FEDERAL LEGISLATORS (CA)
CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATORS,
AMADOR COUNTY
Opinion, Issues & Politics provides a platform for expressing views and opinions on local, regional and national issues, as well as to inform citizens of political organizations and focus groups that are active in Amador County. The views expressed by contributed content is not necessarily the views of ACN. ACN will not publish comments that are obscene, hateful, abusive, threatening, harassing, defamatory, etc. Commentaries emailed to ACN will be considered "for the record" unless commentator specifically indicate otherwise.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Letter to the Editor: Historic Ione Band of Miwoks call Ledger Dispatch on “irresponsible reporting”
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GOINGON:
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Out of the Darkness Community Walk
Saturday, October 18th, 2008
William Land Park in Sacramento, CA
Pre-register at: http://www.outofthedarkness.org
Check in- 8:45am / Walk begins at 10am
Walk with us as we join thousands of people nationwide to raise money for AFSP's vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide, and assist survivors of suicide loss. The EFFORT (regional Suicide Prevention & Crisis Services) is partnering with AFSP to host this Community Walk. Suicide is preventable. You can make a difference. Join us!
ONGOING:
Amador County Child Abuse Prevention Council
Meet the 3rd Mondays of odd months
Next meeting: July 21
For more info contact Robin Valencia, Program Coordinator at 223-5921, Fax: 209-223-5931, or e-mail: info@amadorcapc.org
Amador Citizens for Peace: Monthly Candlelight Vigil
3rd Friday of every month at 5PM
Next vigil: July 18
Corner of Highways 88/49
Near Jackson City Hall
Candlelight vigil for the Iraq Moratorium. For more information: Cheryl Scott: 296-4684 cherylscott@volcano.net & Nora Coryell 223-3322 americassmokesignals@netzero.net
Amador Citizens for Smart Growth (ACSG)
Meets the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays from 3-5PM
Next Meetings: July 1 & 15, August 5 & 19
235 New York Ranch Rd, Suite D
Quail Hollow Center, Jackson
Amador County Democratic Central Committee Meeting
Meets the 3rd Thursday of the month
Next meeting: July 17
40 N. Highway 49/88, Jackson
(Crosswalk from Mel's Diner/Busi Municipal Parking Lot)
The Amador Democratic Club
Meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 7PM.
Next meeting: August 5
Amador Senior Center
229 New York Ranch Road, Jackson
For info call President Liz Mc Culloch at 296-5131.
Amador County Republican Central Committee
Meets the third Thursday of every month at 7PM.
Next meeting: July 17
Amador Senior Center
229 New York Ranch Road, Jackson
Amador Progressive Women's Committee (APWC)
Meets the 1st Thursday of the month at 11:30AM
Next Meeting:: August 7
Jackson Elks Club
For more information click here.
Amador County Citizens Against Global Warming
Citizens for Stabilzing & Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions is an organization of volunteers is forming with the intent to help stabilize and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Amador County. The organization will work with all stake holders including, but not limited to, concerned citizens, business organizations, agricultural organizations, faith based organizations and cities of Sutter Creek, Jackson, Ione, Plymouth, Amador City and the County Board of Supervisors.
The national program that will be implemented is called Cool Cities and Cool Counties, a program that is successful in over 500 cities and several counties throughout the U.S.
For more information, contact Jerry Scott, Director, at 296-1775 or jersusan@volcano.net
Amador Dry Creek Watershed Council
Meets the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 7PM
Next Meeting: 16
Amador County Administration Building, Conference Room 3
810 Court Street, Jackson
The Amador Dry Creek Watershed Council will assess, protect and enhance the Dry Creek basin through collaboration, advocacy and education.
BLM Hazardous Fuel Reduction Program
The Folsom office of the Bureau of Land Management announces a new variance program. If a homeowner lives adjacent to a BLM property, they may be eligible for this variance. Basically, if the homeowner has done everything they can to meet PRC 4291, the 100 foot defensible space law, but are up against the mutual property line with BLM, they can apply for this variance and get permission to work on BLM's property to enhance their defensible space. All work on BLM property must be within 100' of the mutual property line. The homeowner would be responsible for any costs. There would be no restrictions on using federal or state funds if, for instance, a homeowner qualified for the Amador Fire Safe Council's low income senior/disabled grant and already had their 4291 compliance around the house. AFSC would then be able to work on the BLM lands within 100' of that mutual property line. The AFSC office has the application form to request the variance, or the homeowner can call BLM directly at 916-985-4474. AFSC will not help the homeowner get the variance, but we can supply the homeowner with the application and contact information.
Cathy Koos Breazeal
Executive Director
Amador Fire Safe Council
209-296-6220
CAL-FIRE's "Volunteers In Prevention" Program
Be a CAL FIRE VIP! The objectives of the VIP Program were to involve and utilize citizens and public service groups in non-salaried positions to reduce man-caused fires by 10 percent per 100,000 population within seven targeted areas: Lake-Napa, Shasta, Nevada,-Yuba-Placer, Amador-El Dorado, Santa Clara, Riverside and San Diego.
Today, there are approximately 2500 VIP's statewide, in all 21 CAL FIRE Units, averaging over 60,000 hours of volunteer service to CAL FIRE. In exchange CAL FIRE pays meals and mileage for their expenses. History has shown that when VIP teams provide fire prevention teaching in grades K-3rd, child-related fires in those areas have dropped by 50 percent. In addition, VIPs educate thousands of children and their parents about fire prevention by participating in fairs, displays, and parades each year. Volunteers are trained to make preliminary wildland homeowner property inspections for fire safety as required by Public Resources Code 4291, and to discuss with homeowners ways to make their homes fire safe. These one-on-one contacts are an increasingly important education tool as the population in California's wildlands continues to grow.
VIPs are trained to assist CAL FIRE's efforts during wildland fires and other emergencies by providing information to the media and public. A specialized group of volunteers (HAM radio operators and CB radio groups) provide additional communication networks for CAL FIRE during emergencies including wildland fires, earthquakes and floods.
For more information on the VIP program, contact Tobie Edmonds, Lead Public Information Officer, CAL FIRE
Amador El Dorado Unit Prevention Bureau, 2840 Mt. Danaher Road, Camino, CA 95709, Office (530) 647-5229, Cell (530) 919-4524.
Citizens for the Preservation of Historic Jackson (CPHJ)
President: Bob Devlin. Current project is the opposition of the Home Depot being built on the Surian property, near Jackson's historic Main Street. Click here to email the CPHJ for more info.
Democratic Club of Amador County
Meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7PM.
Next meeting: July 1
Jackson Senior Center
229 New York Ranch Rd.
Jackson CA 95642
Our Guests will be Supervisory District 1 candidates Rosalie Pryor-Escamilla and John Gonsalves. Here is a chance to discuss issues effecting you and Amador County with two of the candidates in depth. No matter which district you live in, this election effects you and we all have friends in every district, So come to see what these candidates have to say about your future.
If you are a registered Democrat interested in meeting other Democrats and getting involved in political activities in Amador, this is the club for you. We are the only chartered Democratic Club in the county and open to any and all Democrats.
We discuss local, state and national issues; schedule speakers on topics of interest to our members; and participate in Democratic activities in Amador County, both social and political. We have a scholarship program for Amador County High Schoolers (public, private and home schooled, including those working toward their GED).
Dues are $24.00 per year. For further information contact Liz McCulloch, 209) 296-5131, e-mail: mccullok@volcano.net, or go to: www.amadordemocrats.org
Foothill Conservancy asks for support for National Wild and Scenic River designation for the Mokelumne River.
Your support is critical as we talk with local and national officials about protecting the Mokelumne for future generations. Now we need to build our supporter list-- and for that, we need your help. We can work with politicians and community groups. But we don't know your friends. Can you e-mail 5 to 10 of your friends and ask them to join you in supporting National Wild and Scenic designation for the Mokelumne?
Please send them to our website, www.foothillconservancy.org.
There's a link to the support form on the home page, along with photo galleries and more information. Be sure to remind your friends why the Mokelumne River is worth protecting:
- Incredible scenic beauty
- Quiet reaches for fly fishing and abundant trout
- Places children can learn to fish and pan for gold
- Campgrounds and picnic areas for families
- Rich cultural and historical resources
- Exciting whitewater for expert kayakers
- Important wildlife habitat
- Water and power supply for millions
Together, we can protect our river for future generations. Thanks for your help!
Foothill Conservancy
P.O. Box 1255
Pine Grove, CA 95665
Pine Grove Civic Improvement Club & Council
Meets the 1st Wednesday
Council at 5:30PM / Club at 6:30PM
Town Hall (across from park in Pine Grove)
Next meeting: August 6
Meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend. We generally have at least one supervisor present. For more information call 296-7626.
“Take-It-Back Amador!”
Battery & Fluorescent Tube/Bulb Disposal
Meeks, Ione; ACE Hardware, Pine Grove
County residents now have more options for disposing used batteries and fluorescent tubes & bulbs “Take-It-Back Amador!” is a partnership that promotes the proper recycling and disposal of used household batteries and fluorescent tubes & bulbs. In response to New Universal Waste Regulations, Meeks Lumber & Hardware, and ACE Hardware and Lumber stores located in Pine Grove and Ione are accepting these items, free of charge, from county residents. Universal Waste, meaning widely used, can pose a threat to public health and the environment if not properly handled. California regulations prohibit universal wastes from landfill disposal. Amador County residents can continue to bring these items to the County’s Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Facility every other Saturday at the Buena Vista Landfill Transfer Station. This program is for residential use only. Business and commercial materials will not be accepted. For more information on HHW collection dates or materials, Amador County Water Management Department at (209) 223-6429 or visit: www.co.amador.ca.us/depts/waste/
Upcountry Communities Council:
Concerned Citizens in an Unincorporated Area
Meets the 3rd Thursday of every month from 6-8PM
Next meeting: July 17
Veterans Memorial Hall at Pioneer Park
Buckhorn Ridge Rd., Pioneer.
This month our meeting will host the topic of Red Cross in Amador County. We will also hold elections for the year. Supervisor Ted will open the meeting as usual at 6p.m. with a County update. Bring neighbors and friends to provide all the input we can for this exciting new opportunity.
The Upcountry Communities Council is a working group acknowledged by the County, which provides assistance to the County and residents in governmental affairs affecting the area known as Upcountry in Amador County. The areas within the Council are the Communities of Amador Pines, Buckhorn, Pine Grove, Mace Meadows, Pioneer, RabbPark, Silver Lakes Pines/Sierra Highlands and Volcano. For more information, call Bob Currall at 295-7630 or Debbie Dunn at 296-5435 or ddunn@volcano.net
Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Council
About the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Council: To establish a collaborative decision-making body and a forum composed of all parties with a vested interest, including local residents, agricultural, timber and other commercial entities, recreational users, and public agencies. We shall work to restore and maintain the Upper Mokelumne River watershed in a manner that ensures sustainable environmental, economic, educational, cultural, recreational, and water quality benefits for present and future generations. Multi-Stakeholder Collaborative Group in the following counties are involved: Amador, Calaveras, & Alpine; Sub-Region: East & South Central
Contact: Terry Strange
Address: 235 New York Ranch Road, Suite D, Jackson CA 95642
Phone: 209.257.1851 ext 105 Fax: 209.257.0910
Email: strangeaqua@volcano.net
or Susan Snoke at 257-1851 x107
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