The Amador Creek Bridge on Hwy 49 will be named after Pfc. JayD Ornsby-Adkins, a 21-year old Ione native who was killed in Iraq resolution to name the new Hwy 49 Bypass Bridge over Sutter Creek in honor of Ornsby-Adkins. The Allen family owns the ranch property on both sides of the By-pass bridge requested that the proposed renaming of the bridge should honor all fallen veterans. An Allen family member who was killed in World War II is buried near the By-pass Bridge, according to Supervisor Rich Forster, in discussion at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Forster, who sponsored the original resolution, said at the meeting that Private Ornsby-Adkins mother would have no objection to the change. An inquiry with CalTrans revealed that the Amador Creek bridge was named the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge in 1997 but no sign was placed on the bridge at the time. The supervisors voted unanimously Monday to rescind their earlier resolution and to name the Amador Creek Bridge after Jaydee Ornsby-Adkins. The resolution will be sent to Senator Cox’s office to make the request to the state. last year. At the end of last year, supervisors passed a

A mistake on a California tax form could cause thousands of taxpayers to make an expensive error on their state tax returns. The Franchise Tax Board announced Tuesday that an error on a printed California tax form may lead some California taxpayers who file paper returns to understate their home mortgage interest deductions. The typographical error is on early versions of Schedule 540, California Adjustments, which is used to adjust or claim federal itemized deductions. The tax board is rushing to get corrected forms out to the public and to let taxpayers know about the problem.

Sheldon D. Johnson, Amador County Registrar of Voters, announced today that he received notice from the office of the Secretary of State that Amador County is one of six counties that had ballots delivered that do not have sufficient water marks and tinting. Official ballots for distribution to the precincts are being reprinted by the counties elections software contractor and all costs associated with this process will be borne by the vendors.

The Amador County Board of Supervisors approved placing a modular office for the county’s Victim-Witness Program in the parking lot of the new courthouse on Argonaut Lane. Currently, the Victim-Witness office is located on Summit Street across from the old courthouse. But much of Victim-Witness activity is conducted during trials or hearings at the courthouse and the downtown office is now too far away to adequately serve victims, witnesses or the District Attorney’s staff, says D.A. Todd Riebe. Riebe says that last year his office assisted 589 victims and witnesses. DA staff and law enforcement officers are in and out of the Victim Witness office as well. When staff need to conference with victims or witnesses during a trial, they often have to meet in hallways or other public spaces, in full view of the perpetrator and in earshot of the opposing attorneys.

Plymouth City Council will be interviewing candidates for the job of Interim City Administrator in closed session on Saturday. Outgoing Interim City Administrator Gene Albaugh says he’s retiring for the 7th, 8th, or 9th time – he’s lost track. Albaugh’s been filling the interim position for 33 months – for the last two years, that’s been on a month-to-month basis. Albaugh says at first he had trouble getting anyone to apply for the job, but after working with the League of California Cities recruitment program was able to encourage qualified applicants to apply for the job. Assuming the City Council hires one of Saturday’s interviewees, the City of Plymouth could have a new Interim City Administrator in place as soon as February 1st. Albaugh, who lives in Auburn, will then give up his commute to Plymouth and spend his time as a Rotary District leader, writing books, and playing senior softball.

Rico Oller says he’ll move to Placer County to change his home address to the 4th Congressional District so he can run in the Republican primary election to replace retiring John Doolittle. Oller has been out of politics since losing a close race to current Third Congressional District Representative Dan Lungren in the 2004 primary. Amador County is in the Third District. Oller, 49, has lived in the same San Andreas house for 20 years and he is the owner of a large construction business and a ranch in Calaveras County. Oller already owns business property in Placerville and he and his wife have been shopping for a house in Placer County. Oller served two terms in the Assembly between 1996 and 2000, as well as one term in the Senate.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center is issuing an alert that they have received an increasing number of reports of fraudulent schemes misrepresenting the FBI in e-mail messages – usually related to lottery endorsements and inheritance notifications. The fraudulent e-mails use pictures of the FBI Director, FBI seal, letterhead, and/or banners, making them look legitimate. Other scams representing the FBI claim to be from the FBI’s domestic as well as overseas offices. The schemes cover a range from threat and extortion e-mails, Web site monitoring containing malicious computer program attachments, and online auction scams. Using the FBI's name can be effective in intimidating and convincing the recipient the e-mail is legitimate. The FBI wants you to know that the agency does not send out emails soliciting information from citizens. Please be cautious of any unsolicited e-mail referencing the FBI, FBI Director, or any other FBI official endorsing any type of Internet activity. If you have experienced this situation, please notify theInternet Crime Complaint Center by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov.

“Smiles for Kids,” a free program for children who would not otherwise receive dental treatment, will be held on Saturday, February 2.  Last year Smiles for Kids sponsor Jackson Creek Dental Group treated 53 children, at no cost, who “fell between the cracks” in dental healthcare. The doctors and their staff have provided this service to the community on a volunteer basis for the past 23 years.  Patients who meet the criteria will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. To qualify for treatment, children must be 2-18 years of age, qualify for free or reduced fee school lunches, WIC or CHDP, live in Amador or Calaveras County, and they must not be covered by private dental insurance.

Participating in winter sports injures more than a quarter million children each year in the US. Safe Kids Amador/Calaveras, a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing accidental injury, offers a few simple precautions to help children enjoy winter sports safely: kids need to be dressed appropriately, take lessons, be actively supervised and stick to safe terrain. For many winter activities, protective headgear is also recommended. Safe Kids Amador/Calaveras coordinator Nancy Joyner, also of Amador County Public Health, advises that helmets should be worn when children ski, sled or snowboard.