Amador County – The Amador County Chamber of Commerce is making strides forward, not to mention strides into downtown Jackson.

The Chamber has rented a storefront on Main Street in Jackson, and also has hired an employee. The newest and only employee of the growing Chamber said last week that she has the keys to the new building at 131 Main Street, and is preparing to move the Chamber office from its location behind Jose’s Restaurant on Highway 49, and into downtown.

The location is ideal, she said, with a parking lot next door, between the new building and El Dorado Savings Bank. It is also bigger than the old space, and will have two offices in the back.

Diane Sherbourne, administrative coordinator and office manager, was in the new office Friday, with her newest volunteer, architect and interior designer Victor Martinez, who last Thursday was introduced to Sherbourne by Martha Perez of Jose’s. Friday he was in the new office taking measurements to help with modular design and assembly.

Sherbourne said she is “the only employee of the Chamber,” and is training four new volunteers. They will help with the move, which she plans for the first week of March, so the new office is open for this year’s Dandelion Days in downtown Jackson, March 19-20.

Sherbourne took over as office manager as a volunteer, working four-and-a-half months, eight hours a day, five days a week, to find out what was what in the Chamber. She said the Chamber board wanted to hire her but she wanted to find her way around the job first.

Retired from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Tracy, she is working with the new volunteers, whom she wants to be popular in the county. Sherbourne said: “I want people that the people of Jackson know and like to talk to and play with and stop by and see what’s happening.”

Her projects include creating an industrial “ambassador committee” to help new industrial businesses in Ione get to know each other, and maybe team together to find solutions to common needs. She said the tourism group can bring people in, but she wants the Chamber to take care of the nest and the home front.

The Chamber office will move in early March, with lift trucks donated for use by Sharon Lungren of Volcano Television. To volunteer in helping with the office move, or in other capacities, call 223-0350.

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

Amador County – The Amador County Chamber of Commerce is making strides forward, not to mention strides into downtown Jackson.

The Chamber has rented a storefront on Main Street in Jackson, and also has hired an employee. The newest and only employee of the growing Chamber said last week that she has the keys to the new building at 131 Main Street, and is preparing to move the Chamber office from its location behind Jose’s Restaurant on Highway 49, and into downtown.

The location is ideal, she said, with a parking lot next door, between the new building and El Dorado Savings Bank. It is also bigger than the old space, and will have two offices in the back.

Diane Sherbourne, administrative coordinator and office manager, was in the new office Friday, with her newest volunteer, architect and interior designer Victor Martinez, who last Thursday was introduced to Sherbourne by Martha Perez of Jose’s. Friday he was in the new office taking measurements to help with modular design and assembly.

Sherbourne said she is “the only employee of the Chamber,” and is training four new volunteers. They will help with the move, which she plans for the first week of March, so the new office is open for this year’s Dandelion Days in downtown Jackson, March 19-20.

Sherbourne took over as office manager as a volunteer, working four-and-a-half months, eight hours a day, five days a week, to find out what was what in the Chamber. She said the Chamber board wanted to hire her but she wanted to find her way around the job first.

Retired from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Tracy, she is working with the new volunteers, whom she wants to be popular in the county. Sherbourne said: “I want people that the people of Jackson know and like to talk to and play with and stop by and see what’s happening.”

Her projects include creating an industrial “ambassador committee” to help new industrial businesses in Ione get to know each other, and maybe team together to find solutions to common needs. She said the tourism group can bring people in, but she wants the Chamber to take care of the nest and the home front.

The Chamber office will move in early March, with lift trucks donated for use by Sharon Lungren of Volcano Television. To volunteer in helping with the office move, or in other capacities, call 223-0350.

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

Amador County – Congressman Dan Lungren (R-Dist. 3) has recently accepted a position as co-chair of the Congressional Wine Caucus and will be holding a “listening session” in March in Calaveras County.

Lungren joined the caucus to help educate his colleagues on wine industry matters. Robert Ehlert, Senior Field Representative for Lungren said in a release Thursday that the District 3 Congressman has “accepted an invitation to join and serve as Co-Chairman of the Congressional Wine Caucus.” ¶ Ehlert said it is “a bipartisan group of legislators whose mission is to educate and engage colleagues in legislative and regulatory matters pertaining to the wine community.”

Rep. Mike Thompson, a California Democrat, extended the invitation to Lungren to join the caucus late last year because, like Thompson – who represents wine country constituents in Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma and Yolo counties – Lungren represents vintners and growers in Amador, Calaveras, Sacramento and Solano counties.

Thompson founded the group along with Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA, retired) in 2000.

Elhert said “according to the California Wine Institute, wine grapes are the largest fruit crop in the nation and the sixth largest crop overall.” The industry has an annual impact of $51.8 billion on the California economy, and an economic impact of $125.3 billion on the U.S. economy. California wine creates 875,000 jobs in California and the United States, with a total $25.2 billion payroll.

“Though we have some very large wineries in the Third District,” Lungren said, “the majority are small businesses with unique challenges and needs.” Lungren said “I visited with Amador County vintners last year and am planning a listening session with wineries and growers in Calaveras County next month and will plan future meetings with other groups in the District.”

Lungren said: “I think some people might be surprised to know that virtually half of the $31 million Amador County ag economy is a result of growing wine grapes.”

The listening session in Calaveras is set for March 23 at Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys. It was set to “hear from constituents about the wine industry.” The session is open to the public.

Lungren serves as Chairman of the House Administration Committee in addition to serving on the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees.

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

Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council today will hear about its potential new bridge on Main Street, and also get information about county property taxes and a developing regional traffic planning model.

The council is scheduled to get a presentation by Dokken Engineering on the type of bridge the city council has been discussing for its bridge replacement project on the Main Street bridge. The council will also hear about county property taxes from Amador County Assessor Jim Rooney. The city treasurer will have a report on finances up to December 2010, and City Manager Sean Rabe also will report.

The council will also consider Amador County Transportation Commission issues, including a resolution to approve the city’s Regional Traffic Mitigation Fee progream’s annual report for the fiscal year ending in 2010. ACTC is also scheduled to give a presentation on its Regional UPlan model.

The Amador County Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, and could elect its new officers for the year, and appoint and select committee members and alternates for the year. Committees include the RTP and the Agricultural Advisory Committee.

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

Amador County – California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection last week issued a reminder to people to burn safely.

Katrina Blumer, fire prevention bureau chief of the Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit in a release last week reminded “foothill residents and property owners that wildfires occur year-round, even in the Mother Lode.”

“Within hours after the sun comes out following a storm, the top layer of needles, leaves, or dead grass and weeds can become dry enough to burn,” Blumer said. During the last week of January, her unit responded to several escaped debris burns, which “quickly threatened surrounding properties, and subjected the people who started the fires to fines, and the cost of damages and suppression.”

She said it is “essential that you make your property fire safe with 100 feet of defensible space around all structures.” Winter and early spring is a good time to do the work, when people can dispose of the brush, limbs, and other trimmings in burn piles.

Simple rules to remember include obtaining any permits required. “Some homeowner associations and incorporated cities require, and issue their own permits year-round,” she said. Cal Fire burn permits will be required on May 1, but the safety precautions outlined on the permit will help people burn safely year-round.

People are responsible for their fire at all times, and “if the fire escapes your control, you will be responsible for the costs involved in putting it out, as well as for any damage it causes.”

Before burning each day, you must check burn day status by calling the Air Pollution Control District with jurisdiction over your area. Permissive burn days are determined on the basis of air quality, not whether it’s actually safe to burn. Burn days are frequently windy days. The wind helps smoke disperse rather than allowing it to stagnate over neighborhoods, but it also carries sparks or embers to nearby dead leaves, needles and grass that have dried out surprisingly fast after rain or snow. Blumer said if materials “crunch underfoot, they will burn.”

Another rule is to “clear flammable material 10 feet from all burn piles, and keep a shovel, rake, and charged water hose near your burn pile,” and “having a cell phone handy will allow you to quickly call 911 if your fire does escape your control.”

Blumer said people should “be a good neighbor: Burn safely, and legally, and make sure your defensible space is ready to face a wildfire.”

For more information about defensible space requirements, and safe burning practices, contact your local CAL FIRE station.

For Amador “burn day” or “no burn day” status info, and burn permit requirements call (209)223-6246.

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