News & Notes

E-Mail

Comments (0)

Text Size:

tool goes here

Rock possibly tied to mining blown up

Suspicious wires coming from a hole in a large rock in Sonora caught the attention of authorities and led to an "extremely large explosion" when officials detonated the rock. Page B-2

High-speed rail plan backed; will miss us

State transportation leaders Wednesday formally selected a bullet-train route. Members of the California High-Speed Rail Authority certified an environmental study preferring alignment from the Bay Area to Southern California over the Pacheco Pass near Los Banos. Page B-3

Modesto promotes public works official

Modesto turned to a longtime city employee to lead its water division. Allen Lagarbo, who began working for Modesto 27 years ago, was promoted to deputy director of public works. He previously worked for 10 years as the city's water superintendent and for 14 years as an arborist. Lagarbo earned a bachelor's degree in ornamental horticulture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He holds several certificates in water treatment, operations and conservation.

One position open on Riverbank panel

Riverbank needs to fill an opening on its Planning Commission. The term will end Aug. 31, 2010. Applicants must be Riverbank residents and attend at least one meeting on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. The panel oversees the Community Development Department, and sets policies for the general plan and zoning rules. For more information, call Danise Huey at 863-7120.

Weight-sperm link

Too many fatty foods are dangerous not only to men's waistlines, but to their sperm production. Scientists have found that obese men have worse sperm than men of normal weight. But experts aren't sure if that necessarily means obese men face major difficulties having children. Page B-8

Enough is enough!

Ruben Navarrette has had it with people making an issue of bilingual students adding a sentence in their native tongue to speeches thanking parents at graduation. Page B-7

Yesteryears

50 YEARS AGO: The department of employment said that June was the first month of 1958 in which unemployment insurance claims dropped below those of 1957. Robert E. Dalzell, manager of the Modesto office, said 1,371 claims were taken in June compared with 1,431 in June 1957.

50 YEARS AGO: It was hot in Modesto -- 100 degrees. The U.S. Weather Bureau forecast was for more sizzling temperatures. The city's seasonal high was 101, recorded in an earlier heat wave. -- Karen Aiello