A driver shot on northbound Highway 99 in Turlock early Sunday is expected to survive, according to the California Highway Patrol. The man, a 26-year-old resident of Turlock, was struck in the back, CHP Officer Tom Olsen said by phone Sunday morning. A second bullet grazed the man’s head, he said. CHP and Turlock police… Keep Reading
Hospital cases of COVID-19 declined in Stanislaus County for the first time in a few weeks Thursday. Meanwhile, the county announced four more deaths, for a total of 1,116 residents since April 2020. There have been 21 reported deaths in August, the highest total in one month since 22 in May. The Health Services Agency… Keep Reading
Following the Taliban’s swift rise to power in Afghanistan this month, local organizations and elected officials came together Thursday night to help alleviate uncertainty, confusion and fear for members of Modesto’s Afghan community working to rescue family from the country. “It’s a group of very concerned, very scared Afghans with family members still in harm’s… Keep Reading
A couple with ties to Modesto who had been hiding from Taliban fighters fled Afghanistan Tuesday, while dozens of other locals stranded in Kabul apparently haven’t been as lucky. Also, a town hall meeting for anyone seeking information on the crisis and efforts to bring loved ones to safety is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday… Keep Reading
Smoke from ongoing wildfires is making outdoor activity dangerous for Turlock residents and all those in northern California and Tuolumne and Mariposa counties, prompting the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to issue a health caution. The health caution will remain in effect for San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern… Keep Reading
The increase of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in California has prompted health officials to recommend a vaccine booster shot for those individuals with compromised immune systems. The Stanislaus County Health Services Agency is advising immunocompromised individuals get a third dose of the vaccine, especially as the more transmissible Delta variant continues to spread in the… Keep Reading
In an effort to expand vaccination access to Turlock’s underserved communities, Westside Ministries is hosting a vaccine clinic this weekend with thousands of dollars in raffle prizes as incentive for those who receive their first dose. Westside Ministries founder JoLynn DiGrazia said that while the nonprofit organization has held flu vaccine clinics before in the… Keep Reading
Nearly the entire first year of Dzifa Ackuayi’s high school experience was through distance learning. Transitioning to in-person classes, the Modesto High sophomore said, has been stressful, overwhelming and “a bit awkward.” It hasn’t been easy, either, for students who started high school traditionally, were thrust into learning from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic… Keep Reading
A Turlock teenager died over the weekend from injuries suffered when a pickup truck hit her while she was riding her horse. Summer Gardner Vigil, 19, had been in a Modesto hospital since the accident on Wednesday. She had suffered a severe brain injury, her family members said. Her horse, Riggs, died at the scene… Keep Reading
A 19-year-old California girl died after she was hit by a distracted driver while riding her horse. On Aug. 11, Summer Gardner-Vigil was riding her horse, Riggs, westbound on East Harding Road near Turlock when a Chevy pickup truck, traveling northbound on Youngstown Road, slammed into them. "To get a phone call your child has… Keep Reading
