Valley Solutions

Another flight of BATs arriving

SF Chronicle. Working-class Californians are fleeing the Bay Area; this is where they’re going. 
Synopsis: The top story on the Chron’s website says Modesto is the place to be. The latest surge of BATs – Bay Area Transplants – is washing up in Stanislaus County, moving from rentals to homes they can afford to own. They all see moving to Modesto as “an opportunity” for their families. Of the 56,000 households that moved to Stanislaus County in the past decade, a third were from the Bay Area. A chart shows that Santa Cruz and San Joaquin counties are most popular destination for Bay Area departees, but Stanislaus is a close third. It appears Stanislaus had the highest percentage of arrivals without college degrees. Those arriving now are paying more for a home, with prices up by $50K since 2019. Among those quoted is the Community Foundation’s Marian Kaanon, who said Modesto is “on the receiving end of the Bay Area’s affordability crisis, but we get very little support from the state or Bay Area foundations to mitigate that crisis.” Among others quoted were Wendy Byrd, Mayor Sue Zwahlen and Keristofer Seryani of the United Way.

Wood Colony in the news

Modesto Bee. As Modesto general plan is debated, questions focus on $14,000 donation for mayor. 
Synopsis: Ken Carlson takes a second look at Modesto’s latest general plan update and its controversial decision to include portions of the “Beckwith Triangle” in the city’s sphere of influence. The triangle area is separated from Modesto by Hwy 99 and has been a target for developers for more than 20 years. Bill Lyons is the owner of the vast Mapes Ranch west of town, and develops business properties. He gave Mayor Sue Zwahlen contributions of $14,000 a few years ago and donations to other elected officials, including Modesto city councilmembers Nick Bavaro, Dave Wright, Jeremiah Williams and Rosa Escutia-Braaton. Those donations have convinced Wood Colony residents that Lyons is planning to develop the area. Since the donations were made in 2022 or earlier, councilmembers did not have to recuse themselves from the vote on the General Plan.
MAD Note: Not mentioned in Ken’s story is the fact that Lyons is a long-time mover in statewide farming and political circles. It is not uncommon for him to contribute to candidates throughout the Valley and across the state. He’s also well known for contributing to charitable and philanthropic activities.

Nurses do well in Valley

Modesto Bee. Modesto is one of the highest-paying cities for nurses in the US.
Synopsis: The University of West Alabama Online, which offers nursing degrees, produced a list of top-paying locations for their grads. Among them is Modesto, where nurses are paid an average of $154,140. That’s about $55,000 more than the national average but nowhere near the top of the list. Nurses in San Jose ($189K), San Francisco ($178K), Vallejo ($175K), Santa Rosa ($171K), Sacramento ($163K) and Santa Cruz ($159K) all earn more. Those making the least for doing the same work can be found in Alabama, where all five of the lowest-paying cities are located.

Merced Sun Star. Merced is one of the highest-paying cities for nurses in the U.S. 
Synopsis: Same story as the one above, just the numbers change. Merced nurses earn an average of $125,910, which puts them at No. 22 on the national list. It’s about $27,000 above the national average but well below No. 10 Salinas, where nurses $143,410.

Closer look at treasurer’s race

Cal Matters. In the six-way race to be CA’s treasurer, it likely comes down to two Democrats.
Synopsis: The day-to-day details of managing CA’s money is the job of treasurer. Most states hire someone to do it, but not California. We elect the treasurer, despite Hiram Johnson’s observation a century ago that the job is “merely clerical.” There are six candidates, and the two best known are Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and termed-out state Sen. Anna Caballero of Merced. They are likely to be the top picks in a field that includes a social worker and a tarot-card consultant. The story points out that the job is usually a dead end politically. 

Riverbank rethinks city hall

Modesto Bee. Riverbank rejects city hall on site of demolished Del Rio Theater. 
Synopsis: The city’s plan to build a new four- or five-story city hall on the site of the old Del Rio Theater was rejected by the city council. Instead, the city will build atop one of the three buildings it already owns. The Del Rio opened in 1947 and was used as a theater, dance hall, restaurant and bingo hall at various times. It was sold to the city in 2006 under Mayor Virigina Madueno. After asbestos was found, the city sold the property for a tenth of what it had paid originally.

‘Ghost’ aren’t lost, they’re eaten

Active NorCal. New study shows most young salmon entering the Delta never make it out.
Synopsis: Researchers from Essex University in England, the NOAA, UC Davis and Cramer Fish Sciences tracked juvenile Chinook entering the Delta and found that only 15% survive and make it to the ocean. The scientists called all those lost fish “river ghosts.” The story says the salmon die due to low flows and rising water temperatures and lack of rearing habitat.
MAD Take: Huh. Almost every other study I’ve seen point to predation from the bass that make up 95% of the Delta’s entire biome.

Robotics team wins title

ABC30. Madera Unified robotics team repeats as world champions for fourth title.
Synopsis: The Madera MadTown Robotics team from Madera High School won the fourth annual FIRST Robotics World Championships. The competition is conducted across the globe at several locations, from Houston to Brazil to Canada to Istanbul. MadTown won the competition in Houston over three days of trials and competition that included a head-to-head matchup against other finalists.

Death is a ‘misdemeanor’?

Fresno Bee. Driver avoids prison in deal over crash that killed Clovis mom, injured her two children. 
Synopsis: Wallowa Bates, 25, was charged with manslaughter and gross negligence after the Mercedes she was driving killed Jennifer Ellis and severely injured her two kids back in 2023. Ellis had been a pharmacist with Valley Children’s Hospital for 15 years. Bates faced 6 years in prison, but Superior Court Commissioner Daniel Brickey sentenced her to probation and 90 days in a work-release program. It means the case will not go to trial and that her crime can be reduced to a misdemeanor if she completes her 90-day probation without incident. The DA’s office said this was not a negotiated plea deal.
MAD Take: Coverage from 2023 said Bates was traveling at twice the posted speed limit (45) when she blew through a stop sign and hit Ellis’ Honda. Many mourned the loss of Ellis, including her boss at Valley Children’s: “Jennifer demonstrated all that was good about this sacred work in caring for kids,” he wrote. “She simply loved her part in helping kids return to health.” How is this justice?

Patterson man: ‘Not guilty’

Modesto Bee. Patterson man shot by ICE pleads not guilty to federal assault charge.
Synopsis: Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez appeared in court Monday, a foam block supporting his wounded arm as he was confined to a wheelchair. He was charged with three counts, including two of assaulting a federal officer. He pleaded not guilty to all three. The charges stemmed from a stop by ICE near Patterson on April 7 as Hernandez was traveling to work in the Bay Area. Four agents ordered him out of his vehicle, then broke out his windows and shot him seven times as he tried to drive away. The government says by trying to drive away he was assaulting the agents.

Fresno broke the rules

Fresnoland. Judge says Fresno council violated law with budget process first exposed by Fresnoland. 
Synopsis: Negotiating the city’s budget behind closed doors through “committee” meetings violated the state’s open-meetings law, says Judge Robert Whalen. The Brown Act, named for the Modesto legislator Ralph Brown, requires councilmembers to discuss budgets in open meetings so the public can hear and participate. While there are exceptions, the city did not meet any of criteria necessary to meet in secret. After having been written about in Fresnoland, the ACLU and First Amendment Coalition sued to open the process.

Too many cats, dogs

Stocktonia. ‘Out of control’ pet population a catalyst for potential spay-neuter requirements.
Synopsis: Facing an explosion in the county’s cat and dog populations, the Board of Supervisors are considering a requirement that any pet adopted from the county shelter be neutered before placement. “The animal control problem is absolutely out of control, and everyone recognizes it,” said supervisor Steve Ding. The county is spending $1 million this year to care for animals. The Sheriff’s Dept oversees stray-animal calls and said it costs $600 to pick up an animal and get it to the shelter.

Cops: ‘Not so fast’

KSEE / CBS47. Motorcyclist clocked at 133 mph in 55 zone in Fresno County.
Synopsis: The CHP clocked a rider flying by on Auberry Road and pursued at a safe distance. Eventually, he was going 133 mph. At that speed there is zero margin for error. Even a pothole can cause the rider to lose control of the bike and make it that ride his last.

Merced Sun Star. CHP makes big drug arrest in Merced County; what is khat?
Synopsis: The CHP found 150 pounds of khat, or qat, in a car they pulled over on Hwy 99 Friday. Khat is a southeast Asian plant that, when chewed, releases a stimulant that can cause hallucinations and euphoria or extreme anxiety. A Schedule 1 controlled substance, it was confiscated.

KSEE / CBS47. K9 Willow finds 40 pounds of meth during I-5 traffic stop, deputies say.
Synopsis: Fresno County K-9 Willow alerted his partner to the presence of narcotics, leading deputies to 40 pounds of meth and thousands of dollars in cash. The driver became the guest of Fresno County authorities.