100 years ago

January 3, 1912

Callander Garage, the Buick agency in Manteca, has a second-hand Reo five-passenger car in good condition for sale for $250.



90 years ago

December 23, 1921

The people of Manteca were thrown into excitement Monday night at 9:05 at hearing a fusilade of shots in the southern part of the city. Rushing out they learned that a bold highwayman, one of three who had attempted to rob him, had been killed by Dall Palk, interested in the Korean restaurant so long operated by G. B. Kim. Mrs. Palk, who was with her husband, was injured in the melee. The plot to rob the restaurant was made in the Municipal Hut, Stockton, and leaked out to one of the deputy sheriffs. Monday, Sheriff Riecks and Deputies Boalt, Jeffreys and Eaton came out and formed a posse with Constable J. W. Graves, Deputy Constable Andrew Jensen, Marshal F. M. Rountree and Deputy Marshal Wyley, the men being placed where it was believed the robbers would run after the holdup. Wright Oliver, night watchman for the City of Manteca, was shot by one of the bandits at 2:05 Monday morning. The bullet entered his right breast, passing along the ribs and lodged in the flesh under his right shoulder.



70 years ago

December 25, 1941

J. F. Bisig, principal of the high school, will head the Manteca Chamber of Commerce this coming year. He was elected president at a reorganization meeting of the board of directors Thursday night. He succeeds Tom R. Fuller. Other officers elected are: Wallace Rolen, first vice-president; Dr. C. M. Galt, second vice-president; E. E. Douglass, third vice-president and Leon C. Schwartz, treasurer. H. E. Dike’s term as secretary runs until March 1.

Any active member of the Manteca Volunteer Fire Department who is planning to be away from home overnight during the holidays is urged to leave his mane with Chief Sam Hanna. The precaution is make necessary because of the emergency.



10 years ago

December 28, 2001

A citizen’s report  of a suspicious-looking substance on the railroad tracks near Walnut Avenue spawned a full-scale hazardous material investigation that stretched from Chowchilla to Stockton. The call reporting a white powdery substance was placed to Manteca Police around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. A field investigation of the substance determined it to be sodium hydroxide, which is similar to a chemical used in Draino, Manteca Police spokesman Rex Osborn said. Firefighters spent Thursday afternoon spraying the tracks with water to dilute it before Mother Nature helped out by bringing some rain around 6 p.m.

On New Year’s Eve, throngs of Manteca teens will ring in the new year at a party at First Assembly Church. Don’t worry. It’s a lock-in, meaning teens won’t be able to leave until the party officially ends at 1 a.m. The event, sponsored by a number of Manteca youth groups, will feature a blow-up fun house and obstacle course, jousting, music and food.

Wednesday night’s rain created a mess in several neighborhoods as streets and parks flooded, threatening homes and even creating an impromptu venue for an urban Jet Ski ride. Manteca Police dispatchers were taking calls about flooded streets much of Wednesday evening. Most of the flooding seemed to be confined to the northwest part of the city, one dispatcher said.