Valley Headlines

Bee goes deep on CA-13

Modesto Bee. Water rights, law enforcement, job creation among local priorities for Duarte, Gray.
Synopsis: Reporter Kathleen Quinn spends two thirds of the story talking to John Duarte about things that haven’t quite worked out as he planned. First, he bragged about getting $3.5 million for a new Modesto emergency dispatch center, but later insisted it was at the request of Mayor Sue Zwahlen. That’s because upon receiving the money several months ago, police chief Brandon Gillespie said plans had changed – something Duarte should have known. The chief and Sheriff Jeff Dirkse have found ways to work together. Now the money has been set aside to pay for a new computer system and furniture. Duarte bragged about finding money for drug interdiction, but the bill is still stuck in the House and hasn’t yet been voted on. Quinn also spoke to Adam Gray, who explained how he got the Volt Institute funded in 2017, how food production, biomass and energy jobs are being created with help from state programs he championed. Gray also talked about floodplain restoration and the creation of Dos Rios State Park. Gray “added that he didn’t believe there was anyone in Washington right now willing” to work with both conservationists and farmers. Instead, we see “a lot of finger-pointing and excuses,” said Gray.
MAD Note: Working with “both conservationists and farmers” is not something Duarte could pull off – not after being fined $1.1 million for destroying wetlands in Tehama County.

Secretary of Food, Health, Nuts: RFK Jr.

Successful Farming. Trump confirms RFK Jr. would tackle food and health policy.
Synopsis: This story compiles reports from several media sources to say that Donald Trump has promised to “let (Kennedy) go wild on health; I’m gonna let him go wild on the food. I’m gonna let him go wild on medicines.” Last week, Kennedy said, “When @realDonaldTrump gets me inside the USDA, we’re going to give farmers an off-ramp from the current system that destroys soil, makes people sick and harms family farms.” He promises crackdowns on farming chemicals and “big corporate farms.”  Several ag industry observers are alarmed, saying RFK would represent a “180-degree turn” from Trump’s first term. “That has to be concerning.”
MAD Take: Wonder what the world’s most notorious anti-vaxxer thinks about giving farm animals antibiotics. Or vaccinating pets for rabies. Or soil fumigation. Or eating roadkill.

Reich: Duarte is ‘weakest’ in Congress

Robert Reich. 4 seats to flip the House.
Synopsis: The UC Berkeley economic professor and Clinton Administration advisor looks at the possibility that Kamala Harris could win both the popular and electoral college races, but still be denied the presidency. If Mike Johnson remains in the Speaker’s chair, he could refuse to certify the results of one or both elections in an effort to have the House choose the next president. To keep that from happening, says Reich, Democrats need to flip 4 seats and effectively remove Johnson from control. Reich offers 7 House races that he calls the most consequential in America – including CA-13. Reich called John Duarte “the weakest” representative in Congress.
MAD Take: “Weakest” in the entire 118^th Do-Nothing Congress. Whew. That’s saying something.

Farm Bill? Very unlikely

Ag Net West / USDA. Time running out for Farm Bill passage.
Synopsis: Podcast: This 59-second report quotes Tom Vilsack saying we’re running out of time to even pass an extension of the existing bill (passed in 2019). “The Farm Bill needs to be one that is not leaving anyone behind,” said Vilsack, noting problems in both the Midwest and West. He says lawmakers need to be able to actually work together to get a new bill passed.
MAD Take: Might help if California’s professed “farmer in the House” hadn’t authored a portion of the Bill that is guaranteed to outrage every California Democrat and several Republicans – the pro-Beijing EATS Act. It would take away the rights of Californians to have any say on how the food they eat is produced and leave us at the mercy of Smithfield Foods among others.

Parasol Patrol counters hate

Fresno Bee. Demonstration of ‘love’ counters Westboro Baptist protest against LGBTQ students.
Synopsis: About 100 people used umbrellas to create a “Wall of Love” and block the view of three publicity-seeking people who flew to Fresno from Kansas. They were carrying signs telling gay people that they’re all going to hell. One student said the show of support from gay students was far more meaningful than anything coming from Kansas. The Westboro bunch tried to walk to different locations to be seen but were surrounded by folks carrying parasols – the self-described Parasol Patrol.  

Los Banos employees fearful

Westside Express. Frustrated, fearful, angry city employees urge ‘yes’ vote in recall.
Synopsis: Reporter Mike Dunbar spoke to public works and police officers’ union members – all fearful of retribution if their names are divulged – about their frustration with stalled labor negotiations and the difficulty of working under city manager Josh Pinheiro. The only way to get Pinheiro removed is to oust all four of the city council members who hired him. That’s because the council majority voted to require a 5-0 council vote to dismiss the city manager. “It feels like the majority of this council is running the city like it’s their own personal business,” said one union member. The city manager’s most ardent backers are councilmembers Brett Jones and Doug Begonia Jr., who are being recalled, along with Ken Lambert and Mayor Paul Llanez.

Swearingen: Yes on Prop 4

Fresno Bee. Why CA’s Prop 4 is essential for the Central Valley’s long-term vitality.
Op-Ed. Ashley Swearingen writes that to “preserve the strength of our beloved land” we must pass Prop 4. The CEO of the Central Valley Community Foundation notes that there are 400 commodities produced in the Valley. The Farms Food Future (F3) Initiative stretches from Fresno to Merced and is essential to the state’s health and the nation’s. Prop 4 will help create jobs, create better water storage and power the conversion of substandard farmland into solar production.

99-year-old milk plant closing

Merced Sun Star. Milk plant in Los Banos to shut down after nearly 100 years making dairy products.
Synopsis: California Dairies Inc., the state’s largest farmer-owned milk cooperative, has closed its milk-processing plant in Los Banos. The creamery at Hwy 152 and H was built by the San Joaquin Dairymen 99 years ago. The closure was immediate, with 38 people losing their jobs making milk powder and fluid-milk products. The company also operates plants in Fresno, Visalia, two in Turlock and Tipton. CDI produces about 40% of the state’s fluid milk.

Rough weekend in Fresno

GV Wire. Despite being shot twice, Fresno police Sgt. keeps cool in deadly shootout.
Synopsis: A veteran Fresno PD sergeant was shot and wounded Saturday on the 3700 block of East Platt. He was parked and looking at his computer to pinpoint a “ShotSpotter” report when his cruiser came under fire. What followed was a 49-second exchange of gunfire. The shots were allegedly fired by Andy Morales, who now stands accused of killing another gang member just before he fired on the sergeant. It was likely the ShotSpotter report came from that exchange. Those providing first aid to the sergeant applied tourniquets, and he is expected to recover. Morales has several prior arrests.

KSEE / CBS47. 6 shot in Fresno gang-related shooting.
Synopsis: The shootings happened Saturday night around Amador and A streets. Two of the wounded were found at the scene, the other four checked into emergency rooms later. All are expected to survive. Apparently, it was a shootout between rival gangs.

Sierra Club falling apart?

LA Times. Sierra Club’s CA members are torn over its mission: Can a new leader forge consensus?
Synopsis: Some members want the club to lean harder into environmental justice, others fear the club is losing focus on its original mandate -- wilderness preservation. Acting director Bobbi Jo Chavarria will try to heal the rift, which has seen membership drop 19% since 2019 (that’s 32,000 departures). Chavarria is the third leader since the controversial Kathryn Phillips stepped down in 2021. The club’s press secretary says social justice has been infused into every department and cannot be separated from the club’s mission. That appears to be a problem for some members.
MAD Take: From a Valley perspective, the Sierra Club has become expert in telling people how to live, what to eat, what to grow and exactly what should be sacrificed by California’s poorest residents whom they would prefer remain hidden from view in the Valley. Other groups appear to be accomplishing great things both in the mountains and the Valley – Self-Help, River Partners, Environmental Defense Fund, Audubon, Jakara Movement etc. Like many, I’d be more likely rejoin the National Geographic Society than the Sierra Club.