Public Safety · Stanislaus County
Stanislaus County public health officials reported four recent cases of Clade I mpox, with two confirmed by the California Department of Public Health and confirmatory testing underway for the remaining two. Three of the individuals reported no recent international travel, suggesting possible community spread within the United States. County Health Services Agency officials emphasized that risk to the general public remains low but urged residents to watch for symptoms including rash, sores, fever, and swollen lymph nodes. The JYNNEOS vaccine is recommended for those at increased risk of exposure, administered in two doses approximately four weeks apart.
Transportation · Stanislaus County
As the processing-tomato harvest wraps up in California's Central Valley, trucks hauling tomatoes from fields to processors have left scattered fruit on area roads, creating slick pavement and occasional traffic disruptions. Two notable incidents occurred this season: a July 16 spill of thousands of tomatoes across Highway 165 near Bradbury Road in Merced County, and a September 6 collision between two tomato-hauling trucks on Henry Miller Road near Badger Flat Road that required road closures. The California Highway Patrol and Caltrans responded to both incidents, and officials urge motorists near agricultural trucks to maintain safe following distances and watch for fallen debris. Tomatoes ranked as the No. 10 crop in Stanislaus County's 2025 agricultural report, valued at $46 million.
Local Politics · Stanislaus County
Stanislaus County voters are deciding races for mayor, city council, school boards, and other local offices in the Nov. 3, 2026, California general election. Contests include mayoral races in Turlock, Hughson, Newman, and Patterson, plus city council seats in Modesto, Ceres, Oakdale, and Riverbank. In the 13th Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Adam Gray faces Republican Kevin Lincoln, a former Stockton mayor; Gray won the seat in 2024 by 187 votes. Voters are also deciding six local ballot measures and races for Congress, the California Legislature, and statewide offices. Vote-by-mail ballots postmarked by Election Day may be counted if received by Nov. 10; counties must certify results by Dec. 3, and the secretary of state must certify the final statement of vote by Dec. 11.
