INF
: Exhi it showcases iverse photographs
MORE IN WEEKENDER:Fireman's Muster returns to Columbia for 56th year
AND INSIDE:Turncoat leaks fourth Roundupclue, Back Page
THE MOTHER LODE'SLEADING INFORMATION SOURCE SINCE 1854 • SO NORA, CALIFORNIA
TnIInsnAV
APRIL 30, 20ta
Ilninn ¹II Inn
TOD AY'S READER BOARD
Phase III restrictions explained
BRIEFING
Columbia commencement — Columbia College's 46th Commencement Ceremony is Friday. The college also announced a complete list of graduates.A2
By GUY McCARTHY The Union Democrat
The Tuolumne Utilities District has released specifics about new Phase III manda-
Cause of fire at popular wedding venue unknown
Burkes arrest -A Sonora woman was arrestedTuesday after allegedly stabbing another woman.A3
tory water-use reductions of
30 percent compared with 2013 now in effect for all TUD customers. Violators ofthe restrictionscan face penalties that include having a water-fiow restrictor installed at a home or business, fines up to $500, and having water shut off for failure to meet mandatory
By AUSTEN THIBAULT The Union Democrat
Suspect still on
A fire late Wednesday night claimed the main hall of the Union Hill Inn on the historic Pedro Ranch property in Sonora. Owner Don Stutzman called in the fire and was the only one on the property at the time. He escaped without harm. "I was here alone and I smelled something so I ran through. I couldn't take care of it myself so I called 911," he said. As of about 10:30 p.m., the main hall building was heavily involved and an adjacent single family residence-type building was about 50 percentinvolved,accordingto Barry Rudolph, Battalion Chief of Cal Fire's Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit at the scene.
thelam-The search for a man who lead law enforcement officers on a car chase from Jamestown to the Big Hill area Wednesday afternoon has been called off.A3
Water meetMembers of the recently formed Community Water Council for the Tuolumne County Region intend to meet Friday morning in Sonora.A3
conservationtargets.
The district Board of Directorsapproved the restrictions after a public hearing Tuesday night. Ongoing drought
'•
hkrhce;
at- . I'.
concerns and low reservoir
See FIRE/Back Page
levelsmade it prudent for TUD to impose conservation targets that exceed Gov. Jerry Brown's April 1 call for mandatory 25 percent water use cutbacksstatewide,according to district staff.
h h
OPlnlOn — Time
Here are specificson the
' ' w:,ItrI'~j
is ripe: Bring back Strawberry; Solution
proposed for city fly
j
invasion.A4
4,
jP"
.~t
t„h I
+r -
HEALTH
new restrictions emphasized Wednesday by TUD: • Any single family equivalent household that uses 800 cubic feet of water per billing cycle or400 cubicfeetper month has met the district's reduction goal and is not sub-
.h,
rI
-,3
Ihh
See TUD/Back Page h
Poetry Outloud
Lowe falls short of national win
Maggie Beck/Union Democrat
A fire Wednesday evening destroyed the main hall of the historic Union Hill lnn in Sonora (above). A firefighter (left) holds a line on the main hall during an attempt to control the blaze.
By SEAN CARSON
Sierra Views: TYAtkins
• PHILOSOPHICAL DILEMMA: Bill would make pro-life pregnancy centers give abortion referrals.B1
The Union Democrat
Retirement lifts restraints on educator By SEAN CARSON
SPORTS
The Union Democrat r1 ~e
ail
• COLLEGE HOOPS: Columbia Claim Jumper Travis Arenas, will play basketball at the California MaritimeAcademy, in Vallejo.C1 • GOLF:Wildcats claim MLL golf crown.C1 • SOFTBALL:Lady Reds on 8-game win streak.C1
I lg
ea
eh atata
h
'IWlg h
• L
~' )I",I,, iIII h
NEWS TIPS? PHONE: 770-7153,58a4534 NEWS: editorLguniondemocrat.corn FEATUR ES: featuresluniondemocrat.corn SPORTS spo : rlsluniondemocratcom EVENTS ANDWEEKENDER: weaken derOuniondemocraLcom lETTH5: letteialuntondemociatcom CAEAVE RASBUREAU:770-7197 NEWSR OOMFAX:532-6451 SUBSCR IBERSERVICES:533-3614
•
•
Sonora High School student Levi Lowe progressed to the final round of the Poetry Out Loud National Finals Wednesday night in Washington D.C. Lowe was knocked out of the competition after reciting threepoems before a panelof judges in Lisner Auditorium at The George Washington University. "In order to win this competition, the contestants need to show a wide range of skills demonstrating that they can bring clarity to difficult texts, perfectly remember long poems and evoke emotions in the audience without themselves emoting. Levi has masteredthese skills,and we are so proud of how far he has come in this very competitive field," said Rick Foster, Tuolumne County Poetry Out Loud coach.
•
i ,h Maggie Beck/Union Democrat
Purchase photos online at www.uniondemocrat.corn
A long-time Tuolumne County educator is leaving the field and looking forward to a newfound freedom to express his religious beliefs. Summerville Elementary School principal TY Atkins will leave the school at the end of the school year after 29 years. During that time, he has gained a reputation as a teacher and administrator who deeply cares about his students and stafK "Atkins is someone who goes above and beyond his duties at the school," said Summerville Elementary Secretary Kathy Bullock. But for a man who has invested so much of his life to his profession, he said there is a sense of relief in his coming retirement. Atkins is a deeply religious man, with strong convictions about sharing the life and works of Jesus Christ with those around him. Finding the balance between his role as
TY Atkins, vvho has worked at Summerville Elementary School for 29 the past years, plans to retire at the end of this school year.
•
•
QSjde
Calendar ........................ Comics........................... Crime ............................. Health at Medicine.......
......A2
O b i tuaries.......
......C5 O pinion........... ......A3 S p orts.............. ...... B1
'iv.....................
Lowe was among nine final-
istscompeting for a $20,000
SeeVIEWS /Back Page
Today:High L9, Low 50 Friday:High 91, Low 53 Saturday:High as, Low 50
:::::::s' W eather Page C6
Meet Dr. Parsa. An expert in women's health. And kindness.
See LOWE /Back Page
3
II IIIIIII S11 5 3 0 0 1 0 3
• I • •
•
•
•
e
•
•
r