Google Earth has new satellite imagery for our area. While I can’t quite make out my license plate, the pictures are amazingly clear. Check it out by clicking the image above or by downloading the Google Earth application.

Here’s what it looks like (click each photo for a larger version):

A black cow was found dead on the Singletree access to Flowers Lake. I don’t know if anyone has been looking for one put I believe it’s been there for a day or two.  It’s right side was up and there were no brands or ear tags to provide further identification.

The Sheriff’s Department says 3,600 plants were found Wednesday around the Diamond XX Subdivision in Copperopolis.

The Sheriff’s Department believes that a Mexican drug trafficking organization was responsible for the grow operation.

Sleeping bags, a tent and food were located at a campsite. No suspects were arrested.

Yikes! If you see something, say something to the Sheriff – (209) 754-6500

Our roads look pretty good from low earth orbit!

Google maps has just updated their satellite imagery for our area – my house, which was completed in 2007, now shows up. To see the satellite image of your property, go to http://maps.google.com, enter your address, then click the “Satellite” button.

Additionally, the Google “Street View” crew has driven our roads, capturing pictures of our roads and properties from street level. While this is kind of cool, it also has some privacy implications. You may want to look at the images they have taken of your property. To do this, click and drag on the little person icon in the upper left and drag it to the road nearest your property. If you see something that concerns you, there is a link at the bottom of the window to “report a problem.”

Yep…that’s the Stagecoach wet-crossing.  When Bob Toynbee’s not peering under the front bumper of a van trying to figure out how to attach his tow chain, he’s working with Public Works on the new bridge crossing.

Preliminary engineering for this long-awaited project is scheduled to begin this summer with actual crossing completion expected by summer of 2012. Sometime during bridge construction, road closure will have to occur, however, our hardy neighbors living beyond the wet-crossing deal with driving the long way around every time the creek gets high.  Soon this detour will come to an end.

Total cost of building the bridge is estimated to be less than $900,000. Our community has kept in reserve $92,000 to cover the “matching funds” requirement of the CalTrans grant that will pay for the bridge.

At the wet crossing on Stagecoach

PROJECTS

• Sections of Britchen and Cantle had seriously eroded ditches. Rock was added and the ditches were recontoured.
• Ditches were recontoured on both sides of a portion of Surrey
• Stagecoach was double chip sealed from Surrey south to the washout. This completed the second of our five phase road maintenance plan initiated in 2008. The next phase is double chip sealing Stagecoach from Horseshoe to Sulkey, followed by sealing Pommel from Horseshoe to Colt.
• The Stagecoach bridge crossing project is progressing ever so slowly. The latest estimate is that we will have our bridge by 2012. The $900,000 project is primarily funded by CalTrans, with approximately $92,000 provided by us.
• Public Works will survey the most dangerous hump on Surrey in order to provide an estimate of work & costs to the community of widening the road sufficiently enough to prevent head-on collisions. Widening the entire length of Surrey proved to be too expensive for the community.

BRUSHING

Diamond XX roads were evaluated for brushing and it was anticipated that Cal Fire crews would do the work. However, since our community brushing is not a high priority of Cal Fire, we are still waiting for them to have time to do this work. The Public Works dept. came out for 2 days and started the brushing process. However, county crews were then needed in the higher elevations to prepare for winter snow removal.

DITCHING

Deep ditches on either side of Pommel are a concern and Public Works will inspect the area and hopefully provide an economical solution.

Ditching throughout our community will began when the soil is sufficiently damp in order to pack down and prevent run-off of soil re-clogging the ditches. Our dry weather has not been cooperating with this process.

FINANCE

We have started the 2009/2010 fiscal year owing the county $168,261.94. The reason for this is that FEMA still has not reimbursed us the $352,355 that they promised to help repair the damage from the April 2006 storms. County staff, who have been following up with FEMA , are optimistic that we will receive this money. With that reimbursement, our account balance should be $184,093.06. Remember, DiamondXX must keep in reserves $92,000 for the Stagecoach bridge crossing or we will loose our grant.

SUMMARY

The Road Committee continues in its efforts to get the most road work done while striving to keep expenses at a minimum.

Please help your community to keep costs down by monitoring the front of your property. Trim or remove trees and brush that my cause a sight problem for motorists or clog ditches with debris. Check culverts to make sure water will move freely through them. Maintain your encroachment (gravel, re-pave, etc.) so that you are not bringing mud out on the public road.