Modesto area news and notes (3/9/15)
SCIENCE FUN AWAITS AT JOHANSEN HIGH
Johansen High School Exploratorium Night will be 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the east Modesto campus, 641 Norseman Drive. The free event is geared to third- through eighth-grade students. Kids can join in hands-on science fun at 14 lab stations manned by high school science students. There is a medal for all who complete the 14 activities. The Johansen FFA chapter will be holding a barbecued chicken dinner fundraiser at the same time.
TWO CONGRESSMEN WILL RIDE ACE TRAIN
U.S. Reps. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock, and Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin, will hold a “bipartisan rolling roundtable meeting” aboard the westbound Altamont Corridor Express No. 5 train Thursday morning. Both representatives will travel throughout the train to meet with commuters to discuss their work in Congress to create jobs and improve the San Joaquin Valley economy, a news release said. Denham and Swalwell will board the train at the Lathrop/Manteca station, departing at 6:59 a.m., and will end the trip at ACE’s Fremont station at 8:15 a.m. For more information, contact Denham’s district office at (209) 579-5458, Swalwell’s district office at (925) 460-5100 or Karlha Davies of ACE at (209) 944-6242.
COLUMBIA STATE PARK SEEKS GENERAL STORE
California State Parks is accepting proposals for a 10-year contract to develop, equip, operate and maintain a historic-style specialty grocery and general store concession in Columbia State Historic Park. The proposed contract includes the re-creation of the historic ambiance of the gold-mining town of Columbia with furnishings and some facility improvements. The concession must “offer quality retail merchandise at reasonable prices to park visitors,” a news release states. The deadline for proposal submission is April 14 at 2 p.m. There will be an optional pre-proposal meeting on March 16 at 6 p.m. at Eagle Cotage, 11195 Washington St., Columbia. It will include a review of the process and materials and a tour of the facility. Potential proposers may contact Peggy Harwell, concession specialist, at (209) 536-2917 regarding meeting attendance. For more information, call Harwell or Teresa Montijo, concessions program manager, at (916) 653-7733. Columbia attracts more than 450,000 visitors each year.
This story was originally published March 8, 2015 at 9:01 PM with the headline "Modesto area news and notes (3/9/15)."