Tom
Friday, 02 April 2010 01:55
Daffodil Hill Closes Due to Heavy Snowfall
Amador County – Daffodil Hill, the famous tourist attraction located near Volcano, has closed for the season due to heavy snowfall during the last storm. Daffodil Hill co-owner Mike Ryan announced the closure in a release Wednesday. He said over 8 inches of snow fell Tuesday night and Wednesday morning which “completely decimated our blooms.” The property formerly known as the McLaughlin Ranch has been a favorite with visitors who travel from miles around to see thousands of daffodils sprinkled over the hills. Last Fall, family and friends of the Ryans planted over 16,000 new bulbs, but warned that “blooms are totally dependent on Mother Nature.” The bulbs number more that 300,000 and include not only 300 varieties of daffodils, but also a large number of other varieties of bulbs and flowers as well. The best time to visit Daffodil Hill is the spring, usually from the end of March through the first three weeks of April. Ryan said his family is left with no choice but to close their gates until next spring. “We look forward to again greeting visitors in min-March 2011,” he said. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Friday, 02 April 2010 01:57
Amador Planning Dept. Launches Buena Vista Biomass Power SEIR
Amador County – The Amador County Planning Department held a scoping session Wednesday to determine topics to address in a Subsequent Environmental Impact Report for the former Cogen plant in District 2, near Ione. Sydney Coatsworth, consultant for Buena Vista Biomass Power, led the scoping meeting, which she said has the purpose of creating “informed decision-making with ample public input.” Nathan Lishman of the county planning department said Buena Vista Biomass Power pushed to hire Coatsworth, of Ascent Environmental, to conduct the SEIR on BVBP’s application to amend use permits at the former Cogen internal combustion power facility on Coal Mine Road. Lishman said the county must sign off on the work done by Ascent. Coatsworth said the scoping process encourages people to say “what should be included” in the EIR. The scoping period opened March 15th and closes April 16th. They will accept public comments, answer them in writing, and “come out with the final EIR in September.” Coatsworth said: “We have not yet embarked on analysis, so we are not prepared to have a question and answer session.” Public concern included impacts from traffic and combustion emissions. Ray Stacy of Bighorse Ranch said he was worried about daily traffic on Buena Vista Road, including 1,600 cars to the proposed Buena Vista Me-Wuk’s Flying Cloud Casino, and also about the 30 trucks a day hauling fuel to burn at the power plant. Donna Ogelvie, of Camanche Parkway North was also worried about trucks, and the plant’s around-the-clock operation. She asked: “Who will monitor routes,” and how the trucks “interact with school buses and children?” She also worried about particulate matter, truck noise and ambient light. Jerry Cassesi of Jackson Valley submitted 20 comments in writing, and said he believed transfer of ownership on November 16th, 2009, was “not allowed by Amador County Air District rules.” Cassesi said he thought the use permit is only valid with when it accompanies a “valid permit to operate,” and the related permit to operate “expired June 30th, 2000.” He said Buena Vista Biomass should submit written plans, and he thought the “new use could be more harmful than lignite burning.” Lishman told Cassesi that “staff decisions are always appealable to the planning commission.” Kathleen Dubois said hazardous material, hydrology and water quality might all need to be addressed. Rux Oneto, part owner of the Cogen Plant, said trucks pay $500 a year to the state “for heavy highway use.” He said “you can’t stop them: They paid for the right to use the roads.” He said don’t worry about communists coming to bomb us: “They are right here in this room.” Oneto said: “The county should not tell the complainers how to get to the courthouse.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Friday, 02 April 2010 01:59
Cross Carrier Chuck Makes Way Across Jackson
Amador County – The man known as “Cross Carrier Chuck,” made his way through downtown Jackson yesterday carrying a 15-foot wooden cross on his shoulder. Chuck Johnson, 46, is a native of Anaheim, California, and has been dragging his wheeled cross throughout the lower 48 states and parts of Mexico for over ten years. A man of few words, Johnson told TSPN his mission is simple: “I’m here to remind people to take Jesus into their life and that’s it.” He said his passage through our area around the date of Easter is purely coincidental. Johnson said this is the fourth cross he has shouldered. Any search on the web will produce pages of stories on Chuck’s personal history. He said he has loved Jesus since the age of 3 but wasn’t “saved” until 1987.
He has since seen many signs of the divinity on his journey and they serve as a constant reminder of his mission. “The lord is everywhere,” he said. Johnson says he has no real destination and moves from place to place based on the weather and the kindness of strangers. He said he usually prefers to walk and mostly sleeps outside, although he’ll pay for a hotel if he can afford it. When he asked (TSPN Reporter Alex Lane) to sign his cross, he was helpless to oblige. Johnson is currently on his 12th journey across America. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Friday, 02 April 2010 01:47
Amador County News TSPN TV with Christian Toma 4-2-10
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News Broadcast Videos
Friday, 02 April 2010 02:01
AFPD To Discuss Hiring Firefighters, Measure M Funds
Amador County – The Amador Fire Protection District board of directors on Tuesday (March 6th) will discuss the Amador County proposal for a county-wide fire protection services plan, and will continue discussion from its last meeting on hiring paid fire personnel. Chief Jim McCart said that last month Amador Fire Protection District’s board of directors looked at a “statement of revenue collected from the Measure M sales tax for fire protection services.” McCart said the sales tax revenue split for the fiscal year was approved by the Amador Fire Protection Authority to base allocations on populations and emergency calls in jurisdictions. McCart said AFPD is a member of the Amador Fire Protection Authority, and has one vote like the other members. He said AFPD was “instrumental in getting the sales tax measure passed.” Allocations as of February included $805,000 to AFPD; $319,000 to Jackson; $222,000 to Sutter Creek; $218,000 to Ione; $111,000 to Lockwood; and $166,000 to Jackson Valley Fire. AFPD’s Measure M Hiring Plan includes hiring a battalion chief to oversee new firefighters. AFPD in the plan will hire firefighters for Battalion 10 in Pine Grove and Pioneer; and Battalion 20, covering Plymouth, Fiddletown, River Pines and Willow Springs. The full-time firefighters will staff stations 24 hours a day. Proposed staffed stations initially would be Number 11 in Pioneer and Number 122 in Plymouth. McCart on Tuesday said Measure M revenues are expected to total $1.8 million for this fiscal year. As of Monday, $1.7 million had been collected through Measure M revenue. Fiscal year 2008-2009 estimates show population served by AFPD was 18,692 people, or 57 percent of the county population. AFPD took 1,454 calls, or 39 percent of county calls. AFPD’s population and emergency call totals include affiliate Plymouth Fire Department’s Battalion 20. Jackson Fire works for 4,051 people (12 percent of the population) and responded to 894 calls, or 24 percent. Sutter Creek and Ione fire departments both averaged 11 percent o the population and emergency calls, Jackson Valley fire averaged 8 percent and Lockwood 5 percent. County voters in November 2008 approved Measure M, to “enact a half-cent sales tax for fire protection and emergency medical response services, with the proceeds allocated to local fire districts.” The ordinance created funding that included “reallocation to reflect any changes in the number of districts,” and the funds are “to be used for paid fire fighter-emergency medical response personnel to staff existing fire stations, administrative support, and volunteer insurance, training and incentive programs.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Fire
Friday, 02 April 2010 01:59
Cross Carrier Chuck Makes Way Across Jackson
Amador County – The man known as “Cross Carrier Chuck,” made his way through downtown Jackson yesterday carrying a 15-foot wooden cross on his shoulder. Chuck Johnson, 46, is a native of Anaheim, California, and has been dragging his wheeled cross throughout the lower 48 states and parts of Mexico for over ten years. A man of few words, Johnson told TSPN his mission is simple: “I’m here to remind people to take Jesus into their life and that’s it.” He said his passage through our area around the date of Easter is purely coincidental. Johnson said this is the fourth cross he has shouldered. Any search on the web will produce pages of stories on Chuck’s personal history. He said he has loved Jesus since the age of 3 but wasn’t “saved” until 1987.
He has since seen many signs of the divinity on his journey and they serve as a constant reminder of his mission. “The lord is everywhere,” he said. Johnson says he has no real destination and moves from place to place based on the weather and the kindness of strangers. He said he usually prefers to walk and mostly sleeps outside, although he’ll pay for a hotel if he can afford it. When he asked (TSPN Reporter Alex Lane) to sign his cross, he was helpless to oblige. Johnson is currently on his 12th journey across America. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Local
Friday, 02 April 2010 01:57
Amador Planning Dept. Launches Buena Vista Biomass Power SEIR
Amador County – The Amador County Planning Department held a scoping session Wednesday to determine topics to address in a Subsequent Environmental Impact Report for the former Cogen plant in District 2, near Ione. Sydney Coatsworth, consultant for Buena Vista Biomass Power, led the scoping meeting, which she said has the purpose of creating “informed decision-making with ample public input.” Nathan Lishman of the county planning department said Buena Vista Biomass Power pushed to hire Coatsworth, of Ascent Environmental, to conduct the SEIR on BVBP’s application to amend use permits at the former Cogen internal combustion power facility on Coal Mine Road. Lishman said the county must sign off on the work done by Ascent. Coatsworth said the scoping process encourages people to say “what should be included” in the EIR. The scoping period opened March 15th and closes April 16th. They will accept public comments, answer them in writing, and “come out with the final EIR in September.” Coatsworth said: “We have not yet embarked on analysis, so we are not prepared to have a question and answer session.” Public concern included impacts from traffic and combustion emissions. Ray Stacy of Bighorse Ranch said he was worried about daily traffic on Buena Vista Road, including 1,600 cars to the proposed Buena Vista Me-Wuk’s Flying Cloud Casino, and also about the 30 trucks a day hauling fuel to burn at the power plant. Donna Ogelvie, of Camanche Parkway North was also worried about trucks, and the plant’s around-the-clock operation. She asked: “Who will monitor routes,” and how the trucks “interact with school buses and children?” She also worried about particulate matter, truck noise and ambient light. Jerry Cassesi of Jackson Valley submitted 20 comments in writing, and said he believed transfer of ownership on November 16th, 2009, was “not allowed by Amador County Air District rules.” Cassesi said he thought the use permit is only valid with when it accompanies a “valid permit to operate,” and the related permit to operate “expired June 30th, 2000.” He said Buena Vista Biomass should submit written plans, and he thought the “new use could be more harmful than lignite burning.” Lishman told Cassesi that “staff decisions are always appealable to the planning commission.” Kathleen Dubois said hazardous material, hydrology and water quality might all need to be addressed. Rux Oneto, part owner of the Cogen Plant, said trucks pay $500 a year to the state “for heavy highway use.” He said “you can’t stop them: They paid for the right to use the roads.” He said don’t worry about communists coming to bomb us: “They are right here in this room.” Oneto said: “The county should not tell the complainers how to get to the courthouse.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Local
Friday, 02 April 2010 01:55
Daffodil Hill Closes Due to Heavy Snowfall
Amador County – Daffodil Hill, the famous tourist attraction located near Volcano, has closed for the season due to heavy snowfall during the last storm. Daffodil Hill co-owner Mike Ryan announced the closure in a release Wednesday. He said over 8 inches of snow fell Tuesday night and Wednesday morning which “completely decimated our blooms.” The property formerly known as the McLaughlin Ranch has been a favorite with visitors who travel from miles around to see thousands of daffodils sprinkled over the hills. Last Fall, family and friends of the Ryans planted over 16,000 new bulbs, but warned that “blooms are totally dependent on Mother Nature.” The bulbs number more that 300,000 and include not only 300 varieties of daffodils, but also a large number of other varieties of bulbs and flowers as well. The best time to visit Daffodil Hill is the spring, usually from the end of March through the first three weeks of April. Ryan said his family is left with no choice but to close their gates until next spring. “We look forward to again greeting visitors in min-March 2011,” he said. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published in
Local
Friday, 02 April 2010 01:54
Miss Amador Contest Open for Applicants
Amador County - Entries are now being accepted for the popular Miss Amador scholarship competition. The competition and pageant are scheduled for July 29th at the Amador County Fair on the Central House Stage. Young women ages 16 - 23 have the opportunity to compete for scholarships and to represent Amador County and the Fair as ambassadors throughout the year. The women compete in the areas of community service and fair experience, a personal and fair industry interview focusing on the entrant's sense of value, attitudes, goals and aspirations, communication skills before a live audience, and an on-stage presentation. Scholarship awards will be: $2,000 to Miss Amador, $1,000 to the First Runner-Up, $750 to the Second Runner-Up, and $500 to the Third Runner-Up. Additional awards and prizes are offered by the community. Entry forms for the pageants are available on-line at amadorcountyfair.com or from the Amador County Fair office at Sherwood and School Streets in Plymouth. They can also be picked up at local high schools. Completed entry forms are due in the Fair office by May 14, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. or more information call the Fair office at 209 245-6921. Details on qualifications are outlined in the entry forms. All young women and their parents who are interested are required to attend an orientation on May 18 at 6:30 pm in Pokerville Hall at the Amador County Fairgrounds. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Friday, 02 April 2010 01:47
Amador County News TSPN TV with Christian Toma 4-2-10
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Video
