Modesto library to open Monday as relief from heat but vulnerable have few options Sunday
Editor’s note: Authorities late Friday decided to open an additional cooling center at the Modesto branch library on Sunday. Read the latest update on this story here.
Original story:
Stanislaus County will open many of its branch libraries on Labor Day as cooling centers for residents seeking relief during the holiday weekend heat wave.
The branches in Modesto, Newman, Oakdale, Patterson, Riverbank, Empire, Turlock and Salida will be open noon to 9 p.m. Monday. And while Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority bus service is closed Monday for the holiday, the transit authority will operate two vans providing rides to the nearest cooling center for residents in its service area.
Officials reported Friday evening the Modesto library branch also would be open Sunday noon to 9 p.m. after discussions between the city and county.
That is one of several options to escape the heat Sunday, during the first day of an excessive heat warning from the National Weather Service that is in effect from 11 a.m. Sunday though 8 p.m. Wednesday.
For instance, the Patterson City Hall lobby is open noon to 5 p.m. over the three-day holiday weekend, and Oakdale’s Gladys L. Lemmons Senior Center is open Sunday and Monday noon to 6 p.m., according to the Office of Emergency Services, which is a division of the Sheriff’s Department.
The Hughson Community-Senior Center also is available as a cooling center. City Manager Merry Mayhew said in an email there will be a sign on the door with a phone number to call to have the center opened.
People can seek relief at the Modesto Gospel Mission’s day program. Executive Director Jason Conway said earlier this week the program is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m, including over the three-day holiday weekend.
The program is for the mission’s shelter clients, but Conway said anyone wanting to keep cool is welcome. They don’t have to participate in the program, and the mission will offer them water and something to eat. Conway said people also can spend the night at the mission if they don’t have other options to stay cool.
Office of Emergency Services spokesman Raj Singh the OES decided to focus its limited resources on providing cooling centers Monday because there were more options available Sunday. OES officials have been meeting with officials from county departments and cities over the last couple of days to prepare for the heat wave.
Singh said the libraries will be staffed by volunteers. He said water will be available, but as of Friday there was no plan to provide snacks. He said the libraries will operate strictly as cooling centers and will not offer their regular services.
Many of the county library branches are open Saturdays.
The National Weather Service in Sacramento has the entire region it covers, from Redding to Modesto, under an excessive heat warning. The weather service is predicting daytime highs of 102 to 109 degrees from Saturday through Wednesday for Modesto, with nighttime lows of 72 to 79 degrees.
Modesto’s normal temperatures this time of the year are daytime highs of 91 or 92 with overnight lows of 60 or 61, according to the weather service.
Singh said homeless people generally do not use cooling centers. He said seniors and low-income people are more likely to use them.
He said officials are getting out the word about the cooling centers through social media and the news media. He said they are also speaking with first responders, hospitals and county agencies that work with vulnerable people.
Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority CEO Adam Barth said in an email residents within its service area can call 209-527-4900 on Monday to get a ride to a cooling center. He said they also can call for a ride home from a center. He said a van will take them to the nearest center.
Barth said this service also will be available Sunday except in Modesto because the transit authority will be operating buses in the city that day. It will not have bus service in its other service areas. Buses are running Saturday.
The transit authority also is waiving fees Saturday through Tuesday.
This story was originally published September 2, 2022 at 5:39 PM.
