Summer gave way to fall and the last four months of the year saw no slowdown in events and activities around the region, whether school, city, community or club-related. This week, in the third and final chapter of the 2024 Year in Review series, we showcase the top stories from the front page of The Leader for the September through December issues.

SEPTEMBER

Erin Jardine, an Oakdale native, has turned her love for reading into a burgeoning podcast called “I Read It For The Plot,” where she discusses spicy books, romance tropes, and everything in between. Jardine’s journey into podcasting began with a joke during a livestream with friends. “I’m a major punner,” she explained. “I love making puns, and that’s part of my media, especially for my comedy skits where I just make really bad dad jokes and pun videos.” What started as a lighthearted suggestion to create a podcast about puns evolved into something more aligned with Jardine’s true passion: books. “I started considering what kind of niche I could focus on if I was to create a book talk podcast,” Jardine recalled. “And one of the things that booktok has really gotten me into was reading spicy books.” The podcast’s clever name, “I Read It For The Plot,” is another jest that resonates with avid readers. Jardine explained, “It was a joke amongst us book readers, focusing on the plot instead of all just the sexy scenes.”

As the summer ends, so does the Concert in the Park series put on by the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce and the City of Oakdale. On Friday, Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m., hundreds of community members gathered at Dorada Park to listen to the upbeat Fabulous Blue Notes with their mix of blues, jazz, classic rock, and country music. Alongside the music, vendors sold food and other booths provided resources and education for all attending. House of Beef, Seed2Cup Coffee, Radius Energy, Primerica Life Insurance Company, and many other vendors set up for the night to enjoy the finale of the Concert in the Park series.

Years of care and concern – and helping make the Valley View Park and River Access Trail a welcoming place for all – were recently highlighted, as volunteers with the Valley View Trail Watch program were feted by the City of Oakdale. The dinner gathering was hosted for the volunteers, some accompanied by their spouses, at Round Table Pizza in Oakdale. Representing the city at the recognition dinner were City Manager Bryan Whitemyer and Assistant to the City Manager Patrick Mondragon. It was a grassroots effort by many Burchell Hill residents to start the ‘watch’ program, as the Valley View Park and Trail brought people in to the neighborhood to enjoy the park and the walking path – or stairsteps – down the hill to the Stanislaus River below. Putting forth the initial proposal for the volunteer group were Burchell Hill residents Mike Hancock and Lloyd Kjos; both were in attendance at the recognition dinner. “The Valley View Trail Watch Program has been in place for six years, working to keep our beautiful trail clean and safe for everyone to use,” Hancock explained.

Take some notable Oakdale residents, a spooky setting, combine it with a living history lesson and what have you got? The ‘Once Upon A Tomb - Tales From Beyond’ fundraiser, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery. Being put on through the Friends of Oakdale Heritage, this evening cemetery walk will serve as a fundraiser for the East J Street cemetery and six residents buried there will be brought to life by local actors. Kelly Skultety will portray Grace Wright, Derick Sturke takes on the persona of “Judge” William A. Griffin and Rudy Skultety will portray Henry Langworthy. Also, Jacob Boss as Joseph Kornmayer, Pastor Henry Raven as Mitchell “Shorty” Stanton and Ray Leverett as Sheriff George Morrison round out those taking part.

Talent and determination have come together at Oakdale High School to foster the growth of the Oakdale High Robotics Club. Since its inception in the 2023-24 school year, Oakdale High Robotics Club has steadily grown from its original four officers to 12 to 15 students with varying interests in programming, engineering, and computer science. They had an information table set up on the high school campus during the recent ‘Club Rush’ event, when clubs get to showcase their group to the student body.

Voters in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District (OJUSD) will have a bond measure on their ballots in November as the district has introduced Measure G, a school improvement measure. If approved, funds from the $105.5 million General Obligation bond would be used to address the critical infrastructure needs across the district’s schools. Supporters of the bond note that school districts are not provided funds in their operational budget to address these pressing issues. Measure G aims to repair and modernize aging facilities, ensuring safe and effective learning environments for all students. An informational flyer has been mailed out from the school district to residents in the community, featuring some ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ and an overview of the bond measure.

OCTOBER

With four candidates seeking two available terms on the Oakdale City Council in November, local voters will soon have an opportunity to meet them and learn more about what each of the local candidates brings to the table. A Candidate Forum is scheduled on Tuesday, Oct. 8 in the Oakdale City Council Chambers, 277 N. Second Ave., Oakdale. Hosted by the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce, the evening will begin with a time for submitting question cards, offered from 5:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.; the forum itself will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. None of those seeking the seats for the council are incumbents. Hopefuls include, in alphabetical order: Caitlyn Barreda, Sales and Marketing Professional; Justin Biedinger, Technological Recruitment Company President; Jeff Kettering, Criminal Justice Professor; and Jarod Pitassi, Civil Engineer. Council seats are filled through an at-large format, not by district, so the top two vote getters in the November election will win the posts.

The collection effort is still on, as Socktober is in full swing. Socktober is an event that began almost a decade ago when Diana Guerrero-Garcia, a City of Oakdale employee and Sunrise Rotary President, decided to start asking her friends and community members to donate socks in preparation for the holiday season. Socks are among the most requested items in shelters for those in need, she explained. “Everyone needs socks and you can buy them anywhere,” said Guerrero-Garcia. During last year’s campaign, more than 2,800 pairs of socks were donated and they are hoping to top that number this year by gathering more than 3,000 pairs of socks.

From a hairless guinea pig to several dogs and even a few llamas behind some portable fencing, there was a wide variety of animals that turned out with their owners for the Blessing of the Animals on Saturday. Hosted Oct. 5 at Saint Matthias Anglican Church in Oakdale, the early afternoon ceremony was overseen by Reverend John Roberts. “We do it every year, typically on the Saturday closest to the Feast of Saint Francis, which is on October 4,” Roberts explained. A grassy courtyard area between the main church building on South First Avenue and a small annex was lined with chairs, many dog owners taking seats and having their pets on leashes in front of them. The llamas were on the opposite side of the courtyard, occasionally watching the proceedings with interest. A brief preface to the ceremony noted that “Animals are an integral part of God’s plan and creation. They inhabit the skies, the earth and the sea … they have a part in our lives.”

The City of Oakdale is taking important steps to address parking challenges in the downtown area, as presented by Dixon Resources Unlimited during the recent Monday, Oct. 7 City Council meeting. With the completion of Phase I of the Parking Study and Action Plan, the council has approved funding for Phase II, which will focus on creating a long-term strategy to improve parking efficiency and convenience for residents, business owners, and visitors.

Celebrating 50 years in Oakdale and 20 years in their Chowchilla location, Steves Chevrolet has a lot to celebrate but recently they took time out to honor some local heroes. This past Friday, Oct. 11, the House of Beef catered a luncheon for first responders at Steves Chevrolet of Oakdale and honorees included area paramedics, firefighters and law enforcement. “We’re just so grateful to them,” said Jeff Steves on why they chose to celebrate these heroes now. “We are so thrilled to have spent the last 50 years here and we are looking forward to the future, both here and in Chowchilla. People that live here, we just love this community and the first responders are part of this community.”

There was a little bit of a chill in the air as Oakdale High School observed Homecoming on Friday, Oct. 11, sharing the celebration with the community. Among the first groups taking off on the parade route along G Street in front of the high school was the OHS Color Guard. Festivities also included the selection of Homecoming Prince Matthew Cooley and Homecoming King Brock Boysen during a Friday rally, along with the crowning of Homecoming Princess Peyton O’Neal and Homecoming Queen Grace Constant at halftime of the varsity football game Friday night in The Corral. The Mustangs capped off the weeklong observance with a varsity football victory over Patterson.

For a while there, it was kind of strange to drive into Oakdale from the north end of the city as the Cowboy Mural, the mural that welcomed visitors from far and wide to the Cowboy Capital of the World, was starting to lose its luster. Thanks to Kelly and Matt Budine, proprietors of Bistro 120, the mural is now looking better than ever. With their sponsorship, original artist Aaron “Fasm” Vickery and fellow artist Vinny Cabrera of the Painted Ape Gallery and Tattoos completed the restoration in just three days’ time. The mural graces the side of the Bistro 120 building, at the corner of North Yosemite and East E Street downtown.

The Oakdale City Council voted 4-0 to approve the final budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year at its meeting on Monday, Oct. 21. The total approved budget, covering over 80 separate funds, was designed to ensure responsible financial management while addressing key service areas for the city. City Manager Bryan Whitemyer highlighted the adaptability of Oakdale’s budgeting process, noting how it allows the city to make adjustments throughout the year as necessary. “This is a continuation of our budget process, this has worked really well for us to adjust as needed, as circumstances and conditions change, as revenues either increase or decrease,” Whitemyer explained during the meeting.

A joint effort, hosted by two local sisters, will see the collection of clothing items for victims of Hurricane Helene. Co-coordinators Cathy Bernardi and Theresa Berner are hosting two drive-thru drop off events and are accepting new as well as clean, gently used clothing items for children and adults. They do ask that all donated underclothes must be new, with tags still attached. On Saturday, Oct. 26 the drive-thru station will be set up in Riverbank, at the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District, Station 26, at 3324 Topeka St., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Saturday, Nov. 2, the drive-thru will be hosted at the Hughson Fire Department, 2315 Charles St., Hughson, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The effort is called Operation Hope & Love From California.

There was a bit of a chill in the air but that didn’t bother the crowd that turned out for Saturday night’s Harvest Festival in Valley Home. The Oct. 26 community event served up a wide variety of activities, from games and a costume contest for kids, a haunted hayride, treats such as popcorn and cotton candy, even a pumpkin decorating contest. Food was available for purchase, with a benefit tri-tip dinner served, and a number of options in the harvest kitchen set up in the Valley Home School multipurpose building. That’s also where a number of silent auction items and class baskets were up for bid and where attendees could take a seat and enjoy a couple of games of Bingo. Also on hand for the evening were firefighters and members of the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department.

Local youngsters are being encouraged to get ready for Thursday; that’s when the City of Oakdale will be hosting its Annual Halloween Parade and Festival. The Oct. 31 event runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and this free, family-friendly Halloween gathering offers youngsters the opportunity to play kid-friendly games, participate in the costume contest, enjoy free food, and get a family picture at the photo booth. City officials are working in cooperation with community partners to put on the festivities. Families are encouraged to take part in the parade, which begins at 5 p.m., leading from the Youth Building at the corner of West H Street and Gilbert Avenue. From there, parade participants will walk east along G Street, heading to the Gene Bianchi Community Center. The festival takes place in the Oakdale Town Plaza adjacent to the Community Center, with food, games and fun.

NOVEMBER

Continuing with their commitment to service, members of the Oakdale Lions Club are once again planning a community Thanksgiving Dinner. “The dinner, of course, is on Thanksgiving so we will start serving at 11 a.m. and it ends at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 28,” said Lions Club member and Spirit of Oakdale committee chairperson Matt Hanko. “We have sent out 90 letters with sign up forms on them.” Club members are seeking sign-ups for people to volunteer their time prepping and serving the meal, setting up the dining area at the Bianchi Community Center and are also looking for donations of food.

While there was a power outage in Knights Ferry for a portion of the day on Sunday, Nov. 3, there was no shortage of energy for those taking part in the 61st annual Pumpkin Roll, staged on Main Street in the small community east of Oakdale. Pumpkin rollers – of all ages and abilities – come from a wide area to take part in the fun competition, which sees Main Street closed off for much of the day as hundreds wait their turn to get their pumpkin closest to the line. The coveted trophies for the various age groups are always a big draw, along with the vendor fair, and chances to visit the local ice cream shop, art gallery and museum.

During a regular city council meeting on Monday, Nov. 4, the Oakdale City Council approved a resolution to improve the safety conditions of bicycle and pedestrian facilities along G Street, between Fourth Avenue and East Avenue. The council emphasized the critical need for updating and enhancing these facilities to ensure safer access for residents.

As the storm clouds gathered and the rain moved in, that didn’t dampen the spirits of the crowd gathered along Pontiac Street to watch the Veterans Day parade as it glided by on Monday morning, Nov. 11. Many of the entries featured veterans of all ages and ranks, and families lined up to wave their flags jubilantly as they honored the veterans that drove by in classic cars, in Army Humvees and even on tractors. As Ray Mendes, who served in the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines, noted, “It means a lot when people come out to support events like this because it means that they remember you and what you did for this country.”

In a unanimous decision on Monday, Nov. 18, members of the Oakdale City Council authorized a significant investment into the revitalization of the city’s Southwest Downtown area, aimed at enhancing safety and infrastructure through the Safe Routes to School project. The resolution passed enables City Manager Bryan Whitemyer to execute an agreement with George Reed, Inc. for a comprehensive overhaul that includes not just repaving, but substantial underground infrastructure improvements. The project, budgeted at $5.6 million, is set to transform the neighborhood roads and utilities that have seen over 25 years of wear and tear without major improvements. Carina McDonald, Capital Projects Manager, detailed the project’s scope during the council meeting. “We’re looking at revitalizing Third Avenue, Second Avenue, and First Avenue, all the way from H Street across Church Street out to J Street,” said McDonald.

Children in need are being blessed this Christmas season through the Samaritan’s Purse project, Operation Christmas Child. Individuals, families and groups have the opportunity to pack a shoebox gift filled with fun toys, school supplies, and personal care items and drop them off now during National Collection Week, Nov. 18 through 25. There are more than 4,700 drop-off locations open around the country. Locally, the drop off site is at The River Christian Community, 1351 E G St., Oakdale. Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide for more than three decades. In 2024, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 12 million children.

Looking for a fun way to make a difference, the school community at Sierra View Elementary recently conducted a cereal drive with a twist, concluding the effort with a special event on campus. The project was set up through the ‘Sunshine Committee’ at the Oakdale elementary school. “The Sunshine Committee is a committee responsible for building the morale of Sierra View staff and students. We try to promote kindness in and around our school and community,” explained kindergarten teacher Nancy Hill, a Sunshine Committee member. “We were looking for a fun way to help fill the pantry at the Center for Human Services with cereal. We thought promoting a giant domino fall, using boxes of cereal, would excite and motivate our students to collect cereal and in the process, they would have the opportunity to help someone in need.” Students brought in the donations of all kinds of cereal; the school collected boxes of cereal for two weeks. On the morning of November 20, classes hauled their cereal out to the playground for the domino event.

For the first time since 2021, Oakdale’s varsity football team is returning to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship game. The Mustangs will do battle in Division 3, facing off with the Vanden Vikings on Saturday, Nov. 30 at Sac City College with a 3 p.m. kickoff. Oakdale lost to Valley Oak League rival Manteca in 2021 but, three years, will play for the chance to bring the coveted blue banner home.

DECEMBER

Of the many vendors that came out to share their wares, Cowboy Santa stole the show once again. The line extended outside of the Gene Bianchi Community Center and down into the middle of the Oakdale Town Plaza courtyard on Saturday, Nov. 30 to see Cowboy Santa, with many children anxiously anticipating their visit to the man in the bright red cowboy hat. A longstanding Oakdale tradition, Cowboy Christmas was offered Friday evening, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30 at the Community Center. Vendors had their booths open for few hours Friday, with all booths open for business throughout the day on Saturday, along with the popular visits and photos with Cowboy Santa. The event is put on through the Oakdale Cowboy Museum and features unique Western arts and craft exhibitors.

As the Oakdale varsity football Mustangs got ready to head out to Sacramento on Saturday, Nov. 30, a supportive crowd lined Yosemite Avenue, cheering on the team with flags, banners, homemade signs and more. Oakdale did battle with the Vanden Vikings out of Fairfield but fell short, 49-35, in the Division 3 Section title contest.

Amidst a wave of anticipation and concern, the Oakdale City Council cast a pivotal vote that could shape the future of the community, approving the construction of the Fairfield Inn by Marriott Hotel within the bustling East F Street Corridor Specific Plan. The decision, which was not made lightly, also opens the door for the proposed Oakdale Marketplace, set to further invigorate Oakdale’s commercial scene. The council’s green light came after an intense public hearing held on Monday, Dec. 2, where voices from all corners of the community were heard. This approval, however, was met with resistance leading to an appeal brought forth by concerned citizens, culminating in a City Council vote of 3-1 in favor, with one abstention. Mayor Cherilyn Bairos, Mayor Pro Tem Christopher Smith and council member Kayleigh Gilbert voted in favor, councilman Bob Amaral cast the lone no vote and council member Fred Smith abstained.

Diners turned out in droves, volunteers were there to serve, meals were taken to shut-ins and there were even some leftovers that attendees could take home to enjoy later. The Spirit of Oakdale Community Thanksgiving Dinner was put on Thursday, Nov. 28 at the Gene Bianchi Community Center, organized by the Oakdale Lions Club and pulled off with plenty of assistance from volunteers. “It was amazing,” coordinator Matt Hanko of the Lions Club said. “We served somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 people.” In addition to the diners that made their way to the Community Center, there were also an estimated 115 meals home delivered to shut-ins, courtesy of the Oakdale Police Department CAPS volunteers.

Pencie and Ginger, the Escalon-based women and children’s boutique, recently announced its December fundraising initiative to support the Children’s Crisis Center in Oakdale. Throughout the month, Pencie and Ginger will be donating a portion of proceeds to the center, providing essential support to vulnerable children

and women in the local community. This cause is deeply personal to Megan Silva, owner of Pencie and Ginger, who served as a co-chair for the Children’s Guardian Fund Dinner several years ago, in 2008. She reflected on her time spent with Elsie Martin, founder of the Children’s Guardian Home, whose inspiring dedication to helping children and families has stayed with Silva throughout the years.

Stanislaus County Clerk Recorder and Registrar of Voters Donna Linder announced the Nov. 5, 2024 Presidential General Election canvass of the vote Per California Law was completed Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. Stanislaus County had 293,212 registered voters eligible to cast their ballot in this election, of which 200,183 voted. Voter turnout was 68.27 percent. There were several races of local interest on the ballot. Oakdale City Council – The top two vote getters out of the four running for available posts earned the seats; Jarod Pitassi was the top vote getter with 5,272 votes and Jeff Kettering was second with 3,972. Also running were Justin Biedinger and Caitlyn Barreda. Oakdale Joint Unified School District Measure G – The bond measure received more than the needed percentage to pass; the vote was 9,010 votes in favor, 6,412 opposed. Newly elected Oakdale City Council members Jeff Kettering and Jarod Pitassi were sworn into office by Deputy City Clerk Colleen Andersen during a special council meeting on Monday, Dec. 9. Both will serve a four-year term.

In the crowded Gene Bianchi Community Center, the sounds of children filled with excitement and wonder resonated throughout the room as everyone anxiously anticipated the arrival of that jolly man in red, Santa Claus. More than 200 people including 175 children enjoyed pizza, cookies and hot cocoa during the gathering, hosted by the Oakdale Lions Club in early December as part of their ‘shopping tour’ for kids. Greg Rivera, chair of this event for the Lions Club, said that, “We factor in the age group of the children, which are mostly grade school age and we buy gift cards for each age group.”

As the wind howled and the rain-filled sky grew grayer, a large crowd gathered at the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery to honor those service members that we’ve lost. The annual Wreaths Across America program hosted at the cemetery brings many different service members from various branches of the military together along with local service groups, such as Cub Scout Pack 365 and the Oakdale Lions Club, to honor veterans that have passed. Wreaths are placed on the graves of all veterans at the East J Street cemetery in Oakdale, with this year’s event staged on Saturday, Dec. 14. Volunteers turning out to assist with the laying of wreaths were also provided with beverages including hot cocoa and coffee, along with donuts, to help them power up for the task at hand. Wreaths Across America began in 1992 when Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, ended up with a surplus of wreaths and donated them to Arlington National Cemetery to be placed on the graves of those that made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

A longstanding tradition, the annual Valley Home Lighted Christmas Parade officially ushered in the holiday season on Saturday evening, Dec. 21. With the brightly lit parade entries making a loop around the block three times, leaving from and returning eventually to the parking lot outside the school’s multipurpose room, there was music, candy being tossed, even firefighters handing out the plastic firefighter helmets to youngsters along the parade route. Members of the small community turned out in force, with entries in the parade ranging from a backhoe draped with strings of Christmas lights to kids riding in the back of pick-up trucks or on flatbed trailers. Serving as Grand Marshals for this year’s parade were longtime residents Larry and Mary Ann Fraguero.

Walking into Toni Trask’s home in Oakdale is like walking into the North Pole. The greens, reds and golds of Christmas are on full display in every room of her house. Trask said that it is a labor of love for her and that even though it takes a while to put up, it is worth it. Her husband of more than 40 years, Paul, is on board with her decorating and even likes her to start early sometimes – like when Hallmark launches their Christmas in July television programming. With 33 trees spread throughout the Trask home, she has just about every kind of Christmas item you can imagine and they go together beautifully. She enjoys using different themes such as her Wizard of Oz and Under the Sea trees because she appreciates the variations in colors and textures. In this particular home for more than 28 years, Trask said that many of her ornaments and decorations have been gifted to her from friends and relatives. “I like to mix things up and put lots of different things together and I like it sparkly,” Trask said of her elaborate decorations.