Valley Home Dedicates New Community Park

Nearly five years in the making, Valley Home's Community Center Park was dedicated on Saturday, June 18 with a few dozen residents who turned out for the event. The new park replaces the old Valley Home Clubhouse, which was razed approximately four years ago due to the inability to bring the dilapidated building up to code. A new covered structure with lighting and a concrete floor called the "pavilion" is the focal point of the park. New picnic tables, park benches, new chain link fencing, grass, shrubs and trees, boulders, a flagpole, dedication plaque, an irrigation system, and more ...

Bypass Overview Draws 100 Plus To Meeting

Planning for the "bypass" - otherwise known as the North County Corridor project - hasn't gone away. While planning began in 2008 and the first phase of construction is not slated to begin until 2018, the public interest continues to run high. Area residents just haven't had a recent meeting.

Cautions Abound For River Safety

Leaders in Oakdale's fire and police departments, as well as the irrigation district are cautioning people about recreation activities on the Stanislaus River.

Oakdale Irrigation District General Manager Steve Knell said very high river flows are expected as of July 1 because water must be released from New Melones Reservoir due to the Federal Bureau of Reclamation's operating permit that states it cannot store water behind the dam after June 30.

Rural Fire Talks Continue

Action was tabled but discussions are ongoing with the Oakdale Rural Fire Protection District Board (ORFD) in regards to the current brown out schedule affecting the outlying posts of Valley Home and Knights Ferry with differing opinions on which station should receive the lion's share of summer staffing.

Criticism Follows Lengthy Meetings

After a series marathon council meetings, some of which contained hot topic items lasting nearly until midnight, the common question heard within the audience before the start of many Oakdale council meetings nowadays is not about posted agenda items, but, "How long will this one last?"

Sidewalk Project Riddled With Bureaucracy

The mayor, public works personnel, and the senior citizen advisory commission all want to put in a reasonably priced sidewalk at the northwest corner of A Street and Yosemite Avenue. The only hold-up seems to be what is described as "bureaucratic red tape" if the city is involved.

All Church Picnic And Concert

The Oakdale Family Church of the Nazarene will hold a fundraiser picnic and concert Sunday, June 12 to raise funds to send 12 Oakdale youths to the Nazarene Youth Conference in Louisville, Kentucky from July 5-10 for fellowship and to learn of the transformational power of God. Thousands of students from all over the United States and Canada will be attending.

Joplin Journey - Group Lends Helping Hand

A contingent of Oakdale citizens has been in Joplin, Missouri for the past week, helping the town recover from a devastating tornado that happened just over two weeks ago.

Sales Tax Initiative Prepped For Ballot

Meeting late into the night on Monday, June 6, Oakdale City Council members were part of a session that included several hours of discussion, finger pointing, and pleading over the possibility of the city going forward with a special sales tax measure. In the end, whether "begrudgingly" or "cautiously," the council unanimously approved going forward with the initiative and will ask the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors to place on the November 2011 ballot a vote for a half-cent sales tax increase over a three-year period.

City Banking On Jail Booking Payments

As Gov. Jerry Brown continues pushing his tax plan toward the end of the fiscal year, Oakdale bean counters are closely watching the status of the state's vehicle license fee extensions as they are finalizing city budgets.

Weather Cooperates For Farmers Market Opening

After several days of unstable weather, the sun did its June duty and came out to kick off the first evening of the Oakdale Certified Farmers Market on Thursday, June 2.

Big Draw - Annual Senior Information Day Meets With Success

The 11th annual Senior Information Day, held at the community center, Friday, June 3 drew a respectable crowd of senior citizens interested in learning about the newest services available and topics affecting their age group.

OID Has Clean Audit

The Oakdale Irrigation District got a clean bill of health from the independent auditor Brian Nash of Richardson and Company. The OID Board of Directors heard Nash's report at its June 7 meeting and then unanimously approved the district's 2010 comprehensive annual financial report. The board also approved the 2010 annual financial report for OID improvement districts.

Tight Lines - City Critters Come To The Country

During the past week, three separate incidents popped up that focused my attention on wild critters right in the middle of a city environment. First, I happened to be perusing the newspaper and came across an article about a rattlesnake being killed in someone's garage right in the middle of town. Rattlers in town? The State Capitol maybe, but a small town in central California? Hooda thunk it?

Oakdale Group Helps Joplin Residents

Dozens of Oakdale residents recently caravanned to Joplin, Missouri taking supplies and their helping hands to make a contribution toward tornado relief efforts. Members of the Oakdale Family Church of the Nazarene and Gilton Solid Waste Management employees have been in Joplin since June 2. Find out more about what they've been doing in Joplin in the June 8 issue of The Oakdale Leader.

Stanislaus County Fair Books Rocker Eddie Money

Get your "Two Tickets to Paradise" when rock and roll icon, Eddie Money, performs at the Stanislaus County Fair this summer.

A Night Of Special Recognition - Community Salutes Oakdale’s Shining Stars

A record crowd of over 300 persons turned out for the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce 69th Annual Awards Dinner on Friday night, Jan. 16.

Firefighters Train Before Demolition

Motorists trying to turn in to the East F Street McDonald's in Oakdale to get their French fry or Big Mac fix will have to wait a while to place that order.

Farmers Respond Favorably To Conservation Initiative

A year from now, if all goes as planned, some 3,250 acres within the Oakdale Irrigation District will use water much more efficiently.

Denham Bill Focuses On Veterans

U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) introduced a bill on Wednesday, Jan. 14 to lessen the burden on disabled veterans by extending military commissary and exchange store privileges to former service members and their families.

Citizens, Service Groups Due For Chamber Kudos

Oakdale Chamber of Commerce will host its 69th Annual Awards on Friday, Jan. 16, 2015 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., staged at the Gene Bianchi Community Center, 110 S. Second Ave., Oakdale.

Bacigalupi Family To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

The Bacigalupi family is well known throughout the Oakdale area. Not only for the infamous H-B Saloon on F Street, but also for their philanthropy including sponsoring the Cowboy Golf Tournament, the annual AFC-NFC Championship Tailgate Party to benefit local causes, donations to Spirit of Oakdale, Community Sharing, the Lions Club Children's Christmas Shopping Tour and several contributions to Oakdale High School sports.

Junior High Jeans And Jerseys Ready To Roll

Crab season is alive and well and Oakdale Junior High School's Parent Teacher Club is ready to get cracking.

Zest For Life - Rocking The 80’s At The Gym

Life is not being wasted on Bill and Joanne Parker. At the ages of 85 (Bill) and 84 (Joanne), this couple did not wait for New Year's Day to make a resolution or begin a new health plan. On Jan. 2, 2015 the couple could be found in the same place they were on Dec. 31, 2014 … putting in some time at Fitness Plus in Oakdale.

Homeless Camp Clean Up Sparks Debate

The adage 'one man's trash is another man's treasure' was well portrayed in a recent Stanislaus River homeless camp clean up on Wednesday, Dec 31.

Youngsters Put Finishing Touches On Holiday Crafts

Like many families do, the 'family' of kids, parents and teachers at The Learning Tree Preschool in Oakdale recently completed their holiday 'Gingerbread House' craft making activity, with the children able to take home their sweet treats to display (or eat) over the holidays. Following are some photos from the special craft day.

Law Enforcement Fatalities Top 125 Nationwide

Law enforcement fatalities in the U.S. rose 24 percent in 2014, reversing what had been two years of dramatic declines in line of duty deaths, based on preliminary data compiled and released by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF).

Olsen Offers Thoughts On Inaugural Address

Assembly Republican Leader Kristin Olsen, (R-Modesto), issued a statement following Governor Jerry Brown's inaugural address on Monday, Jan. 5:

Highway Improvements Slated In Region

Major construction activities associated with the State Route 99/State Route 219 Kiernan Avenue Interchange Reconstruction Project are now under way.