Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe is teaming up with District Attorney’s from our neighboring counties and the California District Attorney’s Association, or CDAA, to unveil a statewide prosecutor’s campaign to combat the rising numbers of arrests and accidents from driving under the influence of alcohol. “Make it Home or The Holidays” is the theme of the campaign to be launched by the CDAA. This marks the nation’s first coordinated effort by the prosecutors association to focus attention on driving under the influence.

The campaign is being spurred on by statistic that shoe DUI arrests and accidents are once again increasing in California while decreasing in other states. In 2005 alone there were 1719 alcohol related fatalities in CA, approaching the number of homicides in the state, according to CDAA Executive Director David LaBahn. CDAA will receive a 3.4 million dollar grant from the federal Office of Traffic Safety to assist prosecutors throughout the state in prosecuting DUI cases.

Congress has failed to extend a program that sends $69 million annually to rural forested counties here in California, as well as through out the nation. Although the counties will receive a final check under the program this month, budget planners could soon start trimming classes and staff in anticipation of shortfalls in the next school year. The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act has guaranteed federal funds for rural counties that formerly relied on timber harvest revenues since the year 2000. Amador County schools do receive a substantial benefit from this act, last year receiving 655,622 dollars of which 85 percent goes to support Title One programs in the district.