Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 4-27-11 - Former Hospice Director Dan Riordan speaks with "Today's Seniors" host Laurie Webb about different ways that families can be prepared when a loved on is nearing the end of their life. 

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 4-20-11 - "Today's Seniors" host Laurie Webb sits down with Sharon Bertoli to discuss some simple ways that people can ensure that all their important documents are in order.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 4-26-11

·       Alyson Huber pushes for Joint Power Authority to be allowed to operate Preston.

·       The Jackson Rancheria Casino awarded a $113,000 “Super Bad Beat” poker jackpot last week.

·       The Social Security office officially ended its service days in Sutter Creek last week.

·       A Rancho Cordova man last week was indicted on charges of credit card fraud and identity theft.

·       Denim Day is set for Wednesday, April 27 across Amador County, and the world.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 4-26-11 - TSPN's Tom Slivick speaks with Congressman Dan Lungren via telephone in Washington D.C. for an update on the 112th U.S. Congress, for District 3 of California.

Amador County – Assemblywoman Alyson Huber is pushing to allow local jurisdictions pool funds to operate Preston, or other closed state facilities.

Huber continues to fight to keep Preston Youth Correctional Facility operating, by seeking to add budget language that would allow its operation by a Joint Power Authority agreement made among local counties and officials.

Huber’s recent bill to try to slow down the closure of Preston was defeated in committee as the California Department of Corrections moves to close the facility. Huber Chief of Staff Tim Reardon said Monday that Huber is now trying to insert some language into the state budget bill to allow local counties to form a Joint Power Authority so local counties can use their funding together so that they can still have those facilities in which to put wards returned by the state.

Reardon said the plan would keep Preston useful, keep it open as a facility and keep it going in Amador County. The budget is due in June. He said Huber will be trying to talk to local officials and set some meeting to discuss the issue.

Counties are getting back the wards, as the Juvenile Justice portion of budget will be trying to phase out all of facilities, Reardon said. It will give back funding to counties, but “startup costs may not be part of what they get.” So if counties work together, they might be able to handle that cost. He said the “money they get is not going to be enough to startup or to handle these programs.” The aim is to keep Preston vital and keep it as a facility.

He said the juvenile justice portion of the budget is trying to get in this other language to allow local counties, under a Joint Power Authority agreement, “to negotiate with the state to use a facility like Preston.” It would allow multiple counties to get funding and keep the facility running. Reardon said they still have “some hoops to jump through,” but “Alyson is committed to keeping Preston open” and finding viable alternatives to doing so.

He said California Department of Corrections is pretty firm about not changing its mind about the decision to close Preston, and they have some “essential fiscal realities in their case.”

Reardon said they are in the process of setting up meetings to put the issue on the plates of local officials, to make inroads into the communities, and start to “see how local officials would want to see it structured.”

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Amador County – A “Super Bad Beat” jackpot worth $113,000 was awarded last week at the Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel.

Carol Cook, content developer for the Rancheria Marketing Department said the “cheers at the mezzanine Poker Room at Jackson Rancheria Casino could be heard throughout the casino below,” when the “Super Bad Beat” hit at $113,054,” last Tuesday.

A Sacramento man identified as Adam D. hit the Super Bad Beat with “quad tens and a nine kicker and 50 percent of the prize pool” for $56,527. Joseph S. of Stockton won the hand with a straight flush (hearts, Jack high) and 30 percent of the pool, $34,916. The table share was $3,768 each, Cook said, and it was “Good times, Rancheria Style.”

Adam, 18, is a freshman at Sacramento State studying statistics. Immediately after the big jackpot he wasn’t sure what he is going to do with the money but he’s hoping to transfer to U.C. Davis so it may go for college. He said: “I guess I could buy a car, but first I need to get a license.” He’s been playing at Jackson Rancheria since shortly after his 18th birthday last November.

Joseph, 20, is working at a pizza parlor until he goes into the Navy in September. He’s headed for nuclear power school and said he’d probably leave the money with his folks. Both are frequent players at Jackson Rancheria.

Shift Manager Glenn Pitts said the two men “are perfect examples of why Jackson Rancheria is a great place to play poker. Whether you are new to the game or a long time player, we make sure you are comfortable and have a great time.” Pitts said Jackson Rancheria now has “low-limit, high-limit, and even no-limit games, plus dedicated beverage service, a real-time tournament board, daily tournaments and frequent promotions. There’s always something going on here.”

The Super Bad Beat Jackpot award is based on a hand of four of a kind eights or better being beaten by a hand of greater value in a game of Texas Hold ‘Em. Jackson Rancheria’s Super Bad Beat last was awarded in December 2008, at a recording breaking $213,293.

The situation was ironically similar to the latest hit. Robert B. of Placerville’s four nines were beaten by a straight flush from Stephen B. of Utah. Robert took home $106,646 while Stephen got $63,987. The table share was approximately $6,000 each. The same Dealer, Tim Asper, dealt that game too.

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Amador County – The Social Security office officially ended its service days in Sutter Creek last week, cutting short the program earlier than previously scheduled.

Sutter Creek City Clerk Natalie Doyle announced the change last week, saying City Hall was notified by the Social Security Administration’s district manager that its “contact station at Sutter Creek City Hall” was ceasing operation. Doyle said “they were scheduled to come two more times before they closed for good, but now are not coming at all.” She said “many people use this service and would appreciate getting the word that they are no longer holding office here at Sutter Creek Auditorium.”

Doyle said the Sutter Creek City Hall has no forms or information regarding Social Security issues so people would have to contact the office directly, or use the Internet, as recommended by the district manager.

Muriel Behrens, district manager of the Social Security Administration, in Placerville, said she would be sending 100 flyers to post at the facility regarding the closure. The flyers say: “What you can do online” to start with. The flyer says to “boldly go to SocialSecurity.gov,” and it lists tasks that can be conducted via the Internet on the Social Security website. Those include applying for benefits, estimating future benefits and what to do if people get benefits.

The flyers said of April 21, the Sutter Creek Social Security Contact Station is closed. For info, call toll free 1(800)772-1213 or the Placerville Office at (530) 626-8421. The website is SocialSecurity.gov.

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Sacramento – A Rancho Cordova man last week was indicted on charges of credit card fraud and identity theft, who at the time of his arrest had hundreds of names and stolen credit card numbers in his possession.

U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Armenak Avagyan, 28, of Rancho Cordova was arrested Wednesday, April 20th, after being charged in a five-count indictment for using, possessing and trafficking of counterfeit and fraudulent credit cards, as well as identity theft.

The indictment alleges that from 2009 to 2011, Avagyan engaged in a wide-ranging scheme to steal credit card information using “Skimmers” installed in gas station pumps to create counterfeit credit cards using stolen information. Those counterfeit cards were then used to charge the victims’ credit card accounts for expensive items bought by Avagyan and others in the Sacramento area. Wagner said that skimming “device making equipment found on Avagyan and in his house contained hundreds of names and stolen credit card numbers.”

Avagyan was arrested last Wednesday (April 20) and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kendall J. Newman. Avagyan remains in custody and is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on May 5th.

The case was the result of extensive investigation by El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department, Rocklin Police Department, and agents from the Secret Service and FBI. U.S. Attorney Matthew Morris is prosecuting the case.

If convicted on all counts, the maximum statutory penalty is 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, with an additional two-year consecutive sentence for identity theft.

Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner said Monday that there was no indication that the case had any link to some 40 incidents of credit card theft reported last week by the Amador County Sheriff’s Office and Jackson Police Department. Wegner said the ACSO will be looking into any possible link to the case.

In the Amador County cases, Wegner in mid-April said Sheriff’s Detectives are conducting additional investigation into local venders and businesses “which have a nexus to the accounts which have been compromised. The identity of the businesses will not be released to protect the integrity of the investigation as well as to protect those venders from unsubstantiated allegations which would negatively impact their business.”

Wegner said the majority of fraudulent charges to the compromised accounts in Amador County had occurred in England, Canada, Georgia and Colorado. Accounts that have been compromised have been from four local banks or financial institutions. All four of the institutions have been cooperative with the investigation.

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Amador County – April is nationally recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Amador County’s Operation Care encourages community participation to decide to end sexual violence, and help by participating in Denim Day of Wednesday, April 27th.

The goal is to encourage everyone in Amador County to learn about sexual violence, how to help prevent it, and how to help survivors heal. The organization urges employers to allow their staff to break the dress code and the silence by wearing jeans during the month of April, and especially on Denim Day, Wednesday April 21st.

Why Denim? “Wearing jeans during April is a symbol of protest of harmful attitudes about rape in response to an Italian Supreme Court decision to overturn a rape conviction because the victim wore jeans. The decision did not recognize that coercion, threats and force are a part of the act of rape.”

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Sacramento – Friday was national Girl Scout Leader’s Day, a day to celebrate Girl Scout leaders who build girls of courage, confidence and character. Girl Scouts Heart of Central California profiled tributes to two of its long-time leaders.

Tracy Caldwell, Troop Leader in Rancho Cordova, became a Girl Scout as an adult in 1992 and has been a troop leader for two generations of girls. Once her children were adults she became a troop leader for her granddaughter and now has 20 girls in her troop; an average troop has 10 girls.

“I serve every girl who wants to be a Girl Scout,” Caldwell said. For the past 10 years, Caldwell has also volunteered as a Girl Scout First Aid Trainer. She plans to stay involved with Girl Scouts “forever.” She said “being involved in Girl Scouts is the most important thing I do.”

Caldwell said: “Everything my daughters do today comes back to Girl Scouts. They have confidence around their peers, they can get up and speak in front of 150 people and it’s just normal operating procedure, these are the things Girl Scouts has taught them and the reason why I stay involved.”

Donella Patalon, Girl Scout troop leader in Brownsville, has been a Girl Scout leader for 20 years and a trainer for 16. She started a troop when her daughter was a Brownie. Her daughter is now 26 and Patalon is still leading a troop of older Girl Scouts.

Patalon has been known to drive for hours to help at an event, train a group of troop leaders or mentor a girl on her Girl Scout Gold Award project. She said she will stay involved in Girl Scouts, “for as long as I can in one capacity or another.”

She said: “I want to give girls encouragement and advice and see girls take initiative and help other people. That’s why I do it.”

Patalon said: “I’ve seen the long term benefit it has for girls and leaders. It’s all about the commitment, leadership and passion.” Her background is in outdoor education, which she believes is a key component of being a Girl Scout.

“Outdoor education is more than just camping,” Patalon said. “It’s about environmental education, working together, budgeting and so much more. Experiencing nature gives girls a softer look on life and they realize the great outdoors is not that scary.”

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