Disaster assistance available for small businesses

Small, non-farm businesses in San Joaquin County and the neighboring counties of Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Sacramento and Stanislaus are now eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U. S. Small Business Administration. "These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by freezing temperatures that occurred in San Joaquin <span ...

County bus agency to hold public meeting about fare increases

The Stanislaus County Public Works Transit Division, administrators for the county's intercity bus system, Stanislaus Regional Transit or StaRT, will be holding a series of public information meetings to discuss a proposed fare increase to be effective Aug. 1.

Water group looks to build synergy

Local agencies are banding together to form a regional water management group in Stanislaus County &ndash; one of California's only populated areas not to have such a group &ndash; in hopes of obtaining millions in state water funds for local projects.

Egg farmers ask to join JS West in lawsuit

The Association of California Egg Farmers (ACEF), an industry association that represents 70 percent of California's egg farmers, filed an application to join JS West, a Modesto-based egg farming company, in a lawsuit against the State of California and the Humane Society of the United States.

Local business makes community service a priority

Every year Lancaster Painting donates labor and supplies to a family or nonprofit organization in need. They have done multiple projects for both the Stanislaus County Society for Handicapped Children and Adults and Westside Ministries.

Hashimoto takes helm at TID

After a six-month, international search for a new Turlock Irrigation District general manager, the Board of Directors decided the best candidate already had the job.

HEALTH: CPR SATURDAY

The American Red Cross held their 28th annual CPR Saturday this weekend, and the Stanislaus County office offered two-year certification classes for only $10. One certification location was California State University, Stanislaus, where Red Cross volunteers, including Turlock City Council member Amy Bublak, taught three-hour classes on CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED.) More than 150 people attended the Turlock classes, where they received two-year certifications in CPR ...

Local juniors win scholarships

The Distinguished Young Women of Turlock competition was held Saturday at the Turlock Community Auditorium and two local teens won top honors. Ashley Gomez was named North Turlock's Distinguished Young Woman of 2011 and Madison Patino won South Turlock's Distinguished Young Woman title.

Pedretti Field draws tourism dollars

Turlock will host a major softball tournament in August 2012, and the economic benefits for the town could be significant.

Japan quake shakes local man

A Central Valley man feels "good to be alive" today after witnessing firsthand the 8.9 magnitude earthquake that rocked Japan at 9:46 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Thursday.

Gas prices on the rise

California gasoline prices have risen by 32 cents per gallon in the last 14 days and 15.5 cents per gallon in the past week alone, averaging $3.87 per gallon &ndash; 82.8 cents higher than a year ago &ndash; according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Turlockers campaign for cancer screenings

Three Turlock community leaders have partnered with Emanuel Medical Center to encourage people to get colorectal screenings.

New fire chief sworn in

Tim Lohman officially became Turlock's newest fire chief during a ceremony at the City Council meeting Tuesday night.

Turlock Fire Department Fire Call Summary

Turlock Fire Department Fire Call Summary

County fair announces changes to livestock rules

The Stanislaus County Fair announced changes to livestock rules for the 2011 fair.

Castle Air Museum to host POW/MIA Day ceremony

Castle Air Museum and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 13th District, will jointly host a Nation POW/MIA Day Ceremony at 1 p.m. on Friday at Castle Air Museum grounds, 5050 Santa Fe Dr., Atwater. The community is invited and encouraged to attend this traditional ceremony to honor the ex-POW's who were once held prisoner by United States' enemies, and the large number of those who are still missing. This timely ceremony is ...

Carnegie reopens with fanfare

Turlockers who were looking to celebrate the fulfillment of a six-year long dream gathered with visitors from around the region on Saturday for the grand reopening of the Carnegie Arts Center.

Ceres council approves Wal-Mart Supercenter

The Wal-Mart Supercenter and accompanying 26-acre Mitchell Ranch Shopping Center was given a green light by the Ceres City Council Monday evening after months of public hearings. Council members Ken Lane, Bret Durossette and Guillermo Ochoa voted unanimously to reject an appeal of a Planning Commission approval of the center. A group calling themselves Citizens for Ceres asked the council to overturn the commission's approval of the shopping center for the northwest corner ...

Oakdale city employees under fire for opening Turlock business

A Turlock consulting business came under fire at a special Oakdale City Council meeting on Monday. The Limited Liability Company is registered in the name of three top City of Oakdale employees and one former Oakdale city manager. Oakdale City Council members held an open forum, followed by a closed session, to discuss the business. Following closed session, the unanimous decision was made to hire the legal firm of Meyers Nave at a ...

Shelter in the storm

Verda's House looks like a cross between a daycare center and the home of a very devoted grandma. The kids have decorated the dining area with seasonal artwork, there are toys in every room, and even the bathrooms have tiny toddler-sized toilets. The hope is that when kids visit Verda's House they feel like they are in a safe family environment where they can work through any crisis they might have at home. <p ...

Fire, police host memorial event

The Turlock Fire and Police departments are holding a memorial Sunday to honor the fallen on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The ceremony will begin at 8:46 a.m., the exact time the first plane struck the World Trade Center North Tower. The service is being held at the Turlock Fire Station at 540 E. Marshall St. The scheduled keynote speaker is John McPartland, vice president of BART ...

Turlock man recalls his time as Ground Zero chaplain

On a June day of this year Turlock resident Tim Guerino was once again walking on Ground Zero. Ten years prior he had stepped on that same hallowed ground, among the rubble and ruins praying for the fallen and the living alike, doling out words of solace, hope and faith. On Sept. 11, 2001, Guerino, who spent much of his youth in New York, was living in Alabama serving as a pastor. On ...

Health department fines Emanuel Medical Center for safety violation

For the second time Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock has been issued an administrative penalty after the California Department of Public Health concluded the hospital had not fully complied with health and safety standards. The hospital was fined $75,000 for failing "to ensure the health and safety of a patient when it did not follow its surgical policies and procedures," the CDPH stated in their news release. The fine stems from an ...

New bus hub underway; Construction causes traffic problems

The effort to construct a new bus transit hub in Turlock is well underway on the triangle of land bordered by Del's Lane, Golden State Boulevard and Hawkeye Avenue, and traffic jams from related road work are expected to conclude soon. "It's moving well," said Turlock City Manager Roy Wasden. "But it's generating a lot of questions and it's a little inconvenient right now." The new transit hub, funded entirely by federal ...

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 &ndash; and the relative concentration of that water in poor, rural areas &ndash; 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 ...