The Union Democrat 03-19-2015

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CHASING WATERFALLS:Springtime adventures I'', MORE IN WEEKENDER: Murphys Irish Day;Jazzquartet comes to Columbia AND INSIDE: Mushroom hunting a go, A2

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THE MOTHER LODE'SLEADING INFORMATION SOURCE SINCE1854 • SONORA, CALIFORNIA

Sonora AreaFoundation TODAV'S READER BOARD NOTICES

City Council approves Theall event closures The Sonora City Council at a meeting Monday approved adding a portion ofTheall Street to a closure list for special events. City staff can now approve temporarily closing Theall between Washington and Stewart streets at the request of event organizers, without a public hearing. The council voted 4-1, with Mayor Ron Stearn in dissent. "It just doesn't sit right with me," he said Wednesday. On Monday, the council also unanimously approved the proposed 2015-16 budget for the Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority, which requires $83,106 in city funds.

Union Democrat staff

the community foundation's 25th anniversary.

The Sonora Area Foundation awarded more than a q uarter-million d o l l ar s i n

grants Wednesday at its 25 for 25 event, which marked

SfefTa

n ize the foundation for i t s

anonymous donor in recognition of community volunteer The event kicked off at 4 organizations were awarded Todd Simonson, a f o r m er p.m. with a social hour at the $10,000 each by the founda- member of t h e f o undation Sonora Opera Hall. tion. An additional award board and current chairman About 15 0 c o mmunity w ent t o We s t side L i t t l e of its finance committee.

work, and 25 local nonprofit

members gatheredto recog- League at the request of an

executive director, who urged any other y outh o r ganiza-

In all, $260,000 was award-

See GRANTS/ Back Page

CalaverasCounty

Vfelrl/5: BEN WATSON

Board sUppolts AB 142 Votes 3-2 in favor of wild and scenic study bill By AUSTEN THIBAULT The Union Democrat h

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BRIEFING

The Calaveras County Board of

of births, marriages and deaths recorded in Tuolumne County.A2

S u pervisors nar-

rowly passed a resolution Wednesday in support of Assembly Bill 142 — a controversial bill to establish a study into the effects of desig-

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Wp • I

Vital StatS — Alist

nating the Mokelumne River as aWild and Scenic."

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About 30 speakers commented on the issue at the

Fire grantS —Moth-

special meeting before the board weighed in. About two-

er Lode fire districts get $1.16 million in grants. A3

thirds of those were in favor for various reasons.

Public comments highlighted the controversy of the bill, drafted this year by Assemblyman Frank Bigelow, R-O'Neals, and Sen. Tom Ber-

OPlhlOh —Proud of Poetry Out Loud winner. A4 Purchasephotos online at www.uniondemocrat.com

SIERRA LIVING

ed by the foundation. 'The challenge was selecting 25," said Ed Wyllie, SAF

Jesse Jones/UnionDemocrat

Summerville High School coach and teacher Ben Watson has been at the school for 26 years and has coached five sports.

ryhill, R-Twain Harte, in reaction tolast year's push for

the Mokelumne's Wild and Scenic designation. The Wild and Scenic des-

Longtime teacher impacts lives of many students

ignation protects a

r i v er's

See BILL/ Back Page

n

By ABBY DIVINE The Union Democrat

TuolumneCounty

A man widely known for his dedication to students at Summerville • FRIENDS FOR LIFE: San Andreas program helps dogs and veterans.B1 •YOUR HOME, YOUR HAVEN:Makeover story offers example inuseofcolor. B1 • TRASH OR TREASURE:College offers class on art, antique appraisal. B1

SPORTS • BASEBALL:Redskins win Calaveras County showdown; Summerville tops Argonaut 7-6 in MLL opener.C1 • VOLLEY FOR THE CURE:A volleyball game and breast cancer awareness fundraiser will be held at 6 p.m. Friday inside Bud Castle Gym.C1

Waste,

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High School has also remained a devoted husband and father. Ben Watson, 56, has taught and coached at the high school in Tu-

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propane

olumne for 26 years.

He can be spotted on campus wearinghisclassiccowboy hat to go with his cheery smile. The coach seemingly effortlessly

facilities

7:: h'

approved

Courtesy photo

Members of the Watson family include (from left) Ana Aranda, who is engaged to KurtWatson, Beth Waston, BenWaston, Bret Waston hisentirecareerteaching kidstodo and his wife, Janae, and Cord Watson.

By ALEX MacLEAN

the same.

The Union Democrat

overcomes challenges with determination and hard work and has spent

"Isn't it a lovely dayF'He asks stu- happened toour family." dents as they walk to their classes. W atson and B et h m e t w h i l e Watson lives with his wife, Beth, they were students at Sonora High and son, Cord, 28, in Sonora. School, and they married on June They have two other sons, Kurt, 12, 1982, "the day after" he earned 30, who works as a civil engineer in his teaching credential from Stan-

Jamestown, the son of Gerald and Diane Watson.

Fresno, and Bret, 24, who works for

islaus State U n iversity. Watson

a sports shop in San Jose. Cord was diagnosed at birth

said Beth is his best friend, and he would rather spend his time and

egizing the next move the teams should make in order to win. His own sports career began at Jamestown E l e mentary S c hool

with D ow n

s y n d rome. Watson life with her than anyone else in

said having a child with a disability is "the best thing that ever

A proposed green-waste compostingfacility and pro-

At age 5, Watson was a "student of the game — and a weird kid," he said. He analytically watched football on television and enjoyed strat-

pane distribution center in East Sonora was given the

greenlight to move forward by the Tuolumne County P lanning Commission at a

Wednesday night meeting, but not without protest from

the world.

neighboring properly owners.

He was born to and r aised in

See VIEWS/ Back Page

Local businessmen Justin See FACILITIES/ Back Page

QSIde

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