Tom

Thursday, 03 June 2010 06:17

Amador County News TSPN TV with Alex Lane 6-3-10

Published in News Broadcast Videos

Thursday, 03 June 2010 06:20

Laurie Amick - New Amador High Principal 6-3-10

Published in Local

Thursday, 03 June 2010 06:17

Amador County News TSPN TV with Alex Lane 6-3-10

Published in Video

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 Local

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 Local

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 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 Local

Wednesday, 02 June 2010 06:12