Home Care In French Camp, CA

So starts the Summer Camps program at Alliance Française San Francisco (AFSF), one of several summer camps for children offered in the Bay Area. All summer long, students learn French through adventure and play in culture and the arts, including exploring through the persona of knights, pirates, royal families and junior scientists. All with the help of summer camp mascot Louis Le Crabe.

“Our summer camps are designed to cater to the specific learning needs of each individual student at their own pace by means of fun, creative and exciting activities,” said Pascal Ledermann, Executive Director, AFSF. “The mission of our camps is to give the students a great time, an opportunity to meet new friends, and above all create a long-lasting interest in French and French-speaking cultures… They also really like Louis le Crabe.”

The 12-week AFSF camp is designed for children from four to 12 years of age. Everyone speaks French while exploring a new theme each week. The themes include The Little Prince, Kid Detectives, Paris – City of Lights, The Sea – World of Pirates and Mermaids, Junior Scientists, and more. The campers will perform four plays in French in the Alliance Theatre.

“The hardest part about developing the camp classes is to make the activities safe and engaging, allowing for (each) child’s development, curiosity and self-confidence,” said Ledermann.

Education Française in the Bay Area (EFBA) is a summer camp that aims to make learning French a superpower. The French government recently knighted President Gabrielle Durana for her and her team’s work in teaching French to young students. EFBA’s goal is to make learning French fun and easy for kindergarten through 8th grade students through games filled with imagination, lots of cardboard masks and costumes. Each week has a theme that is acted out in games, music, art projects and imaginary adventures that include chases and treasure hunts.

This summer’s themes for young students include Magic Spells, Gypsy Circus, The Three Musketeers, On Board the Nautilus and Leuk-the-Hare, an animal in the African Savanna. Older students explore soccer, photography and leadership through self-development.

“This gives all the campers an immersive experience, filled with the opportunity to become explorers, adventurers, artists and researchers in a relaxed and fun atmosphere,” said Vincent Minquoy, EFBA Marketing and Communications Director. “All kids agree that although they have certain activities they appreciate, they all have the same part they really like, which is to learn and talk in French. Giving children the opportunity to build and be proud of a bilingual identity is the goal of EFBA.”

There are five EFBA camp locations throughout the Bay Area, including San Francisco, Mountain View, Oakland, Santa Rosa and Larkspur.

Summer camps have long been a tradition for students in France too, including English language camps. Although many support the regular school curriculum, others use the technique of play to immerse children in learning English.

“There is a true mentality of sending children to camps in the summer for the French, even more than in the U.S.,” said Minquoy.

There are plenty of classes for adults to learn French in the Bay Area too, often with a cultural twist. Alliance Française Silicon Valley has two campuses for classes – Palo Alto and Campbell. Classes are offered from Absolute Beginner to Proficiency, including a class on improving pronunciation. Proficiency classes offer discussions on the French Revolution and the Influence of French Civilization.

Alliance Française San Francisco offers a variety of adult classes too. One is Apéro Conversation, where students can converse and practice their French munching on French cheese.

Alliance Française Berkeley’s (AFB) classes include French/English Crafts and Conversation Club, and an Intensive French Travel Preparation Class. AFB also offers a Kids French Immersion Summer Camp, which uses the famous reporter Tintin to assist learning French. Probably Milou will help, or Snowy as Tintin’s dog is called in English.

There are many other classes offered for French language students, from classes at Stanford University to personal tutors. If you’re real serious, a Masters Degree in French is offered from San Jose State University. A complete list of available classes is located on Bay Area Francophile List, which is a weekly calendar of cultural events of interest to Francophiles and Francophones in the Bay Area.

Whether it takes Tintin, Louis le Crab or Brie cheese to inspire, classes in the Bay Area make learning French fun.

Information about Alliance Française San Francisco summer camp and adult classes is here

Information about Alliance Française Silicon Valley adult classes is here

Information about Alliance Française Berkeley summer camp and adult classes is here

Information about Education Française in the Bay Area summer camp is here

Information about the Bay Area Francophile List is here

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As more harsh winds and downpours pound Northern California, authorities are warning San Joaquin County residents to avoid driving.

"Avoid travel as much as possible until this week’s atmospheric river weather event subsides," Caltrans advised residents Wednesday morning.

Driving conditions may be difficult or impossible, and roads and urban areas could flood quickly as more rain pummels already saturated soil, the National Weather Service said.

If you must drive in or around Stockton, several road closures could further impact your route amid the storm.

Everything to know for California storm prep: Stockton parks close, sandbag locations

Crews at work in Stockton; road closures

Sections of major roads, including French Camp Road, Swain Road and Hammer Lane are closed, according to storm updates from the city of Stockton.

Get the list of road closures by visiting the city's website.

"With this rain that we just had, you're starting to see water collect out near the same locations where it's been before, those same intersections," city spokesperson Connie Cochran said.

Public works crews may be seen Wednesday monitoring pumping stations, cleaning catch basins and using vacuum trucks to unclog drains if necessary, Cochran said.

Storm's impact on Central Valley freeways

On Interstate 5 near the Crosstown Freeway, one of two northbound lanes is closed due to a "roadway wash-out," according to a Caltrans incident map.

Road wash-outs can occur when a drainage culvert becomes blocked, said Bob Highfill, a spokesman for Caltrans.

"Underneath the roads are these culverts, or drainage pipes. They move surface water, and keep it (from) spilling onto the roadway," he said. "Debris can flow into them. It's basically a clogged pipe."

To clear wash-outs, crews first remove any vegetation, branches and other debris collected on the drain, said Skip Allum, a Caltrans spokesperson for San Joaquin County.

"If it's clogged up like a sink, then they've got to use a vac truck," similar to how a drain snake can be used to unclog a sink or toilet, he said.

Caltrans crews hauled about 10 truckloads of debris out of the water on Tuesday when Highway 99 north of French Camp Road washed out, Allum said.

Do not drive during a storm

If you must drive, "reduce speed and follow at a safe distance, inspect wipers and replace if needed, don’t use cruise control, check headlights, inflate tires to the correct pressures and check tread," Caltrans advises.

Do not try to drive through flood water. Just one foot of water can carry off a small car, and 18-24 inches can sweep away trucks, vans and SUVs. Avoid bridges over fast-moving water, as the water could wash away the bridge without warning, the Department of Homeland Security advises.

Interview: US Rep. Josh Harder on Central California floods, Stockton youth health center

If your car stalls, get out immediately and find higher ground, unless you're surrounded by fast-moving water. If you are trapped in your car in fast-moving water, stay inside. You should get on the roof of the car and flag down help if water is rising inside the vehicle, according to FEMA.

As the storm hits San Joaquin County on Wednesday afternoon, Caltrans crews will be "patrolling at all times," Allum said.

"They'll be checking all of it," Allum said, "they'll be scanning to see if there are any drains that are clogged, keeping their eyes on canals."

Record reporter Aaron Leathley covers public safety. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @LeathleyAaron. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record athttps://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

Looking Back On 2022

A California witness at French Camp reported watching a dark, chevron-shaped object moving west to east at 9:21 p.m. on March 22, 2022, according to testimony from the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC).

The witness was taking a dog out for a nightly walk when the object was first seen.

“Gazing straight up into the night sky looking past all the stars, I saw a chevron-shaped craft, flying from west to east,” the reporting witness stated. “It was quiet with no sounds.”

The witness is familiar with Starlink and observed that this object “seemed very different.” The object was seen to have an aura around it and no flashing lights. The object did have dim blue lights.

“I stress how quiet it was.”

The report included no images, filed on March 23, 2022. French Camp is an unincorporated community in San Joaquin County, CA, population 3,376. Witness quotes were edited for clarity. Please report UFO activity to NUFORC or to the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON).

California Rating

California was rated number one in U.S. UFO sightings for January 2023 with 62 cases filed, according to the MUFON February 2023 newsletter.

There was one chevron case reported nationally in January 2023.

Recent California Coverage

Historic California

A California witness at Merced recalled an encounter with three luminous, sphere-shaped objects at 4 p.m. on February 1, 1946, according to testimony from the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC).

The witness was at a big bomber training base at Merced Air Corps Field in 1946 and awaiting points for separation. The incident date is approximate.

At 4 p.m., the witness left the barracks and started a shortcut across a field toward the main gate. By chance, the witness looked west (left) and far away (35 miles or so), and a motion in the sky was seen.

“It was headed southeast and moving in an arc in my direction,” the reporting witness stated. “It curved east and approached the base. The arc took it on a path toward me.”

At this point, the witness could see “three spheres, luminescent, and chartreuse-colored. The objects passed about 80 degrees toward the witness moving overhead, arced to the north and quickly disappeared.

“I looked around for someone that I could say, ‘What was that?’ but there was no other person within sight. The thing that struck me was the absence of any sound. Also, it was still daylight.”

The witness had never heard the terms UFO or flying saucer until about 18 months later and wondered if other accounts were similar to this sighting.

“I haven't talked much about the experience, and you probably know why.”

The report included no images, filed on September 18, 2005. Merced Air Corps Field is now known as Castle Airport Aviation and Development Center. Witness quotes were edited for clarity.

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

FRENCH CAMP, Calif. (KTXL) — Construction of the new Veterans Affairs Stockton Clinic is still underway after breaking ground in November of 2019.

Once completed, the facility will provide more services to veterans and save them from having to travel to other facilities further away.

For nearly two decades, Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient Tino Adame Jr. has fought to make the clinic a reality.

“It took a whole village to get this done,” Adame told FOX40. “The years of advocating, a lot of the members would tell me ‘Tino, we’re going to be dead and gone by the time this one is set.’ It’s close. Fifteen years, maybe 20, we finally got it.”

What was once an empty field is being transformed into a state-of-the art outpatient medical facility.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing the clinic’s construction.

“We’re standing in front of a what’s called a community-based outpatient clinic. It’s 147,000 square feet facility. It’s five stories,” said U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Maj. Nick Yager.

Yager told FOX40 the new clinic will save many veterans from having to make the 160-mile round trip to Palo Alto for outpatient care.

“Some of the services that VA is going to provide in this facility include physical therapy, mental health, prosthetics, X-ray, in addition to a wide variety of standard outpatient services,” Yager explained.

Nearly three years after breaking ground, construction continues.

Yager said the project was originally scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022, but construction encountered a number of delays including the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In addition to that, the personnel and the wildfire challenges, logistical challenges as well to supply lines, trade supply lines,” Yager explained.

As of Wednesday, work is continuing to be done inside and outside and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the project is 58% complete.

“Driving by there for so many years and seeing the empty lot. And seeing now it just like a you have your baby, and you see it grown, and you’re proud, and proud for everyone else that we all pulled together, that we didn’t give up,” Adame said.

The clinic is expected to be completed by sometime in 2023.

“I think it’s special to everybody involved,” Yager said.

Phase two of the project will also include a veteran’s care facility.

“It’ll be about 80 to 120 beds and provides essentially a nursing home capability to this site,” Yager said.

Adame said he’s looking forward to the grand opening and the generations of veterans who will have the support they need.

“It was a long time, but we know that we’re always going to be in a war and a conflict somewhere. And today’s date, we have younger members at the American Legion post, and this is for them,” Adame said.

Construction on phase two of the project is scheduled to begin sometime next year.

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

FRENCH CAMP, Calif. (KTXL) — Repeatedly trashed and vandalized, a 111-year-old Jewish cemetery in San Joaquin County is finally getting cleaned up.

So far, 12,000 pounds of trash have been hauled away, including tires destined for the recycling center. A volunteer San Joaquin County Jail inmate rolled off with one on Thursday, a small but helpful part of a major cleanup that Marc Corren had worked so hard for.

“If you saw the garbage I’ve hauled out of here the last two years,” says Marc Corren, a volunteer at Temple Israel of Stockton. “It became obvious to me that if not for you, who are you expecting to protect sacred ground?”

Corren said over the past two years, he has felt profound sadness with the piles of trash and human waste that have littered the cemetery.

“Imagine coming in to see the graves of your parents and you find that someone’s in here cooking food that’s illegally tapped into your electrical system,” he said.

Vandals have also used the gravestones to dry their clothes, along with tearing down the back fence and destroying the cemetery’s pump.

“(They) left the hose on for 24 hours,” Corren said. “Hundreds of gallons went onto the ground and made that grave sink.”

The cemetery is run by a network of volunteers who tried their best to fix the mess, but Corren said people kept breaking in. So, he reached out to law enforcement, as well as city and county leaders.

“The great Sheriff Withrow. He took this and championed our cause,” Corren told FOX40.

Deputy Alan Sanchez of the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department said not only was the cleanup important, providing local resources was integral.

“We’re gonna do our best to not only eradicate that area but also offer services to the people who live here,” Sanchez said.

Some of the damage is still left, but Corren’s gratitude is limitless, especially given his family history.

“My father liberated a Nazi concentration camp, a death camp,” he said. “So, I do it out of respect for him.”

Corren estimates the damage at more than $10,000. He said he will be raising funds to help pay for the repairs.