Valley Headlines

Sounding the alarm in Fresno

GV Wire. $300 billion in Republican SNAP funding cuts alarm Fresno leaders. 
Synopsis: Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez called the Republican plan to transfer nutrition support for children from the federal to state governments “unconscionable. … These proposed cuts to SNAP are not just numbers on a spreadsheet – they are meals taken off the tables of working families, seniors and children in places like Fresno County.” Historically, SNAP funding has been contained in the Farm Bill, but the House Ag Committee voted on party lines to approve a bill that eliminated all the funding. All of the committee’s Democrats voted against the bill, including Adam Gray and Jim Costa. Central Valley Food Bank CEO Natalie Caples said SNAP “is the most effective and efficient anti-hunger program operated by the federal government and provides nine meals for every one meal provided by food banks. The cuts proposed in this bill will exacerbate hunger in Central Valley communities and put … our food bank in an impossible position.” Gray pointed out that 1 in 5 households in his district depend on SNAP for meals. “America is a great country with great people, and they certainly deserve a hell of a lot better than (these cuts),” said Gray.

Lost water threatens Valley

The Packer. Inaction on water woes could cost CA billions.
Synopsis: A study by UC Davis and UC Merced shows farmers in the Valley could be forced to fallow up to 3 million acres at the cost of 67,000 jobs and up to $14 billion a year in lost income if nothing is done to prepare for drought and increasing temperatures. “We’ve done the math – and the costs of inaction are high economically and environmentally,” said Prof. Jay Lund of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. “CA urgently needs a long-term, statewide strategy to prepare for growing water challenges.” The study shows climate change will cost the Valley up to 3-million-acre feet a year while increased environmental flows to keep species viable will require another 2 MAF while farmers will have to forego up to 3 MAF a year to end groundwater over-drafting.
MAD Take: This report is important in understanding the scope of the water problem in the near future. However, among the suggested solutions are more robust water markets – which would be a horrible mistake. Opening limited supplies of water to commercialization will create more frequent shortages as the price of water must rise to facilitate profits taken by speculators. It will mean small- and medium-sized growers will be priced out of the market making agriculture a corporate enterprise. Our state has a means of allocating water that works – as long as there’s water to allocate.

Bakersfield Californian. CA’s future water supply requires a new approach. 
Synopsis: Sen. Anna Caballero explains how her SB 72 would develop storage for an additional 9-million-acre feet by 2040. She cites the study by UC Davis and UC Merced showing that if nothing is done the Valley will suffer enormous losses. She is careful to point out, “SB 72 doesn’t endorse any one project or solution. It creates a framework and urgency for a statewide, all-of-the-above strategy – one that includes storm-water capture, aquifer recharge, storage modernization and better coordination across regions.”
MAD Take: Amen. Sen. Caballero has the good sense not to mention water markets.

YCCD has new interim boss

Modesto Bee. Yosemite Community College District appoints interim chancellor. 
Synopsis: Lena Tran has been appointed to lead (at least temporarily) YCCD, which manages both Modesto Junior and Columbia colleges. She has been the president of Columbia College since 2022. She replaces Chancellor Henry Yong, who will step down at the end of this school year. Board president Milt Richards says she is “exceptionally qualified” and that “she has consistently demonstrated a commitment to improving access to education, developing workforce pipelines and enhancing student success.” There is some dissention.

Where should homelessness go?

Modesto Bee. Modesto councilmember says Newsom order to clear homeless camps won’t work. 
Synopsis: Nick Bavaro takes issue with the governor’s crackdown on the homeless, expressed through his budget and his angry words directed at Turlock. Bavaro notes the underlying causes of homelessness – mental illness, addiction – that lead many to refuse housing and help. He notes that Modesto has received $21 million to combat homelessness over 5 years, but only a sliver of that has been spent to address these issues. Worse, the governor is not offering any ideas about where the homeless should go. That said, “The governor has opened the floodgate for discussion, and I compliment him on that.”

Valley Citizen. Can’t manage homelessness? Blame Turlock. 
Synopsis: Eric Caine writes about Gov. Gavin Newsom’s tough talk aimed at the Turlock city council majority that refused to approve a token show of support ($1) to help the We Care Shelter win a state grant of $267,000. That failure means the shelter will likely close by June 30. The Governor, writes Caine, is “both right and wrong.” Right that local leaders need to step up. Wrong that the state has “done its part.” A state audit showed the state has no idea what it got for some of the $24 billion it spent on the problem over the past five years. What we can see, though, is that some of the programs didn’t work. Caine cites Nick Bavaro, who says “homeless people don’t have anywhere to go.” To solve the problem, we need more and better mental hospitals and programs that offer transitional housing coupled with counseling. Caine’s bottom line: “Way to go Turlock. Like Gavin Newsom, all you’ve done is compound the problem.”

Best places to feed kids

Modesto Bee. These are the best kid-friendly restaurants in Modesto, Yelp says. 
Synopsis: Everyone loves lists. Best for feeding kids: No. 1, Wildfire Public House on Oakdale Road, thanks to wings, burgers and mac & cheese. 2, The Secret Garden on East Orangeburg, which offers hot dogs, fingers and grilled cheese. 3, Food Fix Butcher & Bakery for its sandwiches. 4, Michael’s Pizza Bar & Grill for, well, pizza. 5. Fruit Yard, if they can sit still. Others: Commonwealth, Squeeze In, Backwoods Burgers in Oakdale and the Waffle Factory in Escalon. 

Jumping into shallow water

Merced Sun Star. Fisherman alerts authorities to man in distress near Merced River.
Synopsis: A man who jumped off the Cressy Bridge “just for fun” found himself injured and in need of rescue by the sheriff’s office. The water beneath the bridge is only waist deep and the man suffered injuries when he hit the bottom sooner than he anticipated. Deputies applied a tourniquet at the scene then got him across the river to waiting EMTs. He’s expected to be OK. Eventually. 

Time to celebrate students

Merced Sun Star. Merced high school students choosing military over college honored by district.
Synopsis: Across Merced County there were 59 seniors who enlisted in the military, and they were honored at the Salute to Service Luncheon on Tuesday. Merced High guidance counselor Regina Cherf – a retired Lt. Col. -- understands the attraction. “Some of them just want to fly or fight, but I’d like to think that many of them feel a call to serve and a higher purpose.” The RAND Corp. says serving in the military results in a boost in income over the short- and long-term.

Pickleball & ducks in Gustine

Westside Connect. Pickleball for a Cause: Gustine, Newman play to support Valley Children’s. 
Synopsis: Daniel Gomes has decided to combine his love of pickleball with a fundraiser at Schmidt Park on May 31. It’s not just about raising money for the hospital, but also “building something meaningful – bringing people together.” There will be pickleball, of course, but also music, food, a silent auction and a bounce house for kids. There are divisions (and trophies) for all levels, including first-time picklers.

Westside Connect. Ducks Unlimited expands conservation efforts with new Gustine chapter.
Synopsis: Ducks Unlimited will have recruitment meeting May 20 at the WhichCraft Taproom on Fifth Street. Expect a crowd because it’s an open bar. The goal is increasing wetland conservation. Garrett Williams is the driving force (209 324-8801). Last year, DU surpassed 1 million acres of conservation in the US. 

Trying to save salmon

Maven / NCWA. NorCal fishermen and farmers collaborate to boost salmon numbers in Sac River.
Synopsis: Some 540,000 fall-run juvenile salmon from the Coleman National Fish Hatchery in SF Bay were kept in pens in the Tehama-Colusa Canal forebay long enough to let the Sacramento River water imprint on their sensors in hopes they will return to the river to spawn in two or three years. The USF&W Service, NorCal Water Assn, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, NorCal Guides and others were involved.

Better times for walnuts

Ag Net West. CA walnut industry 2025 outlook promising.
Synopsis: After several “very tough” seasons, walnut growers are seeing “an extraordinary start to this growing season.” Some 72% of all CA’s walnuts are exported, including all of the organically grown nuts.

What bad weather?

SF Chronicle. ‘This is a big problem’: Two CA weather offices no longer provide 24/7 warnings. 
Synopsis: Hours have been cut at the US Weather Service offices in Hanford and Sacramento, meaning the entire Central Valley and surrounding mountains have lost 24/7 emergency weather coverage. Such a loss “is the biggest deal we’ve seen so far,” said Prof. Daniel Swain of the UC Ag & Natural Resources Commission. Staffing at the Hanford office is down 40% while Sacramento is down 30%. It means warnings of flash floods, wildfire and blizzards will be limited to normal working hours. “These are offices that have dealt with major wildfire episodes most of the past 10 years and we are now entering fire season. That’s a big, big problem,” said Swain. There is a similarly dire situation in the NOAA stations, where staff has also been decimated by DOGE cuts.

Party time at Castle

ABC30. Luke Bryan brings 2025 Farm Tour to Atwater’s Castle Airport.
Synopsis: Thousands showed up to see country superstar Luke Bryan Thursday night at the Castle Commerce Center. Among those was Tianah Vitorino of Gustine: “It’s really cool seeing him come out here and see the small towns,” she said. The Merced Mounted Posse patrolled the grounds along with Atwater PD, the CHP and various Explorer post cadets. An estimated 20,000 attended. Bryan is also doing farm concerts in Fresno and Kern counties.