Greetings Modesto Fans:
This is a very special issue for me. One reason is a tale of musical discovery that makes me more excited to live in Modesto than ever. The other is a coming of age story of sorts, signaling the completion of a goal I set when I moved back to Modesto in 1996 after leaving in ’84. After living in Seattle, the Bay Area and working all over the world, I made it my mission to make living here interesting and to find the good things about our community. I wanted my daughters and my family to enjoy this place we call home. That is the reason that I, with a few friends, started ModestoView back in 1997. I wanted my girls to love their community, get involved and encourage people to all work together and make this a better place. In that mission, I have succeeded.
It is bittersweet now as my youngest daughter Abbey, ModestoView All Ages Editor, graduates from Modesto High like her older sister Madison did 6 years earlier. She prepares to start a new life at UC Berkeley, one of the top universities in the world, as did her sister. These girls worked so hard, gave so much and kept their goals in mind. I am so very proud. There is a big group of family and friends that we have all grown up with and now they move on.
Now it is up to us. Are we going to continue to work hard to make our city better? Create more culture? Create more jobs so that more kids may consider coming back and building their lives here? That must be our next goal. ModestoView is here to help continue this mission of promoting a vibrant and interesting place for people to raise a family, live, work with a sense of pride. Our mission is simple here at ModestoView, we serve Civic Pride Daily, since 1997.
The other reason: Every once in a while you make an amazing discovery. A discovery that was not that hard to find, but like a Picasso sitting in your aunts attic, but we have one of those moments now. I have spent the last two years digging through our American Graffiti, cultural and musical past. The amazing thing I discovered is that Modesto USA is the birthplace of Rock and Roll Music. Yes THE Rock and Roll. There are people here in town that witnessed the birth of Rock and Roll. How can this possibly be you wonder? I am as amazed as you, so read our exiting history story on Page 16 as you meet Don Maddox.
We have some amazing dedicated writers, photographers and contributors that believe in a common mission. Let’s change the way the world looks at Modesto! Because of these amazing people we can present you with a View of Modesto that we can be proud showing the world. And to our amazing advertisers, we could not design, print and deliver ModestoView Magazine and ModestoView.com to the community each month. Every single writer and advertiser is amazing and my unending thanks to all of you and I appreciate you all daily.
Thanks to you, this mission of Serving Civic Pride Daily will continue, grow, thrived and reach more people each month. Together we will be the change we want.
Deepest thanks to all of you that have been there from the beginning and are still here today . Chris Murphy Publisher, proud parent and husband chrism@modestoview.com
Picture caption. Well I guess that “All Ages Editor for ModestoView” is a good thing to have on your college ap. Our two UC Berkeley Golden Bears Abbey and Madison.
