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.

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 ...