Tom
Friday, 04 June 2010 06:06
County Assessor Debate Highlights Accomplishments, Intentions
Amador County – A debate Wednesday between County Assessor candidate Jay Elias and incumbent Jim Rooney included many pointed questions and answers, and got personal after a neighbor of Rooney’s used the opportunity to bring up a property dispute. Approximately 20 people were in attendance for the almost two hour debate at the Jackson Civic Center. The debate was hosted by Elias, who currently works in Rooney’s office. In what he described as a “loose” format, moderator Dane Addison read three questions the candidates had written for their opponent, who was then given roughly 60 seconds to respond. Each candidate was then offered 30 seconds for rebuttal. Rooney focused on his accomplishments during his seven and a half years in office. During that time, he said he has “proactively lowered over 3000 property assessments,” put “taxpayer forms and information online,” and “met a 68 percent workload increase during a time of staff reductions.” Elias spoke of her 23 years of appraisal experience, including 16 years as an Advanced Appraiser. She said that despite Rooney’s many claims of cost efficiency during a time of budget reductions, “there are still many efficiencies that can be introduced to save time and money.” If elected, she vowed to propose to exempt small homeowner projects like sheds and decks from assessment and reinstate declarations of new construction. She said that “many time saving innovations in that office have already come from my desk,” including putting “cost sheets on electronic spread sheets” and a “statistical method to process value reductions.” She also wants to increase transparency by making all roll corrections, or changes to the taxable value of a property, open to the public. She denied Rooney’s claim that there has been a 30 percent increase in wages, saying, “I know I haven’t seen that.” Rooney asked two questions related to Elias’ endorsements, and stressed “how important it is that an Assessor has a good relationship with the (Board of Supervisors) and (County Administrative Officer) because you’re budget and technology depend on it.” He spoke highly of his own relationship with surrounding counties, and said many of his endorsements have provided “moral and financial support.” Last year, he was voted by his peers to be executive secretary of the California Assessors’ Association, which puts him on track to be the group’s president in 2013. Elias spoke proudly of her endorsement from J.J. McClatchy, well-known owner of The Sacramento Bee and CEO of the McClatchy Management Company. The debate took a different tone after a man who is Rooney’s neighbor spoke of disputes they are having over their property line and “tree branches hanging into his yard.” The neighbor said it speaks to Rooney’s integrity. Addison said it was an “inappropriate” time for these comments, but Rooney chose to answer, saying he would be glad to settle the issue later. TSPN will have another story on this debate in an upcoming news broadcast. The Assessor’s race will be decided after votes are tallied on June 8th. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Local
Friday, 04 June 2010 06:03
Martell Wire Theft Costs Thousands, Impacts Businesses
Amador County - The brazen theft of copper and aluminum wire from power boxes in the Martell business park over the Memorial Day holiday has impacted surrounding businesses and is adding up to thousands of dollars in damage. Law enforcement investigators suspect the burglaries to be tied to similar crimes at schools in the Sacramento area. The Amador CHP reports that PG&E workers were on scene before first light Monday (May 31) to repair several pad-mounted transformers and power panels that had been cut open with a blowtorch sometime late Sunday evening or earlier in the morning. An unknown number of vandals stole high-grade and highly conducive copper and aluminum wire and broke into an empty building in the business park. Police suspect the thieves will attempt to resell these metals, as there price remains high during the economic downturn. Investigators also suspect the crime to be tied to a similar burglary Monday night at Bancroft Elementary School in Sacramento, where thieves cut live power lines to steal about 100 feet of copper cable running to a wing of classrooms. They believe multiple people were involved in the crime, which required lifting a heavy cement slab to reach wires underground. Susan Manning of the Feed Barn, which sits adjacent to the business park, said she came in Monday morning to discover the Ford Super Duty truck her business uses to haul supplies was missing. She suspects it was stolen by the thieves. She immediately filed a report with the CHP, who discovered it the next day parked behind the Health and Human Services building on Conductor Boulevard. “It’s kind of scary to think there are people like this out there committing these sorts of premeditated crimes,” she said. The company’s Barn Manager said mats used to line the floor of horse stalls were also stolen and found on the bed of the truck. She speculated that the mats were laid down to prevent electric shock as the suspects transferred the stolen wire to the bed. Manning said the thieves also made an unsuccessful attempt to steal wire from the power pad at the Feed Barn. She discovered the panel door and gate open, but no wire was stolen. Marry Simoni, an employee at Skintique Day Spa, said employees were left in the dark Tuesday when they discovered they had no electricity or phone service. “We had to wait until repairs were made, and it messed up our AT&T connection,” she said. PG&E employees restored power to the business later that day. PG&E has responded to similar burglaries in the Central Valley, and most are considered to be coordinated efforts where thieves had some knowledge of power distribution. Damage estimates are as much as $8000. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Local
Friday, 04 June 2010 06:02
Amador Planning Commission to Consider Trailers, Church Permits
Amador County – Ongoing vandalism and other illegal activity at Molly Joyce Park has prompted the application to keep a caretaker’s trailer at the Pioneer park, one of 3 such applications to be considered next week by the Amador County Planning Commission. All 3 applications will be considered in planning commission public hearings. Each seeks a “use permit to allow a temporary caretaker trailer” for “a maximum time frame of 2 years,” and all 3 seek categorical exemptions on their environmental documentation. Amador County Recreation Agency’s application seeks a permit for a trailer to be located near the baseball fields in order “to provide security due to vandalism and other criminal activity at the park.” The park, in Supervisor District 3, is located on both sides of Highway 88, and is accessed by Carson Drive and Woodfern Drive in Pioneer. Commissioners will also hold a hearing on a permit application to place a trailer for up to 2 years “at Silver Lake to facilitate patrol of El Dorado Irrigation District facilities,” such as “the day use and boat launch areas,” and to “perform watercraft inspection for invasive mussel species.” Applicant is the El Dorado Irrigation District, and the location would be at the former “Sandy Cove Picnic Area,” on the north shore of Silver Lake, also in District 3. SGC Materials also seeks a 2-year trailer permit for its Irish Hill Quarry, Equipment and Plant Structure, on the east side of Irish Hill Road, about a mile north of its junction with Highway 104, in Supervisor District 2. The trailer would a caretaker to stay on the property for “24-7 onsite security services.” The planning commission, which meets 7 p.m. Tuesday (June 8th), also is scheduled to hold a public hearing for the application of a church facility on “Hurricane Hill” on Highway 88, for up to 125 people. Calvary Ione Fellowship Church is applying for a permit to operate a facility there for mid-week and weekend events; along with occasional weddings (of up to 12 in number per year). It would also hold funerals there and needed, and locate a church business office there, at 10501 Highway 88, in Supervisor District 2. The application also seeks a categorical exemption for its environmental documentation. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Local
Friday, 04 June 2010 06:00
Mentor Works! Program Seeks Mentors to Help At-Risk Youths
Amador County – The Mentoring Works program in Amador County is looking for adult volunteers. Mentors are asked to commit to the program for at least one year, and be willing to spend two hours a week with their match. Program Coordinator Lori Halvorson said the “Mentoring Works program matches at-risk youth in a one-to-one relationship with a caring, consistent adult volunteer.” She said in a release last week that research shows youths who are involved in mentoring activities are “significantly more likely to develop attitudes and habits that help ensure their success.” She said “some very impressive statistics” are linked to youths who are matched with mentors. Halvorson said compared to youths without mentors, “children with mentors are 46 percent less likely to begin drug use and 27 percent less likely to begin using alcohol.” Mentored youths also reported that being involved in a mentoring program improved their ability to stay out of trouble, and 59 percent of those in a mentoring program showed an improvement in their grades at school. The Mentoring Works program has been in existence in Amador County for more than 12 years, most recently in 2007. At that time, there were more than 20 matches between mentors and their protégés. If people “are interested in becoming a positive influence in a young person’s life,” they may contact Lori Halvorson to learn more about the program. Call (209) 223-1485 ext. 242 or e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. TSPN TV News Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Local
Thursday, 03 June 2010 06:08
Plymouth Commission Expected to Discuss Architect Committee
Amador County – The Plymouth Planning Commission Wednesday was scheduled to discuss the make-up of a city Architecture Committee, which has been tabled for about a year. Community Development Director Barry Siebe in a report said city staff, directed by the Planning Commission and the public in 2008 and 2009 drafted “Design Guidelines for the Downtown Plymouth area.” In November 2008, the commission council adoption, for which a public hearing was held in April of 2009, and the document was sent back to the commission for revision. Siebe said: “Staff has attempted to ascertain all of the comments from the city council, including review of the written minutes and review of the recorded tapes of the meeting,” but the minutes were “limited in detail, and the majority of the taped discussion is missing.” He said the “record as it exists does reveal some discussion regarding the make-up of the Architectural Committee and concerns from the city attorney about members of the planning commission or city council being conflicted out of the appeal process if they sat on the committee for a decision that was appealed.” Siebe said city staffing changes have allowed the issue to fall by the wayside. The work was held in the transition from council to commission and with staff changes, when the city planner’s contract was not renewed, and the council hired Siebe as its first on-staff community development director. The commission asked for the Architecture Committee issue to be brought back to them for reconsideration, and it has “been over a year since it was seen by the council.” He said the commission Wednesday likely would have a general discussion of the issue. Siebe said council discussion included having architectural industry professionals on the committee, but raised the question of whether they would be paid or volunteer. If they get to the point where they want to make recommendations for the council to take action, Siebe said he would initiate the public hearing process. He said “it had been kind of languishing for some time,” and Wednesday’s meeting would be informal, with no action, because that would require the public hearing process. The report said “no annotated or detailed summary of the council recommended changes has been found.” Siebe recommended the commission “review and discuss design guidelines and staff comments, and provide direction to staff.” Draft guidelines “would provide design review authority for projects inside the downtown area,” including site planning, architectural character, landscaping, streets, parking, access, outdoor retail sales and signs. Past work included a draft amendment to city zoning code, applying to development of parcels in the existing “Downtown Overlay District.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
News Archive
Thursday, 03 June 2010 06:09
Journey of Hope Philanthropic Ride to Visit Arc of Amador
Amador County – The Journey of Hope cyclists, a group of young men who ride annually across the country to raise money and awareness for people with disabilities, are scheduled to visit the Amador office of the Arc of Amador and Calaveras on June 15. Journey of Hope is hosted by Push America and is the official philanthropy of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. What began as a solo ride by event founder and fraternity member Bruce Rogers in 1987 became an annual trek across the continental United States for dozens of fraternity brothers. Along the way they stop at various community centers for what are known as daily “friendship visits.” This year’s journey begins in San Francisco on June 12, and participants will follow one of three alternate routes on their way to Washington, D.C. Half of the 40 participants will make their way through Jackson, where they have chosen to visit the Arc of Amador and Calaveras for the 22nd year. As always, the Arc is welcoming the bicyclists with open arms and a “friendship” picnic “replete with camaraderie, food, drink, and lots of fun.” The picnic will be at St Sava’s complex in Jackson between 11:00 am and 2:30 pm on June 15. Other local sponsors include Jackson Family Sports and Mel and Faye’s diner. The folks at Jackson Family help the PUSH team with their bike maintenance needs while Mel and Faye’s has provided breakfast for the riders on Wednesday morning for many years. Pi Kappa Phi is the only national men’s fraternity to establish and maintain their own service project. Fraternity members have raised over 10 million dollars for Push America since 1977. Each cross-country trip is 63 days long and the bicyclist’s average 75 miles per day. Every day the riders meet with disability groups and promote events to raise awareness and understanding of people with disabilities. For more information contact The Arc at 267-5978. The Arc has provided services to people with disabilities since 1971. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
News Archive
Thursday, 03 June 2010 06:11
TSPN's Teen Zone Live Wraps Successful Spring Season
Amador County – Amador County’s Teen Zone Live television show returned from a 5-year hiatus this year and wrapped a successful season with the help of dozens of local youths. The adults involved in Teen Zone Live (TZL) were far outnumbered by the kids, but they helped teach the older teens who were mentoring younger teens. Lori Halvorson of the local Mentoring Works! Program said that 42 kids helped produce and host the television variety show, while others appeared as interview subjects to talk about their successes in school and extracurricular activities. Halvorson said about 60 children total were involved in the 2010 version of Teen Zone Live, which began in 2000 on the Tom Slivick Production Network (Comcast Channel 7, Volcano Vision Channel 5, and www.tspntv.com). TSPN’s Teen Zone Live ran 5 seasons, before the hiatus. TSPN Vice President and cofounder Sue Slivick recruited Halvorson and her Mentoring Works! Program, through the Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency, to bring back the show. Show hosts changed each episode and throughout show segments – a change from TZL’s original format. Halvorson said she “wanted more kids to get the opportunity to have the leadership positions.” She said it worked. Halvorson said the success showed in those 2 months. She said: “I just think the high school kids did an exemplary job of being positive role models for the junior high kids, and I was really amazed at the growth I saw in some of the younger kids’ self esteem and self image and their ability to present themselves in front of a live audience.” The junior high kids went from literally being “behind the scenes,” operating TV cameras in earlier episodes, “to being the main hosts” of a later episode. “It made them realize what they had to do to be prepared,” Halvorson said, and the kids were versatile too, as some would host one show, then be camera people the next. “They were all willing to pitch in to do what needed to be done to make sure that the show happened.” TZL youths from Amador and Argonaut High Schools and Ione and Jackson Junior High Schools helped create 10 episodes, starting March 29th and airing live on Monday nights through May 24th. Each TZL repeated 16 times through the week. Summer school break ended the season, and Halvorson and TSPN plan to bring the fall version of Teen Zone Live when school resumes in September. Major sponsor of TZL was the Jackson Rancheria Casino, Hotel & Conference Center; and Roundtable Pizza. To learn about TZL or adult-child mentoring, call Halvorson at 223-1485 ext. 242 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
News Archive
Thursday, 03 June 2010 06:12
Supes Seek Public Input on Land Use-Public Works Reorganization
Amador County – The Amador County Board of Supervisors announced Tuesday that they will be soliciting public comments on the planned reorganization of the Land Use and Public Works agencies in a workshop planned for June 10. Both Agencies will be reorganized into a single Community Development Agency to include Building, Code Enforcement, Environmental Health, Planning, Public Works, and Waste Management functions. This agency restructuring is part of a larger reorganization plan to reduce 11 existing departments “who have overlapping or shared functions” into 5 units: Administration, Community Development, Health & Human Services, General Services Administration and Public Services. All 5 units fall under the supervision of the County Administrative Officer, who in turn reports to the Board of Supervisors. “This is no longer business as usual; things have changed and we have to change with them,” said CAO Terri Daly shortly before the board approved the plan last month. She said “the reorganization is the result of the financial situation of the County which has not changed dramatically since the mid-year budget update” presented in March. Daly announced her resignation last week in order to take another position, and the County is currently seeking applicants to fill her spot. The upcoming workshop will seek feedback specific to the reorganization of the Land Use and Public Works agencies, including questions on what existing services or processes within the several departments should be retained, what suggestions might make service or processes quicker and less costly, and what services customers feel are most valuable. The County says “written responses in lieu of or in addition to workshop participation are also welcome,” but reminds the public to “be aware that early input will provide the most benefit in the process.” Comments may be submitted in person at the public workshop, e-mailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or mailed to the Community Development Agency, 810 Court Street, Jackson, CA 95642-2132. The workshop is planned for 2 – 4 pm, June 10, in the Board of Supervisors Chambers, also located at 810 Court Street. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
News Archive
Thursday, 03 June 2010 06:20
Laurie Amick - New Amador High Principal 6-3-10
Published in
News Interview Videos
