Governor vetoes university foundation public records bill

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday vetoed a bill which would have required university foundations – nonprofit auxiliaries intertwined with public universities that oversee private gifts to colleges – to comply with the Public Records Act.

Auditors find ‘deficiencies’ at Hughson City Hall

After a long and detailed audit for the 2008/2009 fiscal year, Hughson City Council members were presented with results and suggestions from auditors on Monday, who brought some not so pleasant news.

Council thanks unions for their support

The Turlock City Council unanimously agreed to citywide union concessions on Tuesday, dropping the city's deficit by $864,319 to $2.7 million.

City Council to consider union concessions

When the City of Turlock began considering the 2010-2011 budget earlier this year, the city faced a budget deficit in excess of $5 million. Through a series of budget cuts, that deficit dropped to $3.6 million in the adopted budget.

Millions spent to help county residents

The Stanislaus County Community Development Block Grant Consortium – consisting of Stanislaus County and Cities of Ceres, Newman, Oakdale, Patterson, and Waterford – received $2.6 million in state and federal funds last year.

Hughson council balances city budget

After a second budget study workshop on Thursday, the Hughson City Council can finally rest easy knowing they have a balanced and healthy budget to work with for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Turlock City Council briefs

The Turlock City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to:

City to take bids on Public Safety Facility construction

After a four month delay, plans for Turlock's new, $35 million Public Safety Facility are back on track, following a unanimous Turlock City Council decision Tuesday evening.

Hughson council moves forward with city business

Monday's Hughson City Council meeting was filled with positive recognitions and the approval of many actions to help the city move in the right direction, which is a big change from the time during recall efforts to remove three council members.

County to cut services, employees in coming year

The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors adopted a $918.8 million final budget for 2010-2011 on Tuesday morning, containing even more cutbacks than included in the initially proposed budget and forecasting more dire cuts in the years to come.

Police department complex could be sold to finance new Public Safety Facility

Plans to build a new $35 million Public Safety Facility for Turlock's Police and Fire departments – previously stymied by the state's May take of redevelopment funding – are back on the Turlock City Council agenda Tuesday, with a new funding mechanism in place.

Hughson looks to fill $70,000 gap in city budget

Hughson city staff brought a balanced budget to the City Council budget study session on Tuesday night, and left with a $70,000 deficit after council made suggestions in an effort to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Planning questions City Council’s big box store directive

The Turlock Planning Commission, tasked with reexamining the city's anti-big box store ordinance by the Turlock City Council, decided Thursday to solicit community feedback on the measure before taking any action.

Claims of harassment surround in-home care fraud investigations

The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved expanding a program intended to catch those defrauding the system that pays people who provide in-home care for the elderly or disabled, though providers say the fraud investigators have traumatized patients.

Assembly approves bill to staff high-speed rail project office

California's effort to establish a high-speed rail system received a boost Tuesday, as the state legislature approved a bill to hire additional staff and prepare a plan to spend a recent influx of stimulus funds.

Longer hours, more vendors will improve farmers market, say students

A group of California State University, Stanislaus students has big ideas on how to improve Turlock's Farmers Market.

Yamzon named StanCOG director

Carlos Yamzon has been named the new Executive Director of the Stanislaus County Council of Governments. Yamzon was appointed by vote of the StanCOG Policy Board on Tuesday evening. Yamzon spent five years as StanCOG Senior Planner, and 27 years at the California Department of Transportation. Since June, Yamzon has served as StanCOG Interim Executive Director. The position became vacant when then-director Vince Harris resigned in June to assume the post ...

Valley counties in trouble with new clean air standards

New clean air standards announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday could be tough for some Valley counties to meet. The new nationwide standard allows no more than 12 micrograms of harmful fine particle pollution – particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers, like soot – in a cubic meter of air. That PM2.5 can lead to plaque deposits in arteries, leading to vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis, according to the American Medical ...

City seats new council members

The new Turlock City Council, entrusted with guiding the city through 2014, was seated on Tuesday. Newcomer Steven Nascimento was sworn-in Tuesday alongside returning Councilmember Amy Bublak in front of a crowd of family, friends, and notable Turlockers. Both were elected on Nov. 6. "Welcome Steven, happy to have you up here," Mayor John Lazar said as the council was seated. "And welcome Amy, happy to have you back." Just before ...

Planning revisits electrified fencing ban

Criminals could get a bit of a shock the next time they try to break into a secured area. Electrified security fences may soon be made legal in the City of Turlock, following an early endorsement from the Turlock Planning Commission on Thursday. "I think it's a legitimate request," said Planning Commission Chair Michael Brem. "… Let's just get on with this, and let's get it done as quickly as we can." ...

City to swear in new council members Tuesday

Turlock's two newest council members will be sworn in at 7 p.m. on Dec. 11. Incumbent Amy Bublak, a Modesto Police Officer, will be sworn in alongside council newcomer Steven Nascimento, a former Parks, Recreation, and Community Commissioner and District Director for State Sen. Anthony Cannella (R – Ceres). The two earned the most votes of four competitors in the Nov. 6 election. Also being sworn in will be incumbent City Treasurer ...

Health Benefit Exchange site could bring hundreds of jobs to county

Inauguration tickets available

A limited number of tickets for President Barack Obama's upcoming inauguration ceremony will be made available through the office of U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R – Turlock). Constituents from across the newly redrawn 10th Congressional District of California have until 5 p.m. Dec. 19 to request tickets to the 57th Presidential Inauguration Ceremony on Jan. 21, 2013, which will be held at the U.S. Capitol. Such standing-room tickets to the inauguration are ...

City development fees records first increase in three years

After three straight years of decline, the City of Turlock's Capital Facility Fees posted revenue growth last year for the first time since 2007-08. Turlock posted $1.3 million in CFF revenues in 2011-12, a 16 percent improvement from fiscal year 2010-11 and the highest such figure since 2007-08. "The trend does show that, maybe, we are finally coming out of this recession," said City Engineer Mike Pitcock. Revenues still greatly lagged ...

Council passes visitors bureau budget

The Turlock City Council unanimously approved the Turlock Convention and Visitors Bureau 2013 budget Tuesday night, which will see the CVB begin to offer services on weekend days. But approval of the CVB budget was almost postponed, as Councilwoman Amy Bublak requested the measure be delayed until after newly elected councilmember Steve Nascimento is seated in December. The council postponed approving a study of city water rates on Nov. 13 for the ...

Visitors bureau to give annual report

The Turlock Convention and Visitors Bureau will give its annual report for 2012 and announce goals for 2013 at Tuesday's Turlock City Council meeting.

Lawsuit: General Plan doesn't go far enough to protect ag land

Turlock's newly adopted General Plan looks to preserve the city's agricultural heritage, while preparing for an expected influx of new residents over the next 20 years. But the City of Turlock is now facing a lawsuit from a Davis-based non-profit, charging that the city's new General Plan does not go far enough in its quest to protect agricultural land. "Stanislaus County has a conservation easement program," said Eugene Wilson, head of the ...

City offices close for holiday weeks

The City of Turlock's offices will be closed for the week of Thanksgiving, from Nov. 19 to Nov. 23. The closures were planned to minimize interruptions in service, the city said. Public safety and other essential services will remain in operation. Turlockers were notified of the planned closure in city utility billings. Turlock offices will also close for the week of Christmas, Dec. 24 to Jan. 1, 2013.

Council postpones water study

Turlock's water rates will remain flat – at least for now. The Turlock City Council was expected to approve hiring a consultant to conduct a water rate study on Tuesday, a move which will likely lead to higher water bills. But that study was postponed at the request of Councilwoman Amy Bublak, who argued that recently-elected Steven Nascimento should have the right to weigh in. "These are going to be big decisions," ...

County moves forward with new mental health, coroner's facilities

A dearth of beds for mental health patients in Stanislaus County, coupled with surging demand, has driven Stanislaus County mental health costs millions of dollars well above projections in recent months. On Tuesday, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors took the first steps to respond to that shortage of beds, approving a recommendation to develop a county-owned Psychiatric Health Facility at the Stanislaus Recovery Center in Ceres. "We are increasing the level ...