Before the final hours of 2025 run out, the Journal took a look back at the year’s top stories. Below is a review of a few of the good, the bad, the ugly (with a few tasty eats thrown in) that graced the pages of the Turlock Journal over the past 12 months.
Crime and punishment
The tragic drowning of a Turlock toddler and local law enforcement and district attorney’s office’s efforts to prevent sexually violent predators to be housed in the Turlock area are just a few of the top crime and courts headlines from 2025.
The community of Hughson was shocked in May when an off-duty Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department sergeant and his wife were identified as the persons killed in an apparent murder-suicide. The dead were identified as Daniel Hutsell, 40, and his wife, Dinella Hutsell, 37. A young girl in the home called 9-1-1 to report that both her father and mother were dead inside their home at 1705 Fontana Ranch Road in Hughson. Deputies removed the two children from the house and found the bodies. Deputy Hutsell joined the department in 2011.
Dinella Hutsell, who also went by Danee and her maiden name Madrigal, was mourned by the Hughson and surrounding communities on at a candlelight vigil held at Lebright Elementary School. She was described by friends and coworkers as a dedicated and passionate supporter of local charities and youth programs.
A Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Deputy Israel Morales, 30, of Hughson was arrested in May following a months-long investigation into allegations of on-duty sexual misconduct. He faces multiple felony charges, including forced oral copulation, aggravated kidnapping and solicitation of prostitution. The investigation began in March after an arrestee reported to a Hughson Police Services deputy that another deputy had engaged in sexual acts with women while on duty in the Hughson area. Detectives with the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit launched an inquiry to verify the claims, locate potential victims and gather evidence.
A stabbing that occurred after a large fight broke out at a Keyes house party in June ended the life of 20-year-old Emily Lopez. Another woman who was stabbed was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Several others sustained injuries ranging from being punched and kicked, to subjects being hit in the head with objects. They were all treated at the scene and refused a trip to the hospital. Weeks later, a 16-year-old Los Banos girl was arrested and charged with homicide and assault with a deadly weapon.
A Turlock woman accused of second-degree murder and felony child endangerment in the September drowning death of her 2-year-old daughter is currently on trial. If convicted, 45-year-old Kelle Anne Brassart faces 15 years to life in prison. Officers responded to a 911 call at 3:28 p.m. on Sept. 12 in the 4500 block of Fireside Drive, where they found the child, identified as Daniellé Pires, unresponsive in the water. Police immediately began CPR, joined by fire and medical personnel, but the child was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Detectives determined that Brassart, who was in a wheelchair, had been responsible for the child’s care at the time of the incident. Officers suspected Brassart was intoxicated, and noticed several prescription bottles around the residence.
The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s office has been collecting public and agency comments regarding the impending release of convicted child-molester Kevin Scott Gray into the Turlock area. Gray, who was convicted for crimes dating back more than 50 years and has been held by the Department of State Hospitals since 2002, was scheduled to be released into a home about three miles outside of Turlock in mid-2024. However, his release has been tied up by legal challenges ever since, reaching the state Supreme Court in January.
The state’s top court returned the case to the Fifth District Appellate Court, which then ruled in favor of Gray, 74.
The Department of State Hospitals has since notified the DA of its intention to release Gray into a dwelling at 400 N. Central Ave., about three miles west of the Turlock city limit. That notification opens a narrow window of time in which the DA has to act. A placement hearing in front of Judge Carrie M. Stephens is scheduled for Jan. 16. At that time, the court will hear the objections to Gray’s release.
In addition to Gray, convicted child molester Timothy Roger Weathers also was set to be released at the Central Avenue location, where he would live in an add-on dwelling. Because of permitting issues, that add-on was deemed uninhabitable, and Weathers has since filed a transient-release motion, arguing that the process to find a suitable location has taken too long, the DA said.
Weathers, 63, was convicted in 1986 for molesting a child and sentenced to probation. Two years later, while still on probation, the former Ceres resident was convicted of molesting two different boys in Stanislaus County. He was sentenced in 1991 to 18 years in prison, then transferred to the state hospital in 2000. He admitted to doctors that he molested 20 to 45 boys.
Gray admitted to molesting 25 children and committing 1,000 acts of indecent exposure against female victims between the ages of 8 and 11, court documents show.
We Care shutdown
After the Turlock City Council decided not to support We Care in obtaining state grant funds, the nonprofit men’s shelter was forced to close its doors for one month over the summer. By a 3-2 vote — Mayor Amy Bublak and councilmembers Rebecka Monez (District 2) and Erika Phillips (District 4) voted against, while Kevin Bixel (District 1) and Cassandra Abram (District 3) voted in favor — the council opted not to contribute $1 and a letter of support that would secured the funds.
At the heart of the squabble was the city’s desire for We Care to provide 24-hour access to restrooms. The shelter's residents must exit each morning at 8 a.m., resulting in a 10-hour stretch that they don’t have access to restrooms. The issue became a political volleyball, and the sides never reached an agreement.
The shelter was back in business in August after receiving a combined $100,000 in funding from a trio of benefactors — Stanislaus Community Foundation ($60,000), United Way ($20,000) and Kaiser ($20,000).
Something to celebrate
There were a number of events worth celebrating in 2025, including a church’s 100th anniversary and the opening of the long-awaited renovated Columbia Pool.
In February, the Assyrian Evangelical Church of Turlock recognized its 100th anniversary. The church was the very first Assyrian church in town, with its roots starting in the early 1920s.
A crowd of about 150 gathered in May to celebrate the grand reopening of the Columbia Park pool. Councilmember Rebecka Monez and former city manager Reagan Wilson, both of whom grew up swimming in the Columbia Park pool on the city’s Westside, delivered the ceremonial “first plunge” at the grand re-opening ceremony. The pool had been closed since 2019.
Dozens of community members filled the room at a June Turlock Unified School District board meeting to watch as the trustees unanimously approved a resolution renaming Julien Field, home of the Turlock American Little League, to the Paul Cooper Field after the longtime coach and mentor who recently passed away.
In November, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new two-story Casa Dos Açores cultural center. Since 1988, the Portuguese community across the region, particularly in Stanislaus and Merced counties, have known Casa Dos Açores at 8385 Lander Ave. in Hilmar to be a haven — a place for people to gather and bond over food, drinks, board games, music, dancing and sports. The new center is expected to open in about a year’s time.
Year of protest
Facing a potential $8.1 million in cuts from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget, Stanislaus State delivered layoff notices in April to 18 campus employees, while reassigning 11 other positions. Union members at Stan State held rallies on campus, followed by a mock funeral procession on Monte Vista Avenue — to help raise awareness about cuts.
Nearly 700 protesters took part in a “No Kings” rally in October at one of Turlock’s busiest intersections.
Part of a nationwide effort that saw a reported 7 million protesters participate in more than 2,500 combined protests, it was the second such event in the past five months. The October rally at the intersection of Monte Vista Avenue and Countryside Drive had more than twice the attendance of the June 14 gathering at Monte Vista Crossings, which saw 300 community members turn out.
For two hours on the Saturday afternoon in October, protesters lined all four corners of the intersection, holding signs with such slogans as “They’re eating the checks; they’re eating the balances,” “I am Antifa,” “Honk if you’re not in the Epstein Files,” “Immigrants are not criminals, but the president is!” and “The only monarch we want” printed over a large drawing of a butterfly.
Turlock welcomes new businesses, says goodbye to others
The year saw a number of new businesses come to town — and the loss of a longtime employer and beloved bookstore.
Early in the year, Foster Farms announced it would be ceasing operations at its Turlock fresh turkey processing plant effective May 9 — resulting in the loss of 519 jobs. In November, it was announced that Diestel Family Ranch, a longtime Sonora-based specialty turkey producer, has taken over the Turlock site and plans to reopen the facility early next year.
After five years a0-s owner of Lightly Used Books in downtown Turlock, Jenni Brannon made the decision to close the second-hand bookstore. It’s last day was March 30. The location — 141 N. Center Street — didn’t stay vacant for very long as The Pink Duck opened its doors on Aug. 2. The space that once housed hundreds of books is now home to Turlock’s newest art gallery. On display now are hundreds of art pieces made by Donna Wayman-Maurer and about 20 of her friends and colleagues from around the world.
A number of new eateries opened in Turlock in 2025: Dave’s Hot Chicken, ProteinHouse and Nation’s Giant Hamburgers. Toscana’s Ristorante in the Tower Health & Wellness Center underwent a transformation into the Atrium Café and Restaurant. The Atrium Café offers handmade coffee drinks and pastries, while the restaurant offers a more eclectic menu.
The Save Mart grocery store on Geer Road held a grand reopening in October, with giveaways and donations to celebrate its newly remodeled building and refurbished meat and produce sections.
The year also saw closings of major retail chains including popular fabric and craft store Joann, Party City and the city’s Rite Aid drugstores.
A change in leadership
The City of Turlock, Turlock Chamber of Commerce and Stanislaus State were just a few local institutions that saw a change in leadership in 2025.
Sue Borrego, the former interim president of California State University, Stanislaus, was named Turlock’s deputy city manager in January before being appointed to city manager in April.
Allie Jeffery was named the new executive director of the Turlock Chamber of Commerce, taking the baton from interim executive director Gina Blom. She hit the ground running with a board meeting and mixer event on her first day.
“My goal is ‘One Turlock,’” said Jeffery, a former member of the city’s parks and recreation commission. “How do you make Turlock better so that there’s one better Turlock? One Turlock that’s better than the one you started with.”
Turlock City Attorney George Petrulakis announced that he will be ending his tenure as the contract city attorney, stating that the time is right to return to private practice.
Janine Arakelian was appointed as Pitman High’s next principal, succeeding Angela Freeman, who moved to the district office over the summer to become the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services.
Stanislaus State marked a historic moment in October with the investiture of Britt Rios-Ellis, Ph.D., as the university’s 13th president.
Kevin Wise officially hanged up a career in fire service on Dec. 1, leaving behind a distinguished 26 years of making safer the communities he served. Wise left his post as Modesto Fire chief but he also was the fire chief of Turlock, Ceres and every city contracting with Modesto for fire services.
Serving as interim fire chief is Shanon Evans who began his fire career at Westport Fire Department in 1998 as a probationary firefighter. The Modesto City Council will be deciding who will replace Wise in six to 11 months.
Gone, but not forgotten
Life flipped upside down in January for the Palacios, a family known for their unrelenting love for boxing. On Jan. 24, head trainer, owner and founder of The Truth Boxing Gym in West Turlock, Adrian Palacio, suddenly passed away in his sleep. It was a loss that has sent shockwaves throughout the entire state’s tightly-knit boxing community.
A beloved local pastor Jeff Souza died in early August following a seven-hour armed standoff with law enforcement at a Hilmar residence that ended in a fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound. Souza served as pastor of Hilmar First Baptist Church and was a member of the Central Valley Baptist Association.
Turlock mourned the loss of one of its trailblazers in the downtown culinary scene when restauranteur Jennifer Doerksen died in late August. Doerksen started as a home chef with a passion for good food and that led to the creation of Main Street eatery Bistro 234 in 2001. Doerksen and business partner Leroy Walker spun their success into a second downtown eatery, First & Main, in 2019.
