Valley Solutions

LAO: Voluntary agreements work

ACWA. LAO acknowledges potential benefits of Healthy Rivers & Landscapes program.
Synopsis: The governor’s Healthy Rivers & Landscapes program is predicated on Voluntary Agreements between the state and those who use a portion of the state’s river water to grow food and provide drinking water to cities. The nonpartisan LAO’s office found the Healthy Rivers agreements – already providing improved habitat for salmon, beavers, sturgeon and other native species – are the best way to balance the needs of wildlife and humans.
MAD Note: The Healthy Rivers program only works because so many water districts such as Turlock, Modesto, Westlands, SFPUC and Friant water districts (to name a few) have agreed to make enormous habitat improvements on our rivers. Those projects have resulted in more salmon and more water to keep their populations viable. Instead of fighting in court, the districts went to work. And it’s working.

 ‘Final warning’ for Merced, 14 more

CBS13. 15 CA communities given ‘final warning’ by Newsom over housing-law violations. 
Synopsis: Atwater, Escalon, Merced County, Oakdale, Patterson, Turlock and Corcoran were among the 15 entities issued a “final warning” from the governor’s office after failing to submit updated housing elements by the state’s deadline. All of California’s 492 communities must show they have a plan to meet state-mandated affordable-housing goals. The 15 communities who haven’t are said to be 2 years behind schedule. “There’s no carve-out here,” said Newsom’s office. “No community gets a pass when it comes to addressing homelessness or creating more housing access.” He’s threatening to sue the cites and counties.

CA shrinks; Valley grows

Sacramento Bee. Population growth slows nationwide, Census shows. 
Synopsis: Some California counties saw small population gains last year, despite slower growth across the entire nation. From July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025, California’s population fell from 39,364,774 to 39,355,309, a decrease of 9,465 residents – or 0.02%. There were 229,077 departures, but 109,278 arrivals and 109,715 more births than deaths. While the state continues to lose population, the trend has slowed dramatically from 2020-21. Sacramento was among the gainers, growing 1.99% in 2025. Fresno, Merced, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties all grew in the past year.
MAD Note: Lathrop was designated as the fastest-growing city in California last year, adding 9% of its population in 2024.

SF Chronicle. SF exodus hasn’t reversed; here’s how the population trend compares to other regions.
Synopsis: San Francisco’s population fell 2.6% over the past five years, mirroring the Bay Area as a whole. The only CA region losing residents more quickly than the Bay Area is LA, at 2.7%. Cities like Austin, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, Charlotte and Jacksonville all saw 10% growth in the same timeframe. The story was different year-to-year. The Bay Area grew 0.1%. For comparison, Detroit grew 0.3% and Portland grew 0.4% while Seattle, Indianapolis and Atlanta grew by 1.0% and Austin grew 2.1% (the highest in the nation).

Modesto sued over mask rules

Modesto Bee. ACLU sues Modesto and its police chief over controversial mask ban at protests. 
Synopsis: The ACLU filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the city of Modesto and Police Chief Brandon Gillespie over the city’s ban on masks that hide identity. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, whose members include reporters at The Modesto Bee. The ordinance also prohibits carrying glass bottles and wearing helmets at public events – unless they are worn for religious beliefs or medical necessity. Violations are punishable by up to 6 months in jail.
MAD Take: One of the most-often heard adages in journalism is, “Sunshine is the best disinfectant,” meaning the more light you shine on shadowy activities the better. Seems that should apply to faces, too.

Modesto Focus. ACLU sues Modesto, as promised, over ‘ridiculous’ mask ban at protests. 
Synopsis: Garth Stapley writes about the lawsuit over the city’s banning masks at protests, an ordinance the ALCU calls “needlessly vague” and “absurd.” The ban was enacted in 2019 after groups such as the Proud Boys and so-called AntiFa members descended on Modesto to protest an appearance by Anne Coulter. The ordinance was not enforced until last June, when five people were arrested at a downtown ICE Out protest that preceded the No Kings rally at Graceada Park. Since then, those attending city council meetings have demanded a repeal of the ordinance 135 times. A third No Kings protest is planned for Modesto on Saturday at 11 am at Graceada.

Hospitals, patients being squeezed

Cal Matters. Patients are often left ‘out of network’ as hospitals, insurers clash over costs. 
Synopsis: Craig Waggoner, CEO of Community Health Systems in Fresno, describes the “perfect storm” of financial conditions facing Valley healthcare providers. Fresno’s Community Regional Medical Center serves the fourth-highest percentage of Medicaid patients in the nation and is facing a 15% cut in funding. At the same time, the minimum wage for healthcare workers is now $25 an hour, costing his facilities $100 million a year. Add the requirement to cover indigent patients whose ranks have expanded exponentially since Trump’s attack on the Affordable Care Act and hospitals are in dire straits. Insurance companies want hospitals to raise rates to patients. It’s not just hospitals. Patients – whether insured or not – will be paying more for all procedures.

Dr. Shiba honored in Modesto

Modesto Bee. Stanislaus group’s Physician of Year began multiple programs for cancer patients.
Synopsis: Dr. David Shiba chaired the Sutter Gould oncology services during a career spanning 30 years in Modesto. He was instrumental in developing programs to support patients during some of the scariest moments of their lives. He was given the John Darroch Award signifying Physician of the Year by the Stanislaus Medical Society. He came to Modesto from Yale and immediately set up clinical trials for cancer patients. He pioneered various therapies, from aquatic to movement while encouraging patients to take part in art, music and poetry. He and wife Debra hosted a public TV show profiling cancer survivors. After Debra passed in 2023, he moved to the Chico area. 

Jan 6 rioter running in Madera

Fresno Bee. Man pardoned for Jan. 6 riot runs for Madera supervisor; incumbent ‘not worried.’
Synopsis: Ben Martin, who has had repeated run-ins with law enforcement over guns and his gripes with democracy, is challenging Republican Jordan Wamhoff for the District 1 Supervisors seat in Madera County. Martin claims to be a simple mushroom farmer running at the behest of a fringe water organization. But he proudly clings to the debunked story that the 2020 election was “stolen” from Donald Trump, which is why he was among those attacking the capitol on Jan. 6. Martin also was found guilty of illegally possessing firearms, something he had been prohibited from doing following his arrest in 2018 on domestic violence charges.
MAD Take: Along with rioting, domestic violence and gun violations, Martin and some pals were also caught on video loudly cursing Fresno city councilmember Miguel Arias at a lunch spot in Paso Robles.

Dry there, but it hurts here

SF Gate. Lake Mead’s very bad year is only getting worse. 
Synopsis: The water level at Lake Mead – the largest reservoir in the US – is falling every day. A major supplier of drinking water to Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix, the reservoir created by Hoover Dam less than one-third full. With a lighter-than-normal snowfall and an unseasonal heatwave, very little additional water will flow into the reservoir this year. That means the loss of 1 billion kilowatt hours of hydroelectric generation relied on by 13 million people. Meanwhile, algal blooms are killing wildlife and making the lake unsafe for humans to swim and go boating.
MAD Take: What does a brewing catastrophe 500 miles away have to do with our Valley? Well, 20 million Southern Californians will not be allowed to go thirsty. If the Colorado runs out of water, they’ll be looking north to fill their taps. And what will happen to the price of power when those turbines beneath Hoover Dam are no longer spinning? We’ll find out when it hits 105.

Merced to Vegas direct

Merced Sun-Star. In ‘major milestone,’ airline to provide service from Merced to LA, Las Vegas.
Synopsis: Contour Airlines will begin service from Merced Regional to LAX and Harry Reid Airport in Las Vegas in July. The service is partially funded through the federal Essential Air Service program connecting smaller communities to air hubs. Merced Mayor Matt Serratto said “securing reliable commercial air service” is a “major milestone” for Merced.

Big boost for nursing program

Modesto Bee. Stanislaus State gets more than $3M to expand Stockton nursing program.
Synopsis: Health Plan of San Joaquin is providing $2.5 million and Health Net is adding $817K to provide training labs and simulation suites for nursing students at Stanislaus State’s Stockton campus. Dean Sarah Sweitzer said the “Stockton campus is rapidly emerging as a hub for educating the next generation of health and human services professionals” in the Valley. Stan State anticipates training 300 nursing students in its BA and master’s programs.

How’s Merced County doing?

Merced County Times. Leaders launch ‘State of the County’ at Merced Theatre. 
Synopsis: The first-ever State of the County address played in front of several hundred people at the Merced Theatre on March 20. Board chair Daron McDaniel updated those in attendance on road projects such as the Campus Parkway improvements which have been funded through Measure V. Jim Pacheco spoke of public-safety investments, and Lloyd Pareira focused on outreach to the homeless and the county’s commitment to cleaning up encampments. Following their comments, county staffers like John Ceccoli of Human Services, Kristynn Sullivan of Public Health and Kimiko Vang of Recovery Services updated the public on their programs. Several spoke of the impacts of the federal budget and cuts to county funding through the Trump budget bill. 

Where’d you get the car?

Fox26. Man arrested after driving stolen car to court appearance in Salinas.
Synopsis: Ricardo Otero came to the Monterey County Courthouse in Salinas on Tuesday to answer charges that he had stolen a car. It probably didn’t help his case when Sheriff’s deputies noticed that the car in which he arrived had also been reported stolen. After his appearance before the judge, Otero went back to jail to be booked again. Along with the original charges, deputies added driving on a suspended license and committing a felony while out on bail.
MAD Take: Next time, Uber.