GREETINGS VIEW

Happy summer and happy Fourth of July

Friends at MoBand is one of the highlights of my year and it was so good to have friends back from all over the USA and have my sister Julie visit and enjoy our ModestoCana too.

It is so great when communities have things that they are famous for or have cool historical significance. We are in the middle of three amazing months, May being May the 4th, our Home of Star Wars heritage. June being Graffiti Summer and celebrating 50 years of American Graffiti with Mackenzie Phillips and Candy Clark here in town. Now here we are in July celebrating 150 years of Fourth of July celebrations and a nearby county fair that’s also over 100 years running. We are in the middle of the 103rd season of MoBand in Graceada Park. Modesto has so much great and rich history.

An example of taking our history and making something new is the “American Laughiti” comedy contest at the State Theatre, June 22. This is a cool mix up to blend our stories. ModestoView is proud to sponsor this event and we hope you will come laugh with us.

But the history really isn’t the most important thing. It’s how we use our history to make our future better. We need to use our traditions to make this a better place for families and companies to do business and guide our priorities. More great history equal more civic pride. We need to tell our residents these stories. The more these positive stories get talked about, the higher they get in internet searches and these then become the first things people read about Modesto. That’s why is it so important to like, share, forward, link all of the good messages about Modesto. That is why ModestoView exists, to be a faucet of non-stop flowing positive messaging. We need you to help spread the word. Authenticity is the word and Modesto has a great story to tell. Last month, the newly restored downtown train station was opened. But this isn’t the goal. Now we just need to accelerate our plans to get the ACE train here to town to make some great economic connections and get people in and out of that station and into our downtown. Who knows, maybe this will accelerate more downtown housing. It’s the top of everyone’s requests, let’s get it going.

We need to be smart thinkers and get stuff done. We worked hard to get Measure H passed, so let’s make sure things happen quickly. Our gateways, our visitor areas, our new museums, our improved parks, roads and smart solutions for the homeless issues that plague many cities like ours.

We know what to do. We just need to have fewer meetings and get these things going. Our community has given direction in years of community meetings, the feedback is there, now it is implementation and we need teamwork from government, private sector and our non-profits to get the things we have designed done.

Great local stories equal more civic pride and then we have more local businesses to support us.

In the spirit of the 40th Anniversary of National Lampoon’s Vacation, take time to check out the Parade, the Fair, MoBand and make your own summer vacation a great local road trip that will lead to excitement. So load your bags on the Family Truckster and make like the Griswolds and hit the open road. I know I will be hitting many of these places with my family and grandson. It’s up to us to teach the next generation.

Thanks for reading ModestoView and please take time to share our positive messages so we can improve what people see about us. I hope to see you out and about. With gratitude,

Chris Murphy Founder & Publisher, ModestoView chrism@modestoview.com

On the Cover

The globe trotting Foy family is lost in Modesto USA. Well our Clark Griswold, aka Ryan Foy is trying to hold the luggage up while Ellen, aka Chelsea Foy aka @ lovelyindeed holds the family together. Russ, aka Henry and Audrey, aka Maggie are completely thrilled about their next adventure. Check out Chelsea’s new book, the Happy Home, out now on many platforms. Thanks to the Foy family for being such good sports to bring this fun cover to life and thanks to MJ Mangano for giving it the Vacation treatment. This cool 1967 Ford Torino Country Squire is for sale at the Graffiti USA Museum. Check it out and make it your own “family truckster”.