ALMOND BLOSSOM FESTIVAL

GECAC offering six service challenge scholarship awards

Give Every Child a Chance (GECAC) is once again offering the Service Challenge Scholarship. A total of six $1,000 scholarships are available to one graduating senior selected from each high school in Manteca Unified School District (Sierra, Calla, Manteca, East Union, Weston Ranch and New Vision High Schools).

McMansion blight fight

Eleven neighborhoods in Manteca where more than 700 foreclosures occurred in 2008 and 2009 could become part of the municipal redevelopment project area.

Manteca missionary survives 8.8 quake in Concepcion, Chile

Sierra High graduate Daniel Heinze was among the survivors of one of the worst earthquakes in recorded history that took place 22 miles off the coast of Concepcion, Chile.

Mosquito invasion coming

The series of storms pelting the South County may go a long way toward breaking the three-year drought but they also are creating perfect conditions for mosquitoes and the spread of the deadly West Nile Virus.

Volunteers help Almond Blossom festival go into bloom in Ripon

RIPON - Crowds ignored the threat of rain Saturday morning to turn out for the annual Almond Blossom Parade.

‘Chemo quilts’ made with love & devotion

Two women – mother and daughter – are bonded in their passion to go the extra mile for cancer patients having to go through biopsies and chemo therapy treatments.

New book depicts Lathrop’s history

LATHROP – Before there was Manteca, there was Lathrop.

GECAC BOWL-A-THON

1970: Voters OK school tax override

A bridge to Lathrop’s future

LATHROP – The fourth crossing of the San Joaquin River in the South County could be in place by the end of 2013.

New homes may slightly help ease city budget crunch

Manteca has a big financial stake in trying to encourage at least 300 new homes to be built annually over the next several years.

Love affair: Almond blossoms & bees

I was trying to focus intently on a bee hovering over a cluster of snow-white almond blossoms. All around me, scores of bees were buzzing. The weather was perfect for pollination - the sun was shining, the skies were clear and blue, and there was no breeze to stir the petals of the flowers that would make focusing somewhat of a challenge. And it was neither too hot nor too cold outside.

Almond Blossom Festival parade today

RIPON - The 48th annual Almond Blossom Festival parade starts at 11 a.m. today in downtown Ripon.

Green eggs & ham inspire reading event on Tuesday

Do you like green eggs and ham?

Demonstrating flag-retirement protocol

When a flag of the United States is worn, torn, faded, or badly soiled, it needs to be replaced with a new one. When that happens, the old flag is "retired."

Lathrop garbage rates may go up

LATHROP – Garbage rates are going up.

Rodeo this weekend helps with kids tutoring

Give Every Child a Chance is staging the Xtreme Bulls & Broncs Rodeo on the River fundraiser on Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8 from noon to 5 p.m. both days at Dell'Osso Family Farm in Lathrop just off Interstate 5.