Valley Headlines

Finding workers for farms

CA Ag Net. Bipartisan group reintroduces Farm Workforce Modernization Act. 
Synopsis: Rep. Adam Gray joined Jim Costa, Zoe Lofgren, Dan Newhouse, David Valadao and Mike Simpson to sponsor legislation that would update the H-2A guest-worker visa program. “Farm workers and the larger agricultural community are the backbone of the Central Valley’s economy,” said Gray. “Labor shortages on our farms could lead to higher food prices across the country; the Valley cannot afford to be short-handed.” The program will allow workers to earn legal status through continued employment and make it easier for employers to bring workers into the country.

Small-town pharmacies going under

Fresno Bee. The reason small pharmacies are struggling in rural CA. 
Synopsis: Pharmacist Katie Bass writes this op-ed to explain how small-town drug stores are being driven out of business and the impact that is having on their communities. She purchased the only drug store in Planada and opened two others in small towns. Following in her family’s footsteps, she kept alive traditions like sponsoring a health fair and offering medical advice and delivering meds. Her pharmacy was the first place to offer COVID testing in Mariposa County and the first to give vaccines. The same was true in Coarsegold. But the practices of “pharmacy benefit managers,” who reimburse small drug stores at lower rates than the big chains, are running her out of business. That means people in Planada, Coarsegold and Mariposa will live in a pharmacy desert. “The state must act now before more community pharmacies are forced to close. Our patients deserve better.”

No time for the status quo

Office of Rep. Adam Gray. Congressman Adam Gray joins bipartisan ‘Build America Caucus.’ 
Synopsis: Representatives Adam Gray and Josh Harder, who serve adjoining districts in the San Joaquin Valley, have helped form the “Build America Caucus.” They’re hunting opportunities to cut red tape and create more housing, energy and jobs. Gray, Harder and the other 28 members of the caucus have read Ezra Klein’s book “Abundance,” which warns Americans against being timid. “America was built by doers who put bold ideas into action,” said Gray. “But for too long, American innovation and production has been tied up in overburdensome regulation and bureaucratic red tape. The status quo doesn’t work anymore.”

Enough to give you gas pains

Cal Matters. If lawmakers or lawsuits get oil companies to pay for climate change, so will consumers.
Synopsis: Dan Walters reports on the “left-leaning” theory that oil companies knew the environmental and health damage their products were causing and hid that knowledge from consumers. As a legal expert points out, “not a single court in the world has held fossil fuel companies financially responsible for greenhouse gas emissions.” Dan writes that Scott Weiner and Caroline Menjivar want to create a Polluters Pay Superfund program in CA from which environmental damage could be remedied. The LAO says this will have one certain impact: Increasing the price of gas.

ABC10. USC professor predicts CA gas prices could rise to $8.40 in 2026. 
Synopsis: Refinery closures will restrict gas supply by 20% and drive up prices dramatically, says Prof. Michael Mische. Currently, only 9 refineries make the special, smog-reducing blend of gas required by California. Two have announced they will go out of business over the next few years. Other analysts are calling Mische’s prediction a worst-case scenario. Others pointed out Mische’s ties to both Saudi Arabia and the goals of the petroleum industry. The governor has called on the CA Energy Commission and the legislature to find ways to avoid increases in gas costs.
MAD Take: $8 gas? $650 monthly electric bills? Million-dollar homes? Where’s the breaking point?

Fresno Bee. CA drivers to get gas rebates after $50 million settlement. 
Synopsis: Three gas-trading firms admitted price gouging and will be required to provide rebates to drivers in 10 counties, including LA. The three companies worked together to manipulate prices after the Torrance refinery went offline in 2015. Of the $50 million, $37.5 million will go to drivers in 10 SoCal counties – the northern-most being San Luis Obispo. The rest will be kept by the state.

Gray backs bill to fight fires

Valley Sun. Valley reps back bill to streamline wildfire prevention efforts.
Synopsis: Democrat Adam Gray was among those co-sponsoring the “Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act” written by Republican Doug LaMalfa. The bill would allow firefighters to use aerial fire retardant currently being held up in permitting delays brought on by a lawsuit. “Trying to ban its use during fire season isn’t just ridiculous, it’s dangerous,” said LaMalfa, getting agreement from Gray, Jim Costa, Vince Fong, David Valadao and Tom McClintock. 

45,000 new homes in Fresno?

GV Wire. Fresno Mayor Dyer bullish on growth, calls on Newsom for $200 million.
Synopsis: Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer says he wants to spend $900 million to finish 440 city projects, including better roads, parks and upgrades to emergency services. Those expenditures would facilitate construction of 45,000 new homes in southeastern Fresno. If Gov. Newsom won’t help out, Dyer wants to pursue a $100 million bond to “allow us to pave more now and pay later. The longer we wait, the more it costs.”

Diablo Grande won’t go dry

Patterson Irrigator. Diablo Grande water saga continues. 
Synopsis: Tim Benefield reports on the deadline looming for 600 families living in the Diablo Grande development west of Patterson. The development’s water supplier, Kern County Water Agency, says it will shut off the water after June 30 due to non-payment of $13 million. Gov. Newsom’s office says it is prepared to send bottled water to the community, but since this is a financial situation – not a problem with the pipes – he is limited in what he can do. Residents insist government – state or county -- should fix the problem first, then pursue the previous developers for damages, penalties or past-due bills. Supervisor Channce Condit is “cautiously optimistic” a lasting solution can be found.

How much risk from spraying?

Modesto Bee. More than 100 schools in Stanislaus County face pesticide risks.
Synopsis: Reporter Julietta Bisharyan looks at data from the county ag commissioner showing where ag pesticides have been applied. She finds “at least two incidents of alleged pesticide drift have been reported near schools in Stanislaus County” over the past 3 years. One of those occurred during a fire drill at Modesto Christian High in 2023, resulting in 24 people being evaluated for exposure; one student was sent off campus for treatment. The second incident occurred at the Great Valley Academy, next door. Britton Konynenburg Farms was issued a violation notice for having failed to protect its neighbors. The reporter quotes Bianca Lopez of Valley Improvement Projects saying there are other incidents that go unreported, insinuating that many children are put in danger.
MAD Note: No doubt, pesticide exposure is important and serious. But two incidents at the same location in three years seems to be more of an enforcement issue than an indication of widespread danger. Is this a story about “more than 100 schools” being in danger, or about one farmer needing to be held accountable? Knowingly or not, reporters tip their bias by the order in which their sources are quoted. The last quote is usually reserved for someone who says what the reporter believes. In this case, Mark Weller of Californians for Pesticide Reform gets the last word. He yearns for the day when “all growers, all fields around schools, are organic.”

Plenty of water for California

Ag Net West. Adding 10 million acre feet water (sic) in CA.
Synopsis: Controversial but always interesting water columnist Edward Ring says he knows how to add 10 MAF to CA’s water supply. One of his ideas is to thin forests. Another is to clean the Delta pumps of collected silt. Then he wants to elevate Shasta Dam. There’s more.

Lawsuits getting settled

Fresno Bee. Foster Farms settles lawsuit with animal rights group over ‘cruel’ practices. 
Synopsis: One of the largest employers in Merced County has agreed to improve its water conservation practices and alter how it kills chickens. The Animal Legal Defense Fund sued Foster Farms in 2020 over the “vast” quantities of water drawn from “the critically over-drafted” Merced subbasin. The company used a three-step process – all involving water – to slaughter chickens. The Foster family sold the company to a hedge fund in 2022.

Valley Sun. Valley Children’s poised to avert big payout in nurses’ wage lawsuit.
Synopsis: Nurses at the hospital were unable to take meal and rest breaks in violation of labor laws. One of the nurses who first sued claimed says she is owed $28,000, but a Madera judge says $54.58 should cover it. More than 40 employees have objected to the settlement, which has expanded to a class-action. The next hearing is May 22.

Tales from the crypto crypt

SF Standard. A crypto-founder faked his death; we found him alive at his dad’s house.
Synopsis: Jeffy Yu staged his own suicide last Sunday on a live stream then made sure a flattering obituary portraying him as a “visionary artist, technologist and cultural force” appeared in various places. A memecoin in his honor was also issued for those in mourning. Turns out, Jeffy is alive and well (enough) and living in his dad’s basement.

About those tariffs …

Ag Daily. US-UK announce key agriculture trade deal on VE Day. 
Synopsis: Donald Trump announced that the US and UK have created a framework to complete trade negotiations that will give some US sectors greater access to British markets – beef, ethanol and some manufacturing. But it’s just a framework, with the details remaining to be worked out.

SF Chronicle. Trump floats cutting China tariffs to 80% in effort to deescalate trade war.
Synopsis: In what appears to be a major concession, Trump tweeted “80% tariff on China seems right! Up to Scott B.” Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are meeting with Chinese officials next week in Geneva. Trump added, “Closed markets don’t work anymore.” Trump had previously insisted that products from China would be subject to 145% tariffs. Saying “closed markets don’t work” appears to be a complete reversal of his previous positions.