The Record's Calaveras & Lode Blog

Oller and the PACs

Dana Nichols — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:39:59 +0000

Recently, I wrote about how the Mother Lode Taxpayers Association’s political action committee was spending money to help 5th Assembly District candidate Frank Bigelow and hurt rival Rico Oller. Now, Oller has a PAC independently spending money on his behalf: the California Tribal Business Alliance PAC, which is funded mostly by casino-owning American Indian tribes. I say mostly because some other PACS give money to the casino PAC, including the California Charter Schools Association, Anthem Blue Cross, and the California Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons. But the nicest touch is that one contributor to the casino PAC is the California Real Estate Association, which is by far the largest donor to the Mother Lode Taxpayers Association, which has been spending money to defeat Oller. In the strange world of PACS, the real estate money simultaneously loves and hates Oller.

Astronaut lawsuit

Dana Nichols — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:20:36 +0000

Jose Hernandez wants to list “astronaut” behind his name on ballots as he runs for Congress in the 10th Congressional District. A lawsuit is challenging that on the basis that he is not currently an astronaut and hasn’t been for several years. Of course, the result of the lawsuit is just that Jose’s status as a former astronaut gets more media attention and it gives the Hernandez campaign an excuse to post this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQSD9UTgwcA

The video has almost no text, except at the end the words: “Jose Hernandez is an astronaut.” The lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of Mike Dillman of Manteca, does not dispute that Hernandez was formerly an astronaut.

Now, the interesting question is, will the lawsuit actually do any good for the non-astronaut candidates such as Congressman Jeff Denham, an agricultural plastics businessman. If the lawsuit succeeds, will not having the word “astronaut” behind Hernandez’s name on the ballot make up for all the news stories and the video?

Video on forest restoration on the Upper Mokelumne River

Dana Nichols — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 22:27:07 +0000

Steve Dunsky, a video producer for the U.S. Forest Service, just emailed me a link to a video in which Calaveras County Supervisor Steve Wilensky talks about what forest restoration means in West Point and other communities in the Upper Mokelumne River watershed.

It is episode 4 on this page:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/podcasts/

Alcohol and kids in Calaveras

Dana Nichols — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:16:28 +0000

The Calaveras Unfied School District Board of Trustees during its next meeting on Tuesday (Feb. 7) will review the 2011 Healthy Kids survey results. This survey, done every two years, looks at drug and alcohol use among kids in 7th, 9th and 11th grades. Sadly, there’s not much new in it. By their junior year of high school, about half the kids surveyed are using alcohol. In some survey items, like meaningful relationships with adults, Calaveras kids score a little better than the state averages. Calaveras children were less likely than those in the state as a whole to report being in a physical fight. In some categories, Calaveras children were worse off — for example they were more likely to say they had been harassed because of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or disabilty. But the most striking statistics were around alcohol — among 11th graders surveyed, 73% had consumed alcohol at least once, 46% had used it in the last 30 days, and 47% reported an incident in which they’d been “very drunk or sick after drinking.” To see the survey for yourself, go to http://www.calaveras.k12.ca.us/03%20Board%20Meetings/agendas/backup/healthy.pdf

Trinitas update

Dana Nichols — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:48:29 +0000

Will golf continue? Will Calaveras County zoning codes put a stop to it? Those are just two of the questions hanging over the beautiful but unpermitted Trinitas golf course on 280 acres south of Wallace. In the fall, Trinitas owners Mike and Michelle Nemee lost a trial in U.S. Bankruptcy Court over whether golf was a legal form of agritourism, and thus permitted on the ranch land the Nemees own. Now, the Nemees are appealing to U.S. District Court. That appeal could continue at least until a hearing in July. But whether golf continues depends on several court dates that come sooner. On Feb. 9, a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge will consider allowing Community Bank of San Joaquin to seize the Trinitas property and sell it at auction on Feb. 17. The legal advertisements for that sale have already run. On Feb. 13, the Nemees and representatives of Calaveras County are scheduled to meet for a settlement conference in U.S. District Court in Fresno. In theory, the two sides could settle their differences without a trial, although that might seem unlikely to those who’ve watched the county and the Nemees battle over this for years. If the course is not auctioned on Feb. 17, then golf could continue at least until Feb. 21 when the U.S. District Court in Fresno will have a hearing on whether to stay enforcement of the Bankruptcy Court agritourism verdict pending appeal in the District Court. Calaveras County’s Board of Supervisors, meanwhile, will have a closed-door session discussing all this litigation at 8 a.m. tomorrow (Feb. 1) in the county counsel’s chambers. The public does have an opportunity to comment on the matter before the closed session portion of the meeting begins.

Everybody’s a farmer

Dana Nichols — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:14:57 +0000

Almost everybody was a farmer Tuesday night as area politicians spoke at Chez Shari in Manteca to a meeting of the South San Joaquin County Republicans.

“I’m a family farmer. A small business owner,” said Ricky Gill, candidate in the 9th Congressional District.

“I grew up farming,” said Congressman Jeff Denham, who currently represents the 19th Congressional District but who is running this year in the newly-drawn 10th.

“I’m basically a Kansas farm boy,” said Tracy City Councilman Bob Elliott, who is running for San Joaquin County’s 5th Supervisorial District.

Assemblyman Bill Berryhill, who currently owns and operates several farms, didn’t bother reminding anyone he’s a farmer. Berryhill is running for state senate.

Leroy Ornellas, a San Joaquin County Supervisor who’s running for state senate, mentioned his dairy farmer status only in passing. “If you see a slight limp, a Holstein heifer stepped on my foot a couple days ago.”

That limp may be worth something, if ties to the land give street cred to politicians in our area. It shows that Ornellas not only owns a farm, but currently works on it. Others, by necessity, have to be farther from the day-to-day operations. Gill, for example, is currently a law student. His parents are both physicians, although the family does own farm land. Elliott is a retired green beret who currently works in nuclear reactor maintenance for Westinghouse. Both Denham and Berryhill have full time duties as elected leaders.

Still, emphasizing rural roots and rugged work puts the local pols in good company. Images of Ronald Reagan chopping wood, or Abe Lincoln’s log-cabin childhood probably stick with us better than the details of the military and industrial policies they followed. Note to self: Ask Gill if he conducts his law studies by lamp light in a hand-hewn frontier cabin.

Bill Berryhill

Dana Nichols — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:39:07 +0000

Bill Berryhill, a Republican who currently represents the 26th Assembly District, is running for the newly drawn 5th Senate District. Like all candidates, Berryhill is raising money for the campaign. Here’s a list of what donors can get for various prices at a lunch reception for Berryhill to be held Jan. 27 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Modesto:

$3,900 VIP Max Out — includes a private session with Bill from 11-11:30 a.m., signage and recognition at the event, priority seating.

$1,500 Sponsor — Signage and recognition at the event. Priority seating.

$750 Table — Recognition at the event and priority seating for ten people

$60 individual ticket — contributions go to the Bill Berryhill campaign.

If interested in attending, go to www.billberryhill.com or call (916) 669-9372

Russ Thomas responds

Dana Nichols — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:28:38 +0000

Former Calaveras County Supervisor Russ Thomas, who is running in the newly-drawn 4th District that includes Angels Camp and Copperopolis, today emailed me this response to incumbent Tom Tryon’s announcement Tuesday that he’ll seek an 8th term representing the 4th. Tryon said he wanted to complete work on matters such as the county General Plan and the Copperopolis Community Plan.

Here’s Thomas’ statement:

“It came as no surprise to me that Mr. Tryon has made the decision to run for an unprecedented 8^th term. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss publically with Tom the issues that affect the 4^th District and Calaveras County, particularly in today’s challenging environment.”

“Calaveras County is economically far behind our neighboring counties of Tuolumne and Amador. I believe that the explanation can be found by examining decades of bad decisions and the lack of forward-looking county leadership.”

“I would ask the voters of District 4 to consider that after 28 years of representation and over $1,000,000 salary and benefits paid to Mr. Tryon, if they are satisfied with his performance.”

“I am here to offer myself to the 4^th district as a fresh but experienced alternative.”

Breakfast with Ricky and Jeb

Dana Nichols — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:04:13 +0000

The website bayareagop.com says that 9th Congressional District candidate Ricky Gill of Lodi will have breakfast in San Francisco Tuesday with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Guests can join the breakfast at the Gap clothing company headquarters on Folsom Street for $1,000, or, if they pay $2,500 can also get a photo with Gill and Bush.

RSVP to Kristin Hueter or call 510.420.1199. You can also download a reply form from the www.bayareagop.com website.

Trinitas update

Dana Nichols — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:45:13 +0000

U.S Bankruptcy Court Judge Ronald Sargis is threatening to dismiss a $12 million civil rights lawsuit filed by the owners of the Trinitas golf course. That suit argues that various county officials violated the Constitutional rights of Michael and Michelle Nemee by not allowing them to legalize their golf course near Wallace. This week Sargis filed an order requiring Ken Foley, the attorney for the Nemees, to appear in court Jan. 25 and show why the civil rights suit should continue. Sargis said Foley and the Nemees are failing to “prosecute” the lawsuit.

In another Trinitas matter, Sargis has filed an order that will allow Community Bank of San Joaquin to start the paperwork to sell the Trinitas property at a foreclosure auction. That auction could still be delayed or prevented if the Nemees appeal a lawsuit they lost that decided the golf course is not a legal form of agritourism in Calaveras County. The Nemees had hoped to get legal status for the course by declaring it agritourism. The bank could get the final go-ahead to proceed with the sale at a hearing scheduled for Feb. 9. in U.S. Court in Sacramento.