EASTER EVENTS:Egg hunts, parades abound MORE IN WEEKENDER:Railtown opens with free rides; GoodOld Days
AND INSIDE: State, nation and world news,A5-6
THE MOTHER LODE'SLEADING INFORMATION SODRCE SINCE1854 • SONORA,CALIFORNIA gg
Iandatorywater nserestrictions TODAV'S RHLDiRBOA RD BRIEFING ON PAGE A5: Things to know about California's drought and water cuts.
By GUY McCARTHY and ALEX MacLEAN
No snow Sulveyorsfound no snow to measure Wednesday at 6,800 feet elevation south of Lake Tahoe. It was the first time in 75 years of early-April measurements at the Phillips snow course that no snow was found there. Snow is in Sierra Nevada forecasts this weekend and early next week.
will have to wait and see exactly what statewide mandatory 25 percent reductions will mean here in the Mother Lode.
The Union Democrat
With no snow whatsoever on the ground 90 miles north of Sonora, Gov. Jerry Brown stood on bare grass in the North-Central Sierras and dropped a hot brick of an
executiveorder on the entire state of California — mandatory water State water officials are working out details of how to enforce use restrictions for the first time. People who get their water &om reductions with individual local Tuolumne Utilities District and Calaveras County Water District See DROUGHT /Back Page
Spring skateSkaters and bicyclers converged on the Sonora Skate Parkthis week to take advantage of the warm spring weather.A2
Weather
SierraVieWS: LolsAND ERRY0'DAY
Rain, snow in Sierra forecast
Collision — A rear-end collision on Highway 49 in Sonora on Wednesday temporarily blocked traffic, and one vehicle caught on fire.A3
ON PAGE A5:Cities in California, Arizona, Texas, Nevada and even Montana had record high temperatures in March.
OplnlOn — Rim Fire
By GUY McCARTHY The Union Democrat
confession poses issues all around.A4
A series of low pressure storm systems beginning Saturday night or Sunday could bring rain to the Mother Lode and up to a foot of snow to parts ofthe Sierra Nevada, according to National Weather Service forecasters. D epending on how t h e
Nick Kleln —sonora track star dies after getting struck by SUV. A7
SIERRA LIVING • FORTHE BIRDS: Central Sierra Audubon Society bird and bat homes will be on sale April 11.B1 • YOUR HOME, YOUR HAVEN: Lighting a big factor in room design.B1 • INTHE GARDEN: Red Hills home to rare, hardy native plants.B1 • EVENT SET:The second annual Mother Lode Farm to School Network Gathering will be heldfrom 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.April 25at the Wildcat Ranch in Sonora.B1
storm systems track across .Pl
fiN
tain travelers may encounter
&esh-fallen snow at higher elevations. Forecasters' confidence in the storm systems was mePurchase photos online at www.uniondemocrat.com
See WEATHER/Back Page
Jamestown couple hosts annual Easter sunrise service By AUSTEN THIBAULT The Union Democrat
The O'Days are the couple behind a hilltop, sunrise Easter service that'sbeen going on nearly 20 years
• TUOLUMNE THRILLER:Bears rally for 8-7 win over Wildcats.C1 • SOFTBALL:Conklin leads Summerville to victory.C1
in Jamestown.
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The O'Days moved to the ranch propertyin 1978, two years after marriage.Jerry grew up in rural Beatty, Nevada, where his graduating high school class had five people. After graduating from the UniversityofNevada, he started a careerin accounting, then shifted to construction, focusing on drilling. He travelled all along the West Coast for his work, which included stabilizing the cMside under the Golden Gate Bridge, where every eighth wave or so crashed over him and his gear while he was drilling. Jerry spent much time drilling in the mining country of both California and Nevada, where he worked — perhaps more often than he'd like — with "tramp miners" who would
Lois O'Day — a lifelong Tuolumne County rancher — and her husband, Jerry, started the service on their Twist Road ranch in 1997. Over the years, the service has included multiple pastors from multiple churches, community meals and the songs ofboth people and meadow roll into town for a few weeks' work larks on the lush, green hillside. at mines.
PHONE: 770-7153,5%4534 NEWS: edItorCeunIondemocrat.com FEATUR ES: fealuresluniondemocral.com SPORTS spo : rlsluniondemocratcom EVENTSAND WEEKENDER: weekend erOunIondemocraLcom lETTHI: letterslunIondemocratcom CAEAVE RASBUREAU:770-7197 NEWSR OOMFAX:832-8451 SUBSCR IBERSERVICES:533-3814
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dium asofnoon Wednesday. The first storm system is
Maggie Beck /UnionDemocrat
Lois and Jerry O'Day, of Jamestown, sit near the wooden cross they erected on their property where an Easter sunrise service is held each year.
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the North and Central Sierras, thunderstorms could bring heavy rain and small hail to some locations. Moun-
o
Sonora fire gets first female chief
The miners he met included Suitcase Simpson, Piebox, Bogus Red, Tunnel-holeShorty and Three-Finger Gunner. One of them was a drunk who was known to outplay a roomful of chess club members at once. "I'd laugh so hard my stomach would be sore &om his stories," Lois
By ALEX MacLEAN The Union Democrat
Lodi's first female firefight-
sald.
The couple met in 1976 at the Buggy Wheel bar when Jerry was in town drilling for the New Melones Dam — where he remembers "hippies" sneaking in to turn off coworkers' equipment to disrupt the
er is now the city of Sonora's first female fire chief.
Aimee New,42, of Clements, was announced as the Sonora
Fire Department's new fire chiefin a press releaseTuesday afternoon. She succeeds former city Fire Chief Mike Barrows, who retired from the department last May. "She's very well qualified
controversial dam construction.
The couple quickly fell in love and married a month later. Loisgrew up ranching on Quartz Mountain under h e r p a r ents,
for the position and came See VIEWS/Back Page
highlyrecommended through our background review process," said City Administrator Tim Miller. "She's very excited toserve asthe fi rstfem ale fire chief of the city of Sonora." Miller said that New is already "very well acquaint-
Sierra VieWS are ... People volunteering, doing gooddeeds, achieving,performing, enjoying the outdoors ... making the most of Sierra life. Have a story idea or photo for this feature? Call 770-7153 oremail editor@uniondemocrat.com
See CHIEF /Back Page
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Meet Dr. Parsa. An expert in women's health. And kindness.
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