It’s Thursday, September 5. I’m Natalie Gray and here’s your local news from the Modesto Bee. 3 familiar chain restaurants have opened in 3 new Central Valley cities in the past week. Stanislaus County cities Turlock, Riverbank, and Oakdale all saw the new eateries open their doors. Just off Turlock’s Monte Vista Crossings Shopping Center, a new Farmer Boys opened Monday. Then, in Riverbank’s Crossroads Shopping Center, the new standalone Panera Bread opened Tuesday.

It’s Wednesday, September 4. I’m Natalie Gray and here’s your local news from the Modesto Bee. Stanislaus County health officials reported that 2 people suffered lung injuries from vaping cannabis products. The county Health Services Agency said in a news release yesterday, that the 2 individuals were hospitalized after using e-cigarettes to inhale cannabis or cannabis oils.

It’s Monday, September 2. I’m Lucas Dixon, and here’s your local news from the Modesto Bee. Activists, elected officials, and employees from about a half dozen cities and counties have visited Modesto’s tent city since it opened in February. The tours are part of the local governments’ search for answers to the homelessness crisis.

It’s Friday, August 30. I’m Lucas Dixon, and here’s your local news from the Modesto Bee. A federal agency is catching heat from a Central Valley congressman, who says red tape is stalling a Riverbank project expected to create 2,000 jobs in the Central Valley. Representative Josh Harder, D-Turlock, is calling out the U.S.

It’s Thursday, August 29. I’m Natalie Gray, and here’s your local news from the Modesto Bee. Oregon-based Dutch Bros Coffee, which has built a loyal following by setting itself apart with attitude and offerings, will open in Oakdale tomorrow. The company has more than 300 locations in 7 Western States, and has been expanding more into the Central Valley recently.

It’s Wednesday, August 28. I’m Kaitlin Bellamy and here’s your local news from the Modesto Bee.

It’s Tuesday, August 27. I’m Lucas Dixon and here’s your local news from the Modesto Bee. The Racor fuel filter plant on Finch Road in Modesto has been purchased to be repurposed as a large-scale event center — large scale, in this case, meaning able to accommodate elephants.

It’s Monday, August 26. I’m Kaitlin Bellamy and here’s your local news from the Modesto Bee. The current session of the California Legislature is debating more than 50 bills related to children’s health, though not all are in the final stages. And 4 bills likely heading for a vote are related to the marketing, labeling, and selling of sugar-sweetened beverages.

It’s Friday, August 23. I’m Lucas Dixon and here’s your local news from the Modesto Bee. In a tight real estate market, it is difficult enough for people to compete for the available rental housing in Stanislaus County. The choices are more slim for those like Cindy Burns of Modesto, who are not finding many property owners who allow pets. Burns has a 5-year-old chihuahua, named Koda, and on 2 occasions owners declined to rent to her because the 8-pound dog came with the package.

It’s Thursday, August 22. I’m Natalie Gray, and here’s your local news from the Modesto Bee. More than 86,000 workers from the Northern San Joaquiun Valley drive over the Altamont Pass every day to jobs in the Bay Area. That’s up from about 5,000 commuters in the 1980s.