Amador County – The Ione City Council approved the purchase of a new dual-role canine that will offer both patrol and narcotics detection services for the city.

The council authorized City Manager Kim Kerr to sign a purchase agreement after the city attorney approves the contract language, not to exceed $11,000 for the canine, and for the dog and its handler.

The purchase was paid for by an Ione Police Department fundraiser hosted October 23rd by Arroyo Seco Ranch, which raised more than $20,000. Chief Michael Johnson requested purchase of a German shepherd, asking that it be first trained as a patrol dog.

Kerr in a report to the council said “Johnson and other reliable K-9 trainers” evaluated and tested the dog, whose name is “Pras,” and the chief negotiated a competitive price, including training.

The city hired Johnson in 2007, and also purchased “Hawke,” a “narcotic detection dog,” which the chief was trained to handle. Johnson and Hawke have helped with the Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team, and contributed “to numerous narcotics investigations in the county.”

Johnson said in a report to the council that “to help promote career enhancement” and “offer auxiliary duties for police officers,” he intends on retiring Hawke and replacing him with a dual purpose K-9.

He said “dual purpose canines are much more efficient for a small department and rural communities,” as the dog can help with patrol work, protection and apprehension and would also be able to help with narcotics detection, after further training.

Johnson said Hawke was brought to Ione “with the intentions of establishing a comprehensive K-9 program that could eventually be removed from the duties of the chief of police and offered as a specialty position for an interested officer.”

The “foundation, policy, and vehicle are now in place for the position,” he said, and by “transferring the K-9 position to a street level officer the opportunity and use of the canine will be vastly increased,” and the “K-9 team will better be able to handle calls for service that would typically require a two-officer response.”

Kerr said the city would “incur additional costs for having a patrol officer as the K-9 team member due to overtime and maintaining the K-9 after hours.” But she said the “benefit of having a dual purpose K-9 in 18 months will exceed the costs.”

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Amador County Treasurer-Tax Collector Michael E. Ryan is reminding property owners that they have until Monday, December 13, 2010 at 5 pm, to make the first installment payment of their annual secured property taxes for the 2010-11 fiscal year. The first installment would normally be delinquent after Friday, December 10, but due to County Office closures every Friday for furloughs, the delinquent date is being extended to the next business day.

The first installment of secured property taxes was due and payable on November 1, 2010, and will become delinquent if not paid by 5 pm on December 13, 2010; thereafter a 10 percent delinquent penalty will be added.

Ryan notes that payments may be made by mail sent to the Amador County Tax Collector, 810 Court Street, Jackson, CA 95642, and must be postmarked by December 13, 2010 in order to avoid late penalties. Payments may also be made in person at the Amador County Tax Collector's Office, which is located on the second floor of the County Administration Center, 810 Court Street in Jackson, between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm, Monday through Thursday, holidays excepted.

For the convenience of taxpayers, a payment drop box is located on the outside wall of the alcove to the immediate left of the main entrance to the Administration Center. Additionally, payments may be made with a credit card in our office, or over the telephone by calling 1-800-609-4599. Credit card and e-check payments may also be made over the Internet by visiting the web-sites shown on your tax bill.

Amador County property tax information is available on-line. To view your tax information, visit www.co.amador.ca.us, select “Online Services”, and then “Public Tax Information”.

For additional information, please contact the Tax Collector’s Office.

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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors two weeks ago directed staff to find out if the city of Jackson wants to continue paying for the agency to study the release of water into Jackson Creek.

The idea, proposed by President Bill Condrashoff, is to release untreated water from the Amador Transmission Pipeline into Jackson Creek, above the city’s water treatment plant, so that the water can dilute the city’s treated discharge and minimize treatment needed and costs.

The board directed staff to contact Jackson City Council and its staff and notify them of discussions having taken place with the AWA attorney. General Manager Gene Mancebo said the board also directed staff to see if the city wants to continue paying for the AWA attorney’s time in looking at the other options that the city wanted to consider.

AWA attorney Stephen Kronick in a memo to Mancebo November 11th said he estimated that various issues to study would take him 16 to 25 hours, at a cost of $215 per hour. That would cost an estimated $3,400 to $5,400.

He said the estimates are subject to change as he delves into the issues, the biggest of which was the impact on agency water rights. His initial estimate was spending 10 to 15 hours to look at the “Lodi Decrees,” “among other matters” related to water rights impact.

Mancebo sought direction to coordinate requested work efforts on behalf of the city with Kronick, as identified in an October e-mail from City Manager Mike Daly, “with the understanding that costs incurred for such work will be paid by the city of Jackson.”

Mancebo also recommended that “if the concept should appear to be viable, this would be a temporary service agreement so that this water can be available for future potable water needs.”

Condrashoff proposed releasing the water to help reduce costs to Jackson for “continued discharge of wastewater into Jackson Creek.”

Mancebo in a report to the board said “limited data” showed that “4,000 to 10,000 acre-feet of water could be needed in very dry years,” translating to 1.3 billion to 3.25 billion gallons a year.

Part of the proposal was to sell the water downstream to the Jackson Valley Irrigation District, but Mancebo said they were not interested in the purchase at AWA’s going rate. The city of Jackson could pay the balance, which could be as much as 90 percent of the cost, he said, but it would help the city meet regulations, and also help it consider reclamation.

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

Amador County – The number of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend were slightly lower this year in Amador County, but slightly higher in Calaveras County.

Amador County also experienced 7 non-fatal vehicle accidents. 2 DUI arrests were made: one for driving drunk, the other for driving under drug intoxication.

“Overall for a four-day weekend, these numbers are very good and better than statistics from last year,” says Craig Harmon, Public Information Officer for the Amador County CHP.

In Calaveras County, CHP officers arrested four people suspected of driving under the influence, beginning 6 pm Wednesday and ending 11:59 pm on Sunday. Last year the Calaveras CHP arrested three people.

The Calaveras CHP handled 10 vehicle accidents compared to a total of nine accidents last year.

One fatality occurred when Margaret Livingston, a 66-year-old resident of Martinez, unsuccessfully negotiated a curve on Highway 49 near the Amador Calaveras county line and slammed head-on into an oncoming vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle, Valley Springs resident Cindy Reading, suffered major injuries and was taken to Sutter Amador Hospital.

The Calaveras CHP says that, “statewide, the CHP arrested 1784 drivers on suspicion of driving under the influence compared to 1717 for the same period last year. Despite the increase in arrests, 13 people died in automobile accidents this year, which is a decrease from 22 people for last year.” The CHP in San Andreas reported that they were working hard to slow motorists down. They wrote 33 citations during the holiday weekend. One citation was for not wearing a seatbelt.

CHP officers were on high alert throughout the weekend due to a Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP). The CHP’s holiday enforcement effort began Wednesday, November 24th at 6 p.m. and ended 11:59 pm, Sunday, November 28th. Throughout the MEP all available officers were looking for motorists who are a danger to themselves or others on our state’s roadways.

Additional MEP’s are expected to occur as the Christmas holiday approaches, said Harmon.

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Amador County - Foster Family Service is seeking gift donations to distribute at its annual holiday party for Foster Parents and Children. The agency says it can no longer provide gifts to each of the children due to budget cuts.

“At this time we our asking our community to help make this holiday season special for our Foster Children and their Families by donating gifts,” said the agency in a release.

To make a gift donation, stop by the agency office at 629 New York Ranch Road, Ste. B Jackson CA, 95642 and take a tag from our tree. Bring back your unwrapped gifts by December 8th and drop them off to our office or the salon next door. If you have any questions call 209-223-3691.

Robin Valencia, Program Coordinator for the Amador Child Abuse Prevention Council, said gifts can also be dropped off at the First 5 office located above the Jackson Cinema if it is more convenient.

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Amador County – Tambien Mexican Kitchen in Jackson is closing its doors until next February, when its owners say they will open up a bakery similar to another location in Amador City.

Matt Andrae, co-owner of Andrae’s Bakery in Amador City, opened Tambien (which literally translates to “also”) in March 2009 after seeing a market for “affordable, authentic food.” 21 months later, Andrae says they will convert Tambien into a shop similar to his immensely popular bakery. The shop will be “geared toward lunch versus the bakery, including some of the Tambien menu favorites, salsas and grab-and-go sandwiches.”

Andrae says the reasons for the change are many.

“They are supposed to take out the bridge in (downtown) Amador City in May and that is going to impact traffic and access for at least five months,” he said. He also sees it as an opportunity to target customers in Jackson and “across the bridge” in Calaveras County. Finally, he said he and his wife feel comfortable doing what they do best: creating high quality baked goods.

“We basically wanted to consolidate the concept,” he said.

He said they are still working on an overall model, name and opening date for the new location. He expects it to be called “Andrae’s Café” or “Andrae’s Bakery.” The location should be open sometime in February.

Andrae also wanted to squelch rumors that the Amador City location will not be closing.

Andrae’s Bakery features handcrafted bread, baked goods, sandwiches, beer, fine wine, cheese and charcuterie. Its extended holiday hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 8 am to 4 pm.

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 A local man puts up a sign warning of burglaries in Amador County Amador County – A 33-year Amador County resident fed up with a recent string of burglaries has posted a warning sign in his neighborhood. And he hopes the practice catches on around the county.

Bob VanDePol said there have been four or five burglaries in the area between Ousby and Molfino roads since April, and the Amador County Sheriff’s Department has not made any related arrests. The Sheriff’s Office, however, reported that it did make three arrests in six burglary cases reported in that area over that time frame.

One of the burglaries affected a relative of VanDePol, whom he declined to name. A woman also a relative of the burglary victim, said VanDePol took it into his own hands to warn people that burglars are striking throughout Amador County.

VanDePol put up a sign Monday afternoon that said: “Warning! Burglars in this area!” Van De Pol posted the sign in a yard near the corner of Mulfino Road and Highway 88.

He complained about the Sheriff’s department, saying he had a good idea who burglarized the house. The suspect was questioned, but not arrested. VanDePol said: “Apparently they’re not apprehending any of these guys.”

The woman (who asked not to be identified) said the sign was “to alert other people,” because she would “hate to see other people lose what (her relative) lost.”

Sheriff Martin Ryan said Wednesday: “We’re continuing to work and follow leads in that case. It’s still active” and “it’s still being worked.” The Sheriff said he spoke with the victims of that burglary in April, and they shared information with him on whom they believed was responsible. Ryan said: “The laws don’t allow us to do some of the things they would want us to do in this case.”

Ryan said he discussed the limitations in the case, and the Sheriff’s department is “going to pursue it as we do all of our other cases, to the fullest extent.” He said they must “make sure that we’ve got the right people.” The sheriff said his personnel work hard, and are dedicated to at their profession.

The investigation included a K-9 search of a cabin separate from the house, which was found burglarized, with items taken, and detectives took fingerprints.

VanDePol said the sign was going up “to alert other people,” and it “would probably protect our place too.” He said: “A lot of people have sure taken notice already,” and he hopes the sign stops others from falling victim. He said: “It’ll be worth it to me if it stops one damn burglar.”

They have installed security systems, even though they “never had to do anything like that in the years that we’ve lived here,” he said, adding that “people just don’t rest at ease when this happens.”

One man they suspected lived in a tent built next to his property, and another elsewhere, built with limbs and found material and was “big enough to have a fire pit to cook his meals.” Authorities evicted the man from a private property, and he has since moved to another county.

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