Census 2010: Slow growth in population

The population in the United States grew by 9.7 percent over the last decade, marking one of the slowest growth rates since the Great Depression, according to figures released Tuesday by the Census Bureau.

Poverty, public safety top concerns stated in city survey

Community members have spoken and they want Turlock Federal Housing and Urban Development money to be spent on anti-poverty, human services and public safety rather than housing, infrastructure and public facilities. This is what city staff found after sending out a survey through local utility bills to 18,607 customers in the spring of 2010.

Ten Pin Fun Center bowling into town

As new council members Bill DeHart and Forest White took their oath of office at Tuesday's Turlock City Council meeting, a striking controversy bowled into City Hall before the council voted in favor of a 51,828 sq. foot family entertainment center, which includes bowling lanes, a laser tag arena and bocce ball courts.

Planning for a better Hughson

A once chaotic small Central Valley town has begun planning for a better and more positive future. Even as three new council members take office and a new city manager comes on board, the City of Hughson continues to strive for a stronger community - the first step, creating a strategic plan.

GOVERNMENT: BACK ON THE JOB

The California Legislature gaveled in a new two-year session on Monday, welcoming 28 new legislators. They will have little time to get settled as the state is facing a $25.4 billion budget deficit expected over the next year and a half and a state-wide unemployment rate of 12.4 percent.

More layoffs for sheriff’s department

In a 4-to-1 split the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors voted to approve another round of budgetary reductions at the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department that will force the layoffs of an additional 23 employees, including 14 patrol deputies.

Act to bring greater transparency of university foundations returns for third go-around

Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) has not given up hope on his Public University Transparency Bill. Despite being vetoed twice by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Yee plans on presenting it again, this time to the governor-elect on Monday.

2008 robocalls still under investigation

While the City of Turlock prepares to seat a new council following the Nov. 2 election, the investigation into the party or parties responsible for the illegal "robocalls" placed during the 2008 City Council election continues. The repercussions of the investigation also continue to sow discord between council members.

Planning: No big box

Any plans to bring a Target Supercenter or a Super Wal-Mart to the area likely were dealt a fatal and final blow as Turlock's Planning Commission voted 5-2 to recommend the City Council maintain the status quo when it comes to the ban on discount superstores.

City Council looks to begin new year with civility in mind

Civility was the watchword of the 2010 Turlock City Council campaign.

Property owners ordered to pay over $13,000 in fines

The Turlock City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to assess $13,113.32 in municipal code enforcement fees against a property located at 433 S. Laurel where city-required work was not completed, despite a 90-day extension.

‘Fake pot’ products now under emergency DEA control

Smokable herbal blends that were legal to purchase in stores and over the Internet have been temporarily put under the control of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), pending a final ruling on the substances. The DEA is using its emergency scheduling authority to temporarily control five chemicals used to make "fake pot" products. <font ...

New Hughson city manager takes oath of office

Hughson took one more step towards a new positive future for the small town on Monday as new city manager Bryan Whitemyer took the oath of office at his first official city council meeting.

Cap-and-trade could cost TID $5 million a year

A state plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could cost the Turlock Irrigation District $5 million each year, according to a report delivered to the TID Board of Directors on Tuesday. California's 2006 Assembly Bill 32 requires the California Air Resources Board to develop regulations to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020. The bill's scoping plan calls for a ...

Final election results show close City Council race

The votes have all been tallied, and one of Turlock's closest City Council campaigns in recent history has come to a close.

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 ...

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 ...