TID Meeting Illuminates Questions on 2013 Taxes

The recent elections last November have most business communities such as Turlock scrambling for answers regarding new tax bills. After a slim couple hundred vote win in some regional areas, Democrats reigned winner over the Republicans within the Assembly and Senate in California, and are encouraging the state to increase taxes and spend more money in response to our debt crisis.

But according to The Apex Group in Sacramento, businesses may have no need to fear tax increases for this year. Public Affairs Specialist for Advocacy Government Relations Paul P. Gladfelty gave a speech at TID’s Board Meeting Tuesday morning to discuss how the recent elections could influence business communities and their customers. According to Gladfelty, there was a term limit initiative that was passed which reduced the Senate and Assembly’s terms by 2 years.

 In doing so, it allowed a legislator to pick whether or not they wanted to spend 12 years as a part of the Senate or Assembly. “That makes a big difference in our world because we have a lot of legislators, who as soon as they get elected, they are thinking about new bills you need to introduce. Now you have candidates such as Adam Gray, who now can look forward to 12 years. And why does that make a difference? Because I believe that they can have a long term perspective about what they can do for their communities,” said Gladfelty.

After speaking with Gray, Gladfelty believed that there was not a need to place legislation ballots in right away. Instead, Gladfelty ensured the public that Gray wanted to learn more about issues, ask for help, and become a better representative by listening rather than implementing ideas straightaway. Legislative leaders have just reverted back to their sessions last week.

All bills introduced last year are now dead, and must be re-introduced before their deadline on February 22, 2013. It is expected that 90 % of the bills will be introduced a week before the deadline while few will trickle in throughout the month. Though small taxes, such as service tax or split roll tax, may slightly increase and effect customers, businesses may not be directly affected. The Democratic Party seems less eager to push initiatives quickly, and want to slowly introduce methods by increasing revenue little by little.

A large scheme, however, is not known to be in effect. “I don’t see that any of those taxes in the big tax scheme are going to pass this year. I think a lot of these legislators, especially alluding to the close races with the Democrats, are going to be very circumspect about passing any major tax bills this year, especially given the fact that there is not a great need to increase taxes for future revenues,” said Gladfelty.

 According to The Apex Group, one of the benefits that came out of the recent election is the passing of Prop 30, which raised upper income tax brackets and a small percentage on the state sales tax, raising a significant amount to deal with our budget deficient. Gladfelty related that the Department of Finance says that Prop 30’s repsonse placed us in “good shape” and suggested that we may have a billion dollar deficient, which is not a grand total compared to the fact that the State of California deals with an 85 to 90 billion dollar budget.

 “Most of the legislative leadership believes that is something they can deal with,” said Gladfelty. “There will be an opportunity for a change in both houses, but it will not take place this year. I don’t think we are going to see any big budget fights this year, and we know it is always a big concern.”

Professional Chef, Author and Television Personality Donates Statue to Hometown Turlock

The Turlock City Arts Commission passed a motion Thursday evening recommending that the City Council accepts the statue of Assyrian Queen Shamiram, donated by Turlock native Narsai David. David, now residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, has hosted national PBS television series, wrote columns for the San Francisco Food Chronicle, and co-hosted a series of cooking demonstrations and radio broadcasts.

His success has further pushed his desire to give back to the community, and continues to be actively involved in various projects, which include but not limited to: President of the Board of the Assyrian Aid Society of America; Chairman of the Board of the Berkeley Fund; and Host of the annual Narsai’s Taste of the Mediterranean benefiting the Assyrian Aid Society of America. David believes Turlock to be a part of his identity, and the identity of many Assyrians that emigrate from Chicago.

 “All Assyrians came to Chicago, where the first jobs were. Once they had enough money, they wanted to find land that reminds them of home. The first Assyrian went to Turlock and bought requisite of land and began an Assyrian migration in Turlock,” David said. “There are a lot of Assyrians here. I graduated from Turlock Joint Union High School and have a warm spot in my heart for Turlock.” Queen Shamiram was the first woman to rule an empire without a man. David choose Queen Shamiram as a model due to her strong connotation to women’s power. He wanted to bring the community together to recognize great art, history, and modifications to social norms associated with women and their shifting roles in traditional communities.

The 9 ft bronze statue will feature Queen Shamiram as a powerful woman, clad in a roman-looking gown featuring bangles, golden arm bands, and a lioness at her feet. The base is to be made of granite, and will depict her importance on a plaque in Assyrian and English. A maquette sculpture was placed within the center of the room while the presentation took place to give citizens an idea of what the feature presentation will resemble.

David believed that because the statue is an Assyrian representation, the donation might be considered imposing on others views and wanted to relay his concern that though the statue is a symbol of Assyrian culture, it also incorporates a stunning piece of art that symbolizes women’s power, diversity, and history. Concerned Turlock residents filled the board room at City Hall, eager to place their input on the statue’s whereabouts, and describe their feelings associated with the statue.

The meeting was among the largest in the history of the Arts Commission, and proves to be a pivotal statue associated with emotional attachments. Turlock Resident Amil Adishol said, “This statue is a symbol of art and symbol of women in power. She was the first female that ruled the empire without being ruled by a king. Regardless of race, it is something that everyone can appreciate.” President of the Assyrian American Civic Club of Turlock Raymond George wanted to thank the board for looking into the matter, and is pleased that David has continued to regard Turlock as his home.

“Aside from being Assyrian, we have a civilization of 5,000 years. The Queen is known for her beauty and pride. It is fitting to see that beauty and pride in Turlock,” George said. A variety of citizens suggested keeping the statue at CSU Stanislaus, where a mature populace can learn and appreciate Queen Shamiram’s presence. Years ago, David suggested placing the statue on campus, but found the committee to be reluctant after agreeing. He hopes that the new president will not be so fickle, and takes the donation seriously. Though the Arts Commission cannot demand the University to accept the statue, they agree that the public should have a say in its location. Commissioner Llewellyn Boyle said, “These are not empty comments.

 I notice that there is a change of attitude and receptivity to public doings such as this. It wouldn’t hurt to pursue the University again.” The Arts Commission was in an agreement to recommend that the City Council accepted the statue.

BBQ in Central Valley

Get a taste of summer at local BBQs

With foul weather afoot, many are seeking solace from the cold inside their homes and dreaming of finer days. But thanks to local BBQ eateries, the tastes of backyard summer barbeques can be had any time of year. A new restaurant earning critical acclaim in Denair is Earl’s BBQ, a barbeque joint focused on family recipes and country style cooking. Owners Keith and Stephanie Stapp opened Earl’s BBQ on April 2, 2012, and are amazed at how fast their fan base is growing.


 “We use my grandmother’s homemade recipe for our beans. She was from Oklahoma, so we call them ‘Oakie’ beans. My father and I came up with pork sauce. Our sauce is close to a tomato base, and that is more like what they do in the South. Our meats are so much different than everybody else. Everything is made from scratch,” Stapp said. Pit-master Doug Sumter of Earl’s BBQ said the meat is where it's at, especially for Superbowl parties. “We have a rib salad we are selling on preorder for the Superbowl. We have pickups for rack of ribs that are on sale for $16. The two pick up times are at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., and would work for parties,” Sumter said. Twice a month, Earl’s BBQ has rib sales, the next being this Monday. “It is great for football fans,” Stapp said. “You can buy whole briskets, whole porks and tri-tips everyday if you wanted to. It is smoked and ready to go. All I need is a 24 hour notice.”

 For more information on Earl's BBQ, or to place an order, call 250-2415.

 For those looking for home cooked meals in the Modesto area, Doc’s Q’in Pit Stop is a general favorite for anytime of the year. Owner Doc Gaylor has award winning chicken, pulled-pork and biscuits, tri-tip, and a variety of barbequed items all smoked until the tender meat falls off the bone. Gaylor even makes his own hot-links, but is best known for exceptional ribs. “They are smoked three or four hours. Sometimes they go a little longer, though. My barbeque is done the old fashioned way, and it takes a long time and uses real wood. I put 19 different herbs and spices on them too,” Gaylor said of the ribs.

The sides consist of collard greens, candied yams, BBQ beans, red beans and rice, black eyed peas, and potato salad. If you take delight in spicy food, Doc’s can cater to your needs. There are four different types of sauces that range from light to “Hella Hot.” “We’ll satisfy your yearn to burn,” said Gaylor. Doc’s also hosts one of the Central Valley’s first BBQ trucks to make ordering convenient for out of towners, and has sold its meat for the last two years at the Modesto Downtown Farmer’s Market. Doc’s likes to hand out free samples to those who ask in order to get a first hand perspective of the cooking. Gaylor believes that he can convince anyone who tries his cooking to be hooked.

 “They say that happy cows come from California. Well, happy ribs come from Doc’s,” he said. The authentic smoker out front, complete with the aromatic smell of barbeque is sure to make you forget that it is winter. For more information about Doc’s Q’in Pit Stop, visit http://docsqnpit.com/index.php.

Since 1977, The Fruit Yard in Modesto has been serving members of the Central Valley as a bakery, country market, and even a BBQ stop. Though the name proves to be misleading for first time visitors, the restaurant offers a variety of barbeque sandwiches, including tri-tip, linguica, BBQ chicken, and drunken pork sandwiches. The Fruit Yard offers family dinners that feature racks of pork, baby back ribs, and three half chickens. Take out is an option for get-togethers at home. Ala carte meats are also sold from a variety of different prices and include full or half rack ribs.

“Super Party Specials” are intended to serve between 10 to 12 people with large quantities of meat. The meat is cooked on the grill while it is half smoked by wood charcoal, providing a richer flavor compared to most home grills. “We have really good pork spare ribs and baby back ribs. But we are mainly famous for our tri-tip. We make everything right on the spot,” said deli employee Jeff Sweyd. The sizzling sauna of heat rising from freshly barbequed meat should be enough to make anyone disregard their winter woes and believe that summer has finally arrived.


 For more information about The Fruit Yard Restaurant and BBQ menu, visit http://www.thefruityard.com/sections/market. — BROOKE BORBA / The 209

Turlock Planet Beach

Planet Beach offers healing red light to combat winter blahs

Looking for a killer tan in the middle of winter? Ready for a summer vacation, but worried about time and money? Or do you just need an escape from the coarse winter cold? Look no further than Planet Beach Contempo Spa, a wellness center with all the amenities necessary for renewing the skin and relaxing the body.

Spa director Taura Whitehead believes that Turlock’s Planet Beach can offer something for everyone, including reducing the look of inflammation, minimizing pores, revitalizing skin cells, or easing painful body parts.

“We have a whole regime we can put together for people. Some people just want to tan, or do a full spa. Some want to stop their pain. Our spa is really good for older people with arthritis or people that suffer from different types of back or shoulder pain,” said Whitehead. “We even have a lot of men that come in here. We are very health conscious. This is for health and wellness. We are here to make people feel better and look better.”

The services range from basic teeth whitening—guaranteed to brighten your teeth four to six shades each session—to Mystic HD tanning for a healthy glow. Each service is designed to rejuvenate cells and invigorate the mind with or without UV services.

One of the most interesting pieces of machinery the Spa hosts is the Lumiere, a red light therapy facial mechanism complete with a cyber-relax massage chair. According to Whitehead, red light therapy was first developed by NASA years ago to grow agriculture in space.

“They found a secondary use for the red light; it can re-grow skin. It is an all natural healing red light and has no negative side effects. Red light therapy uses concentrated light to stimulate circulation, boost collagen production and enhance the skin’s natural ability to heal. It can produce dramatic results in just a few visits,” said Whitehead.

Turlock’s Planet Beach also houses a full body red light therapy bed due to its recent popularity. The red light helps fight acne by clearing out clogged pores and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. Clients who have trouble with eczema and rosatia also find relief from the therapy; for those prone to high blood pressure, arthritis, or joint pain, red light will help ease the pain.

The device even helps lessen nervous tics and keeps mild depression at bay in the same way that natural sunlight raises serotonin levels. Winter easily increases the feeling of depression, but studies linked to light sessions of red light therapy are proven to improve moods.

Red light can take up to a week to see results, but for fast acting facials, the UMO Facial System is guaranteed to work the very next day. The UMO uses gamma PGA drops that utilize a hydrating effect 10 times stronger than hyaluronic acid to penetrate moisture past the first five layers of the skin.

“It is my favorite, and I always try to do it when I have the time,” said Whitehead.

For dry skin, Whitehead suggests using the Hydo-Derma Fusion, a bed created to deeply moisturize skin and burn 400 to 600 calories per session. The treatment combines infrared heat and nutrient-rich dense steam which works closely to improve tone, texture, and elasticity.

Clients can choose up to four solutions of nutrients to infuse inside the chamber, including Vitamin E and C, Aloe, Mineral Melon, and Cocue 10 for anti-aging. Unlike the dry heat sauna, the Hydo-Derma Fusion uses wet heat to hydrate the skin.

Dry heat saunas are also available and include six different programs: weight-loss, cardio, relaxation, skin health, pain relief and detox.

Planet Beach also houses a massage spa usually only seen in Vegas, Monterey, and a small club of upscale wellness centers. The Aqua-Massage Spa has 36 jets of water that adhere to a fully clothed body, pushing on pressure points that knead the sores.

Still not sure if visiting the spa is for you? Try it out for free.

“We have free day passes and give it to all our clients. If it is not or you, that is okay. But we have never had anything like this in Turlock before, and we are still growing. I’m confident you’ll feel better,” Whitehead said.

For a list of membership prices or additional information, call 634-2772 or visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Planet-Beach-Contempo-Spa-Turlock/178942432188657

— BROOKE BORBA / The 209