Regional Roundup

Civic leaders from across valley to meet

Leaders from San Joaquin Valley's private and public sectors will meet at Wine and Roses Friday to discuss issues ranging from transportation to renewable energy.

The public is welcome at the day-long event, which is the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley Board of Directors quarterly meeting.

Directors will convene starting at 7:30 a.m. to discuss issues related to Highway 99.

Renewable energy will be the topic at 10:30 a.m. Other topics during the day will include housing and health services.

The partnership was initiated by Gov. Schwarzenegger to address economic, environmental and social issues throughout the eight-county San Joaquin Valley.

For more information, visit http://www.sjvpartnership.org.

The meeting will be held at the Garden Ballroom of Wine and Roses, 2505 W. Turner Road.

Water district plans $2 million pipe replacement

The public is invited to submit public comments on the North San Joaquin Water Conservation District's plan to replace 19,600 linear feet of pipeline at two locations in the Victor area.

The project is intended to allow the district to provide Mokelumne River water for about 3,200 acres. That would increase the use of river water from 1,800 acre-feet per year to about 6,000 acre-feet.

The new pipe would also convey another 4,000 acre-feet annually to a planned groundwater recharge project with sandy soil north of Kettleman Lane and west of Alpine Road.

Plans call for the water district to install reinforced concrete pipe ranging from 30 to 48 inches on the west side of Tretheway Road between Brandt and Victor roads, and south of Victor Road to Pixley Slough between Alpine and Locust Tree roads. Cost estimate is slightly more than $2 million, but the district hopes that half the cost will be financed by Proposition 50 state bond money.

Copies of the project's negative declaration are available at the public works counter at Lodi City Hall, 221 W. Pine St.

A public hearing will be held at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Lodi Public Library community room, 201 W. Locust St. Comments may also be mailed to the North San Joaquin Water Conservation District, in care of Ed Steffani, P.O. Box 428, Clements, CA 95227. Mailed comments must be received by Monday.

Manteca city council OKs foreclosure rules

MANTECA — Homeowners who neglect vacant homes in Manteca could face hefty fines after city officials move to crack down on people letting homes deteriorate.

The City Council has approved a set of ordinances requiring homeowners to keep up their properties after they move out.

The rules are aimed at curbing problems at some 800 homes left vacant by foreclosure and neglected by companies who take possession of them.

The new rules would fine people who neglect their vacant homes up to $1,000 a day.

Homeowners are also required to maintain yards outside homes built after 1993. If they don't, the city can hire contractors to do the upkeep and bill the owners.