Valley Headlines

1,500 salmon find Tuolumne

Turlock Irrigation District. Hatchery strays find suitable habitat, cold water on Tuolumne.
Synopsis: Nearly 1,200 adult spring-run Chinook salmon have found their way up the Tuolumne River to the LaGrange Dam where they will spend the summer in cold, clean water preparing to spawn. The salmon were hatched in a hatchery as part of the San Joaquin River Restoration program but made a detour on their way back to intended spawning areas. Drone surveys of nine pools found 1,154 fish, which biologists say means that roughly 1,500 are in the river. Writes TID: “This remarkable development represents an important milestone” that spotlights “the impact of the Tuolumne River Partners (Turlock and Modesto irrigation districts and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission) longstanding stewardship and science-based management” of the river. FishBio senior biologist Andrea Fuller called the arrival of the spring-run salmon “unprecedented.” FishBio directed efforts to relocate fish trapped in the dam’s plunge pool to better locations for survival. SFPUC GM Dennis Herrera called the salmon’s presence “a preview of the future … an example of the many projects to come as part of our longer-term commitment to significantly invest in improving habitat.”
MAD Take: Finding 1,500 adult, spring-run salmon on the Tuolumne is utterly remarkable. It serves as testament to what smart, dedicated groups such as the IDs, SFPUC, FishBio and River Partners have done to make the Tuolumne River more hospitable to salmon from its confluence to the dam. It is yet another indicator that habitat restoration is the best approach to restoring salmon populations. In contrast, the Sacramento River -- which has massive unimpaired flows -- is suffering unprecedented drops in its salmon population, leading to the closure of the commercial salmon-killing season. At the same time, elsewhere across Northern CA, we’re seeing more and more salmon. What we’re doing is working and must be kept up.

Sierra Daily News. Historic return of winter-run Chinook to McCloud River marks milestone.
Synopsis: Adult winter-run Chinook have been spotted on the McCloud River for the first time in 100 years, according to the CA Department of Fish & Wildlife. They were seen at Ash Camp -- one of several places salmon have been turning up either unexpectedly or in unexpected numbers.

Looting Valley water banks?

Valley Citizen. Is someone tapping your water bank?
Synopsis: Eric Caine evokes the memory of Vance Kennedy to decry the thousands of acres of almond trees that have been planted in the hills east of Oakdale and Waterford. Once the groundwater that sustained those trees was sucked out, most of the trees died. But not all of them. Those planted near Modesto Reservoir or a river, where seepage kept the aquifers replenished, thrived. Caine writes about MID Director Larry Byrd and his business partner Ty Angle who are basically depending on that seepage to grow their almonds. It’s water they’re getting for free. That’s how Byrd can run his pumps “almost daily” and not run out of water. Eric doesn’t call this a conflict of interest but writes: “We just think people need to know.”
MAD Take: People also need to know that Byrd pushed, plodded and pleaded to be allowed to sell water to Eastside growers for $200 an acre foot – with no increase in price for 20 years. That would be the sweetest of sweetheart deals, though others might call it a conflict of interest. This could also be why so many farmers in MID were adamantly opposed to that deal and why Byrd’s best pal on the board, Nick Blom, lost his seat. Like Eric, many of us still miss Vance, who also warned us about the runoff from those hills once the trees die.

SJV Water. Farming giant Boswell silent as it plans to sink Tulare Lake bed another 10 feet. 
Synopsis: Monserrat Solis reports that JG Boswell Farming Co. is pumping so much groundwater through its El Rico Groundwater Sustainability Agency that the lakebed around Corcoran could sink another 10 feet. Other water agencies in the basin are trying to hold subsidence to 6 feet. County supervisor Doug Verboon says Boswell is refusing to share information.

SJV Water. Bill may extend lifeline to Tulare farmers left behind after groundwater agency implosion.
Synopsis: Assembly Bill 568 would create a new Tule East GSA with joint powers between Tulare County and Hope & Ducor Water District to allow a sustainability plan to be developed for “white lands” abandoned by irrigation districts.

No-parking signs in the county

Modesto Bee. Amid rise in illegal truck parking, Stanislaus sets meeting to consider new rules.
Synopsis: Trucking businesses and property owners are at odds over having too many big rigs clogging country roads and stacked on rural property meant for farming. The demand for truck parking has “far outstripped the number of legal parking facilities” in the county. As trucks move into the county, roads are quickly worn down and become crowded and less safe; there is more noise and pollution. Residents are demanding restrictions on truck washing and oil changes and limits on the number of locations where parking is allowed. At least one truck company has already been cited. The meeting is Wednesday.

Call it ‘Chainsaw’ politics

Manteca Bulletin. Valley could be collateral damage in Texas Chainsaw massacre of House districts. 
Synopsis: Columnist Dennis Wyatt writes about Gov. Gavin Newsom’s threat to tear up California’s method of drawing Congressional districts so that he can send more Democrats to Congress. Newsom was reacting to Donald Trump’s demand that Texas do just that to benefit Republicans. Wyatt points out that the only area where gerrymandering would create gains is in the Valley. That means our current districts would have to be redrawn – including Adam Gray’s District 13. A better idea, says Wyatt, is for “Democrats (to) simply dial back some of their positions to somewhat middle-of-the-road,” which should allow them “to pick off a seat or two held by Republicans.” But just remember, he writes, that chasing Donald Trump down the lowest political road is a one-way trip.

Modesto Bee. Sen. Alvarado-Gil cheapens her office with vengeful behavior. 
Synopsis: The Bee editorial board (made up of Fresno and Sacramento editorial-page staff) has strong words for the senator who was chastised by the Senate’s Workplace Conduct Unit for having retaliated against a former employee – chief of staff Chad Condit. He’s the father of Stanislaus Supervisor Channce. “Alvarado-Gil owes Channce Condit an apology for her childish retribution. … She also owes an apology to the more than 1 million residents in her district for engaging in a personal vendetta that does nothing to help the district.” Chad Condit sued after, he insists, his back was injured during sex she demanded. Alvarado-Gil countered by accusing Chad of self-dealing to benefit his son through a $5 million grant her office pushed for sidewalk and lighting improvements in Channce’s district.

Politico. Former Stockton mayor announces bid to unseat Josh Harder.
Synopsis: It looks like Rep. Josh Harder vs. Kevin Lincoln, Round 2. The former Marine and mayor lost by 4% to Harder last year, but the National Republican Congressional Committee apparently couldn’t find anyone it thinks can do better.

What’s Valley property worth?

GV Wire. What’s Fresno County worth? Property tax roll grows by billions of dollars. 
Synopsis: Reporter Edward Smith says the value of property in Fresno County has risen 6.4% over the past year, due in part to large-scale solar projects on former ag land. In total, the county’s land is worth $123.3 billion, or $7.4 billion more than last year. That compares to Tulare at $52.9 billion. Most property owners will see only a 2% adjustment in property taxes.

Valley Ag Voice. Ag property values slip in Kern despite $3.2 billion increase countywide.
Synopsis: Kern’s assessor says the value of land in Williamson Act protection has fallen by $543 million, the first decrease in 5 years. The USDA has estimated farm income will fall in 2025 to its lowest levels since 2020. Farming profitability is a key factor in estimating land values.
MAD Note: Hmm. This year farm income is projected to fall to its lowest levels in five years. Remind me, what do the years 2020 and 2025 have in common?

Loss of workers hurting Valley

Ag Daily. Over 500K immigrants lost work authorization, squeezing ag sector. 
Synopsis: The Trump administration has terminated 530,000 immigrant work permits. Also ended is the humanitarian parole program that allowed immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to join the workforce after a background checks, removing 30,000 farm workers and another 90,000 who worked in food processing. The net result is an estimated bump in food prices of 14.5% by the end of the summer.
MAD Take: It is an indication of the importance of farm labor to our region that the Stanislaus Farm Bureau is offering downloadable signs to be posted around a property notifying ICE and Border Patrol agents that they must “STOP” and are not authorized to enter the premises “without express consent” and until they provide “names and telephone numbers where (agents) can be reached.”

Masks: A tool of terrorists

GV Wire. Masked raids and impersonators driving force behind terror campaign across nation. 
Synopsis: Marine veteran and Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores writes that masks have never been standard gear for law enforcement and that adoption of them now is a “blatant abuse of federal power. … Let me be clear: This is the public policy of terror. It is beyond unacceptable.” In his town, masked ICE agents aren’t going after criminals, they’re pursuing caregivers, students, workers and even teens. He writes that one Homeland Security official claimed that assaults on her agents increased 500% when they were accused of racial profiling. But she did not provide data, examples or context. “This is not transparency.” The Border Patrol at the same time reported a decrease in assaults on agents. This is not normal, he writes, concluding: “When good Americans fail to act, evil prospers.”

Modesto Bee. ACLU, advocacy groups denounce Modesto’s mask rule after arrests at ICE protest.
Synopsis: A letter from the ACLU demands that the Modesto City Council order charges dropped against the 5 people arrested for wearing masks during the ICE Out protest early June 14. Joining the ACLU was the Valley Improvement Project and the BIPOC Coalition. They claim the ordinance is overbroad and enforced in a “discriminatory manner.” Councilmember Chris Ricci, who took part in the No Kings Rally later the same day, said the groups should work through the Community Police Review Board. A separate letter from three groups representing journalists also decried the ordinance, saying it could impact lawful newsgathering.

Valley leads Chromium-6 fight

Cal Matters. To fight cancer-causing toxin, CA may give water districts legal cover. 
Synopsis: The “Erin Brockovich” carcinogen, Chromium 6, has been found in drinking water across the state. Some of it leaches in from industrial pollution, but it can also occur naturally. CA has responded with first-in-the-nation standards, but contamination is most common in the Central Valley, Imperial Valley and in hot spots along the coast. The cost of upgrading treatment systems is enormous and every city is scrambling to comply with new state rules. Until they do, water providers “don’t want to spend even more ratepayer money defending themselves from lawsuits while they work.” Sen. Anna Caballero has authored SB 466 to shield districts from lawsuits as long as they are making progress – as judged by the state -- in meeting standards. “It just makes sense,” said Caballero. Los Banos is considered the posterchild for the law. The city has 11 wells serving 50,000 customers and to treat all of them will cost around $65 million – or half the city’s annual budget. Mayor Michael Amabile says his city needs help from the state just to meet the standards. The story is the same throughout the West Side.

Lots of smoke, less damage

KSEE / CBS47. Fire breaks out at food processing plant in Fresno County.
Synopsis: Black smoke bellowed out of the TomaTek tomato-processing plant just west of Hwy 33 near Firebaugh on Monday. The fire was kept to the recycling area of the plant and was extinguished before damaging production facilities; there were no injuries.

This burger’s a smash

Fresno Bee. This new smashburger joint is causing a buzz in Madera.
Synopsis: Sizzlin Smash Burger on Howard Road is the brainchild of Moe Utqi. He and his family are offering fries, fried zucchini, jalapeno poppers and more. Moe worked in his uncle’s Philadelphia pizza joints while growing up and considers Madera “one of the most beautiful communities we’ve ever been a part of.”