Valley Solutions

Allotments anger Gray, Costa

The Business Journal. Valley farmers, elected officials blast 15% CVP water allocation. 
Synopsis: Westlands Water District blasted the Trump administration’s decision to provide only 15% of the water for California’s South-of-the-Delta contractors – a figure critics say can’t be justified by current conditions. Water contractors north of the Delta and those in exchange contracts will get 100% of promised allocations based on above-average reservoir conditions. But the state’s largest water district – the 700 farmers in Westlands Water District – will get only 15% of contracted amounts, far less than they expected. GM Allison Febbo said the allocation “does not reflect current hydrologic conditions and falls well short of what is needed to sustain the District’s nearly 700 family-owned farms that feed the world.” Representatives Adam Gray and Jim Costa issued a joint statement, agreeing with Febbo: “The President claimed he could deliver more water and yet that pledge rings hollow today. The Trump administration’s allocations are offensive to the farmers of the San Joaquin Valley.” The Interim Director of the Bureau of Reclamation said that if conditions change the allocation could be revised.

Why MID director held out

Modesto Bee. Lone holdout on Modesto water investigation says what it will take to get her vote. 
Synopsis: Two weeks ago, Modesto Irrigation District director Janice Keating stood in the way of a full and open investigation of fellow-director Larry Byrd’s use of district water outside of district boundaries. Because two of the board’s five members (including Byrd) recused themselves from the vote, Keatings’s “no” meant the investigation would not continue. She told reporter Trevor Morgan that she remains upset over her treatment since becoming the only woman ever to serve on the MID board. “I’m not here to protect Larry, I’m not here to protect anyone,” insisted Keating. “(Byrd) has been just as crappy to me as everybody else, honestly.” Her refusal to vote for a more extensive investigation, she said, was based on what she called an incomplete consultant’s report. Board chair Bob Frobose, who crossed swords with Keating last year, said she should have brought up those questions in previous meetings.
MAD Take: The board’s bickering is of little interest to ratepayers. They deserve a better, more honest explanation of where and how much water was used by Byrd and his powerful partners on the East Side.

Are high schools making grade?

SF Chronicle. Are CA students ready for UC admissions? How every public high school scores. 
Synopsis: The story focuses on the A-G requirements needed for admission to California’s public universities. A searchable list (129 pages) shows the number of grads from each high school (by county) and the percentage who met A-G requirements. In Stanislaus, Aspire Vanguard Academy had 43 grads, with 100% meeting requirements. But only 18% of Connecting Waters Charter grads met the standards. Pitman was the best of the public schools at 61%. Others of note: Davis 36%, Modesto 45%, Patterson 44%, Hughson 50%, Oakdale 39%. In Merced, Gustine had 60%, Pacheco 48% and Delhi 47%. Madera did better, with the county’s largest high school, Torres, hitting 61%.

Straightening the ‘spaghetti’

Modesto Bee. This tweak has made the Briggsmore/99 interchange a little less hairy. 
Synopsis: Drivers can no longer turn left onto North Ninth from the Hwy 99 overpass, simplifying traffic flow at one of the city’s busiest intersections. Briggsmore is so congested, it has been called “the spaghetti bowl.” Drivers trying to get downtown now must take Carpenter down to Woodland. It was done for two reasons: 1) to improve safety atop the overpass, and 2) prepare drivers for the installation of three roundabouts at the intersection.

Politics: The ‘Undercover Candidate’

Ag Net Daily. Elaine Culotti enters governor’s race, calls for major reset in CA policy.
Synopsis: TV farmer Elaine Culotti, who was born in Fresno and now lives near San Diego, says she is running for governor. She did not declare a party preference, but appears angry over gas prices, budget deficits, wildfires and party bickering. She believes water is important and vows to bring in “subject-matter experts” to help fix the problem. Culotti would also like to see more cooperation with federal agencies. You might know her from “Undercover Billionaire.”

Valley Sun. Kiley pulls papers to challenge McClintock, and also run in another Congressional district. 
Synopsis: Rep. Kevin Kiley, whose district was broken apart under Prop 50, has until Monday to decide where he’ll run. Apparently, he’s having trouble making up his mind between House Districts 6 and 5 and has pulled papers for both. He teased X followers, saying he would make a “final decision Monday.”

Dems can party … or not

SF Standard. CA Democrats know how to party.
Synopsis: During the Democratic Party convention in San Francisco last weekend, candidates gave fiery speeches, wrote expletives on white boards and dissed Donald Trump. But those attending couldn’t reach consensus on who should run the state. The closest thing to a winner was Eric Swalwell, who got 24% in the straw poll, followed by Betty Yee at 17% -- nowhere near the 60% needed for a party endorsement. Meanwhile, aids spilled a little too much over drinks in the nearby bars. The story mentions Kevin Arias-Romero from Mendota, who worked hard for Swalwell then vowed “to play hard.”  The writer rated the bars based on smell – ranging from vodka to tequila to vomit.

City council: No sex offenders

Fresno Bee. Fresno leaders plan to block sex offender from serving on city council. 
Synopsis: Members of the Fresno city council say they will pass a rule blocking any registered sex offender from a seat on the council – starting with Rene Campos. He filed to run for the Old Fig Garden district, saying service will help him overcome his issues. “I find this quite disturbing that we could possibly have somebody of this nature within our government buildings,” said councilmember Annalisa Perea. She and Miguel Arias, Nelson Esparza and Nick Richardson want state legislation to keep sex offenders off any government board or council. Mayor Jerry Dyer has asked Campos to withdraw.

Crime & Punishment, Valley style

Merced Sun Star. Man who murdered 19-year-old Los Banos woman and unborn daughter sentenced.
Synopsis: Jonathan Xavier Dorado will likely spend the rest of his life in prison. Found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder, on Thursday he was sentenced to 82 years for one and life-without-parole for the other. He was 19 in 2021 when he killed Tatyanna Lopez, who was pregnant with a daughter she intended to name Ayanna. He fled to Mexico but was tracked down and brought back to face justice.

Fresno Bee. CHP officers surround medical transport van after pursuit in Fresno.
Synopsis: The CHP arrested a Madera man after he stole a medical transport van near Michigan and Bond avenues. Police soon found the vehicle and followed it through Fresno and into the foothills east of Madera. The CHP and a helicopter joined the pursuit. When the van crashed into another vehicle, the CHP sent in a K-9 officer who helped take the suspect into custody.

ABC30. Suspect arrested in connection to deadly shooting at Merced’s Applegate Park.
Synopsis: Merced police say they have made an arrest in the killing earlier this week at Applegate Park. Footage from a Blue Light camera was used to identify a vehicle leading to the arrest. The killing was the fifth in the city this year. Neither the victim nor suspect were publicly identified.

Modesto Bee. 11 pounds of fentanyl seized during CHP traffic stop on I-5 in Stanislaus.
Synopsis: The 11 pounds of white powder hidden in the trunk hardly posed a challenge for the CHP’s K-9 officer on I-5. The driver, who lacked a license, was arrested immediately. The CHP decided not to release details of where or when the arrest was made or identify the arresting officers.

All the water data

Maven / DWR. San Joaquin Basin flood-MAR watershed studies online data portal and dashboard.
Synopsis: The Dept of Water Resources released the five reports that make up the San Joaquin River Basin Flood-MAR (managed aquifer recharge) Watershed study. Data covers the Tuolumne, Stanislaus, Merced, Calaveras and upper San Joaquin watersheds and offers a comprehensive look at climate-change impacts. The information is publicly available. The studies predict diminished flows, greater reliance on groundwater for homes and farms and far greater risk from floods.

Angelina leads way on mats

Merced Sun Star. Merced County wrestlers compete in state tournament.
Synopsis: Angelina Borelli of Los Banos reached the quarterfinals of the CIF State Championships in Bakersfield. Wrestling at 125 pounds and ranked No. 3 in the nation, she cruised through the first two rounds with two pins. She faces No. 8 seeded Mia Hooper today. Merced’s Maya Rodriguez, GV’s Neveah Rodriguez and Melaya Soto all lost first-round matches. Luke Borelli won his first match but lost his second. Michael Coelho lost in the opening round.

Ten things to try in Fresno

Fresno Bee. 10 essential restaurant dishes to try in Fresno.
Synopsis: Food writer Bethany Clough provides details on some of Fresno’s most unique cuisine. For instance, you can’t say you’re a Fresnan if you haven’t tried the Bread Pudding at the Cracked Pepper. And the bierocks at the Berrock Shop at Bullard and West might look plain, but truly unique fillings await inside. Then there’s Chef Paul’s chicken and waffles.

Rocky, where’s Bullwinkle?

KSEE24 / CBS47. Rocky Mountain elk seen in the Central Valley. 
A Rocky Mountain elk has shown up in Madera County, hanging around the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park off Road 600. He’s been picking through trash and even kicked a trash can down a hill. But neighbors don’t mind. “It’s actually such a rare treat to be able to see something like this,” said one resident. Fish & Game officials say he likely wandered down from Tehachapi, where there is a herd of elk. There were likely “too many bulls” in the area where he was born, so he wandered off in search of, uh, companionship. If you see him, don’t try to feed him or go near. He’s young and entirely capable of hurting humans even if inadvertently.