May 11-13, 2007 will see the second annual maintenance-of-way Ione Rail Fair and Exposition on the rails of the Amador Central/Foothills Railroad in the Railyard at the south end of S. Mill Street in the historic City of Ione, Ca.  Celebrating the small, historic, maintenance of way equipment for display and demonstration, this collection of railroad equipment will arrive for “set-on” on Friday, May 11.

Authorities were searching for a 32-year-old attempted-murder suspect who escaped from Sheriff's Office custody after a court appearance Monday afternoon. While being transferred from the San Joaquin County Superior Court to the County Jail, Eric Hu switched clothes with an inmate from the jail's minimum-security HonorFarm, sheriff's deputies announced late Monday.Hu was then seen leaving the Honor Farm in a maroon van driven by a dark-haired woman, sheriff's officials said. Hu should be considered dangerous, they said. He faces charges of attempted murder, kidnapping and weapons offenses. Anyone with information is asked to call (209) 468-4400- If you think you see Hu- call 911.

A Pacific Gas and Electric truck was involved in a traffic collision this afternoon around three o’clock just east of Red Corral Rd on Hwy 88 in the Pioneer area. According to witnesses on scene the 82 year old driver of a SUV wagon for an unknown reason drifted into on coming traffic near Raven Rd on Hwy 88, crossing over the center line and striking a PG&E line truck. After scraping down the side of the line truck the driver of the SUV wagon also hit the vehicle behind the line truck- a PG&E pickup truck. The driver of the SUV wagon was transported to Sutter Amador Hospital. The cause of the accident is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

Also, the Ione City Council received an update on the Castle Oaks Mello Roos Districts. In June of 2005 the voters of the Castle Oaks area overwhelmingly approved two new bond districts with only 5 no votes being cast to facilitate a refinancing of existing Mello Roos Bonds. The original Mello Roos bonds had been in default since 1998 and were holding up any further development of the area.  This vote created two new Community Facilities Districts: Castle Oaks Districts 2005-1 and 2005-2. The 2005-1 district will be the current 211 home owners - 2005-2 will be the new 511 homes being developed in Castle Oaks and the surrounding areas of Edgebrook.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company has announced it has made its 2006 franchise fee and franchise fee surcharge payments totaling more than $39 million to 48 counties in which it operates. The 2006 franchise fee and franchise fee surcharge payments total $16 million for gas and about $23 million for electric service. The 2006 franchise fee and surcharge payments represent an increase of about $2.1 million over the 2005 payments primarily due to increased natural gas prices following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2006.  “PG&E has been a part of northern and central California landscape for more than 100 years, and our commitment to support the communities in which we do business has never been stronger,” said Nancy E. McFadden, PG&E’s senior vice president of public affairs. “PG&E’s payment of property taxes, franchise fees and other taxes and fees is a constant source of revenue local governments can count on to support the many important services residents expect such as police and fire protection, education, public health, and environmental services.”

Are you a fan of the Discovery Channel’s number one show-a crab fishing series, The Deadliest Catch?- Well if you are hooked like the rest of America and think you recognize the Capt. Of the Wizard- new to the show this season- you are not mistaken. The Capt and first mate are Amador County natives that attended Plymouth Elementary School. Keith Colburn of Redmond, Wash., has served at the helm of the Wizard for the last 14 years. His brother Monte Colburn is also an experienced deck hand who takes over as skipper for the last half of crab season.

The combination of a dry winter, early weed and brush development and plenty of broken tree limbs on the ground have state and local fire officials urging people to clean up their property and establish their 100 feet of defensible space in advance of what they suspect will be a busy and early fire season. Defensible space is required by a state law mandating a 100-foot clearance around homes or clearance to the property line — whichever is greater. Typically, CDF's fire season starts in May. But last year, when the area was doused with plenty of rain, the season didn't start until June 5. It's been 30 years since a fire season started before the month of May

An employee of the Rite of Passage school and group home in Fricot City outside of Angel’s Camp was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge last week after a co-worker discovered that he had been secretly videotaping female staffers as they took showers, according to the Calaveras County Sheriff's Department. Ross Estabrooks, 32, of Jenny Lind was taken into custody at the San Andreas Fire Department, where he is a volunteer, the Sheriff's Department reported to the Stockton Record. He is being held in the County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.The Sheriff's Department said the secret video recording came to light after a female co-worker decided to make use of Estabrooks dorm room while he was away from work. She put what she thought was a movie cassette into a VCR and instead saw images of a number of female co-workers undressing, stepping into and then out of the shower. Investigators said they have identified eight different women in the videos. They say they believe the taping took place over a five-month period and ended in December. They reported seizing a variety of evidence from Estabrook's room, including pornographic videos and a camera.

Dog biscuits made by an Alabama company are the latest addition to the pet food recall. The Food and Drug Administration says Sunshine Mills of Red Bay, Alabama, is calling back dog biscuits made with imported Chinese wheat gluten.The dog biscuits were sold under Sunshine brands as well as private labels sold by grocery, mass merchant, and dollar stores. They were marketed at Wal-Mart under the Ol'Roy brand. Testing shows the wheat gluten in the biscuits was contaminated with melamine, which is used to make plastics and other industrial products. Sunshine said it has no reports of dog illnesses or deaths. Meanwhile, Menu Foods, which was involved in the original pet food recall, expanded its call-back to include a broader range of dates, and more varieties of the "cuts and gravy"-style products. The recall now applies to products made between November 8 and March 6 -- not just those made after December 3.(