Calaveras County Taxpayers Association Update/ Items of Interest

Some items of interest:
Congressman Dan Lungren will have a town hall meeting at the Angels Camp Fairgrounds on Saturday, April 30, 2011, 10:30 AM to 12:00 noon.  CCTA will have our literature table set up with fliers on the FEMA problem plus an open letter the public could sign. The letter will likely ask for a balanced budget, urging repeal of Obama Care and ending federal unconstitutional activity including the portions of the Patriot Act which violate the rights of the American people. If you have issues that we should cover, please reply as we are drafting the letter now. Big thank you to David Tunno of our Executive Council for his investigative work on the FEMA Insurance problem. Also, to Darrell Wilburn for his work exposing the CalPERS problem. Click here for press release.
CCTA attended the recent Valley Springs Tea Party with three shelters which featured our literature and petition tables and tables for our two Constitution Classes hosted by Seana Hogan And Donna Zenovitch, also CalPERS and FEMA literature  tables hosted by executive Council Members David Tunno and Darrell Wilburn. Big thank you goes to Peter Raiz Event Chair, Directors Bill Mason, Tonja and Mike Dausend. The keynote speaker was Senator Tom McClintock. Also speaking was Assemblymember Kristin Olson, Ginny Rapini of NorCal Tea Party Patriots and Kiss Anderson, local Republican leader. Event Moderator was Cory Burnell, Director. CCTA received donations of $39 for literature sales including about two dozen pocket constitutions.
CCTA increased membership by 22 in the last 30 days. Big thank you to Mike Dausend, Director and Membership Chair - and of course you, if you are one of our new members.
Mike also upgraded our website including pictures of events. Check it out at CalaverasTaxpayers.orgBest regards,
Al Segalla

McDillard's Feed & Supply Hosting Vet Visitation Day

McDillards Feed & Supply will be hosting their annual Vet Visitation Day April 30, 2011, 9 am to 1 pm.
Dr Wes Whittman of Mono Way Vet will be on hand to check the health of your pet and provide needed vaccinations. Phone 785-8000 for vaccination fees.
Ranch calls are also being accepted and will be made on Friday April 29, 2011. To schedule a ranch call please phone 532-5507.
Along with the vet visitation McDillards will be having specials on many products from their animal feed lines and supplies.

Board of Supervisors Meeting Agenda for 4-26-11

AGENDA

Calaveras Sheriff Press Release re: Search and Rescue Natural Bridges

PRESS RELEASE

A Few More Photos from CCLTOA Easter Egg Hunt by local photographer Ileana Grycel

For more info on Ileana click HERE

Copper Cougars Track Team Places Well at First Meet of the Season

On April 15th, the Copper Track Team competed at the Gold Rush Invitational at Calaveras High School. It was our first meet of the season and all of the runners did great. Congratulations to the following Copper Cats!

6th Grade Girls Shot Put – 1st Place Christine Lora

6th Grade Girls Triple Jump - 2nd Place Addison Stafford

6th Grade Girls 100m -2nd Place Christine Lora

6th Grade Girls 400m - 2nd Place Malia Day

6th Grade Girls 800m - 2nd Place Malia Day

6th Grade Boys 100m - 5th Place Tyler Carlson

6th Grade Boys 200m - 5th Place Preston Smith

6th Grade Boys 400m - 4th Place Preston Smith

6th Grade Boys 800m - 6th Place Tyler Quierolo

CFPD Board of Directors Public Meeting 4-28-11

COPPEROPOLIS  FIRE  PROTECTION  DISTRICT

370   MAIN  STREET,  COPPEROPOLIS,  CA 95228

AGENDA 

 APRIL  28,  2011          PUBLIC  MEETING    6:30  P.M.

 1.   Call  to  order

 2.   Roll Call of Directors

3.   Approval of Agenda:  This is the time for any Director to ask that an item be considered in a different order than listed below.  New items cannot be added to this Agenda for deliberation or action, but may be added to the Agenda of a future meeting pursuant to Item # 10 below (Identification of Items for Future Meetings).

4.   Approval of Minutes:  Public Meeting, March 10, 2011, Public Meeting/Workshops March 5, 2011, and March 19, 2011.  Closed Sessions, March 10, 2011, March 19, 2011, and, March 24, 2011.  Minutes of April 14, 2011 Emergency Closed Session.

5.   Correspondence  

6.   Public Comments:  This is the time and place for the general public to address the Board of Directors regarding items on this agenda.  Members of the public wishing to address the Board of Directors regarding items not on the agenda for this meeting may do so as long as the subject matter is within jurisdiction of the Board of Directors (Government Code section 54954.3 (a)).  Comments are limited to five minutes per individual and five minutes for speakers representing an organization.  This time limit may be extended at the discretion of the Chair.(Government Code section 54954.(b) ) 

7.  Staff Reports:  

            Item 7-A;  Captain  Cantrell

                        1.  Monthly Activity Reports                                                                                                               2. Legislative Report

            Item 7-B;   Office Manager

                        1.  Review of Financial Reports                                                                                                               

            Item 7-C;  Copperopolis Professional Firefighters Association

            Item 7-D;   Copperopolis Volunteer Firemen's Association

8.  Old Business 

            Item 8-A;   Equal Employment Opportunity, Harassment, and, Discrimination policy.        Discussion and possible adoption.

            Item 8-B;   Board of Directors educational workshop.

            Item 8-C;   Audit review and possible acceptance Fiscal Year 2009-2010.

            Item 8-D;   Budget review Fiscal Year 2010-2011, and, Fiscal Year 2011-2012.

            Item 8-E;    Senior of the Year Nominations. 

            Item 8-F:   FEMA Grant - Nicholas Maness.

9.   New Business

            Item 9-A:    Cal PERS  Adjustments.                                                         

10.   Identification of Items for Future Meetings:  This is the time for Board Members to identify the items that they wish to be considered at future meetings.  These items will not be discussed at this meeting, but will be included on the agenda for a future meeting so that proper notice can be made to the public.  This is also the time for scheduling board workshops and / or special meetings.  Agenda items may be added by Board Members prior to posting time of the agenda.

11.   Adjournment  Public Meeting will be adjourned with a Closed Session to follow a recess.

Next scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors will held Thursday,  May 12, 2011.                                                     

12.   Adjournment

                       

                                                                                                            Posted on April 25, 2011

                                                                                                                                                _______________________

                                                                                                                                                Belva Bristol, Office Manager

Bullying Blog Post by Luke Houghton and Jared Smith with assistance from Ron Kopf, Tuolumne County Youth Commissioners

Bullying is a serious problem for the Youth of Tuolumne County. Although not everyone is bullied on a regular basis, the problem of bullying is present no matter where you go. Bullying causes problems ranging from physical anxiety that can cause stomach aches, muscle aches, and diarrhea to stress and mental instability for individuals who are bullied. Those who are bullied are unable to focus and perform their best in school and are less able to learn. Bullying also has consequences for schools as a whole. As more people are bullied, they often become bullies themselves because of their insecurity and a vicious cycle forms. However, bullying is not a single person event; in fact most experts agree that most bullying takes place in the presence of three parties.
Party number one is the bully or bullies. Most often, bullies are insecure about themselves and are not comfortable being challenged by other people. Subconsciously, bullies seek to elevate their own status by degrading others. Usually a bully or bullies try to look tough in the eyes of those around them so that they can feel good about themselves. Thus, most bullying takes place in the presence of bystanders. Bullies may work in groups or they may work alone. Groups of bullies with the same problems and insecurities feel comfortable with each other and have similar goals. Bullies aren't necessarily bad people, their circumstances and social statuses are usually the cause of their negativity and feelings of insecurity.
Party number two is the bullied. The bullied may be a person or a group of people with common attributes. The bullied are often quieter and less imposing than the bully and so they are an easy target. The bullied are also commonly different in some way or another from most other people. Something they do, the way they behave or their social status is usually different from the other people around them. Because they are different, they are easy targets for the bully because bystanders are less likely to interfere or protect the bullied. The bullied often does not enjoy confrontation. Because bullying is a recurring event between the bully and the bullied, the bullied tries to avoid the bully because obviously, they don't want to be bullied.

READ MORE myMotherlode

CCWD Study Session April 27, 2011

Review and discussion of stategic business plan.
MEETING AGENDA

NOAA Short Term Forecast

THE BACK EDGE OF THE AREA OF RAIN THAT MOVED OVER THE AREA LAST
NIGHT AND THIS MORNING WAS LOCATED FROM BLUE CANYON...TO
AUBURN...TO EAST OF SACRAMENTO AT 745 AM. RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO
MOVE TO THE EAST OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA AND MOTHERLODE AREAS
THROUGH MID MORNING. MOSTLY LIGHT RAIN IS EXPECTED WITH SNOW ABOVE
5000 OR 6000 FEET. RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM A TENTH TO A QUARTER OF
AN INCH ARE EXPECTED OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA AND MOTHERLODE THIS
MORNING. THIS AREA OF RAIN AND SNOW SHOULD DIMINISH BY LATE
MORNING.

MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON WITH STILL A CHANCE
OF SCATTERED SHOWERS...MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80.

Thank you Copperopolis ~ from Michael Legge

I wanted to take time to thank all of the people who came to the Payless IGA the last 2 days and made donations. I am halfway to my goal which is more than I thought to make. Thank you again for all the help and wish me luck at the State Science Fair!

Michael Legge

 

 

 

Note:

Michael Legge is a Copperopolis resident and 8th grader at Mark Twain. He placed first in his division at the Calaveras County Science Fair and is heading on to the State Science Fair representing Calaveras County.

Copper Cop Sets Up Shop ~ By, John Howsden

If Calaveras County had a contest for the shortest commute to work, resident Deputy Paul Newnam would win hands down. Newnam, a Calaveras deputy sheriff since 1998, has always wanted to work in the same community that he lived. When newly elected Sheriff Kuntz asked for a volunteer to serve as a resident deputy for Copperopolis, Newnam got his wish.

In order to feel more like a part of the community, Newnam moved to Copperopolis with his wife and two children from Sonora long before the position of resident deputy was available. “I like walking out of my front door and letting my neighbors see they have a cop in the neighborhood.” In times where some police departments are laying off deputies this is a big plus for our community. Although his beat covers more than Copperopolis, he enjoys working closely with the people within his immediate neighborhood.

Letting everyone know you’re a deputy by parking your police car in front of your house, sometimes resulted in people driving down your driveway to report a crime. Newnam takes this in stride and considers himself on duty twenty-four hours, seven days a week. “My ambition is to work with the community as well as being a part of it,” says Newnam.

Even though police services is an around the clock affair, Newnam still finds times for his hobbies. He is an avid deer hunter and his latest gig is playing keyboard in a local band called The Copper Holdings Company. His eyes lit up when he started rattling off all the places he had played years before, up to and including the Hollywood Club, a sign that you’ve made it as a band.  Playing back-up for Freddie Fender was mentioned almost as an after thought. Oh yeah, he’s also self-employed with a truck washing business, a line of work he’s been involved in since moving to California from Oklahoma as a young man.

In 1992 he hired on with Angels Camp Police Department as a reserve.  “It was just a hobby,” says Newnam, but he worked as much as a full time officer and twice was awarded the title of Officer of the Year. Six years later he joined the Sheriff’s Department.

Being in police work for nineteen years has afforded him valuable experience in dealing with people in stressful situations. When asked if he had ever had to fire his gun in the line of duty, he knocked on the top of an old wooden table he was setting next to and said, “No, and I hope I never have to.” Being a deputy in an area where your nearest back-up officer can be a ways off, you learn how to deal with people.

Learning how to deal with people may explain why Paul proudly wears the brass letters of HNT pinned to his shirt above his right breast pocket, which stands for Hostage Negotiating Team. In addition to special training, the people skills he’s learned over the nineteen years arresting drunks, handling family fights or showing compassion for victims no doubt make him an asset to the team.

When asked if technology has helped police work, he leaned back with a grin, and I knew a war story was about to unfold: Recently two suspects broke into a vacant vacation house owned, as luck would have it, by a Redwood City police officer. When Paul arrived at the house, he spotted a security camera perched in the eaves over looking the driveway. The next day, when the camera was played back on the homeowner’s computer, they could plainly see the suspects pull into the driveway, break into the front door and abscond with the loot. Later the camera showed Newnam arriving. Then, after Newnam left, the camera showed the greedy suspects returning for seconds.

While on patrol the next day looking for the suspects, Newnam spotted the truck at a gas station occupied with the two suspects. Newnam pulled them over. After a brief search of the truck, some of the stolen property was recovered and the two suspects were jail bound.

Although it still takes alert deputies patrolling the streets of their beats, “security cameras and alarms in the price range of three to five hundred dollars are worth having,” say Newnam.

But one of the most critical assets our new resident deputy brings to the town of Copperopolis is his desire to work with the people of the community. Although he’s had the opportunity to move up in rank, he prefers to work as a deputy explaining, “I like working at the ground level because that’s where it get’s done.”  I want the people in the community to know, “I’ve been in their shoes and I want to assure them that we will work with them to resolve their problems.”

In a society where law enforcement officers sometimes appear distant and cool, it’s heartening to have one who remembers that he was a husband, father, neighbor and a rock and roll band member before he was a cop.

Town Square Easter Celebration 4-23-11

Kids of all ages came out Saturday April 23, 2011 to the annual Copperopolis Town Square Easter Celebration to visit with the Easter Bunny and to show off their artisitic ability with many variations of sidewalk chalk art. Though brightly colored eggs were in great supply, there were some amazing ideas put into art on the sidewalks, from a six pack welding easter bunny, to a yellow brick road heading to Easter.
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in four age group catagories won gift certificates to Town Hall Arts, an art store where every childs' artistic imagination can blossom and grow.

MORE PICTURES

Community Garden Gets ready for Spring Planting

At the Bill Albee Memorial Community Garden volunteers this weekend worked to til the ground, clearing the soil of rocks and turning over a bumper crop of fava beans to create nitrogen rich soil for planting.
According to Jack Jimenez, Deistel will be donating and delivering 10 cubic yards of manure this coming week to further prepare the ground for planting.
Each time the ground is tilled more rocks seem to appear, Jack said that last season the students at Rite of Passage assisted the garden clean up by clearing away the rock and creating a small area for the local scout troop to plant. Jack is hoping the group will offer their help again this season as the rocks seem to multiply with each tilling.
Approximately 100 'Ace' tomato plants were donated by local active volunteer Tim Reed. Tim, a teacher in Escalon, said that the high school students he works with planted the tomatoes as a project and have donated them to the community garden. He said they also donated plants of basil, parsley, cilantro, red peppers, and bell peppers.
For more information about the community garden please visit their facebook page at
 COMMUNITY GARDEN

Pictures and story by Charity Maness

Collision- Ambulance responding Hwy 4 Poole Station

According to CHP there has been a collision reported on HWY 4 at Poole Station, emergency crews are responding. Use caustion if in the area.

Copperopolis History - The Madam Felix Mining District

The Madame Felix Mining District is made up of many small mines. Some of these mines include the Pine Log, Royal, the Royal Consolidated, Hodson, Mountain King, and the Empire. Gold production total was approximately 500,000 ounces from the District before it closed.

Josephine Felix is the namesake of the Madame Felix Mining District. She was a rancher and waystation operator, offering travelers in the area a place to rest and get supplies.  Josephine also performed the duties of midwife for birthing mothers.

The history of the mining district, however, can be richer than the value of its ore. Because of the seasonally hospitable landscape and year-round water supply, the Salt Springs Valley attracted modest ranching and farming operations. Essentially, all these ranchers and their employees at some time or other dabbled in mining. They prospected, proved up claims, formed special ventures with their neighbors and worked as miners for the larger Madam Felix mines. Because mining is not always profitable--you either find gold or don’t find gold--these residents of Salt Springs Valley would return to their ranches and farms when their luck was bad. Therefore the story of Madame Felix Mining District is about the relationships between these resident rancher-miners, and their families. The lives of several generations of families like the McCartys and Towers are interwoven with the more transient prospectors, promoters, miners and mine operators.

This excerpt from the History of Copperopolis courtesy of the “School Tour” notes by Linda Beck,with permission taken directly from "Tools Are On The Bar" written by Charlie & Rhoda Stone.

From CABA website.

Blackcreek Park Annual 'Run for the Egg'

On April 23 2011 at 10 am the kids of Copper lined up patiently, according to age, for their chance at the great Easter egg hunt that Blackcreek park CCLTOA hosts every year.
Renee Kramer has been heading this event for the past ten years and with a crew of helpers managed to stuff over 3700 eggs with candy of all sorts. She was hoping for 200 kids at this years event, if the pictures say anything, they definately say her wish came true.

MORE PICTURES

Payless Easter hours

Payless IGA Copperopolis will open Easter Day 7 am to 2 pm. 785-5100

Local Fisherman Ralph Murphy Pulls in Kings at Don Pedro - from Fishin' Dan's Guide Service

Hello,

The bite here in the Mother Lode continues to heat up, New Melones is improving and over at Don Pedro the King salmon along with the Kokanee are on a positive up swing.

NEW MELONES, the kokanee salmon are showing and at very shallow depths. Kokes can be found at the mouth of Coyote and Carson creek arms, also off the dam pocket and in the spillway. Fish are holding from the surface down to thirty feet hitting  Glitterbug Hoochies, Uncle Larry’s Spinners and Vance’s Sockeye Slammers with pink or orange the favorite colors. Pautzke’s Fire Corn scented with garlic continues to be a strong scent that was very productive this past week. The Fantazia family from Modesto found mixed limits this past week including kokanee, rainbows and a brown trout while trolling off the spillway. Over at DON PEDRO, Ralph Murphy from Copperopolis caught a strong limit of Kings on Monday as did Chuck Hewitt from Sonora taking a limit of Kings trolling the river arm out of Moccasin on Wednesday. Kings are holding from the buoy line to Rough and Ready Island from thirty to 45’. Rolled Shad, Anchovies or Herring cured in Pautzke’s Blue Nectar or for those who prefer lures, Vance’s Slim Fin, Shasta U/V Cripplures are working well. On the west end of Pedro the king, kokanee and rainbow trout bite is on going, Dallas Hinton, age 12 from Beverly Hills, Ca.  took big fish honors while fishing with his family on Thursday with a beautiful 4 pound (22 inch) king along with numerous rainbows, kokanee and smaller kings. Jenkins Hill and off Hatch Creek were our most productive areas. King salmon came at depths from 60’ to 95’ on cured rolled shad and Herring, rainbows and Kokanee came at depths from 22’ to the surface with kokes falling for hoochies, spinners or Marni Bugs tipped with either garlic or vanilla scented Shoepeg corn. Rainbows falling for Uncle Larry’s Powerbait Spinners with glitter green Powerbait molded on the hook.

Regards,

Danny Layne

Fish’n Dan’s Guide Service

Twain Harte, Ca.

209 586 2383

www.fishndans.com

Frog's Tooth Vineyard and CABA Host "The Copperopolis Country Run"

CABA's monthly 'Meet and Greet' 4-26-11

You are invited to attend CABA’s monthly “Meet & Greet” meeting at Primo’s Pizzeria Tuesday, April 26, from 5:30 – 7:30 P.M.  Meetings offer $5 pizza and a chance to introduce your business.  Your business card buys a raffle ticket for the prize drawing.  This Tuesday, guest speakers are Sheriff Gary Kuntz and Copperopolis Resident Deputy Paul Newnam.   We will also hear from a husband-wife team of teachers, Chris and Anne Katherine Smith, who will talk about ways we might help our local schools.

HAPPY EASTER!!

The definition of Easter from Wikipedia:

Easter (Old English: Ēostre; Greek: Πάσχα, Paskha; Aramaic and Hebrew: פֶּסחא‎ Pasḥa,) is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday (also Resurrection Day or Resurrection Sunday). The chronology of his death and resurrection is variously interpreted to be between AD 26 and 36, traditionally 33.

Easter marks the end of Lent, a forty-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance. The last week of the Lent is called Holy Week, and it contains Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Easter is followed by fifty-day period called Eastertide or the Easter Season, ending with Pentecost Sunday.
Easter is a moveable feast, meaning it is not fixed in relation to the civil calendar. It occurs during the Spring; (Or Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.) in March or April; the method for determining the date of Easter Sunday is complex, based on lunisolar calendar.

Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover by much of its symbolism, as well as by its position in the calendar. In many European languages, the words for "Easter" and "Passover" are etymologically related or homonymous. The term "Pascha", from the same root, is also used in English to refer to Easter.

Governor Brown Requests Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to Help Communities Recover from March Storms (Tuolumne County is included)

major disaster declaration for the state following a series of storms last month that brought heavy rain and snow, high winds and flooding, destroying and damaging property throughout the state.

Today’s request follows an emergency proclamation from the Governor for Alameda, Amador, Butte, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Stanislaus, Sutter, Trinity, Tuolumne, and Ventura Counties earlier this month.
READ MORE

Proclamation Armenian Genocide Day of Remembrance

Between 1915 and 1923, 1.5 million Armenians were subjected to torture, starvation, mass murder and exile from their historic homeland. The Armenian Genocide, also known as the “First Genocide of the Twentieth Century,” represented a deliberate attempt by the Ottoman empire to eliminate all traces of a thriving noble civilization.

Armenian communities all over the world commemorate this tragedy on April 24. On this day, and the week leading up to it, we honor the Armenian victims and survivors of the genocide, and reaffirm our commitment to preventing future atrocities from being committed against any people.


THEREFORE I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, hereby proclaim April 24, 2011, as “California Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide”.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 18th day of April 2011.

Spellman 'Town Hall' April 28, 2011

District 5 Supervisor Darren Spellman wil be hosting a 'Town Hall' meeting Thursday  April 28th  from 7-9 pm at Black Creek Park,   C.C.L.T.O.A. Hall.    920 Black Creek Drive

Copperopolis Country Run May 14, 2011

For registration and run information visit COUNTRY RUN

8th Grader Michael Legge Raising Funds to compete at the State Science Fair

Local boy Michael Legge, an 8th grader at Mark Twain and Copper resident, recently won first place in his division at the Calaveras County Science Fair with his project "Mysterious Bacteria vs Evil Tobacco."

He will be at Payless IGA today from 2 to 6 with his experiment to answer questions and to hopefully raise funds that will help him go to the State Science Fair competition..

Letter from Michael:

Hello my name is Michael Legge and I am an 8th grade student at Mark Twain Elementary School. Mark Twain doesn’t require students to do science fair projects but I went out and did one on my own. My project is Mysterious Bacteria vs. Evil Tobacco, the effects of tobacco products on bacteria in the mouth. I was the only one to represent my school at the county level and to my surprise I got first place and my project was chosen to go to the State Science Fair in L.A. on May 2nd and 3rd.

My problem is the cost will be around $500 and with the county’s current budget they will not be able to help me and I really don’t want to put any more strain on the county or my family. I am attempting to raise the funds to go on my own by trying to get donations.

On Saturday April 23rd, I will be outside of the Payless IGA Market in Copper from 2:00 am till 6:00 pm displaying my project and attempting to raise funds to go. Donations may also be mailed to my home. I would appreciate any donations even the smallest will help. My goal is to proudly represent Copperopolis and Calaveras County and hopefully place at the state level.

Thank you in advance,

Michael Legge
7 Flagstone Ct.
Copperopolis, CA 95228
(209) 785-7720

Kids Easter Egg Hunt CCLTOA 4-23-11 10 AM Sharp

The Copperopolis Country Run - Hosted by CABA and Frogs Tooth Vineyard

CABA

Copperopolis Area Business Association

P. O. Box 466

Copperopolis, CA 95228

www.shopcopper.org

The Copperopolis Country Run couldn’t be more country than the route chosen at the edge of Copperopolis via Rock Creek Road along the loop of Salt Springs Valley and Hunt Road.   The Frog’s Tooth Vineyard and Copperopolis Area Business Association (CABA) together are planning the inaugural race event scheduled for Saturday, May 14.  The walk-run will take place, rain or shine, beginning at 8:00 A.M with a 2-mile race, followed by a half-mile race at 8:30 A.M.  There will be a 10K race at 9:00 A.M.   Registration and check-ins must meet at Copperopolis Business Park, 90 Rock Creek Road, at least an hour prior to start of race.  After registration, contestants will proceed to the Frog’s Tooth Vineyard on Hunt Road for the races. 

The race proceeds support the Calaveras County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association and the Copperopolis Fire District.  Participants may run in multiple events with one entry fee.  Pre-registration is $20 by check to Copperopolis Area Business Association, P. O. Box 466, Copperopolis, 95228, prior to May 12.  Run applications can be downloaded from a link at www.coppergazette.blogspot.com.  Online signups are available at Active.com or AllSportCentral.com for $20 plus service fee.  Race day signups are $25.

Runners will receive a T-shirt, a gift bag and a raffle ticket for a drawing to be held during the awards ceremony at the end of the race.  In the spirit of a charity event, people are asked to bring a nonperishable food item as a donation to the local food bank.

For information about the benefits of being a race sponsor, an event volunteer, or a race participant, contact Chris Smith at csmith@caltel.com or Amy Young at amy@frogstooth.com.  CABA President Kyran Enzi can be reached via email at kenzi@caltel.com or by phone at 209-785-8063.  

Re-cap Spellman Forum 4-21-11

On the consent agenda of the most recent Board of Supervisors meeting, 4-19-11, there was a minute order for a ‘contract with the Army Corps of Engineers in the amount of $50,344 for law enforcement services May 1 through September 25, 2011.’ It wasn’t clear to Spellman if this contract added additional law enforcement personnel or utilized existing personnel for Hogan coverage. He had no knowledge if the contract included emergency personnel response to the area, ie; fire or medical aid. However, he stated that the County does have an existing contract with them for year round law enforcement of the area.

Spellman talked about his visit to both the Earth Day celebration in Angels Camp and the Taxpayers Rally in Valley Springs over the weekend saying that “people often times don’t realize what they all have in common.” Noting a common thread at both gatherings; both groups seemed to be “advocates for smaller government.”

With regards to his attendance at the FEMA meeting with Dan Lungren and State FEMA reps in Sacramento Thursday April 7, 2011 Spellman said, “Nothing had changed (I was) highly disappointed with the whole thing.” Spellman arrived early to the meeting to discuss the possibility of a Brown Act violation with Lungren reps regarding Callaway joining the meeting, as that would make three members of the Board of Supervisors attending the meeting. Told by a representative from Lungren’s office that “no decisions were being made, no votes taken, therefore she would be allowed to attend.” Spellman said he was still concerned with the impropriety of the situation especially when “Merita did not allow the public to enter the meeting.” He said he chose to, at that time, keep silent until he was able to make one strong point, making light “and we all know how hard that was for me.” He chose to highlight the “most ridiculous example” of their admittedly “flawed mapping process”, that being the issue of Lake Tulloch. Tom Garcia, County Public Works Director, also spoke to that issue stating that he could “say without reservation that there was no way possible” Lake Tulloch homes could ever flood…the County “does not and has never issued a permit to build a home below the spill line.” The spill line being the level at which water will flow over the top of the dam. 

Spellman was hoping that since Lungren sat on the Homeland Security Commission and that FEMA was a division of Homeland Security the understanding would be clearer of the issue and that maybe Lungren would “apply a little pressure.” He openly wondered if and when Lungren would utilize his ability to help.

Attending his last in a three part series of new Supervisor workshops last Thursday Spellman was actually called upon due to the recent attendance of three Board members at a meeting, where it was now common knowledge that the public was not let in. The instructor of the course used the example of that meeting as what can occur to new Supervisors and how to handle the situation. Spellman said that being a junior Supervisor and that he was extended an invitation were the only things that kept him in the clear “kind of.” He still had a responsibility to his constituents and the public to represent them responsibly and with moral fiber. Though he still maintained, “I knew I would not have backed down…I needed to attend that meeting...too many of my constituents are affected negatively by the FEMA flood maps.”

Spellman is still looking into finding funding for the Sheriff Department if the VLF funding is cut or disappears. He has proposed to cut the 500k budget the county has for outside consultants for the Planning Department and shift those funds to the Sheriff Department if VLF funding is cut. He said that he has found that most of his constituents feel that public safety is more important than office personnel. Noting that the planning department consultants are out of county.

He closed the coffee meeting with a reminder that he will be available at a Town Hall meeting Thursday April 28, 2011 from 7-9 at Blackcreek Park.

To contact Spellman his email is dspellman@co.calaveras.ca.us

NOAA Sunday Weather

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 67. West northwest wind between 6 and 8 mph

Board of Supervisors Meeting Agenda for 4-26-11

AGENDA

Controller Reaches Settlement with Insurer John Hancock

 State Controller John Chiang today announced a landmark settlement with insurer John Hancock, paving the way for reforms of wide-spread industry practices that have victimized the purchasers of life insurance policies and annuity contracts for decades. It is the first settlement resulting from an audit of 21 insurance companies that Controller Chiang began nearly three years ago.

“Too many Californians have been victimized by a company they entrusted with their retirement security and the care of their families,” Chiang said. “While John Hancock is the first to be held accountable, it will not be the last. I am prepared to pursue all actions necessary – including litigation – to bring the rest of the industry into compliance.”

The Controller initiated the audit investigation in July of 2008 to determine the insurance industry’s compliance with state unclaimed property laws. Administered by the Controller, the California unclaimed property program generally provides that businesses must send lost or abandoned financial accounts to the State after three years of inactivity in order to safeguard private property from being lost during mergers or bankruptcies, drawn down by service or storage fees, or simply used by private interests.

The audit revealed an industry-wide practice of companies failing to pay death benefits to the beneficiaries of life insurance policies. Instead, companies would draw-down the policies’ cash reserves in order to continue collecting premium payments from the deceased. Once the cash reserves were depleted, the company would cancel the policy. The audits also found that insurers did not routinely cross-check the owners of dormant accounts with government databases listing the deceased. In other cases, the company had direct knowledge of the death of a policy owner, but still did not notify the beneficiaries.

For example, a policy was issued by John Hancock on February 16, 1963, to an individual who subsequently died on April 20, 1999. For the seven years following his death, the company continued to collect premium payments by depleting the policy’s cash reserves until it was finally cancelled on January 1, 2009. The policy’s file does not contain any indication of when the last contact with the insured occurred, or that any efforts were made to locate the insurance owner prior to the policy lapsing. More than 11 years after the insured’s death, John Hancock still has not paid the beneficiaries or sent to the State Controller’s Office for safekeeping any benefits due under the policy. The company has written off all liability under the policy.

The Controller’s investigation also exposed similar abuses with the administration of annuity contracts. For example, John Hancock issued a contract on June 7, 1991, to an individual who subsequently died on May 1, 1995. The company’s own files contain notes revealing that the annuitant owner’s mother called the company in August 2002 reporting that her son had died. Additional notations in the file dated June 15, 2005, and October 13, 2005, state that the annuitant had died. Despite these acknowledgements, the file indicates the company continued to send mail to him in 2005, 2006, and 2007 – all of which was returned as undeliverable. Another notation was made to the file on July 14, 2009, acknowledging the owner was deceased, and that the company, for the first time, had attempted to contact a relative. According to the file, on October 26, 2009 – more than 14 years after the annuitant’s death – John Hancock paid the death benefit to the annuitant’s estate.

Today’s ground-breaking settlement requires John Hancock, a subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation, to do the following
• Restore the full value of more than 6,400 impacted accounts dating back to 1992;
• Create and adhere to methods for better identifying deceased policy holders and notifying their beneficiaries;
• Fully comply with California’s unclaimed property laws and cooperate with the Controller’s efforts to reunite more than $20 million of death benefits and matured annuities with their owners or, in many cases, the owners’ heirs;
• Pay the State of California three percent compounded interest on the value of the held amounts from 1995, or from the date of the owner’s death, whichever is later.

“These policies were purchased to give the owners and their families peace of mind,” said Chiang. “I will move to quickly return those benefits to their rightful owners.”

Lungren Issues Statement Sikh Community Prepares Funeral Service For Second Shooting Victim

Congressman Dan Lungren (R-Gold River) issued the following statement in advance of a funeral service Saturday at which the Sacramento Sikh community will mourn the death of Gurmej Atwal, 78, who succumbed to gunshot wounds April 15. Mr. Atwal and Surinder Singh, 65, were on a walk near their Elk Grove home last month when they were shot. Mr. Singh died immediately and Mr. Atwal remained in critical condition until his death.
“During this Holy Week when so many in our faith communities are turning their eyes to God, I am doubly saddened by Gurmej Atwal’s passing. It is a shame that during this time of renewal and reflection our community must suffer another funeral service born out of such a senseless and cowardly act. I offer my condolences to the families of Mr. Atwal and Mr. Singh, and I continue to include the Sikh community in my prayers.”
It was learned this week that the Elk Grove Police Department has increased its investigative task force, but there still are no suspects. Elk Grove continues to work with the FBI in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Earth Day, April 22

Earth Day, an event to increase public awareness of the world's environmental problems, is celebrated in the United States for the first time. Millions of Americans, including students from thousands of colleges and universities, participated in rallies, marches, and educational programs.
Earth Day was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, a staunch environmentalist who hoped to provide unity to the grassroots environmental movement and increase ecological awareness. "The objective was to get a nationwide demonstration of concern for the environment so large that it would shake the political establishment out of its lethargy," Senator Nelson said, "and, finally, force this issue permanently onto the national political agenda." Earth Day indeed increased environmental awareness in America, and in July of that year the Environmental Protection Agency was established by special executive order to regulate and enforce national pollution legislation.
On April 22, 1990, the 20th anniversary of Earth Day, more than 200 million people in 141 countries participated in Earth Day celebrations.
Earth Day has been celebrated on different days by different groups internationally. The United Nations officially celebrates it on the vernal equinox, which usually occurs about March 21.

History.com

Snaps Summer Hours are Here!

Snaps announces new summer hours...now open to 8:00 pm on Friday evenings. Sample some fine wines or a large slection of bottled beers infront of their outside fireplace as you watch the sun go down.
For more information visit SNAPS.

Calaveras County 'Drop the Drugs' Day

Calaveras County Sheriff Department, in an effort to prevent pill abuse and theft, are joining with Angels Camp PD and Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention to bring a 'Drop the Drugs' day to Calaveras County.

READ MORE

Sheriff Make Arrest in Arnold Burglary

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Copperopolis Main Street Fire Procession for Dennis Powers

Sacramento Metro

Murphys Fire - One Last Ride For Chief Dennis Powers

Copperopolis Fire

Cal Fire

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Bird Watching at New Melones April 30, 2011

Join Ranger Hilary in discovering the wonderful world of bird watching. We will hike along one of Tuttletown's new trails searching for and identifying the many species of birds that make New Melones their home. This is a 2.5 mile hike of moderate difficulty. We will meet at the Tuttletown Entrance Station at 10 am. Participants will receive a parking pass for the duration of the event.
If you would like to participate in a program and need accommodation, please contact Park Ranger Tracy Neal at: 209-536-9094, extension 215, or email tneal@usbr.gov, a minimum of 14 days in advance. The New Melones Visitor Center and Museum is managed by Reclamation’s Central California Area Office. It is currently closed for renovations but is scheduled to reopen in May, 2011. Hours of operation will be Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Mondays and Tuesdays. For additional information on activities, directions, pet restrictions, or other questions, please call 209-536-9543, (TTY 800-877-8339).

Calaveras County Announces New Dental Discount Program for Residents

Calaveras County announced that a new dental discount card program is now available for county

residents. The program is provided by National Association of Counties (NACo) in partnership with

Carein gton lnternational Corporation.

The NACo Dental Discount Card Program, a NACo member benefit program, was designed to help

uninsured and underinsured county residents save money on their dental service expenses.

Through a partnership with Careington lnternational Corporation, this simple discount card can help

residents save an average of 5 to 50 percent on their dental care services, and 20 percent on orthodontic

services. This affordable plan starts at $6.95 per month and $59 per year for individuals.

"The card is easy to use and will save people money," said Mary Sawicki, Director of Calaveras Works

and Human Services. "Cardholders simply schedule an appointment with a participating dentist or

specialist and present their card to receive a discount at the time of service. There are no forms to

complete and everyone in the household is eligible to receive a discount."

DENTISTS PARTICIPATING IN THE NACo DENTAL DISCOUNT PROGRAM

David Groat 1300 Kurt Dr., Ste 101, Angels Camp 736-0458 Careington & Aetna lnsurance

Roger Wahlman 571 Stanislaus Ave, Ste D, Angels Camp 736-4641 Aetna lnsurance

Peter Uyeyama 3505 Spangler Lane, Ste 410, Copperopolis 785-7900 Aetna lnsurance

For more information Call (877) 354-NACo (62261 or visit www.nacodentalprogram.com