Halloween fun run benefits food bank

RIPON - It is arguably the fun run with the most interesting characters racing through one of San Joaquin County's most picturesque fall settings.

Family beats storm to save almond crop

The Phillips clan of Manteca had literally hours to spare before the first drops of Tuesday's rainstorm fell on their just-harvested almond orchards.

ODDS & ENDS

Drive-thru tri-tip dinner on Nov. 7 The Place of Refuge on Saturday, Nov. 7, is conducting a drive-thru tri-tip dinner to raise money for their School of Leadership Training. Meals can be picked up on Nov. 7 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Place of Refuge, 486 Button Ave., in Manteca. The meal includes cherry wood-smoked tri-tip, garlic mashed potatoes, salad, corn on the cob, and a brownie. Tickets may be purchased at ...

Police: City won’t budge

City Manager Steve Pinkerton is being blamed by the Manteca Police Officers Association's leadership for forcing the layoffs of 12 officers.

Hornet’s Nest at Shasta honors two principals

The Shasta School multi-purpose building will honor its two previous principals – William "Bill" Pinto and Richard "Rick" Mello.

Get ready for Manteca’s next big thing: Upscale retail outlet stores

Bass Pro Shop – along with Big League Dreams – may go down as the linchpins that vaulted Manteca into a regional draw.

SHOWING HUSTLE

Entrepreneur first challenger in 2010 Lathrop mayor’s race

LATHROP – Lathrop entrepreneur J. Chaka Santos has officially announced he is running for mayor in the 2010 election for mayor.

Blood drive Thursday offers a pint for a pint

RIPON - It's a bit of Americana – enjoying ice cream together and giving blood for friends, family and community. The Delta Blood Bank is scheduled to be at the Calvary Reformed Church on Thursday from 1 until 6 p.m.

75 gather for Public Square Rosary Crusade held at Yosemite & Main

Cash Galvez, 5, and his mother Karah were among 75 people praying for the health and safety of America and the restoration of broken families – praying the Rosary with thousands of others across the country at high noon on Saturday.

Stockton Symphony offering Mozart’s Concerto for Flute & Harp Nov. 19, 21

STOCKTON – With music pieces that are energetic, elegant, warm, and sunny, the Stockton Symphony's third Classics concert on Nov. 19 and 21 will uplift your spirit and enthuse you. The Stockton Symphony and Music Director, Peter Jaffe, continue their 2009-10 season with a concert entitled "Serenade for the Soul," presented on Thursday at 8 p.m. and on Saturday at 6 p.m. at San Joaquin Delta College's Atherton Auditorium.

Junior high spirit win puts Cowell science teacher in dress

Pablo Carrillo was shocked to see his science teacher dressed Monday in women's garb. The Joshua Cowell School seventh-grade student was among those responsible for instructor Brian Bilbao's wear-for-the-day appearance. "He made a bet that he would dress all day if the junior high students won out on spirit day," Principal Harriet Myrick said. "(The seventh- and eighth- grade students) won based on the percentage involved," she added. For Bilbao, it was just his way ...

Pumpkins roll into Half Moon Bay

HALF MOON BAY - Every year when autumn rolls around, the picturesque coast around Half Moon Bay bursts into brilliant orange and buzzes with boisterous activity in celebration of its bountiful fall harvest. The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival is the season's big event, bringing huge throngs of visitors to the "World Pumpkin Capital" for a world-class festival on historic Main Street. This year's 39th festival will be held on Oct. 17-18 from ...

Pumpkin Patch Festival opening this weekend at Western Railway Museum

RIO VISTA - The 12thAnnual Pumpkin Patch Festival returns this weekend to the Western Railway Museum. It's the only harvest festival in the area to combine rides on real trains with the search for the perfect pumpkin.

City workers give back $11,510 each

Municipal employees – with the exception of the Manteca Police Officers Association – have made an average of $11,510 per worker in general fund compensation concessions over the next two fiscal years.

Ripon radio personality helping host B&G telethon

Aaron Goodwin credits the Boys & Girls Club with helping him stay out of trouble while growing up in Manteca.

Tree offers chance to adopt a child for gifts

LATHROP – On the surface it's just a couple of firefighters putting up a Christmas tree in the lobby of Lathrop's City Hall.

Bakeless bake sale helping with homeless shelter costs

It's a bake sale sans the baked goods. No calories to worry about. No one gets to feel guilty about becoming an enabler to someone who is counting calories for health reasons.

Manteca’s high speed service gap

City attorney John Brinton - answering a query from Mayor Willie Weatherford - told the council that his office off of West Yosemite Avenue and other nearby concerns such as Kaiser Hospital rely on dial up Internet service.

KEEP ON TAXING

Trucks do more than just move virtually all goods we consume and keep the economy rolling. They also deliver money to the tune of $13,000 plus a year to state and federal government coffers.

City surveying sidewalks for ADA compliance

There's a perfectly healthy gentleman zipping around central Manteca in a powered wheelchair who doesn't need it.

St. Vincent de Paul Society collecting food donations

St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Anthony of Padua Church is expecting to distribute Thanksgiving food baskets to needy families on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

Attorney shares views about personal liberties

Dave Wellenbrock wasn't representing the American Civil Liberties Union when he spoke at the meeting of the Manteca TEA Party Patriots Thursday night.

Ashton Lee: Manteca High school transgender junior is finally who he is

The couch is much too small for Cathy, Don and Ashton Lee to sit on at once, but they gladly squeeze into its purple arms, cradling their youngest son.

California law that Ashton helped pass

California is the first state to enshrine certain rights for transgender K-12 students in state law, requiring public schools to allow those students access to whichever restroom and locker room they want.

McManis gives $20K for turkeys

It's been a very good year for McManis Family Winery in Ripon.

Lathrop mayor makes attempt to save jobs

By JASON CAMPBELL

Ripon may spend $1K on Christmas lights

The annual Christmas tree lighting is one of the City of Ripon's kick-off to the holidays.

Italian language class for elementary-age kids

By ROSE ALBANO TISSO

Gettysburg Address is a sacred, but elusive text

GETTYSBURG, Pa. (AP) - Like the Pledge of Allegiance or "The Star-Spangled Banner," the Gettysburg Address is a sacred American text, so fully absorbed into the culture that phrases such as "four score and seven years ago" and "of the people, by the people, for the people" are as familiar as any song lyric or line of poetry.