News across Greater Modesto
The Modesto Focus
Published 4 hours agoWhat’s happening in the arts this October around Modesto? Catch exhibits, favorites and festivals across Stanislaus
It’s officially time to start dusting off the decorations and pulling out cozy blankets for the eventual autumn weather. As most Valley residents know, we are still in for some warm days, but cool, cool nights. There is an abundance of art shows this month, including the…
The Modesto Focus
Published 21 hours agoAt Modesto’s Lowriding Holiday event, a culture once banned from the streets grows and passes through generations
Arturo Mendoza bought his 1964 Impala convertible almost a quarter century ago, but the red convertible looks as sleek and shiny as if it came off the line yesterday. He hopes to pass it down to his son, who in turn could pass it down to his children. The car is a symbol of…
The Modesto Focus
Published 6 hours agoPolitics Focus | Local live politics at their best
Hey Focus fans! Last-minute reminder about our in-person debate at 6:30 tonight (Thursday, Oct. 1) featuring all five candidates for Modesto City Council. Seriously – what could be more fun? Don’t answer that – just come on down to the Veterans Services Office banquet hall at…
The Modesto Focus
Published September 30Third woman accuses Hughson Mayor George Carr of lewd conduct. City faces two lawsuits from his alleged behavior
The Hughson City Council on Monday slapped Mayor George Carr with a second censure for lewd behavior, then went behind closed doors to discuss two lawsuits brought by women accusing him of inappropriate physical contact. The latest of the lawsuits was filed by former City Clerk…
The Modesto Focus
Published September 29WATCH | Candidates for Modesto City Schools Board of Education debate issues facing students, teachers and parents
The six candidates vying for Modesto City Schools District Board of Education in three opposed races debated virtually for The Modesto Focus Sept. 21. Candidates for Area 1, 5 and 7 spent more than an hour debating, offering incumbents and challengers the opportunity to speak…
The Modesto Focus
Published September 29‘Beef’ with Salvation Army prompts Modesto and Stanislaus County to seek another operator for homeless shelter
The future of the public homeless shelter in downtown Modesto is up in the air, with ground-shaking changes potentially looming for both owner and operator. The Salvation Army – the shelter’s only operator since it opened in early 2020 – could be headed out the door. Its strained…
The Pine Tree
Published September 25Traffic Update…Trailer on Fire Near Sr132 / Banderilla Dr
La Grange, CA…Traffic Update…Trailer on Fire Near Sr132 / Banderilla Dr. Incident: 0453 Type: Car Fire Location: Sr132 / Banderilla Dr Loc Desc: JEO Lat/Lon: 37.678595 -120.362585 Detail Information 4:43 PM 1 [1] TLR ON FIRE Unit Information 4:45 PM 2 Unit Enroute 4:45 PM 1 Unit…
The Modesto Focus
Published September 24Politics Focus | Save the date for VotingMatters – and free tacos
Hey Focus fans! When we hosted an interactive elections-chat event before the June primary highlighting the many then-candidates for California governor, we told our CalMatters partners that we’d be happy with a couple of dozen attendees. All of us were blown away when more than…
The Modesto Focus
Published September 23LISTEN | Modesto Irrigation District candidates address ‘dysfunction,’ ‘corruption’ and ‘incivility’ in rare debate
Strong opinions and personalities turned up the heat in a recent Modesto Focus-moderated debate of all seven candidates running for three seats on the Modesto Irrigation District board in the upcoming Nov. 3 election. Candidates used words like “dysfunction” and “corruption” when…
The Modesto Focus
Published September 23Editor’s Corner: The disappearing of the Valley’s Bees is a crisis — not the end of local journalism
When I worked at The Modesto Bee, one of the gallows humor jokes we used to make about the company’s current owner, Chatham Asset Management, was that at least we worked for the “less evil” hedge fund. Between 2011 and 2019, private investment funds’ stake in our country’s…
The Modesto Focus
Published September 23Meet the candidates running for Modesto City School District Board of Education
Modesto City School District will undoubtedly see fresh faces on its Board of Education in January. Four seats on the seven-member board are up for election this year – with three contested. In Area 1, home of Gregori High School, incumbent Cindy Marks faces off against newcomer…
The Modesto Focus
Published September 22Some Valley schools see kindergarten vaccine rates for measles fall short of ‘herd immunity’
Amid conflicting messages over the safety of vaccines, cases of measles have been on the rise both in California and the U.S. this year compared to 2025. And in the San Joaquin Valley, where two cases of measles have been reported so far in 2026, vaccination rates among…