Valley Solutions

Senator files complaint on MID

Modesto Bee. CA Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil calls out MID director for conflict of interest. 
Synopsis: State Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil swore out a 3-page complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission over the “egregious violation” of the Political Reform Act in which Modesto Irrigation District director Larry Byrd participated in the vote to discontinue the investigation into his water use. Alvarado-Gil cited that as a violation of Code 87100. The vote to continue the investigation ended 2-2, meaning it did not pass, after Byrd voted in his own behalf and director John Boer recused himself. Board president Bob Frobose called the complaint “another step in the right direction.” Among those who celebrated with Byrd after the vote was former Rep. John Duarte, whose wife Alexandra is running against Alvarado-Gil.

Modesto Focus. State Senator: No way MID’s Larry Byrd should vote on his own investigation. 
Synopsis: Reporter Garth Stapley contacted Ann Skeet of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, who called Byrd’s participation in the vote “fundamentally wrong. … Someone who has a personal interest in a matter continuing to vote on it is putting their own interests ahead of the voters.” He shouldn’t even have been in the room, according to a letter from the FPPC.

They’re running for Congress

Turlock Journal. Turlock farmer joins bid for 5^th Congressional seat. 
Synopsis: Farmer Paul Danbom announced he will challenge Tom McClintock in CA’s fifth congressional district. He joins a crowded field that includes Michael Masuda, Kate Sills, perennial candidate Mike Barkley, Angela Sigala and Santa Maria’s Jason Weland. The district is considered “solid Republican” even after Prop 50 redistricting. Danbom, a Hilmar High grad, raises cattle, almonds, corn and alfalfa and is concerned with the cost of healthcare, affordability and the rule of law.

Valley Sun. Salas files to challenge Valadao in 2026. 
Synopsis: Rudy Salas, who has lost the last two congressional elections to David Valadao, has decided to try yet again. It puts him in a crowded field led by Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains and Visalia school board member Randy Villegas, who are also challenging Valadao and have the backing of various factions of the Democratic Party. Salas lost to Valadao by 3% in 2022 and 6% in 2024.

Fox40. Gallagher running to replace late Rep. LaMalfa.
Synopsis: Former Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher wants to serve out Doug LaMalfa’s term in CA’s 1^st Congressional District. Gallagher said he considers LaMalfa a mentor whose sudden death “leaves a great void of leadership.” Gallagher says he has the backing of Jill LaMalfa in his run. Gallagher will term out of his assembly seat this year. Gov. Newsom has yet to schedule a special election to replace LaMalfa, as required by law. The district was dramatically altered under Prop 50 for the November election.

4-way stop on Grayson Road

Modesto Bee. Stanislaus board OKs four-way stop where young Camp Taylor volunteer died. 
Synopsis: Two new stop signs will be erected outside Camp Taylor where Shiloh Road intersects with Grayson Road. That’s where 19-year-old Avery Millerick was two years ago in a collision with a semi-truck as she left the camp where she worked as a volunteer. According to stories in The Bee two years ago, Grayson Road has become the most dangerous stretch of highway in the county and is often filled with big rigs going from I-5 to Modesto. The angle of Shiloh Road’s entry onto Grayson makes it difficult to see oncoming traffic.

Turlock ‘pauses’ smoke shops

Turlock Journal. City attorney: Turlock smoke shops present ‘immediate threat’ to public health. 
Synopsis: The city council put a temporary pause on the smoke-shop business in Turlock after police found widespread noncompliance in all of the city’s shops. The PD and state’s Dept of Tax and Fee administration did a citywide sting last month and found major violations at all five, including sales to minors and sale of THC products. Two of the shops were subsequently closed. These were not isolated or inadvertent mistakes, said city attorney George Petrulakis, but a “current and immediate threat to the public.” Chief Jason Hedden noted the shops had been warned in the past and “ignored everything we sent out.”

Some pretty pictures

Ag Alert. Ranch silhouette wins annual photo award. 
Synopsis: Joelle Naphan of Butte County was out on the ranch when she spotted her brother practicing throwing his loop. She took this photo, and it became the Farm Bureau’s image of the year. A few other photos from across California are featured in this story, including shots from Stanislaus, Fresno, Tulare and more from Butte. Worth the look.  

State: ‘Move your train station’

Merced Focus. Rail Authority proposes new Merced bullet train station outside city limits. 
Synopsis: CA’s High-Speed Rail Authority wants the city of Merced to relocate the high-speed rail train station even though the city has been dropped from the initial phase of the project. The authority’s preferred site is 4 miles southeast of downtown. That dashes the city’s longtime vision of a downtown station that would connect the bullet train to the ACE train. The authority says moving the station would save $1 billion in construction costs and costs to businesses. The city council was unconvinced, voting 5-2 to send the proposal to a transportation subcommittee for review. Councilmember Shane Smith noted the city has made substantial investments in its plan for a station downtown. “Let’s get what we were promised,” he said. Darin DuPont was also skeptical. “This is just scratching the surface of the discussion we need to have,” he said. “We talk about critical infrastructure -- water, sewer, streets, roads – none of which reach this (new) station location.” Also, the proposed site “isn’t within the city limits.”
MAD Take: Whether or not the city moves its station plan, how firm is HSRA’s commitment to the city? What difference does it make where the station is if the train never arrives?

Merced Sun Star. Is Chick-fil-A still coming to Merced?
Synopsis: It’s been two years since city officials announced a Chick-fil-A would open in Merced, but nothing has happened -- and won’t for the foreseeable future. The project planned for 15^th and MLK is “on hold” thanks to confusion over the High-Speed Rail project.

Training firefighters in Merced

Merced Sun Star. Merced College fire service programs get full state accreditation. 
Synopsis: The Merced College Fire Technology and Fire Academy programs have gotten full state accreditation, meaning grads will earn their Firefighter 1 credential upon graduation. That makes them “more hirable” in the words of Professor Don Roe. Dean Joe Serena called it a “significant achievement” for the college. The college hopes to offer Firefighter 2 certification starting next fall.

El Concilio: An existential danger

Modesto Bee. Renee Good’s death is the consequence of unchecked presidential power. 
Synopsis: Mark Apostolon and Jose Rodriguez of El Concilio offered their view of how the Trump administration has “corrupted the instruments of government, degraded constitutional restraints and transformed immigration enforcement into something dangerously resembling a presidentially directed security force.” A masked, militarized and lethal enforcement agency operating under political loyalty rather than the rule of law is destroying our nation, they wrote. It’s not just liberals who are seeing the existential danger, it is also thinking conservatives such as George Will, George Conway and many others. “When a republic abandons the rule of law at home and restraint abroad, it forfeits not only trust but purpose. We have reached such a moment.”  

Fresno Bee. Fresno County supervisor defends ICE, Border Patrol as clashes rise in Minneapolis.
Synopsis: Supervisor Garry Bredefeld “strongly condemned” what he called attacks on ICE and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. He was joined by ultra-conservatives Nathan Magsig, Buddy Mendes and Clovis councilmember Diane Pearce. Bredefeld blamed the Biden administration for immigration issue that he said requires the intervention of ICE.
MAD Note: Minneapolis is roughly 1,500 miles from Fresno. Not sure what a Fresno County supervisor can contribute to this issue … other than noise.

Stockton city attorney quits

Stocktonia. Stockton City Attorney Lori Asuncion resigns.
Synopsis: After 18 years working for the city but now facing termination, Lori Asuncion quit as Stockton city attorney. Her assistant, Taryn Jones, was appointed in her place. Asuncion’s job status was the subject of the council’s closed session as two councilmembers accused her of failing to coordinate with former city manager Steve Colangelo – who was not rehired. She responded to that accusation in a memo saying, “I work diligently to stay out of your council’s frequent political battles.” Councilmember Mario Enriquez called Asuncion “the most insightful person” at city hall.

Massive logistics center opens

Fox26. Massive AutoZone distribution center opens in Madera County.
Synopsis: The ribbon was cut on a 556,000-square-foot logistics facility just west of Hwy 99 and east of Chowchilla. It will serve 350 stores across Northern California and is expected to have 400 employees.

Young man victim of flu

Ceres Courier. Flu claims young Hughson grad.
Synopsis: Uriel Sanchez died from complications of flu on Jan. 9, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help his family cover the cost of his funeral. “His sudden passing has left everyone heartbroken,” said the page. The CDC estimates from 9,000 to 49,000 people die from the flu every year; getting a flu vaccine is the single most important way to protect yourself against it.  

State’s best tasting rooms? Valley

SF Chronicle. The best tasting rooms in one of CA’s most overlooked wine regions. 
Synopsis: Lodi gets its turn in the wine spotlight as reporter Jess Lander notes you can visit four Lodi tasting rooms for the price of a visit to one in Napa. “Tastings are laid back and unfussy – not caviar pairings or Michelin-trained chefs.” Kids are welcome, as are dogs. “You’re not going to walk in many other regions and talk to the owner or the winemaker or the farmer on a daily basis. That used to be common,” wrote Lander. It’s still common in Lodi. Featured by Lander: the Fields Family Winery in Woodbridge, the Wine & Visitor Center in downtown, Harney Lane Vineyards, Lucas Winery on Davis Road and the century-old Klinker Brick ranch on Alpine Road.
MAD Take: Nice list. But Lander missed a few. If you want to meet an engaging owner, Rachele Spaletta pours at her Intercoastal on Hwy 88 almost every day. At Macchia, blue ribbons dating back 30 years cover the walls of the old farmhouse turned tasting room. It was named Winery of the Year in both 2022 and 2025. BTW, San Joaquin County grapes don’t just show up in Lodi wine, they’re massively important to wines made in Paso Robles, Napa, Sonoma and every other wine region in the state – whether those higher-priced wineries want to admit it or not.