McDonald’s to hire 50,000 in single day

Now all those people who say "I'll flip burgers if it comes down to it," can put their money where their mouth is. McDonald's is hiring 50,000 new full and part-time people during a national hiring event on April 19.

Local business gives teachers money through grant program

Two years ago GDI president Grant Davis started the "Adopt-A-Teacher" grant program. But in two years Davis said he has only received a grand total of two requests for funds.

Learning about space

Walnut Elementary Education Center celebrated "Space Week" this week. Space week started 15 years ago to commemorate astronaut Alan Sheppard's first U.S. manned space launch. Students at Walnut learned about aerodynamics, flight control and design, and rocketry. Fifth grade teacher Bret Sutterley said Space Week is now done in conjunction with California Standardized Testing to loosen up what can be a tight atmosphere on campus.

Renaissance kid

Pitman High School Principal Rod Hollars has worked in education for decades and has never seen a child so young and gifted as Kohl James.

School district dealing with Sacramento failures

After months of trying to work out problems with legislative Republicans, Gov. Jerry Brown called off budget negotiations on Tuesday.

Beekeepers could get stung by proposed fee

A proposed assessment fee on beekeepers that do business in California is causing a storm of controversy amongst the industry.

BBQ FOR LIFE

Some tasty barbecue ribs were cooked up over open flames during the 4th Annual Century 21 M&M and Associates Rib Cook-Off benefiting the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life on Friday. Over 400 people attended the event, which featured 17 barbecue teams, raffles and even cupcakes. The team with the best barbecue wins bragging rights and a traveling trophy. M&M hopes to raise $6,000 this year.

TUSD school communities raise funds for sixth grade camp

Where there's a will, there's a way. In a remarkable display of cooperation, dedication and commitment all nine Turlock Unified School District elementary schools raised enough funds to send every single sixth grader to Foothill Horizons camp in May.

Wakefield students have ‘no excuses’

There is a simple theory that if you tell kids over and over again they are unlikely to succeed because they come from bad neighborhoods and are growing up in poverty, they will do exactly what society tells them to do, which is fail.

Cancer doesn’t keep Osborn student down

If you ever get a chance to meet Adham Hamza it will be hard to forget him. He has that much personality. He has been known to literally talk non-stop for hours and the whole time he will have a smile on his face and unrelenting enthusiasm for wherever his creative mind takes him.

Julien students blast math at competition

A group of sixth-grade students from Julien Elementary in Turlock recently competed in the Stanislaus County Math Blast. More than 200 sixth-grade students from across the county participated in the event.

Crowell principal earns top honors

Before Linda Alaniz became principal of Crowell Elementary School in Turlock five years ago, there was a slight disconnect between parent, teachers and administrators. While the school was functioning, it wasn't doing so at its highest level, according to numerous parents and teachers on campus.

Local students excel at Occupational Olympics

The 26th Annual Stanislaus County Occupational Olympics and Career Exposition was held Wednesday at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock. More than 800 students from county high schools participated in 23 competitive events. In addition to the events 54 business and industry representatives exhibited and spoke to students during the Career Expo.

Turlocker named Middle School Teacher of the Year

Turlock resident Jeanne Hartman, a resource specialist teacher at Empire Elementary K-8 School in Empire, was recently named the California League of Middle Schools' "Middle School Educator of the Year."

Junior high rallies ‘Just for Jeremiah’

About a month ago Turlock Junior High School seventh grader Jeremiah Coghill started feeling ill. He was weak, had random nose bleeds, and was sleeping 20 hours a day and he had lost 15 pounds.

Can Tree gearing up for season of giving

As the season of giving arrives in the coming weeks the Turlock Christmas Can Tree Project begins its quest to help feed thousands of needy area citizens over the holidays. Can Tree is part of a three pronged approach to fighting hunger during the holidays, which includes the Salvation Army and Turlock Together. Since 1982 local realtor groups volunteer their time and talents to hold annual fundraising efforts to raise money for ...

2012 fair kicks off with a mob

Crane Park residents cry foul on proposed bocce ball court

Crane Park resident Dan Palmquist says living across the street from Turlock's most-used recreation area is like coming home after a hard week of work to see and hear a party that lasts all weekend, every weekend - only he is never invited to it. Another recreational amenity, a proposed bocce ball court, he says, would only make that on-going party bigger. The City of Turlock Parks and Recreation Commission voted to oppose ...

UC Merced continues commitment to increase first-generation college students

When the University of California, Merced campus opened in 2005 it was supposed to be the beginning of a new era of access to higher educational opportunities for San Joaquin Valley students. In 1995, the University of California Board of Regents specifically selected Merced because it was in the heart of the state's largest and most populous region without its own UC campus - which hindered opportunities for residents and left a need for ...

Turlock, Hilmar receive Cal Trans grant to improve pedestrian safety around schools

The State of California Department of Transportation announced that Turlock will be receiving a nearly $320,000 grant through the Safe Routes to School Program for pedestrian safety construction in front of Turlock Junior High. Funding is part of a $48.5 million statewide effort of 139 projects aimed at increasing safety and helping to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities among children in grades K-12 who walk and bicycle to school. City ...

Livingston celebrates

The Livingston 4th of July Celebration kicked off on Friday, extending the Valley's Independence Day festivities. The event continues Saturday from 3 p.m. to 12 a.m. On Sunday, the Livingston Sweet Potato Festival returns for the first time in 15 years. Visitors can expect everything from sweet potato pie to fries from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday's events will feature the carnival, more talent show acts, a car show, live bands including ...

All things dairy

Dairy parents steaming over fair changes

Tempers are flaring among some 4-H and FFA dairy parents over what they say is a major scheduling debacle by the Stanislaus County Fair. For nearly four decades the county fair has held dairy cow judging, showings and sales from the first day the fair opens to the public to the last. But this year the fair changed the schedule and the vast majority of at least 300 dairy cows will only be ...

Horsing around at the county fair

Hundreds of 4-H and FFA youth put their skills to the test Tuesday at the Showmanship and Western horse competitions held at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds. Tuesday's competitions were just two of the events held during this week's pre-fair horse events. "Horse shows are a great part of Fair," said Laura Moore, exhibits manager. "We hope everyone comes out to see the spectacular events." Pre-fair horse events continue Wednesday with 4-H/FFA ...

Turlock Sikh Temple holds first parade

The world comes to Turlock

This summer more than 200 young adult Catholics from around the globe will converge on Turlock for the 2012 Young Adult Teams Of Our Lady International Meeting, which will be held at California State University, Stanislaus in July. YATOL is an international young adult Catholic movement built on the principle of youth serving youth, which began in1975 in France and is now headquartered in Seville, Spain. YATOL is for young adults who are ...

Turlock dad, daughter recovering well after kidney transplant

This Father's Day Turlock resident Les Crutcher will receive the greatest gift he could ever receive - a simple day with his family. On May 1, Les donated one of his kidneys to his 5-year-old daughter Isabella, who had suffered from acute kidney failure after she ingested the E. coli bacteria strain, resulting in a kidney infection. Les and Isabella recovered at a remarkable speed, and ...

City permit required for all garage sales

Before putting out one box of knick-knacks or rack of clothing onto their front yard on Tuesday, the Cotton family obtained a permit from the City of Turlock to hold a small garage sale. The Cotton family was one of only about a dozen homes that obtained the mandatory $15 permit for that particular day. While the Cottons followed the city ordinance pertaining to yard sales, not all do. In just a mile radius ...

Hilmar graduates its centennial class

Hilmar High School celebrated its 100th commencement Thursday night at McSweeney Field. After the last high school diploma was handed out a massive fireworks display lit up the night sky as a flashing "Class of 2012 100 Years" sign made the night's event one to remember.

KTL educator retires after 40 years

When Keyes to Learning Principal Lee Ann Stangl launched one of the state's first charter schools in 1995 there was a lot of resistance to the idea, but she remained steadfast to her belief that parents and students wanted a choice in education - something that was not readily available at the time. Choice in education is now at the forefront in national news and Stangl was diligently working behind the scenes in the ...