Valley Solutions

Gray stands apart, OKs reopening

ABC10. CA Democrat Adam Gray among House members who voted for bill to end shutdown.
Synopsis: Rep. Adam Gray, the first-year representative from Merced, was one of only six Democrats who voted to end the government shutdown on Wednesday. While this story is short on details, it refers readers to the Turlock Journal to see Gray’s reasoning in his own words.

Valley Solutions Editor’s note: On Friday, Valley Solutions will reprint in full the remarks of Rep. Adam Gray on his reasoning for supporting an end to the government shutdown.

Merced Sun Star. How did Valley and Sacramento members of Congress vote on shutdown?
Synopsis: McClatchy DC’s David Lightman reports that all of California’s Democratic Congressional Caucus voted against reopening the government with one exception: Adam Gray of Merced. “Government is not about winning arguments. It’s about fixing problems and improving people’s lives,” Gray said. All of CA’s Republicans also voted to reopen the government.
MAD Note: Lightman casts Gray’s vote in entirely political terms. It goes deeper than that. “No parent should have to choose between feeding their children and keeping the lights on because someone in Washington thinks chaos is a negotiating tactic,” Gray said. There are roughly 160,000 people in Gray’s district who rely on SNAP benefits to feed their families. Of those enrolled in SNAP and CalFresh, an estimated 65,000 are children. Republicans were quick to blame Democrats for the shutdown, but the Democrats’ primary motive – forcing down skyrocketing health insurance costs – addresses another plight brought on by the current administration and its One Big Beautiful Bill.

KSEE / CBS47. Merced Democrat Adam Gray breaks with party, votes to reopen government. 
Synopsis: The California freshman representative was one of 6 Democrats to vote to reopen the government. He noted that Trump flatly refused to work with Democrats. So, “at some point,” said Gray, “the moral thing to do is to take care of folks.”

Modesto to build low-cost units

Modesto Bee. Modesto OKs affordable apartment building downtown.
Synopsis: Construction is set to start in December on the four-story Seventh Street Village. The 79 units will include subsidized rentals going for up to $1,895 a month. The project will be located close to the Transit Center, which is expected to provide rail service into the Bay Area by 2027.

Turkeys gobble up cash

Farms.com. Your Thanksgiving turkey could be more expensive, and it’s not just due to bird flu. 
Synopsis: The average 15-pound turkey will cost around $30 this year, says Purdue University. That’s 75% more than it cost last year and ends the trend of falling prices for the Thanksgiving Feast. Due to tariffs, farmers are paying up to 60% more for feed. Bird flu, meanwhile, is killing more birds this year with 1 million reported in Minnesota and 7 million nationwide. President Trump recently pointed to a Walmart promotion -- $1 per pound for turkey – as proof that he is bringing down grocery prices. But the company said that price reduction was temporary and is being used to draw shoppers into stores. The Purdue professor who tracks food costs said prices on fruit, vegetables, potatoes and bread have remained stable compared to last year.

Ex-Congressman’s excuses

Modesto Bee. Modesto official investigated for water theft, defended by ex-congressman.
Synopsis: Modesto Irrigation District director Larry Byrd is being investigated for using district water on property outside district boundaries. Roughly 100 acres on one of the properties he farms sits outside district boundaries. Byrd has denied wrongdoing but declined to comment further as the board investigates. Former Rep. John Duarte, who has personal ties to Byrd, doesn’t think it matters. Duarte said during an MID meeting that he doesn’t “know factually if (Byrd) used water inside the district for land outside the district’s area.” But he says lots of farmers do that, so it shouldn’t matter. The Bee notes that most of the reporting on this story was done by Modesto Focus and Valley Citizen. 

Lucas’ LA museum opening set

LA Times. Lucas Museum sets opening date: Take an exclusive first look inside.
Synopsis: After 4 years of delays and problems, we now know that the long-awaited Lucas Museum will open in Los Angeles on Sept. 22, 2026. The $1 billion, 300,000 square-foot facility – designed by MAD Architects (no relation) – originally broke ground in 2018. It will house 40,000 works of art from sculpture to comic books to posters and movie props. Among artists featured will be Norman Rockwell, Frida Kahlo and Dorothea Lange. The same company that runs the Royal Albert Hall restaurant in London will cook the food for the museum.
MAD Take: No doubt, this will be a very fancy museum with tons of memorabilia. But British food? Lucas would be better off bringing it in from his hometown, Modesto.

FBI’s real target Newsom?

Politico. CA Playbook: Gavin Newsom’s bad news day. 
Synopsis: The US Attorney’s office in Sacramento brought charges against Dana Williamson – Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff – Wednesday. She faces 23 counts of bank and wire fraud, allegedly committed during the time she worked for the governor (2022-24). The feds say she colluded with others (including Xavier Becerra’s former chief of staff) to take money from one of Becerra’s dormant campaign accounts then give it to Sean McCluskie. Two of those indicted, including McCluskie, have already pleaded guilty. One of Williamson’s attorneys is McGregor Scott, the former US Attorney for Northern CA and someone not often trifled with. He told Politico that the FBI’s real target is Gavin Newsom and they are pressing Williamson to say something negative about him. She told investigators she has “not seen any misconduct by the governor of any kind.”

GV Wire. Fresno to fire lobbyist after plea deal in federal corruption case.
Synopsis: Reporter David Taub writes that Greg Campbell, a longtime Sacramento lobbyist on Fresno’s behalf, is being fired following his admission of guilt in the Williamson corruption case. The money taken from one of Xavier Becerra’s accounts and funneled into an account controlled by one of Becerra’s former aides was routed through Campbell’s firm. Mayor Jerry Dyer, Fresno’s former police chief, joined Miguel Arias, Nick Richardson and Annalisa Perea in pushing to fire Campbell’s firm.

Merced will fill empty seat

Merced Sun Star. Merced city council will appoint a new member.
Synopsis: With the stroke and subsequent resignation of Ronnie De Anda last month, the Merced City Council has decided to appoint a representative for District 2. A common practice, it would give voters a chance to choose a candidate next March. Only Fue Xiong voted against the process, preferring a special election more quickly. If the council fails to choose a replacement by Dec. 3, then a special election will be conducted.

Dysfunctional city councils

Stocktonia. Claims against former Stockton official headed to DA, council to investigate vice mayor. 
Synopsis: During a special meeting that Vice Mayor Jason Lee insisted take place, the city council approved an inquiry into Lee’s actions. It also asked the DA’s office to look into possible misconduct by former interim city manager Steve Colangelo. During the special meeting, Mayor Christine Fugazi came under fire for having missed the original special council meeting called last week – which was canceled for lack of a quorum. Former councilmember Ralph Lee White told Fugazi, “I think you’re doing a damn fine job.”

Ceres Courier. Council came close to not issuing payroll checks this Friday.
Synopsis: Jeff Benziger reports on a power vacuum at city hall after the resignation of finance director Shannon Esenwein. City manager Doug Dunford requested authority to sign routine checks until a replacement for Esenwein is hired. The problem is that none of the other authorized signers are bonded, and city rules require at least one bonded signatory. Dunford is bonded. Councilwoman Cerina Otero said Dunford should have acted more quickly.

Ceres streets getting rough

Modesto Bee. Ceres police sergeant injured after DUI driver crashes head-on into patrol SUV.
Synopsis: A 64-year-old Ceres woman was arrested Monday night after crashing head-on into a police vehicle on Herndon Road. The SUV was sitting in a northbound turn lane when Cynthia Rae Winkler drove straight into it. She is on probation from a previous DUI arrest and police said her BAC was 3x the legal limit. It was the second time in a week a drunk has crashed into a police vehicle.
MAD Note: Last week, CalMatters did a stunning two-part series about California’s lax approach to drunk driving. One driver had 15 DUI arrests and was still driving when involved in a fatal accident.

Ceres Courier. Unruly bike riders may have bicycles impounded, fees. 
Synopsis: Juveniles riding through the city in large numbers have been taking over entire streets and frightening motorists worried about hitting them. It has gotten the attention of Ceres police chief Trent Johnson, who asked the council to allow his department to confiscate bicycles for those ignoring traffic laws, blocking vehicles or committing unsafe maneuvers. He also wants to make it explicitly against the law for anyone to do an “organized, planned or street take-over.” It’s not just motorists in danger; Dave Pratt said cyclists have no respect for pedestrians, forcing them off sidewalks.

Fresno losing homeless beds

GV Wire. Fresno homeless shelters closing; nonprofits scramble as more could shutter. 
Synopsis: Fresno will lose more than 100 shelter beds by year’s end, said GV Wire, as federal funding dries up. Another 331 beds at the Fresno Mission are also in jeopardy by June for the same reason. Operations at Fresno Housing’s temporary shelters in the Golden State Triage Center are already winding down and will close Saturday and another 76 units at Journey Home are closing by Dec. 31. In all, 795 low-barrier beds will be unavailable by 2028. Mission CEO Matt Dildine called the situation “DefCon-4,” adding that without some sort of assistance people will be sleeping on sidewalks and floors. 

Tong gets seat on bench

Ceres Courier. County court gets new judge in Tong.
Synopsis: Clifford Tong has been appointed to the Stanislaus Superior Court by Gov. Newsom. The resident of San Joaquin County has been a public defender in Stanislaus County since 2007. He got his JD from UOP’s McGeorge School of Law.

Services for Autry’s wife 

GV Wire. Memorial service set for Kimberlee Autry, wife of former Fresno mayor.
Synopsis: Kimberlee Autry, who was married to former Fresno Mayor Alan Autry since 1994, succumbed to liver cancer in October. Autry called her “a little handful of sunshine that lit up every place she went.” She worked with her husband and was a field rep for Rep. Jeff Denham. She helped develop the Farm Grown program for the Fresno Grizzlies. Services will be at the Peoples Church, Nov. 20. Remembrances to Break the Barriers.