“April Showers Bring May Flowers.”  That is the theme at Sutter Creek Gallery for the month of April.  Rather than featuring a single artist, all of the cooperative members have been challenged to create a piece of art related to this theme.Group exhibitions will alternate with shows highlighting individual artists.

Gallery members create paintings in all media, produce photographs of wild and domestic animals as well as local scenes, fabricate jewelry from handmade beads and natural materials, turn gourds into works of art, and so much more.  Come see the unique pieces created by these talented artists.

The gallery will hold a reception to celebrate the theme on Saturday, April 4, from 4 to 7 p.m., in conjunction with the region’s First Saturday Art Trek.  Floral arrangements will be on display and for sale at this time.  Created by local florists and gallery artists, the arrangements will interpret various artworkson exhibit.  

This cooperative of local artists is located in the heart of Sutter Creek at 35 Main Street.  Besides original paintings and photographs, Sutter Creek Gallery offers many affordable items including prints, cards, jewelry, gourds and fiber arts.  The gallery is open Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  For additional information, call 209-267-0228, emailThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visitwww.suttercreekgallery.com.  

Saturday, April 4, 2015 10 am to 1 pm

IONE, CA: Mark your calendar for April 4, the opening day of the Preston Castle Foundation’s 2015 Tour Season. The majestic Preston Castle will be open for guided historical tours most Saturdays, from 10 am to 1 pm, April 4 through September 26. There are also plans to be open on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays, during June, July, and August. Tours are $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12 years of age, and free for children less than 5 years of age. Visit the website for more information and the specific dates that tours will be held.

Last year, the tour season was cut short due to restrictions imposed by the State Fire Marshal, so many people missed out on being able to explore and learn about the Preston Castle. Now that the Preston Castle Foundation owns the property, the Castle can once again be opened to the public. So plan a visit to Ione and enjoy a tour of the Castle, including a visit to the Farm Museum.

Castle Tour: $10; $5 under 12, free if under 5 Visit www.prestoncastle.com.

WHAT: PRICE: WHO: WHERE:

WHEN:

Preston Castle Tours $10, $5 under 12, free under 5 Sponsored by Preston Castle Foundation Preston Castle, 900 (end of) Palm Dr., Ione, CA 35 miles southeast of Sacramento, CA off HWY 104 in Ione Saturdays, April 4 through Sept. 26, 2nd and 4th Thursdays in summer (June, July, August), 10 am to 1 pmAbout Preston Castle Foundation

The strikingly beautiful Romanesque style Preston Castle, on a hill in Ione, was actually the administration building for the Preston School of Industry, the first major attempt in California at rehabilitating, instead of just imprisoning, young offenders. Opened in 1894, the Preston School of Industry became a leader in the juvenile prison reform movement by giving convicted boys a real chance at life by educating them not only in academics, but in all of the useful trades of the time. Closed in 1960, when the Preston Youth Authority moved into a new administration building down the hill, the Preston Castle was left to deteriorate due to weather, vandalism, and general neglect. It now serves as a vacant, but vitally important landmark for Ione, Amador County, and the Motherlode. It is a California State Historic Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Mission of the Preston Castle Foundation is to preserve, rehabilitate, and utilize the historic Preston Castle site. The Foundation recently acquired the deed of ownership for the property and is pushing forward with the rehabilitation activities. To help raise money for this important project, the Foundation sponsors several fund raising events throughout the year. The first event for 2015 is the 10th annual Preston Castle Golf Classic, on May 14, at Castle Oaks Golf Course.

Castle Tours are available on Saturdays, and select Thursdays, from 10 am to 1 pm, during the warmer weather months. Check the website for specific dates. Helpand learn more about the history, events, and tours by visiting www.prestoncastle.com. All contributions are tax deductible.

Stockton – The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated $325.8 million to 142 transportation projects that will alleviate traffic delays, repair aging roads and bridges and encourage bicycling and walking. Fifty one biking and pedestrian projects throughout the state will receive $27 million in allocations from the Active Transportation Program.

“Caltrans is building transportation improvements that will benefit the state for decades to come,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “Not only are we working to preserve our previous investments in the state highway system, but we are investing in projects that will expand the availability of alternative, more sustainable ways of getting from point A to point B.”

Active transportation projects funded include:

Merced County: $200,000 – Constructingcurbs, gutters, sidewalks, pedestrian ramps and storm drains, while adding bicycle lanes and replacing street lighting on Walnut Avenue in Winton. The improvements will enhance safety and improve access for pedestrians and cyclists.

The newly allocated funding also includes $132 million from the State Highway Operation and Protection Program for 54 projects that will maintain and preserve the investment in the state highway system and its supporting infrastructure. These capital improvements consist of projects covering maintenance, safety improvements, pavement repair and rehabilitation and upgrades to bridges throughout the state.

“Caltrans is embracing a ‘fix it first’ strategy by focusing on preventative maintenance to our existing transportation infrastructure,” continued Director Dougherty. “We are striving to give California’s taxpayers the most bang for their buck because every $1 spent on preventative pavement maintenance translates into a savings of $6 to $14 that would have been spent on expensive pavement repairs.”

The allocations also include $8.4 million from Proposition 1B, a transportation bond approved by voters in 2006. To date, more than $18 billion in Proposition 1B funds have been put to work statewide for transportation purposes. The remaining $158.4 million in allocations came from various state and federal transportation accounts.

Among the projects that received funding allocations today were:

Amador County: $13,450,000 – Repair pavement on 31.2 lane miles of State Route 88 (SR-88), from Peddler Hill to west of Tragedy Springs Road. The work will improve ride quality and extend the service life along this stretch of highway.

San Joaquin County: $1,500,000 – Install ramp metering systems, closed-circuit monitors, and vehicle pull-outs at six on-ramps on SR-99 through Stockton to improve mobility and safety. The six on-ramps that will be upgraded are from SR-4 to Hammer Lane,

Stanislaus County: $3,654,000 – Repair pavement on 8.6 lanes miles of SR-120, from the San Joaquin/Stanislaus County line to west of the Stanislaus River Bridge near Oakdale. The project  also will install push-button signals and ramps at pedestrian crossings.

Calaveras County: $4,916,000 – Repair pavement on 38 lanes miles of SR-4, from the Calaveras/Stanislaus County line to SR-49 in Altaville. The work will improve ride quality and extend the service life along this stretch of highway.

For more information about all the projects that received allocations, please see the attached file.

On March 27, 2015, the Amador County Transportation Commission (ACTC) Chairman John Plasse announced that John Gedney, Chief, Office of Rural Planning, for Caltrans District 10, has accepted the position of ACTC Executive Director. Mr. Gedney will take over the ACTC staff leadership role, formerly carried out by Charles Field since 1994, on April 13, 2015. Mr. Gedney has worked for Caltrans District 10 in various capacities since 2000. Prior to that he has worked for the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, Stanislaus County Council of Governments, San Joaquin Council of Governments, and the El Dorado County Department of Transportation. He is familiar with Amador County transportation planning matters as he has served as the ACTC’s liaison to Caltrans District 10 and has participated in most ACTC meetings since 2010. Mr. Gedney has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Masters in Business Administration. He and his family proudly reside in Amador County.

Monthly meeting of the California Road Charge Technical Advisory Committee.

Senate Bill 1077 created the California Road Charge Pilot Program and tasked the California Transportation Commission, in consultation with the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), to convene a fifteen member committee to study a road charge as an alternative to the gas tax. The purpose of the Committee is to study road charging methods, seek public input and make recommendations to CalSTA regarding the design of a road charge pilot program.

WHO:         15-member Technical Advisory Committee including Jim Madaffer, California Transportation Commissioner and Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee.

WHEN:       9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friday, Mar. 27

WHERE:     Hotel Irvine, Trabuco Room, 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine. Paid public parking is available at the hotel.

For more information on the study of a road charge as an alternative to the gas tax, including Committee meeting agendas and minutes, visit:  http://www.catc.ca.gov/meetings/Committees/Road_Charge/Road_Charge.html.

Ione Elementary was notified that one of our 5^th graders, Ryan Billingsley, has been named Safety Patrol Officer of the year from AAA for Central and Northern California, Oregon, and Nevada. Ryan was nominated by Mr. Huss—who helps run our safety patrol AND Ryan had to write an essay about himself. Ryan was in the finals with 7 8^th graders and his essay was unanimously chosen all 6 judges independently! AWESOME JOB RYAN! Our school has been gradually implementing the safety patrol officer program and it has been wonderful for our school and our students!!! The award comes with lots of terrific perks:

1.       In June Ryan will get a plaque presented by AAA with a $70 gift card to Target

2.       Ryan, Mr. Huss, and 2 other safety patrol officers will get to go to a Oakland A’s baseball game in May and get to sit at the KC Masterpiece booth on near the field and get free food all day and get to participate in some pre-game activities.

3.       Our school gets $250 worth of supplies for the safety patrol and we can reapply for the $250 for supplies every year.

4.       AAA is providing a pizza party for all safety patrol officers at the end of the year.

5.       AAA is giving our PFC $2500.

JACKSON, CA- Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort is excited to announce the return of their Dream Wedding Giveaway where one lucky couple will win a wedding worth $30,000!

The contest and voting begins Friday, May 1, 2015 on Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort's Facebook page. Hopeful couples can participate in the contest by submitting a photo and their love story to the Jackson Rancheria Photo Contest link. The more votes, the better! Voting ends on Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 11:59 p.m.

The Top 10 Couples will advance onto the YouTube video submission stage and from those videos, Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort's Executive Board will choose the Top 3. Voting will reopen on social media and the Casino Kiosks on Friday, June 12. The winning couple will be announced on Wednesday, July 1, 2015.

Jackson Rancheria's Dream Wedding Includes:

* Ceremony and Reception Venue for up to 225 guests

* Two Complimentary Hotel Suites the night before and the night of the wedding

* Wedding Cake by Ingrid Fraser

* Wedding Flowers by Wildflowers at Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort

* Appetizers and Dinner by Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort Banquets

* Wedding Photographer (8 hours) by Farrell Photography

* Personalized Photo Booth

* Dress and Tuxedo discounts with the Clothes Mine

* And reception entertainment by DJ Maestro

Couples can earn 25 bonus votes by attending the Amador Wedding Faire on Sunday, May 3, 2015 at Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort! Stop by the Jackson Rancheria booth to sign-up! Couples who enter into the Dream Wedding Giveaway must be 21 years or older.

Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort is located at 12222 New York Ranch Road, Jackson, CA 95642. For more information regarding contest rules and wedding details, call 800-822-WINN or visit JacksonCasino.com.

Located in the Sierra foothills town of Jackson, CA, Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort is owned by the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians, a federally recognized Indian tribe. A sovereign government, the Rancheria is dedicated to developing projects that not only enhance the tribe's ability to remain self-reliant, but also reflect a commitment to be a good neighbor.

Congressman McClintock Introduces H.R. 1668 the Save Our Water Act

Today Congressman McClintock introduced H.R. 1668, the Save Our Water Act.

During times of extreme and exceptional drought conditions the bill will suspend water releases by Federal and State agencies to adjust river water temperatures.

"This bill incorporates language that will stop the appalling practice of sacrificing tens of thousands of acre-feet of water for the comfort of fish when the human population is in immense peril," said Congressman McClintock upon introducing the bill.

Superintendent, Dick Glock and TSPN TV's Tom Slivick discuss the Gold Ribbon Schools Award, Common Core, and Dahkota Brown supporting native education. Part One.

Superintendent, Dick Glock and TSPN TV's Tom Slivick discuss the Gold Ribbon Schools Award, Common Core, and Dahkota Brown supporting native education. Part Two.