Denham requests review of high speed rail spending

On Tuesday, Congressman Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) penned a letter requesting that the U.S. Government Accountability Office review the funding agreements between the California High Speed Rail Authority and the federal government. Denham, who has been a strong advocate for fiscal responsibility, sent the letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro noting that the Federal Railroad Administration and the Authority's existing grant agreement requires that federal funding is matched with 50 percent state funding. <p ...

Olsen applauds EPA move towards ethanol reduction

Since 2005, the Renewable Fuel Standard has regulated the minimum volume of renewable fuel that must be contained in transportation fuel sold in the United States. Over the past several months, Assemblymember Kristin Olsen has been calling for the reduction of these standards, noting that they are nearly impossible to achieve and negatively affecting dairies in California. The Environmental Protection Agency, who oversees the RFS, has proposed easing the annual RFS requirement ...

TID board to elect new leaders

Tuesday morning's Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors meeting will see the designation of new leadership, as the board will decide who will fill the positions of President, Vice President, secretary and several officers. The Board will select members from the board to fulfill these positions, effective Dec. 1 through December 2015. Positions up for grabs include President, Vice President, Secretary, Executive Secretary to the Board, Deputy Secretary, Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer, Deputy ...

Senator Cannella seeks new law ideas

Ever thought of something that you thought would make a good law? Or perhaps thought a law already existed for an issue, only to find out that there isn't one? Well then write that thought down and send it over to Senator Anthony Cannella as he is holding a contest asking his constituents for new legislation ideas. Last week, Senator Cannella (R-Ceres) announced his "There Ought to be a Law" contest, providing his ...

Denham’s government property bill to save taxpayers billions

Since entering office, Congressman Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) has worked vigorously to help taxpayers save billions of dollars through improving the management of federal properties and real estate. By introducing his Civilian Property Realignment Act, Congressman Denham is hopeful that the legislation will lessen the federal real estate footprint while decreasing government spending. "We've got over a trillion dollar deficit in skyrocketing debt that we must examine every area of government and look ...

Turlock roadways 'at-risk'

A recent report on the condition of Turlock's roadways was not what the City might consider good news, as Turlock's roadway system was found to be the "second-worst in the county." According to Margot Yapp, vice president of Nichols Consulting Engineers, the group that conducted the pavement study, Turlock's roads are considered "at-risk" and will continue to get worse if not properly maintained. Currently, nearly a quarter of Turlock's roadways are in ...

City invites public to downtown development talks

Have ideas for the future development of Turlock's downtown? Then be sure to pencil in Thursday's community workshop meeting put on by the City's planning department as they consider taller buildings in downtown for residential purposes. With a focus on future design and growth, the interactive community workshop will allow Turlock residents to discuss with planning officials how new development might look in the downtown area. In 2012, the City Council adopted ...

Council names walkway in honor of Indian-Americans

The Turlock City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday evening to approve naming an existing walkway to recognize the city's Indian-American population and their contributions to the local community. The newly named "Singh Walkway," located at the city's northeast storm basin, came as a request from Turlock resident Ram Saini who proposed the renaming as a way to recognize the Indian-American community in Turlock. Although not a result of, the name change comes during ...

Monte Vista rehab in progress

Monte Vista Avenue, one of the city's most complained-about thoroughfares, is finally undergoing a full rehabilitation process that will see the currently deteriorated road conditions spring back to life. The highly-anticipated project will include the repaving of segments along the roadway, getting rid of the road's infamous potholes while using rubberized asphalt. According to City Engineer Mike Pitcock, the City is working hard to have the project completed before the ...

Stanislaus County gets new CEO

After several months of searching for the perfect candidate, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors appointed Stan Risen as the new chief executive officer on Friday. Having worked for the County for 26 years and served as the interim CEO prior to being officially selected, Risen has a myriad of experience coming into the position. "Each county employee and our entire community will benefit from Stan's values and integrity as he leads ...

Centennial Park may soon get new dog park and name

Turlock's Centennial Park might soon be the newest hangout place for local dog lovers, as the Turlock Parks and Recreation Commission voted to recommend the construction of a new dog park at the facility. The new dog park will come as the result of a $35,000 donation to the City from the Swanson family, owners of the local Pet Extreme at Monte Vista Crossings. Alongside the dog park, however, the family requested ...

Councilman challenges community to raise money for homeless

As the season of giving quickly approaches, one city councilman has challenged community members to give back by helping Turlock's homeless population. Following Tuesday evening's City Council meeting, Councilman Forrest White shared that he had donated $500 to the Turlock Gospel Mission, a local non-profit organization dedicated to helping and feeding the homeless. With a goal of reaching $500,000 by the end of December, the councilman issued a challenge to see at least ...

Mayor commemorates fallen president

The life and legacy of President John F. Kennedy will be honored in the City of Turlock, as Mayor John Lazar proclaimed Nov. 22 as a day to remember the president, with this year marking the 50th anniversary of his death. During Tuesday's City Council meeting, the mayor requested that members of the community observe a moment of silence at 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 22, while remembering JFK's contributions to the nation. <p ...

Council to consider changes in food truck regs in downtown

The City of Turlock will soon closely examine how mobile food facilities fit into the downtown area, following a heated discussion at Tuesday's City Council meeting that left city officials saying they had failed local entrepreneurs. Turlock resident and former U.S. Marine Christopher Shaun submitted an application to the City of Turlock to receive a permit for his new business Vida-Vital &ndash; a mobile food truck that would offer healthy food alternatives in ...

Are mobile food vendors welcome in downtown Turlock?

It is no secret that mobile food vendors are becoming increasingly popular throughout the state. Many famous gourmet chefs have even joined the trend, opening their own food trucks in large cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. But one question has lately been on the mind of local business owners and city officials: will the City of Turlock allow these mobile food vendors in the downtown core district?

Retiring city employees honored by Council

During Tuesday evening's City Council meeting, a handful of city employees were honored for their years of service and dedication as they prepare for retirement. Fire Captain Larry Chalupnik served the Turlock Fire Department for nearly 28 years, having started working toward a career in the fire service as a volunteer firefighter with TFD in December 1983. In 1985, Chalupnik started as a full-time firefighter with the City of Turlock, being active in ...

Centennial Park to get new name, dog park

After several months of discussion, the Turlock City Council voted to approve the construction of a new dog park at Turlock's Centennial Park, following a generous donation of $35,000 by the Swanson Family and Pet Extreme. The dog park won't be the only change to the park, however. As per the family's request, the City-owned facility will be renamed to the "Swanson-Centennial Park," a decision that not all city officials supported. In ...

Council votes to extend freeze on food truck permits

New food truck vendors will not be welcomed to Turlock any time soon, following the City Council's decision on Tuesday to extend a temporary freeze on issuing new mobile food facility permits. At their last meeting of the year, the City Council voted unanimously to extend the halt on the issuance of mobile food facility permits for a period of 10 months and 15 days. In November, the City issued a 45-day moratorium ...

Council to tackle food vendor zoning

Tuesday evening marks the last City Council meeting for 2013, with the council taking on a full agenda.

Keyes biorefinery plant against Olsen ethanol bill

Over the past several months, Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) has been adamantly calling for a reduction in corn-based ethanol requirements contained in the Renewable Fuel Standard &ndash; the federal program regulating the minimum volume of renewable fuel that must be contained in transportation fuel sold in the United States. Although Olsen claims that the standards are nearly impossible to achieve while negatively affecting dairies in California, others view the standards included in the ...

Food truck future in downtown looks dismal

Food trucks may not be included in the future of Turlock's downtown, following Thursday's Planning Commission meeting where the general consensus was not in favor of the mobile facilities. During Thursday's meeting, the Planning Commission and City staff held a public workshop on whether or not food trucks should be allowed in the downtown core district, running primarily along Main Street from Palm to Lander. The purpose of the meeting, said planning ...

High Speed Rail faces more setbacks

TID makes progress with Don Pedro Project

The Turlock Irrigation District continues to make significant progress with the Don Pedro Project - a relicensing process that has been moving forward since 2011. Last Tuesday, TID and the Modesto Irrigation District worked together to file their Draft License Application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. According to TID, the DLA provides an opportunity for public review and comment on the application before the two districts file the Final License Application in ...

Economic development task force reviews City’s accomplishments

Sometimes you cannot know where you are going until you know where you have been. This was the mantra of the Mayor's Economic Development Task Force on Tuesday, as the group reviewed the City's accomplishments over the past 10 years to discuss how Turlock might continue moving forward. Noting the economic development plan of 2003, members of the task force highlighted some significant changes that have occurred in Turlock in the span ...

City seeks community input on food trucks