Tracy CA Homes For Sale

St. Joseph’s Medical Center will be providing low-cost mammography screenings for women in Tracy, CA on Wednesday, January 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Safeway store located at 1801 W. 11th Street.

The mammograms are part of innovative program created to bring mammography services to women who have limited resources and may not otherwise have access to preventative health care.

Low-cost mammograms will be available for $80. Women enrolled in certain medical programs may be eligible for a free mammogram. The screenings are available by appointment to any woman with a physician’s referral.

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Early detection is one of the most important factors in the fight against breast cancer, and a mammogram, in combination with a yearly doctor’s exam and monthly breast self-exam, makes it easier than ever for early breast cancer detection and survival.

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The data collected for the 2010 Census was released today, bringing with it great changes through the reapportionment of congressional districts, as well as several other interesting population findings.

Republican-leaning states in the South and West that experienced a population boom over the past decade will gain political clout, while some historically Democratic states in the Rust Belt will lose it, according to Census Bureau figures released Tuesday aimed at ensuring proportional representation in the House.

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-Michigan was only state to lose residents since 2000. The state’s population dropped by 0.6%.

-Nevada population grew 35.1% since 2000. Arizona’s population grew 24.1% over the same time period. Those states are likely to shed thousands of residents as the mortgage crisis continues to mount.

-The Northeast grew by 3.2%. The Midwest grew by 3.9%. Meanwhile, the South expanded by 14.3% and the West grew by 13.8%.

-In 1910 the West region was 7.7% of the country’s population. Now it’s 22.5%.

-The five most populous states are California, Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois.

-For the first time ever, the West is now more populous than the Midwest.

-The U.S. population hit 308.7 million, according to the latest census data. That represents an increase of 9.7 percent since 2000, the slowest growth rate since the Great Depression.

-Washington D.C. registered its first population growth since 1950, the Census data show. That’s up 5.2 percent since 2000 for a total of 601,723.

-Least populous states: Wyoming, Vermont, North Dakota, Alaska and South Dakota.

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The U.S. Census and the Amazing Apportionment Machine

Winter brings rain and gloomy days, but that doesn’t mean you and your family can’t still have fun! You just have to take it indoors.

Here are some fun and easy winter crafts for kids and adults alike.

3-D Artwork
Art meets science in this fun indoor activity.

What You’ll Need:
Card stock
Rimmed baking sheet
White glue
Salt
Colored water (see tip below)
Eyedropper

Instructions:
1. Place the card stock on the baking sheet and use the glue to draw a design on the paper.

2. Sprinkle salt on the wet glue until it’s completely covered; tap off any excess.

3. Using the eyedropper, drip one drop at a time of the colored water onto the salt.

As the salt absorbs the colored water, the liquid will move along the lines created by the glue, resulting in a color piece of art. Be sure to watch what happens when the colors reach intersecting lines.

Colored Water Tip: Use 5 drops of neon food coloring per 1 tablespoon of water.

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Homemade Snow Dough
This sparkling white play dough will surely brighten up your winter days.

What You’ll Need:
1 Cup Flour
1 Cut Water
1/2 Cup Salt
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
2 Tablespoons White Tempera Paint
1 Tablespoon White or Iridescent Glitter
A Few Drops of Peppermint Extract (optional)

Instructions:
1. Combine all the ingredients except the peppermint extract (if you’re using it) in a medium-sized pot and cook over medium heat.

2. Stir constantly until the mixture holds together, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from hot stove.

3. Place the pay dough on wax paper to cool, about 15 minutes. If you’re using peppermint extract, gently knead it into the dough.

You may store the cooled dough in ziplock back in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

When it comes time to play with the dough, there are a variety of useful props:
Dried Beans
Small Twigs
Tiny Carrot Sticks
Cupcake Wrappers
Colorful Beads
Paper Drink umbrellas
Egg Carton Cups
Snowflake Cookie Cutters

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Snowman Thermometer
When the weather outside is frightful, make a thermometer so delightful!

What You’ll Need:
1 Jumbo Craft Stick
White Acrylic Paint
White and Red Glitter Glue
2″ Piece of White Chenille Stem
2 Medium Blue Pom-Pom Puffs
Wax Paper
½ Orange Toothpick
1 Blue Toothpick (colored toothpicks are not required, plain will work)
Scrap of Material For Scarf
Scrap of White Paper For Sign
Black Marker
White Craft Glue
Glue Stick
Scissors

Instructions:
1. Cover your working area with a piece of wax paper and paint the jumbo craft stick white; allow to dry and repeat if needed.

2. Create the snowman’s face using the black marker to draw eyes, eyebrows, and a mouth. Glue the orange toothpick piece between the eyes and the mouth to make the nose.

3. Glue the blue toothpick to the back of the craft stick, about 2.5” down from the top, leaving about 2/3 of the toothpick visible.

4. Cut a piece of white paper, about 2” x 3” and fold in half. On one half, write “BRRR!” with the black marker. Line the inside of the cut paper with using the glue stick and fold it around the blue toothpick to create the sign.

5. Glue a piece of scrap material around the neck area to create a scarf.

6. Bend the white chenille stem so that it is rounded and fits around the top of the craft stick; this will the headband of the snowman’s ear muffs. Glue in place.

7. Trim a little off the side of a pom-pom puff, making one side flatter. Glue the flat side of the puff to the craft stick where the chenille stem ends. Repeat on the other side.

8. Starting at the bottom of the craft stick, use the red glitter glue to make a “ball” of mercury, then draw a line halfway up the stick.

9. Use the white glitter glue and continue up the craft stick until you reach the scarf. Allow several hours to dry completely.

10. Using a fine tip black marker, add numbers and temperature marks to your thermometer; be sure to include the Fahrenheit and Celcius symbols (F and C).

Hint: Start your number 0 where the red and white meet, then fill in remaining numbers from there.

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According to the National Association of Realtors, 36% of the past year’s first-time buyers turned to their friends and family for help with a down payment, up from the previous year’s 28%.

The editors of Money Magazine have compiled a list of guidelines to follow when considering whether or not to gift a down payment to your child, extend a loan, or cosign their mortgage.

Make a gift if . . .

You want to chip away at your estate. Right now, you and your spouse can each give $13,000 tax-free per year to your child (and another $13,000 each to his or her spouse). A larger gift will simply count against your $1 million lifetime gift-tax exemption, so you still may not have to pay gift taxes, says Morristown, N.J. financial planner Chris Cordaro.

He’s just shy of 20%. If your child has, say, $38,000 to put down on a $200,000 home, kicking in a couple thousand dollars means he won’t have to pay for private mortgage insurance.

You can have an open family discussion. Your other kids should know that you are providing this aid, whether you intend to help them in a comparable way, and if not, why you made that decision.

Draft a loan if . . .

She can pay you back and still qualify for a mortgage. Rules prohibit family loans on the 3.5% down payment needed for government-insured FHA mortgages. For conventional mortgages, lenders typically allow parents to fund only half to three-quarters of a 20% down payment, says San Francisco mortgage broker Edward Craine. The bank will also want your child’s monthly debt payments — including the mortgage, the loan to you, student and car loans, and credit card payments — to be less than 40% of her pretax income.

You’re prepared to lose the money. Your kid may fully intend to repay you, but her ability to do so could change quickly if, for example, she loses her job or has to move suddenly. “As a parent, you are typically the last one in line to get paid,” says Cordaro.

Cosign the mortgage if . . .

Your child has no other way of getting a loan. Cosigning is risky. After all, you’re on the hook for the mortgage if your child runs short of cash. But it might make sense if your kid is, say, in grad school and already has a job lined up, or has a solid but sporadic income that would disqualify him from getting his loan approved.

For more general information and tips on how to get started, visit CNN.com – Should you give your kid a down payment?

There is currently only one dog park in Tracy, CA. It’s located near downtown, behind the Fire Station on Grant Line Road.

El Pescadero Park – Tracy Blvd and Kavanaugh Ave

-1 acre of enclosed grass area with benches, doggy bags, lights, water fountain for dogs and humans
-Best time to go 4pm-6pm
-Take the Tracy Blvd exit off Hwy 205, head south; turn left at Kavanaugh Ave; dog park will be one block down on the right

So that all visitors may enjoy the dog park, the City of Tracy asks that all owners abide by a few simple rules:

-Do not use the dog park if your dog is unruly or barks excessively, aggressive, and/or is in heat.
-All dogs must be licensed
-All dogs must be current on vaccinations
-Owners are required to clean up their dog’s droppings
-All dogs must be leashed outside the dog park
-All dogs must be attended by an owner
-Owners use the park at their own risk
-The City of Tracy is not responsible for injury or illness to dogs or owners

Dog Park Etiquette Tips from the Association of Pet Dog Trainers:

DO NOT:
-Bring a dog that is under 4 months of age
-Take sensitive dogs to an enclosed dog park where there are more than 2 dogs per every 20 square yards of space
-Bring or use treats and toys when other dogs are nearby
-Allow dogs to form loose packs
-Allow a dog to bully another
-Ever let your dog off-leash in an un-fenced dog park if he/she is not responsive to your verbal commands
-Worry if some dogs don’t play with other dogs in a dog park
-Spend your time talking on a cell phone – you must supervise your dog at all times and be able to give your dog your full attention

DO:
-Consult your veterinarian about your dog’s overall health before going to a dog park
-Make sure your dog is up-to-date on his/her vaccinations
-Observe the dogs in the dog park to see if there are any potential health or behavior problems
-Clean up after your dog
-Supervise dogs when they are playing and interrupt any rough play
-Be willing to leave a dog park if you feel that your dog is either being a bully, the play is getting too rough or your dog is just not having fun
-Check to be sure there aren’t a large number of intact (un-neutered) males at the park
-Make sure your young dog is not being bullied or learning bad manners from the other dogs
-Be cautious about taking advice from other park patrons who are not dog professionals

If you like what you see, call me today! Tony Martin (209) 610-3431.

This 1,862 sq. ft. home is located in the highly desirable Buena Vista Estates neighborhood in Tracy, California.

3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms; kitchen with microwave and garbage disposal; dining room, family room, fully landscaped yards.

Located in safe court close to schools, shopping, and freeway access.

Available December 1, 2010.

If you like what you see, call me today! Tony Martin (209) 610-3431.

Looking for some fun new Halloween party treats? How about a little something sweet and a little something salty…

Halloween Web Crawlers

2 cups chocolate chips
2 tsp. corn oil
60 mini marshmallows
5 thin black licorice whips
20 tiny red hot candies

Makes 10 spiders

Take 6 mini marshmallows and squish them into a round ball. Place on a sheet of wax paper. Repeat until you’ve made a total of 10 balls.

Cut the licorice into 2-inch-long strips; you will end up with 80 strips.

Cut licorice into 80 2-inch-long strips.

Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the chips are melted. Add oil to the melted chocolate chips and mix well.

Dip each ball into the melted chocolate.

Stick 8 licorice legs into the chocolate body – 4 on each side.

Add 2 red dot candies as eyes on each spider.

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Salty Bones

One 11oz tube of refrigerated breadstick dough
Coarse salt

Makes 12 bones

Open the tube of refrigerated breadstick dough and separate it into its rectangular pieces.

Stretch each rectangle to lengthen it a little. Use a knife to cut a slit 1 ½ inches in length in the center of each end of the rectangle.

Roll each of the four flaps you have created into knobs as to look like the ends of a bone.

Place each bone on an ungreased baking sheet, sprinkling a small amount of coarse salt on each one.

Bake the bones at the temperature indicated on the dough tube until they are light golden brown, about 12 minutes.

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A pole conducted by AskMen.com places President Obama in the No. 21 spot of “most influential man” – one rank below Matthew Weiner the creator of “Mad Men” and one above Chef Ferran Adria.

The Number One spot went to the “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, who topped the list of 49 prominent men from entertainment, philanthropy, politics, sports, and technology. The votes came from more than half a million AskMen.com readers, along with the site’s staff.

AskMen claims that “Daily Show” is “our youths’ most trusted source of information and its host the most trusted man in America.”

Stewart is expecting more than 100,000 Americans at his Rally to Restore Sanity, which is set for Saturday in Washington D.C. A satellite rally also will take place in Los Angeles.

Stewart’s fellow Comedy Central late-night host, Stephen Colbert, came in at No. 11.

Rounding out the top five were Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Apple’s Steve Jobs, and rapper Kanye West.

Other notable men on the list are:

7. James Franco
12. Conan O’Brien
13. Jay-Z
18. George Clooney
23. Tom Ford
24. Eminem
25. Ben Affleck
29. Zach Galifianakis
30. Isaiah Mustafa
33. Justin Timberlake
36. Hugh Jackman
39. David Letterman
40. Christopher Nolan
43. Leonardo DiCaprio
48. Steven Slater
49. Russell Brand

“These are the men history will remember as having defined 2010,” according to AskMen.

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If you like what you see, call me today! Tony Martin (209) 610-3431.

This 3 bed, 2 bath home is 1,661 square feet and located in the sought-after area of Tennis Village. It has been recently painted inside, boasts a roomy kitchen with stainless-steel refrigerator and black dishwasher. There is a nice dining room area, plus a fireplace in the living room. Both yards are fully landscaped with a covered patio in the back.

Available now for $1,550.00 per month.

If you like what you see, call me today! Tony Martin (209) 610-3431.

Money may be tight this time of year, but you can still have a great Halloween. It’s easy to decorate on a budget when you know how to do it.

Start by searching your house and yards for various odds and ends, like scraps of fabric, old clothing, yarn, and cardboard.

Stuff your old clothes with newspaper and use the scraps of fabric to make a life size scarecrow or monster. Old masks can be used to create a face, or carve a pumpkin to create the head.

Cut up your smaller pieces of cardboard to create bats and ghosts. Use markers or paint to add color and hang them with fishing wire, dental floss, or string.

Cardboard can also be used to make tombstones for your front yard or windows. Simply cut out the shape you want and paint it gray. Once it’s dry write R.I.P. on the tombstones, along with spooky names and sayings.

Yarn can easily be used to make giant spider webs for your windows or front porch. If you have it, crepe paper works well too.

Jazz up your front doorway for the trick-or-treaters even more with a black light instead of your normal porch light, and a tape or CD of scary noises like witches laughing and doors creaking.

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If you’re not the most creative or artistic person in the world, many stores drastically discount their decorations the week before Halloween. You can often find cheap Halloween decorations at stores like CVS, RiteAid, Big Lots, and even the Dollar Tree.