BY ALEX CANTATORE

A classroom full of tweens frantically sketched out monstrous torsos, hands, heads, and assorted tentacle-like appendages on Thursday morning with a simple goal in mind: To create the coolest-looking alien in the class.

As arms were bound to bodies with brass brads, extraterrestrial figures took form and joined the solar systems, starscapes, and out of this world pottery that cluttered an alcove of the War Memorial.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

While the precipitous decline in housing values certainly isn’t creating too many happy homeowners in the Central Valley, there is one bright spot amid the doom and gloom - property taxes will be lower this year for almost half of Stanislaus County residents, based on the newly released 2009-2010 Regular Assessment Roll.

Unfortunately for local governments, that bright spot only exacerbates income problems; Stanislaus County taxpayers alone will contribute about $30 million less than last year as a result of reduced assessments.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The 2009-2010 Turlock Redevelopment Agency budget adopted late Tuesday evening looks to send $27.8 million of funding around the city to projects such as the Carnegie Arts Center, a Columbia Park water feature, and a proposed overhaul of Turlock High School’s Joe Debely Stadium.

The $2.8 million of funding earmarked for the Joe Debely project could be the most controversial of the council’s decisions Tuesday evening. Formal discussions between the Turlock Unified School District and the City of Turlock about the renovation have yet to occur.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock City Council unanimously agreed to add the Seated For Safety Car Seat program, a Turlock Fire and Emergency Services initiative, to the roster of programs receiving Turlock Community Development Block Grant funding in the 2009-2010 fiscal year during their Tuesday meeting.

While the other nine nonprofits previously selected as grant recipients will still receive funding following the decision, all will receive less than previously allocated
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Housing Element Update, a plan that will prepare the City of Turlock to meet housing needs through 2014, reached the next milestone in the planning process on June 18 as local residents gathered at City Hall for a workshop to hammer out particulars how the town can meet the needs of the elderly, poor, and homeless.

Some successful programs are slated to return, including first-time homebuyer loans, home rehabilitation loans, and mobile home rent subsidies, while several major new initiatives are also on the table to encourage development of reasonably-priced housing.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Merced County Board of Supervisors hope a resolution passed last week will get Washington, D.C., moo-ving forward to provide relief for troubled California dairy producers.

The unanimously approved resolution calls for an increase in the dairy support price to reflect current production costs, the implementation of fair tariffs on unregulated imported dairy solids, mandated market transparency, and the establishment of a milk inventory management program.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock large family daycare providers turned out in full force for a special Planning Commission workshop on June 18 to discuss a set of harsher rules that could be imposed on new operators in town.

A proposed city ordinance would prevent new large family daycares from being sited within 300 feet of existing operators; require a minimum of two parking spaces for residents, one space for each assistant, and one space for loading and unloading of passengers; and allow city inspections at any time during regular business hours. Large family daycares would additionally be required to pay business license taxes, which would amount to approximately $60 per year.
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Carnegie funding to be included in RDA budget

BY ALEX CANTATORE

A proposed formal investigation into Councilwoman Mary Jackson’s alleged leak of Roy Wasden’s candidacy for city manager will not occur, following a City Council commitment late Tuesday evening to, “uphold the utmost level of confidentiality and to unanimously call for swift investigations of any future leaks, should they occur.”

According to City Attorney Phaedra Norton, the request to initiate a formal investigation into Jackson’s alleged transgression - leaking closed session, privileged information of the three final candidates for Turlock city manager - was placed on Tuesday’s agenda at the request of a majority of councilmembers.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The proposed reconstruction of the Carnegie Arts Center now looks like it will cost less than the Turlock City Council ever imagined, as the lowest bid submitted tallied just $5.3 million, more than $2 million less than the $7.7 million in funding identified for the project in October 2007.

A total of 15 bids for the Carnegie project were submitted to Turlock City Hall on Thursday, the highest of which came in at $6.2 million. Applegate Johnston, Inc., of Modesto submitted the low bid of $5.3 million.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock City Council has another busy agenda for Tuesday night’s meeting, with a request to approve a formal investigation into Councilwoman Mary Jackson’s alleged leaking of Roy Wasden’s candidacy for City Manager, a discussion of a new Planned Development to establish guidelines for fences in an east Turlock neighborhood, and the adoption of the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year Budget for the Turlock Redevelopment Agency, including funding for the Carnegie Arts Center reconstruction.

The potential investigation of Jackson comes at the request of Vice Mayor Ted Howze, who was disappointed with Mayor John Lazar’s own, independent investigation. Lazar found there to be “no legitimacy to the contention that (Jackson) leaked information as to the identity of the candidates for city manager.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

A confidential memo sent from Mayor John Lazar to City Attorney Phaedra Norton confirms that Councilwoman Mary Jackson has been investigated - and cleared - for alleged misconduct related to the leak of Roy Wasden’s candidacy for city manager.

The Journal requested and obtained a copy of the memo from City Clerk Rhonda Greenlee on Tuesday morning. Knowledge of the memo arose as a result of the council’s June 9 agenda item concerning the confidentiality of matters discussed in closed session meetings, which referenced Jackson’s alleged wrongdoings without using specifics or the councilwoman’s name.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

A dead American crow, found in Modesto, has tested positive for the mosquito-borne West Nile virus.

According to the East Side Mosquito Abatement District, which manages mosquito control for Stanislaus County communities north of the Tuolumne River, this is the county’s first confirmed case of West Nile virus this year.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock Irrigation District customers with the sort of outdated heating and cooling systems that make electricity meters spin and budget-conscious homeowners cringe are now eligible for rebates that could make purchasing a new air conditioner a bit more palatable.

A new TID rebate program, announced Tuesday, will offer $500 towards replacing existing residential central air conditioning or heat pump systems with newer, more efficient models. When coupled with a federal tax credit program which offers as much as $1,500, Turlockers could see $2,000 discounted from the approximately $3,000 to $6,000 cost of an ENERGY STAR qualified air conditioner.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE
acantatore@turlockjournal.com

As the clock struck 10:30 p.m. Tuesday evening, the Turlock City Council still had one item left on their agenda, a seemingly innocuous discussion on the confidentiality of matters discussed in closed session meetings.

“I believe that we’ve had a very clear violation of the (Elected Officials) Code of Conduct,” said Vice Mayor Ted Howze. “… If the violation has taken place that we believe has, it very clearly rises to the level of criminal conduct.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

While Turlock City Council unanimously approved the 2009-2010 fiscal year General Fund budget Tuesday evening, further budget revisions could be imminent given an expected $1 million gap between the council’s approved level of reserve spending and the budget as approved.

“There’s not another $1 million to find in this budget,” said Interim City Manager Gary Hampton. “… If we try to resolve the potential million-dollar shortfall, which in all likelihood will occur, I can tell you it’s going to come from more positions.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Those pesky downtown parking tickets may soon become 60 percent more expensive, as the Turlock City Council approved the first draft of a measure to increase the cost of all parking violations, citywide, by $15.

The city is seeking the fine increase in response to a number of statewide initiatives culminating in 2008’s Senate Bill 1407, which assesses $9.50 per violation in fees payable to the state and county. Turlock also hopes to recoup some of the cost of processing each citation, which amounts to $1.65 charged by the city’s contracted processing agency, the City of Inglewood.
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Council considers further budget cuts

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Evening quickly turned into night at the Turlock City Council meeting on Tuesday, where debate over the proposed budget remained civil - yet contentious - as councilmembers elected to cut the positions of the Arts Facilitator and part-time Fleet Maintenance employees, while shuffling dollars between funds to retain one Building and Safety Division employee, who will solely scan documents.

“Look guys, were going to make painful choices tonight,” Vice Mayor Ted Howze said. “There’s no way around it. We’re going to lay good people off and it stinks.” Read the rest of this entry »

BY ALEX CANTATORE

As 1,060 of the best female poker players in the world gathered at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday to kick off the Ladies World Championship - event 17 of the World Series of Poker - six patrons of the Turlock Poker Room were counted among their ranks.

And as the dust settled on the talented field of players Tuesday, one of Turlock’s own, Angel Pedroza, was left standing among the top female No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em players in the world, claiming fourth place overall and taking home $53,940 in prize money.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

An era will come to an end at 7 a.m. Monday when the Turlock Poker Room will forever shutter the doors of its West Main and Locust streets card house, where it has continuously operated since opening on June 1, 2004.

And then, just a second later, a new era will seamlessly begin as the Turlock Poker Room will welcome its first guests to a new, spacious, 2321 W. Main St. location in the Turlock Cinema Center.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a budget that will make deep cuts across the county on Tuesday morning, but thanks to prudent planning only 14 employees will lose their jobs.

“We’re very fortunate to be where we’re at,” said Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson, who related tales of other sheriff’s departments across the state laying off as many 100 deputy sheriffs. “… I can’t even imagine what it would be like to tell the men and women who protect our community, who work for me, that they can’t do that job anymore.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock Planning Commission kept plans moving to construct a new public transportation hub during their Thursday night meeting, voting 6-1 in favor of the $1.75 million development.

Alternate Planning Commissioner Victor Pedroza, who sat on the commission as a result of Chairman Michael Brem’s absence, cast the lone dissenting vote.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlockers who make use of analog broadcast television were granted a four-month reprieve when the transition to digital TV was postponed from Feb. 17 to June 12, but the new cutoff date for analog broadcast television is now just six days away.

“In the months since then (the postponement), we have worked hand in hand with state and local officials, broadcasters, and community groups to educate and assist millions of Americans with the transition,” President Barack Obama said. “The number of households unprepared for digital television has been cut in half.

“Still, some people are not ready,” he continued. “I want to be clear: There will not be another delay.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlockers who want to weigh in on the proposed city budget are advised to pack a snack for Tuesday’s Turlock City Council meeting, as a lengthy agenda will likely result in a marathon meeting.

A presentation on the 2008-2009 Teens in Action Program, four public hearings, and two scheduled matters will all be before the council on Tuesday. The request to adopt the 2009-2010 city budget is currently scheduled as the second to last agenda item.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

California’s farmers could be hard hit by a biological opinion issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service on Thursday, which calls for pumping operations in the Central Valley Project and the California State Water Project to be changed.

Five to ten percent of the available annual water, or 300,000 to 500,000 acre feet per year, could be used to increase the long-term survival of Chinook salmon, steelhead, the North American green sturgeon, and killer whales which rely on Chinook salmon for food.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Just as California enters the most dangerous time of the year for mosquito and West Nile virus outbreaks, mosquito abatement districts around the state are finding their ability to fight the pests hampered by new restrictions on mosquito sprays and reduced funding from the state.

The 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in January that the use of certain pesticides used to kill adult mosquitoes could violate the Clean Water Act, preventing mosquito abatement districts from using the sprays without a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Canal Drive, long known as Turlock’s bumpiest road, is getting a much-needed makeover this year, which should result in a newly paved, easy to drive, east-west thoroughfare.

Work crews from Atlas Tree Surgery in Santa Rosa, got to work on the renovations on Monday by beginning to remove 52 Carob trees from the Canal Drive median between Geer Road and East Main Street. The city expects the tree removal to be completed by the middle of next week.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock Chamber of Commerce garnered statewide recognition earlier this month, as the California Chamber of Commerce bestowed the President’s Circle award on the local chamber.

“We were pretty honored,” said Sharon Silva, Turlock Chamber of Commerce CEO. “There were only 13 chambers in the entire State of California that were recognized.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Americans planning a summer vacation to the Caribbean islands, Bermuda, Canada, or Mexico now might need to make a stop at their local passport office before hitting the road.

New U.S. Department of Homeland Security regulations, which went into effect on Monday, require all American citizens, regardless of age, to have a passport or passport card to gain reentry into the United States from several foreign countries that did not previously require such documentation.
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New city manager to make $202k a year

BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock City Council approved the employment contract for newly appointed City Manager Roy Wasden by a vote of 3-1 with one abstention during a special meeting Wednesday evening.

Councilwoman Mary Jackson cast the lone vote opposing the employment agreement, in keeping with her closed session vote not to hire Wasden on May 12. Councilwoman Amy Bublak, who also serves as a Modesto police officer, abstained from the vote so as to avoid any image of impropriety, as Wasden is currently her superior in his role as Modesto Police Chief.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

As high school draws to a close and students prepare to enter the real world - be it as a college or trade school student, a member of the military, or an eager young entrant to the local workforce - all of this week’s graduates remain at least a little concerned about their future.

Perhaps no one is as concerned about that future, however, as the student graduation speaker, the one person who is asked to perform the impossible task of encapsulating the last and next four years into one succinct speech.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District announced a new program this week, intended to remove antiquated diesel trucks - and the black smoke they belch out - from Valley roads.

A total of more than $15 million dollars is available through the new Voucher Incentive Program, which will purchase and destroy old diesel trucks if owners will replace them with vehicles that meet 2007 emission standards.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Stanislaus County Chief Executive Office has revealed its proposed 2009-2010 fiscal year budget, which will guide the County’s spending until the final budget is adopted in September.

The Board of Supervisors will consider the proposed budget at their 9 a.m., June 9 meeting, which could be continued to June 10 and 11 should public comment require additional time.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s latest budget proposal calls for closing 220 of 279 state parks, including all but one park in Stanislaus County, in an effort to shrink the $24.3 billion budget deficit created by the failure of five propositions in last week’s Statewide Special Election.

Turlock Lake would become the only state park near Turlock, with George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area, Caswell Memorial State Park, Great Valley Grasslands State Park, and McConnell State Recreation Area all due to close. Turlock Lake would only remain open because it is funded through boating gas taxes, rather than through General Fund contributions.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Despite reports and rumors to the contrary, Turlock’s city pools will open as scheduled on June 15.

According to Turlock Municipal Services Director Dan Madden, the Columbia Park, Pitman High, and Turlock High pools were set to open June 15, “from the beginning.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock City Council’s regularly scheduled Tuesday meeting was canceled due to a lack of a quorum, as several councilmembers were out of town for the long weekend. The full council will convene at 7 p.m. tonight, taking up issues of parking tickets, the repayment of HUD funds spent to purchase the former site of the Emergency Cold Weather Homeless Shelter, and the proposed allocation of stimulus funds.

The issue of parking tickets could be the most contentious to Turlockers, as the resolution before the council would lead to a $15 increase in all parking tickets. The Turlock Downtown Property Owners Association has previously sought the abolishment of downtown parking tickets entirely.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8 by a 6-1 vote Tuesday, officially adding a section to the California Constitution reading, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”

The approximately 18,000 same-sex marriages performed while the practice was legal in 2008 will remain in effect.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Mental health provider Turlock Regional Services will lose 4.5 employees, the ability to perform initial mental health assessments, and outpatient drug and alcohol services as a result of a Tuesday evening Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors decision.

The Board unanimously approved the cuts, which came as part of a sweeping Behavioral Health and Recovery Services restructuring initiative that sought to cut $4.5 million from the $64.5 million budget. A total of 52 positions - five of which are filled - will be cut system wide, an improvement from initial projections which called for the elimination of 73 total positions.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

As Turlock City Hall was packed to overcapacity for Tuesday evening’s budget workshop, polling places around Turlock were nearly vacant as voters were asked to decide on six California budget-related propositions in the Statewide Special Election.

That voter apathy could spell troubles for the City of Turlock.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors voted down the proposed Turlock Golf Center by the slimmest of margins on Tuesday evening.

The Taylor Road driving range failed to receive the Board’s blessing by a vote of 3-2. Supervisors Bill O’Brien and Dick Montieth cast votes in favor of the project, while Chairman Jim DeMartini, Supervisor Jeff Grover, and Vito Chiesa, whose district contains Turlock, opposed the development.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Tuesday’s Statewide Special Election brought voters to the polls, but not a lot of them.

One poll worker at the Calvary Baptist Church polling place, a 15-year veteran poll worker, termed the turnout as the “worst (she’d) ever seen.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be doing a little investing in the recovery of Turlock, as the City announced Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has allocated approximately $1.8 million to encourage economic recovery and address foreclosed homes in Turlock.

Two meetings will be held Friday to receive public comments on the proposed programs.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Tim Kerr has filed a claim alleging the City of Turlock owes the former city manager almost $50,000 in unpaid retirement contributions.

The Turlock City Council terminated Kerr’s employment with the city during a regularly scheduled performance review on Jan. 6. Per Kerr’s employment contract with the city, the former city manager received a $181,284.53 lump sum severance package including nine months of salary, benefits, and payment for accrued sick leave and holidays.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The City of Turlock Budget Subcommittee revealed Thursday that a balanced 2009-2010 budget will likely necessitate a reduction in city staff.

To shrink an estimated $5.1 million General Fund deficit, the initial budget proposal calls for the elimination of 23 filled positions and a 10 percent reduction of the non-personnel operating budget. The Building Department would be hit hardest, losing nine employees.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

As the mercury rises in the approach to Memorial Day, so too does the price of gasoline.

According to AAA Northern California, California drivers have seen an 11-cent per gallon increase in the cost of gasoline over the past month. In the greater Modesto area, Gasbuddy.com price tracking shows that the average price of gasoline has raised 12.5 cents per gallon in the same time span.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The proposed Turlock Golf Center - and the farmers who oppose it - will come before the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Taylor Road driving range, located just outside of Turlock proper, was previously approved by a vote of 5-1 during a March 19 County Planning Commission meeting. That decision was appealed by a group of 14 nearby property owners who claim the proposed driving range, which is sited on A-2 agricultural zoned land, is not compatible with the adjacent agricultural uses.
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Theatre awaits FCC ruling on rights to radio frequency

BY ALEX CANTATORE

At 90.7 FM on your radio dial you’re likely to find, well, nothing, at the moment.

But if Rick Nagel and the West Side Theatre have anything to say about it, that narrow frequency could soon be broadcasting across Newman and Gustine, carrying a community-driven radio station that might even be heard as far east as Turlock.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock City Arts Commission held a reception at City Hall on Tuesday evening in honor of its new exhibition, featuring works created by participants in Modesto’s Memorial Medical Center’s Complementary Therapy Program for cancer survivors and their family members.

Called “The Healing Journey,” the exhibition features works of art and poetry displayed side-by-side, representing the wide spectrum of creative efforts involved in the Complementary Therapy Program.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Just like a driver approaching a red light, the City of Turlock’s efforts to install red light cameras at up to 10 intersection approaches have come to a screeching halt.

The Turlock City Council moved Tuesday night to indefinitely table a proposed agreement with Redflex to install red light enforcement cameras. That decision came about after concerns arose regarding the legality of a “cost neutrality clause” in the proposed agreement.
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Turlocker helps foster children navigate complicated court system

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Steve Ashman is, by any definition of the word, a multi-talented individual.

As the founder and bassist for the ZaSu Pitts Memorial Orchestra of San Francisco - winner of a Bammy Award for Best Independent Album of 1985 - Ashman has played with such musical legends as Barry “The Fish” Melton of Country Joe and The Fish, The Roy Blumenfeld of Blues Project, members of the Grateful Dead, Stan Getz, and Albert Collins.
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Also free dumping day

BY ALEX CANTATORE

The City of Turlock is hosting a day of fun at Crane Park this Saturday, with art, adventure, and music for all to enjoy.

“This Saturday is a busy weekend for the citizens of Turlock,” said Municipal Services Director Dan Madden. “There are a number of events going on to their benefit.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

In their efforts to provide quality behavioral health care in the wake of declining budgets, the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency will now provide a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at each of their primary care clinics, starting no later than the first week of June.

“This is not psychiatry under a different roof,” said Dr. Del Morris, medical director for HSA. “It is prevention and management in a primary care setting.”
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One employee to be fired, more cuts could be in store

BY ALEX CANTATORE

While the Stanislaus County budget increased more than $1.5 million in the third quarter, better than expected revenues will only cover about half of those expenditures.

The majority of unanticipated expenses came from the Public Defender and District Attorney’s offices. Indigent defense costs rose sharply, as did retirement and termination cash outs.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

A mildly contentious proposed commercial center at 1400 West Main St. won the approval of the Planning Commission on Thursday evening.

The plan calls for the renovation of two warehouse buildings into a wedding hall, an entertainment and events center, an ice cream warehouse and parlor, and other retail space. The development is expected to cater to the Hispanic community.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Hilmar’s Lander Avenue has long been bogged down by the heavy traffic associated with State Route 165. As drivers make their way from Highway 99 to Interstate 5, crossing through Hilmar, Stevinson, and Los Banos on the way, they make a nuisance for local residents.

That noisy, dangerous traffic could become a thing of the past - but not anytime soon - as $1.4 million in federal funding and five governmental agencies have come together to conduct a study on a future realignment or potential improvements to State Route 165, possibly including a new interchange with Highway 99.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors approved the next step in the controversial West Park project, a proposal to redevelop the former Crows Landing Naval Air Station into an industrial and business park, as a revised Stanislaus County Redevelopment Agency plan was accepted by a vote of 4-1.

District 5 Supervisor and Chairman of the Board Jim DeMartini cast the lone dissenting vote.
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Statewide Special Election day nears

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Vote by mail ballots are already in the hands of thousands of Stanislaus County voters in the process of preparing for the May 19 California Statewide Special Election. Whether filling out ballots early or heading to the polls on election day, California voters will be asked to decide on six propositions already approved by the state legislature in an effort to balance the state’s budget.

These oft-convoluted, complex measures can be difficult to digest in the voting booth, despite their crucial importance to the future of California. The Turlock Journal hopes to help you get a handle on these measures ahead of Election Day with a simple breakdown of each Proposition on the ballot.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Stanislaus County residents who find themselves jobless as a result of the recent economic downturn could soon get a little job search help from the Federal Government, as $8.8 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds will be heading to the Stanislaus County Alliance Worknet, creating employment and offering training for about 1,300 county residents.

The largest benefactor of the stimulus funds will be low-income youth, between the ages of 14 and 24. As many as 942 youth will be employed through the StanislausYouth@Work program, which partners with CareerQuest, Ceres Unified School District, Computer Tutor, Central Valley Opportunity Center, Modesto City Schools, and the City of Patterson to provide paid summer work experience that can prepare the young for future jobs.
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College hit hard by state budget cuts

BY ALEX CANTATORE

State Assemblyman Bill Berryhill (R-Ceres) paid a visit to Turlock’s Community Continuum College on Friday to get an up-close look at the sort of special education programs being hit hardest by the state budget shortfall.

Berryhill toured classrooms offering developmentally disabled adults instruction in subjects such as computing, money and math, and art. In the music classroom, two vision-impaired students performed on the piano for Berryhill, playing songs from Simon and Garfunkel and The Beach Boys.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlockers who would like to take part in the upcoming May 19 Statewide Special Election must register to vote by 4 p.m. Monday.

Six propositions are on the ballot, all of which were adopted by the State legislature in attempts to balance the budget earlier this year but require voter approval. Proposals range from preventing pay raises for elected officials during budget deficit years to increasing the “rainy day” budget stabilization fund and allowing for borrowing on future lottery profits.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock City Council will convene for a special meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday to potentially reprioritize major city projects based on available Redevelopment Agency funding.

The arts community expressed concern in a recent mailing that funding for the reconstruction of the Carnegie Arts Center could be revoked at Tuesday’s meeting. Councilmembers have denied that Carnegie funding is likely to be pulled.
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Homeless turn to parks with shelters closed

BY ALEX CANTATORE

According to this year’s Stanislaus County Housing and Support Services Collaborative homeless census, approximately 1,800 county residents are without a roof over their heads in the midst of this economic downturn - about 170 more than in the last census.

“And that’s only the people that we saw,” said Maris Sturtevant, We Care Program board member.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

At the request of Vice Mayor Ted Howze, the Turlock City Council postponed discussion of the proposed agreement with Redflex to install red light cameras at up to 10 Turlock intersection approaches.

According to Howze, the decision to table the two agenda items addressing the red light cameras came about after questions arose regarding the legality of a “cost neutrality clause” in the proposed agreement.
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Easier path to homeless shelter in the works

BY ALEX CANTATORE

About 20 stakeholders gathered at City Hall on Friday morning to begin the Housing Element Update process, designing a plan that will prepare the City of Turlock to meet housing needs through 2014 -including the needs of the elderly, poor, and homeless.

Among the requirements of the plan, according to new state law SB 2, is the creation or redesignation of a zoning area in Turlock where an emergency shelter can be sited without a discretionary use permit.
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General Plan Update moves forward

BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock of 2030 now has a mission statement, as the Turlock City Council and Planning Commission agreed upon a set of guiding themes and principles for Turlock’s General Plan Update on Thursday evening.

These blueprints for the final General Plan, due at the end of 2010, were drafted as a result of feedback generated during the March 26 community workshop and private meetings with small groups of stakeholders.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

When the Turlock City Council convenes at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening, chief among the agenda items will be a two-part discussion that could result in the installation of red light enforcement cameras at two Turlock intersections.

“…I think this is a very positive step,” said Turlock Police Department Lt. Ron Reid, who introduced the measure. “This is not something we looked at lightly.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

California State University, Stanislaus students could soon have another housing alternative to compete with the tried and true dorms and off-campus apartments.

Charlotte, N.C., based Campus Crest LLC is planning a 504-bed, 192 unit privately owned and operated dormitory called The Grove for 10 acres of land at 900 and 950 West Monte Vista Ave., just south of the CSUS arts buildings.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

For the past year, a group of dedicated bakers at the Turlock Silvercrest Seniors Residence on Lander Avenue have been cooking up a little homemade support for America’s troops overseas.

It all started when Silvercrest resident Edna Gilson made the seemingly innocent decision to send a care package of cookies to her son, who was serving in the U.S. Air Force overseas. Following a rave review - and a request for more cookies - boxes and boxes of freshly baked treats have been making their way across the Atlantic to a total of five servicepeople, all related to Silvercrest residents.
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Water cap raised to 48 inches

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Update: This article initially transposed the words “allotment” and “cap.” The following is the corrected version of the text.

When it rains it pours, especially down irrigation canals. Thanks to a wetter than expected winter, Turlock Irrigation District customers can now look forward to a 48 inch total cap on irrigation water use, a half-foot improvement from the 42 inches available one year ago.

“Every week we’ve had a bit of an improvement in that forecast,” said Jeff Barton, AGM Civil Engineering & Water Operations.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

MERCED - Just about 45 minutes south of Turlock, an oasis of learning is sprouting up around the shores of Lake Yosemite. An isolated plot of land, 15 minutes from Merced proper, is now raising some of the brightest minds of the next generation on the same ground where cattle were raised just eight years ago.

“It really was a field of dreams,” said Larry Salinas, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Governmental Relations at the University of California, Merced.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

While the slowing economy has been felt by all, few have borne the brunt of the recession as local dairymen have. Faced with a 50 percent drop in the value of milk in a year and a similar decline in the worth of dairy cows, dairymen in California have seen $2.6 billion in the equity of their herds disappear in about nine months, according to Western United Dairyman President and owner of Mel-Delin Dairy Ray Souza.

“When you lose that kind of income, the first thing you do is look to see how you can try to save money,” Souza said. “We’ve eliminated everything not essential or put it off to a later date.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

While Turlock Irrigation District lineworkers may be unable to wrestle steer or ride bulls, March 21 was just another day at the rodeo for a few hard working TID employees.

The TID team of four journeyman linemen claimed the title of best lineworkers in America at the Ninth Annual Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo, held in Austin, Texas. The team bested 46 other teams from around the nation for the honor.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

In rural Pakistan, the summer heat can exceed 117 degrees Fahrenheit. In 2007, more than 110 people died in annual heat waves; a 2006 hot spell claimed 80 lives.

Making the heat even more unbearable, remote villages - which rely on subsistence farming - have no easy access to water. In rural areas some Pakistanis make a 12-mile roundtrip every day to the only well in the area.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock lost a local legend on March 26 when Gordon Rasmussen, founder of Monte Vista Chapel, succumbed to long-term illness at age 86.

“He’s part of the history of Turlock, that’s for sure,” said eldest son Jack Rasmussen.

Even before arriving in Turlock Rasmussen lived an extraordinary life during his time on earth, traveling to Japan, Argentina, and Africa.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock played host to the Transmission Agency of Northern California on Thursday evening, as about 40 locals gathered to discuss the future of a mammoth utility project that looks to install more than 600 miles of high-voltage transmission lines across Northern California. Should the project proceed to completion in 2014, the TANC Transmission Project would link the Turlock Irrigation District to renewable energy sources around the state and improve reliability of the power grid.

“It is a proposal right now,” said Patrick Mealoy, of TANC. “It is not a commitment from my agency or our members that we will build this project.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

When more than 200 Turlock Poker Room supporters made a play for support at the Jan. 27 Turlock City Council meeting, Turlock’s poker playing populace weren’t quite sure what the outcome would be. After all, while this group could certainly tell you how to play K-6 suited when you’re on the button, working out a way to convince the City to restart negotiations for a lavish downtown poker room isn’t something these players might have seen in their cards.

Fortunately for Turlock poker fans, the gambit appears to have paid off for the Turlock Poker Room. The show of grassroots support has reopened discussions about a 14,000 square foot poker room at the corner of Main Street and Broadway that was once lost in the shuffle of the planning process for two years.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock Chamber of Commerce CEO Sharon Silva recently returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., where 16 local leaders came together to lobby for the interests of Stanislaus County. Notables such as Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson, Ceres Mayor Anthony Canella, Modesto Mayor Jim Ridenour, and County Supervisors Jeff Grover and Bill O’Brien were among those on the Stanislaus Economic Development and Workforce Alliance sponsored trip of wall-to-wall meetings with federal decision makers.

“I have to tell you, it really was one of the best opportunities I personally have ever experienced,” Silva said.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

With more than two years of predevelopment already under its belt, the Assyrian American Civic Club is moving forward with plans to construct an affordable housing project at 2700 N. Golden State Blvd., just north of the AACC Reception Hall. Between 73 and 105 affordable housing units could be built, offering an inexpensive place for Turlockers to call home.

“The organization felt like it’d be a good opportunity for us to contribute to the community as well as the needs of those who need affordable housing,” said Sam David, AACC Corresponding Secretary. “Right now we’re kind of at the infancy stages, the proposal stages, so we don’t know where the chips are going to fall at the end.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

“Forbes Magazine names Turlock one of the top 10 best cities in America.” “Turlock, the city that grew in and up - not out.” “Turlock draws crowds for West Coast Brewfest.”

If the Turlock community has its way, these could be among the headlines of 2030, based upon the blue sky visions of the future developed at the first community visioning workshop for Turlock’s general plan update held Thursday. About 80 local residents plotted out their dreams of calling Turlock the most sustainable city in the country, ending homelessness with community involvement, and attaining the highest school test scores in California, as the city prepares to grow by 30,000 to 50,000 residents without “becoming another Modesto,” as one attendee said.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

A month after the City of Turlock was forced to temporarily chlorinate its water supply in response to the detection of total coliform bacteria, Municipal Services employees have identified what they believe to be the most likely source of the indicator organism. The casing of one city well is believed to have failed, forcing the well offline until the city can address the potentially hazardous situation.

Turlock was originally required to chlorinate its water for the week following Feb. 27 in response to the detection of total coliform bacteria, an organism that is not typically harmfully to humans. The ubiquitous bacteria, which can be found in dirt and on most household surfaces, is tracked by utilities because the organism’s presence can indicate that more dangerous bacteria might have found their way into the water system.
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COUNCIL BREIFS

The Turlock City Council formally adopted the budget measures proposed in their March 10 special meeting on Tuesday. As had been planned, all city unions agreed to take an effective 5 percent pay cut, a hiring freeze was placed on all unfilled positions - including an emergency services dispatcher, four police officers, and a firefighter- through June 30, 2010, and individual departments made cutbacks including a $250,000 hit to Parks and Recreation which will see reductions in tennis, golf, babysitting, baton, and belly dance classes.

At Councilman Ted Howze’s direction, a few of the specific line items set for reduction will be reviewed, the most prominent of which is the summer aquatics program. The City is now committed to having all of Turlock’s pools open June 1, as opposed to the July 1 date funded in the initial budget revision. Turlock will pursue locating a corporate sponsor to offset some of the pool costs.

Mayor John Lazar and Howze will serve on a subcommittee to assist staff in reviewing the upcoming 2009/2010 budget.

Turlock to spruce up entryways

The Redevelopment Agency approved spending just under $80,000 to draw up schematics for a landscaped Golden State Boulevard median and Monte Vista Avenue interchange. The design of new street signs, embracing the ambiance and character of Turlock, are also a part of this effort.

The plans to beautify Turlock’s entryways began with the January 2003 Beautification Master Plan. The RDA allocated $4 million for such improvements, which will be drafted in this initial step of the beautification effort by Gates and Associates, a San Ramon, Calif., design firm.

CDBG committee members seated

Six members were selected for the Community Development Block Grant Selection Committee, including Aaron Farnon, Ashley Tucker, Abe Rojas, Jeremiah Fair, Christopher L. Scott, Grant Eshoo, and Matt Seadore. Juan Gonzales will serve as the alternate for the ad hoc committee, which reviews grant applications from qualified non-profit organizations providing services to low-income persons in the City of Turlock.

Planning Commission regulations updated

A measure was adopted to formalize the terms of Planning Commission alternate members, who will now be limited to two two-year terms. The tenure of an alternate member was previously unlimited.

Additionally, several Planning Commission business procedures were updated to reflect changes in the agenda process. New sections were added for declarations of conflicts of interest, public participation items, a consent calendar, and other non-public hearing items.

Columbia Park playground swings forward

A contract worth $31,510.92 was approved to construct a new play pit on the south end of Columbia Park, where the city recently purchased and demolished a fire-damaged former residence. Machado & Sons Construction Inc. of Stevinson will install pole-mounted lights, concrete retaining walls, a sidewalk, walkways to High Street and the PAL building, and preparatory piping for a water fountain.

Police dogs to catch bones instead of criminals

Two of Turlock Police’s finest canines - Jaz and Robbie - have reached retirement age. The police dogs have each served more than six years with TPD, and will now enter a life of relaxation under the care of their former handlers, Detective Jason Watson and Corporal Scott Ellis, who purchased the pooches from the City for $1.

New trucks for City employees

The City of Turlock’s automotive fleet will welcome three new half-ton pickup trucks to its ranks, as the council approved spending $58,483.19 to purchase three vehicles from Hansel Ford of Santa Rosa. These new trucks will replace high mileage trucks currently in the City of Turlock fleet, each with more than 150,000 miles on the odometer.

Turlock pursues safe school transit grants

The council approved an application for state Safe Route to School funds to construct a signal at Crowell Elementary on the corner of Hawkeye and Denair roads, sidewalks and wheelchair ramps on pedestrian travel paths, and lighted crosswalks and solar speed advisory signs at Turlock High School, Cunningham Elementary, Osborn Elementary, Crowell Elementary, Brown Elementary, and Dennis Earl Elementary. The city could receive almost $1.5 million in state funds if approved.

Transit hub motors on

Plans to construct a new regional transit hub on the parcel of land surrounded by Golden State Boulevard, Dels Lane, and West Hawkeye Avenue moved forward when the city approved an agreement with Associated Right of Way Services, Inc., to appraise the land. Turlock will spend $11,600 on the appraisal service.

Firefighters to train at local dairy

The Turlock Fire Department will conduct large area search training at the California Dairies Inc. warehouse, thanks to a joint agreement. The cost-neutral activity will improve the safety and skills of firefighters while performing life saving searches and rescues.

-Alex Cantatore

acantatore@turlockjournal.com

Originally published in the Turlock Journal 3/28/2009.
Retrieved from the Turlock Journal Web site.

BY ALEX CANTATORE

There may be no better form of escapism than curling up with a good book, but in these tough economic times many local residents are finding it difficult to scrape up the cash to purchase reading materials. At times like these, more than ever, the Turlock Public Library plays an important role in residents’ literacy, but declining sales tax revenue could make access more difficult than ever before.

“Times are increasingly tough and everyone is facing economic challenges,” said County Librarian Vanessa Czopek. “The library is a necessary and popular place for citizens for both education and entertainment.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The federal government may just be starting to dole out the dollars allocated in the Feb. 17 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but Turlock has already penciled in this year’s stimulus checks. The city is guaranteed at least $4.9 million in formula-driven AARA grants to benefit such areas as street improvements, public safety, and economic development, while as much as $328 million more in competitive grants could find its way into Turlock’s coffers.

The city is participating in the regional effort spearheaded by the California Partnership for the San Joaquin in hopes of grabbing those competitive grants, as well as applying individually.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The much anticipated Turlock Golf Center-a 30-person driving range and pro-shop planned for Taylor Road, just east of Golden State Boulevard- received approval from the Stanislaus County Planning Commission on Thursday evening. The Golf Center, which could open as soon as August according to owner Fred Adams, will offer a convenient place for north Turlock golfers to practice their swing without driving to the Turlock Golf and Country Club.

“I want to give something nice to Turlock,” Adams said.
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Tax credits drive homebuyers

BY ALEX CANTATORE

For would-be first-time homeowners there’s no time like the present to take that leap into the land of real estate, according to state and federal lawmakers. New buyers can find themselves eligible for as much as $18,000 in tax credits and save thousands more in sales tax if they act before the pending April 1 sales tax increase.

“It (the new tax credits) has raised some interest,” said Jon Burgess with Fitzpatrick Homes, developers of the Milestone and Summerfield communities near Berkeley Avenue and Christoffersen Parkway. “The State tax credit is only for new homes, and there aren’t a lot of new homes out there.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Contrary the Rolling Stones’ belief, wild horses can drag people away-at least if we’re talking about the wild horses up for adoption at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds today. Representatives from the Bureau of Land Management are in Turlock this weekend with 40 wild horses and 10 wild burros, up for adoption for as little as $125.

The BLM gathers the mustangs and burros from herds that number about 33,000 animals in 199 herd management areas spread across 10 western states. In order to ensure that herds don’t exceed the numbers that their rangelands can support, some excess animals are brought into the care of the BLM at major facilities in Kansas and Oklahoma, and locally at a satellite office in Susanville, Calif.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock City Council has a relatively light agenda for its 7 p.m. Tuesday meeting, highlighted by a staff report on federal stimulus funds, an application for those funds to help pay for two water projects, and the awarding of a contract for landscape design plans to beautify Turlock’s entryways.

That last item, which the council will review as the Redevelopment Agency, could be the most interesting to local residents. Just under $80,000 in RDA funds could go towards the effort begun with the January 2003 Beautification Master Plan as the first step in spending approximately $4 million on Turlock entryway improvements.

Should the Redevelopment Agency approve the plan, Gates and Associates, a San Ramon design firm, will begin to draw up schematics for a landscaped Golden State Boulevard median and Monte Vista Avenue interchange. Additionally, new street signs, embracing the ambiance and character of Turlock, could go up around town.

The staff report on President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 identifies $4.9 million in grants that the City of Turlock is eligible for, including $1.2 million in street improvements and $1.7 million for a proposed transit fund.

Additionally, $327.6 million in further economic stimulus eligible projects in Turlock are identified, the lion’s share of which-or $197.5 million-would go towards the Turlock Irrigation District Surface Water Treatment Plant. Other identified AARA eligible projects include a $6 million improvement of the Fulkerth Road and Highway 99 interchange, as well as $18.4 million to improve three canal crossings in the Westside Industrial Specific Plan area.

The City of Turlock already plans on applying for AARA funds for two shovel-ready projects, the Harding Drain Bypass and an upgrade and expansion of the city’s Regional Water Quality Control Facility, which the council will review on Tuesday.

Turlock could request $20 million for the $25 million Harding Drain Bypass, which would construct a new pipeline to convey treated wastewater directly to the San Joaquin River, and $24 million for the $30 million RWQCF improvement, which would enhance the treatment of organics, solids, and replace the facility’s headworks pollution reducing equipment.

The Turlock City Council meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Yosemite Room of Turlock City Hall, 156 S. Broadway.

To contact Alex Cantatore, e-mail acantatore@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2005.

Originally published in the Turlock Journal 3/20/2009.
Retrieved from the Turlock Journal Web site.

BY ALEX CANTATORE

In a Catholic family’s home, such as Monica Sliva’s, religious icons are almost omnipresent. Statues of the Virgin Mary sit in the back yard, crosses reside above each doorway, and framed photos of saints and popes festoon the hallways as constant reminders of faith and the power of God.

Somewhat amazingly, though, amongst the heaps of Catholic memorabilia the Sliva home did not contain a single image of Mother Teresa, the beatified Nobel Peace Prize winning Roman Catholic nun who ministered to the poor, sick, and dying in India and across the world before her 1997 death. Until this week, that is.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Central Valley towns often get the short end of the stick when it comes to state funding, but a coalition of community leaders throughout the region are meeting to ensure that the San Joaquin Valley sees a fair share of the $787 billion available in federal stimulus funds.

The California Partnership for the San Joaquin has met weekly throughout the month of March to draft a Regional Economic Recovery Work Plan to submit to the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency in hopes of grabbing as much of the $44 billion in stimulus money available to the state-enough to fund 800,000 new jobs-as possible.
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Allocation could be larger than expected

BY ALEX CANTATORE

In the past few days, farmers around the Turlock Irrigation District service area have been inundating the Water Distribution Department with pleas for the start of irrigation season. After all, without rain those crops need some water to keep growing.

Fortunately for farmers, as much as one inch of rain is forecasted in the coming week. Even if that rain does not come, however, farmers will be set to begin with growing season this week as the TID Board of Directors moved to officially begin the 2009 irrigation season on Friday.
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Railroad construction delays continue

Employees from Teichart Construction were working on the railroad all the live long day Wednesday, paving the long-closed 20-foot stretch of Tuolumne Road just West of Golden State Boulevard. Work had been stalled for months because the Union Pacific Railroad owns the land immediately surrounding the tracks and does not allow work to be done on their property without a UPRR representative present.

With paving now completed, the City must yet install traffic detector loops, striping, and coordinate with the railroad to turn on the new signal. The work is not expected to take much longer, but the UPRR representative will need to return to the site before more work can commence. No date is planned for the representative’s return.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

With 120 days to bridge a $5 million budget gap, the Turlock City Council found themselves needing to cut quickly and cut heavily.

Interim City Manager Gary Hampton introduced his plan to reduce that shortfall with more than $1.7 million in cuts for the City Council’s approval on Tuesday night, but the emergency cuts will have detrimental effects on some local programs should the mid-year budget be enacted.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s plans to tighten regulations on farmers who raise chicken, sheep, goats, swine, horses, and cows are moo-ving along, as the Fresno District office held the first scoping meeting to discuss new confined animal facility rules Tuesday morning. About 10 area ranchers were in attendance for the meeting’s video teleconference at the Modesto District office, which marked the first chance for public feedback in a complicated rulemaking process that should wrap up in the first quarter of 2010.

Information gathered through public participation in scoping meetings will be used to devise a preliminary version of the new rule, intended to reduce ozone levels by requiring more farms to comply with tougher regulations. Ozone levels in the Valley currently exceed the eight-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards set by the federal government to protect public health and welfare.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The City of Turlock may have planned ahead for the weak economy, putting away almost $20 million in reserves, but with a projected $5 million deficit for the 2008-2009 fiscal year city staff has been scrambling to reduce the shortfall.

At a special meeting of the Turlock City Council scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, Interim City Manager Gary Hampton will present a plan that looks to eliminate that deficit with a combination of cuts and reserve spending.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock teen Aaron Jasso, a Turlock High graduate, was sitting at his computer one day browsing MySpace - as those under 30 are wont to do - when a bulletin came in about an event called Earth Hour, sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund. The request seemed deceptively simple: turn out your non-essential lights from 8:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. on March 28 to save energy and send a global message on climate change.

Unlike most people, Jasso did not simply skim the bulletin, click delete, and move on with his life. Jasso visited the Earth Hour Web site, earthhour.org, and signed himself up immediately.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

If your Turlock tap water has been giving you flashbacks of swim practice for the last week, you’ll be glad to hear that the City of Turlock ceased chlorination of the City’s water supply on Thursday. The last vestiges of that chlorine smell and taste should wear off sometime over the weekend, according to the City, as fresh water works its way through the pipes.

Turlock began chlorinating its water on Feb. 27 in response to the detection of total coliform bacteria, an organism that is not typically harmfully to humans. The ubiquitous bacteria, which can be found in dirt and on most household surfaces, is tracked by utilities because the organism’s presence can indicate that more dangerous bacteria might have found their way into the water system.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Just ten days before the State of California announced that a whopping 10.1 percent of its residents are now jobless-the largest such percentage of unemployed Californians since June of 1983-the Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors approved $492,348 in merit-based salary raises for about 130 managerial, supervisory, professional and confidential employees.

Those permanent salary increases, given out for outstanding job performance, were awarded less than two months after a 15 percent electric rate hike intended to stymie a $57 million TID budget shortfall.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Interim City Manager Gary Hampton stepped into his new role as Turlock’s captain on Jan. 15 and immediately found himself at the helm of a city as much as $5 million behind on budget projections. It appears the ship is beginning to be righted, however, as all of Turlock’s employee unions agreed late last week to accept an effective 5 percent pay cut to keep the City afloat.

“There was no opportunity to provide alternatives,” said Anthony Orosco, Turlock City Employees Association President, of the rush to approve the pay cut last week. “This was his (Hampton’s) quick fix to get us to the end of this fiscal year.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Last week three Turlock Irrigation District Directors made the long trip north to Klikitat County, Wash. to see first-hand the future of Turlock’s electrical supply. Ten new wind turbines have begun to rise from the ground amid the wind-swept, snow-blown mountains of inland Washington-almost 700 miles away from sunny Turlock-in one of the most productive wind resource areas of the Western United States.

“I was really kind of anxious to see that project before we voted on it,” said Phillip Short, Division 1 Director. “I was glad I got to go now; I was glad I got to see it.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

While the aroma that wafts from local farms has long been of concern to the noses of some city folk, the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District is now concerned about the vapors leaving local farms as well. Local dairies, meat, and egg producers may be facing increased costs in these tough economic times, as the District looks to cut nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compound emissions from local confined animal facilities through a set of stringent proposed rules.

“If they ratchet up the regulations that means additional costs and additional compliance issues,” said Paul Souza, Western United Dairymen Environmental Specialist.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock City Council continued with their plans to sell the city-owned warehouse at 400 B St. on Tuesday evening, as they approved a $4,700 re-appraisal of the structure. Associated Right of Way Services, Inc., a Pleasant Hill, Calif. based firm, will conduct the reappraisal of the building that once housed Turlock’s Emergency Cold Weather Homeless Shelter.

Cogdill and Giome previously appraised the 400 B St. building at a value of $300,000 in the fall of 2008. Members of the council, including Ted Howze, objected to the appraised value when no one bid on the warehouse at the appraised price or at a discounted $150,000 price tag.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock may have been swamped by rainy weather last weekend, but it has not been enough to save the state from its third consecutive year of drought. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a State of Emergency on Friday due to the water crisis, and Federal authorities have acted swiftly to help the thirsty state in forming a Drought Action Team.

“Despite the recent rain and snow, the three year cumulative water deficit is so large there is only a 15 percent chance that California will replenish its water supply this year,” reads Schwarzenegger’s proclamation.
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onsumers not endangered, says City

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Don’t be surprised if your drinking water smells a bit more like a swimming pool than you are used to, says the City of Turlock.

Municipal Services began chlorinating Turlock’s water supply on Friday in response to total coliform bacteria found in some parts of the water system during routine monthly monitoring.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

It’s been a long ride for backers of a Turlock BMX Bike Park, but after two years of bumpy trails the much-maligned project has finally found the approval of the Turlock City Council. Local BMX riders were flipping inside City Hall-without the aid of their bikes- at the news that a football field size parcel on the corner of Paseo De Leon and Panorama Avenue will be filled with dirt berms for enthusiasts to jump.

“This is very well deserved for us,” said Matt Nascimento, who has been involved with the bike park project for two years and just opened Bike Works on Center Street.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

On Jan. 14, 2008, the Turlock Gospel Mission opened their doors to the homeless public for the first time with the simple mission of providing the good word and a good meal to those in need. Just one year later, TGM and their 15 host churches have served more than 8,500 meals to 355 different guests-almost one person for each day of the year-but at times it’s been difficult for the fledgling organization just to keep the doors open.

“We’re still very, very young,” said Chris Kiriakou, TGM Board president, “but we’ve gained a lot of knowledge, and I think we’ve accomplished a lot in a short period of time.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

According to projections drafted by Dyett & Bhatia Urban and Regional Planners, the 70,000 strong City of Turlock could balloon in size by 30,000 to 50,000 additional residents over the next 15 to 20 years. All those new Turlockers will need a place to live-and to work, should Turlock maintain its balanced jobs to employees ratio-and for that reason the City of Turlock has begun a two and a half year long project to update the city’s General Plan and Housing Element, which is set to expire in 2012.

The Turlock City Council and Planning Commission held a joint meeting on Thursday to discuss the General Plan Update process, still in its early stages, and work out a vision for the Turlock of 2030. Fortunately for planners, the Turlock of 2009 presents an exceptional foundation to build on, according to Leslie Gould, principal with Dyett & Bhatia.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

While it could have been an affair to remember, Turlock City Councilwoman Amy Bublak’s controversial fundraiser, Amy’s Affair, has been postponed in the face of Turlock’s budget crisis.

Experts such as Jessica Levinson, Political Reform Director with the Center for Governmental Studies, had criticized the reception and dinner, scheduled for Friday, as creating an appearance of impropriety by offering donors of between $2,000 and $5,000 “special benefits throughout the year.”
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Homeless grant’s whereabouts questioned by local insuranceman

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Last weekend, during the pouring rain, Turlock insuranceman Grant Davis’ son ran across an old friend in a convenience store. Ragged and drenched, the old friend was now homeless, the victim of problems at home-not drug addiction.

Instead of a house, apartment, car, or even cardboard box, the place this man now called home was, quite literally, a hole in the ground he’d found in a local field, now flooded with the rain.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The torrential downpours over the past week have been a boon to the local water supply, but a relatively dry December and January have left the region in need of more strong storms throughout March. The TID water level is currently below even last year’s lows, which resulted in reduced irrigation allotments to farmers.

“It’s not great by any means,” said Rob Santos, Turlock Irrigation District Director. “Last year we had 21 inches in our watershed on Feb. 14. This year we had about 19 inches. It looks like it’s as it was last year, or worse.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The days of broken down shopping carts littering the streets of Turlock may soon be in the city’s past, as a new Turlock Municipal Code ordinance has made it a crime to remove a cart from the premises or parking area of a business establishment. The law took effect earlier this year, but the Turlock Police Department Neighborhood Services is just starting to hand out the first citations to offenders.

“We’re trying to get information out so people know this is the law now,” said Robert Boyd, Neighborhood Services Supervisor with the Turlock Police. “We’re trying to use as much discretion as we can, but people we see with carts two or three times, we’re going to give tickets to.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock’s Carnegie Arts Center is still on track, according to the Turlock City Arts Commission, as plans for the building’s reconstruction have just been submitted to the Turlock Building Department for review. The TCAC expects the plan to be approved and permitted by the end of March.

After approval, a six to eight week bidding process will be conducted to find a contractor. Construction could begin as soon as June, should funding still be available in the wake of Turlock’s budget crunch.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

About 35 Turlock girls certainly had something to cheer about earlier this week, as the Turlock Youth Cheer Varsity Competition Team finished first in the JAMZ National Cheer and Dance event in Las Vegas. The national championship was the culmination of the 2008-2009 season, which saw TYC’s 19 varsity competitors, ages 11 to 13, claim the title of regional champions as well.

“I’ve personally been on the cheer and dance program for about 10 years now and we’ve gone to nationals every year,” said Lorrie Smith, advisor for competition and president of TYC. “It’s been common for us to take second, but to take first not only once but twice is amazing.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

No, there was no odd looking Japanese guy passionately biting into a bell pepper. There were no commentators screaming “Fuji-san” every five seconds. There weren’t even any ditzy female celebrities complaining about the odd ingredients.

But, make no mistake, the second annual Pitman High School Iron Chef competition, sponsored by Pitman club FHA-HERO, featured all the drama and high-stakes cookery that made the original Food Network show a media darling. The only difference was that, instead of legendary chefs gathering in Kitchen Stadium, the competitors were average high school students meeting in a cooking classroom.
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Jackson gets second opinion on conflict of interest

BY ALEX CANTATORE

After Turlock City Councilwoman Mary Jackson was informed that a Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury was investigating her involvement in a possible common law conflict of interest, she decided it was time to get a second legal opinion. According to an eight page Feb. 10 memo produced by the Sacramento Law Offices of Olson Hagel & Fishburn, Jackson was not required to disqualify herself from Dec. 9, 2008, and Jan. 13 appeal hearings of the Vintage Lounge conditional use permit.

This legal opinion directly contradicts that of City Attorney Phaedra Norton, who in a Dec. 3, 2008, memo advised Jackson to recuse herself from the Dec. 9, 2008, hearing as she, “may have a potential common law conflict (of interest) given the relationship you (Jackson) share with Mr. (Axel) Gomez.” Gomez was the attorney of record for the Vintage Lounge until just days before the Dec. 9 appeal hearing, and also served as either Jackson’s campaign manager or a member of Jackson’s campaign committee, according to differing sources.
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Local tween asks for animal shelter donations in lieu of presents

BY ALEX CANTATORE

When Brooklyn Lowery celebrates her 12th birthday on Feb. 17, it’s almost certain that her party is going to the dogs. To be fair, it’s probably going to the cats, too.

Instead of asking for a normal tweenager’s birthday dreams-compact discs, clothes, jewelry and trinkets-Brooklyn decided to ask her family and friends to bring food, toys, and treats that can be donated to the Turlock Animal Shelter.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

California State University, Stanislaus, is well known for standout programs in arts, education, and natural sciences alike, but recently the college has put an emphasis on the business knowledge and skilled workforce that could be of great interest to the City of Turlock in these harsh economic times.

At the direction of President Hamid Shirvani, CSUS has established the Turlock Business Council to offer its help in promoting economic development and a healthy business climate in the city.
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City employees could face pay cuts

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Interim City Manager Gary Hampton revealed that the City of Turlock is not immune to these harsh economic times at a special meeting of the Turlock City Council Tuesday night, as the city faces at least a $4 million General Fund budget deficit for the 2008-2009 fiscal year. According to at least one projection bandied about, developed by Councilman Ted Howze, Turlock could be as much as $5.28 million behind estimates, and to make ends meet employees could face paycuts.

“Even if we were to eliminate every non-public safety position currently funded through the General Fund today, it still would not close the budget deficit we are facing,” Hampton said.
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Howze filled out appeal for constituent, claims no wrongdoing

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Two formerly confidential City of Turlock memos were released to the public on Wednesday, bringing more information to light about embattled City Councilwoman Mary Jackson’s potential common law conflict of interest and the leak of that conflict of interest to the media.

The memos, dated Dec. 3, 2008 and Jan. 8, were unsealed on Wednesday morning as a result of a Tuesday City Council decision to allow City Attorney Phaedra Norton to testify about the memos’ contents in a confidential Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury hearing this week, believed to be an investigation into Jackson’s conflict of interest.
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Local woman makes floral dreams reality with new shop

BY ALEX CANTATORE

While opening a new business may not seem the best of ideas to some in this economic climate, one new local business owner thinks that it’s just the right time to be sowing seeds of industry. The owners of Casa de Flores, a new florist at 1940 East Ave., are hoping that everything comes up roses for their new business venture.

“The way I see it, I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” said Yadi Martinez, co-owner of Casa de Flores.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The California Department of Motor Vehicles is the most public victim of the state’s budget crunch, as the DMV announced on Thursday that it will join nearly all state offices in closing its doors on the first and third Friday of each month as a cost saving measure. Traditionally, DMV offices have been open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Wednesdays as the sole exception to that schedule with a 9 a.m. opening time.

The revised office schedule went into effect on Friday, shuttering the DMV offices in Turlock and across the state. Offices will again be closed on Feb. 20, March 6, March 20, and for each first and third Friday in the foreseeable future.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

On Wednesday the federal government granted a reprieve to Turlockers who still rely upon analog broadcast television signals and have yet to purchase a digital to analog converter box. The DTV Delay Act, passed by the House and the Senate and now awaiting President Barack Obama’s signature, will postpone the shut-off date for analog broadcasts from Feb. 17 to June 12.

“The DTV Delay Act is good for the American people,” said Acting National Telecommunications and Information Administration Administrator Anna Gomez. “It acknowledges the need for more time so we can give the American consumers the assistance they need to acquire coupons and the importance of giving the public safety community access to additional spectrum to improve communications.”
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Conflict of interest case to be heard before Grand Jury

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Newly seated Councilwoman Mary Jackson’s tenure with Turlock’s governing board could be short lived. A pending Grand Jury investigation alleges that Jackson did willfully violate common law conflict of interest laws by failing to recuse herself from the Dec. 9, 2008, and Jan. 13 Turlock City Council appeal hearings for the Vintage Lounge piano bar conditional use permit.

The Turlock City Council unanimously agreed to unseal two confidential memos penned by City Attorney Phaedra Norton regarding Jackson’s potential conflict of interest during a special meeting held Tuesday evening, clearing the way for Norton to testify later before the Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury this week. Had the council not approved releasing the memos, Norton could have claimed attorney-client privilege and declined to testify about the content of the memos.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock City Councilwoman Amy Bublak has come under fire for questionable ethics following the release of a fundraiser invitation last week. According to the invitation for the Feb. 20 reception and dinner, known as “Amy’s Affair,” those who spend $2,000 to $5,000 to reserve a table are promised, “Membership in Amy’s Inner Circle Club with special benefits throughout the year.”

“My first question is what does the Inner Circle mean, and what are special benefits?” asked Jessica Levinson, Political Reform Director with the Center for Governmental Studies. “If that means more access to the City Councilwoman and more sway over her decisions, then that’s certainly something that raises issues.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The scenic neighborhoods of Turlock have long dealt with threats of gangs, traffic, and hordes of roving teenagers, but now the City may face its greatest threat yet: the blight of shipping containers. According to City staff, what began as a small problem with homeowners and businesses using cargo containers as sheds has grown into a near-epidemic of unpermitted containers littering parking lots and backyards.

The City of Turlock mailed 15 letters to local property owners in January informing them that the cargo containers on their property may be in violation of city ordinances. While unpermitted containers are allowed for construction purposes, the containers must be removed from the building site as soon as construction is complete.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock Mayor John Lazar presented the Try Turlock First campaign with a proclamation from the city at the Tuesday night City Council meeting.

Try Turlock First is a grassroots promotional campaign intended to encourage Turlockers to shop within the city rather than shopping online or traveling to other cities. Lazar’s proclamation recognized the myriad benefits received by the city when shopping locally, including increased tax revenue for local services.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Stanislaus County Housing and Support Services Collaborative conducted its third biannual homeless census on Thursday in hopes of pinning down a firm count of people who call the streets of Stanislaus County home. About 1,630 people were tallied as homeless in each of the past two censuses.

More than 90 volunteers surveyed 25 different sites throughout the county where homeless are known to congregate, receive services, or sleep. In Turlock, census takers were stationed in Central Park, Columbia Park, Broadway Park, and the Turlock Homeless Service Center.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock City Councilwoman Mary Jackson is stepping up the search for those who slandered her during this year’s election campaign. Jackson has filed suit with the Civil Superior Court of Stanislaus County against as many as 100 unknown persons who were responsible for robocalls that defamed her in October and November of 2008.

“Prior to the 2008 election, various citizens of the City of Turlock received automated telephone calls, sometimes referred to as ‘robocalls,’ which purported to be from Mary Jackson but were not,” reads the court document, prepared by Jackson’s attorney Dan Farrar. “The robocalls conveyed information which was inaccurate and maliciously represented Ms. Jackson’s position on various issues.”
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Shelter dreamer still hopes for homeless home

BY ALEX CANTATORE

When the Turlock City Council dismissed Turlock insuranceman Grant Davis’ impassioned plea to open a new homeless shelter at 400 B St. without so much as a comment on Jan. 13, Davis was understandably upset.

“I didn’t take it in stride; it took me a week to get over it,” Davis said. “The next day I was depressed, discouraged, and frustrated. I’m a normal person.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The 2009 State of the County address, delivered yesterday morning in the County-City Chambers of 1010 10th St., Modesto, offered a vision of the future of Stanislaus County that projected guarded optimism despite forecasts of several extremely hard years ahead of the County.

The speech, delivered for the first time by newly appointed Chairman of the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors Jim DeMartini, ran for about 15 minutes and covered a gamut of state, local, and national issues that look to affect the County in the coming years.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Further details regarding the firing of City Manager Tim Kerr were released by the City of Turlock on Tuesday.

During Kerr’s regularly scheduled, closed-session performance review at the Jan. 13 Turlock City Council meeting, Vice Mayor Ted Howze made the motion to terminate Kerr’s contract with the City. Councilman Kurt Spycher seconded that motion.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

More than 200 employees, patrons, and supporters of the Turlock Poker Room were all-in the Yosemite Room at Turlock City Hall Tuesday evening, brandishing signs that read, “Pai Gow Players Vote,” “Please deal the Poker Room in,” and “The city is not improving because the Council is not moving.”

The demonstration was part of a plan dealt out by Turlock Poker Room co-owner Joe Fernandez to ask the City Council why his plans for a lavish Main Street poker room had been lost in the shuffle of the planning process for the past two years.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Local governments are sitting up and taking notice of the work first-term California Assemblyman Tom Berryhill (R-Modesto) has been doing in Sacramento over the past two years.

The League of California Cities announced Wednesday that they will be honoring Berryhill for his support of local government during the 2008 legislative session, with special recognition being given to Berryhill’s AB 844, a measure intended to reduce metal theft.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The League of California Cities delivered a report to the Turlock City Council last week that projects little good news for the city in the wake of California’s budget crisis.

“With the veto of the Democratic proposal by the Governor, the League is more concerned than ever that the state will attempt to take local funds,” said Stephen Qualls, Regional Manager for the League.

Last year, as an emergency, one-time measure, the state took $350 million in redevelopment funds from local governments. Turlock’s Redevelopment Agency alone missed out on $700,000 in promised state funds.
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• March 2008: A pre-development meeting with Vintage Lounge developer Dan Gray found that a liquor license would not be granted for a new bar in the oversaturated downtown area of Turlock. The only option would be a restaurant liquor license.

• May 13, 2008: The Public Convenience and Necessity Committee was created by Council resolution. This new committee, comprised of the Chief of Police, Director of Development Services, and the assistant to the City Manager for Economic Development, took over the authority to grant liquor licenses, a power previously held by the Police Chief alone. Appeals of PCN decisions were to be directed to then-City Manager Tim Kerr, who held the sole authority to overturn PCN decisions.

• June 18, 2008: Gray signed a lease agreement with Louise Tamey for the space on 110 W. Main Street where the Vintage Lounge currently resides.

• July 14, 2008: The City of Turlock received the application for the Vintage Lounge, which asked to transfer an existing Type 47 restaurant liquor license from Newman to Turlock.

• July-September 2008: The PCN committee could not meet to discuss the Vintage Lounge due to a hang-up with processing Gray’s fingerprints.

• Sept.. 2, 2008: The PCN agreed to meet without fingerprints. Turlock Police Sergeant Steve Williams informed Axel Gomez, attorney of record for Gray, that a Type 47 license would not be transferable unless the Vintage Lounge operated as a full restaurant. Gomez agreed to change the request to a Type 42, Beer and Wine only bar license.

• Sept.. 8, 2008: The PCN committee found that a Type 42 license would serve a public convenience or necessity.

• Sept.. 17, 2008: The Vintage Lounge applied for a Conditional Use Permit.

• Oct. 1, 2008: Chief Gary Hampton agreed to authorize the Type 42 license without the fingerprints, due to the FBI’s delay in processing.

• Oct. 6, 2008: Gomez was notified that the Type 42 license was approved. Gomez stated that the Vintage Lounge was pursuing a Type 48, or full liquor license, not the Type 42 Beer and Wine only license.

• Oct. 10, 2008: The PCN reconvened to determine that a Type 42 license would meet a public convenience or necessity, but a Type 48 license would not. Gomez was notified, and stated he would appeal this decision.

• Oct. 21, 2008: The Vintage Lounge’s appeal of the PCN decision was filed.

• Nov. 5, 2008: Kerr notified Williams and Gomez that the Type 48 license would be granted, based on the fact that only one other Type 48 was currently operating in the City of Turlock.

• Nov. 6, 2008: Williams called Gomez to discuss the conditions of operation that would be required for the Vintage Lounge. The conditions could not be presented to Gomez earlier, due to the fact that conditions would differ depending whether the Vintage was a Type 42 or Type 48 establishment.

That night, the Planning Commission convened and approved the Vintage Lounge, with changes to the conditions presented by the police. The bar was allowed to remain open until 1:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, mainly because of the late notice given to Gomez of the pertinent conditions.

• Nov. 14, 2008: Concerned Turlocker Mike McGee submitted an appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision to the City Council, based on his belief that there were too many bars downtown already.

• Dec. 2, 2008: The Public Convenience and Necessity process was revised to direct appeals to the council, rather than the City Manager. Applicants were also allowed to make presentations in person instead of being forced to supply written arguments.

• Dec. 3, 2008: A memo was sent from City Attorney Phaedra Norton to Councilmember Mary Jackson advising her that she had a potential common law conflict of interest with hearing the Vintage Lounge case, as Gomez was her campaign manager. Jackson was advised to disqualify herself from the discussion.

• Dec. 9, 2008: The City Council held a Public Hearing to consider the appeal, where Gray was represented by a new attorney, Jonathan Carlson. Mayor John Lazar recused himself as he represents the building’s owner through his real estate firm. The hearing was continued to January due to new evidence brought up by Hampton.

• Dec. 16, 2008: Carlson and Gray met with police staff to argue for the extended hours of operation, as approved by the Planning Commission. The police explained their desire to not set a precedent for longer hours of operation by granting the Vintage Lounge an exception to standard conditions.

• Jan. 13, 2009: The City Council reconvened to approve the Vintage Lounge, but with the requirement that the establishment close each night at 12 midnight. Jackson was the only Councilmember who voted against this motion. Kerr’s employment with the City was terminated by the Council for unspecified reasons.

• Jan. 14, 2009: The Vintage Lounge opened to the public.

Originally published in the Turlock Journal 1/23/2009.
Retrieved from the Turlock Journal Web site.

BY ALEX CANTATORE

While the Vintage Lounge opened its doors to the public last week, some Turlock City Councilmembers are still scratching their heads over how the new upscale piano bar obtained its liquor license.

“I do have questions-and less of a question than it is a burning issue that still rests with me-over the granting of that license,” said Councilman Ted Howze at the Jan. 13 council meeting. “I still have a hard time swallowing how we got to a Type 48 liquor license being handed out in a census tract that is already considered oversaturated by the state when it was in essence turned down by our Public Convenience and Necessity Committee.”
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Jackson denies conflict of interest in piano bar vote

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Newly seated Councilmember Mary Jackson has started her first term-and indeed her very first meeting-with a course of action that could be considered unethical and quite possibly illegal.

Axel Gomez, a key component of Mary Jackson’s campaign team who some say served as her campaign manager, was the attorney of record for the controversial Vintage Lounge piano bar until just weeks prior to Dec. 8, 2008, when the issue came before the City Council. According to a Dec. 3, memo obtained by the Journal, Jackson was advised by City Attorney Phaedra Norton to step down from hearing an appeal of the Vintage Lounge’s Conditional Use Permit due to a potential conflict of interest.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Circuit City, the second-largest electronics retailer in the United States, announced Friday that it had asked a bankruptcy court’s permission to close all 567 Circuit City stores nationwide and to liquidate all merchandise. More than 34,000 employees nationwide, including all employees of the Turlock Circuit City, are expected to lose their jobs as a result of the closure.

“We are extremely disappointed by this outcome,” said James A. Marcum, vice chairman and acting president and chief executive officer for Circuit City Stores, Inc.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Less than 24 hours after the Turlock City Council voted to approve the contentious Vintage Lounge project, the new Main Street piano bar opened to the public for the first time Wednesday night.

The soft opening drew a large crowd, filling every seat in the small, upscale bar with Turlockers looking to experience the much talked about new establishment first-hand.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock’s new Public Safety Facility, a $35 million structure set to house the city’s police and fire departments, received the blessing of the Turlock Planning Commission on Thursday night. The Conditional Use Permit granted this week will allow the City to begin construction of the PSF, set to be located at the corner of North Broadway and West Olive Avenue.

“It’s been a long process but we really have found the city to be responsive,” said Larry Wolff, Principal Architect with WLC Architects of Rancho Cucamonga, who designed the PSF. “We’re at a milestone.”
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Council terminates city manager, finds replacement in chief of police

BY ALEX CANTATORE

The first day of spring isn’t until March 20, but the Turlock City Council decided it was time to clean house Tuesday night.

Just before 12 midnight on Tuesday, the Turlock City Council decided to terminate the employment contract of City Manager Tim Kerr during a regularly-scheduled performance review. On Thursday, the Council moved to hire Chief of Police Gary Hampton as interim city manager.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

In these times, more than ever, many women can’t afford the food they need to feed their infants and children. That’s where the Women, Infants, and Children Program comes in, offering vouchers for healthy foods to more than 1.4 million financially in need people in the State of California.

Now, thanks to an increased grant from the Federal Government, more of those in need in Stanislaus County will be able to take part in the WIC program. The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors approved a $306,000 increase in the county WIC program budget on Jan. 6, enabling 1,975 more residents of Stanislaus County to receive assistance from WIC each month.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The trains are set to roll into Patterson, as the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with the California Transportation Commission to receive $22.5 million in grant money for building the proposed short-haul rail system and inland port components of the West Park project.

While the agreement calls for the County to provide $35 million in matching funds to obtain the $22.5 million grant, West Park will be responsible for this matching money and any supplemental funding necessary to complete the project. The West Park project has still not received formal approval from the Board of Supervisors.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The gentle melodies of performers tickling the ivory and glasses clinking will soon be heard coming from 110 W. Main St., as the controversial upscale bar The Vintage Lounge received the Turlock City Council’s blessing last night. Despite the council’s approval, however, the words coming out of the councilmember’s mouths sounded off key to Daniel Gray, proprietor of Staley’s Bar and owner of the Vintage Lounge, as harsher conditions were imposed on the bar than had originally been approved.

As approved by the Turlock Planning Commission, the Vintage Lounge would have been allowed to remain open until 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings and feature live music. As a standard procedure, the City of Turlock does not allow bars to remain open past 12 midnight or play live music so as to cut down on incidences requiring police response.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

When the recurring issue of what to do with the City-owned warehouse at 400 B St., former site of the Emergency Cold Weather Homeless Shelter, came before the Turlock City Council Tuesday night, the options seemed limited. The structure, usable only for the storage of goods as it lacks required safety equipment to allow workers to remain onsite, has failed to sell since the Council first listed it in September 2008.

The warehouse was appraised at a value of $300,000, but did not receive a single bid at that price. Even at the bargain price of $150,000 the structure failed to receive a single bid by closing date of the sealed bid process.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Circuit City’s efforts to avoid liquidation appear to be on their final legs. The Richmond, Va. based electronics retailer announced yesterday that unless it finds a buyer or cash infusion by Jan. 16, Circuit City expects to liquidate all remaining stores and stock.

Circuit City, second only to Best Buy among U.S. based electronics stores, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Nov. 10, 2008. As a part of those bankruptcy proceedings, Circuit City has already closed 155 underperforming stores nationwide.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlockers who rely on over the air broadcast television but find themselves unable to afford a digital to analog converter box may be granted a reprieve from the impending transition to digital television, if incoming President-Elect Barack Obama’s administration has its way.

John Podesta, Co-Chair of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team, authored a letter to four high-ranking members of Congress on Thursday calling for a stay on the Feb. 17 digital transition.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

If you get the feeling that something smells a little funny the next time you open your City of Turlock sewer bill, you might want to take a look at the amount due column. The second of six scheduled annual sewer rate increases went into effect on Jan. 1, raising the average of a Turlocker’s bill by about $1.45.

This year’s 4 percent rate increase follows a 7 percent rate increase last year. The average residential sewer bill is expected to increase from $37.10 to $38.55 this month. The rate hike will affect about 17,000 Turlock households.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

According to County Health Services Agency officials this year’s flu season has been mild thus far, but it’s still early. Even though the county’s immunization clinics have come to an end, there’s still time to protect yourself from coming down with the flu by paying a visit to the HSA drop-in clinic in Modesto or by calling your primary care provider.

“It’s not too late to vaccinate,” said Nancy Fisher, Health Nursing Director with HSA. “January is still a prime time.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

There’s a new face on the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors.

Hughson farmer Vito Chiesa, elected by District 2 voters on June 4, was seated at the dais Tuesday morning, taking his place among the five most powerful elected officials in the county. Chiesa takes the seat formerly held by longtime Board of Supervisors Chairman Tom Mayfield, who had announced he would not seek reelection last spring and died in December of an extended illness.

“I’m not sure I’ve earned the right yet to speak,” Chiesa said shortly after being sworn in, “but I thank my supporters. I look forward to getting to work today.”
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Digital television transition imminent; government out of coupons for converters

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Come Feb. 17, thousands of Turlockers could see their televisions turn into large, expensive paperweights good only for watching snowy static when all television stations will stop broadcasting their analog signals, switching to digital-only signals that are incompatible with many older televisions. A digital to analog converter box can keep a TV usable after the switch, but for many households the expense of a digital to analog converter box could be too high to bear without the help of the government, which appears to have dried up.

The U.S. Government National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced Sunday that they have exhausted the supply of digital to analog converter box coupons allotted to them by Congress, leaving potentially millions of households unable to afford the equipment needed to obtain a television signal.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Everyone has had it happen.

You’re out for a leisurely stroll in the park, taking in the fresh air and enjoying the twittering of birds. As you walk, you’re drawn in to your own little world, daydreaming and enjoying the nature around you and then, squish, you look down to see your new shoes covered in dog poop.

Fortunately for Turlockers, the days of doggie doo-doo littered local parks may soon be a thing of the past. The City of Turlock installed six new Dogipot stations in Crane Park, Bristol Park, Markley Park, and Christoffersen Park last month to rave reviews.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

If you run into a pack of bulldogs when you’re in the vicinity of Turlock High School, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. But to come across a wake of buzzards?

The unusual sighting of about 20 buzzards, more properly called turkey vultures, in the tall trees on the corner of Tahoe and Sierra drives, near Crane Park, led Marna Bynum of Turlock to call the Journal in search of more information about these unexpected visitors.
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Dalila Gutierrez joins big brother Isael after midnight delivery

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Most of Turlock was out partying on New Year’s Eve, getting only a noisemaker or perhaps a free glass of champagne and a hangover for their trouble. One new mother got something a whole lot better than a plastic horn, however; Maira Yasmin Revuelta, 22, of Denair, gave birth to the first Stanislaus County baby of 2009.

Dalila Gutierrez, weighing just 7 pounds, 6.7 ounces and measuring 20 inches long, was born at 12:36 a.m. on Jan. 1.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Throughout Turlock’s Centennial Year, the city played host to a plethora of events that honored the city’s 100-year history and celebrated the future of a city known to many as “The Heart of the Valley.”

The year kicked off on Feb. 15 when the Turlock City Council held a special Centennial meeting. Councilmembers dressed in the garb common to 1908 and discussed issues pertinent to Turlock’s founders, including pigs running amok in the streets and the banning of liquor.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Coming into the year 2008, Barack Obama was little more than a junior Illinois Senator who had never submitted a bill to his body of legislature. Mary Jackson was just a Turlock City Arts Commissioner who had come in near the bottom of the pile of competitors for a City Council seat in 2006. Amy Bublak was a Modesto Police Officer and a Turlock Planning Commissioner who had also already failed in one bid for a City Council seat.

And just look at them now.

Yes, just as now President-Elect Obama would have you believe, the theme for the 2008 election year really was change.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

As you read this, hordes of glitterati are likely packing their bags for lavish invitation-only New Year’s Eve celebrations at nightclubs you’ve never even heard of, but there’s no reason to be envious of their red carpet shenanigans this Dec. 31. Even if you can’t manage to make the flight out to New York, Las Vegas, or Ibiza to ring in 2009, there are a few events right here in Turlock that would make you regret sitting at home to watch Dick Clark and some silly old ball drop.

In fact, Turlock’s lively New Year’s Eve scene is more than some local bars care to partake in. At least one Turlock standard will be shuttering its doors on New Year’s Eve to avoid the throngs of merry revelers.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Come the day after Christmas, most Turlockers found themselves in a food-induced coma that will to last until New Year’s. But for some local residents, the day after Christmas was the sort of shopping day that only Black Friday can hope to compare with.

After all, there are presents to be returned and gift cards to be spent. And, of course, there are some big deals to be found as stores start to close out the merchandise that didn’t sell for Christmas.
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Experience pays off for Christmas fan

BY ALEX CANTATORE

The votes are in, and Turlock Journal readers have spoken. This year’s Turlock Journal Holiday Lights contest winner, and holder of the title of best Christmas display in Turlock is Cheri Dixon of 2065 Zinfandel Ln.

The home was submitted to the Turlock Journal by Dixon’s brother-in-law Don Ercoli.

“My sister-in-law has done a job to their yard,” Ercoli said. “You almost have to have a pair of sunglasses to look at it.”
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No texting while driving come Jan. 1

BY ALEX CANTATORE

When the clock strikes midnight, that big ball drops, and the words to “Auld Lang Syne” are accompanied by the pops of champagne corks, the California Department of Motor Vehicles will be doing some celebrating of its own. On New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2009, a slew of new laws will go into effect to improve driver safety, better air quality, and close loopholes frequently abused by drivers.

Perhaps the most notable of the changes to the California Vehicle Code, text messaging while driving will become illegal in 2009. This new law will compliment the restrictions that became law earlier this year which require the use of a hands-free device to talk on a cell phone while driving.
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City Council to review plan on Jan. 13

BY ALEX CANTATORE

After nearly two years of meetings, the proposed Turlock BMX Bike Park appears to be back on track-the dirt track, that is. The Parks, Recreation, and Community Commission approved a finalized set of rules and an comprehensive operational plan for the site on Wednesday, clearing the path for a small parcel on the corner of Paseo De Leon and Panorama Avenue, less than one acre in size, to be filled with dirt berms for BMX riders to jump.

The Bike Park initially came before the Turlock City Council on Aug. 26, having already been approved by the PRCC, but the Council was concerned that there were neither proposed rules for the site nor was there any plan on how to run the park. In the months since that decision, the PRCC has revisited the park, with the help of Police Chief Gary Hampton and City Attorney Phaedra Norton, to develop a legally sound plan for the potentially dangerous site.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Miracle League of Stanislaus County formed almost two years ago with just one goal in mind: To create a rubberized baseball field where physically and mentally disabled children could enjoy America’s pastime. Now, with the help of the City of Turlock, this field of dreams may soon become a reality.

On Dec. 4, the Turlock Planning Commission ruled that the purchase of a 2.91-acre parcel at the northeast corner of the intersection between West Tuolumne Road and Countryside Drive was in conformance with the Turlock General Plan, clearing the way for the City to purchase the land for the Miracle League field. However, there are a few sticking points yet before the purchase can be completed and ground can be broken.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The renovations are complete. The signs are posted. All that seems to be missing are patrons-and the Turlock City Council’s final thumbs up.

The Vintage Lounge, a new cocktail lounge planned for 110 W. Main St., once home to Soup City and Scotty’s Bar, is 100 percent ready to open on Monday. However, it won’t be until mid-January, at the earliest, that Daniel Gray, owner of Staley’s Bar on Main Street, will be able to open his new, high-end establishment, following a bevy of legal concerns that erupted at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock voters helped to elect State Senator Jeff Denham (R-Merced) to his District 12 seat way back in the year 2002. In 2010, Denham hopes he’ll once again have the support of Turlockers, but it’s going to take the whole state to get him elected this time.

Denham announced Thursday that he is throwing his hat in the ring for the post of Lieutenant Governor, the second most-powerful publicly elected office in California. Should he be elected, Denham would preside over the State Senate, serve as Acting Governor in the absence of the Governor, and either sit on or appoint representatives to many of California’s regulatory commissions and executive agencies.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Two weeks late is better than never, especially if you’d otherwise be freezing in the cold. The Turlock Gospel Mission announced Thursday that, while their initial plans to provide overnight shelter to women and children starting Dec. 1 may have been scuttled, they will open their doors to those in need beginning Sunday at 5 p.m.

“Our goal is to help restore people physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially so that they can continue to be fruitful members of society,” said TGM Board Member Bill Fagan.
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No buyers for B Street; City to fund We Care interim housing

BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Turlock City Council decided late last night to approve a new agreement to provide $20,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding to the We Care Program to operate an interim housing facility for homeless men at 213/219 S. Broadway. With the assistance of the new funding, We Care hopes to be able to house homeless Turlock men through most of the cold weather season, hopefully until March 31.

“Right now we have 25 souls who are warm because we have a location that can house these people at this time of year,” said Robert Ferrace, legal council to the We Care Program.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Tom Mayfield served the Stanislaus County Board of Directors since 1993, winning his seat in a tight 1992 election over former Turlock Mayor Brad Bates. For the past 15 years Mayfield faithfully represented District 2, which contains Turlock, but earlier this year he announced he would not seek reelection and would step down from his post as Supervisor on Jan. 6.

Yesterday, however, an extended illness put Mayfield’s tenure to an early end. Mayfield passed away late yesterday afternoon at the age of 77, leaving behind his wife Anita, three children, three grandchildren, and a slew of County officials who will miss Mayfield’s steadying guidance.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

A standing-room only crowd turned out to Turlock City Hall last night to welcome new councilmembers Amy Bublak and Mary Jackson to their posts on the Turlock City Council. Dignitaries including past Mayor Brad Bates, Supervisor-elect Vito Chiesa, and countless Arts and Planning Commissioners were present for the monumental event, which saw the Turlock City Council welcome two women to its bench for the first time in history.

“Thank you to newly elected colleagues Amy Bublak and Mary Jackson for dedicating yourselves to serve the residents of Turlock for the next four years,” said Mayor John Lazar. “I also want to extend my appreciation to outgoing councilmembers Kurt Vander Weide and Beverly Hatcher for their dedication and service over the past four years.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

While the B-52s may be well known for their songs, “Love Shack,” “Roam,” and “Rock Lobster,” they certainly never produced any Christmas albums during their three decades of making music. This year, however, a certain B-52 is going to be a part of one of the biggest Christmas celebrations in the Valley.

Of course, this B-52 weighs 488,000 pounds and was never involved with any new wave pop-rock acts. It was, however, once capable of dropping 70,000 pounds worth of explosive ordinance.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Supporters of Measure S, a half-cent sales tax to benefit Stanislaus County roads, abandoned the recount effort late Tuesday evening after preliminary results showed little movement towards passage. The recount, which made use of professional teams of independent election boards, examined ballots from the Nov. 4 election by hand to see if the electronic vote counting machines missed lightly-colored marks or ignored someone hand-writing “Yes” instead of bubbling the appropriate oval, but found very few errors.

Following the final election tally, Measure S had been tantalizingly close to the required 66.6 percent votes in favor needed to pass the measure. With almost 163,000 votes cast, a total of 66.42 percent of Stanislaus County residents voted in favor of the measure and just 383 additional votes were needed to pass the sales tax.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The City of Modesto Water Division announced on Monday that total coliform bacteria was discovered in the drinking water they supply to a Central Turlock neighborhood. Twenty-six houses on Runyan Drive, Brenda Way, and Carolyn Drive, near the intersection of North Olive Avenue and East Hawkeye Avenue, were exposed to the bacteria, which not to be harmful to humans, according to the Water Division.

“Total coliform bacteria itself will not cause illness,” said Lanora Hill, Water Resources Analyst for the City of Modesto Water Division. “If we had gotten a positive for E. coli or fecal coliform that would have been a whole different story. That would have been scary.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

When the Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors came to an agreement to provide 20 percent of TID electricity from renewable sources by 2017, the search began for an available source of renewable energy to help reach that goal. Unfortunately, as America’s great scientific minds have yet to develop a means to generate power with fog, the TID was forced to look outside of Turlock for the majority of its renewable energy needs, landing in Klickitat County, Wash.

The Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors approved the purchase of a renewable wind energy project at their meeting last Tuesday, located along Washington’s Columbia River in one of the most productive wind resource areas in the nation. The Tuolumne Wind Project, which should be completed in March of 2009, is projected to provide enough energy to power approximately 44,000 households each year.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The Republic of Ghana is a small West African country that about 23 million people call home. The average citizen takes home just $690 a year.

Along the south coast of Ghana, 35 miles west of the capitol, Accra, lays a relaxed, beachside community known as Winneba. Historically a fishing village, the city’s 40,000 residents fish and craft pottery to make ends meet, and enjoy a yearly deer-hunting festival and a new year’s carnival as a break from the daily grind.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

In June of 1996, Amos Reyes joined the Turlock Planning Commission. In 2003, he became the Chairman of the Planning Commission. And tomorrow, Reyes will oversee his final Planning Commission meeting, stepping down from a board he’s served for 12 years of his life.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time,” said Reyes, whose term as Chair was not expected to end until next year. “This is an ideal time for (the Alternate Planning Commissioners, Aben Williams and Grady Welch) to be stepping up to the plate. They’ve done a really good job.”
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Mayor hopes for passage, for Turlock’s sake

BY ALEX CANTATORE

Three-hundred and eighty-three. In a county with more than 560,000 residents, it came down to 383 votes. Measure S, a proposal that would have increased the Stanislaus County sales tax by one half of one percent to fund three major road projects and offer needed funding for road repairs throughout the county, may have failed by just .24 percent on Election Day, but supporters aren’t taking the loss lying down.

Measure S supporters announced earlier this week that they would pursue a recount of the 7,390 ballots believed to have no votes cast for Measure S on Election Day, as well as nearly 1,400 provisional ballots which were not counted on Election Day due to voter registration issues. The recount will examine these ballots by hand to see if the electronic vote counting machines missed lightly-colored marks or ignored someone hand-writing “Yes” instead of bubbling the appropriate oval.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

The folks at the We Care program, the Turlock-based non-profit that operated the Emergency Cold Weather Homeless Shelter for the past six years, had something to be especially thankful for as they were carving the turkey this year. The City of Turlock completed its final inspection of a United Samaritans-owned facility at 213/219 S. Broadway on Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving, and save for a few last-minute tweaks the new facility looks ready to begin operations.

“It went well, (the City is) coming back sometime Monday to make sure that the last few minor things are done,” said Maris Sturtevant, We Care program board member. “We’re kind of hoping to open Monday night.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Turlock Irrigation District electricity consumers may soon get zapped with higher power costs, as the Board of Directors heard a proposal Tuesday to increase electricity rates by an average of 15 percent. Should the increase be approved at the Dec. 16 TID Board meeting, the rate hike would take effect on Feb. 1, 2009.

“(The public hearing) was good,” said TID Director Rob Santos, “but I thought there would be more public input.”

Representatives from SupHerb Farms in Turlock and Patterson Frozen Foods were present at the hearing to protest the rate increase, which they described as hard to pass along to their customers. Community activist Linda Taylor also submitted a letter to the TID Board expressing concern about the ability of the elderly and the poor to pay higher rates.
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

Despite the lack of a city-sponsored Emergency Cold Weather Homeless Shelter this winter, the City of Turlock will still be doing its best to help out those on Turlock’s streets. On Tuesday the City Council, acting as the Redevelopment Agency, approved an agreement with Modesto based non-profit Community Housing and Shelter Services to provide a motel voucher program and counseling services to homeless families in Turlock.

“This is exactly the type of restorative program we’ve been looking for,” said Vice Mayor Kurt Vander Weide, who served on the motel voucher subcommittee. “I am proud and honored to have been a part of putting this together.”
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BY ALEX CANTATORE

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Turlock, as City Municipal Service crews installed the new Turlock Christmas Tree in Central Park on Wednesday morning. The new tree, a 72-inch box deodar cedar that measures 28 feet tall and weighs more than 12,000 pounds, will replace the old Christmas tree that had to be taken down earlier this year due to disease and age.

“I looked around and called nurseries and said, ‘What’s the biggest tree you could get me?’” said Public Facilities Maintenance Manager Rick Harden.