Valley Solutions

Gray: We must ‘stand up’

KSEE / CBS47. Congressman Gray says he would not vote to support Iran war, discusses reelection.
Synopsis: Following Thursday’s announcement that he would seek re-election in California’s 13^th Congressional District, Rep. Adam Gray told interviewer Katherine Phillips that there are “some real poor decisions being made in Congress. And we need folks that’ll stand up and say that whether the person’s in their party or not.” Gray pointed out that his district is deeply split, with the representative decided by less than 1,000 voters in the last two elections combined. That’s why it is important to drive hard for the district’s priorities such as health care, water infrastructure, and cutting consumer costs. While he works with Republicans on many issues, Gray points out that the Trump administration is making “some pretty poor choices” resulting in higher costs for gas, utilities, groceries, medical care and more. The Trump Tariffs have been especially disastrous for CA farmers. As for the war in Iran, Gray has yet to hear a coherent rationale for the attacks or a plan for victory. Would he vote to continue it? “Absolutely not.”

Salmon numbers doubled

Santa Maria Times. Salmon numbers rebound in 2026 forecast.
Synopsis: The Pacific Fisheries Management Council says there are 392,349 salmon swimming in the Pacific – more than double last year’s estimate. The Klamath River forecast jumped to 176,233 from 82,672 and there are an estimated 60,000 spawning salmon on the Sacramento River. In the previous year, there were only 4,000 – meaning there has been a 15-fold increase. Those promoting awareness of the excellent numbers include the Golden State Salmon Association – the commercial fishers who are pushing for an open season after a commercial-fishing ban for three straight years.

Extremists target D’Adamo

Restore the Delta. Coalition calls on policymakers to reject D’Adamo’s reappointment to water board.
 Synopsis: A coalition of tribes and environmental organizations have submitted a letter to the Senate Rules committee asking that Dorene “Deedee” D’Adamo not be reappointed to the State Water Resources Control Board. Those signing the letter include hyper-activist groups such as San Francisco Baykeeper, Little Manila Rising, the Winnemem Wintu tribe and Restore the Delta – a frequent coalition. They are angry that D’Adamo has supported Voluntary Agreements to share water from the Delta’s tributaries between agriculture and the environment, insisting that “native fish populations continue to decline.”
MAD Take: Dorene D’Adamo is the most well-informed, deeply committed and least doctrinaire member of the Water Board. In the face of shrill and often misleading information presented by some environmental organizations (like those whose names are on this letter), she insists on facts and research. The Voluntary Agreements that she and Gov. Newsom have championed have been enormously successful in creating habitat restoration and improving salmon numbers – as evidenced by the story from the Pacific Fisheries Management Council. Dismissing the only member of the board willing to question both agricultural and environmental organizations will destroy the credibility of the water board – which already is viewed with extreme skepticism by those living in the Valley.

Politics in Merced County

Merced County Times. Local Republican Assembly rallies during candidate night. 
Synopsis: Several hundred Merced County residents came to the Elks Lodge for the 2026 Candidate Endorsement Dinner. During festivities, Merced Sheriff Vern Warnke presented Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is running for governor. The Merced County Republican Assembly announced their endorsements for some state and a lot of local offices. Interestingly, they preferred Bay Area millionaire Vin Kruttiventi to Stockton’s Kevin Lincoln in the race for Congress and backed Marie Alvarado-Gil over Alexandra Duarte for the state senate.

Merced County Times. Bliss kicks off campaign for District 2 Council seat.
Synopsis: Buhach Colony teacher John Bliss gathered with supporters at Five Ten Bistro on March 5 to announce his candidacy for District 3, a seat “held by Fue Xiong.” It is Bliss’s second run; in 2018 he lost an open seat to Delray Shelton by 6 votes. Bliss teaches AP Government and Economics. 
MAD Take: I’m not sure what seat Bliss is seeking. The headline says District 2, but that’s held by Yang Pao Thao. The story says District 3, but the city’s website says that’s held by Mike Harris and isn’t vacant until 2028. The story also says Fue Xiong currently holds the seat Bliss wants, but Xiong is the District 6 councilmember. Bliss’s Facebook page says he’s running for District 6.

Big Pig’s anti-CA priorities

LA Times. China-backed Big Pork wants to override 63% of CA voters; even conservatives are mad. 
Synopsis: Columnist Anita Chabria writes about CA’s Prop 12 and the years-long campaign by major pork-processing companies – including China-owned Smithfield Farms – to get it overturned. Chinese companies pioneered the use of multi-storied “condos” to raise pigs for slaughter. They are kept in such close quarters that they can’t even turn, and when a disease like African Swine Flu hits the building millions of pigs die. Via Prop 12, CA voters required pork sold in the state to be raised in humane conditions. Now the Senate’s Save Our Bacon Act would forbid voters in individual states from passing laws that set food standards. Lost in the discussion are the farmers who have complied with Prop 12, investing in facilities that are humane. Even David Valadao and Young Kim oppose the SOB Act.

Valley preps for ‘No Kings’

Modesto Bee. ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump planned in Stanislaus County.
Synopsis: The non-violent No Kings Protest of 2025 drew millions of people across the nation protesting the rule of Donald Trump. The protests will resume March 28 with Modesto protesters being asked to gather at Graceada Park from 11 am to 1 pm. In Turlock, the protest will be from 10 am to 2 pm at Countryside and West Monte Vista. Previous No Kings days also saw protests in Newman and Patterson, but no mention was made of protests scheduled for those cities.

Merced Sun Star. ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump planned in Merced County.
Synopsis: An almost identical story to the one above, but with Merced details inserted. A Merced protest is planned for Courthouse Park from 10 am to noon on March 28. In Los Banos, protesters are asked to gather at Pacheco Park from 10 am to noon. Last year, there were also protests at UC Merced, in Atwater and Livingston.

Fresno Bee. ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump planned in Fresno County.
Synopsis: In the Fresno version of this story we learn the Fresno protests will be at Blackstone and West Alluvial from 10 am to noon. In Reedley, at North Reed and Manning from 9:30 to 11 am. Last year’s multiple protests in Fresno drew an estimated 6,000 people. Police remind protesters that civil disobedience remains unlawful and protesters violating the traffic rules or direct commands from police could be arrested.

Shallow snow melting fast

SF Chronicle. CA’s ‘unprecedented’ snowmelt will only get worse from heat wave.
Synopsis: Three weeks after Tahoe’s biggest snowstorm this season, temperatures have soared and the snow is melting. The Sierra snowpack is already the smallest since 2015, and the predicted heat wave set to arrive in the next few days will accelerate the melt. National Weather Service hydrologist Tim Bardsley called the rate of melting “unprecedented.”

KOAA (Colorado Springs). Snowpack drops to 61% of average as record-breaking heat threatens decline.
Synopsis: SNOWTEL measurements in the Rocky Mountains show a rapidly diminishing snowpack, falling from 63% of normal to 61% in the past 10 days. With a “heat dome” predicted over much of the west next week, more rapid melting is predicted.

Farmers: Derail this merger

Ag Daily. Proposed rail merger could raise costs for farmers. 
Synopsis: The Farm Bureau, among others, is protesting the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, saying it will result in higher prices for farmers who ship goods to market. The merger would create the first coast-to-coast Class I railroad in US history, spanning 50,000 miles of track across 43 states. The Bureau says such a merger would “leave farmers more dependent on fewer railroads at a time when they already have almost no ability to walk away from higher costs for poor service.” The merger “removes what little leverage remains” for farmers. Union Pacific says a merger will improve reliability.

Mercy CEO has exited

Merced County Times. Dale Johns no longer CEO of Mercy Hospital.
Synopsis: After a Times inquiry it was learned that Dale Johns is no longer president and CEO of Mercy Medical Center. No reason for, or announcement of, his departure was given until after the inquiry. Later, the Times received a statement from Dignity Health thanking “Dale for his exceptional leadership.” A national search is underway for his replacement. Johns became CEO in 2022.

Hospital gets $200K donation

Patterson Irrigator. $200,000 donation given for Del Puerto Hospital Foundation.
Synopsis: Long-time Patterson residents Larry and Joyce Buehner presented the DPH Foundation with a check for $200,000 to “advance the cause of the building of a new hospital facility” in the community. It was also announced at the Foundation board meeting that Luis Avila has resigned from the board after having taken a job at Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno.

Trail cam or horror movie?

Fox26. Disturbing trail cam shows bloody axe-wielding man in Madera County.
Synopsis: A trail cam installed on a ranch near Grub Gulch captured a man walking around late at night in bloody clothing and carrying an axe. The images were captured around 3:30 a.m. on a ranch on Road 600. “Well, the first thing is, who would be out at 3:30 in the morning wandering around on a ranch?” asked the rancher who checked his video just before dawn. “Second, he’s carrying an axe. And the third is there is blood on (him). None of it made any sense.” The rancher called the sheriff and has posted the images on social media trying to get an idea of who the man is and what he’s doing walking around on the ranch. “Obviously, the guy is up to no good. Nobody’s out at 3:30 in the morning, a mile off the road wandering around carrying an axe.”