Now it’s time for TSPN’s Home for the Holidays series – featuring fun, free or low cost activities for the whole family to enjoy right here in Amador County, now through New Years Day! Here’s a look at what’s coming up this weekend:

The Interfaith Community of Choirs will perform at the Sutter Creek Open House, Saturday evening, December 8th. Their concert at the Methodist church will start following 6:30 pm Los Posadas candlelight Walk that begins at the Immaculate Conception Church on Spanish Street and ends at the Methodist Church. The concert is free to the public and will include music from their Festival of Carols concert, as well as, holiday sing-along songs.

 

Two men were arrested Wednesday at the scene of indoor marijuana growing operation. According to the Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team, ACCNET officers, assisted by the Amador County Sheriff's Office, searched a residence at 25695 Buckeye Road in Pioneer. Agents located an indoor marijuana cultivation operation with approximately one hundred twenty two cannabis plants in various stages of cultivation.  Investigators also found about one pound of concentrated marijuana, one half gallon of suspected THC oil, a THC extraction processing area, two firearms, scales and other drug paraphernalia. ACCNET Agents arrested Edward Eugene Meeker Sr., 52, of Pioneer and Chad Everett Cleo Meeker, 28, of San Andreas at the scene.  Both were charged with cultivation of cannabis, possession of cannabis for sale, manufacture of a controlled substance and being armed in the commission of a felony.  Edward was additionally charged with being a convicted felon in possession of firearms. 

CHP officials are now saying that a Honda Pilot that had drifted into oncoming traffic sideswiped the San Francisco-bound tour bus.  The Honda Pilot scraped down the length of the bus, causing the bus to veer out of control into the eastbound lanes, where it hit the 2008 Dodge pickup driven by a Stockton man head-on, the CHP said. The pickup driver, 75-year old James Wise, was killed and the bus overturned. After hitting the bus, the Honda spun out of control and hit head-on into a Toyota Camry traveling behind the bus.

County road officials are once again looking at speed limits on Ridge Road. A Cameron Park engineering firm in October conducted an engineering and traffic survey – they were asked to review the posted speed limit along Ridge Road in the vicinity of New York Ranch Road between Hamricks Grade and Climax Road. The speed limit on Ridge Road from Hamricks Grade to New York Ranch Rd was reduced from 55 miles per hour to 50 miles per hour in 2003. Since then, a turn out lane and other improvements were made at the intersection of Ridge and New York Ranch Rds.

The CHP has been kept busy with weather related accidents. A big rig accident blocked traffic on Hwy 88 near Pine Grove for about an hour Tuesday morning. According to the CHP semi and trailer was traveling east on Hwy 88 just east of Tabeaud Road in light rain. As the truck headed downhill and the driver applied his brakes, the truck trailer began to slide, causing the cab of the semi to hit the dirt embankment. The trailer continued to swing around, pulling the entire truck and trailer across the westbound lanes. Dirt and boulders from the embankment were also knocked into the roadway. The partially jackknifed truck blocked the lane for about an hour until it could be towed out of the way and the rocks cleaned up. The driver of the truck was not injured and no other vehicles were involved.

An icy roadway contributed to a single car accident over the weekend. According to the California Highway Patrol, a 21-year old Davis man was southbound on Mormon Emigrant Trail, approaching Highway 88 at about 30 miles per hour. As he followed a curve in the road and applied his brakes, his 2004 Subaru slid into a ditch where it overturned. The driver was not injured in the accident.

And Latrobe Road will be closed all day on Thursday, from 8 am until 4 pm for road work. A 2-mile stretch between Hwy 16 and Old Sacramento Road will be closed in both directions. To detour this spot, take Hwy 16 down to Old Sacramento Road, and then Old Sacramento Road back to Latrobe.

The county will be cleaning up the rubble and burned walls remaining from a River Pines home that was totally destroyed in a fire last October. Partially burned walls, piles of lumber and trash, propane tanks and other debris are not only an eyesore, but also a safety hazard at the property on 14725 Emigrant Trail in River Pines. Owner Michael Coe said he doesn’t have the money to pay for clean up since his insurance company has not paid him for his loss, and he is currently making a mortgage payment on the house as well as rent payments for a place to live.