Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statewide emergency proclamation Friday, mobilizing state and regional resources to ensure the safety of residents and property during the cold snap. The proclamation orders the California Office of Emergency Services to direct all necessary state personnel, equipment and facilities to help "alleviate this emergency."  The Governor stated that "I have directed state agencies to activate the extreme temperature protocols established last year to assist the most vulnerable populations in the state and asked local governments and the people of California to take common sense precautions in the unseasonably cold weather," Schwarzenegger stated. The proclamation also provides financial support for local communities and the directs the California National Guard to open additional armories as temporary warming facilities.

According to the AP authorities in Sacramento County, are looking into the death of a woman who'd competed in a radio station contest. A medical examiner said the woman died of water intoxication. Jennifer Strange, 28, had taken part in a contest to see how much water she could drink without going to the bathroom. Strange was found dead Friday in her suburban Rancho Cordova home hours after taking part in the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest held by Sacramento radio station KDND FM. The station had promised a Nintendo Wii video game system for the winner. The station's owner said staff members were stunned when they learned of the death. It's not yet known how much water Strange consumed.

An international study has identified a gene that apparently can raise the risk of developing the most common form of Alzheimer's disease, according to the AP, a discovery that may help scientists develop new treatments. Scientists analyzed DNA from more than 6,000 people from a variety of ethnic groups and found evidence implicating certain versions of the gene, called SORL1.It's too soon to tell how much those gene versions raise the risk of getting Alzheimer's, or what percentage of cases they account for, the researchers said. They said the effect on risk appears to be modest. Still, if the finding is confirmed by other scientists, it would be "a very substantial step forward in our understanding of the genetics of Alzheimer's disease," said one expert not involved in the work, Jonathan Haines of Vanderbilt University. By shedding light on the biology of the illness, the discovery could help lead scientists to find new treatments, he and other experts said.

Thursday the newly formed Amador Teen Driver Council held a planning meeting for development of their strategy to help raise awareness among Amador County teens and parents regarding the danger and pitfalls of teen driving. The group made up of parents, school district staff, local and state law enforcement, students and insurance representatives all have one common goal; The safety of our teen drivers, as well as others on the roadway. Last year’s death and injury toll for teen drivers and their passengers was a heavy toll in such a small county- and now the local group is working toward eliminating, or at least minimizing these community tragedies. The group has prepared a multi-pronged attack on teen driving issues beginning with increasing the awareness of local parents.

The Amador County Recreation Agency held their first meeting of the year earlier this week. A new board chairwoman and vice chairwoman were elected at the meeting; the new madam chairwoman being Debbie Dunn and new vice chairwomen, the former chair of 4 years, Rosalee Prior Escamilla. The board was presented with an informational item regarding a 30 acre piece of land along the Jackson Creek Watershed and highway 88.

The strip of land, which had once been considered for development as a RV park, is located between Previtali Rd. and East Clinton Rd. A Sierra interest Conservancy has applied for a state grant that would allow the property to be bought and transferred to the county and then transferred from the county to the Recreation Agency. ACRA executive Director Tracy Towner Yep liked the idea, however she recalled that a "2nd phase" environmental impact report, must be prepared before any property can be given to the agency, as required by the county.

Just two weeks into the New Year Amador County already has a second report of a fatal vehicle accident. According to the California Highway Patrol Report the accident occurred early yesterday morning around 12:55 am at the intersection of Hwy 16 and Hwy 124 in the Plymouth area.

The report written by Officer Melissa Scobee states that 4 people were traveling in a 2000 Chevy pickup truck southbound on Hwy 16 when the driver attempted to turn right onto Hwy 124 towards Ione. The driver failed to negotiate the turn and the vehicle traveled across Hwy 124 overturned and then collided with an embankment. The driver, 23 year old Jeffrey Mangano of Pioneer was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and transported to Sutter Roseville Hospital with moderate injuries.

The action packed world of mixed martial arts returns to Jackson Rancheria Casino with the ever so popular Global Knock-Out - The Rancheria Beat Down on Thursday, March 22. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event begins at 6:30 p.m. in Dalton Town Hall. You must be 18 or older to attend. Tickets are $100, $70, and $35 and are going fast so purchase your tickets online or by phone from Ticketmaster or in person at the Jackson Rancheria Box Office. The Box Office is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and accepts credit cards, checks, Dreamcatcher's Club points, and cash. The Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians launched the Global Knock-Out series last October. This second event will feature many top local fighters, plus a four-man heavyweight tournament.  The audience is guaranteed a lot of action-packed fights. For more information contact the Jackson Rancheria at 800-822-WINN or visit jacksoncasino.com.

Dr. Bob Hartmann, Amador County Health Officer, has declared January 21–27, 2007 as Preteen Vaccine Week in California. “Keeping our young people healthy and safe is one of our top priorities,” said Hartmann. “Preteen Vaccine Week is part of our commitment to ensure that our kids get immunized so they can grow up strong and reach their full potential.” This year, Preteen Vaccine Week is stressing the importance of regular visits to healthcare providers regular check ups are one of the best ways to keep our young people healthy. ers during the preteen and adolescent years.

For those of you frustrated at the parking situation at several of the new food and coffee outlets located in the developing Martell commercial area, help is on the way- at least for establishments built in the future. According to documents prepared by Planning Director Susan Grijalva, a comparative analysis of other jurisdictions shows that perception is reality on the parking situation and the parking issue has reached “critical mass”. The County’s standards for the number of parking spaces required for these types of businesses have been “significantly below average in terms of spaces required for parking at fast food restaurants.” Staff has now recommended that each proposed establishment be viewed on an individual basis, case by case using Parking Generation Guidelines that have been established by the Institute of transportation Engineers. According to Planning Director Grijalva this will allow the county to avoid future situations of inadequate parking.