There’s going to be free, cool fun for kids this summer.
Manteca Councilman Richard Silverman on Wednesday relayed a staff decision that will have the interactive water play feature at Library Park turned on by Tuesday, May 23, in time for the first weekly Manteca Market & Music event at the downtown gathering place. Music & Market offers free live music, food vendors, farmers market, business booths, a beer and wine garden and now water play for kids.
This summer the water play feature will be turned on between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Silverman lauded the move.
“It’s a big deal especially for the kids,” Silverman.
Silverman said staff wanted to make sure they were “educated” that their move would comply with state water use guidelines.
Acting City Manager Greg Showerman made the decision to turn the $450,000 water play feature back on. It was turned off four years ago at the direction of City Manager Karen McLaughlin during the second year into California’s severe drought emergency that Gov. Jerry Brown declared over earlier this month.

Three Manteca runners
earn coveted Boston
Marathon meads
All three Manteca residents that competed in the Boston Marathon on April 17 — the oldest and most prestigious marathon in the world — earned the coveted Boston Marathon Medal.
They were Eldon Regua, 4:04; Kaitlyn Timmermans, 5:02; and Aida de la Torre, 5:14
It was a day local Boston weather anchors claimed was the second hottest Patriot’s Day in the past 10 years as the temperatures reached 79 degrees during the 121st running of the Boston Marathon.  Over 2,400 of the 30,000 runners required some type of medical attention.  One of the favorite posters noted on the running route from Hopkinton to downtown Boston read “Suck it up, it’s Boston”. 

Cantu seeks additional
general plan element
for Manteca
Ben Cantu — a community activists that has made four runs for council or mayor — has been consistent with one message: Manteca fails to adequately secure funds for day-to-day operations needed to absorb growth as well as provided amenities for existing and new residents.
It is why he’s making a pitch for the city to add one more element to those the 15-member citizens’ committee is tasked with to develop the 2040 general plan that will be used as a blueprint to street growth as the city’s population foes from 77,000 to a projected 125,700.
“I was surprised to see that the list of (General Plan) Elements had already been selected, and, more particularly, that one important element was not listed,” Cantu writes. “As we know, all other policy and implementation ordinances and decisions are subordinate to the General Plan policy statements and goals and thus rely on the GP for their judicial viability.
“I recommend that staff and the Council expand the present GP update program to include one additional Element which is extremely pertinent to today’s municipal environment — a Financial Element. The additional element would identify substantive financial policies and goals for financially attaining the goals and standards associated with the other elements of the general plan.”
 To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com