amtrak

Valley Residents Can Fast Track Commute to Capital

In May, Amtrak San Joaquins launched a “Morning Express Service” that brings riders throughout the San Joaquin Valley north to the state capital before 8:00AM.

In May, Amtrak San Joaquins launched a “Morning Express Service” that brings riders throughout the San Joaquin Valley north to the state capital before 8:00AM. San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority has focused on making the Amtrak train more usable to valley residents and sees this as a move in the right direction. Governed by Board Members representing each of the 10 Member Agencies, the Authority is currently chaired by Stanislaus County Supervisor Vito Chiesa.

The daily Morning Express service begins in Fresno, CA, departing before 5:00AM and makes stops in Madera, Merced, Turlock-Denair, and then Modesto at 6:00AM. It then stops in Stockton, and Lodi and arrives at the downtown Sacramento Valley Station just before 8:00AM. Return service departs Sacramento after lunch hour and again around 5:30PM, making stops at each of the stations along the San Joaquins southbound line. Weekend routes run later. The schedule is currently changing slightly based on rider feedback. So it is advised to check the website for planning purposes.

This new schedule offers a much more convenient option for business travelers and same-day leisure travelers alike. According to the Bay Area Council Economic Institute's Northern California Megaregion Study, over 23,000 daily-trips occur from as far south as Merced County to Sacramento. This new service reaches even further south to Madera and Fresno Counties.

Until the launch of this Morning Express service, the first northbound train was not scheduled to arrive in Sacramento until 11:20am. The old model also only offered two round trips each day. You could arrive in Sacramento either around noon or 11:30pm. This made it a challenge to attract business travelers who need to arrive early in the day or arrive home for dinner.

Passengers can transfer to Sacramento Regional Transit's local bus and light rail system once they arrive in Sacramento, or the station is only a short walk from the Capitol, as well as many state agencies and downtown businesses. Additionally, Amtrak has a formal partnership with Lyft, as passengers who sign up to request a Lyft through the Amtrak App will receive $5 off each of their first four rides.

Amtrak San Joaquins' onboard amenities make travel time much more productive and enjoyable than driving. Comfortable seating and free Wi-Fi allow passengers to work or relax while they ride. And the trains feature a regional selection of snacks, sandwiches, coffee, craft beer and more. Not only is this new offering good for business travelers, but the environmental impact is noteworthy as well. Air quality and greenhouse gas emissions were a consideration in pulling the trigger on this new route.

Tickets for the Morning Express service can be booked at Amtrak San Joaquins

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Pet of The Week

Pet of the Week

Mamas, an 11 month old Bull Terrier/Foxhound mix who is the absolute sweetest girl. She enjoys time with her human laying on the couch while they watch their favorite show and she loves going on walks to see the neighborhood. This girl will be your best friend and is just waiting for someone to come in and adopt her.

We have so many wonderful pets at the Adoption Center @ 3647 Cornucopia Way Modesto.  We're open Monday & Tuesday 10am - 6pm, Wednesday 1pm -6pm, Thursday & Friday 10am - 5pm, and Saturday 12pm - 5pm. Closed Sundays and Holidays. You can also look online at other Available Dogs and Available Cats. All of our adoptable pets are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and micro chipped.

Recent News

PIT2026

Volunteers Needed for the 2025 Homeless Point-in-Time Count

We are seeking volunteers to assist with the annual Homeless Point-in-Time Count the morning of Thursday, January 29th. Volunteers must be 18 or older and have a smartphone to conduct surveys of our neighbors experiencing homelessness. The deadline to register and complete the required 30-minute training is January 18, 2026.


Click Here to Register | Click Here to Complete Training


The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is a one-day, unduplicated count of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. This data helps define the scope of homelessness in our community and informs policy and funding decisions. Learn more about what volunteers can expecthere.


Visit www.CSOCstan.com to view past PIT Count reports and learn more about the Stanislaus Community System of Care.

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20221215-homeless

Volunteers Needed for 2023 Homeless Point-In-Time Count

The PIT Count is an unduplicated count of all people in Stanislaus County experiencing homelessness. It provides a "snapshot" of what homelessness looks like on a single day of the year.

Let’s make everyone count!

The Stanislaus Community System of Care (CSOC) needs volunteers to conduct the 2023 Homeless Point-in-Time (PIT) Count.

The PIT Count is an unduplicated count of all people in Stanislaus County experiencing homelessness. It provides a "snapshot" of what homelessness looks like on a single day of the year.

The Count is scheduled for Thursday, January 26, 2023. The deadline to register is January 6, 2023.

The Count is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to estimate the number of Americans without safe and stable housing. It’s a requirement to receive federal funds to reduce homelessness.

Volunteers will work alongside the County’s Homeless Outreach and Engagement Team as they fan out across the Stanislaus County. They’ll engage with local homeless individuals and their families to complete surveys and help distribute care packages.

The registration process is easy. You can register online at https://stanislaus.pointintime.info/. You'll be required to choose a training session and select the city where you’d like to work.

Other options to register: By phone (209) 558-2961 or e-mail CSOC at csoc@stancounty.com. You can also scan this QR code from the camera app in your smart phone.

The 2023 Homeless PIT Count is organized by the Stanislaus Community System of Care (CSOC) which includes local governments, non-profits, and homeless providers.

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20221107-adus

Free Accessory Dwelling Building Plans for Residents

Pre-approved Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) building plans that are going to be available, free of charge, for property owners living in any of the partner jurisdictions.

In partnership with the cities of Ceres, Modesto, Oakdale, Riverbank, Turlock, and Waterford, Stanislaus County has contracted with TPH Architects to develop complete, pre-approved Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) building plans that are going to be available, free of charge, for property owners living in any of the partner jurisdictions; this is to help streamline the permitting process and reduce the costs for property owners to add ADUs to their properties.

Senate Bill (SB) 2, signed by Governor Brown in 2017 was aimed at addressing the state’s housing shortage and high housing costs. The legislation directed that the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), use 50 percent of the revenue in the first year to establish the Planning Grants Program (PGP). The PGP program was not competitive and all localities that met the eligibility requirements were funded.

All the cities decided to utilize a portion of their PGP grant funding to partner with Stanislaus County to go out for a request for proposal to contract with an architect to develop the ADU plans that are now being made available free of charge to residents.

ADUs are an accessory beyond traditional construction in California homes providing a solution for additional housing needs for families. ADUs, also referred to as in-law units, are being built to address the lack of housing that meets people’s needs for affordability and proximity to job rich environments.

ADUs tend to be significantly less expensive to build than new detached single-family homes because they are not being built on new land and can provide as much living space as apartments and/or condominiums. These free plans have been designed to provide adaptability in meeting typical lot sizes and configurations found throughout Stanislaus County. There are seven different options in a variety of sizes and exterior finishes creating a desirable living space for those who would seek to occupy an ADU.

To take advantage of this opportunity, we encourage property owners should contact a representative in their jurisdiction of residency to obtain the pre-checked building plans, free of charge, and to get more information about the process of constructing an ADU on their property.

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUS) - Planning & Community Development - Stanislaus County (stancounty.com)

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