Valley Solutions

Valley Solutions offers a daily look at the top headlines appearing on media websites affecting the San Joaquin Valley. It is compiled by Mike Dunbar, who worked in Stockton, Modesto, Merced and Los Banos media for 40 years and later served as Adam Gray’s press secretary when he was in the Assembly. Valley Solutions is brought to readers by Rep. Adam Gray.

Diesel costs hurting farmers

KCRA. Soaring diesel prices hit San Joaquin County farmers hard during harvest season. 
Synopsis: Reporters visit San Joaquin County as farmers are working “non-stop, 24 hours a day” on this year’s harvest. Every crop requires diesel to operate harvest machinery. “Just the tractors alone, we’re using somewhere between probably 1,500 and 2,000 gallons of fuel a day,” said Manna Ranch manager Brandon Sywassink. That doesn’t count the pickups. “We’re somewhere between $100,000 and $140,000 a week in just diesel.” He figures that’s $60,000 more per week than the farm spent last year on diesel. “The costs are ridiculous,” said Stuart Spencer. “We just can’t continue absorbing these costs and stay in business.” Sywassink implored viewers to buy local wine. “Please, check your labels and try to buy California wine.”

Farmdoc. Record diesel prices threaten farm margins as harvest begins.
Synopsis: In a compilation of national stories on diesel prices, we learn the average price hit an all-time high of $5.94 per gallon this week. That’s 61% higher than a year ago – before Trump’s attack on Iran. “Prices are spiking as farmers prepare to fire up fuel-hungry equipment for round-the-clock harvest work,” reported Agri-Pulse. AgroLatam’s Emily Trask reported, “When diesel prices rise, farmers pay twice: First through their own equipment and again through higher freight and supplier charges.” At Axios, it was reported that farmers can expect another 33 cents per gallon, or about an 8.2% increase, before the end of the year.
MAD Take: Such stories often focus on Midwestern farms, but the story is similar in California where red-dye farm diesel is selling for $5.21 to $5.54 per gallon and on-road diesel is selling for up to $7.87. AAA put the cost of gas in Stanislaus at $5.72 and $5.80 in Merced, for comparison.

54 & Counting: Election news

Modesto Focus. Political Focus.
Synopsis: Reporter Garth Stapley looks in on the election, saying all five Modesto City Council candidates have confirmed for the Focus / NAACP / Veterans debate on Oct. 1. It will start at 6:30 p.m. at 3500 Coffee Road. … In other news, voters got a “rare glimpse” of Tom McClintock last week as he appeared on radio with challenger Mike Masuda. … The national debate over data centers is taking place in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, too. Garth says candidates should expect questions on the topic.

North Valley Review. Kevin Lincoln no-show at GOP Convention; gives no explanation. 
Synopsis: Former Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln originally planned to attend the Republican Midterm Convention, aka Trumpapalooza, in Dallas. But he dropped out without offering his reasons. Several people posted commentary on the site concerning his sudden no-show. The unconventional convention was set up, according to Trump, to help promote candidates in closes races.  

Loomer tees off on Lincoln

Stockton Watch. Kevin Lincoln’s use of fake Jewish name ‘Goldberg-Stern’ sparks outrage.
Synopsis: Conservative communicator Laura Loomer posted a story about Kevin Lincoln’s choice in naming the sole-proprietorship business he started in Stockton with his wife. They called it Goldberg-Stein Associates LLC. They own 100% of the company. It’s an odd choice, says Loomer, because Lincoln often claims his mother was Mexican and his father African American. Bonnie Lincoln’s records show no one with those surnames in her family history. “Such naming practices can make it more difficult for voters and journalists to quickly connect the business back to the former elected official and his spouse,” wrote Loomer. Why the subterfuge? She noted other irregularities involved in the listing. Concludes Loomer: “California voters and members of the Republican Party in the district have a right to full transparency regarding such arrangements.”

Will West Side care improve?

Modesto Bee. Newsom signature needed to close emergency care gap in western Stanislaus County.
Synopsis: The Del Puerto Health Care District is counting on Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign legislation written by Assemblymember Juan Alanis that will allow emergency-stabilization care in Patterson. Alanis met with Del Puerto execs and emergency responders on the district’s campus to urge the governor to sign the bill. He pointed out that the nearest ER to the city of 26,000 is 30 minutes away in Modesto. Del Puerto says it will staff its RESCU facility to ER standards. The district plans to open a 27-acre acute-care hospital and mental health facility by 2035 when Patterson should have around 30,000 residents.

Layoffs hit Ruiz Foods, eatery

Fresno Bee. Ruiz Foods lays off 176 employees at Central Valley plant, cuts production schedule.
Synopsis: The maker of frozen Mexican foods will lay off 176 employees in Tulare County, including 100 at its Dinuba processing facility. The company said the moves are made to “better align production capacity with anticipated customer demand.” The company moved its headquarters from Dinuba to Frisco, Texas, in 2024.

Fresno Bee. Dozens to be laid off as clifftop Pismo Beach restaurant closes amid fear of collapse.
Synopsis: The Ventana Grill, which overlooks the Pacific above Pismo Beach, is being shuttered after it was determined to be unsafe. There are 20 workers who will be offered jobs at other locations, but roughly 62 cooks and servers will lose their jobs.

Riverbank pauses data centers

Modesto Bee. Riverbank pauses data centers; company defends plan for old ammo plant.
Synopsis: Aemetis Inc., which is planning a smallish data center at the ammo plant on Claus Road, was disappointed when the Riverbank city council voted 5-0 in favor of a 45-day moratorium on approving data centers. Aemetis, which is already converting woody waste to fuels, claims it will invest $1 billion in the area. The city wants to gather additional information over the next six weeks. Aemetis exec Andy Foster says that what his company is planning is “completely different” from what most people consider a “data center.” Only a small group of people attended the meeting.

Del Puerto Dam inches ahead

Patterson Irrigator. Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir project takes another small step forward.
Synopsis: The Del Puerto Water District has released the second draft of its final Environmental Impact Review as it prepares to authorize the construction of a reservoir west of Patterson. The project will provide 82,000-acre feet of new off-stream storage owned by the district and the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors. The project will enhance groundwater storage and capture runoff that would otherwise be lost in wet years. Opponents fear the dam would endanger Patterson if it failed.
MAD Take: California has the most robust and rigorous standards for building dams in the nation and an entire state department – the Division of Safety of Dams – to monitor construction and ongoing operation. While there might be other objections to the project, dam failure is the least likely.

Finding more water for Valley

Ag Net West. Edward Ring outlines a water plan for CA agriculture.
Synopsis: Edward Ring of the CA Policy Center continued his conversations with Ag Net interviewers, describing the importance of dredging the South Delta, desalination and off-stream storage. He would also elevate Shasta Dam by 18 feet to increase storage by 600,000-acre feet in the state’s largest reservoir. Ring said better forecasting would allow reservoir operators to conserve more water.
MAD Note: The state’s Dept of Water Resources has been woefully behind in updating its forecasting methods, lagging other dam operators such as Turlock and Merced Irrigation Districts. But the state is beginning to catch up and last year began relying on the same processes used by the IDs.

Maven’s Notebook. Unified Water Plan charts path to keep San Joaquin Valley growing. 
Synopsis: The CA Farm Water Coalition welcomed the release of the Unified Water Plan for the San Joaquin Valley, a report authorized by Congress to provide federal, state and local leaders a roadmap for greater water security and flexibility. The plan gathers sustainability plans from all 16 Valley subbasins to create a “unified picture” of the challenges. Research projects a 2.4 million-acre-foot gap between demand and supply by 2040 if no changes are made. Doing nothing will result in the loss of roughly $7.2 billion in farm revenue and 85,000 jobs in food processing. If the region can marshal resources to repair its canals, add recharge and storage projects and build a more robust water-transport system, some of the most dire challenges can be met. The Coalition calls those efforts “common sense” and urges Congress and the state to fund the projects that will soon arise.

NASA boss meets UC students

Merced Sun Star. NASA administrator offers UC Merced students a glimpse of their future. 
Synopsis: Jared Isaacman, NASA’s top exec, visited Castle Air Museum in Atwater with about 30 UC Merced students in tow. Among the students were a few already involved in research for NASA-supported projects. Isaacman talked about “America’s grand return to the lunar surface” at some point in the not-distant future. Among the students was Rayan Dua, a member of UCM’s BOBSat-1 team, which is designing nanosatellites. Isaacman assured the students that “this whole space thing is not going to be limited to pilots. Whether you want to go to the moon, whether you want to build the hardware that goes to the moon … all of these things are in the realm of possibility.”

Dogs (good & bad) in the news

KSEE24 / CBS47. Adorable animals needed rescuing after being locked in car in Fresno, officials say.
Synopsis: Two little dogs were rescued Wednesday afternoon after their owner inadvertently left them locked in a car. With temperatures reaching into the high 90s, firefighters used a “slim-jim” to unlock the doors and rescue the little pooches. “The dogs inside peeked through the windows and were very interested in what the crew on the outside was up to,” says the reporter.  

KSEE24 / CBS47. Firefighters rescue dog during attic fire at Fresno home.
Synopsis: A dog was rescued from a burning home around 7 a.m. Thursday morning near Hughes Avenue in Fresno. When crews arrived, the attic in the 100-year-old home was already burning. The two human residents were already outside and implored firefighters to save their family dog. Before the attic collapsed, firefighters were able to get inside and rescue the dog.

Merced Golden Wire (Facebook). 62-year-old man severely injured in Le Grand dog attack.
Synopsis: Deputies responded to reports of a man being attacked by four dogs in the 4300 block of Cook Street in Le Grand. Upon arriving they rushed to provide aid, and two of the dogs turned on the deputies. The deputies opened fire, killing both animals. The man suffered severe bites to his arms, face, hands, torso and legs. Investigators say the dogs’ owner was trying to secure them when the animals got loose and attacked a man walking by. Detectives are investigating.

Madera Fair starts today

Madera Tribune. Madera Fair brings daily entertainment.
Synopsis: The Madera District Fair – sponsored by Valley Children’s Healthcare and billed as an “All American Party” -- starts today and runs through Sept. 13 at the fairgrounds. There will be music, magic, juggling and hypnotics on stage with plenty of food and fair fun all around. Admission is waived today but is $15 for the remaining three days.

Former Fresno chief passes

Fresno Bee. Former Fresno police chief Ed Winchester has died; remembered as ‘courageous.’
Synopsis: Former police chief Ed Winchester, who led the department from 1993-2001 and spent 34 years in uniform, has died. He was replaced as chief by current Mayor Jerry Dyer in 2001. “Chief Winchester was a one-of-a-kind police chief who was tough on crime but had a heart of gold,” said Dyer. He credited Winchester with reducing violent crime in Fresno in the mid-1990s.