Christmas comes hand-in-hand with throngs of last-minute shoppers as well as anyone and everyone who still needs to run errands this time of year. Fortunately for all involved in the Christmas mayhem, a smattering of local retailers are posting a few hours for the two busiest days of the year. In terms of grocery stores, Safeway (Countryside Drive) will be open until 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. They do not have hours available on Christmas Day, but have offered their Modesto store on McHenry Avenue as a substitute, which will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Costco (Tegner Road) will also be open Christmas Eve from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For the third consecutive year, Ronald and Jackie Detwiler, along with son-in-law Chris Waller, have set up the synchronized light and music show at their 1441 Sycamore St. home. With nearly 25,000 lights — 10,000 more than last year — and over 100 cars a night, Christmas on Sycamore has become a notable Turlock holiday event. The light show now features Santa Claus every night it doesn’t rain. They also hand out candy canes, and last year handed out more than 5,000 sweets to those who stopped by. They aim to double that amount this year.
Lights, camera — Christmas! Groups and families are invited to the newly-themed “A Box Office Christmas” parade. The 36th Annual Turlock Downtown Christmas Parade, taking place at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 5, will begin at Canal Street travel down historic Main Street.
Thanksgiving is fast-approaching, and for those who still have errands to run, it might seem impossible. Thankfully, there are still a few businesses open to enable last-minute shopping. It seems like there’s at least one missing ingredient each year, right as you get to cooking. Fortunately, several of Turlock’s grocery stores will be open, including Safeway (Monte Vista Avenue) which will open at its regular time and close at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving day. Raley’s (Geer Road) will be open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Save Mart (Geer Road) will be open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The 16th Annual Turlock Festival of Lights aims to provide Turlockers with an evening of lights, shopping and fun for all ages on Black Friday. Taking place on Friday, Nov. 28 from 5 to 9 p.m., the festival will consist of its customary countdown to lighting the Christmas tree in Central Park in addition to a scavenger hunt that’s unique to this year’s event.
What if you could have a collection of incredibly fun games that fit in your pocket — to play with anyone, anytime? That’s the question Chris Handy, a local game designer, asked when he launched his new project Pack O Game™ out of Turlock. "My game workshop is above the Dust Bowl, and these concepts came from there," said Handy, "Launching from Turlock out to the world today."
The Stanislaus Elder Abuse Prevention Alliance (SEAPA) will be holding a Seniors Against Financial Exploitation (SAFE) Seminar on Aug. 22 at the Larsa Banquet Hall, located at 2107 E. Monte Vista Ave.. The seminar focuses on teaching attendants how to prevent elder abuse with an emphasis on financial abuse.
The American Field Service (AFS) Intercultural Programs is looking for Turlock families who will host AFS Exchange Students arriving this September. These high school students are eager to attend local high schools, live with a host family and discover America for themselves — but to do so, they need need supportive families to host them for 6-12 weeks, a semester or the year.
Area residents interested in becoming CPR certified should clear their schedule on Saturday, Aug. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Turlock Fire Department will be hosting a CPR class in cooperation with the American Safety Health Institute. The training will focus on adult and child/infant CPR/AED and will cost $35.00 a person. The class is limited to 12 people who have paid and registered. The last day to register is Tuesday, Aug. 5.
This week, U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) supported four separate House-passed bills in order to improve higher education for students across the country. These bills are to increase transparency, access and affordability and include the Student and Tax Family Simplification Act, the Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act, the Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act and the Empowering Students through Enhanced Counseling Act.
