ModestoView Downtown Champion
Jeffrey Newberry
For over 26 years, you have seen Jeffrey Newberry, keeping the downtown streets spiffed up, posters in the windows, scrubbing tagging off of walls, gathering signatures for street closures, weeding and overall just being a great Downtown Modesto ambassador. You have seen him, caring for one of the flower pots, or doing simple repairs. He has even been a Reindeer handing out Candy Canes or Candy Eggs dressed as the Easter Bunny. Every downtown business knows him and his presence in our downtown has been a blessing as an employee of the Downtown Improvement District, aka the DID.
You may hear about other new downtown agencies, but the DID and Jeffrey have been working hard to keep downtown alive with a shoestring budget.
Born on September 15, 1955 in Modesto, CA. He was raised on a Peach Ranch between Modesto and Empire with a childhood spent among the trees hunting for elves and dinosaurs. Artistic from an early age, he still draws his childhood trees, and paints with acrylics whenever he can. A Downey High School grad in ’73, he attended MJC taking art and theatre classes and performed “Little Mary Sunshine”, “Alice in Wonderland”, “Summer and Smoke” the Opera “The Medium” and more.
Jeffrey worked in retail for several years, at Joseph Magnin’s, PacBell Phone Center store, Gottschalks, and Montgomery Wards. While unemployed his friend Lynne Cummerow (Kellner) suggested he put an application in at the Downtown Improvement District. (D.I.D.) Nancy Young hired him 26 years ago.
We celebrate Jeffrey for doing both the pleasant and unpleasant jobs in downtown Modesto, all the while making people smile and laugh.
ModestoView thanks the DID, Nancy Young and her team and especially this month, we celebrate the 26 years of Downtown Excellence of Jeffrey Newberry.
For our signature question: Beatles all the way.
