Valley Solutions

How tariffs hurt the Valley

Turlock Journal. Bonta, Gray agree that tariffs are hurting Central Valley. 
Synopsis: Attorney General Rob Bonta and Rep. Adam Gray each attended separate meetings of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce last week, with each delivering a similar message: President Trump’s tariffs are hurting California. “I know some citrus growers that lost a massive contract with a Canadian grocery store chain, which is now sourcing through Portugal,” Gray said. “And it’s probably not coming back to us for a long time. It’s trade policy, but it’s also consumer sentiment.” He expanded: “Look at the wine industry. Gallo is very important, obviously, to our local economy. But you can’t find American wine on Canadian shelves. That’s a huge problem.”

Farms are on the brink

Ag Daily. Farm groups warn US agriculture nearing the brink.
Synopsis: Led by the American Farm Bureau Federation, 54 ag groups signed a letter outlining existential challenges facing America’s farmers. Severe storms, drought, wildfire and “shifting weather patterns” have already caused “significant damage” in several regions of the nation. Throw in “global events” and the strains are becoming financially unbearable. The letter thanked the administration for its “longstanding commitment to rural America” and measures offering tax relief but says that’s not enough to keep farms solvent.
MAD Take: What a carefully worded letter. “Shifting weather patterns”? Is that another way of saying “climate change”? And “Commitment to rural America,” does that include gutting Medicaid or quadrupling the price of insurance through the ACA? And those tariffs?

We all pay for higher diesel

Wall Street Journal. $5 Diesel is crushing truckers; it will soon be felt across the economy.
Synopsis: Last week, long-haul driver Miguel Caveda spent $1,800 on fuel. That was 40% more than he spent two weeks ago. Now he’s seeking lighter loads and trips that avoid steep climbs, which eat up more fuel. He’s also considering boosting his price. The nation’s average cost of diesel was $5.20 on Saturday, which is 50% higher than it was in mid-February. The 40% bump in costs results in a price increase of 10% for shipping, according to an economist at UC Davis. But it’s not just trucking. It costs more to drive a tractor, run a fishing boat, fire up a generator. Meanwhile, wholesalers of lower-demand goods are putting off shipping, hoping prices will fall. That could lead to spot shortages. And shortages lead to higher prices.

Gray’s campaign under way

Merced County Times. Gray launches re-election campaign in 13^th Congressional District. 
Synopsis: Promising to remain independent and keep the Vally uppermost in his work, Rep. Adam Gray told the County Times he would seek re-election to Congress. “The Valley deserves to be represented by someone who knows our community, stands up to partisan extremists on both sides and is focused on solving the issues our communities face,” Gray said. In his first year on the job, Gray secured $16 million for community projects, helped push the Farm Bill out of committee for the first time in eight years, prioritized healthcare for rural communities and found funding for expanded water storage while authoring a bill that will not only cut red tape, but will put time limits on how long government reviews can delay projects.

Five startups vying for funds

Modesto Bee. Valley bioindustry group aids five more startups; Jimmy Fallon loves one idea. 
Synopsis: The BEAM Circular Accelerator announced its second cohort of contestants on March 11. The five chosen companies all are finding “ways to put crop and other waste to climate-safe uses.” Each will be connected with potential investors over the next 12 weeks. On May 21, they will pitch their products “Shark Tank” style in presentations taking place near Lodi. One of the products has already gotten a shout-out from Jimmy Fallon. He loves the idea of Tastee Tape, which was invented to hold together burgeoning burritos. It looks like plastic but can be eaten or composted. BEAM started in 2022 with the hope of turning ag and forest scraps into useful products. State, federal and county agencies and non-profits have invested $45 million in developing the Accelerator. The other four contestants: Supercarb, which turns peels and seaweed into clothing; Krokos Bio, which offers rare flavorings; Ruby Bio, which uses yeast to break down dairy waste, and Fermeate, which uses light to ferment waste, converting it into fuel, food and chemicals.

More parking for taco trucks

Merced Sun Star. Merced food truck plaza has expanded. 
Synopsis: At Hwy 59 and Olive, behind the 7-Eleven, is where you’ll find a colorful collection of trucks parked every day. You can order grilled carne asada, ribs, curry, Korean shaved ice and even “mangoade” – think lemonade made from mangoes. Racks R Us Ribs has ribs, mac & cheese and a soda for $20. Toppings for Krepe Dogs range from bacon to peppers. And now, there are tables where you can enjoy your meal.
MAD Take: No mention of the unpermitted food trucks that one county official says are being operated like an organized crime syndicate.

Patterson Irrigator. Newly approved ‘taco truck plaza’ honors longtime Patterson resident.
Synopsis: The new J’s Food Court on Las Palmas will have room for 13 food trucks, gazebo-style tables and permanent restrooms. It is named in honor of J. Wells, who died in 2018 but loved food trucks. Located in an industrialized section of Patterson, expect a lively lunch crowd.

Businesses shut their doors

Fresno Bee. More Fresno-area chicken restaurants close abruptly.
Synopsis: Two more KFC restaurants – one at Shaw and Fowler and the other at Shaw and Brawley -- closed last week; they were boarded up and their signs removed. Former employees say there was no lack of customers. These were the fourth and fifth KFCs to close in the past year. That leaves five KFC restaurants still in operation in the Fresno area.

GV Wire. Why did Clovis shut down Planet Fitness?
Synopsis: David Taub reports on the city of Clovis’s decision to close the Planet Fitness gym after finding building code deficiencies. The city listed the property at 634 Shaw as “unsafe to occupy” after part of the entry façade appeared to pull away from the building. Other locations will honor memberships until the building is repaired.

‘Chavez’ reporter from Valley

Merced Sun Star. ‘Brilliant’ NYT journalist behind Chavez investigation is a Fresno State alum. 
Synopsis: Manny Fernandez helped lead the investigation into Cesar Chavez that is currently rocking California and the nation, forcing institutions to rename streets, buildings and even commemorative days. Fernandez, 52, grew up in Fresno and knows the immigrant community intimately. “My grandparents started out as farmworkers here in the Central Valley,” he told the Bee. As a Valley resident, he knew “there would be big consequences” to his stories. But he also knew what he was learning was “devastating” to both the victims and those who idolized Chavez. “He was a hero for many people. I think that this tells us we need to know who our heroes are, whether living or dead.” After attending Fresno State and writing for The Collegian, he interned at the Madera Tribune, covering agriculture. He joined the NY Times in 2005 after leaving the SF Chronicle, where he was nominated for a Pulitzer for his reporting on run-aways living in San Francisco.

Trump, Chavez: No decency

Fresno Bee. Immoral men like Trump, Chavez ignore basic rules of humanity. 
Synopsis: Fresno State ethics professor Andrew Fiala writes that “moral decency” has been pushed aside in today’s world, replaced by “lawlessness” and the belief that if you’re rich enough, or powerful enough, “anything goes.” When a president says he “can do anything I want” in attacking countries that have not attacked us, his underlings grow even bolder. Pete Hegseth has rejected rules that require humane treatment for combatants and captives. He has issued orders allowing for “no quarter” to be given to combatants, though such orders constitute a war crime. “Many appear to believe all is fair in love and war. But they are wrong. Rules matter; ruthlessness is despicable and morality demands that we behave with mercy.”

Awards for students, schools

Modesto Bee. 2 Stanislaus County schools recognized on ‘prestigious’ state list.
Synopsis: The list of CA Distinguished Schools came out on March 10, and of the 408 middle and high schools on it, two are in Stanislaus County -- Hickman Middle School and Orestimba High, in Newman. Schools are chosen for their excellence in one of three categories: 1) having high achievers, 2) gap-closers or 3) being beacons of opportunity (which was added this year). Orestimba fell into that last bucket, a place where “students will learn to be successful today and prepared for tomorrow.” Hickman Middle was listed for the second year in a row.

Westside Connect. Orestimba student wins top honors for documentary on Betty Ford’s impact.
Synopsis: Orestimba junior Kelly Zapien won first place in the Senior Division Documentary category of the Stanislaus County National History Day competition. She wrote and produced a video on former first lady Betty Ford and her work to further breast cancer research.

Turlock Journal. Occupational Olympians. 
Synopsis: Turlock High won the Large School title and Hughson won among small schools in the 40^th Annual Stanislaus County Occupational Olympics. More than 1,000 students participated in 16 events, judged by 40 business and industry representatives, ranging from healthcare to horticulture to law enforcement. Of the 16 categories, Turlock HS students won seven gold medals with a Pitman student winning an eighth.

Turlock considers new attorney

Turlock Journal. Council considers appointment of new in-house city attorney.
Synopsis: At its next meeting, the Turlock city council will consider hiring Katie O. Lucchesi to replace outgoing George Petrulakis as city attorney. She is the municipal advisor for the city of Lodi and has extensive land-use and environmental law experience. She would start April 27, if her hiring is approved by the council.

They had that ‘sinking feeling’

Fresno Bee. Two rescued from San Joaquin River after clinging to branches near Hwy 41.
Synopsis: Two people were rescued just before 8 pm Sunday after observers saw them clinging to trees in the middle of the rushing river. When the water-rescue team arrived, the two were still clinging to the branches. One was taken to the hospital.

CBS13. Sinkhole closes Modesto Hwy 99 on-ramp, CHP says.
Synopsis: A sinkhole developed on the Fourth Street on-ramp, forcing Caltrans to close the road. CHP had no estimate of how long the ramp would be closed.