Today's Headlines

CA herds being tested for flu

Farms.com. US tests for bird flu in CA dairy cattle.
Synopsis: The USDA said Friday it was testing for three potential cases in the Central Valley (looking at you, Tulare). If confirmed, CA will become the 14^th state to have found cases of H5N1 in cows. While deadly to commercial chicken, turkey and duck flocks, bird flu in cows is more of a hassle than a threat to the cows’ continued health. While bird flu in cows reduces milk production significantly, it poses no danger to humans as long as the milk is pasteurized. The CA Dept of Food & Ag is working with USDA.
MAD Take: No more wishful thinking. Even if all three of these tests turn out negative, it’s only a matter of time before bird flu is found in a California dairy herd.

Deputies, dogs and happy kids

Patterson Irrigator. K9 units donate school supplies.
Synopsis: New PI Editor Jessica Wilkinson does a nice job describing Grayson Elementary School kids (in Westley) getting school supplies from members of the Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit. Deputy Brandon Silva said the SO will have handed out about $3,000 worth of supplies to 7 schools in Patterson USD before they’re finished. It’s the fifth year that members of the unit have raised money and partnered with Walmart to distribute school supplies to kids who need them. Principal Janet Lomeli was happy to see the officers and to get the supplies.

Calls for police reform

Modesto Bee. Modesto Police Review Board report calls for better transparency, de-escalation.
Synopsis: This is the first report from the review board, which was created after several incidents involving police over-reaction in Modesto. The board wants all disciplinary actions, settlements and reports of officer misconduct made public. Created by the city council, the board also wants to see de-escalation teams inserted into more potentially violent situations. The report noted, however, that its demands must keep in mind union contracts that include review, rebuttal and appeal of all disciplinary measures. Nico Solorio wants Modesto to adopt policing standards beyond those mandated by the state and taught in various certification programs.

Giant silos are coming down

Fresno Bee. Landmark grain silos to be torn down; they’ve stood near downtown nearly 80 years.
Synopsis: The 100-foot-tall silos and nearby 2-story brick building built by JB Hill Co. around 1931 haven’t been operational for years, and scavengers have removed all the copper. They’re now considered unsafe, maybe because of the asbestos used in construction. Owners Producers Dairy plans to use the space, but neighbors worry about increased truck traffic.

Feds will share water data

Maven / Bureau of Reclamation. Reclamation joins innovative water management partnership.
Synopsis: The Bureau – which operates the Central Valley Project – will form a partnership with the Corps of Engineers, US Geological Survey, NOAA and FEMA to better understand impacts of climate change on water and storage. The goal is to better protect against floods and inform water-supply decisions.
MAD Note. This could be important if it allows the CVP to make allocation decisions independently from DWR. The state agency is notoriously unreliable in its measurements, as evidenced by the release of over 650,000-acre feet of river water in the midst of a drought in 2021. That water did no good for farms or fish. The releases were based on predictions that space was needed in the reservoirs for Sierra runoff that never arrived. The department blamed those faulty estimates on bad modeling and outdated measurement methods.

Existential threat to farming?

SF Chronicle. Sonoma loves farms; activists call them factories: Could ballot measure upend county? 
Synopsis: Even free-range poultry barns have become a target for those who want to end the practice of eating meat, like Direct Action Everywhere. The owners of Weber Family Farms welcomed media and officials into their barns so they could see how animals are treated (there are lots of photos). The fourth-gen farmers were among the first to embrace farm-to-fork agriculture in Sonoma. But Direct Action insists that this egg farm is a “factory farm.” DAE is pushing Measure J, which would outlaw any dairy farm with over 700 cows or poultry farm of over 82,000 hens. DAE openly admits that this is a “test case,” which it hopes will push other jurisdictions to ban large farms.
MAD Take: The government has spent the past 40 years telling farmers to “get big or get out.” Now, farmers who have found safe, humane ways to produce lots of food are being called heartless villains and their farms are being threatened with extinction. This is up to the Sonoma voters, but what becomes of those pastures and fields if economically viable farming is outlawed in Sonoma County? Close your eyes and envision those beautiful green hills … covered in asphalt and condos.

Amazon’s water conservation plan

KSEE / CBS47. Why does Amazon want to conserve the Central Valley’s water?
Synopsis: Amazon Web Services operates vast arrays of computers across the world, all of which require cooling. So, the company has developed a project with the CA Dept of Fish & Wildlife and River Partners to reconnect floodplains to side channels. This would help diffuse flood waters, conserve water and provide more water for ecosystems. And, apparently, computers. Amazon says its participation will provide 1.6 billion liters per year of “volumetric benefits.”
MAD Note: The conservation benefits sound huge, in liters. But it boils down to 1,300-acre feet. About what the city of Hughson consumes in a year.  

Renovation in Valley towns

Patterson Irrigator. PHS unveils new pool, beautification project.
Synopsis: The ribbon cutting for the Olympic-sized pool was Saturday. The pool is 135 yards long and has 10 competition lanes. Superintendent Reyes Gauna says it was long overdue. “When you look at all the high schools in Modesto or other areas, they all have a pool,” he noted. The pool is the centerpiece of the beautification project, which includes landscaping, walkways, drainage and irrigation systems and seating for students. Roebbelen Contracting of El Dorado Hills did both projects.

Merced County Times. Winton celebrates newly renovated community park.
Synopsis: Lots of photos from Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting for the $3.7 million renovation via a Caltrans grant. There are new lights for the basketball courts, a playground, 20 drought-resistant trees, picnic shelters and graffiti-resistant benches and tables.

What’s up in high school football?

Modesto Bee. Patterson QB is school record holder; teams change divisions & more.
Synopsis: A roundup of prep football news as Week 2 kicks off tonight. Max Medina, a Patterson junior, already owns the Tigers’ record for touchdown passes at 62. Last week, Nick Cozart (son of coach Rob) caught 3 of them. Medina was 22 of 24 passing for 324 yards. BTW, Medina is also the Tigers’ ace pitcher. … Ripon Christian, which was supposed to play Le Grand until the school’s 3-game suspension for brawling, will play El Capitan this week. … It’s Holy Bowl week as Central Catholic faces St. Mary’s.

Merced Sun Star. Who are the top players in the Merced area? 25 football stars to watch.
Synopsis: Shawn Jansen offers a list of the region’s top 25 players, starting with Diego Martinez of Le Grand – who won’t play until the second week of September due to the suspension of his entire team following a brawl in their first game. Among others: WR Yahir Zuniga (Los Banos), RB Andre Flores (Dos Palos), QB Davian Stephenson (Chowchilla), TE Peyton Mosley (Pacheco), QB Quintell Dupree (Merced), RB Caden Baily (Hilmar) and WR Sylas Austin (Atwater).

Los Banos goes garlic

ABC30. CA Garlic Festival kicks off in Los Banos.
Synopsis: The city says it expects “tens of thousands of people” to attend through Sunday.
MAD Note: It wasn’t mentioned, but Gilroy – which originated California food festivals with the original Garlic Festival back in 1979 -- wants its Garlic Festival back. The Gilroy Garlic Festival was traditionally in July and was discontinued after a shooting in 2019 left 3 dead. Maybe there will be enough garlic lovers for two festivals 47 miles and 4 weeks apart.