Valley Headlines

Fed cuts hurt farmers, poor, kids

Fresno Bee. Federal funding cut for CA farms program impacting farmers, food banks, schools. 
Synopsis: Reporter Robert Rodriguez writes about the Farms Together Program, which paid farmers to deliver produce to food banks. Trump’s DOGE killed it. Same for the Local Food for Schools & Child Care program, which paid for purchase of local foods to go into school lunches. Those programs cost about $1.1 billion nationwide, with virtually all of the money going to farmers. For instance, 100+ Valley small farmers produced food for 55 food banks. Fresno Unified spent $492K from the program to buy fresh melons, fruit and vegetables. Food bank operators called the cuts “extremely disappointing. … This has been an incredibly important program.” A Sanger grower said the program kept his small farm afloat. Without it, “I am not sure we will be able to keep going.”

Feds back away from vaccines

Successful Farming / Agri-Pulse. USDA backs off on vaccines for HPAI.
Synopsis: In a pivot from last week’s announcement that it would spend $100 million to develop and distribute a vaccine for poultry and cows, the Ag Department is now “de-emphasizing vaccines as a tool to control bird flu in poultry.” Instead of being “hyper-focused” on a vaccine, the USDA will push greater biosecurity and deregulation. Why the sudden shift? The only clue was hearing Donald Trump tell Congress that vaccines are “off the table.” Turkey, egg, broiler and dairy groups strongly support vaccines as the “most promising solution” for bird flu. Two are already in use elsewhere in the world. Two companies have received conditional approval for chicken vaccines, and one is at the distribution stage for cattle. Apparently, no one from the USDA has reached out to the companies to say why the support – and funding – has suddenly disappeared.
MAD Take: Has anyone asked Bobby Jr.?

Feeling betrayed in the Valley

Cal Matters. They live in CA’s Republican districts and feel betrayed by looming health care cuts.
Synopsis: Story highlights how several Valley families have used Medi-Cal – from treating asthma to pre-natal care to buying a wheelchair. They are among the 14.9 million Californians who rely on Medi-Cal. All of them live in either Vince Fong’s or David Valadao’s districts – two of the state’s 9 Republicans who voted to, in effect, kill Medicaid. Donald Trump insisted Medicaid won’t be touched, but he made calls to reluctant Republicans to ensure their votes for the cuts. Valadao says he’s already heard from “countless constituents” who are worried and vows not to vote to kill Medicaid. But when a group of medical workers from his district traveled to Washington last week, the congressman was too busy to see them. One has a grandson whose medication costs $5,000 a month. Without Medicaid “his life is at risk,” said his grandmother. Health clinic CEOs say cuts to Medicaid represent an “existential threat.”
MAD Take: Donald Trump has hinted that DOGE cuts will result in a $5,000 check for each American adult. That will cover one month of that child’s meds. What then?

KVPR. Trump health care proposal billed as consumer protection but adds enrollment hoops.
Synopsis: The Trump administration has issued changes to the Affordable Care Act which it says will crack down on fraud, but opponents say are designed to make it harder to get coverage. The ACA provides healthcare to 24 million Americans. Last year 274,000 complaints were lodged against the program, mostly focused on rogue insurance agents selling bogus policies. A Georgetown University professor says the new rules only make it harder on those trying to enroll, not those selling false hope.
MAD Note. In his recent book, “Revenge of the Tipping Point,” author Malcolm Gladwell points out that one of the largest medical-fraud schemers in America -- Philip Esformes, who tried to bilk Medicare out of $1.2 billion -- had his sentence commuted by Trump in 2020. That same day, Trump commuted the sentences of 7 “health care” schemers.

They don’t want to hear about it

Politico: On the Hill.
Synopsis: Every month Congress sets aside a week for representatives to return home so they can take the temperature of their districts. Usually, that includes conducting town halls or meetings with large groups affiliated with veterans, union workers, business groups, farmers, etc. But the GOP is urging its members not to go public with meetings. Doug LaMalfa, Darrell Issa, Tom McClintock and others are taking that advice. One says he’ll have a “virtual” town hall (where participants can be carefully screened or immediately shut down if they stray off topic).

Kids Day is no more

Valley Sun. Valley Children’s halts annual Kids Day fundraiser after financial scrutiny.
Synopsis: The annual Kids Day fundraiser has been put on pause after media organizations who helped originate the fund-raising effort were involved in reporting on excessive salaries and bonuses to VCH’s executives. The program was started in 1988 by the Fresno Bee and ABC30.

Merced upgrades under way

Merced Focus. ‘We’re extremely excited’: Merced kicks off $3.5 million Bob Hart Square renovation.
Synopsis: At Main and Canal, the city’s central square is being rejuvenated. It will be ready by October with a new stage, expanded plaza and new plumbing underneath. “Without a great downtown, you don’t have a great city,” said Mayor Matt Serratto. Bob Hart was mayor for 2 years.

Have a seat and read awhile

Ceres Courier. Bench honors late reading volunteer Vonnell Mantarro.
Synopsis: At Sam Vaughn Elementary, Vonnell Mantarro was renowned for her efforts to help children learn to read or read better. Vonnell died on March 15, 2022. Her daughter, Lisa Mantarro Moore, presented a bench to the school in her mother’s memory. A plaque advises students, “Always try your best.” CUSD Superintendent Amy Peterman called Vonnell “the sweetest woman I ever met in my life.” Teacher Michelle Borges said she was “always a lady with a smile.”

Ceres Courier. Sam Vaughn getting new T-K classrooms.
Synopsis: A new wing for transitional kindergarten and autistic students is under construction at the elementary school. It is expected to open next September.

MC to honor the Andersons

Merced County Times. Merced College to honor the Anderson family.
Synopsis: At his 11^th State of the College luncheon on April 7, MC president Chris Vitelli will present the President’s Medallion to Larry and Georgeann Anderson, owners of Anderson Homes. The event will be at the Los Banos campus this year, on 125 acres donated by the Andersons.

Mud makes them happy

Merced County Times. Grand Fondo Hincapie – The challenge continues, and it should be wet, wild.
Synopsis: “About 600” cycling enthusiasts are expected in downtown Saturday at 8 a.m. Riders will start in the city, ride east into Mariposa County then return to town for a festival. Among them is retired Olympian George Hincapie. There are 3 courses, the longest 81 miles, the shortest 6.5-miles along Merced’s bike paths. “People are worried about the weather because so much of the race is on dirt roads, but the weather will make it muddy, slippery and actually -- this is what all the riders want,” said organizer Doug Fluetsch.

‘Mudslinging’ doesn’t

GV Wire. Did Chavez use public funds to support wife’s campaign? Arambula asks for probe.
Synopsis: Edward Smith writes about Supervisor Luis Chavez, whose wife is seeking to fill Luis’s vacated seat on the Fresno city council. Documents show Chavez paid Alex Tavlian – publisher of the Valley Sun -- $200,000 from city funds for material featuring his wife. Arambula says that’s wrong and has called on city attorney (and former prosecutor) Andrew Janz to investigate. Chavez says no city funds were used for political purposes, adding it “breaks my heart to see him engaging in mudslinging.” Chavez, his wife and Arambula are all Democrats.

Fresno Bee. Wife of Fresno council candidate speaks out against political attack mailer.
Synopsis: Mary Lee is distraught and furious over a mailer that claimed her husband Brandon Vang committed statutory rape in the early 1990s. Vang is 52, Lee is 47 and works as a nurse. They have 5 children, including a son born 32 years ago. Doing the math, that would have made Lee 15 when she delivered and Vang 20. No charges of statutory rape were lodged against Vang at the time. He is running for the same seat as Luis Chavez’s wife and two other candidates.

Want gratitude? Buy a puppy

Sacramento Bee. Athletics unveil new Las Vegas patch, crushing excitement in Sacramento.
Synopsis: Columnist Lebron Hill says the A’s got the sweetest deal in sports – free rent – by coming to Sacramento until their Las Vegas stadium is finished. Combine that with the highest-priced tickets in baseball and, well, someone will be getting rich. The least the team could do, says Lebron, is call itself the Sacramento A’s. Instead, they unveiled a new patch for their uniforms with the words Las Vegas prominently displayed. A’s will live in Sac for 3 years. “This patch unveiling feels obnoxious.”
MAD Take: Gee, Lebron, do you expect owners of professional sports teams to have some sort of geographic loyalty? Let me introduce you to Al Davis, Walter O’Malley, Charlie O. Finley, and Horace Stoneham and every other owner of a pro sports team. No exceptions.  

Door for doggies, not lions
CBS13. Mountain lion caught on camera peeking through pet door.
Synopsis: A resident of Shingle Springs has a camera pointed at his kitchen doggy door and was surprised to see a mountain lion poking his head through. CDF&W says it’s not the first time this has happened. “Their favorite food is deer, but they will also prey on pets and small livestock.” They’re telling folks in the area not to walk alone. And maybe secure that doggy door.