Hey everyone! Welcome to another episode of Local Turlock Podcast for the week of September 3rd. I am here to give you some of Turlock’s latest scoops, news & stories, with 2 business highlights for the week. Sit back and relax as we open with our first story! Are you a fan of comic books, you don’t wanna miss Comic Con as it returns to Turlock fairgrounds very soon! Want to start your business but don’t know how? Check out the journey of a Turlock resident’s unique cakes business as it hits rapid success. Looking for a good time this weekend? Nothing beats good food and Free concert to be held at Crane Park this weekend. Next, President Junn of Stanislaus State welcomes students to a delayed start of in-person instruction. Give your love and support to our local businesses especially during this pandemic as I highlight 2 businesses this week. Also sharing the latest updates about COVID 19 in Stanislaus County. All that and more today for this week's Local Turlock podcast.
Comic Con returns to Turlock fairgrounds
Comic book and popular culture fans have something to celebrate as the Ohana Comic Con will return to Turlock.
The Turlock comic con is set for Sept. 6. The event will be held at the Turlock fairgrounds in building E2 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Fans of “Star Wars” and “Power Rangers” are not going to want to miss this, because there will be a white Power Ranger and Darth Vader to take pictures and sign autographs. There will also be a cosplay show, which is the highlight of the event for a lot of people, according to organizer, Ziggy Star. The fun is not only for the kids, parents get just as excited for the event as their little ones do, said Star.
The pandemic has affected turnout recently, compared to past years, but there is still expected to hundreds of people at the Turlock event. Guests are going to required to wear masks and Star “wants everyone to be safe while having a lot of fun.”
Coming to Comic Con in costume is a huge draw for many fans. Star said that while “Star Wars” is still popular with kids today, Marvel characters are most seen at these events. With “Black Widow” coming out recently and a new Spiderman movie on its way, those are sure to be some popular picks for costumes this year.
Turlock resident’s unique cakes a rapid success
Name of business: Cakes by Daisy
Type of business: Cake baker
Location: Accepting orders in Turlock and throughout the 209
Contact information: @cakesbydai on Instagram
Specialty: Personalized number and initial desserts
In just over a year, Turlock resident Daisy Gomez has made a name for herself in the cake business by creating edible works of art which celebrate everything unique about her clients. Gomez first began making cakes in May 2020 when she baked one for her father’s birthday, and just a month later decided to start her own business, Cakes by Daisy. Since then, her variety of cakes in all shapes and sizes — from numbers to initials to spelled-out words — have made waves on social media, with the 22-year-old amassing nearly 5,000 Instagram followers in her first year of business.
The young entrepreneur estimates that she’s baked around 600 cakes during that time, helping the community celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and more. Gomez spends about two hours decorating each cake, utilizing her own artistic touch to create custom cakes that her customers adore.
Gomez’s customers trust her when it comes to decorating, and she uses a variety of fun toppings like chocolate-covered strawberries, flowers, cookies and whatever else may come to mind. The result is an aesthetically pleasing dessert featuring plenty of different textures and colors, with some featuring a customer’s favorite TV show or movie, or whatever special theme they desire.
She takes orders via her Cakes by Daisy Instagram page, and the desserts typically cost anywhere from $40 to $130, depending on their size and detail.
Free concert to be held at Crane Park this weekend
Turlockers looking to get out of the house and enjoy good music will have the opportunity to do so Saturday evening courtesy of a free concert in the park.
Featuring the Turlock-based All Together Band, the concert is a collaborative effort between Offline Turlock, a new group creating spaces offline for the community to connect, and The Fun Junkies, who plan events for young adults throughout the county in Turlock, Modesto and beyond.
Khetsavanh created The Fun Junkies in 2018 as a way for busy adults to connect and meet new people through activities like hikes, brewery takeovers, comedy nights and more across the Central Valley. When the activities slowed during the pandemic, Khetsavanh helped support local businesses by creating and selling t-shirts, then put the profits right back into gift cards for local businesses.
Now that events are able to be held again, Khetsavanh is happy to provide the Turlock community with something fun and safe to do. Saturday night’s concert will feature All Together Band, consisting of Turlock residents Alina Torres, Jordan Burnam and Warner Swanson. The trio frequently perform at the Turlock Certified Farmers Market and feature a Folk/Americana style with a heavy focus on vocal harmonies and light acoustic instrumentation, according to their Instagram page.
The concert in the park featuring All Together Band will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Crane Park. For more information about The Fun Junkies, follow them on Instagram at @thefunjunkies.
President Junn welcomes students to a delayed start at Stanislaus State
Stanislaus State President Ellen Junn shared the university’s plan for managing the fall semester amidst rising cases of COVID-19 in her virtual welcoming address on Aug. 19.
The university delayed in-person instruction until Oct. 1 to give students and staff more time to receive the COVID vaccination, which is mandated by the school.
Stanislaus State requires proof of vaccination for students, staff and faculty. Those who request an exemption for medical or religious purposes must test weekly, and free testing is available on campus.
Junn urged the campus community to upload their proof of vaccine as quickly as possible and university officials “remain excited and committed” to bringing students back to campus.
Most staff and administration have been vaccinated, however, there is currently no information available on vaccination rates among students.
Masks are required in all campus buildings. When students return to in-person instruction, student ambassadors in the school buildings will provide masks and remind people they’re required. Masks will also be available in and around all classrooms, according to Provost Rich Ogle.
A group of faculty created a set of guidelines for students who choose not to wear a mask in class. Students first will be reminded and offered one if they don’t have one. Disciplinary actions include asking students to remove themselves from the classroom and dismissing the class if the situation escalates.
Ogle encouraged all students concerned about wearing a mask to contact their academic advisor to switch their course this semester to online.
Coronavirus update, Sept. 2: Stanislaus has 8 more deaths. Hospital cases reach 299
Eight more Stanislaus County residents have died from COVID-19, for a total of 1,150 since April 2020, the county Health Services Agency said Wednesday.
The Sept. 1 figure followed an August with 45 deaths, compared with 18 in July and just nine in June.
Positive tests rose by 283 to a total of 67,757 as of Wednesday. Stanislaus also has 780,256 negative test results and 63,372 people who are presumed recovered.
Business Spotlight:
Bella Events by Diana
Location: All around Turlock
Tel. No: (209) 678-1141
Operational Hours: 24 hours
Be a guest at your own event. Bella Events by Diana is here to help you create your perfect day! Bella Events by Diana specializes in personalizing diverse events for each client and handling stressful event situations with grace. Their signature is creative and tasteful designs with incredible attention to detail and structured + logistical event flow.
Barber Club Turlock
Location: 132 S Center St Turlock, CA
Tel. No: (209) 445-0344
Operational Hours: Monday (10am-8pm)
Tuesday (9am-8pm)
Wednesday-Saturday (8am-8pm)
Sunday (9am-4:30pm)
Barber Club Turlock is an extension of the vision created in the small town of Atwater CA. With a lot of work and team effort, they have evolved it into what they felt the community needs. They take pride in bringing value to their customers, specializes in the art of customer service, combined with the art of grooming, to bring a best-of-both worlds experience.
Thank you for tuning in for this week’s podcast. Don’t forget to visit our website, localturlock.com, to stay up-to-date on our local news. You can always email me at turlock@localturlock.com and visit our Facebook at Facebook.com/localturlock and leave us some comments! Stay tuned for next week’s exciting episode! Have a great weekend and always stafe safe!
