Serving the communities of Valley Springs, Burson and Wallace

Oct. 28

Toyon Middle School’s advanced band under the direction of Robert Wise performed for last week's Toyon Day, an event to showcase the campus, its students and programs to the public and parents of future Toyon students.

Toyon public relations tour considered a success

By Nick Baptista

   Toyon Middle School’s first-ever Toyon Day was very successful, according to Cindy Brown, president of the school’s parent club.

   The event was held Oct. 25 to highlight the positive aspects of the school to the media and parents of students in Toyon’s feeder schools.

   Brown, who is also a member of Toyon’s school site council, said she received a lot of positive feedback from those in attendance.

   “The parents were thankful for the opportunity to visit the school and asked that we do it again in the spring for other parents,” she said.

    Toyon Day was a response to public input at recent meetings concerning the future of the middle school and whether the Calaveras Unified School District should switch from the existing middle school program at Toyon to a kindergarten through eighth-grade structure at its elementary school campuses.

   Members of the Toyon Middle School Student Council were introduced and escorted visitors around the campus and into a number of classrooms were a wide variety of subjects were being taught. In addition, the school’s advanced band and choir performed several numbers before and after a luncheon.

Oct. 26

Elaine Anberg, left, and Carol Whitehead, who both attended Calaveras High, model Centennial T-shirts that are on sale at all Redskin home football games.

CHS centennial party gaining steam

    Students at Calaveras High School in San Andreas are joining adult volunteers in preparation for the school's 100th birthday party, which will be celebrated with two events on Nov. 11 and 12.

   The festivities begin as the Redskin football teams take to the field against long-time rivals, the Bret Harte Bullfrogs, on Nov. 11. Members of the student body will get the party started with a tailgate party on campus from 4 to 5:30 p.m., during which revelers can enjoy pre-game snacks from several student groups. The Calaveras Athletic Boosters will also be on hand, offering tri-tip sandwiches. At 5:30 p.m., a hospitality room will open, where guests can obtain refreshments and share memories of their days at CHS.

   "The spirit has really taken off," said Vanessa Montgomery, student body president. Montgomery has lived in Valley Springs all her life, and said she was always anxious to attend Calaveras High. "I always had the Redskin spirit."

   Representatives from the West Point Mi-wuk tribe have been invited to participate in the celebration, and tribal Vice-chairwoman, Gloria Grimes, said she appreciated the invitation to join in the celebration.

   During halftime of the varsity game, there will be a fireworks show, and alumni attending the game will be recognized.

   A New York steak dinner brings the centennial celebration full circle, Saturday, Nov. 12, at the San Andreas Town Hall. Members of the Calaveras High chapter of the Future Farmers of America will prepare the dinner that includes all the trimmings. Doors to the hall open at 5 p.m. for a social hour, and dinner will be served at 6 p.m.

   Tickets to the game and dinner are available for $20, and may be purchased at the school office, or by calling 754-1811, ext. 5301. The dinner is open to anyone who would like to share in the celebration, and a special collection of Calaveras High photographs will be projected onto two screens.

   "This isn't about just the high school," Montgomery said, "it's for the whole community."  

Oct. 21

Tillie Soyland, representing the Friends of the Library-Valley Springs Chapter, receives a $5,000 donation for the organization from Bank of Rio Vista officials Noella Erichson, vice president and manager of the new Valley Springs branch, and Paul Ubrun, vice president and loan administrator. The new bank, seen in the background, is expected to be open for business at 2 Nove Way sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

New bank anticipates holiday season opening

By Nick Baptista

   The manager of the Bank of Rio Vista going up at 2 Nove Way was introduced Wednesday to members of the Valley Springs Area Business Association.

   Noelle Erichson has been in banking for more than 20 years and she will be the manager when Bank of Rio Vista opens its doors sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas to become the second bank in Valley Springs.

   "I'm anxious and excited to be a part of the community," Erichson said during her introduction to nearly 40 ABA members during a luncheon at The Range Steakhouse. Paul Ubrun, Bank of Rio Vista vice president and loan administrator, joined her.

   Erichson said the bank will have "a quiet opening and work the bugs out" before having a grand opening sometime in January. The bank has already hired four employees who are training in Rio Vista and two more will join the bank for training on Nov. 1, she added.

   "We had a wonderful pool of candidates to hire a tremendous staff," she said. "They're all local folks. Hiring our staff from Valley Springs was a priority. They'll make a great team."

   The staff combined has more than 100 years of banking experience.

   Erichson's experience in banking is with both large and small institutions. She has worked for Bank of America and Wells Fargo, along with several smaller banks.

   She said she prefers working for a smaller bank and building close relationships with customers. The bank is customer-oriented and works to insure customer satisfaction. Erichson added that see would be available to customers on evenings and weekends via her cell phone and email.

   The bank will offer competitive loan rates, savings rates and has an attractive checking plan and fee schedule, she said. On-line banking is available and Ubrun reported "bill pay" is in the test phase and should be available soon to customers.

   The bank will offer a wide range of loan products, Ubrun said, such as auto and recreational vehicle loans, lines of credit, commercial loans and construction financing.

   In addition to Rio Vista, the bank has branches in Isleton and Walnut Grove, Ubrun said. The Bank of Rio Vista serves farmers, ranchers and business people with an emphasis on business lending, equipment lending, agricultural, construction and commercial real estate lending and the expansion to Valley Springs is an opportunity to diversify the bank's loan portfolio, he added.

   Ubrun, who has lived in the foothills for 15 years and worked for Bank of Lodi in Lockeford and Plymouth, said Bank of Rio Vista looked for a new branch site in Amador and El Dorado counties, but "felt this was the best place for us."

   He outlined the Bank of Rio Vista's history dating back to 1904 and the bank's donation policy. He presented a $5,000 check to Tillie Soyland, chair of the Friends of the Library-Valley Springs Chapter. The bank's corporate-giving philosophy centers upon children and senior citizens, Ubrun said, and the library will serve both groups.   

Emergency crews prepare to enter Norm's Chevron at the corner of Highway 26 and Nove Way in Valley Springs Thursday afternoon after a couple of people inside the convenience store became ill. 

Fumes at station force evacuation

By Nick Baptista

   Emergency personnel were dispatched to Norm's Chevron Gas Station at the corner of Highway 26 and Nove Way in Valley Springs shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon when at least a couple people inside the convenience store became ill.

   Authorities closed several blocks around the gas station and mini-mart as the county’s Hazardous Materials team donned protective gear and launched an investigation at the site.

   According to Undersheriff Michael Walker, two people inside the convenience store became ill and a third person was reported ill at the Valley Springs Tire and Auto Repair, located at 53 Nove Way, just behind Norm’s Chevron. Ambulances were seen in area taking several people to the hospital.

   Several blocks around the gas station and mini-mart were evacuated as the Haz Mat team prepared to enter the building to investigate the situation and take samples. It was determined the workers were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes from a heating unit turned on for the first time this season.

   In addition, traffic in Valley Springs was disrupted for about two hours as Highway 26 in front of Norm’s Chevron was closed to through traffic. Eastbound Highway 26 traffic was detoured at Hogan Dam Road, while westbound Highway 26 traffic was detoured in downtown Valley Springs at the intersection with Highway 12.

   The initial report from the dispatch center at the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Department said there was a strong smell of gas in the area of the mini-mart and gas station.

    The same area was evacuated Sept. 10 when a natural gas line was ruptured by a backhoe operator digging at the new construction site across Nove Way from Norm’s Chevron.  

Oct. 14

Melanie and Bob DeMarco were aboard the U.S.S. Boxer earlier this month for Fleet Week and are photographed above the ship’s flight deck and with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

Father, daughter experience life aboard U.S. combat ship

By Nick Baptista

   A Valley Springs businessman and his daughter shared a unique experience earlier this month cruising from San Diego to San Francisco aboard the U.S. Navy’s multi-purpose amphibious assault ship, the U.S.S. Boxer.

   Bob DeMarco, owner of Top-Quality Insulation & Fireplaces, and his 13-year-old daughter Melanie were the guests of the Navy during the Oct. 5 to Oct. 8 cruise along the California coast from the Boxer’s homeport in San Diego to participate in Fleet Week in San Francisco Bay, which included a performance by the Blue Angels flight team.

   The trip was made possible through DeMarco and Top-Quality’s participation in the Employer Support of the National Guard and Reserves program. The company proudly employs Travis Weber, who is a member of the Army National Guard and served for about a year in Iraq.

   Dennis McCord, the local representative for the Employer Support of the National Guard and the Reserves program and a former Navy officer, arranged the trip.

   “All I did was what I felt was right,” DeMarco said. “Go protect our country and your job will be here when you come back. All of the military on the ship thought it was great.”

   Although there were numerous exiting moments while onboard the Boxer, DeMarco said the most memorable experience was when they were going under the Golden Gate Bridge and hearing the crowd cheer for the U.S. military.

   Some on board the ship were a little apprehensive that Melanie was making the cruise.

   “They didn’t expect her to find it that interesting,” DeMarco said. However, his daughter, a student at Toyon Middle School, loved it.

   “She watches the history channel and found it very interesting,” he said.

   The DeMarcos were among eight employers to make the trip. In addition, a number of sea cadets were also aboard the Boxer.

   While in transit from San Diego to San Francisco, the DeMarcos slept in bunks, ate in the mess hall and took tours of the ship.

   The Boxer was commissioned into the Navy on Feb. 11, 1995. It has more than 1,000 crewmembers, can accommodate more than 2,000 troops and has the capacity for 82 aircraft. It is 844 feet long and 106 feet wide and displaces more than 40,000 tons of water.

   “There were tons of exciting stuff, I could go on forever,” he said.  

   The Dog Frog is one of 28 Painted Frogs of Calaveras County  to take center stage at the Oct. 22 Gala and Auction.

Less than 100 tickets left for Oct. 22 Painted Frog Gala

   Less than 100 tickets remain for the Oct. 22 Painted Frogs of Calaveras County Gala and Auction.

   The first-ever Frog Gala in 2003 was a sellout and the auction raised approximately $150,000 for area non-profits and charities.

   Tickets for the gala in Mark Twain Hall at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds cost $65 per person and more than 400 have already been sold, according to Diane Gray, executive director of the Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce. Tables can be reserved with the purchase of eight to 10 tickets.

   Gala tickets can be obtained by calling the chamber office at (209) 736-2580.

   The event will begin at 6 p.m. with a preview of the 28 Painted Frogs, music and a no-host bar. The hall will be decorated in a Calaveras County theme. A buffet dinner will be served beginning at 7 p.m. and the auction will start at approximately 8 p.m.

  The chamber’s “Tourist Toad” will not be sold by auction, but will be a raffle prize. Tickets for a chance to win the chamber frog will be on sale for $5 each at the gala.

   Valley Springs has three frogs in the auction, the "Dog Frog" on display at Central California Bank, the “Wine Frog” at Countrywide Home Loans, 15 St. Andrews Road, and “Harry Frogger” at Valley Springs Home Center, 72 Highway 26.  

Oct. 12

Janet Peggy Casey

Murder suspect released on bail goes back to jail

   Murder suspect Janet Peggy Casey, 66, was taken into custody Friday morning at her Burson residence after allegedly violating a court order regarding her bail.

   Casey was released Oct. 5 from the Calaveras County Jail where she was awaiting trial on a charge of first-degree murder. She is accused of killing her husband Frank back on Aug. 30 at their 6629 Evergreen Road home.

   Deputies from the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Department on Friday conducted a search of Casey’s residence. According to court documents, she had agreed to a search waiver for guns and alcohol. Deputies reportedly found alcoholic beverages in the refrigerator located in a garage attached to the house.

   A preliminary hearing into the murder charge is scheduled for 2 p.m. Nov. 17 in Calaveras County Superior Court.

   Bail of $750,000 had been raised using the couple’s property.

   A .38-caliber handgun was used to kill Mr. Casey and the suspect and victim may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time, the sheriff’s department initially reported.  

Oct. 7

Work could begin Oct. 17 on Silver Rapids

By Nick Baptista

  Ford Construction of Lodi has received a contract to begin sight-line improvement work at the intersection of Highway 26 and Silver Rapids Road.

   Work to improve safety at the intersection could begin Oct. 17, according to Caltrans spokeswoman Tina Walker.

   Traffic will be restricted in the area during work hours.

   The north leg of Silver Rapids Road where it meets Highway 26 has been closed since Feb. 17 as Caltrans explored additional improvements that could be made to enhance safety at the intersection.

  The work entails trimming the high bank on the side where Silver Rapids is closed to Highway 26 and lesser work on a lower cut.

   Decreasing the height of the slope at the intersection will improve sight distance.

   The project is estimated to cost approximately $610,000 and be completed in “20 working days,” Walker said. The timeframe does not include any days lost to rain.

   Caltrans began its study and closed down a portion of the intersection less than two weeks after a 61-year-old Stockton woman died in an auto accident at the intersection, which re-opened in late December following a $2 million road alignment and improvement project.

   The accident was attributed to driver error, but it got Caltrans to take a closer look at the intersection.

   State and county officials had received numerous complaints about the intersection since its December re-opening and up to the fatal accident.