An airplane hitting into a Manhattan high rise yesterday, at first spurred renewed terror fears, however the accident was quickly labeled just that, an accident. Witnesses described seeing what appeared to be an aircraft in distress, possibly having mechanical problems. A woman whom witnessed the crash said parts of the plane and the building began "flying everywhere" onto the streets below. Broken glass and debris was strewn about the neighborhood. A man working in a nearby building said he heard what he thought was a motorcycle, followed by a bang. When he ran out, he looked up and saw smoke, then heard people saying they were hurt. It was a group of utility workers, apparently hit by flying debris.

The battle over Proposition 87 has set a new fundraising record this week with contributions now topping $100 million dollars. The previous initiative fundraising record was set in 1998 with Proposition 5, a measure that legalized Indian gaming. It was revealed that oil companies have been the largest contributors towards breaking the previous record as they have donated more than $58 million to the opposing campaign for Prop. 87. However, most of the financial support for Proposition 87 has surprisingly come from a single source, Hollywood movie producer Stephen Bing. The media tycoon has given $40 million dollars to the Proposition 87 effort.

President Bush said yesterday that when it comes to North Korea's reported nuclear test, the U.S. "remains committed to diplomacy," but that it "reserves all options" to defend its friends and its interests in the region against the North Korean threat. Bush, at a news conference at the White House, called for stiff sanctions against North Korea. He said there needs to be a "clear message" to the North Korean government that its "actions won't be tolerated.” He also vowed increased military cooperation with allies, including bolstering ballistic missile defenses in the region and increased efforts to prevent Pyongyang from importing missile and nuclear technology.

The head of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, joined an Orange County legislator, the California Highway Patrol and MADD to put teen drivers on notice: beginning January 1, drinking and driving is no longer a civil penalty, but a crime. The new law is the result of legislation recently signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to toughen penalties on minors who drink and drive. AB 2752 (Spitzer, R – Orange) makes it crime, punishable by a fine, for anyone under the age of 21 to operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .01 or above.

Back in August rumors surfaced regarding the Buena Vista Band of Miwok Indians beginning construction on their proposed casino on Coal Mine Rd in the Jackson Valley. The casino project, the Flying Cloud Casino, has been proposed by the tribe and currently the tribe is redoing the Tribal Environmental Impact Report after the county and the Governor found their original report to be inadequate.

For the second year in a row, the Amador County Recreation Agency has received a grant from the NFL. This year 150 agencies from parks and recreation, schools, and leagues applied for the 2006 National Football League (NFL) Youth Fund Local Agency Grant in partnership with the National Recreation & Park Association (NRPA). Each applicant submitted detailed information concerning the state of youth football in Amador County in order to qualify for funding through this competitive process. Both tackle and flag programs were considered for support across the country. Amador County Recreation Agency received funding support for the Flag Football League in order to provide Uniforms, referees and insurance. This program effects between 60 and 70 youth every Fall season. Overall, 97 agencies received funding to enhance programs and create stability for the future of youth football at the grassroots level.

The Amador County Child Abuse Prevention Council has announced that an “All Candidates Forum” will be held Tuesday October 17th. The Council has invited all candidates for city council, board of supervisors, school board, state legislature and congress are invited. The public will have an opportunity to ask the candidates questions concerning a variety of issues. Jack Mitchell, Publisher of the Amador Ledger Dispatch, will moderate the discussions. The Forum will be held Tuesday Oct. 17th from 6-8pm at the Amador County Administration Center at 810 Court Street in Jackson. For more information call the Amador County Child Abuse Prevention at 223-5303.

Absentee Voters: be on the look out for your ballot in your mailbox. Yesterday was the first day of mail outs for Absentee ballots and according to the Amador County Elections Office those absentee ballots are being mailed today to voters here in Amador County. The Amador County Elections Department is the primary election service provider and sole voter registration custodian for approximately 25,000 registered voters here in Amador County. The Elections Department administers these duties in a non-partisan manner. This is essential, according to election officials, to maintain the integrity of the system and the confidence of the electorate. And you can be confident that if you are an absentee ballot voter here in Amador County your ballot will be arriving shortly. If you have any questions for the elections department they can be reached at 223-6465

The mornings are cooler, the daytime highs lower and as winter approaches the use of heaters and the fuel that powers them starts to become a household issue here and around the country. How does Amador County fair against the rest of the nation and our neighbors? Well, we like our neighboring counties, tend to be above the national average. According to the Energy Information Administration, the average price of propane nationwide is $1.93 per gallon, 20 cents higher than this time last year. The average prices in Amador County hover around the 2.25 cent range and according to local experts, we can expect that to rise.

The CHP report on the crash that occurred yesterday morning around 5:30 has been released. At approximately 5:30am a three car accident was reported on Hwy 88 between the Hwy 124 Junction and Martin Lane. After arrival on scene, California Highway patrol Officers ascertained that the incident was really two separate accidents. The first accident was a solo vehicle into a bank. According to Investigating Officer Deborah Zaragoza’s report 26 year old Juan Sierra of Lodi was driving his 1995 green Ford on Hwy. 88 when due to his level of intoxication drove the vehicle to the right and off the roadway proceeding to drive up the southside embankment. The Ford’s right front wheel struck a rock hard enough to disable the vehicle and it reentered the lane and came to rest blocking the eastbound lane of 88 and thus creating a traffic hazard.