Hilmar residents can clean-up for reduced prices

Hilmar will host a clean-up day from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, offering residents the opportunity to dispose of tires, appliances, and other residential waste at a reduced rate.

Road angels

Every week Turlockers Beverly Whitort and Wil Marshall pick up cancer patients around the county and drive them to their treatment appointments. They not only offer a ride, but also a friendly ear to people who are going through extremely tough times. For four to five hours a week, Whitort and Marshall put aside their own worries and become traveling angels spending their time and gas money to help ...

Geyser on Geer

A man driving a semi truck for Auto Zone clipped a fire hydrant while leaving the business Tuesday afternoon that created a geyser on Geer Road.

No comment from public on bus fare increases

A proposed Stanislaus Regional Transit fare increase would raise the cost of most rides by $0.25, to $1.50 for a general fare bus ride. Senior or disabled fixed route bus riders would be exempted from the increase, with a ride remaining flat at $1.

Central Valley Project farmers to receive 55 percent of water allocation

The Federal Bureau of Reclamation announced this week that Central Valley Project water users will receive 100 percent of their annual allocation – except for south of the Delta, where agricultural contractors will receive just 55 percent of their annual allocation, and municipal and industrial users will receive 80 percent of the allocation.

Local funeral directors gather supplies for Japanese colleagues

The earthquake and tsunami which ravaged Japan have now, officially, killed more than 10,000 people, according to the Japanese National Police Agency. As the search through rubble and wreckage continues, that number is likely to double or triple, as more than 17,000 remain listed as missing.

Cancer patients gear up for Relay for Life with Monkey Business

Local cancer survivors and their supporters are gearing up for Relay for Life. Emanuel Cancer Center kicked off Turlock's Relay for Life 2011 with "Take Two," a survivor reception and a special concert by their Monkey Business children's group.

Spring storms cause tree damage; sunny skies on their way

A spring storm ripped through the Central Valley this week, downing trees and causing temporary flooding in city streets.

Unemployment remains high in Valley

The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County remained unchanged for the month of February, but more employers are looking for workers according to new data from the Economic Development Department.

First grader raises money for Japan tsunami victims

Marissa Reyes, a first grader at Medeiros Elementary in Turlock, proves that you can never be too young to care about the world.

TID managers assume permanent roles

Turlock Irrigation District General Manager Casey Hashimoto on Tuesday appointed three interim assistant general managers to assume permanent posts.

College students opt for an alternative energy spring break

More than 50 college students are passing up the beach this spring break and instead helping the Merced County Fairgrounds become more energy efficient.

Air district reports improvement over winter months

The air quality over the winter season has shown a marked improvement according to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, which recently wrapped up its eighth Check Before You Burn program.

Applications for grand jury being accepted

The selection process for the FY 2011-2012 Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury is starting. Anyone interested in serving on the Civil Grand Jury may contact the Grand Jury Office at 558-7766 or go on line at www.stanct.org to download an application. The deadline for applications is May 2, 2011 All ...

Grape Commission awarded grant to research invasive pests

The California Table Grape Commission has been awarded a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops grant for a 3-year project in the amount of $363,500 for research on invasive pests that pose threats to the table grape industry.

Journal reporter gets sweet start to first person video series

For the past year I've been working at the Turlock Journal writing articles about education and the people and events in our community. It's been fun; I've met a lot of great people and heard some amazing stories. But I've always had the itch to do more. Now, with the ongoing development of the Turlock Journal's multimedia department, I finally have my chance! I just finished taping the very first video of my ...

2012 Fire Report: More calls, higher costs

The Turlock Fire Department saw a modest increase in the number of calls received over the last year, but the blaze at Crowell School sent the dollar loss for the 2012 year skyrocketing, according to the recently released annual report. The fire department responded to 5, 542 calls in 2012, which amounted to a 6.7 percent increase from the year prior. Of those calls, 67 percent were for emergency medical services and 4 ...

Turlock teen earns highest rank in Boy Scouts

Only 4 percent of all Boy Scouts attain the Eagle rank, and Turlock teen Ryan Burns can proudly count himself among those elite. A member of Turlock Troop #451, Burns earned Eagle Scout status after obtaining 27 merit badges and successfully completing a community service project. "It's a great feeling to be recognized for all of my hard work and efforts over the years," said Burns. The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award ...

IN SERVICE

Air Force Airman Jose I. Medina graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Medina is the son of ...

COMMUNITY: PORTUGUESE CULTURE

The Portuguese culture was alive on Monday night as 100 students from the Jorge de Sena School performed traditional Portuguese songs for their end of the year presentation at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church. Jorge de Sena is an after school program language class that originated in 1985 by a group of parents who wanted their kids to learn the language and culture of Portugal. Today, Jorge de Sena School houses over ...

Emanuel honors standout nurses

Customers can donate to Oklahoma disaster relief at Raley’s

Raley's customers can now support disaster relief efforts in the tornado-struck town of Moore during their stop at the local grocery store. Raley's announced that it is designating all donations to Food for Families collection boxes at its checkstands in its 128 Raley's, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source stores to Moore, Okla. tornado disaster relief, now through June 24. Raley's will absorb all administrative costs to ensure that all ...

Dry farming possible solution to irrigation woes

Although the technique of dry farming is centuries old, area farmers are reviving the seldom used practice in preparation for irrigation shortfalls. The idea of dry farming is simple. Farmers rely on rainwater instead of irrigation to water the crops. The pros? Not having to pump out groundwater and yielding better tasting fruits. The cons? A possible risk of no rain, which can prove to be a financial disaster. The technique, which ...

Memorial Day travel expected to dip slightly

Despite signs of a gradual economic recovery, uncertainty still lingers for Californians who are expected to be cautious in their travel spending this upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend. AAA's travel survey projects that just over 4.0 million Californians plan on traveling 50 miles or more this Memorial Day holiday weekend. This represents a slight decrease of -2.1 percent from last year. "Despite the diminished tailwind for travel plans among Californians this Memorial ...

No beaches? No problem

As California's number one export, tourism generated over $102.3 billion in direct spending in 2011 alone. Out of that sum, only $2.9 billion was spent in the Central Valley. Fortunately, there are a group of people right here in the Valley who would like to change that number. Farmers, agritourism professionals, and marketing experts all came together Wednesday at the San Joaquin River Valley Travel and Tourism Summit ...

Lemonade Day sweet success

The weather was perfect for selling lemonade on Saturday, and helping local youth understand the importance of giving back while learning business principles. Among the dozens of young entrepreneurs who set up shop at locations around Turlock and the county for National Lemonade Day on Saturday, were Samantha Robison and Norah Frank. Frank and Robison, both first graders at Medeiros Elementary School, offered traditional lemonade and berry-flavored at their booth at Paramount ...

West Nile season around the corner

With the peak of summer just around the corner, the threat of West Nile virus in Turlock could become a serious reality, experts say. Although there hasn't been a reported case this year, there is a "definite chance" of possible incidents this summer, said Monica Patterson, vector biologist at the Turlock Mosquito Abatement District. WNV is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, and can infect people, horses, many types of ...

Road Work Report

Caltrans has construction and closures planned for the following areas this week:

Insurance agency turns 100, continues to give back to community

Name of business: Winton-Ireland Strom & Green

Cancer center serves up sundaes for National Survivors Day Celebration

Emanuel Cancer Center will be celebrating National Cancer Survivors Day on May 30 with a day-long ice cream social for cancer survivors. "More people than ever before are surviving the disease as a result of advances in prevention, early detection, treatment and follow-up care," said Michael Iltis, executive director of Emanuel Cancer Center. "In America alone, there are nearly 14 million people living with a history of cancer, and we want to celebrate that." ...