The Amador Water Agency’s request for a zoning change for a piece of property located in the Camanche area is causing quite a bit of concern among surrounding residents. The agency’s request is for a general plan amendment from PS, Public Service to A-G Agricultural-General; and a Zone Change from “X” Special Use to District to R1A Single Family Residential and Agricultural District on property located off a private easement about ½ mile east of Curran RD, in the Dry Creek Lane area near Lake Camanche. In December of 2004 the AWA applied for a Zone Change from “X” special use district to “R1A” Single Family Residential Agricultural District and General Plan Amendment from P-S, Public Service to A-T, Agricultural Transition (one family per five acre population density) for two parcels totaling 80.60 acres in size.

Ambassador John Bolton has reportedly told U.N. allies the U.S. would view a North Korean attack on South Korea or Japan the same as it would a direct assault on the United States. The communist country said it has successfully tested a nuclear weapon underground. Bolton has also asked for sanctions to curb North Korea's import and export of materials that could be used to make and deliver weapons of mass destruction. U.N. ambassadors said Security Council members have condemned the test-firing and will demand that North Korea return to six-party talks on its weapons program immediately.

Candidates vying for the 3rd Congressional District will debate and compare issues in Angels Camp on October 16. The candidates’ night is being hosted by the Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce and the Calaveras Enterprise and will be held at Bret Harte High School. Democrat Bill Durston is running against Republican Congressman Dan Lungren in the November election. The candidates will talk about the major issues facing the county such as the war in Iraq, the war on terror, health care and environmental concerns. The 3rd congressional district includes Calaveras and Amador counties. The program begins at 7 p.m. in the Bret Harte Performing Arts Center.

“We’re hurting” states Kathleen Harmon, the executive director of the Interfaith Food Bank- Amador County’s only local food bank is currently 50 percent below giving levels as compared to last year.

Residents living in the Shake Ridge Rd, Upper Hwy. 88, and Cook’s Station areas of Amador County could expect to see some lingering smoke throughout the rest of October as the Amador-El Dorado Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection have announced that they will be conducting prescribed fire operations in Amador County in the area of Upper Shake Ridge Road and Upper Omo Ranch Road. CDF will be conducting burning operations as a part of the statewide Vegetation Management Program in support of community and watershed protection for Amador County. The prescribed fire will be utilized to reduce heavy fire fuels which in turn will reduce the intensity of wildland fire and subsequent damage to watershed values. The primary objectives of the project are to reduce fire fuels and promote watershed improvement through the use of low intensity prescribed fire.

Yesterday a Be On the Lookout was issued for an Amador County Alzheimer’s patient and Jackson resident Edward Abb. Apparently Abb is believed to be driving a 1992 silver Ford Taurus with a personalized plate with the letters OABB and possibly in route to the Jackson Rancheria Casino. Abb has been described as having brown hair and blue eyes and wearing a blue short sleeved shirt and tan pants. Edward Abb was last seen at 20 Rollingwood Drive between 10-11am Monday morning. If you have any information please contact the Amador County Sheriff’s office at 223-6500.

Columbus Day will be observed today, Monday. Here's how various businesses and government operations will be affected: » BANKS: closed.» POSTAL SERVICE: no mail delivery. All governmental offices closed. Also, this is the first day of fall break for Amador County Unified students.

On May 25th of this year the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) proposed regulations for the classification of gaming devices used in tribal operations pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).

According to the AP, Gov. Schwarzenegger will sign an executive order today that joins California's landmark global warming law with the Northeast's program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The governor plans to sign the order in New York. His spokesman says it will create a carbon trading market between the two regions that will help industrial plants cut their greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 25 percent by 2020. The Northeast system currently involves seven states that plan to reduce emissions beginning in 2009. It allows power plants to trade emissions credits as a way to reduce overall emissions in the region. Linking California to that program could help power plants here meet their obligations under the state's new global warming law.

If Proposition 85 on the November ballot sounds familiar- it is. One year after the relatively narrow defeat of an initiative seeking to limit abortions by young girls, a nearly identical measure on this year's ballot is expected to produce another close vote. Proposition 85 is a proposed constitutional amendment requiring doctors to inform parents or guardians before performing abortions on girls younger than 18, unless minors obtain permission from juvenile court judges. It is the new incarnation of Proposition 73, which voters defeated in November by 52.6 percent to 47.4 percent. A Field Poll released in early August suggested that Proposition85 might be in for another tight race: 45 percent of likely voters said they opposed it, while 44 percent voiced their support. "It looks like we're starting where we left off last year," said Mark DiCamillo, Field Poll director.