December 19, 2005 Millions of Californians plan to hit the road this holiday, despite the higher costs. AAA of Northern California says 8.8 million travelers are expected to drive, fly or go by rail to be with family and friends over the Christmas to New Year’s week. Hotels and airfare costs are both up this year compared to last, by as much as 14%. AAA of Northern California and HomeTown Radio have some travel tips for those planning on flying over the holidays. If you must take your gifts with you, don’t wrap them. If it sets off an alarm, TSA security officers will have to open it. Take your undeveloped film in carry-on luggage. The x-ray equipment used for checked baggage will damage your film. Most of all, take your patience! A hit and run suspect is still being sought by the CHP. A Campo Seco woman was hit broadside in the intersection of Highways 12 and 26 Saturday morning. The driver of a white van fled the scene. The woman suffered moderate injuries. CHP investigators are still looking for the male driver. Bret Harte Union High School District Superintendent Joseph Wilimek is resigning. The resignation will be on tonight’s Board agenda. Wilimek has been with the district for more than 14 years. He has taken a job with a district in Merced. The Amador County Board of Supervisors will be holding their last scheduled meeting for the year. Several items are on the agenda. The meeting will be held in the John C. Begovich building on Argonaut Lane Tuesday, beginning at 9 AM. A traffic hazard in downtown Jackson caused quite a backup this afternoon. Just before 2:00, HomeTown Radio listeners called in to report the traffic light at the intersection of Highway 49 and Main Street was not working. JPD officers set up for traffic control as Cal-Trans crews came to repair the system. Vandals at Argonaut High School broke into a fenced area and placed a golf cart on top of a PG& E transformer box on school grounds. A PG&E crane was called in to remove the cart from atop the box. There are no known suspects. December 20, 2005 Sutter Amador Hospital received the “go ahead” for their proposed extension. The Jackson City Planning Commission last night approved the final “EIR” report for the hospital’s Support Services building. A group of citizens in Amador County intend to show up at tomorrows Planning Commission meeting. Specifically, they are concerned about two proposed developments in the Martell area. Both developers are requesting zone changes of the farmland. The meeting will be at 1:30 PM in the John C. Begovich building. The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors learned Monday, that the Agency’s finances are steady, but the system faces a rate change in light of the Tabeaud Pipeline. The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors has given its blessing to the Copper Mill project in Copperopolis. The project will create 230,000 square feet of retail and residential space in a small town center at Highway 4 and Little John Road. California’s death toll of horses infected with the West Nile Virus has reached the 200 mark. The 200th horse was located in Santa Clara County. Horse owners are urged to vaccinate their horses now in order to build up immunity before the weather warms up in the spring. A Copperopolis man didn’t remember a thing after his early morning crash today. CHP officers found 38 year old Larry Derossett sitting on the ground in his driveway about 1:00 AM, complaining of back pain and a head injury. After being taken to a local hospital, he was arrested for DUI. Law enforcement officers in Calaveras County are searching for a man with Amador County ties. The counties Narcotics Enforcement Unit searched a residence for Gabriel Evans. They found instead 3 pounds of marijuana. Evans is currently facing charges on a ‘possession of marijuana for sales’ case in Amador County. The Sierra Nevada Conservancy is looking for their first ‘home’, and both Amador and Calaveras Counties are in the running with 10 other counties. A decision on the community that will be selected is expected at the Conservancy’s February 23rd Board meeting. December 22, 2005 The Amador County District Attorney’s office has completed their investigation into the Brown Act violations allegedly committed by the Jackson City Council. Jackson City Councilwoman Marilyn Lewis filed the complaint December 12th, claiming violations of the State’s open-meeting law. The D.A.’s office determined the charges to be unfounded. The Calaveras County Water District may be in hot water following a complaint filed by four environmental and sport fishing groups. The complaint comes from the groups’ dissatisfaction with the population of spawning fish, which has dropped dramatically in recent years because of insufficient stream flow. New wine laws are making the holiday rush a bit tricky this year. As more laws are enacted to open direct shipments from wineries to consumers, California wineries say they’re still learning how to comply with the new laws. If you have business to conduct in Amador or Calaveras County this week, you’d better hurry! Many offices, at all levels of government will have partial workdays tomorrow or are closed the entire day. All Federal, State, County and City offices will be closed for business on Monday. The June 6th Gubernatorial Primary Election will see several elected officials trying to renew their positions in both Amador and Calaveras County. To avoid paying filing fees, candidates may take out petitions-in-lieu, in which they collect signatures instead. A parolee-at-large didn’t get too far away after a pursuit yesterday afternoon. The Amador County Sheriff’s Office said their detectives were investigating a case in the Jackson Valley area when they recognized 22 year-old Jeffrey Kay, currently of Ione, who was known to be a parolee wanted in Calaveras County. After a short foot pursuit, he was arrested. Another “Grinch” has struck in Calaveras County, this time at a church. Vandals reportedly cut down a live, seven-foot Christmas tree Saturday night in front of the St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church in Avery. December 23, 2005 The Plymouth City Council held their last regular meeting of the year last night. Mayor Pat Shackleton read memorial plaques to honor two recently deceased long-time city residents. State Senate Proclamations from Senator Dave Cox were read honoring former Mayor, Council Member and Planning Commission member Gene Beck, and former Councilwoman, Mayor and City Librarian, Irene G. Cranford. Drytown rancher Brian Oneto said he intends to run for the District 5 seat, formally declaring his candidacy after the first of the year. The trial for Donald Pinon and Daniel Rocha, accused of murdering David Jessop of Mokelumne Hill in March, has been pushed back three months. A three-week jury trial had been set for January 12th but will now take place April 27th. The Calaveras County water district is one step closer to having a new general manager. The position was left vacant after the resignation of Alan Turner in September. The first round of candidate interviews will take place early January. Fire officials are once again warning residents of the importance of safety while conducting debris burns. Fire crews responded to a fire on Southworth Road earlier this week to find about 2 acres burnt from an escaped debris burn. Steven Looper has been chosen once again to serve as the president of the Calaveras County Board of Education. The Board met earlier this week to select its president and vice-president, and set the calendar for 2006. Vice-president is Patrick Stephens who has been on the board since 1985. The Ione Community United Methodist Church will have the first elevator in downtown Ione up and running for tomorrows Christmas Eve service. The elevator has been a ten-year project for the congregation, with funding coming from specific donations through Memorial contributions. The Amador County Transportation Commission voted last Wednesday to spend $10,000, in addition to another $10,000 voted by the County Board of Supervisors, to pay a survey consultant. Voters in the county are being contacted to answer specific questions directed toward transportation issues and fire services. A Stockton man’s building plans in Calaveras County has been put on hold indefinitely. Williamson Act provisions prohibit the man from building a home on his 260-acre parcel of ranch land. County Supervisors have tabled a request for a “swap” proposed by the landowner to increase the protected acreage in order to build his home. Disputes on how much, if not all, of his land covered by the Act need to be investigated. The holiday season is always a busy one for Mother Lode residents. The Amador County Chamber of Commerce says this time of year always draws people to the foothills. Craig Harmon of the CHP said traffic to Kirkwood has definitely increased. December 26, 2005 About 11,000 homes in Amador and Calaveras Counties were without power from last night’s storm. P.G. & E. officials said 1100 Jackson residents were out of power for a good part of this morning, mostly due to fallen trees onto power lines. Angels Camp was hit hardest in Calaveras County with several hundred customers out of power until mid-morning. Driving Up-Country in the snow was not a good place to be without chains on Christmas Day. CHP officers, Cal-Trans and other emergency crews were extremely busy tending to stalled cars, vehicles over embankments, minor collisions and the like after a severe storm hit the mountains yesterday. Cal-Trans has several tips for motorists who plan on driving to the mountains. They also highly recommend calling their hotline for road conditions often at 1-800-427-7623. Rain and slick roads may have been a factor in a single-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon. 55 year-old Wayne Moore of Plymouth was on Highway 49 near Highway 16 when his car slid off the edge of the road. The car hit an embankment and overturned, but he was not injured in the crash. Wet weather, speed and winding roads all contributed to a crash Thursday. A Sacramento man driving his truck at 50 MPH crossed over the double-yellow lines and hit 39 year-old Edward Gold of Sonora head-on. Fortunately, neither driver was seriously injured. HomeTown Radio spoke to developer Dennis Griffin concerning his plans for the new Bellotti’s Inn in Sutter Creek. Major re-facing of the front will begin next week. The entire project should be completed by early summer. A new State Historical marker will be the focus of a celebration next month in Volcano. The Amador County Historical Society will unveil a new and updated landmark honoring the first observatory in California on January 21st at 10 AM. December 27, 2005 More than 700 laws will go into effect when the New Year begins, some of the laws affect teen drivers. Operation of mini-motorcycles, otherwise known as “pocket bikes”, on roads and public off-road areas will be illegal, and DUI drivers with one or more prior convictions could have their car impounded. Contact your local CHP or law enforcement office for more details. With the New Year comes new opportunities, and that would include job openings in Amador County. Lowe’s, a Fortune 500 company opening their newest store in Martell soon, will have a “mass hire” next week in Sutter Creek. The CHP has released more details in the Christmas Eve collision on Highway 88 near the San Joaquin County line. Elias Julio of Stockton illegally passed a car on a crest of a hill and hit an on-coming vehicle head-on. Julio suffered major injuries and is said to be paralyzed. Several passengers in both vehicles were taken to Sutter Amador Hospital for treatment of less-severe injuries. Officer Craig Harmon of the Amador CHP office said this past week was “pretty average” for their Maximum Enforcement period. Six drivers were arrested for DUI, another 23 were issued tickets for speeding. Seventy-six motorists were given roadside assistance by officers throughout the county. An Amador County Deputy got some unexpected and unwanted time off Christmas night. The CHP said Deputy Travis Barker was driving on Old Sacramento Road at about 40 mile per hour when he looked down to send a computer message. Barker’s patrol car went off the edge of the road in a curve and slid into a tree. The deputy suffered minor injuries and was taken to Sutter Amador Hospital for treatment. CHP officers had somewhat of a mystery on their hands early Saturday morning. At about 2:30 in the morning, a CHP officer came upon a vehicle on its side on Camanche Road near Curran Road. The car was later reported stolen from Lathrop, but the suspect has not yet been found. Rescue crews responded to the scene of a vehicle into a river yesterday morning. According to the CHP, they received a 911 call just before 8 AM, of a van in a “swift moving river” on Pioneer-Volcano Road near Highway 88. It was determined that the owner of the private property where the incident occurred would deal with getting the van out of the swollen river. December 28, 2005 The National Weather Service has posted a “Hazardous Weather Outlook Advisory” for interior Northern California today. Moderate to heavy snowfall in the mountains and strong winds have created hazardous driving conditions. Flooding is anticipated in low-lying regions. Caution should be used when driving. More storms are expected Friday through Tuesday with continued heavy rain and gusty winds. AAA of Northern California has a new program for the New Year to help reduce the amount of drunk driver incidents. “Tipsy Tow” will begin at 6:00 PM Saturday and continue until 6:00 AM Sunday where anyone, a member of AAA or not, can call them to request a ride home. A tow truck will take the driver, any passengers and the driver’s car to their home within 7 miles. Just call 1-800-222-4357 (AAA-HELP). Business closures for the New Year’s holiday will be much like last week’s Christmas schedule. All Federal, State, County and City offices will be closed Monday, January 2nd. Most offices will have regular Friday schedules. The State’s ‘whooping cough’ cases have been rising this year. California’s doctors reported 2,169 cases of the bacterial disease through November, which is nearly double last year’s total. Amador County Health Department said they have had only one case reported this year, and no current cases pending. Health officials are concerned of an outbreak in the community as the disease is highly contagious. Infants not vaccinated against Pertussis are most at risk. A Sacramento man traveling into the Gold Country was stopped short of his destination on Christmas morning. His car went off the road and down an 80-foot embankment just north of Amador City. He was not seriously injured, but did get to spend Christmas Day at Mercy Folsom Hospital. Amador County’s “Business Alert” program has been a success after it’s first year. Amador County Sheriff’s Investigator Don Roberts heads the program that identifies and prosecutes suspects who use forged checks and the like, and informs hundreds of local business owners of the ‘bad’ check particulars. Baskin-Robbins is once again offering “A Pint for a Pint” during the January 5th blood drive in Jackson. Certificates for a pint of ice cream will be given to all who donate at the Jackson Civic Center between the hours of 11 AM to 6 PM. Call 223-7540 for more information. The Amador County Unified School District is forming a new team. They are looking for ball players between the ages of 21 to 60 to play 1880’s rules ‘hard ball’, using period equipment and uniforms. The deadline to sign-up is January 17th. Call the District office for more details or to reserve a roster spot at 257-5353. December 29, 2005 A long-time Supervisor and Rancher lost his long-running battle with cancer yesterday. HomeTown Radio was saddened to hear the news from family members Wednesday that District 5 Supervisor Mario Biagi has passed away. Funeral services are being held tomorrow at 11:00 AM at the Amador County Fairgrounds. The National Weather Service has said that tomorrow night through Tuesday, several strong storms are expected to move into Northern California, including the foothills. Heavy rain and high winds are expected, especially Saturday. The suspect of a domestic violence case was already arrested on unrelated charges before his wife could report the incident. 39 year-old Michael Flynn of Pioneer had been arrested earlier in the evening Tuesday for driving under the influence. More charges have been added at the jail to include domestic violence after his wife was found unconscious and bleeding in the parking lot of a nearby business. Not only did motorists in Mountain Ranch have to deal with poor weather conditions, but add to that an accident blocking a major road in the community. A VW skid into a delivery truck on Mt. Ranch Road, blocking both lanes for about an hour. Both parties in the VW suffered minor injuries. Local law enforcement had a “field day” as a pursuit went through Jackson last night. The CHP said their officers had located a wanted person driving through Martell. A pursuit entailed, ending in the garden area of an apartment complex on N. Main Street in Jackson. The driver has not yet been found. The female passenger has been arrested. A Plymouth man poured kerosene on his girlfriend after an argument last night. Sheriff’s office authorities told HomeTown Radio that 42 year-old Brian Flowers was arrested for terrorist threats, domestic violence and assault with a caustic substance after the incident. Two Pioneer men met under difficult circumstances yesterday afternoon. The CHP told us John Rogers was hit broadside by Lester Harmon, both of Pioneer, after Harmon sped through a red light in the intersection of Highway 88 and Ridge Road in Pine Grove. No one was hurt. December 30, 2005 The National Weather Service has issued a “flood watch” for a good part of Northern California, including Amador and Calaveras Counties. The flood watch is in effect until Saturday afternoon. People living near streams and rivers are advised to pay close attention to the weather over the next several days and be prepared for possible flooding. CDF and local firefighters responded to a hazardous condition just after 11:00 this morning. A power pole caught fire on Shenandoah Road near Fiddletown Road. The fire began to consume the bottom of the pole, prompting closure of Shenandoah Road. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Kirkwood Ski Resort had to close yesterday due to a capacity issue. Officials said the parking lot was at capacity before noon, forcing them to close the lot. With this weekend being the busiest of the winter season for them, they urge skiers to come early; they may need to close the lot if too many cars arrive. A Calaveras County man didn’t fare too well after his bout with a tree. 26 year-old Shaun Hansen of Avery was driving on Highway 4 near Tipton House Road Wednesday night. Due to his “extreme state of intoxication”, his truck ran off the road and into a tree. Hansen suffered minor injuries and was transported to Mark Twain St. Joseph’s Hospital for treatment. With New Year’s Eve just around the corner, there are a couple of venues you may want to check out… “D.J. Gavin” Meyers will keep the party alive at the Fargo Club in Jackson from 9:30 PM until closing time. Harry Jordan will be at the “Rides and Rods Gatsby Room” tomorrow night bringing in the New Year. Advance tickets are required for that event. After a night of celebrating, call AAA to take advantage of their free “Tipsy Tow” service. Call 1-800-222-4357 for this new service available from 6 PM Saturday to 6 AM Sunday. The Amador County Board of Supervisors has scheduled a short meeting for Tuesday. The Sierra Nevada Conservancy will discuss a proposal for office space within the Martell Business Park, and whether the Board might consider offering incentives to the Conservancy to locate it’s headquarters in Amador County. The meeting will be held in the John C. Begovich building at 9:00 AM. The Amador County Library Lecture Series will begin the New Year with a talk on “Carbs and Your Health” at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, January 3rd . Dr. Bryon Cloyd, D.C. will be the guest speaker. HRC – Child Care Resources will hold their next childcare orientation class on Friday, January 20th at their office in Jackson. Call 223-1624 for more details.