Amador County - A first-of-its-kind study by researchers at U.C. Davis has identified ten regions in California with a higher prevalence of autism, including here in Amador County. The study found autism rates to be higher in families with highly educated, older parents, or in places located near autism treatment centers. Researchers used data collected from 2.5 million births in California between 1996 and 2000 to determine ten geographical areas, identified as clusters, in which there was a higher than usual prevalence of children with autism. The study identified 9,900 children over that five year period who were diagnosed with autism by age 6. Autism is a mysterious disorder of neural development characterized by impaired communication and social interaction and restricted or repetitive behavior. Karla Van Meter, the study’s lead author, told CBS News that “this is the first time anyone has looked at the geography of autism births in California in order to see whether there might be some local patches of elevated environmental risk.” She said this method ignores unknown widespread factors that could increase autism incidence. Parents who lived in these cluster areas were on average older and more likely to be college graduates. Parental age was not linked as strongly with autism levels, said Van Meter. She said the study “confirms what we already knew, which is that highly educated parents are more likely to have children with autism.” The link between a parents education level and autism is unclear, but this and other studies have provided plenty of theories. Van Meter said some believe better educated parents are more successful in seeking services for their children or there could be some physical or chemical exposure in their households. 6 of the ten clusters identified were in Southern California. In Northern California, clusters were identified at the Golden Gate Regional Center in San Francisco, serving Marin and San Mateo counties and the City and County of San Francisco; and at the San Andreas Regional Center in Campbell, serving Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties. Two areas of increased incidence were identified at the Central Valley Regional Center, in Fresno, serving Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced and Tulare counties; and the Valley Mountain Regional Center, in Stockton, serving Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties. A December report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that national autism rates continue to rise. The report says one in every 110 children in the United States has been diagnosed with autism. The U.C. Davis study is included in the January 6 online issue of Autism Research. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Calaveras County – As reported previously on TSPNTV.com, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office mobilized all available officers in the Valley Springs area 2 days before Christmas after a string of vehicle-on-vehicle drive-by shootings damaged 4 vehicles, with all drivers apparently escaping serious injury. Calaveras County Sheriff’s Sergeant Dave Seawell said authorities were investigating 4 vehicle shootings that occurred Tuesday, December 22, and a drive-by shooting that occurred about 6 days before. Seawell said the Calaveras sheriff’s office was investigating the incidents as “random shootings.” Four motorists were shot at on Tuesday, December 22, as they were driving in the Valley Springs area. At approximately 5:15 a.m. that day, a 37-year-old female was on her way to work traveling north on Hartvickson Lane near Partridge Road when the glass on the driver’s side window of her vehicle shattered. The victim pulled to the side of the road and discovered a bullet hole in the driver side door just below the window. The victim reported she did not see any vehicles pass her. Seawell said at about 5:45 a.m., a 49-year-old female was traveling west on Highway 12 near Evans Road when she heard a loud bang. The victim thought her vehicle kicked up a rock that struck the vehicle. The victim later discovered her vehicle had a bullet hole in the driver’s side passenger door. The victim reported she had passed a vehicle that was traveling east on Highway 12 but could not provide a description due to it being dark. At 5:55 a.m., a 52-year-old female was traveling east on Highway 26 near St. Andrews Road when her vehicle was shot. Deputies recovered a bullet that had traveled through the vehicle’s hood and lodged in the engine compartment. The victim reported a vehicle had passed her heading west but she could not provide a description due to it being dark. At 10:50 p.m. Tuesday, a 37-year-old male was traveling west on Highway 26 near Jenny Lind Approach Road when a bullet was shot through the driver’s side window of his vehicle. The bullet exited through the passenger side window. The victim said he had passed a vehicle heading east on Highway 26. The victim said he saw a flash as the vehicle passed and then his windows shattered. The victim told deputies he pulled to the side of the road and noticed the vehicle he had passed had stopped. The victim, fearing for his safety proceeded to drive out of the area. The victim described the suspect vehicle to be a light colored, late model sedan. The sheriff’s office is also investigating a drive-by shooting that occurred on or about December 17 at a home on Highway 26 near Vista Del Lago Road in Valley Springs. It is unknown whether the drive-by shooting is related to the shootings that occurred on Tuesday, December 22. Investigators have recovered bullets from the shootings and can confirm all of the bullets are similar and came from a small caliber weapon. Seawell said investigators have not found a link between the victims or a motive for the shootings. There have been no reported injuries. In response to the shootings the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office called in all available personnel to patrol the Valley Springs area. The office urges anyone with information regarding the case to call the sheriff’s public line at 754-6500 or the anonymous tip line at 754-6030. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.