Hall of Fame inductees run from visionaries to coaches

Mike Morenzone – the marathon man of Manteca coaching – has amassed a career win-loss record of 538-172, 17 league championships and two Sac-Joaquin Section crowns.

Manteca Historical Society donates name plaque to East Union Cemetery

There was a time when cows grazed freely in East Union Cemetery among the gravestones of such Manteca pioneers as Joshua Cowell and J.Walter Graves.

Ladder truck serves as Manteca’s fourth full staffed fire engine

Wal-Mart. Doctor's Hospital. Food 4 Less. Bass Pro. Costco. Name any of the large buildings within the Manteca city limits and you will be describing buildings that would require an aerial ladder to extinguish a large fire. Do you frequent any of these establishments?

BLD plaza honors Charles Palmer

Sammy Davis walked the halls of Manteca High a generation before Charles Palmer III. The two men never met. Davis went on to serve America in the Vietnam War where his valor while facing death to save the lives of men in his Army unit eventually led to his receiving the Medal of Honor. Palmer enlisted in the Marines after graduating from high school and served from 1990 to 1994. Then 12 years later in ...

From fighting in America’s bloodiest battle to working as doorman to the stars

Earl "The Pearl" Watson - a survivor from America's bloodiest engagement at the Battle of the Bugle during World War II where 80,000 United States soldiers died - is the last man standing in his old segregated regiment that once numbered 1,800 strong. Watson was in Manteca Monday to address those gathered to remember the fallen during the Memorial Day ceremonies at East Union Cemetery. "This is one of the most patriotic cities I've seen," ...

Manteca MP earns NCO of the Year honors

Staff Sergeant Ronald "Chad" White – a 2003 graduate of East Union High School – is the U.S. Army Stuttgart, Germany garrison's non-commissioned officer (NCO) of the year. Presentation of his award took place earlier this month at his current duty station in Stuttgart, during the Army's year-long celebration of The Year of the NCO. Sgt. White – an Army military policeman (MP) – has served two combat tours in Iraq as a gunner and ...

Union Crossing targets build out by end of 2014

The conversion of the remaining space at the Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley – plus some yet to be built - into premier outlet stores with the first expected to open by mid-2010 is creating the need for more nearby commercial. Commercial real estate agents note that big retail draws such as regional malls, outlet malls and ultra-retailers such as Bass Pro Shops create traffic that tends to attract other commercial. Bass Pro Shop has ...

Union Crossing targets build out by end of 2014

The conversion of the remaining space at the Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley – plus some yet to be built - into premier outlet stores with the first expected to open by mid-2010 is creating the need for more nearby commercial. Commercial real estate agents note that big retail draws such as regional malls, outlet malls and ultra-retailers such as Bass Pro Shops create traffic that tends to attract other commercial. Bass Pro Shop has ...

Recruiting swim party this Sunday for Cub Scouts

Arnold Urbina III is looking forward to that day when he's officially a member of the Boys Scout of America. As a Cub Scout, the local 10-year-old is working up the ranks. He's currently a Webelos 1. From there, Urbina and others in Pack 423 will soon become Webelos 2, which is the level before becomingx a Boys Scout. He and others climbed up the same ladder, going from Tigers to Wolves; Wolves to Bears; ...

Ready to power Manteca’s future

South San Joaquin Irrigation District is posed to play a pivotal role in Manteca's future prosperity just as its creation 100 years ago gave the community economic strength.

Thousands pay tribute to the fallen

The thousands of people who filled Woodward Park on Sunday were there to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

200 more Mantecans find jobs

Two hundred more Manteca residents were working in April than in the previous month. Manteca's unemployment rate dipped to 13.6 percent in April from a post World War II high of 14.4 percent in March. That means one out of roughly every seven in the adult workforce or 3,900 people in Manteca are unemployed. It is a lower jobless rate than bothMarch at 14.4 percent as well as in February when it was at 13.8 ...

Calla High starts flurry of graduations

Graduation season officially kicks off this Friday. The "Pomp and Circumstance" – the traditional tune played at commencement exercises – begins at 6:15 p.m. for Calla High students receiving their diplomas. The special event will be held at the First Assembly of God Church, 486 Button Ave. Graduation candidates at Weston Ranch's New Vision Educational Center (the ceremony there will be held in the on-campus multi-purpose facility) and Lindbergh Educational Center (Calvary Community Church, 815 ...

CTA honors Give Every Child a Chance program

Give Every Child a Chance – the Raymus founded tutoring group – has been honored by the California Teachers Association (CTA) with its "Golden Bell" award for excellence.

Spreckels/Yosemite count up 17.5%

Traffic counts have skyrocketed 17.5 percent in the past year at the Spreckels/Cottage/Yosemite avenues intersection.

1,619 more Manteca homes?

Get ready for a new McMansion Era in Manteca.

UNITY CAN BE FUN

Youngsters of the Friday Unity Night in the Neighborhood were still getting used to their new digs following the ribbon-cutting event.

Diocese mulls bankruptcy after sexual abuse settlements

By ROSE ALBANO RISSO

Non-profit benefactors of PG&E embrace rate hike

STOCKTON – Non-profits in and around San Joaquin County are appreciative of the money that San Francisco-based PG&E has given out to them over the years.

SJ County Fair opens 5-day run Wednesday

STOCKTON – The San Joaquin County Fair is back after a brief run this past fall.

Manteca murder mystery

It was a long unsolved missing person's murder "cold case" that covered more than two decades until police were tipped off last month that skeletal evidence was buried in or around Manteca. The grave of a missing Stockton woman is yielding clues to a murder mystery that began with the disappearance of Karen Michelle Sterzl, 36, in December of 1990, from a houseboat on the Tuleburg Levee that she shared in Stockton with Manteca upholstery ...

Twin tunnels: Death knell for Delta farming?

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta could become saltier if the state builds the two massive diversion tunnels Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed to supply water to the Central Valley and Southern California. And if that occurs, it could lay waste to $560 million of San Joaquin County's annual farm production of $2.2 billion. Water with high salt content ultimately renders soil toxic to Delta farm crops. Once fertile soil laden with salts - either intentionally or ...

Lathrop may go solar to counter PG&E costs

LATHROP - Could hedging power costs end up saving taxpayers a bundle? It all depends upon where electricity costs do over the course of the next three decades. Last week the Lathrop City Council heard a proposal by a solar energy firm that could eventually lead to an overhaul of the way that the municipality pays for its electricity. They would shun the standard PG&E model and go instead with an extensive solar power system ...

MUSD provides free meals to 2,000 plus kids

Zimmerman’s attorney walks tight line in defense in shooting of teen

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) - George Zimmerman's lead attorney will be walking a fine line as he tries to convince jurors that his client didn't murder Trayvon Martin: He needs to show why Zimmerman felt threatened by the African-American teenager while avoiding the appearance that either he or his client is racist.

Comcast buffs up guides for Internet age

WASHINGTON (AP) - After years of making money providing Internet service, cable TV companies are now tapping the power of the Internet to improve clunky program guides that are a relic of the 1990s.

Digital music service expected from Apple

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Apple is expected to reveal a digital radio service and changes to the software behind iPhones and iPads today as the company opens its annual conference for software developers.

Heat at graduation sends five to hospital

LOOMIS (AP) - At least 15 people suffered heat exhaustion and heat stroke at an outdoor graduation ceremony in Placer County, which saw record-breaking temperatures and conditions that posed extreme fire danger on Saturday, authorities said.

BART official paid $330K for not working

OAKLAND (AP) - A top official for the agency that manages the San Francisco Bay Area's BART system earned more than $330,000 last year - even though she didn't work a single day for the public transit agency, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Japanese troops train on Calif. beach

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Japanese troops will converge on California's southern coast in the next two weeks as part of a military exercise with U.S. troops aimed at improving that country's amphibious attack abilities.