Dec. 30

Ken Zamora, retail associate at the Valley Springs Post Office, displays the 2-cent and the new 39-cent stamps that will become popular items when postal rates go up Jan. 8.

New year ushers in post office rate hike

   The cost of mailing a one-ounce first-class letter will go up 2 cents, from 37 to 39 cents, beginning Jan. 8.

   The cost of mailing many other items will also go up at that time.

   The Governors of the U.S. Postal Service last month voted to accept a Postal Rate Commission recommendation to increase most rates and fees by approximately 5.4 percent.
   The price increase is the first since 2002 and the Postal Service says it is needed to fulfill a federal law passed in 2003 that requires the service to place $3.1 billion in an escrow account by Oct. 1, 2006. Without the federal mandate, it would not have been necessary to raise prices in 2006, the Postal Service added.

   Among the adjustments, the two-ounce single-piece rate for First-Class Mail will increase from 60 cents to 63 cents, and the postcard rate will increase by one cent, to 24 cents.
   Following are other rate and fee changes:

·         Priority Mail (one pound) and flat rate envelope from $3.85 to $4.05

·         Priority Mail Flat Rate Box from $7.70 to $8.10

·         Express Mail (half-pound) and Flat Rate Envelope from $13.65 to $14.40

·         Express Mail (over a half-pound to two pounds) from $17.85 to $18.80

·         Certified Mail from $2.30 to $2.40

·         Return Receipt (original signature) from $1.75 to $1.85

·         Return Receipt (electronic) from $1.30 to $1.35

·         Delivery Confirmation Retail (Priority Mail) from 45 to 50 cents.

·         Delivery Confirmation Retail (First-Class Mail Parcels) from 55 to 60 cents

·         Premium Forwarding Service ( Weekly Fee) from $10 to $10.40

·         Money Orders (Up to $500) from 90 to 95 cents  

Dec. 23

The drive-up lane to the new Valley Springs Starbucks has been installed.

Starbucks is coming to Valley Springs

By Nick Baptista

   What has been in the local rumor mill for months became official this week. Starbucks Coffee is coming to Valley Springs.

   The announcement was made Thursday by Jean Fox of Fox Realty and Management. Her firm is handling leasing for the new retail wing at the Valley Oaks Center.

   Starbucks will occupy east end of the new wing.

   “It’s exciting to get such a big name for our little town,” Fox said. She added that a lot of people have been working on the Starbucks project.

   Starbucks will join Subway, Countrywide Home Loans and H & R Block in the new addition. Fox said negotiations are under way for a 1,600-square-foot lease at the new wing and 2,500 square feet remain unleased at this time.

   Fox anticipates the Valley Springs Starbucks could be open by February or March and Subway could be open sometime in February.

   The Valley Springs Starbucks will be one of nearly 7,000 company-operated or licensed locations in the United States. The company has another 2,700-plus locations worldwide.

Dec. 21

The Valley Springs Area Business Association Citizens of the Year award went to the Belmont family, from left, Bob, Virginia and daughters Gail Belmont and Diana Gigliotti.

Belmont family selected "Citizens of the Year"

By Nick Baptista

   This year’s Citizen of the Year honors presented by the Valley Springs Area Business Association went to a family – the Belmonts.

   Bob and Virginia Belmont and daughters Gail Belmont and Diana Gigliotti received the honor at Saturday evening’s VSABA Christmas Dinner at La Contenta Bar and Grill.

   The family was acknowledged for their support toward the Relay For Life in Calaveras County, Quilts of Valor, the Calaveras County Cancer bus and Fireworks Over Lake Hogan.

   Bob is on the boards of directors for both the Calaveras Historical Society and the Jenny Lind Fire Protection District. He is a member of the American Legion and was a member of the 2004 Grand Jury. In addition, he is a volunteer at the Red Barn Museum the Snyder Pow Wow and cooks for Santa’s Express.

   Virginia is a member of the Loose Threads Quilt Guild, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Valley Springs Chamber of Commerce.

   Gail is also a member of the Loose Threads Quilt Guild, co-chairman of the Loose Threads Quilt Guild Show in 2004, on the American Legion Board of Directors, a member of the Moose Lodge and a cook for the Friends of the Library Melodrama.

   She started the Quilts of Valor project in Valley Springs and along with the help of the Loose Threads Quilt Guild, machine quilted all 87 Quilts of Valor from the area presented to service men and women wounded while serving their country.

   Diana is active in the family business, school and church activities, the Snyder Pow Wow, the ABA and chamber.

   All are members of the Community Methodist Church.

   Steve Kearney was the guest speaker and emphasized the closeness of the Belmont family.

   “All Together Family Quilts is just that, each family member having their own separate, important function. Virginia does about everything. Bob became an expert in repairing machines. Gail is an artist with talent that can only come from God and Diana keeps the books. They all compliment one another.”

   Bob expressed his surprise and said he almost didn’t attend the dinner.

   Virginia said she was astonished by the award and thanked the ABA.

   “This is an honor for my folks and me to get,” Gail said.

   “Because of God and my parents we do these things,” Diana said. “Valley Springs is a very special place.”  

District 5 supervisor candidate Michael McDaniel

Third candidate enters race for District 5 board seat

   The race for District 5 supervisor has attracted a third candidate.

   Michael McDaniel, the owner of a real estate appraisal firm and a 2 1/2-year resident of Rancho Calaveras, has stepped forward to challenge Victoria Erickson’s re-election to the District 5 seat on the Board of Supervisors.

   Russ Thomas, a resident of Copperopolis, has also announced his candidacy for the office.

   The Fifth Supervisorial District, with a current population of approximately 9,000, stretches from the Rancho Calaveras Subdivision, southward through Jenny Lind, Milton, the Salt Springs Valley and includes Copperopolis. The district is recognized as being the fastest growing area of Calaveras County.

   McDaniel said District 5 needs better guidance than it has been getting at the county level.

   “I don’t see where Victoria has listened to a lot of people and performed well,” McDaniel said. “I’ve talked to a lot of people and they are unsatisfied with Victoria’s performance.”

   “I will listen to the people and work with them. My door will be open,” he said.

   McDaniel added that his 25 years of experience in the real estate appraisal business would prove beneficial on the Board of Supervisors.

   A former resident of Danville, McDaniel said his experiences in the fast-growing San Francisco Bay Area region would be helpful as pressure continues for greater growth in Copperopolis and Valley Springs.

   “We should learn by other counties mistakes, “ McDaniel said. “I’ve seen both types of growth – correct and bad growth. The differences are very visible and we are doing it wrong.”

   McDaniel said the area has an underdeveloped commercial base. Planned growth, targeting high-income household would spark additional commercial development, he said.

   The area is not attracting enough growth at the high-income level to attract major retailers, he added.

   In addition, the basin fee should be looked at, he said, to make sure it is not harming the area’s commercial development.

   “Other counties are raking in our tax dollars. That’s crazy,” he said.

   McDaniel is a Vietnam veteran, serving four years with the U.S. Marine Corps. He received two Purple Hearts while serving his country and is involved in veteran’s affairs, especially with the Vietnam Veterans of Diablo Valley. The group was instrumental in erecting a $1 million monument in Danville to honor all who served their county, he said, and the group has been involved with assisting homeless veterans.

    His wife Carol has an antiques and collectibles appraisal business.  

Dec. 16

Jeff Palm has worked his way up from firefighter to fire chief during his 15 years with the Foothill Fire Protection District.

Palm assumes command of Foothill's firefighters

By Nick Baptista

   You can remove the word “interim” from in front of Foothill Fire Chief Jeff Palm’s title.

   The Foothill Fire Protection District Board of Directors recently elevated the 15-year volunteer firefighter to the title of permanent chief. Palm had been serving as acting and interim chief for slightly more than a year.

   Palm joined the district as a volunteer firefighter shortly after arriving in the area 15 ½ years ago. He is married to Danielle Scaparro-Palm, the branch manager at Central California Bank.

   The fire chief spends between 20 and 30 hours a week on fire district duties and earns a living as a machinist for a high-tech equipment firm in Sonora. For all of those hours with the fire district, Palm will receive a $420 a month stipend.

   “I’m glad to be running it,” Palm said. “It can keep you busy, but I enjoy it.”

   Palm’s No. 1 priority when he was elevated to acting chief was to get the volunteer department’s daytime calls covered.

   “That was killing us in the beginning,” he said.

   The department was able to acquire the services of Steffen Sommer, a battalion chief, to cover the daytime call.

   “Steffen has done a great job,” Palm added.

   The department also recruited a training officer in Keven Johnson, Palm said.

   “He does a great job and draws the guys in.”

   Another addition to the department has been the activation of the auxiliary under the guidance of John Wogec. Palm was pleased with Wogec’s efforts to increase the department’s support system through the auxiliary.

   Another firefighter drawing Palm’s praise was his right-hand man, Assistant Chief Drew Utterback.

   The department has a staff of 19 and Palm was to grow the ranks, but not all at once. He wants the department to add only several people at a time, give them the proper training and integrate them with the rest of the firefighting staff.

  “That’s more efficient,” he said, “and we want everyone on the same page, training wise.”

   Palm’s ultimate goal is to make the Valley Springs-Burson area “as fire-safe and medically-safe as we can.”

   “Community support is good, we’re proud to serve this community and we mean to keep it safe for them because they deserve it,” he said.

   With an eye to the future, Palm said the department needs to grow at the same pace as the community grows and eventually look at moving toward a paid staff.

Chamber volunteer award winners

The Valley Springs Chamber of Commerce 2005 Volunteers of the Year received their awards at Wednesday’s chamber luncheon. The recipients were, from left, Art Prochnow, Dolly Paden and Kayla Knight. Prochnow has been a chamber the officer the past five years, while Paden has been chairman of the Christmas Parade for many years. Knight was acknowledged for her volunteer efforts with the Valley Springs Youth Center.

Dec. 14

Ushering in the holidays

Jim Teicheira, left, thanks those who helped him put together Saturday’s Community Christmas Tree-Lighting Ceremony, including Bill Crane, the master of ceremonies, and Diana Wheaton, representing Century 21 Tri-Dam Realty, which donated the use of the tree and electricity. With her are her grandson Jacob Griffen and great-neice Cassie Winstead. Between 50 and 100 people attended the event. 

New supermarket in the works for Valley Springs

By Nick Baptista

   Work could begin as soon as next spring on a $33 million shopping center, which will include a 50,000-square-foot supermarket, at the southeast corner of Highway 26 and Hogan Dam Road.

   Dave Tanner of Tanner Consulting in Valley Springs is the project leader and land planner. He said the first phase of development will center upon construction of the supermarket.

   The developers do not have a final commitment from any market, but “when we show them it’s going to happen, they’ll commit,” Tanner said.

   At build-out, the community shopping center will be approximately 120,000 square feet, he added.

   New Hogan Developers LLC is the development group and also own commercial property across Highway 26.

   A major component of the project will include working with Caltrans to widen and straighten 3,000 feet of Highway 26 at Hogan Dam Road.

   The development group plans to submit more documents to the county this week to address traffic, habitat and environmental issues, Tanner said. Once approved by the county, they will pull the necessary permits to begin construction, which could be completed by the fall of 2006.

   Carl’s Jr. and Taco Bell have expressed an interest in locating in the new center, which will also include a location for the Valley Springs Library.

   “They see the library as an added value to the community and an asset to the center,” Tanner said. The center will also participate in the trail system Tanner envisions looping much of the community.

   The grocery store will serve as the anchor and the rest of construction could be completed all at once or in phases, depending upon the level of interest in leasing space, Tanner said.

   He estimates that this center, the one across the highway and Ryan Voorhees’ commercial proposal for his Spring Valley project could easily generate $1.8 million a year in sales tax revenue to the county.

   The projects will also create a multitude of jobs from service, to management, executive and professional, he said.  

Dec. 9

An early Christmas

Area children received free bicycles before the holidays through the Foothill Fire Protection District Auxiliary and former Foothill Fire Chief Steve Gleason, who works for the Department of Corrections.  Gleason was aware that inmates had a program where they restored bicycles for non-profit organization and the auxiliary received them for distribution to, from left, Patrick Fair, 10; Joseph Westbrook, 11; Jacob King, 12; Zachary Stewart, 11, and Chelsey Stewart, 12.

Chamber selects trio for volunteer awards

Prochnow, Paden, Knight to receive honors

   Three area residents have been selected by the Valley Springs Chamber of Commerce as Volunteers of the Year.

   The 2005 recipients are Art Prochnow, Dolly Paden and Kayla Knight.

   Prochnow has been a chamber officer for five years; Paden has been chairman of Christmas Parade for many years, and Knight is a Calaveras High School student who help fellow students after school.

   According to Chamber President Frank Eckblom, the trio will receive their awards at a chamber luncheon at noon Wednesday at Good Friends Chinese, 9 California St.

   “Marty Crane, the first lady recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award
in the year 2000, will lead our rally for volunteer support at our
luncheon,” Eckblom said. “Just being an associate of the Valley Springs Chamber of Commerce puts you in the category of a volunteer. Marty happens to be one person who goes beyond that and serves many organizations and volunteers projects in the
community.”

   Over the past six years, 18 people have received the chamber’s service award. The chamber has extended an invitation to all of the past winners to attend this event. Call 754-4925 to RSVP.

   “Bring a friend or a client and help make this one of the best events of the year,” Eckblom said.

   Past Volunteers of the Year include: Crane, Shirley Chantri, Karyn Staton, Clark Gehrke, Garland Johnson, Laura Jean Harvey, Frieda Davidson, PFC Ryan McMillan, Eric Franks, Shirley Sattler and Al Duncan.

Santa's Express starts Christmas food, gift drive

   Santa’s Express, an all-volunteer program of the Human Resources Council that provides food to needy families at Thanksgiving, and food and gifts at Christmas, has begun its annual Christmas food, toy and clothing drive.

   Donations of food, toys and new children’s clothing are needed, as well as volunteers to help with sorting, packing and distribution of the food and gift baskets.

   “Our Thanksgiving food drive was enormously successful, and we are grateful to the numerous individuals and businesses who generously donated enough food and money to provide over 600 needy local families with holiday food baskets,” said Billie Westernoff, director of the HRC Community Services Program. “Unfortunately, we were not able to serve all the families that qualified for aid this year – and we hope therefore to increase our Christmas food and gift basket capacity to reach these additional families. We are once again asking the community to open their hearts and donate enough food and gift items to help ensure a brighter Christmas for 650 local families in need.”

   Bright red boxes and barrels labeled “Santa’s Express” are now in place throughout the county at schools, grocery stores, and some churches to collect donations of non-perishable food items. Donations of holiday-oriented food items such as cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, canned vegetables and pumpkin as well as staple foods are especially encouraged. 

   Cash donations are also needed to purchase perishable food items such as fresh turkeys and hams, fruits and vegetables. Donations should be mailed to: HRC’s Santa’s Express, P.O. Box 919, San Andreas, CA  95249.  Donations are tax-deductible.

   So that every child in each family receives a gift under the tree, Santa’s Express is seeking donations of toys for children ages infant to 12 years, as well as new clothing items for older children ages 13-16.  Those items should be dropped off at the San Andreas Town Hall, 24 Church St., San Andreas, from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 18 or all day Dec. 19. Items should be unwrapped.

   Many additional volunteers are needed to help sort, pack and distribute the food and gift baskets at the San Andreas Town Hall during the week before Christmas.  Packing and sorting will take place 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 18 and beginning at 7 a.m. Dec. 19. Distribution of the baskets will begin at 9 a.m. Dec. 20.

   Anyone wishing to volunteer can contact Shelley at (209) 754-6625 or Janet at (209) 728-8269.

   The private, non-profit Human Resources Council, Inc. (HRC) serves families in Calaveras and Amador counties. HRC encompasses six major programs: HRC Calaveras Head Start/State Preschool, HRC Calaveras Women’s Crisis Center, HRC Child and Parent Services, HRC Child Care Resources, HRC Community Services Programs and HRC Motherlode Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

   For more information about HRC and the Santa’s Express Program, call (209) 754-1257 or visit www.hrcnet.org.    

Dec. 7

Santa's Express starts Christmas food, gift drive

   Santa’s Express, an all-volunteer program of the Human Resources Council that provides food to needy families at Thanksgiving, and food and gifts at Christmas, has begun its annual Christmas food, toy and clothing drive.

   Donations of food, toys and new children’s clothing are needed, as well as volunteers to help with sorting, packing and distribution of the food and gift baskets.

   “Our Thanksgiving food drive was enormously successful, and we are grateful to the numerous individuals and businesses who generously donated enough food and money to provide over 600 needy local families with holiday food baskets,” said Billie Westernoff, director of the HRC Community Services Program. “Unfortunately, we were not able to serve all the families that qualified for aid this year – and we hope therefore to increase our Christmas food and gift basket capacity to reach these additional families. We are once again asking the community to open their hearts and donate enough food and gift items to help ensure a brighter Christmas for 650 local families in need.”

   Bright red boxes and barrels labeled “Santa’s Express” are now in place throughout the county at schools, grocery stores, and some churches to collect donations of non-perishable food items. Donations of holiday-oriented food items such as cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, canned vegetables and pumpkin as well as staple foods are especially encouraged. 

   Cash donations are also needed to purchase perishable food items such as fresh turkeys and hams, fruits and vegetables. Donations should be mailed to: HRC’s Santa’s Express, P.O. Box 919, San Andreas, CA  95249.  Donations are tax-deductible.

   So that every child in each family receives a gift under the tree, Santa’s Express is seeking donations of toys for children ages infant to 12 years, as well as new clothing items for older children ages 13-16.  Those items should be dropped off at the San Andreas Town Hall, 24 Church St., San Andreas, from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 18 or all day Dec. 19. Items should be unwrapped.

   Many additional volunteers are needed to help sort, pack and distribute the food and gift baskets at the San Andreas Town Hall during the week before Christmas.  Packing and sorting will take place 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 18 and beginning at 7 a.m. Dec. 19. Distribution of the baskets will begin at 9 a.m. Dec. 20.

   Anyone wishing to volunteer can contact Shelley at (209) 754-6625 or Janet at (209) 728-8269.

   The private, non-profit Human Resources Council, Inc. (HRC) serves families in Calaveras and Amador counties. HRC encompasses six major programs: HRC Calaveras Head Start/State Preschool, HRC Calaveras Women’s Crisis Center, HRC Child and Parent Services, HRC Child Care Resources, HRC Community Services Programs and HRC Motherlode Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

   For more information about HRC and the Santa’s Express Program, call (209) 754-1257 or visit www.hrcnet.org.    

Downtown tree-lighting ceremony set for Saturday

By Nick Baptista

   Newcomer Jim Teicheira, formerly from Alamo, had an idea. When he heard Valley Springs didn’t have a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, he took it upon himself to organize one.

   With the help of a few others, Teicheira’s plan will come to fruition with a ceremony scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Century 21 Tri-Dam Realty corner in downtown Valley Springs.

   Tri-Dam Realty donated use of the tree and the electricity, while Longs donated more than half of the lights, Teicheira said. Bill Crane will be the master of ceremonies and Bob Bucy has donated use of the sound system.

   Teicheira and his wife Rachelle grew up in Alamo when it was a small community and moved to Valley Springs looking for the small-town atmosphere Alamo had lost.

   “We have to have this for the kids,” said Teicheira, the father of three – Chelsea, Courtney and Jared.

   The family has been here for nearly two months and Teicheira said they have loved every minute of it.

   On such short notice, the first lighting ceremony will be modest, he said, but he hopes the event grows year-in and year-out. He wants the tree-lighting ceremony to become a popular, regular community event similar to the Christmas parade, which he and his family attended this past Saturday.

  Teicheira plans to get the lights up and tested out today. He can use any help. Teicheira can be reached at 772-3622.  

Mail: P.O. Box 1297, Valley Springs, CA 95252 
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