Amador County – The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors last week heard results of a groundwater study in the Lake Camanche Water Improvement District Number 7, which said quantity is adequate, and quality issues may be explained by the discovery of a fault line between east and west sides of the area.

AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said the report also came with bad news, as one of the main wells at Camanche is currently out of service due to a broken pump. He said the “good news is that there is plenty of groundwater in the region to meet the demand of current and future customers, even in dry years.”

Dunn Environmental president Pat Dunn presented the study Thursday, June 14, concluding that water quality is generally good, though over-drafting “can cause iron and manganese problems.” Water quantity is plentiful. Mancebo said the “20-year demand for the area is estimated at 917 acre feet per year, or only about 10% of available water supply, even after multiple dry years.”

He said the “biggest revelation came when Dunn described a previously unidentified fault line, and how the underground rock structures on the eastern side of the fault make water wells there much less productive than those on the western side.”

Lake Camanche Village is east of the fault and in the past, most wells had been drilled nearby, to reduce piping costs, Mancebo said. “Of the system’s current operating wells, only Well 9 is west of the critical fault line, and it has the highest capacity.”

With the new source information, Dunn “advised the Agency to depend on Well 9 for the majority of Camanche’s water supply, and to use restraint on the three eastern wells to keep them from developing water quality problems.” Dunn said “recent problems with Well 14 were caused by high usage.”

AWA Field Services Manager Chris McKeage advised the Board Thursday that Well 14 is currently out of service due to a broken pump, and the manufacturer is replacing it at no cost to AWA.

Dunn in the report recommended “redeveloping, or breaking up the fine material that can build up on the walls of a water well, to address water quality issues that have plagued Well 14 over the past few years.” McKeage said with the pump, motor and well column out of the well, “this would be an opportunity to do the redevelopment work recommended by Dunn.”

Since the work was not on Thursday’s agenda, directors asked for a special meeting as soon as possible to discuss options and costs to redevelop Well 14. A special meeting was called by the board president for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 19 to consider the Well 14 work.

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Amador County – A Sacramento man was arrested last week on charges of attempted carjacking after trying to steal a Jeep while allegedly armed with a large piece of wood.

Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner released details of the arrest, saying that on Wednesday, June 13 at about 6:05 p.m., the Amador County Sheriff’s Department received a call reporting a suspicious subject that had been loitering around Amador Station at 27846 Inspiration Drive East in Pioneer for several hours. A Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched and responded.

As the deputy was arriving on scene, dispatch received a follow-up call that the subject had armed himself with a piece of wood and had attempted to steal a citizen’s vehicle. The deputy located the subject between two vehicles with the piece of wood on the ground nearby. The subject was detained.

Upon further investigation it was determined the subject was from Sacramento and was en route to Iowa. The subject allegedly approached a citizen and asked for a lighter. When the citizen attempted to obtain one from his vehicle, the subject armed himself with a large piece of wood and demanded the citizen’s car keys.

The citizen refused to give the keys, and fled into the business wherein he reported the attempted vehicle theft. As the citizen reported the attempted theft, the subject used the piece of wood to vandalize the 1992 Jeep, denting the door, smashing the headlamp and breaking a marker lamp.

David Randall McDowell, 18, of Sacramento was arrested by Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies and charged with attempted carjacking and felony vandalism. McDowell’s bail was set at $80,000.

Wegner said while in custody at the Amador County Jail, McDowell has made two futile efforts at escaping. The first was when he attempted to conceal himself inside a laundry cart, believing the laundry was processed off-site. The second was when he attempted to get an inmate to steal “jail keys” in exchange for food products.

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Amador County – A Plymouth man was arrested last week after allegedly threatening to kill his girlfriend and her children with a sawed-off shotgun.

Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner released details about the arrest, saying that on Tuesday, June 12 at about 11:03 p.m., the Amador County Sheriff’s Department received a 9-1-1 emergency call from a residence on Gerrans Street in Plymouth regarding a domestic disturbance. The reporting party said her boyfriend was armed with a sawed off shotgun and was threatening to kill her and her children.

Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies responded, as did two California Highway Patrol officers and a Sutter Creek Police department officer. Upon arrival, and establishment of a perimeter, contact was made with the victim via telephone wherein she was directed to exit the residence with her two children, Wegner said. She complied and all were secured at the scene, uninjured. The suspect then exited the residence and surrendered himself to Sheriff’s Deputies.

Upon further investigation it was determined that the suspect and the victim had a verbal dispute regarding finances and excessive alcohol use. The suspect reportedly became enraged, brandished a sawed off shotgun and threatened to kill everyone at the residence. A search of the residence revealed an unloaded sawed off 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition for the firearm.

Sean Anthony Hildreth, 36, of Plymouth was arrested and charged with possession of an unlawful firearm, a short barrel shotgun. He was also charged with making criminal threats; brandishing a firearm; possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony; and child endangerment. Hildreth’s bail was set at $100,000.

Amador County Superior Court Judge Susan Harlan approved and authorized an emergency protective order, restraining Hildreth from the victim, the children and the residence.

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Amador County – Jackson Rancheria CEO Rich Hoffman is host of the Jackson Rancheria Big Movie of the Week every Thursday at 5 p.m. on cable channel “ThisTV Sacramento.” Each week Hoffman introduces the Big Movie and offers fun facts, trivia questions, reviews and more from the “Jackson Rancheria hermetically sealed film bunker.”

Local viewers are familiar with Rich Hoffman as the face and voice for Jackson Rancheria’s TV and radio ads. He’s well known for his extensive wardrobe, from wildly colored golf outfits to a chef, cowboy and Santa. You never know what he’ll be wearing or what he’ll be doing. Watch for various outfits to compliment the Big Movie of the Week.

Upcoming Big Movies include Exodus (June 21), Mr. Brooks, The Russia House, Bright Lights, Big City, Home of the Brave (July 19 and Lions for Lambs.

ThisTV is Sacramento’s only free cable movie channel and is associated with KQCA Channel 58.

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Amador County – Jackson City Council on Monday, June 11, approved an exemption for Tractor Supply Company for the new company to have 180-square feet of signs on its building, being constructed next to Raley’s grocery store.

The Council unanimously approved the exemption to allow two 90 square foot signs, one on the front and one on the back of the building, on French Bar Road. City Manager Mike Daly said it was felt that it would not be any kind of visual issue.

Daly said the Tractor Supply Company’s manager wants to meet with him next week, and they plan an Aug. 4 official opening.

The sign complies in all other ways with city sign code, including channel lettering, back-lit lettering, and being limited to only having a logo and company name lettering. Daly said it is a bit large for the ordinance. For time reasons, the request for an exemption was taken by the company directly to the City Council.

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

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-19-12 - TSPN's Tom Slivick talks with Amador County Chief Probation Officer Mark Bonini about AB109 jail reorganization impacts on Amador County. 

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-19-12

• An AWA-commissioned study says Camanche groundwater quantity is good and a newly found fault line may help explain the quality issues.

• Jackson City Council approved an exemption for two Tractor Supply Company signs.

• A Plymouth man was arrested last week after allegedly threatening to kill his girlfriend and her children with a sawed-off shotgun.

• AWA heard a Camanche report on a groundwater master plan after a 18-month study of 268 wells.

• A Sacramento man was arrested for attempted carjacking with a large piece of wood in Pioneer

• Rich Hoffman hosts the “Jackson Rancheria Big Movie of the Week” series on ThisTV Sacramento.  

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-19-12

• An AWA-commissioned study says Camanche groundwater quantity is good and a newly found fault line may help explain the quality issues.

• Jackson City Council approved an exemption for two Tractor Supply Company signs.

• A Plymouth man was arrested last week after allegedly threatening to kill his girlfriend and her children with a sawed-off shotgun.

• AWA heard a Camanche report on a groundwater master plan after a 18-month study of 268 wells.

• A Sacramento man was arrested for attempted carjacking with a large piece of wood in Pioneer

• Rich Hoffman hosts the “Jackson Rancheria Big Movie of the Week” series on ThisTV Sacramento.  

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-19-12 - TSPN's Tom Slivick talks with Amador County Chief Probation Officer Mark Bonini about AB109 jail reorganization impacts on Amador County. 

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors last week heard results of a groundwater study in the Lake Camanche Water Improvement District Number 7, which said quantity is adequate, and quality issues may be explained by the discovery of a fault line between east and west sides of the area.

AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said the report also came with bad news, as one of the main wells at Camanche is currently out of service due to a broken pump. He said the “good news is that there is plenty of groundwater in the region to meet the demand of current and future customers, even in dry years.”

Dunn Environmental president Pat Dunn presented the study Thursday, June 14, concluding that water quality is generally good, though over-drafting “can cause iron and manganese problems.” Water quantity is plentiful. Mancebo said the “20-year demand for the area is estimated at 917 acre feet per year, or only about 10% of available water supply, even after multiple dry years.”

He said the “biggest revelation came when Dunn described a previously unidentified fault line, and how the underground rock structures on the eastern side of the fault make water wells there much less productive than those on the western side.”

Lake Camanche Village is east of the fault and in the past, most wells had been drilled nearby, to reduce piping costs, Mancebo said. “Of the system’s current operating wells, only Well 9 is west of the critical fault line, and it has the highest capacity.”

With the new source information, Dunn “advised the Agency to depend on Well 9 for the majority of Camanche’s water supply, and to use restraint on the three eastern wells to keep them from developing water quality problems.” Dunn said “recent problems with Well 14 were caused by high usage.”

AWA Field Services Manager Chris McKeage advised the Board Thursday that Well 14 is currently out of service due to a broken pump, and the manufacturer is replacing it at no cost to AWA.

Dunn in the report recommended “redeveloping, or breaking up the fine material that can build up on the walls of a water well, to address water quality issues that have plagued Well 14 over the past few years.” McKeage said with the pump, motor and well column out of the well, “this would be an opportunity to do the redevelopment work recommended by Dunn.”

Since the work was not on Thursday’s agenda, directors asked for a special meeting as soon as possible to discuss options and costs to redevelop Well 14. A special meeting was called by the board president for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 19 to consider the Well 14 work.

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