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.

USDA grants to help California specialty crops

Health department urges seasonal flu vaccination

Gas prices fall; still higher than last year

As the temperature has fallen, so too has the price of gasoline in California, according to an AAA Northern California report. A gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline now averages $3.81 in California, down 14 cents from a month ago. But that price drop is expected to slow or reverse in the coming months, per AAA. "Increased demand for gasoline and oil has helped to stall out recent price drops at the pump," ...

Turlock Fire Open House

Lessons of fire prevention and emergency responses will be doled out in hefty doses today at the annual Turlock Fire Department open house. The fire department's open house is running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Fire Station 1 at 540 E. Marshall St. The annual event is capping off the national Fire Prevention Week and will feature fire and rescue demonstrations, as well as valuable information on what to ...

Air district disputes federal fine

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is filing an appeal over a federal fine for ozone violation, citing a natural disaster as the cause of the spike. The air district submitted their appeal to the Environmental Protection Agency to rescind some of the ozone violations recorded over the summer because they were caused by a large wildfire. The air district contends that the Lion Fire in the Sequoia National Forest, which ...

Turlock woman celebrates 106th birthday

Hattie Belle Smith has seen a lot of changes in her lifetime. The biggest change she has witnessed, according to Smith, is electricity. "There wasn't electricity for miles around," said Smith, who was born on Oct. 23, 1905 in Almeria, Neb. and raised on a farm with her six siblings. "Everything was dark." Smith grew up on the family farm, helping out as needed until her father's death when she was a ...

Cancer survivors find strength in numbers at annual event

Emanuel Medical Center and the Turlock community celebrated cancer survivors with an evening of inspiration at the 14th annual Women's Cancer Awareness event. The evening was headlined by motivational speaker Geralyn Lucas, who wrote the book "Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy." The evening started with a procession of cancer survivors through Monte Vista Chapel. The group included women who have survived cancer anywhere from one day to more than 30 years. ...

Hughson High student’s death leaves classmates mourning

Students at Hughson High School are mourning the death of a classmate who was killed in a Friday afternoon vehicle crash. R.J. Barney, 17, son of Rowe and Linda Barney of Roberts Ferry, died instantly in the crash. Barney was driving to Merced to pick up his sister when the crash occurred at 12:10 p.m. According to the California Highway Patrol, Barney was driving southbound on Oakdale Road north of East Avenue ...

Baking for a cause

Each November local bakers of all ages and every skill level are asked to prepare the best pumpkin pie in their repertoire and compete for cash prizes. This annual pie contest not only gives amateur bakers a chance to shine, it also helps feed hundreds of hungry people in the Turlock area. Local chiropractor Dave Dubyak holds the pumpkin pie contest every year, with the caveat that all participants submit two pies - ...

Humane Society event brings rescues, community together

Puppies, kittens and bunnies - and their owners - came together at the Tuolumne River Regional Park on Saturday for Petoberfest, a new event held by the Humane Society of Stanislaus County. The event invited eight pet rescues and many pet-related vendors to share in a day of celebrating "adopt a dog" month. "We have a lot of rescues in this area but we never work together on the problem (of pet homelessness.) ...

Turlock Sikh Temple teaches children faith, equality

In the Sikh Temple Turlock a group of nine volunteer teachers have built a successful youth education program that is teaching students about the importance of the Sikh cultural heritage, faith and equality. An essential part of that cultural heritage education is the Punjabi school where students are learning the Punjabi language and the Sikh religion. Part of the Punjabi school's dedication to its students is a Student of the Month award for ...

THE FIRE LANE

The Turlock Fire Department responded to a total of 400 incidents during the month of September. These incidents included a total of 262 emergency medical service calls. Turlock Fire responded to 25 motor vehicle accidents, and 17 commercial or residential fire alarms. There were a total of 20 fire type calls: one building fire, two vehicle fires, two unauthorized burnings, two cooking fires, seven vegetation and/or rubbish fires, one fire in a structure ...

TID begins painful budget process

The Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors kicked off the 2012 budget process on Tuesday with an overview of what the budget might look like, as the district attempts to keep costs flat and mulls an electric rate increase. The preliminary budget sees the district reduce seven unfilled positions year-over-year, dropping from 479 positions to 472. The employee allocation also drastically shifts from a year ago, with the General Manager's office and ...

Fun activities for young and old planned throughout area

There is - finally - a chill in the air and the leaves are starting to change into vibrant oranges, yellows and reds. Autumn is here and with it harvest and Halloween activities for young and old. The following are just a few of the local events happening this month:

Local pumpkin patch features first-ever corn maze

Ten foot tall corn stalks rustled in the breeze on Friday afternoon as families made their way down the narrow and winding corridors of a living maze. They back-tracked a few times, had to check the map more than once, and a few were a little spooked by the sound of birds and other people making their way through the corn. Eventually everyone made it back to the safety of the R.A.M Farms pumpkin ...