Amador County – The Amador County Fair Exhibitor Handbook is now available for this year’s fair, “Barn in the USA,” set for July 26-29 in Plymouth.

Those entering the Blue Ribbon Competition at the Amador County Fair can see the 2012 Exhibitor Handbook on-line and can pick up a hard copy. Fair publicist Karen Spencer announced the availability earlier this month, saying that “looking through it for ideas is like looking at the new seed catalogs.”

She said whether people hand-stitch quilts, grow plump produce or use digital photography to capture the world, there will be a category of competition to showcase their talents in the Amador County Fair. There are hundreds of categories to enter for cooks, gardeners, artists, photographers, rock collectors, sewers, weavers and more, in the annual Amador County Fair.

Amador County Fair CEO Troy Bowers said: “Fair exhibits and competition for a blue ribbon are a showcase of the community’s talents. Many of the art, photography and jewelry on display is for sale, so it is an opportunity to support local artists as well.”

Most entry forms are due by 6 p.m., Saturday, July 7, with actual exhibits not due until just before the Fair. The entry office will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 7 to accept entries and assist. Forms will also be accepted at the Jackson Library on Friday and Saturday, July 6 & 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Exhibitor Handbook is available on-line at AmadorCountyFair.com and limited printed copies are available at the Fair office, libraries and feed stores. Residents of Amador, El Dorado, Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties are eligible to enter most divisions.

This year’s featured flower is the Daisy, and special contests will be held for Peach Pies, Filled Bundt Cakes, Oatmeal Cookies, and Macaroni Salad. Watch for categories relating to the 2012 theme “Barn in the USA.” Livestock exhibitors are encouraged to decorate their stalls and campsites with the theme, and all stalls and sites will be judged during the Fair.

For more information about the Amador County Fair or assistance in entering the Fair competition, visit AmadorCountyFair.com or call (209)245-6921.

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

Amador County – Amador County Board of Supervisors in early May discussed a request to purchase the 27-acre Pioneer Park from the Bureau of Land Management, and assigned the General Services director to work on looking at related costs in such a purchase.

Amador County Recreation Agency Executive Director Tracey Towner in a report to Supervisors said the county has been in a Recreation and Public Purposes lease with BLM for the park on Buckhorn Ridge Road since 1978, and the new lease will expire in 2020.

On the parcel sits Pioneer Veteran’s Hall, a small community “Scout Hut” building, the Pioneer Branch Library, an ambulance substation and a defunct sheriff’s substation, Towner said. There are also two full-sized adult softball fields, a playground, a snack shack, a tennis court and a basketball court.

The 27 acres are part of a 122-acre parcel BLM owns, with the rest of the property across the road. Only the currently leased land can be purchased through the Recreation and Public Purposes process, she said.

Towner asked the county to enter due diligence to purchase the property. Supervisor Brian Oneto said: “I would be most interested in pursuing this further.” He walked the property before and thought the value of the lumber estimated by BLM was likely accurate. Oneto said at 10,000 board feet an acre, it was about a quarter of a million board feet, in the ballpark of $45,000 to $65,000 in value.

Towner said the county would need its own forester evaluation of the timber. Oneto said they would need to look at what is there and what is harvestable. Towner said only the timber value is involved in the purchase, not the structures, because they were built by the county. Towner said until we do our due diligence, BLM will not make further comment on the proposed sale.

Supervisor John Plasse said General Services Director John Hopkins should look at how much it would cost the county to own Pioneer Park. Supervisor Ted Novelli said they should also look at the liability of owning it. Hopkins told Towner: “My hat’s off to you because you are always proactive. I’m always energized by you.”

Hopkins said he would need to do a cost analysis of direct and indirect costs of “the entire lifecycle, from acquisition to disposal,” including maintenance, repair, obligations and operations. He would also have to look at where ACRA is going to be financially five years down the road.

Oneto said BLM would probably want appraisal on the timber and archaeology, and were “probably looking at a couple of years.” Hopkins said “we need to look at the total picture before we get into doing that real estate due diligence.”

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

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 5-22-12 - TSPN's Tom Slivick talks with Animal Control director John Vail about animal adoptions.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 5-22-12

• Supervisors set staff to study purchase of 27-acre Pioneer Park from BLM.

• A local driver convicted of a DUI will be sentenced at Argonaut High School’s DUI Court at school.

• 2012 Amador County Fair Exhibitor Handbooks are now available in print and online.

• Amador Supervisors will look at costs to own and operate Pioneer Park, after discussing potential purchase from BLM.  

Amador County Television, TSPN TV News Video, 5-22-12 - Mark Montgomery discusses a recent California State Chamber of Commerce meeting that was attended by Governor Jerry Brown.  

Amador County Television, TSPN TV News Video, 5-22-12 - Mark Montgomery discusses what he feels is the real problem with the California state budget.  

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 5-22-12 - Mark Montgomery continues his discussion on what is really wrong with the California state budget. 

Amador County Television, TSPN TV, 5-22-12 - Mark Montgomery conitinues his discussion on what the problem really is with the California state budget. 

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 5-22-12

• Supervisors set staff to study purchase of 27-acre Pioneer Park from BLM.

• A local driver convicted of a DUI will be sentenced at Argonaut High School’s DUI Court at school.

• 2012 Amador County Fair Exhibitor Handbooks are now available in print and online.

• Amador Supervisors will look at costs to own and operate Pioneer Park, after discussing potential purchase from BLM.  

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 5-22-12 - TSPN's Tom Slivick talks with Animal Control director John Vail about animal adoptions.