Last night a bizarre incident delayed the Sacramento fund raising dinner of Presidential candidate Hilary Clinton while the Sacramento County bomb squad investigated a coffin brought to the area by anti-war protestors. Anti-war activists Virginia and Stephen Pearcy, who made headlines in February 2005 for hanging an effigy of a soldier on their Land Park area home, brought a flag draped coffin as a protest against the U.S. involvement in Iraq. Shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday, the Secret Service began to conduct a sweep of the area and asked to look inside the coffin. Pearcy refused, stating that they had no probable cause to do so.

For the El Dorado national Forest and those that recreate therein the Memorial Weekend marks the start of the summer recreation season. With drier than normal conditions in the forest, campgrounds below 7,000 feet will be open for the big weekend. The high elevation campgrounds at Wrights Lake, Woods Lake, and Kirkwood Lake will not be open. The Eldorado National Forest remains under a 2005 court order that restricts motorized vehicle travel to routes identified on the Motorized Vehicle Restriction Map which is available free of charge from all Eldorado National Forest offices.

One of two wards who sued the state over a videotaped fight with staffers three years ago at the N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility has reached a cash settlement. The second involved ward’s case awaits trial. The attorney for Vincent Baker, 23, of Stockton wouldn't name the amount of the tentative settlement because everybody involved agreed to keep it quiet until the deal is final. Baker and former Chaderjian ward Narciso Morales, 24, were captured by surveillance cameras fighting with two youth correctional counselors on Jan. 20, 2004. The video, which was nationally broadcast, sparked wide debate about the state's inability to rehabilitate juvenile offenders committed to the state and brought attention to the high levels of violence at the Stockton lockup., Six staffers were fired in connection with the 2004 brawl and eventually won back their jobs through a long appeal, which the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is still fighting. The staffers have taken their case to a state appeals court to keep their jobs.

Yesterday’s Board of Supervisor’s meeting must have set a record time with the open session discussion lasting for a total of 7 minutes. The only open session item before the Board Tuesday was consideration of the renewal of their membership the Central Sierra Resource Conservation District. According to the District’s website, “The United States Department of Agriculture's Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) program helps people in rural areas plan and carry out activities that increase the conservation of  natural resources, support economic development, enhance the environment and standard of living in local communities

The 104th anniversary of California’s State Flower, the California Poppy, will be celebrated April 6, 2007. Because fall and spring are the best times to plant the poppy this anniversary is offering a unique opportunity to celebrate the state flower and increase its presence on local hills and pastures. The California Poppy Project © is offering one free packet of seeds to adults in all 58 counties of California. The California Poppy Project was established in 1987 with the goal to “Help preserve our trails, paths, highways, coastal areas, parks and safety rest stops from the blight of discarded litter!” To date more than 100,000 free packets have been distributed statewide with the assistance of the Native Daughters of the Golden West (NDGW). California Poppy seeds are drought tolerant and recommended in mild climates. It is illegal to pick California Poppies that grow on public property.

Paying your monthly utility bills just got easier. Pacific Gas and Electric Company announced Friday that their 5.2 million residential customers no longer need to write a check and lick a stamp to pay their monthly utility bills. PG&E is now accepting Visa online to make automatic monthly payments or one-time payments using Visa-branded debit, credit or prepaid cards. Residential customers can also make one-time payments by calling 800-743-5000.

According to Senator Dave Cox, Californians who live in rural, more remote areas of the state do not always have the high quality phone service that those living in urban areas enjoy.  Now Cox, who represents the 1st district which includes Amador County, is introducing a measure to continue a program that allows a “fair” rate structure for phone customers living in rural areas. “Not all Californians have equal access to technological advancements. Californians who live in rural, more remote areas of the state do not always have the high quality phone service that those living in urban areas enjoy,” says Cox. The proposed bill would allow the Public Utilities Commission to continue the program that, in Cox’s words, “allows a fair and equitable rate structure for phone customers living in rural areas.” Cox went on to say, “The bill will keep telephone and basic telecommunications service available and affordable in rural and mountainous areas.”

The White House and key lawmakers agreed Thursday to new national immigration laws that will provide millions of illegal immigrants’ legal status, at least eventually and at the same time tighten borders according to its proponents. The compromise brought liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans together with top members of President Bush's team on the issue that carries heavy potential risks and rewards for all involved. The Senate will debate the hot topic on the issue next week. The plan would allow illegal immigrants to come forward and obtain a "Z visa" and then after paying fees and a $5,000 fine, get on track for permanent residency.

State Senator Dave Cox has introduced a legislative proposal to help protect the public against ID theft.  Cox’s bill, SB 216, would require government agencies to place only the last four digits of a person’s social security number on court documents. Here’s why Senator Cox feels this is so important:

SOUND CLIP COMMING SOON! 

According to the Associated press Computer security researchers announced yesterday that  they have discovered a vulnerability in Adobe Systems Inc.'s massively popular Acrobat Reader software that allows cyber-intruders to attack personal computers through trusted Web links. Virtually any Web site hosting Portable Document Format, or PDF, files are vulnerable to attack, according to researchers from Symantec Corp. and VeriSign Inc.'s iDefense Intelligence. The attacks could range from stealing cookies that track a user's Web browsing history to the creation of harmful worms, the researchers said.