[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":363},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header":3,"footer":26,"footer-cities":54,"content-\u002Fnews\u002Fpatterson-and-riverbank-pause-data-centers-modesto-weighs-next-steps":235},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":10,"extension":13,"links":14,"meta":20,"navigation":21,"path":22,"seo":23,"stem":24,"__hash__":25},"header\u002Fheader.md","Central Valley AI",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":9},"minimark",[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":12},"",2,[],"md",[15],{"label":16,"to":17,"icon":19},"News",{"path":18},"\u002Fnews\u002F","mdi-newspaper-variant-outline",{},true,"\u002Fheader",{"title":5,"description":10},"header","ceT4J-WxxOBdbhRC-UD3fo0Npu7vWt2o2B9b_LURPmE",{"id":27,"title":28,"body":29,"copyright":33,"description":10,"developedBy":34,"extension":13,"links":41,"meta":49,"navigation":21,"path":50,"seo":51,"stem":52,"__hash__":53},"footer\u002Ffooter.md","Footer",{"type":7,"value":30,"toc":31},[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":32},[],"© {year} All rights reserved.",{"label":35,"link":36},"Developed by",{"label":37,"to":38,"target":39,"logo":40},"Kaweah Tech","https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech","_blank","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.kaweah.tech\u002Flogo-black-on-transparent-tight.svg",[42,43,46],{"label":16,"to":18},{"label":44,"to":45},"About","\u002Fabout\u002F",{"label":47,"to":48},"Privacy Policy","\u002Fprivacy-policy\u002F",{},"\u002Ffooter",{"description":10},"footer","Ras2AGS8Wuda4aBPrbAbOivaxIsAoDbo9SNCA0w554g",[55,85,123,154,181,208],{"id":56,"title":57,"body":58,"county":77,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":78,"meta":79,"navigation":21,"path":80,"seo":81,"stem":82,"tag":83,"__hash__":84},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield.md","Bakersfield",{"type":7,"value":59,"toc":74},[60,65],[61,62,64],"h2",{"id":63},"ai-in-bakersfield","AI in Bakersfield",[66,67,68,69,73],"p",{},"Bakersfield's AI conversation sits at the intersection of municipal government, the ",[70,71,72],"strong",{},"California State University Bakersfield"," community, and the energy and ag operators that drive Kern County's economy. The city was an early mover on AI-assisted permitting and has been a recurring backdrop for parent- and teacher-led debates about classroom AI use. Articles below follow specific Bakersfield initiatives, public-meeting decisions, and Kern County workforce stories — and how they reflect national AI trends from a regional vantage point.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":75},[76],{"id":63,"depth":11,"text":64},"Kern County","Bakersfield and the surrounding Kern County are home to some of the most concrete AI-in-government experiments in the Central Valley, from instant municipal permitting to school-district debates about classroom AI. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is reshaping public services, education, and the energy and agriculture economies that dominate the region.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield",{"title":57,"description":10},"cities\u002Fbakersfield","bakersfield","ozFL4HvDA_g7UrRE1mHbKqcS-vDLwbiH9JWVh3rB2Ac",{"id":86,"title":87,"body":88,"county":115,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":116,"meta":117,"navigation":21,"path":118,"seo":119,"stem":120,"tag":121,"__hash__":122},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno.md","Fresno",{"type":7,"value":89,"toc":112},[90,94,109],[61,91,93],{"id":92},"ai-in-fresno","AI in Fresno",[66,95,96,97,100,101,104,105,108],{},"Fresno's AI story spans several distinct ecosystems. ",[70,98,99],{},"Fresno State"," and the ",[70,102,103],{},"California State University"," system anchor a workforce-readiness push, while local ",[70,106,107],{},"Fresno Unified School District"," debates around responsible use have made the city a recurring reference point in California's K-12 AI conversation. The city's economic base in agriculture, healthcare, and public services means most AI adoption stories here are about applied uses rather than model development — a different posture than coastal tech hubs but arguably more consequential for the people living here.",[66,110,111],{},"Use the articles below to follow how AI is showing up in Fresno-area institutions and businesses.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":113},[114],{"id":92,"depth":11,"text":93},"Fresno County","Fresno is the largest city in California's Central Valley and the regional center for AI adoption across agriculture, healthcare, higher education, and small business. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being applied — and contested — in and around the city of Fresno and Fresno County.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno",{"title":87,"description":10},"cities\u002Ffresno","fresno","gOL2xk8y9t9OV6PPxP02OjYhZFHC_Cg-VGijh_V93dI",{"id":124,"title":125,"body":126,"county":146,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":147,"meta":148,"navigation":21,"path":149,"seo":150,"stem":151,"tag":152,"__hash__":153},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced.md","Merced",{"type":7,"value":127,"toc":143},[128,132],[61,129,131],{"id":130},"ai-in-merced","AI in Merced",[66,133,134,135,138,139,142],{},"Merced is a research-heavy node in the Central Valley AI ecosystem. ",[70,136,137],{},"UC Merced"," faculty appear in national conversations about AI safety, autonomous vehicles, climate modeling, and pediatric health applications, while the ",[70,140,141],{},"Merced Unified School District"," and surrounding county institutions navigate the same K-12 and workforce questions the rest of the Valley faces. The articles below cover both the campus research story and the broader applied uses around the city and county.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":144},[145],{"id":130,"depth":11,"text":131},"Merced County","Merced punches above its weight in AI research, anchored by UC Merced — a leading West Coast hub for AI in agriculture, climate, autonomous systems, and health. Coverage on this page tracks both academic research coming out of the campus and how AI is showing up across Merced's schools, businesses, and county institutions.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced",{"title":125,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmerced","merced","pSWWlEzMdcv2_RZrUKdkEHU3bixNboePGdHbSdd1m34",{"id":155,"title":156,"body":157,"county":173,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":174,"meta":175,"navigation":21,"path":176,"seo":177,"stem":178,"tag":179,"__hash__":180},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto.md","Modesto",{"type":7,"value":158,"toc":170},[159,163],[61,160,162],{"id":161},"ai-in-modesto","AI in Modesto",[66,164,165,166,169],{},"Modesto's AI conversation tends to combine ag-tech adoption stories with workforce-readiness questions for the city's small and mid-sized employers. ",[70,167,168],{},"CSU Stanislaus"," and the regional community college network shape the higher-ed angle. Coverage below follows Modesto-area AI announcements and the wider Stanislaus County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":171},[172],{"id":161,"depth":11,"text":162},"Stanislaus County","Modesto and Stanislaus County sit between the Bay Area and the southern Valley, and their AI story reflects that bridging role — from agriculture and food processing to the **California State University Stanislaus** community to small businesses adapting to AI-driven changes in marketing, hiring, and operations.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto",{"title":156,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmodesto","modesto","l75Dc40MX8wTb4lD088Yx9we4ypuDwmcvE-uEdqqREc",{"id":182,"title":183,"body":184,"county":200,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":201,"meta":202,"navigation":21,"path":203,"seo":204,"stem":205,"tag":206,"__hash__":207},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton.md","Stockton",{"type":7,"value":185,"toc":197},[186,190],[61,187,189],{"id":188},"ai-in-stockton","AI in Stockton",[66,191,192,193,196],{},"Stockton's economic base in logistics, healthcare, and higher education gives the city a different AI profile than the southern Valley. ",[70,194,195],{},"University of the Pacific"," anchors the academic conversation, while San Joaquin County government, hospitals, and warehouse operators are navigating practical adoption questions: cost, training, security, workforce impact. The articles below track Stockton-area AI announcements and the broader San Joaquin County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":198},[199],{"id":188,"depth":11,"text":189},"San Joaquin County","Stockton and San Joaquin County sit at the northern edge of the Central Valley, where logistics, healthcare, and the University of the Pacific shape the local AI adoption story. Coverage on this page follows how AI is being put to work — and questioned — across San Joaquin County's institutions, employers, and public services.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton",{"title":183,"description":10},"cities\u002Fstockton","stockton","TYEBK9akp2HbpAFmYY67FeKt7Rs7L8tvtYeQBtgJAHw",{"id":209,"title":210,"body":211,"county":227,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":228,"meta":229,"navigation":21,"path":230,"seo":231,"stem":232,"tag":233,"__hash__":234},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia.md","Visalia",{"type":7,"value":212,"toc":224},[213,217],[61,214,216],{"id":215},"ai-in-visalia","AI in Visalia",[66,218,219,220,223],{},"Visalia's AI footprint is grounded in the practical adoption stories that come with a Tulare County economy built around agriculture, food processing, and rural healthcare. ",[70,221,222],{},"College of the Sequoias"," and the surrounding K-12 districts anchor the education conversation. The articles below cover Visalia-area AI developments and the Tulare County context, with a focus on applied uses rather than research or model development.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":225},[226],{"id":215,"depth":11,"text":216},"Tulare County","Visalia is the largest city in Tulare County and a center for agriculture, healthcare, and county-government services in the southern Central Valley. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being adopted across Tulare County's schools, hospitals, ag operations, and small business community.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia",{"title":210,"description":10},"cities\u002Fvisalia","visalia","gN4g7aAl-cqD4FfSTgtTAarltUoKLh8NFlPzCbZngqU",{"id":236,"title":237,"archived":238,"author":239,"body":240,"date":351,"dateModified":351,"description":352,"extension":13,"meta":353,"navigation":21,"path":354,"rawbody":355,"seo":356,"sitemap":357,"stem":358,"tags":359,"__hash__":362},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fpatterson-and-riverbank-pause-data-centers-modesto-weighs-next-steps.md","Patterson and Riverbank pause data centers; Modesto weighs next steps",false,"CVAI Newsdesk",{"type":7,"value":241,"toc":343},[242,246,250,269,272,275,278,282,285,289,292,295,299,302,306,309,312,315,330,333,337],[243,244,237],"h1",{"id":245},"patterson-and-riverbank-pause-data-centers-modesto-weighs-next-steps",[61,247,249],{"id":248},"key-takeaways","Key Takeaways",[251,252,253,257,260,263,266],"ol",{},[254,255,256],"li",{},"A report carried by the Merced Sun-Star says voters will see more than 30 data center measures on November ballots nationwide.",[254,258,259],{},"Patterson approved a 45‑day pause in July and extended it to July 2027 in August.",[254,261,262],{},"Riverbank adopted a 45‑day moratorium on Sept. 8 and set an Oct. 13 hearing to extend it 10 months and 15 days.",[254,264,265],{},"Modesto posted a city FAQ on Aug. 11 and residents pressed the council to add a pause.",[254,267,268],{},"Modesto Irrigation District told its board large power users must fund studies and protections before any hookup.",[66,270,271],{},"The Riverbank council’s vote took five minutes on Sept. 8. A 45‑day pause, unanimous, and staff told to bring back stricter rules.",[66,273,274],{},"Two towns over, Patterson moved first. The council imposed a 45‑day moratorium on July 16, then extended it on Aug. 18 through July 2027 to give staff time to map water and power needs and write conditions. The same week, Modesto’s chambers filled with residents urging their council to hit the brakes too.",[66,276,277],{},"Why it matters here lands fast. A national report carried by the Merced Sun-Star says voters will face more than 30 ballot questions tied to data centers this November. That’s the backdrop for Central Valley readers because the next class of facilities uses far more electricity than current builds, and it’s the same grid that runs packing houses and cold storage in Merced County.",[61,279,281],{"id":280},"what-the-report-says","What the report says",[66,283,284],{},"The pieces circulating nationally point to fast‑rising opposition, from California to the Midwest, and tally three dozen or so local measures asking voters to slow, ban, or condition large data center projects. The debate has bled into campaign season. The report the Sun‑Star carried puts the number at more than 30, with decisions spread across multiple states in November.",[61,286,288],{"id":287},"where-valley-councils-landed","Where Valley councils landed",[66,290,291],{},"Patterson’s initial 45‑day moratorium in July bought time. In August the council extended the pause out to next summer, citing open questions on infrastructure and ratepayer risk. Riverbank followed with its own 45‑day urgency ordinance on Sept. 8, and it noticed an Oct. 13 hearing to add 10 months and 15 days, a standard step under state law when cities keep a temporary ban in place. One sentence here covers it.",[66,293,294],{},"Modesto hasn’t voted on a moratorium. It did publish a plain‑English FAQ on Aug. 11, and the council heard repeated calls from residents to codify a pause while staff sorts zoning, water, and power.",[61,296,298],{"id":297},"what-the-utilities-said","What the utilities said",[66,300,301],{},"The Modesto Irrigation District briefed its board on Sept. 8. Staff walked through the process a big prospective customer would face: an initial inquiry, then a large‑load study, followed by system‑impact and facilities studies, all paid by the applicant. MID said safeguards exist to keep existing customers from picking up costs tied to new mega‑users. That’s the lever local boards look for before they talk jobs or tax revenue.",[61,303,305],{"id":304},"what-this-means-for-merced-county","What this means for Merced County",[66,307,308],{},"If one of these projects lands in commuting range of Merced, the main tests are the same ones councils from Patterson to Riverbank are asking now: how much power, how much water, how many jobs, and who pays if upgrades are needed. Analysts say the next crop of facilities can pull about two‑and‑a‑half times the electricity of those opening this year, which is why boards that also serve farms and processors want costs pinned to the applicant up front.",[66,310,311],{},"A half‑empty paper cup sat by the clerk’s monitor at a recent meeting.",[66,313,314],{},"\"We don’t want a data center here,\" Modesto resident Kayla Delgadillo told a TV crew after that packed August session.",[66,316,317],{},[318,319,320,321,323,324,329],"em",{},"Central Valley AI is produced by the ",[70,322,239],{}," team and developed by ",[325,326,37],"a",{"href":38,"rel":327},[328],"nofollow",", a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.",[331,332],"hr",{},[61,334,336],{"id":335},"source","Source",[66,338,339],{},[325,340,341],{"href":341,"rel":342},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.mercedsunstar.com\u002Fnews\u002Fbusiness\u002Farticle317459405.html",[328],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":344},[345,346,347,348,349,350],{"id":248,"depth":11,"text":249},{"id":280,"depth":11,"text":281},{"id":287,"depth":11,"text":288},{"id":297,"depth":11,"text":298},{"id":304,"depth":11,"text":305},{"id":335,"depth":11,"text":336},"2026-10-04","A national report carried by the Merced Sun-Star says more than 30 data center measures are on November ballots. Valley councils are already moving.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Fpatterson-and-riverbank-pause-data-centers-modesto-weighs-next-steps","---\nauthor: CVAI Newsdesk\ndate: '2026-10-04'\ndateModified: '2026-10-04'\ndescription: A national report carried by the Merced Sun-Star says more than 30 data\n  center measures are on November ballots. Valley councils are already moving.\ntags:\n- policy\n- business\n- modesto\ntitle: Patterson and Riverbank pause data centers; Modesto weighs next steps\n---\n\n# Patterson and Riverbank pause data centers; Modesto weighs next steps\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n1. A report carried by the Merced Sun-Star says voters will see more than 30 data center measures on November ballots nationwide.\n2. Patterson approved a 45‑day pause in July and extended it to July 2027 in August.\n3. Riverbank adopted a 45‑day moratorium on Sept. 8 and set an Oct. 13 hearing to extend it 10 months and 15 days.\n4. Modesto posted a city FAQ on Aug. 11 and residents pressed the council to add a pause.\n5. Modesto Irrigation District told its board large power users must fund studies and protections before any hookup.\n\nThe Riverbank council’s vote took five minutes on Sept. 8. A 45‑day pause, unanimous, and staff told to bring back stricter rules.\n\nTwo towns over, Patterson moved first. The council imposed a 45‑day moratorium on July 16, then extended it on Aug. 18 through July 2027 to give staff time to map water and power needs and write conditions. The same week, Modesto’s chambers filled with residents urging their council to hit the brakes too.\n\nWhy it matters here lands fast. A national report carried by the Merced Sun-Star says voters will face more than 30 ballot questions tied to data centers this November. That’s the backdrop for Central Valley readers because the next class of facilities uses far more electricity than current builds, and it’s the same grid that runs packing houses and cold storage in Merced County.\n\n## What the report says\n\nThe pieces circulating nationally point to fast‑rising opposition, from California to the Midwest, and tally three dozen or so local measures asking voters to slow, ban, or condition large data center projects. The debate has bled into campaign season. The report the Sun‑Star carried puts the number at more than 30, with decisions spread across multiple states in November.\n\n## Where Valley councils landed\n\nPatterson’s initial 45‑day moratorium in July bought time. In August the council extended the pause out to next summer, citing open questions on infrastructure and ratepayer risk. Riverbank followed with its own 45‑day urgency ordinance on Sept. 8, and it noticed an Oct. 13 hearing to add 10 months and 15 days, a standard step under state law when cities keep a temporary ban in place. One sentence here covers it.\n\nModesto hasn’t voted on a moratorium. It did publish a plain‑English FAQ on Aug. 11, and the council heard repeated calls from residents to codify a pause while staff sorts zoning, water, and power.\n\n## What the utilities said\n\nThe Modesto Irrigation District briefed its board on Sept. 8. Staff walked through the process a big prospective customer would face: an initial inquiry, then a large‑load study, followed by system‑impact and facilities studies, all paid by the applicant. MID said safeguards exist to keep existing customers from picking up costs tied to new mega‑users. That’s the lever local boards look for before they talk jobs or tax revenue.\n\n## What this means for Merced County\n\nIf one of these projects lands in commuting range of Merced, the main tests are the same ones councils from Patterson to Riverbank are asking now: how much power, how much water, how many jobs, and who pays if upgrades are needed. Analysts say the next crop of facilities can pull about two‑and‑a‑half times the electricity of those opening this year, which is why boards that also serve farms and processors want costs pinned to the applicant up front.\n\nA half‑empty paper cup sat by the clerk’s monitor at a recent meeting.\n\n\"We don’t want a data center here,\" Modesto resident Kayla Delgadillo told a TV crew after that packed August session.\n\n*Central Valley AI is produced by the **CVAI Newsdesk** team and developed by [Kaweah Tech](https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech), a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.*\n\n---\n\n## Source\n\nhttps:\u002F\u002Fwww.mercedsunstar.com\u002Fnews\u002Fbusiness\u002Farticle317459405.html\n",{"title":237,"description":352},{"loc":354},"news\u002Fpatterson-and-riverbank-pause-data-centers-modesto-weighs-next-steps",[360,361,179],"policy","business","A1Fk_AKJOiMhd9ixTHjeaTsuRgGvmMYLrcyfDNVRUjs",1791076404064]