September archives

Sept. 29

Dann Myers is the interim postmaster at the Valley Springs Post Office.

Post Office welcomes interim postmaster

By Nick Baptista

   The Valley Springs Post Office has a new leader.

   Dann Myers, customer relations coordinator at the Stockton Post Office, is the interim postmaster in Valley Springs. He replaces Chris Mondragon who transferred to the French Camp Post Office.

   Myers would like to remove the interim word from his title. A resident of Bethel Island in Contra Costa County, Myers would like to become the permanent postmaster in Valley Springs and move to the area.

   “My wife and I like the area,” he said. “We come up here once a month to have breakfast.”

   But before Myers can get too comfortable in the postmaster’s office in the Valley Oaks Shopping Center, the position has to be posted internally throughout the postal district.

   The selection process could be as quick as a month or take a couple of months, he said.

   “It’s a very democratic process,” Myers said. “We should know by the end of the year.”

   Myers is confident he’s well qualified for the job, having 20 years of experience in the U.S. Postal Service and nearly 10 years as a postmaster in four other offices.

   Myers began his Postal Service career as a rural carrier. That experience, along with his background in handling extensive rural delivery and growth management will be helpful for the Valley Springs Post Office, which is in a growth pattern, he added.

   The Valley Springs Post Office services 4,277 deliveries and in the past 24 months has seen that number increase on average by 20 more deliveries a month.

   In addition, Myers likes to be active in the community and work with local businesses.

   “The Post Office should be active and involved with business,” he said.

   Myers is a member of the Bethel Island Municipal Advisory Council and has been involved with the Stockton Chamber of Commerce.

   New tools for businesses are being developed by the Postal Service and Myers said he would work with local businesses to introduce them to the opportunities.

   He will do presentations at businesses and teach their employees who to use the Postal Service’s website and services.

   Myers and his wife Rosie have three daughters and one grandchild. A son-in-law is a rural carrier in Byron.

   One of the first steps Myers is taking at the Valley Springs Post Office is to begin offering passport services. He sees a need since the closest passport services are offered in San Andreas.

   Myers is also pleased with the staff he inherited, several of whom he has worked with before.  

Sept. 22

Area artist Kathy Laughlin displays one of three painting she created based on historical photos of early Valley Springs.

First glimpse of historic paintings at Thursday mixer

By Nick Baptista

   The Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce’s monthly mixer Sept. 28 at the new Bank of Rio Vista in Valley Springs will have a unique, historical twist.

   In addition to the usual chamber mixer featuring plenty of socializing, networking, announcements and a free drawing for prizes, the Thursday event hosted by the Bank of Rio Vista will include the public’s first viewing of three sets of paintings based on three photographs of historic Valley Springs.

   “Scenes of Historic Valley Springs: New Original Paintings and Vintage Photographs” features 2006 paintings by three county artists based on photographs of the train depot circa 1890s, the Late House circa 1970 and the business district circa 1930s.

   Artists Cate Culver, Dave Gano and Kathy Laughlin donated their talents for the unique fundraising effort by the Society for the Preservation of West Calaveras History.

   Each set of three paintings, plus the original photographs, are offered for a tax-deductible donation of $600 to the society. One of the three sets has already been purchased, said Sal Manna, Society for the Preservation of West Calaveras History president.

   The program’s success ensures that the society will continue to sponsor future paintings based on other historic photographs of the area, he added. For more information, call Manna at 772-0336.

   The mixer is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at 2 Nove Way off Highway 26.  

Sept. 15

Foothill Fire Capt. Clint Gleason, center, addressed the district's Board of Directors at the Sept. 13 meeting and accused several members of the board of interfering with firefighters in emergency situations.

Foothill Fire captain accuses directors of interfering with safety

By Nick Baptista

   Relations between Foothill Fire Protection District’s firefighters and the Board of Directors turned ugly at Sept. 13 board meeting.

   Three of the board members – Chairman Gary West, Ed Anderson and Ron Spradlin – were accused of following firefighters on some of their calls and interfering with safety operations at emergency scenes.

   Foothill Fire Capt. Clint Gleason warned the board that if the alleged behavior continues, he would pursue legal action.

   In addition, Gleason said that just prior to the meeting, he got into a verbal altercation with Spradlin and the director threatened to demote him.

   “It’s nothing I can talk about,” Spradlin said of the incident. “It’s a personnel issue.”

   According to Gleason, West ordered a couple of volunteers to begin setting up tables and chairs for the board meeting.

   The volunteers said they did not appreciate the chairman’s attitude and approached Gleason about the situation.

   “I told them (Spradlin and West) you can ask the guys if they’ll help set up, but it’s out of line to tell them,” Gleason said following the board meeting.

   “Those bugles, that badge and your red helmet are mine,” Gleason accused Spradlin of saying during the confrontation, which was witnessed by two volunteer firefighters.

   “I did not say that,” Spradlin said when Gleason made the accusation.

   During the public comment portion of the meeting, Gleason outlined several instances where West, Anderson and Spradlin followed units during an emergency response.

   “They’re nothing but lies and I will have you arrested for false accusations,” West said when Gleason outlined his concerns to the board.

   One of the alleged incidents occurred at the scene of an Aug. 21 auto accident at La Contenta. Gleason said he was working with a patient on the ground and Spradlin approached him and said, “I need to talk to you.”

   Gleason said he responded by saying “Right now I’m busy” and Spradlin said, “It will only take a minute.”

   The incident was witnessed by a sheriff’s deputy on scene, Gleason said, who later came by the fire station and informed the volunteer firefighters that there were laws concerning interfering with firefighters at the scene of an emergency.

   Marilyn Rolland accused the board of not following policy in earlier alleged attempts to demote Gleason. Policy states the demotion of firefighters rests with the chief, Rolland said, and the board was putting pressure on Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Palm to demote Gleason.

   The board instructed Palm not to talk to the public about the situation because it was a personnel matter.

    The board, which demoted Palm more than six months ago from chief to assistant, was ready to hire an interim chief, former Jenny Lind Fire Chief Richard Schuler, but tabled the action after members of the audience said it was against the Brown Act, the state’s open meeting law, to hire Schuler without meeting with him in closed session and coming up with his compensation.

   Schuler, who has 20 years of experience as a chief officer, received support from two area volunteer firefighters, who said he was an excellent teacher and mentor. However, Palm’s mother, Nancy Pisarz, and mother-in-law, Linda Scaparro, implied he was too old for the job and criticized him for living out of the district, in Murphys.

   In an interview after the meeting, Schuler said the meeting had “dampened” his attitude about the job. He said he would re-evaluate whether he wanted to pursue the chief’s position.

   Schuler’s lack of a Class B license also upset several people in the audience. Palm does not have a Class B license and it was cited by the board as one of the reasons he was demoted.

   “It’s different standards for different folks,” Rolland said following the meeting. She also questioned why the board only accepted Schuler’s resume and did not have him fill out an application.

   In another personnel matter, the board moved ahead to hire outside counsel for a potential lawsuit. The action stems from a letter submitted on the behalf of former Assistant Chief Drew Utterback by San Andreas attorney Chris Williams. The board earlier this year terminated Utterback from the department.

   The board voted to retain counsel for an amount not to exceed $5,000. West said he had a name for the attorney the board was hiring, but he did not bring it with him to the meeting.  

Sept. 13

Ben Velasco is the owners of Valley Springs' newest furniture store, Ben's Furniture, located in Suite D in the Valley Springs Plaza at 10 Nove Way.

Ben's Furniture opens its doors in Valley Springs 

   Valley Springs has a new furniture store.

   Ben’s Furniture, located in Suite D at the Valley Springs Plaza, 10 Nove Way, opened its door earlier this month.

   Ben Velasco is the owner.

   “We have pretty much any kind of furniture you’d like,” Velasco said, “and we guarantee we’ll beat anyone’s prices.”

   The business is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

   Whatever Ben’s Furniture doesn’t have in its 2,400-square-foot store, Velasco can order for delivery through catalogs.

   His store features furniture from Poundex, Coasters Fine Furniture, Sunny Design and PFC Furniture.

   In addition to furniture, the store sells artwork, frames, mirrors and entertainment systems.

   Velasco, an area resident, was in the sprinkler installation business and he credits his cousin for persuading him to get into the furniture business.

   “There are a lot of new people, new developments and new homes in Valley Springs,” he said. “Because of the growth there is so much demand for furniture and that is what convinced us to open a new store.”

   Ben’s Furniture is a family operation with Velasco’s mother and brothers helping him out.

   He also features free delivery in the Valley Springs area.   

Sept. 8

Proposed monument signs for the entrances to Valley Springs. Sketch provided by Dave Tanner.

Chamber to discuss cityhood for Valley Springs

By Nick Baptista

   The “I” word is beginning to pop up in the course of serious conversation about the future of Valley Springs.

   The “I” in this instance stands for incorporation and whether to incorporate Valley Springs into a city or town is on the agenda for Wednesday’s luncheon meeting of the Valley Springs Chamber of Commerce.

   The meeting will begin at noon at Good Friends Chinese Restaurant, 9 California St.

   In addition to incorporation, the chamber will hear about a marketing plan for Valley Springs and discuss the installation of monument signs at the entrances of the community to welcome the public into Valley Springs.

   Chamber President Dave Tanner said efforts are under way to develop tourism and promote local businesses. Part of the plan is to develop the monument signs to help market Valley Springs.

   Three sites have been identified for the signs, with two on Highway 12 east and west of downtown Valley Springs and the third one on Highway 26 in the vicinity of Vista Del Lago.

   Tanner said the proposed monument signs would be made of stone and feature olive trees. The signs would prominently display the words “Valley Springs” and a yet-to-be-determined slogan.

   “I’m looking forward toward the chamber and local businesses working together to market Valley Springs,” he said.

   In addition to the signs, talk will include whether Valley Springs should pursue plans to be only the second incorporated community in Calaveras County.

   Angels Camp holds the distinction as the county’s only incorporated city.

   “It should be interesting,” Tanner said in regards to talk about incorporation.

   Incorporation would transfer certain government functions, such as planning and zoning, from the county to a new city or town of Valley Springs. Currently, planning and zoning decisions are made by the county. Upon incorporation, future development decisions would be made by the Valley Springs’ own Planning Commission and City Council.  

Sept. 6

The process has begun to expand Valley Springs' Mar-Val Food Store.

Mar-Val expansion under way

By Nick Baptista

   Work has begun behind the Valley Springs Mar-Val Food Store to add a 6,000-square-foot warehouse.

   Mar-Val Manager John Webb said he expects the warehouse, the first phase of the store expansion project, to be completed prior to Thanksgiving.

   The warehouse expansion and additional work will increase the overall size of the store from 25,200 to 31,218 square feet.

   With the new warehouse, the customer area inside the existing store will be expanded and the produce area will be much larger, Webb said.

   Cold boxes will be moved back to the existing wall and the store’s storage room will be turned into a prep area, he added.

   The work inside the store will have to wait until after the holidays, Webb said. Once the new year begins, he anticipates it will take three months or less to complete the project.

   Mar-Val employs nearly 100 people and the workforce could increase with the expansion and additional business.

   “More business means more jobs,” Webb said.  

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