Let me get this straight, the voters turned down a $64 million bond that would have cost $50 per 100K assessed value. Now the Amador County Unified School District plans to spend four times that amount, without a vote of public support, for school consolidation. Payments for this amount will…

When “all” and “they” do not mean such. District 4 Supervisor Frank Axe’s Guest Commentary, “Amador County welcomes all,” (Ledger Dispatch; June 2, 2023) reminds me of Hanoi Jane’s recent comments in San Francisco. If you did not hear Hanoi Jane’s recent comments Supervisor Axe, I would sugg…

Sober Grad was a fantastic success on Friday night, June 2. We did some things differently this year and it all came together thanks to the efforts of our volunteers and the amazing members of the Amador County community who support this very worthwhile event.

Received ballot today asking for a vote to increase my property taxes. This is after a recent half-percent sales tax addition a few years prior. I would support an annual $50 additional assessment. I will not support a $539.33 assessment on my property. This assessment process is very broken…

We recently received a “ballot” sent and generated by the Amador Fire Protection District (AFPD). First I must ask, by what authority does AFPD conduct a county election? Can anyone of us promote a binding “county election?” To start with, I am offended with the bureaucratic and deceptive pr…

On Friday, May 26, 2023, a Legal Notice was placed in the Ledger Dispatch listing a Public Hearing to be held on June 13, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. I was thrilled to see that constituents were finally going to have an opportunity to share their thoughts, issues and concerns with the Board of Superv…

In the June 2, 2023 issue of the Ledger Dispatch, Amador County District 4 supervisor Frank Axe correctly described the protesters who picketed in front of the National Hotel as a “disgusting and repugnant display of white supremacy, racism and ignorance.” Those cowards who wore masks learne…

From Wikipedia: Keeping up with the Joneses is an idiom in many parts of the English-speaking world referring to the comparison to one’s neighbor as a benchmark for social class or the accumulation of material goods. To fail to “keep up with the Joneses” is perceived as demonstrating socio-e…

We’ve just received our ballot for the Amador Fire Protection District (AFPD) proposed assessment. This is the first we’ve heard of this.

A headline in the May 26, 2023 Ledger Dispatch read “CDCR agrees to clean up its mess.” The county and the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) took a victory lap. Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP) had to pay the county’s attorney fees.

In the past few weeks, rescue teams have had to rescue folks from Sierra rivers, even though media (TV/radio/print and social media) have had county officials clearly telling people to stay out of area rivers because Sierra waterways are running higher, faster and colder than they have in th…

I was angry and disgusted by the protesters’ signs and presence in Jackson. Those people were wearing masks so no one could see who they were. Maybe they wore masks because they were afraid that their mothers would see them and be ashamed of them. Maybe they wore masks because they are afrai…

The 2022-2023 Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury has released a report entitled “Veteran Services Office – No Veteran Left Behind.” The Summary section of the report states why the Grand Jury undertook the investigation and notes the report’s most significant issues, findings and recommendati…

Calaveras County is a beautiful place year round, but this year’s wildflower super bloom showcased some of the best we have to offer. As you drove through the lower elevations of the county, fields of white popcorn flower and bright orange poppy covered the rolling hills. The yellow curling …

Diane Wratten accused me of being a political conspiracy theorist (“City of Ione not immune to political conspiracy theories,” Letters to the Editor; May 19, 2023). Nothing could be further from the truth. I do apologize for misspelling Diane’s first name.

The Arc of Amador and Calaveras would like to sincerely thank the Amador CHP 295 Squad Club for the new, beautiful, state-of-the-art computer lab at The Arc’s Day Program in Sutter Creek, paid for with funds raised by their Shenandoah 5K Run for Autism April 30, 2023. We’d like to especially…

For many people living in California, which includes residents of Amador and Calaveras counties who have been affected by severe winter storms, tax planning looks different this year. This is because the federal income tax filing due date for those individuals for the 2022 tax year has been …

Let me take a moment to share my absolute admiration for the fantastic youth programs we are fortunate to have in Amador County. This is not an ordinary proclamation; it’s an enthusiastic tribute to the sheer brilliance these initiatives possess.

Online gambling, whether it’s sports betting, fantasy sports, buying online lottery tickets, or casino games like blackjack, poker, roulette, 8 ball, and even slots, is a rapidly expanding industry. In the United States, online gambling revenue is expected to be more than $23.8 billion by 20…

(Amador County Supervisors) Jeff, Brian, Pat, Richard: Over the past 30 years or so, I have observed that the “Pioneer” sign is approximately 2½ miles east of what most of us consider the west edge of Pioneer country, where Red Corral Road/Highway 26 intersects with Highway 88. Amador Automo…

On the new political stage there is an abundance of conspiracy theories that have gained footing in the country’s political discourse. Amador County and specifically Ione is not immune to this phenomenon. Fueled by social media, opinion reporting, rather than news reporting, the fruits of th…

I recently spent four days and nights as a patient in Sutter Amador Hospital in the Acute Care Unit. I can’t begin to tell you what wonderful care I received. Michael Cureton, Chief Administrative Officer, came by my room to see if my needs were being met. Very thoughtful I thought. We are v…

I’m writing to you as a concerned citizen who has witnessed firsthand the unfolding drama surrounding our Amador Water Agency (AWA). It’s high time we, as a community, come together and address the tidal wave of issues that have left us all feeling like we’re drowning in high water prices an…

Dancing robots disrobe, all around the globe;

I wrote to express my gratitude to the Knights Foundry volunteers. I recently took a sand molding and metal casting class offered by the Knights Foundry and was pleasantly surprised by what I found. The individuals associated with teaching the class were absolutely charming, helpful and know…

After a 3-year hiatus, the Amador Branch of AAUW welcomed the community to the 48th year of our popular Home Tour on April 22, 2023. This year’s theme was “Celebrate Spring in Sutter Creek” and participants took a stroll through this lovely, historic gold rush town to view five beautiful hom…

In response to the Letter to the Editor by Dominic Atlan (‘On ‘Severance Pay,’’ Ledger Dispatch; April 21, 2023): Does Bill May have a blind hatred for Dominic Atlan? Is he the de-facto-in-house Ledger Dispatch letter writer?

I must take a moment to express my sheer delight over the flourishing arts scene in our humble Amador County. Your recent article brought back fond memories of my first encounter with the spectacular mural in Jackson. It was as if Van Gogh and Banksy had a paint-splattered brainstorming sess…

Does the staff of the Ledger Dispatch ever think to have someone from outside proof their paper before publication? I’m sure everyone thought it was a great idea to publish fake obituaries as a faux PSA (“Every 15 Minutes: Fictional Obituaries,” Ledger Dispatch; April 28, 2023). “This could …

By settling the Dominion defamation lawsuit for almost a billion big ones, Fox “Views” admitted to the world that it doesn’t deserve to be called a news network. It’s hilarious that the “fake news” villains were actually the people helping Trump propagate all his lies. Having to tell 10 lies…

As of late, Amador County finds itself grappling with an increasingly concerning issue – flooding. Overflowing rivers and creeks have the tendency to wreak havoc in the area and it’s the homes and businesses that bear the brunt. While the county is attempting to tackle this predicament, the …

Mr. Garvey, your Letter to the Editor of April 14 (“Blind hatred serves no purpose”) stated that I had a blind hatred toward Mr. Atlan. That is simply not true. I do not have hatred, blind or otherwise, toward Mr. Atlan.

Within the past month or so, two friends stumbled upon a scam of their neighbors’ property. One saw a person walking around a mutual neighbor of ours here in Fiddletown and approached the person asking if she could help him. He said he was buying this property. Our neighbor said it is not fo…

While living in sanctuary socialist California is not without its challenges, as a rural route postal customer, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Plymouth branch U.S. Postal employees for their kindness and understanding during these problematical times. I am appreciative of …

Recently I have seen articles about the School Board approving of a school consolidation even though the voters of Amador voted down the funding of the project. It seems that the Board has no interest in what the citizens of Amador want; they are pushing the consolidation through, regardless…

Regarding last week’s Letter to the Editor, “The thing about predictions” (Ledger Dispatch; April 14, 2023); Point one: Yes indeed, “back in the 1970s it was all about how we were destroying the ozone layer.” Indeed, it was and we were. And, worldwide we took steps: The Montreal Protocol of …

I’ve never met or spoken to Bill May, but he continues to criticize me (“Severance pay,” Letters to the Editor, Ledger Dispatch; April 7, 2023). Usually, I simply ignore the naysayers because let us be real – there are more of them than me, but his last rant warrants correction as it is so w…

As someone with a wealth of experience and knowledge about the Plymouth Military Show and Swap Meet, I must tell you that this event is nothing short of a delightful, laughter-infused treasure hunt. It’s like stumbling into a camouflage-covered comedy club, with a generous dash of antique sh…

I would like to formally thank Sheriff Redman, DA Riebe, Chief Bonini, Senator Alvarado-Gil, Amador County Board of Supervisors, Channels 3, 10, 13, 40, KVGC, the Ledger Dispatch, and the community-at-large for providing support and coverage for the opposition of placing a Sexually Violent P…

Who is not paying their fair share to repair our roads? Answer: The five quarries in Amador County, in particular George Reed. The Board of Supervisors, CAO and constituents all agree that our roads are in terrible condition and some are even unsafe to drive on. The county says it needs appr…

Twenty years ago, a group identifying itself as the “Modern Ione Band” (MIB) announced at an April 2003 Plymouth City Council meeting they were going to build a casino in Plymouth with groundbreaking in 6 months. They declared the proposed casino was a “done deal” and nothing could be done t…

I am writing about a site I follow on YouTube that talks about earthquakes, and now, related subjects, including weather, tornadoes, gravity sensing station, radar pulsing, etc. The host is very informative, interesting and not afraid to speak his mind. I have learned a lot in the past year …

This is the ninth article in a series.

Dear Sheriff Redman: I voted for you. I put your signs in my yard. I explained to people why they should vote for you too. Like you, I feel that placing William Stephenson in upcountry Amador County was a poor idea. However, when you “set the terms of public comment” at a recent town hall me…

In response to Bill May’s “Severance pay” Letter to the Editor, posted April 7, 2023; I am perplexed by Bill May’s obvious hatred towards Council member Atlan. Mr. May blames Atlan for the City (of Ione) having to pay Michael Rock’s severance package. I’m not convinced “blame” is the right w…

Predictions. Oh, how we love predictions, right, wrong or indifferent. Back in the 1970s, it was all about how we were destroying the ozone layer and that we would all die from skin cancer. Then in the 1980s, we were told how the Spotted Owl was going to become extinct if we continued loggin…

I am saddened on a regular basis by TV and other media reports of (primarily) children being shot/killed by a deranged individual. In many cases, the shooter had entry to a building and commits the atrocity.

This is the eighth article in a series.

Taco trucks are a beloved staple of the street food scene, dishing out fresh, flavorful and authentic Mexican cuisine to food enthusiasts across the globe. I have had the pleasure of inspecting several taco trucks in my area and can attest to their dedication to quality and safety standards.