Empire News

Darkness is a criminal's friend. When the sun goes down in tough neighborhoods, blood pressure goes up in homes.

The waiting is over in Riverbank. Former Councilwoman Virginia Madueno is the city's mayor.

LifeHouse Theater announces the return of its musical biography "Louis Pasteur" for the 2010 LifeTales educational series for students.

The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors is scheduled today to vote on: - Accepting $1.45 million in federal Homeland Security grants.

The three-day West Coast experiment known as Phish Festival 8 was declared an overwhelming success by fans and Indio police Sunday as the host band called it a wrap.

Info: The Stanislaus County Library Foundation and the Friends of the Library are offering Halloween parties at local libraries.

Stephanie Pratt, one of the stars of the MTV reality show "The Hills," was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Hollywood early Sunday morning.

Novelist A.S. Byatt speaks at the Crest Theatre on Wednesday. Prize-winning novelist A.S. Byatt will be onstage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Crest Theatre as part of the California Lectures subscription series.

The war of words in the Local Station Board elections for KPFK and other Pacifica radio stations is heating up.

When: Tuesday, 4 and 7 p.m. Info: Presentation by the Modesto Junior College Speech and Debate Team.

Detective Glen Carr probably can solve a homicide with one hand tied behind his back.

About 2,500 students from Fairview, El Vista, Franklin, Hughson, Shackelford, Alberta Martone, Empire, Bret Harte and Orville Wright elementary schools will be walking to school this month along with parents, teachers and community leaders.

Schools in this tight-knit community that sits where Santa Fe Avenue dead-ends into Yosemite Boulevard have money problems.

Features Editor John Weeks picks a Top 10 list of weekend entertainment events in the Inland Empire: GRAPE STOMP: The 70th anniversary edition of the Grape Harvest Festival, the oldest of its kind in California, continues today through Sunday at Victoria Gardens, Rancho Cucamonga.

By unanimous vote, Stanislaus County supervisors on Tuesday: * Created a new process for property assessment appeals.

The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors today is scheduled to: Create a new process for property assessment appeals.

Sheriff's deputies threw a disabled Empire man to the ground and "said words to the effect that, 'This is what happens when a white girl gets raped,' " according to a claim against Stanislaus County.

A freight train hit a pickup truck early Thursday in Stanislaus County, but nobody was hurt.

Women do take-charge work all the time, but don't always see themselves in that role, says the president of the newly formed Inland Empire chapter of California Women Lead, which holds an organizational meeting on Wednesday.

North Star Mining Museum, Allison Ranch Road, Grass Valley: Public tours take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.