Valley Headlines

AI’s fault, Pt 1: She’s ‘on leave’

GV Wire. Fresno Unified communications boss on leave after AI-generated FTA dossier debacle. 
Synopsis: Reporter Edward Smith -- who verified that 39 emails, media reports and social media posts had been falsified on Thursday – now reports that the Fresno Unified School District official in charge of compiling those reports has been put on leave through June 9. Nikki Henry’s phone mail say she has no phone or email access. The falsified material was compiled to show how teachers were “attacking” new superintendent Misty Her. Teachers union president Manuel Bonilla is calling for Henry’s firing, pointing out that she also falsified statistics, surveys and budget projections. Her admitted the “dossier” was created using AI but said she had not reviewed it prior to release.

AI’s fault, Pt 2: MA-Ha-Ha-Ha

Ag Daily. Phony citations discovered in Kennedy’s MAHA report. 
Synopsis: The blowback continues for Robert Kennedy’s “Make American Healthy Again” report that was highly critical of farming, pesticide use and fertilizers. For instance, 7 “scientific references” within the report were entirely fabricated. One epidemiologist quoted in MAHA is real, but says she never said the things attributed to her in the report. And that study MAHA says she wrote? “It doesn’t seem to be a simple case of the wrong journal accidentally being listed – the study doesn’t actually appear to exist anywhere and is now believed to have been entirely made up.” There’s a lot more.

Responding to emergencies

KSEE / CBS47. $399K of fentanyl found in hidden car compartment in Merced County.
Synopsis: A hidden compartment was in a Toyota Camry from Washington, which was pulled over Sunday on I-5, contained 11 pounds of white powder. An unnamed K-9 officer easily sniffed it out. The driver was sent to Merced County jail. 

ABC10. Arson suspect arrested after grass fire near Hwy 99 in Turlock.
Synopsis: A fire burned 4 acres near the highway Wednesday, threatening buildings and traffic. Crews had it under control in 20 minutes. Police found a suspect lurking nearby.

KSEE / CBS47. ‘Excessive solid waste’ at Winton home catches fire before court hearing.
Synopsis: A home on Myrtle Avenue in Winton that had been cited for code and abatement violations several weeks ago. It caught fire, says the Sheriff’s Office, days before a scheduled court hearing. When emergency-responders arrived, the resident interfered with their efforts to extinguish the fire.

Valley Fever cases triple

LA Times. Valley fever cases are expected to spike in CA; here’s how locals can avoid it. 
Synopsis: Spores found in the Valley’s dust are causing a record number of new cases of Valley Fever, and the drier it gets the more cases there will be. Since January, 4,000 cases have been reported, an increase of 300% compared to last year and double the number from 2023. Last year’s Lightning in a Bottle concert in Bakersfield resulted in several people being sent to the hospital for treatment of symptoms. Coccidioidomycosis infects the lungs and results in fever, cough, chest pains and fatigue. The key: Stay out of the dust, wear a mask, clean any skin wound with soap and water, stay inside on windy days.

Grand Jury: Tax bills unreadable

Fresno Bee. Transparency lacking on Fresno County property tax bills, grand jury finds. 
Synopsis: Columnist Marek Warszawski writes about the Grand Jury’s look at property tax bills. His bill, says Marek, includes 15 separate Clovis Unified bonds (ranging from 18 cents to $121.74), and seven bonds from State Center Community College. There’s no explanation for what any of the 22 bonds are paying for. “Most people simply pay the bill, no questions asked.” Why bother asking; explanations are  hard to get since most of the phone numbers provided are disconnected. This lack of transparency angered the Grand jury. The special districts say they’re looking for ways to improve transparency. Writes Marek: “Just because most Fresno County property owners pay their tax bills without a second glance doesn’t mean we should get the wool pulled over our eyes.”

Elon’s gone, ag offices aren’t

Successful Farming. USDA offices disappear from DOGE’s lease-termination list. 
Synopsis: Elon Musk’s “Wall of Termination,” which listed all the leases his Dept of Government Efficiency was going to terminate, was revised the day after Musk’s departure. Gone from the wall were a third of the 750 offices originally listed for closure. Of those, 70 were operated by the USDA – including offices the Madera and Bakersfield FSA offices. They will remain open and staffed.

Bains to Air Board chair: Resign

KCRA. CA Democrat urges Air Resources Board chair Liane Randolph to resign. 
Synopsis: Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains of Delano thinks Liane Randolph should go after she admitted that she makes no effort to determine how clean-air rules could impact drivers. “CARB needs a leader who understands that Californians are struggling to make ends meet. When we make people poorer, we make people less healthy,” said Bains, a doctor in Delano. Randolph’s comments were in response to questioning during a hearing on Wednesday.
MAD Note: Last week, Bains made national news by calling on the CA legislature to censure the 9 Republican House members who voted to gut Medi-Cal through the “Big Beautiful (budget) Bill,” depriving hundreds of thousands of Valley residents of health insurance.  

He’s running for senate

Valley Citizen. Brandon challenges Alvarado-Gil in state senate race. 
Synopsis: Tuolumne County Supervisor Jaron Brandon met Eric Caine in Oakdale to talk about how a “No Party Preference” candidate has succeeded in a deep-red county. Jaron’s mother performed 10 years with the Christy Minstrels, but he was brought up poor in a trailer park. The Tuolumne Deputy Sheriffs, Cal Fire Local 2881, North Valley Labor Federation and Association of Realtors have endorsed him. Eric writes that Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil is running a campaign “entirely in tune with today’s reality show politics, featuring evidence-free attacks on a Stanislaus Supervisor and a lawsuit from a former campaign manager with more salacious details than a skid-row peep show.” Foremost on Eric’s mind remains homelessness, and he says Brandon’s ideas on dealing with it are sound.

Kids, pols ready for state meet

Merced Sun Star. Five Merced County athletes excited for state track championships.
Synopsis: Five Merced County athletes are headed for the CIF State Tracy & Field Championships today and Saturday at Buchanan High in Clovis. Jordin McDowell 100M hurdles (Atwater), Senerca Ybarra 300 hurdles and Donielle Willis shot put (GV), Jesus Bon 200 and 400 (Dos Palos) and Emily Gallegos 300 hurdles (Buhach Colony). Bon is the first Dos Palos athlete to qualify for state in 20 years and figures the expected 100-degree days could be an advantage: “I work out a lot during the summer when it’s hot and I spend long hours working in the field with my dad.” As McDowell says, “warm muscles are fast muscles.”

KVPR. Fresno County officials stand against trans athlete taking part in state track, field finals.
Synopsis: County supervisor Garry Bredefeld was front-and-center on this hot-button issue, inserting himself in an issue over which he has no jurisdiction. He and roughly 18 others want the CIF to ban a transgender girl triple-jumper from competing. There were no aggrieved athletes at their press conference.

Senator was clean; no charges

KCRA. Toxicology results don’t support charges against lawmaker accused of DUI, DA says.
Synopsis: Sen. Sabrina Cervantes said she had not consumed any inebriants, and the tests proved it. Sacramento PD had cited her for being drunk after her SUV was T-boned last Sunday. She went to the hospital, where police found her. She immediately asked the medical staff to perform the blood and other tests to determine if drugs or alcohol was in her system. After a review of all the evidence, “the Sacramento County DA’s office declines to file any charges.”

GV Wire. Speaker Johnson raises campaign money in Fresno.
Synopsis: David Taub reports on Speaker Mike Johnson’s most recent visit to Fresno, where he greeted Nathan Magsig and others at an event at Harris Construction. Johnson talked about the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which is predicted to have severe impacts on the Valley. Taub reports that Sen. Adam Schiff also visited Fresno over the weekend, giving the commencement speech at Fresno City College and meeting with farmers to talk about tariffs.

Entertainment, Valley style

Modesto Bee. New era for beloved Modesto tradition will begin this summer.
Synopsis: The Brad Hart era of MoBand begins June 5 with the kickoff concert at Graceada Park. The Johansen high music director has been playing with MoBand for years, but just now moves up to director. This is MoBand’s 106^th year. There will be concerts June 5, 12, 18, 26, July 3 and 10. The band usually has about 130 performers – all Modesto-area residents.

Modesto Bee. Modesto musician is a ‘Highway Runner,’ releases debut rock album. 
Synopsis: Ty Phillips, the former Bee reporter turned author turned junkyard operator, has released a new album of 11 songs. Ty said his inspirations include Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd and Alice cooper. His most recent band is Old Man Trouble, including Johnny Valdes, Dave Hawkes and his son, Murphy. Mike Allsup co-wrote three of the songs.
MAD Note: About Phillips’ inspirations, he once told Valley Solutions editor Mike Dunbar that he tried to channel Cher while singing. Guess he forgot about that.  

Modesto Bee. Sword swallower among highlights of Modesto-area summer performances.
Synopsis: The Stanislaus County Library will bring its Summer Performer Series to several locations for June and July shows, including all the library locations and the Modesto Certified Farmers Market. Look for Didgeridoo Down Under, Uncle Jer’s Traveling Bee Show, Cruzin Crittters and George the Giant (who swallows swords).

Merced Sun Star. Auto racing, music hitmakers, more set for this Merced tradition.
Synopsis: The Merced County Fair is June 4-8 featuring everything from carnival rides to rock ‘n roll to livestock. If exhaust fumes get you going, there will be racing on June 4 and 5, the Valley Tractor Pull June 6 and the Destruction Derby on June 7. The Gran Cierre de Fe