Calaveras County – The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office released reports of six additional shooting incidents in the Valley Springs and Burson areas, bringing the total number of random shootings to 13. The first reports of drive-by shootings came 2 days before Christmas, when 4 vehicles were damaged after a string of vehicle-on-vehicle drive-by shootings in the Valley Springs area. Calaveras County Sheriff’s Sergeant Dave Seawell said his office is investigating the incidents as “random shootings.” Doors were damaged and windows were shattered but no one was reported injured. The sheriff’s office is also investigating a drive-by shooting that occurred on or about December 17th at a home on Highway 26 near Vista Del Lago Road in Valley Springs which they now believe is related. On Tuesday, Seawell announced six more separate shooting incidents that have been reported to police as occurring between December 20th and December 31st. On Christmas Day, a victim living on the 500 block of La Contenta Drive in Valley Springs reported two bullets were fired into her residence between December 20th and 25th. The victim's son discovered the bullet holes when he was putting Christmas gifts away in his room. On December 28th, a victim living on the 2700 block of Dale Drive in Valley Springs reported finding a bullet in the tailgate of her vehicle. The bullet penetrated the tail gate and lodged in the passenger compartment. On December 30th, a victim living at the 2400 block of Heineman Drive reported noticing a bullet hole in the wall next to her front door. And on December 31st, a victim living on the 2400 block of Highway 26 reported moving a chair on her front porch where she discovered a bullet hole in the front of her residence. The victim inspected the inside wall of the residence and found a bullet lodged in the wall. She stated hearing a loud bang outside the residence on December 26th between 6 and 8 p.m. So far, no injuries have been reported in any of the incidences. Seawell said investigators believe all the shootings to be related. They also believe the shootings to be random, as there is no link between the victims or clear motive at this time. Seawell stressed that the Sheriff’s office will not “discuss or answer questions regarding the type of weapon used by the suspect (or suspects), caliber of bullet recovered or any other questions that relate to seized evidence.” The Calaveras County Sheriffs Office is seeking any information on these incidents and the series of shootings which began on December 16th. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives has announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the rash of shootings. Anyone with information is asked to call the Calaveras County Sheriffs Office Tip Line at (209) 754-6030 or (209) 754-6500. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Forty-eight hours after a fire in Alpine County cut electrical power, Kirkwood Mountain Resort announced it has restored 100 percent of its operations and was open Monday to “full mountain skiing.” Kirkwood Senior Vice President Tim Cohee announced the reopening of all access in an e-mail Sunday, saying full operation was planned to be available Monday. A New Year’s Day fire at a local utility power plant left Kirkwood and the surrounding community in both Amador and Alpine counties without electricity, but power at the resort has restored to “100 percent of its operations” and was to be open with “full mountain skiing” on Monday. Cohee said: “It’s been a challenging 2 days, but thanks to a tremendous effort by both the Mountain Utilities (electric company) and resort staff, we were able to bring power back to the entire community, including the resort, commercial core and 600 residential units.” Kirkwood resort was able to provide skiing on Sunday and brought most of its lifts on-line by the early afternoon. Cohee said a “diesel engine exhaust system failure caused the Mountain Utilities plant to catch fire at about 2 p.m.” last Friday, “completely destroying the 6 engines, switch gear and other plant equipment over a 4-hour period.” The electricity provider was able to bring in 3 portable diesel generators by Friday night, with more than double the capacity necessary to run the entire community. Kirkwood is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and has 2,300 skiable acres, a base elevation of 7,800 feet and a top elevation of 9,800 feet. The resort has 14 lifts, including 2 high-speed quads, 6 triples and 4 surface lifts. The Resort reports an “uphill capacity” of 19,205 skiers per hour. Its longest run is 2-and-a-half miles, and it has 50 percent intermediate slopes, 15 percent beginner, 20 percent advanced and 15 percent expert slopes. Kirkwood had sunny, calm skies and 24 degree temperatures Tuesday, reporting 15 to 19 inches of snow in the last week, and between 125 and 174 inches for the season. For more information about Kirkwood, call (209) 258-6000. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - A first-of-its-kind study by researchers at U.C. Davis has identified ten regions in California with a higher prevalence of autism, including here in Amador County. The study found autism rates to be higher in families with highly educated, older parents, or in places located near autism treatment centers. Researchers used data collected from 2.5 million births in California between 1996 and 2000 to determine ten geographical areas, identified as clusters, in which there was a higher than usual prevalence of children with autism. The study identified 9,900 children over that five year period who were diagnosed with autism by age 6. Autism is a mysterious disorder of neural development characterized by impaired communication and social interaction and restricted or repetitive behavior. Karla Van Meter, the study’s lead author, told CBS News that “this is the first time anyone has looked at the geography of autism births in California in order to see whether there might be some local patches of elevated environmental risk.” She said this method ignores unknown widespread factors that could increase autism incidence. Parents who lived in these cluster areas were on average older and more likely to be college graduates. Parental age was not linked as strongly with autism levels, said Van Meter. She said the study “confirms what we already knew, which is that highly educated parents are more likely to have children with autism.” The link between a parents education level and autism is unclear, but this and other studies have provided plenty of theories. Van Meter said some believe better educated parents are more successful in seeking services for their children or there could be some physical or chemical exposure in their households. 6 of the ten clusters identified were in Southern California. In Northern California, clusters were identified at the Golden Gate Regional Center in San Francisco, serving Marin and San Mateo counties and the City and County of San Francisco; and at the San Andreas Regional Center in Campbell, serving Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties. Two areas of increased incidence were identified at the Central Valley Regional Center, in Fresno, serving Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced and Tulare counties; and the Valley Mountain Regional Center, in Stockton, serving Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties. A December report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that national autism rates continue to rise. The report says one in every 110 children in the United States has been diagnosed with autism. The U.C. Davis study is included in the January 6 online issue of Autism Research. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency kept a scheduled workshop on the proposed Gravity Supply Line Thursday. Director Debbie Dunn worried last week that nearly $930,000 already spent on the GSL would fall on the “ratepayers” if the agency dropped the proposed project. The line would replace the Central Amador Water Project pipeline that pumps water from the Tiger Creek Afterbay to Buckhorn treatment plant. The pumps cost $250,000 a year to operate, equal to 18 percent of the annual budget of CAWP, which serves 14 Upcountry communities. An informational “white paper” said it would cost $4 million to upgrade the pumps, and replacing the pipeline would cost $5 million. AWA has been working on the Gravity Supply Line to reduce costs of the existing system. The GSL was estimated to cost $13.4 million, including design, environmental review and construction. The agency has applied for a $5.1 million USDA grant and would fund the remaining $8.3 million with a 40-year, 3.3 percent loan. Annual loan payments would be $382,000 and total interest paid would be about $6.9 million. The grants are on a first-come, first-served basis, and “not be available indefinitely.” Dunn worried about the project being shelved, sticking ratepayers with the $930,000 already spent. Interim General Manager Gene Mancebo said it was a “valid expense” for the board to approve “money being spent on the Gravity Supply Line,” including making it “shovel ready” as required by USDA. Director Don Cooper said the project was generated by the AWA and constituents. Director Terence Moore said “we have to spend money to get out in front of the funding cycle,” and “when the grant comes through, we pay ourselves back first.” Mancebo said paying back money depends on the program, and some grants only reimburse money spent after the funding is authorized. He said “USDA is pretty flexible.” Finance Manager Mike Lee said if the GSL was delayed past January, rates need to be changed “just to fix the operating deficit” in the Central Amador Water Project. Lee said work on the GSL was a capital expense paid from reserves. Mancebo said they were not intending to get out notices on Central Amador Water Project rate increases,” until a draft financial plan was complete. Cooper said the longer they delay, the longer revenues don’t flow correctly. Director Bill Condrashoff said they “don’t want to get caught with our pants down if we don’t have a GSL.” The meeting is 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the AWA office. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Calaveras County – As reported previously on TSPNTV.com, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office mobilized all available officers in the Valley Springs area 2 days before Christmas after a string of vehicle-on-vehicle drive-by shootings damaged 4 vehicles, with all drivers apparently escaping serious injury. Calaveras County Sheriff’s Sergeant Dave Seawell said authorities were investigating 4 vehicle shootings that occurred Tuesday, December 22, and a drive-by shooting that occurred about 6 days before. Seawell said the Calaveras sheriff’s office was investigating the incidents as “random shootings.” Four motorists were shot at on Tuesday, December 22, as they were driving in the Valley Springs area. At approximately 5:15 a.m. that day, a 37-year-old female was on her way to work traveling north on Hartvickson Lane near Partridge Road when the glass on the driver’s side window of her vehicle shattered. The victim pulled to the side of the road and discovered a bullet hole in the driver side door just below the window. The victim reported she did not see any vehicles pass her. Seawell said at about 5:45 a.m., a 49-year-old female was traveling west on Highway 12 near Evans Road when she heard a loud bang. The victim thought her vehicle kicked up a rock that struck the vehicle. The victim later discovered her vehicle had a bullet hole in the driver’s side passenger door. The victim reported she had passed a vehicle that was traveling east on Highway 12 but could not provide a description due to it being dark. At 5:55 a.m., a 52-year-old female was traveling east on Highway 26 near St. Andrews Road when her vehicle was shot. Deputies recovered a bullet that had traveled through the vehicle’s hood and lodged in the engine compartment. The victim reported a vehicle had passed her heading west but she could not provide a description due to it being dark. At 10:50 p.m. Tuesday, a 37-year-old male was traveling west on Highway 26 near Jenny Lind Approach Road when a bullet was shot through the driver’s side window of his vehicle. The bullet exited through the passenger side window. The victim said he had passed a vehicle heading east on Highway 26. The victim said he saw a flash as the vehicle passed and then his windows shattered. The victim told deputies he pulled to the side of the road and noticed the vehicle he had passed had stopped. The victim, fearing for his safety proceeded to drive out of the area. The victim described the suspect vehicle to be a light colored, late model sedan. The sheriff’s office is also investigating a drive-by shooting that occurred on or about December 17 at a home on Highway 26 near Vista Del Lago Road in Valley Springs. It is unknown whether the drive-by shooting is related to the shootings that occurred on Tuesday, December 22. Investigators have recovered bullets from the shootings and can confirm all of the bullets are similar and came from a small caliber weapon. Seawell said investigators have not found a link between the victims or a motive for the shootings. There have been no reported injuries. In response to the shootings the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office called in all available personnel to patrol the Valley Springs area. The office urges anyone with information regarding the case to call the sheriff’s public line at 754-6500 or the anonymous tip line at 754-6030. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - Amador County is among more than half of California counties set to receive part of $26.5 million designated to fight In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) fraud in California. Amador County received $20,046 immediately. Tuolumne County will receive $55,218 and Calaveras County will get $27,901 in financial support once specific program plans are figured out. “I promised to fight fraud and abuse in California's In-Home Supportive Services, which assists some of California's most vulnerable citizens. Today, I am proud to announce $26.5 million in awards that will help root out fraud in this program," said Governor Schwarzenegger. It is estimated that hundreds of millions of dollars are inappropriately or fraudulently expended through the IHSS program each year, affecting nearly half a million Californians. Types of IHSS fraud include identity theft and illegal solicitations. Schwarzenegger fought to include anti-fraud proposals in the 2009-10 budget. “Any fraud in our system is too much and, now more than ever, every dollar must count. We estimate a significant return on our investment in this budget year alone and that is very good news not only for taxpayers but especially for the Californians that rely on the resources provided by this important program,” he said. Program reforms include targeting mailings to high-risk or suspect providers, background checks and fingerprinting for all IHSS providers, enhanced anti-fraud training for county social workers, unannounced home visits, increasing the number of state fraud investigators, and prohibiting the use of P.O. boxes to receive provider checks. According to the Governor’s office, these anti-fraud efforts are expected to result in General Fund savings of $130 million in the 2009-10 budget. 29 counties received funding just before Christmas and another 16 will receive funding once plans are completed. There is no word yet as to the specific use of the funding allocated for Amador County. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - The Amador County Board of Supervisors on December 22 chose District 5 Supervisor Brian Oneto as their new Board Chairman and District 1 Supervisor John Plasse as new Vice Chairman. The official appointment will take place during the board meeting today, January 5. In an interview Monday on TSPN, District 2 Supervisor Richard Forster, a former chairman himself, said Oneto has “been there, stepped in and shown that he can run the meetings and…be in a position of leadership.” Also during the meeting, the board appointed Forster to serve Amador County on two committees. Supervisor Forster was chosen by a caucus of the 2009 Region Delegates and will serve with the three Officers and the Immediate Past Chair as the 2010 Region 5 representative for Amador County on the Regional Council of Rural Counties (RCRC) Executive Committee. The Bylaws state that annually at its December Board Meeting or the last regular meeting of the calendar year the RCRC Board shall elect the Executive Committee. Supervisor Forster will also serve on the Keep California Beautiful Committee which is a collaborative effort to ignite individuals, state and local governments, communities, and corporate responsibility through strategic initiatives and volunteer action to preserve and protect California's beautiful natural resources for generations to come. Forster was also appointed to serve on the California State Association of Counties (CSAC). The committee is responsible for developing and reviewing policy on environmental and resource issues that affect county operations and local economies. Supervisor Forster has been selected by CSAC to represent Amador County in this regard. Forster told TSPN he is “looking for good things (with CSAC) and more review and analysis of things like the Wiliamson Act in the future.” In a press release, the county stated they are pleased with these appointments and congratulate Supervisor Forster on his accomplishment. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County - While most of California is seeing a downward trend in the amount of toxic releases, pollution from Amador County and much of the Sacramento region is on the rise. According to figures from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Amador County and Sacramento County showed increases in toxic releases in 2007 and 2008. Amador County’s contribution can mostly be attributed to the SierraPine company, consistently considered to be one of the region’s largest polluters. In 2008, the company released more than 100,000 pounds of methanol and 15,000 pounds of formaldehyde- chemicals it uses to make particle board. The company also released approximately 51,000 pounds of the same chemicals from its Rocklin plant. In that same year, Sacramento County facilities released 460,420 pounds of chemicals, which increased to 505,649 in 2008. Some of the region’s biggest polluters include D & T Fiberglass in Sacramento, Siligan Can Company located in Sacramento’s old Campbell’s Soup factory, Procter & Gamble, Grafil Inc., a carbon fiber manufacturer on Fruitridge Road, and the Blue Diamond plant in downtown Sacramento. The main pollutants in California include ammonia, lead, asbestos, zinc compounds and nitrate compounds. Nationally, toxic releases decreased by 6 percent compared to the previous year, from 4.1 billion pounds to 3.86 billion pounds. EPA officials say these numbers are a good indicator when asking questions about air and water pollution on a local level. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.