Valley Solutions

Debatable debate choices

LA Times. USC cancels gubernatorial debate amid uproar over candidates of color being excluded. 
Synopsis: An effort to narrow the number of Democratic candidates participating in a debate appears to have eliminated the entire event the day before it was to take place. A political science professor set the criteria that narrowed the field to four candidates. Unfortunately, his criteria eliminated all of the remaining non-white candidates – Betty Yee, Xavier Becerra, Tony Thurmond and Antonio Villaraigosa. Since the co-sponsors – USC and KABC -- could not agree on an alternative selection process, the entire debate was scrapped. That made Becerra happy: “We fought. We won!” Even the candidates who were invited – Eric Swalwell, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer and Matt Mahan – said the process was unfair.

GV Wire. Fresno State organizer challenges Swalwell to attend April 1 governor debate. 
Synopsis: Western Growers Assn and 29 other groups are trying to organize a Valley-centric gubernatorial debate among gubernatorial candidates on April 1. So far, both top Republican contenders and four Democrats have confirmed – Steve Hilton, Chad Bianco, Katie Porter, Matt Mahan, Xavier Becerra and Antonio Villaraigosa. Eric Swalwell has declined and Tom Steyver has not yet responded. Dave Puglia, CEO of Western Growers, texted Swalwell pointing out the cancellation of the USC debate and reinviting him to Fresno. He noted this is the only debate specifically focused on rural California and moderated by Valley natives -- former Modesto Assemblymember Kristin Olsen-Cate and former Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin.

How much do farmers get?

Ag Daily. Farmers receive less than 6 cents of the food dollar. 
Synopsis: The USDA says farmers and ranchers are getting about 5.8 cents from every dollar spent on food in the US. The rest is spread through the supply chain, with the largest share -- 38.6 cents -- to “Food Services” and 16.1 cents to “Processors.” With so little going to farmers, researchers say any small change in commodity prices or input costs are hugely magnified. In 2023, farmers got 12.1 cents of each food dollar, and 11.8 cents in 2024. They are getting less than half that now even as the price of fuel, fertilizer, labor, insurance and land have risen. By commodity, margins vary wildly. Farmers who produce fresh eggs get 69.1 cents from each dollar and beef ranchers get 49.8; dairy farmers get 48.1 cents for fresh milk. Those who grow ingredients for snack foods get the smallest share, under 2 cents.

Fertilizer prices stink; why?

Farmdoc. Lawmakers seek fertilizer price transparency amid rising costs. 
Synopsis: A compilation of reporting from Western Farm Press, Agri-Pulse, Reuters and others shows that farmers do not trust the fertilizer market, fearing speculators will try to game it. Sen. Amy Klobuchar says the only cure is complete transparency in how prices are set. Her bill is backed by Republicans John Thune and Roger Marshall. The USDA collects data that companies voluntarily provide; the bill would require companies to provide data on supply and pricing.
MAD Take: Gosh, hard to believe folks distrust government. It was interesting, though, to read that 5 minutes before Trump announced cessation of his attacks on Iran, an estimated $1.5 billion of oil stocks and commodities were sold on various financial markets. Even the Iranians know this is a scam. Sen. Chris Murphy called this “market manipulation” an example of “mind-blowing” corruption. Similar bets were made on the new “predictions” markets ahead of the announcement, causing other “traders” to cry foul. Why should farmers pay more for fertilizer – or commuters more for gas – just so a few Trump cronies can pocket more millions?

Erasing Chavez from Valley

Modesto Bee. Modesto residents to help choose new name for Cesar Chavez Park. 
Synopsis: Modesto’s Culture Commission heard from city staff Monday, explaining a plan to rename the city’s Cesar Chavez Park. The committee will meet again April 1 at the McHenry Museum to finalize a plan to include suggestions from the public. Already, a few suggestions have been offered, such as “stop naming parks after people,” said Jerry Thompson. Until 2002, the park had been known as Fourth Street Park, but its name was changed to commemorate the nearby location where Chavez confronted E.&J. Gallo Winery.

Merced Sun Star. Cesar Chavez mural in Merced painted over by local car club.
Synopsis: The mural at 1150 Martin Luther King Jr. Way was covered in gray paint by the Car Club Si Se Puede, according to its Facebook page. In a video, a member says, “We’re here to remove this image, this doesn’t meet community standards. … We want to be the ones to take the first step in putting us in the right direction.”

Fresno Bee. Cesar Chavez Day is no more in Fresno County after leaders pick new name.
Synopsis: The day set aside to honor Cesar Chavez, March 31, has been renamed Fresno County Farmworker and Agriculture Appreciation Day. “There’s a lot of people who are experiencing pain, and so anything that we can do to stop re-victimizing the victims” should be done, said Supervisor Nathan Magsig.

Stocktonia. Delta College covers up tributes to Cesar Chavez as it considers permanent measure.
Synopsis: Delta President Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson said covering a mural featuring Cesar Chavez is an “initial step” as the college evaluates its response to accusations.

Fox26. Delano Joint Union SD to discuss renaming Cesar Chavez High in special meeting.
Synopsis: The Delano school board will meet tonight to consider changing the name of Cesar Chavez High School. The leading replacement candidate is Mountain View High School.

Cesar’s picture will remain

LA Times. Why I’m not taking down my Cesar Chavez photo. 
Synopsis: Columnist Gustavo Arellano writes about a framed image he keeps in his office, showing Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta at a rally in 1973. “It’s the only picture of historical figures that I display at home, and it’s in a place where I am guaranteed to look at it. It has long served as my secular version of a prayer card.” He chose not to remove it for a reason: “It will serve as a memory of a tragic, tremendous moment in the history of Latinos … It will challenge me to look past the big names of the past and highlight those whose stories aren’t nearly as known.”

59-cent gas? Not for long

KSEE / CBS47. Gas sold for 59 cents in Fresno; hacking suspected.
Synopsis: Drivers filling up at C’s Oasis Mobile in Fresno got a pleasant surprise. Their gas cost only 59 cents a gallon from late Friday to early Saturday. The station’s owners believe hackers broke into their systems and changed the price; they’re working with Exxon corporate to find those responsible.

Medi-Cal faces dental cuts

KVPR. Medi-Cal reduces dental care for undocumented, dentists may turn away low-income patients. 
Synopsis: Most dental care provided to undocumented persons in CA will be discontinued as limitations on Medi-Cal eligibility are tightened due to budget cuts. In the Central Valley, roughly half the population is covered by Medi-Cal. In the past, the state has covered benefits for undocumented patients, but with reductions established through the Trump budget bill, the state will shift those resources to covering legal residents. The changes will impact those ages 19 to 54; those under 18 will still receive care.  

Fresno killing rate doubled

KSEE / CBS47. Fresno doubles homicide rate compared to previous year. 
Synopsis: With four fatal shootings in five days, Fresno is on pace to double its homicide rate this year. The latest victims were two 15-year-old boys. The first killing occurred Thursday night, and the second occurred at an impromptu memorial service for the victim the next day. The two teenagers were gunned down on their way home from eating at a restaurant early Monday evening. Police Chief Mindy Casto said gangs were involved. So far, there have been nine homicides in Fresno this year compared to four at this time last year. Last year’s homicide number in Fresno was the lowest in 25 years.

Justice coming to Valley pervs

Fresno Bee. Vacation rental home near Yosemite linked to child sexual abuse material, arrest.
Synopsis: Christian Parmalee Edwards of Oakhurst was arrested after more than 4,000 digital files containing child sexual abuse material were found in his Madera County home, which he has offered as a short-term rental. Madera detectives were working with the Central CA Internet Crimes Against Children task force when they arrested Edwards. The Internet Watch Foundation said there are around 800 reports of such activity made each day.

ABC30. 12 arrested in online child predator sting operation of Merced. 
Synopsis: Twelve men have been arrested after they attempted to set up “dates” to molest children. The men engaged in “sexually explicit conversations” with intended victims. Of the 12, six are from Merced County and the other six traveled in from Tulare and San Benito; all are from 21 to 60 years old, and all believed their victims to be under the age of 14. Actually, they were full-grown cops.

Modesto Bee. Modesto man who stalked woman, licked and bit her toes, gets prison.
Synopsis: Cristian Alejandro Solorio Anguiano pleaded no contest to charges of stalking and assault during a burglary in May 2025. He had become fixated on his victim after seeing her at her workplace and began stalking her. The woman lived with her parents, who discovered him in her bedroom. He ran away, but Sheriff’s deputies caught him. He could get up to 6 years in prison.

Seriously, don’t ban books

Modesto Bee. What’s funny about banning books? Stanislaus women voters club will talk about it. 
Synopsis: The Stanislaus League of Women Voters has invited author Kristin Miller – “Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books” – to address the First Amendment at their May 6 meeting at the Salida Regional Library. Shannon Stevens, who teaches journalism at Stanislaus State, will moderate the discussion, which was arranged by the League’s Denise Nordell.

Surf’s up in California

Sacramento Bee. Bill would create an official designation for CA’s iconic surf spots.
Synopsis: Assemblymember Jaqui Irwin believes we should do a better job celebrating CA’s best surfing areas – starting with Mavericks near Half Moon Bay. She wants the areas protected as "surfing reserves” and listed through the CA Ocean Protection Council. The bill has no official opposition but has twice failed to pass. In 2028, Olympic surfing events will take place at Trestles State Beach near San Clemente.

Roadsters will ‘respect the game’

Modesto Focus. Meet JT Snow, former SF Giants star and first manager of new Modesto Roadsters. 
Synopsis: Garth Stapley reintroduces us to the six-time Gold Glove winner and glory-years Giant J.T. Snow. He will manage the city’s Pioneer League team when it begins play at John Thurman Field on May 19. Snow says the team will be well coached and the players “will respect the game.” Having Snow on the field “gives credibility to what we’re trying to do here,” said GM Michael Neis. Snow and Neis are looking for families to host players, providing a bedroom and meals. “It’s something that’s fun, and they won’t regret it.”