Be careful what you ask for in this cold and flu season – you might get a surprise like I did recently after looking just about everywhere for the cough drops I have used for years – the tried and true small boxes of Vicks.
Unlike the large bags of other brands I’ve found on market and drug store shelves, the small Vicks boxes always fit neatly into the shirt pocket of a dress shirt. I had just about given up until one day last week when I was pushing a grocery cart through the Ripon Save Mart grocery store – eureka.
Just by chance I walked over to the pharmacy counter and asked the clerk whether she knew if they were still available since no one appeared to be stocking the Vicks brand any longer. A quick check on the computer by a helpful pharmacy professional found their supplier had 92 packs available and ready for shipping. She was immediately on the search for me.
So I ordered five and figured that would last me for the rest of the season and into next year. When I went in to pick them up the friendly Save Mart pharmacist met me at the counter wanting to know if I might be opening a store – there were five cases of cough drops not five packs.
So, feeling a little guilty for the many packs they now have on hand, I guess I’m hawking the fact that the Save Mart grocery store in Ripon has a good supply of Vicks cough drops. When I mentioned finding the cough aids at work – effective with my allergies as well – Liz in the Bulletin front office said she had been looking for them in the stores to no avail.
“Pharmacy Phil”, as he is called, is a very outgoing chap who welcomes his clientele, always with a smile and a positive tone. Phil agreed to sell me just the smaller packets – a few of which are now on his counter. He said to be sure to pass the word around – he has a plentiful supply of those small cough drop packets at a good price – 70 cents each – 60 cents in volume.
Once in past years our dog had gone visiting while we were out of town. She was picked up by the animal control officer who brought her by our house. Finding we weren’t home the staffer left a note on the door as well as a voice mail message noting that they had picked her up and that she was in the pound.
In addition to updating our personal information and cell phone numbers, the community service officer also wanted the number of a responsible friend or family member who could be contacted if our pooch had earned her way into the dog pound.
Tony and his wife were there on Yorktown when a neighbor’s home was struck with a major fire last year. Just by chance roofers who were scheduled to have come on Monday didn’t get to his residence until Tuesday morning. The workers were in the right place at the right time, because it was they who had spotted the fire and called 911.
Giannosa said he was very concerned for two firemen whom he witnessed being hit by a flash of flames when they broke through the front door of his neighbor’s home. He and his wife, along with other residents in the block, got together and held a joint garage sale for the victims of the blaze to help them rebuild and restock.
“We are a very close neighborhood,” he said noting that some of the neighbors added cash of their own to help ease the pain of making their house their home once again. Right now Giannosa has boxes of oranges for his friends from a big tree in his back yard.
Cadets will get a taste of overseeing gang and narcotics enforcement as well as going on simulated code 3 pursuits and spending some time on the police firing range. It’s going to be an active three hours Wednesday nights in February and March from 6 until 9 p.m.
There will be one full day scheduled on a Saturday when the pursuit driving and firing range aspects will be presented. As of Thursday there were eight openings remaining in the academy.
The eight-week series of classes begin on February 9 and will continue through March 30.
The citizens’ academy is going to be meeting from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday evenings at the Manteca Police Department. The cost of the class is $20.
Those wishing to participate may obtain an application from the police records desk at city hall or by calling Officer Jason Hensley at (209) 456-8149.
Lum is a retired firefighter from Modesto having transferred from the Manteca Fire Department in about 1980. While initially thinking he was only commuting here from that city, it was an interesting curiosity that we knew so many people in common – especially in the fire department, past and present.
At first blush I thought they would have slow business selling fruit bouquets in the early months of the year after their November opening. Not so much a problem as they are creating gift boxes of about a dozen taste treats resembling a box of candy including their variety of chocolate dipped fruits.
Unlike the large bags of other brands I’ve found on market and drug store shelves, the small Vicks boxes always fit neatly into the shirt pocket of a dress shirt. I had just about given up until one day last week when I was pushing a grocery cart through the Ripon Save Mart grocery store – eureka.
Just by chance I walked over to the pharmacy counter and asked the clerk whether she knew if they were still available since no one appeared to be stocking the Vicks brand any longer. A quick check on the computer by a helpful pharmacy professional found their supplier had 92 packs available and ready for shipping. She was immediately on the search for me.
So I ordered five and figured that would last me for the rest of the season and into next year. When I went in to pick them up the friendly Save Mart pharmacist met me at the counter wanting to know if I might be opening a store – there were five cases of cough drops not five packs.
So, feeling a little guilty for the many packs they now have on hand, I guess I’m hawking the fact that the Save Mart grocery store in Ripon has a good supply of Vicks cough drops. When I mentioned finding the cough aids at work – effective with my allergies as well – Liz in the Bulletin front office said she had been looking for them in the stores to no avail.
“Pharmacy Phil”, as he is called, is a very outgoing chap who welcomes his clientele, always with a smile and a positive tone. Phil agreed to sell me just the smaller packets – a few of which are now on his counter. He said to be sure to pass the word around – he has a plentiful supply of those small cough drop packets at a good price – 70 cents each – 60 cents in volume.
Animal control updating phone numbers
The Ripon Animal Control officer called me today to update the information related to our pet’s dog license. They wanted a secondary number for emergencies and in the case that our dog got out of the yard while we were away. Once in past years our dog had gone visiting while we were out of town. She was picked up by the animal control officer who brought her by our house. Finding we weren’t home the staffer left a note on the door as well as a voice mail message noting that they had picked her up and that she was in the pound.
In addition to updating our personal information and cell phone numbers, the community service officer also wanted the number of a responsible friend or family member who could be contacted if our pooch had earned her way into the dog pound.
Neighborhood working together
Met and interesting gentleman this week while doing an advertorial for Steves Chevrolet-Buick. It was all about the reaction of the new owner of a Chevy who lives on Yorktown Lane. Tony Giannosa is quite a cheerleader for that Oakdale dealership with family ties to Manteca.Tony and his wife were there on Yorktown when a neighbor’s home was struck with a major fire last year. Just by chance roofers who were scheduled to have come on Monday didn’t get to his residence until Tuesday morning. The workers were in the right place at the right time, because it was they who had spotted the fire and called 911.
Giannosa said he was very concerned for two firemen whom he witnessed being hit by a flash of flames when they broke through the front door of his neighbor’s home. He and his wife, along with other residents in the block, got together and held a joint garage sale for the victims of the blaze to help them rebuild and restock.
“We are a very close neighborhood,” he said noting that some of the neighbors added cash of their own to help ease the pain of making their house their home once again. Right now Giannosa has boxes of oranges for his friends from a big tree in his back yard.
Citizens’ police academy set to be filled with action
Some 30 Manteca residents are expected to line up for a very action-packed citizens’ police academy experience that is set to get under way the second week of February. Officer Jason Hensley is taking his responsibility seriously in organizing the classes that will include the thrill and depth of actual police work.Cadets will get a taste of overseeing gang and narcotics enforcement as well as going on simulated code 3 pursuits and spending some time on the police firing range. It’s going to be an active three hours Wednesday nights in February and March from 6 until 9 p.m.
There will be one full day scheduled on a Saturday when the pursuit driving and firing range aspects will be presented. As of Thursday there were eight openings remaining in the academy.
The eight-week series of classes begin on February 9 and will continue through March 30.
The citizens’ academy is going to be meeting from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday evenings at the Manteca Police Department. The cost of the class is $20.
Those wishing to participate may obtain an application from the police records desk at city hall or by calling Officer Jason Hensley at (209) 456-8149.
Edible Arrangement owner former Manteca firefighter
Got to chatting with Randy and Dorothy Lum at their new Edible Arrangement franchise that offers chocolate dipped fruits inlcuding bananas, strawberries, bananas, oranges and pineapple. Lum is a retired firefighter from Modesto having transferred from the Manteca Fire Department in about 1980. While initially thinking he was only commuting here from that city, it was an interesting curiosity that we knew so many people in common – especially in the fire department, past and present.
At first blush I thought they would have slow business selling fruit bouquets in the early months of the year after their November opening. Not so much a problem as they are creating gift boxes of about a dozen taste treats resembling a box of candy including their variety of chocolate dipped fruits.
