The Amador County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office has received the final forensic pathologist report, toxicology report and microscopic examination report relative to the January 29, 2007 death of Joshua Hampton Hoehn, 17, of Pioneer. Hoehn was involved in a physical altercation in Sutter Creek, before being transported by friends to a residence in Pine Grove, where he subsequently lost consciousness.  Hoehn was transported to Sutter Amador Hospital by American Legion Ambulance where death was pronounced. The reports document the cause of Hoehn’s death as “Sudden cardiac death following a physical altercation associated with acute cocaine intoxication”.  The forensic pathologist’s examination revealed that the superficial injuries sustained from the physical altercation did not contribute to the cause of Hoehn’s death.

The Jackson Planning Commission held their two year review of the New York Ranch Center, Inc. parking. When originally approved on April 18th 2005 the Planning Commission granted a request by the applicants, New York Ranch Center, Inc., to postpone the reconfiguration of their parking lot in accordance with their Planned Development for a period of two years. The purpose for the delay was to allow completion and occupancy of the remaining building to better determine the parking needs.

The county has now recorded our 10th fatal victim of a traffic collision Monday morning. The accident occurred at Camanche Rd and Camanche Parkway North in the Ione area around 8:07 am when a black Chevy Cavalier and a white pick up truck hit head on. According to the report written by investigating Officer Cheryl Wilburn, 54 year old Daniel Hugh Cunningham of Ione was traveling on Camanche Road at approximately 45 mph when he suddenly crossed over the double yellow lines and into the path of a 17 year old male from Ione who was driving a 1996 Chevy pickup truck.

A vegetation fire was reported Monday afternoon around 3pm behind an apartment complex located at 300 New York Ranch road. Upon arrival on scene by Jackson fire Chief Mark Morton he discovered that a burn pile that had been unattended had burned out from its parameters igniting an approximately a 50 by 20 swath of vegetation. Jackson Fire Crews and Calfire crews quickly extinguished the blaze. Today’s fire was a reminder that even though we recently had rain the vegetation is still very dry and burn piles must be attended at all times until they are dead out.

The CHP responded to several accidents over the weekend with the majority of the accidents occurring on Sunday.  The sudden storm that moved in on Saturday and brought snow to farther upcountry caught one San Jose driver off guard. According to the CHP report written by investigating Officer Brandon Hallam, Thong Nguyen, 40 and of San Jose was traveling west bound on Hwy. 88 east of Iron Mountain road at approximately 50 mph in his 1998 BMW

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will observe Workers Memorial Day today, April 17, at 11 a.m. with a ceremony to remember the 166 highway maintenance workers and other Caltrans employees who lost their lives on the job since 1924.  There were zero employee deaths in Caltrans work zones in the past 12 months. This bucks a national trend of three road worker fatalities every five days nationally- in all cone zones. The ceremony will feature a memorial of 166 orange safety cones shaped into a 48-foot-wide caution sign to signify each fallen Caltrans worker.  A deceased worker’s name, imprinted on a black band, will be attached to each cone. The ceremony will be celebrated on the west steps of the State Capital

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell announced  that a greater percentage of students in the Class of 2007 have passed the Exit Exam when compared to the Class of 2006 at the same point in time during their senior year. O’Connell also noted that test results show significant progress toward closing the achievement gap between students who are African American or Latino and those who are white or Asian.

Yesterday’s horror at Virginia Tech, now the worst school massacre in US history killed thirty-two people, along with a gunman, and injured at least 15 in the two shooting attacks. police and witnesses said some victims were executed with handguns while other students were hurt jumping from upper-story windows of the classroom building where most of the killings occurred. After the second round of killings, the gunman killed himself, the police said.

Between April 6 and April 10, 2007 the Jackson Police Department and Amador County Sheriff’s Office received four reports of thefts of purses from shopping carts.  Two incidents occurred at Safeway in Martell and two incidents occurred at Raley’s in Jackson.  Portions of all four incidents were captured on video surveillance.  A witness provided a description of a suspicious female subject and an associated vehicle in the area during both incidents at Safeway. Based upon that information, Amador County Sheriff’s Investigators identified the possible suspect.  The surveillance videos from the incidents were enhanced with the assistance of an Investigator from the Amador County District Attorney’s Office.

The Amador Water agency convened from their regular meeting today for a special meeting at 9:30 to honor Kim Toma who has served as the clerk to the board for 19 years. Kim began her career at the AWA has the first and only Executive Secretary and Clerk to the Board. General Manager Jim Abercrombie named some of the challenges that she has faced in her career as well as noted that that she “maintained her composure” and joked “well most of the time.” The board presented Toma with a resolution thanking her for all her hard work. Kim said it’s been a fun ride- it’s been great. It’s been a fun place to work and I tell that to everyone I talk to.” Cris Thompson will become the agency’s new Executive Secretary and Clerk to the Board.