Nemees Will Appeal Trinitas Decision, Attorney Says

Calaveras Enterprise Read the original article here. Trinitas owners Michael and Michelle Nemee plan to appeal a federal judge’s ruling that their golf course does not constitute agritourism, their attorney, Ken Foley of San Andreas, said Wednesday. In a 65-page opinion released last week, U.S. bankruptcy court Judge Ronald Sargis declared golf as an ineligible form of agritourism in Calaveras County. “The Board of Supervisors has used... Read More

Trinitas Bankruptcy Court Supports County Definition of Agritourism

In a 65-page decision filed November 21, 2011, Judge Ronald H. Sargis upheld the Calaveras Board of Supervisor’s decision that golf is not Agritourism, and rejected the Nemee’s argument that they were misled by the County. The judge went on to grant the County’s request for an injunction on commercial golfing at Trinitas. Unless the judge’s decision is appealed, the injunction will take effect on January 27, 2012. The decision is part of... Read More

Mother Lode Road Deal Falls Apart

By Dana M. Nichols November 19, 2011 Record Staff Writer SAN ANDREAS – Funding for a $56 million straightening of the Wagon Trail section of Highway 4 between Copperopolis and Angels Camp is in jeopardy after a three-county agreement to cooperate on highway funding collapsed this week. Wednesday the Amador Transportation Commission voted to withdraw from its agreement to cooperate with Calaveras and Alpine counties. By cooperating on planning... Read More

Federal Judge: Golf Operations at Trinitas Must Halt by Jan. 27

By The Record November 23, 2011 MODESTO – A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge this week posted an opinion in which he found the 280-acre Trinitas golf course near Burson a “public nuisance” and ordered golf operations there to cease by Jan. 27. The 65-page opinion by Judge Ronald Sargis criticized Trinitas owners Michael and Michelle Nemee for being “sophisticated” business professionals who spent millions on a scheme to illegally build... Read More

The Judge’s Decision on Trinitas is Out

Update courtesy of Lew and Kathy Mahew. Judge Sargis’ Opinion on Nemee v. County of Calaveras is now available to view or download here. As previously reported, the judge’s decision finds in favor of the County on all counts; it grants injunctive relief to enforce zoning code violations, effective January 27. In other news today, Judge Sargis denied the Plaintiff’s “Motion to Reopen Oral Arguments” and the Debtors... Read More

Bank Asks Judge to Seize Trinitas – Argues Course Can’t Recover from Bankruptcy

By Dana M. Nichols November 11, 2011 Record Staff Writer SAN ANDREAS – Stockton-based Community Bank of San Joaquin is asking a judge to let the bank seize the Trinitas golf property south of Wallace. U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Ronald Sargis is scheduled to consider the request on Dec. 7 in Modesto. If granted, it would likely mean the end of operation for Trinitas, which was built without permits in an agricultural preserve. Trinitas owners... Read More

Fire board Approves $150 Fee for Rural Properties

The Associated Press Posted: 11/09/2011 05:56:05 PM PST SACRAMENTO, Calif.—A California firefighting board has approved raising an annual wildfire fee for rural structures to $150. The state Board of Forestry and Fire Protection voted Wednesday to impose the higher fee sought by Gov. Jerry Brown. It will apply to about 850,000 properties where the state provides wildfire prevention and protection. The board approved a $90 fee in August that contained... Read More

Federal Money Goes to Bridge Repairs Here in Calaveras County

By Sara Lunsford, Calaveras Enterprise, November 4, 2011 Three more bridges in Calaveras County will be retrofitted in the next few years, thanks to a federal program aimed at making aging public bridges across the country safer. The Federal Highway Administration instituted the Highway Bridge Program which is administered through each of the states to rehabilitate, restore and perform preventative maintenance on aging bridges. The program allocates... Read More

A Sunday Afternoon for CAP

Over 50 people gathered at the Hotel Leger in Mokelumne Hill on October 23 to enjoy the accomplishments of the Community Action Project and look to the future of citizen participation in county and regional planning. Inspiring presentations informed newcomers and those who know CAP well that: Our voices and actions have changed the planning conversation in Calaveras County; citizens have shown that they will hold our county government accountable... Read More

Study Paid for in Part by Skeptics Finds Raising Temps

Study paid for in part by skeptics finds raising temps. Physicist to detail report’s findings at climate change conference. By Seth Borenstein The Associated Press/Record October 31, 2011 WASHINGTON-A prominent physicist and skeptic of climate change spent two years trying to find out if mainstream climate scientists were wrong.  In the end, he determined they were right: Temperatures really are rising rapidly. The study of the world’s surface... Read More