Valley Headlines

GOP passes ‘cruel’ budget bill

GV Wire. Costa assails House budget bill passed by GOP; why did Valadao miss key vote?
Synopsis: Writer Bill McEwen’s headline asks the most pertinent question following the House vote that is likely to result in the gutting of Medicaid and the loss of access to medical services for hundreds of thousands of Valley residents. But first, McEwen quotes Rep. Jim Costa, who voted against the draconian budget plan: “Republicans are gutting Medicaid, SNAP and other critical lifelines with the biggest cuts in history. I voted against this reckless budget resolution because turning our backs on America’s safety isn’t leadership, it’s cruelty. I won’t stop fighting back.” Rep. Valadao missed the vote entirely, rather than go on record in support. He said a family matter was more important, and he insisted he will vote only for a budget that “strengthens Medicaid, SNAP and other critical programs.” As is, the Republican bill will require $880 billion in cuts, and the only place find such funds is in Medicaid. Across the Valley, 1.8 million residents are enrolled in Medicaid-funded programs, including 64% of those living in Valadao’s district. Other cuts will be required from nutrition programs for the poor, the retirement of government workers, student loan programs including Pell grants and meals for seniors and elementary school kids. The Yale Budget Lab found the bottom 40% of Americans will see their costs rise 70% if the budget passes while the richest 5% will receive 70% of all tax-cut benefits.
MAD Take: Rep. Adam Gray joined Costa and every other Democrat in voting against the budget framework. Two Republicans also voted against it because it would disproportionately impact those living in their states.

$8K fine for fireworks in Gustine

Westside Connect. Fines could skyrocket for illegal fireworks in Gustine.
Synopsis: The Gustine city council approved significant new fines of up to $8,000 per violation, but held off on the “social host ordinance” that could have also fined landlords for the actions of their tenants. Such rules put significant fines on anyone who owns property where fireworks are used, stored or sold – including landlords. It is up to the landlord to get reimbursed by tenants. Chief Ruben Chavez said under the old fine structure, “People are getting fined but it’s not deterring anyone.”

Focus on Diablo Grande’s plight

CBS13. Stanislaus County gated community could lose water access as supplier owes millions. 
Synopsis: The TV station tries to explain the extremely complicated situation in Diablo Grande, where roughly 1,300 people living in the hills west of Patterson are threatened with the loss of water to their homes. The community’s water supplier – Western Hills Water District – owes $13 million to Kern County Water Agency for water drawn from the nearby canal. Delivering water to the community has been problematic for over a decade as the development – once envisioned as a golf-centric residential resort with several courses and 6,000 homes – has gone through fits and starts, bankruptcy and changes in ownership. The community is also behind in payments to the city of Patterson for sewer services.

Solving Alzheimer’s not a priority

Cal Matters. He spent decades researching dementia; Trump’s DEI purge killed his grant.
Synopsis: The Trump administration is killing $36 million in funding for one of the top dementia researchers in the nation because Dr. Charles DeCarli is focusing on Black and Hispanic populations – which suffer higher incidence of dementia and are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr. DeCarli’s calls the study “the pinnacle” of his stellar career with 28 clinical research sites and 1,700 participants. “Dementia is an epidemic,” said Dr. DeCarli. “It’s a huge public health problem. This study is trying to improve health of all Americans.”
MAD Take: Trolling liberals appears to be more important to H&HS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump than helping some of the most helpless Americans and their distraught families. You’d think a man with a brain worm would be keen to encourage all brain research. As for Trump – who prides himself on remembering “man, woman, camera” – he might want to see what the folks at Cornell are saying about him. He might welcome this research someday.

Border Patrol goes back to class

Cal Matters. Border Patrol to retrain hundreds of CA agents on how to comply with Constitution.
Synopsis: After the raid on the Kern County fields roughly 140 miles out of its jurisdiction, the Border Patrol is being told by Homeland Security to retrain roughly 900 employees. The man in charge of the BP’s El Centro Section insists his men were going after known criminals, but only 1 of the 78 people swept up in raids the agency had a criminal history. The rest were picked up at random in parking lots, coffee kiosks and while at work. The ACLU, which has sued, points out the BP isn’t bothering to defend itself in court. Meanwhile, there are numerous stories of people literally yanked from their jobs and being sent to Mexico under “voluntary departures.” “My whole life was left in Bakersfield,” said a 46-year-old greenhouse worker with no criminal record in the US or Mexico. A US citizen said agents slashed the tires of his work truck and refused to explain why he was being detained. Unless in pursuit of criminals, the Border Patrol’s jurisdiction ends 100 miles from the border.

Salmon making comeback

CBS13. UC Davis research confirms new salmon run in restored Putah Creek.
Synopsis: The Chinook season is likely to be canceled for a third in year a row, but there is some good news for salmon up on Putah Creek, which runs through Solano and Yolo counties. The once nearly extinct salmon population there is growing. The creek has been the site of restoration work for 20 years, including in the midst of the UC Davis campus. In 2017, 12 salmon spawned on the creek; this year there are 735. 
MAD Take: The story goes to great lengths to portray the Putah Creek success as an anomaly, saying the salmon situation is dire, dire, dire. On the Sacramento River, that’s true enough. But elsewhere around the state, salmon are showing up unexpectedly and in spectacular numbers. The reason we continue to hear so much about the plight of salmon is because so many are invested in the mistaken belief that only higher river flows can fix the problem. That’s simply not true, as shown on Putah Creek. And Redwood Creek, and the Mokelumne and the Stanislaus and the Tuolumne rivers. The problems range from overwhelming predation to water too warm for the fish to rip-rapped channels that provide salmon nowhere to hide. Restoration, not just more water, is the key.

Hughson High remodel proceeds

Turlock Journal. Hughson sells $9 million in bonds to fund first phase of high school construction.
Synopsis: Superintendent Brenda Smith says the district’s plans to build or remodel three classroom wings, recarpet and reseat the Ella Webb Theater, fix the roof and the H-Vac system are proceeding at pace. It will cost $9 million, to be paid for through the $46 million bond passed by voters in November. Work begins next summer with Boyer Construction of Sonora the general contractor.

Vang seated; Tavlian ‘fired’

GV Wire. ‘Independent’ Vang starts work as Fresno councilmember; cancels Tavlian contract. 
Synopsis: One of Brandon Vang’s first acts after taking his seat on the Fresno City Council was to cancel a $100,000 contract with Alex Tavlian for Local Government Strategic Consulting. Apparently, Tavlian bills each city council district to avoid the $100,000 threshold requiring a council vote. Vang is refusing to pay a leftover $33,333 bill and has canceled the contract going forward. Tavlian was behind the mailer that accused Vang of statutory rape a week before the special election.

Her named FUSD superintendent

GV Wire. Trustees select Fresno Unified’s new superintendent; was ‘the fix’ on?
Synopsis: Misty Her lost the “interim” part of her title with Fresno Unified, emerging as the top choice for superintendent. The president of the teachers’ union says the district missed an opportunity and many people “will feel like the fix was in from the very beginning.” Her was the chosen successor of her predecessor, Bob Nelson. But board member Susan Wittrup insisted on a larger search for a new top exec. Now, the search having been completed, Her has been named the superintendent of the state’s third-largest school district.

Child dead, mom tries to flee

Modesto Bee. DA: Oakdale mother arrested fleeing murder charge in DUI crash that killed child.
Synopsis: The DA charged Juliette Marie Acosta, 26, with drunk driving leading to the death of her daughter, Reagan Herrin. A few hours later, Acosta was in a San Francisco hotel trying to make arrangements to leave the country. Her father, Clifford Acosta Jr., was arrested for helping her. The mother was drunk when she drove her car into a canal near Hickman. By the time a CHP officer and her uncle got little Reagan out of her car seat, it was too late.

Charges on ‘camper’ dismissed

Fresno Bee. Fresno’s first anti-camping prosecution thrown out by judge.
Synopsis: Judge Brian Alvarez ruled the Fresno city attorney violated Wickey Two Hands’ right to a speedy trial. Two Hands was arrested on Oct. 14, but didn’t come to trial until Thursday. State statutes require anyone accused of a misdemeanor must be brought to trial within 45 days. The city offered Two Hands, 77, a diversion program for senior citizens, but he refused. Two Hands called it “a pretty good day in my life.” His attorney, Kevin Little, called the city’s no-sit-no-sleep ordinance “abhorrent” and said if the city is going to prosecute, it has to follow the rules. He noted that Two Hands is not a drunk or a drug user and didn’t need any city service “other than a place to live.” City attorney Andrew Janz said he has “enormous respect” for the judge but says he’s wrong.

Who you calling gold digger?

Sacramento Bee. River Cats’ rebrand is misogynistic joke on women – and they just proved it.
Synopsis: Columnist Robin Epley is angry over the “new identity” promoted by a new River Cats’ commercial for the minor-league version of “city connect” uniforms. For five games, the Cats will be renamed the Gold Diggers, “and the team has made it very clear that they think women are the butt of their joke.” The video features women with dollar-signs superimposed over their eyes. “As a woman, as a mom, as an elected official, I was shocked,” said Verna Sulpizio Hill, a member of the all-female West Sacramento city council. She called the video “downright offensive.” Sacramento councilwoman Lisa Kaplan called it “demeaning” in a time when women’s rights are being “reversed.” The video was taken down a few hours after the uproar began. Writes Epley: “The River Cats need to drop the misogynistic, derogatory and offensive rebrand or face the music – and it won’t be a pipe organ playing ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame.’”