The Union Democrat

How a Hollywood showrunner transformed an 'ugly' stucco box into the ADU of her dreams

Several years ago, while dropping her son off at a friend's house in Studio City, Sam Donnelly fell in love with the charming ...
The Union Democrat

Playtime pays off for kids. But Texas schools are reluctant to give them more

Research spearheaded by a Texas Christian University professor shows students can benefit academically from having an hour of ...
The Union Democrat

Reduce Home Fire Risks: 5 Items to Avoid Plugging into Power Strips

(Feature Impact) Power strips make it easy to add outlets where families need them, but they aren’t designed to handle every ...
The Union Democrat

4 Tips for Efficient EV Charging at Home

While many EV owners start with standard Level 1 charging using typical 120-volt household outlets, upgrading to a 240-volt ...
The Union Democrat

Tuolumne County Special Olympics hosts nearly 600 athletes at 4 regionals

Alex MacLean Oct 22, 2026 Oct 22, 2026 Updated Oct 23, 2026 Nearly 600 Special Olympics athletes from throughout Northern and Central California competed in Tuolumne County this year at four regional ...
The Union Democrat

Ask the Pediatrician: Drooling baby? Here’s why spit happens

Since the muscles needed to swallow excess spit aren’t fully developed yet, the rest simply leaks out of your little one’s mouth. Though it’s a messy situation, drooling helps your baby enjoy solid ...
The Union Democrat

Willow Springs HOA considers legal action over Holland, Farkas rezoning

The Willow Springs Homeowners Association is considering legal action following the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors’ approval Tuesday of a rezoning involving property owned by companies linked to ...
The Union Democrat

Mother Lode’s first precipitation of the new water year arrives with storm

Rain drops and thunderclaps began before 1 p.m. Wednesday in downtown Sonora, marking the area’s first measurable precipitation of the new water year that began Oct. 1. Forecasters expected the ...
The Union Democrat

PAWS marks milestones for bobcat Archer, emu Georgette

The Performing Animal Welfare Society is marking the first anniversary of a male bobcat named Archer’s arrival at its 2,300-acre sanctuary in San Andreas. Archer came to PAWS on Sept. 7, 2025, after ...
The Union Democrat

Can you afford a full-body scan? Can you afford not to have one?

Paul “Cid” Ceresa of Boynton Beach says he would have had no idea he had prostate cancer had it not been for a preventive full-body scan that uncovered abnormalities. “The scan caught the cancer early ...
The Union Democrat

Area rodeo queens face loss of housing amid national title victory

A trailer fire in Copperopolis on Oct. 9 displaced 2026 Mother Lode Roundup Queen KaeLee Gates and newly-crowned 2027 Miss Grand National Rodeo Queen Taryl Townsend, while they were in the Bay Area ...
The Union Democrat

Former Columbia College president named YCCD chancellor

Lena Tran, the former Columbia College president who was named interim chancellor for the two-school Yosemite Community College District in May 2025, will lose the temporary title and become the ...