News Archive (6192)
A 450 acre controlled burn in the El Dorado National Forest Thursday morning left a murky haze over Northern Amador County, alarming some residents. According to Kristi Schroeder, Assistant Public Affairs Officer with the El Dorado Forest, the Cat-Anderson Prescribed Burn took place north of Highway 88 on the northern border of Amador County and, weather permitting, will continue throughout the coming week. Forest Service and staff were on scene to ensure the burn stayed under control and within its containment lines. “We have the project fully staffed and the burn is progressing well,” said Schroeder. Plymouth City Treasurer Suzon Hatley was one of many residents affected by smoke blowing southeast from the blaze. “The wind shifted and it became real smoky down here. You could smell it in the houses,” she said. Hatley said she received about a dozen calls from concerned citizens wondering if there was a fire close by. Most of the smoke was caused by a strong southeast ridgetop wind combined with active backing of the fire down slope. The wind pushed the smoke further down into the foothill communities than was expected. Schroeder was quick to dispel rumors amongst Plymouth residents that the burn was 9000 acres. “We would never consider burning that much of an area at one time,” she said, adding: “There’s a whole set of variables that we look at before each burn, including fuel moistures, humidity and temperatures.” Friday’s rains were also considered when planning for the latest round of burns, said Schroeder. Story by Alex Lane.
By Alex Lane -
The Amador County Sheriff’s Office has released its first annual report highlighting the department’s accomplishments during 2007. “I am convinced that upon reading this report you will be impressed as I have been with the quality of the 116 men and women who dedicate themselves every day to provide protection and security to the citizens of Amador County,” Sheriff Martin Ryan said. The report details the inner workings of the office and the duties of its many divisions. These include an Executive Division consisting of the Office of Emergency Services and a Crime Analysis Unit; an Operations Division consisting of the Coroner, Investigations and Patrol Bureau; a Court Services Division; and a number of special units. The special units frequently make headlines in Amador County through high profile drug busts and search and rescue operations. 2007 saw the creation of the first county-specific multi-agency narcotics task force named the Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team. This is the most significant move in the history of Amador County toward combating the most prevalent local law enforcement issue. A restructuring for efficiency led to a new Administration Bureau, two new Lieutenant’s positions, and a first-ever Correctional Lieutenant position. Ryan believes that the many changes that occurred over the past year have enhanced his office’s ability to do its job better. The report also includes a budget breakdown. In 2007, 16 percent, or 69,995 dollars of Amador County’s budget went to the Sheriff’s Office. Of that, 58 percent was used for Operations and Administration and 28 percent went toward the jail. Ryan and his staff have been vocal in public meetings about what they see as a much needed “replacement for our outdated and overcrowded jail.” Although the report does not address this issue in detail, the need for a new jail has become the Sheriff’s top priority.
By Jim Reece -
The Ione City Council on Tuesday received an informational presentation on Measure M, the half-cent sales tax measure that would fund full-time firefighting brigades across Amador County. Ione City Manager Kim Kerr gave a Powerpoint presentation, noting that she and the city council cannot tell people how to vote on the measure but they can offer information. Kerr said that the city’s fire department had 35 actual firefighters who worked at full-time departments elsewhere in the region, along with 10 to 13 support staff. She said the need for full-time fire coverage was evident in the fire losses at two Ione residences recently, including the total loss of a home valued at 275,000 dollars, and another home burned with 50,000 in damage. She said the Ione fire brigade was a volunteer squad, with firefighters paid a small stipend on a per-fire ratio.
Kerr said Fire Chief Tim Mackey was paid one thousand dollars a month, fire captains received 400 dollars a month and others were paid 200 dollars a month. She said all firefighters were paid a lump sum at the end of the year, based on stipends per call. The total Ione Volunteer Fire Department’s annual budget was about 38,000 dollars in salary, Kerr said. That included Mackey’s 12,000 dollars. Vice Mayor Lee Ard, who represents Ione of the Amador Fire Protection Authority board, said Ione has one joint contract through AFPA. Ard said CAL FIRE rolls on every call in the county, under the “Amador Plan,” to support volunteers and paid volunteers. Kerr said the county pays 2.5 Millions Dollars annually for fire, noting “that is not enough to have fire coverage.” Kerr said supporters of the measure said that a general fund tax could not be earmarked for fire departments, but instead spread the funds across the general budget. She said a half-cent sales tax would be paid by all who spend money in the county, including those passing through. Kerr said if Measure M does not pass – with its required two-thirds majority – then Ione would have to look at how they can fund a paid fire department.
Amador County Crime - Jackson resident Larry Steven Smith, 51, was found guilty on March 26th of raping a woman at the National Hotel last November. Smith was found guilty by an Amador County Jury of the felony charges of rape of an intoxicated person and rape of an unconscious person, and a misdemeanor sexual battery. According to District Attorney Todd Riebe, Smith and another man were captured on surveillance video groping and “taking advantage of the victim’s incapacitation.” Smith and his male companion are seen taking the 40-year-old woman from the Fargo Club to the National Hotel, where the companion uses the victim’s credit card to rent a room at the hotel. Smith and the other male take the victim up to her room and leave. Smith is later shown on video returning to the victim’s room. The victim testified that she was shopping in Jackson for the first time and entered the Fargo Club to have a drink. She said she ordered a second drink and the next thing she remembered was waking up in a hotel room next to Smith. The victim reported the crime to Jackson police the next day. Riebe said the video surveillance was the crucial piece of evidence in the case. “The video clearly demonstrated Smith’s intent to take advantage of the victim’s capacity,” he said. Smith’s sentencing date will be determined on March 27th. He faces up to eight years in state prison. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County – A reported kidnapping led to an arrest at Wal-Mart in Martell Monday night. Amador sheriff’s deputies arrested Merle Range of Stockton and charged him with kidnapping, extortion and possession of a controlled substance. Range was being held today in the Amador County Jail, with his bail set at $77,500 dollars. At about 9 p.m. Monday, the Amador County Sheriff's Office received a call from a reporting party in Stockton, stating that a 25-year-old male was being held for ransom in Amador County. The caller stated that the kidnapper was at the Wal-Mart on Wicklow Way, inside a gold colored car. Sheriff's deputies responded immediately and located a car matching the description. A felony stop was initiated and one suspect was taken into custody. The victim was also in the vehicle. At the time, representatives from the Stockton Police Department began the process of going out to talk to the reporting party in Stockton, and further questioning of the suspect and victim also ensued. Amador County Undersheriff Jim Wegner said the suspect was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and possession of methamphetamines, after drugs were found in his car. The victim reportedly was abducted at knifepoint in Stockton, because he owed the kidnapper money. The suspect gave no information. The victim’s sister reportedly was told to wire money to the suspect or the victim would be harmed. Wegner said the investigation is continuing, because of conflicting stories. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador City - Head injuries sustained during a motorcycle wreck Sunday were the result of a “novelty” helmet”, according to CHP reports released Monday. Roy Leslie Howard, 48, of Sacramento, was driving his motorcycle at unsafe speeds when he lost control at the intersection of Old Highway 49 and the 49 bypass outside Amador City, reports said. The recently installed intersection has also been criticized for its design, which requires vehicles exiting the 49 bypass to make a sudden sharp turn while greatly reducing their rate of speed. Howard applied his brakes in order to avoid vehicles stopped at the stop sign, then left the roadway and collided with multiple metal paddle markers. Howard sustained major closed head injuries and was transported by air ambulance to Mercy San Juan Hospital. CHP says the injuries were the result of wearing a “novelty” helmet not designed for motorcycle use instead of a California Highway Patrol approved helmet. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Amador County - In Ione news, the new fire station is on course and within budget, according to City Treasurer Sharon Long. The 8,250 square foot facility located on Preston Avenue was approved on the basis that it will better and more readily serve residents who were previously harder to access because of geography and other factors. In addition to the existing firehouse, this facility will increase response time for the areas west of Sutter Creek, eliminating the bottleneck at Preston Avenue and Main Street. The new facility will house eight fire trucks and equipment for the dedicated staff of volunteer firefighters. In October of 2008, the community raised $20,000 in support of the volunteer firefighters. The funds were used to purchase new structural fire protective gear for the department. In 2007, the community donated enough funds to purchase 50 sets of wildland firefighting gear. A grand opening ceremony is planned for April. The department has 45 members, mostly volunteers. Story by Alex Lane
Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe announced the arrests of ten people in connection with an undercover investigation of alleged unlicensed contracting. Last Thursday, investigators posed as homeowners and invited bids on home improvement projects at a sting house in Jackson. The multi-agency operation included investigators from the Contractors State License Board, Jackson Police Department, Amador County Sheriff’s Office, and the Amador County District Attorney’s Office. Among those arrested was Bruce “Buddy” White of B&G Heat and Air, whose contractor’s license is currently suspended and who has a pending criminal jury trial in Amador County Superior Court involving alleged diversion of construction funds and embezzlement by a contractor. Each count of contracting without a license and unlawful advertising is a misdemeanor and is punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a 1,000 dollar fine for the first offense. All contractors who perform work that is valued at 500 dollars or more including labor and materials must be licensed by the Contractors State License Board. To report unlicensed contracting activity or someone committing fraud, call the Contractors State License Board SWIFT Unit in Sacramento at (916) 255-2924 or the Amador County District Attorney’s Office at (209) 223-6444. Staff Report
Staff Report -
The Amador County Sheriff’s Office and the Jackson Police Department are collaboratively investigating several vehicle burglaries which have occurred in the Jackson and Pine Grove area. During one of the burglaries, the suspects stole credit cards, which were subsequently utilized in a business in Martell. Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies recovered surveillance video of the subjects utilizing the stolen credit cards. The male and female subjects depicted in the photographs are wanted for questioning. Anyone with information regarding the identity of the male subject or his female companion are asked to contact Detective Tom Rayzor or Detective Luke McElfish of the Amador County Sheriff’s Office at (209) 223-6500, Detective Chris Mynderup of the Jackson Police Department at (209) 223-1771 or the Secret Witness Program at (209) 223-4900.
By Jim Reece -
Amador County Supervisors last week voted to send a letter to the state supporting logging as a means of clearing the air and curbing catastrophic forest fires in Amador and across California. The board voted 5-0 to approve a letter for Chairman Richard Forster to sign. The letter, to California Air Resources Board Chair Mary D. Nichols, was in regard to the 2008 Climate Change Scoping Plan. Forster said the draft letter was in response to the issue of the Climate Change Scoping Plan and requested Nichols to strongly support allowing the logging of high-density forest areas containing trees that were dead and dying, so to create defensible space and reduce the fuels in forests and prevent catastrophic fires, which have disastrous effects on air quality and contribute to global warming. The letter noted that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a March executive order directed the California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Resources Agency to oversee the Climate Action Team’s development of measures for wildfire fuels reduction and biomass utilization. The letter said that Amador County Supervisors are “troubled that no such measures have been outlined in the scoping plan.” The letter said that “wildfires statewide have had major impacts on air quality, contributing significantly to California’s carbon and particulate emissions.” Supervisors urged the Governor to take an active role at the federal level to demand that the United States Forest Service take action to mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfires. The letter urged the Air Resources Board to include in its Final Draft Scoping Plan a “firm commitment by the state to join with local governments to advocate at the federal level for enhanced management on U.S. Forest Service lands, as well as an extensive program to quantify wildfire emissions that could be avoided though better forest management practices.” The letter called the efforts vital to “improving the quality of the air and public health.” Supervisors passed an accompanying resolution that noted Amador County land totaled 363,500 acres, of which 34 percent – or 87,270 acres – is federal land. The resolution, Number 08-186, calls for “immediate measures to be taken to prevent imminent catastrophic wildfires.”
