The City of Ione this week considered a new waste water agreement with ARSA and Mule Creek State Prison. The agreement would include the forming of a Joint Powers Authority, or JPA, to facilitate the finances and terms of the agreement. It would also completely replace any old agreements between the agencies and would dramatically change the way the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority, ARSA, handles its waste water.

According to the California Highway Patrol fewer people lost their lives on California’s roadways in 2006 compared to the previous year, according to preliminary California Highway Patrol statistics. Highway collision fatalities decreased 9.22 percent to 3,907 people when compared to 2005. “While I am saddened to see these deaths, I am pleased to see what appears to be a substantial reduction in the number of casualties,” said CHP Commissioner Mike Brown. “The projected reduction reflects the emphasis the CHP places on safety.” Within CHP jurisdiction alone, the number of traffic fatalities is projected to have dropped 5.56 percent in 2006. One of the goals of the CHP is the prevention of death, injury, and property damage. The indicator of a state’s relative success in traffic safety is represented by the number of traffic fatalities per every 100 million miles of vehicle travel, referred to as the Mileage Death Rate (MDR). The MDR is affected by both increased educational and enforcement efforts.

A focus on career/technical classes is sweeping the state and Amador County Unified School District is no stranger to the concept. The district has actively been offering innovative career technical education for the past few years, as well as maintaining the staple programs such as auto shop and repair. This week Governor Schwarzenegger led the state’s latest venture to ensure California’s schools are prepared to give students the training needed for the jobs of the future when he opened the first career technical education summit. The summit is a mirror of the Amador County Business schools alliance which also brings together education, business, labor, foundation and political leaders to strategize how career tech education can maintain California's competitive edge in the global marketplace.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced recently that its popular Caltrans Highway Information Network (CHIN) telephone number – 1-800-427-ROAD - is now available coast-to-coast. For the first time, truckers, tourists and others calling outside of California can call ahead and obtain the latest information about traffic delays or highway closures due to major accidents, winter weather, or work in construction zones.  “Customer service is important to Caltrans, and this upgrade in service will enable everyone to more efficiently plan their travel in California to minimize delays and maximize their quality time,” said Caltrans Director Will Kempton.  “We’re here to get you there.”

Last night around 6:45 pm Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to the Hwy 88 and 104 intersection for what was reported to be a fight on the side of the road. With one deputy on scene- a second Sheriff’s department deputy arrived for back up and as he approached the scene the deputy, with his emergency vehicle lights activated, attempted to turn to the scene. As the deputy turned his patrol unit the car following him appears to have attempted to pass the deputy on the left colliding with the deputy. The vehicle that collided with the deputy was then rear-ended by yet another vehicle causing an accident scene that shut down Highway 88 for approximately one hour. The Amador County Sheriff’s Department Deputy was unhurt, however one passenger of the car that struck the sheriff’s department unit was transported by REACH air ambulance to UC Davis Medical Center. Three other passengers in that car were also transported to Sutter Amador Hospital by American Legion Ambulance. The California Highway Patrol is investigating this accident.

 

Sutter Creek Police have been following every lead in the search for a subject that accosted a former girlfriend on Bryson Drive Saturday night.  According to police reports the Victim got out of her car in her garage. As she opened the garage door to head out towards her front door, the subject was standing there.  He then allegedly pushed her back into the garage, and according to the victim made all kinds of threats towards her. Sutter Creek Police have received several calls of sightings of the subject described as having longer hair in black pants and a green jacket. On Sunday evening the subject once again contacted the victim, this time by telephone, trying to find out what the victim had told the police.  The victim was able to get the phone number from where suspect was calling and gave that to the Sheriff’s Department dispatch.  From dispatch, the Sutter Creek PD was able to determine that the call was made from a pay phone at the Summit Center area located at the corner of Ridge Rd and Hwy 49. 

The City of Plymouth recently rejected a proposed ordinance which would have added a statute regarding the broadcasting of noise to their municipal code. The ordinance would have required that sound, or broadcasting, coming from motor vehicles be attenuated so that it cannot be heard from 25’ away. The ordinance was being requested by councilmember Greg Baldwin and had the support of the Amador County Sheriff’s Department. Present from the sheriff’s department were Deputy Eric Madsen and Deputy McElvish, two officers whom are stationed in the Plymouth and Amador City area. Deputy Madsen told the council that the ordinance would give police officers “more probable cause and initiative to stop people who may have committed more serious offenses.”

Discussions surrounding drilling a new service well in the Camanche area returned at last Thursday’s AWA’s meeting as the price of constructing the well was well over what the agency had estimated to spend. Manager of Engineering and Planning Gene Mancebo had received direction from the board of directors to proceed with the bidding process giving staff the authority to approve a contract to the lowest bidder, well expected to be under the overestimated figure of $100,000. Mancebo said that he didn’t expect bids to come in near as high as $100,000, but had thrown the number out there so that staff could expedite the process and approve a contract with out having to come back to the board for approval.