Keep Your Home California program expanded to allow more homeowners to qualify

The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) expanded eligibility criteria for several of the Keep Your Home California programs, making them available to a larger number of families at risk of losing their home.

Lawsuit forces changes in indigent healthcare program

A revision to the county's medically indigent adult healthcare program, forced by a lawsuit, will make free or low-cost healthcare available to more county adults, affect payment schedules for many existing participants, and raise county costs.

Task force to consider supervisor redistricting

A new citizens' advisory task force will help with a mandated redistricting of the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors' districts, following board action Tuesday morning.

Local legislators lobby for Florida high-speed rail money

Local political leaders are hailing the California High-Speed Rail Authority's unanimous decision on Wednesday to pursue a further $2.43 billion in federal funding recently made available – and urging the federal government to allocate those funds to California.

Council considers return of bingo at Assyrian American club

After an eight year gap, bingo could return to Turlock – should the City of Turlock and the Assyrian American Civic Club reach common ground on rules and regulations for the game.The Turlock City Council discussed changes the current bingo ordinance on March 23, but didn't come to any solutions which would be mutually agreeable.The Assyrian American Civic Club hosted ...

Northwest growth still an option

Residential growth to the northwest of Highway 99 is still on the table for the City of Turlock, following a split Turlock City Council decision Tuesday night.

New resolution promotes eating locally grown food

Eating locally isn't just a trendy, healthy way too cook – it's also California's newest strategy to bolster the State budget.

State budget to cut funding to colleges, prisons, welfare

Facing a $26.6 billion deficit, both houses of the California Legislature approved the main budget bill last week, but will not send the legislation to Gov. Jerry Brown until a remaining $12.6 billion deficit can be broached.

Public Safety Facility funding ‘on track,’ says Wasden at groundbreaking

After years spent planning, meeting and navigating bond markets, the City of Turlock broke ground on the new, 57,570 square foot home for Turlock's police and fire departments on Tuesday.

City budget process begins

The Turlock City Council on Tuesday began the process of adopting the 2010-2011 budget &ndash; a process they hope to complete on May 10 &ndash; by accepting all preliminary non-general fund budgets. The unanimous motion adopted those budgets, which primarily deal with rate-based services such as sewer, water, and street lighting. <p style="margin: 0in ...

Council preview

On Tuesday, Turlock City Council is scheduled to:

City to be ‘lean, but effective’ in future

For the last three years, the Turlock City Council has been in a reactionary mode &ndash; by members' own admission.

City invests in Regional Recycled Water Project

The groundbreaking North Valley Regional Recycled Water Project took a step toward reality Tuesday night, when the Turlock City Council unanimously voted to apply for a grant to help fund a needed feasibility study.

County supervisors grant extension to West Park developer

By a split, 3-2 vote, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors approved continuing work on a new, smaller version of the oft-maligned West Park inland port development.

State troubles prompt city to make RDA changes

On the same day area mayors gathered in Modesto to lobby Gov. Jerry Brown to forego his planned elimination of all redevelopment agencies statewide, the City of Turlock took steps to ensure its own redevelopment money is committed before the state potentially seizes uncommitted RDA funds across the state.

Turlockers question General Plan premises

Nearly three years into the planning process, some Turlockers are still questioning the premise Turlock's General Plan Update &ndash; a document which will guide the city's growth for 20 years &ndash; is based on. Their concerns were aired at a public meeting to review the draft General Plan on Thursday evening, intended as an opportunity for the public to familiarize themselves with the near-final plan. The General Plan Update envisions Turlock growing ...

Council to consider strategic plan, adopt RDA ordinance

A special meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on Tuesday at City Hall to adopt Turlock's 2011-2013 Strategic Plan. The plan, a conceptual long-term planning document which will guide Turlock policy through 2013, has been in the works since March. Before that effort, the document had lain dormant since 2007 and expired in 2009. The delay and a cancelled April follow-up meeting intended to continue work on the plan ...

More affordable housing needed, finds report

While housing prices have dropped, California still needs more affordable housing, according to a new state Department of Housing and Community Development report. "Prior to the foreclosure crisis and current economic downturn (also known as the Great Recession), California had experienced decades of undersupply, contributing to significant price escalation and the affordability crisis," the report reads. "... While the recession of the early 1990s was most devastating with regard to poverty and unemployment, ...

Failing water meters to get upgrade

City expects no changes for skate park when police offices move

The future of Turlock's popular skate park, located adjacent to the current Turlock Police Department, is in question given the construction of the new Public Safety Facility several blocks away. Turlock Parks, Recreation, and Community commissioners posed the question a month ago: without the close police presence, would the park &ndash; home to some acts of crime throughout the years &ndash; continue? But commissioners learned Tuesday that the skate park will remain ...

Voters to decide library tax on June ballot

A voter supported one-eighth cent sales tax has been the lifeblood of the Stanislaus County Library since its 1995 inception. But the fate of that sales tax, due to expire in 2013, will be up to voters once again in the June 5, 2012 Primary Election, following the Board of Supervisors' Tuesday action to place the issue on the ballot for renewal. The county's dedicated library sales tax was the first such ...

Council looks at replacing failing water meters

The Turlock City Council will consider a $495,225 upgrade to the city's failing automated water meter reading system at their next meeting on Tuesday.

Planning passes on regional ag map

A countywide initiative intended to preserve agricultural land, driven by local mayors, was shot down by the Turlock Planning Commission on Thursday for sidestepping existing planning efforts and failing to truly protect farmland. The initiative, known as the Agricultural Preservation Plan Map 2050, asks cities to clearly define their borders as of the year 2050. By doing so, the areas outside of the 2050 boundaries would be preserved for agriculture. The plan ...

City balks at proposed storm drain regulations

Washing your own car or having sprinklers that splash onto the sidewalk could soon be illegal, due to a proposed new state storm water permit. The new permit, drafted by the State Water Resources Control Board, is based on a concept of "only rain down the drain." Planners say they're attempting to meet federal regulations, but local officials say they've gone far beyond the realm of reason. "The requirements are so prescriptive, ...

What should come first, money or a plan?

Should Turlock be practical, given budgetary constraints, or should it aim for the stars? The question was front and center at a special meeting of the Turlock City Council on Tuesday, where council members went to work updating the city's strategic plan. The plan, a conceptual long-term planning document which will guide Turlock policy through 2013, has been in the works since March. Before that effort, the document had lain dormant since ...

Stanislaus County receives federal grant for preventative health programs

A federal grant aimed at getting to the root causes of chronic diseases was recently awarded to the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency. The Capacity Building Grant of $293,899 was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of a block of Community Transformation grants. The Capacity Building Grant money is to be used for laying the foundation for sustainable community prevention programs and practices that tackle smoking, ...

Ag secretary lauds Obama’s jobs plan in California

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited the state this week, lauding the positive impacts President Barack Obama's proposed American Jobs Act would have on Californians. "The American Jobs Act provides common-sense steps we can take right now to put more people back to work and put more money in the pockets of working Americans, without adding a dime to the deficit," Vilsack said to attendees at a business roundtable in Sacramento. The ...

Council votes to keep RDA options open

With the fate of redevelopment agencies statewide still hazy at best, a split Turlock City Council decided to keep its options open Tuesday, approving a resolution which will allow Turlock to decide whether or not to retain its agency at a later date. The move effectively informed the state that Turlock may eventually decide to issue a large "ransom" payment to the state in exchange for the right to keep its agency active, ...

Council to plan the future of Turlock

It's time for some long term planning, says Turlock City Hall.

City reports successful summer for rec programs

Turlock Parks and Recreation wrapped up a successful year of summer programming earlier this month. They saw high participation numbers across the board, and they received grant funding to offer summer programming to ACES after school program participants. "Our numbers were high from youth to adults. Summer went very well," said Erik Schulze, recreation senior supervisor. Turlock Recreation ran a special summer clinic for students who participated in the ACES after-school program ...