Minimum wage hikes seen through county lens

Employers fear new law will cut business “Minimum wage does nothing but create unemployment. It pushes workers out of the workforce and into welfare oblivion.” Stephen Fairchild, president of Sierra Nevada Recreation Corp., echoed the thoughts of some business owners in Calaveras as he voiced his opposition to a pending bill that could raise the minimum wage from $8 to $10 over the next two years. Assembly Bill 10 was given the go-ahead from... Read More

Planning director should be secure

This following letter was submitted to the Calaveras Enterprise by Kerry Williams expressing the views of CAP and the Calaveras Planning Coalition: September 13, 2013 Rebecca Willis has resigned. For the sixth time in seven years, there will be a new Calaveras County planning director. Willis made significant improvements to the department that included building a capable staff, promptly processing over-the-counter projects, moving forward a backlog... Read More

Viewpoint: Rim Fire shows we need to rethink how we manage forests

The Nature Conservancy joins a rural county organization and the CA Forestry Association to call for more fuel reduction projects in Sierra forests. Sacramento Bee op-ed, September 15  Read More

Viewpoint: Fires can be restorative, unlike heavy logging.

Two fire ecologists talk about fire, salvage logging, and wildlife in the context of the Rim Fire. Sacramento Bee op-ed, September 15  Read More

Climate change prompts new concerns about Delta tunnels, Sacramento water supply.

The Sacramento City Council this week stepped up its critique of a plan to build two giant water diversion tunnels in the Delta, warning that it may harm the city’s ability to access drinking water in the decades ahead. Sacramento Bee, September 13  Read More

Water key to protecting economic future

Calaveras County Water District General Manager Mitch Dion on protecting the county’s water rights. He also makes a pitch for managing forests to produce more water, a hypothesis that has yet to be fully proven. Calaveras Enterprise op-ed, September 17  Read More

River Canyon Acquisition Advances Protection of Free-Flowing River

On August 29th the American River Conservancy completed the purchase of 1,059 acres of Cosumnes River canyon lands from Angelo Tsakopoulos for $4.8 million. These purchased lands protect an additional 1.5 miles of river canyon from future residential development on the North and Main Forks of the Cosumnes River immediately east and west of Highway 49 in both El Dorado and Amador Counties. Acquired lands make up the southern portion of the larger... Read More

A different view on the Rim Fire: Congress partly to blame

Guest opinion by John Buckley | Posted: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 9:58 am http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/opinion/article_501373e0-1a3a-11e3-951b-0019bb2963f4.html Whenever there are major tragic events, such as the huge Rim Fire, they grab the public’s attention and provide an opportunity for some people to get on a soapbox to promote their interest. Dr. Tom Bonnicksen, a consistent spokesman for the interests of the timber industry, provided... Read More

Fires can be restorative, unlike heavy logging

By Dominick DellaSala and Chad Hanson Special to The Bee Published: Sunday, Sep. 15, 2013 – 12:00 am This year, as in every year, fires are occurring in the forests of the western United States. And, as always, we read the predictable headlines about how many acres of forest were “destroyed,” whether in Yellowstone National Park in the famous 1988 fires or today’s Rim fire in the Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park. Some... Read More

Student Safety Takes a Detour

By Dana M. Nichols  August 29, 2013 Record Staff Writer SAN ANDREAS – The long-awaited plan to build a safer walking route to Jenny Lind Elementary School in Valley Springs hit another delay this week when the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors rejected the only construction bid. The problem: The $949,950 bid submitted by MCI Engineering of Stockton is for more than the funds available. “The plan and specifications need to be amended,”... Read More