100 years ago
February 4, 1916
 The new Manteca club opened Tuesday evening in the old Board of Trade hall with a crowded house of interested members and visitors. There are now 40 members paid up and the list should grow to over 50 within a week. Fully 75 men enjoyed the evening with games of all kinds. Corncob pipes with tobacco, as well as coffee and doughnuts were supplied adding to the pleasure of the evening. A vote was taken on the question of a name and, at first ballot, three names “The Manteca Club”, “The Manteca Social Club” and “Pioneer Club” were suggested. The final vote gave a verdict of “The Manteca Social Club”. The temporary board is composed of C. Frank Kinsey, president; J. G. Davie, secretary; C. E. Littlejohn, E. D. Brown and E. G. Cross.
The people of the new Veritas district are showing the right spirit in their movement for a new and modern schoolhouse. They met last Friday evening with about 20 heads of families present and although the meeting was informal, it was decided to build a modern school building at the present site on the Pearson land. And it was agreed to call an election to vote on $5,000 bonds. A. G. Funch acted as chairman. J. C. Jensen and Guss Schmiedt, with Mr. Funch, form the board of trustees.

90 years ago
February 5, 1926
City engineer Jeffries was instructed by the members of the city council at their meeting Monday evening to proceed with his work in preparing the plans and specifications for sidewalks on North Main Street. At the preceding meeting of the board, they had passed on the resolution of intention for this work, but had held the actual work on the plans and specifications up in hopes that Commissioner of Streets Palm would be able to work with the property holders along that street and make the proposed improvements under private contract, instead of under the 1925 improvement act.
The Manteca District Chamber of Commerce will launch a fight against the spread of puncture vine in this district early next March when a forum meeting of the organization will be called to acquaint the farmers and residents of the district of the seriousness of the menace of that noxious weed. This decision was arrived at at a meeting of the board of directors of the local booster organization held last Wednesday evening at Chamber headquarters in city hall.

20 years ago
February 2, 1996
Next week, employees at Spreckels will be voting on a severance package of health benefits and so much per year of working. Union members and management verbally agreed Wednesday evening to a rough draft package which will be finalized this weekend, said Samuel LeeRoy Oeltjendiers, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local No. 177D. “The final package will be done Monday,” said Oeltjendiers. There will be a special union meeting next week where the 200 employees will be presented with the final package and a vote will take place. Spreckels announced its closure last month when it was bought out by Holly Sugar.
City Manager David Jinkens will receive approximately $140,000 to part ways with the City of Manteca. The separation agreement, which the Manteca City Council approved by a 3-2 vote Thursday night, grants Jinkens a lump-sum of nine month’s salary and accrued vacation and sick leave. “I’m relieved that it’s over,” Mayor Bill Perry said following Thursday’s closed-door meeting which lasted only 45 minutes. Councilmen Wayne Flores and Carlon Perry voted against the agreement, which ended three months of wrangling over the city manager’s employment status. “They‘re just paying him off,” Flores said after Thursday‘s vote.

10 years ago
February 4, 2006
Burglary is the crime du jour in Manteca. And nowhere is that underscored more than in the 500 and 600 blocks of North Main Street. Last month, thieves brazenly broke into the Manteca Ford Mercury dealership and drove off with a $180,000 Ford GT from the showroom floor. The sports car was recovered but damages to that vehicle, a used car, other thefts and damages exceeded $60,000. While auto theft—the headline crime of 2005 in Manteca — had dropped 17.38 percent from the record high 798 vehicles stolen in 2004 to 671 in 2005, all burglary rates have gone through the roof.