209 magazine - issue 6

Your chances of developing colorectal cancer increases considerably after reaching the half century mark. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, about 9 out of 10 people diagnosed with colorectal

cancer are at least 50-years-old. So if you are 50-plus, or at high risk, you should undergo colorectal cancer screening. So check it out with your doctor. Your life may depend on it!

Other risk factors that may increase a person’s chance of developing colorectal cancer include:

· Having a personal history of colorectal polyps or inflammatory bowel disease· Having a personal or family history of colorectal cancer

· Being African-American or an Ashkenazi Jew· Eating a diet high in fat· Being physically inactive

· Obesity· Smoking and heavy alcohol use

· Type 2 diabetes

People at increased risk for colorectal cancer should talk with their doctor about being screened for the disease before the age of 50.

50-PLUS?Check it out!

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 – ISSUE 6

An MNC Publication

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6209MAGAZINE FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

F E A T U R E SLas Vegas may have been where Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack went to find lady luck, but residents of the 209 needn’t drive into the desert to find a hot game or loose slots. The 209 is flush with casinos, bingo halls and card rooms that offer gaming entertainment.

Turlock Poker Room series champion Todd Machado went from playing for fun to getting series about winning.

PAGE 42

Over the past decade, Turlock’s small card room has not only grown in size but also in audience. It’s now known as a Valley destination for gamers of all skill levels.

PAGE 44

With its recently opened hotel, Black Oak Casino is a full-fledge gaming resort. Black Oak, owned by the Me-Wuk tribe, employs over 1,100 people to work in the casino, its restaurants and hotel. There’s even a place for the kids to enjoy their games of bowling.

PAGE 46

The West Coast Poker League was created to help build players, without the pressure — and expense — of entering multiple tournaments.

PAGE 49

What started out as a bingo hall in 1985, has since grown into the Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort. The 1,500 acre property includes 1,700 slot and video machines, 36 gaming tables and a poker room — not to mention four restaurants, a hotel and ballroom.

PAGE 50

Manteca’s Casino Real offers poker plays big time action, fine dining and a bar — all in the Valley.

PAGE 51

Bingo still reigns at Chicken Ranch Casino, however, players now have the option of trying their luck at slot machines.

PAGE 52

“B-4” can once again be heard in the town of Turlock, as bingo made a long-awaited return to the town in January. Eagle Pride now offers games three days a week at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds.

PAGE 54

8 Publisher’s Letter

IN THE KNOW

10 Ripon Almond Blossom Festival

14 Celebrating Mardi Gras

16 Crab feed season

20 Color of the year

22 Get your Irish on

FLAVORS

26 Lincoln Cellar

28 Midgley’s Public House

32 Galletto Ristorante

34 Recipes

NAVIGATOR

36 Whale watching on Monterey Bay

BOOK REVIEW

40 “Based on a True Story”

FULL OF LIFE

56 Fitness and Beyond with Teresa Hammond

58 Sharing the love of running

60 Teens Run Modesto

A PLACE CALLED HOME

62 Spring Home & Garden Show

64 Expert gardening tips

CHARITY CORNER

66 American Red Cross

70 Sierra Vista Family Services

LOOK BACK

72 Knights Ferry Covered Bridge

MARKETPLACE

76 Ghirardelli Factory Outlet

80 The Tiger Collection


DEPARTMENTS

16

36

70

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 – ISSUE 6

PUBLISHERHank Vander Veen

GENERAL MANAGERJennifer Marek

Drew Savage

EDITORKristina Hacker

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAHERSElizabeth Arakelian

Alysson AredasJames Burns

Jason CampbellDennis D. Cruz

Teresa HammondMelissa HutsellMarg Jackson

Richard PalomaHime RomeroVirginia StillChhun Sun

Jon Michael Terry PhotographyJon Terry

Dennis Wyatt

ART DIRECTORHarold L. George

GRAPHIC DESIGNERSMackenzie Alameda

Jaime Ramirez

ADVERTISING DIRECTORSChuck Higgs

Taylor Phillips

SALES & MARKETINGBeth Flanagan

Maureen JernerTara Levy

Krista MesserVicky Norman-Eddy

Corey RogersMelody WannDoreen Wynn

SPECIAL CONSULTANTLarry Dovichi

Welcome back and thank you for checking out another edition of 209 Magazine. I hope you had a safe and fun-filled holiday season and are ready to embark on new adventures in 2015. As we veer out of

the cold winter season into spring, we invite an assortment of new experiences. Locally in the 209, we often fail to take advantage of all the recreational activities we have available to us in our backyard, literally and figuratively!

There’s a well-known expression, “winter showers bring spring flowers.” Although we haven’t experienced many showers, this issue of the 209 Magazine offers tips and suggestions for home gardeners looking for some green inspiration. We also invite you to check out the Home and Garden show based out of Modesto where you can experi-ence a wide range of vendors.

The 209 is home to multiple casinos and resorts includ-ing foothill destinations like Black Oak Casino, Jackson Rancheria, and Chicken Ranch Casino, which provide the community the opportunity to play all day and still make it home for dinner. In the Valley, there are plenty of places to find a hot game of poker, such as the Turlock Poker Room and Casino Real in Manteca, or play a round or 10 of bingo.

In addition to the casinos, this issue of the 209 Magazine also enlightens readers on the local celebrations in our region such as the ever popular Ripon Almond Blossom Festival, Mardi Gras Party in downtown Modesto, and a variety of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations that draw crowds of visitors into the place we call home!

Thank you for taking the time to read 209 Magazine. We welcome your comments, calendar events, and stories. We hope you will support the businesses and charities that have chosen to partner with us. We appreciate them and look forward to being the most relevant magazine in your home, a place called 209.

Hank Vander [email protected]

Vol. 2 No. 6 ■ February/ March 2015

To advertise in 209 Magazine, callManteca • 209.249.3500 • Oakdale • 209.847.3021

Turlock • 209.634.9141209 Magazine is published 6 times a year

138 S. Center St. •Turlock, CA 95380Comments: [email protected]

www.209magazine.com

©Copyright 2015. 209 Magazine All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher of 209 Magazine is strictly prohibited. The opinions expressed in 209 Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of 209 Magazine mangament or owner. 209 Magazine assumes no responsibnility and makes no recommendation for claims made by advertisers and shall not be liable for any damages incurred.

Thank you for highlighting the best of Stanislaus County

As Sheriff, I’m always looking for a positive, uplift-ing way to share information with the people of Stan-islaus County. 209 Magazine is perfect! The content, stories, and other features are a true reflection of the many wonderful things happening throughout our communities. Your magazine provides us an oppor-tunity to promote the great work being done by our law enforcement professionals who are dedicated to a chosen profession of service and sacrifice. Thank you for a publication that promotes all of the good things about Stanislaus County!

—Adam Christianson, Sheriff-CoronerPresident, California State Sheriffs’ Association

Stanislaus County Sheriff ’s Department

Communitycorner

Send us your comments and suggestions at [email protected]

Easton Galuppi of Oakdale takes a look at the December/January issue of 209 Magazine. His mom said sent in the picture and wrote, “Young readers matter!”


PHO

TO C

ON

TRIBUTED

209magazine.comWatch.


intheknow

Three days of nutty, wholesome fun in Ripon

AlmondBlossom

FestivalBy DENNIS WYATT


Never been to the Ripon Almond Blossom Festival?

Then you’re missing a chance to savor a wholesome community-based celebration that for 53 years has served as the kick-off event for an an-nual calendar full of festivals celebrating the Northern San Joaquin Valley’s bounty from asparagus to zucchini.

It takes place the last week-end in February at the cusp of winter fading into early spring.

The fact the weather can be gently warm accompanied sometimes by a blustery touch only enhances the experience.

You will be hard pressed

to find another festival in the entire valley that takes place in such clean air while at the same time the intoxicating scent and sight of billions of delicate pink and white almond blossom delights the senses.

The festival portion of the event — Ripon’s version of a street fair — takes place at the expansive Mistlin Sports Park on River Road Feb. 20-22 (Friday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. each day). Every-thing from carnival rides to vendors hawking almond brittle, Lockeford Sausage and artistic creations to live music takes place in the shadow of the gigantic water tower while

surrounded on three sides by almond orchards.

Simply driving to the Almond Blossom Festival grounds is a treat in itself. You will pass miles upon miles of almond orchards bursting with blossoms often with bright green carpets of grass between rows upon rows of trees.

And while Mistlin Sports Park is abuzz with activities for three days, there are a ton of events in and around downtown Ripon ranging from breakfast, a fun run, and an art show to a diaper derby. (Go to www.riponchamber.org for entry forms and more information.)

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12


intheknow

IN YOUR POCKETMONEY

American AgCredit members earned $39 million

in cash dividends for 2014, for a total of more

than $250 million since 2006.

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It is all offered around the main event — the Almond Blos-som Festival Parade that’s 1 p.m. Feb. 21.

The route is a com-bination of residential streets and the tra-ditional downtown district complete with a street lined by pavers set off with entrance arches and other touches.

The parade is a celebration of the good life, small-town style. There are youth entries, marching bands, JROTC units, horses, antique cars and more.

It also doubles as a community reunion. It isn’t unusual to see chairs lining the parade route at the crack of dawn. Walk the route through the residential neighbor-hoods and you will see front yard after front yard teeming with gatherings of

Schedule of EventsFeb. 194:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Lions Club Spaghetti Dinner, Community Center 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Almond Blossom Court Coronation, Community Center

Feb. 206 a.m. to 10 a.m. Grange Breakfast, Grange Hall

Feb. 216 a.m. to 10 a.m. American Legion Auxiliary Breakfast, American Legion Hall

8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Fun Run, Stouffer Park

10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Diaper Derby, Ripon High School

11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Quarterback Bratts & Beer, Community Center

1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Parade, Downtown Ripon

The parade is a celebration of the good life,

small-town style.

To see a Studio209 video segment of the 2014 Almond Blossom Festival, visit 209magazine.com

IF YOU GOWHAT: Almond Blossom Festival

WHERE: Mistlin Sports Park, 1201 River Rd., Ripon

HOURS: Noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 20-22, Carnival: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 19 ($1 night); 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Feb. 20; noon to 11 p.m. Feb. 21; noon to 6 p.m. Feb. 22.

For more information: Go to www.riponchamber.org for entry forms and more information.

friends and families.The Ripon Almond Blossom Festival is

a true hometown celebration that openly welcomes long lost friends and strangers. ■

IN YOUR POCKETMONEY

American AgCredit members earned $39 million

in cash dividends for 2014, for a total of more

than $250 million since 2006.

A part of the Farm Credit System. Equal Opportunity Lender.

Our business is agriculture. Our business is finance. Our business is you.

Call 800.800.4865 today or visit AgLoan.com

The party has grown each

year and has expanded even

more with a parade in traditional Mardi Gras

style with a few multicolored

floats, decorative masks as well

as the highly desired beads.

The modern day mas-querade ball continues at Tresetti’s World Café

in Modesto for the 21st Annual Mardi Gras Party for 2015.

Being a huge fan of Mardi Gras, Tresetti’s President and Owner Tammy Maisetti decided to bring the colorful carnival to the streets of downtown Modesto 20 years ago and it was so well re-ceived that it spilled out into the streets. This is where the idea for an annual Fat Tuesday celebra-tion began and has continued over the years.

The popular cultural paradox is celebrated all over the globe and people can get a taste of the carnival from 6 p.m. to closing on Feb. 17. The party has grown each year and has expanded even more with a parade in tradi-tional Mardi Gras style with a few multicolored floats, decora-tive masks as well as the highly desired beads. The addition of the parade began last year with only one float, a marching band and garishly dressed walking partici-pants. The parade will be on the streets starting at 9:30 p.m. on Fat Tuesday. There will be various stages including a main stage with local artists performing rock and blues on three stages along with a house DJ after 10 p.m. to energize the crowd and get the dance party started.

The festivities will take place on 11th Street between I and J streets in Modesto, with live music, speed bars, beer trucks and much more.

The traditional celebration was at one time moved from Tuesday to Saturday since it was hard for people to get out on a Tuesday. This year it has been brought back to Tuesday.

Tickets are available for purchase in advance for $15 at Tresetti’s, TiKi, and other locations or at the door for $20. There are also VIP tickets available for $50 which includes a traditional Mardi Gras buffet at Tresetti’s of authentic New Orleans style cuisine including gumbo, jambalaya, red beans, rice, cornbread and bourbon bread pudding, just to name a few selections.

The celebration that is Mardi Gras dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. It is celebrated in many coun-tries around the world on the day before the religious season of Lent begins. Brazil, Ven-ice and New Orleans play host to some of the holiday’s most famous public festivities, drawing thousands of tourists every year.

Mardi Gras season is the prelude to Lent, the 40 days of penance between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. Tradition-ally, in the days leading up to Lent, mer-rymakers would binge on all the meat, eggs, milk and cheese that remained in their homes, preparing for several weeks of eat-ing only fish and fasting. In France, the day before Ash Wednesday came to be known as Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday.”

“Mardi Gras is really about bringing Bourbon Street to Modesto,” said event promoter Andrew Thomlison. ■


intheknow

Festive TuesdayT R A D I T I O N C O N T I N U E S

By VIRGINIA STILL


January 2015 An Open Letter to the People of Stanislaus County In the last several months, we have been inundated by constant media coverage of law enforcement incidents around the country. Starting with the incident in Ferguson, Missouri and spreading to the latest incident in New York, we have seen some of our elected officials and others suggest that our law enforcement professionals are abusive, corrupt, and in some cases, even racist. From our perspective, nothing could be further from the truth. Preserving freedom and democracy, in a society as complex as ours, takes dedicated professionals. What we don’t see in these repetitive media cycles are the stories of heroic men and women who stand between good and evil, ensuring all of us stay safe. They are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters; family members all working under extraordinarily difficult circumstances, committed to a profession that is based upon service and sacrifice. And despite the onslaught of negative media reporting, the men and women of the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office enjoy widespread community support. For that, we wanted to take a moment to say thank you. Knowing we can count on your support makes a tremendous difference in our ability to carry out the duties and responsibilities you have entrusted to us. Our highest priority is to protect the public’s trust and confidence in us. We do that through communication, collaboration and cooperation. We abide by our guiding principles of honesty, integrity, professionalism and respect. We abide by the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics without exception and we are accountable to the people we serve. If we make a mistake, we will own up to it. We realize our success in the community is only as good as the relationships we develop. Without those relationships and our work together, we will fail. While we all face many challenges, our commitment to you remains unchanged. We will always do our very best, with the resources we have, to protect the people we serve and we will do that to the very best of our ability in partnership with the community. Thank you all for your support of your Sheriff’s Office and the men and women who serve in law enforcement. Happy New Year! Sincerely, ADAM CHRISTIANSON Sheriff – Coroner Stanislaus County


intheknow

The new year is often a time for fitness resolu-tions, but it can also be

the sign of expanding waist-lines as people across the 209 tuck into annual all-you-can-eat crab feeds.

BY ELIZABETH ARAKELIAN

■ Father Silva Foundation Crab Feed

When: Feb. 6

Where: St. Stanislaus Community Center, 1416 Maze Blvd., Modesto

The Father Silva Foundation Crab Feed will be held Feb. 6 at the St. Stanislaus Community Center, 1416 Maze Blvd., Modesto. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the all-you-can-eat crab, pasta, salad and bread meal. En-tertainment, cocktails and wine will also be available. Adult tickets are $50 and children 12 and under are $25. For more information, call 209.484.4370.

■ Mike Grohl Memorial Crab Feed

When: Feb. 6

Where: The Reata, 160 N. Third Ave., Oakdale

The Mike Grohl Memorial Crab Feed to benefit the Oakdale Family Resource and Counseling Center will be held Feb. 6 at The Reata. Cocktails will be served at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. for this 21 years and older only event. There will be a hosted beer, wine and well bar, a DJ and dancing. Tickets are $50 each or $500 for a table of 10. Tickets can be purchased at the Oakdale Resource Center, 631 W. F St., 209. 847.0420, or Maddox Resources, 161 N. Second Ave., Oakdale, 209.847.1025.

While patrons may walk away more uncomfortable than when they walked in after a full night of eating and drinking, they can rest assured that their consciences will feel good even if their stomachs don’t. The proceeds from local crab feeds all go towards good causes including school programs and local fire department needs.

So warm the butter, grab the special utensils and prepare to help local organizations fulfill their year-round goals by tucking into a feast this crab feed season.


■ Howard Training Center 21st Annual Crab FestWhen: Feb. 6 and 7

Where: Howard Training Center, 1424 Stonum Rd., Ceres

Howard Training Center will host its 21st Annual Crab Fest on Feb. 6 and 7 at the Center’s hall, 1424 Stonum Rd., Ceres. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. Live music will be performed by Livin’ starting at 9 p.m. There will also be a no-host bar and raffle. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased by calling 209.593.5618.

When: Feb. 21

Where: SOS Club, 819 Sunset Ave., Modesto

The Greater Modesto Kiwanis Club will host its annual crab cioppino dinner on Feb. 21 at the SOS Club. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. There is no-host cocktails and a silent auction. Tickets are $45 each and can be purchased by calling John Fields at 209.480.1824.

When: Feb. 7

Where: Turlock Ball Room, 528 N. Golden State Blvd., Turlock

Each year the Turlock Pentecost Association purchases thousands of pounds of crab and fresh seafood for their crab cioppino. Tickets are $50 and festivities begin at 5 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Turlock Ball Room. There is a no-host bar and dancing. For more information, call 634-3425.

■ Turlock Pentecost Association Annual Crab Cioppino

■ Lathrop High School Athletic Booster Crab Feed/Tri Tip Dinner

■ East Union Crab FeedWhen: Feb. 7

Where: MRPS Hall, 133 N. Grant St., Manteca

East Union High School Athletic Boosters is holding its 43rd annual Crab Feed on Feb. 7, at the MRPS Hall, 133 N. Grant St Manteca. No host cocktails begin at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7. Dinner includes salad, bread, baked potatoes, all you can eat crab and dessert. Dancing to follow at 9 p.m. Tickets are $45. All proceeds benefit student athletes of East Union. For more information and tickets call 209.858.7270

When: Feb. 21

Where: FESM Hall at 220 N. Main St., Manteca

The 4th annual Lathrop High School Athletic Booster Crab Feed/Tri Tip Dinner is on Feb. 21, at the FESM Hall at 220 N. Main St., Manteca. No host bar opens at 5 p.m. with all-you-can-eat dinner, raffle and dancing from 6 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $45 per person if you purchase them before Jan. 31 and $50 per person after this date. You must be at least 21 years to attend. For tickets please contact any member of the LHS coaching staff or call Karen at 209.938.6357, Elena at 209.629.9579 or Chuck at 510.928.7849.

Current Turlock Pentecost Association President Michael Silva, Nick Antrim and Martin Cunha look over hundreds of pounds of deveined shrimp for the annual cioppino feed 2014.

■ Greater Modesto Kiwanis Crab Cioppino Dinner

PHO

TO BY ELIZ

ABETH

ARA

KELIAN

/ 209 Magazine


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■ Rotary Club of Ceres 17th Annual Crab Feed

When: Feb. 28

Where: Ceres Community Center, 2701 4th St., Ceres

The Rotary Club of Ceres will hold its 17th Annual Crab Feed on Feb. 28 at the Ceres Community Center, to benefit the youth of Ceres and various community projects. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 each and include two drink tickets. To purchase tickets, contact the Ceres Chamber of Commerce at 209.537.2601.

■ Warrior Athletics Crab feed

When: Feb. 21

Where: California State University, Stanislaus Main Dining, 1 University Circle, Turlock

A crab feed to benefit the Warrior Athletics Scholarship Fund will take place on Feb. 21 at the CSU Stanislaus Main Dining. There will be a social hour at 5 p.m. and dinner will commence at 6 p.m. including all-you-can-eat crab, pasta, salad and bread. Tickets are $55 per person and 10 person tables can be reserved for $650 and include a bottle of wine. There are VIP sponsorships available for $1,500 and includes a table for 10, a cioppino sampler, a hosted bar and electronic logo projection throughout the evening. For more information and additional sponsorship opportunities call 667-3016.

intheknow


intheknow

33305_1w a r d en s wo r k s . com 8 0 0.6 69.6 321

It’s the season of love, roses and box of chocolates and if you’re looking for a new color to match the mood, look no further than a bottle of wine.

Pantone, the color guide corporation, has selected Mar-sala, a naturally robust and earthy wine red, as the Pan-tone 2015 color of the year for décor, fashion and beauty.

Marsala enriches our mind, body and soul, exuding confidence and stability,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal, while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness. This hearty, yet stylish tone is univer-sally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors.”

Marsala was a hit on the Spring 2015 runways with fashion designers using it to make for an elegant statement color when the color is used on its own or as a compelling accent when paired with many other colors.

With the ever-growing popularity of floral prints and striping, variations of this hue will undoubtedly carry into men’s and women’s clothing throughout next year. Marsala is also a popular choice for jewelry and fashion accesso-ries, including handbags, hats, footwear and the burgeon-ing market of wearable technology.

This highly varietal shade combines dramatically with neutrals, including warmer taupes and grays. Because of its burnished undertones, sultry Marsala is highly compat-ible with amber, umber and golden yellows, greens in both turquoise and teal, and blues in the more vibrant range.

The Color of the Year selection requires careful consid-eration and, to arrive at the selection, Pantone combs the world looking for color influences. This can include the fashion and entertainment industries – including films that are in production, the world of art, popular travel des-tinations and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, the availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention. ■

COLOR OF THE YEAR

MARSALAPANTONE 18-1438

MARSALAPANTONE 18-1438

MARSALA

M

By VIRGINIA STILL

Whether you are celebrat-ing St. Patrick’s Day or just celebrating Irish

heritage, the Central Valley has a variety of celebrations to choose from this March like Murphys Irish Day or P. Wexford’s annual St. Patrick’s Day festivities among many others. Celebrating Irish culture with parades, dancing, special foods and a sea of green is certainly something you can find right in our own backyard.

St. Patrick’s Day holiday was originally a religious feast day for the patron saint of Ireland. The shamrock, a native Irish clover was said to be a symbol that St. Patrick used to explain the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain where he was kidnapped by Irish marauders and taken to Ireland as a slave when he was 16 years old. Later on he escaped, but returned to Ireland and was credited for bringing Christianity to its people. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17, which is thought to be the day St. Patrick died.

St. Patrick’s Day holiday

was originally a religious feast

day for the patron saint

of Ireland. The shamrock, a native Irish

clover was said to be a symbol that St. Patrick used to explain

the Holy Trinity (Father, Son,

and Holy Spirit).


intheknow

MURPHYS IRISH DAYS in Murphy will be held from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. March 21, rain or shine. This annual event in the Mother Lode is to celebrate the Irish. On the third Saturday in March, thousands of people from Northern California and beyond gather in the historic gold rush town of Murphys to honor its Celtic heritage and to celebrate as only the Irish can. Main Street will be filled with booths offering hand crafted items, original art, photographs, tasty food, wine, and other beverages.

The day begins with a pan-cake breakfast at 11 a.m., the swirl of bagpipes then heralds a parade of marching bands, classic cars, horses, commu-nity organizations, novelty entries, and some of the finest children in the land.

Throughout the day, there is continuous entertainment featuring singers, dancers, musicians, and jugglers. The young ones can enjoy pony rides and Renaissance actors will be encamped in the park. A raffle will be held where some lucky ticket buyer will win an exciting trip for two to Ireland.

All this in addition to the charming shops, fine restau-rants, and tasting rooms that line historic Main Street help create what is nationally rec-ognized as one of the finest small towns in America.

P. WEXFORD’S PUB at 3313 McHenry Ave., Modesto, will throw its an-nual St. Patrick’s Day celebra-tion starting at 11 a.m. March 17. The Pub’s biggest event of the year will bring hundreds of people out on a weeknight to partake in the festivities. There will be vendors, live bands, games and giveaways. The restaurant will be serving up a traditional St. Patrick’s Day menu of corned beef and cabbage and a variety of other items like fish and chips. Guests can wash the food down with a variety of spirits like green beer, Irish car bombs or other drink specials that will be offered for the celebration. All beers will be discounted that day only.

The party will officially kick off at 2 p.m. and there will be a cover charge of $10. Entertainment will include Celtic music, bag pipes and Irish jigs. Guests are wel-come to dress up in their best festive green St. Patrick’s Day gear.

“It is a great time, a real au-thentic Irish St. Patrick’s Day celebration,” said Stephanie Dillon, restaurant manager. “Our party has a good home-town feel. We are a local bar celebrating the day.”

HELMS, 600 Central Ave., in Tracy is a family pub and restaurant that will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a full menu as well as corned beef and cabbage. They will offer green beer to wet your whistle and a full bar as well. For entertain-ment the pub will have live music and drink specials to celebrate the day.

Celebrating Irish culture with parades, dancing, special foods and a sea of green is certainly something you can find right in our own backyard.



FINNEGAN’S at 6002 Pacific Ave., Stockton, throws a huge St. Pat-rick’s Day celebration every year with live music which will begin with a “St. Practice Day” party on the Fri-day and Saturday night prior to the annual St. Paddy’s Day party on March 17.

“The whole week we will have a special Irish food menu,” said owner Tony Finnegan. “Last year we had over 1,200 attendees. It was an all day party for all ages.

“Our mascot, Sea-mus Finnegan, will be there during the day time hours to take pictures and hand out goodies to the kids.”

For the 21 and over crowd, the party will begin at 9 p.m. with three live bands and two DJs to get the cel-ebration under way.

Green beer will be on tap all week long and the restaurant will offer an Irish menu with spe-cialty cocktails during the week as well.

FINLEY’S BAR AND GRILL is at 10477 S. Airport Way in Manteca and will be hosting a St. Patrick’s Day celebration starting at 11 a.m. The small roadhouse serves up steak sandwiches to hamburg-ers, pastas and chicken. To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, they will be offering corned beef and cabbage all day with lunch being served between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and dinner being served from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the bar open throughout the day on March 17. There will be no cover charge to attend the party at this historic building that was built in 1903 and said to be haunted, according to manager Stacie Collin.

Having some national attention, the building that is over 100 years old has also been featured on A&E’s “My Ghost Story” for being a haunted establishment. They have had several paranormal investigators visit with wit-nessed accounts of strange activity.

If the paranormal activity does not suit you, then enjoy the bagpipe performer and festive cocktails like green beer, Jameson and Bushmills.

The whole week we will

have a special Irish food

menu. Last year we had over 1,200 attendees.

It was an all day party for

all ages.—Tony Finnegan


NOW THAT OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR YOUR HEALTH COVERAGE IS OVER

IT’S TIME FOR

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We have over 25 plans to pick from!We will find a plan that your dentist or optometrist is on!

Phone: (209) 634-8911 | Toll-Free: (800) 400-0930 Fax: (209) 634-8848 | 132 S. Center St., Turlock, CA 95380

CA Lic #: 0G81319 45584_1

VISION


flavors

Recently opened in Stockton’s Lincoln Center with its appetiz-ing cuisine, incredible wines

and stylish atmosphere is Lincoln Cel-lar, a wine bar featuring not only gifts of the vine but the extraordinary fare of executive chef Alex Moreno.

Though named a “wine bar” featur-ing an extensive wine list available by the glass, bottle or even with the 209’s first WineEmotion – a self-service dis-penser that allows customers to savor various wines in two, three or five-ounce pours – Chef Moreno creates tranquil ambiance with an enticing menu of entrées or shared appetizers with a focus on local ingredients.

Moreno prides himself on going to local farms for his ingredients.

“My menus are focused off what’s growing here and right now,” said Moreno, who added the buying from local growers and farms cuts out the middleman. “It’s ideal to utilize what’s available to you locally. The San Joaquin Valley is a major agriculture producer for not only the nation, but the world.”

Also, Moreno uses 90 percent or-ganic produce.

“Because I use local, my menus change seasonally,” Moreno said.

Moreno, a graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, uses his experience to artistically fashion a menu of American, French, Italian, and Asian fusion cuisine.

This time of year Moreno features a savory bone-in pork chop. Satisfying with a touch of sweetness, this chop is grilled and topped with a honey and ancho chile marmalade.

Also on the dinner menu are bone-less short ribs braised in old Zinfan-del served with a Fiscallini Farms of Modesto white cheddar and cranberry demi-glace and polenta.

“It’s the ultimate comfort food,” said Moreno.

On the lighter side, Lincoln Cellar offers a pancetta and spinach salad with caramelized onions, Chèvre goat cheese, candied almonds with white Balsamic vinaigrette topped with grilled prawns.

“I try to keep the seafood as local as possible too,” Moreno added, buying from Aloha Seafood of San Francisco with deliveries daily.

Selections include halibut from Half Moon Bay, Monterey calamari, Point Reyes oysters, and when available, salmon off the San Francisco coast.

On the seafood side, Moreno pres-

By RICHARD PALOMA


ents seasonal favorites of pan-seared grouper with couscous and Mediter-ranean grilled vegetables, winter leek risotto with grilled prawns and garlic cream sauce, or grilled yellowtail with sesame jasmine rice, braised bok choy, and spicy orange sauce.

Carefully curated wines at the estab-lishment are first and foremost. By the glass or bottle, vintages not only from local wineries of Napa, Sonoma, and Paso Robles but also Argentina, Spain, and Italy are available.

With the WineEmotion, self-serve, wine dispensing system patrons explore 16 different varietals of wine by sampling various sized pours at the touch of a button.

If beer is desired, Lincoln Cellar delivers there too.

Moreno offers plenty of beer selec-tions, including several locals on tap such as Hops of Wrath IPA, Baltic Por-ter and Dust Bowl Brewing Company’s Stockton Session Amber Ale.

Alicia Moreno is the restaurant manager and the partnership team of Maria Mills, Sue Arismendi and Joe Phillips all share their passion for great food and a relaxing atmosphere to make Lincoln Cellar an enjoyable experience. ■

HOURS: Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.

LOCATION: 357 Lincoln Center, Stockton, CA.

CONTACT: 209-594-1691

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R Chef Alex Moreno, a graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, uses his experience to artistically fashion a menu of American, French, Italian, and Asian fusion cuisine at Lincoln Cellars, just opened in Stockton.

Lincoln Cellar’s popular grilled pork chop. Savory and a little sweet, this chop is grilled and topped with a honey and ancho chile marmalade.

Lincoln Cellar features the Central Valley’s first WineEmotion – a self-service dispenser that allows patrons to savor various wines in two, three or five-ounce pours.

After competing in the second season of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” and coming out the vic-tor during his appearance on the reality TV

series “Cutthroat Kitchen” on Food Network, Chef Michael Midgley has realized his life-long dream of running his own restaurant by opening Midgley’s Public House located on the Brickwalk in Stockton’s Lincoln Center.

“Lincoln Center is the perfect place for us to realize this dream,” stated Chef Midgley. “The location, ambi-ance, and décor are the perfect backdrop to blend with the menu choices that we offer.”

Midgley, a graduate of San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy, is known locally from preparing fare at Lodi’s Wine and Roses and more recently as the executive chef of Ernie’s in Manteca.

In the renovated space featuring an atmosphere with stone, dark woods, lanterns and a copper topped bar along with a beautiful dining patio, Midgley brings an exciting culinary experience to his patrons, serving a range of American-fusion entrées featuring beef, pork, chicken and seafood dishes paired with spirits and fine wine.

Opened in November 2014, the restaurant is a

A MODERN DAY CHOPHOUSEBy RICHARD PALOMA

“LINCOLN CENTER IS THE PERFECT PLACE FOR US TO

REALIZE THIS DREAM” —Chef Midgley.


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The Midgley’s chicken sandwich is filled with chicken crackling, pepper jack cheese, onion rings, jalapeno, lettuce, pickle, bacon and ranch served with a side of fresh cut fries.

Certified Angus Beef licensed steakhouse that butchers on site.

Appetizer selections are a gathering of Midg-ley’s travels in the culinary world.

“They’re traditional items with a spin,” Midgley said. “Everyone finds them tasty and unique.”

The vegan wings are a cauliflower creation that taste like a boneless buffalo wing. His Snails & Tails is an escargot and lobster tail in-novation served with garlic butter and toast.

Also on the menu is the Tomahawk ribeye, a 40 oz. bone-in steak with the rib protruding at least a foot.

“It reminds me of a Fred Flintstone steak with its bone sticking out,” joked Midgley. “It’s definitely a great steak to split with someone.”

Beef filets are select tenderloin center cuts that are barrel cut, equal in height and width. This style of cut is the most tender and is one that appeals to discriminating chefs, providing a superior quality choice for restaurants.

Whether it’s a fine red to go with the beef or a rich aroma white for the seafood or chicken, Midgley offers a selection of wines that he describes as “fun and affordable,” featuring varietals of wineries from Lodi, Napa and Paso Robles.

For dessert, their banana pudding has been making a hit with regulars. The creation features sautéed bananas in banana pudding, graham cracker crumbs with whipped topping and caramel sauce.

Other desserts include a bread pudding made with maple doughnuts and bacon or a fried Twinkie that, when presented, is sliced and looks nothing like a Twinkie.

“I love carnie food,” said the down-to-earth chef. (In the same spirit of “carnie food” he also offers a lobster corn dog on the lunch menu.)

For groups of 10 or more, Midgley can craft

dinners of a whole roasted pig, having the only U.K. hog roaster in the U.S., or even sides of beef, lamb or a large turkey, depending on prior arrangements for the group.

“I don’t think of myself as a celebrity,” said Midgley, playing down the status he’s gained from national televi-sion exposure and his local reputation. “I’m just a cook in Stockton. My friends and family keep me grounded.”

Midgley’s Public House is at 296 Lincoln Center in Stockton. Call 209-474-7700 for more information.

The restaurant is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week. Dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. Breakfast is available from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and Midgley’s is open every day for drinks and appetizers from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. ■

“I DON’T THINK OF MYSELF AS A CELEBRITY, I’M JUST A COOK IN STOCKTON. MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY

KEEP ME GROUNDED.”. —Chef Midgley.


Cooking since the age of 14, Chef Michael Midgley has made a name for himself in the culinary world, competing in the second season of Bravo’s Top Chef, and winning on the reality TV series Cutthroat Kitchen on Food Network. He attended California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and has realized his lifelong dream by opening his own restaurant.

Chef Michael Midgley, center, shown here with the rest of his staff, used a butcher knife to cut the ribbon of his new restaurant located on the brickwalk in Stockton’s Lincoln Center.


886-5112 • 25550 E. Hwy 4

Full Lunch & Dinner Menu

Valentine’s Day Dinner6 pm – 9:30 pm • 2 for $40

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St Patrick’s CelebrationSaturday, March 14

9 pm – MidnightMusic, dancing & drink specials

RIPON PIZZA PLUSdown on Main st. since 1984

110 west main st. , ripon, ca209-599-6161

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Pasta Fagioli A tasty soup recipe made with Chef Boyardee Mini ABC’s & 123’s, canned vegetables and Italian sausage for a pasta fagioli anytime with on hand ingredients Ingredients1/2 pound Italian pork sausage 1 can (15 oz each) Chef Boyardee® Mini ABC’s & 123’s 1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt’s® Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano, undrained 1/2 can (15 oz each) mixed vegetables with potatoes, undrained 1/2 can (15 oz each) red kidney beans, undrained 1 can (14 oz each) lower sodium beef broth Directions: Cook sausage in large saucepan over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crumbled and no longer pink, stirring occasionally; drain. Add all remaining ingredients to saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 30 minutes

Slow Cooker Vegetable Pork StewPAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray 2 cups baby carrots1 pound small red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, quartered 1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt’s® Diced Tomatoes, drained 1-1/2 pounds thick cut boneless pork chops, cut into 24 pieces 1 can (24 oz each) Hunt’s® Garlic & Herb Pasta Sauce 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 can (14.5 oz each) cut green beans, drained 6 servings (1-2/3 cups each) Directions: Spray inside of 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add carrots, potatoes, drained toma-toes, meat, pasta sauce and sugar to slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 8 hours or until pork is tender. Stir in green beans just before serving.


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An unsurpassed Valentine’s Day dinner

For a truly unique and special Valentine’s Day evening in the 209, Galletto Ristorante

Executive Chef Michael Goularte has put together a signature menu, featuring local ingredients and using his farming and culinary background.

The fixed menu, priced at $70 per person, features four courses, starting with either a house-made clam chowder, Brussel leaf salad or beet salad followed by a second course of a rock shrimp risotto, sun-dried tomato and pesto pasta or a filet mignon ravioli with creamed leeks, gorgonzola cheese and a porcini mushroom sauce.

The entree for the evening fea-tures a choice of a Superior Farms of Dixon lamb T-bone, a Certified Angus Beef 12 oz. bone-in steak, a Mary’s Organic of Pitman Farms of Sanger boneless chicken thigh cacciatore, or wild Creative King salmon.

Dessert is a pick of a very popu-lar chocolate Gelato sandwich, mile high carrot cake or a crunchy vanilla meringue.

“Local is very key to us,” said Chef Goularte, who in addition

to the above farms, works closely with Ratto Brothers for vegetables and Nicolau Farms for cheeses, both of Modesto. “Everything is made in-house – soups, bread, pizza dough, gelato – it’s all fresh.”

For the Valentine’s Day menu, the chef recommends that couples each choose something different in order to share and experience what the restaurant has to offer.

An extensive wine list (and im-pressive cellar in the basement) is available at Galletto Ristorante. A wine lover himself, Chef Goularte proposed his suggestions for pair-ing of wines by the glass with his dishes.

For the Brussel leaf salad, Goularte suggested their Wil-liam Hill Sauvignon blanc. He suggested tasting the 2008 Gallo Chardonnay with the risotto and with the entree selections, the chef recommended their 2011 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir and their 2012 Buena Vista “The Count” red for those having the New York Steak.

The restaurant will be open from noon to 10 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, which falls on a Saturday.—Chef Goularte

“For Valentine’s Day, I recommend couples

share; each choose something different.

This way you’ll be able to experience more

of what the restaurant has to offer.”


flavors

By RICHARD PALOMA

The Galletto’s regular menu changes several times a week based on what’s available and what is fresh, according to Chef Goularte.

“I’m constantly on the phone with vendors to see when particular seasons start,” Goularte said.

Originally from Gustine, growing up on his fam-ily’s farm, Goularte went to Fresno State University to study agriculture. After a year at Fresno State, he enrolled in the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.

“I decided I wanted to be on the other side of the restaurant, cooking in the kitchen,” said Goularte.

After graduating, Goularte did an internship at La Maisonette in Cincinnati, boasting the longest run-ning streak of five-star awards. Other fine restaurants he’s worked at include Café Boulud where he studied under well-known Chef Daniel Boulud, The Broad-moor in Colorado Springs, and Club XIX in Pebble Beach before coming to Galletto Ristorante in 2010 and working his way to Executive Chef.

Galletto Ristorante resides in a 1930s-era art deco former Wells Fargo Bank located in the heart of Modesto’s renovated downtown. Offering a rustic Northern Italian menu specializing in inspired cui-sine, they provide a variety of private dining settings, and an unparalleled wine selection.

Galletto Ristorante is a truly unique experience. ■


HOURS: Everyday from11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.Bar opens at 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Main Dining at 4 p.m. on Saturdays.Restaurant opens at 4 p.m. on Sundays.Daily Weekday Happy Hour from 2 p.m - 7 p.m.

WHERE: 1101 J St., ModestoPHONE: 209.523.4500

IF YOU GO

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With its 1930s-era art deco in the former Wells Fargo Bank, Galletto Ristorante is located in Modesto’s renovated downtown. It provides a variety of dining settings offering a rustic Northern Italian menu specializing in inspired cuisine.

The Brussel leaf salad at Galletto’s features orange zest, toasted walnuts, house-made croutons, beets, shaved fennel, arugula, toasted almonds, feta cheese with a honey-oregano vinaigrette.

Located in downtown Modesto, Galletto’s features an extensive wine list and an amazing cellar below the facility.

(Family Features) The weather is warming and your patio is calling. It’s time to make the grill your go-to for everyday dinners and entertain-ing alike. Add variety to your grilling fare by including American lamb. From burgers to chops, fresh lamb is a fast, delicious and simple weeknight option. A flavorful pairExperts recommend pairing grilled lamb with a rich, structured pinot noir.“Aim to match the distinct flavor of lamb with a full flavored wine,” said Steve Peck, red winemaker at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, the California coast family-owned winery estab-lished in 1974. “Our Falcon’s Perch Pinot Noir pairs perfectly with lamb. Made from grapes grown in the Arroyo Seco region of central Monterey County, a cool climate region with a reputation for producing world-class pinot noir, this wine features aromas of wild strawberry, cherry, rose petal and dried herbs, with a deep, earthy character - perfect for summer sipping with tender, grilled lamb.”Devoted locavore, Chef Jesse Griffiths of Austin’s Dai Due Supper Club, recommends marinating lamb chops overnight with yogurt and citrus. This tenderizes the meat and adds a bright flavor that complements the smoky char from the grill. Here’s his recipe for an easy grilled American lamb loin chop dish. For more

recipes, visit www.AmericanLamb.com.

Grilled American Lamb Loin Chops with Yogurt, Orange and OlivesServes 4 to 6

1-1/2 pounds American lamb loin chops, 1 to 1-1/2 inches thickKosher salt Freshly ground black pepper3 tablespoons plain yogurt, low fat or whole milk Juice and zest of one orange, divided4 cloves garlic, finely chopped and divided1 small red onion, finely chopped3/4 cup finely chopped green olives1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for

grill

Directions:The day before serving, pat chops dry and

season with salt and pepper. Lay chops in shal-low non-reactive pan such as 8-inch square bak-ing dish. Combine yogurt, half of orange juice and zest, and half of garlic in small bowl. Whisk ingredients together and pour over chops, turn-ing once to coat both sides with marinade. Cov-er with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove chops from refrigerator 30-45 min-utes prior to grilling to allow meat to come to

room temperature. Heat gas or charcoal grill to medium-high. Remove chops from marinade and allow most of it to drip off. Lightly oil grill and arrange chops over heat. Grill three minutes, turn each chop 90 degrees, and cook for another three minutes or until chops are nicely charred. Flip chops and cook on other side for about six more minutes, turning halfway through. They should still be pink inside. Remove chops from grill and let rest while making sauce.

Combine remaining orange juice and zest, chopped garlic with onion, olives, parsley and olive oil in small bowl. Stir well to combine; spoon sauce over each chop and serve immedi-ately. Enjoy with glass of pinot noir.

per pound. (For individual chops, use medi-um hot grill, 4 to 6 minutes per side.)

Before slicing, allow meat to rest, loosely cov-ered with foil, for 15 minutes to bring the inter-nal temperature to 145°F (medium rare).

Serving tip: Serve on a bed of Carrot & Coriander Mash, topped with Puree of Grilled Ramps. Find the full recipe and others at www.americanlamb.com.

“Sweets for the sweet” will always be appropri-ate for Valentine’s Day, but what if your sweet-heart isn’t a fan of boxed chocolates? Or perhaps you want to give an extra special gift by making it homemade? Baking a treat for your loved one is a great way to give a personal — and cost-effective - gift this year.Fortunately, you don’t have to be a pastry chef or even an expert home baker to create something delicious and full of love. With an easy-to-make recipe and a few baking tips, even the cooking-challenged can create something special.Keep these simple baking tips in mind:* Follow recipes as precisely as possible. Sea-soned bakers may succeed with experimenta-tion, but if you’re new to baking or not confident of your improvisational skills, sticking to the recipe should yield the best results.* Measure all ingredients carefully. A tablespoon too much or too little of any ingredient can make a big difference in a recipe.* Be careful with oven temperature settings. Don’t try to speed baking with a temperature higher than what the recipe calls for. If the rec-ipe specifies different temperatures for different types of baking dishes, be sure to choose the setting that matches your type of bakeware.* Resist the temptation to remove baked goods

from the pan, dish or sheet right away. Allow baked goodies to cool for the amount of time prescribed in the recipe. Rushing it could result in crumbling or cracking.Armed with these tips, try surprising your sweet-heart with these easy, delicious recipes from Pillsbury.com:

Toffee and Almond Fudge Cookie CupsBy AMy ANDREWSMacomb, Michigan

Prep time: 25 minutesTotal time: 1 hour 15 minutesMakes 48 servings

2 pa ckages Pillsbury Ready to Bake refrigerated sugar cookies

1/4 cup milk chocolate toffee bits (from 8-ounce bag)1 ca n (14 ounces) fat free sweetened

condensed milk1/3 cup creamy almond butter1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1/4 cup sliced almonds, finely chopped1 ca n (6.5 ounces) whipped cream topping

(in aerosol can)

Directions:Heat oven to 375 F. Spray 48 nonstick mini

muffin cups with cooking spray. Place one cookie-dough round in each muffin cup. Sprin-kle 2 tablespoons of the toffee bits evenly over cookie-dough rounds. Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool in pan 15 min-utes. Loosen with tip of knife and carefully re-move from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

While cookies cool, heat sweetened con-densed milk and almond butter in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat for 5-6 min-utes, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool 2 minutes. Spoon one heaping teaspoon of condensed milk mixture into each cookie cup.In small bowl, mix remaining two tablespoons of toffee bits and the almonds. To serve, top each cup with about one tablespoon of whipped cream topping and about 1/4 teaspoon of the almond mixture.

A Perfect Pair For Patio Dining

The way to anyone’s heart on Valentine’s Day: Homemade baked goods


flavors


navigator

Chris’ Whale Watching is one

of the oldest companies

on the wharf and one of the

premier means to getting up

close and personal to

whales en route.

By JON TERRY


California is one of the best places in the world for whale watching, particularly in the

Monterey Bay.The bay is home to the Mon-

terey Submarine Canyon, a valley cut into the sea floor and a perfect habitat for many whale species to come close to shore and feed as they migrate along the pacific coast. Gray whales migrating along the shores of Monterey swim their way toward the beaches of Southern California and Mexico during their fall migration where they enter win-ter birthing and mating grounds. This migration, one of the longest migrations known for any mam-mal, is destination to an estimated 29,000 gray whales this winter.

Located at 48 Fisherman’s Wharf, Chris’ Whale Watching is one of the oldest companies on the wharf and one of the premier means to getting up close and personal to whales en route.

Chris’ Whale Watching finds its origins as apart of a popular Mon-terey fishing community in 1948. Having to cut back on fishing due to regulations made in later years, a boom in the whale watching market was ushered in.

“People from around the world come to Monterey for whale watch-ing,” said Keith Stemler of Chris’ Whale Watching. “They’re staying at our hotels and eating at our res-taurants, literally employing people. It’s a fun, rewarding thing to be able to market.”


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With rates at $37 for adults and $22 for children, fully narrated three-hour tours depart from the Old Fisherman’s Wharf at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. daily. An eco-friendly company, Chris’ Whale Watch-ing makes sure visitors get ample viewing time of a number of whales and porpoises through the seasons — humpback whales in the summer and gray whales in the winter.

The Monterey Bay is home to an abundance of sea life including sea lions, sea otters and dolphins, all which can be seen on a whale watching adventure. Because of regulations enacted in the 1980s, gray whales have become the only whale removed from the endan-gered species list.

“You’ll find whales and dolphins here year round,” Stemler said. “It’s a magnificent place, you won’t find anywhere else like it.”

The most up to date boat in the fleet, the Star of Monterey, is a 70 ft. passenger boat perfect for chasing pods of whales that travel through the bay, though regulations keep watchers from impeding on the whales’ path, keeping boats at a safe, 100-yard distance. The boat’s captain, Capt. Nick Lemon, is one of the most experienced sea cap-tains on the West Coast.

All of Chris’ boats are USCG approved and include life saving equipment, marine radios, sonar, radar and twin engines that are fast and environmentally clean, but whale watching is mostly done technology free through line of sight, keeping best interest in the whales.

Whale watching can be both an unpredictable and awe-inspiring experience, with potential new encounters each and every trip.

Stemler said that while the wharf has its competing whale watching crews, they all work for the whales out there together and communi-cate to one another. Because of the nature of the habitat and supply of food, “there are more whales in Monterey Bay than any other place in the world.” ■

navigator

The Monterey Bay is home to an abundance of sea life including sea lions, sea otters and dolphins, all which can be seen on a whale watching adventure.

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Jagada K. Chambers has a message.A message he intends to share with as many

young ears as he can capture and provoke. A message he hopes the parents of middle and upper class students sit up and listen to.

A message broken down into one powerful quote, “Don’t use your second chance.”

It is a message not without warrant or fact. It is a message of hope. It is a message he not only lived, but has documented in his first book “Based on a True Story” – the first of a three part series.

A book he began writing long hand, while in the middle of serving a prison sentence for attempted murder. He was 23 years old at the time.

From January 2002 to September 2003 Chambers sat down in prison (Taylor Correctional Institution) and wrote this book. The author was incarcerated from January 2000 to August 2004.

At that time statistics stated 78 percent of black men between the ages of 18-35 return to prison within 36 months of release.

“I sat down and wrote all weekend, 12 different times,” Chambers said of looking to use his time in prison for something good.

Chambers was sent to prison for a crime commit-ted while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. A crime committed during his senior year of college,

while in Florida for spring break. A crime he does not recall committing and was stunned by photos of what ‘he’ had done. Like many young people, he was just a carefree kid having fun during spring break. Living life without a care in the world.

“I was a senior in col-lege,” he said. “That’s a vic-tory right there, but I still made a bad decision that almost threw me a whole other direction.

“I knew the book would be nothing unless I stayed out of prison,” Chambers said. “God just really put on my heart; it’s got no sub-stance unless you stay out.”

Chambers’ first book takes the reader through the days and nights of a young man living the life, falling in love and potentially ruining his life.

I was a senior in college. That’s a victory right there, but I still made a bad decision that almost threw me a whole other direction.Jagada K. Chambers


Prison sentence turned purpose for local journalist

Defining his path

By TERESA HAMMOND

bookreview

Jagada K. Chambers, author of the newly released “Based on a True Story,” a book recounting one bad decision made during Spring Break from college in his senior year. It was a decision that altered the course of his entire life.

The beauty is the reader knows the outcome. The reader knows he fares more than well and goes on to tell and teach his lesson to thousands. Chambers does not want to see another young person live this first book.

As a result of his book signings, the journalist by day has been asked to speak with students, in high school, college and at risk teens, about his journey. He shares the valuable lessons of how one bad de-cision not only changed his life but his family’s and countless others.

“One kid asked me what would you have been if you hadn’t gone to prison,” Chambers offered.

“I really don’t know why God never allowed me to give up on myself. He (God) wrote a play for me and now I’m seeing it come to fruition.”

Chambers admits the transition back into society after 1900-plus days behind bars, is not an easy one. He noted the love and strength

of his wife Dawn, whom he met shortly before the incident, family, valuable friends and mentors as his strength.

“People want me to tell this story,” he said of the book and speaking engagements. “They truly don’t know how to warn them. It’s a great teaching tool.

“Even the Class A kid, is still prone to making a bad decision.”

Time in prison, time utilized well, have helped Chambers keep his mission in sight.

“Through it all, every step,” Chambers said of his journey, “you’ve got to walk humbly and trust God. These kids don’t have to walk that path. One bad decision can change every-thing. They don’t want to see where I’ve been or what I put my family through. This book can do that.

“Through this book and reaching these people, I see … I’ve got purpose.” ■

People want me to tell this story. They truly don’t know how to warn them. It’s a great teaching tool.

Even the Class A kid, is still prone to making a bad decision.Jagada K. Chambers


“Based On a True Story” is available at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play or Barnes and Noble.

In addition to promoting his book, “Based on a True Story,” area resident Jagada K. Chambers spends much of his time now at speaking engagements addressing teens and sharing hard lessons recounted in his book.

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“Math plays a big part in it, figuring

out your odds, and trying to read people, how they play ... their

betting pattern”

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F LD ‘EM

Merced farmer knows when to

Todd Machado has been playing poker most of his life.

The Merced native has fond memories of playing seven-card stud with his family during their Easter get-togethers.

"I loved doing it. We used to have family stuff and do it and then I started noticing I could be pretty good at this. I stepped up my game and started reading books and figuring out what you need to do to be good at this," said Machado.

The life-long walnut grower — who said poker and farming are similar as they're "both gambling" —has been taking the game seriously for five years now and reaping the rewards.

The largest pot he ever won was at a tournament in Lake Tahoe, where he brought home $18,000 for second place. While a large stack of cash is always nice, Machado said he prefers the trophies that you can only get by winning.

"Money only lasts so long, but that trophy or that ring or whatever you have, it lasts forever so you can brag about it — 'hey, look at what I've got,'" he said.

Machado will have bragging rights for the entire year at the Turlock Poker Room after win-ning the 10th Anniversary Series Championship title in October. He was the top performer across the 10-day series, making four final tables including a vic-tory in the All-In-Or-Fold Event 2 and a runner-up finish in Event 6, a $125 Bounty tournament.

The title came with a commemorative jacket, trophy, his banner be-ing hung from the poker room's rafters — and daily tournament entries for a year, valued at more than $14,000.

Throughout his success, Machado has learned a few things about poker.

"Math plays a big part in it, figuring out your odds,

and trying to read people, how they play ... their bet-ting pattern," he said.

Playing in a tournament with a title on the line is different, however, than when he's at a table with family and friends.

"When you're playing for fun sometimes you do things you shouldn't do just to try and beat the per-son you're playing against. But here (at the poker room), the chips and the money you bring in...that's just how we keep score in this game, and you don't want to give your chips to someone unnecessarily. So here, I'm a little bit more conservative. When I'm playing against my family, I just want to win," he said.

Machado can be found four to five days a week at the Turlock Poker Room, continuing to work on his game and prepare for the next big tournament.

His tip for those just get-ting into the game: "Win. Win and everything's good." ■

whento

H LD ‘EM ,By KRISTINA HACKER


feature

Card rooms are not what they used to be, just ask Turlock Poker Room co-owner Joe Fernandez.“I’ve been working in this business for a long time,” said Fernandez. “Card rooms have been

considered seedy, unprofessional or located in a slum. It had that reputation because it deserved that reputation.”

That was before the State of California began regulating gambling ordinances. Today, card rooms are legitimate places of entertainment where professionals, farmers, homemakers and anyone interested in testing their luck and skill at a game of poker go for a few hours of fun.

Visitors to the Turlock Poker Room will find a resort-like atmosphere where regulars come to play for fun and big action.

Since opening in 2004, the card room has moved locations — from a cozy downtown site to a spacious building in the Turlock Cinema Center — and expanded its gaming options.

RAISINGTHE STAKES

Turlock Poker Room & Casino expands gaming optionsBy KRISTINA HACKER

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Over the past decade,

the Turlock Poker Room & Casino has earned

a reputation that compares to the top

gaming destinations throughout California

and Nevada.

Mario Alvarez


Turlock Poker Room & Casino has held some of the best poker training classes with top tier poker players in the world including Mike “ The Mouth” Matusow, Tristan “Cre8tive” Wade and Tom McEvoy.

Classes are now are being offered upon request. Interested beginning to novice players may contact Director of Casino Relations Mario Alvarez at [email protected] to schedule free classes.

The Turlock Poker Room started with the standard games of Texas Hold’em, Blackjack and Pai Gow Poker and now offers the biggest variety of Las Vegas style gaming and live action in the area, includ-ing 3 Card Poker, Spanish 21, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, limit and no-limit Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Mexican Poker.

The card room also offers tournament player enthusiasts the opportunity to play multiple tournaments daily. Starting in January, live game players have an oppor-tunity to win a brand new Chevy Camaro and a Kawasaki Brute Force in the estab-lishment’s Win a Car promotion.

The variety of gaming is impressive, however, the Turlock Poker Room & Ca-sino prides itself for having the friendliest and most professional staff in the industry.

“Over the past decade, the Turlock Pok-er Room & Casino has earned a reputation that compares to the top gaming destina-tions throughout California and Nevada. Partnering with elite brands in our indus-try like WPT/DeepStacks, successfully hosting $100,000 tournaments, employing 120 plus and a continuing commitment to community are some of the contributing factors to the poker room’s success,” said Mario Alvarez, director of casino relations.

In November, the poker room added another amenity for its customers with an adjoining bar. The Rail — named for its many connotations: it’s a poker term for those surrounding and watching a poker game; it’s a reference to rail drinks and the large rail that often surrounds a bar counter; and it harkens to the nearby train tracks. The bar is located next door to the casino, but has

DON’T KNOW

HOW TO PLAY?

open doorway from the poker room.The Rail has a laid back atmosphere with

its rustic decor that may include live music in the future. There are also multiple televi-sions that will showcase games and specials.

The Rail is not the only amenity the Tur-lock Poker Room hopes to offer its patrons in the near future.

“Mr. Fernandez and I have long dreamed of operating our gaming facil-ity in a setting that includes a great-quality restaurant, a bar and to be co-located with a fine hotel,” said co-owner Phil Rheinschild. ■

To see a Studio209 video segment of the Turlock Poker Room & Casino, visit 209magazine.com

Black Oak Casino is one of the newer casinos in the area with approximately 14 years of service to the community

and the Me-Wuk tribe. The profits from the casino have not only put the tribe on a sound financial footing, but it also has improved the education, housing and the infrastructure on the Rancheria and also developed other busi-nesses like medical and dental clinics.

The Tuolumne band of Me-Wuk Indians was established in 1910, and is one of seven federally recognized Miwok tribes.

One of the main ceremonial dances that was and still is celebrated today is in respect to the black oak acorns, which inspired the casino’s name. The black oak acorn was one of the staple foods for the Me-Wuk’s nourish-ment. This food was eaten daily and it was known that one could live off the acorn if nothing else was available. For that reason, the tribe collected acorns every year in abundance and stored the acorns in silos that were called ‘chuckas.’

Today’s people still collect acorns every fall and prepare and cook the acorns, making a soup called nupa. The soup is still cooked in the traditional manner using hot basalt rocks, but the baskets that were once used to cook in have been traded for stainless steel pots.

Nupa is considered a delicacy today as new foods have taken the place of this once important traditional food. The Me-Wuk still celebrates this important food by hosting the

One of the main ceremonial dances that was and still is celebrated

today is in respect to

the black oak acorns, which inspired the

casino’s name.

By VIRGINIA STILL


feature

Black Oak offers guests a variety

of gaming, entertainment, restaurants and

a very unique family fun

center on the bottom floor.


Acorn Festival on the second weekend in September.

When the Gold Rush descended upon the Central Sierra, homeland of the Me-Wuk, havoc broke loose. Prior to the gold rush over 14,000 estimated native people lived in the Central Sierra Me-Wuk territory; after the Gold Rush this number was reduced to a mere 700.

Many of the Me-Wuk were killed either because of greed or by disease that the non-native settlers brought with them. This was also the time that many Me-Wuk fled the area in hopes of finding a safe place to live.

The Tuolumne Rancheria was established in 1910. Initially the Rancheria was set up as a reservation for homeless natives. The Tuolumne Rancheria became the home for many of the Me-Wuk from different neigh-boring villages. Many of the children from this area were sent away to government boarding schools, such as Sherman Gov-ernment School in Southern California or to Stewart Government School in Stewart, Nevada.

The main purpose of sending children to government schools was to assimilate them into a non-native society. As a result of these schools, much of the tradition and language was taken away.

Today within the California homelands, there are programs to help revive the native


The casino has made a very significant economic impact

on Tuolumne County. The hotel and conference

facility is helping tremendously to develop

the business further.


language and the traditions that are a very important part of the Me-Wuk and other tribes throughout the state.

The small casino opened in 2001 and the property has since grown including the ad-dition of a hotel and conference center that opened in 2013.

The hotel has 148 rooms and a state-of-the-art conference facility that will accom-modate up to 300 people. The hotel is the largest in the county and is the first to be built in 27 years in the county.

Today, Black Oak employs a total of 1,100 team members that come from primarily from the Sonora, Jamestown, Co-lumbia and Tuolumne areas, and a few that are further out. They are the second largest employer in Tuolumne County including employees at the casino, hotel, clinics and tribal administration.

“The casino has made a very significant economic impact on Tuolumne County,” stated General Manager Ron Patel. “The hotel and conference facility is helping tre-mendously to develop the business further.”

Black Oak offers guests a variety of gaming, entertainment, restaurants and a very unique family fun center on the bottom floor.

There are 1,300 slot machines, 26 table games, two-table electronic poker and an entertainment lounge that will seat over 250 people.

People can enjoy comedy or live music at

the Willow Creek Lounge and Bar or enjoy fine dining at the Seven Sisters restaurant where they cook up gourmet specialties.

The family floor has a 24 lane Brunswick bowling center, 60 arcade games, a sports bar and grill, fast food, burgers, fries and pizza type restaurants.

The casino is 21 and older; however the all ages welcome family floor is separate from the casino.

There are also plenty of sites to see in the surrounding area and the new hotel offers YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Trans-portation System) bus transportation to Yosemite National Park. The bus will pick up guests at the hotel early in the morning and then return back to the hotel in the evening.

Dodge Ridge Ski Area is also about 45 minutes up the road from the hotel in case you want to hit the slopes.

And don’t forget about the historic surrounding gold country and old town charm that Sonora, Jamestown and Columbia have that are all minutes away from the hotel.

“We are not just a casino, we have so many facilities here from fine dining to bowling, family restaurants, a hotel and conference center as well as all the tourist attractions all around us,” said Patel. “This is a very central place to come and locate yourself and enjoy everything that is inside and enjoy everything that is outside.” ■

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—Ron Patel


Ever imagined sitting at a poker table with thousands, even millions, of dollars near your fingertips?

Don’t dream too big just yet. Learn the game first.

At West Coast Poker League, one of the organization’s goals is to build players into elite ones, one hand at a time with peer coaching in a non-serious, just-another-night-out-with-friends kind of environment. Some players are already advanced and just need more practice.

But if someone just wants to have a good time, WCPL can offer that, too.

“The league is one of the best ways to learn the game,” said Efren Juarez, owner of WCPL. “We’re considered a learning league. You play by sitting down, playing hands and we take the time to instruct people about what they should have done after the hand is over.”

The league started on Jan. 1, 2011, with the intention of helping “people who would like to strengthen their poker skills without the expensive investment of entering numerous tournaments. Each player has the opportunity to practice strategy while learning to read tells. These are all skills that are important to learn and experience if playing in a high-stakes poker game. The opportunity to play several events at no cost is just what you might have been waiting for,” as it states on the WCPL website.

In order to compete in the various WCPL tournaments in cities like Modesto, Manteca, Riverbank and Escalon and other places within driving distances, players must only pay for food and drinks at the establishment holding the poker event. The league is referred to as the “batting cages of poker.”

“It costs zero,” Efren said. “You have abso-lutely nothing to lose.”

At present, WCPL has about 2,000 members between the ages of 21 and 85. Each season is three months, with the latest season — which is No. 17 — having started on Jan. 1. At the end of each season, three big events take place called the Main Event, Spartans and Masters.

In order to participate in the latter two events, players must produce 10,000 and 15,000 points throughout the season, respec-tively. Players can earn between 5 and 1,000 points at various poker nights.

In the end, a WCPL champion will be determined.

Another incentive to participate in the WCPL is the chance to compete at the Carn-egie Hall of poker: Las Vegas. It’s called the World Bar Poker Championships. WCPL sent 30 members to represent its league in last year’s inaugural championships — which had a $25,000 guarantee.

This year, Efren hopes to take 75 members to participate at the event.

“Because we are free to play and because we don’t charge anything, a lot of people don’t know about us,” Efren said, adding that members play with professional chips and on “beautiful (poker) tables.” “We don’t have a huge ability to advertise. We rely on our play-ers to spread the word. People need to know about this. It’s a great way to learn how to play poker.”

For more information on West Coast Poker League and its upcoming events, visit www.westcoastpokerleague.weebly.com. WCPL also can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/westcoastpokerleague. ■

By Chhun Sun

“We’re considered a learning league. You play by sitting down, playing hands and we take the time to instruct people about what they should have done after the hand is over.”

— Efren Juarez

The federal government first recognized the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians in 1898. Over 100 years later, the tribe now

enjoys self-sufficiency and self-reliance due to the hard work and vision of Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort Founder Margaret Dalton. Born in Tu-olumne, Margaret married Earl Dalton Sr. in 1956 when she was only 16 years old. Together, they moved to Jackson Rancheria. Margaret knew the tribe must form their own government to strength-en themselves. In 1979, she was elected Tribal Chairperson — a position she held uncontested for 30 years.

In 1985, Jackson Rancheria Bingo Hall opened its doors. It wasn’t until California voters approved Proposition 5, the Tribal Gaming and Economic Self-Sufficiency Act, that the humble bingo hall transformed into a casino.

Today, Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort encom-passes over 1,500 acres. The casino boasts 1,700 slot and video machines, 36 gaming tables and a poker room. Four restaurants are on the premises and include the famous Friday and Saturday night all you can eat lobster Fisherman’s Wharf Buffet. Located upstairs, Lone Wolf Restaurant and Lounge provides luxury and comfort combined with de-lectable entrées including the finest steaks, hearth oven pizzas, and house made pastas.

Guests may relax and stay in the resort’s luxuri-ous AAA 3 Diamond, 3 Star Hotel that provides a gourmet coffee bar, 24-hour room service, and all the other amenities one would expect from a first-class resort. Although the casino is only for guests 21 and older, children are welcome to play at the Minor’s Camp Arcade located adjacent to the hotel lobby. Mobile travelers can also choose to stay at Good Sam’s top-rated RV Park with a 24-hour shuttle to and from the casino.

In addition, the newly renovated Grand Oak Ballroom hosts some of the best entertainment options in Northern California. Whether it’s 800 people for a concert or 100 people for a wedding or business luncheon, Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort can make it happen. ■


feature

Play ✧ Stay ✧ Dine at

JACKSON RANCHERIA

You look down at your hole cards.

Ace. Ace.Some might say they’re

the unluckiest cards you can be dealt. But they’re also the best starting hand that you can have, and the guy to your left just pushed all of his chips into the middle of the pot.

This is it. At this point, right now, you’re putting all of your money into the pot with the best two cards.

Ain’t Manteca grand?No more trips to Jackson

or Reno or Tahoe or Vegas just to get a few good hands of poker anymore. Casino Real has become a legiti-mate destination for Central Valley poker players and has grown from an old corner card room into a full-service facility that offers fine din-ing and a full bar as well as blackjack, three-card poker and baccarat.

Casino Real has become a legitimate destination for Central Valley poker players and has grown from an old corner card room into a full-service facility.

ACEIN THE HOLE

How much of a destination?When Ernie’s Food and Spirits opened, chef Michael

Midgley attracted a daily lunch and dinner crowd that filled the parking lot and made the spot a top dining option for people not just in Manteca but surrounding cities as well.

Midgley has since gone on to open his own restaurant, but Ernie’s still thrives as the city’s only fine-dining establish-ment and an augmentation to the poker-playing that takes place next door.

And a lot of poker-playing takes place next door.Under the watchful eye of General Manager Dennis Wil-

liams, players receive perks for hours played like entry into free-roll tournaments and cash options as well as table jack-pots that can reach as high as $50,000. Any time a straight flush is beaten the amount is split amongst the players at that table, and hands, from that level all the way down to a full house, equate to a payout to the table – known colloqui-ally as a bad beat. The losing hand gets the majority of the amount.

Casino Real is located at 1355 N. Main Street. For more information visit www.thecasinoreal.com or call 209.239.1455. ■


CASINO REAL NO LONGER AN ‘OLD CORNER’ CARDROOM

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By JASON CAMPBELL

General Manager Dennis Williams

poses for a picture on the casino floor

at Casino Real in Manteca. Casino

Real has become a popular destination

for card players across the Central

Valley.


feature

The Chicken Ranch Casino has been nestled in the Sierra foothills for over 25 years and has undergone some significant changes since that

time. The friendly little casino started out as a bingo hall and has grown ever since. The Chicken Ranch Rancheria band of Me-Wuk Indians adapted to the changing of the gaming industry and migrated over to slot machines to add to their business.

“We still keep the bingo today, it is still prevalent to our tribe,” said General Manager Randy Clark. “The slot machines are the most dominant part of our industry.”

Three years ago the casino underwent a re-model and their Ranch House Restaurant was in-cluded. The restaurant offers burgers, sandwiches, breakfast, appetizers, salads, a variety of entrées, dinner specials and sweets.

“The Ranch House, it is not large but it is very good and very well done,” said Clark. “This is a friendly local’s casino.”

There are 349 modern slot machines to choose from and, according to Clark, they are the loosest slots in the area.

People from all over have visited the Chicken Ranch and guests as young as 18 years old are welcome.

If slot machines are not your thing, then you may want to try your hand at the high stakes bingo that can include approximately 400 people.

“We have a lot of promotions like car giveaways,” added Clark.

The Chicken Ranch Casino is in historic Jamestown just minutes from Sonora and is open seven days a week. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and the casino is open 24 hours a day Thursday through Saturday.

“We have a great atmosphere and are like a family,” said Clark. “We aren’t a big company so you can come in and talk to any of us at any time.

“Come visit us. I think people will be very surprised how unique we are and how modern we are.” ■

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B I N G OM A K E S A R E S O U N D I N G R E T U R N I N T U R L O C K

“Everybody was clapping

and happy that bingo is back in

Turlock, so that’s good.”

—Sam Bebleh


feature

To the delight of enthusiasts throughout the region, bingo’s long hiatus from Turlock drew

to a close with Eagle Pride Bingo’s triumphant grand opening in January.

Formerly known as Paradise Bingo, the hall’s grand opening—which saw an influx of close to 200 players—un-fortunately proved to be too successful in one aspect.

“Everybody was clapping and happy that bingo is back in Turlock, so that’s good,” said Eagle Pride Bingo chairman and Assyrian American Kids Foundation vice president Sam Bebleh. “However, we did have a prob-lem with noise because the ceilings aren’t soundproof.”

Bebleh attributes the resulting drop in attendance from 183 people on Friday to 73 people on Monday to the overwhelming volume in the hall that accompanies larger crowds.

“We’ve talked to the fairgrounds and they are planning to replace the ceil-ing tiles,” reported Bebleh. “Hopefully, they will be soundproof tiles.”

Despite the overwhelming babble that arguably discouraged a number of guests from returning, Turlock residents Cathy Alex Ovro have con-tinued visiting the bingo hall for the popular game.

“This is the only bingo hall in Turlock and we like playing bingo,” explained Alex Ovro. “We also like to support our own community.”

“The volunteers are also very friendly if we ever need help,” added Cathy Ovro.

Word of bingo’s return to Turlock also proved to have extended beyond city limits, as Los Banos resident Anthony Casillas traveled to Turlock just to play the game with his grand-parents for the second time.

“This has been fun, and it’s a great

By ALYSSON AREDAS

way to just chill,” said Casillas. “It’s also a hobby of mine.”

Bebleh hopes that the temporary lull in attendance proves to be just that—temporary.

With an estimated $5,000 worth of prizes paid out every night, the chair-man was dispirited to report that the game has not raised any money so far.

“We have to have at least 150 people every night to just break even,” said Be-bleh. “That is just covering the prizes—it does not include rent or supplies.”

Once the bingo hall begins to raise attendance numbers and money, Bebleh plans to use funds to benefit local schools and children’s hospitals—the specificity of which will be decided when the game becomes profitable.

Eagle Pride Bingo is held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the E-5 building of the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds. Doors open at 4 p.m. and games start at 6:30 p.m. For more infor-mation, call 573-3195 or 605-8418. ■

Rene Garza prepares his Bingo cards in hopes of winning at Eagle Pride Bingo.

ABOVE: Bingo goers Patty Ramos and Erika Segovia enjoy a night of playing Bingo at the fairgrounds.

BELOW: Eagle Pride employees Carolyn Bebleh, Liz Garza, Andre Garza and Ninip Bakoz take a moment to pose before a fun night of Bingo at the fairgrounds.

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The novelty of being a two-time mara-thoner at age 11 is one lost on Jiya Jimenez. Add on to that living with spina

bifida since birth, the first four years of her life spent in an orphanage crib in India and now liv-ing life in a wheelchair ... still no big deal.

Eleven-year-old Jiya is the living definition of inspiration.

As I look to new opportunity for challenge and continue to work on physical and mental growth, it’s hard not to be inspired by those who surround me.

Young Jiya is the adopted daughter of Jesse and Jenni Jimenez of Stockton. She is the young-est of four and their only daughter. Among the many things she enjoys, Jiya loves to race. So much so she completed the LA Marathon in 2013 and 2014 as a member of Team Spina Bifida, raising money and awareness for a cause close to her heart.

“I felt like kinda nervous,” she said of her first full marathon (a 26.2 mile distance), “but now I get excited.”

“They were the first children on Team Spina Bifida,” mom Jenni shared of Jiya and her older brother Enrique, their biological son who also has the developmental disorder. “They were also the first on the team with spina bifida and in a

wheelchair. It worked out well because they had parents who could run with them.”

Jiya began ‘running’ at age 7. Both of her parents are avid runners.

“That was very long,” Jiya said of her first LA Marathon, which she completed with her family in just a little over six and a half hours.

As mom Jenni made sure her daughter stayed properly fueled, hydrated and comfort-able, Jiya was busy taking in the beauty of her ability.

The 11-year-old is what the purist would call a ‘true’ run-ner. She does not use music,

e-books or any electronics when she races. In her words she “just keeps wheelin.”

“People would get on their knees to high five her,” Jenni shared. “It was the energy exchange that kept her going.”

This was not the life many might have envisioned when the India native was born and turned over to the Ashraya Orphanage in Bangalore, India. A child with challenges too big for many to face, but not the Jimenez family.

As a result of her condition, trips to the hospital and extensive stays are not foreign to Jiya. Much of her care is dependent on her family.

“She’s been on her deathbed I don’t know how many times,” her mom said. “Just her zeal for life keeps us going. She really lives life. She knows in that little heart of hers that she is blessed.”

For Jiya, the dreams are simple. Like most children she wants to run and run fast. Physically for her that will always be from a chair, but that does not re-strict the dream.

“It feels good to push all by myself,” she said. “Sometimes I go out ahead of my mom. That feels pretty good. I feel pretty happy by myself.”

“It won’t be much longer before she’s going to out pace me,” Jenni confessed.

“I’m having a good time,” Jiya contin-ued. “Being there with my friends, we’re all just having fun.

“I can do anything. I can run races with my parents and my brothers. You can’t just give up. You have to try harder so you know you can do it.”

Jiya’s next big goal is to run the Avenue of the Vines Half Marathon in Lodi this May.

“She doesn’t want me pushing,” mom said of the assistance she sometimes offers.

“Nope,” Jiya confirmed. “I’ll just be wheeling along.” ■

Breaking Down PHYSICAL BARRIERS

“Just her zeal for life keeps us going. She really lives life. She knows in that little heart

of hers that she is blessed.”By TERESA HAMMOND —Jenni Jimenez

Jiya Jimenez, 11, with mom Jenni as they discuss future goals for the wheelchair athlete. The avid ‘runner’ has completed dozens of races including the LA Marathon in 2013 and 2014.


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Visit an elementary school play-ground on any given day and look to the faces of the children

running. More often than not, one will find the child subconsciously grinning as they do so. Whether running to reach a friend or chase a soccer ball, children run for fun.

Fleet Feet Sports Stockton owner Tony Vice is passionate about many things, among them kids and running.

A passion for running so strong, that he became the owner/operator of the 277 Lincoln Center, Stockton, Fleet Feet loca-tion 10 years ago. He has been actively engaging with both the local business and running communities ever since.

As testament to this, the local busi-ness sponsors a number of annual races. It would also only seem fitting that he supports Youth Run Clubs in the Stockton area, as well.

“Any school that has a youth running program, we’ll help them out. I don’t care if they run,” Vice said of the youth club members. “Just that they’re out there moving and having fun.

“These kids are great,” he added. “You get them out for running club and they don’t care who’s the fastest or who fin-ishes last. They just have fun.”

John Muir Elementary School mom and running club parent coach Jenni Jimenez echoed Vice’s sentiments.

“It’s just cool to see the kids active,” she said. “They’re so dedicated and they really enjoy it.”

Jimenez pioneered the John Muir Elementary Running Club in 2013. Since its inception it has grown to 150 student participants, with more still expressing interest.

“We meet once a week before or after school depending on the season,” Jimenez said of the student runners. “This is 100 percent voluntary for the students. They run two to three miles

beginning at the levee.”

Jimenez noted the lo-cal Fleet Feet as the only running affili-ated store.

“We would not have thought to reach out, had he not been so active in the community,” she said.

As part of his partnership with schools and their running clubs, Vice visits the campuses to measure each runner’s feet, then returns with the appropriate shoe for their individual needs. Significant discounts are offered for any student in-terested in purchasing shoes through the running club and Fleet Feet Stockton.

“They have the option to be fit,” Jimenez said of the Fleet Feet service. “On average he fit about 50 of our run-ners this year. He also offers discounted entry fees for the run club kids to run races.

“It just feels good to watch your kids do something they love,” Jimenez said of the youth runners and their dedication.

John Muir running club had a large presence at the 2014 Run and Walk Against Hunger.

“Kids are always what grabs my heart,” Vice stated, “all the time. This is why we’re so involved with that race and the food bank.

“It’s about complete not compete,” Vice said of the philosophy he shares with young runners. “Anything that helps them start a healthy lifestyle. We just happen to love running. The most important thing is having fun. That they’re all out there and with families, that’s all the better.” ■

By TERESA HAMMONDin love of running

Anything that helps them

start a healthy lifestyle. We

just happen to love running.

The most important

thing is having fun.


fulloflife

— Tony Vice

PHO

TOS BY JO

N M

ICH

AEL TERRY/ 209 M

agazine


Fleet Feet Sports/Stockton owner Tony Vice sizing

a few of the John Muir Elementary

Running Club members.

Clockwise from left: Elliot Fry, 11;

Maia Wallace, 8; Sammy Jimenez,

12; Aiden Wallace, 11; and Jiya

Jimenez, 11.

—Mike Araiza

A big part of our program is

teaching students almost anything is possible if you

believe in yourself and work for it.


fulloflife

ike Araiza and Heidi Ryan will be among a small army of volunteers toeing the line on March 29 as they cheer on close to 250 teen runners at the Sixth Annual Modesto Marathon.

Twenty-six weeks, six months, countless hours covering an unheard of amount of miles will all come to a head as the Teens Run Modesto participants step to the race course and take on the distances they have trained for.

TEENS TRAIN TO COMPETE AT

By TERESA HAMMOND

MODESTO MARATHON

Setting goals and slowly working toward them. We are proud to teach this to students at such an early age. —Heidi Ryan


Whether it’s the coveted 26.2 full marathon distance or the 13.1 half marathon Araiza, Ryan and close to 50 mentors representing 14 Modesto area schools have pro-vided the students with the tools and training they need to succeed.

“We developed a longer than usual marathon training sched-ule based on what we felt would be a manageable schedule for a student who has not competed in sports and is living a sedentary lifestyle,” Araiza shared. “We build up miles very slowly, start-ing with walking 25 minutes the first week to running a 22 mile long run the month prior to the marathon.”

There are varying reports and studies on when and if a teenage mind or body should take on the mentally and physically challeng-ing distance of a full marathon. Both Araiza and Ryan acknowl-edge the arguments, however, they both feel the environment of the Modesto Marathon and its seven-hour cutoff time is ideal for a young marathoner.

“A student can run-walk a 16 minute pace and still finish under the seven-hour time limit,” Araiza stated. “As junior high students, because of the emotional and mental immaturity, we allow them to choose along with their lead mentor. I fully believe any student who faithfully follows our training program could complete the marathon.”

The training program used by TRM includes three after school practices and one Saturday long

run over the course of the 26 weeks.

The TRM Program was estab-lished in 2010 by Shadow Chase Running Club, in conjunction with the Modesto Marathon. Members of the running club had become inspired by the running program founded in the late 1990s, Students Run LA (in con-junction with the LA Marathon), targeting at-risk youth.

According to Araiza, studies showed SRLA students experi-enced a significant increase in academic performance, confi-dence levels and achieving goals.

“This is life changing for them,” Ryan said of the student runners. “Setting goals and slowly working toward them. We are proud to teach this to students at such an early age.”

“The mentors are the heart and soul of the whole program,” Araiza stated of the program support. “They ferry students to and from practices and at times are surrogate parents to their students. I believe this adult/student connection is one of the most valuable services out men-tors provide.

“A big part of our program is teaching students almost anything is possible if you believe in yourself and work for it,” he shared.

The Modesto Marathon will be hosted on March 29 in downtown Modesto with an anticipated 3,500 participants. Full and half marathons begin at 7 a.m. The family friendly 5k race begins 7:20 a.m. ■

A total of 250 students from TRM ranging in age from junior high to high school are expected to be among the 3500 participants in the Modesto Marathon on March 29.

Students of all physical make-ups and ability levels are encouraged to participate with the Teens Run Modesto training and push beyond a level they once thought possible.

Students of varying ages from junior high to high school gather each week at La Loma Park to train with the TRM group in preparation for the Modesto Marathon on March 29.

PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE BY JON MICHAEL TERRY/ 209 Magazine


placecalledhome

Spring will soon be here and with it the urge to renovate. The annual Spring Home and

Garden Show, set for the Modesto Centre Plaza in March, offers inspiration for those with a desire to create something new for 2015.

“This event is the largest in the immediate area. We take great pride in it and the community looks forward to it each spring,” said event coordinator Stacey Bean.

Although many cities through-out the area have home and garden shows, Modesto’s spring event caters to every home improvement

and garden aficionado’s needs, Bean said. Whether you are look-ing for information on heating or cooling systems, turning a back-yard into an enticing getaway, or perhaps making the jump to solar power, there likely will be someone there to provide just the expertise you need.

The show will feature dozens of local vendors setting up their booths for the three day event and offering advice and discounts for the public. Also, set up outside are food trucks to help keep shoppers fueled up.

“There are five to seven food trucks that park outside to satisfy the cravings of the people who come out. The great thing about it is that there is a variety of food at each truck so the people have options and don’t have to settle for one thing,” shared Bean.

The show will be held from noon to 6 p.m. March 6, and 10 a.m. to 5 pm. March 7 and 8. The Modesto Centre Plaza is located at 1000 L St., downtown Modesto.

For more information, contact the Modesto Centre Plaza at 209-577-6444. ■

ANNUAL HOME AND GARDEN SHOW FLOURISHES IN MODESTO

By DENNIS D. CRUZ

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You don’t have to have fancy and expensive tools and magical soil to have a successful gardening season in the spring.

An interest is enough.Expert advice helps, too.According to Martin Hildebrandt,

the garden specialist at California State University, Stanislaus, “you should have most of the winter leaves and weeds under control.” The gardener’s focus should be on the sun, water and time, to grow the plants you want to grow, to provide for the plants basic needs and for the plant to preform, either to bloom or produce a crop.

Having a garden that properly accents the home is important, he said, but it’s not only design that matters but also the quality of care. The other issues, like where to plan, what to plant and how to care for the plants, can and do change as needed. One thing, however, is the most important: your commitment to care for the plants for the entire season. This care needs to be when the plant needs it, not on your schedule, not only on weekends or during perfect weather.”

Some other things to consider are weather-related issues and materials.

For weather in the Central Val-ley, Hildebrandt said, it is “large and unique. Because of the hot summer sun and the cool winter, we can grow perhaps the widest range of plant material that exists anywhere in the world. By controlling the blessing of irrigation water, you can have a good

dry summer for crops, like almonds, or, by adding more water, grow a tropi-cal crop like corn or perhaps a flower like Begonias. The cooler months are much like northern Europe and are great times to grow cabbage, kale, car-rots and peas, as well as flowers, such as pansy and foxglove.”

As for materials for the garden, Hil-debrandt said, soil is “something that is changeable and serves a purpose.”

“Soil amendments, like compost, and organic fertilizers, like cottonseed meal, can keep your soil biologically active and healthy,” he added. “A good mulch of wood chips or finer compost is a great help in preserving soil health and reduce weeds. In terms of tools, I use an old steak knife and a 5-gal-lon bucket for daily weeding, harvest, pruning, moving soils, etc.

“In addition, I find a Hula Hoe and a 7-tine bedding fork to be very useful. And every gardener needs a collection of plant supports, stakes, trellis or to-mato cages that can be quickly put into place when needed.”

Hildebrandt has one last piece of advice.

“You need to match the sun to the desired plant,” he said. “Proper water is critical, and historically exces-sive water use kills more plants than drought. Now this may seem silly to you, but please take your plants out of the car and plant them. A lot of good intentioned plant purchases simply die in a hot trunk or on a dry porch. Don’t buy more than what you can tend to either the first day or thru the entire season.” ■

“Because of the hot summer sun

and the cool winter, we can

grow perhaps the widest range of

plant material that exists anywhere in

the world.”—Martin Hildebrandt


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charitycorner

Like clockwork, tragedy strikes.

Whether it is a house fire, a natural disaster or some sort of domestic terrorism … there is an almost constant need for response and the American Red Cross is there.

Jordan Scott, Regional Com-munications Director for the Gold Country Region, said it is the mission of the Red Cross and its countless volunteers to be there to help.

“We cover 24 counties,” Scott said of the expansive region that includes counties in the 209 and stretches up to the Oregon border.

Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Tuolumne counties are part of the Modesto-based Sierra

Delta Chapter, one of two chapter offices that are part of the overall Gold Country Region.

March is observed as Red Cross Month and while Scott said that’s a good time for people to become more aware of the organization and what it does, the Red Cross is an integral part of life and its unexpected emergencies.

“Really what the focus is, we celebrate our everyday heroes. Everybody who makes the work of the Red Cross possible,” Scott explained. “We celebrate those who give time and resources to help people in need, also our donors be-cause we are not a government organization, we don’t receive

AMERICAN RED CROSS

By MARG JACKSON

A MISSION OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE

WE ALSO TRY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED. IF THEY

HAVE BEEN SEEKING AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE

BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, BY VOLUNTEERING,

DONATING OR OTHERWISE, THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO

HIGHLIGHT THAT.


government funding. Thanks also to our instructors, those who teach classes.”

Every year since 1943 there has been a presidential proc-lamation of Red Cross Month, Scott said, with President Roosevelt the first to recognize the organization.

“We also try to encourage people to get involved,” Scott noted. “If they have been seeking an opportunity to give back to the community, by volunteering, donating or otherwise, this is a good time to highlight that.”

The American Red Cross is active in multiple areas, from CPR Saturdays and swimming lessons to blood drives (they partner here with Delta Blood

Bank) and disaster response.“When a hurricane hits the

East Coast or there’s a tornado in the middle of the country, we are there,” Scott said of the organization. “What always surprises me, though, is many people don’t realize that we go out to home fires.”

The 24-county Gold Coun-try Region sees its share of those local needs, he said.

“Somewhere, once every 11 hours, there is a home fire in those counties we serve,” Scott explained. “We are there to help the families, with shelter, food, clothing, to help with that emotional support, coun-seling. We get them connected to services, get that recovery process started.”

Volunteers are trained in disaster response and basically are ‘on call’ to respond when the need arises, even if it is 2 a.m. on a cold, foggy Central Valley winter morning.

“Training is a huge part of the organization, we want to make sure people going out to these situations have the knowledge they need,” Scott said. “A lot of classroom train-ing is required before people go out on these teams and there’s also an element of men-torship from the more senior members of the team.”

The organization provides a critical service to the Armed Forces, and it was that sup-port of the nation’s military that was a foundation for the

organization in its infancy in the 1800s.

“Emergency communica-tion is far and away the biggest service, if we have a deployed service member, and an emer-gency happens at home, we are chartered by Congress to help communicate the message to that family member and in some cases bring them home,” Scott said. “The other side of that, we also aid with pre- and post-deployment briefings for military members and their families. Especially when they come back home, we help them adjust.”

On a daily basis, the work of the Red Cross can be seen throughout local communi-

OUR REGION HAS THE REPUTATION FOR HAVING SOME OF THE BEST TRAINED

VOLUNTEERS. HURRICANE SANDY, WE SENT 178 VOLUNTEERS FROM OUR

REGION ALONE.



charitycorner

ties. And they are ready whenever needed, such as when the Rim Fire struck the region in the summer of 2013.

“I think we had over 200 volunteers down there helping and for two weeks we had a shelter,” Scott said.

Volunteers are always needed and Scott said they can choose what type of training they want to take.

“They are the heart-beat of the organiza-tion,” Scott said. “Our region has the reputa-tion for having some of the best trained volun-teers. Hurricane Sandy, we sent 178 volunteers from our region alone.”

Potential volunteers will go through an orientation process and then select specific training. Scott said the organization routinely has training sessions and anyone can get involved.

“I think I am right

DONATEThe Red Cross is a non-governmental agency and relies on the generosity of the American people for its financial support to serve the more than three million people in our 11-county area. We strive to make the donation process as easy and rewarding as possible.

http://www.redcross.org/ca/sacramento/ways-to-donate

VOLUNTEERCommitted, compassionate volunteers are the heart and soul of the American Red Cross. As a volunteer, you play a vital role in fulfilling the Red Cross mission. No matter your interests, skills or schedule, you can make a significant contribution to the community.

Sign up for a free volunteer orientation session by calling (916) 993-7070 or fill out an application at: http://www.redcross.org/ca/sacramento/volunteer

TAKE A CLASSThe American Red Cross offers a wide variety of training courses in first aid, CPR, AED, life guarding, swimming, babysitting, care giving, and other areas for both individuals and organizations. We are the most trusted training provider of health and safety training that meets OSHA guidelines and many other professional and regulatory standards. Many self-study classes are available online and you can also register for classroom courses.

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GET INVOLVED

there with everybody else, I love the mission, what we are all about,” Scott added. “To be face to face with someone going through the hardest time of their life, and making a difference, mak-ing some sort of a positive impact … to see just a brief glimmer of hope, those are moments I just don’t forget.

“I am really honored to be a part of the organization.” ■

A rainbow curving over the top of this

American Red Cross office is a symbolic

reminder that highly trained volunteers are always there, ready to

respond when disaster strikes.

Across the country, every eight

minutes Red Cross volunteers respond

to a home fire. Make sure to routinely

check your smoke detector and

practice fire drills at your home.

This staging area for firefighters and

volunteers was set up at the Rim Fire during

the summer of 2013; the American Red

Cross had some 200 volunteers near the

site as well, operating a shelter for displaced

residents.

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charitycorner

Sierra Vista Child & Family Ser-vices has one longstanding goal.

To care for people in need.The agency has been committed

to caring for Stanislaus County since 1972, when a dairy farmer and volun-teer member of the county’s Mental Health Advisory Board envisioned a group home that could provide a high level of care for children.

These days, it provides services to 22,000 children and families each year through 21 programs in 19 locations and at every school in the Stanislaus and Merced counties. The services aim

to meet the needs of people who are overwhelmed with mental illnesses, child abuse or substance-abuse.

On Feb. 7, Sierra Vista Child & Family Services will celebrate a mile-stone with its 15th Annual Hearts for Children Gala at the Assyrian Ameri-can Civic Club in Turlock. The theme of this year’s fundraiser will be from the story of “Mulan,” which, accord-ing to the event’s press release, is about helping and supporting “those in our community who are the most doubt-ful at having the strength to believe in themselves to accomplish their full


By Chhun Sun

potential, and find their place in society.”

The annual event will also recog-nize the work of Judy Kindle, the executive director who has been with Sierra Vista for 30 years. Her administrative team has members with 15-25 years of experience at the agency. She says her time at the agency “does not feel like I have been here for 30 years.”

“Every year is new and brings new challenges and new opportu-nities,” Kindle added.

Michele Speich, the director of marketing and fund development, said the agency is still standing be-cause of Kindle’s leadership.

“Those 30 years, we’ve seen the changes that are happening within the community and also the econ-omy, which affects the children and families that we serve,” Speich said. “[Kindle] has just been that kind of guiding light for Sierra Vista that kind of just has carried us through.”

Kindle and her team at the agen-cy were awarded early this month The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Behavioral Health Care Accreditation after demon-strating a commitment to provid-ing safe and effective care.

“I had the vision and [our lead-ership team] carried most of the workload,” Kindle said about the accreditation. “Our other goals for this year are to continue to increase the awareness of the need for men-tors for the children and youth in our county and to provide men-tors with the necessary training through our Mentoring Resource Center. The other goals are to continue to meet the needs of our

communities by continually im-proving our services and expand-ing where needed.”

Sierra Vista is the largest non-profit mental health agency in the Central Valley. It provides pro-grams that include mental health services, early childhood services, special education, therapeutic resi-dential treatment, adoption, foster care, clinical and family support in homes and schools, perinatal substance abuse treatment and community counseling.

The agency is looking forward

to its annual gala event, with past themes including “Finding Nemo” and “Peter Pan.”

“I had the pleasure of helping to start the very first fundraising event for Sierra Vista when it was known as Therapeutic Homes,” Kindle said. “It was a wonderful country evening event … Our guests are treated to an enchanting evening in the world of a children’s story.”

For more information on Sierra Vista Child & Family Services, call the main office at 209-523-4573 or visit www.sierravistacares.org. ■


lookback

By MARG JACKSON

1864EST.

CA

The Knights Ferry covered bridge is a focal point of the small rural community outside Oakdale, a historic span across the Stanislaus River.

Historic. Subject of countless photographs. National land-mark. Tourist attraction.

The Knights Ferry covered bridge is many things to many people, and it remains a popular destination in the 209 for residents looking for a relaxing day away.

A centerpiece in the small hamlet of Knights Ferry, just east of Oakdale, the covered bridge spans the Stanislaus River and was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, in 2012.

Originally constructed in 1864, the bridge is 330 feet long and is at the north end of Knights Ferry, where it provides a protected crossing over the Stanislaus River. The covered bridge was built as a replacement for one that had been previously washed away by floodwaters along the Stanislaus. The wooden truss bridge, the longest of its kind west of the Mississippi River, was originally a toll bridge. Knights Ferry was once the county seat and the Stan-islaus County Board of Supervisors set fees for the river crossing, ranging from just a couple of pennies for sheep to as much as $5 for horse or mule teams. Once horse and buggy gave way to automobiles, those were also able to originally utilize the bridge to cross the river as well.

Heralded as “an exceptionally fine display” of 19th century covered bridge construction, the National Park Service notes, the structure is also described as an “outstanding example” of a Tim-ber Howe Truss, a specific design in bridge building that served as the basis for later steel truss designs.

In recent years, the bridge has had some portions of the span declared off limits as age and conditions have taken a toll. Pedes-trian traffic – the only type allowed to cross now (with pets and/or baby strollers in tow as well) – is funneled along a walkway.

“I love walking across and being able to look at the view from it. The river, the water below. Beautiful!”

—Jonyce O’Neill



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/ 209 Magazine

Now a National Historic Landmark, the Knights Ferry covered bridge is the longaest such span west of the Mississippi and is a favorite spot for hikers, history buffs and photography enthusiasts.

As the Stanislaus River flows beneath it, the Knights Ferry covered bridge remains a constant, the historic structure one of the area’s most photographed tourist attractions. Sunlight peaking in through the wooden slats, the

Knights Ferry covered bridge now has a central walkway and hosts plenty of foot traffic, visitors

coming to tour the site throughout the year.

KNIGHTS FERRY

Stanislaus River Parks Visitors’ CenterNext to the covered bridge, this visitors’ center is located east of Manteca, 35 miles via CA 120.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers visitor center offers information on the parks and wildlife located along the Stanislaus River, along with fishing, rafting and canoeing opportunities.

Civil War DaysThe American Civil War Association, along with The Army Corps of Engineers present Civil War Days March 21-22. Visitors can watch the re-enactment of the Union and Confederate battles several times throughout the weekend. There are also ongoing living history demonstrations depicting the lives of soldiers, women and children during the Victorian Era and Civil War. Most of the events take place near the covered bridge which is a short walk from the parking lot.

Battle Times: Saturday, 1p.m. and 4p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Gates open at 9 a.m. The event is free; parking is $5 donation per car.

WHERE: 17968 Covered Bridge RoadKnights Ferry, CA

CONTACT: (209) 881-3517

IF YOU GO


lookback

Many visitors to the bridge yield to temptation and cross over the temporary barriers to look out the small openings spaced at intervals along the structure and photograph the Stanislaus River below, but the bulk of travelers stay within the guided path.

For many, it is a chance to take their children to a site they remember from their youth, with scenery and history both a part of the equation.

“I love the history behind the Knights Ferry Bridge,” said area resident Jonyce O’Neill, who visited the site recently for an afternoon walk and a photo shoot with her daughter Katie and granddaughter Kaili. “I love walking across and being able to look at the view from it. The river, the water below. Beautiful!”

An inspection several years ago uncovered some struc-tural issues with the span, not enough to close it down, but enough to limit the foot traffic while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designs and pre-pares a plan to address those problems. Whatever form the repairs eventually take, accord-ing to the U.S. Army Corps, the integrity and “historical aspect of the bridge” will be maintained and preserved.

Part of the attraction of the bridge, visitors say, is feeling like you have taken a step back in time as you walk across. Not only the bridge, but an old flour mill, remnants of stone buildings and hiking paths along the banks of the Stan-islaus River transport you to a simpler place and time. Week-end visitors can spend a day in the hamlet, also taking advan-tage of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Stanislaus River

Parks Visitor’s Center, which offers information on the river, the area surrounding Knights Ferry and the wildlife that calls the region home.

The ‘Ferry’ itself is home to river rafting companies, serves up an ice cream parlor, has a deli and saloon, a couple of restaurants, unique shops, a reportedly haunted hotel, campground, community park and some undeniably beautiful scenery when the flowers bloom and a lush green returns to the hills from the winter’s rain.

Classes from nearby schools visit each year during the Salmon Run, to learn about the life cycle of the salmon and the spawning process on the Stanislaus.

Knights Ferry has also served for many years as the host site for the Civil War Days in late March, a weekend of ac-tivity that sees North vs. South, with living history offered through tours of Union and Confederate encampments, the battles complete with musket and cannon fire as reenact-ment groups stage the realistic skirmishes.

Longtime Knights Ferry resident and community historian Lee Shearer often leads school tours through the community and the bridge is a favorite stopping point.

“The fact that it’s a covered bridge, it’s an unusual build-ing,” Shearer said of the allure of the structure, which was designed by civil engineer David Locke.

“We did a tour of it with ‘California Gold’ (TV show),” Shearer added. “It’s just a thing to see.”

A unique bit of history, 150 years strong. ■


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By JAMES BURNS

Chocolate lovers near and far come to Lathrop to indulge in Ghirardelli’s sweet treats.

Located along a frontage road, amongst the snarl of truck depots, gravely yards and other warehouse facilities, the Ghirardelli Factory Outlet and Ice Cream Shop rises like an oasis.

It is easy to access for those travel-ing Interstate 5 – and with its enor-mous building-top light bulb sign, it’s hard to miss even on days when the tule fog is at its thickest.

The ice cream shop in Lathrop features an international flair to match its world-class chocolate.

There is the shop’s supervisor, Constatin, and the counter clerk, Luis, who on this slow holiday morning greets each customer with a compli-mentary Peppermint Bark square.

That said, Ghirardelli is distinctly San Francisco. The menu pays hom-age to the company’s Bay Area roots.

The Ghirardelli Chocolate Com-pany was founded by an Italian immigrant, Domingo Ghirardelli, in 1852 and eventually settled into its brick-and-mortar home in Ghirardelli Square, amongst San Francisco’s piers. Ghirardelli began marketing his chocolate delicacies to the miners of California’s Gold Rush, and before the turn of the century the company had established itself as a must-have household product.

Ghirardelli boasts that its choco-lates are “moments of timeless plea-sure,” and after more than 160 years of operation, an international footprint and 23 locations across the nation, it’s tough to beat.

Ghirardelli boasts that its chocolates are ‘moments of timeless pleasure,’ and after more than 160 years of operation, an international footprint and 23 locations across the nation, it’s tough to beat. 77209MAGAZINE FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015


The Ghirardelli ice cream shop

attracts chocolate lovers of all ages.

Here, McKeane Beier (lower right)

celebrates his 8th birthday with

milkshakes and sundaes.

The shelves at Ghirardelli’s ice cream

shop in Lathrop are lined with chocolate

treats.

marketplace

GHIRARDELLIWHAT: Ghirardelli Factory Outlet and Ice Cream Shop

WHERE: 11980 South Harlan Road, Lathrop, Ca. 95330

HOURS: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

CONTACT: 209.982.9304

ABOUT GHIRARDELLI:

Incorporated in 1852, the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company boasts that it has the richest heritage of any American chocolate factory. Through a few shrewd marketing maneuvers in the 1800s, Ghirardelli established itself as a household staple and must-have treat. Founder Domingo Ghirardelli marketed his chocolate delicacies to the gold miners during California’s Gold Rush. Ghirardelli later employed “artists and advertising experts to saturate the West with the Ghirardelli name and logo,” according to the company’s website.

Today, patrons can enjoy an Earthquake, eight scoops of ice cream with eight toppings, sliced bananas, whipped cream, chopped almonds, chocolate chips and cherries.

There’s also the Presidio Passion, vanilla ice cream slathered in hot fudge and lined with sliced strawberries.

The Golden Gate is Ghirardelli’s take on the banana split; Treasure Island with its double chocolate brownie; and the Cable Car, featur-ing Rocky Road, chocolate chip and chocolate ice creams.

However, the signature sundae remains the namesake – the Ghirardelli Square. It’s simple by design, but perhaps that’s the allure. The Ghirardelli Square won’t overwhelm you with too many toppings or ice creams. It is combines the very best the chocolate factory has to offer in a cup or waffle bowl: Vanilla ice cream, homemade hot fudge, whipped cream, chopped almonds and a cherry.

The Lathrop location also has a large outdoor seating area and wide selection of chocolate treats for sale. For more informa-tion, contact 209.982.9304 or visit www.ghiradelli.com. ■

The ice cream shop in Lathrop features an international flair to match its world-class chocolate.


marketplace

The Ghirardelli

Factory Outlet and Ice

Cream Shop in Lathrop

is one of 23 locations

nationwide.


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hen Mar Gibbs landed in Califor-nia to begin his

freshman year at University of the Pacific

in 2005, he realized he had no out-erwear. The Sunshine State native from Southern Florida, who found himself getting cold fairly easily, needed a sweatshirt. So he headed to the university bookstore.

As he browsed through the merchandise, he noticed the high prices.

“I ended up buying the lowest priced sweatshirt that I could find; roughly $40. It was decorated with a three-color artwork that read ‘University of the’ on the first line

and ‘Pacific’ on the second line,” he added. “I thought to myself, ‘I can do better.’”

Although he didn’t think much of it at the time, Gibbs would soon be inspired to create his own line of Pacific clothing.

Though he’s always had an ar-tistic skill and an entrepreneurial spirit, it wasn’t until later during Gibbs’ sophomore year that he created his first piece.

“My roommates and I were getting ready to attend Midnight Mania,” an event in which they introduce the men’s and women’s basketball teams, play games and give out free stuff. “I wanted to dress differently, so I purchased

a blank white fitted baseball cap with thin black pinstripes. When I got back to my dorm, I pulled out a sharpie and went to town on that poor cap. I drew the Powercat on the front and the Pacific ‘P’ initial on the back.”

He wore his homemade cap to Midnight Mania and to his surprise, fellow students began to ask him where they could get their own.

“I didn’t even like the cap be-cause I drew the Powercat slightly crooked, but they loved it. I didn’t think much of it.”

After graduation from UOP in 2010 with a degree in graphic design, Gibbs relocated back to

By Melissa Hutsell


marketplace

THE MAN BEHIND THE TIGER COLLECTION

Florida.“While unpacking in my par-

ent’s house, I came across my hat that I drew on in 2006,” he said.

Being a harsh critic, Gibbs could not figure out why his cap was so popular among other students.

“I decided that it was because it was different. In 2010, I was a bet-ter graphic and apparel designer than I was in 2006 when I drew on the cap. I decided to create a tiger T-shirt design for fun.”

From there, Gibbs has con-tinued to design and print the majority of his apparel, which is now officially licensed through the Collegiate Licensing Company since March 2013.

Now the owner of The Tiger Collection, Gibbs stays motivated when he sees the positive ways students, alumni and fans react to his works of art.

“I love seeing the frenzy-like mentality that takes over every student when campus organiza-tions distribute my apparel on campus for free. It’s beautiful. I’m also motivated to keep designing because I’d like The Tiger Collec-tion to be recognized as one of the top fashion-forward collegiate apparel brands, especially among smaller universities.”

Gibbs’ products are distinctive and stand out from other Pacific gear because of the concept and

ideals that his brand is built upon. “I don’t like cookie-cutter ap-

parel. You shouldn’t be able to go to another university bookstore and see the same apparel designs bearing different colors and a different name,” he said. “Every-thing we design is designed with a purpose. From the first prelimi-nary sketches to the final product; we’re always focused on a goal. We don’t design it just to look good. We design it to compliment you. We design it to feel comfortable on you. We design it for you.”

For more information and to get your own piece from the Tiger Collection, visit: thetigercollec-tion.com. ■


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209 magazine - issue 6

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