Carnegie bid $2.4 million less than expected

The proposed reconstruction of the Carnegie Arts Center now looks like it will cost less than the Turlock City Council ever imagined, as the lowest bid submitted tallied just $5.3 million, more than $2 million less than the $7.7 million in funding identified for the project in October 2007.

Youth football league investigation continues

The investigation into the embezzlement charges against two former Turlock Youth Football officials is still ongoing and police say it could be a significant time before any determination of wrongdoing, if any, is made.

TID offers cool way to save energy

Turlock Irrigation District customers with the sort of outdated heating and cooling systems that make electricity meters spin and budget-conscious homeowners cringe are now eligible for rebates that could make purchasing a new air conditioner a bit more palatable.

Former mayors get bestowed with namesake parks

Anyone who wants a park in the city of Turlock to bare their name might have to wait a while for the honor. At the Turlock Parks, Recreation and Community Commission meeting on June 10 the name "Dale Pinkney Park" was suggested for the last un-named park in Turlock.

First confirmed case of H1N1 influenza reported in Stanislaus County

Stanislaus County Public Health officials received confirmation on Friday from the state laboratory of a positive novel H1N1 case in the county. The affected county resident is a 22-year-old female who did not require hospitalization.

Hilmar Eagle Scout works on play park

Anthony Sarment, 14, recently achieved the highest rank possible in Boy Scouts of America, the rank of Eagle Scout. Sarment completed a project of re-finishing and painting the children's play park at Donnelly Park. The project took 35 people over 127 man hours to complete.

Year’s first case of West Nile virus in Stanislaus County

A dead American crow, found in Modesto, has tested positive for the mosquito-borne West Nile virus.

Tuesday flea market a bargain shopper’s paradise

Why is a flea market called a flea market? That might sound like the beginning of a bad joke, but it is a valid question. The Turlock Tuesday Flea Market features everything from live bunny rabbits to used gardening tools, but there is not a single flea for sale.

Thieves steal priceless mementos from cancer-stricken child

It's a sad fact of life that Dylan Givargiznia has come accustomed to bad news. When he was 6-years-old Dylan was hit with the life-altering news that he had a rare form of leukemia. Since then he has been on a roller coaster of remissions and reoccurrences that have taken him in and out of the hospital. Now, the 10-year-old boy is dealing with the news that his prognosis has worsened and his odds of ...

Unions call for changes in wake of prison guard’s death

As the one year anniversary of Jose Rivera's death approaches, prison guard unions are stepping up the pressure for reforms within the Bureau of Prisons and for new safety regulations.

Program helps teens realize their leadership potential

Toni Deguire has been a member of the Teen Advisory Council since fall of 2004, when she was in eighth grade. Deguire graduated from Pitman High School earlier this month and ended her five year membership with the council. She said that being a member of the Teen Advisory Council helped her to realize her leadership potential and become more involved.

H1N1 cases reported in Stanislaus and Merced counties

Stanislaus and Merced counties have reported two probable cases each of the H1N1 virus, while the global community prepares for a pandemic.

Irrigation water lessened by federal decision

California's farmers could be hard hit by a biological opinion issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service on Thursday, which calls for pumping operations in the Central Valley Project and the California State Water Project to be changed.

Lawsuit filed over guard’s fatal stabbing

The family of Jose Rivera, the prison guard stabbed to death by two inmates, has filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Prisons alleging poor management and unsafe working conditions contributed to his death.

Free meals available to students through summer

Low-income students in the Turlock Unified School District can continue to receive free lunch even when school is out for summer break. TUSD offers the Summer Food Service Program to any child under the age of 18 during the months of June and July at select school locations.

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 ...

Cowboys coming to town

Turlock may be stealing - or at least borrowing - Oakdale's title as Cowboy Capital of the World this week as thousands of ropers are set to compete in the American Cowboy Team Roping Association's State Finals held at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds. Turlock was picked to host the four-day event because of its central location, said ACTRA vice president and local businessman Duane Green. "This event will bring in about 2,000 ...

Weather conditions lead to Air Alert

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District initiated an Air Alert Tuesday that will continue through Thursday, and may be extended to Friday. During these times residents are asked to curtail practices that increase smog-forming emissions. The alert is for the entire Central Valley. The district said the Air Alert was issued because conditions such as high temperatures, a high-pressure system and stagnant wind patterns are contributing to a build-up in ozone ...

Train hits tomato hauler

A tractor-trailer loaded with thousands of tomatoes was struck by an Amtrak passenger train Monday afternoon just outside of Turlock, when the driver stopped his rig on the tracks, the California Highway Patrol reported. The collision crushed the back end of the big rig, damaged a second vehicle and splattered tomatoes all over the roadway and the railroad tracks. There were no injuries reported at the scene, though when the train reached ...

County sees decrease in unemployment

There was a marked improvement in Stanislaus County's unemployment rate during the month of August, as the rate fell below the year-ago estimate and the total from the month prior, according to the latest numbers from the Economic Development Department. The unadjusted seasonal unemployment rate for Stanislaus County in August was 16 percent which is down from the adjusted rate of 17.3 percent in July and below the year-ago estimate of 16.4 percent. ...

State launches ‘Totally Unprepared’ campaign for emergencies

The California Emergency Management Agency is hoping to shake up the message about preparing for a disaster with a campaign that puts the spotlight on an unprepared star former football player. Cal EMA, along with the California Seismic Safety Commission and California Earthquake Authority to launch "Totally Unprepared" - a multimedia campaign geared to help Californians better understand their risk of earthquakes and how to prepare for them by giving a view of ...

Chemicals applied to fruit subject of USDA survey

Beginning Oct. 1, fruit growers will be contacted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service to participate in the 2011 Fruit Chemical Use Survey. NASS will contact growers in 12 states, including California, to collect information on pesticides used, acres treated and rates applied to more than 20 fruit crops. "Because of the issues facing today's fruit growers, participation in this survey is vital," said Vic Tolomeo, director of the ...