When Bobby Medina left gangs, prison and drugs behind, he found hope, love and a new life. Yet his mission to help others find the same remains a struggle against long odds.

Bob Kinsinger always intended to be a world traveler. It’s a passion he has nurtured his whole life. Now 87, the retired university and foundation administrator has crisscrossed the globe dozens of times – very often floating slowly beneath a colorful hot air balloon in hundreds of trips to more than 30 countries. He has
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Grandparent support and information Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group Services: Drop-in support group meets twice monthly, 9-11:30am, second and fourth Wednesdays, Sonora Blood Bank conference room, 850 Sanguinetti Rd. Contact: JoAnn Pechota, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, 588-0298 AARP Grandparent Information Center Services: National and state clearinghouse of information and resources for grandparenting issues Contact: (888)
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A handful of Tuolumne County grandparents agreed to share their stories with Friends and Neighbors about “the second time around” – raising their grandchildren. Often there are complex legal, emotional and financial issues involved. Heartbreak is nearly always at the core of these situations, social workers say, but love finds a way.

“They love to work and they love the attention. It’s a great way to bond and they need that at any age.” – Sherry Galka, trainer

Not many people have a building named for them while they’re still alive. Tuolumne County Historian Carlo De Ferrari was given just such an honor in 1999, with the dedication of the Carlo M. De Ferrari Archive. The two-story building, behind the county library on Greenley Road in Sonora, is a state-of-the-art records management facility
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As part of a Gold Rush family, it’s only natural that Tuolumne County native Carlo De Ferrari grew up with a keen interest in prospecting. But he’s spent a lifetime digging for nuggets of a different sort – the retired clerk-auditor is Tuolumne County’s official historian. His 32 years in county service gave him both
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