The Union Democrat 07-10-2015

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Family gets blast from past in 'Flashback' photo

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MORE IN COMMUNITY:Korean Warera veterans honored; Tour historic Big OakFlat sites, B1

1 HEMOl HER LODE'S LEADING INFORMATION SOURCE SINCE1854 • SONORA, CALIFORNIA

FRIDAY

JULY 10, 2015

SouthernTuolumneCounty

Dept. ofTransportation

TODAY 'S REABiRBOA RB

Repairs due for number of bridges in Mother Lode

BRIEFING llijg

Drug buSt —Five people were arrested Wednesday morning on drug charges following a raid on a Tuolumne home.A2

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PlanningCom-

2013 data finds over a quarter of bridges in state are unsafe, dysfunctional

mlSSIOn —Marijuana collective use permit denied.A2

Seen andHeard — This week's photo opinion asks, "What' s your favorite fair food?"A2

By SEAN CARSON The Union Democrat Maggie Beck /Union Democrat

About 7000 people live in southern Tuolumne County towns like Groveland (above), Big Oak Flat and Don Pedro.

Cleanup day-The second annual Historic San Andreas Community Cleanup Day is set Saturday.A2

News Notes- upcoming events in the Mother Lode.A3

six years.

Eight of those bridges have been classified as "structurally deficient" or "functionally obsolete" and are scheduled to be replaced. Work should start on the projects by 2016, said Bev Shane, director of the Tuolumne County Community Resources Agency. Not all ofthe bridges scheduled for replacement will be removed completely. The Rawhide Road Bridge in Jamestown is beingconsidered for historic preservation. County officials have proposed building a new two lane bridge parallel to the existing bridge, Shane said. Six morebridges were approved for replacement last year, but work on those projects will not start until at least 2020. The remaining 14 are listed as needing

OPlnlOn —Reservoir treasures: Enjoy, don' t destroy.A4 By ALEX MacLEAN

Pet adoptions-

The Union Democrat

Mickey and Minnie are among dozens of pets up for adoption through Mother Lode humane societies.DS

One aspect of life in southern Tuolumne County is learning to make it on your own. Some purposely seek the remote isolation of towns like Groveland, Big OakFlatand Don Pedro,each separated from the more populated parts of the county by dozens of miles of winding roads, steep hills and vast expanses of open nature. These far-fiung hamlets are home toabout 7,000 people,representing roughly 13 percent of the county's population. As theTuolumne County grand

SPORTS • WILDCAT CAMP: Sonora varsity head coach Amy Santos directed the Wildcat Girls' Basketball Camp this week at Columbia College's Oak Pavilion.C1 • STABLER DIES: Former Raider Stabler dies at 69.C1 • ACKERMAN:Avid anglers still hooking fish at shrinking Melones. C1 • OUTDOORS:Seeley a bear of a competitor at MLGC shoot.C2 • BOWLING:Isa m, Wynne tops men; Philbin strong in return.C2 • MLB: Close calls go against A's in loss to Yanks.C3

jury wrote in its most recent re-

port, "The people in this area have learned to take care of themselves; they have built a museum, a library and a skate park with volunteer help and local donations." 'There's a lot of volunteerism and camaraderie when it comes to people wanting to be a part of the community and help in numerous ways," said Craig Maxwell, who has lived in Groveland for 20 years and runs an inn at the historic Sugar Pine Ranch property. However, some who live out there feellike they're underrepresented and underserved.

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See BRIDGES/Back Page

Nathan Bacon, foreman with Ken's Asphalt of Groveland, fixes broken concrete Thursday afternoon at the Groveland Skatepark. A number of residents are concerned about a lack of services being provided by the county in comparisonto other areas thatare closer to Sonora, such as Soulsbyville, Columbia and Jamestown. "That's fine if you' re not paying taxes, but we pay our taxes," said Patti Beaulieu, who has lived in Pine Mountain Lake near Groveland for 11 years."I can tell you if it wasn't for volunteers in this town, nothing would get done." The issue recently became glar-

ingly evident for Beaulieu, a manager of a thrift store in downtown Groveland. Last month, Beaulieu found a dead raccoon on the sidewalk near the business. She called the after-hours SherifFs Office phone number, but no one answered. She called 911. The dispatcher said the SherifFS Office likely wouldn't be able to do anything about the rotting carcass until Monday. See SERVICES / Back Page

Mother Lode Fair opens today

• HACKED:Hackers stole Social Security numbers, health histories and other highly sensitive data from more than 21 million people, the Obama administration said Thursday.AB

By LYDIA BROWNING The Union Democrat

NEWS TIPS? PHONE: 770-7153,5884534 NEWS: editorounrondemocrat.a>m FEATUR ES: feattrresltrniondemocrai.corn SPORTS spori : sltrniondemocratcom EVENTS ANDWEEKENDER: weekenderlunIondemocrat txrm tETTERS rletersOunrondemocratarm CAtAVERAS BUREAU:770-7197 NEINSROO MFit 532-8451 SUBSCR IBERSERVICES: 533-3814

Maggie Beck /Union Democrat

The Mother Lode Fair will open its gates at noon today, just as the temperature cools down. The National Weather Service reports today will be mostly cloudy with a high temperature of 87 degrees and 10 mph winds in the afternoon. Saturday and Sunday's high temperatures will be 90 degrees both with 10 mph winds also forecast in the afternoon. The fair will have longer hours this year to accommodate the elimination of t he Thursday installment. Hours will be noon to midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon to 11 p.m. Sunday.

Final preparations for the 2015 Mother Lode Fair midway were underway Thursday at the fairgrounds in Sonora.

In ' •

SonoraHigh

School board accused of Brown Act violations Citizen calls out trustees' practices at meetings

NEWS ELSEWHERE

Mother Lode bridges are showing their age. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced today over a quarter of the bridges in California are considered unsafe or dysfunctionalfor drivers, according to 2013 data. Of the 53 bridges in Tuolumne County, 28 are on a county list for repair over the next

Calendar.....................................A2 O b ituaries........ Comics........................................C5 O p inion............ Community/Religion................ B1 Sports............... Crime ..........................................Aa TV......................

By SEAN CARSON The Union Democrat

The Sonora Union High School District Board of Trustees has been accused ofviolating the state's law on public meetings. Sonora resident Carol Doud submitted a letter to the school district and the Tuolumne County District Attorney's Office Thursday that cited three possible violations to the Ralph M. Brown Act. The law is meant to ensure integrity among elected

officials at public meetings. In the letter,Doud said the board's request to have individuals name themselves prior to delivering public comment violates a sectionofthe law pertaining to recorded attendance at meetings. The law states the public does not have to registeror give their name to attend

See FAIR/Back Page

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Weather Page C6

See BOARD/Back Page

Today:High as, Low 55 Saturday:High 91, Low 56 Sunday:High 90, Low 53

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