Valley Headlines

World’s largest solar farm

Fresno Bee. Fresno County will be site of CA’s largest solar project; how it impacts residents.
Synopsis: Intersect Power has gotten approval for the Darden Clean Energy Project, the world’s largest solar-generation and storage facility with 3.1 million solar panels. Among beneficiaries in the 1,150-gigawatt facility are families in Cantua Creek, El Povernir and Five Points – all will get free air conditioning units. The solar farm will be southwest of Kerman and northwest of Huron. The Central CA Environmental Justice Network wants to see drinking water, traffic mitigation and reversal of “historical disinvestment” accounted for. Comunidades de Westside wants more healthcare. The Leadership Counsel for Justice & Accountability want a robust “opt-in” so that residents can benefit from the power generation. Responses from those receiving 500 air conditioners this weekend were “overwhelmingly positive.” The project intends to put another $2 million into the communities over 10 years.

LA Times. CA needs a little less farmland, a lot more solar power.
Synopsis: Columnist Sammy Roth looks at the “nation’s largest solar-plus-storage” project – the Darden Clean Energy Project, which will cover 14 square miles of western Fresno County and generate 1,150 megawatts while storing up to 4,600 megawatts. That’s enough for 850,000 homes for 4 hours. But not everyone likes the idea because it will cover once productive farmland with millions of solar panels. Farmers are rebelling, noting that solar farms now cover 13,000 acres in the Imperial Valley. They point out that ag creates more than food – it creates jobs and communities. This is actually about the Williamson Act, which provides tax breaks to land used for farming. With federal incentives for solar now dead, the solar companies need to avoid penalties for getting out of Williamson Act contracts. AB 1156 would provide them. Roth’s bottom line: “Were it not for the climate crisis, (the Farm Bureau’s) argument might have merit. The thing is, there is a climate crisis.”

Bird flu losses covered

LA Times. CA dairy farmers get $230 million to help cover costs of bird flu losses.
Synopsis: CA suffered the greatest losses due to bird flu in cattle but now is getting federal help. H5N1 swept through 75% of the state’s 1,300 dairy farms, causing steep drops in milk production, loss of cattle and even sickness among employees. The Emergency Assistance for Livestock – or ELAP – program has made payments to 644 farmers statewide, including 359 dairy farmers. The other payments were made to cover losses from pollinators, flooding and wildfire. The average dairy payout was $645,000 and ranged from $2,058 in Visalia to $4.4 million in Corcoran. The Corcoran farmer said the payment didn’t even cover the losses. A Tipton farmer said his payment of $1.4 million all went to buy replacement cows. Western United says the payments “ensured our dairy communities and their workers stay employed and healthy. Until we get approval of a dairy cow vaccine, weathering this storm has only been possible with the assistance of the milk-loss payments.” Story also quotes an organization that purports to fight “factory farming” and feels all such payments perpetuate a bad system.  
MAD Take: This “bad system” was able to sustain the shock of 100-day quarantines, the loss of thousands of head of cattle and millions of gallons of milk without seeing skyrocketing price spikes for cheese, yogurt and other dairy products. CA has the highest and most humane farming standards in the world. Providing help for those impacted is a good thing.

Too few cows in US

Successful Farming. US July cattle herd smallest since 1973. 
Synopsis: If you think the price of beef is high now, just wait. There are only 94.2 million head of cattle – calves and milking heifers included – in the US. Bloomberg reported “A severe shortage in the world’s largest beef-producing country has sent cattle costs soaring, wiping out billions in profits for companies such as JBS NV and Tyson Foods Inc. while driving record beef prices at grocery stores.” Higher prices have led to speculation that ranchers are increasing herd sizes, but the USDA says the herd size will grow only “a tick” next year – unlikely enough to lower prices. MarketWatch has reported imports from Mexico have dropped due to screwworm. Normally, Mexico supplies 13% of American beef; other imports come from Brazil, Australia and Canada – all countries angry over tariff demands. Talks with Brazil have stalled.

Ag Daily . Australia lifts restrictions on US beef after 20 years. 
Synopsis: For the first time in two decades, American beef producers can send frozen meat to Australia. American imports were banned in 2003 over “mad cow” fears. “Despite the regulatory clearance, the practical implications may be modest,” say officials. The change comes as US beef supplies are at a 50-year low, which is driving prices here to record highs. Australian beef imports, meanwhile, have risen 24% this year – despite a 10% tariff. The National Cattleman’s Beef Association says this is a “big win” for cattle ranchers. Under the agreement, Australia can ship 450,000 metric tons to the US tariff-free. The US is expected to ship “a few hundred metric tons” to Australia.

Reuters. Key elements of EU-US trade deal.
Synopsis: Basically, tariffs were set at 15% or zero depending on the product. That’s good for cars, aluminum and computers. But for wine, “a point of friction on both sides of the Atlantic,” no deal was reached.

GOP’s unconvincing lies

Merced Sun Star. Reality check: Republican ad says Adam Gray is ‘punishing our troops.’ 
Synopsis: Reporter David Lightman points out that Adam Gray was one of only five Democrats to vote in favor of a bill to provide $831 billion for the Defense Department -- including a 3.8% raise for all military members. The very day the GOP launched its ad, Gray co-authored a bill that will help veterans with co-pays at VA health clinics; that bill passed on a voice vote with support from both Democrats and Republicans. Facts aside, the GOP is saying Gray and 14 other Democrats are “putting all of us in danger” because they voted against the Trump budget bill. That bill adds an additional $4 trillion in debt to the national deficit. So who, exactly, is putting us in danger?

‘Who wants to go to Merced?’

Merced Focus. Fox News host takes swipe at Merced during high-speed rail segment.
Synopsis: The haters at Fox News were gleeful over Donald Trump’s decision to end a $4 billion grant for the project linking Merced to Bakersfield via high-speed rail. Brian Brenberg asked, “Merced? Who wants to go to Merced?”

Bakersfield Californian. CA’s high-speed rail project is not dead yet. 
Synopsis: The Californian editorial board offered a defense of high-speed rail and condemnation of efforts to kill it. “No doubt, Californians are disappointed about the increasing costs and delayed construction,” but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. As the Californian writes: “CA’s high-speed rail dream is not dead. But its future depends on stable funding, competent management and creative thinking.”

What happened in Delhi?

Merced Focus. Questions linger after beloved superintendent quietly steps down in Delhi.
Synopsis: Jose Miguel Kubes stepped down in April, ending his 5-year tenure as superintendent. He joined Delhi USD in 2020 as the pandemic was shuttering schools for 2,231 mostly poor students. Kubes was released “without cause” and no one is attempting to explain why. His contract ran through 2027, and he will be paid through next March. Eric Griffin is interim superintendent. Apparently, the district is in deep debt.

We’re drying out Earth

Pro Publica. The Drying Planet. 
Synopsis: Climate scientists Jay Famiglietti and Peter Gleick say we are dehydrating the Earth, and once we’ve used enough of our groundwater reserves the planet will be pushed past any point of return. Famiglietti and his team call this a “critical, emerging threat to humanity.” Researchers from Arizona, Canada, Asia, California and elsewhere joined in the study. Among contributing factors: Too much freshwater is flowing to the oceans, leading to sea-level rise. The pace of drying has accelerated and is growing by two Californias every year. Every continent is impacted, none more than North America. Water is already being used as a military and strategic tool in the Middle East, India, Pakistan even North America. Closer to home, our 2014 SGMA law isn’t working. Before we burn up, we’ll all starve to death.

Valley is sinking

SJV Water. State zeroes in on the sinking San Joaquin Valley.
Synopsis: The state wants to see more water put underground to reverse subsidence while reducing groundwater pumping. Valley water managers say that will be difficult without mandates to require everyone to participate. Farmers would be required to use only surface water to grow food. Since there’s not enough water to go around, many areas would be fallowed. The Tule and Tulare basins will be the most heavily impacted. Meanwhile, the Friant-Kern Canal – which carries irrigation water south of Fresno – requires roughly $500 million to bring flows back to capacity.
MAD Note: Most scientists believe it is impossible to reverse subsidence, especially in the western side of the San Joaquin Valley. Beneath the surface is a layer of clay, ranging from a few feet to 200 feet thick. Once pockets within that clay collapse, it cannot be re-elevated by injection of water.  

Deputies balk at ‘bus duty’

Modesto Bee. Dispute erupts over deal for Stanislaus deputies to provide transit security.
Synopsis: County supervisors approved Sheriff Jeff Dirkse’s plan to use deputies to provide security for county buses. But the deputies’ union is “adamantly opposed,” saying, “We don’t want to be … bus-stop cops.” Dirkse said there is a national trend of violence on transit systems, so a professional presence will “be beneficial to all citizens of Stanislaus County.” Currently, American Guard Services provide security at the downtown Transit Center.

Predator headed to Turlock?

Turlock Journal. Court removes block in sexually violent predator moving to Turlock.
Synopsis: Kevin Scott Gray will likely be released to a Turlock residence following a judge’s ruling that at-home schools cannot be considered in calculating proximity under court orders. The city is still fighting the case, saying additions made to the home where two convicts would be house were not properly permitted. Kevin Gray has been convicted three times in two states for crimes against children.

Modesto Bee. Modesto youth soccer coach has first court hearing on child porn charges.
Synopsis: Matthew Paez, 33, is out on $50,000 bail following his arrest on 5 counts of possession of child pornography. As the evidence was presented, Paez began to cry.

What’s a food truck worth?

Merced Sun Star. Food trucks are expanding in Merced; this is what it costs to run one.
Synopsis: Reporter Nicolas Corral writes that a new food truck costs $260,000, but it’s easier to get a loan for a truck than for remodeling brick-and-mortar. Trucks include a stove, griddle, fryer, refrigerator and freezers. The one owned by Lavon Wallace of Racks R Us Ribs was custom built. Parking spaces are extra, costing around $2,200 a month. Then there are permits, inspections and employees. And, if it is drivable, licensing.
MAD Take: Not mentioned is the monthly break-even point or earning potential.