Merced Sun-Star from Merced, California • 10

LOCAL REGION Monday January 19 2004 PAGE Bz Merced Sun-Star Merced Calif RELIGION POLICE CALLS Former priest faces trial on Truckee molestation charge tllC hfei Kiesie lived down the street from 7-year-old Amber Swartz-Garcia when she vanished in 1988 while jumping Bishop Tod Brown ef the Diocese of Orange center nails a proclamation to the door of The Holy Family Cathedral in Orange Among the seven points listed In the proclamation called the "Covenant with the Faithful" were issues ranging from how to help victims of clergy sexual abuse heal and to being more forthcoming with the media rope in her front yard in the suburb east of San Francisco But the excavation turned up no evidence and Kiesle was never named as a suspect Also in 2002 Kiesle was arrested and charged with molesting more boys and girls while he was a priest more than 25 years ago in Fremont He pleaded not guilty He was released last year Supreme Court ruling invalidated a 1994 law extending the statute of limitations in child molestation cases POLITICS Democrats delay taking a position on Schwarzenegger bond measure to pass the measure saying the state will fall into financial crisis if it foils to pass Mulholland said Democrats will wait to see how Schwarzenegger works with legislators to negotiate a budget package before giving their endorsement to his tand measure They will also take into consideration whether Republicans formally endorse the measure at their party convention next month "Delegates felt why should they carry water buckets for Schwarznegger when Republicans haven't even taken a position?" Mulholland said A Field Poll released last week found only 33 percent of voters in favor of the measure while the Public Policy Institute of California poll found similar THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN JOSE Delegates to the California Democratic Party convention delayed a decision Sunday on whether to support Proposition 57 the statewide bond measure championed by Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger as the key to his economic recovery program The proposition which goes before voters at the March 2 primary would allow the state to borrow $15 billion to pay off debts which come due June 30 Last month legislators of both parties voted narrowly to place the measure on the ballot It is linked to an additional proposal requiring lawmakers to balance future budgets and maintain a reserve fund But on Sunday Democratic activists declined to take a POLICE CALLS The Moreed Police Department re ponded to 338 Mila during 1 shift Friday to early Sunday The following la a partial Kat of reports SUNDAY 5:24 am Notes disturbance In the 200 block of Eaet 9th Street 3:03 am- Fight In the 2700 block of 8th Avenue 1:54 am Noise disturbance In he 300 block of Collins Drive SATURDAY 11:53 pm Notes ordinance violation served In the 2900 block of Marie Lane 11:04 pm Narcotic reported In the 1800 block of 0 Street 10:13 pm Calf returned to pasture on East Bellevue Road 9:06 pm Shota reported In the 900 block of Loughborough Drive 8:15 pm Non-Injury vehicle vs vehicle In the 600 block of Vbaamita Road 6:36 pm Fight reported In the 900 block of Loughborough Drive 4:30 pm Shots reported on East Santa Fa Drive 1:45 pm Sax often reported In the 2600 block of Street 1:10 pm Sax offer reported In the 1600 block of Annapolis Court 10:53 am Stray dog In the 3000 block of Nottingham Lane 9:07 am Barking dog In the 1200 block of Yoaamlte Avenue 3:50 am Fight in the 1200 block of Devon wood Drive FRIDAY 10:33 pm Shota reported In the 2300 block of Street 9:55 pm Fight reported in the 1300 block of West Olive Avenue 8:31 pm Narcotic arrest made on Wbst 9th Street 5:40 pm Dead dog reported In front of a school on Weet 22nd Street 4:20 pm Theft by false pretense In the 300 block In the Merced Mall 3:03 pm Rollover two-vehicle accident on Street 12:53 pm Dog returned to owner In the 1500 block of Dale Avenue 9:29 am Sex offense In the 1800 block of 0 Street 7:58 am Injured dog In the 600 block of West 10th Street TI IE ASSOCIATED PRESS EUREKA Police search for signs of woman missing since 1997 Police used cadaversniffing dogs and search teams Saturday to look for any signs of a Eureka woman who disappeared more than six years ago when she was only 16 The search area which is often used as a campground by transients is also the site where another body was found last February Police released few details about their activities but said the search Saturday was the largest land search for signs of Karen Mitchell since she disappeared Nov 25 1997 just five days before turning 17 Eureka police Det Dave Parris said authorities were following up on information receivedfrom people contacted by investigators but he declined to provide more details The results of the search were not immediately clear Last February the body of Matthew Large 22 of Huntington Beach was found in the same area Large was reported missing Dec 6 2001 and his pickup truck was found submerged in Hum--boldt Bay on Dec 28 200L A visitation win be held Tuesday January 20 2004 from 2 to 6 pm with a Celebration of Ufa from 6 to 7 pm at tha Gospel Lighthouse Church at 9554 12 Stanford Ave in Planada The funeral service wW be held tha following day on Wednesday January 21 2004 at 10:00 am also at tha Gospel Lighthouse Church Internment will be at Plalnsbuig Cemetery Services are under the direction of Stratford Evans Funeral Chapel ASSOCIATED PHUS SPKCIAITUTI IE SUN-STAR Trustees will meet to discuss cemetery The Merced Cemetery District Board of Trustees will meet in special session today The cemetery district has irked mourners of late by in-creasing plot prices and limiting the number and type of objects left on gravesites The meeting is scheduled for 4 pm at the Merced District Cemetery at 1300 St Fees for cemetery plots increased $888 for adult plots and more than $1100 for infont plots Cremation prices were raised more than $1000 New regulations limit flowers to one vase per grave and restrict the kinds of other objects mourners can leave The cemetery board will meet in executive session to discuss personnel reclassification and in regular session for an update on an office remodeling project The six-person board is appointed by the Merced County Board of Supervisors The district includes the Merced District Cemetery on Street and Calvary Cemetery on Highway 59 More than one-third of the cemetery $550000 budget is paid for with local property taxes TI IK ASSOCIATED PRESS BURBANK Four shot at Burbank bar four wounded A hip-hop night at a country western bar ended with four people being shot and seven arrested after police said rival gang members began fighting None of the wounded appeared to suffer life-threatening wounds The event a private promotion on Saturday night at Crazy Country Bar and Grill was sponsored by Point Blank Entertainment a local party promoter Police responded at 2 am Sunday morning to reports of multiple shots being fired and discovered "people were fleeing in all directions" said police Sgt Glen Sorkness RELIGION Over 200 protest religious symbol ban THE AS CI PX ESS TRUCKEE A former priest awaits trial March 9 on charges he molested a young girl in 1995 in this small Sier ra town near the Nevada line Stephen Kiesle a former priest in Fremont and Pinole is set to go to trial on the molestation charge and a related count in Nevada County Superior Court in Nevada City Prosecutors declined comment and lawyer did not return phone calls Kiesle resigned from the priesthood in 1981 after a misdemeanor molestation conviction In the summer of 2002 police searched outside Kiesle's vacation home in Truckee for clues in RED PHONE CONTINUED FROM PAGE Bl went blind in his right eye earlier this month when he was struck by an egg After the incident was reported in Saturdays edition of the Sun-Star only one caller phoned the Red Phone about the matter The woman said she wanted to offer her sympathy to Cisneros "Whoever did that to him needs to come for she added The woman also suggested that whoever threw the egg should help Cisneros with his bills and medical costs Yack track1 A woman questioned why a previous Red Phone caller was concerned about Dee Tatum the county's executive officer buying coffee at Star-bucks "Why doesn't she enjoy herself instead of watching where other people the woman asked A few callers called to complain about the utility rates going up just don't understand the bill This is getting to be ridiculous" said one of the callers Said another caller "I guess somebody has to pay for the city $7000 raise" A woman was concerned that the Merced Cemetery District hadn't 1 given enough notice about a board meeting planned fortoday "I think these are intentional things they are doing to avoid the the woman said A man responded to another comment about a man being shot early New Year's Day by a sheriff's deputy "If anvthing the man forced the deputy to the caller said Tire caller suggested that the next time the previous caller has a problem he take care of it on hia own and not call police A woman said she believes that young unwed mothers are costing too much money to taxpayers A woman questioned the cost of housing in Merced and future planning to meet the needs of UCMerced A man said that Merced residents should consider filing lawsuits against local environmental groups A woman called and said she wanted to offer her thanks to correctional officers saying they have the toughest beat in law enforcement sometimes forget that correctional officers have to deal with them after they're she said of criminals A man said he couldn't get through to Merced Police while trying to get gunlocka A woman asked why Comcast providing the Comedy Channel A woman said had problems getting through to anyone at the South Merced Police Station position on the measure deciding instead to grant party Chairman Art Torres authority to do so in the coming weeks Democratic party gave the authority to its chairman to make a decision in consultation with statewide leaders legislative leaders and party said party spokesman Bob Mulholland Democratic leaders are publicly divided over whether to support the measure State Treasurer Phil An-gelides who has positioned himself as an aggressive opponent to Schwarzenegger in recent weeks strongly opposes the measure and has called on Schwarzenegger to develop alternatives if voters reject it including tax increases But state Controller Steve Wfestly has agreed to cochair campaign to Islamaphobia" and "Secularism should not mean religious the majority of protesters were women and many were Muslim college students we are seeing is an attack on Muslim said Lena Khan 19 who belongs to the Muslim Student Association at tire University of California Los Angeles "We are hoping for change Maybe people in France will see people all over the world showing support for Muslim women" Also at the protest were members of the Council on American-Islamic Relations the California Sikh Council and Christians and Muslims for Peace The ban is an affront to all religion said Sabiha Sawh-nev who represented several Sikh organizatibns at the protest Sikh women are nof re- quired to wear a head Bcarf but many men and some She la survived by her two sons Rodrigo Sandoval wife Judy of Oceanside Caft Raul Sandoval wife Cindy of Merced one daughter Maria Gonzales husband Lar- ry of Planada daughter-in-law Teresa Grijalva one brother Joss Agulla A wife Anastacla of Santa Ana Calif two listers Rosario Maria Vidal of Hanford CaM Maria Soto A husband Antonk) of Carson Calif 10 grandchildren and 6 greatgrandchildren Visitation Is scheduled for Weds Jan 21 2004 from PM at Ivers A Alcorn Funeral Homs of Merced with a Rosary being recitad at 7:00 PM at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church In Planada Mass of Christian Burial will held on Thursday Jan 22 2004 at 10:00 AM at Sacred Heart Catholio Church In Planada with Father Jorge Gomez officiating Burial to follow at the Plalnaburg Cemetery Group joined Muslims around the world and across the US who were protesting THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES -About 250 people lined the streets outside a federal building Saturday to protest the ban on religious symbols in French public schools The group joined Muslims around the world and across the US who protested a law the French Parliament is expected to pass this year that would ban religious accessories such as headscarves Jewish skull- Sand Christian crosses in schools French President Jacques Chirac announced the ban last month Holding signs reading "No in French schools women keep their hair covered with distinct turbans "When the French sent us the Statue of Liberty they were celebrating the shared ideals of religious freedom and she said "Now with this proposed legislation the French government is turning its back not only on Lady Liberty but the ideals she represents" Arwa Ayloush and Juhaina Qalla who described themselves as said many people falsely view the headscarf as a symbol of oppression Headscarves known as hijabs in Arabic are obligatory attire for Muslim women Spokeswoman Sabiha Khan for the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the headscarves are Tib- erating" "People see us for who we are on the inside and not on the she said OBITUARIES AX arrangement are under the direction of Ivers Alcorn Funeral Home of Merced Ivers Alcorn Funeral Home Merced '7SS4101 Feliciano Zuniga OeUbtrZ 1914 -Jammy 142004 Feliciano Vargas Zuniga waa bom In Nuevo Leon Mexico on Oo-tobar 2 1914 and passed away on January 14 2004 In Merced California at the aga of 89 years Mr Zuniga was employed as a Police Officer In Mexico during his younger years He worked In Farm Obituaries In the Merced Sun-Star are paid announcements prepared by local funeral here asHs without any editing from Merced Sun-Star staff homes and survivors of the deceased They are pMbilthed Labor In agriculture for the past 55 yeara having tha opportunity to work with many oftha local farmers In the surrounding counties Feliciano enjoyed spending his time gardening cooking and sharing time with his family Ha especially loved the time spent with his many grandchildren Mr Zuniga la prepeded In death by his wlto of 55 years Maria Cruz Zuniga and hia son Barmy Perez Ha la survived by hia children Soda Perez Joals Centeno Zuniga and Gloria Zuniga all of Planada Nelly Cisneros of Eloy Arizona Francisco Zuniga and Marla Guadalupe Gonzalez of Houston Texas Mika Zuniga of Merced Guadalupe Chavez of Ls Grand Reilez Zuniga and Gerardo CastiHe-ja both of Mexico Mr Zuniga la also survived by his 65 grandchildren 104 great grandchildren and 22 great great grandchildren Margarita A Sandoval DtC29 1IB0-n 172004 Margarita a resident ol Planada lor 48 years was bom In Moyahua Mexico on pec 29 1920 She pasaed away on Jan 17 2004 at Mercy Medical Center Community Campus In Merced Calif the age 0(83 Margarita waa a homemaker for 56 years and waa a loving devoted wife mother grandmother -mother-in-law and friend $he waa a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic' Church In Plana-' da for 47 yaara Margarita loved and enjoyed raising her grandchildren and enjoyed cooking crocheting and taking walks She was preceded In death by her husband" Francisco Sandoval.