Local Politics · Turlock, CA
Republican-aligned groups have spent over $4.34 million in California's 13th Congressional District race this year as of Oct. 11, compared to less than $400,000 from Democratic-aligned groups, according to campaign finance records. Incumbent Democrat Rep. Adam Gray, who won the seat by 187 votes in 2024, faces Republican former Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln in a contest spanning communities from Stockton to Merced along State Route 99. GOP Speaker Mike Johnson held a rally for Lincoln in Chowchilla, while House Democrats sent their campaign committee chair to Modesto and dozens of volunteers launched canvassing at a Modesto union hall Saturday. The race centers on issues including the $100 million Campus Parkway road project in Merced County connecting Highways 99 and 140 to UC Merced, water access, and agricultural policy. The Cook Political Report moved the race from 'toss-up' to 'lean Dem' in January following California's Proposition 50 redistricting.
Community News · Stanislaus County
The United Samaritans Foundation, Stanislaus County's oldest direct food provider since 1994, is seeking community partners through its Road to Hope campaign to replace the two oldest trucks in its four-truck fleet at a combined cost of approximately $500,000. USF's Daily Bread Mobile Lunch and Emergency Food Box programs serve about 1,300 individuals daily across Turlock, Keyes, Ceres, Modesto, Hughson, Empire, Waterford, Denair, Patterson, and Grayson, delivering nearly 294,000 meals in 2025. Executive director Linda Murphy-Julien announced she will retire Dec. 30 after joining USF in September 2019. The next Emergency Food Box deliveries are scheduled Oct. 27 and Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. to noon at the We Care dining hall (220 S. Broadway, Turlock), with additional pickups Oct. 22 and Oct. 26 from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Hughson warehouse (2413 Third St.).
Public Safety · Stanislaus County
The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office has been awarded a California Office of Traffic Safety STEP Grant to enhance traffic enforcement and public education in Hughson, Riverbank, Patterson, and Waterford. The funding will support DUI checkpoints, impaired-driving patrols, distracted-driving enforcement, and operations targeting speeding, red-light violations, and unsafe lane changes. Additional funding covers bicycle and pedestrian safety efforts, community traffic education, collaborative enforcement with neighboring agencies, and specialized officer training in impaired-driving detection. The grant program runs through September 2027.
