Valley Headlines

Opposition to EATS

Ag Net West. Campaign launched to block the EATS Act. 
Synopsis: The EATS Act would override the rights of voters in CA and other states to set standards on food sold in their stores. Including EATS in the Farm Bill is the No. 1 priority of pork farmers in Iowa, the Carolinas and Beijing – where the world’s largest pork company, WH Group, is headquartered. WH owns Smithfield Farms. Passing the bill would “dismantle hundreds of state agricultural laws, opening the door for increased foreign control with fewer safeguards,” said Deborah Mills, former chair of the National Dairy Producers. The Organization for Competitive Markets is also “fully committed to fighting the EATS Act’s inclusion in the farm bill.”
MAD Note: Former Rep. John Duarte co-authored the EATS Act despite CA being one of the most active states in setting food standards.

Western Farm Press. Gift extends UC Davis pistachio research.
Synopsis: Rod Stiefvater has donated $335,000 to UC Davis to develop new pistachio rootstocks to better survive changing climate conditions. UC Davis was the developer of the original high-yield pistachio clone.
MAD Note: If the name Stiefvater is familiar, it might be because he was among the nut growers who sued former Congressman John Duarte over hundreds of thousands of defective trees produced in Duarte Nursery. Altered in the nursery’s lab, the Duarte clones usually failed to take root.  

Is Social Security in doubt? 

Merced Sun Star. Are Donald Trump and Elon Musk putting Social Security benefits at risk?
Synopsis: Reporter David Lightman offers this “reality check” on comments from Sen. Alex Padilla, who said “Trump’s reckless firings at the Social Security Agency puts your hard-earned benefits at risk.” The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare says the benefits being paid to 6.3 million Californians cannot be cut. BUT “we are in uncharted territory here” because Musk considers Social Security “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.” With staff cuts, the backlog in requests for service is at an all-time high. Lightman writes that “few politicians want to fool with anyone’s Social Security benefits.” But Jacob Rubashkin wonders if Trump’s denials can be trusted.

New fire chief, new tax

Westside Connect. Gustine fire department starts new era with Chief Martin.
Synopsis: Richard Martin began his tenure as Gustine fire chief on Feb. 27, having risen from assistant chief. He calls it a great honor to be nominated “by the guys in the fire department.”

Westside Express. Dos Palos voters pass fire-safety measure.
Synopsis: The number of voters was small, but they were united in passing Measure S by 77%. It adds a half-cent to the city’s sales tax dedicated to keeping the downtown fire station open. The county had proposed consolidating stations 75 and 76 to reduce staffing costs. If S hadn’t passed, Mayor Katy Miller says, “insurance on homes could be dropped or the cost increased.” City manager Dwayne Jones says with both stations remaining open, additional development can be considered.

Riders had ‘a blast’ in Merced

ABC30. Gran Fondo Hincapie returns to Fresno.
Synopsis: Hundreds of cyclists from around the nation converged on Merced for the 81-mile race through the rain. Said Virgil Reyes of Fresno, “This gravel route is second to none. I’ve been to Colorado and other places to do gravel rides, and this is probably one of the best-run races I’ve ever been to.” Wendy Carpenter spent the night in Merced and said the ride “has been a blast.”

Who will turn giant faucet?

Sacramento Bee. Elon Musk endangering CA water; it takes people to run big federal projects.
Synopsis: Columnist Tom Philp writes about the damage being done to the Central Valley Project by Trump’s meddling and Musk’s firings. According to documents obtained by McClatchy, the two entities are planning for budget and staff cuts of up to 40%. That’s on top of the 10% staff cuts – more than 1,000 employees – on the West Coast already. The Central Valley Project and Bureau of Reclamation not only provide water for growing food, they protect people from flooding. As Philp points out, “With significantly less staff, talk of real and permanent supply expansion is basically out of the question.” Philp says the Musk-Trump chainsaw approach to HR makes it essential that Gov. Newsom and the “state’s congressional delegation” quietly brainstorm how to minimize the federal role in California water long-term.
MAD Note: One member of California’s House delegation in a particularly good position to have an impact? That would be Adam Gray, who sits on both the Ag and Natural Resources committees.

Vidovich sued for $105M

SJV Water. Bank seeks more than $105M and foreclosure on John Vidovich’s properties.
Synopsis: John Vidovich, a Bay Area-based “water magnate” is being used for $105 million. US Bank is demanding seizure of property with Vidovich’s 146,000 acres across four counties being put in receivership. Vidovich is not the Valley’s most popular grower. He sold the rights to 14,000 acre-feet of water from the Dudley Ridge Water District in Kings County to a southern CA water district for $73 million – angering many of his Kings County neighbors. More recently he has been battling the JG Boswell Farming Co. over accusations that sides have been selling groundwater outside of Kings County – a practice the county has banned.

Ugly politics in Fresno

GV Wire. Fresno council president says it’s not worth investigating ‘rumors’ of Chavez wrongdoing.
Synopsis: Council president Mike Karbassi doesn’t want the city to investigate allegations of misuse of public funds against Luis Chavez unless those who are accusing him – Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula and activist Luisa Medina -- are willing to reimburse the city for the cost. Chavez has been accused of using public money to promote his wife’s campaign to replace him on the council. Medina says Karbassi is saying these things only because of his relationship with political consultant Alex Tavlian (who operates the Valley Sun).
MAD Take: This is getting ugly. But it is Fresno.

KSEE / CBS47. Fresno joins national protests against Trump, Musk.
Synopsis: More than 100 people gathered in north Fresno Saturday to protest DOGE firings and Trump’s reign. The organizers say a single posting on a website turned viral, resulting in the big turnout.

Good Samaritan killed on 99

Merced Golden Wire (Facebook). Man killed Sunday after trying to help crash victims on 99.
Synopsis: The Merced CHP says a good Samaritan saw a crash on Hwy 99 and stopped to help. It started when Sincere Collins of Atwater drove his GMC Acadia into a guardrail at around 4:18 a.m. Sunday. An unidentified man driving behind the GMC pulled over to help and was struck by a Honda Civic. Both Collins and driver of the Civic, Yessica Partida, were arrested for DUI on the scene.

117 warehouse jobs gone

Fresno Bee. Fresno-based distribution center closure puts 117 workers out of jobs.
Synopsis: S&S Activewear will close its 331,000 square-foot center in Fresno, leaving 117 without jobs. It supplies Dickies and Under Armour clothing to retail outlets. The Fresno warehouse is the company’s last CA operation. Most of the clothing is imported. The last day for workers is April 9.

A get-out-of-jury-duty card?

Cal Matters. Another CA professional group wants a free pass from jury duty; 1 lawmaker says no.
Synopsis: Modesto’s Juan Alanis has written a bill to exempt all probation officers from having to serve on juries. But at least one Republican has refused to get onboard. Bill Essayli, a former Corona prosecutor, calls such exemptions a “slippery slope,” and voted in committee to kill the bill. He was the only one, as 11 others greased that slippery slope and the bill advanced.

Pills in eatery? Attacks in prison?

Valley Sun. Three men caught with 150,000 fentanyl pills arrested in Madera’s Panda Express.
Synopsis: One man from San Bernardino, one from Caruthers and another from Mexico were charged with enough crimes to keep them in prison for life. As they walked into the fast-food restaurant, authorities descended on their car to find the pills and guns.

Sacramento Bee. Female inmates in CA prison say officers assaulted them after abuse claims.
Synopsis: A lawsuit says that in retaliation for making official complaints of abuse, Chowchilla correctional staff herded 159 women from Housing Unit 513 into the cafeteria then attacked them with clubs, fists and rubber bullets. The 13 women filing the complaint called it a war zone. They point to Sgt. Fernando Arroyo as the leader of the pack known as the “Delta Dogs.” While they were being attacked, their cells were ransacked.

Peterson beating ‘God’s plan’  
SF Chronicle. Prisoner who beat up Scott Peterson during pickleball: ‘It was God’s plan for sure.’ 
Synopsis: Charles Miles admits to being the “man who roughed up Scott Peterson” during a pickleball session at Mule Creek State Prison. He told guards that he was walking around the facility’s perimeter when Peterson charged at him with what he thought was a weapon. It was actually a pickleball paddle and Peterson was chasing the ball. Like Peterson, Miles also was convicted of murder. Apparently, as Peterson ran to get the ball, one of his opponents on the pickleball court called out to Miller, “Hey! That’s the baby killer.” Miles does not seem remorseful.