Serving the communities of Valley Springs, Burson and Wallace

May 29

Tri-Dam 4-Her Nick Elliott of Campo Seco with one of his organically raised goats.

Going organic fetches hefty price for goat sold at county fair

By Nick Baptista

   A Campo Seco lad is happy after his organically grown goat fetched $1,210 at the Calaveras County Fair’s livestock auction.

   Nick Elliott, 12, a sixth-grade student at Valley Springs Elementary School and a member of Tri-Dam 4-H, caught a lot of attention earlier this month at the auction with his goat, which sold for $8 a pound, nearly twice the going rate for non-organic goats.

   Valley Springs dentist Dr. James DuHamel, an organic gardener himself, encouraged Elliott to take the path less traveled, and for those efforts, Elliott received a $300 award for his organic choice on top of the $810 he got from John Lavaroni of Treat’s Market in San Andreas, the top bidder for the Boer-Kiko goat.

   Lavaroni purchased Elliott’s goat because the 4-Her had sent Treat’s a buyer’s letter and he was a youth Lavaroni knew in the community.

   Raising a goat on organic products is not an easy task, Elliott said. It requires buying only certified organic feed and they can only eat organic grasses.

   If injured or sick, the animal cannot receive any shots and only topical treatments are acceptable, he said.

  In all, Elliott, the son of Paul and Trish Elliott, estimated it cost 25 percent more to raise a goat organically. It also requires a strict monitoring process by keeping all receipts for the organic feed.

   But the effort made an impression on his peers at the livestock auction.

   “A lot of people were telling me they’re going to go organic next year,” he said.

   Elliott, who has taken animals to the fair the past five years, hopes his efforts will lead to local 4-H leaders getting together and conducting classes on organic growing and standards so other 4-H members and clubs get involved in the process and have a regular organic category at subsequent fairs.

   Best of all, Elliott said organically raised animals taste good and Lavaroni attested to the fact saying he enjoyed some good goat chops the other night.  

Michael Thompson

Circumstances revealed in deputy-involved shooting

By Nick Baptista

   A Calaveras County Sheriff’s detective sustained minor wounds from rounds fired by a fellow detective and a Mokelumne Hill man is in serious, but stable condition in a Modesto hospital, following a confrontation Wednesday afternoon near Rail Road Flat.

   Rick DiBasilio has been identified as the detective who sustained minor wounds to his left shoulder and Michael Thompson, 29, of Mokelumne Hill, was struck several times in the upper torso as he reportedly tried to flee from the scene in a stolen car.

   Thompson was transported by air ambulance to Modesto Memorial Hospital where he is recovering from his gunshot wounds, while Det. DiBasilio was treated and released Wednesday night from Mark Twain St. Joseph’s Hospital in San Andreas and is expected to make a full recovery. 

   The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office issued a release Thursday morning outlining initial findings of the deputy-involved shooting.

   Investigators determined DiBasilio had been struck by ricocheting metal fragments as a result of shots fired at Thompson by DiBasilio’s partner, Det. Wade Whitney.

   The incident began Wednesday morning when detectives served a search warrant at a residence in Rail Road Flat. The basis of the warrant was to investigate the possession of stolen property at the location.

   According to the Sheriff’s Office, the residence was known to be occupied by suspect John Palmer who is wanted on two outstanding arrest warrants involving felony probation violations and a misdemeanor traffic offense.   

   While serving the search warrant, detectives recovered a stolen vehicle as well as a variety of stolen items. When the search warrant was served, Palmer was not at the residence.

   DiBasilio and Whitney were returning to the Sheriff’s Office from Palmer’s residence when they noticed a white Chevrolet Camaro passing them in the opposite direction at a high rate of speed. During the search warrant briefing earlier that morning, both detectives received information that Palmer could be driving a white Camaro. This vehicle was similar to the vehicle that passed them.  

   DiBasilio and Whitney turned around in an attempt to find the vehicle. A witness told the detectives that a similar looking vehicle had just been seen driving through the town of Mountain Ranch toward Rail Road Flat at a high rate of speed. The detectives continued onto Rail Road Flat and later found the vehicle parked at 5915 Rail Road Flat Road.

   As Whitney and DiBasilio drove into the driveway, they saw the white Camaro parked with the hood up and a man, now identified as Thompson, working beneath the engine compartment.

   When the detectives approached and announced their presence, Thompson allegedly ran from the front of the vehicle and into the driver’s compartment attempting to start the car. DiBasilio tried to prevent Thompson from starting the car by reaching into the vehicle.

   However, Thompson managed to start the car, place it into reverse, and drove backwards. Thompson turned the vehicle into DiBasilio who hung onto the car to maintain his balance and avoid being run over.

   Whitney, seeing his partner was in danger, fired multiple rounds into the driver’s compartment of the vehicle, hitting Thompson.

   Throughout Wednesday night, investigators from the Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office interviewed witnesses and collected evidence at the crime scene and determined the vehicle driven by Thompson was stolen. Detectives seized the vehicle and are in the process of seeking a search warrant to check the vehicle’s interior.

   The Sheriff’s Office said Thompson is a prior convicted felon and has been sentenced to state prison. In addition, the Sheriff’s Office said Thompson was found to have a history of obstructing/resisting arrest, possessing controlled substances, being a felon/addict possessing a firearm, inducing false testimony by force, as well as violating probation and parole.

   The case is under review by the District Attorney’s Office for potential charges against Thompson.  

May 20

Miss Calaveras 2009 Kayla Smith, center, shows her excitement shortly after winning the title Thursday evening while flanked by her court of first runner-up Marijke Moes, left, and second runner-up Amanda Vorwerk.

Valley Springs gal wins 2009 Miss Calaveras title

   Kayla Smith of Valley Springs won the title of Miss Calaveras 2009 when the four-day run of the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee began Thursday evening.

   Smith, the 17-year-old daughter of Bryan and Tammie Smith, is a senior at Calaveras High School. She has been accepted to the University of California, Davis, and plans to pursue a career as a physician’s assistant.

   The new Miss Calaveras was selected by a panel of judges based on interviews, talent, health and fitness and evening gown competition. Smith entertained the judges and crowd by singing “Orange Colored Sky” made popular in 1950 by Nat King Cole and later by his daughter Natalie.

   Smith won a $1,000 scholarship from the show’s sponsors, the Angels-Murphys Rotary Club.

   Marijke Moes, 17, of Murphys was selected the first runner-up and received a $600 scholarship, while Amanda Vorwerk, 17, of West Point was chosen second runner-up and received a $400 scholarship. Moes added a $300 award for her community service work, while Vorwerk received a separate $100 award for finishing first in the talent competition with a ballet number.

   Contestant Samantha Armstrong, 17, of Valley Springs received the Director’s and Miss Photogenic awards for $200 in scholarships, while Kayla Wilson, 20, of San Andreas was selected Miss Congeniality and received a $100 award.

   Sean Hooley out of Sacramento was the winning jockey in the frog jump competition. His frog – “Go For The Sign” - leaped 21 feet even, only 5 ¾ inches off the world record mark set by “Rosie the Ribbeter” in 1986.  

May 15

Downtown Lockeford is the site for Attorney Brian Chavez-Ochoa’s second law office. He is expanding his law practice from Calaveras County to also serve neighboring San Joaquin County. The new law office is located at 13461East Highway 88 and Chavez-Ochoa still has his Valley Springs office at 4 Jean St., Suite 4.

Valley Springs law office places branch in Lockeford

By Nick Baptista

   Valley Springs attorney Brian Chavez-Ochoa has expanded his practice to Lockeford.

   Chavez-Ochoa at the beginning of the month opened an office in downtown Lockeford at 13461East Highway 88.

   The trial attorney has experience working cases in San Joaquin County and the office in Lockeford is a move to grow and expand his practice in that area. Chavez-Ochoa is the only attorney with an office in Lockeford and there are not too many trial attorneys in nearby Lodi, he said.

   The Lockeford office is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The telephone number is (209) 727-5024.

   Chavez-Ochoa, who wears two hats - one as an attorney and the other as the part-time fire chief for the Jenny Lind Fire Protection District - said the expansion of his law practice should not have any great impact on his duties to the fire district.

   “I have no plans to leave the department,” he said.

   The fire district is in good hands at all times, he said, and his greatest benefit to the district is in terms of management/administration and on major incidents.

   "There's more than enough coverage and the assistant chief and division chief are more than capable," he said. "I keep the welfare and safety of the public in the forefront of my thoughts and that will never be compromised."

   Chavez-Ochoa plans to spend time at both his Lockeford and Valley Springs offices. He has another attorney on staff and if the move creates more work than the two of them can handle, a third attorney would be hired, he said.

   Chavez-Ochoa was admitted to the state bar on Dec. 1, 1997. He has been in practice in Valley Springs for nearly 11 years and his office here is located at 4 Jean St., Suite 4. The Valley Springs phone number is 772-3013.

   His new Lockeford office is located in a building that dates back to 1928.

   His wife Jenny did most of the interior design work and they wanted to capture the building’s original atmosphere dating back to the 1920s.

   “When I was in the first year of law school, Jenny dreamt about what our law office would look like. When she saw this building for the first time she said ‘that’s the building I saw in my dream.’”

May 13

William Heinselman with his new book "Solid Gold Fishing in the Mother Lode."

Author's latest book provides insight into fishing in the Mother Lode

By Nick Baptista

   Valley Springs fishing aficionado William Heinselman has released his second book on the subject.

   “Solid Gold Fishing in the Mother Lode” is the title of Heinselman’s latest book and it is available at Showtime Video in Valley Springs, Bubble Gum Books in Sutter Creek, Hein & Co. Bookstore on Main Street in Jackson, Glory Hole Sports outside of Angels Camp and the Camanche and Pardee bait shops.

   “Solid Gold” runs the gamut of fishing, Heinselman said, and is geared for the basic to advanced fisherman, while his first work released in 2007 - “Old School Basic Fishing” – was written toward the beginner.

   The book retails for $19.95, and also is available online at www.solidgoldfishing.com.

   He and several other authors will be at a book-signing event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at the Valley Springs Home Center, 72 S. Highway 26.

   He will be joined at the book signing by Terry T. Brown, “Clearing Vietnam,” Elizabeth Richards, “The Founding of a Nation,” and Sylvia Rose, “Designated Heroes Remember.”

   The front cover of “Solid Gold” features a photo of Heinselman’s son William Earl with a seven-pound trout caught in front of the Pardee Dam, while the back cover has son Gerald with a string of kokanee and trout caught up river on Pardee.

   The book contains Heinselman’s secrets about the proper bait to use in a variety of situations, how to get started in the sport of fishing, how to save money on equipment, the best locations, techniques for the variety of fishing – such as bank or drift fishing, and details on how the seasons influence fishing in this area.

   Heinselman said he started writing “Solid Gold Fishing” back in August of last year and with all of the recent troubles in the economy – such as high gas and food prices – he believes fishing is poised for a recreational rebound.

   Fishing is relatively inexpensive, Heinselman said, and the catch in food can offset some of those costs.

   In addition, the Mother Lode has some of the best spots for fishing and he hopes the book will help the local economy by attracting more visitors to this area.

   “Now with this book, people will learn of the fun they can have visiting our small towns and all our Mother Lode areas have to offer,” Heinselman said, “such as fishing, camping, hiking, gold rush history, antiques, museums, and so much more.”

   He even provides a brief history on the gold rush locally in the book.

   Another purpose for his book is to get people out of the house and into enjoying the natural wonders the Mother Lode countryside offers.

   “There’s plenty of wide open spaces and it will give your body and mind a place to relax,” he added.  

Fair begins Thursday

Samantha Armstrong of Valley Springs, a contestant in the upcoming Miss Calaveras Scholarship Pageant, kisses a fiberglass frog during the recent media night for the 2009 Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee. The fair begins Thursday and runs through Sunday and the pageant is scheduled for 8 p.m. opening night. In addition to Armstrong, Maura Purcell and Kayla Wilson of San Andreas, Kayla Smith and Amanda Vorwerk of West Point, Brittney Stone of Copperopolis and Marijke Moes of Murphys are vying for the Miss Calaveras title and more than $2,000 in scholarship awards. Photos by Sharlea Nisbet.

Warm weather could bode well for Frog Jump

   Frog jumping experts predict a new world’s record could be set at this weekend’s Jumping Frog Jubilee in Angels Camp if Mother Nature cooperates.

   Historically, the longest jumps are recorded when the temperatures soar.

   It was a hot Sunday afternoon back in 1986 when Lee Guidici of Santa Clara set the current world’s record with his frog Rosie the Ribiter who jumped 21 feet, 5 and ¾ inches in three leaps.

   The only one to really come close has been Brent Bloom of Salinas who heated things up in 2007 when his frog Lisa Can Do leaped almost into the record book with a measurement of 21 feet, 4 and ¼ inches.

   Back in 1990 when African Goliath Frogs came to the competition cold weather prevented them from living up to their reputation of jumping as much as 30 feet in a single leap. They finished a humbling 60th, 62nd and 63rd in a field of 63 finalists.

   These days the grand finals are limited to the 50 longest leapers. Qualifying rounds are held daily during the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee, which runs Thursday through Sunday, May 14-17, at Frogtown, located south of Angels Camp off Highway 49. The grand finals are at 4 p.m. Sunday. Many of the competitors come from frog teams that have been competing for as many as 50 years – three generations of frog-enthusiast families.

    This is the 81^st annual Jumping Frog Jubilee, which celebrates Mark Twain’s famous story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. The original event was held in 1928 to celebrate the paving of Main Street in Angels Camp. It was combined with the Calaveras County Fair in 1938 and has become an iconic event of international fame.  

May 6

West Calaveras Rotary Club President Mark Bettcher presents a $1,020 check to Liz Weaver of the Sheng Chi Foundation. The donation will provide a one-year scholarship for a “very deserving” youngster to attend Sheng Chi Training Center who otherwise could not afford to do so.

 Rotary Club helps community's youth

Tickets available for annual fundraiser - "Savour the Flavour"

   The Rotary Club of West Calaveras is teaming up with Sheng Chi Training Center and the Sheng Chi Foundation to help an at-risk youngster in the community.

   The club through its yearly Savour the Flavour wine tasting and live auction event raises money to support a variety of projects such as West Calaveras youth organizations, the Crisis Center, county library, Christmas Food Basket Program, Calaveras High School Interact Club and Fred Katz Scholarship Fund. The club recently donated $1,020 to the Sheng Chi Foundation to provide a one-year scholarship for a youngster to attend the training center and study martial arts.

   The Sheng Chi Foundation is a California non-profit public benefit corporation based in Valley Springs, which was founded by Phil and Liz Weaver to help bring the benefits of martial arts training to those who need it most. This includes at-risk youth, veterans, and other individuals in need of physical and mental development. Information on the Sheng Chi Foundation can be found at www.shengchifoundation.com and donations can be sent to 139 Main St., Valley Springs.

   Liz Weaver said the scholarship would go to a young man who could not afford to attend the program otherwise. The at-risk youth has low self-esteem, was in foster care and has now been adopted. Martial arts training will be very beneficial to him since he has special awareness problems and it will help his coordination and cross-lateral motion.

   The Rotary Club’s Savour the Flavour event is approaching. It is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, in Jenny Lind.

   The fundraising event will feature a wide selection of area wines and olive oils, along with food including salmon on a plank. It is from 2:30 to 6 p.m. at Bear Flag Vineyard, 11488 Milton Road.

   The cost of the event is $35 per person and tickets are available through Judy Allen at 772-2266.