Valley Headlines

Modesto’s DOGE connection

Modesto Bee. Modesto native, Elon Musk insider, is at the center of the DOGE access controversy.
Synopsis: Kathleen Quinn writes about Brian Bjelde, the Central Catholic grad who started his professional life as an aeronautics engineer at SpaceX. Now he works for the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE – which is also the name of Musk’s favorite cryptocurrency. Bjelde was sent to the Office of Personnel Management, where he was tasked with cutting 70% of the workforce. Now Bjelde is at the heart of an effort to figure out if he is even authorized to make job cuts and whether he should be given access to information like social security numbers, medical records, etc. He is among the Musk-alites who want to move to Mars. He was paid $1.8 million as part of NASA grant to SpaceX. There’s even spicier stuff in the story.

How DOGE screws up

GV Wire. DOGE claimed it saved $8 billion in one contract; it was actually $8 million.
Synopsis: DOGE was bragging on itself, but made an error of $7,992,000,000. Considering that DOGE fires people by issuing claims they’re incompetent, what does this say about DOGE? Worse, the “agency” refused to correct its error even after it was pointed out. “The mistake was discovered simply because it was the first item” checked.

Valley Citizen. Trump cuts will hurt Valley wildlife refuges and more.
Synopsis: Eric Caine writes about the how the Aleutian Goose was saved from extinction and the role played by the federal refuge in Stanislaus County and how Tony Coelho, Bob Gallo and Bill Lyons all helped. Now, Trump has fired 400 US Fish & Wildlife employees – the Valentine’s Day Massacre of conservation – and operations at the refuge are likely to be curtailed. As bad as these cuts are for endangered populations, the Trump cuts at the National Nuclear Security Administration were far more dangerous. Eric writes that the real goal is “terrorize government employees,” but we all should be terrified.

Successful Farming. USDA works to rehire bird flu officials it fired, NBC reports.
Synopsis: The USDA “accidentally fired” workers involved in the nation’s response to bird flu. “We’re working swiftly to rectify the situation and rescind those letters.” And it wasn’t just at USDA. The Trump administration fired 1,165 workers at the National Institutes of Health and terminated nearly 200,000 workers who were still on “probation” as “new” hires. In some jobs, probation lasts two years, so those workers had been on the job for months, receiving training and other investments.

Blame zoning mess on Modesto

LA Times. ‘Stuck’ in place: Author traces America’s mobility crisis to a Modesto law from 1885.
Synopsis: This story is about Yoni Applebaum, who has written a book and an interesting article in the Atlantic. He notes that the nation’s first zoning laws were attempts by racist Modesto city fathers to keep Chinese businesses out of downtown Modesto. Yoni blames the growing national housing affordability crisis on zoning. His bottom line is seeing a balance in how we build more housing, not allowing draconian preservation rules (for historical and environmental concerns) outweigh the need to create housing everyone can afford.
MAD Take: When 5,000 square feet of land costs $50,000, when permits and fees on a typical house run $85,000, when materials cost $115 per square foot, meaning the typical 3,000 square foot home has $350,000 in bricks and brass, then there’s no wonder a new home goes for $500,000 -- before adding any profit. What’s needed is a new design for the American Dream. Instead of a mini-mansion, how about a kibbutz? But sure, let’s blame it on Modesto.

LA Times. CA’s housing problems require a better solution than densify, densify, densify. 
Synopsis: Joel Kotkin writes that most Californians will never be able to afford any new house. Prices here are 400% above the national average, and 250% above the national median. “These statistics aren’t bad news for everyone. Many baby boomers – who bought into their neighborhoods long ago – have made out like bandits through escalating home prices.” But anyone under 35 missed the Gravy Train and they’re all fleeing the state. “The housing crisis has its roots in excessive construction regulations  and litigation…” His solution: “CA’s mounting housing problem requires more alternatives, especially for people seeking lower rents and affordable single-family houses. If the state wants to maintain its upward mobile chops, it must refashion its housing policies.”

Expect delays on Hwy 99

Modesto Bee. Major detour begins for upgrading Hwy 99/120 interchange in Manteca.
Synopsis: The Austin Road bridge will be demolished as part of the upgrades, that will consume 18 months and untold volumes of frustration for drivers. It began Tuesday. When finished it will add lanes for commuters using 120. Unmentioned in the story is that on the east side of Hwy 99 there is a major housing development going in that will bring another 2,000 or 3,000 trips per day to the immediate vicinity.

Ceres to ‘study’ water fees

Ceres Courier. Consultant to explore water, sewer rate hikes.
Synopsis: The Nexus study by Willdan Financial Services is considered “overdue.” The city will pay $29,084 for the study. The last such study was done in 2012. The city charges $6,800 for a water connection and $6,000 for a sewer pipe. The city engineer says a more reasonable fee would be around $8,600 for each. “Not raising those rates since 2014 really puts us behind the eight ball.”

A normal irrigation season

Turlock Journal. Irrigation season preview looking good for local growers; more rain needed.
Synopsis: TID got its hydro report Tuesday, saying an additional 6 inches has arrived during February, making the total 18.7 inches, or about 82% of normal. That will do, though more would be welcome for the Tuolumne River watershed. Don Pedro has risen 6 feet in the last week. That means the water cap will be at least 42 inches and possibly 48 – which is normal. Final numbers will be released after the March 4 meeting.

Cornell leads way on bird flu

Morning Ag Clips. One-Stop bird flu resource center fills information gaps.
Synopsis: The Avian Flu Resource Center has been created by Cornell University Veterinary College as a “comprehensive resource that offers a one-stop clearinghouse for  the most current and trustworthy information on bird flu.” Cornell says true experts across the world are working day and night to keep people safe and develop protection for animals, too.

Ag Net West. US bird flu response hampered by Trump administration.
Synopsis: A “significant disruption” in our nation’s response to bird flu occurred when the DOGE fired workers at the CDC, USDA and NIH. The weekly reports coordinated between the offices were shut down, leaving states in the dark about the spread and response. Both the USDA and CDC also shut down all Congressional briefings and the USDA had no one available to respond to requests from states for information regarding “programs to safeguard the nation’s food supply.”

Questioning the Williamson Act

KVPR. Is CA’s Williamson Act a giveaway to Fresno County’s wealthiest landowners?
Synopsis: Gregory Weaver of Fresnoland wrote this story which details the 14,000 parcels getting tax breaks under the farmland preservation law. He writes that much of the land is being sold to large corporations and organizations, who then inherit the tax benefits. It cost Fresno County $50 million last year and over $800 million in the past 30 years. Interesting story. The largest beneficiaries of the Act are the Assemi family, Canadian Royal Police and the Smittcamp, Woolf, Maddox and Resnick families.

Arambula going nuclear

Fresno Bee. A CA Democrat wants more nuclear energy; our power-hungry AI is why.
Synopsis: Tad Weber writes about Joaquin Arambula’s bill to outlaw nuclear plants unless they include plans to reprocess the spent fuel. That sounds like an anti-nuke proposal, but Arambula would exempt “small modular reactors.” It also requires the CPUC to develop plans to increase nuclear generation by 2028. He’s linked arms with Josh Hoover and Diane Dixon to get the bill passed. The Sierra Club is adamantly opposed, citing all the usual dangers – poison residue, too much water needed for cooling, etc.

One coach can’t lose, the other …

Modesto Bee. MJC men’s basketball is having a record seasons led by CA’s busiest coach.
Synopsis: Brice Fantazia coaches MJC men AND the Modesto Christian boys. He’s also the MC athletic director. Both of his teams are undefeated in their leagues. He was a member of the MC state title team in 2004. Most of the Pirates have local ties, but two are from Sacramento, one from Florida and one from France. Last year, MJC was 2-24; this year they are 23-3 and 14-0 in Big 8. MC is 12-0 in league and 21-7 overall and begins Division 1 Sac-Joaquin play tonight against Pitman – a game unmentioned in the story. Also unmentioned is that Fantazia’s teams are a combined 44-10.

GV Wire. Bulldogs blown out by Aztecs, set season record for losses.
Synopsis: The 83-60 loss to San Diego State was Fresno State’s 22^nd of the year, 15^th in the Mountain West. The team is 5-22 and has had a losing record for 9 straight years, though this is the first under Vance Walberg. The old record for futility was 21, set last year under coach Justin Hutson.