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Turlock continues to suffer public safety staffing shortages

in People

As voters in Turlock consider whether or not to pass a sales tax measure to bolster dwindling City revenue sources, the City’s public safety departments are reaching critical staff shortage levels.

Turlock’s public safety agencies - the police and fire departments and dispatch - are struggling with a shortage of staff and obstacles in hiring and retaining staff, like higher pay and better benefit packages in other towns, are proving to be difficult to surmount. The Police and Fire unions both support the sales tax measure as a means to provide much-needed funding to staff the City’s public safety departments.

In the last week the Turlock Fire Department saw four experienced firefighters - three engineers and one captain - leave for probationary positions with the Alameda Fire Department. Interim Turlock Fire Chief Gary Carlson said he knows of two other fire engineers who are expected to leave for a neighboring department.

Continue Reading on Turlock Journal

PG&E reduces scope of planned outages set to begin tonight

in People

The following is a press release from Pacific Gas and Electric Co.:

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will de-energize certain electrical lines for safety over the course of this evening (Wednesday, Oct. 21) as part of a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). PG&E is calling a PSPS due to a high-wind event combined with low humidity and severely dry vegetation, that together create high risk of catastrophic wildfires.

Due changes in the weather forecast, the number of customers expected to be impacted has decreased by 31 percent. The PSPS event will affect approximately 37,000 customers in targeted portions of 15 counties.

Continue Reading on Times Standard

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TURLOCK WOMEN’S MARCH

in People

Members of the community gathered at Rotary Park on Saturday to celebrate women and show solidarity in the fight for equal rights at the inaugural Turlock Women’s March. The event, organized by Turlocker Caryn Kyte, saw individuals of all ages and genders march along the sidewalks near Stanislaus State, holding signs such as “Real Men are Feminists” and “Each Time a Woman Stands Up for Herself She Stands Up for All Women.” Local elected officials and others spoke about the history of women’s rights and the need to continue fighting for them.

Continue Reading on Turlock Journal

Local nonprofits struggling in wake of fundraiser cancellations

in People

The Turlock community is known for its tendency to give back to nonprofits in big ways, whether it’s by supporting the city’s “stars” as they sashay on stage or through dashing around an event center with a red kettle in their hand. This year, however, there haven’t been many opportunities for Turlock’s most generous residents to contribute to worthy causes — and local organizations are hurting because of it.

The coronavirus pandemic has put a stop to many fundraisers this year, and quite a few are typically scheduled for the fall and winter months. The Turlock Salvation Army has already lost out on funds they would have received from their August event Moonlight and Margaritas and the September spectacle Dancing with the Turlock Stars, both of which were cancelled, and is now hoping the community will support the new drive-thru format of its annual Kettle Kickoff Luncheon.

According to Turlock Salvation Army Captain Jeffrey Breazeale, the nonprofit that provides services for those in need has lost about $80,000 in revenue this year due to the cancellation of its most significant fundraisers. This year, the organization is campaigning to “Rescue Christmas” and raise $100,000 through the Kettle Klash.

Continue Reading on Turlock Journal

Stanislaus Co. registrar warns of unauthorized ballot boxes in Turlock, Modesto

in People

STANISLAUS COUNTY, Calif. —

The Stanislaus County Registrar of Voters is warning of several unauthorized ballot boxes placed in churches throughout the area.

Donna Linder, Registrar of Voters for Stanislaus County, said she knew of three unofficial ballot boxes in Turlock and two in Modesto.

The three in Turlock were at the following locations:

  • New Life Christian Church - 2918 W. Tuolumne Road, Turlock, CA 95380
  • Harvest Church - 130 Third St., Turlock, CA 95380
  • Monte Vista Chapel - 1619 E. Monte Vista Ave., Turlock, CA 95382

However, Monte Vista Chapel told KCRA 3 there were no ballot boxes at their church that they are aware of.

Continue Reading on KCRA

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Fall heat wave bringing California more fire danger

in People

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California's siege of wildfires has significantly quieted but forecasters warned Tuesday that a fall heat wave will bring back high fire danger this week.

Red Flag warnings were to go into effect in much of Northern California before dawn Wednesday due to high pressure producing hot and dry conditions with offshore gusts, the National Weather Service said.

The foremost concern was "the likely development of critical fire weather conditions by Wednesday morning, and then becoming even more extreme Wednesday night into Thursday," the service's San Francisco Bay Area office wrote.

Pacific Gas & Electric said it is likely some circuits will be turned off starting Wednesday evening to try to prevent fires from being started by damaged power lines. An estimated 50,000 customers in parts of 21 northern counties would be affected, the utility said.

Continue Reading on Turlock Journal

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Stanislaus County moves into Red Tier

in People

Stanislaus County has been given the approval by the California Department of Public Health to move down one tier in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, clearing the path for businesses to expand operations or in some instances reopen their doors.

Stanislaus County was able to move to the Red Tier because it met the two needed metrics and stayed there for two weeks. Under the Red Tier, daily new cases have to fall between four to seven per 100,000 residents and the positivity test rate has to be between five to eight percent. As of Tuesday, Stanislaus County has a case rate of 6.3 per 100,000 residents and a testing positive rate of 3.7%.

Continue Reading on Turlock Journal

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New Stanislaus County Nonprofit Grants

in People

COVID-19 pandemic has created a crisis for local arts, cultural, and youth-serving organizations. The public health requirements for safely operating these programs present numerous challenges to nonprofit financial models and affect the design, nature and scale of youth and arts/culture programs.

Considering these challenges and because of the vital role played by these nonprofits, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors approved $2 million in CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds specifically for county nonprofit organizations providing arts, cultural, and/or youth services and programs. The intention of this funding is to stabilize and secure the ongoing operation of these nonprofit services that are critical to young people and/or contribute to the vibrancy of Stanislaus County.

Continue Reading on Stan County

County provides alternatives to mailing in ballots

in People

A number of satellite offices, drop-off boxes and drive-thru options are popping up in Turlock throughout the course of October and into November to ensure that every ballot is counted come election day.

For the first time ever, all registered voters in Stanislaus County will receive their ballot in the mail for the upcoming election on Nov. 3 following legislation signed in June by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Assembly Bill 860 requires all California counties to send a ballot to eligible voters in advance of the general election. Voting by mail is nothing new in Stanislaus County, where about 77 percent of registered voters already cast their ballots by mail. Stanislaus County was also the first county in California to ever vote by mail, thanks to a pilot project authorized in a bill passed by the 1993 Legislature and signed into law by then-governor Pete Wilson.

During an interview with the Journal in August, Stanislaus County Registrar of Voters Donna Linder said that jumping from 77 percent to 100 percent of voters participating in the election by mail won’t sway affect the results or its process, which has consistently remained secure throughout the years.

Continue Reading on Turlock Journal

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End of shift

in People

With one day to go before his retirement starts, Turlock Police Chief Nino Amirfar is surprised it got here so quickly.

"When I announced it, it seemed so far away," Amirfar said. "I can't believe it's here already. I'm not sure I'm ready."

Amirfar announced his retirement in early March of this year and at the end of his shift on Thursday, he will hand the reins off to Capt. Miguel Pacheco and Capt. Steve Williams. The two men will both serve as interim police chief, in turns, with Pacheco taking the first four months and Williams taking the next four months.

While there are a few items Amirfar might not be able to check off his to-do list, he can look back on a career that has well-served the Turlock community.

"It's about wanting to take care of the community and wanting to make a difference."

Continue Reading on Turlock Journal

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