Mother Lode Fair directors must decide whether to continue letting some community events be held at the fairgrounds for free or at reduced prices.

In the past, events such as the annual Tuolumne County Health Fair, Ag in the Classroom programs, a holiday party for underprivileged children and an annual career and job fair were given special deals because they serve the community and don’t make money.
   

The oldest Asian bull elephant, Sabu, from the animal sanctuary in San Andreas died Wednesday of severe arthritis in his joints, according to a news release from the Performing Animal Welfare Society.

Sabu was born Nov. 1, 1982, at the Portland Zoo and was sold to a circus in 1984. He retired to the PAWS ARK 2000 Sanctuary in Sept. 2010 and joined his half brother, Nicholas, another Asian bull elephant from Portland, who was 17 at the time.

They shared a father, Tunga, who was also sent to the circus, a PAWS statement said.
  

The U.S. Forest Service will conduct the Irish Understory Prescribed Burn with ignition planned on Tuesday.

The burn will be about a half-mile to a mile north of White Pines along Summit Level Road.

A brush fire near Groveland yesterday burned about 4 acres of land before it could be contained.

The blaze off Ponderosa Way was reported at 1:48 p.m. and took fire crews until 6 p.m. to contain.

Calaveras County natives and Bret Harte High School graduates Darren Baca and Adam Stanton won the 2011 Freebord Best Submitted Video Contest.

The contest recognizes the best riding, filming and editing in the global “Freebord community,” according to contest organizers. A Freebord is like a six-wheeled skateboard and is intended to ride more like a snowboard.

 The California Highway Patrol’s office in San Andreas next month will offer free driving classes for new teen drivers.

The effort is in conjunction with the CHP-developed program Start Smart, which aims to help reduce the death rate among behind-the-wheel teens.
   

 The Calaveras 4 Teen Center Board of Directors has agreed to operate under the umbrella of the Calaveras Community Foundation and forego applying for its own nonprofit status.

“We are very grateful to the Calaveras Community Foundation for many reasons,” said board member Lloyd Schneider. “They awarded us a grant for $4,000, and now we can save money and valuable time by working through them to receive donations.”

Sonora teacher, musician and community leader Dario Cassina died Wednesday at his Sonora home at the age of 90.

Among his many achievements were starting Sonora High School’s continuation school, which became known as Cassina High School, his early support of Columbia College when he was superintendent of the Tuolumne County Office of Education, and founding of the Symphony of the Sierra.

Columbia College student Stephanie Romero once paid $200 for a math textbook.

So when a leadership class project required students to pair up and come up with a project to benefit other students, Romero and her class partner, Chet White, decided to start a book swap.

Dominick Restivo, 12, plays his Epiphone Dot Semi-Hollow electric guitar in the living room of his Sonora home. Maggie Beck/Union Democrat, copyright 2012

He’s played guitar for seven years, specializing now in jazz. He plays the trumpet in his school band and he’s dabbled some in violin and cello. He plays in a college jazz band and in his own trio for fun, and he’s played behind one of his favorite singers.