Amador County – A 33-year-old man was arrested Saturday in Mexico for the murder of his mother some time last week, after her body was found at the Day’s Inn Hotel in Sutter Creek.

Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe released details of the arrest today saying Justin Bryan Bergo, 33, of Aptos in Santa Cruz County was arrested for the murder of his mother, Dolores Anne Bergo, 62.

Justin Bergo was arrested at the Tijuana Airport by Mexican authorities. Riebe said: “This followed a torrid search for Bergo conducted by the Sutter Creek Police Department, Amador County District Attorney investigators, and the U.S. Marshals Central Valley Joint Fugitive Task Force from the Eastern District of California.” Mexican immigration officials turned Bergo over to U.S. Marshals and he was booked into the San Diego County Jail.

“Sutter Creek Police Chief Brian Klier contacted district attorney investigators Monday afternoon, March 14, requesting assistance following discovery earlier that day of a deceased female in a room at the Day’s Inn Hotel in Sutter Creek,” Riebe said. The victim was later identified as San Jose resident Dolores Anne Bergo. He said Miss Bergo and her son, Justin had checked into their room on Saturday, March 12. Mr. Bergo fled early Sunday morning after he allegedly murdered his mother.”

“After autopsy results confirmed that Miss Bergo had been murdered,” Riebe said his office “filed an arrest warrant for Justin Bergo” on Thursday, March 17. “On Friday, March 18, District Attorney investigators requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshal’s office, when they found that Bergo had fled the United States.”

U.S. Marshals “worked with Mexican authorities in gathering information that eventually led to Bergo’s capture Saturday afternoon. Bergo will be transferred to the Amador County Jail where he will face murder charges later this week.”

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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors deflected criticism from its immediate past board president about information requests related to the Gravity Supply Line, at its last meeting.

Former board President Bill Condrashoff, who lost re-election to his seat in District 1 in November, said he had made a request for information related to a staff meeting with Pacific Gas & Electric, including an agenda and a list of attendees. He said he felt mistreated as a former AWA board president, because he was made to wait 10 days for the information request, and then was notified on the 10th day that he would have to wait seven more days for the information. He said he made two information requests in one day, and one was answered quickly, while the other was delayed.

Condrashoff said he finally received the information in an e-mail from AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo, and Condrashoff said the e-mail contained “embarrassing information about the GSL.” He said it was a requirement for AWA to take over ownership and operation of a water treatment plant at Tiger Creek.

Mancebo said the board could not discuss the issue until it was agendized, and the board had not heard about the request until that meeting. He also said he thought the agency has a “decent track record in turning around information that is requested.”

Mancebo said last week that PG&E in the e-mail “indicated their desire for the agency to take over a small water treatment plant on Tiger Creek.” He said “AWA has been operating and maintaining that for a number of years.”

The water plant is located at the Tiger Creek facility, and AWA operates the plant for PG&E’s use at the facility. Mancebo said: “We charge them exactly what our costs are.”

Mancebo said the Amador Water Agency “has been under contract with PG&E for operation and maintenance of the Tiger Creek water treatment plant (owned by PG&E) since 1996.” He said the board still needs to meet and discuss the latest request, and “this is nothing new,” because probably a couple of years ago, PG&E brought up the issue that they would like the AWA to take over ownership as well as the operation of the water treatment plant there.

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Amador County – The Sutter Creek Gold Rush Implementation Committee was to have its first meeting today, and the council tonight was to consider selling 10 units of sewer capacity to the Amador Water Agency. The Sutter Creek City Council’s Gold Rush Implementation Committee was scheduled to meet this morning to discuss a variety of topics, including the status of litigation against the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort.

Gold Rush development partners are being sued by Martell resident Ken Berry on environmental grounds. The item, and all other agenda items are for discussion only.

The first topic was to review the “scope and purpose” of the committee. They also were scheduled to discuss the status of the “project implementation matrix,” and respective master plans for the wastewater treatment plant and the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority. Other topics include oak tree vandalism, and future items.

The committee meeting was to start at 9 a.m. today (Monday, March 21) at the community building in Sutter Creek. The Sutter Creek City Council regular meeting is 7 p.m. today, and will start, in part, with a ceremonial resolution “commending Butch Martin for service on the Sutter Creek Fire Protection District.”

Regular items include consideration of a resolution “authorizing the sale of 10 equivalent dwelling units to Amador Water Agency,” in the form of sewer plant capacity. City Manager Sean Rabe will also give a budget update report.

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Amador County – The Amador County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration, will again participate in the nationwide “Take-Back Initiative,” set for April 30.

Sheriff Martin Ryan announced the participation plan last week, and said “last September, Americans turned in 242,000 pounds – 121 tons – of prescription drugs at nearly 4,100 sites operated by the DEA and more than 3,000 state and local law enforcement partners including the Amador County Sheriff’s Department.”

In an effort to prevent increased pill abuse and theft, the Amador County Sheriff’s Department will be collecting potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at one location within Amador County. The service is free and anonymous.

The initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are increasing at alarming rates.

Ryan in the announcement last week said “Amador County Sheriff’s Department recognizes the importance of community involvement and urges the citizens of Amador County to take a stand against illegal prescription drug abuse by using this opportunity to dispose of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.”

The Amador County Take-Back Initiative is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday April 30 in the Amador County General Services parking lot, at 12200 B Airport Road in Sutter Creek.

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