Local mayors support ‘My Vote Counts’ campaign

Mayors from Turlock, Hughson, Ceres, Modesto, Riverbank, Patterson, Newman and Waterford – and around the state – united on Tuesday to oppose Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to eliminate redevelopment agencies and enterprise zones in the coming state budget.

AG asks federal court to restore same-sex marriage now

On Tuesday, California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris asked the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to dismiss its order prohibiting same-sex marriages in California until an appeal of Proposition 8 is resolved.

Council approves revisiting big box ban in future

Want to build a big box discount superstore in the City of Turlock? Check back around 2020, a split Turlock City Council said Tuesday night.

County lays off 16 more workers

Stanislaus County's workforce will be growing smaller – again – following Board of Supervisors action on Tuesday.

2010 full of adjustments for fire department

For the first time in several years the number of calls the Turlock Fire Department responded to dropped in 2010, according to the department's annual report presented to the City Council Tuesday night.

Turlockers get face time with elected officials

The first ever Turlock Government Night drew elected officials from federal, state and local government to the same place at the same time to offer frank answers about budgets, projects and priorities.

Council increases city bus fares

Most fares on the Bus Line Service of Turlock will increase by about $.25 per ride, in an effort to meet state-mandated fare collection rates after a vote by the Turlock City Council Tuesday night.

Hughson joins county consortium for development funding

The City of Hughson will now join with a consortium of urban county cities to obtain Community Development Block Grant funds from the state rather than applying on its own, following a Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors vote on Tuesday night.

StanCOG passes on half-cent sales tax to support transportation, for now

Voters likely won't be asked to support a new, half-cent sales tax to support transportation projects until 2014, following Stanislaus County Council of Governments Policy Board action Wednesday night.

Washington haggles over high-speed rail funding

The Obama administration's six-year, $53 million plan to invest in the development of high-speed rail has earned plaudits from rail supporters, but House Republicans say the cost is too high in the down economy.

Hughson lays off five employees

Facing an unexpected General Fund deficit of $172,000 this year – expected to balloon to $514,000 next year – the Hughson City Council agreed to cut five of the city's 23 full-time staff members in an effort to balance the budget.

Council supports tax to benefit transportation

The majority of the Turlock City Council on Tuesday begrudgingly expressed support for the Stanislaus County Council of Government's plans to put a new, ½ cent sales tax to benefit transportation projects and road improvements on voters' ballots in November 2012.

Council divided on firefighter grant

After a close City Council vote the Turlock City Fire Department has been given the green light to pursue a federal grant that would pay for increased staffing.

Council reviews homeless shelter study area

Turlock's plan to comply with a state mandate to ease restrictions on constructing homeless shelters became clearer Tuesday night, as the Turlock City Council approved a study area where it will look to site 200 beds – up from the 100 bed figure suggested by city staff.

Turlock successes, struggles and plans for the future to top Mayor’s annual address

What was Turlock's biggest accomplishment in 2010? Surviving the economic downturn relatively intact, according to an advance copy of Turlock Mayor John Lazar's State of the City speech, to be delivered at 8 a.m. today at the Turlock Chamber of Commerce Membership Breakfast.

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 – home to some acts of crime throughout the years – 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 ...

Council hires firm to recruit new police chief

The search for Turlock's next full-time police chief kicked off Tuesday, when the Turlock City Council approved hiring Teri Black and Co. to conduct an executive recruitment process. The recruiter will be tasked with finding a successor to former Chief Gary Hampton, who left to head the Tracy Police Department on July 31. Since then, Dave Young has served as the Interim Chief of Police. The use of an outside recruiter drew ...

Council awaits decision on RDA take legality

The future of redevelopment remains hazy, but the City of Turlock is attempting to plan for whatever fate may befall redevelopment agencies statewide. The Turlock City Council held a special workshop Tuesday specifically to discuss the city's options following the state's action to force all redevelopment agencies to either close their doors, or pay large fees to the state. "I think it's just a wait and see for me right now," said ...