Monday, April 21, 2014

Salida MAC Newsletter - April 2014

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Salida Fire District Report - Chief Dale Skiles reminded everyone that fire season is quickly approaching and to keep an eye out for fire hazards.

CHP Report - CHP Officer Chuck Leon reported that there were three DUI collisions, one felony DUI arrest for marijuana, and one auto-theft arrest. He responded to a complaint about street-racing. Officer Leon spotted a pickup truck speeding along Ciccarelli Road and doing circles in the dirt while people took pictures. The driver was pulled over and was arrested for reckless driving.

Every time Officer Leon is in Salida, he makes it a point to make at least one pass and back on Wallasey Way. He dressed in plain clothes and sat with a radar gun on Wallasey. He did cite one person for going 37 in a 25 mph zone on Wallasey.

Salida business owner, Craig Coker, brought in a box of bike helmets to sponsor a helmet program at Salida Union School District. Officer Leon offered assistance with this program.

Salida Postmaster Report - Salida Postmaster, John Cabral reported that three more community mailboxes have been broken into: on Sisk between Wessex and Wallasey, Trowbridge. and one on Salida Blvd. Postmaster Cabral said several of the boxes have graffiti on them and he has supplies to remove the graffiti, just come and see him. 

Postmaster Cabral gave an update on Senate Bill 1486, its still in the senate and should go through the House quickly. The chief vice-president of the postal service testified before congress that without postal legislation, the USPS is in dire straits. Postmaster Cabral met with Congressman Jeff Denham who expressed his support for the USPS. He gave a brief summary of the local mail routes being consolidated and downsized. He recommended visiting savethepostoffice.com for additional info on changing hours, closures, etc.  Postmaster Cabral shared his article featuring Salida in "Save Our Rural Post Offices" on page 9 of the National League of Postmasters California Branch.

Salida Chamber of Commerce Report - Gary Finch, Vice-President of the Salida Chamber of Commerce shared that the chamber would be participating in LoveSalida on April 5 with a Highway 99 cleanup at Hammett. The Salida Chamber will be sponsoring the hot dog lunch after the project for the participants at Salida Park on Broadway. The chamber's kick-off party will be held at The Post Restaurant & Bar on Friday, April 25 at 6 pm. For more information and to reserve your free ticket, click here

Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library Report - Library Branch Manager, Diane Bartlett shared that the library is collecting snuggle blankets for animals awaiting new homes. Crochet, knit, quilt, sew or tie blankets in the following sizes 14"x14" for cats and small animals, 24"x24" for cats and small to medium dogs, 36"x36" for medium to large dogs. These are guidelines, they don't need to be exact. Materials should be washable, such as cotton or acrylic. Leftover scraps of yarn or fabric are fine. Yarn ends should be double-knotted and woven in well to prevent unraveling. Make them thick for comfort and warmth, but do not use battling. For pattern suggestions: www.snugglesproject.org  Bring completed blankets in during library open hours. Deadline: April 30, 2014 Questions? Call Cindy @ the Waterford Library (209) 874-2191 Donations may be dropped off at the Salida Library.

Zumba has started on Monday evenings and is held either in the Community Room or the Storytime Room. April is Poetry Month and and the library will have a "Poet Tree". You can write your poem on there, either one you've written or one that you like and the library will hang all the poems on the tree. The Book Club for Adults meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. 

Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros ~ Day of the Child, Day of the Book, Día for short, is a nationwide celebration of children, families and reading will be held Saturday, April 26 at Salida Library @ 10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Features a Bilingual Story Time, world music, crafts, Friends of the Salida Library will be giving away free books and more! 

Stanislaus County Planning Department Report - Javier Camarena gave a presentation on his department and projects they are working on. There are grant funds available for low and moderate income families for home improvements. Current projects they are working on are: Empire storm drains, Parklawn sewer infrastructure, and Airport sewer infrastructure. Plans get updated every year and have to be approved by the county board of supervisors. Salida received a storm drain grant about eight years ago. The neighborhood stabilization program is starting to wind down.
For more information on Stanislaus County's Block Grant Annual Action Plan.

Salida Annexation Update - At the Modesto City Council meeting on March 11, 2014, Modesto City Councilman John Gunderson made a motion to put Salida back on the agenda for a vote, the motion was seconded but went nowhere, so Salida is still within Modesto's General Plan. Wood Colony was put on the agenda and voted upon at the March 25, 2014 council meeting. The council voted to remove the "ag" section of Wood Colony from Modesto's General Plan Update, but north of Beckwith and the area south of Woodland are still in the plan. The city council will be voting on a comprehensive general plan update on April 8, 2014.

Next Salida MAC Meeting:
Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at 7 pm @ Salida Library Community Room

4835 Sisk Rd. - Salida
Presentation: Public Works Update by
Stanislaus Public Works Director,
Matt Machado