Manteca Monthly Magazine

MAY 2013 | VOL. 2 | ISSUE 5

ADDRESS 94 W. Castle St., Suite #B Stockton, CA 95204

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The Manteca Monthly magazine is published once a month and direct-mailed to homes in the Stockton community of Weston Ranch, and the cities of Lathrop, Manteca and Ripon. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher is not responsible for the accuracy of copy or comments submitted to Big Monkey Group LLC., and/or Manteca Monthly magazine. Contents may be edited for clarity and length. ©2013 BIG MONKEY GROUP LLC

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manteca monthly magazine | MAY 2013 | 3

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>>editor’s note

Mother’s Day, the last few days of school, graduation and Memorial Day. There are a lot of occasions that we celebrate

during the month of May. We may celebrate more than those I have mentioned or less, but there is one thing for sure: this month is filled with special moments for everyone.

There is one day a year that is reserved just for our moms. There will be people honoring their moms everywhere this month and rightfully so; all moms do a lot for their families. I read online once that “mom” stands for “Manager of Miracles.” Mir-acles: All children are miracles, and those of us who are lucky enough to get a membership into this club will do anything for our children. After all, they are only young for a short time. You only have about 18 years to teach them core values that will hopefully build a strong founda-tion, before you send them out into the world.

Moms are teachers, mentors, nurses, chauffeurs, referees, counselors, room moms, Boy Scout/Girl Scout moms, friends – the list can go on and on. To show your mom that she is appreciated and loved, you can give her flow-ers, make her favorite dinner, or create a card with why you think she is so special to you. Person-ally, the homemade cards are the best. I still have every one that my

children have given me over the years. The hours are long, but the rewards are priceless.

As our children reach the ages of 2-5, they pretend to be grown-ups with career and families. And there may be an assortment of “dress up” clothes at their preschool or daycare that help the children in their pretend world. They can put on a fire-fighter hat and coat, and pretend to drive a fire truck on their way to a five-alarm fire, or put on a badge and holster on their way to catch a robber and put him in jail, or maybe don a white coat and a stethoscope and find a cure for a disease.

Then, as our children grow, we guide and support them as they make decisions in their life. One such decision may be to find a career path. These days, if children have an idea of what careers interest them, they have opportunities to get hands-on experience now instead of wait-ing for college.

In this month’s feature story, learn how Health Careers

Academy High School partners with local medical groups and schools to help students under-stand the medical field, along with their regular high school core classes. You will also learn about a local cardiologist who works with pharmacy students at University of the Pacific and helps them understand how important it is to view patients as something more than words on a slip of paper. And, you will learn how San Joaquin prepares students to be the doctors of tomorrow.

We at Big Monkey Group want to congratulate all the seniors on their graduation from high school. And to all our readers who are moms, we hope you enjoy your special day with your family.

Mitzi Stites | Managing [email protected]

Special Day for a Special WomanHonor Your Mom This Mother’s Day

4 | MAY 2013 | manteca monthly magazine

>>feature story

Doctor, DoctorToday’s medical students are tomorrow’s

MDs – with some local helpBy Alan Naditz | Staff Writer

It’s 24 hours later, and Traci Miller, principal of Health Careers Academy High School, is still in a state of happy shock. Her school’s latest parents’ information night,

designed to attract prospective students for the 2013-14 year, was standing room only. With more than 175 visitors, the evening marked the second case of parent overload in only a few months.

That’s a far cry from the two-year-old campus’s inaugural meetings in 2011, when a few dozen parents showed up to find out about the charter school that specializes in medical education classes for teenagers. “Last night, before the meeting, I’m thinking about how much I have riding on this,” Miller says. “I have the dean of the CSU Stanislaus-Stockton Center opening up his facility for us, I’ve got the director of Kaiser’s School of Allied Health opening his facility up. We had all these workers coming in to help. And to end up with another stand-ing room only crowd – it was nuts.”

Miller will take this kind of crazy any day. The school is well on track to meeting its goal of having 400 students by fall, when it begins offering classes for 11th graders. Nearly half that total of students have already com-mitted to attending HCA next school year, about three times as many as last year at this time. “At one time, people didn’t even know we existed,” Miller says. “That appears to be changing very fast.”

Stockton Unified School District created HCA in 2011 to address a forecasted, severe shortage of trained, qualified healthcare workers for jobs coming to the Central Valley in the next few years. As an example, Miller points to the new 1,700-bed state prison healthcare facility under construc-tion in Stockton and scheduled to open this summer – about 2,400 people are expected to be employed there. There’s also the 120-bed Veterans’ Administration medical facility and outpatient clinic, planned for opening in 2018, which would create another 900 jobs.


>>feature story>>feature story

Continued on page 6

While not all the new jobs at the two locations will be medical, the impact on a county already identified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources as a Health Pro-fessional Shortage Area cannot be ignored, notes Dr. Ahmed Mahmoud, director of surgery at San Joaquin General.

To that end, the California Department of Correc-tions awarded a $700,000 grant to get HCA up and running. And run it has: Tucked away inside University Park in Stockton’s historic Magnolia District, the school has quickly established partnerships with neighboring California State University Stanislaus-Stockton Center, and Kaiser Permanente’s School of Allied Health.

Students who attend HCA arrive each day in medi-cal scrubs – the school’s uniform – looking like extremely young doctors. The outfit helps keep the students in a healthcare frame of mind, and also levels the playing field when it comes to household income, Miller says. “You can’t tell the kids who have more from the ones who don’t,” she notes.

The school follows a Stanford University medical-based curriculum: A typical day consists of college prep courses in first aid, CPR, medical terminology, history of healthcare, and ethics, among others. In most cases, those classes can be used for credit should the student pursue a degree at a four-year university, possibly speeding up their gradu-ation and pursuit of a career in medicine.

“Because we’re a charter school, we can draw students from anywhere in California. So we get students from Stock-ton, Manteca, Lodi, Linden, Lincoln. They’re coming from all over the place,” Miller says. “It’s also a very wide demograph-

ic: Some kids arrive here in a Mercedes; some take an hour and a half to get to school every day by public transportation. It’s a really wide cross-section of the community, but what they have in common is that they all want to do something very specialized.”

Like any school, there are projects. But these class proj-ects overlap with medicine whenever possible. For example, an English teacher will have them study a disease. The students then become an “expert” on it and present their knowledge to their classmates. “When I was in school, I was studying Romeo and Juliet, and learning the Pythagorean Theory in geometry,” Miller recalls. “It didn’t connect for me at all. So we have our teachers working together to show how this is important.”

There are field trips that go beyond the typical visit to a museum. In 2011, HCA students visited San Quentin State Prison to see the various medical job opportunities avail-able in the prison system. Although everything went fine, it wasn’t a trip Miller is likely to repeat. “I was too much of a mother hen the whole time,” she admits. “It took me two weeks to recover.”

The students also pass on what they’ve learned. A typical community event involves them visiting neighboring Pittman Charter School as part of the K-8 campus’s annual health fair,

explaining healthcare matters to those students. It’s also not unusual to see HCA students at Kaiser Family Health Days, or promote physical fitness at an event sponsored by the YMCA.

Guests from the local medical community regularly ap-pear on campus. In recent weeks, Dr. Moses Elam and Dr. Darryl Jones, both executives from Kaiser Permanente, spoke to students about their respective journeys to be-coming physicians. “The world is yours if you want it,” Elam told the students. “But you’re going to have to work for it right now.” Delta Blood Bank and the California Transplant Donor Network presented information about how students and their families can make an impact by helping to save lives of others in their community. Several medical and uni-versity students from the University of the Pacific and CSU Stanislaus-Stockton Center also reminded students of the importance of maintaining good grades while in high school.

“Every quarter and every semester, we start the day off by revisiting what our goal is, to help the kids keep their eye on the prize,” Miller says. “Teenagers kind of live in the now, as in today – not a week from now, much less four years from now. We have to remind them there is an end goal to what they do here.”

Miller’s students won’t begin the second leg of their journey until 2015, when HCA has expanded to a full four-grade curriculum, and its first class graduates. By that point, becoming a student at the medical charter school could be a bit of a challenge. “I have a feeling I will be using a waiting list for freshmen after next year,” Miller says. “That will put us in a situation resembling other charter schools. But what a great problem to have!”

From the HeartHCA graduates who move on to college for their medi-

cal careers could cross paths with Dr. Ramin Manshadi, who is also dedicated to guiding new doctors, nurses and other clinicians.

Manshadi, a cardiologist in private practice on Pacific Avenue in Stockton, bases everything he does on the Hippocratic Oath. Most people have heard of its main principle: Do no harm as a doctor. But there’s a second pledge that not every doctor follows: Teach the art of medicine to the younger generation in the same way the doctors themselves were taught.

For Manshadi, that starts by keeping up with medi-cal technology. While the average person’s knowledge of medicine comes from what they see on shows like “House,” “Nurse Betty” and “E.R.,” Manshadi spends most of his free time reading about the real thing. “When you’re in the medical field, you’re always a student,” he says. “There are always new findings. That’s why I try to always learn about new technology and new ways of treat-ment, new items out there from different companies. When there’s new technology that would benefit the patient, I’m

“Our motto at the school is, ‘Passion.’ We

believe everyone needs to have pas-

sion in what they do. And every one

of those letters stands for

something: ‘P’ (Professional),

‘A’ (Academic), ‘S’ (Service to others),

‘S’ (Strong), ‘I’ (Inspiring),

‘O’ (Optimistic) and ‘N’ (Nurturing).”

— Traci Miller, principal, Health Careers Academy High School

Principal Traci Miller guides her students through their studies at Health Careers Academy High School. “I’m one of the luckiest people on Earth,” she says. “This is a terrific job.” PHOTOS BY LOUIE AMBRIZ


>>feature story

Continued from page 5

the first to learn about it so I can deliver it to my patients as soon as possible. After I learn, I teach it to other doctors in the United States.”

Manshadi was one of the first doctors in the U.S. – and the first in San Joaquin County – to use a wire-less pacemaker when they became available in the mid-2000s, and later an MRI-safe pacemaker in 2011. In 2007, he was the first in Northern California to implant a left ventricular assist device – a.k.a. a mechani-cal heart – that literally replaces the human variety with a machine (the recipient, Stockton resident Irene Armendarez, lived five more years, or about 4 1/2 longer than she would have with her failing human heart). And, Manshadi recently began performing a self-sealing arteriotomy procedure at St. Joseph’s Medical Center for patients who undergo

surgery to remove heart blockages, which greatly reduces recovery pain and chance of infection.

Over 13 years, the Elk Grove High School alum has also made a name for himself in other circles: Manshadi has been voted Top Interventional Car-diologist by Castle Connelly; America’s Top Cardiologist by the Consum-ers Research Council; winner of the Future Leader Award by the American College of Cardiology; and recipient of the Patients Choice Award, and San Joaquin Medical Society’s Young Physician of the Year Award.

In 2011, he wrote a book, “The Wisdom of Heart Health,” an easy-to-understand guide to help cardiac patients take proper care of them-selves as they recover from surgery. “I know that my patients are more educated about their heart health, and they are more likely to take care of themselves, and are more likely to follow through on my recommenda-

tions,” Manshadi says. “They do a lot of research on the Internet. The biggest complaint I heard from them was that the research is quite dry. The wanted something that wasn’t written over their heads.”

And, to prove he’s not taking it too easy in his spare time, every year Manshadi goes to Washington D.C. to meet with federal legislators to hear the latest on healthcare policy. Locally, he is chairperson of media relations for California chapter of the American College of Cardiology, a clinical profes-sor at the University of the Pacific’s School of Pharmacy, and associate clinical professor of cardiology at the University of California at Davis.

The two university dealings give Manshadi the most immediate chances to fulfill his Hippocratic Oath. At UC Davis, he works mostly with third-year medical students when they undergo a several-week course in cardiology. He offers the typical lectures on basics like heart failure and how to read EKGs. But then he goes a step further when he goes with them to visit clinics. “I teach them the difference between an average doctor and an excellent doctor,” Manshadi says. “An average doctor practices cookbook medicine, where you read up and see, ‘Okay, this disease gets treated this way.’ An excellent doctor realizes that every patient with a specific disease is quite different from another patient with the same disease. You must look at the patient as a whole, and you fine-tune the treatment for that patient.”

The University of the Pacific doesn’t have a medical school. But it does offer pharmacy, and even these students are required to take a course in cardiology as part of their degree. So, for several weeks at a time, pairs of future pharmacists visit Manshadi’s office to observe his prac-tice. The sessions help the students see patients as more than just names on slips of paper, he notes. “When

they’re here, they can understand how the heart works and how it re-lates to the patient,” Manshadi says. “They see the patients’ faces; they hear the patients complain. If they can understand all of this, when they later see these prescriptions come through for cardiac drugs, they can be better pharmacists in general.”

Manshadi often gets thank you letters from the students after they move on. He appreciates these, but appreciates their future actions more. “I not doing this to be able to say I turned someone into a great person, and be able to pat myself on the back,” he replies. “I’m doing it because I believe in doing the right things, and doing good things. That’s the way everyone should look at life. I want to bring positive energy back to the community, because positive always brings positive.”

That positive ethic continues. All proceeds from Manshadi’s book go toward another personal project: supplying free automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, to all local high schools. The cardiologist began the effort in 2009 to help reduce deaths from sudden cardiac arrest among young athletes. Several high schools in Stockton have received the devices, as well as a few area soccer and baseball leagues.

“I’ve created a positive, by exten-sion, out of my name, my recogni-tion, my hard work,” Manshadi says. “Basically, it’s a constant, circular approach in life, where everything feeds on each other.”

Manshadi adds that a program like Health Careers Academy serves a vital purpose in establishing, and ultimately maintaining, that circle. “It’s very important to be very positive and encourage young people to go into medicine,” he says. “It’s also important that students have a good role model, whether it’s a teacher, a soccer coach or an established physician. The right mentor can really make a difference.”

“There are two types of doctors and clinicians. One is to be the one who has the 9-to-5 job and has an easy life. The other is there be-

cause they truly love what they do, and constantly want to learn and give back.”

— Dr. Ramin Manshadi, cardiologist

For more informationWant to learn more about Health Careers Academy or heart healthcare? Go here for more information:• Health Careers Academy, 931 E. Magnolia St., Stockton, (209) 933-7360, http://hca-susd-ca.schoolloop.com. • Dr. Ramin Manshadi, 2633 Pacific Ave., Stockton, (209) 944-5530, www.drmanshadi.com.



>>around manteca

An Evening to Support KidsEach year, pieces of artwork created by residents of Mary Graham

Children’s Shelter are auctioned off to benefit ArtWorksYes! and College & Trade School Scholarships, two programs which provide educational and recreational opportunities to San Joaquin foster kids:

Beyond offering enrichment, the year-round, twice-a-week art and mu-sic program supports valuable on-site therapy by offering an outlet for the youth to safely express their feelings and emotions. Educational scholar-ships provide opportunities for students to further their educational goals and guarantee a foundation for future success.

The Fifth Annual Kid’s Art Auction is Wednesday, May 15, at the Stock-ton Golf & Country Club. The event takes place at 5:30 p.m. with wine-sampling, hors d’oeuvres and a raffle. Tickets are $40 per person. This event is sponsored the Mary Graham Children’s Foundation.

For more information and tickets, call Amber at (209) 468-7635, or purchase tickets at www.marygrahamfoundation.org.

Who Will You Walk For?Join the fight to educate and end the local AIDS epidemic on May 11

during the 19th Annual AIDS Walk San Joaquin. This year’s walk will be at San Joaquin Delta College, 5151 Pacific Ave., Stockton. Registration is at 9 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m. Last year, more than 400 people from throughout San Joaquin County and Northern California came to walk in support of AIDS/HIV awareness. This year, organizers are expecting an even greater number of participants.

AIDS Walk SJ is the premier annual community event to bring awareness and raise much-needed funds for education, treatment, and care for those infected or affected by this disease. Interested parties can sign up or make a tax-deductible contribution at www.awsj.org or by calling (209) 608-9255.


>>around manteca

Manteca Unified School District

Friday, May 3 and Friday, May 24, all elementary schools have a minimum day. All high schools have minimum days on Monday, May 20 through Friday, May 24. The last day of school is Friday, May 24.

George McParland Elementary School

Spring Fling is Thursday, May 9. Honors Breakfast for grades four through eighth is Friday, May 10. The third grade performance of Tall Tales Performance is Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16 at 7 p.m. The School Site Council will have their meeting on Monday, May 20. The eighth grade trip to Great America is Tuesday, May 21 and their promotion is Wednesday, May 22. The second grade will have its end of year carni-val on Thursday, May 23.

Joseph Widmer, Jr. Elementary School

Tuesday, May 7 is the band and choir performance at 6:30 p.m. The talent show is Wednesday, May 8 at 1:30 p.m., and Thursday, May 9 at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eighth Grade Promotion is Wednesday, May 22 and the Honor Roll/Perfect Attendance Day is May 23.

East Union High SchoolTuesday, May 8 is final speech

meeting, distribution of caps and gowns and the Band Spring Concert at 2:30 p.m. The Senior Walk Out Ral-ly and Choir Concert is Friday, May 10. The JROTC Car and Bike Show is Saturday, May 11. Monday, May 13 is the Choir Banquet and Concert. The FAA Awards are Tuesday, May 14. Senior Award Night and Spring Social are Wednesday, May 15. Band Awards are Tuesday, May 20. Gradu-ation is Tuesday, May 21 followed by Safe and Sober Grad Night.

Lathrop High School There will be a Band/LAMP con-

cert on Monday, May 6 and Thursday, May 9 at 7 p.m. Choir performances are Tuesday, May 7 at 9:15 a.m. and Wednesday, May 8 at 10 a.m. There is a Jazz Band Concert on Friday, May 10 at 7 p.m. On Wednesday, May 15, the FAA/ASB will host a blood drive. Baccalaureate is 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 and graduation is Friday, May 24 at 7 p.m.

Sierra High SchoolFun in the Sun Week begins

Monday, May 6. Senior Night

Rally is 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8 and Band Awards will be given on Thursday, May 9. There is an advance/intermediate the-atre performance on Friday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, May 11 at 6 p.m. Spring Sports Awards Night is Monday, May 13 at 7 p.m. There is a Spring Choir Concert on Tuesday, May 14 at 7 p.m. and Senior Awards Night is Wednesday, May 15. Piano recit-als are Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16 at 6 p.m. Mon-day, May 20, the ASB will hand out awards at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 21 is Baccalaureate. Gradua-tion is Friday, May 24 at 6 p.m.

Ripon Unified School DistrictThe last day of school is Friday,

May 24.

Colony Oak Elementary SchoolOn Thursday, May 9 is the PFC

meeting at 7 p.m. and the end of year Band Concert at 7:30 p.m. The eighth grade graduation trip is Wednesday, May 18. The school awards are Friday, May 17 at 9 a.m. Eighth grade graduation is Thursday, May 23 and the eighth grade promotion is Friday, May 24.

Park View Elementary SchoolTuesday, May 7 is the Honor Roll

Field Trip and a PFC meeting at 6 p.m. On Thursday, May 9, there is a talent show at 8:45 a.m. and a Band Concert at 7 p.m. The School Awards Assembly is Friday, May 17 at 8:30 a.m.

Weston Elementary SchoolThe eighth grade trip to San

Francisco is Thursday, May 9. The Academy Challenge for first through third grade is Wednesday, May 15. Graduation is 7 p.m. on

Thursday, May 23.

Ripon High SchoolAP Parent Night for the 2013-14

school year is Monday, May 6. The ASB banquet and FAA Elementary Farm Day is Tuesday, May 7. Am-phitheatre end of the year concert is Thursday, May 9 at 6 p.m. The Senior Disneyland Trip is Friday, May 10 through Saturday, May 11. The end of the year BBQ is Friday, May 10. Senior Awards will be on Wednesday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. The FAA Awards Banquet is Tues-day, May 16 at 6 p.m. On Friday, May 24, the Senior Breakfast takes place at 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., as well as graduation at 5 p.m.

Local School Happenings


>>community briefs

Trips N’ Tours for SeniorsThe Manteca Senior Center has

a few “Trips N’ Tours” planned. Up first: a trip to the theatre. Hitch up the horses and follow your “wandering star” to Lerner and Loewe’s beloved gold nugget of a musical, “Paint Your Wagon.” This is part of Good Company Players 2013 Season, held at Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater in Fresno. The trip is Sunday, May 19. It departs from the Manteca Senior Center at 8:30 a.m. and returns at approximately 6:30 p.m. This trip is not ADA Ac-cessible due to limited seating. Cost is $90, which includes roundtrip transportation, a dinner buffet, and the show “Paint Your Wagon.”

Each spring, Sunset Magazine brings the pages of the magazine to life during a two-day event on Saturday, June 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunset Magazine is the premier guide to Western living, covering the newest and best ideas in Western home design, landscaping, food and entertain-ment, and regional travel in 13 Western states. You’ll get to see more than 80 tents of cooking equipment, garden accessories, and gift products.

Cost for this trip is $30 and includes roundtrip coach trans-portation. The event’s $16 admis-sion is not included in the trip fee. Participants depart Manteca Senior Center at 8 a.m. and return approximately 5:30 p.m.

To make a reservation, call Trips N’ Tours at (209) 456-8652. The Manteca Senior Center, 295 Cher-ry Lane, Manteca, is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

All-You-Can-Eat for St. Anthony’s

St. Anthony School families have bonded together to build an entertaining event to fill your belly with all-you-can-eat mouth watering ribs and tri-tip. Included with your meal are a baked potato with all the fixings, salad, and a roll, followed by dancing. An exciting live auction will be offered to please your comple-tive edge. Tempt your taste buds with the dessert auction. Try your chances at winning great prizes pro-vided by local businesses. Join the fun on Saturday, May 4, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the St. Anthony Gym in Manteca. Tickets are available in the

school office. If making reservations for a party of six or more, contact Elizabeth Leja at (209) 640-2171.

Proceeds from this event help St. Anthony School Parent Teacher Group extend funds to the school so it may continue to provide an enrich-ing educational environment while keeping tuition low, allowing children access to the benefits of a private education. St. Anthony School offers a private education that provides students with college preparatory courses while in high school. Most St. Anthony students continue their education at top-level universities after graduation from high school and pursue professional careers.

Hooked on FishingThe Fishing Derby and Safety

Fair is Saturday, May 11, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. while the fish last. The event is in the CVS parking lot, 1190 North Main St., corner of North Main and Lancaster. This is a free event for youths age 15 years and younger. Participants must be accompanied by an adult. Bait, line, and pole are provided. Volunteers will be on hand to assist with fishing. Sports and youth organizations will be on site. Safety awareness information will be available on the following topics: police and fire, boating safety, playground safety, railroad safety, alcohol and tobacco prevention, water safety, and more. This event is co-sponsored by Manteca Sun-rise Kiwanis, Manteca Youth Advi-sory Commission, and Manteca Parks and Recreation.

Time for Your ‘Summer Break(er)’ from Manteca

Parks and RecGet ready for another exciting time at

Summer Breakers! Ten weeks of sum-mer fun for children ages 5 through 12. Children will enjoy a variety of theme-re-lated activities plus sports, Fun Fridays, shaving-cream wars, cooking contests, a carnival, and much more. As always, there will be field trips, special guests and swim days. Check the Summer Breakers Summer/Fall Activity Guide for more information on weekly themes, camp fees and registration. For more information, please visit Manteca Parks and Recreation at www.ci.manteca.ca.us/parks/.

Manteca Dolphins Take to Water

Swim meets begin in May. Swim trials are scheduled for Saturday,


May 18 at East Union. The official meet season begins Memorial Day weekend, with the Tracy Invite on Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26.

Mark your calendar for Friday, May 17 for team pictures. The team picture is at 6 p.m. sharp. Individual and buddy pictures will be available for purchase as well. It is mandatory that children partici-pating in the team picture wear the appropriate team suit. Additional information regarding pictures will be made soon.

For more information about the Manteca Dolphins, visit www.mantecadolphins.com.

Ropin’ on the RiverGive Every Child a Chance will

present the CCPRA Rodeo on Satur-day, June 1 and Sunday, June 2 at the Dell’Osso Family Farm. On Saturday, gates open at 1 p.m., with the rodeo beginning at 6 p.m. On Sunday, gates open at 9:30 a.m., with the rodeo beginning at 2 p.m. Arena events include saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, tie down roping, steer wrestling, women’s breakaway roping, barrel racing, team roping header, team rop-ing heeler, pee wee barrel racing, and mutton bustin’. There will be a general store, vendor booths, concession booths, Ropin’ on the River Rodeo Queens, a Clydesdale expo, the Diablo Ladies drill team, a petting zoo, pony rides, Dell’Osso signature attrac-tions, “Cowboy Church,” and more. Admission is $15 for children, ages 3 to12 years, and seniors 55 years and older; and $20 for adults. Parking is free. For more information or tickets, call (209) 823-6222. This event is hosted by Dell’Osso Family Farm and is a City of Lathrop signature event.

Showing American PrideFlags Over Manteca is the

Manteca Chamber of Commerce signature event. It was born out of the attack on the World Trade Center Sept. 11, 2001. In 2002, the Chamber and the City of Manteca raised $60,000 to have 2,400 holes drilled, and flags mono-grammed and hardware made, so flags can be placed out on holidays. Flags are sponsored by individuals and monogramming is placed on the edge of the flag.

The flags are placed out by volunteers in honor of Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18 and Memorial Day, Monday, May 27. If you would like to sponsor a flag

(cost is $100) or be a volunteer to place flags, call the Chamber at (209) 823-6121.

Home Sales are on the RiseIn February, the Weston Ranch

housing market had 25 active homes for sale, 110 pending, and 13 cancelled. For properties sold, the average days on the market were 22, median square footage price was $83.87, median sold price was $160,000 and the median size was 1,975 square feet. Properties available are $100,000 to $239,000.

The Ripon housing market had 8 active homes for sale, 42 pending, 17 sold and 4 expired, withdrew or cancelled. For properties sold, the average days on the market were 21, median square footage price was $139.66, median sold price was $255,000 and the median size was 2,039 square feet. Properties avail-able were $199,990 to $962,850.

Manteca’s housing market had 42 active homes for sale, 199 were pending, 94 sold and 17 expired withdrew or cancelled. For properties sold, the average days on the market were 34, median square footage price was $120.14, median sold price was $221,250 and the median size was 2,035 square feet. Properties available were $84,900 to $1.2 million.

The Lathrop housing market had 7 active homes for sale, 60 pending, 19 sold and 1 expired, withdrew or cancelled. For properties sold, the average days on the market were 26, median square footage price was $105.63, median sold price was $176,888 and the median size was 2,009 square feet. Properties avail-able were $120,000 to $399,000.

Current market data taken from Metrolist, courtesy of Eric Quillinan, real estate Realtor, Help-U-Sell Alpha Realty, (209) 888-8800.

Manteca LibraryPreschool Storytime. Storytime

for preschoolers and their parents/caregivers features stories, poetry, songs, finger plays, movement and lots of fun. Preschool Storytime is held on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.

Master Gardeners: Herbali-cious. Come to the Manteca library branch on Saturday, May 18 from 10:30 a.m. to noon and learn how to create a handy herb garden for zesty cooking.

The Manteca Library is at 320 W. Center St. in Manteca. Busi-ness hours are Monday, noon to 8 p.m.; Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Sunday. For more infor-mation, call (866) 805-READ.


WE’RE HIRING!The Manteca Monthly—the premier magazine for Manteca,

Ripon, Lathrop and Stockton community of Weston Ranch — is seeking one ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE to prospect,

build relationships and sell advertising programs to help local businesses grow in all 6 of our magazines.

Candidates with advertising sales experience can step to the front of the line! We offer 50% commission for the first 60 days, then a generous commission structure and quarterly bonuses and the ability to sell advertising in all 6 of BMG’s magazines.

Resumes can be sent to Advertising Director Noel Fielding at [email protected]


>>beautiful ripon

Treat Yourself to a Treasure HuntFind Caswell Memorial State Park in Ripon

By Gene Beley

If you would like to get away from it all, without going too far away, there’s a little-known state park that may fit the bill. Caswell Memorial State Park is tucked away from the urban areas of Ripon and is

worth the effort to find it.

There are two sections: Day use, from 8 a.m. to sunset, and the 24-hour “primitive” campgrounds that have no RV hookups (but they do have stand-up BBQs and lockers). There are 65 campsites, each with a table, camp stove, and lockable food locker for your own padlock. The sites will accommodate trailers up to 21 feet, and 24-foot RVs. A group campground will accommodate tent camping for up to 50 people. The day areas feature large grassy areas for lawn games, BBQs and picnic tables, and 14 miles of primitive but well-kept walking trails. There are even two miles especially for wheelchair-bound people.

Washington state resident Dan Wright, who was just hired at Amazon.com to work as a manager at its forth-coming Tracy warehouse facility, said he found the park on Google maps. He, his wife, Tatiana Wright, and friends Jeremy and Jill Burnett wanted to stay someplace near Turlock where the Wrights have just rented a home. The group camped there for four days. “It’s easy to pitch a tent here,” Wright said, with a big smile. “The river is right next to us, and we’ve got a place to lock up our valuables.”

A bicyclist in the day use park said he loves to ride his bike to the park, and then go hiking.

Ed McAlpine, campground host, lives onsite in an RV. “We have 24

miles of primitive walking trails with trees that have never been cut or pruned, but we maintain the trails to make it easier for walking,” he said.

Hikers enjoy trails along giant oak trees, which provide nesting habitat for the threatened Swaison hawk and other raptors and owls. Some of the mature oaks are more than 60 feet tall with a circumference of up to 17 feet. Sycamore trees are also in the area, as well as these dense willow groves. The undergrowth provides protection and food for a large variety of wildlife such as rabbits, weasels, skunks, foxes and opossums.

If the shady park areas and hik-ing trails aren’t enough to get you excited, there’s the beach on the Stanislaus River. Be sure to bring life jackets, and beware of the strong current and potential undertows. No diving is allowed, nor are there lifeguards, so use extreme caution. And, of course, alcohol and recre-ation do not mix. Swimmers should also be aware of submerged ob-stacles such as trees and branches.

Along the river, fishermen catch largemouth and smallmouth bass, catfish, bullhead, blue gill and other species. Striped bass and Chinook salmon migrate through the river, too.

For day users, the cost is $8, with a $1 discount for seniors. Campsites are $30 a day, plus $8 for any ad-ditional vehicles. During slow times of year, payment is on the honor system (you stuff the exact cash into an envelope and dropbox).

McAlpine said the park is usually filled to capacity in the summer, so it is wise to book ahead on Reserve America (800/444-CAMP).

Finding the ParkGoing south, take Highway 99,

exit on Austin Road and turn right (southbound). Going north, take Austin Road, cross over the free-way and go to the end of the road. Or, if you have it, set your GPS to: 28000 South Austin Road, Ripon 95366.

Campers Jeremy and Jill Burnett, and Tatiana and Dan Wright from Washington state, found the park on Google Earth. PHOTOS BY GENE BELEY

Caswell State Memorial Park28000 South Austin Road | Ripon | 209.599.3810

Open daily, 8 a.m. to sunsetwww.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=557


The ‘Perfect’ Romantic GetawayRelax in Luxury at Bodega Bay Lodge

>>beyond 209

By Bernadine Chapman-Cruz

Nestled on a waterfront bluff on Bo-dega Bay, enjoy the inviting authentic feel of a luxury coastal retreat. Sixty-five miles north of San Francisco on scenic Highway 1, Bodega Bay Lodge is the perfect romantic getaway. A Four Diamond AAA coastal property, the lodge is also rated No. 1 in the area by TripAdvisor.

Views from the lodge include the marshland bird sanctuary, and Doran Beach with the Pacific Ocean beyond. Under Woodside Hotel ownership

since 1972, the lodge has expanded from a single building to 83 guest rooms, including five junior suites. The hotel features an exquisite fireside lobby, heated pool, outdoor whirlpool spa, fitness center, pristinely groomed grounds, and fantastic views.

“We offer guests a unique venue to experience the rugged Sonoma Coast,” sales director Brian Larsen said. “At Bodega Bay Lodge, guests come first. Service is a top priority and we strive to make our guests’ stay a memory that lasts a lifetime. Bodega Bay Lodge is the perfect setting to

relax on a romantic weekend by the sea.”

Depending on specific room and location, amenities can include spec-tacular ocean views, private terraces or balconies, soaking tubs, walk-in showers, and fireplaces. King or queen size beds with luxurious down comfort-ers and fluffy pillows are part of the cozy warmth associated with Bodega Bay Lodge slumber. When weather conditions warrant, you might even be lucky enough to hear a foghorn. Every room has a Keurig coffee maker with complementary product.

When it comes to the ultimate in relaxation and rejuvenation, enjoy a massage, facial or body treatment. Certified massage therapists admin-ister luxurious calming massages in treatment rooms beside the pool. Services include facials, Swedish massage, warm shell, or warm stone massages using the highest quality products. Private in-room massages are also available.

Bodega Bay Lodge has two options for exquisite dining. Under the expert hand of Executive Chef Jeff Reilly, a full-flavored cuisine awaits. Incor-

porating local seafood, meats, fowl, cheese, and produce, the Duck Club offers breakfast and dinner service. For a lighter fare, the Fireside Lounge features local wines, beers, and sig-nature cocktails. In-room food service is available. Nightly, a complimentary wine and cheese reception in the lobby allows guests to mingle by a cozy fire.

Bodega Bay is close to wineries, cheese tasting locations, and oyster farms. Other local points of interest include the infamous Potter School-house in Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” Sebastopol’s apple orchards, the Rus-sian River, Point Reyes, and Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, home to some of the oldest trees in the world. Bodega Bay Lodge staff are available for arranging off site excur-sions. Other area activities include hik-ing, kayaking, deep-sea fishing, golf, and exploring the scenic coast.

Bodega Bay Lodge offers wedding venues, meeting rooms and Wi-Fi throughout the facility. Custom design packages specific to couples and families are available. Reservations are preferred. Call Bodega Bay Lodge for room availability.

Bodega Bay Lodge103 Coast Highway 1 | Bodega Bay, CA 94923

707.875.3525 or [email protected]

Open dailywww.bodegabaylodge.com

Thanks to views like this, Bodega Bay is now known for being more than just the location of Alfred Hitchcock’s angry “Birds.”

>>411 in 209W

HERE Ripon High School Saturd

ay, May 11: R

ina’s Run and Health Fair

This pre-Mother’s Day event honors the late Rina Brocchini. There will be a 5K run and half-marathon. Registration starts at 6:30 a.m. and the races start at 7 a.m. Cost is $35 for the 5K and $60 for the half-marathon races. The latter includes a long-sleeve Tech T-shirt, finisher’s medal and post-race refreshments. Medals will be three deep for ages 20-29 in first, second and third place. A $50 first prize will be awarded for both female and male winners on the 5K run. There will be age categories for 12 and under, 13-18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70-plus. Proceeds benefit Ripon’s only stadium.

WHENSaturday, May 18ZinFest Wine Festival, Lodi

From noon to 5 p.m., savor 250 handcrafted wines from 50 Lodi wineries. Winemakers and winery representatives will share their knowledge and many wines. Learn new tips at the ZinFest Wine and Cooking Schools, or relax to live music along the beautiful Moke-lumne River. Tickets include a ZinFest wine glass, wine tasting, participa-tion in seminars, and entertainment. Tickets are $45 in advance, $55 at the gate. Designated driver tickets are available for $10 each. Tickets are available online or by calling the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center at (209) 365-0621.

WHATYouth Conference and Fan Fest

May 22-25: Banner Island Ballpark West Coast Conference Youth Day & Fan Fest, Stockton

The four top teams in the West Coast Conference (WCC) will play in down-town Stockton’s ballpark next to the San Joaquin River. Before the action

starts, the teams will host a free WCC Youth Baseball Day and Fan Fest on Wednesday, May 22. Everyone is invited to meet the competing teams to enjoy

music, food and soft drinks. The first 100 youths under 14 to sign up are also invited to participate in the WCC Youth Baseball Clinic. Events start at 6 p.m.

Schedule of events:6-6:30 p.m.: First autograph session.6:45-7:30 p.m.: Youth Baseball Clinic. Sign up early to secure spot.7:30-8:15 p.m.: Youth Home Run Derby (15 youths at the baseball clinic will compete in this event).8:15-8:30 p.m.: Second autograph signing session for youths under 14 years old.

HOWto Celebrate Culture with Style

Sunday, June 2: Jewish Culture Day, Temple Israel, StocktonEnjoy a tasty brunch of bagels and lox, or a corned beef sandwich. Browse the Jewish deli

and bakery for take-out items, or take a tour of the Temple, and even dance to music. Or, you can participate in a raffle and have a beer in the beer garden. Children will enjoy games and

other fun. Event time is 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free parking and admission.Temple Israel is at 5105 N. El Dorado St. (at corner of March Lane), Stockton.

Bodega Bay Lodge103 Coast Highway 1 | Bodega Bay, CA 94923

707.875.3525 or [email protected]

Open dailywww.bodegabaylodge.com



>>taste of manteca

Straight off the menu: pulled pork sandwich with classic southern mustard potato salad; southern fried catfish with candied yams, collard greens, and baked macaroni and cheese; and Memphis-style BBQ spare ribs, slow-smoked to perfection. PHOTOS BY LOUIE AMBRIZ

Weber’s BBQ and MoreWhere Customers Need No Teeth to Eat Their Beef

By Kimberly Horg

Want a taste of southern cooking and hospi-tality, with a touch of the Bayou, without leaving Manteca? Carissa and Joseph We-ber can help you, as they bring their Okla-

homa and Louisiana roots to Weber’s BBQ and More.

Situated in the industrial part of town, Weber’s originally opened in Stockton in 2002. After a couple years the Webers closed the Stockton locale, and later reopened their mouth-watering soul food in Manteca in January 2009.

Carissa Weber is on site every day, cooking family recipes and greeting customers. Most call her

“Mama,” even though the 53-year-old is younger than some of her customers.

“I love people. I want custom-ers to feel like they’re coming to someone’s kitchen table opposed to a restaurant,” Weber said.

Weber’s motto is “Come as a stranger, leave as a friend.” The chef (who also happens to be a

minister) lives by her word. At Weber’s, people play Yahtzee and cards while waiting for the cooked-to-order food. Also, the Webers have raised three boys, so they know a happy family means including entertainment for the little ones. Parents can find games and coloring supplies galore.

Weber’s BBQ features its top-selling Southern BBQ Brisket. The tender, slow-cooked/smoked meat is made daily with a brick smoker. The popular BBQ ribs have a smoky taste from the fruit wood used for cooking.

Barbequer/Cajun chef Joseph brings Louisiana family recipes,

including popular shrimp Po’ Boy sandwiches, Cajun burgers and classic jambalaya.

On the menu, customers can order anything from chicken and waffles, to southern fried catfish.

“Mama” makes sweet potato pie, coconut, key lime and pecan pie as well as peach cobbler. “I grew up in a family of 12, so cooking was my way out of doing dishes,” she said.

The menu changes season-ally and every Thursday is cook’s choice. When the restaurant sells out for the day it closes, so cus-tomers are advised to call ahead.

“What we offer you can’t get anywhere else. We have southern

cooking and southern hospitality at its best.”

— Carissa Weber

Weber’s BBQ and More823 Mellon Ave. | Manteca | 209.823.4BBQ (4227)

Open Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.,Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Closed Sunday and Monday.www.webers4bbq.com



>>buzz on bizz


Manteca’s Flower PowerFrom a Single Rose to a Bouquet, the Debudeys Have it at a Floral Shop Near You

By Bernadine Chapman-Cruz

Whether a single flower or a bouquet, Rose Cart

of Manteca is the “go to” place for flowers. For the past four years, William and Tracy Debudey have owned and operated the Manteca florist shop in addition to OK Flowers in Stockton.

The Debudey began their floral

business over 20 years ago by selling flowers on street corners. “I also designed arrangements in the backyard,” Tracy said. “Within a year, we purchased our first flower shop.” Today the Debudeys have four locations, in-cluding the Rose Cart of Manteca.

A natural in floral artistry, Tracy likes working with chrysan-themum in figural designs. “First, I sketch a pattern for a specific design, like Mickey Mouse, a dog, slot machine, or dollar sign,” she said. “To the sculpted chrysanthemum base, I add color-ful flowers to create the figural. Designing an arrangement to a customer’s personal preference is part of our service.”

Her floral arrangement skills make it a joy to come to work every day, Tracy added. “I love to design,” she said. “It’s very satisfying to see the look on a customer’s face when they come in to pick up an arrangement personally designed by one of our professional florists.”

Floral arrangements should last three to seven days, depend-ing on care and environment. To maintain freshness, display cut flower arrangements in a cool area, away from direct sunlight. Recut flower stems with a sharp knife – do not use scissors be-cause they pinch the stems. Remember to change water daily.

According to Rose Cart of Manteca’s manager Mary Balz, a dozen roses is the most requested order. A timeless flower, the rose is associated with love, honor, beauty, devotion, passion, and sensuality. A rose is a wonderful gift to welcome a newborn into the family, embrace young love, and is appropriate for a dear friend, she notes. With Mother’s Day right around the corner, any Mom would delight in being remembered with this beautiful flower.

The Rose Cart offers a variety of arrangement selections for any occasion from birthdays to anniversaries, proms, wed-dings, and funeral services. Remember Mom on Mother’s Day with flowers. Order online or in person; delivery available.

Flower Cart of Manteca1114 N. Main St. | Manteca | 209.823.9300Open Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Closed Sunday

www.rosecartofmanteca.com

At the Rose Cart, the ability to perform floral artistry is at Tracy Debudey’s fingertips. PHOTOS BY LOUIE AMBRIZ

MANTECA MONTHLY MAGAZINEBig Monkey Group LLC94 W. Castle St. #BStockton CA 95204

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