Stuff ‘N Nonsense - The Price of Popular

When I was a teenager my family had little to spare. My parents were working hard to put food on the table and keep the roof over the heads of their four children, which meant there was rarely enough for extras such as new clothes or whatever trendy accessory that anyone who was anyone had to have. I made do with what I was given, which often wasn't a lot. As a consequence, I was bullied and disdained by those who always had more.

New Salon Celebrates Diversity

Growing up different in a small town created some rough times for the 2008 OHS graduate but David Soria, owner of the David Allen salon in Oakdale, is proving that different can be fabulous.

Sconza Factory Sale Slated

Sconza Candy Company will hold their annual candy factory sale Saturday, Oct. 22, just in time for the holidays. This is a great opportunity to support a local business. The sale will start at 9 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. Premium first and second quality candies will be for sale. Cash and credit cards will be accepted. No checks. Sconza Candy is located at One Sconza Candy Lane (1400 S.Yosemite Ave.) in Oakdale.

Vehicle Theft On The Rise

With dwindling resources, fewer officers on the street, and police enforcement going from proactive to reactive, the news that vehicle theft is on the rise isn't a shocker to those on the front line.

Bloomingcamp To Host Octoberfest

A fall favorite is returning this year to Bloomingcamp Ranch with Octoberfest, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15-16.

CalFIRE: Too Many Firefighters

Although an email circulated recently by three fire agency chiefs hoping for a CalFIRE Schedule A contract reported that the state agency had declined support for the contract, CalFIRE Unit Chief Brian Kirk clarified the state's position.

Possible Equine Virus Outbreak Causes Ripple In Community

Members of the equine community were concerned by the report of a September outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus discovered at Kennedy Meadows on the heels of a May outbreak in Utah confirmed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) where 400 horses were exposed to the virus, but local veterinarians were quick to dispel any fears that may have erupted over this common, but rarely fatal affliction.

CalFIRE Declines Contract Offer

CalFIRE recently delivered disappointing news to the three local fire agencies hoping to become a part of the state fire department when they declined the opportunity to support a Schedule A contract with Stanislaus Consolidated, Oakdale Rural Fire Protection District and Oakdale City Fire.

Line Up Aims To Appeal To Families

Family-friendly is the goal and that's exactly the kind of entertainment scheduled for the Riverbank Cheese and Wine Exposition, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8-9 on Santa Fe and Third streets in the heart of downtown Riverbank.

Uneasy Negotiations - ORFD Labor Group Concerns

Upon the heels of Oakdale Rural Fire Protection District Chief Lee Winton's two-year term ending, negotiations have begun to bring on Steve Mayotte, Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District Chief, on a limited, part-time basis as an administrative chief to Oakdale's rural district but the rural fire company's labor group members have been vocal in their concern.

Local Threading Artist Ventures On Own

A single thread of string - that's all local aesthetician Patty Lopez needs to transform even the most unruly '70s style eyebrows into perfectly manicured works of art and her clients adore her not only for her talent, but for her heart.

Master Craftsman - Modern Day Toymaker Creates Old Fashioned Joy

After a long day at work many people enjoy winding down by putting up their feet and watching a few favorite television shows, catching up on daily events, or perhaps reading a good book.

Kimberly's Book Reviews

Mistress By Midnight Publisher: HQN Books ISBN: 0373774885 HHHHH Recently, for a change of pace, I've been reading historical novels. I love the richness of detail inherent in a well-written historical romance novel and I was lucky enough to find two I really enjoyed so I'm sharing. The Blurb: Merryn Fenner is on a mission to ruin the Duke of Farne. A beautiful bluestocking with a penchant for justice, Merryn has waited ten years ...

Oakdale Prepares For Eye In The Sky

The fight against graffiti is getting an unexpected boost in the form of ROTA (Riverbank Oakdale Transit Authority) surveillance cameras funded by a grant issued by the Department of Homeland Security.

City Coffers - ‘Phishing’ Scheme Siphons $118,000

The City of Oakdale recently discovered it had been the victim of a sophisticated Internet "Phishing" scheme in which a chameleon-type email disguised as appropriate infected a city computer and gained access to the passwords to a checking account held at Oak Valley Community Bank.

Oakdale's Annual Chocolate Festival

Although the main attraction of the Oakdale Chocolate Festival is undoubtedly the chocolate, there are plenty of other things to see, taste, and experience at the 21st annual Oakdale Chocolate Festival hosted by the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce. Several new vendors – nearly a dozen ‑ have committed to the festival, ranging from pool supplies to tasty candied treats and there is bound to be ...

Stuff ‘N Nonsense - Adjusting To The Dream Job

Who knew there would be an adjustment period to living the dream? I certainly didn't. Many of you know I published my first book in December 2006 and it's been a dream of mine for longer than I can remember to support myself solely on my fiction writing income. After many years of incredibly hard work, I managed to make that dream a reality and I left my post at The Leader to live the dream.

Hottest Ticket - Annual Cowgirl Luncheon Wild Success 12 Times Over

It's the hottest ticket in town and for 464 lucky ladies - it's money well-spent.

Chatting With Pam Thornberry, P.A.

Pam Thornberry, a Physician's Assistant with Dr. Lee Horwitz, has a smile that immediately puts patients at ease, whether she's discussing something serious or simply exchanging information about one's medical history. Thornberry, who received her medical training at UC Davis, has been a PA for 18 years and in the current Oakdale office for the past 12. For the special Healthy Living feature, this 'Q and A' is designed to help the ...

Stuff ‘N Nonsense - A Graceful Exit

I have an issue with finality. At the end of every year, as everyone is celebrating the ball drop on a New Year, I'm lamenting the fact that I'll never be in that moment again - another year lost to time, never to experience again. In that second before the big calendar change, I panic just a little knowing that it's over. I'm happy to report that the panic doesn't last but ...

BOWL BOUND

The Oakdale Varsity Football team arrived bright and early Friday, Dec. 14 to board the bus headed for Carson, California for the California Interscholastic Federation State Football Championship Division II Bowl game -- a first for the Mustangs and there was a good-sized, rowdy crowd ready to send them off in style.

Not-So-Merry - Thieves Pilfer Holiday Packages

The best part about the digital age is the ease with which retailers make it for consumers to do a large portion of their shopping from the comfort of their living room via the Internet. Emarketers estimated that Internet shopping will account for 24.3 percent of all U.S. retail spending during the traditional holiday season (November-December) and judging by the number of times the UPS, FedEx, and other mail carriers have been ...

House Of Beef, A Delicious Holiday Resource

Holiday Safety - Police: Be Wary Of Opportunists

As the unseasonably warm Indian summer fades to the chill, foggy days of a Central Valley winter, Oakdale Police are reminding the community that criminals often look for quick opportunities to steal other people's property and a foggy night makes for perfect cover. "As soon as the fog starts to roll in, we see more crime because of the lower visibility," Sgt. Michael Nixon of the Oakdale Police Department warned. "You ...

Eclectic Empty Nest Under New Ownership

Shelley Leadem is no stranger to the business world, having been in real estate for 20 years in her native Hollister, but the new owner of The Empty Nest admits that working in retail is a whole new world. Leadem and her husband relocated to Oakdale three years ago due to a job change and quickly fell in love with the small town. "My husband got ...