Narcotics Investigators from the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office seized 27-hundred marijuana plants in an early morning raid near Mountain Ranch Thursday. The raid took place at West Muray Creek Rd. and Doster Rd. Investigators described the cultivation location as three different gardens that were 30 yards apart and connected by trails.

A triple fatality accident was reported in Calaveras County Saturday evening. CHP say a trio of occupants in a 1993 Dodge Ram pick up were traveling on Railroad Flat Rd going 50 to 55 miles per hour when, for an unknown reason, the 70 year old male driver, allowed the truck to leave the roadway. He then overcorrected and sent the pick up into a slide. The truck then continued the slide across the road and into a large oak tree.  The driver and his 61 year old female passenger, both from Mountain Ranch, were dead at the scene. The third occupant of the truck, a 42 year old woman from Marysville, died several hours later at the hospital after being flown to Mercy San Juan Hospital. The cause of the collision is under investigation, however the CHP report does state that alcohol use is suspected.

The state budget is finally signed with Governor Schwarzenegger making some waves by cutting several programs including a program for the mentally ill homeless population. The governor, however, did keep some priorities in the budget. The top expenditures in California's 2007-08 budget include general fund figures, which cover daily operations, and a larger figure that includes bond payments and special distribution funds: The state will spend on K-12 education: $41.3 billion. On Health and Human Services: $29.7 billion. Higher education $12 billion. In the categories of Business, Transportation and Housing: $1.6 billion although with special taxes and bonds included, that amount will rise to $13.3 billion.

The soil on Mars may contain microbial life, according to a new interpretation of data first collected more than 30 years ago. The search for life on Mars appeared to hit a dead end in 1976 when the Viking landers touched down on the planet and failed to detect biological activity. But German scientists said on Friday the spacecraft may in fact have found signs of a weird life form based on hydrogen peroxide on the subfreezing.

Amador County Public Health and Animal Control say there is an urgent message for members of the community. A press release from Ione says a resident was bit by a dog Tuesday evening. The dog remains unidentified and if not found the person that was bit could be facing a series of preventative rabies vaccinations. The incident occurred around seven-in-the-evening on Shakeley Lane in Ione. The dog is described as a small, older Chihuahua, white with red markings, wearing a red harness with a bone tag and walking with a limp. The dog has been seen in the neighborhood prior to Tuesday. The dog is being sought to verify the health and rabies status of the animal in order to decide what follow up, if any, the bitten person might need. Anyone with information should call Public Health at 223-6407 or Animal Control at 223-6378

Amador Fire Protection District says they have approved the 2007-2008 budget in the amount of 1.8-million-dollars. The budget includes 245-thousand-dollars for employee’s salaries and the bulk of the budget, or almost 1.3 million- dollars going to services and supplies. The main supply of money for the Fire District is from special assessments and county aid dollars. In 2007 the A-F-P-D also received 152- thousand dollars from the Special Indian Gaming Distribution Fund, although the 2007-2008 budget not does anticipate funds from this source.

A smoldering campfire yesterday morning on some Bureau of Land Management property at the end of Belden Mine Rd in Buckhorn got quite the fire response. The abandoned campfire was discovered by a neighbor and reported to local fire officials. Although this fire was caught quickly and in time this is an example of how easily the irresponsibility of one can lead to devastation for a community. The Tahoe area Angora Fire was started by a smoldering illegal campfire which was not discovered in time to avoid a full clown wildland fire.

Amador- El Dorado Unit CalFire crews are on the move to Tuolumne County as part of the suppression effort for a fire located near the Columbia State Park. Authorities are evacuating residents in a canyon near the park because of a brushfire. The wildland fire is called the Italian Fire, which has burned 40acres northeast of Columbia State Historic Park. About 25 homes were evacuated yesterday morning in the area of Italian Bar Road, Yankee Hill Road and Cattle Drive Trail. Those roads were also closed. As of this morning Amador El Dorado Units on scene in Tuolumne County included a Sutter Hill based dozer and a strike team of hand crews from Pine Grove Camp. Our local unit also has 10 engines still on the Donner Fire near Tahoe.

The First Scheduled Public Hearing on the Jackson City Council’s agenda was the review of a request from Donna LaVecchia for a Conditional Permit Use to expand her current daycare facility, the Web of Life, located on Jackson Gate Road.

Another voting machine controversy is rocking county election offices around the state. Although it involves the manufacturer of Amador County’s AutoMark voting machines, our county will not be impacted by the latest problems.