Britain called for direct talks with Iran over 15 captive Britons on Tuesday. British Prime Minister Tony Blair's office said both sides "share a desire for an early resolution" through direct talks. London is now waiting for Tehran's response. The statement followed Britain's meeting for the first time with the chief Iranian international negotiator, and the release of an Iranian diplomat held in Iraq. The release suggests the standoff over the captive Britons may end with a de facto prisoner swap, something both governments have publicly discounted. The British personnel have been held by Iran since March 23.

An international study has identified a gene that apparently can raise the risk of developing the most common form of Alzheimer's disease, according to the AP, a discovery that may help scientists develop new treatments. Scientists analyzed DNA from more than 6,000 people from a variety of ethnic groups and found evidence implicating certain versions of the gene, called SORL1.It's too soon to tell how much those gene versions raise the risk of getting Alzheimer's, or what percentage of cases they account for, the researchers said. They said the effect on risk appears to be modest. Still, if the finding is confirmed by other scientists, it would be "a very substantial step forward in our understanding of the genetics of Alzheimer's disease," said one expert not involved in the work, Jonathan Haines of Vanderbilt University. By shedding light on the biology of the illness, the discovery could help lead scientists to find new treatments, he and other experts said.

Amador County has made the map in more ways than one. A site in Ione is now on a worldwide map as part of an environmental study that uses a series of towers through out the world to measure the exchanges of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and energy between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. The project is called Fluxnet and the goal of the project is to provide information to FLUXNET investigators and the public with the goal to understand the mechanisms controlling the exchanges of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and energy across a spectrum of time and space scales. The project is being conducted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center (ORNL DAAC) and is a NASA-sponsored source for biogeochemical and ecological data as well as models useful in environmental research. There are currently over 400 tower sites operating on a long-term and continuous basis around the world and one of those towers is located right here in Ione.

CDF has some reminders for local residents heating their homes against the potential record morning low temperatures we have been experiencing.

Jackson City Fire remained busy in November with no signs of slow down for this holiday season.

Next a barn fire was reported on Molfino Rd just outside Jackson. The owner was reportedly burning brush in a burn pile when he believes a spark may have jumped to an adjoining tree and the spread to the barn. The barn was a total loss. Minimal loss was reported to the property itself, as well as, the surrounding buildings.

Last night around 10:45 pm a structure fire behind locked gates at 7500 Lake Amador Drive was reported to emergency dispatchers. First responders reported that a large column of smoke and flames were visible from Hwy 88 upon their approach. The first two emergency personnel to arrive on scene were Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies who reported a fully involved structure engulfed in flames.

Running from the Jackson Police turned into a serious car accident last night for one driver. According to information available from the California Highway Patrol incident management the driver of the car ran from Jackson Police around 11:14 pm and traveled up Hwy 88 where, around Melody Oaks, the driver lost control of the vehicle. Hwy 88 was closed about one hour while on scene emergency personnel treated victims on scene. Two helicopter units were called in for transport of the injured to valley area hospitals. According to the CHP there was at least one arrest.

All of the accidents we’ve been reporting over the last few days have two things in common- speed and wet roadways. According to John C Hardey, Community Outreach Officer with the California Highway Patrol Amador Unit- if there is one thing he can impress upon drivers this holiday season is to drive appropriately for weather conditions. Wet or Snowy roadways do not mix with speed. Hardey emphasizes that speed does not necessarily mean the posted speed limit, but instead speed has everything to do with how the tires are capable of gripping to the ground- in many situations that can be well below the posted speed limit.

The CHP responded to an accident on Shakeridge Road just east of Lupin Road on Tuesday only to find that the occupants of the vehicle had fled the scene.