Update: Weekend Snow For The Sierra Nevada

Chinese Camp, CA – A foot race this weekend will shut down a section of Highway 120 to traffic and create delays. This Saturday, February 4th, is the annual Oriental Express Run, which passes through Chinese Camp. Caltrans reports that the highway will be closed between Sims Road and Highway 49 North from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the race. They added that one-way traffic control will be in place to Red Hill Road.

There are a few events happening in the Mother Lode this weekend. The Columbia Jazz Artist Series Program will host the 42nd annual Jazz Festival on February 3 and 4 on the school campuses of Summerville High and Sonora High. Students will have a chance to learn from top jazz performers as detailed here.

Sonora, CA — A major infrastructure project successfully brought a safe and secure water supply to Curtis Creek Elementary School. A Safer Grant of $2.2-million was awarded by the state to help connect the school’s properties to Tuolumne Utilities District water supply. Curtis Creek, founded in 1865, has historically relied on a water well that could not maintain state standards for capacity and pressure. In addition, whenever a PG&E planned power outage occurred, water tests needed to be completed, which delayed the school’s reopening on several occasions.

Jamestown, CA – Take a look at the video in the image box of the alleged thieves stealing a generator from Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown earlier this month. Columbia and Railtown State Park Rangers are asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspects. One can be seen using a dolly to wheel out the stolen equipment to a car, and the other appears to be playing lookout. The theft occurred in the early morning hours of Friday, January 6th. Here is also a picture of that getaway car. The time stamp on the video shows the time to be just after 5 a.m.

Columbia, CA — Columbia College and Mother Lode Job Training are teaming up to host a Community Job Fair with over 60 employers on hand. It will be Wednesday, February 15, from 1-4pm on the Columbia Campus in the Oak Pavilion. Job seekers are encouraged to bring a resume, dress for success, and be ready to discuss experience and skills with prospective employers.

Angels Camp, CA – One of the top female musicians in the nation is inspiring Bret Harte Union High School’s junior class to create lasting memories. Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” music video features the artist in a homemade t-shirt with the words “Junior Jewels” on it. That has inspired the class leaders to have a Junior Jewels Class T-Shirt Event.

Tuolumne, CA – A Tuolumne man attempting to wake an intoxicated guest learned a baseball bat was not the best choice as it landed him in handcuffs. It was actually the resident, 66-year-old Brian Montgomery, who recently called the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office to report an intoxicated man on his couch who would not wake up. He then abruptly tried to hang up, telling dispatchers that the man was starting to wake up and they were no longer needed.

Sonora, CA– The Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools Office hosted the fifth annual Tuolumne County Mock Trial Competition at the Tuolumne Courthouse. The Mock Trial program features high school students from three local schools, Sonora High School, Summerville High School and Tioga High School. Each high school had three groups of students, assisted by attorney coaches, arguing this year’s fictional case three times with case details created by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Each school got a turn representing the prosecution or defense team. Students operate as attorneys, witnesses, a bailiff, jewelry expert, clerk, journalist, and courtroom artist.