The Blue Moon Taste of San Joaquin returns to Downtown Stockton’s Weber Point on Saturday, August 17th, from 11:30 am to 6:30 pm.  The festival, now entering its sixth year, features championship BBQ and great music.

You are cordially invited to an uplifting evening of extraordinary experiential live entertainment. Renowned mine artist, artist, and innovative communicator Sister Gloria (Sister Gloria Heese, RSM), will be the honored guest of Art Expressions of San Joaquin (AESJ) this Friday, August 9, from 5-7 PM at the County Administration Building, 44 N. San Joaquin Street, Stockton, CA.

Monte, a mountain lion that had lived at San Joaquin County’s Micke Grove Zoo since 2000, was humanely euthanized on July 31 because of worsening health conditions related to renal (kidney) failure. Estimated to be just over sixteen years old, Monte was a popular animal with the public and a favorite of zoo staff.

The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors recently approved a fee increase for Micke Grove Zoo. As of August 1, 2013, the zoo entrance fee will be $5 adults, $3 youth ages 3 to 13.

The Stockton Thunder (@StocktonThunder) and head coach and director of hockey operations Rich Kromm announced today that the team has agreed to terms with rookie left wing James Henry. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Wilfredo Gagaza, General Manager of the Olive Garden in Stockton, has been presented with Darden Restaurants’ top honor – the Joe R. Lee Diamond Club Award, named after the company’s first chairman and CEO. Now in its 16th year, the award is presented annually to General Managers throughout North America who demonstrate outstanding results by delighting guests with a genuine Italian dining experience while also achieving top financial performance in the company’s previous fiscal year.

The League of Women Voters of San Joaquin County (LWVSJC) is inviting members and the public to attend this year’s ‘Kick-Off’ Fund-Raiser on Saturday, September 14, 2013 at the Delicato Winery, 12001 South Highway 99 in Manteca CA 95336. Following a light lunch and wine tasting at 1 p.m., a program and speaker will focus on “GMOs and Our Grocery Basket”. The program will end at 3 p.m.

To accommodate work associated with the reconstruction of the Interstate 5/ French Camp Road Interchange, Manthey Road/Henry Long Boulevard will be closed.

San Joaquin County Health Officer, Dr. Karen Furst, confirmed that a 65 year old male living in Stockton is the first human with West Nile Virus (WNV) infection in San Joaquin County this year. The man has been reported as an asymptomatic blood donor. Although for reporting purposes this does not meet the case definition for the California Department of Public Health to count as a case, it does indicate that there is currently active transmission of WNV to people in San Joaquin County. Last year, San Joaquin County’s first detection of WNV infection in a human was also diagnosed about the same time in July.

Do you have a classic car you’d love to show off? If so, sign up to participate in the LIVE! At Lincoln Center Classic Car Show. A community favorite with thousands of people in attendance, this event takes place from 6:00 to 9:00 pm on Friday, August 16th.