Amador County’s Peace Officer of the Year and Citizen of the Year were honored Saturday night by the Amador County Peace Officer’s Association. Amador County Sheriff Lieutenant Charles Ray was named Peace officer of the Year. Ray has been in Amador County law enforcement since 1987. He has worked in narcotics investigations, and as a field training officer, firearms instructor, member of the SWAT team and Dive Rescue Team. Lieutenant Ray has twice been involved…

Be safe this Halloween. Amador County Child Abuse Prevention Council has these safely tips for your kids: Trick or treat in your own neighborhood. Plan your route ahead of time with your parents. Stop only at houses that have lights on. Don’t go into a stranger’s house for any reason. If a stranger invites you inside, say “no,” get away, and tell a trusted adult. Remember to bring your older brother or sister or an…

Amador County Public Health Officer, Dr. Bob Hartmann advises that getting a flu vaccine is still the number one way to prevent influenza (flu.)  “The flu can limit a person’s ability to work, go to school, care for loved ones, or enjoy fun activities and just plain make you sick.  The flu vaccine can prevent the flu and some serious complications such as pneumonia” says Hartmann.  In the US, about 35,000 people die and more…

The City of Ione will be holding a special meeting on Tuesday October 30th to address several issues, one of which includes the Wastewater treatment options for the City. The meeting will begin with a discussion surrounding the First-Time Homebuyer Program the city is working to administer and then move right into the sticky issues regarding City’s wastewater treatment and disposal options. To assist in the process the City hired Lee and Ro, to evaluate…

Amador County is known for it’s variety of historical aspects. More recently the Knight Foundry in Sutter Creek has been a focus of local citizens trying to preserve the Foundry and all the history that it encompasses. The Knight Foundry Corporation, “An educational non-profit corporation has dedicated it’s time to acquiring, preserving and operating the Knight Foundry…” according to their mission statement. The Foundry was developed in 1872 by Samuel Newman Knight, a millwright from…

Some Southern California residents evacuated from their homes earlier this week were able to return home on Sunday as Saturday’s humid weather conditions helped fire fighters gain an upper hand and had the fire about 50% contained Sunday afternoon. Though firefighters are feeling more hopeful CDF still reminds us that most of California’s resources remain in Southern California and caution Californians that while the Department and its cooperators are fully staffed, the publics help is…

 And speaking of the Southern California fires, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is under fire as questions arise over the state's initial response to those Southern wildfires.  Some political leaders from Southern California have stated that the state was slow to use firefighting aircraft while the governor counters that high winds are what initially kept some planes and helicopters grounded. Schwarzenegger met with officials on Friday at the Office of Emergency Services headquarters in Rancho Cordova. There…

Law enforcement agencies from Amador and Calaveras Counties responded to an Amador County Deputy’s report of shots fired when he tried to make contact with the owner of a Jeep that was parked near the bridge on Hwy 26 on the county line. At about 6:30 Wednesday, an Amador County Sheriff’s Deputy patrolling the area of Hwy 26 and River Road in Pioneer observed a camouflage vehicle stopped near the bridge at the Amador/Calaveras county…

Tuesday afternoon abut 3 pm, a vegetation fire was reported in Ione. The fire was located in rough terrain behind the gun club on True Sportsman Way in Ione. Several units descended on the fire and contained it before it threatened any structures. Wind threatened to spread the fire but firefighters kept the area burned to about 5 acres. No air support was needed and the cause of the fire is under investigation.  A Bill…