Modesto

Modesto, California 

The county capital and largest city of California's Stanislaus County is Modesto, which translates to "modest" in Spanish. It is the 19th largest city in California with a population of 218,464 as of the 2020 census and is a member of the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto Combined Statistical Area. 

68 miles (109 km) south of Sacramento and 90 miles (140 km) north of Fresno is where the Central Valley city of Modesto may be found. The distances from other locations are as follows: 24 miles (39 km) south of Stockton, California; 66 miles (106 km) west of Yosemite National Park; 92 miles (148 km) east of San Francisco; and 40 miles (64 km) north of Merced, California. 

Rich farmland surrounds the city. In terms of agricultural output, Stanislaus County is sixth among California's counties. The largest family-owned winery in the United States, Gallo Family Winery, is located there. In 2011, the county's agricultural output brought in close to $3.1 billion, led by milk, almonds, poultry, walnuts, and corn silage. Living in the Central Valley, Modesto heavily relies on the farm-to-table movement. 

Modesto has received multiple Tree City America awards. 

Modesto was placed 126th out of 190 cities in the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index for 2011 which polled 1000 individuals about their work, finances, physical health, emotional state of mind, and neighborhoods. Modesto was ranked 48th out of 100 "Best Bang-for-the-Buck Towns" by Forbes in December 2009. Modesto placed eighth in this ranking for housing affordability and commute time, but 86th for employment predicted growth and 99th for home foreclosures. 

Geography 

The city is situated close to the Stanislaus River and on the Tuolumne River. A number of parks border a small brook known as Dry Creek, which is severely contaminated by agricultural runoff. There are various sites of public access to rivers and lakes close to Waterford that are reachable by kayak or small motorboat. As hydroelectric dams were built upstream for flood control, irrigation, and electric power generation, this access was provided as part of a government plan. The Port of Stockton is the closest sizable open harbor, and oceangoing ships utilize it to ship goods from California to other countries, mainly cement, fertilizer, and agricultural supplies. 

Climate 

In accordance with the Köppen climatic classification, Modesto has a hot, semi-arid climate (BSh). It features long, hot, dry summers and warm winters with moderate amounts of precipitation. The average temperature in January is between 56 °F (13 °C) during the day and 40 °F (4 °C) at night. The winter months see the majority of the rainfall, which totals 13.2 inches annually (340 mm). Due to a lack of a complete storm sewage infrastructure, several streets in the city flood during winter rainstorms. The temperature often stays between 103°F and 30°F on average. 

Between 95 °F (35 °C) during the day and 63 °F (17 °C) at night, July's average temperature ranges. There may be several days in a row during the summer that reach highs of 100 °F (38 °C). Those with weakened immune systems or those who disregard the risks of heat stroke may be at risk of health issues as a result. These high temperatures are considerably moderated by onshore winds, or "delta breeze," which arrive after 8 or 9 p.m. on summer nights. 

Economy 

Due to the abundant farmland in the area, Modesto has a sizable agriculture sector. E & J Gallo Winery, the biggest winery in the world, is located near Modesto. The largest wine bottle manufacturing company in the world is The Gallo Glass Company, a subsidiary of Gallo Winery. The business offers people of Stanislaus County thousands of office and manufacturing jobs. Foster Farms Dairy, Royal Robbins, Fiscalini Cheese, the winner of an international prize, Sciabica Olive Oil, Acme Construction, Aderholt Specialty, and 5.11 Tactical are some of the other significant privately held businesses with headquarters in Modesto (formerly a part of Royal Robbins, a United States brand of clothing consisting of uniforms and tactical equipment for military). Food is produced in a cannery downtown and often delivered to Sacramento and Fresno for rail or ship transfer. A few cereal and snack manufacturing facilities exist around Ceres. In Modesto, there are numerous small steelworking businesses. Roads were being built, repaved, or repaired as of mid-2008 as part of various road projects, which were projected to have cost a total of close to $120 million. 

Culture and the Arts 

When Maddox Brothers & Rose formed on KTRB Radio in Modesto in 1937, the rockabilly musical subgenre got its start there. The "Hillbilly Boogie" sound, which was made famous by Fred Maddox's string-slapping percussion, would spread across the country and serve as the inspiration for Rockabilly. The Experience Project Museum in Seattle, Washington is home to Fred Maddox's bass. 

The city of Modesto celebrates its heritage as a mid-century modern architectural testing ground in the 1940s and 1950s with its annual Architectural Festival. The Museum of Modern Art has highlighted Modesto's mid-century structures four times in publications. 

Filmmaker George Lucas, who was born in Modesto, attended Modesto Junior College and graduated from Thomas Downey High School in 1962, memorialized the city in his acclaimed 1973 work American Graffiti. While not being filmed in Modesto, the movie captured the vibe of camaraderie and cruising on 10th and 11th Streets in 1962, and it sparked a resurgence of interest in 1950s popular culture. Every year, Modesto hosts Graffiti Summer, which includes a Walk of Fame for Graffiti Legends and a Historic Cruise Route. A number of murals with graffiti themes and other cultural art are present in downtown Modesto. 

The Downtown summer music series, SummerFest, features Chris Isaak, Hootie & the Blowfish, The Doobie Brothers, and Styx. 

A music festival for adults 21 and older called X-Fest took its name from the Xclamation Festival, which took place in downtown Modesto. Since its inception in 2000, X-Fest has grown into a sizable outdoor festival that spans 15 blocks and includes the largest disco in the world, which alone takes over four blocks. In 2008, there were 50 acts at X-Fest, and there were 15,000 attendees. Local non-profit organisations receive a large portion of the proceeds. Some Modesto business owners and residents complain about the raucous and frequently inebriated Mardi Gras atmosphere present at X-fest. In 2015, Modesto played host to the final X-fest. 

The 1973 movie American Graffiti, created and directed by Modesto native George Lucas, is also a summertime tradition. Based on his personal memories of growing up in the city of Modesto in 1962, Lucas created a movie that paid respect to adolescent life. The city is putting together new tourist attractions and events to welcome visitors interested in the award-winning movie Graffiti after realizing the significance of its relationship to it. According to the Modesto Convention and Visitors Bureau, inquiries on American Graffiti are the most common. Graffiti Summer, an annual celebration of this occasion that lasts the full month of June, draws thousands of attendees, hundreds of classic and antique cars, and automotive aficionados. 

The Modesto Historic Cruise Trail, the Legends of the Cruise Walk of Fame, and the Classic Community Mural series of monumental works of art honoring the history of American Graffiti are all located in downtown Modesto. 

The State Theater in downtown Modesto shows independent movies and musical performances. 

A self-guided multi-venue tour including local artists selling their work, artist demonstrations, and gallery displays is held every month in downtown Modesto. 

Government 

Modesto has a council-manager form of government. The Mayor is chosen by all voters. The six city council members are chosen by the voters in each district from among their respective districts. 

The city's various funds had $357,631,225 in revenues, $1,826,668,511 in total assets, and $876,459,686 in total liabilities as of the most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. In order to achieve and maintain a General Fund reserve at 8% of the fund's total operating expenses for the 2017–2018 fiscal year, the city has implemented a policy. The General Fund balance at the end of the fiscal year was $26,745,582, or 22.5% of all General Fund expenditures. 

Elections for the District 1 Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors, the Sheriff-Coroner, the District Attorney, the Assessor, the Auditor-Controller, the Treasurer-Tax Collector, and the Clerk-Recorder are also held in Modesto. Supervisor William O'Brien, Sheriff-Coroner Adam Christianson, District Attorney Birgit Fladager, Assessor David Cogdill Sr., Auditor-Controller Lauren Klein, Treasurer-Tax Collector Gordon Ford, and Clerk-Recorder Lee Lundrigan were those who were in charge of defending these interests as of January 2013. 

Population 

In California's Stanislaus County is the city of Modesto. Moreover, it serves as Stanislaus County's County seat. It will have a population of 223,654 in 2023, making it the 109th-largest city in the United States and the 19th-largest in California. The population of Modesto has grown by 2.38% from the most recent census, which showed a population of 218,464 in 2020, and is now rising at a pace of 0.78% each year. Modesto, which extends across 45 miles, has 5,204 residents per square mile. 

The poverty rate in Modesto is 15.81% and the average household income is $77,657. The median monthly cost of rent in recent years has been, and the median value of a home is. In Modesto, the median age is 34.7 years, with men being on average 33 years old and women 36.7 years old. 

It is one of the top farming counties in California, producing milk, hens, walnuts, and almonds among other agricultural products. The city has additionally been listed as one of the most cost-effective cities in the country. 

Top News Websites 

The Modesto Bee 

The Modesto Bee is the top news and information source for Stanislaus County, its core market, and the surrounding area, which includes southern San Joaquin County, Merced County, Tuolumne County, Calaveras County, and some of Mariposa County. situated in the Central Valley of California. Browse the most recent Central Valley, California, breaking news, crime, and sports headlines. Keep up with daily local news, commentary, editorials, images, videos, community activities, and more. 

ABC10 Modesto 

Greetings from ABC10! We are your go-to source for news from California's Sierra Nevada and foothill regions, as well as Sacramento, Modesto, and Stockton. Find out the most recent news, happenings, and details about the sports, weather, entertainment, and lifestyles in Modesto.