Acts of kindness restore memorial to fallen soldiers after vandalism

February is a tough month for the Gonsalves family. It was on Feb. 13, 2006, that their beloved son Chad Gonsalves, an Army Green Beret, was killed in action while fighting in Afghanistan.

Gas prices on the rise

The average price of gasoline in California surged six cents from January to February, mainly due to political concerns, according to AAA Northern California.

COMMUNITY: ART AND BAGPIPES

Downtown Turlock was serenaded by the sweet sound of bagpipers on Thursday evening. The musicians were part of the entertainment at a wine and chocolate event hosted inside of the Community Art Gallery on Center Street. The kilt-clad men and women played out on the sidewalk and confused more than a few passers-by.

Tough road ahead for local businesses in 2011

All four speakers at Wednesday's Turlock Chamber of Commerce Membership Breakfast offered a common message: 2010 was a rough year and much work remains for 2011. But all speakers also noted unexpected bright spots, which could point toward an earlier than expected recovery.

Cigarette, oxygen tank blamed for fire

Two people were injured from a fire that officials say was sparked by a person smoking while using an oxygen tank.

New programs help keep families in their homes

The California Housing Finance Agency announced on Thursday the implementation of four programs intended to fight California's foreclosure crisis, and to keep families in their homes.The federally funded programs, made possible by the U.S. Treasury Department's Hardest Hit fund, will be operated under the umbrella title of "Keep Your Home California." "Our goal is to get the very most out of these federal dollars to assist California families," said ...

Local speed dating service gives singles second chance at love

Valentine's Day is often despised by singles who have not been struck by cupid's arrow by the big day. But local singles will have a new opportunity for meeting their dream date thanks to Turlock entrepreneur Amber Scabia and her business partner Enrique Mendoza. The two used their own experiences with dating in the area as inspiration for their new speed dating business, Two Minute Match. <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; ...

Rush of the roses: Local florists prepare for busiest day of the year

Valentine's Day is one of the busiest times of the year for florists nationwide. The same holds true for local flower shops as they gear up for the mad rush of flower deliveries and drop-in customers on Monday.

Business development remains focus of downtown in 2011

The efforts to make downtown Turlock into a booming business district once again will continue through the new year as the Turlock Downtown Property Owners Association unveils a series of programs, events, and advocacy sessions to keep the seed of revitalization growing.

COMMUNITY: EAGLE SCOUT

Skyler Sexton will become an Eagle Scout at a ceremony scheduled for Feb. 26 at the First United Methodist Church. Skyler was a Cub Scout for five years, during which time he earned the Arrow of Light, the highest honor in the Cub Scouts. He has been a Boy Scout for six years with Troop #451 and has earned 29 merit badges, attended ...

Grant allows small business development center to expand services

A new federal grant to the Small Business Administration's University of California, Merced Small Business Development Center Regional Network will provide additional resources to grow or start businesses &ndash; and create jobs in the process.

Funding to promote prevention and early intervention of mental health issues

In the past, California public mental health services were limited to treatment, usually medication, for people with serious mental illness. The California Mental Health Commission is hoping to change that by promoting "help first" rather than "fail first" mental health treatment.

Turlock manager lovin’ her job reaps rewards

When Betsy Lazar moved to Turlock from Iran in 2001 she took an hourly job at McDonald's. She had no idea that she would someday be in the top 1 percent of McDonald's management.

Llama hobo classic show brings the fuzzy to town

Llamas from all over the state &ndash; and their owners - converged on the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds this past weekend for the Llama Association of North America's (LANA) third annual hobo classic llama show. This winter event is an opportunity for owners to show their llamas as nature intended them, fuzzy, dirty and happy.

State budget cuts could deflate county fairs

Governor Jerry Brown's current budget proposal includes a 100 percent reduction in California county fair funding, slashing $32 million from fair budgets across the state. If the budget is approved, nearly 30 county fairs could permanently or temporarily close.

Road Work Report

Main Street, between Golden State Boulevard and Palm Street, will be closed for the Taste of Turlock FEASTival from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Caltrans has construction and closures planned for the following areas this week: &bull; The center lanes on Highway 99 from the Taylor Road exit to Hatch Road will alternately close from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday. &bull; The northbound and southbound on and off ramps ...

Backstage Dance moves to new digs

Name of business: Backstage Academy of Dance Type of business: Dance studio Location: 957 East Monte Vista Avenue, Turlock Contact info: 667-8511 Hours of operation: Monday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. History of business: Turlock Resident Kristi Garcia has been dancing for decades, and her dance school, Backstage Academy ...

Girl Scouts go GREEN

An estimated 130 Girl Scouts from the Turlock area met at Donnelly Park on Sunday for the Forever Green Campaign. The girls from different troops learned about environmental conservation by rotating through five activity stations that included micro litter cleanup and the planting of rosemary. "It's exciting to have Girl Scouts doing something in the community other than selling cookies," Kelly Fox said. "It's wonderful that they got the opportunity to be leaders ...

Hilmar native and 'Glee' actress to promote anti-bullying book at safety fair

"Glee" actress Dot-Marie Jones knows what it's like to be tormented and bullied as a kid. The Hilmar native, who plays Coach Beiste on the hit musical series, will lend a helping hand to a new children's book that aims to prevent bullying at the GDI Insurance Agency's third annual Community Safety Saturday on May 18 at the Hilmar Cheese Company. "Just Like You," written by Robert Kroupa, is a book about Henry, ...

A bit of Turlock in the Capitol Dome

No one can represent patriotism quite like Turlock native and CEO of LOCK-N-STITCH, Inc. Gary Reed. Reed, born on the 4th of July, also shares an affinity for cast iron; a feature which designer Thomas Jefferson and architect Thomas U. Walter found necessary in building the U.S. Capitol's Dome. Since its final construction from 1855 to 1866, the cast iron Dome has cracked over time due to exposure to freezing temperatures, strain, and ...

Locals reach out to Boston loved ones

As explosions turned a jovial celebration at Monday's Boston Marathon into a tragedy, local residents frantically reached out to teammates and loved ones in the Boston area to inquire about their safety. The bombs - kitchen pressure cookers packed with explosives, nails and other lethal shrapnel, according to the FBI - detonated near the finish line of the marathon about two hours after the winners crossed the line on Monday. The explosions killed ...

Air district offers grants for buses

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is hoping to reduce some of the emissions that plague the Valley air basin by offering grants to retrofit school buses. The Air District is seeking applications for a new grants program that provides up to $20,000 apiece for emission-reducing retrofits on Valley school buses. Public school districts, joint powers authorities and private transportation agencies in the eight-county air basin are eligible for the ...

Explosions hit Boston Marathon finish line

Two explosions caused chaos at the finish of the Boston Marathon today. According to reports, about three hours after the winners crossed the line, there was a loud explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish line. Another explosion could be heard a few seconds later. For more details, visit http://www.mantecabulletin.com/section/142/article/71534/

Air district warns of blowing dust

Local air pollution officials issued a health cautionary statement effective through tonight because of gusty winds associated with a strong, dry, cold front, which is expected to move through the Air Basin. Winds may produce areas of localized blowing dust, which can result in unhealthy concentrations of particulate matter 10 microns and smaller. Exposure to particulate pollution can cause serious health problems, aggravate lung disease, trigger asthma attacks and bronchitis, and increase risk of ...

In memory of Koch

Stanislaus County Library honors its Shining Stars

The Stanislaus County Library will be celebrating National Library Week by honoring the individuals and businesses that help the 13-branch system thrive. The Stanislaus Library Foundation will be handing out its 2013 Shining Star Awards to the winners at 2 p.m. April 20 at the Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library, 4835 Sisk Rd. The Shining Star Awards were established in 2004 to honor individuals, businesses or organizations and Friends of the ...

Fair seeks local talent

The Stanislaus County Fair is looking for local talent to fill its 2013 Community Stage line-up. Local artists are needed to perform for various days on the Health Plan of San Joaquin Community Stage for the 10-day run of the Fair. The fair is considering martial arts demonstrations, dance, and musical performances from local clubs and groups. "Showcasing the talent within our community is a privilege that we are proud to support," said ...

ONE DAY OF SERVICE

Road Work Report

W. Main Street, between Fransil Lane and Washington Road, will be closed for utility work by city crews from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. today. Detours will be provided. Local access to residents and businesses will be allowed.

Corvelos: Bringing a taste of Portugal to Turlock

Name of business: Corvelos Portuguese Bakery Type of business: Portuguese bakery Location: 1676 Countryside Drive Contact info: 669-8163 Hours of operation: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. History of business: Few things encapsulate Portugal better than its bakeries, where people from all walks of life mingle over coffee and cake. Corvelos Portuguese Bakery brings all aspects of Portuguese ...