March 28

Burson Postmaster Wendi Sherman, left, receives 24 priority boxes containing Quilts of Valor from Lynne Storm, chairman of the Quilts of Valor program for the Loose Threads Quilt Guild and the guild’s past president. The quilts are bound for Marines in “The 1/8.”

Quilts of Valor reach new milestone

By Nick Baptista

   The Loose Threads Quilt Guild’s Quilts of Valor program reached a milestone earlier this week when 24 quilts were shipped individually to Marines in the First Battalion, Eighth Marine Regiment, known as “The 1/8.”

   It was the guild’s largest single shipment to date, reported Gail Belmont.

   “The 1/8” was in the front lines in Iraq at the November 2004 Battle of Fallujah and is preparing to return to action, Belmont said.

   Valley Springs area women have been creating quilts for wounded U.S. service men and women since hostilities began in Afghanistan and Iraq. Quilts of Valor is a nationwide foundation with similar groups across the county working to provide quilts to comfort all combat-wounded service members.

   Belmont Quilts of Valor has become the Northern California Quilts of Valor coordinator and that involves receiving donated quilts from other guilds and sewing groups and shipping them to the troops.

   In addition to the Loose Threads Quilt Guild of Valley Springs, Contra Costa Quilters, East Bay Heritage Quilters and the St. Barbara’s Guild of Sonora prepared the 24 quilts for “The 1/8.”

   Two weeks ago, 21 Quilts of Valor from the Independence Hall Quilters of Arnold were shipped to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Landstuhl is the largest military hospital outside of the continental U.S. and serves as the nearest treatment center for wounded soldiers coming from Iraq and Afghanistan. A large proportion of serious casualties from the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters are treated there, flown in via the Ramstein Air Base.

March 26

Beyond Juice employees Robin Aldrich, left, Caitlyn Jeffries and General Manager Jason Gibbs prepare a drink for a customer at the recently re-opened shop.

Beyond Juice re-opens under new ownership, staffing

By Nick Baptista

   Beyond Juice, one of the early tenants in the Terrace Plaza at Highway 26 and Vista Del Lago, has re-opened under new ownership and new staffing.

   Doug Hoiles and Marianne Morgan are the new owners. Beyond Juice is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week and the evening hours will be extended to 9 p.m. as the weather warms up and the days get longer.

   Jason Gibbs is the general manager of the staff of eight, many of whom are familiar faces from Morgan’s other business, Health Habit, which is moving next month from the Valley Oaks Center to the Terrace Plaza.

   Beyond Juice and Health Habit are natural fits, Morgan said. Beyond Juice prides itself in being more than just a smoothie juice bar and the goal is to create a product that is a healthy alternative to fast food. The company’s slogan is “A Meal In A Cup.”

   Beyond Juice’s basic blend formula includes amino acids, wheat germ, brewer’s yeast, beta-carotene, folic acid, Vitamins A, B-1 and B-2. The 100 percent pure fruit juice also has half the calories compared to many other juice places, Morgan said.

   In addition, Beyond Juice serves breakfast and has a variety of sandwiches, salads and desserts. The breakfast choices are waffles and muffins, while the egg salad sandwich is a popular choice for lunch, which also includes a menu of honey roasted turkey, turkey cranberry, California Veggie, white albacore tuna and toasted cheese.

   The salads include a large garden salad, tuna salad, season chicken salad and Greek salad featuring feta cheese, Greek olives and Salonika peppers. Dessert menu offers large, low-fat brownies, jumbo cookies, poppy seed and banana breads.

   Plans call for the introduction of a variety of soups next fall and winter, and the Valley Springs Beyond Juice eventually will carry vitamins and health books, Morgan said. She also plans to expand the breakfast menu to eventually include pancakes, breakfast burritos and quiche.  

March 19

The Taco Bell worksite at the Valley Oaks Center has been a beehive of activity as workers strive to have the restaurant open by mid April.

Taco Bell could be open in a month

By Nick Baptista

   The Taco Bell under construction off Highway 12 at the Valley Oaks Center is on track to open in mid April.

   Dave Redfern, superintendent for American Building Concepts of Valley Springs, which is constructing the restaurant, said the building should begin looking more like the finished product by the end of next week.

   The worksite has been a beehive of activity.

   “From here on out it will amaze you to see how quickly things come together,” he said.

   Interior tile work is under way, kitchen equipment is due to arrive next Monday, the color coat of paint will go on in the next few days and the final coat will be applied the following week, he said, and if the weather allows, paving should also get under way by the end of next week.

   The restaurant will break the traditional Taco Bell mold and be what they call a “new generation store” featuring a new design and color scheme, Redfern said, and it will be a Taco Bell-only restaurant without a KFC.

   “You don’t know how many times people have asked me that question,” he added.

   As soon as the Valley Springs Taco Bell is completed, its sister store in Jackson will be torn down and a “new generation store” will take its place, Redfern said. Many members of the crew at the Jackson store will shift to Valley Springs during the construction period.

   The Valley Springs Taco Bell will be the latest of the chain’s nearly 5,600 restaurants in the U.S.  

March 14

Preparing the Highway 26 entrance site for a new Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce ore cart last week were, from left, Jim Heryford, Tom Tutthill, Jeff Davidson, Ron Dwelley and Chamber President Jack Boeding.

County Chamber placing greeting sign on Hwy. 26

By Nick Baptista

   The landscape entering Calaveras County on Highway 26 from San Joaquin County is expected to change come this spring.

   In addition to green, rolling hills and new leaves on the oak trees, visitors to the county will see a new landmark off the side of the road.

   Preparation work has begun for installation of a Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce ore cart on the highway near the county line.

   The enlarged ore carts found off many of the entrances and exits to Calaveras County have become the chamber’s trademark hospitality symbol. The ore carts welcome those coming into the county and thanks those who are leaving for their visit.

  The chamber has ore carts on Highway 12 near Wallace, Highway 4 at the Stanislaus County Line, Highway 49 near Mokelumne Hill and Highway 26 near West Point.

   The Bank of Rio Vista branch in Valley Springs is sponsoring the Highway 26 ore cart, which costs several thousand dollars to build and install.

   Chamber Executive Director Diane Gray said work to build the base for the latest ore cart began last week on property owned by Steve Watson of Abbey Well Service. The cart will be on the westbound side of Highway 26.

   The work is going slow due to the soggy nature of the field, but she anticipates the site will be ready by mid-April for installation of the cart and a ceremony to recognize the bank and Watson will be scheduled shortly afterward.  

March 12

The Sacramento Valley Division of the Toy Train Operating Society will participate in the first-ever Valley Springs Train Times set for Saturday, April 26.

Busy day shaping up for first-ever Train Times

   Activities and plans for the upcoming Valley Springs Train Times will outlined when Sal Manna, president of the Society for the Preservation of West Calaveras History, speaks at next week’s Valley Springs Area Business Association luncheon.

   Train Times, to be centered at the revitalized Historic Valley Springs Train Depot, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 26. The ABA luncheon, open to the public, begins at noon Wednesday, March 19, at Good Friends Chinese Restaurant at the corner of Highways 12 and 26.

   Valley Springs Train Times will be the first-ever celebration of the area’s railroad history. It was created by the nonprofit Society for the Preservation of West Calaveras History in conjunction with the Historic Valley Springs Train Depot and the VSABA. Railroad and history buffs from throughout the region are expected to join the community-wide festival. Admission is free.

   For model railroad enthusiasts, the Sacramento Valley Division of the Toy Train Operating Society will bring its major model railroad layout, 14 feet by 26 feet, which will be set up at Sheng Chi Kung Fu, 139 Main St., Manna said. The layout features Standard Gauge, O-Gauge and S-Scale (American Flyer) trains. The group will also bring a test track and invite anyone with a model railroad car of HO, O or standard gauge to run their car on that track.

   The group will be happy to provide advice and information about model railroading. The public is also welcome to see the group set up its layout and a club member is bringing another, smaller layout called The Rusty Spike.

   In addition, the Sacramento-based Recreational Railroad Coalition will display at least two of its “speeders,” classic railroad maintenance vehicles, Manna said.

   Locally, the Optimist Club of Valley Springs is expected to debut its newly remodeled Circus Train, a longtime favorite of parades until it fell in disrepair, and The Valley Springs News will publish a special commemorative edition for April 26, 1885, the day after the San Joaquin & Sierra Nevada Railroad pulled into Valley Springs for the first time. The commemorative edition will feature a re-created article about the train’s arrival in Valley Springs and a recap of worldwide events from April 25, 1885.

   Music will include acoustic folk singer-songwriter-guitarist Patricia Jackson, a Burson resident; the country rock band Never The Same; and The Train Gang, led by Mike Jurek, who with his wife LeAnn are the owners of the Historic Valley Springs Train Depot.

   In addition, Manna said the Society for the Preservation of West Calaveras History will display for the first time in Valley Springs its entire “Something From Nothing” photo exhibition of early West Calaveras photos.

   On the literary front, well-known Calaveras writer Glenn Wasson will read from his new book “Tales Mark Twain Would Have Loved To Steal,” including his poem “Saturday Night in Valley Springs” and Bill Renwick, the great-grandson of the stagedriver on Black Bart’s last hold-up, will read from his ancestor’s autobiography.

   The Ice Cream Depot will host an Olde Tyme Ice Cream Social from 2 to 4 p.m., featuring ice cream specials and period music, and the Calaveras Gunfighters, a local shoot-‘em-up theatrical group, will perform skits at High Noon, 2, and 4 p.m. at the Train Depot.

   Ceremonies include the Matuca Chapter 1849 of E Clampus Vitus rededicating the State Historic Landmark at the Train Depot and participating in the unveiling of the new “Valley Springs” sign that will be affixed to the depot.

   Vendor booths will offer everything from framed historic photos and books to contemporary photography and popular music CDs, both estate and handmade jewelry to massages and gift and beauty items, vintage railroad artifacts and Train Times T-shirts to wooden train whistles and train engineer hats for children.  Numerous local organizations will also be represented with informational booths.

   For more information and vendor reservations, call Manna at 772-0336. For reservations to the ABA luncheon, call Ester Taber at 786-2791.  

Steve Bolewine, owner of Common Grounds

New business serves sense of community along with java

By Nick Baptista

   Creating a sense of community, along with serving a good cup of coffee or a variety of other beverages, is the idea behind Valley Springs’ latest coffeehouse – Common Grounds.

   Located in the Terrace Plaza at Highway 26 and Vista Del Lago, Common Grounds is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

   The genesis for Common Grounds comes from owner Steve Bolewine’s visits to the Pacific Northwest and witnessing how coffeehouses there are an intricate part of the region’s social life.

   “It’s something we’re missing so I brought it to Valley Springs,” he said. “We’re a place where people can come together to socialize and converse. People can come here and just hang out.”

   The serving area takes up a small portion of Common Grounds’ 1,600-square-foot interior space with the majority of room set aside in numerous conversation areas for a pair of people or up to a small group that can sit and talk in front of a cozy fireplace. In addition, with the weather getting warmer, there is seating outside under umbrellas in a food court.

   To help create a sense of community, Common Grounds has a community bulletin board inside to promote local events and organizations, but not businesses, and local photos by Jack Forkner grace the premises.

   “We’re trying real hard to bring in things that will build an overall vision of our community,” he added.

   Bolewine and his wife Kim have been area residents for the past 20 years. They lived in Wallace for about 14 years before moving to a Salt Springs Valley ranch where they enjoy riding horses. Steve has been in a furniture-related, wholesale warehouse business the past 20 years that is based in Stockton, but the coffeehouse is where he sees his future.

   Before taking the plunge into the coffee business, Belowine educated himself and gathered the information to launch his dream by attending a barista college. The school, Belowine said, was instrumental in giving him the necessary information and options to use in establishing his own coffeehouse.

   When Bolewine was ready to start his own coffeehouse, he initially was looking at locating it in Copperopolis. A visit to The Terrace and a chat with the center’s owners Greg and Donna Thompson, who are long-time acquaintances, convinced him his idea would work in Valley Springs.

   Common Grounds uses a roaster out of Seattle, Wash., Caffe D’arte, “The art of coffee” in Italian. A traditional Italian coffee roaster, Caffe D’arte, has been in business for 24 years, has won multiple awards, and uses 300-year-old recipes from Italy.

   And coffee is not the only item on the Common Grounds menu. Tea connoisseurs will find more than two dozen types ranging from herbal, black and green tea on the menu. The non-coffee menu also includes chocolate, cider, steamers, Italian soda and milk shakes. The lunch menu includes a soup of the day and grilled Italian gourmet sandwiches called Pannini. The sandwiches are prepared fresh daily and grilled to order.

   The business opened on Valentine’s Day and has nearly 15 employees to cater to the customer’s needs.

   Bolewine has no fear of competition.

   “We can do it better,” he said. “We have a superior product, nicer ambience, and a better location. What we produce here speaks and screams of local.”  

March 7

Author Matthew Gollub fostered respect for other cultures by conversing in Japanese and Spanish during last Wednesday’s assemblies at Valley Springs Elementary School.

Award-winning author stresses the need for children to read

By Nick Baptista

   Award-winning children’s book author, performer and literacy consultant Matthew Gollub stressed the importance of reading during a daylong visit Wednesday with Valley Springs Elementary School students.

   Gollub was featured in three school assemblies and celebrated language arts, rhythm and a respect for foreign cultures during his talks with the students. In the evening, he participated in the school’s Family Literacy Night, which was open to students and their parents.

   He is the author of 14 books and has received 21 national awards and distinctions for his work. His books include “The Jazz Fly,” “Ten Oni Drummers,” “The 25 Mixtec Cats,” “The Moon Was at a Fiesta” and “Uncle Snake.”

   His latest book is “Give the Gift, 10 Fulfilling Ways to Raise a Lifetime Reader,” which shows parents and caretakers simple, but powerful “literacy customs” to help children cultivate a love of reading.

   In a morning assembly with kindergarten and first-grade pupils, Gollub used his award-winning picture book “Gobble, Quack, Moon” to entertain them. With the help of PowerPoint to display the book’s illustrations by Judy Love, Gollub recited the rhythmic lines in his book.

   Gollub encouraged the children to read every day and polled them as to whether they have books or televisions in their bedrooms.

   For those students who had TVs in their rooms, Gollub said, “Be glad that I’m not your father, because I wouldn’t allow a TV in your room. They’re more appropriate for the living room.”

   Deborah Giorgi, the school’s Learning Center coordinator, organized the visit, which coincided with the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day.  

March 5

Foothill Fire Chief Mike Siligo, left, presents the Chief's Achievement Award to Wayne Fry.

Foothill Fire honors top firefighter, past board member

   The Foothill Fire Protection District on Saturday held the first of what is planned to be an annual event – the district’s Firefighter Appreciation Dinner.

   The dinner was at La Contenta Golf Club with 50 attendees.  Dana Jorgensen, district director for Sen. Dave Cox, presented each firefighter, each chief, and the district with a Certificate of Recognition, signed by Sen. Cox and Assemblyman Tom Berryhill honoring the district’s accomplishments of a 100 percent response rate for the year 2007.

   In addition, the evening’s festivities included a presentation by Chief Michael Siligo of the Fire Chief's
Achievement Award to Wayne Fry, past Foothill Fire Board member for his outstanding dedication and
support to the district and for his many, many hours of hard labor working to construct the new fire station at Highway 12 and Burson Road.

   Foothill firefighters were presented with a monetary check for performance points earned in 2007 and service pins corresponding to their years of service.

   The dinner concluded with the presentation of the Firefighter of the Year Award being given to Brad
Hillious. He was chosen by a vote of his peers.

   “I must say his brothers and sisters in the fire service hit the mark when picking Brad. He has been an inspiration for the entire district and I have watched him mature into an outstanding gentleman and seasoned firefighter,” Chief Siligo said. “With his positive direction and his calm demeanor our newest members could certainly learn from Brad’s example.”

   The chief in closing remarks complimented his board members, staff officers and firefighters in supporting the district and thanked them all for supporting him over the past 10 months.

   "The road has sometimes been rocky and some hard decisions were made, but this district has
continued to thrive under some initial controversy,” Siligo said. “We have become a strong family of friends in the fire business, we enjoy what we do and we intend on being, if not already there, the strongest fire district in Calaveras County. Our attitude is positive and our direction is focused. Watch us grow!"  

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