The Plymouth City Council hosted a public hearing last week on its General Plan update, and heard that the city’s projected growth rate can be handled by county schools. Superintendent Richard Glock said told Plymouth City Planner Paula Daneluk previously that Amador County Unified School District could handle the impacts of Plymouth’s housing developments. Since then, he heard 4,000 homes and 10,000 people could be in Plymouth’s growth future. That’s why he went to the meeting last Thursday, he said. Then he heard from Daneluk that the growth would be about “40 homes a year, for 20 years.” Glock said that would be an increase of about 12 students a year, noting: “We can handle that.” He said he was part of a school district in Temeculah that built 18 schools in 10 years, and he heard the same questions and answers as he heard in Plymouth. Mayor Jon Colburn asked if existing facilities would serve those new students. Glock said the new students, about 130 to 140, or 12 a year, in 20 years, could be accommodated in current facilities. He said the city could look at options of keeping the Kindergarten to 6th grade school in Plymouth, or moving the school. He said if a developer wanted to give the city a site, they would have to be able to consider building, at a point when the district could afford it. He said district student enrollment has stabilized, and actually went up 37 students last year, which meant $187,000 dollars for the district. But student numbers are low and they have room at the schools. Joyce Stone of Amador Childcare Council urged the importance of services for pre-kindergarten aged children. She said overall, only 27 percent of children who have parents in the workforce have licensed childcare available. Stone said the median age in Plymouth is expected to go down because developments will attract younger families. Art Marinaccio of Amador Citizens For Responsible Government told the council that its General Plan needs to reflect the city council’s policies. And he warned against flowering up the document by the planners. He urged that they should try to tie annexations to municipal service reviews. Marinaccio said he thought “not doing so is inconsistent with the properties of” the Local Agency Formation Commission. Plymouth will resume the public hearing July 9th, and look at further staff work. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sobon Estate Winery took the overall “Best of Show” award and 2 other top awards at the prestigious Amador County Fair Commercial Wine Competition, among nearly 500 entries from the Sierra Foothills. Sobon Estate also took double gold medals for its 2007 Primitivo and 2007 Zinfandel. Sobon Estate’s 2007 Primitivo, besides Best of Show, also won the award for Best Red and Best Amador Italian wine. The wine was among the final 4, along with 2 other Amador County and Shenandoah Valley wines, and among 20 wines local wines taking awards. Bray Vineyards of the Shenandoah Valley won Best Rose for its 2008 Barbara Rosato, along with class awards of a Silver for a 2006 Red Table Wine, and a double gold for its 2008 Barbera Rosato. Shenandoah Valley’s Karmere Winery won Best Amador Rhone with its 2007 Syrah, and double gold with a 2007 Red Dessert wine. Obscurity Cellars of Amador County took Best Amador Red Zinfandel with its 2007 Zinfandel, and gold medal for its Zin. Wilderotter Winery of Shenandoah Valley took Best Sauvignon Blanc with its 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. In Best of Class, Cooper Vineyards took a gold medal for its 2006 Pinot Gris. Avanguardia Wines took gold for a 2008 White Varietal Blend, and a double gold for its Italian Red Blend. Macchia winery took gold for its 2007 Sangiovese. Jeff Runquist Wines took gold for its 2007 Barbera. Terra d’Oro Winery took gold for its Teroldego 2007, gold for a 2007 White Zin, and double gold for a 2008 Rose Table Wine. Il Gioielio Winery won double gold with a 2005 Petite Sirah. Wine Tree Farm took Gold with a 2006 Red Rhone Blend; and Lucchesi Vineyards & Winery took gold with a 2006 Merlot. Sierra Foothill American Viticultural Area is a 170 mile long, 12-mile wide swath of farmland, stretching from northern Yuba County through the Foothills to Mariposa County in the south. Amador County sits in the middle of an area with a Mediterranean climate and shallow mountain soils that stress the vines, giving moderate and low yields of high quality grapes. Competition supervisor Dick Minnis said the May 30th competition in Plymouth had a 25 percent increase in wines entered. 383 medals awarded, with 73 wines taking gold and double gold. More than 40 of the top winemakers of the 2009 competition will be pouring at the annual Amador County Fair Wine Tasting event, Friday, July 31st in Plymouth. See www.AmadorCountyFair.com. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Approximately 1,500 trophy sized trout- totaling 9,000 pounds –were delivered to Caples Lake on Wednesday, June 24. The average fish weight was 6 pounds, with some fish weighing up to 15 pounds. The California Department of Fish and Game also released 2,000 pounds of catchable brook trout into the lake. The releases are part of an extensive fish restocking program approved by Fish and Game and funded by the El Dorado Irrigation District. The goal is reestablishment of the sport fishery in Caples Lake following a draw-down of the lake level in 2008 due to emergency repairs to the main dam’s outlet works. Chaulk Mound Trout Ranch in Bridgeport, Nebraska, supplied the trophy-sized rainbows under a contract with the district. The district will continue to stock the lake through September of this year under an agreement with a private hatchery and in cooperation with Fish and Game. Staff Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.