June 2014

a m o n t h l y m i n o r i t y p u b l i c a t i o n

The Great Society, 50 Years Later

Central Valley’s 2014 Graduates

2014 Graduates Photo Credit: Greg Savage

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Brennan Pope receives recognition from City Councilman, Tony Madrigal.

2 JUNE 2014

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The Great Society, 50 Years Later

Fifty years ago today, Presi-dent Lyndon Johnson gave a commencement speech that changed the relationship between our country and its people. In that speech, he of-fered a vision of a “Great Soci-ety,” and in few places has the mark of his vision remained stronger than in education.

Johnson, who himself had struggled to afford school to become a teacher, had a finely tuned sense of human

Arne Duncan is U.S. Secretary of Education potential, of justice, and of what was possible with hard work and a good education. In his speech at the Univer-sity of Michigan, he asked America to see the powerful connection between educa-tional opportunity and the nation’s economic and moral health. And he asked us to recognize that it was within our power, collectively, to change outcomes, to ensure decent opportunity for every child. Indeed, he knew our fu-ture depended on our seeing that truth.

He said:Our society will not be

great until every young mind is set free to scan the farthest reaches of thought and imag-ination. We are still far from that goal.

Today, eight million adult Americans, more than the en-tire population of Michigan, have not finished five years of school. Nearly 20 million have not finished eight years of school. Nearly 54 million — more than one-quarter of all America — have not even finished high school.

Each year more than 100,000 high school gradu-ates with proved ability do not enter college because they cannot afford it. And if we cannot educate today’s youth, what will we do in 1970 when elementary school en-rollment will be five million greater than 1960?

… Poverty must not be a bar to learning, and learning must offer an escape from poverty.

By some measures, we are far closer to the country John-son knew we could become. As he noted, a quarter of this country hadn’t completed high school at the time of his speech; now, that figure is less than a tenth. Thanks in large part to federal grants and loans, college is a reality for millions of students who could not attend otherwise.

Perhaps just as important, we now have far greater proof of Johnson’s belief that education can change life tra-jectories, and far greater un-derstanding of what it takes to make that opportunity possible.

Yet, as I arrive to work each day at the Department of Education — itself a descen-dant of his vision for a more equitable society, housed in

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the Lyndon Baines Johnson Building — I recognize that poverty and other circum-stances of one’s birth, far too often, remain “a bar to learn-ing.” And the need for educa-tion is, frankly, greater today than it was half a century ago. Today, paths to a good life without a good education have essentially vanished. Yet at every level, poverty and race are still far too closely tied to educational opportu-nity and educational success. From course offerings to sus-pension and expulsion rates to college enrollment and graduation, we are not yet the equitable society John-son knew we were capable of becoming.

In another commence-ment speech Johnson gave, at Howard University in 1965,

CENTRAL VALLEY VOICE.COM 3

SAN FRANCISCO—Califor-nia likely voters would rather use the projected state bud-get surplus to pay down debt and build up the reserve than restore some funding for so-cial service programs that were cut in recent years. These are among the key findings of a statewide survey released by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), with funding from The James Irvine Founda-tion.

With the state projected to have a surplus of several bil-lion dollars over the next sev-eral years, 57 percent of likely voters prefer to pay down the debt and build the reserve, compared to 39 percent who favor restoring some social ser-vice funding. Californians over-all are divided on this ques-tion (46% pay debt and build reserve, 48% restore funding for services). There is also a partisan divide: 59 percent of Democrats prefer restoring social service funding, while 76 percent of Republicans and 54 percent of independents prefer paying down debt and building up the reserve. Un-derlying Californians’ views on how to spend the surplus is continuing concern over the state budget situation: 58 per-cent of likely voters view it as a big problem, as do 52 percent of all adults.

Governor Brown released his revised budget proposal on May 13, during the survey interview period. The revision is largely similar to his Janu-ary plan but also calls for in-creased funding for Medi-Cal, more drought-related spend-ing, and increases in contribu-tions to the California State Teachers’ Retirement System. When read a brief description, 73 percent of likely voters and 74 percent of all adults support the plan. Majorities across par-ties, regions, and demographic groups favor it.

Three-quarters of likely vot-ers (74%) and all adults (76%) also approve of changes to the state’s rainy day fund reached

in a bipartisan agreement ear-lier this month. These changes include setting aside 1.5 per-cent of general fund revenues every year and any capital gains revenues that exceed 8 percent of general fund reve-nues. For the next 15 years half of the money would be used to pay off debt. Majorities across parties (81% Democrats, 73% independents, 67% Republi-cans) favor this plan.

"The proposal for a rainy day fund has struck a chord with voters of all political stripes,” said Mark Baldassare, PPIC president and CEO. "Still, Cali-fornians are deeply divided along party lines when it comes to the tradeoff of pay-ing down debt versus restoring funding for services.”

Brown’s Job Approval at 54 Percent—He Maintains Big Pri-mary Lead

The governor has a job ap-proval rating of 54 percent among likely voters (35% dis-approve, 11% don’t know). The governor’s approval rating is down from his record high of 60 percent reached in Janu-ary. Last May, likely voters gave him an approval rating of 48 percent.

The governor continues to lead the primary race among primary likely voters, with 48 percent saying they would vote for him. Far fewer favor Republicans Tim Donnelly (15%) or Neel Kashkari (10%), although support for each has grown slightly since April (Donnelly 9%, Kashkari 2%). About a quarter of likely prima-ry voters (27%) are undecided. Most Democratic primary like-ly voters (79%) would vote for Brown. Among Republicans, support is somewhat higher for Donnelly (30%) than Kash-kari (21%), but 34 percent are still undecided—down from 58 percent in April. Among in-dependents, 41 percent favor Brown, 35 percent are unde-cided, and 24 percent would vote for one of the Republican candidates.

Half of primary likely voters

(53%) are satisfied with their choice of candidates, with Democrats being far more likely to be satisfied (65%) than Republicans (43%). Among independents, 48 percent are satisfied. Less than half of pri-mary likely voters (46%) say they are following news about the candidates very or fairly closely—a much smaller share than in May 2010 (67%).

Democratic Scandals Have Little Impact on Views of Leg-islature

In the aftermath of political scandals that resulted in the suspension of three Democrat-ic state senators, 36 percent of likely voters say they approve of the way the California Leg-islature is handling its job—about the same as in January (33%) and higher than last May (29%). Asked about the job performance of their own rep-resentatives in the assembly and state senate, 43 percent of likely voters approve, about the same as in January (45%) and up slightly from 38 percent last May.

How much do likely voters trust their state government? A majority (61%) say it can be trusted to do what is right only some of the time. Others (11%) volunteer that it can be trusted "none of the time.” Far fewer say state government can be trusted just about always (3%) or most of the time (24%). A strong majority says state gov-ernment is pretty much run by a few big interests looking out for themselves (68%), while just 24 percent say it is run for the benefit of all the people. This level of distrust is high, but it is about the same as it was in December (76% can trust gov-ernment some or none of the time, 71% government run by a few big interests). A slim ma-jority of likely voters (53%) say the state government wastes a lot of taxpayer money, a slight decline since December, when 60 percent of likely voters held this view.

"Distrust in government runs high among Californians,” Bal-

dassare said. "In this context, the recent unprecedented sus-pension of three Democratic state senators has had little to no effect on legislative ap-proval ratings and party per-ceptions.”

The survey asked whether each of the following phrases better describes the Republi-can Party and its leaders or the Democratic Party and its lead-ers, and likely voters respond-ed this way:

• Governs in a more honest and ethical way? 28 percent choose the Republicans, 46 percent choose the Democrats.

• Is more concerned with the needs of people like me? 32 percent choose the Repub-licans, 51 percent choose the Democrats.

• Is more extreme in its po-sitions? 54 percent choose the Republicans, 33 percent choose the Democrats.

• Is more influenced by lob-byists and special interests? 42 percent choose the Repub-licans, 27 percent choose the Democrats, and 25 percent vol-unteer that this describes both parties.

Obama Job Approval Hovers Near His Record Low

Half of likely voters (50%) approve of the job President Obama is doing, similar to his record low of 46 percent in Jan-uary. Approval of Congress is

at 14 percent, up 5 points from the record low of 9 percent in March. In May 2010 before the last midterm elections, ap-proval was at 26 percent. And 48 percent of likely voters ap-prove of the way their own rep-resentative in the U.S. House is handling his or her job.

Levels of trust in the federal government are lower than in the state government. An overwhelming majority of Cali-fornia likely voters either say the government in Washing-ton can be trusted to do what is right only some of the time (68%) or volunteer "none of the time” (11%). A strong ma-jority (67%) say the govern-ment wastes a lot of taxpayer money.

Drought Hits Home—Most Say They’re Using Less Water

In the midst of a severe drought, 66 percent of Cali-fornians say they are follow-ing news about it closely. A record-high 59 percent say wa-ter supply in their area is a big problem (26% somewhat of a problem, 15% not much of a problem). This is a view held by majorities of coastal residents (59%) and inland residents (58%) alike. An overwhelming majority of residents say they are using less water (40% a lot less, 39% a little less) on indoor

SEE PAGE 24

Likely Voters Would Rather Pay Down Debt than Restore Funding for Services

4 JUNE 2014

Karen Adams with Noah Lor at Southeast Asian Vision forEducation (SAVE) 13th Annual Scholarship event on May 9, 2014at Veteran’s Cove, Lake Yosemite.

13th Annual ScholarshipAwards Dinner

2014 Scholarship $500 RecipientsJenny Lee Tao, GVHS, 4.13 GPA, Nhou Lee, BCHS, 4.25 GPA,Chee Lee, BCHS, 4.21 GPA, Amy Kia Vang, GVHS, 3.86 GPA, Faith Pahoua, MHS, 3.27 GPA Alice Chang, 3.98 GPA and Kong Meng Vang, MHS, 3.72 GPA.

2014 Scholarship $250 RecipientsJeSerena Moua, MHS, 3.56 GPA, Kristy June Mousa, GVHS, 3.5 GPA, Crystal Lee, BCHS, 3.55 GPA, Amy Xiong, GVHS, 3.71 GPA, Coua Vang, BCHS, 3.53 GPA, Kelly Lia Vang, BCHS, 3.55GPA, Yer Mary Thao, GVHS, 3.47 GPA, Fey Orn Saechao, MHS, 3.33 GPA, Choua Lilia Moua, GVHS, 3.50 GPA and Melinda Nou Chi Xioug, GVHS, 3.38 GPA.

Named Scholarship Contributors of $500Chao Chang Memorial Scholarship, Clifford and Lillie Pannell Memorial Scholarship, Tom Hang Schol-arship, Robert Amendola and Associates Scholarship, Law Office of Nini T. Lee Scholarship, Law Office of Darryl Young Scholarship, Judge Paul C. Lo Scholarship, Cindy Cha, Ragan Richmond Scholarship, and Faidac Thomas Her Scholarship.

Southeast Asian-American Professionals Association (SEA-APA) is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation which was established by a local group of professionals and business owners in 2001. Their mission is to (1) advocate for Southeast Asian-Americans, (2) provide a networking source for its members, and (3) supports community enrichment activities including without limitation, the promotion of education and cultural preservation.

Over the last 13 years, SEA-APA and its partner, Southeast Asian Vision for Education (SAVE), have provided over $105,000 in schol-arships for high school students in Merced and Stanislaus.

The Association wish to acknowledge the donors whose chari-table spirit and value for higher education made this scholar-ship funder a success. They are proud to offered over $6,000 in scholarship to 17 of their brightest scholars.

Keynote Speaker: Steve Ly, Elk Grove Unified School Board Mem-ber and named Scholarship Contributor Attorney Brenda J. Pan-nell. Attorney Parnell, a longtime residents of Merced and is a devoted supporter of education.

Named Scholarship Contributors.

2014 Scholarship Recipients and Scholarship Contributors.

Named Scholarship Contributors of $250See Lee Chay Vay Scholarship, Sandra Lee Scholarship, Tou Her Scholarship, Peter Vang Ly, DDS Schol-arship, Dr. Lee Yang Scholarship, Dr. Wil Origel Scholarship, Tsia Xiong/MOP Scholarship, Dr. Steve Ly Scholarship, Dr. Jerry Yang Scholarship, Dr. Leslie Xiong and Markey Moua Scholarship and Rabobank.

MAY 9, 2014 AT YOSEMITE LAKE


UC Aims To Better ServeCommunity College Transfers

University of California of-ficials on (May 14) outlined a comprehensive strategy to make it easier for students to transfer to UC from the state’s community colleges.

UC President Janet Napoli-tano, speaking to the Board of Regents at a meeting in Sacra-mento, said streamlining the transfer process was a top prior-ity for her administration.

“Transfer students are an im-portant part of UC’s strength, as well as an engine of social mo-bility for our state,” she said. “Put simply, if we are serving trans-fers well, then we are serving the state well."

Napolitano convened a trans-fer action team last fall to iden-tify ways the transfer process could be strengthened to bet-ter serve California students.

That team, led by Provost Ai-mée Dorr and co-chaired by Judy Sakaki, UC vice president of student affairs, and George Johnson, chair of UC’s Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools, outlined for the board steps that UC immediately can take to simplify the transfer pro-cess and attract students from a wider array of community col-leges in the state.

Among the steps are simpli-fying the information UC gives students about how to transfer, increasing outreach at commu-nity colleges around the state and offering more support to transfers once they arrive at a UC campus.

The task force also called for working closely with California’s other public systems of higher education — California Com-munity Colleges and Califor-nia State University — to urge state lawmakers to provide the resources necessary for increas-ing all three systems capacity to accommodate more students.

Vital pathway to UCAlmost one in three UC un-

dergraduates — almost 15,000 students a year — begins his or her higher education at a community college. The trans-

fer pathway is a crucial means by which students, particularly those from low-income house-holds and those who will be the first in their family to attend col-lege, gain access to a UC educa-tion, officials said.

“Transfer quite literally opens doors and changes lives,” said Sakaki.

One such student is Frankie Guzman, a student from a poor, crime-plagued community who served time in the juvenile jus-tice system before determining to get his life back on track. He enrolled in Oxnard Community College and was admitted to UC Berkeley as a transfer. “This time I left my community not in handcuffs, but in search of a better life,” he said.

Guzman earned his degree and went on to earn his law degree at UCLA. He now works with youth in the juvenile jus-tice system.

“I’m living proof of what part-nerships like this can produce, in providing students with op-portunities to succeed regard-less of where they’ve come from,” he said.

A call to streamline course re-quirementsUC’s commitment to transfer students is unrivaled among selective research institutions nationally, said Provost Dorr. These students do well at UC, boasting graduation rates that are among the highest in the nation for transfer students.

But while transfer enables many bright and promising students to attain a UC educa-tion, many others are discour-aged from applying by a pro-cess that is complex and hard to navigate, officials said.

The transfer action team report recommended that simpler, clear-cut academic pathways be created to give students information about which courses are eligible for transfer, and to make this in-formation consistent across the system.

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By Nicole Freeling

2014 Central Valley Graduates

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Tracey Pott Jr. with dad Tracey Sr. Sacramento StateUniversity Graduate.

The Merced County Office of Education, in partnership with the Merced Union High School District and the Merced County Education Foundation, is host-ing the third annual Summer Performing Arts Program that will culminate in several per-formances of “Snow White” and “Peter and the Wolf.”

Registration for the summer program, which will be held at

Buhach Colony High School, is open to all Merced County stu-dents entering 4th-8th grades and is first come, first served. There is a $40 fee per student with breakfast and lunch pro-vided each day.

Rehearsal begins June 16 and runs through July 23, with per-formances July 24-26. There is a mandatory parent meeting at 9 a.m. on the first day of the pro-

gram at the Buhach Colony High School Theatre, 1800 Buhach Road in Atwater.

Participating students meet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the Buhach Colony Theatre, where they take classes in set design and con-struction, prop building, cos-tume design and construction, make-up, as well as performing

MCOE’s Summer Performing ArtsProgram Now Accepting Registration

SEE PAGE >7

Reginald Nelson with Veterans graduates from Merced College 51st commencement on May 23, 2014. Merced College awarded more than 1,100 degrees and certificates to students graduating during the current 2013-2014 academic year.

50 YEARS LATER

he said, “It is not enough just to open the gates of oppor-tunity—all our must citizens must have the ability to walk through those gates.”

Those words rang true five decades ago, and they ring true today.

A total of 895 students re-ceived their degrees during the ceremony and in addition 208 certificates of achieve-ment was awarded. Eight stu-dents was recognized with the Superintendent Honors for having completed at least 36 units of study with a 4.0 grade point average. In addition, 85 students are graduating with honors. One hundred students are also graduating from the Los Banos Campus.

6 JUNE 2014

“Transfer is complicated, and at UC it is even more so because of the differing re-quirements among campuses for transfer into similar ma-jors,” Johnson said.

Simplifying transfer require-ments would not mean lower-ing UC’s academic standards, he said.

“We can’t streamline the curriculum at the expense of not having students prepared for academic coursework.”

Regents called upon the university to accelerate facul-ty-led efforts already under-way, such as those to align UC transfer requirements with the Associate Degree for Transfer. Issued by California Community Colleges, these degrees lay out which cours-es students need to take to make them eligible for trans-fer to a four-year program at California State University.

Building ties with under-represented community col-leges

Discussion also centered on efforts to increase the di-versity of the transfer popula-tion and draw students from a wider array of community

colleges.The majority of transfers

come to UC from a small subset of the state’s commu-nity colleges, which hinders geographic, ethnic and racial diversity among transfer ap-plicants.

While UC admitted and en-rolled at least one student from each of the state’s 112 community colleges as of fall 2012, half of all UC transfers come from fewer than 20 per-cent of the state’s community colleges.

The team called for estab-lishing a “California Commu-nity College to UC Pipeline Initiative” to increase trans-fers from under-represented schools by building partner-ships with them and offering increased advising and aca-demic resources.

It also called for increasing UC’s presence at all Califor-nia community colleges. As part of that effort, Napolitano will visit community colleges across the state to inspire and educate students about the transfer path.

Balancing demand for freshman admissions

A major issue is how UC will balance the interests of trans-fer students with those of stu-dents who seek to enter the university as freshmen.

“We are not recommending displacing freshmen, nor are we recommending increasing transfer admissions without increased funding from the state,” Sakaki said. “Growing overall enrollment requires more state funding.”

Others, however, called for making more specific com-mitments to increasing trans-fer enrollment.

“At the end of the day, if we’re not taking more transfer students, I would argue, we’re collectively falling short,” said Erik Skinner, vice chancellor of California Community Col-leges.

“Are we increasing the num-ber of students or just the pool of applicants?” asked Re-gent Sherry Lansing. “This will require a lot of review.”

Regents asked the transfer action team to return for fur-ther discussion of these is-sues.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Latasha Patterson on The President List

Mariyah Banks a graduate of Golden Valley High School.

Latasha Patterson is current-ly attending Grand Canyon University working towards Bachelor of Science degrees in Applied Management and Counseling with an Empha-sis in Addiction.

Latasha received special honors for being on The Grand Canyon President List. The President List is an hon-or given for those who have maintained a GPA of 3.8-4.0.


Modesto/Stanislaus Branch of NAACP held its 19th annual African American Graduation and Recognition Ceremony on Sunday, May 18th at Modesto High School. Eighty two students, graduating from Modesto high schools and junior high schools were honored.

Annual African American Graduation And Recognition Ceremony

Photos Credit: Greg Savage

U.S. Department of Education Issues Guidance on Obligations of Charter Schools to Comply with Federal Civil Rights Laws

The U.S. Department of Edu-cation’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released new guidance confirming that the same fed-eral civil rights laws that apply to other public schools ap-ply equally to public charter schools.

“Charter schools play an im-portant role in the educational landscape and are serving more and more students all over the country,” said Cath-erine E. Lhamon, assistant sec-retary for civil rights. “Since our last guidance on the topic in 2000, thousands of new char-ter schools have opened. This guidance underscores that charter schools must satisfy the requirements of the federal civil rights laws.”

The new guidance high-lights critical subjects that have arisen in charter schools, including the schools’ obliga-tions to avoid discrimination in admissions practices and the administration of discipline; to provide a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities; and to take affirmative steps to assist Eng-lish learners. The guidance also points to other OCR pub-lications regarding additional civil rights principles that are equally applicable to charter schools.

OCR’s mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excel-lence throughout the nation through vigorous enforce-ment of civil rights. The office enforces a number of federal civil rights laws that apply to charter schools, including laws that prohibit discrimination based on disability; race, color, or national origin; and sex. In addition to issuing general guidance documents like the one released, OCR investigates complaints of civil rights vio-lations and provides techni-

cal assistance to help edu-cational institutions achieve voluntary compliance with their civil rights obligations. Additional information about OCR is available at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html.

in the production. Classes are taught by three high school dis-trict theater instructors.

There will be no class on July 3 due to the Fourth of July holi-day.

To download the registration packet, visit http://mcoe.org/foundation/Pages/Summer-Performing-Arts-Program.aspx.

For more information, call Lee Lor at (209) 381-6602 or email her at [email protected].


Keiauna ErvIn performs a ballet routine..... Ne'Ira Smith performs a praise dance.

MCOE’S

Brennan Pope receives recognition from City Councilman, Tony Madrigal. Brennan is graduating from Grace Davis High School and will be attending California State University Stanislaus on a basket-ball scholarship.


8 JUNE 2014

Health News(NAPSI)—If your house is like most in America today, you and your family create up to 40 pounds of dust a year, just through everyday living. In addition, high tempera-ture and humidity can also increase concentrations of some pollutants. So can not getting in enough outdoor air, which can happen, espe-cially with modern homes de-signed to minimize air “leaks.”

Through normal occupa-tion in a home, people gener-ate a great deal of contami-nants and air pollutants, such as dander, dust and chemi-cals. These are pulled into the HVAC system and recirculated several times a day. Over time, this causes a buildup of con-taminants in the ductwork.

Your HealthDirty ducts can harbor con-

taminants that could cause serious problems for people with respiratory problems, autoimmune disorders or al-lergies.

Health effects from indoor air pollutants may include ir-ritated eyes, nose and throat, as well as headaches, dizzi-ness and fatigue. Symptoms of asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and humidifier fever may also come from exposure to some indoor air pollutants.

To protect you from this pollution, your heating and cooling system acts as the lungs of your home. The sys-tem takes air in and breathes air out. A good rule of thumb: If your ducts look dirty, they probably are and should be inspected by a reputable, cer-tified HVAC professional.

Your WealthIn addition to better air,

clean ducts can mean saving money and energy. Accord-ing to the U.S. Department of Energy, 25 to 40 percent of the energy used for heating or cooling a home is wasted. Contaminants in the heating and cooling system cause it

to work harder and wear out sooner. Even with filters, the heating and cooling system still gets dirty through normal use. A clean system uses less energy for more cost effec-tiveness.

Who Can HelpA good way to get your

ducts properly cleaned is to have them done by a pro-fessional who belongs to NADCA, a trade association of companies in the HVAC inspection, maintenance and restoration industry that have signed the NADCA Code of Ethics and invested time and resources into industry-relat-ed training and education.

Members possess general liability insurance and will clean and restore your heat-ing and cooling system in ac-cordance with NADCA stan-dard and guidelines.

Learn MoreFor further facts and to find

a nearby association member, go to www.nadca.com.

Get The Dirt OutOf Your IndoorAir-And Save

You and your family may be breathing easier once you get your ducts in a row, or at least get them professionally cleaned.

Governor Brown Expands Health Care Coverage, Pays Down Debt and Shores Up Teachers’ Pensions in Revised State Budget

SACRAMENTO - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. released a revised state budget that provides health care to mil-lions more Californians, pays down $11 billion in debt and fully funds the teachers’ retire-ment system over time.

“This May Revision is good news for California,” said Gov-ernor Brown. “It shows that California can afford to pro-vide health care to many more people, while at the same time paying its debts and shoring up the long-troubled teachers’ retirement system.”

The Governor’s revised bud-get plan comes on the heels of an agreement with legisla-tive leaders of both parties to bring greater stability to the state’s finances in the years to come. The agreement, based on the Governor’s January proposal, establishes a Rainy Day Fund that allows the state

to save for the future while paying down its debts and unfunded liabilities. The pro-posal is expected to go before voters in November.

For the budget year (2014-15), the May Revision sets aside $1.6 billion to make the final payment on the Econom-ic Recovery Bonds and an-other $1.6 billion for the Rainy Day Fund.

The May Revision reflects more than $2 billion in add-ed costs over and above the January budget. This includes higher spending to provide health care coverage under Medi-Cal for a million more people, emergency drought assistance, added funding to meet the Proposition 98 guarantee for K-14 schools, caseload increases in the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, additional contributions to the California

Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and added staffing to administer Califor-nia’s unemployment insur-ance program.

When Governor Brown took office, the state faced a massive $26.6 billion budget deficit and estimated annual shortfalls of roughly $20 bil-lion. These deficits, built up over a decade, have now been eliminated by a combina-tion of budget cuts, tempo-rary taxes and the recovering economy.

Significant details of the May Revision:

Shoring Up Teacher Pen-sions

The May Revision proposes a plan of shared responsibility among the state, school dis-tricts and teachers to shore up the State Teachers’ Retirement System (STRS). The increased contributions in the first year

from all three parties total about $450 million, but would grow thereafter to more than $5 billion annually in 2020-21. The plan would eliminate the unfunded liability in approxi-mately 30 years.

Implementing Federal Health Care Reform

Compared to what was pro-jected in the January budget, 1.4 million more people will be covered through Medi-Cal, at a cost of an additional $1.2 billion. Enrollment is now expected to rise from 7.9 mil-lion in 2012-13 to 11.5 million in 2014-15, for a total cost in-crease of $2.4 billion.

Increased Money for Drought Response

The May Revision provides an additional $142 million ($121 million General Fund) in drought-related expenditures to reflect necessary spending on firefighting, emergency re-

sponse, water management, wildlife preservation and food assistance.

Paying Down Debts and Li-abilities

The Governor’s January Budget proposes to reduce the Wall of Debt by more than $11 billion this year alone and fully eliminate it by 2017-18. The Budget will completely pay off all remaining deferrals to schools and the Economic Recovery Bonds this year. The May Revision includes an ad-ditional $100 million to repay a portion of existing mandate reimbursement claims that have been owed to local gov-ernments since at least 2004.

Additional details on the May Revision can be found at www.ebudget.ca.gov.


Antioch Missionary Baptist ChurchRev. Dr.Sterling Kyle, Jr.

Pastor Study: (209) 722-9806Church: (209) 383-9758

Pastor

Rev. Dr.Sterling Kyle, Jr.and Sister Sandra Kyle

404 W. 6th St.Merced CA 95340

Sunday School: 9:30 a.m.Worship Service: Sunday 11:00 a.m.Bible Study: Wed. 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Behold, I stand at the door.Rev. 3:20

RELIGIOUS NEWS

mercedchurchofchrist.orgLive from the Pulpit podcast

http://livefromthepulpit.wordpress.com/Search YouTube: Life from the Pulpit

http://wwwyoutube.com/channel/UClod17HBqZI9xQfnQx7Kz3OwLive from the Pulpit blog:

http://livefromthepulpit.wordpress.com/The Truth in Love and Good News Today

Sundays-Comcast #95 @ 8:00 a.m. & Thurs. 9:00 p.m.Direct TV: #323 Dish TV: #9407 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. daily

International Gospel Hour on AM RadioSunday Morning 8:00 a.m., #770, 9:00 a.m. #1180, 9:00 p.m. @ 880

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& channel 95, Thurs. 8:30 p.m.Direct TV channel INSP channel Sunday 4:30 a.m.

Direct TV channel 53 Sundays 7:30 a.m.

Second Baptist Church, affectionately known as,"the little church on the side of the road," celebrated its 125 anniversary on May 18th in Modesto.

For 125 years, God has poured out His blessings upon Second Baptist Church. Through its Food Bank, the church distributes 450-500 boxes of food to needy church members and mem-bers of the community.

Second Baptist Church InModestoAnniversary

Rev. Dr. Charles R. Evins Sr. and First Lady Gloria Evins. Pastor Evins has been the church's spiritual leader for 19 years.

Photos Credit: Greg Savage

125th ANNIVERSARY

By Greg Savage

Inside of Second Baptist Church at the 125 Years celebration.

10 JUNE 2014

Increased spirituality in teens undergoing substance abuse treatment is associ-ated with greater likelihood of abstinence, increased posi-tive social behaviors, and re-duced narcissism, according to a study by researchers from The University of Akron, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), and Baylor University.

The researchers found that adolescents reported a range of belief orientations at intake, ranging from atheist to non-denominational spiritual. Re-searchers also found that most of the adolescents, regardless of their religious background or denomination, reported having more daily spiritual experiences by the end of the two-month treatment period.

Most of the participants — 92 percent — were marijuana dependent, with 60 percent of those also being alcohol de-pendent.

"Although about a third of the teens self-identified as agnostic or atheist at intake,

two-thirds of them claimed a spiritual identity at discharge, a most remarkable shift," says Byron R. Johnson, director of the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion.

"The key message is that changes in spiritual experi-ences are associated with bet-ter outcomes, including lower toxicology, reduced self-cen-teredness, and higher levels of helping others," says Matthew T. Lee, Sociology Department chairman at The University of Akron.

The adolescents' capacity to become more spiritual, and overcome self-centeredness, evidences the malleability of personality and belief orienta-tion, Lee says.

"Change is possible and spiritual experience may be the key," says principal investi-gator Maria Pagano, associate professor of psychiatry at the CWRU School of Medicine.

--"Pentecostal Evangel"

Sobriety, Spirituality Linked For Teens In Treatment

New Faith Tabernacle Celebrates39 Years in Ministry

“Love worketh no ill to his neighbor : therefore love is the fulfilling of the law”(Romans 13:10).

The basic principle of Chris-tianity is love. God demon-strated his love by sending his Son into the world. Man is also expected to show the love that he has: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Man should love God. The Heavenly Father has done much for man that man could not do for himself. God knows best for man and is able to guide him. In addition for that. God has prom-ised to do more for man if man will be obedient to the laws of God. If man loved God, then he will be found walking in righ-teousness. Love is the fulfilling of the law.

Man should love his fellow-ship.

It is God’s command that we love one another. If God loved men as much as He did, then certainly we should love men. That love men will causeto be kind, to be long-suffering and to be gentle toward all. We will desire the welfare of all men if we lovethem and most certainly we will wok to that end. Love is the fulfilling of the law.

Man should love the church. Christ loved the church and gave hiself for it. It is impossible to be a Christian and not the church. The church is imperfect because of the mistakes and weakness of human nature. He who loves the church woll make sacrifices for the church. He will avoid anything that will degradethe churchin the eyes of members or outsiders. Loveis the fulfilling of law.

Love Is the Fulfillingof the LawBy Foster L. Ramsey

Sister Pam Smith spoke about her experiences since joining New Faith, at their 39th year celebration service.

Dr. Pastor Jerry Huey of Saint Matthews Baptist Church was the guest speaker at the New Faith Tabernacle’s 39th Church Anniversary on May 21, 2014. Guests from throughout the Central Valley joined New Faith in this celebration.

Bishop David McNier of New Beginning Tabernacle of Life Church, Modesto, CA singing “I Want Complain”.

RELIGIOUS NEWS


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Reflections

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(Modesto, CA) – Modesto Junior College has openings available for toddlers ages 18 to 30 months in the MJC Early Care and Education program held in MJC’s dedicated in-structional setting on West Campus.

The summer toddler ses-sion will be offered Monday through Thursday, 12 noon to 2 p.m. from June 4 through July 23. The cost for each toddler is $260 for the summer semester.

If a child is admitted, one parent or guardian from each family is required to enroll in, attend and successfully com-plete a six-hour parenting class through MJC Community Edu-cation for summer semester, as well as volunteer twice in the classroom. The parenting class will be held from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m. on June 17, June 24 and July 1. An enrollment application for the program can be found on the Early Care Website at http://www.mjc.edu/instruc-tion/fcs/earlycare.Please call Colleen Norby at (209) 575-6343 if you are in-terested in the summer tod-dler program. MJC is open 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and closed Fridays for the summer.

MJC Early Care and Educationhas openings

Wednesday, June 11: Mercy Medical Center Seniors Day

FREE admission Seniors 65 and better on opening day!

Thursday, June 12: Kids' DayFREE admission for all chil-

dren 12 years and younger! Sunday, June 15: FREE 'til 3General Admission is free

for everyone from noon until

3 p.m.Enter the special "Day of"

Cooking Contests and you get FREE admission to the Fair...

No advance entry forms, simply enter that day and get free admission to the Fair with your entry!

Special Offers andSpecial Days:

Mercy Medical Center Seniors Day – Wednesday, June 11:Lincoln Brewster 8:30 p.m.

Kids’ Day – Thursday, June 12:The Marshall Tucker Band 8:30 p.m.

Merced Sun-Star Day – Friday, June 13:WAR 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 14:True 2 Crue 8:30 p.m.

Rancho San Miguel Markets Day & “Free ‘Til 3” – Sunday, June 15:Hypnotist Alan Sands 9:30 p.m.

Schedule of All Daily Fairtime Events

The EbonySocialites All In WhiteSummer Party!

Join The Ebony Socialites for Their All In White Summer Party on Saturday, June 7, 2014 at The Atwater VFW Hall 1388 Broadway, Atwater CA.

Featuring DJ, Lamont Walker of DKP Productions from 7 p.m. - 11 p.m.Donation: $25.00 Per PersonAttire - White.

For more information Call Pearl Butcher @ 209-358-4421.

12 JUNE 2014

Inside PAGE

This event will acknowl-edge non-profit organiza-tions, individuals and elected officials that demonstrate selfless acts of love and kind-ness in the City and County of Merced. Ready for Change Behavioral Health believes giving back to our commu-nity is an honor and giving of ourselves is a gift. Ready for Change Behavioral Health promotes health and wellness through the Arts, and pro-vides mental health services in Merced. The program will

be held on June 28, 2014; 5:00 P.M. at First Baptist Church lo-cated at 500 Buena Vista Drive on the corner of M Street and Buena Vista Drive. There will be performances by local art-ists; Annette Macias, Tammy Borges, One Accord, Michelle Allison, Renee Cottonreader, Martha Armas-Kelly, students from Suzuki Violin Studio un-der the direction of Caitlin Hunsuck Serpa, Faith Bible Church, Re-Vision, Pastor Bri-an Oliver, Frank Towler, Nancy Hoppe, Jerome Rasberry Jr.,

and Donny McKeague. Gener-al admission is $10.00 (doors open at 4:30 P.M.) VIP is $25.00 includes reception and re-served seating early admis-sion. Program begins prompt-ly at 5:00 P.M.. Portion of the proceeds will benefit children and youth programs/minis-tries. Come and celebrate our honorees. Hope to see you there. Do not wait, get your tickets early at Hope Christian Store, Big O Tires, Gottschalks Music,readyforchangebh.com or call 209 -233-9573.

Ready For Change PresentsThe Humanitarian Awards ProgramA Red Carpet Event

The New Faith Tabernacle’s Church celebrated 39 years in minis-try. Phyllis Patterson was the mistress of ceremony.


Inside PAGE

We have one of a kind items!

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14 JUNE 2014

MERCED

MERCED – The Department of Child Support Services will be offering free workshops through August to assist and educate parents with child support cases.

The workshops will be held on the third Thursday of each month ending on August 21, 2014. The program is free and open to the public.

The following is a descrip-tion of each workshop:

REVIEW AND ADJUSTMENT WORKSHOP

Dates: Third Thursday of the month

6/19, 7/17, 8/21 Time: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. This workshop will assist

parents in reviewing their

court order for child support to determine if it’s eligible for a modification, potentially reducing their monthly ob-ligation. This workshop will provide a high level overview of the process of modifying a court order for child support, what the participants need to do to request a review of their court order for child support and speak with a Child Sup-port Specialist regarding their case to determine if they’re eligible for a modification.

To register for this work-shop, please contact the Mer-ced County Department of Child Support Services at (209) 724-2626 or send an email to [email protected].

Child Support Services To Hold Workshops

WINTON HARDWARE

Gary & Corine DusinOwners

Lawnmower Chainsaw Sales & Service

6852 Winton Way • Winton, CA 95388

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Kathy Sheed Owner

HOURS: Tues-Fri. 10-5:30 Sat-8-noon Closed Sun.& Mon.

209. 722. 82862808 N “G Street • Merced, CA 95340

(Bear Creek Galleria Facing Bear Creek)

We Salute Central Valley’s 2014 Graduates


Feel free to contact us : email:[email protected]: Smallcityfilms.com phone: (209)947-5244.

Small City Films a full professional produc-tion company. We really believe that no job is too big or too small for us to handle. We take so much pride in our work we have a guarantee on our work and our service.

We are happy to offer any professional media service that you need. Here are some services we offer:• Film Production (short/feature) • Commercial Mass Media• Video Campaigns • Mass Market*Website Campaigns• Artist Development

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Tickets at www.MercedCountyFair.com900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Merced, CA 95341 • 209-722-1507Fair Hours: Wed.-Fri. 5pm-12:30am, Sat. 3pm-12:30am, Sun. Noon-12:30am

WEDNESDAY MERCY MEDICAL CENTER SENIORS’ DAY Free admission Seniors 65 & better

Lincoln BrewsterAuto Races $5 GRANDSTAND

THURSDAY KIDS’ DAY 12 & under free admission

The Marshall Tucker BandAuto Races & Jet Car Show$5 GRANDSTAND

FRIDAY MERCED SUN-STAR DAY

WARTruck & Tractor Pulls$5 GRANDSTAND

SATURDAY

True 2 CrueHumpz & Hornz Bull Riding$5 GRANDSTAND

SUNDAY FREE ‘TIL 3PM FAMILY DAY & RANCHO SAN MIGUEL MARKETS DAY presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts

Hypnotist Alan SandsJaripeo Ranchero ADVANCE $20 • AT GRANDSTAND DOOR $30

Where to buy tickets:• Purchase online or at the

Fairgrounds Office from 8am-5pm Mon.- Fri.

• Advance Discount Tickets available June 1 to June 10 at Rancho San Miguel Market, 1930 Yosemite Pkwy, Merced, 7am-10pm

$5 General Admissionfor everyone 6 years & up!

Children 5 & under FREE admission

Unlimited Ride Wrist Wraps:Good any one day of the Fair ...................... $30

Grandstand Admission:6 years & up ..................................................$5*Children 5 & under FREE admission. *All Grandstand events $5 except Sunday Jaripeo Ranchero

Table Mountain FREE Concert Series presented by Modelo Especial

Grandstand entertainment presented by Table Mountain, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Modelo Especial

and Rancho San Miguel Markets

Lincoln Brewster

WAR

True 2 Crue

Presale Ticket Outlet

June 11-15, 2014

The Marshall Tucker Band

R&B Superstar Maxwell atGallo Center June 24

MODESTO, CA---Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist Maxwell is bringing his 35-city "Sum-mer Soulstice" U.S. tour to the Gallo Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24. His appearance at the Gallo Center is one of only two stops on the Northern California leg of the tour.

Tickets for the concert range in price from $60 to $119, and may be purchased online at www.galloarts.org, by calling (209) 338-2100 or from the Gallo Center ticket office at 1000 I Street in downtown Modesto.

Maxwell's music spans R&B, funk and soul, but he is best known as one of the founders, along with D'Angelo and Erykah Badu, of the sub-genre 'neo-soul' movement of the latter 1990s. After a successful debut album "Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite," he re-leased "Embrya," "Now" and a live al-bum, "MTV Unplugged." Following an eight-year hiatus that began in 2002, he returned with the platinum-selling "BLACKsummers'night," the first of a trilogy. Over the course of his career, Maxwell has received 12 Grammy Award nominations, with two wins.

16 JUNE 2014

CENTRAL VALLEY FABULOUS FOOD

Maria's Taco Shop

• The hottest place in town!With 8 location to serve you(Bremerton, WA • Turlock,

Atwater, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Modesto (2 locations:

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1750 “R” Street • Merced • 383-4424

(NAPSI)—A big help in put-ting your family meals, par-ties and cookouts on the fast track to fun, easy entertain-ing can be couscous, a tiny pasta that cooks in just five minutes.

Original, whole wheat and tri-color couscous is available from RiceSelect. This versatile ingredient can be excellent inside dishes, entrées and salads such as this:

Confetti Couscous SaladYield: 4 servings

1 cup water

1 cup RiceSelect Couscous

½ cup celery, chopped

½ cup carrots, shredded

¼ cup green onions, finely sliced

½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup sliced almonds

¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette (or favorite salad dressing)

In saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in couscous; cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; cool. When cous-cous has cooled, combine with all remaining ingredi-ents except for almonds. Mix well; chill until ready to serve. Add almonds just before serving.

For further facts, tips and rec-ipes, go to www.riceselect.com or call (800) 993-7423.

Fun, Fresh, Healthy Salad

This smart salad offers a new twist on a popular food.

FOOD TRENDS

Congrats 2014Graduates! Happy

Hour4pm-6pm

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Sports News

The NCAA awarded the 2014 Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship to two student-athletes who intend to use the $24,000 renewable award to attend medical school. This year’s recipients are Karenee Demery, a biology major at Division II California State University, Stanislaus, who competed in women’s soccer, and Kyle Boden, a biology major and football player at Division III Emory and Henry.

NCAA Names Recipients Of 2014Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarships

This year’s winners plan to attend medical school with the $24,000 renewable award.

Details Begin to Take Shape forFirst Modesto Grand Prix

With less than 90 days to go, the Modesto Grand Prix, presented by Save Mart Su-permarkets, is shaping up to be one of Modesto’s big-gest events yet! The City of Modesto will be host-ing the 2014 Pro Tour Sum-mer Nationals presented by Superkarts!USA (SKUSA) and has already attracted several big sponsorships and factory karting teams from all around the world.

Approximately 300 drivers accompanied by their teams and families will descend upon Modesto on Friday Au-gust 1, to race through the downtown at speeds of up to

100 mph. The race course is approximately one-mile long and will require three and half miles of temporary fencing. Race fans will be able to see the action up close and enjoy the surrounding festival.

The Formula 1 style race will include two pedestrian crossover bridges, giving at-tendees the freedom to move around the expo and over the race course. There are several anticipated zones, including: a family zone in the Tenth Street Plaza; an amazing car show echoing Modesto’s rich automotive and classic car history; vendors (both non- and for-profit); food booths;

beer/soda stations, and a VIP area. There will also be a fan interaction zone featuring the 51Fifty Energy Drink NASCAR hauler and race cars. A live feed of the race will be broad-cast onto three large LED walls, which, along with the installation of more than 190 concert-style speakers, will require approximately nine miles of cable!

The gates will open at noon both Saturday, August 2, and Sunday, August 3, with the races expected to last well into the evening. Blueline Rentals’ sponsorship includes 80 sets of construction lights

SEE PAGE>19

College in Virginia.The Walter Byers Postgrad-

uate Scholarship is awarded annually to one male and one female student-athlete in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and potential for future success. Established in 1988, to qualify for the award the nominee must be a graduating senior or enrolled in graduate study at an NCAA member institu-tion. Winners must have at-tained an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5, competed on a varsity team at an NCAA member school, evidenced superior character and lead-ership, and demonstrated that participation in athletics and community service posi-tively influenced the recipi-ents’ personal and intellectual development.

The program is admin-istered by a committee of representatives from NCAA member schools and con-ferences. The winners were selected through a competi-tive process that included in-person interviews with six fi-

nalists—three men and three women.

Karenee Dem eryHome schooled through-

out high school, Karenee De-mery’s only exposure to orga-nized sports came through travel teams. Nevertheless, the biology major with a mi-nor in chemistry jumped into her college studies and em-braced her teammates, earn-ing a 3.7 GPA and the praise of Warrior Head Coach Gabri-el Bolton, who called Demery the “finest student-athlete I have ever coached in my nearly 20 years of collegiate experience.”

Demery knew she wanted to be a physician when, while in the eighth grade, her father

had a stroke, and the family spent months at the hospital. “Ever since then it’s some-thing that has just been in my heart to do,” she said.Aca-demics have always been cru-cial to Demery’s experience, and she selected Cal State Stanislaus largely because of its academic focus. “I think my school, in particular, put a lot of emphasis on my academ-ics, and that was a really good choice for me because that’s what it’s always been about,” she said.

Demery received the 2013 Capital One Academic All-America Women’s Soccer Player of the Year award for Division II women’s soccer.

SEE PAGE>18

18 JUNE 2014

Sports NewsSupport Your Local Sports

S.W.A.G FOOTBALL

By SWAGSWAG football players won

the Passing Down Central California 7 on 7 Champion-ship, Sunday in Elk Grove. This allows us an exclusive invita-tion to the 7 on 7 Tournament April 27th in LA. Would you

help us get there? We are in need of team fees, food, and lodging to make this happen. The trip is $2,500. Please con-sider a tax deductible dona-tion to SWAG.

Send a check to:Students With Aspiring

Goals 450 W. 21st Street, Suite F Merced, CA 95340 or you

can donate on our website www.swagmerco.org

(CLICK Donate Now). Thank you for your sup-

port!!!!!

An accomplished player on the field, Demery was the Di-vision II Women’s Soccer Play-er of the Year and is a four-time All-California Collegiate Athletic Association selection. She was also a three-time Of-fensive Player of the Year for the conference.

Demery expects the life les-sons she learned outside the classroom – including hard work, balance and persever-ance – will help her compete in the rigorous medical school environment and in her fu-ture career as a physician. “I’m going to take that work ethic

wherever I go,” she said. Demery plans to take a year

off before beginning medical school. She hopes to play soc-cer at a higher level, but if her soccer plans fall through, she will seek an opportunity to gain experience in the medi-cal field.

Karenee Demery...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

SWAG football players.SWAG football player

Joshua Wilson.


Sacramento – Assembly member Adam C. Gray (D-Merced) issued the following statement in response to Gov-ernor Brown’s announcement that Merced has been chosen as a pilot area to receive ex-panded eligibility for hiring credits under California’s new Economic Development Ini-tiative: “I applaud the Governor and his Administration for rec-ognizing the extraordinary challenges faced by my home town. While LA and the Bay Area have recovered from the worst days of the recession, the Central Valley continues to struggle. Unemployment

and poverty remain disturb-ingly high and too many folks here still struggle to find a job. My first action as an Assem-bly member was to introduce legislation, which recognized regions of our state as Eco-nomic Disaster Areas, where we could target assistance for folks who had the most need. Job creation for our area has always been my top priority. In addition, I made it my mis-sion to educate my colleagues and other elected officials of the difference between the poverty experienced in our major urban centers, and the severe, systematic hard-ship we face in the Valley. The

Governor’s announcement is an acknowledgement of this stark contrast. What the New Employment Credit means in our commu-nity is that businesses will have lower taxes and be re-warded for hiring people and creating jobs. With this tax credit, Merced now has an advantage at attracting new business and investments. This is an exciting moment that will create real improve-ments for job seekers and em-ployers alike. This is a step in the right direction at getting the Valley back to work.”

Assembly Member Gray Praises Governor’s Move to Expand Merced Enterprise Zone Tax Credit

Camp Green Meadows is offering a summer recreation camp to incoming sixth- through eighth-graders.

The five-day program runs June 9-13 at Camp Green Meadows in Fish Camp and the Sierra National Forest near Yosemite National Park.

Different from the tradi-tional school year’s outdoor school program, the summer camp will host a variety of rec-reational activities: trail hikes, exploring Big Creek, and a day-trip exploring Yosemite National Park.

“We are looking forward to offering a summer camp pro-gram that will be excitingly different from what we do during the school year,” said Green Meadow’s Principal Bob Bassett. “It really is a great op-portunity for the children of Merced County and surround-ing areas.”

To make the summer camp a reality, Green Meadows needs a minimum of 50 campers to register by May 23.

Registration is first-come,

first-served and the price is $300 per child with all meals, activities and lodging includ-ed.

Children will be picked up in Merced on the morning of June 9 and returned June 13 in the early afternoon.

Checks and money orders can be used for registration fees. Registration packets can be picked up at the MCOE J building or downloaded from www.campgreenmeadows.com/summercamp.

Completed packets and payment can be dropped off in room J-1 with LaRae De-morest, Monday through Fri-day between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. She can be reached at (209) 381-6630.

High school cabin leaders are also being sought to par-ticipate and spend the week at Green Meadows.

For more information, call Camp Green Meadows at (559) 642-0122 or email Bob Bassett at [email protected].

Camp Green Meadows to Offer Summer Recreation Program

which will light up the festival and race course at night for those who come to enjoy the race without the heat of the late-summer sun.

The success of this event is made possible by the gener-ous support of our sponsors which include the title spon-sor, Save Mart Supermarkets, and major sponsor’s 51-Fifty Energy Drink, Blue Line Rent-als, Taco Bell, DoubleTree Hotel, Budweiser, Sunny Valley Smoked Meats, SC Fuels, North Modesto Kiwanis and Bertolotti Disposal. For a complete list of sponsors or to become an event partner, please visit modestogp.com.

Pre-sale tickets go on sale June 1 for $10 per person

and will be available online at www.galloarts.org* or at any of the following locations:

· Modesto City Hall – 1010 Tenth Street, Modesto

o 2nd Floor - Customer Service Counter, Windows 4 and 5

o 4th Floor - Parks, Rec-reation and Neighborhoods Department Guest Services

· Modesto Convention and Visitors Bureau – 1150 9th Street, Suite C, Modesto

· Gallo Center for the Arts* - 1000 I Street, Modesto and www.galloarts.org*

*Convenience Fee AppliesAs details for the event are

finalized, they will be posted online at modestogp.com.

MODESTO GRAND PRIXCONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

20 JUNE 2014

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(NAPSI)—Many Americans trying to get their financial lives back on track could ben-efit from five tips for building a brighter financial future.

1. Save for emergencies. When asked if they would be able to come up with $2,000 if an unexpected need arose in the next month, nearly two in five (39 percent) of Americans surveyed said they probably or certainly could not. The best way to avoid this is to build up rainy-day savings in a federally insured savings ac-count. If you can set aside $40 every week, then by this time next year, you will have saved over $2,000.

2. Don’t chase yield. With low yields on fixed-income

investments and an economy on the mend, investors have been facing a difficult invest-ing environment. Some inves-tors have been chasing re-turn, meaning they put their assets into riskier products that promise higher yields than they can get in more tra-ditional investments. Inves-tors should realize that they could be taking on more risk if they invest in products with higher returns.

3. Take advantage of tax breaks when saving for col-lege and retirement. If you have children, try to save for college using tax-advantaged savings accounts like a 529 plan or Coverdell Education Savings Account. The FINRA Investor Education Founda-tion’s recent National Finan-cial Capability Study showed that only 34 percent of re-spondents with financially dependent children are set-ting aside money for their

children’s college education. Only 54 percent of nonre-tired respondents have some kind of retirement account. If you’re working, consider us-ing tax-advantaged savings accounts like a 401(k) to boost your retirement security.

4. Reduce your debt. More than two out of five Ameri-cans (42 percent) surveyed felt they have too much debt, regardless of income. The best way to avoid an endless cycle of credit card debt is to try to pay your credit cards in full and on time. If you have credit card debt, pay it off as quickly as possible. If you’re unable to pay your whole bill, pay more than the minimum due, which will reduce the amount of interest you’ll pay.

5. Check your credit report and score. You need to do both. Only 42 percent of sur-vey respondents said they ob-tained a copy of their credit report and only 41 percent checked their credit score within the 12 months preced-ing the survey. With credit hard to get and identity theft a continuing problem, it’s crit-ical to see whether your credit history is accurate and correct any mistakes immediately.

The Financial Industry Reg-ulatory Authority (FINRA) is the largest independent reg-ulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. Its mission is to protect America’s investors by making sure the securities industry operates fairly and honestly.

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The April San Joaquin Val-ley Business Conditions Index registered its largest one-month increase since Decem-ber 2012.

For the 16th time in the past 17 months, the San Joaquin Valley Business Conditions Index rose above the growth neutral threshold.

The index, produced by Fresno State’s Craig School of Business, is a leading econom-ic indicator from a survey of individuals making company purchasing decisions in the counties of Fresno, Madera, Kings and Tulare.

The overall April index ad-vanced to 55.9 from 52.0 in March. An index of greater than 50 indicates an expan-sionary economy over the course of the next three to six months.

“This month we asked sur-vey participants to identify the biggest economic challenge likely faced by their compa-ny for 2014. More than one-fourth named the continu-ing drought to be the largest threat to their business,” said Dr. Ernie Goss, research faculty with the Craig School of Busi-ness. “However, only 18.2 per-cent of businesses indicated that the drought has had a negative impact on their busi-ness thus far.”

The index uses the same methodology as that of the national Institute for Supply Management.

Other survey findings:•Employment: After slip-

ping below growth neutral for January, the hiring gauge has moved above the 50.0 thresh-old for the past three months. The job index expanded to a solid 55.1 from March’s 53.3.

•Wholesale prices: The pric-

es-paid index, which tracks the cost of purchased raw ma-terials and supplies, increased for the month. The wholesale inflation gauge climbed from March’s 72.1 to 75.3 for April.

•Business confidence: Look-ing ahead six months, eco-nomic optimism, captured by the business confidence index, rose to 56.2 from last month’s 52.8.

•Inventories: Businesses ex-panded inventories of raw materials and supplies for the month at a faster pace than in March. The April inventory reading jumped to 60.0 from 52.5 in March.

•Trade: The new export or-der declined to a still healthy 56.0 from March’s strong 67.0. According to Goss, readings over the past two months have been economically en-couraging for a region where exports are an important component of growth. The re-gional import reading for April increased to 57.3 from March’s 56.3. Businesses experienc-ing growth continue to boost their purchases from abroad.

•Other components: Other components of the April Busi-ness Conditions Index were new orders at 56.7, up from 51.4 in March; production or sales at 50.7, up from 49.3; and delivery lead time at 57.1, up from 53.6.

For more information, con-tact Goss at (559)278-2352.

By Kathleen Schock Valley Economic Indicator

Valley Economic Index Bounces Higher Despite Drought Concerns

May 6, 2014

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3activities like showers, baths, and washing dishes, while 19 percent say they are not reduc-ing indoor water use. A strong majority are using less water (38% a lot less, 28% a little less) on lawn care and landscaping, while 11 percent say they are not. Another 23 percent say they have no outdoor space or are not responsible for its up-keep. Across regions, Central Valley residents are the most likely to say they are using a lot less water indoors (45%) or out (47%).

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June 2014