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, A LOOIC BACIC:Reviewing "l5 entertainment highlights MORE IN WEEKENDER:Tuolumne County prepares to defend poetry title; Christmas dinners bring community together
THE MOTHER LODE'SLEADING INFORMATION SOURCE SINCE 1854 • SO NORA, CALIFORNIA
THURSDA Y
DECEMBER 24, 2015
Minimum wage
ay increasewornessma usinesses
TODAY 'S REABiRBOA RB
M
BRIEFING
By SEAN CARSON
Workers earning minimum wage will move from $9 to $10 per hour on the first of the year, after legislation passed in 2013scheduled stepped increases from an $8-per-hour
ers in Tuolumne County, but larger employers may take the pay change in stride, said Come January, Mother Larry Cope,director of the Lode employers will join the Tuolumne County Economic rest of California and pay Development Authority. minimum wage workers the rate. Cope and the organizahighest state-mandated miniThe raise could spell trou- tion are funded through the mum wage in the country. ble for small business own- CityofSonora and Tuolumne The Union Democrat
CHiPs for KldsThe 2015 CHiPs for Kids toy drive successfully collected more than 500 toys, stuffed animals and games, $460 in gift cards and 28 bicycles. A2
County to help grow and at tract business in the region. Depending on the size of the business, the new pay will a6ect profits differently, but any b usiness paying minimum wage is going to see costsgo up,meaning possible higher prices for customers
and employers, Cope said. Businesses likely to feel the biggest impact are small restaurantswith a large service stafF, Cope said. This is a chain of events Lana Smith, co-owner of the Diamondback SeeWAGES/BackPage
Couple
THE MCLAWHORNS
clles Ill
Protet pipesIUD advises residents to winterize before pipes freeze.A2
apparent nlUI"del-
HEALTH
SUICIde
• KEEP HOLIDAYS HAPPY:Stress can affect development and future well-being of children.B1 • CHRISTMAS CLOSURES:Prompt Cares closed on holiday. B1 • DR. OZ:Don't get sick from a plane flight.B1
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By TORI THOMAS
Irk
The Union Democrat
A husband and wife died in an apparent murder-sui cide Tuesday evening near Murphys, Calaveras County officials said Wednesday. County Coroner Kevin Raggio identified the couple as Carl Rasmussen, 71, and Dot Rasmussen, 64, both of Murphys. According to a Calaveras County SherilFs Office press release,the office received a report from a man about 5:20 p.m. Tuesday who said he had just shot his wife. The Sheri6"s Office and Angels Camp Police Department responded to an address near Murphys, where they found two people deceased, both with apparent gunshot wounds, sheri6's personnel said. The causes of the death had not been released, Raggio said. The Sheri6"s Office did not
SPORTS r,
• 'FROGS FALL:Kyle Olsen has huge night in Bret Harte loss.C1 • ONE LASTTIME?: Raiders face Chargers in what could be Oakland finale.C1 • NBA: Kings hang on for win at Indiana.C1 • NINERS:If San Francisco fires Tomsula, who's on the short list? C1
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Kim (left) and Kathy McLawhorn, who have been homeless for the past year, sit in their new Sonora apartment during their move-in day earlier this month.
CORRECTIONS
Army vet moves into apartment after a year on the streets
• Property taxes on homes whose values were temporarily reduced during the recession under Proposition 8 can be raised more than 2 percent if the home's market value increased more than 2 percent. A story in Wednesday's Union Democrat contained incorrect information. Also, a quotation about California's economic state and rising home values was incorrectly attributed in the same story. George Runner, vice chairman of the State Board of Equalizations First District, said, "This is a general reflection on the general state of the economy in California. As we are coming out of a recession, people are finally gaining back value in their properties." • Creekside Community Church in Sonora will not hold a Christmas Eve service today. Incorrect information was published in Tuesday's Union Democrat.
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See COUPLE / Back Page
"I think we need to look at people as people, not as aristocrats or homeless. We' re all human beings and need to look out for
By ALEX MacLEAN The Union Democrat
Kim McLawhorn won't have to worry about starting a fire in the
cold weather to cook Christmas dinner this year. The 55-year-old United States Army veteran and his wife, Kathy, moved into a new apartment earlier this month after being homeless since September 2014, living in a
each other."
Skier, 60, dies at Bear Valley
— Hazel Mitchell, of Give Someone a Chance
veteransservice organizations for the past year to obtain a housing voucher through the U.S. Departtent on the outskirts of Sonora. ment ofHousing and Urban Devel'The whole deal was unexpected," opment's Veterans Affairs SupportMcLawhorn said on Dec. 11, while ive Housing program. moving into his new place at Quail The voucher covers most of the Hollow One Apartments in Sonora. monthly rent for homeless military McLawhorn has been working veterans who qualify, similar to with local homeless advocates and HUD's Section 8 program.
After months of p aperwork, McLawhorn finally received his voucher on Dec. 8.
The timing couldn't be better for McLawhorn and his wife, who have weathered some cold rain storms the past couple months. They also celebrated their sixth wedding an-
By GUY McCARTHY The Union Democrat
A 60-year-old man collapsed and died while skiing Wednesday at Bear Valley in Alpine County, a public relations representative for the ski resort said. The man, whose name was not released, was a guest skiing on one of the resort's designated runs when he collapsed, got up and collapsed again, Mare Gendron of MarComm PR said in a phone interview Wednesday night. The man was pronounced dead at the scene about 1:40 p.m. There was no collision with vegetation, an object,
See HOME / Back Page
Snowpack 'encouraging' but drought is not over They say current snowpack water content, based on sensor data, is higher than average but "drought's still on." People with the state Department of Sierra Nevada snowpack, the state' s Water Resources are touting plans for water bank, is a key indicator for statetheir first manual snow survey this win- wide water supply forecasts. It normally ter season, Dec. 30 at Phillips Station ofF contributesabout 30 percent ofCaliforHighway 50, about 90 miles northeast nia's water when it melts. of Sonora. Electronic snowpack readings and By GUY McCARTHY The Union Democrat
Calendar........................ •
Maggie Beck / Union Democrat
Purchasephotos online at www.uniondemocrat.corn
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precipitation measurements since Oct. 1 already show this winter in the Central Sierra Nevada and the Mother Lode is wetter than last, which was one of the region's warmest and driest on record. Rainfall and snowfall measured since Oct. 1 in the Mokelumne, Stanislaus,
We+ther Page C6
Meet Dr. Parsa. An expert in women's health. And kindness.
See SNOWPACK/ Back Page
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See SKIER/Back Page
TodaY:High 42, Low 29 Friday:High 45, Low 29 Satu r day: High 44, Low 19
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