Amador County - Amador County roads suffered up to $1.6 million in damage in a mid-March heavy rainstorm, and the Board of Supervisors ratified a declaration of an emergency in a special meeting Tuesday, in the start to seeking federal relief funds.

Undersheriff Jim Wegner, acting as Deputy Director of Emergency Services, declared an emergency on Friday, April 1, and the declaration was pending Supervisors' ratification. That approval was given unanimously, along with a request through the California Emergency Management Association (EMA) and the Governor to make a request for a Presidential declaration.

Wegner said the declaration was the first step toward getting federal funding, should it become available. He said the state threshold is $44 million for the state to be able to get the funding. Wegner made the declaration because of the amount of damage to county roads, and the resulting "conditions of extreme peril."

The storm hit March 16 and dropped several inches of rain in a short period and caused damage in multiple counties. Dana Owens, of the California Emergency Management Agency said there were about 14 counties in the state that were in the same situation due to that storm, including Tuolumne, Mariposa and some Bay Area counties. She said Santa Cruz had the most damage, with about $17 million in estimated costs. She said the state will pass the $44 million threshold.

Wegner said he thought the county should present all of the damage it can find and try to get as much reimbursement as possible. He gave supervisors a list of 26 county roads with damage and repair cost estimates. The County list included an estimated $280,000 in damage to Stony Creek Road, with "clay pumping up through paved surface" and shoulders washed out in various locations.

The full extent of the damage was not uncovered and could increase the repair costs. Wegner also submitted a report from Plymouth City Manager Jeff Gardner, which listed seven roads damaged in the storm, with a repair cost estimated at $51,000. The biggest cost was $25,000 for damage to Old Sacramento Road at the sewer plant, where an "overflowing creek degraded and undermined road base."

Wegner said he requested road damage reports from the five cities. He had not heard from Jackson or Amador City, while Sutter Creek and Ione were still making assessments.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - Jackson City Council members cut a ribbon Saturday as part of the Amador County Little League Opening Day ceremonies.

Vice Mayor Wayne Garibaldi cut the ribbon, as Council members Pat Crew, Keith Sweet and Marilyn Lewis held the held the ribbon, with the help of City Inspector Larry White and Project Manager Paul Accinelli.

City Manager Mike Daly released a statement prepared for the ribbon cutting, detailing the history and costs behind the new snack shack.

Daly said the project was funded by the 2002 Resources Bond Act, part of Proposition 40 approved by California voters in 2002. Daly said "the City used some of this money in 2005 to re-plaster the city pool and resurface the deck. The remaining $181,496 was allocated to this building construction and parking lot paving by the City Council in November and the bid for the snack shack and rest room facility was awarded to James Arthur Construction in December."

The architectural design for the project was donated by local architect, Errol Esbit. Construction began just before the end of the year and the building was completed last month.

Daly said "Paul Accinelli was the project manager and ensured that all worksmanship was top notch." The paving contract was awarded to John Hertzig, General Contractor, and completed just in time for the Dandelion Days High School Softball Tournament.

The City also received donations from Ikon Builders, contractor for rehabilitation of the Jackson Hills Apartments on New York Ranch Road. Ikon donated refrigerators, and Mel & Faye's Diner donated a used sink and tables. Jackson Rancheria Casino also donated to the project.

Daly said the "building brings the City into compliance with ADA requirements and greatly improves the dilapidated facilities that were demolished by city crews at the beginning of the project."

The Public Works Department also assisted with bringing upgraded utilities needed for the new building. City Inspector Larry White was on-hand during all phases of the project to keep the city's contractors on task in order to meet the tight deadlines for the project.

Saturday's Little League opening day had been postponed a week due to inclement weather. It also coincided with the opening day of the local girls softball league in Ione.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - Operation Care announced Monday that it has received additional state funding for its domestic violence program.

Local Operation Care director Lynn Sheild said "last year, when Gov. Schwarzenegger signed the budget package containing the full restoration of statewide domestic violence shelter funding, California Emergency Management Agency re-distributed their state general fund allocations, in order to justly distribute the money to all of the agencies providing the mandated services."

There are about 96 agencies statewide, and only three of the agencies, including Operation Care, have never received funding from the state, Sheild said, though they did receive some funding through the Cal-EMA for their domestic violence programs.

Linda Zender, Board President of Operation Care said "Cal-EMA went to bat for Operation Care and the other two agencies that have never received these funds. It just didn't seem equitable to leave us out when we have been providing the same services and programs as the other agencies, with substantially less funding. We are very pleased to finally be able to increase our assistance to those most vulnerable."

The re-distribution of funds was applied to Operation Care's 2010-2011 fiscal year, ending June 30. Sheild said: "Because these are non-competitive grants, as long as the state continues to provide domestic violence shelter funding, these funds should be ongoing for Operation Care."

Zender said the "additional funds are allowing us to increase staffing at the safe house, and to focus on day-to-day client assistance when they need it most." It also allows re-allocation of "other budgets to provide essential community education programs, to increase awareness of family violence, and to make people aware of the services available to them."

Zender said: "We are excited about the opportunity to increase our program support at the safe house and at the office. Over the past few years, our team has been stretched very thin, and though we were able to provide basic services to all victims, we are now able to extend the one-on-one assistance so important to an individual in crisis."

She said it was important to note the organization's "recently appointed Executive Director Clara Osborne resigned her position last week, to move out of the area to be closer to her fiancé."

Zender said it "will in no way affect the services provided," and its direct service staff, guided by our Deputy Director Tammie Crabtree, remain devoted to their work and will seamlessly continue providing services to those in need".

Operation Care is at 619 New York Ranch Road in Jackson.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

El Dorado County - El Dorado County Sheriff's Search & Rescue Team and other responders rescued a San Francisco man from a dangerous "tree well" March 27 after he got trapped while back-country skiing in South Lake Tahoe.

El Dorado Sheriff's Search and Rescue partnered with Douglas County Nevada Search and Rescue, responding to rescue a lost and stranded snowboarder in the backcountry near Waterhouse Peak, on U.S. Forest Service land near the El Dorado and Alpine county line, just south of Christmas Valley in South Lake Tahoe. At the time of the rescue there was very heavy snow, cold temperatures and falling snow.

Deputy Greg Almos Jr., coordinator of the El Dorado Sheriff's Search & Rescue Team, said "Sean Voss from San Francisco and a friend had been backcountry skiing when the two became separated" on Saturday. Voss carried avalanche equipment including a shovel and avalanche beacon, and "was riding a snowboard when he got trapped in a tree well."

A "tree well" is an area of deep and unconsolidated snow which can quickly immobilize a skier. The more the person struggles, the more entrapped they can become in the snow. Skiers or snowboarders may die very quickly from suffocation, in many cases, as quickly as someone can drown in water.

Almos said "in his efforts to free himself," Voss lost his snowboard, as it was not leashed to him. Due to the heavy snow load he could not walk out. At about 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Voss called 911 to summon assistance.

Search and Rescue Teams assembled and were able to obtain GPS coordinates of Voss's location from his cellular call to 911. Using ground teams, nordic teams, snowmobiles and snow cats, the teams were able to get to the area where GPS Coordinates placed him.

"In an effort to survive," Almos said Voss "had built a snow cave and was awaiting our arrival." Due to being in a snow cave, Search and Rescue teams located Voss "using their avalanche transceivers."

Despite being very cold and exhausted Voss was in good health and did not require any medical attention. Almos said the incident could have ended in tragedy if Voss did not have his avalanche equipment and the "desire to survive."

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