No Casino In Plymouth (NCIP) and Citizens Equal Rights Alliance (CERA) have filed an amended complaint in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California challenging the May 30, 2012 decision by Acting Assistant Secretary Of Indian Affairs to take 228.04 acres into trust for the Ione Band of Miwok Indians to build a large Las Vegas style casino in the small Amador County town of Plymouth, California. NCIP and CERA assert in their complaint the Department of Interior (DOI), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Office of Indian Gaming (OIG) have not complied with the laws and regulations related to fee to trust for Indian gaming and the decision to take the 228.04 acres into trust is an abuse of discretion, arbitrary, capricious and contrary to the law. The suit challenges the authority of the DOI to take land into trust for the Ione Band, challenges the adequacy of the Environmental Impact Report, and challenges the alleged restoration to Federal Recognition of the Ione Band. Plaintiffs, NCIP and CERA, maintain that recent Supreme Court decisions in Carcieri, Hawaii, and Patchak weigh entirely in their favor legally and are confident that when the facts of the case are presented a court decision in their favor will permanently end all efforts to take land into trust to build a casino in Plymouth. The amended complaint was served on Tuesday, October 9th and is available at nocasinoinplymouth.blogspot.com. Questions or inquiries for additional information can be sent via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by mail to NCIP, P.O. Box 82, Plymouth, Ca. 95669.
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The Amador Fire Safe Council announced the release of the final draft of the Greater Pine Grove Community Conservation Wildfire Protection Plan for public review and comment. The plan can be found on AFSC's website at: www.amadorfiresafe.org/PGCCWPP.html The plan, funded by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, is broken down into easily accessed sections, including an executive summary; risk surveys indexed by street name; home fire safety and protection; recommended fuel reduction projects; conservation elements; defensible space; wildfire ecology and environment; as well as numerous maps outlining fire history and risk in the unit. The public may comment on this plan until December 6, 2012 when it will be submitted to the agencies for final signature. Comments may be made in writing to Amador Fire Safe Council, PO Box 1055, Pine Grove, California 95665 or electronically through the comment box on thier website or to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Story from press release, edited by Tom Slivick, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
A Discussion of the Agency Wide Water Rate Study, of proposed CAWP Wholesale Rates, and Discussion of CAWP CFD and the Gravity Supply Line Project will be the topics of discussion at a Special meeting of the board of Directors of the Amador Water Agency on Oct 17th at 6:00pm at the Volcano Communications Center, in Pine Grove, CA the public is invited to participate. For more information contact the Amador Water Agency.
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A story on your tax dollars at work: Amador Fire Protection District in September responded to 173 incidents. The incidents included 2 building fires and 5 wildland fires. 134 of these incidents or 77% were medical aid/rescue related. Nearly half of the of the incidents 49% occurred between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
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Two of Measure Q’s large Vote Yes on Q signs have been stolen. According to Maureen Funk, Executive Director of the Amador Council of Tourism. Measure Q is on Amador County’s Ballot this November. A yes vote would raise the The Tranisent Occupancity tax tax to 10% county wide. Mauriene warns that the theft of the signs is a felony.
Story from press release, edited by Tom Slivick, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
