The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will observe Workers Memorial Day today, April 17, at 11 a.m. with a ceremony to remember the 166 highway maintenance workers and other Caltrans employees who lost their lives on the job since 1924.  There were zero employee deaths in Caltrans work zones in the past 12 months. This bucks a national trend of three road worker fatalities every five days nationally- in all cone zones. The ceremony will…

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell announced  that a greater percentage of students in the Class of 2007 have passed the Exit Exam when compared to the Class of 2006 at the same point in time during their senior year. O’Connell also noted that test results show significant progress toward closing the achievement gap between students who are African American or Latino and those who are white or Asian.

Yesterday’s horror at Virginia Tech, now the worst school massacre in US history killed thirty-two people, along with a gunman, and injured at least 15 in the two shooting attacks. police and witnesses said some victims were executed with handguns while other students were hurt jumping from upper-story windows of the classroom building where most of the killings occurred. After the second round of killings, the gunman killed himself, the police said.

Between April 6 and April 10, 2007 the Jackson Police Department and Amador County Sheriff’s Office received four reports of thefts of purses from shopping carts.  Two incidents occurred at Safeway in Martell and two incidents occurred at Raley’s in Jackson.  Portions of all four incidents were captured on video surveillance.  A witness provided a description of a suspicious female subject and an associated vehicle in the area during both incidents at Safeway. Based upon…

The Amador Water agency convened from their regular meeting today for a special meeting at 9:30 to honor Kim Toma who has served as the clerk to the board for 19 years. Kim began her career at the AWA has the first and only Executive Secretary and Clerk to the Board. General Manager Jim Abercrombie named some of the challenges that she has faced in her career as well as noted that that she “maintained…

Tri-County Wildlife Care has just received its first baby raptor for 2007.  This 2-3 week old Great Horned Owl came in covered by a t-shirt in a large, makeshift plastic blue bowl nest after it apparently fell from its nest several times.   This baby has talons the size of fingers and claws that are one inch long.   It is able to rotate its head, clacking its beak loudly in protest at being examined for an…

Accidents occurring over the last three days are a reminder to local drivers that inattention to the roadway causes accidents. Another accident was caused on Wednesday due to a driver not paying attention to the road. According to Officer Craig Zaragoza’s report Glenn Pitts, 39 and of Ione was driving west bound on Ridge Road and stopped his vehicle for a west bound vehicle waiting to make a left turn into a driveway. 19 year…

Last night a special Jackson Planning Commission workshop was held to review the Jackson Hills Residential and Golf Course Community and the impact it will have on traffic in and around Jackson. ACTC Director Charles Field requested that the workshop be held before the Planning Commission made a recommendation to the City Council. At last night’s meeting Field discussed existing traffic conditions and how those would change with the development of the Jackson Hills Project.…

The Planning Commission voted Tuesday night for a second planning Commission meeting to be held in April to address the Draft EIR and a recent zone change for the Wicklow Way Subdivision proposed by Lemke Construction of Copperopolis.  Lemke Construction is proposing to develop and build the Stoney Creek Estates- Wicklow Way project, consistent with the original concept approve in 1978 as part of the Hilltop Estates Master Plan. The property proposed for development is…

The Amador County Unified School District Board meeting got off to a late start last night after the Board considered a lengthy closed session agenda. The closed agenda considered 7 expulsions and several pending or potential litigations. The district announced a settlement in a case called JM vs ACUSD and ACOE. The district agreed to settle this loss suit against the district for 53,000 dollars. There were no details released in the case. Superintendent Dr. Carey then presented a special award to business department employee Jan Stitt, who was recently recommended at a state level class she took on behalf of the district.