17 minute read
INTER VIEW
By Chris Murphy INTER VIEW By the time you read this, we will have a It is a new day in Modesto new mayor and we can see how the City of Modesto will move forward. We have had a lot of tough times over the last year so say the very least, but with every challenge, there is opportunity and a fresh point of view. I have known Chris Ricci for nearly 25 years. We met when were raising money to rebuild the Graceada Park Playground in 1998 when our friends at B93.1 offered to present a free concert fundraiser. Chris had been doing SummerFest and came down to do this show. After the show, we went to El Faro, and talked about how great Modesto was and Chris thought it would be good idea to bring his event company to town. A couple of Summerfests and Extreme Halloweens later, Xfest would be launched along with JCD Concepts in 2000 and a huge Modesto music festival tradition began. Over the years Chris has created many new events like LuckyFest and branched out into political consulting and became very active in Modesto politics. Chris lives with his wife Kim and two kids in the College area and was just recently elected to Modesto City Council. So let’s catch up with Chris Ricci. Chris Ricci bring people together and I’m hopeful that when it becomes safe again, people will get to creating again. This once in a generation pandemic has brought huge challenges to all communities MV: How do we bring the different parts of our city together? CR: Our City is coming together now to deliver coronavirus vaccines in an incredibly impressive way, and they need volunteers. You can sign up online. While we hear about many cities having logistical trouble vaccinating people, Modesto has actually ModestoView: You grew up on the Bay nationwide and Modesto is no differ- been doing really well. Stanislaus County Area, your dad was in tech so how did ent. What is clear here is the goodness of was allocated approximately 34,000 doses you finally decide to call Modesto home? Modestans has shown through the last year, for Healthcare workers and those over 65 CR: Humbled and motivated by the opChris Ricci: My aunt and uncle lived in even while struggling with hard realities. and has done that in their Scenic clinic (now portunity, and excited to work with people Modesto so I was familiar with it and There is good work happening at all levels, moved to Modesto Center Plaza) and then one-on-one on the 100 Ideas Campaign. It always had a good time here. I enjoyed the and amazing partnerships have formed. I to Stanislaus State. You can also make a turns out being a councilman and a propeople. When I wanted to launch an event am legitimately proud of the work that we Pharmacy appointment. Frankly, that is a lot ducer require similar skill sets. It’s about company I decided on Modesto because are doing to help the community through better than other places. building teams and excitement around there was so much support and opportu- COVID-19. My personal mission is move people into ideas and finding new ways to solve old nity here. That opportunity is still here and On the local business side, we had an open action through my 100 Ideas Campaign problems. There are so many ways we can is just as easy to embrace as it was back in discussion at the Economic Development where I invite Modestans to choose a project build community, enjoy our city, and lift up 1999. committee last week where we were able that speaks to you and really lean in on it. areas and people that need it. We have a lot to invite local restaurant owners, the CVB, That’s where the really interesting, fun and of untapped potential in our citizenry, and MV: Your events like SummerFest, X and members of the public to discuss ways hard work is happening. By encouraging I’m looking to tap it. Fest, Taco Fest and Lucky Fest attracted that the City of Modesto could help get us community members to get involved in people from all parts of Modesto, both through the remainder of the pandemic. something they are truly passionate about, MV: Teamwork is so key for anything, musically and ethnically, how do you feel The conversation was productive, biparti- we come together and gain so much. It’s all how do we bring teamwork to the forewe are doing in bringing our community san, and cooperative. We came up with two about creating opportunities for everyone to front in our community? together today, pandemic not withstand- recommendations, including an ordinance get involved. We all gain so much from the CR: I think it starts by picking up the ing? to lower fees for delivery apps to 15% from shared experience when we dig in together phone. If I have learned anything in my CR: That’s really two questions, because the their current 30% that is going to council on what we care about. It’s that roll-up your very limited time as a councilman it is pandemic has really shown us how great for vote on Feb 2nd. It’s actions like this sleeves and dig in work that really builds that most people generally agree on most our community is. that will continue to bring our community community. Chris. things. We need to have honest conversaSummerFest, X Fest, Taco Fest and Lucky together. tions and really make a commitment to lisFest were unique in that they were de- We just need to keep reaching for great MV: You have been an active and engaged ten and to compromise and to act with the signed to appeal to everyone and anyone. things and continue to cultivate projects citizen creating events and excitement, so same mutual purpose of helping Modesto Before the pandemic, some really great and culture that appeal to the great diversity how do you feel being part of new leader- tap into its potential. things were starting to happen locally to of our city. ship for Modesto’s future? A lot of times though, it’s as simple as
asking someone to get involved. All too often we don’t communicate to the people of Modesto that we need their help and when we do, we don’t ask enough people. Hey Modesto – if you’re reading this, get involved! If you need help finding ways to become more active in your community, reach out to me!
MV: You have had to fight for some of the things you are passionate about; so how can you help new entrepreneurs make their mark in Modesto?
CR: I might reframe that. You are right, Chris, anything worth doing is worth fighting for if you feel strongly about it - but I think we are all tired of the “fighting” rhetoric. Modesto needs to be a place that is open and encouraging to new entrepreneurs. We have to do a better job of celebrating and supporting existing businesses and being helpful to new entities. Whether that means finding creative strategies to make Modesto a more appealing location for local businesses or just keeping a more open mind to new and changing entrepreneurial adventures – we as a council and as a city need to always act with a unified intent: “Will this make our city better?” If the answer is yes, we need to do everything we can to be supportive.
MV: Music and culture are such an important for our civic pride and our economy. How do we make the arts and culture a key part of our daily life.
CR: The great thing about Modesto is we already have so much to build on. From fine arts like Central West Ballet and the Modesto Symphony, to all of the regular (in pre-covid times of course) bars and restaurants that host live music, to our ever-growing collection of murals, to upcoming Children’s and Car Museum, we’re not starting from nothing. We just have to continue to support these endeavors. Buy tickets. Talk to your friends. Pick up your monthly ModestoView! Share events on your social media. In general, we really just need to stop being so hard on ourselves as a city and take a minute to look around at the endless things to do and see. Here, too, is where my 100 Ideas Campaign comes in. It isn’t for me to decide, it’s for me to lift up these ideas, organize them and clear a pathway for my constituents to make Modesto the city they believe in. I want everyone to know Modesto is a place you can create what you want to see and it will be supported.
MV: There are many cities across the USA that thrive, what is one big change would you like to see to make us world class?
CR: World Class cities don’t forget who they are. They understand their history, their environment and what makes them unique. The physical geography of Modesto is unique. Let’s revisit our Oak Woodlands, Riparian Wetlands, wild rivers and unique position on the Pacific Flyway. The McHenry Museum and the Great Valley Museum are already completely unique and couldn’t exist anywhere else. They need our support. We also need to work on making our communities more livable. Too many of our neighborhoods require hopping in the car to go anywhere or do anything. This is especially true with so much of our community shifting from offices to working at home. We need to encourage new developments that are coming in and redevelopments to have mixed commercial and multi units in the same space. We also need to rebuild our civic pride and the best way I see to do that is through our Graffiti heritage. We have a limited window to bring it back or we risk losing it forever. We need to act before it is too late. Ultimately, though, I would change the way we perceive ourselves and the way we present ourselves as a city. We spend far too much time soaking up negative news and doomscrolling through our social media feeds looking for anything remotely bad that has happened. If we shifted that energy into sharing and experiencing all of the amazing things Modesto has to offer, if we put down our devices and stepped out of our houses (with a mask!) to look around at the community we live in – I think most folks would realize we are already well on track to be world class.
MV: How do you think that we help and make real advances to deal with our homeless issues?
CR: First of all, as everyone knows, this isn’t just a Modesto problem. We need an expansion of mental health and substance abuses housing and treatment programs, we need to address unemployment, petty crime and increasing poverty valley-wide, and we need innovative solutions for the unhousable. The most encouraging thing about our homeless challenge is the diverse coalition that has come together to solve it, whether it is the State of California providing us with grant money (as they did this year), faith and community groups working tirelessly on solutions, or governmental committees that span the whole county. I have faith we’ll make progress because I know way too many people working way too hard to not help a whole lot of people.
MV: You communicated 100 great ideas for Modesto during your campaign, how do we make these things a reality?
CR: Yes! This is really the cornerstone my vision for building up our community. The 100 Ideas Campaign is about 3 things: collective action, shared experience, and successful outcomes; 1) Understanding that no one person is the solution here, it’s our collective active that is the solution, 2) more than anything it’s important to me for people to understand that we build community through shared experiences. 100 Ideas gives us the opportunity to build our own teams and lift up what we care about, not for someone else to do, but for us to do with the support of electeds like me.
3) Ultimately, you can say the 100 Ideas all submitted by Modestans run the gamut from cultural to program, from one-off capital improvements to long term program implementation. But more than anything, I want to see everyone involved get a win and experience success on something they care about that builds this City up. If you see something that is already an idea, or if you have a great idea that we haven’t even dreamed of yet, reach out to me or to your council member. Start talking to your friends, your neighbors, anyone! Not every idea will work out, plenty of mine will probably end up in the can, but I will do everything I can to cultivate a culture of open-mindedness and support.
MV: What do you think the misconception about Modesto area and what would you do to change that perception?
CR: The biggest misconception about Modesto is that it is unsafe. Crime in Modesto has been falling for years and yet when asked, over 70% of Modestans think the city is getting worse. As a city we have to dismantle perceptions like this that have literally no basis in reality. I’m trying to focus on lifting-up the positive. It starts with a firm commitment to reassess how we talk about our community from the top level – the folks in City Hall, our government agencies, and law enforcement have a duty to ask themselves, “Is this helpful? Does this accurately portray our community? Is this communication being made with good intentions to do right by our city?”
MV: And what is our greatest opportunity?
CR: Modesto is basically a blank slate. The opportunity I came here for is still beating strong and I love that. This town has changed a lot over the past 30 years, but in a good way. What remains the same, and what ultimately is our greatest opportunity, is that the people here are genuine and have great ideas and most of us really believe in Modesto’s potential.
MV: Describe your ideal day in Modesto.
CR: Start off at the farmers market and walking the Virginia Corridor. Then in the evening, a stroll to Camp 4 for a glass of wine with my wife followed by tunes at the goat.
BIG VIEW
Be sure to read the Do’s and Don’ts at AlmondCruise.com
A visitor from Asheville, North Carolina asked me, after his first Almond Blossom experience, “Why doesn’t the rest of the world know about this?” This question from a guy who enjoys 50-mile full fall foliage views every autumn! That is the question that led our team at Visit Modesto to promote the Almond Blossom Cruise as far and wide as we can. That’s why Visit Modesto created the Almond Blossom Cruise with the goal to share the many reasons to come to Modesto for the most spectacular four weeks of pink and white blossoms they may ever see spreading from the hills to the horizon.
First, for us locals it is important we know and experience the bounties of our backyard. We don’t have to pray for sunshine to take the cruise…we live here and can jump in the car when the sun peaks out or time allows (and these days we certainly have extra time!). We also know the backroads so we don’t have to lean on the East or West Cruise Map; rather we can make our own route and plan an annual pilgrimage to our favorite farm stands. One local couple told me that they have a favorite lunch spot each year and always stop at the farm-stand on the way home to buy a locally made pie. We can go east one week and west the next. We can ride our bike, take a run or call a friend to let us in their orchard and take pictures. We’re so lucky to have this in our backyard!
Just as importantly, during these limited travel times, we should be sharing this gift with our friends who can make this a day trip; whether they hail from the Bay or Delta or are from Monterey or Paso Robles. And, when non-essential travel is back (hopefully by the time you read this) they can stay overnight. Plus when that travel ban is lifted we can share this experience with anyone from San Diego to Shasta to Seattle. They can jump in the car with the family or friends and enjoy a few days right here in the Heart of the Central Valley!
As we correspond with visitors interested in coming to Modesto next month we are sharing a full two or three days of activities; there’s the snow park in Little Sweden for sledding (not to mention skiing and back to Modesto by dinner!), there’s hiking and riding and fishing on the Tuolomne River Trail or Dry Creek Trail or in the Stanislaus River park system, there’s over 100 public works of art with over 75 murals and a great downtown mural tour (visitmodesto.com/murals), there’s Sciabica’s for olive oil tasting and Oakdale Cheese to enjoy, there’s birdwatching and great road rides and even OHV parks all around! All that before you consider the incredible local food…taco trucks, food trucks, great restaurants, brew pubs and even breweries to enjoy once we’re out of ‘deep purple’.
All that doesn’t count day trips from Modesto to California Big Trees or Yosemite National Park. There’s the Flumes and Chutes in Twain Harte or wine tasting from Lodi to Murphy’s as a day trip. Once the restaurants are in full swing here in Modesto we’ll be expanding the Get Mo Wine program for wine tasting right here in town too! Plus there will be options, once allowed, for the whole family from bowling to indoor climbing walls. Right now there are skate parks and playgrounds open in the public parks all over Stanislaus County. And don’t forget our local agricultural bounties too…from the farm stands to the farmers market there’s a fruit, nut or vegetable for everyone to enjoy!
For overnight guests there’s our local hotels which offer pools, firepits, hot tubs with options from affordable rooms to suites for families to extravagant presidential style suites. Our lodging facilities offer all kinds of options from upscale to economy so that any traveler can afford to stay overnight. The local properties are right in the heart of downtown, near Vintage Faire Mall and have direct freeway access. Plus you can call them directly to ask for “locals” rate when you have family or friends coming to town when the non-essential travel ban is lifted.
And don’t forget that the Almond Blossom Cruise covers a 4-week period every year. So this year may not work out for all but they can plan for next year when all the theaters, arts facilities and shopping areas are open! Chances are you share the Almond Blossom Cruise with a friend this year that next year they will refer two or three more friends. All that makes a difference on our economy, the local job market and has incredible impact on all of our local businesses.
As exhausting as all that may be to read through it is all true. For us we’re lucky its right in our backyard. For others it’s accessible because Modesto lies right in the heart of California with highways extending north, south, east and west from here. It’s also affordable as those who travel to the beach resorts, desert resorts and ski resorts frequently would know. Most important Modesto offers lots of room to spread out, enjoy your ‘pod’ without the crush of the big destination tourists. That makes visitors and residents feel healthy and safe.
So try it…you’ll like it. Take the Almond Blossom Cruise with your bubble or pod. Share the gift of the experience with friends who want to find something fun and unique to experience. Take pictures and share with your social network (and us @visitmodesto) and start that annual ‘save the date’ for the Modesto Almond Blossom Cruise!
