Benefit luncheon

A March 20 takeout Hawaiian luncheon will help a Newman woman raise funds for the fight against breast cancer.

Ululani Smith plans to participate in the three-day Susan G. Komen walk in San Francisco which raises funds for cancer research and programs supporting education, screening and treatment. The walk is Oct. 1-3.

Tickets for the March 20 teriyaki chicken luncheon are $6 and may be purchased in the Hunt School office.

Meals may be picked up from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Community members may also support Smith’s fund-raising efforts by visiting the Susan G. Komen 3-Day web site.

Museum open house

The Gustine Historical Society will host an open house at the Gustine Musuem Sunday, March 14, to showcase its new exhibit on Romero School.

Romero was the last of the six one-room school houses which served the area before Gustine was founded.

The open house will be from 1-4 p.m.

Census testing

The final testing sessions for U.S. Census jobs in Newman will be held March 9 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the local branch library.

Call 866-861-2010 for appointments and additional information. Those who have previously taken the exam can re-test, but are asked to call for an appointment.

GHS centennial meeting March 9

Gustine High School is forming a committee to organize a celebration of the school’s centennial year in 2013-14.

A meeting will be held March 9, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the GHS library.

All interested community members are invited to attend.

Dog park fund-raisers

Community members are invited to participate in fund-raising for a new dog park being developed in Newman.

A Burger King fund-raiser will be held this Saturday, March 6, with a portion of sales from 4-8 p.m. going to Friends for Sophia’s Dog Park. A coupon is required to participate. Coupons may be found in this edition. Additional coupons are available by calling 862-2027.

In addition, Eagle Recycling, 2126 L St., is continuing to accept recycling material credited to the dog park. Aluminum, glass, plastic and e-waste are accepted. Call 862-2027 to arrange pickup of recyclables.

Brush drop-off in Gustine

The city of Gustine is making brush and limb drop-off available to its residents Friday,  March 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the recycling center at 26900 Carnation Rd.

Green waste only will be accepted.

No grass, leaves, oleanders or palm will be accepted.

Other prohibited items include pressure-treated wood, construction materials, glass, plastic, concrete metal, toxic materials or trash.

No curbside brush collection is offered by the city.

Call City Hall, 854-6471, for additional information.

HICAP prescription assistance

Stanislaus County Medicare beneficiaries may qualify for extra help with their prescription costs through the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program.

Those who are not on Medi-Cal, QMB, SLMB or QI may be eligible for Part D premium and co-payments if they meet income and asset guidelines.

Call 1-800-434-0222 for an application.

HICAP counselors are available to help answer Medicare questions. The free service is offered through the Stanislaus County Aging and Veterans Services. Call 558-4540 for additional information or a counseling appointment.

Arts, crafts booth space

The West Side Art Association is planning its 40th annual arts and crafts fair at this year’s Newman Fall Festival.

Crafters are encouraged to make arrangements early to participate in the fair, which showcases hand-made arts and craft items.

Those interested may contact Art Association President Lea Macklin, 854-3550, for a booth application or membership information. Inquiries and requests for applications may also be mailed to P.O. Box 137, Newman.

The association is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation of arts and crafts on the West Side. It funds several art scholarships for local high school seniors who will have a college major or minor in one of the art fields.

OHS Class of 1980

Reunion organizers are seeking addresses and contact information for members of the Orestimba High Class of 1980.

Information may be emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

TOSCA applications available

TOSCA scholarship applications for the 2010 awarding year are now available.

Any graduate from a high school in the Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District in 2000 or later who plans to enroll as a full-time student in the fall of 2010 may apply.

Full-time enrollment is considered to be 12 units or more for an undergraduate student. Graduate school students must be considered a full-time student in accordance with the requirements of their school if enrolled with fewer than 12 units.

Students must be accepted or admitted to an accredited school in the United States.

Grade point average requirements are noted on the application form.

Complete scholarship packets, including all supporting documents and transcripts, must be postmarked no later than March 31.

Application packets are available on line at www.toscascholarships.org or may be picked up from the Orestimba career office or Mattos Newspapers.

Applicants may also call 243-8118 to request a packet be mailed to them or for additional information.

Citizen police academy

Community members will have the opportunity to take an inside look at law enforcement through a citizen’s academy being sponsored by the Newman Police Department.

The academy meets Wednesday evenings from April 14 through May 26. Sessions are held from 6-9 p.m. at the McConnell Adult Education Center, 1348 Patchett Dr. (on the grounds of Von Renner Elementary School).

Topics will include spirit and letter of the law, laws of arrest, gang awareness, child/elder abuse, drug awareness, traffic enforcement, crime scene investigation, volunteer/explorer programs, search and seizure laws and more.

Participants must be 14 or older. Those under the age of 18 must have parental permission. The academy is offered free of charge.

Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Applications will be accepted weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Newman Police Department. Registration closes March 26.

Call 862-2902 for additional information.

Cabrillo scholarships

The Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California are once again offering statewide scholarships.

The $500 awards help students of Portuguese heritage attend accredited colleges or universities in the United States.

Applications are available through high school counselors or by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Eligibility requirements are detailed on the application form.

Applications must be postmarked no later than March 15.

West Side Theatre

Rolling Stones fans are in for a special treat Saturday, March 6, when The Unauthorized Rolling Stones bring their tribute to the legendary band to the West Side Theatre stage.

Tickets are $22 for reserved seats and $19 for general admission.

The concert begins at 8 p.m.

Wildflower Day

Pacheco State Park, located near the top of Pacheco Pass, will host its seventh annual wildflower day Saturday, March 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The day will feature informational presentations and children’s crafts, a 9:30 a.m. bird watching walk, a 10 a.m. wildflower hike, self-guided tours and much more.

The only cost is a $5 state park day use fee per car.

Visitors are reminded to provide their own drinking water (none is available in the park), and are encouraged to bring layered clothing, sunscreen or hat and sturdy footwear.

Park visitors should take the Dinosaur Point Road exit off Highway 152.