Guided bus and walking tours, for residents and visitors alike, will begin Saturday, March 1 in Sutter Creek. The bus tours, available at 15 dollars per person, cover various aspects of Sutter Creek and Amador County history related to Farms, Wines, Mines and Spirits. Guided walking tours of Sutter Creek’s historic buildings and sites are also being given, following a successful January 30 walking tour which drew 135 people. Tour guides, include local historians Larry Cenotto, a former county archivist and expert on Amador County history; Eric Costa, author of wine books and a professional winemaker; Robert Richards, an author and fourth generation native of Sutter Creek; and Dennis Price, a retired teacher and long-time tour guide at the Kennedy Mine. Advance reservations for bus or walking tours may be made with the American Exchange Hotel at 267-0242.

In the seemingly peaceful evening following Wednesday’s solar eclipse, a missile was closing in on its target- a potentially dangerous spy satellite. According to the US Defense Department, the missile successfully intercepted its  target 133 nautical miles in space over the Pacific. Because of the level of international publicity and political ramifications, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, rather than a military commander, made the final decision to pull the trigger.

The Ione City Council voted unanimously to authorize City Manager Kim Kerr to execute change orders for the East Main Street Reconstruction, which includes Oak Ridge, El Dorado, and the Pleasant Valley Overlay Projects.

After many public concerns and comments on the Erickson Ranch Annexation at Tuesday’s Sutter Creek City Council meeting, one Sutter Creek man summed it all up by stating, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” 187 acres that have been acquired by the city from CalTrans are now slotted to be annexed into the city of Sutter Creek and made into a public open park.  Even though the council has already signed off on the Cooperative Agreement and the Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Report, citizens are still concerned about the impact this property will have on Sutter Creek. Public comments centered around two issues –the potential future taxpayer costs of maintaining this property, and protecting the area’s natural habitat and Native American plants and cultural areas.

At last night’s rescheduled Jackson Planning Commission meeting, the Final Environmental Impact Report was recommended for certification for Land Use Element updates, Circulation Element amendments, and Development and Zoning code updates. The city is slowly making progress in constructing the city’s General Plan. Beth Thompson of Pacific Municipal Consultants made a presentation to the commission that outlined the final report, and about a dozen members of the public were present to submit comments before the document goes to the Jackson City Council for certification March 10th.

Indian Casinos, development management, local politics, and cultural events are just some of the topics currently being discussed on numerous blogs devoted to a single topic- Amador County. The term “blog,” short for “web-log” is someone’s personal website where he or she can post commentary or news on a topic of choice. A typical blog consists of texts, images, and links to other blogs or web-media related to its content. Amador blogs are posted by citizens from across the political spectrum, and they all contain a unique perspective on local issues. One exceptional chracteristic of local blogs is this- they can criticize, make fun, probe facts, and ask questions that the mainstream local media cannot. “I really admire those who take the time to maintain a blog and speak out...it's a great way for the voice of the people to be consistently heard," said one local blogger.

Budget negotiators have settled on a package of emergency spending cuts that would freeze a half billion dollars planned for schools, cut payments to doctors caring for the poor and vacuum up hundreds of millions in unspent funds intended for projects over the remainder of the year. How the cuts will effect Amador County is so far unclear. The package comes under the state's first fiscal emergency declaration, which Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued last month when he announced falling state tax revenue left California facing an estimated $14.5 billion shortfall.

In a written appeal issued February 15, the County Board of Supervisors has asked Governor Schwarzenegger “one more time” for his assistance in opposing the proposed Buena Vista Casino. Signed by the Board of supervisors, the District Attorney and the Sheriff, among others, the letter outlines the history of Indian Gaming in Amador County and the attempts to stop another casino from being built.

A notable accident occurred on westbound 88 near Kirkwood. According to CHP reports, a Banta, California resident was driving his 2005 Ford Expedition at an unsafe speed for the slippery roadway surface. He lost control of his vehicle and began to slide out of control. The vehicle then proceeded across the westbound lane and through an open area in the snow bank. The vehicle rolled over on its roof and proceeded to “slide like a sled” approximately 100 to 150 feet through trees and forest. The vehicle came to an abrupt stop after striking a large tree. It was necessary to use a heavy tow truck to retrieve the vehicle from its resting place. Luckily, no injuries were reported, but either way—a close call.