A California appeals court ruled last week that the Constitution still requires police to have a good reason to search you, even if you are visiting American Indian lands such as the Jackson Rancheria Casino. The case involves Gilbert Ramirez, who in November of 2003 was caught with methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana in a car in the parking lot of the Jackson Rancheria Casino, according to court documents. Ramirez had large enough quantities of the drugs that authorities decided to prosecute him for intending to sell the drugs.

Fire is the enemy of all historic buildings and that proved to be true yesterday morning in downtown Jackson. This morning just after 8 am a fire was reported at Pitt Street and Center Street at what is considered the oldest home in Jackson. Jackson City Fire, Sutter Creek City Fire, Amador Fire Protection District Battalion 10, and CalFire Crews all responded to fight the fire with additional responses by Jackson Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Sutter Creek Police which all assisted with traffic control as Hwy 88 and the Pitt Street bridge were closed to allow for the safety of firefighters and emergency personnel.

Last Friday March 23, 2007 at approximately 0537 am, the Amador County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 Emergency call for a possible drowning at Lake Amador, 7500 Lake Amador Drive in Jackson Valley. Upon arrival to the scene, the deputy located two subjects in the lake, attempting to provide cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to a male subject.  The two subjects and the deputy pulled the male onto the shore wherein the deputy and one of the male subjects attempted CPR until relieved by personnel from American Legion Ambulance, Jackson Valley Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry. The subject, 85 year old George Andy Emil Miller, a resident at Lake Amador was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene.

United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced today that WILLIAM GLENN SATTERLEE, 59, of Valley Springs , California was convicted on March 1, 2007, of Attempting to Entice a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activities, in violation of title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b).  The conviction followed a three-day jury trial. This case is the product of an investigation by the Stanislaus County Sheriff‛s Department with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case began in March 2004 when the defendant initiated discussions via AOL! Instant Messenger with a person he believed was a thirteen year-old girl, but in reality was an undercover Stanislaus County detective.

This week, on Thursday March 8th a trial readiness conference will be held in Amador County Superior Court in the matter of the people of the state of California versus Zachary and Starlene Taylor. The Taylors stand accused of a violation of penal code 597b, a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge. The indictment stems from an incident on July 5, 2005 when the Taylors allegedly subjected their pet, a growing dog to “needless suffering” according to the complaint filed in Amador County Superior Court, by failing to adjust the size of the dogs collar in accordance with the dogs rate growth. District Attorney Todd Riebe states that his office is no stranger to animal abuse cases. Riebe states “Our office takes animal cruelty cases very seriously not only because of the needless pain and suffering caused our county's pets, but because studies have repeatedly shown that animal abuse is often a predictor for crimes of family violence.”

On January 1st at approximately 2:15pm, Jackson Police Department, Jackson Fire Department and American Legion Ambulance responded to 124 Allen Street in Jackson in response to an unconscious 26 year old female. Upon arrival of the Jackson Police Officer Chris Rice and Jackson Fire Chief Mark Morton, the female who was later identified as Michelle Ann Destefano, was located in a back bedroom and not breathing. Chief Morton and Officer Rice immediately began CPR until the arrival of paramedics. After approximately thirty minutes of life saving measures, Destefano was pronounced dead on scene.

Jackson Police Chief Scott Morrison has issued a press release regarding the robbery, Wednesday, of the Jackson Branch of the Bank of Amador.

The Ione man reported missing yesterday morning by his family was found safely yesterday afternoon. According to Ione Police Chief Bob Olson, the man identified only as an Ione resident was reported missing by family members early yesterday morning. The search was initially centered in the general Ione area and was then narrowed to the Howard Park area after the discovery of the missing man's car near the Park. The search was continued into the afternoon with the help of the Amador county Sheriff's Department. The man was discovered early yesterday afternoon still in the Ione area. Olson states he was in good condition and has returned home with his family

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his administration have reached an agreement with legislative budget writers on a plan that will stop sending juvenile offenders convicted of less-serious and nonviolent crimes to state institutions, instead detaining them at the local level, beginning this year. If the full Legislature approves the plan, the continuing population decline at the Division of Juvenile Justice will continue, dropping over the next two years from 2,600 currently to 1,500, according to the agency's projections. Instead of being housed in the state's eight juvenile facilities, this would put the incarceration of less-serious juvenile offenders squarely on the shoulders of the local level. How would this impact Amador County since we currently have no juvenile facility?

The mystery of the identity of the remains found last week in Fiddletown by a CYA crew brushing and clearing land may be one step closer to being revealed. A previously unscheduled court date for the man accused of murdering a Ripon woman is further increasing speculation that authorities believe the remains discovered are those of Mary Starkey, a Ripon woman missing since June of 2005.  According to the Modesto Bee, Roy Gerald Smith, a 45-year-old convicted sex offender from Manteca, is in San Joaquin County Jail awaiting trial on charges he murdered 46-year-old Mary Morino-Starkey in June 2005. Her body has not been found.