Valley Headlines

A few Merced voters hurt the rest

Merced Sun Star. Merced County sheriff shouldn’t beg for more deputies; voters let him down.
Synopsis: The Merced Sun-Star editorial board (which is also the Fresno Bee editorial board) says Vern Warnke has every right to be “ticked off” that voters rejected Measure R, which would have provided the funds to bring his department up from its current 75% staffing. While the sales-tax bump got 55.9% of the vote, that was 11% short of the 66% needed for passage. Clearly, a majority of citizens support the tax, just not a large enough majority. Josh Pedrozo will try to promote a citizen-led measure that requires only 50%+1.
MAD Take: Is it really a democracy when a significant majority of voters can be overruled by a relative few? In other words, why should one person be allowed to cancel the vote of two others?

Will attacks derail high-speed rail?

Sacramento Bee. CA Congressman introduces bill to defund the state’s high-speed rail project.
Synopsis: Kevin Kiley reaches down the Valley – 130 miles from the area he represents – in an effort to kill a project and score political points. He says he’ll work with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to deny any additional federal funding to the HSR line from Merced to Bakersfield. Meanwhile, the HSR folks say the first 31-mile stretch of the LA-to-SF line is now “shovel-ready.”
MAD Take: Rather than find something in his own district that needs defunding, the attention-seeking Kiley is targeting CA-13, where the first phase of high-speed rail is already providing jobs. Does I-80 really need those extra lanes? How about the federal money in that $41 million Roseville Parkway extension? Or the $8 million for road projects in El Dorado County or $9 million project in Placer? How about we kill those?  

Sacramento Bee. High speed rail will look to Sacramento for help; will Newsom derail the project?
Synopsis: Tom Philp says the state was counting on $6.5 billion from the feds to finishing the first 171 miles stretching from Bakersfield to downtown Merced. But Trump will never stand for that. If it’s to be completed, the state will have to go it alone. Gov. Gavin’s choices are both bad. He can abandon the project and strand a $20 billion investment or fund it and either shortchange other priorities or break the budget. He'll have to “show his hand no later than Jan. 10, when he is constitutionally required to propose the coming year’s budget.” Tom is hoping for a solution: “We’ve come too far to give up and allow a nearly complete Valley rail system to stand forever idle as some monument to CA dysfunction.”

GV Wire. High-Speed Rail Authority breaks ground on Fresno four-lane grade separation.
Synopsis: The 402-foot bridge will accommodate 4 lanes of traffic, pedestrian access and bike lanes when finished. Mayor Dyer was on hand for the groundbreaking at the system’s 30^th active construction site. HSRA also announced it has full environmental clearance for all 463 miles of planned railroad, including the portion from Merced to Bakersfield and LA to SF. So far, 875 small businesses have participated in the project, 229 based in the Valley.

Almond CEO very upbeat

Ag Net West. Almond industry sees growth and sustainability milestones.
Synopsis: Almond Board CEO Clarice Turner was optimistic during the 52^nd Amond Conference in Sacramento, pointing to rising demand in emerging markets. She says the industry shipped 200 million pounds for 10 consecutive months last year -- a record. The “carryover” stockpile has dropped by 300 million pounds to under 500 million, which has been “super helpful” in stabilizing prices. She noted that almond trees sequester 18 million metric tons of carbon each year. By chipping spent trees and returning them to the soil, orchards are being renewed and water consumption is diminished. She also talked about efforts to improve the life of bees and other pollinators.

Farmers helping save Monarchs

Successful Farming. Agriculture industry reacts to proposal to list Monarch as threatened species.
Synopsis: While concerned about how the rule will impact some segments of farming, virtually every organization – from the American Farm Bureau Federation to the National Corn Growers to Farmers for Monarchs – has pledged to help bring back Monarch populations. After all, they are important pollinators. But farmers are asking for a seat at the table as plans are being made. Seems reasonable considering that the cooperation of farmers will be essential to success.

Influencer giving away 1,600 toys

Westside Express. 1,600 toys to be given away at Winter Fun Festival.
Synopsis: Influencer Dona Reclamos, aka Jocelyn Valenzuela, plans to give away 1,600 toys Friday in the parking lot of the Pacheco Blvd Starbucks. There will be dancing, play stations and free hot drinks. Reclamos, from Salinas, is also giving blankets to the homeless. Her message: “Nothing is forever. If right now you can’t provide for your family, tomorrow you will.”

Santa Nella power is on, finally

ABC30. Power restored after five months to Santa Nella mobile home park after devastating fire.
Synopsis: About 100 people living in 26 households in the Santa Nella mobile home park have power restored. All it took was 5 months since a fire took out three makeshift panels that supplied power to 26 trailers. Because the trailers were privately owned, neither the county nor PG&E would cover the cost. United Way of Merced provided more than $120,000 with residents and donors funding the rest.

SSJID has big, expensive plans

Escalon Times / Manteca Bulletin. Five-year SSJID plan aiming for upgrades.
Synopsis: Dennis Wyatt writes about the $125 million, 5-year program to increase water reliability for farmers and conservation for everyone. SSJID serves 230,000 people in Lathrop, Manteca, Tracy, Escalon and Ripon. GM Peter Rietkerk says half of the funding will go into irrigation, but the biggest expenditure will be for the Canyon Tunnel between Goodwin Dam and Knights Ferry which delivers drinking water to Tracy, Manteca and Lathrop. The tunnel has been damaged by rockslides. Repairs and earthquake hardening is expected to cost $140 million – a cost that SSJID and Oakdale ID will split. The districts also will build regulating reservoirs, allowing them greater flexibility in managing (and conserving) flows.

Merced boy lights the tree

Merced Sun Star. Merced boy, 9, joins Newsom family to light Capitol tree, a CA tradition.
Synopsis: Nine-year-old Carter Morris of Merced pushed the button that illuminated the tree in the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday night. Having children take part in the ceremony is a 40-year tradition. Carter is one of 450,000 receiving help from the CA Dept of Developmental Services.  

TJ Cox admits he’s a crook

Fresno Bee. Ex-congressman TJ Cox to plead guilty to fraud; deal includes a hefty fine.
Synopsis: The Democrat who ousted Rep. David Valadao then lost to him a rematch will plead guilty to 2 counts of fraud as federal prosecutors agreed to drop 24 others. Prosecutors say Cox stole $1.7 million in company loans and falsified records to cover it up. Part of that was through the Granite Park sports complex. Cox agreed to pay $3.5 million in restitution, provide all his financial records and is subject to additional fines.

Apartments for downtown Mo

Modesto Bee. Modesto completes funding for six-story apartment building downtown.
Synopsis: The low-income, 79-unit project on a mostly vacant lot across from the old St. Stan’s at Seventh and J is expected to open in 2027. Seventh Street Village will cost $70 million, mostly from state, local and federal grants. But $37.5 million will come from bond sales. It will be a block from the transit center. The only other apartment complexes downtown are both for senior citizens. It is hoped Seventh Street Village will encourage market-rate housing development and more commercial development. Rents are expected to range from $512 to $1,900 for a 3-bedroom unit.

Merced Courthouse getting facelift

Merced Focus. Officials kick off $3.5 million restoration of historic Merced Courthouse Museum.
Synopsis: Renovation of the landmark Italian Renaissance building should be done in time for the county’s 150^th anniversary, next year. Most of the work will be on the exterior. Jim Costa helped get $2 million in federal funds with the county throwing in $1 million and the state $500K. The Merced County Historical Society chipped in $50K.

(Another) Last season for the Nuts

Modesto Bee. Nuts sold by Mariners, to leave Modesto after 2025 season.
Synopsis: After winning back-to-back Cal League titles, the single-A affiliate of the Mariners says 2025 will be their last season in Modesto. The team has been purchased by Diamond Baseball Holdings, which owns 35 minor league teams and swaps baseball teams like kids once swapped baseball cards. DBH wants to move the team to SoCal. The Nuts have been in Modesto since 1946, featuring luminaries such as Rickey Henderson, Nolan Arenado and Sparky Anderson. Earlier this year, the team and city engaged in protracted negotiations over a new stadium. Now, Mayor Sue Zwahlen says the move saddens her, but she wishes the team well.
MAD Take: It’s not clear that this isn’t just another bargaining ploy. The Nuts threaten to move every four or five years.