Valley Solutions

Lack of quorum halts probe

Modesto Focus. MID votes again on investigation into director Larry Byrd, but still can’t move forward. 
Synopsis: Garth Stapley describes an hour of “painful verbal attacks” during a special meeting of the Modesto Irrigation District board of directors Tuesday. They were discussing whether they should continue a district-led investigation into whether or not Byrd diverted water from MID onto orchards outside the district. Three of the five directors either recused themselves or refused to vote, leaving the board without a quorum so no vote was taken. In a separate move, the CA Fair Political Practices Commission is said to be looking into the original MID vote last December that ended in a 2-2 tie, effectively killing the investigation; Byrd was the deciding vote in his own behalf in December. Director John Boer recused himself from both votes. This time, Byrd also recused himself. Director Janice Keating “aired several unrelated grievances and concluded by abstaining from the current decision” saying she didn’t want to get involved in a power struggle. Among speaking on Byrd’s behalf were his brother and former Rep. John Duarte, who chalked up complaints about Byrd to conspiracy theories dating back to 2010.
MAD Take: What’s at stake here? Millions of dollars. Byrd’s Eastside neighbors and business partners are running out of groundwater for their ill-advised orchards. Byrd has been MID’s most vociferous promoter of a plan to sell MID water at a fraction of its market value to a few of those farmers – increasing the value of their investment properties by 10x or 20x. Duarte calls this a witch hunt. Instead of witches, we should be looking for dollars. Finally, when was the last time Janice Keating backed away from a fight?

Praise, pushback for Farm Bill

Successful Farming. Farm Bill 2026 draft draws praise, pushback from ag groups. 
Synopsis: The House Agriculture Committee released its draft Farm Bill on Friday. Being the first Farm Bill with a chance to pass since 2018, it was generally – but not universally -- applauded. Committee Chairman GT Thompson said “mark-up” (or review) would begin this week. He pointed out that 2018’s bill is no match for the problems being encountered by farmers in 2026. Praising the draft was the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Pork Producers Council, Modern Ag Alliance and Farm Credit. But the National Family Farm Coalition said the bill is skewed toward corporate-owned farms at the expense of family farms. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition had similar concerns.
MAD Take: Pork producers see the new Farm Bill as their only way to end the rights of voters in any state to set product standards. Pork producers in Iowa, North Carolina, etc. have fought stridently to overturn CA’s Prop 12, which requires pigs used in products sold in California be raised in humane conditions, including having room to turn around in their cages. States like Massachusetts, Washington, Colorado, New York, Ohio and Oregon have followed CA’s lead. The Supreme Court upheld CA’s rule, so the pork producers are counting on the Farm Bill to give them what the court wouldn’t. Overturning such rules, and removing the rights of voters, will be a hard sell in all those states.

USDA OKs chicken speedup

Farms.com. USDA proposes faster line speeds. 
Synopsis: The USDA is proposing a rule change to allow up to 175 birds per minute to move through production lines and chicken-processing facilities, a 21 percent increase over current speeds. The changes have proved safe through a pilot program begun under the Clinton administration. Current rules limit evisceration lines to 140 birds per minute, but they run much faster in other countries. The National Chicken Council’s Harrison Kircher praised the USDA for wanting to alter rules that have artificially “slowed production and added unnecessary costs” for American producers. The Council pointed out that the industry’s injury rate has fallen by 90% over the past 30 years. Processing plants in Europe and South America often operate at 200 birds per minute.
MAD Note: Why does it matter here? The largest chicken-processing facility in California is in Livingston.

Burst pipe kills salmon

Sacramento Bee. Hundreds of young Chinook salmon found dead in Yuba River.
Synopsis: Possibly thousands of juvenile Chinook salmon – most just 2 or 3 inches long – were found dead in the lower Yuba River after a large water pipe burst at the New Colgate Powerhouse on Friday. Normally, the water flows from Englebright Dam through the pipe, then through the turbines and into the river. When the “penstock structure” broke, releases from Englebright were halted, stranding the fish. The rushing water swamped the facility, injuring one worker.

Marysville Appeal-Democrat. Yuba Water’s grant program limited after penstock failure.
Synopsis: Yuba Water Agency has scaled back funding for levee improvements, wastewater treatment and water supply due to the failure of the penstock structure at New Colgate. Without the structure, the agency cannot generate power, costing it millions of dollars used to fund those projects. Now covered in mud and debris, the powerhouse will not be operational for months.

Gallo will smell the Roses

MSN. Japanese-based Kirin announces deal to sell Four Roses bourbon brand to wine giant Gallo. 
Synopsis: E.&J. Gallo said Wednesday it is adding one of Kentucky’s most prominent brands to its list of products – Four Roses Bourbon. Gallo will pay $775 million for the Lawrenceburg, Ky., distillery, which went through a $55 million expansion and modernization completed in 2020. Domestic sales of all American whiskey last year totaled $5.1 billion.

Fox26. Ardagh Group lays off 45 workers in Madera, workforce center offers support. 
Synopsis: The Ardagh Group of Madera has a contract with a local winery to provide workers, which it is now laying off. It was not confirmed if the layoffs of 45 workers were related to the closure of Mission Bell Winery, announced last month. The winery laid off 200 workers. Another Madera company, JBT Foodtech, is also laying off 100.

Dyer: Take off those masks

Fresno Bee. Why Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer doesn’t think ICE agents should wear masks. 
Synopsis: Mayor Jerry Dyer -- the longest-serving police chief in Fresno history -- does not agree with the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement. Dyer talked about it over a 40-minute interview that touched on several high-profile issues, including the Southeast Development Area, Measure C and homelessness. While he agrees with better security on the border, Dyer said allowing agents to wear masks is counterproductive. He made similar comments during the US Conference of Mayors last week. This is the first installment of several Q&A stories to follow.

Teamsters striking campuses

GV Wire. Trades workers begin 4-day strike across CSU system, including Fresno State.
Synopsis: Teamsters Local 2010 has told its 1,100 members to walk out after CSU said it would defer 5% raises promised last year. The raises were contingent on increased state funding. But the state cut 3% from the CSU budget, or about $144 million. The strike vote passed with 94%. No mention if similar work stoppages are occurring on the Turlock and Stockton Stanislaus State campuses.

Assessor stepping aside

Modesto Bee. Election 2026: Stanislaus County assessor is calling it a career after four decades. 
Synopsis: Stanislaus Assessor Don Gaekle says he will retire when his term ends next January. He has worked for the assessor’s office for 39 years, including 12 as the elected county assessor. He called it “an honor to work with an outstanding staff and serve the residents of Stanislaus County.” Assistant Assessor Matt Reavill is running to replace him. Assessors assign value to all county properties for taxation purposes. Gaekle has served as president of the CA Assessors Association.

Avalanche kills eight

SF Chronicle. 6 skiers rescued, 9 still missing after avalanche near Lake Tahoe. 
Synopsis: Search and rescue teams reached 6 survivors Tuesday after an avalanche struck a group of guided skiers near Perry Peak. They were part of a group of 15, including four guides, who were returning from the Frog Lake huts. It was later confirmed eight skiers had died and one remains missing. The avalanche was classified as a D2.5, large enough to cause death. They were returning from a three-day ski trip. As up to 8 feet of snow was falling, wind was gusting to 55 mph. It is considered one of the deadliest avalanches in US history.

SF Chronicle. What is ‘storm skiing?’ The term linked to Tahoe avalanche explained.
Synopsis: The Chronicle reports that the 12 skiers who were trapped near Castle Peak were there precisely because of the storm. Blackbird Mountain Guides advertises as “storm skiing” experts. Some skiers like to ski in continuously falling snow so they can ride the freshest powder. Such snow is heavy and precarious; when it shifts, it slides.

Weather causes problems

Modesto Bee. Modesto sets new rainfall record.
Synopsis: With showers moving through the area and more expected, the National Weather Service said Modesto got 1.45 inches Monday, breaking the record of 0.94 inches for that date in 2000. By Tuesday, the number had risen to 1.67 inches, giving the city 9.0 inches since July 1. In 2023, the wettest year in Modesto history, the city got 26.01 inches total. Winds of up to 25 mph are expected Thursday and Friday.

Fresno Bee. Rain causes hazards across Fresno; up to 30 inches of snow possible in Sierra.
Synopsis: Heavy rain triggered bad driving, resulting in crashes and emergencies that kept first-responders busy Monday and Tuesday. Standing water forced closure of several intersections as crews worked to unplug drains. The CHP is telling drivers not to go into the mountains unless they have a very good reason and good chains they know how to attach.

CBS13. Slick roads caused by rain leads to crashes across San Joaquin County.
Synopsis: “Months of no rain created extra-slippery roadways across San Joaquin County – a perfect recipe for spinouts and crashes.” The CHP warned drivers to beware of flooded roadways and pointed out that ditches are now full of water. “It’s not crazy, but a lot of stuff is going on.”

Beavers busy on Dry Creek

Modesto Bee. Beavers building dams on Dry Creek in Modesto; why that’s a good thing. 
Synopsis: At least three beaver dams spanning Dry Creek have been spotted by nearby homeowners. Wildlife officials are delighted. Their dams create meadows, which replenish groundwater and bring all sorts of insect and wildlife to the area. They also slow or redirect flood flows, helping groundwater absorption. Patrick Koepele of the Tuolumne Trust said not everyone will welcome beavers because they have a tendency to gnaw down right-sized ornamental trees. But state officials are hoping to encourage co-existence with their new neighbors.