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.

Turlock woman dies in crash

A Turlock woman was killed in a solo crash Sunday night in Hilmar. The deceased was identified as 25-year-old Cassy Mancebo. The California Highway Patrol suspects Mancebo was under the influence of alcohol when she crashed her 2003 Ford Focus. Mancebo was driving the Ford eastbound on American Avenue, west of Columbus Avenue in Hilmar around 8 p.m. Sunday. The CHP said Mancebo drove her vehicle off the road and ...

Balloon festival raises money for children’s hospital

RIPON - Holding the palms of his hands over his ears to soften the roar of the flame shooting into his hot air balloon, 7-year-old poster boy Adham Hamza had the thrill of his life during the opening day of the Color the Skies balloon festival Saturday. The official ambassador for the event, Adham had developed brain cancer when he was only eight months old and is a regular ...

Wildlife center opens doors to public for annual event

THE FIRE LANE

The Turlock Fire Department responded to a total of 426 incidents during the month of August. These included a total of 259 emergency medical service calls. Turlock Fire responded to 19 motor vehicle accidents, and 26 commercial/ residential fire alarms. There were a total of 26 fire type calls: five building fires, three vehicle fires, two unauthorized burns, three cooking fires, eight vegetation and/or rubbish fires, two fires in structure "other," and three additional ...

United Nations takes issue with water quality in Central Valley

Poor water quality in the Central Valley – and the relative concentration of that water in poor, rural areas – has drawn the attention of the United Nations. Catarina de Albuquerque, United Nations Independent Expert on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, issued a report to the UN Human Rights Council on the state of water and sanitation access in America earlier this month. Playing a large role in that ...

Local church offers free after-school tutoring

First Presbyterian Church is giving back to some of Turlock's youngest residents with The Learning Zone, a free after school tutoring program for kids in first through sixth grade. The Learning Zone offers one-on-one tutoring to students for an hour and a half per week. Sheri Cripe, a director at The Learning Zone, said the program mainly targets students from Julien, Crowell, Denair and Dennis Earl elementary schools because these schools are closest ...

BUSINESS: GREEN AGENCY

Green isn't just in this insurance agency's name – it's a way of life. Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green Insurance Agency representatives announced this week they have installed an electric vehicle charging station at their 687 E. Canal Dr. offices. The charging station includes a 220 volt attachment for Chevrolet Volts, and a 110 volt adaptor for other electric vehicles. Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green Insurance Agency is believed to be the second business ...

Valley air historically clean in August; Air Alert issued for September

One day after announcing for the first time the San Joaquin Valley has seen August pass without recording a single violation of federal air standards, the Air Pollution Control District issued an Air Alert for the first week of September. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District said Thursday that this was the first time in recorded history that the air basin did not incur an exceedance for the standard in August. ...

City comes together to welcome visitors — and their economic impact

While communities across the state continue to struggle with the economic recession, there have been small gains in a few industries, among them tourism. In Turlock, businesses and organizations are coming together to compete for those tourism dollars. "We're working really hard at pushing the Turlock stay," said Turlock Convention and Visitors Bureau director Desa Cammack. The Turlock CVB works hand in hand with promoters, local facilities, the City of Turlock and ...

Long road to economic recovery, finds report

A new report of labor data shows California making progress on unemployment rates but predicts that the road to a full recovery is going to be long and slow moving. The Economic Development Department looked at labor data through July and found that unemployment in most areas of the state has begun to trend downward and that job growth was returning to the private sector, albeit slowly. The San Joaquin Valley, which ...

Local woman makes fitness dreams reality

Lori Hooper might be the successful owner of two fitness studios now, but just a few years ago she was Lori Avila, a student at Turlock High School and a member of the cross country team. Hard work paid off for Hooper, who opened her second studio in Turlock in January. "I was studying at Stan State when I had my daughter and had to quit going. But I told myself I would ...

Turlock boy helps ‘Color the Skies’ for Valley hospital

Hot air balloons, jets, kites and skydivers will all fly over Ripon on Saturday and Sunday in a show of support for the Children's Hospital of Central California. Color the Skies balloon festival will offer two days of family entertainment and fundraising activities this Labor Day weekend. And presiding over all the festivities will be Adham Hamza, a Turlock resident and ambassador for Children's Hospital Central California. Hamza was chosen by the hospital ...

California reaches new high in farm revenues for 2010

Not only was 2010 a banner year for Stanislaus County agriculture - with a farm gate increase of $260 million for an all-time record total income of nearly $2.57 billion - but the entire state also saw new highs in agricultural income. California agriculture revenues increased 9 percent for 2010 from the revised 2009 income level of $34.6 billion, according to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service and Economic Research Service. The state's 81,700 ...

Gas prices rise — just in time for holiday travel

The price of gasoline has surged once again – just in time for the Labor Day travel weekend. "Retail gasoline prices finished last week quite strong in some areas on concern surrounding Hurricane Irene," said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy.com senior petroleum analyst. "The concern surrounding refinery production on the East Coast helped boost gasoline prices outside that area as well." According to gasoline price-tracking firm GasBuddy.com, average retail prices for gasoline in Stanislaus ...

Carnegie readies for reopening

From the fire in 2005 that left it in ruins to the political wrangling that almost sank it, the Carnegie Arts Center has risen like a phoenix from the ashes more than once and is set to begin a new chapter with a grand reopening Sept. 10. With the opening a little more than a week away workers have been busy installing lights for the Ansel Adams show and putting on all the ...