Valley Solutions

CA’s greatest danger? Roads

Cal Matters. 40,000 people died on CA roads; state leaders looked away. 
Synopsis: Another chapter in the outstanding “License to Kill” series. Reporters Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler document the sharp spike in deaths on California roads over the past 15 years. In the past 10 years, 40,000 have died and nearly 2 million have been injured in traffic accidents. That represents a 60% increase in fatalities. The spike reversed more than 30 years of declining death tolls through 2010. State officials appear oblivious. During a Caltrans presentation to the state senate, not a single question about safety came up for director Tony Travares. Instead, he was asked about roadside homeless encampments, gas taxes and gender designations on driver’s licenses. The head of the DMV won’t even talk to CalMatters. Meanwhile, the state has so relaxed drunk-driving penalties that they keep their licenses until they kill. Thirty-seven states have enacted laws and implemented technology to remove drunks from the roads, but California says it lacks the resources. Meanwhile, judges ignore the power they have to take drunks off the roads. The only legislator doing anything about it is Bob Archuleta, whose granddaughter was killed by a drunk driver last year.
MAD Take: Every trip on a CA highway offers examples of recklessness and sheer stupidity by daredevil drivers. Far more rare are spottings of state, county or city law enforcement. This CalMatters series needs to be amplified and repeated until something is done.

Baseball season comes early

Turlock Journal. Tyler Soderstrom, A’s agree to record seven-year extension.
Synopsis: The Sacramento/Vegas A’s signed a 7-year contract with Turlock native Tyler Soderstrom for $131 million. It is the longest contract ever offered by the A’s, says the team, and reflects a commitment to three young superstars – Soderstrom, Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler. Soderstrom, a lefty, hit 25 homers with a team-leading 93 RBIs while hitting .276 with a .474 slugging percentage.

Turlock Journal. Stan State’s Joe Ryan to pitch for Team USA at World Baseball Classic.
Synopsis: Former Stan State and current Minnesota Twins All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan will be a starter for the US in the 2026 WBC. Also in the rotation will be Giants ace Logan Webb and Cy Young winners Paul Skenes of the Pirates and Tarik Skubal of the Tigers. Linden native Aaron Judge will captain the team

It wasn’t Brown Act he violated

Valley Citizen. Retraction: I was wrong about Byrd and the Brown Act. 
Synopsis: Columnist Eric Caine offers a mea culpa of sorts. In a previous opinion piece, Caine stated that Modesto Irrigation District director Larry Byrd had violated the Brown Act when he took part in a vote into continuing an investigation into where he got water for 96 acres of almonds he cultivates outside district boundaries. But it wasn’t the Brown Act that was violated. Instead, it was portions of the Political Reform Act and CA Fair Political Practices Commission rules. Regardless of which law Byrd violated, writes Caine, the director clearly did not live up to the “codes of honor, integrity, transparency and the strong sense of public obligation” that should be required of any public official. The 2-2 vote ended the district’s investigation into Byrd’s water use. If Byrd had not voted in his own behalf, the vote would have been 2-1 in the other direction. Janice Keating voted with Byrd to end the investigation. “MID Directors Robert Frobose and Chris Ott appear to be the only authorities at MID with courage enough to fulfill their duties to ensure the district measures, allots and monitors water use fairly and accurately,” writes Caine.

It’s wonderfully wet

Modesto Bee. Snowpack grew nearly sixfold in watersheds for Stanislaus, nearby counties. 
Synopsis: The Central Sierra snowpack is at 77% of normal thanks to heavy snows during Christmas week. The pack had been estimated at only 14% in mid-December. With more precipitation forecast this weekend, water managers are feeling confident if not downright buoyant that the state’s water needs can be met. Don Pedro is at 76% of total capacity, New Melones 70% and Exchequer 67%. BTW, if you adjust the numbers to reflect “normal” for this point in the water season, all of the region’s reservoirs are well over 100%.

It’s not ‘all’ bad news for ag

SF Chronicle. It was a tough year for CA wine, but here was the good news. 
Synopsis: Wine writer Esther Mobley starts with the bad news – consumption has declined, wineries are going bankrupt and tariffs have slashed export sales. But writes Mobley, “Each of those statements deserves an asterisk. New research suggests the decline in consumption hasn’t actually been that big. While some wineries closed, many others have opened new tasting rooms. And Congress could be sending monetary relief to offset sales lost to tariffs.” The best news: “California continued to make really good wine.”

Western Farm Press. Cheap imports are squeezing CA’s fresh-fruit industries.
Synopsis: Tim Hearden reports that Argentina, Mexico and other nations are timing exports of stored fruit to compete with our first crops of the year. The focus is on pears, where Argentine shipments have increased 125% with most fruit arriving in April and May. That low-cost fruit has been “devastating” CA growers. Similar strategies are hitting table grapes, said Ian LeMay. He notes that 99% of America’s table grapes are grown in CA, and 70% of the crop is consumed in the US.

Ag Alert. From the fields: Kevin Herman, Fresno, Madera, Merced tree-crop farmers. 
Synopsis: Kevin Herman is one of the biggest fig growers in the region, and says it was an “average” year for yield but excellent for quality. He’s still picking fresh figs because there’s still a market. His newest fig is the Emerald, a large fruit that feels crunchy because of the seeds. He also grows nuts and was happy with pistachios but disappointed in almond prices. As for workers, he had no problems getting the help he needed during harvest.

Merced zoo will ‘hibernate’

Merced Sun Star. Merced’s Applegate Zoo closing for three months.
Synopsis: The Applegate Zoo will close from Jan. 1 to April 2 for “major renovations,” says the city. Plans are to build a new black bear habitat and exhibit, improve walking paths and spruce up the gift shop. The zoo has been around since 1962 and features 75 CA native animals.

Merced’s top stories of 2025

Merced Focus. New ambulance company, high-speed rail drama and more: Top stories of 2025. 
Synopsis: Editor Victor Patton reflects on the top stories of 2025 in Merced County, saying the year passed like “a blazing fireball.” He notes the renovation of the Merced County Courthouse Museum, UC Merced’s recognition as a top research university, a change in ambulance providers, Planada’s slow recovery, the renovation of the Merced Mall and the abandonment of Merced by high-speed rail.  

What CA needs: More politicians

SF Chronicle. CA doesn’t need to be broken up; legislature needs more seats. 
Synopsis: Republican attorney Ben Wolinsky says a legislature designed for 1 million people cannot adequately serve a state of 40 million. Instead of breaking up the Golden State, we should expand the legislature to revive the promise of self-government. Expanding the number of seats would make every seat more competitive and get the legislators closer to those they represent.

Year-end Valley violence

Merced Sun Star. Merced man trying to break up family fight shoots 22-year-old in head.
Synopsis: Fernando Gutierrez, 26, was arrested in the killing of a relative after he tried to disarm a relative during a family gathering on O Street. The family members were “just hanging out and drinking” when someone started waving around a shotgun.

Stocktonia. 1 dead, 3 wounded in Sunday night shooting outside convenience store.
Synopsis: The People’s Market on Country Club was the scene of Stockton’s latest mass shooting. It happened Sunday night and among the wounded was a man working in a nearby taco truck. Police are investigating. They also continue to investigate the shooting that wounded 13 and killed four on Thanksgiving weekend.

Rollover brings out hazmat team

Fox26. Propane truck overturns near Dos Palos, prompts hazmat response.
Synopsis: The CHP rolled after reports of an overturned propane truck at Valeria and Newcomb avenues about 4 miles east of Dos Palos and south of Hwy 152 on Monday. The troopers found propane leaking from the tank and the driver sitting nearby. He was taken to Los Banos for medical evaluation and hazmat was called out to secure the truck.

New $95M lions den

Ceres Courier. Historic bridge faces demolition.
Synopsis: The 110-year-old Seventh Street Bridge, adorned by resting lions at both its Modesto and Ceres ends, will be demolished this year. The county approved $95.2 million to replace the bridge with a 1,170-foot span over the Tuolumne River. It is expected to open by early 2028 and will handle about 16,000 vehicle trips a day. The new bridge will have 5-foot shoulders, Class II bike lanes, a standard sidewalk and the lions at either end.

He’s ‘marching’ in Rose Parade

Patterson Irrigator. PHS band director represents Patterson in New Year’s Rose Parade.
Synopsis: Music teacher Loran Lima will take part in the annual Rose Parade as part of the Band Directors Marching Band. It is the third year for the group, which was formed to recognize “extraordinary dedication and accomplishments” of band directors and music teachers across the nation. They won’t actually “march,” but ride on a float called “Banding Together.” Lima says he will be one of 8 playing cymbals.