Grape crop grows in 2010

The California Table Grape Commission reported Thursday that in 2010 the industry shipped 98.3 million boxes (about 20-pound boxes) of fresh grapes from California.

Proposed rule to improve railroad safety

The Federal Railroad Administration proposed a rule Thursday that would make it easier for the public to report unsafe conditions at highway-rail grade crossings.

Foster Farms seeks perfect chicken recipe

Foster Farms seeks perfect chicken recipe

EAGLE COURT OF HONOR

An Eagle Court of Honor was held for Patrick Thomas O'Connor, son of Tom and Agnes O'Connor of Turlock, on Nov. 29, 2010. Patrick is a 16-year-old junior at Turlock High School. He joined the Cub Scouts in 2000 and received the Arrow of Light, the highest award in Cub Scouts, in 2005. In 2007, he was chosen by the troop to become eligible for membership in the Order of the Arrow.

Irrigation season pushed back due to rain

Due to changing weather conditions the start of irrigation season for Turlock Irrigation District customers has been pushed back seven days, from Thursday to March 17, the district announced at its annual pre-season growers meeting Wednesday night.

More county residents out of work

The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County continued its steady climb upward as the latest figures from the Economic Development Department indicate nearly 1 in 5 people in the county is among the ranks of the unemployed.

Flu cases on the rise

With the death of two women in Stanislaus County attributed to influenza and the ranks of the sickened increasing, the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency is actively encouraging people to get vaccinated.

Turlock Chamber CEO named 26th Assembly District Woman of the Year

Many in Turlock have benefitted from the work Sharon Silva has done promoting the businesses and organizations that help Turlock prosper. As the chief executive officer of the Turlock Chamber of Commerce, Silva has long been a proponent of everything Turlock.

Rabbits and cavies take over fairgrounds at annual show

More than 1,200 rabbits and several hundred cavies were on display at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds last weekend during the California State Rabbit & Cavy Breeders Association Show.

48-inch allotment, no cap for 2011 irrigation season

A wet winter will mean a wet summer for local farmers.

Group raises concerns over Central Valley ground water contamination

Food and Water Watch, a non-profit safe water and food advocacy group with offices in San Francisco, issued a 25-page report last week that raised safety concerns about the Central Valley's ground water supply and a possible lack of oversight from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB).

Teen birth rates down statewide, up in Valley

A new report from the California Department of Public Health shows teen birth rates have reached a record low for the state, while remaining higher than average in the San Joaquin Valley.

Water Board to fund ag quality improvement projects

Valley farmers will soon have access to more than $8 million in grant money for agricultural water quality improvement projects. The grant funding comes from the State Water Resources Control Board through Proposition 84, a bond approved by voters in 2006.

COMMUNITY: DENTAL HEALTH MONTH

First Step Dental held their 12th Annual Field Trip Day on Friday. The Turlock dental office hosted the field trip as part of Children Dental Health Month. First Step hosted six local elementary schools and taught the importance of brushing and flossing, nutrition and a fun introduction of the dentist chair.

Hutton House: Providing a safe haven for runaway teens

Hutton House has been a safe haven for runaway and homeless teens in Stanislaus County since 1976. Youth ages 13 to 17 who need a temporary place to stay during a crisis situation can live at the Modesto shelter for up to two weeks. Hutton House also offers day and drop-in services, and between the residential and non-residential programs they serve around 800 clients per year.

ROPING IN A WIN

Despite the near-century mark temperatures on Thursday and Friday, hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls saddled up for the American Cowboy Team Roping Association's State Finals held at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds this week. The four-day event was expected to bring in 2,000 participants. Team roping requires close cooperation and timing between two highly skilled ropers - a header and a heeler - and their horses. The header ropes first and must make one ...

Stanislaus County Fair sets dates for 2012

Stanislaus County Fair officials confirmed the dates for the upcoming 2012 fair. The fair will resume its 10-day run July 13 – 22, 2012. This follows the 2009 decision of the Stanislaus County Fair Board of Directors to change the traditional late July fair dates to mid-July. "We have some exciting things in the works for 2012 that will bring a different dynamic to the fair," said Chris Borovansky, chief executive officer for ...

Tobacco sales to minors reach new low in state

As the Stanislaus County Office of Education prepares for its seventh annual "Tobacco Slam" event, the California Department of Health is reporting some good news about youth and smoking. Illegal tobacco sales to minors have fallen to their lowest level on record in the state, Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health, announced Thursday. The 2011 Youth Tobacco Purchase Survey found that tobacco sales to minors at retail outlets ...

Merced County reports first human case of West Nile

Merced County reported its first confirmed human case of West Nile Virus disease for 2011 on Friday. According to the Merced County Department of Public Health, the adult patient's symptoms began on Sept. 1. The patient, a resident of northern Merced County, was hospitalized beginning on Sept. 15. The patient was able to recover sufficiently from illness symptoms and was released from the hospital within a week. The patient is expected to make a full recovery.

Memoirist highlights cancer event

Author, television producer and breast cancer survivor Geralyn Lucas will be the keynote speaker at Emanuel Medical Center's 14th annual Women's Cancer Awareness event. Lucas was 27 years old and a producer with "20/20" when she found a lump in her breast during a self exam. Lucas had no family history of cancer and credits awareness campaigns with her early diligence. She decided to document the journey through her diagnosis and thus the ...

Judge calls Delta salmon protection plan ‘bad science’

The government will be forced to rewrite a plan to protect endangered Delta salmon from water pumps, following a Tuesday court decision which overturned parts of the plan for lacking scientific merit. The National Marine Fisheries Service biological opinion, issued in 2009, had called for strict flow rates for delta water pumps, which ship water to farmers south of the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta. The move was intended to save the lives of ...

Record almond harvest underway

The predicted record breaking 2011 almond harvest is underway in farms throughout the Central Valley. In July the United States Department of Agriculture predicted an all-time record crop of 1.95 billion meat pounds, coming from 750,000 California almond bearing acres. This will account for nearly 80 percent of the world's entire almond supply and 30 percent of that comes from Stanislaus and Merced counties. The average nut set per tree this year is ...

Community Supported Agriculture offers consumers a ‘share’ in farming

Genovese basil. Romanesco zucchini. Spanish musca pole bean. Minowase radishes. Red kuri squash.Crimson carmell tomatoes. Boxes full of those mouthwatering farm-fresh heirloom vegetables – and countless other varieties – are going straight from small local farms to households around Turlock each week. It's all part of a burgeoning movement in farming called Community Supported Agriculture which sees customers buy a "share" in a farm, in exchange for a share of the farm's ...

Volunteers prepare to make Turlock shine

Community invited to help celebrate university’s Founders Day

Last year, California State University, Stanislaus drew about 700 members of the community to its first ever StanFest – a family-friendly free event with carnival games and activities for kids. This year, the college hopes to bring more than 1,000 children and adults on campus to celebrate CSU Stanislaus' 51st Founders Day. "The whole point of StanFest is to celebrate our Founders Day," said Cesar Rumayor, ASI executive director. "We plan on ...

California’s rural roads rank second for fatalities in nation

The vast network of rural roads and bridges that connect California's communities are reaching a point of deterioration that they hinder both public safety and economic growth, according to a new report by a national research group. The report, "Rural Connections: Challenges and Opportunities in America's Heartland" was compiled by The Road Information Program, or T.R.I.P., a non-profit group based in Washington D.C. The TRIP report found that despite a recent decrease ...

Motorcyclist killed in freeway collision

A 29-year-old San Diego man was killed in a traffic collision Friday night on Highway 99. The name of the man has not been released pending family notification. The man was driving his 2009 Honda motorcycle southbound on the freeway, just south of W. Main Street around 8 p.m. Friday. The California Highway Patrol did not know what lane the man was traveling in or how fast he was going. For ...

MedicAlert celebrates 55 years

The MedicAlert Foundation celebrated its 55th anniversary with a Health and Safety Fair on Saturday at the foundation's international headquarters in Turlock. Event attendees were provided with free health screenings, safety information, first responder demonstrations, children's activities and even free food. MedicAlert CEO Andrew Wigglesworth explained the foundation's commitment to Turlock. "While MedicAlert has four million members worldwide we never lose sight of the community where it all started and we ...

1 in 6 Americans in need of food in 2010, report finds

The number of households dealing with a shortage of food remained almost unchanged in 2010 according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA report, "Household Food Security in the United States in 2010," found that one in six Americans, or 49 million people, had trouble putting food on the table at some point in 2010. That number represents 14.5 percent of the population, a percentage statistically unchanged from ...

Mosquito abatement season comes to an end

The mosquito abatement season is coming to a close at the end of this month, and the current count of human West Nile Virus cases is up to seven in Stanislaus County. Two of the infected live in the Denair and East Turlock areas, although one case may have been contracted outside of the area. Mosquito season can last through November, but activity slows down considerably in cooler weather. Jerry Davis, outgoing manager ...