The Modesto Bee from Modesto, California • 17

The Modesto Bee LOCAL NEWS MONDAY, MAY 1, 2006 Merced considers general plan Growth boundary expansion at issue By DAVID CHIRCOP MERCED SUN-STAR MERCED The City Council and Planning Commission will hold a joint meeting at City Hall tonight to discuss various options for updating Merced's general plan, a comprehensive blueprint for growth and development. Council members and planning commissioners will discuss three scenarios for increasing the city's urban growth boundary, ranging from a conservative expansion of 12,000 acres to a more aggressive 21,000 acres. City staff members and global engineering firm URS Corp. recommend the most conservative option. That option has a maximum population of 360,000.

Merced's current population is 70,000. URS was awarded a $419,450 contract to conduct the general plan update. Once the area to grow is determined, said Kim Espinosa, a planning manager with the city, appropriate land uses, such as residential, industrial and commercial zones, will be determined. The meeting is open to the public, but opportunities to comment may be limited. The public will have time to comment at future City Council and Planning Commission meetings before anything is approved.

"It's supposed to guide growth and it's supposed to give property owners and citizens a vision for the city," Espinosa said of the general plan. She said the document can be used to help people make longterm decisions, such as buying a home or setting up a business. The city's general plan was last updated in 1997, but relocation of the University of California at Merced and growth pressures are prompting the update. Espinosa said the update is due for completion by the end of 2007. The study session is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., before the regular council meeting at 678 W.

18th St. in Merced. Yosemite Lodge buildings to be razed Officials aim to save public from flooding By LAURA COOK MERCED SUN-STAR YOSEMITE Four buildings that are part of Yosemite Lodge at the Falls will be demolished and five will be built in another area in order to protect the public from possible flooding, park officials said. Developers began bidding on the project last week, and construction might begin as soon as June, said Calvin Liu, construction information officer. The new buildings will be constructed before the old buildings are demolished in order to prevent a financial loss to the park, Liu said.

Once Yosemite Lodge at the Falls is completely relocated, it will have 251 rooms instead of the current 245, said Kenny Karst, public relations manager for Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts, which operates lodging in the park. The project, which also includes adding a road to Yosemite Valley, is part of the Yosemite Valley Plan, which was approved in December 2000. "We will alleviate the traffic congestion," park spokesman Scott Gediman said about adding Northside Drive. The additional road and lodge redevelopment and construction of two parking lots is expected to cost about $35 million, Gediman said. It will be paid the park's supplemental appropriation funding that Congress established after a major flood in 1997.

Demolishing the old buildings is intended to protect the public from natural disasters, because they stand on a 100-year floodplain, Karst said. "The average has been that there has been a large high water event every century," he said. "We are just looking out for the public to make sure that nobody is exposed to that in any one of those structures." The 100-year floodplain, where the annual peak flow has a 1 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded every year, sees flowing waters when high levels of snowpack are hit with warm rains. Karst said the storm in 1997, the biggest flood to date, came in from the South Pacific and melted the snow with a downpour of warm rain. "We had twice as much water coming through the valley," he said.

Yosemite has had 11 winter floods since 1916 that have caused substantial damage to property, according to the park service Web site. The floods all occurred between Nov. 1. and Jan. 30, and some of the largest were in 1937, 1950 and 1955.

Yosemite Lodge was built in the 1960s, and officials were aware that they were constructing buildings in a danger zone, Gediman said. Some of the reasoning for its location is because it's near the Merced River, he said. "(Things) are constructed next to the river a lot of the time because people like he said. After the 1997 flood, officials decided it was necessary to relocate certain structures. "You never know," Karst said.

"Nature has its own set of rules. It could happen at any time, just like rock slides could happen at any time." UC Merced students yearn for Greek life By CORINNE REILLY MERCED SUN-STAR Being among University of California at Merced's first students has its perks: all new dorm rooms, classrooms with the latest technology and close interaction with professors. However, being a pioneer also has drawbacks. With few majors, no sports teams and not much to do on campus, UC's founding class is missing out on the typical college experience. Many students say bringing Greek life to the campus would make a difference.

"We really need something to connect us," said freshman Brooklynn Edwards. "Sororities and fraternities are an important part of college." But campus administrators said it's not that simple. "It's one of those things that we really need to plan out to make sure we do it the right way," campus spokeswoman Sheryl Wyan said. Administrators said they plan to allow Greek life at UC Merced, but the campus isn't ready yet. Jane Lawrence, vice chancellor of Student Affairs, said she AT A GLANCE According to the North American Interfraternity Conference, more than 800 college campuses in the United States and Canada host more than 5,500 fraternity chapters.

More than 3 million women on nearly 600 campuses belong to sororities. All UC campuses except Merced have sororities and fraternities. will lead a committee to be established next fall that will begin looking at the issue. She said the committee, consisting of students, faculty and administrators, will examine sororities and fraternities on other college campuses and discuss guidelines, models and best practices for establishing Greek life at UC Merced. The committee likely will spend the university's second school year examining the issue before moving forward, Lawrence said.

It could take another year to get a sorority or fraternity chapter up and running, said Deanna Detchemendy of the National Panhellenic Conference, an Indiana-based umbrella organization that works to coordinate, expand and advocate for national and international sororities. Once university administrators declare their campus open to Greek life, the group advertises the school's decision to national sororities. Sororities typically then send information to campus administrators, determine which groups to invite to an in person pitch. Administrators then decide which sororities they will allow to launch chapters. Establishing a fraternity works much the same way.

All five students running for student body president said the lack of social activities on campus is a top concern among students. "To be competitive with other universities, we need to offer students more than academics. Building a foundation for Greek life on campus is an essential part of that," said junior Mehrdad Rasolipour. Law Order FIRE DESTROYS WAREHOUSE: Firefighters byproduct of almond hulls, encompassed an entire used 2 million gallons of water over 11 hours commercial block, Fujita said, but the total cost of the Sunday to douse a fire that destroyed a Turlock structure and its contents is unknown. Officials almond-processing warehouse.

The Turlock Fire couldn't say who owned the property. Firefighters Department responded just after 4 a.m. on the from Turlock City, Turlock Rural and Modesto Fire 400 block of Street, and the structure's tin roof departments had the blaze "under control" by 6 a.m., collapsed minutes later, said Battalion Chief Dennis Fujita said. But firefighters spent nine more hours Fujita. Investigators believe the fire was suspicious in removing wooden bins stacked inside so aerial trucks origin but were unable to tell how it started, he said.

could extinguish them, Fujita said. Aerial trucks dump The warehouse that housed "almond hash," a 2,000 to 3,000 gallons of water each minute, he said. LICENSED TO WED HERNANDEZ-DIECK Julio and Jackeline HETTINGA-BROWN Walter and Donna JOSEPH-YAKO Albert and Widad JUAREZ Frankie and Angela JUSTICE WARD Robert and Carolyn MANLEY Travis and Kandise MASON-VISS Caleb and Sandra MENSONIDES-DOERKSEN Paul and Dana MORENO-SALDANA David and Andrea OLIVEIRA-SOUZA Michael and Lindsey PALANDRANI-COLSON Anthony and Kelly PALMERO-ANGELES Daniel and Jamie PARENT WILCOX Geoffrey and Danielle QUESADA-LEDBETTER Michael and Anna A HEAD START ON READING GIRLS IN An open house and end-of-year celebration at Hughes Head Start in Modesto found 6-year-old Sanjini Prasad and her mother, Nalini, reading a book. The two were there with Sanjini's brother, not pictured, who is in the federally funded education program for low-income preschoolers and their families. Friday's celebration was a chance to officially open a playhouse, left, made and donated by Morrison Homes, as well: as to enjoy a barbecue and reading.

JOAN BARNETT BEE OBITUARIES Stanislaus County PHANOUVONG, Khampheuy SMITH, Helen J. VAUGHAN, Joyce A. San Joaquin County THOMPSON, Donald C. Jr. Khampheuy Phanouvong March 13, 1924 April 27, 2006 Modesto Khampheuy Phanouvong, died Thursday at Memorial Medical Center.

Mr. Phanouvong was a native of Luang Prabang, Laos, and lived in Modesto 22 years. He worked in accounting for the Laotian military. He was a member of Lao Lane Xang Association, and enjoyed picnics and fishing. He is survived by his wife, Bounthanh Phanouvong of Modesto; children, Vong Phanouvong of Newark, Alex Phanouvong, Max Phanouvong, Pam Ratsamythong and Brook Phanouvong, all of Modesto, Off of Denair, and Melissa Phanouvong and Molly Phanouvong, both of Riverbank; sisters, Boua Phanouvong and Pou Phanouvong, both of Laos; 17 grandchildren and one greatgrandchild.

Visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Lakewood Funeral Home, Hughson. A witness cremation service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Helen J.

Smith June 29, 1928 April 27, 2006 Helen Joyce Swanson Smith, 77, of Modesto died Thursday at Alexander Cohen Hospice House, Hughson. Mrs. Smith was a native of Fruita, and lived in Modesto 58 years. She was a homemaker. She enjoyed reading.

She is survived by her husband, Robert O. Smith Jr. of Modesto; children, Roger K. Smith of Turlock, Thoughtful Flower Extress Condolences 5 'Share Memories 429 McHenry Ave. 521-1491 Sande L.

Smith of Elk Grove and David C. Smith of Hercules; and sisters, Phyllis Parish of Georgetown, Texas, and Sheryl Potter of Conterville, Iowa. Visitation from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Colonial Chapel of Franklin Downs. A funeral will be at 11 a.m.

Thursday at the chapel, with burial to follow at Lakewood Memorial Park, Hughson. Remembrances may be made to Alexander Cohen Hospice House, 4368 Spyres Way, Modesto 95356. Donald C. Thompson Jr. April 12, 1942 April 25, 2006 Donald Charles Thompson 64, of Manteca died Tuesday.

Mr. Thompson was a native of Tueson, and lived in Manteca over 50 years. He was an attorney and former chief deputy district attorney for San Joaquin County, He enjoyed disk jockeying at weddings, and football, especially the Oakland Raiders. He is survived by his children, Tim Thompson of Monterey and Terri Thompson Lobb of Stockton; brother, James Thompson of Stockton; sister, Sandra Mello of Manteca; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Donald C.

Thompson Sr. and Charlotte Thompson. Visitation from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday at P.L. Fry Son Funeral Home.

A vigil with the rosary will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the chapel. A Mass will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, with burial at St.

John's Catholic Cemetery, Escalon. Remembrances may be made to St. Vincent de Paul of Manteca, 505 E. North Manteca 95336. Joyce A.

Vaughan Feb. 29, 1924 April 29, 2006 Joyce A. Morrison Vaughan, 82, of Modesto died Saturday at Memorial Medical Center. Mrs. Vaughan was a native and lifelong resident of Modesto.

She was an Internal Revenue Service agent for 25 years. She is survived by her children, Sharon Welch of Lodi and Jeffrey FREE DELIVERY Florals to all funeral homes 1201 McHENRY 524-1401 So Habla Serving the Modesto Area for over 60 Years Family owned since 1952 -MORTUARY Generations of Professional, Compassionate and www.allenmortuary.com Affordable Care 247 N. BROADWAY TURLOCK 634-5829 Vaughan of Modesto; and one grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband. Visitation from noon to 5 p.m.

Thursday at the Colonial Chapel of Franklin Downs. Remembrances may be made to a favorite charity. COMPILED BY SANTIAGO CORTES, BEE NEWSROOM ASSISTANT FUNERAL NOTICES DONNIE WILSON 3 P.M., Ceres Memorial Park FRANKLIN DOWNS CERES CHAPEL, Directors IN MEMORY OF IN MEMORY OF KELSI AUSTIN LOWE MAY 1, 1992 NOV. 20, 2002 On your birthday I laughed cried I played basketball, I had fun. Though my tears I could not hide.

Your friends ate burgers, no meat, just the bun. You were mom's 1st baby, we watched the video of you being born. Daddy thought you were a boy, maybe the doctor said it was a girl that morn. 10 years you were here, 5 of them with me. When I think of you I wipe my tears, how I miss my sissy Each May Ist I send you a balloon I hope you catch them all I watch them fly to the moon.

I can't say goodbye, because I don't want you to leave. by Keaton Lowe, 9, Kelsi's BoBo www.modbee.com/obituaries FUNERAL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MONUMENTS MARKERS BANUELOS-ROMERO Mayolo and Nelda BLOM-PLATTS Gabriel and Laura BORING-GAVISK Michael and Patreca BRUNETTI-QUINTERO Vanni and Rachel CAMPOS-ESPINOSA Enrique and Perla DEROSSETT-SHATSWELL Johnny and Dawn DIAZ-ORR Jesus and Jennifer DIMBERG-CAMPBELL Devin and Shauna GONZALES-THOMAS Paul and Mary GRAVES-GIBLIN James and Kelly, GUZMAN-CARDENAS Roberto and Nellie GWIN-DEVANEY Steven and Marie HACKNEY-JONES Michael and Shanna HEATON-MIGUEL Christopher and Allison ROCK-TRUELOVE Matthew and Nicole SEEFELDT-JACKSON Michael and Crista SELLS-LOPEZ Elisha and Leanna TAMAYO-ROSELLI Luis and Nina TOLENTINO-GUTIERREZ Hugo and Erendira TORRES-MARTINEZ Juan and Brenda TORRES-RAMOS Christopher a and Rosa TURNER Randall and Roseann VECENTE-RODERICK Edward and Ashley VIZCARRA-ROJAS Jose and Amparo WILSON-GILLESPIE Robert and Kristen Source: Stanislaus Record Facts COMPILED BY PAT MACHADO, BEE NEWSROOM ASSISTANT, For All Local Cemeteries Memorial Art Co. Inc 524-2821.