LADIES NIGHTOUT:Breast cancer awareness event set MORE IN HEALTH:Hospice patients evacuated in Butte Fire,B1
AND INSIDE:GOPcandidates talk issues in second debate, A5
1 HEMOl HER LODE'S LEADING INFORMATION SOURCE SINCE1854 • SONORA, CALIFORNIA
THURSDA Y SEPTEMBER 17, 2015
TODAY 'S READiRBOA RD BRIEFING
TourAgainstTrafficking
Event touts human trafficking awareness By ALEK MacLEAN
in Tuolumne County. Nearly 100 peopleattended an event Wednesday night at the Sonora Human trafficking is a g r ow- Opera Hall hosted by the St. James ing crime that occurs in places Episcopal Church in Sonora, also throughout the world, though many known as the Red Church, intended may not realize it's also happening to raiseawareness about the crime of
human tra6icking and shed light on are enslaved in our world." the issue locally. Victims of human trafficking are "Choosing to be unaware equals often lured through force, &aud or cochoosing to be complicit,n said Epis- ercioninto forced labor orcommercial copal Diocese of San Joaquin Bishop sexual exploitation, such as prostituDavid Rice. "We can ill afford neither one when it comes to those who See EVENT/Back Page
The Uni on Democrat
Medal of ValorA Sonora police officer' s bravery in the line of duty has earned him a 2015 Medal of Valor award, one of two in the state.A2
Schoolte sting-
Fowlermurdertrial
Butte Fire Day8
Results of redesigned test show high school juniors unprepared for college.A3
Police video ofaccused played in court
UmpqLlarobbery — Suspect West pleads not guilty to bank robbery.A3
Big Cmk FileTrial for Vilmur, woman accused of starting fire, delayed.A3
By TORI THOMAS The Union Democrat
Car thelt — so-
The accused was 12 when the girl was m urdered, stabbed to death in herbedroom shortly after noon on a Saturday in April 2013. The victim was 8. Her name was Leila Fowler. The boy, now 15, whose name is not being used be-
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nora Police arrested two Modesto residents Tuesday on suspicion of car theft.A3
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OPlnlOn —HUBZone certification can boost business; Will bad endof-life bill be enacted'? A4
cause he is a juvenile, is on
WEEICENDER • 49ER FESTIVAL: Event returns to downtown Groveland.14 • NIGHT IN WHITE: The third annual "Big Dreams Starry Night Dinner in White" fundraising event will be held Saturday.3 • SIERRA REP:New musical follows the friendship between a legendarycountry singer and a Houston woman.9 • MURPHYS CREEK: Theatre debuts new play billed as the "ultimate comedy of manners without manners." 10
SPORTS • VOLLEYBALL:Sonora defeats Division 1 Lincoln.C1 • NINERS:San Francisco defense still have much to prove.C1 • MLB: Zito joins Oakland in 'storybook ending.'C1 • RAIDERS:Carr returns to practice despite injury.C3
NEWS TIPS? PHONE: 770-7153,5884534 NEWS: editorounIondemocrat.a>m FEATUR ES: featttreslttniondemocrat.corn SPORTS: sporisIuniondemocratcom EVENTS ANDWEEKENDER: weekenderlunIondemocrat txrm lETTERS: letsrsounIondemocratttrm CAlAVERAS BUREAU:770-7197 NEINSROO MF/DE532-8451 SUBSCR IBERSERVICES: 533-3814
Jason Cowan Union / Democrat
Contractors hired by Pacific Gas and Electric remove a tree Wednesday evening that fell earlier in the day on Mountain Ranch Road.
Fire's cause
may be tree on power line
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By JASON COWAN
See TRIAL/Back Page
The Union Democrytt
Two bodies have been recovered in or near homes that were destroyed by the Butte Fire, Calaveras County Coroner Kevin Raggio said Wednesday. Raggio identified one of the victims as Mark McCloud, 65, of Baker Riley Way in Mokelumne Hil. The otherbody,believed to be a man, was found inside his home in the M-24 Ranch subdivision in Mountain Ranch. The coroner would not release his identity pending notification of next of kin. Earlier on Wednesday, Pacific Gas & Electric Vice President Barry Anderson told those assembled for the morning briefing at the incident command post in Angels Camp that Cal Fire investigators are looking into whether a tree fell on a power line and ignited the blaze that so far has consumed 71,780 acres and destroyed 252 homes and 188 outbuildings. He stressed that the cause of the blaze is still uncertain but vowed to cooperate with investigators. ''We do know the people who lost their homes in this fire are our customers. The first responders fighting this fire are our partners. The state of California facing this terrible fire season is our home. And, as we learn about the two deaths
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Jason Cows n /Union Democrat (above); Courtesy photo (below)
Mountain Ranch Road is still closed and evacuation advisories are still in place for the town of Mountain Ranch (above). Mark McCloud is one of two people whose bodies have been recovered in or near homes destroyed by the Butte Fire. ing inspection and patrol data for 2014 and 2015 for the area and will turn over that information to Cal Fire. McCloud's body was found at about 5 p.m. Tuesday, the coroner said.
He had lived in Mokelumne Hill for eight years, McCloud wrote on a Ham radio website in July. "It'sgreat," he wrote. "Lots of wildlife, trees and a whole lot of room."
He said he was working on antenna projects, but his main interest this summer was his vegetable garden, which he had doubled in size.
"In doing so, have realized a gopher problem. So I am installing wire cages for all my vegetables," he wrote.
that have occurred in the fire, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims." He said PG&E staff are review-
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209.754.3521 marktwainmedicalcenter.org
Saturday, September 26 7 AM to Noon• At the Hospital
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By SEAN CARSON The Union Democrat
Over the past week, Dan Unger's drive home along Shaws Flat Road in Sonora has taken him past a large Confederate fiag fiown Rom a student's pickup outside Sonora High School. Tuesday He noticed rebel Rags on severalcarsoutside the school. The grandparent of two mixed-race granddaughters,Unger, 70, fi nds the symbol offensive, and urged the school to educate students. He spoke to the Board of Trustees Tuesday night. "I realize this is a touchy subject, because we have the first amendment, however I feelthat there are different rules that apply to this type of thing in high school. We don't allow bullying, and I feel this is a type of bullying," Unger said. Student Gavin Watkins, 16, was asked See FLAG/Back Page
Today:High So, Low 47 Friday:High Ss, Low 47 Saturday:High 92, Low 52
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Rebel flag spurs concern over education
See FIRE /Back Page
Mark Twain Medical Center
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trial in Calaveras County Superior Court. The trial, which could last three weeks, beganTuesday. No jury will decide the case. Instead, CalaverasCounty Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Smith will deliver a verdict. On Wednesday, tapes ofthe young man being interviewed by law enforcement were played in court. The boy's words were captured on law enforcement video. The boy was arrested May 11, 2013, and charged with second-degree murder in connection with Fowler's death. On Wednesday, the boy was dressed in black, his dark hair trimmed in a buzz cut. He frequently looked around the Dept. 3 courtroom throughout the day, but mostly lookeddirectly ahead. One video was recorded mere hours after
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