3 or 4 votes to fire, that’s the question

City Administrator Leon Compton is heading towards retirement. Kevin Werner – he's the city engineer doubling as the deputy city administrator for the City of Ripon – is the strong favorite for the position. The Ripon City Council, meanwhile, is looking into the ordinance involving the position that's stood for 60 years. As it stands, it takes a 3-2 vote from elected leaders to hire a City Administrator but a 4-1 vote to remove that ...

BURYING THE DEAD

Death and dying on state highways has become an accepted consequence of getting where we need to go. And having a drink for the road often signs the fate of the innocent.

Police arrests part of pressure on drug, gang activity in Ripon

The reassignment of an officer to the investigations division has helped the Ripon Police Department step up arrests.

Helping sexual assault victims

April is sexual assault awareness month. At Tuesday's Ripon City Council meeting, Raman Dhindsa of the Women's Center Youth and Family Services encouraged every person in town to end sexual violence and support survivors by providing prevention education regarding sexual assault issues. She's the FOCUS program manager for the Women's Center of San Joaquin based in Stockton. Elected leaders supported the cause with a proclamation. "The Women's Center has set an important example of how ...

BODY BAG JARS TEENS

Three Ripon High juniors told of the impact the Every 15 Minutes DUI drama had on them as they reflected upon the horror of the simulated crash scene at the high school campus Tuesday morning that claimed the lives of two of their classmates.

Go fly a kite at Mistlin Sports Park

This year's 'Color the Skies' will be an abbreviated version. In this case, no hot air balloons, sky divers, or vendors, but rather running events followed by a kite show at Mistlin Sports Park on Aug. 31. Jessica Coleman promises the hot air balloons will be back for 2014. At Tuesday's Ripon City Council meeting, she listed the current construction of the softball fields at Mistlin as one reason for the change. "We didn't want ...

ON THE MARCH

On Tuesday morning, well before the chime of the first school bell, retired Col. Patrick Dunn put his students through their final paces.

Police train for unthinkable

SWAT officers – some seven in number – from Manteca and Ripon police departments put on a three hour emergency response drill Monday at the Ripon High School campus that included a question and answer session in the school library.

PARK VIEW SOARS TO 1ST

Park View Elementary students took home a first place in Aerodynamics competition along with other awards from the recent 27th Annual San Joaquin County Science Olympiad completion in Stockton.

10 Ripon FFA members earn state degrees

Eleven members of the Ripon FFA Chapter attended the Northern California State Degree and Regional Proficiency Award Ceremony on March 19.

Hoping to get a lift from city

It's deemed the largest hot air balloon festival in Central California. Color the Skies takes place annually in Ripon on Labor Day weekend. Last year's event featured 20 colorful balloons, making for a carnival-like event with all proceeds going to the Children's Hospital of Central California. Jessica Coleman, who, along with her husband Greg, founded this hot air balloon festival in 2006, is scheduled to attend Tuesday's Ripon City Council meeting. She's seeking a facility-use ...

Ripon High wrestler Smith’s mettle earned him medal & honors

Trevor Smith had been here before, caught between disappointment and opportunity. In 2012, the Ripon wrestler lost his first match of the CIF State Championships in the semifinal round and never recovered, slipping to a sixth-place medal. He was a victim of The Semi Slide. Faced with a similar situation earlier this month, The Bulletin's Boys Wrestler of the Year made sure his semifinal loss was his only loss. "It was pretty much remembering what ...

She’s got a doggone good job

Alexandra Queen is the first 100 percent dedicated animal control officer in Ripon since the budget cuts of 2010 that split the duties between two of the police department's community service officers.

FINALLY PLAYING AT HOME

These are exciting times for the Ripon High girls soccer program. For the first time in their 16 years history, the Indians were playing on campus under the lights at the recently renovated Stouffer Field. "It was special today just see them play in front of their school mates," said Bryce Perkins, who has been the RHS assistant coach under Jose Bobadilla since 2003. Never mind that the match against Hilmar didn't have the state-of-the-arts ...

It’s a honey of a pure food

'When I was a young man going to college, my father wisely shared his wisdom on life. Whatever you choose to do in life, do it because you love it, not because it will make you wealthy. Wealth is no substitution for happiness.

Three bouncers charged in beating death of Ripon man

Ripon vs. RC volleyball benefit for Sober Grad

The Third Annual Ripon High-Ripon Christian Boys' Sober Grad Volleyball Challenge to benefit post graduation parties for both schools is set for Friday, May 3.

He makes it his business to please customers

Ripon Unified naming new elementary school principal at tonight’s meeting

A new elementary school principal is exp ected to be named by Ripon Unified School District Trustees at a special meeting tonight in the city council chambers.