Valley Headlines

Layoffs at major winery

Modesto Bee. ‘Significant’ income drop prompted Bronco Wine to shed 81 workers in Stanislaus. 
Synopsis: John Holland reports on 81 layoffs announced by the makers of “Two-Buck Chuck.” It will leave 670 workers at the Ceres winery after a “significant downturn in business revenues” forced a “major reorganization.” Bronco also owns the old Petri Winery west of Escalon, Simpson Meadow Winery in Madera and a bottling plant in Napa. Last month, Foster Farms announced 519 layoffs in Turlock.

SF Chronicle. Winery behind Two Buck Chuck to lay off 81 employees, citing ‘significant downturn.’
Synopsis: Bronco Winery is the nation’s 10^th largest winery, selling 3.5 million cases. Every job from cellar supervisor to viticulturist is impacted, starting April 8. The layoffs continue a trend of job losses in the wine industry, including several smaller wineries closing and a major player (Vintage Wine Estates) filing for bankruptcy. 

Winegrapes left to rot

SF Chronicle. Last year’s CA wine harvest was smallest in 20 years.
Synopsis: The total winegrape crush this year was 2.8 million tons, down 23% from 2023. You’ve got to go back to 2004 to find a smaller crush (2.76 million tons). “A massive wine oversupply combined with global downturn in sales left growers struggling to find buyers for their crop, even after slashing prices. Grapes were left to rot on the vine,” says the story. Brokers called it “nothing short of shocking.”

Half of all bees dead?

Fresno Bee. Record losses of bees could trigger hive thefts in CA’s almond country.
Synopsis: Robert Rodriguez reports on a “staggering loss of bees.” No one knows what is killing the bees – mites, chemicals, other pathogens – but it is wiping out entire colonies. Some beekeepers say 50% of all their bees have died this winter. This has led to more hives being stolen. Last year there was a record 3,600 hives pilfered. This year could be much worse as farmers become desperate to find pollinators. The CA State Beekeepers Assn last year launched programs to identify hives through air tags, cameras and other means. With fewer bees, expect fewer nuts and fruits. The almond bloom starts next week.

Ski resort pulls the plug

SF Chronicle. Yosemite’s only ski area won’t open this winter.
Synopsis: Badger Pass, up near Glacier Point, has pulled the plug on the entire season due to lack of snow. The resort has 10 inches beneath its 5 chairs. This weekend’s expected blizzard “is arriving too late” to save the season.

Flood dangers in CA-13

Comstock’s. Stockton is behind in flood control. 
Synopsis: As bad as flood risks are on the Sacramento River, they are worse for Stockton. The San Joaquin and Calaveras rivers merge in the city, and though $1.4 billion has been spent to beef up flood protection, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board says the community remains “in danger.” Story says the Army Corps of Engineers excluded the Mossdale Tract area a few years ago when surveying work needed because it didn’t want to encourage development there. But development came anyway, making Lathrop the fifth-fastest growing city in America. The flood board and county are working on the levees but want help from the federal government.
MAD Take: This is important for folks living in CA-13.

Fallout over releases goes on

Ag Alert. ‘Frustrated’ and ‘confused’: Army Corps dam releases sent farmers scrambling.
Synopsis: Caleb Hampton adds some information to the story that broke last week, saying that local water managers forced the Corps of Engineers to dial back the senseless releases. There was no warning, hence no ability to remove debris and vegetation that could have caused flooding. “There was a huge danger to the downstream public,” said the Farm Bureau’s Alexandra Biering. Said grower Dave Van Groningen, “cities typical flood with that much flow.” Irrigation district staff worked through the night to remove irrigation blocks and allow the water to dissipate. Other districts stationed heavy equipment at critical sites on the Tule River. Now, the Corps is refusing to comment on what it accomplished with the releases, saying only that it acted “consistent with the direction in the executive order.” Tom Barcellos said the releases will cost 2 days of irrigation. “That doesn’t sound like much, but it’s enough.”

The Guardian. Billions of gallons of water wasted in CA in what now appears to be a political stunt.
Synopsis: The release of 2.3 billion gallons from Kaweah and Success has caught the attention of the world. The story quotes Fresno State Prof Thomas Holyoke calling the release “a ridiculous blunder.” And while a goodly amount will seep into aquifers, more will simply evaporate.

As always, healthcare concerns

ABC10. Modesto doctors worry change at community clinic will hurt pregnant patients.
Synopsis: Starting May 1, Golden Valley Health Centers’ will no longer offer delivery services at the Women’s Clinic due to what appears to be a contract dispute with four care providers. This follows on the heels of Stanislaus County’s decision to turn over operations at the clinic to GVHC. Dr. Eduardo Villarama, the chief medical officer for GVHC, says his organization serves 650,000 patients a year and only those who had been getting services from Women’s Health in Modesto are impacted. Dr. Susan Podolsky, who works at Doctors Medical Center, insists this is going to harm her former patients. Dr. Lloyd Lee says the clinic’s closure will create a gynecological desert in west Modesto. Dr. Silvia Diego said, “The Central Valley in general lacks OB/GYN, primary care doctors; you name it, we lack it.” Podolsky says this move is “throwing away women of color.”

Westside Connect. Westside Community Healthcare’s future uncertain with possible shutdown. 
Synopsis: The board said it has enough funding for only 7 months of operations. Part of that is because Measure A, which would have levied a parcel tax of $69 to fund the ambulance service, failed. Board members are looking for ideas and revenue sources to continue operations.

From the police blotter

Merced Sun Star. Suspect in deputy-involved shooting and chase faces multiple felony charges.
Synopsis: After leading deputies on a chase then ramming a patrol car in Delhi, Juan Ibarra Rosales has been arrested and held on $80,000 bond. Deputies opened fire, and he was slightly wounded.

Merced Golden Wire (Facebook). CHP K-9 seizes 50 pounds of illicit mushrooms in Fresno County.
Synopsis: On Feb. 6, K-9 officer Shei was called in to look over a pickup pulled over on I-5. Shei alerted officers to $80,000 worth of hallucinogens wrapped in plastic bags. Phillip Yoon, 35, was arrested. 

Westside Connect. Borrelli to resign as Gustine Fire Chief at end of the month.
Synopsis: Patrick Borrelli says this is his last month leading the Gustine Fire Department.

Fox26. Greg Garner no longer chief of police in Sanger, city manager says.
Synopsis: Greg Garner resigned after 4 years, 6 months, said city manager Nathan Olson, but wouldn’t say why. Joshua Johnson is acting police chief.

State rule change halts projects

SJV Water. State changes to farmland retirement program could pull rug out from ongoing projects.
Synopsis: The State’s $90 million program to convert farmland to other uses in the Merced, Tule and Kaweah subbasins is effectively on hold after changes in the state’s requirements for projects. Someone at the state level added language that would, essentially, stop any pumping from aquifers for any purpose – farming, wildlife or drinking water for disadvantaged communities. If that language remains in place, the Mid-Kaweah GSA will halt all of its projects and remove them from consideration. Other agencies are taking a similar approach. Apparently, the changes arose after Jennifer Lucchesi was appointed director of the Dept of Conservation on Jan. 6.

‘Don’t tell me how to spend’

GV Wire. Bredefeld wants less scrutiny for supervisors’ discretionary budget. 
Synopsis: Newly elected Supervisor Garry Bredefeld wants to change the rules governing how he spends the $600,000 each supervisors is allotted for discretionary spending on improvements and donations within a district. Policy 75 says proposals must be submitted to the entire board for approval, but he doesn’t want to do that. Bredefeld says any citizen can request records on how the money is spent, and that’s enough sunshine. Supervisor Nathan Magsig said the board has not denied a request for 10 years, and that submitting them ensures that all requests are publicly aired. Supervisor Brian Pacheco called it “ironic” that Bredefeld – who has called for transparency in spending during his campaign – would now demand less scrutiny.
MAD Take: $600,000? That’s $3 million for 5 supervisors A YEAR.

A $23K bottle of wine?

SF Chronicle. Lawsuit: Wine country restaurant founder embezzled, drank $250K worth of wine.
Synopsis: Jonny Barr started a company that bankrolled the popular Healdsburg restaurant Molti Amici (Many Friends). But the restaurant has struggled, and now, Barr’s biggest investor is suing him alleging, among Barr treated the restaurant’s wine cellar like his personal collection. At one point, he said the restaurant purchased a bottle of Domaine de la Romanee Conti valued at $23,000 – and consumed by himself.