The opening of the Central Eureka Mine in Sutter Creek has been postponed until further notice. The grand re-opening of the mine site was scheduled for July 5th, but concerns over the presence of hazardous chemicals and the threat of exposure has prompted the City of Sutter Creek to postpone that event. The City had been working with the California Youth Authority and contractors preparing for the re-opening, clearing trails and spreading gravel around the parking lot area.

However, last week the Department of Toxic Substance Control visited the site to take soil samples as part of the Remedial Action Work plan for the site. The DTSC engineer in charge of the project expressed concern regarding the proposed event, due to the site’s contamination and possible associated public exposure risk. The CYA crew also left the site due to the potential risk, leaving the majority of the work unfinished. The council discussed the feasibility of gravelling and wetting down the entire site prior to the event, but in the end, felt it better to forego spending any money now and instead focus resources on a proper clean up. The postponement was especially disappointing for Mayor Pro-Tem Bill Hepworth, who has been organizing the event and looking forward to it for about a year.

A new sign situated outside of Amador City has generated controversy amongst its citizens. The Highway 49 bypass effectively limited the number of big rigs and logging trucks that came rumbling through the tiny hamlet, but it also limited tourism and made access to the town confusing for first time visitors. In an effort to make the city more noticeable, the Amador County Transportation Commission, or ACTC, recently commissioned an impressive bronze sign, which was erected at the corner where the old 49 and 49 bypass converge. Although no citizen has complained about the aged bronze cityscape used as the sign’s backdrop, they have taken issue with the placement of the town’s title itself.

 “It is so low you can’t even see it if you’re standing 20 feet away. It blends right in with the city background, and once the grass grows at the base of the sign, the letters will be covered completely,” said a waitress at the local restaurant, Buffalo Chips. The City’s title is indeed placed low, sitting near the ground. Construction crew members, who erected the sign while simultaneously constructing the walking path and sign at the entrance to Sutter Creek, have explained that there are plans to add a solar powered light which will make the words more visible. But Amador City residents say that’s not enough. “They need to paint it or raise it or something” said Ray Hartman, an Amador resident who made a special trip to see the sign on Tuesday. ACTC has not yet said whether they plan to make adjustments to the sign, but plans are in consideration.

Burn Conditions are at their peak and firefighting resources are committed to large fires throughout the State. As a result, CalFire Unit Chief Bill Holmes suspended all burn permits within the State Responsibility Areas of Amador and El Dorado counties as of 8am Tuesday. The decision comes in the wake of a rough weekend for firefighters from CalFire and local agencies, whose combined efforts helped to extinguish two major Amador County fires. Although the cause of the 400 acre fire on Electra Road is still under investigation, human error is suspected, as is the case in 9 out of ten CalFire responses. The 50 acre fire near Sutter Creek Saturday was the result of sparks thrown off by a riding mower on dry grass. There are some minor exceptions to the new burn restrictions. Campfires will be allowed inAmador County. Anyone with questions about this declaration may contact their nearest CAL FIRE facility. designated campgrounds with permission of the jurisdictional authority. CAL FIRE is reminding residents that the sale or discharge of all fireworks is prohibited in most areas of

Hundreds of lesbian and gay couples across California wed on Tuesday, giving a human face to a landmark court decision expected to generate a bruising fall campaign here over the issue of same-sex marriage. The usually quiet Amador County Clerk’s office remained so through Wednesday, but according to a local gay couple who prefer to remain anonymous, the landmark decision has spurred them to “seriously reconsider” the status of their relationship. “I have friends in San Francisco who called me on the phone. They were crying with happiness,” said one half of the partnership. Part of their hesitancy stems from an outcry against same-sex marriage by religious organizations and more conservative action groups, some of which have threatened violence. According to the Associated Press, there were scattered demonstrations outside some offices and courthouses.

About a dozen protesters stood across the street from the Sacramento County recorder's office, carrying signs that read, "Marriage = 1 man + 1 woman" and "Resist Judicial Tyranny."  Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahoney reaffirmed his belief that marriage "has a unique place in God's creation, joining a man and a woman in a committed relationship in order to nurture and support the new life for which marriage is intended." In more liberal parts of the state, however, the weddings are being warmly embraced. Protesters were outnumbered by well-wishers. Same-sex marriage has been hotly contested nationwide and state by state in the courts and at the ballot box, and California is no exception. In November, the state’s voters will decide whether to effectively rescind the court’s decision through a ballot measure that would define marriage as “between a man and a woman.” Although some couples said they preferred to wait until after the election because they feared their marriages would nullified at the ballot box, others said they wanted to make history, especially if the opportunity to get married could be lost.

A fast moving wildland fire engulfed nearly 400 acres in the heart of Amador County on the afternoon of Friday the 13th. Dubbed the Electra Fire because of its origin near Electra Road below Pine Grove, the aggressive blaze was wrought with challenges on a day already associated with bad luck. The fire’s origin beneath 65,000 volt high tension lines effectively severed power to an estimated 13,000 Amador County residents scattered upcountry. Within hours of the first reports of smoke at approximately 3pm, the blaze traveled northeast to within sight of structures on Fig Tree, Ponderosa and Canyon Roads north of Highway 26 and below Pine Grove. A voluntary evacuation was implemented and fire crews began going door to door to inform residents of the blaze. Pine Grove Elementary School was designated as a temporary evacuation center staffed with Red Cross volunteers. While word spread amongst residents living in threatened areas, a myriad of fire and emergency response crews established a staging area on the shore of Lake Tabeau.

“This is a mid slope fire,” said CalFire Spokesman Tobie Edmonds, who was on the scene. “Because of the fire’s location, we can’t effectively attack it from the top or the bottom. This is essentially an air show right now.” Among the many tools on hand, including 15 engines, 2 bulldozers, 4 water tenders, and 6 hand crews, perhaps the most effective were the 3 air tankers and a number of helicopters scooping water from nearby Lake Tabeau. “We are fortunate to have this body of water within one eighth of a mile,” said Bill Lavallie, TSPN’s contributing reporter. While fire crews surrounded the blaze upcountry, other agencies were taking action county wide. According to the under sheriff Jim Wagner with the Amador County Sheriff’s Department, officers had set up roadblocks and shut down roads in a radius around the fire. Lynn Olsen with the Office of Emergency Services was spreading news of the blaze to all media outlets with a better possibility of reporting the afternoon’s events to those without power. By 7pm Friday evening, Edmonds reported that the blaze was over 25 percent contained. Crews continued to work throughout the night, and by 11am Saturday morning the fire was 100 percent contained. PG & E restored power and fixed the downed lines by late Saturday afternoon. As of the time of this report, investigators are still working to determine the cause of the blaze.

A brush fire in Sutter Creek Saturday had local fire crews working for several hours in the afternoon heat. The fire was started around 2 pm at a residence on Sutter Volcano Road by a riding lawnmower tractor. Although no structures were involved, the fire did burn to within 50 yards of several homes. “I was a little worried, but then the chopper dropped off two ground crews in my backyard and I felt better,” said John Merlo, who lives off of Sutter-Volcano Road. The fire-fighting effort included crews from CalFire, Sutter Creek, and Jackson.

Two helicopters responded early and worked for several hours retrieving water from Icehouse Pond on Amador Road. In addition, an airtanker, a spotter plane, a bulldozer, and several engines worked in conjunction to extinguish the blaze. According to Sutter Creek Fire Chief Butch Martin, the fire burned just under 7 acres, and the area burned was located entirely within the city limits. “If the winds had been blazing down canyon instead of up, we would have been in trouble,” Martin said. “Ironically, this was caused by someone who was trying to do fire abatement, but at the wrong time. It is not a good idea to cut dry grass in the afternoon heat, but if you do, use a weed eater and nothing else,” he concluded.

The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors met last Thursday morning to discuss a proposed agreement with PBS&J, an Environmental Consultant group. The proposed agreement between the two agencies is to conduct an environmental review for the Gravity Supply Line and the water right impacts associated with the Central Amador Water Project, or CAWP, Water Right Application. A question repeated throughout the course of project development is why the AWA isn’t upgrading the current CAWP area, but instead creating a new alignment to get to the same system. According to Jim Abercrombie, the CAWP service area was developed and was created with the intention to supplement surrounding districts after a drought in the 1970’s, and it was never intended as a permanent long term fix. “With present value it’s cheaper to go with a new alignment,” said Abercrombie. The Board voted to direct Jim Abercrombie, General Manager, to execute the agreement between the AWA and PBS&J with total payment not to exceed 171,095 dollars.

Sutter Amador Hospital has been seeing a rash of rattlesnake bites lately, and the sudden spell of warm weather is being blamed. Resident Karen Salbato is the hospital’s fourth rattlesnake victim so far this year. The yearly average for rattlesnake bites is six. Reports of snakebites are even more prevalent among pets- but a rattlesnake vaccine is available for dogs. There are a number of theories as to what you should do when bitten, but doctors say only one method is reliable. "We don't want to crosscut over the bite marks, we don't want to suck it out, we do not want to put ice on that area. We simply want to keep it below the heart and transport to the hospital as quickly as possible," says hospital physician Dr. Jack Wood. 

After weeks of public inquiry, the Plymouth City Council approved a motion to at their city council meeting Thursday to open the public swimming pool. The pool will open June 19thand is scheduled to close September 7th, although that date could change according to the funds available. Vice Mayor Pat Fordyce has been at the forefront of the battle to keep the pool open, going to both ACRA and the Board of Supervisor’s for help. Supervisor Brian Oneto responded to the requests with a donation of 10-thousand dollars from his County Account.

ACRA is providing lifeguards for the pool at a total cost of 15,750 dollars for the season, expenses that will be reimbursed to ACRA at the end of the season. City staff anticipates roughly 3 thousand dollars in entry fees, leaving the total revenues at approximately 13 thousand dollars. City staff hope to obtain sponsorships from local business and fundraising efforts to reimburse the unfunded balance. Community member Donna Hall presented the council with a poster by local kids urging the council to “please save our pool.” She stated that “a large amount of children are served by the pool. It gives them a sense of community.”

A heated discussion about a sign permit ended in a call to the sheriffs department at the Amador County Planning Commission Tuesday night. On one side of the discussion was Jamie Lubenko, executive director of the Amador Vintners Association, who was representing 33 of 36 wineries in Amador County. On the other side of the issues was Jerry Wright, owner of the wineries Villa Toscano and Bella Piazzo. The Amador Vintners Association is pursuing a permit for multiple directional signs throughout the county, which will point visitors to the five closest wineries. The Amador Vintners included Villa Toscano and Bella Piazzo on their sign plan, although Wright is not a member of the association. However, Wright disagrees with the location of the signs that will advertise his wineries; he wants Villa Toscano to be on the first sign one sees as one enters Shenandoah. “I tried to meet with Amador Vintners, and they tried to shoot me, and now they are trying to run this down our throat, and it’s not going to happen. We have invested a quarter of a million in 5 years promoting Amador County, and I will be happy to litigate this if necessary,” Wright stated.

Wright further charged the Amador Vintners of allowing wineries into the association who were not up to county code on their kitchens and wells. ACPC Chairman Andy Byrne asked Lubenko if she could simply comply with his request. Lubenko responded that it was not fair to the other wineries to do this, and that she was worried that it would start a trend and other wineries would request to be moved. The interested groups went back and forth on the issue for about an hour. Between his times at the podium, Wright conversed with Supervisor Brian Oneto in the back of the room. At one point, Wright took the stand and began heatedly yelling and cursing at the Planning Commission Members, and refused to step down when Byrne asked him to. It was at this time that somebody stepped out of the room and called the sheriffs department. The sheriffs arrived only a few minutes later, but Wright had already left the premises. ACPC unanimously approved the sign permit.