Valley Headlines

Don’t give up on salmon

Cal Matters. Salmon fishing shutdown marks a grim milestone; why CA shouldn’t give up.
Synopsis: CDF&G’s Chuck Bonham calls the cancellation of the commercial salmon season a “low-water mark” and “hard news in hard times” for commercial fishers. But with just under 100,000 salmon returning to the Sacramento River to spawn, it was a necessary step. Bonham called salmon the basis of a multi-billion-dollar industry. He said things will get better under Gov. Newsom’s “Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future,” the removal of three Klamath dams, and the elimination of red tape for river restoration project. He said higher flows on north-state rivers will increase cold water for fish, and hatcheries are being modernized. We’re already seeing benefits – 60% more salmon on Lagunitas Creek, higher numbers of 2-year-old “jacks,” etc.
MAD Take: Chuck doesn’t give salmon enough credit. There have been spectacular numbers (35,000-plus) on the Mokelumne for two years in a row. Spawners on the Stanislaus have remained strong (7,000-plus) while the Tuolumne and Merced rivers are holding their own. Salmon have been showing up in good numbers in coastal creeks and rivers in from San Jose, to Yolo, to Mendocino, to Oakland -- places they haven’t been seen for decades. Restoration projects are working. The problem is on the Sacramento, by far the state’s largest and most important salmon fishery. That’s what the state must fix. But first, maybe tone down all the talk about salmon-fishing being a “multi-billion” industry. Those numbers were first printed in a highly suspect study produced by an activist organization then repeated ad nauseum by other activist organizations. Salmon are important, but they do not generate “billions.” They have never been the No. 1 species for commercial fishing in value, always falling behind crab and sometimes below rockfish. As for solutions, Chuck knows exactly how to help salmon (and smelt): Kill more Delta bass. But his department won’t even consider increasing the bag limit (2) or allowing anglers to keep fish under 18 inches — the very fish that east the most salmon smolts.

Preparing for next century in ag

Fox26. Merced College breaks ground on future Ag-TEC Innovation Center.
Synopsis: In delivering the keynote address to kick off construction of the new Ag-TEC Center at Merced College, Rep. Adam Gray said ag is “the leading industry in the region” so “having a 22^nd-century training, innovation center here in the area is critical to our future.” MC President Chris Vitelli called the new Ag-TEC Center a “game-changer” that will “produce a pipeline of up-skilled job-ready graduates.” Among those attending was former Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearingen, who helped push the project forward, and Sen. Anna Caballero who helped deliver state funding.

Bug-sniffing dogs needed

CBS13. San Joaquin ag commissioner voices need for more pest-detecting dogs. 
Synopsis: Waylon can sniff out bugs in sealed envelopes, inside boxes, and locked trunks. In the past 9 months he has found four pests that could have ruined a lot of the county’s crops, says ag commissioner Kamal Bagri. That’s why she wants more dogs just like him. “We are hoping that congressmen can push for more funding so that we can get new dog teams,” said Bagri. She said SJ is the perfect location for a team of dogs with its port, major rail hub and two highways that run the length of the Valley. Among those who agreed was farmer Andrew Genasci and Rep. Josh Harder.

Cost of prosecuting Carson

Modesto Bee. Carson case ends with $22.5 million legal settlement with Stanislaus County. 
Synopsis: The $22.5 million verdict is one of the largest settlements in the state’s history, and will go to Carson’s estate and the three CHP officers also exonerated in the case. A jury found Carson was framed by the DA’s office. Former DA Birgit Fladager denied any intent to frame Carson. “Prosecutors only pursue a criminal case if they truly believe in the truth of the charges, and also believe they have sufficient, admissible evidence to prove the case … That was, and remains, the case here.”

Residents want review board

Patterson Irrigator. Residents advocate for citizen review board for sheriff’s office. 
Synopsis: The council chambers were packed Tuesday night with people angry over a traffic stop that went sideways and resulted in a botched tazing and two arrests. Many in attendance told their own stories of encounters with law enforcement. The meeting went “several hours” with 15 people speaking. Patterson’s police are provided by Stanislaus Sheriff’s Office, and chief Casey Hill tried to provide context for the tasing incident in which both the driver and his passenger were arrested. Even after viewing the SO’s video, many were convinced the officer acted inappropriately. Bianca Lopez of Valley Improvement Projects demanded an independent review board for the Patterson department.

Who is watching the guards?

Sacramento Bee. Lawmakers want more oversight of sexual assault complaints at women’s prisons.
Synopsis: Mia Bonta and Caroline Menjivar want to add 22 investigators to better oversee complaints against the CA Dept of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The Office of the Inspector General says that would allow his office to investigate another 350 cases. But it receives 2,400 sexual misconduct complaints each year. The push for more oversight follows the conviction of Gregory Rodriguez for assaulting or abusing 59 women at the Chowchilla prison and a doctor accused of mistreating patients at Chowchilla and Chino.

Gray standing up for me

Merced County Times. Letter to the editor: Adam Gray is looking out for us. 
Synopsis: Maria Gonzalez writes about the Trade Review Act of 2025, Adam Gray’s effort to help Congress reclaim its role in setting tariffs. “Even more important to me personally, he voted against the recent House Republican budget proposal that includes major cuts to Medicaid. Not only did he vote no, he also proposed an amendment to block any bill that slashes Medicaid just to give billionaires more tax breaks.”

Oligarchy tour travels fast

Valley Sun. Sanders, AOC caught boarding $15,000-per-hour luxury jet to depart Bakersfield rally.
Synopsis: The Fighting Oligarchy Tour travels first class, according to Alex Tavlian’s website. Apparently, the dynamic duo hired a jet from Ventura Air Services to fly them from Bakersfield to Mather Airport in Sacramento so they could speak at two rallies on the same day. That provided an especially odious Republicans operative the opportunity to call both Bernie and AOC names.
MAD Take: This story is just another in the long list of Valley Sun stories meant to tar Democrats, one of publisher Alex Tavlian’s favorite pastimes. At least Bernie and AOC don’t fly in their own jet.

Poll: Homelessness frustration

Politico. CA’s frustration with homelessness is boiling over, poll finds.
Synopsis: Politico and UC Berkeley’s Citrin Center found that 37% of voters want homeless people arrested if they refuse shelter. Another 24% don’t hate that idea; only 38% oppose it. A top Democratic consultant said this is a signal that people are fed up with programs that don’t work. Many blame the high cost of housing for increasing homelessness and for a host of other problems. Republicans are the most hardcore in wanting homeless camps removed, but Democrats are embracing similar “tough love” remedies because nothing else has worked.

Elks staying cool at Kings View

Westside Express. Elks Lodge receives $6K from national foundation. 
Synopsis: Lodge 2510 received a $6,000 Beacon Grant from the Elks National Foundation to help fund equipment at the Kings View Work Experience Center. The money will be used to buy refrigeration units for the skills kitchen. It helps challenged adults learn the skills for an independent life.

Counties lose ‘herd immunity’

EdSource. Amid deadly measles outbreak, CA’s vaccination rates are falling.
Synopsis: Sixteen CA counties have now fallen below the of vaccinations to provide “herd immunity” against one of the world’s most contagious diseases. Why the reticence? It’s political. The story focuses on a 45-year-old Bakersfield mother of three who rebelled against workplace COVID vaccination requirements. Now she doesn’t even get flu shots and no longer cares about her kids’ vaccinations. Her faith in the CDC, state officials and even doctors has been diminished. She does trust Robert Kennedy Jr. As for those 9 cases of measles in CA and 712 in Texas? Shrug. Interestingly, the word seems to have gotten through to folks rich enough to send kids to private schools; their immunization rates are rising and now surpass the rates in public charter schools. As for RFK’s vitamin A cure, it doesn’t work. Some kids in Texas have been getting sick from taking too much.
MAD Note: Measles is more than spots and a cough. An infection lowers the body’s natural immunities to a host of other diseases. Children under 6 months can’t be vaccinated, meaning they’re more susceptible for the worst impacts. Fortunately, ac chart with this story shows that all five counties that make up our part of the Valley have a 95% vaccination rate.

More wolves seen in CA

Ag Net West. CA’s gray wolf population expanding.
Synopsis: There are now seven established packs and four additional “areas of activity” for wolves in the state. Instead of pack expansion through migration, instate reproduction is making the packs larger. One person recounts how a gray wolf “nonchalantly walked across the golf course in mid-day.”