Valley Headlines

Schiff campaigns in Valley

KVPR. Schiff, Gray campaign together in Merced in tight House District 13.
Synopsis: Rachel Livinal writes about Adam Schiff’s visit to Merced, where the candidate for the US Senate and Adam Gray spent the afternoon knocking on doors in CD 13. “Two Adams are definitely better than one,” said Schiff.

KVPR. Rep. Duarte introduces bill to support Valley fever vaccine.
Synopsis: After nearly 2 years on the job and while campaigning for re-election, the member-in-good-standing of the “Do-Nothing Congress” introduced a bill to promote a pharma solution to Valley Fever.
MAD Note: The most significant work being done on Valley Fever is happening at UC Merced, where its fungal properties were first discovered. It should be noted that Adam Gray secured $220 million to build the medical school at UC Merced, where this work is finally taking place. Nice to see Duarte pitching in at the very last moment. Just like he did when he showed up at Gray’s Capitol steps water protest in 2018.

Ceres Courier. Condit leads in campaign cash.
Synopsis: Gary M. Condit, the grandson of former Congressman Gary Condit, has raised more money than Mayor Javier Lopez and challenger Rosalinda Vierra. Deep in the story, we learn Condit has taken in $15,805 in the last quarter. By comparison, Lopez raised $11,989; of that, $1,500 came from Sen. Marie Alvarado Gil, who is being sued by Gary M’s father Chad over injuries he claims were incurred while providing non-governmental services for the senator. Vierra reported raising $2,629.  

Golfer hits 2 ‘aces’ in 1 day

Ceres Courier. Ceres man makes two holes-in-one in same day.
Synopsis: No, Troy Hulstine was not playing on the putt-putt course. The 34-year-old was golfing with his brother (and witness) at River Oaks on Sept. 12. His first ace came on the 111-yard No. 3 hole. “That feeling of watching the ball disappear in a hole is absolutely amazing,” said brother Curtis. Troy’s second ace came on No. 8, which is 138 yards to the pin. Both holes were par-3s. Other golfers nearby recounted the screaming that accompanied each ace.

Why Westside needs Measure A

Westside Connect. Support Measure A – Save our ambulance.
Synopsis: Bill Mattos writes an essay urging support for a parcel tax increase to pay for Newman’s ambulance service. Such services are not free, points out the former county supervisor. He notes the West Side Ambulance has been there in times of need. Now it’s their time of need.

Rethinking food delivery

Modesto Bee. Mar-Val in Modesto? Kind of; how ‘country store’ will bring groceries to Stanislaus.
Synopsis: The store is partnering with Door Dash to deliver groceries and deli items to customers in the city. The reporter writes that the nearest Mar-Val to Modesto was in Ripon, but it closed 14 years ago.
MAD Take: The reporter should drive out McHenry to Escalon, where Mar-Val has been operating for nearly 20 years. It’s only about 5 miles from the Modesto city limits.

Patterson Irrigator. El Ranchero signs lease for former KFC building.
Synopsis: The popular Mexican restaurant will remodel the old KFC/A&W building at 140 Rogers Road. It will offer 24-hour service, mainly for I-5 travelers. There will be a “towering monument sign” displaying the El Ranchero logo near the Sperry / I-5 interchange. This will be the fifth El Ranchero location, including 2 in Modesto, Riverbank and West Sacramento.

Wolves moving into Tahoe?

KCRA. 4 wolves spotted near Lake Tahoe amid rise in reported sightings.
Synopsis: There have been several wolf sightings around Hope Valley (near Kirkwood Ski Area) with others in Alpine and El Dorado counties. There are four packs now living in the state, from near the Oregon line to eastern Tulare County. “Rumors are flying and we’re doing our best to keep officials updated,” said a CDF&W official.

Curious salmon swims up Klamath

KOBI (Medford). First Chinook salmon swims past site of former Iron Gate dam.
Synopsis: Over the summer, four dams were removed from the Klamath River, making nearly 400 miles of river available for migration. The purpose was to provide better spawning opportunities for salmon. Last week, a single salmon was spotted on sonar camera on a tributary of the river near the old Iron Gate dam. It’s a start.

Bay Area discovers a big pest

SFist. Invasive, 20-pound ‘swamp rat’ rodents spreading across Bay Area, definitely pose a threat.
Synopsis: The big, orange-toothed nutria have hit the radar of the Bay Area. As the reporter notes, “These damned things are trouble.” The story quotes CDF&W officials talking about the damage nutria do by burrowing into levees and berms and their ability to consume massive amounts of vegetation – including nearby crops. The writer notes that the first nutria in CA was found in Merced County in 2017. He notes they also carry TB and tapeworm, which can spread to humans and livestock through the water where the nutria swim.

Legal help for small farmers

SJV Water. UC Davis clinic hopes to give small farmers legal firepower to defend groundwater stake.  
Synopsis: Former Turlock councilwoman Nicole Larson is a law-school student at UC Davis and is hoping help small farmers avoid bankruptcy from fees placed on pumping. She is working with David Sandino, who was an attorney for the water board and is now providing free legal services through The Water Foundation. Roughly 75% of all farms in the Valley qualify as “small” – or under 100 acres with less than $400,000 in gross income. The fear is that SGMA will drive more consolidation as small farmers sell to big farming companies and their absentee owners.

‘Tata’ is a MacArthur genius

Fresno Bee. Why is Juan Felipe Herrera a MacArthur ‘genius’? He’s the grandfather of Fresno poetry.
Synopsis: The renowned Chicano poet was one of 22 MacArthur award recipients, “a nod to his 50-year career as a bilingual poet, educator and writer.” It is an unrestricted prize of $800,000. Last year, Dinuba-born Manuel Munoz also won a MacArthur grant. Fresno’s poet laureate Joseph Rios called Herrera “the tata of Fresno poetry.”
MAD Note: Those who attended the grand unveiling of the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative’s Merced Focus got to meet Herrera, who read from one of his books of children’s poetry.

Thurman’s widow succumbs

Modesto Bee. Obituary: Julia Thurman.
Synopsis: The widow of John Thurman – former County supervisor, Assemblymember and namesake of John Thurman Field – passed away at age 97. No mention of her in the news pages. In times gone by, such a passing would have merited a story.