Valley Solutions

LaMalfa stricken, dies at 65

LA Times. CA Congressman Doug LaMalfa dies, further narrowing GOP margin in Congress. 
Synopsis: Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a fourth-generation farmer and reliable vote for Speaker Mike Johnson and Donald Trump in Congress, died suddenly Monday. He served 12 years in Congress, always allied with CA farming interests. He was also a fierce advocate for rural schools. After the Trump administration killed money for rural schools, LaMalfa led the charge to have it restored – something he accomplished within the final weeks of 2025. His district was reconfigured by Prop 50, making his re-election less certain. “He fought every day for the people of California with conviction and care,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom, who ordered state flags to half-staff. LaMalfa’s death, the resignation of Marjorie Taylor Greene and the hospitalization of Indiana’s Jim Baird leaves the GOP with only a 2-vote margin – meaning one defection can halt a bill’s passage.

Sacramento Bee. Rep. Doug LaMalfa died during emergency surgery at Chico hospital, sheriff says. 
Synopsis: Expanding on coverage offered elsewhere, the Sacramento Bee reports Doug LaMalfa was rushed from his home to the Enloe Medical Center in Chico at 6:50 pm Monday. He was immediately taken into surgery but died on the operating table at around 3:20 am. One congressional colleague said LaMalfa originally suffered from an aneurysm then suffered a heart attack while in surgery. He was unaware of any health problems prior to Monday. An autopsy, considered standard procedure, will be performed by the Butte County coroner’s office.

Sacramento Bee. Without Doug LaMalfa, the Sacramento Valley loses a key political voice. 
Synopsis: Columnist Tom Philp writes in praise of Doug LaMalfa, whom he met in 2002 during his first run for the Assembly. With his passing “a massive political void has opened wide.” Philp admits, “LaMalfa wasn’t my favorite political leader of all time. He was a farmer who could have benefited from a little more flexibility to different views of the world. But in this attribute, he has plenty of company on both sides of the aisle.”
MAD Note: Someone, no doubt, will remind Tom of that last statement when a Democrat reaches across the aisle to consider a position with which Mr. Philp disagrees.

Gray: The Constitution is clear

Modesto Bee. Congressional leaders representing Stanislaus County react to Maduro’s capture. 
Synopsis: Reporter Kathleen Quinn quotes Adam Gray to kick off her story about Trump’s incursion into Venezuela to “capture” its autocratic ruler. “Nicolas Maduro is a murderous dictator and drug trafficker. I’m glad that he’s been removed from power,” said Gray. “However, if we are going to use our military on foreign soil, the Constitution is clear that the President must engage the Legislative Branch.” That didn’t happen, leading Gray to say Congress must “assert its constitutional powers.” Tom McClintock, whose district abuts Gray’s, cheered the “astounding tactical success” of the military while agreeing with Gray on Trump’s overreach: “In calmer times I believe that Congress will need to clarify and re-assert its preeminent constitutional role” in military actions. Josh Harder did not respond to requests for comment.

Old building to new homes

Modesto Bee. Stanislaus County may sell old Salvation Army center for more Modesto apartments. 
Synopsis: Ken Carlson reports on the plan to sell the former Salvation Army facility on I Street to a nonprofit developer who would convert it into a six-story building for low-cost apartments. Visionary Home Builders of CA is partnering with the city of Modesto to build a 79-unit complex on adjacent property, Seventh Street Village. The county paid $1.25 million for the property in 2019 and is selling it for $1.5 million. Supervisor Terry Withrow said it was originally purchased with a shelter in mind. Rents would range from $512 to $1,895 a month depending on income and square footage.

Legion honoring Hawn, Endsley

Modesto Bee. American Legion will honor two Modesto leaders who help provide food, shelter. 
Synopsis: American Legion Post 74 has named Brad Hawn its Community Hero of 2025 and Ann Endsley its Citizen of the Year. They will be celebrated at a banquet Jan. 10 at the County Veterans Services Center on Coffee Road. Hawn, a Modesto city councilmember 15 years ago, has been active in a host of projects since leaving government – ranging using treated wastewater for ag to helping form the city police review board to providing tiny homes for the homeless. A well-known philanthropist, Endsley owns Greens on Tenth and is involved in the organic Four Seasons Farm.

That was a lot of water

Merced Sun Star. Weekend storms boost CA water, but thin snowpack poses risk. 
Synopsis: Sacramento and areas north got substantial rain over the weekend, with 2.29 inches recorded at Sacramento International Airport. Since the start of the water year on Oct. 1, 9.33 inches have fallen in Sac, nearly 3 inches above normal. “Northern California is in great shape for overall precipitation,” said Scott Rowe of the NWS. The only point of concern is the Sierra snowpack. It’s at 61%, lower than expected. “We’ve been getting plenty of water, but a lot of it has been rain or has been snow that has melted rather than remaining part of the snowpack. That is a climate-change related problem,” said meteorologist Daniel Swain. Jay Lund, the state’s leading river scientist, notes that flooding is a greater worry than drought after last week’s rains.

Modesto Bee. Storm raises rain totals for Modesto; how did 2025 compare to recent years?
Synopsis: Even the deluge that hit Modesto over the weekend didn’t get the region back to last year’s rainfall totals. The region got 1.22 inches, according to the National Weather Service, giving us 7.9 inches since October. In 2024, Modesto had a total of 17.4 inches – about 4 inches above the norm. In 2025, Modesto had 11.4 inches – about half an inch below normal. 

San Jose Mercury News. CA’s largest reservoir rises 36 feet as rains boost water supply statewide.
Synopsis: Lake Shasta rose 36 feet along its 35-mile length as hundreds of billions of gallons flowed off the Sacramento River watershed into the reservoir. It’s 77% full, and at 129% of its historical average for this time of year. At Oroville, the state’s second largest reservoir has risen 69 feet in three weeks. It is 73% full and at 134% of average. The spillway opened Monday.

Outbreak ends; shelter reopens

Merced Sun Star. Merced County animal shelter back open after disease outbreak forces suspension.
Synopsis: The Merced County animal shelter has been essentially closed since Dec. 18 when an outbreak of strep zoo was detected. Working with veterinarians, the zoo is now disease-free and rescues and adoptions have resumed.

Vaccines, who needs them?

ABC30. Reaction from Valley health officials on CDC vaccine changes.
Synopsis: Health Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered the CDC to reduce the number of vaccines recommended for children by a third, from 17 to 11. Political outliers applauded the move, but medical professionals were aghast. The decision was made without independent medical review and the American Academy of Pediatrics says the federal government can no longer be trusted to protect America’s children. Eliminated are rotavirus, meningitis, RSV, flu and hepatitis B and A. The move comes as flu cases in Fresno County are seeing a “massive spike.” Fresno County Dept of Health spokeswoman Leticia Berber said immunization rates of 80% are needed to protect the overall population. Gov. Newsom called Kennedy’s action reckless and taken to appease “a debunked anti-vaccine agenda.”

ABC10. US measles cases topped 2,000 in 2025, highest total in more than 30 years.
Synopsis: On the heels of Robert Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine crusade, more than 2,000 cases of measles were reported in the US in 2025. More than 200 have required hospitalization and two children and one adult were killed by a disease that just a year ago was considered eradicated in the US. The disease is continuing to spread with 49 separate outbreaks. There hadn’t been more than one case per year in the US since 1992, the year doctors began recommending two doses of the MMR vaccine.

Los Banos councilman resigns

Westside Express. LB councilmember Evan Sanders leaving state, resigns chair.
Synopsis: Evan Sanders, appointed to fill the unexpired term of recalled District 2 councilmember Doug Begonia Jr. in January 2025, has accepted a job on the east coast and will Los Banos. The software manager had been seeking a job for several months. He and Marcus Chavez were appointed to the city council in January to fill the seats of Begonia and Brett Jones, who were removed by voters. All of his fellow councilmembers were sorry to see Sanders leave, saying he brought a unique perspective to their deliberations.

Breaking up with PG&E?

SF Chronicle. SF’s potential PG&E breakup is on ‘a very difficult road.’ 
Synopsis: The SF Public Utilities Commission “might someday realize its long-sought goal of breaking up with PG&E and assuming control of the city’s electric grid. But it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon – if it happens at all,” writes reporter Julie Johnson. Following a series of outages that have rocked the city in December, it’s a hot topic. The city has been trying to buy out PG&E since 2019, arguing it can do the job better and cheaper. But state regulators have yet to set a price on PG&E’s facilities and the state’s preeminent utilities analyst, Severin Borenstein, says the chances of it ever happening are “pretty low.” PG&E charges the highest rates in the continental US, 30% higher than Sacramento customers pay SMUD. Part of the rationale is an exorbitant rate of return on PG&E’s bonds approved by the CPUC.
MAD Take: Why is this comprehensive story important to our Valley? Because San Francisco isn’t the only entity trying to divorce from PG&E. South San Joaquin Irrigation District, which generates electricity through the Tri-Dam partnership with OID, has been pursuing the right to sell its electricity directly to residents for 15 years. This is a massive component of California’s failure to address affordability in our state. One Valley homeowner noted his electricity bill is now nearly as high as his mortgage payment.

Want a free wedding party?

Merced Sun Star. Popular Merced hotel is giving away a free wedding reception.
Synopsis: One lucky couple will win a wedding reception courtesy of the El Capitan Hotel in Merced. The promotion is in celebration of the hotel’s recent recognition by Conde Nast Traveler website. The reception will be for up to 50 guests indoors or 80 in the courtyard, complete with drink service. The application deadline is March 31, and it must be used by March 31, 2027. Here’s the website: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6WAHbdqo-1Sv77sqOYzPqK6kIUO7YWaWEJTjTiwbYmU8Cag/viewform?usp=send_form

OK Dr. Dolittle, what is she saying?

Morning Ag Clips. Talking cows? Researchers think they’re closer to understanding moos.
Synopsis: Researchers at Canada’s Dalhousie University say cows have very specific moos, or calls, denoting specific needs or actions. It’s based on volume and inflection, says Dr. Ghader Manafiazar, and often reflects the amount of stress being felt by the cow. One specific type of moo has been recorded multiple times a day before a cow gave birth. Other specific moos seem to come in reaction to less stressful events, such as sundown.