moved to “reject it without prejudice, then have the developer come back with something smaller.” Mayor Gary Wooten said he didn’t believe what he was hearing: “You sit around for 8 years and suddenly we’re going to gut the project.” Wooten said: “What you’re saying is ‘kill the project.’ That’s what’s going to happen.” Mayor Pro Tem Tim Murphy said: “Insisting on thirteen hundred units is going to kill the project, and downsizing will make it unfeasible.” Crosby said “the critical thing is to come up with the right size of the project” and “find the right number. Maybe it’s 2,000 and maybe it’s 500.” Wooten said the “project is in the perfect location, and when it is built out, most people in this room will be dead.” Wooten and Councilwoman Linda Rianda supported the project having 1,334 units. Murphy and Crosby were against it and Councilwoman Sandy Anderson was undecided. Wooten said he supported it because the 935 acres equaled 1 unit per 1.4 acres, and was “not really going into a city mode.” He said it consisted of 4-and-a-half square miles. Murphy said “we haven’t successfully sold 300 units in the history of Sutter Creek,” and the city would “go bankrupt trying to sell 300 units over 50 years.” Murphy said: “My thought is it’s got about twice too many residential units.” Anderson said “a lot of people think it’s too big,” but “the developers say if you want to have these amenities, you have to have this many units.” She also asked about alternative plans. Consultant Anders Hauge (HOW-GHEE) said the planning commission only put alternatives in the Environmental Impact Report. Rianda said “if you want 500 units, there goes the wastewater treatment plant and the golf course.” Murphy said the planning commission brought up the issue that it was too many units, “and the developer said nothing.” He said he did not believe the impacts from 1,334 units would be mitigated. Murphy said “we’ve talked about this all along and it’s just been rolled over. We’ve never had a serious conversation.” Crosby said they should send it back to the developer, because “we can’t redesign it but he can.” The council agreed to have staff get numbers together, so the council can “evaluate the size of the project” at its October 19th meeting. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Martell – Amador County Public Health Department is taking every precaution in preparation for the upcoming flu season, potentially made worse by the growing threat of the novel H1N1 flu virus. The most recent strain of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, was first reported in Mexico earlier this year. The US now has 37,000 documented cases and 211 documented deaths from H1N1. One case of the virus was discovered in an Amador County man who returned from Mexico in mid-April, but Amador County Health Officer Dr. Robert Hartmann assured that that case was mild and the man recovered to full health without any spread of the illness. On June 11, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide Pandemic Influenza Alert Level to Phase Six, the highest such designation for a flu outbreak. Hartmann said “heavy case counts are present in the southern hemisphere of the world.” He said Amador County Public Health is collaborating with local partners to prepare for Fall 2009 flu season. The partners are the Amador County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services, Sutter Amador Hospital, Department of Corrections, and Amador County Unified School District. He also said seasonal flu vaccinations will occur earlier this year. Hartmann said the County has obtained its allotment of Tamiflu, the most effective product found so far in combating the virus. Federal health officials say the vaccine for H1N1 will be available in mid-October. On Wednesday, Public Health released three educational brochures that outline ways to prepare for flu season and the symptoms of H1N1, which include “a fever of 100 degrees or higher, cough, trouble breathing, head and body aches, sore throat, vomiting and/or diarrhea” and “chills.” H1N1 symptoms are very similar to seasonal flu. Hartmann is asking all individuals to take the same basic steps they would to avoid any other flu virus. This includes washing your hands often with soapy, hot water for 20-30 seconds, staying home if you are sick, covering your sneezes and coughs, and planning for all family members to receive a seasonal flu vaccine this fall. Please contact Amador County Public Health at 223-6407 if you have further questions. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – The Sutter Creek City Council nearly split on the size of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort Wednesday, then agreed to have staff gather numbers for an evaluation of its size. The council talked about sending the plan back to developers for a revision of the total 1,334 housing units. Councilman Pat Crosby moved to “reject it without prejudice, then have the developer come back with something smaller.” Mayor Gary Wooten said he didn’t believe what he was hearing: “You sit around for 8 years and suddenly we’re going to gut the project.” Wooten said: “What you’re saying is ‘kill the project.’ That’s what’s going to happen.” Mayor Pro Tem Tim Murphy said: “Insisting on thirteen hundred units is going to kill the project, and downsizing will make it unfeasible.” Crosby said “the critical thing is to come up with the right size of the project” and “find the right number. Maybe it’s 2,000 and maybe it’s 500.” Wooten said the “project is in the perfect location, and when it is built out, most people in this room will be dead.” Wooten and Councilwoman Linda Rianda supported the project having 1,334 units. Murphy and Crosby were against it and Councilwoman Sandy Anderson was undecided. Wooten said he supported it because the 935 acres equaled 1 unit per 1.4 acres, and was “not really going into a city mode.” He said it consisted of 4-and-a-half square miles. Murphy said “we haven’t successfully sold 300 units in the history of Sutter Creek,” and the city would “go bankrupt trying to sell 300 units over 50 years.” Murphy said: “My thought is it’s got about twice too many residential units.” Anderson said “a lot of people think it’s too big,” but “the developers say if you want to have these amenities, you have to have this many units.” She also asked about alternative plans. Consultant Anders Hauge (HOW-GHEE) said the planning commission only put alternatives in the Environmental Impact Report. Rianda said “if you want 500 units, there goes the wastewater treatment plant and the golf course.” Murphy said the planning commission brought up the issue that it was too many units, “and the developer said nothing.” He said he did not believe the impacts from 1,334 units would be mitigated. Murphy said “we’ve talked about this all along and it’s just been rolled over. We’ve never had a serious conversation.” Crosby said they should send it back to the developer, because “we can’t redesign it but he can.” The council agreed to have staff get numbers together, so the council can “evaluate the size of the project” at its October 19th meeting. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackson – Unemployment rates remain high across the United States, including here in Amador County, where Mother Lode Job Training agency in Jackson sees the face of these statistics everyday. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Amador County’s unemployment rate is 12.3 percent as of August 21, 2009, not seasonally adjusted. Karen Glaze, Manager of Mother Lode Job Training, said that accounts for 2,240 people out of a labor force of approximately 18,000. Glaze said the majority of those who visit her office seeking employment are former construction workers, with another large portion seeking clerical or customer service jobs. In contrast, she said “there hasn’t been a commensurate amount of jobs.” Her office has seen 57 visitors so far in September compared to 12 in the same month last year. “We are definitely stressed because of the volume of people seeking work and the plight they face,” she said. Former bastions of employment like the Jackson Rancheria have also been affected by the economy and have in turn reduced the number of new job openings they offer. She said recent construction at the Rancheria also greatly reduced the number of jobs offered at what she called “a good place for entry-level employment.” Other major business closures and a sharp decrease in the number of new housing and business construction has also played a role. Glaze praised the Obama administration for committing stimulus funds to programs like MLJT through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). As a consortium, employment and job training agencies received $1.2 million from the ARRA, including additional funding to address business retention and expansion. “We were hanging by a thread during the previous administration…but we actually have training money now,” she said. She also commended the U.S. House of Representatives for voting to further extend unemployment benefits an additional 13 weeks in states with the highest levels of unemployed. This latest extension would be available to residents in the 25 states that have had an average jobless rate of at least 8.5% for three months, or over 70 percent of the population, according to U.S. House Democrats. The House voted 331-83 in favor of the measure, with a strong majority of lawmakers of both parties approving it. With the national unemployment rate rising to 9.7 percent in August, the worst of the economic recession may still be far from over. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Martell – Amador County Public Health Department is taking every precaution in preparation for the upcoming flu season, potentially made worse by the growing threat of the novel H1N1 flu virus. The most recent strain of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, was first reported in Mexico earlier this year. The US now has 37,000 documented cases and 211 documented deaths from H1N1. One case of the virus was discovered in an Amador County man who returned from Mexico in mid-April, but Amador County Health Officer Dr. Robert Hartmann assured that that case was mild and the man recovered to full health without any spread of the illness. On June 11, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide Pandemic Influenza Alert Level to Phase Six, the highest such designation for a flu outbreak. Hartmann said “heavy case counts are present in the southern hemisphere of the world.” He said Amador County Public Health is collaborating with local partners to prepare for Fall 2009 flu season. The partners are the Amador County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services, Sutter Amador Hospital, Department of Corrections, and Amador County Unified School District. He also said seasonal flu vaccinations will occur earlier this year. Hartmann said the County has obtained its allotment of Tamiflu, the most effective product found so far in combating the virus. Federal health officials say the vaccine for H1N1 will be available in mid-October. On Wednesday, Public Health released three educational brochures that outline ways to prepare for flu season and the symptoms of H1N1, which include “a fever of 100 degrees or higher, cough, trouble breathing, head and body aches, sore throat, vomiting and/or diarrhea” and “chills.” H1N1 symptoms are very similar to seasonal flu. Hartmann is asking all individuals to take the same basic steps they would to avoid any other flu virus. This includes washing your hands often with soapy, hot water for 20-30 seconds, staying home if you are sick, covering your sneezes and coughs, and planning for all family members to receive a seasonal flu vaccine this fall. Please contact Amador County Public Health at 223-6407 if you have further questions. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sutter Creek – The Sutter Creek City Council recovered from nearly stalling on the Gold Rush Ranch project Wednesday by unfurling a massive mitigation list. It included building a new public safety building and schoolhouse, and a guarantee on the completion of the golf course within 10 years. Mayor Gary Wooten moved to have a condition of approval that the ownership of the golf course property revert back to the city – at the developers’ expense – if the golf course is not built after 10 years. Wooten said the property, Noble Ranch, was originally purchase for effluent disposal, and “if it isn’t a golf course in 10 years, it probably never will be.” Councilman Pat Crosby said: “That’s a good point, Mr. Mayor,” but later asked if the council should be fitted for flak jackets. The council voted 5-0 to direct staff to draft a golf course guarantee, ending a similar string of votes for draft conditions of mitigation. Earlier, they agreed with the Planning Commission that the golf course should be built by the time the 300th housing unit it built, unlike Gold Rush developers’ wish to build it with the 500th unit. Wooten also suggested requiring the developer to build a public safety building, in addition to donating of 2.5 acres for a firehouse site. The building would house fire, police and safety personnel. The motion included a plan for the city to reimburse the cost of building it “with fees generated out of fire and police assessments.” The council voted 5-0 to draft those conditions, and did so on Wooten’s motion for developers to build a schoolhouse, in addition to donating 17 acres of property to the school district. Crosby said “a developer can build a school better than a school district.” Wooten said the school would not have to be built on the 17 acres, adjacent to the Gold Rush property, but could be built anywhere in the city. Wooten said a new school could house kindergarten through 8th grades, and “move the junior high back to Sutter Creek.” The council also agreed to create a table of impact mitigations for recreation, with the purpose to actively build parks and trails. They also formed council subcommittees to look at traffic mitigation fees, fiscal impacts and regional traffic fees. Wooten said all of the subcommittee meetings would be open to the public and public comment. The results and staff directed draft agreement and condition changes will be prepared for the council’s next Gold Rush meeting, October 19th. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.