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2026

Supervisors say temporary "No" to data centers
The proliferation of so-called "data centers" will not happen anytime soon in Calaveras County… The urgency ordinance took effect immediately upon the vote and will last for 45 days… The county can extend the urgency ordinance two more times by a four-fifths vote of the board for up to 22 ½ months while staff works on the issues. Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, August 28, 2026

California To Implement New 'Zone Zero' Landscaping Rules
These rules go into effect immediately for new homes, but existing properties in high-hazard zones will have up to five years to comply…The new "Zone Zero" rule bans plants and most flammable items within five feet of houses, which CAL FIRE says is the area where residences are most vulnerable to ember ignition. However, tree removal is not required, but branches should be trimmed back to at least 10 feet from the chimney and 5 feet above the roof. Click here for article—MyMotherLode.com, August 22, 2026

Part 2: Biomass-fueled data center project questions
Can we trust them to represent the environment, the communities, jobs and all the things they are presenting themselves with?" Pausing for a second, Masuda described his concerns as pragmatically-based, noting, "I have sat across the table from big tech in these inquiries." Key to the project's success over the long term for all concerned, Masuda added, is to get answers to all the questions upfront so that stakeholders can effectively work together. Click here for article—MyMotherLode.com, August 21, 2026

Supervisors support urgency order for temporary ban on data centers
Bret Sampson, the county's planning director, described data centers as very large projects that do not fit into the land-use designations of local jurisdictions…Valley Springs resident Colleen Platt also spoke against having a data center in Calaveras County, and she urged the board to have an urgency ordinance brought forward to temporarily prevent the establishment of data centers as a land use in this county. "They use a massive amount of energy and water," she said. "They generate noise, glare, heat, and they're just not suitable in our area." Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, August 20, 2026

Calaveras County moves to pause AI data centers. What will Tuolumne County do?
Tuolumne County Supervisor Jaron Brandon said he believes the county should begin a more formal discussion… Calaveras County Planning Director Bret Sampson told supervisors Tuesday that large-scale data centers have become a major land-use issue nationwide… a developer could avoid the type of comprehensive environmental review they believe such a project should undergo by potentially arguing that data centers are allowed under existing land-use rules. Click here for article—Union Democrat, August 19, 2026

Supervisors hear presentation on county budget, fire district revenues
[Fire Chief Scott] Hertzog also addressed the board, stating that he has serious concerns regarding the proposed budget cuts. "I start my budget in the red every single year through reimbursements through sending our engine and personnel to incidents throughout California, Nevada and Oregon," he said. "I can potentially reduce that deficit and potentially go into the black. But let me be clear: We should not be balancing our budget on the backs of our firefighters. Our firefighters make minimum wage, (and) less than a fast-food worker." Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, August 20, 2026

Recounting, recovering from the Gann Fire
Recovery efforts are in full swing nearly a week after the Gann Fire ignited in the early evening hours of Monday, Aug. 3 south of New Hogan Lake in Valley Springs...Three days into the incident, officials explained that the continued fire growth without seemingly much containment was due in part to firing operations being used as part of the firefighting plan… it was noted that one civilian perished in the fire… a suspect who had been detained on Monday, Herbert Wayne Smith, 65, of Angels Camp, was officially charged with a felony count of recklessly starting the fire through unsafe use of equipment. Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, August 13, 2026

County to begin looking at tax hikes
The public could see a hike in the sales tax and legal cannabis growers might see an increase in the taxes they pay to help offset proposed funding cuts to Calaveras County's fire districts… Supervisors agreed to consider Stopper's proposal at their Aug. 11 meeting.District 4 Supervisor Amanda Folendorf said she would like to see "other opportunities for revenue" considered even if that means a sale tax increase. Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, August 7, 2026

County's 'Safe Streets and Roads for All' draft presented
This plan…identifies high-risk corridors, prioritizes safety projects, and aims to eliminate traffic fatalities. Key projects of the plan include corridor safety improvements, intersection enhancements, street lighting, and bicycle facility improvements. As part of the program's approval process, feedback from both the Board of Supervisors and the public is being gathered. Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, August 6, 2026

Calaveras Supervisors To Ratify Gann Fire Declaration, Discuss Data Centers
The Board will formally ratify a State of Emergency declaration related to the Gann Fire…In addition, the board will have a conversation about developing an urgency ordinance to temporarily prevent the establishment of data centers as a land use in Calaveras County pending further study. Click here for article—MyMotherLode, August 10, 2026.

Gann Fire destruction count reaches 45 structures as more residents return home
Devastation from the Gann Fire became more evident over the weekend as Cal Fire's damage assessment climbed to 45 structures destroyed and three structures damaged as of Monday afternoon. Click here for article—Union Democrat, August 10, 2026.

Gann Fire at 40% containment, 10,374 acres
The number of structures lost is now 18 and there is one civilian casualty and one firefighter injury. The wildfire, located south of New Hogan Lake in Valley Springs, was reportedly triggered in the early evening hours of Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, by a local resident who was using a grinder to cut metal. He was arrested for recklessly causing a fire and bailed out. Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, August 7, 2026

Citizens speak against proposed budget cuts for fire districts
Public speakers from various parts of the county lined up to address the Calaveras County board of supervisors on July 28, the majority of whom had arrived to express their opposition to the proposed budget cuts for local fire districts. Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, August 6, 2026

Gann Fire at 10,373 acres, arrest made
After nearly three days, there is 19% containment on the Gann Fire burning south of New Hogan Lake in Valley Springs. The size grew exponentially due to firing operations, according to officials, who also shared that a man taken into custody is facing charges in connection with the wildfire. Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, August 6, 2026

Valley Springs Gann Fire Acreage Hike Overnight – Update #3
CAL Fire reports the Gann Fire burning near Hogan Dam Road and Gann Road in the Valley Springs area is now ?3760 acres and remains 0% contained. There is a new Evacuation Order, per CAL FIRE. Click here for article—MyMotherLode, August 4, 2026

Firewise groups say fire district cuts could raise homeowners' insurance costs
"This is not speculation; it is how the insurance system works," the local Firewise groups noted in a joint press release dated July 22. "Insurers set property insurance rates in part using the ISO (Insurance Services Office's) Public Protection Classification, a national fire protection score."Fire department staffing, equipment and deployment make up 50% of that score – the single largest factor. When a community's firefighting capacity is cut, its protection classification can worsen, and worse classifications mean higher premiums for property owners." Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, July 30, 2026

Frustrations fly over NorthFork Calaveras Bridge replacement
A stalled $17 million bridge project on Highway 12 in San Andreas has drawn criticism of California Department of Transportation District 10 officials by impacted stakeholders. "The rancher is the one who's impacted the most. He has already not been able to fully use (his portion of the property) for the past year. The project is in such disarray that he again won't be able to use it for another two and a half years." Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, July 30, 2026

Supervisors grapple with budget issues
Preliminary budget moves to eliminate the county's Economic and Community Development director's position and a sharp reduction in the allocation of room tax monies to local fire districts came under criticism…The fire districts' preliminary budgets were already approved prior to supervisors deciding to shift fire districts' 25 percent TOT monies to dispatch, [Ebbetts Pass Fire District Chief] Johnson said…"We were banking on that 25 percent"…Measure A funds are restricted to cover personnel and equipment. Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, July 10, 2026

More equipment needed before downtown VS signal lights turned on
It may be another three months before the traffic signal in downtown Valley Springs is operational…installation of an "Emergency Vehicle Detection System" or EVP for short, needs to be completed before the traffic lights are turned on. Calaveras Consolidated Fire Protection District didn't want the signal active until the EVP system was in place because they were worried about safely getting their equipment out during an emergency…Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, July 10, 2026

Supervisors discuss at-home kitchen businesses proposal
…Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO)…could allow for the legal operation of small-scale restaurants in residential homes in this county. "(The program) allows for basically the operation of a restaurant in a residential setting, which means every home in Calaveras County could open a potentially, a small unique restaurant…" Public comments supported the program for economic opportunities and local food access. Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, July 2, 2026

Stay Informed on Major Development Proposals Across Calaveras County
A website called CountyWatch provides immediate, fingertip access to a full array of current information about proposals and projects of all kinds throughout California and, specifically, in Calaveras County. You can click on their interactive map and locate projects in 22 different categories from agriculture to water and wind. Zoom in and find specific information about each project. The information is updated and current. You can join for free or pay a fee so you can receive alerts when a proposal is submitted for your area. CountyWatch is an incredible resource for all who are interested in knowing what is underway or proposed for their communities as new project proposals arise. Please visit: CountyWatch and see for yourself. Community Action Project/CPC Action Alert, June 25, 2006

County's first roundabout project underway in Moke Hill
A project to construct a roundabout has begun at the site of the crossing of state highways 26 and 49 in Mokelumne Hill... According to Caltrans District 10, it was determined that a roundabout at this Mokelumne Hill site was needed due to a "pattern of broadside collisions" identified at this intersection. Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, June 25, 2026

Hundreds Of Millions For Cannabis Health And Safety
The Calaveras Cannabis Safety Initiative Grant Funds Requested: $999,981 Summary: Calaveras County proposes a coordinated cannabis safety, health, and prevention initiative to address rising cannabis-related harms, limited cross-departmental coordination, and youth cannabis use rates that exceed state averages. Click here for article—MyMotherLode.com, June 25, 2026

Guidici, Clapp appear headed to supervisor D-5 runoff election
District 5 includes the communities of Milton, Jenny Lind, Rancho Calaveras, and Salt Spring Valley…Efforts by the Enterprise to obtain comments from the three District 5 candidates last week resulted in a response from only one of the candidates: Giudici. Giudici told the Enterprise that his top four issues are wildfire prevention, tourism and economic development, road conditions, and public safety... Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, June 18, 2026

Grand jury report outlines issues with Animal Shelter
Calaveras County's Animal Services department is ill-prepared to transition into its new $15 million shelter, according to findings issued last week by the county's Civil Grand Jury… The grand jury made 10 recommendations to address problems that included: Lack of centralized, organized, and up-to-date policies and procedures…Lack of adequate job training, protective gear, safety equipment, a Use of Force policy and crisis training for Animal Services officers… Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, June 19, 2026

Talk next month to determine future of county's archives
Calaveras County's archives, located on Main Street in downtown San Andreas, have been closed until further notice…"At this time we are continuing to evaluate operational and funding options to determine the best path forward for maintaining access to and preservation of the County's historical records." Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, May 22, 2026

Work begins to replace bridge—SR 12 Bridge Over Calaveras River
Preliminary work began earlier this month on State Route 12 between San Andreas and Valley Springs to replace the bridge over the North Fork of the Calaveras River…the $17 million construction project expected to be completed in 2028…Motorists should expect daytime, one-way traffic control Mondays through Fridays during phase 1-A of the project according to Caltrans. Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, May 15, 2026

NW Calaveras Fuels Reduction Project
The northwestern portion of Calaveras County…hilly topography gives desired relief to the layout of residential subdivisions that have been broken up into .25 to 1.5-acre house lots. According to fire statistics in Calaveras County, more ignitions and fires happen in this section of County than any other. This statistic is alarming… Adjacent to the TIZ and a part of the Project Influence Zone (PIZ) is the subdivision Rancho Calaveras, which has 1,937 households and a population (according to 2010 Census) of 5,316 persons. Town Hall Meeting held in Valley Springs March 25. Click here for article—CalaverasRCD.org, March 31, 2026

'Little death bombs': Illegal cannabis farms poison California's forests. Who's cleaning them up?
Even after legalization, illicit cannabis grows continue to pollute California's public lands. And the contamination, new research shows, lingers…"Everybody thought with legalization that a lot of these problems would go away," said Wood… But, he added, the sites remain. "It's a ticking environmental time bomb." Click here for article—CalMatters, February 9, 2026

Hwy 12 Bridge Replacement To Delay Traffic In Calaveras County
Bridge replacement work on Highway 12 in the San Andreas area of Calaveras County will take two years to complete and cause traffic delays. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) reports that the construction began on Monday (5/1/26) at the North Fork Calaveras River bridge. "Motorists should expect daytime, one-way traffic control Mondays through Fridays during phase 1-A of this project," stated Caltrans officials, which could mean up to 15-minute delays. Click here for article—MyMotherLode.com, May 12, 2026

Two Dogs Impounded, Calaveras Shelter Releases Urgent Message
The two dogs, pictured in the image box, were captured by law enforcement last night and impounded in the Calaveras County Animal Services shelter in San Andreas, which has an urgent message for the public. "Because of the recent cases of parvovirus at the shelter, the shelter remains under quarantine, and since the vaccination status of these dogs is unknown, they may be at risk, and they put the shelter at risk of restarting the quarantine period should they become ill." They added, "We have vaccinated these dogs as per our usual intake procedures, but vaccines take time to offer protection. These dogs should return home ASAP." Click here for article—MyMotherLode.com, May 7, 2026

Light pollution is brightening Earth's night sky. We show where
Our night sky is getting brighter and brighter…because of artificial lighting… artificial nighttime lights have brightened Earth by 16% between 2014 and 2022… Excessive artificial lighting outside is known as light pollution, and according to DarkSky, there are four ways that light pollution can happen: Glare…Skyglow…Light trespass…Clutter.. How too much light can impact wildlife and humans; Both animals and humans are affected by artificial light. Click here for article—USA Today, May 6, 2026

Douglas Flat resident calls cell tower issue a 'nightmare'
…increasingly frustrated with a cell tower that he alleges was illegally built less than 5 feet from his residential property…"We are just lost and really trying to get the word out to the public that this could happen to anyone in Calaveras County…There are laws in place, but they are not followed, and you really have no say on what's going on on your land." Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, April 30, 2026

Calaveras County Shelter Releases Urgent Message
The Calaveras County Animal Services (CCAS) has issued an urgent message to the public about a deadly disease affecting the shelter. The shelter will not be admitting any new dogs, stating, "Members of our community, our animal shelter is currently facing a challenging situation in which multiple dogs that were impounded from the Railroad Flat area on Saturday, 4/18/26, are clinically ill and have tested positive for canine parvovirus. Since parvovirus is very contagious to other dogs and can be fatal, in order to control the spread of this disease, CCAS will not be admitting any new dogs to the shelter unless they are found critically ill or injured." Click here for article—MyMotherLode.com, April 28, 2026

County unveils 5-year capital improvement program draft
..The county's public works department has nearly $10 million in capital improvement projects forecasted for the upcoming fiscal year...Stopper expressed… "It's disappointing for my district, because we've been waiting on those far too long. That's seven years of delay,"…Tofanelli also shared his frustrations about a Caltrans project to have traffic signals operating at the intersection near Mar-Val (supermarket) in Valley Springs. He noted that he believes that project will make traffic at that intersection "absolutely terrible." Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, April 23, 2026

Supervisors level sharp criticism at Caltrans, CCWD
.. District 1 Supervisor Gary Tofanelli leveled criticism of Caltrans' recent work at the intersection of State Route 12/26 and the Valley Oaks Shopping Center and District 5 Supervisor Benjamin Stopper complained about CCWD's adverse impact on his constituents stemming from the district's ongoing Jenny Lind – Rancho Calaveras A-B Water Transmission Pipeline Project…The proposed 2026 Capital Improvement Program has 13 new projects added to the list, one of which is called the Valley Springs Circulation Realignment Highway 26 bypass, a possible solution to commuter-time congestion in downtown Valley Springs. Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, April 17, 2026

Downtown traffic signal could be completed by end of month
The Valley Oaks Intersection Project is nearing completion and Caltrans is working with the shopping center's ownter to solve the flooding problem at the site."Caltrans is in the process of scheduling for PG&E to provide the service to activate the traffic signal and is awaiting a confirmed date for service to be provided." Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, April 10, 2026

Proposed gasification plant in county gets $25 mil loan
The Blue Mountain Electric Company, LLC, has received a $25 million U.S. Department of Agriculture loan toward a $42.2 million project to build and operate a 3-megawatt gasification plant near the former lumber town of Wilseyville. The facility will convert forestry biomass waste into synthetic natural gas through thermal-chemical conversion… "The Timber Production and Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program is one of many ways the Forest Service partners with the timber industry to maintain rural jobs, processing facilities, and an outlet for wood that needs to be removed from national forests." Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, March 27, 2026

HazMit plan update under way
Hazard mitigation plans provide community members and officials with information about the community's hazards and outline risk-reduction strategies to lessen the impact of future disasters… To be eligible for certain types of non-emergency assistance, FEMA requires state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to have approved and adopted hazard mitigation plans… To support the update process, Calaveras County will host a community workshop in May and conduct a public input survey. Public feedback is important… Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, March 27, 2026

Concerns voiced as county considers taking $10 mil loan
Details concerning funding for a new Calaveras County animal shelter emerged at last week's Board of Supervisors meeting and drew some levels of concern from members of the board and the public… The proposed lease-purchase agreement calls for the county to pay $605,221 a year at 4.39 percent interest for up to 30 years with no prepayment permitted for the first 10 years. District 1 Supervisor Gary Tofanelli echoed Huberty's concern and said this was a difficult situation for him, especially the prospect of paying $23 million on the $10 million loan over the course of 30 years. Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, March 20, 2026

County in line for $10 mil loan to build animal shelter
The existing animal shelter has been under grand jury scrutiny for nearly two decades.
The jury's 2023 report entitled "Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks," said, "the shelter is understaffed, unsanitary, underfunded, overcrowded, as well as unappealing and in need of replacement."…Engineers have estimated construction costs at $13 million for the shelter with an estimated funding gap of $9.9 million from money the county has already set aside for the project. In addition, the county has completed construction plans for the full shelter buildout. Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, February 27, 2026

Board asking state, feds for storm recovery assistance
…The storm that dumped feet upon feet of snow at the higher elevations, causing havoc with downed trees that blocked roads, toppled power lines and left PG&E customers without power for many hours or days into this week. "There were a total of 476 calls (to the emergency dispatch center) between February 17 and February 23, and that is just the West Point, Avery, Arnold, and Dorrington areas of the County,"…Disabled or abandoned vehicles on county roads also hindered the snowplowing efforts…157 power lines conflicts with downed trees and 300 downed trees on county roads. Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, February 27, 2026

Calaveras Moving Its OES Back To Sheriff's Office
Concerns were raised at this week's Calaveras County Board of Supervisors meeting about the operations and lack of oversight carried out by the Office of Emergency Services… The switch back to the sheriff's office is designed to create more stable staffing, improve grant management/compliance, and ensure 24/7 readiness to emergencies.The vote was 5-0 in favor of beginning the transition of OES back over to the sheriff's office. Click here for article--MyMotherLode.com, January 30, 2026,

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locations
There are six charging stations in Calaveras County along the Hwy 4 corridor, from Copperopolis to Arnold. See interactive map link for locations. "Find electric vehicle charging stations in the United States and Canada." Click here for link from US Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center, January 29, 2026.

California's largest new reservoir in decades secures federal approval
The U.S. Department of the Interior approved a major California water project on Friday, clearing a key obstacle for a massive new reservoir. The proposed 1.5 million acre-foot Sites Reservoir would store water from the Sacramento River and distribute it during droughts…it would mark California's first major reservoir project since 1979, when New Melones Lake was completed. Click here for article—SFGATE, January 27, 2026

Supervisors select priority projects for active transportation, recreational trails plan
The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors, on Jan. 13, provided their support for a countywide active transportation and recreational trails plan, and gave direction for the prioritization of projects in Valley Springs and Murphys…1) State Route 4, Murphys Main Street Complete Streets – Feeney Park to Apple Blossom Drive; 2) State Route 26, Valley Springs Main Street Complete Streets – "…Hogan Dam Road from Vista Del Lago Drive. This is also a shared-use path on the east side of the road." Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, January 22, 2026

Calls for county to finalize open space plan
Six speakers from the Calaveras Planning Coalition addressed the board on the matter during the public comment portion of the Jan. 13 meeting. The outcry, according to the coalition, was prompted by the county's failure to meet the state's Jan. 1, 2026, deadline for updating the plan .Muriel Zeller of the Calaveras Planning Coalition has repeatedly asked the county to complete the required updates in recent years. Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, January 23, 2026

Community members address supervisors on open-space issue
Six speakers shared their thoughts on the county's open-space plan…after the county failed to meet the state-required Jan. 1 deadline for updating that plan… Murphys resident Penny Sarvis told the board that the county's untimely work has placed local landowners in a bad position when they try to compete for state conservation funding…Joyce Techel,"The benefits of success are many. The consequences of failure are serious, and delay is not an option." Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, January 22, 2026

Bureau of Land Management revokes American Prairie bison leases
The U.S. Department of the Interior announced on Friday that it is revoking grazing permits…that American Prairie had been using to sustain its herd of bison. The decision comes after a three-and-a-half-year battle between the Montana livestock industry, backed by Gov. Greg Gianforte and the Montana Department of Justice, and American Prairie, a conservation nonprofit working to restore the prairie ecosystem of north-central Montana. Click here for article—Montana Free Press, January 16, 2026

BLM yanks American Prairie bison grazing leases
American Prairie's permit to graze its bison on federal land has been revoked, according to a new proposed decision from the Bureau of Land Management. American Prairie has insisted that there's nothing in those laws preventing grazing by conservation herds… they qualify as a stock owner and that they are engaged in the livestock business. Click here for article—Daily Montanan, January 16, 2026

Regional Business Funding Available For EV Charging Stations
The Central Sierra Economic Development District... is doing outreach to local businesses that are interested in hosting EV charging stations at their sites. The Sierra Charging Network project covers Tuolumne, Calaveras, Alpine, Mono, Inyo, Amador, Mariposa, and Nevada counties. The goal is to deploy EV charging stations in rural and underserved areas. Businesses may be eligible for a no-cost site evaluation and even potentially fully funded EV charging station installation. Click here for article—MyMotherLode.com, Jan 9, 2026

EV charging stations, job demand, training opportunities surge in new year
Columbia College…is offering a free-of-charge Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Technician training program that will lead off with two cohort sessions being held Feb. 2-20 and March 2-20…Increasing the number of charging stations within the region's rural communities is anticipated to bolster tourism, support local economies, strengthen transportation resilience, and align with the state's clean energy goals. Click here for article—Calaveras Enterprise, January 08, 2026

On edge during holiday as storm evokes evacuation warning
The holiday spirit was somewhat dampened by a series of atmospheric rivers during the past week that dumped more than 2 inches of rain on western Calaveras and prompted the county's Office of Emergency Services and the Calaveras Consolidated Fire Protection District to issue an evacuation warning on Christmas Eve for areas close to flood-prone Cosgrove Creek. Click here for article—The Valley Springs News, January 2, 2026 Published in the Valley Springs News / January 2, 2026

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