The proposed budget which had been seen by the city council, two times prior to the meeting Tuesday was approved, as was the increase in Local Road Traffic Mitigation Fees. The prior fee was $827 per single family dwelling permit and the new fee, which was approved unanimously at the meeting, increased by $2247, for a total of $3065 per home. The next item of discussion was regarding Ione becoming involved in the Amador Regional Planning Committee.

The solo vehicle collision occurred on Hwy 49 just north of Electra Rd when for an unknown reason the driver of a older Chevy pick up truck veered off of the highway and down a steep embankment.

The team set up two check points for big rigs, commercial trucks, and other diesel vehicles in separate locations- one in front of Long’s Drugs on Hwy 49 and a second location near Sutter Amador Hospital along Hwy 88, near Bart’s Bend.

The Amador County Unified School district says they were very close on their estimates for overall student attendance estimates. However, it is how those numbers fall, in relationship to each school site, that has administrators at some schools jumping through hoops. The district projected their enrollment this year at 42-hundred-64 students in the 2007-2008 year. The actual number is 42-hundred-52 students, only 12 students lower than anticipated enrollment. The issues have come at certain school sites where enrollment is up significantly from projections. These sites include Jackson Junior High School, and several elementary level schools.

Authorities reopened westbound Interstate 80 at Donner Lake late yesterday afternoon.  The 170-acre fire closed westbound lanes of Hwy 80 for three hours Wednesday afternoon. Lanes reopened just before 5 p.m. Firefighters were able to keep the blaze a mile or so from about 10 to 20 homes located above the flames. CAL FIRE's spokeperson Joann Cartoceli says there have been no evacuations. Pictures show white smoke roiling above the Sierra Nevada ridgeline. The smoke is blowing away from I-80 and up the mountain. CAL FIRE representatives say the wind was not making things easy for crews. CAL FIRE is reporting that a tree feller cut a tree that hit a power line, sparking the fire. CAL FIRE had the blaze contained by 10 p.m.

Amador Unit California Highway Patrol Officer Marsac had a busy morning yesterday, with two collisions in the span of just a few hours. According to the report the accident occurred at 7:20 in the morning, on Michigan Bar Rd when an Ione man reached for his cell phone to check a message. In the process he drifted over the center line and struck a vehicle head on that had stopped in the roadway for a school bus that was stopped at a railroad crossing. There were no injuries reported. The next collision occurred near Wal-Mart on Wicklow  Way.  A Pine Grove woman was turning out of the Wal-Mart parking lot onto Wicklow and she took the turn too wide, drifting into the next lane over. According to the report, she then sideswiped a car in the next lane over driven by a 24 year old Jackson man. There were no injuries reported