Turlock’s Lethal Lewis Gonzalez still undefeated

Keyes Union School District names new superintendent

Keyes Union School District superintendent Karen Poppen will retire on June 30, 2012, and current principal of Keyes Elementary, Cynthia Schaefer, will take her place.

Brown Elementary students have respect

Monica and Brenda Reyes are 11-year-old twins at Brown Elementary in Turlock. Like many twins they share common interests and they both enjoy each other's company (most of the time). Both girls also share one very important character trait: Respect. In fact their level of respect for others extends even into their own relationship. When it came time to decide if they should run against each other for student body president Monica bowed ...

Bulldogs shutout in first round of playoffs

The Turlock High Bulldogs' (7-4) season ended Friday night as they were shut out, 38-0 by Grant High (8-3) of Sacramento in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs. Grant, playing in the D1 playoffs for the first time, has won six section titles in the past and in 2008, won the CIF State Championship Bowl Game in the open division. Last year, Grant lost in the SJS D2 championships. ...

Hilmar slaughters Linden Lions

It was cold and wet Friday night when Hilmar High School's football team (9-2) hosted Linden High School (5-6) in the first round of the Division IV Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. Hilmar was favored coming into the game and they lived up to expectations, defeating the Lions 41-14. The Yellowjackets scored early and often, putting up 38 points; 35 of which came in the first half. Garrett Jericoff put the Yellowjackets on the board first with ...

Pitman stomps West in first round of playoffs

Pitman High School faced West High School Thursday for the third time in Sac-Joaquin Section playoff history. The Pride entered Joe Debely Stadium with intensity, determined not to be eliminated by the Wolfpack for a third time. To ensure a win, Pitman (10-1) enlisted the talents of Brent Nelle, Kody Brackett and Andres Mendez; rotating the three running backs in an out of the game, a strategy that resulted in a slew of rushing ...

Eagles fall to Ripon Christian in valiant effort

Turlock Christian High School's volleyball team couldn't overcome Ripon Christian High in the quarterfinals of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs, losing in three straight sets (25-18, 25-17, 25-16). The Eagles tested the Southern League champions with tough play, something many didn't think would happen. "Everyone was convinced that we would be completely blasted, but that wasn't the case," head coach Keith Landmeier said. "We rattled them. This was the best we played them all year." ...

Pride volleyball stopped by St. Mary’s

Pitman High School's volleyball team expected a tough match against St. Mary's on Thursday in the Division I Sac-Joaquin Section quarterfinals and that's exactly what they got. The Central California Conference champions could not muster a win, falling 25-8, 25-10, 25-11 in their loss to the Rams. "We all knew they had dominant players," Pride head coach Kristen Pontes said. "They have every weapon you could have." The Pride entered the match ...

Pitman standout softball pitcher signs with Sonoma State

It was 3 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon and the Pitman High School Library Media Center was full of people. No one was studying, researching or reading books; they were all there to watch Janessa Guevara sign on to play softball for Sonoma State University. "This is a dream come true for her," Guevara's mother, Melissa Guevara said. "Janessa has had to work really hard to get where she's at." All of ...

Warriors volleyball ends season with victory

The Cal State Stanislaus volleyball team wrapped up its 2011 season on a high note with a commanding three-set win over Cal State Dominguez Hills on Friday. The Warriors won 25-18, 25-19, 25-15.

Lethal Lewis Gonzalez: Fighting for a future

In a small town like Turlock, that rarely garners national attention and where time moves at a steady pace, people are quick to claim any source of pride they can find. Recently, the ascension of Tom Brandstater, Colin Kaepernick and Tom Mendonca to the professional level of their respective sports has become the main source of pride for many Turlockers. Though some may not know it, there is another hometown athlete who has ...

Denair Charter students show ‘Love in Action’

The Denair Charter Academy's Love in Action service club held its first school-wide event on Thursday. Students sewed 100 draw-string bags, organized and placed school supplies in each bag and prepared them for shipment to the Mennonite Central Committee with an ultimate destination for under-privileged children in Third World and poverty stricken countries. School supplies in the bags included four spiral bound notebooks, a ruler, erasers, a box of colored pencils and ...

Births Nov. 2 to Nov. 9

• Shavina Singh of Turlock is the mother of a six-pound-seven-ounce girl born Nov. 2 at Emanuel Medical Center.

Turkey sticker shock

Have you checked out the price of turkey lately? You can thank Al Gore. Actually you can thank Gore and the Midwest ethanol subsidy lobby consisting of Republican and Democrat lawmakers alike. Gore was the leading cheerleader for ethanol as the elixir for all that ails America when it comes to energy. He led the charge to put in place ethanol subsidies. The end result: Ethanol gas that is not cost effective and has ...

Make sure veterans have all the benefits they deserve

The Veterans Caucus of the California Democratic Party thanks President Barack Obama for honoring his pledge to bring home all of our troops from Iraq by the end of 2012. We encourage the President to bring the war in Afghanistan – the longest in America's history – to a rapid and responsible close as well. It's time once again to turn veterans' swords into ploughshares and attend to the growing inequities here at home. ...

Garcia gets redemption at nationals

After his bittersweet fifth-place showing at last month's CIF State Championships, it looked like Turlock High wrestler Fabian Garcia could no longer wrestle. His voice was low, his head was down. He couldn't hide his sadness and dissatisfaction in his post-match interviews.

Saavedra survives, becomes national champ

For his trip to Ohio, Pitman High freshman Emilio Saavedra carried with him more than just his clothes and wrestling gear. Metaphorically speaking, he had a giant monkey on his back.

Clearing the air

In order for Alycia Wagner to describe the initial feeling she had during her first time pole vaulting, the Cal State Stanislaus senior traveled back to her childhood, when life seemed to be a little bit more carefree.

TC student-athlete receives scholarship award

Cheyenne Perry, a four-year volleyball and softball player at Turlock Christian High, has been awarded scholarship money as one of 49 winners of the A. Dale Lacky/CSEA Scholarships for outstanding performances in athletics, community service and academics during high school.

University drama production chosen for national festival

The California State University, Stanislaus staging of "Debris," an unflinching drama dealing with the consequences of lifelong abuse, has been selected for a performance in the national spotlight.

New CEO for Merced court

The new Chief Executive Officer of Merced County Superior Court is Linda Romero Soles, a former Turlock resident.

Suspect flees, copper recovered

The Merced County Sheriff's Department is searching for the man who tried to steal copper wiring from a Ballico farm.

Rape Aggression defense class

The Turlock Police Department and Stanislaus State University Police are providing Rape Aggression Defense training to women in Turlock. The training is offered at no cost to the public. The 12-hour course is broken up into two sessions over a period of two weeks.

Pipe band takes first

The Turlock Police and Fire Pipe Band won first place at the recently held Bakersfield Highland Games Band competition.

Collisions injure one on highway

A chain-reaction of crashes on Highway 99 in Turlock injured one and slowed traffic down for a short time Tuesday afternoon.

General Electric and the death of American outrage

If there was a funeral notice, I missed it. No obituary appeared in any of my daily papers. But make no mistake about it: In the spring of 2011 in the United States of America, our collective sense of moral outrage must now be officially dead.

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.

Keep Your Home California program expanded to allow more homeowners to qualify

The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) expanded eligibility criteria for several of the Keep Your Home California programs, making them available to a larger number of families at risk of losing their home.

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.

Swarm surprises downtown workers

Rosemary Hughes is used to dealing with bees. A large jasmine bush located just outside of her downtown office building is a popular place for bees to congregate come warm weather. On Tuesday, however, the flying visitors were more than just a temporary nuisance.