Feathers Tapped As Manager

The Oakdale City Council announced that former Atwater Assistant City Manager Stan Feathers will take over as the part-time interim city manager on July 1when current Interim City Manager Greg Wellman is required to leave the post. The move is pending a likely California Public Employee Retirement System approval, which would restrict Feathers to working no more than 960 hours in a fiscal year and, like Wellman, can only ...

Back And Better: Festival Reaches 20 Years

Mixture Of Music Planned For Main Stage

The sweet sounds of eight different musical groups will enhance those sampling the sweetness of the chocolate starting Saturday May, 19 at this year's 20th annual Oakdale Chocolate Festival, Cowboys and Chocolate. "We have a very diverse group of bands this year," said Victoria Sutton Krippner, the festival's main stage music chairperson. "There will be dancing in the streets." Krippner, an Oakdale High School grad, has been music chairperson for the last ...

Runners Prepping For Chocolate’s Annual Fun Run

The tradition continues. On Saturday, May 19, around 250 runners will step to the line for one mile (8 a.m.) and five kilometer (shortly after) runs through the streets of Oakdale during the 20th annual Oakdale Chocolate Festival. The runs, which are presented by the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce with logistics and operational assistance from the ShadowChase Running Club of Modesto, draws plenty of experienced and novice runners alike and concludes with an ...

Original, New Vendors Planned For Festival

This is the 20th year for Oakdale's Cowboys and Chocolate festival, May 19-20, and it's featuring a few vendors who've been with the festival since the very beginning as well as several who are brand new this year. Lockeford Meats is one of those 20-year chocolate festival veteran vendors. York Pettersen, whose family owns the company, said that they come to the festival because they enjoy the small community and support for the ...

Cowboys And Chocolate

It started off as a spark of an idea tying in the city's largest commodity - Hershey Chocolate – in an attempt to create a fun festival. Twenty years later the festival has blossomed into an event that last year lured 80 bajillion people to Oakdale with the promise of chocolate. Well, maybe not quite 80 bajillion, but 72,000 people flocked to the city to attend the 19th annual Cowboys and Chocolate festival and ...

Chocolate Games

Youngsters and the young at heart who love being daubed with chocolate, sinking their face into a custard pie or nosing for candy in a plate of whipped cream may want to visit the Chocolate Challenge Stage this weekend. A perennially popular feature of the annual Oakdale Chocolate Festival, the stage is slated to be set up next to the Chase Bank at West F Street and Yosemite Avenue in an area fenced ...

Billy Pat Barnes

Friends and family are invited to attend a celebration of life for Billy Pat Barnes on Saturday, May 19 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cow Track Lounge, 850 N. Yosemite Ave., Oakdale.

Robert William Hagemann

Robert William Hagemann, 73, passed away on Monday, May 7, 2012 at Bethany Home in Ripon.

OHS Seniors Earn $120,000 In Scholarship Awards

With more than $120,000 in pledges and donations for scholarships this year, 105 seniors from Oakdale High School turned out for the 44th Annual Scholarship Night program at the Gene Bianchi Community Center on May 8.

Overworked, Understaffed - City Audits Arrive Late

After a series of city financial crises coming to light, Finance Director Albert Avila assured Oakdale Interim City Manager Greg Wellman that the city's tardy 2010-2011 audit would be received by Friday, May 11 and delivered to the city council. Last week the council also just received notice of the 2009-2010 audit report that had been withheld for nearly a year.

School District Plans Facility Improvements

Approximately $3.5 million in developer fees and project savings is expected to mature at the end of June 2013 in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District and must be used for construction or facilities improvements within the next five years. The Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees heard a report on district facilities at the regular meeting on May 14 and the steps that have been taken so far to prepare to use ...

Valley Home News for May 16, 2012

Once again it is that time of year when Valley Home residents can look forward to a delightful step back in time, relax, sit back and enjoy a Sunday afternoon of good old fashioned silent film comedy. We have received word from Sharon Hofmann that St. John's Lutheran Church here in Valley Home is preparing to host their Seventh Annual Silent Movie, on Sunday, June 3 at 3 p.m.

Graduations Slated, Etiquette Encouraged

The pomp and circumstance of graduation is just around the corner as schools in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District host a series of commencement ceremonies next week. School administrators have provided information and instructions for families and friends of graduates, as well as the graduates themselves, who attend these community events.

Knights Ferry News for May 16, 2012

Congratulations go out to Jim Hansen on his hole-in-one at the Jack Tone Golf Course!

CHP Honors Its Communications Operators

In the midst of an emergency, a member of the public may have to call 911. It is the calm voice and gentle demeanor at the other end of the phone that can help soothe rattled nerves and calm a stressful situation. The U.S. Congress has designated the second full week of April of each year as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) takes this opportunity to ...

Ryle Smith Named All Around Champion

Ryle Smith, a 2005 Oakdale High graduate and professional cowboy, returned to his hometown triumphantly on April 13 and 14 to claim an All-Around Champion title at the 61st Annual Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo. Smith landed second in tie-down roping and third in steer wrestling to finish with the top marks in a muddy field of play that left most cowboys floundering in the sludge. For additional photos, more information on ...

Mud Flies As Oakdale Rodeo Delivers Thrills

Nothing repels mud quite like a pair of cowboy boots. Friday rains may have turned the Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo arena into a mud-pit, but competitors braved the boggy condition with a barrage of thrills on Saturday at the Oakdale Rodeo. A huge crowd of rodeo faithful across the globe made the trek to Oakdale on Saturday to see bull riders, steer wrestlers, bareback riders, team ropers, saddle bronc riders, calf-tiers, tie-down ropers and barrel ...

Rodeo Parade Kicks Off Wild Weekend

Overcast skies and a chilly wind gave way to some intermittent sunshine as more than 100 entries in the Oakdale Rodeo Parade made their way along F Street in downtown Oakdale Saturday morning, signaling the start of a busy weekend. From the dancing horses to local day cares, 4-H groups to musical entertainment, the parade did not disappoint those watching from both sides of F Street, lining the ...

Sober Grad Night Looking For Volunteers, Donations

The Sober Grad Night committee is looking for donations and volunteers and invite interested community members to attend the next meeting on Thursday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m at Sierra View Elementary.

Ropin' and Ridin'

The Oakdale Rodeo grounds was the scene for a team roping competition, Tuesday, April 10. There was plenty of action going on and good competition for attendees and spectators. For more roping action, check out the Oakdale Rodeo slated for April 13-15.

Valley Home News for April 11, 2012

Let's have a big round of applause for the Valley Home 4H sponsored Easter Egg Hunt which took place on Saturday morning on the grounds of the Valley Home School Texas Avenue site. The group did a wonderful job of giving our friend, the Easter Bunny a big helping hand and making the morning so much fun for all the eager young egg hunters! The Bunny's helpers had this ...

Measure T Takes Stage

In an effort to promote awareness for the upcoming Measure T, which will appear on the ballots in June, as well as fundraise for the local library, coordinators have gathered 11 authors from various genres for an author event, Wednesday, April 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Oakdale Senior Center. There is a $10 suggested donation for the event, which will feature keynote speaker, Eric Quisling, ...

Knights Ferry News for April 11, 2011

Congratulations go out to the winners of the Oak Summit Lodge #112 Free and Accepted Masons essay contest. The winners received savings bonds. Sixth grader winners were: First-Jocelyn Burke, Second-Alondra Machado and Third-Jenna Armario. Seventh Grade winners were: First-Katherine Schwandt and Third-Salvador Limon. Eighth Grade winners were: First-Kaeli Sturtevant, Second-Erick Ramirez and Third-Cleo Wilson. Congratulations on your good writing! ***** There was a sighting of a ...

Shelter Benefits From Alternative Work Program

The Oakdale Animal Shelter has found an unlikely source of manpower within the Alternative Work Program (AWP) to help bridge the gap between budget cuts and community need without costing the city a dime. The Alternative Work Program is available to inmates with sentences of less than 365 days who work in the community in lieu of going to jail. This program, which came into existence ...

Community Truly Came Through

Dear Editor, This letter is offered to the Oakdale Community. Our journey is far from over, but since our son Jyriaun's September 1 brain surgery, he is doing phenomenal. The blessings we received from this community in the opening stages of this battle will never be forgotten. Thank you all so very much, each and every one of you is appreciated. <p class="MsoNoSpacing" ...

Dorothy Russell

Dorothy A. Russell, 87, died on Good Friday, April 6 at Brighton Place, Spring Valley. She was born in Pasadena on Dec. 22, 1924. She lived most of her life in Oakdale. Mrs. Russell loved flowers and playing games with family and friends. She had a contagious, wonderful laughter. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren provided her much joy in her later years. She will be missed by ...

Ruby Lucas

Ruby B. Lucas, 98, died Monday, April 2 at Oak Valley Care Center (OVCC), Oakdale. She was born in Rufe, Okla. to Jim and Carrie Perrin, the oldest of seven children. She lived in Salida since 1936, except for seven years in Washington and seven years in Oakdale. Mrs. Lucas was a charter member of the former Northwest Assembly of God in Salida. ...

John Grauer

John Christian Grauer, 79, died Friday, April 6 after a short illness with his family by his side. He was born in Edmont Long Island, NY and made his way west in 1968. Mr. Grauer retired from Jorgensen Fire Protection after more than 25 years as a serviceman and warehouse supervisor. Although retired, he was always willing to lend a hand either helping local businesses, family ...

Looking For Fair Settlement

Dear Editor, There is trouble in Knights Ferry! The Knights Ferry School District is demanding that teachers accept a 5 percent pay cut in a year in which they gave the administrator a 3 percent pay raise. Does this seem fair? In numerous negotiation sessions the teachers have attempted to bring the District to an agreement on this matter, to no avail. The District refuses to compromise and insists ...