Community News · Modesto, CA
Civil rights activist and United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta died Wednesday, Oct. 28, at age 96. The Modesto Bee's photo archives document her decades of appearances in the Northern San Joaquin Valley from 1998 through 2024, including labor protests, university ceremonies, and community events in Modesto, Turlock, Merced, and Livingston. Huerta, who grew up in Stockton, made regular visits to the area for Cesar Chavez celebrations, union rallies, a Girl Scouts patch unveiling, and the April 2024 dedication of Dos Rios State Park west of Modesto.
Housing & Development · Modesto, CA
At a Monday policy workshop, city staff explained that the environmental study for Modesto's 2050 General Plan update analyzes a maximum potential growth of 104,000 residents—not projected growth. Actual projections from the state Department of Finance and Stanislaus Council of Governments estimate countywide growth of fewer than 50,000 residents, with Modesto expected to add about 14,800 between 2025 and 2050. In April, the Modesto council selected the largest of three land use options, potentially adding 12,240 acres to the city's growth area, drawing opposition from Wood Colony, Salida and farmland-advocacy residents. A follow-up meeting on environmental justice policies is set for Thursday, Oct. 29, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Maddux Youth Center, 615 Sierra Drive.
Local Business · Modesto, CA
Entrepreneur Bobby Ismail is developing four businesses at 3001 Healthcare Way along Dale Road near Kaiser Permanente's Modesto Medical Center. The suite includes Drybar, the region's first hairstyling-only salon; Zalata Café, expanding from Turlock with Mediterranean-inspired food; FS8 Pilates studio, the Central Valley's first location; and F45 Training. Ismail projects the fitness studios and Drybar to open by February, with Zalata opening in early spring. The development is part of rapid commercial growth around the Kaiser medical campus.
Community brief · Modesto, CA
The State Theatre in Modesto will host an adults-only pre-Halloween event called "Bites, Booze & Bloodsuckers" on Friday, Oct. 30. The evening begins with a party at the theater's Intermission featuring music, food, drinks and 1980s retro vibes, followed by a screening of the 1987 vampire film "The Lost Boys." The party starts at 6 p.m. and the film at 7:30 p.m. at 1307 J St., Modesto. Tickets are $50 for attendees age 21 and older and include…
Community brief · Modesto, CA
A Modesto group of about 16 women called Manos Mágicas has spent roughly 25 years crafting papier-mâché catrinas and calaveras for Día de los Muertos altars across the Central Valley. The group's annual altar at the Gallo Center for the Arts in downtown Modesto is now available for viewing, and founder Laura Malagon is set to join a Day of the Dead panel at Stanislaus State on Oct. 28. Members also lend pieces to the Great Valley Museum and…
