Local pet store accused of animal cruelty

A long-time pet store in Turlock is being investigated on allegations of animal cruelty. "There is an open investigation on an animal complaint at The Pet Shop," said Turlock Police spokesperson Sgt. Nino Amirfar. "There have been allegations of animal cruelty." Brian Trask, a local dog owner, said he gave a statement to a Turlock Animal Control officer about his experiences with The Pet Shop in May. Trask said he was called by a groomer ...

Six days to digital TV

Turlockers who make use of analog broadcast television were granted a four-month reprieve when the transition to digital TV was postponed from Feb. 17 to June 12, but the new cutoff date for analog broadcast television is now just six days away.

School’s out for summer but kids can find activities at camp

School is out for many elementary school students around Turlock, and parents are looking for something fun and safe for their children to do for the summer. The City of Turlock Recreation Division is offering summer camps for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Passports now needed to return from Mexico, Canada

Americans planning a summer vacation to the Caribbean islands, Bermuda, Canada, or Mexico now might need to make a stop at their local passport office before hitting the road.

Program brings fresh food to seniors

Low-income senior citizens in Stanislaus county can get free produce from local farmers' markets through a program sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Chamber a champ at political advocacy

The Turlock Chamber of Commerce garnered statewide recognition earlier this month, as the California Chamber of Commerce bestowed the President's Circle award on the local chamber.

Canal Drive roadwork kicks off

Canal Drive, long known as Turlock's bumpiest road, is getting a much-needed makeover this year, which should result in a newly paved, easy to drive, east-west thoroughfare.

Lawsuit filed against city, ex-cop for half million

The Turlock teenager who claimed she was sexually assaulted by former Turlock police officer Jorge Cruz has filed a lawsuit against the city and is seeking $500,000 for pain and suffering.

Mosquito districts bitten by court decision, reduced tax dollars

Just as California enters the most dangerous time of the year for mosquito and West Nile virus outbreaks, mosquito abatement districts around the state are finding their ability to fight the pests hampered by new restrictions on mosquito sprays and reduced funding from the state.

Turlock company wins small business award

Jack Wilkey doesn't like to talk about his own achievements. When asked about his community involvement he can rattle off an impressive list - with a little help from the memory of his wife, Pat - of organizations that he has contributed to or been involved in over the years. But when he describes those organizations he talks about the good that they do, and not the good that he has done for them.

Country blaze burns hay, vehicles

A fire sparked by a welding torch burned through several junk cars and hay bales before firefighters were able to contain it.

Local autistic children try their hands at ranching

"Look mom, I'm really holding him!" said Connor Smith as he snuggled a rabbit. The 12-year-old Ceres boy was one of 22 area children with Autism that took part in A Day on the Farm, a one-day camp sponsored by the Society for Handicapped Children and Adults to introduce young people to activities typically seen on a horse ranch.

New beginnings for Turlock Poker Room

An era will come to an end at 7 a.m. Monday when the Turlock Poker Room will forever shutter the doors of its West Main and Locust streets card house, where it has continuously operated since opening on June 1, 2004.

Local poker players ante up with the big gals

As 1,060 of the best female poker players in the world gathered at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday to kick off the Ladies World Championship - event 17 of the World Series of Poker - six patrons of the Turlock Poker Room were counted among their ranks.

Public transportation hub rolls forward

The Turlock Planning Commission kept plans moving to construct a new public transportation hub during their Thursday night meeting, voting 6-1 in favor of the $1.75 million development.

Unemployment still on the rise

Stanislaus County's unemployment rate grew in the first month of 2012 according to the latest figures from the Economic Development Department, but the numbers did reflect a modest sign of recovery, albeit slowly. The unemployment rate for January in Stanislaus County came in at 16.9 percent, up from a revised rate of 16.2 percent in December. The county's unemployment rate, while still among the highest in the state, is showing some improvement. ...

Turlock Chamber of Commerce awards ag scholarships to area students

The Turlock Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee is hosting its 12th Annual Ag Scholarship Luncheon on Monday at the Stanislaus County Fair Grounds Turf Club. The event honors local college-bound high school seniors who intend to major in agriculture, with scholarships designed to help them reach their educational goals. A sold out crowd of 350 industry supporters, family, and students is expected.

Health department pulls candies from Pakistan and India due to excess lead

The California Department of Public Health is warning consumers not to eat three candies, after tests found that all three exceed state standards for lead. The candies are:

Local cheerleaders win big at national competition

For five local teens cheerleading is serious business. The group, which includes cheerleaders from both Turlock and Pitman high schools, showcased their dedication and skill at a national competition last month and came away champions. Mackenzie Shamgochian, a sophomore at Turlock High, Alex Raposo, a freshman at Pitman High, Marilena Rivera, a sophomore at Turlock High, Kylie Harvey, a junior at Pitman, and Brooke Gioletti, a senior at Pitman, are part of a ...

Carol Ford named Hospice of Emanuel Volunteer of the Year

For the past four years Carol Ford has been helping others deal with the grief that comes with losing a loved one. The Turlock resident volunteers her time to facilitate grief support and education groups at Hospice of Emanuel. Her dedication to helping those suffering with loss was recognized this month as she was named Hospice of Emanuel Volunteer of the Year.

Turlock students, residents go green for the week

As Kermit the Frog once said, it's not easy being green. But students across Turlock are learning why it's worth the effort this week, as the city celebrates its fifth annual Go Green Week. "The Go Green program is our environmental campaign for outreach and education," explained Go Green Week coordinator Toni Cordell. "It's the cornerstone of our school-age program." It's a week filled with activities for school-age children, ranging from ...

Local drivers feel squeeze at the pump

As gasoline prices surge, Turlockers' pocketbooks are left reeling. Local gasoline prices have skyrocketed more than 60 cents per gallon in the last month to an average price of $4.26 per gallon, per price tracking website GasBuddy.com. That's more than double the nationwide average increase last month &ndash; 27.8 cents per gallon to a $3.71 per gallon average. "It's outrageous," said Pat Lencioni, a local resident who commutes to Oakland daily. <p ...

Journal reporter, fitness owner compete in business challenge

Nineteen hopeful entrepreneurs competed in the San Joaquin Entrepreneur Challenge on Wednesday, each with just two minutes to win over a panel of investors and business geniuses for their shot at $24,000 in cash and prizes. When the dust settled, only eight finalists remained. And I'm quite happy to say that I'm one of them &ndash; though I can't quite remember how I got there. I certainly remember preparing - countless ...

Gusty winds prompt Valley-wide caution

Film Commission fundraiser rolls out the red carpet

Flashing cameras welcomed VIPs as they stepped out of their limousines Sunday night and onto the red carpet. After fielding questions from "paparazzi" guests were ushered into an elegantly decorated ballroom by Lucille Ball and Marilyn Monroe. This was not the scene of an A-list party during Hollywood's golden age, but rather a Tinseltown themed fundraiser for the Turlock Film Commission. Turlock Goes Hollywood was the film commission's first fundraiser since its ...

Record number of burn prohibitions issued over dry winter

The ninth season of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's Check Before You Burn program ended Wednesday with a record number of burn prohibitions issued over the winter months. The dry and unseasonably warm winter created stagnant air conditions that kept particulate matter like soot, ash, dust and other miniscule materials hovering over the Central Valley and resulted in a string of burning curtailments. "Considering the abnormal conditions this winter ...

Fair aims to Save Our Parks

The State of California plans to close Merced County's George J. Hatfield and McConnell State Recreation Areas, but a local businessman is doing his part to keep them open. Dave Dubyak, owner of Dubyak Family Chiropractic, will host a Save Our Parks Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 10 at his business, located at 3008 Geer Rd. The fundraising event will look to generate ...

Growers to pay more for irrigation

New state regulations will force many growers in the Turlock Irrigation District service area to pay more for water next year, customers learned at preseason growers meetings this week. A series of measures, approved by the California legislature as part of a comprehensive water package in 2009, will require TID to bill irrigation customers for each acre-inch of water used and force growers to install flow measurement equipment. "None of it's really ...

Community fills theatre to view TID history film

The red carpet wasn't only in Hollywood this weekend. The Turlock Community Theatre played host to a gala film premiere of its own Friday and Saturday &ndash; the unveiling of the Turlock Irrigation District's "The Irrigationist." The film, commissioned at a cost of $219,200 to commemorate TID's 125th anniversary this year, drew about 1,100 people to three showings. "We've heard so much positive ...

February phenomenon

It is hard to beat the beauty of Yosemite looking into the Valley from the Tunnel View during a clearing of a storm, or standing on Sentinel Bridge during sunset and seeing the alpine glow on Half Dome with the reflection in the Merced River. But two weeks in late February, there is a phenomenon that happens in Yosemite that does not happen anywhere else in the world. There is an ephemeral ...