Local government, public officials, elections, ballot measures and civic decisions.
The Altamont Corrdor Express has received a $40 million state grant toward the Ceres-to-Turlock leg of its expansion.
The money will go to double-tracking and other upgrades aimed at opening this rail stretch to passengers by 2029.
Continue reading on Modesto Bee
The State of California’s Employee Development Department released its month labor report this week, and the statistics show that unemployment rates in the region had little movement during the month of May. It comes as California and the United States have seen slight rises in unemployment rates.
Continue reading on Ceres Courier
The city of Modesto has kicked off the process of raising water rates by 4.5% annually over five years.
An average home’s monthly bill would go from $67.13 now to $83.66 in 2028 if the proposal goes through, a staff report said. Businesses would have roughly similar hikes.
Under state law, the proposal would die if a majority of customers file protests at or before an Aug. 22 hearing before the City Council.
Continue reading on Modesto Bee
The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency announced Wednesday it was one of four regional groundwater management agencies to receive grant funding from the California Department of Conservation.
The four agencies received a total of $35 million in grant funding. Pajaro Valley’s share is $8.89 million and it will go toward various projects aiming to achieve sustainable groundwater resources, flood risk reduction, environmental restoration and community access, according to a news release by the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency.
Continue reading on Santa Cruz Sentinel
G ov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) reacted on Wednesday to a Pride flag that was burned at a Los Angeles area elementary school, decrying “a full-throated purge effort” that he says is orchestrated “by the far-right.”
A rainbow-colored Pride flag that had been placed in a plant pot outside of a Saticoy Elementary School classroom was lit on fire and destroyed earlier this month.
Continue reading on Newsbreak
The state auditor has issued a report strongly criticizing the California Department of Water Resources, saying the agency has overestimated the state’s water supply during drought and continues relying on forecasts that don’t adequately factor in the effects of climate change.
The report by State Auditor Grant Parks said the Department of Water Resources has “made only limited progress” in improving its water-supply forecasts to account for climate change, despite acknowledging more than a decade ago that it needed to improve its forecasting methods.
Continue reading on Yahoo News
An empty alfalfa field in west Turlock soon will be transformed into a high-tech facility that turns food waste into renewable fuel.
State and local dignitaries gathered on West Main Street for the groundbreaking of the newest Divert food waste recovery plant. The company turns unsold food from supermarkets, retailers, restaurants and manufacturers into natural gas that can be used to power homes and businesses.
Continue reading on Modesto Bee
On Tuesday, Stanislaus County public health officials delivered to county leaders what they said was the last quarterly report on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, in this update, there wasn’t much to report in terms of viral activity.
Continue reading on Modesto Bee
Turlock could soon be home to a new transitional housing project for homeless families, homeless veterans and senior citizens, following action by the Turlock City Council on Tuesday.
“It’s a difficult issue to deal with,” said Turlock City Manager Reagan Wilson about the City’s homelessness issue. “Just from a statistically perspective, in the last (homeless) Point-In-Time Count I think there were 221 homeless persons counted in the city of Turlock…Turlock actually has 129 overnight shelter beds between the Turlock Gospel Mission and the We Care program — the gospel mission has 80 and We Care has 49.
Continue reading on Turlock Journal
Turlock hopes that a new ordinance is going to help quash a growing problem with sideshows in the city.
“It is a faction where they start in one area, and they move down or up 99,” said Mayor Amy Bublak. “And we get caught in the middle, and they’re like, ‘Hey, let’s stop in Turlock and do this.'”
Continue reading on ABC10
