Valley Solutions

Turmoil in Patterson

Patterson Irrigator. Just in and more to come!
Synopsis: District B councilwoman Jessica Romero posted her letter of resignation from the Patterson city council on the Irrigator’s Facebook page Tuesday. She is angry with the “current direction” of the council and a “consistent pattern of governance that I cannot in good conscience continue to be associated with.” She noted a lot of turnover among department heads, “influence” by councilmembers beyond their authority and a failure to follow proper bidding procedures. She seems to be especially upset about the Fire Department and a breach of confidentiality. She is calling for a “full and independent investigation” into “all council members and staff” involved with the ABS project.

Modesto Bee. Patterson’s firefighters union raises questions about response to fatal canal crash. 
Synopsis: Patterson’s firefighters union has requested a review of the West Stanislaus County Fire Protection District’s response to a crash in which a woman died in the Delta-Mendota Canal near Westley. IAFF Local 4577 said that when West Stanislaus arrived on the scene, Laura Cuellar was alive in her sinking car. The union said its trained dive team was not called to the scene for the rescue. West Side responded with a public statement, published on the Patterson Irrigator’s Facebook page, saying it put out a call immediately upon arrival, reaching out to the CHP, County Sheriff’s dive team and the canal operators. But the sheriff’s team was at Woodward Reservoir, roughly an hour away. Local 4577 president Nicholas Jamieson said, “We don’t want to place blame, that is not our intention. We’re asking questions so then we can fix this – fix the mutual-aid response and serve the communities around us.”
MAD Take: There has been tension since the two departments – West Stan and Patterson -- split about a year ago. Former Patterson Chief Jeffrey Frye then became the West Stanislaus chief.

Dairies facing stiffer rules

Porterville Recorder. State Water Board releases dairies order to protect water.
Synopsis: The State Water Resources Control Board plans to require large dairy operations in the Valley to provide drinking-water supplies for nearby households whose wells contain nitrates. The state would also require dairies to conduct more stringent nitrogen monitoring to ensure retention ponds are not leaking into groundwater. The plan would restrict the amount of manure dairies could apply to land to grow corn. The order calls for dairies to transport excess manure to other farms where it can be applied at safe levels to protect groundwater.
MAD Take: Dairy is the No. 1 or No. 2 ag commodity in four of the five counties that make up the Northern San Joaquin Valley – San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced and Madera. It’s even bigger in Tulare, Kings and Kern. Any rule changes will be felt here.

MID chair wants truth told

Valley Citizen. Modesto Irrigation Board President: “People are entitled to the truth.”
Synopsis: Publisher Eric Caine talks to MID board chair Robert Frobose, who is asking the state’s attorney general to investigate the agency he leads. It’s been a year since Linda Santos claimed MID board member Larry Byrd was illegally irrigating out-of-district trees with MID water. Since MID voted against investigating itself, Frobose says the AG must act. Writes Caine: “The people are also entitled to know how much revenue MID has lost while permitting Larry Byrd to run roughshod over its rules, regulations, and yearly allotments.”
MAD Take: Good luck getting the AG’s office to respond. But it seems as if other remedies might be available to ratepayers, who – if these allegations are true -- have had to make up the difference as hundreds of thousands of dollars in water fees went uncollected.

Realities of homelessness

Fresno Bee. Reality Check: Mayor Dyer said there are ‘zero’ homeless camps in Fresno; what he meant.
Synopsis: Mayor Jerry Dyer recently said there were “zero homeless encampments” in the city. Reactions to that statement ranged from skeptical to incredulous. He was explaining the city’s approach to public housing and services to the unhoused, resulting in 840 new emergency beds and $250 million invested in interventions. Over the past year most of the “large-scale encampments” have been removed. According to Dyer, an “encampment” means 10 people congregated in a single space for more than 10 days. Advocate Dez Martinez says the mayor is playing “word games.” Dyer admits the problem is far from solved, but says homelessness is declining. “We have made progress, but we remain challenged, just like every city in America.”

Turlock Journal. Homelessness: We are overdue to focus on families. 
Synopsis: Columnist Jeffrey Lewis of the Legacy Health Endowment writes that homelessness is “beyond a crisis” in California. We spent $7 billion in the 2021-22 budget to tackle the problem, but what did we get for that investment? We need “an honest conversation about homelessness.” He says there are 170,000 homeless in CA. Nationwide, the number has risen to 580,000. “The economy has destroyed families living paycheck to paycheck and impacted every middle-income family” despite a soaring stock market. Merely talking about people living on the streets “is a failed conversation.”

Fighting for Pride and Family

ABC10. Oakdale’s first Pride event draws support, opposition ahead of June celebration. 
Synopsis: The first Pride event ever in Oakdale is scheduled for Dorada Park on June 28 at 10 a.m. It will include a drag show. The most recent city council got hot as a local pastor insisted drag shows are appropriate only behind closed doors. Another person said such a show conflicts with Oakdale’s Cowboy Capital of the West image. The city approved a permit in April. “It’s trying to put us back in the closet,” said one of those expected to perform.

Fresno Bee. Split Fresno County leaders adopt ‘Nuclear Family Month.’ 
Synopsis: The Fresno Board of Supervisors jumped feet first into the culture wars, deciding on a split vote to honor “nuclear families” in June – the traditional month during which Pride, oceans, Juneteenth, Father’s Day and the Summer Solstice. The proposal was authored by Garry Bredefeld with support from Nathan Magsig and Buddy Mendes. It was clearly a stab at Pride Month, resulting in one constituent being removed from the chambers for yelling at the supervisors. Bredefeld said he was “inspired” by lawmakers in Tennessee and Alabama. There was discussion about what constitutes a “nuclear family.” What about single mothers (Magsig), grandparents raising grandchildren, step-parents (Bredefeld was adopted) and other non-traditional units? Brian Pacheco and Luis Chavez both voted against the resolution saying the board “shouldn’t have the audacity to define what family is or is not. Love defines the family.” Pacheco asked how this resolution “improves the lives of anyone in Fresno County or how it lets us do our job any better?”
MAD Take: “Nuclear Family”? Sounds radioactive.

School board’s 290% raise

Modesto Bee. Modesto City Schools board votes to give itself over 290% pay raise. 
Synopsis: Reporter Atmika Iyer writes that the Modesto City Schools Board of Trustees voted to give themselves a $3,000 per month stipend, roughly 3x their former rate of $765. Only Cindy Marks and Adolfo Lopez voted against the raise, which passed 5-2 at the June 8 meeting. Lopez said an increase was needed but argued for incremental increases. The $3,000 is the maximum allowed for districts under a new state law. Marks noted that the district is involved in negotiations with its unions, including the teachers, and this makes those conversations more difficult. The raise won’t be official until a second reading June 22.

Cuts lead to balance in Ceres

Ceres Courier. City heads into new budget year with deep cuts. 
Synopsis: The Ceres city council adopted a budget that combined spending cuts and operational adjustments turning a projected $5.6 million deficit into a $22,800 surplus. How did finance director Vanessa Portillo do it? The council will cut $25K donations to civic groups, delay repaying loans to itself, cancel a $266K contract for right-of-way maintenance, reduce support for Trunk or Treat, drop the city’s grant-writing firm, cut two code-enforcement officers, and eliminate the city’s recreation coordinator among other cuts. The budget passed 4-0.

$100K is low income? Really?

LAist. In Orange County, six-figure salaries now qualify as ‘low income.’ 
Synopsis: Individuals earning $104,200 a year in Orange County are technically “low income,” says the CA Dept of Housing & Community Development. That’s up 10% from last year’s low-income threshold of $94,750. “It just feels so crazy,” said Megan Juanato, a 23-year-old actuarial living in Irvine. Most of the increase is based on the cost of housing. “Those jokes about how you should have bought a house as a fetus, that definitely resonates,” said Juanato. Only 16% of OC residents can afford a median-priced home, which runs $1,442,930. The average rent is $2,913.
MAD Note: How does our Valley stack up in the state’s listings? Fresno’s “Low Income” threshold for a single earner is $54,400, which is the norm for most counties in the state including Merced, Madera, Kings and Kern. But in Stanislaus you need to make $57,400 not to be considered low income and in San Joaquin it’s $60,550. BTW, if you don’t make at least $117,700, you’re officially “low income” in Marin, San Mateo and San Francisco.

Your one chance to see temple

Modesto Bee. Opening set for LDS temple; when the only public tours will be offered.
Synopsis: The new Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-0ay Saints temple on Dale Road will be dedicated Nov. 22, but the public will be invited for tours Oct. 16-31. The temple will not be open to the public after those dates. The church has a massive tower, the main church and various rooms for special purposes. Temples differ from church meeting houses, in that they are not open to the public.

Get tougher on abandoned trees

Ag Alert. Counties struggle with new abandoned orchard law. 
Synopsis: Tim Hearden checks in on AB 732, which required counties to take a stronger hand in dealing with abandoned orchards and vineyards. He is frustrated that so few counties are using their new authority to remove orchards and thus reduce pests that go into neighboring farms. Last year, one grower described looking out at his almond orchard to see a “sea of rats” rushing in from a neighboring orchard each evening. Said Roger Isom of the Western Tree Nut Assn, “It hasn’t moved the needle at all.” Isom added, “We don’t want to bankrupt somebody, but we’ve got to get these orchards and vineyards addressed.” County officials say that unless there’s a complaint, it’s difficult for them to act. Farm groups want the state to provide more biomass removal funding and to relax burn bans. Navel orangeworm and now carpophilus beetles are of particular concern.

Grass burns west of Merced

Merced Sun Star. Wildfire in Merced County up to 734 acres; 80% contained.
Synopsis: The Lincoln Fire grew to 734 acres overnight, but was said to be 80% contained by 2 a.m. The fire started between Merced and Stevinson near Hwy 140 on Tuesday morning and quickly grew from 50 acres to 600. Nine engines, two tenders and one helicopter responded.

Grasslands Park grows by 10%

Modesto Bee. State park on San Joaquin River adds floodplain; public can offer rec ideas. 
Synopsis: The Great Valley Grasslands State Park near Stevinson added 250 acres of restored floodplain near the San Joaquin River, enhancing habitat for kit fox, riparian brush rabbit, hawks and chinook salmon. Floodplain restoration group River Partners worked with American Rivers and CA State Parks Dept on the project. The park is adjacent to the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, the last vestige of what was once the largest wetlands on the West Coast and a major overwinter spot for migratory birds.