Tom
Tuesday, 07 September 2010 06:42
Amador Supervisors ask governor to veto SB 602
Amador County - Amador County Board of Supervisors last week unanimously approved a request that the governor veto Assembly Bill 602, which was scheduled to be heard by the State Assembly. The bill would establish a five-year statute of limitations for any party to sue a city or county for claims arising out of housing statutes. In a letter to the Regional Council of Rural Counties (RCRC), Kathy Mannion, a legislative advocate, said “AB 602 would place the 21 rural counties that are still on a five-year housing element under constant threat of lawsuits.” These include Amador, Alpine and Calaveras counties. AB 602 was proposed by Assemblyman Mike Feuer of Los Angeles. Supervisor Richard Forster, an RCRC board member, said “it is unfortunate because you have some big legislators who are supporting this.” He said these “heavyweights” include Assemblywoman Alyson Huber, who represents Amador County and the 10th District. He said he tried to speak with her about it but she had already given her support when the bill passed through the Assembly Local Government Committee. Forster said the possibility remains that Huber could change her vote to a “no” as part of the political process if she sees there are enough votes to either pass or deny the bill. Supervisors last week unanimously passed a motion by Forster to request a veto from the governor for AB 602, with a copy of the request to be sent to Huber. Forster said a letter of opposition from RCRC can be used to help write the language of the request. Governor Schwarzenegger will have 30 days from the time the bill passes the Assembly to act on the motion to veto. The bill is also opposed by the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, and the California chapter of the American Planning Association. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Local
Tuesday, 07 September 2010 06:40
Sierra Business Council offers free services for PG&E business customers
Amador County - Local governments and businesses in Tuolumne County will have new access to cutting edge energy efficient technology through a new collaboration between Sierra Business Council and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. From 2010 to 2012, Sierra Business Council, a non-profit organization with a new office in Sonora will be offering free energy audits and low-cost retrofits to commercial PG&E customers in the Sierra Nevada (including Amador County) through a new program called the Sierra Nevada Energy Watch. “During this tough economic downturn, we are excited to be able to support our local businesses and governments by offering cost-cutting energy efficiency services,” said Steve Frisch, President of the Sierra Business Council. “This project embodies our long-standing mission of demonstrating that environmental quality and economic prosperity are compatible goals.” Many of the Sierra Nevada Energy Watch installations are performed at highly reduced costs to participating small businesses. Rebates are also offered through the program for measures such as facet aerators, low flow showerheads, and door gaskets for reach-in and walk-in coolers and freezers. In the case of Tuolumne County’s Sierra Outdoor School, a rebate of over $14,000 at a total cost to the school of $3,600 enables them to save nearly $13,000 annually. Their return on investment is nearly 250 percent with payback occurring in just under four months. Visit www.sbcouncil.org to fill out an electronic form and an Energy Associate will contact you. Or visit SBC’s new office location at 85 North Washington Street in downtown Sonora. Walk-in hours are every Wednesday and Thursday, 9am - 5pm. You may also call to make an appointment at 209-532-7200. For more information about the Sierra Nevada Energy Watch Program, and to see tips on saving energy at home and the workplace, see www.sbcouncil.org/energywatch. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Local
Tuesday, 07 September 2010 06:38
AWA OKs residents laying own water lines
Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors agreed to allow property owners on Claypit Road to install individual service connections at the end of the Eagles Nest Pipeline from Ione. Property owners on Claypit Road have been pursuing water service to their area since 2003, but found that the task of extending the Eagles Nest Pipeline was too costly for a handful of property owners. Ron Hess, representing Claypit Road property owners at the August 26th meeting of the AWA board, said the proposed service connections and laterals from the intersection of Eagles Ranch Road and Lambert could be affordable for his group, particularly if they are successful in obtaining grant funding to offset some of the costs. The property owners will be required to obtain all state and local permits needed and meet AWA’s design standards for the water lines and a necessary pump station. In July, Hess told the board that an estimated cost to extend the main would be $500,000 to be paid by 6 property owners who were seeking to connect to AWA services. AWA engineer John Griffin said it “was a very rough estimate, with very little detail.” Hess said he currently trucks in water from Ione, and pays a monthly hydrant meter bill to the AWA. Part of the property owners’ argument of extending their own lines, possibly smaller than the main, was that it was an area that butted up against the county line, so the AWA would never have the interest of extending services into another county. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Water
Friday, 03 September 2010 06:26
Amador County News TSPN TV with Alan Sprenkel 9-3-10
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News Broadcast Videos
Friday, 03 September 2010 06:22
Daniel Epperson - Ione City Council Candidate 9-3-10
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News Interview Videos
Friday, 03 September 2010 06:19
IPD Chief defends department, says problems have been handled
Amador County – Ione Police Chief Michael L. Johnson said Thursday his police department may not be perfect but they own up to their mistakes, and he thinks the department’s main critic already knows that. Ione-area resident Jim Scully led a petition drive to place the fate of the Ione Police Department to a vote, and also made public comments about cases for which he has filed complaints with the department, and reported by various media, including TSPN TV news. “In response to the burglary case that he’s talking about,” Johnson said, neither the city nor the police department brought up the 2003 case. He said “Channel 13 was the last media story that asked about it,” but the victim and “family wished for that to be done and not brought up again,” and the IPD is heeding that wish. The case went to the district attorney and was not prosecuted due to the statute of limitations, Johnson said, adding that Scully “saying that we brought that up is simply not true, at least the police department did not.” He said he did not know who brought it up again, but the topic of the 2003 case arose again during the TV station’s news story, and “it did not come from the police department.” Johnson said Scully filed a complaint about the handling of a vehicle accident, which Scully refers to in other comments. Johnson said IPD launched an internal affairs investigation and the issue was addressed, but he was not at liberty to say what actions were taken, due to employment confidentiality law. Johnson said a disposition was sent to Scully and “he knows it was addressed.” The chief since 2008, Johnson said he and his department “by no means claim to be perfect, and like anybody, we make mistakes. When our mistakes are brought to our attention, we do everything in our power to make it right.” He said they also “train and brief (personnel) so that it doesn’t happen again.” Johnson said the “bottom-line mission for this department is to act in the best interest of the community, and serve the community,” and do so in a transparent manner. He said “that transparency is sometimes inhibited by California state law and federal law on what we can and can’t disclose in certain matters.” He said he wants the public to be aware of “what we are doing and what our goals and directives are.” He said: “It’s never been our intent to engage in pubic media debate on the issue with him. I know he has his reasons for pursuing what he is pursuing.” Johnson said IPD’s goal is “doing the job and doing it well.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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News Archive
Friday, 03 September 2010 06:17
AWA, Sutter Creek offer water main, phasing changes for new grocery store
Amador County – A grocery store is quickly following the new Walgreens pharmacy to Sutter Hill, and local agencies have helped prepare the way for its development. The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors last week agreed to extend a water main to a new “Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market” grocery store being built at Sutter Creek Crossroads shopping center, while deferring the rest of the connections for the project to later phases. AWA Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said the board amended an agreement with Petrovich Development, the company that built the complex containing the new Walgreens store. Mancebo said the amendment will allow Petrovich to extend a water main to the Fresh & Easy building, rather than completing all of the facilities required for phase 2 of Petrovich’s planned overall project. The Fresh & Easy building is now under construction as part of the new Phase 1 approved by the Sutter Creek City Council.Paul Petrovich, president of Petrovich Development, also asked the AWA board to consider accepting a bond in lieu of almost $250,000 the agency now holds in escrow to guarantee that the developer completes the infrastructure improvements at Sutter Creek Crossroads. The board asked AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo to accept Petrovich’s bond if AWA legal counsel agrees that the agency would be equally protected. Sutter Creek City Council in its early August meeting approved a modification to the city’s “deferred improvement agreement” for the Fresh & Easy.
Acting City Manager Sean Rabe said the original agreement dated from June 2009 and “allowed the development to defer specific improvements to the second phase of development.” The “primary improvements deferred include storm drain improvements and the overlay of Bowers Drive.” Rabe said the “store would like to locate in a corner of the development that is considered to be part of Phase 2.” The developer requested and the city council approved a “stand-alone building” for Fresh & Easy “to be built in the first phase of the development.” Rabe said “because of its proximity to the original first phase, adding the new building into the first phase will not trigger any of the deferred improvements to be necessary.” The August 2nd city council approval in effect increased the “boundary of the first phase” and decreased the boundary of the second phase. Fresh & Easy has locations in California, Nevada and Arizona and, the company’s website lists its aim to be a neighborhood market. It has solar panels at a distribution center, runs a “Shop For Schools” program and gives $1,000 donations to local charities nominated by customers. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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News Archive
Friday, 03 September 2010 06:14
Cameron Park Wells Fargo bank robbed, $25K reward offered for info
El Dorado County – Wells Fargo is offering a $25,000 reward for useful information in a robbery of its Cameron Park bank branch that occurred last month in El Dorado County. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department in a mid-August release said the Wells Fargo at 3440 Palmer Drive in Cameron Park was robbed at gunpoint by three males at 10:05 a.m. on Thursday, August 19th. Authorities said no one in the bank was injured during the robbery. El Dorado Sheriff’s Lieutenant Bryan Golmitz in the release said witnesses describing the incident said “two suspects entered the bank,” and “one was carrying what appears to be an assault rifle and began shouting at those inside the bank to get on the ground.” The second suspect reportedly “jumped over the counter and demanded money,” and the “third suspect stood at the front door of the bank as the robbery took place.” Golmitz said the “suspects fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of money,” got into “a late model Honda 4 door sedan and left the area.” El Dorado County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area and located the suspects’ vehicle abandoned in a neighborhood that was approximately a mile from the bank. Deputies searched the surrounding area without locating the suspects. They contacted several residents who noted that two males were seen exiting the suspect vehicle and entered a white Geo Prism, which then left the area. The three suspects are described as males possibly in their 20s. Ethnicity cannot be established at this time due to clothing and covering, which the suspects wore during the robbery. The suspects were last seen wearing hooded sweatshirts, some sort of covering over their faces, and jeans. Preliminary investigation suggests that the suspect’s vehicle, which they abandoned, was possibly carjacked out of Oakland this week. The El Dorado Hills Telegraph online reported that it was the second armed robbery at the Bel Air shopping center since a February armed robbery of a check-cashing business. The Telegraph reported that Wells Fargo Bank “is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for an armed robbery of its Cameron Park branch.” The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office at (530) 621-6600. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Friday, 03 September 2010 06:12
BLM plans rare plant preserve at Kanaka Valley, near Rescue
Amador County – The Bureau of Land Management has set 2 meetings for public input on management planning for a new 700-acre rare plant preserve in El Dorado County’s Kanaka Valley. The BLM Mother Lode Field Office will hold public meetings on Sept. 9 and Oct. 7 in Rescue for the community-based management plan of the Kanaka Valley area near the Pine Hill Preserve. BLM Biological Science Technician Lauren Fety said the meeting will “provide the opportunity to learn more about the planning process and work on a draft vision statement.” BLM Public Affairs officer David Christy said the bureau in February acquired nearly 700 acres of habitat for rare plants and other wildland species. The land is in western El Dorado County near the town of Rescue. Christy said “management planning will continue to engage interested parties through a series of local meetings open to the public.” Information is available through the Mother Lode Field Office website. The 695-acre purchase was a cooperative effort by the BLM, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the American River Conservancy. Christy said the “Kanaka Valley is a diverse ecological system that provides healthy wildlife habitat and watershed services.” He said “Kanaka Valley is a low-elevation wet meadow system that naturally stores rain water and moderates the release of seasonal flood waters to Folsom Reservoir.” Kanaka Valley was named for the native Hawaiians known as Kanakans who came to California just before the Gold Rush. They settled in the valley and said it reminded them of their native land. The Kanaka Valley land acquisition provides 343 acres of woodland, with blue oak, valley oak, blue oak foothill pine, and montane hardwood. It also has 100 acres of riparian habitat along Jill’s Creek and Crocker Creek, both of which flow into Folsom Reservoir and support native fish populations. The parcels also contain 167 acres of chaparral, which provides habitat for 7 rare plants, and includes known and potential habitat for 4 federally listed plant species. For more information, contact Fety at (916) 941-3133. The meetings are 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday September 9th, and Thursday, October 7th at the Rescue Union School District Board Room, 2380 Bass Lake Road, in Rescue. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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