Calaveras County’s budget is nearly finalized and the costs remain high.

The Board of Supervisors held its final budget hearing at Tuesday’s meeting, which is the last step before its anticipated approval Sept. 24. The budget is balanced, but the county’s financial situation remains dire, with the gap between revenue and expenses being filled using $3.4 million in one-time funds from the Teeter Fund. “If I ran my restaurant like this, we’d be out of business long ago,” said District 1 Supervisor Cliff Edson,... Read More

FoCuS Acquires New Potato Harvester

This summer, FoCuS Board Member, Val Dambacher, submitted a grant proposal for FoCuS to the Sonora Area Foundation. The goal was to have the Foundation help our community acquire a piece of farm equipment that could be used to harvest potatoes mechanically for the FoCuS annual Potato Patch. This annual project has been conducted for the past four years, helping to build food security for our community. It has been amazingly productive, but also a... Read More

Pro-growth, no-growth, slow-growth: Placerville BOS listens to public points

A standing-room-only crowd of about 200 packed the Board of Supervisors chambers in Placerville on Aug. 26 to hear about and to discuss growth in the county. Former District 4 Supervisor Bill Center and Camino resident Jim Moore, known as the “Measure Y guys,” delivered a presentation generally showing how growth, as currently planned, will clog local roads and choke transportation, especially in the western parts of the county. Measure Y was... Read More

Blue oaks: from tiny acorns to giant trees

Columnist Paul Stein profiles our local blue oaks. Calaveras Enterprise, August 30  Read More

Editorial: Fix CEQA, end carve-outs for special projects

The Sacramento Bee advocates for changes to the state’s landmark environmental law. Sacramento Bee editorial, September 3  Read More

New water tunnel route sets up conservation battle over Delta island

The new twin tunnel route has focused attention on Staten Island, purchased as sandhill crane habitat with public money years ago. Sacramento Bee, September  Read More

The Ione Valley Land, Air & Water Defense Alliance lawsuit

The Ione Valley Land, Air & Water Defense Alliance lawsuit against the proposed Newman Ridge Quarry and Edwin Center North Asphalt Plant will be heard on Tuesday, September 10th, from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm.in the Amador Superior Court, located at 500 Argonaut Lane, Jackson, For more information go to: http://www.ionevalleylawda.com/  Read More

Toxic mine site in Lode needs fix

Repairs costing $1.2 million are needed to fix the”geomembrane” wrapped around mine waste buried in a landfill near Lake Camanche. Stockton Record, August 15  Read More

CCWD takes over Wallace water district

Calaveras County Water District will have 100 new customers as a result of acquiring the Wallace Commmunity Services District. Calaveras Enterprise, August 16  Read More

Environmental group accuses state of subterfuge

After no real downsizing of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan or “twin tunnels,” Friends of the River is accusing the backers of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan of subterfuge. Central Valley Business Times, August 18  Read More