Valley Solutions

Grand jury ignores MID issues

Modesto Bee. Stanislaus grand jury declines to investigate MID theft and corruption allegations. 
Synopsis: After looking into allegations of water misuse or theft by a sitting director, the Stanislaus Civil Grand Jury declined to further investigate issues at Modesto Irrigation District. Director Larry Byrd denies he misused water even after a report commissioned by MID contradicted his explanations. No comment was provided about why the grand jury halted its inquiry. Among those who finds the grand jury’s decision “baffling” was Valley Citizen publisher Eric Caine, who says it is now up to state attorney general Rob Bonta to get to the bottom of the issue.

Judge rules in developer’s favor

Business Wire. Court rejects city council’s unlawful denial of Keystone Ranch project. 
Synopsis: Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Sonny Sandhu ruled the city of Patterson must allow the Keystone Ranch housing development project to proceed. Keystone plans to build 720 housing units on 95 acres just west of Hwy 33. The city told developers they would have to build a $20 million groundwater recharge facility before moving forward. The developers declined, pointing to staff reports that suggested the city could handle the additional homes without over-drafting groundwater, and cited several housing laws to bolster the case. It was the second time in six months Sandhu ruled against the city.

Changes at the water board

Politico. Newsom looks to lock in his water agenda. 
Synopsis: This story insists that Gov. Gavin Newsom is “putting his stamp on the powerful agency overseeing CA’s biggest water fights and racing to get his pet projects across the finish line before his term ends.” Newsom appointed his former Cal EPA secretary Jared Blumenfeld to the water board last week, sort of replacing Laurel Firestone. Blumenfeld is a “deeply experienced ally” of the governor who shares his water priorities. The loudest opposition to Blumenfeld has come from the most strident environmental groups such SF Baykeeper. Newsom shifted the Valley’s only board member, Dorene D’Adamo of Turlock, into Firestone’s old seat which expires next year. That allows Blumenfeld to remain on the board for four years. 
MAD Take: The importance of having a Valley representative on the State Water Board cannot be overstated. We have only one. DeeDee D’Adamo’s unparalleled knowledge of water is matched by her dedication to wise use and shared responsibility. Her decisions haven’t always been popular, especially with the strident environmental community, but they have always been fair and well-reasoned.

International busts started in CA

LA Times. Gangsters jailed in India smuggled drugs, orchestrated crimes in CA, feds charge. 
Synopsis: The FBI’s Operation Hard Ball resulted in 24 arrests and charges against an additional 13 alleged members of an India-based transnational crime organization. Some are accused of being behind the assassination of a Sikh activist in Canada. Authorities also seized 1,000 kilos (2,200 pounds) of cocaine, machine guns and rifles. The gangsters preyed on lower-income members of Indian communities around LA and Sacramento, demanding payments to avoid trouble for family members in India. Of the 37 charged, 15 were in the US illegally. Lawrence Bishnoi, 33, was also charged with having ordered political assassinations and murders from his prison cell in India. One of the gang’s victims was identified as a Stockton man killed in December 2024.

Firebaugh gets new top cop

GV Wire. Firebaugh PD announces Fernando Campa as chief of police.
Synopsis: Firebaugh has promoted Fernando Campa to chief of police. He began his career in Firebaugh in 2003, serving as a K-9 officer, Police Activities League director, field training officer and on patrol. Until becoming chief, he served as a member of the Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School District Board. “We are such a small community, we all know everybody,” said Campa. He replaces Sal Raygoza, who retired last year.

ICE removed 400+ criminals

Merced Sun Star. ICE has arrested more than 400 from Central Valley prisons under Trump. 
Synopsis: Over the past 18 months, ICE has arrested at least 442 individuals who were being released from Valley prisons and jails. While the state’s sanctuary laws restrict cooperation between ICE and local law enforcement, state prisons can cooperate with ICE. Of those turned over to ICE by county jails and city police departments, 94% had criminal convictions with 85% considered “Level 1” threats, meaning they had two or more felony convictions. Most, 307, were from Mexico with 25 from Guatemala, 23 from El Salvador, and 18 from Honduras.

Bad day to be a sex offender

Modesto Bee. Stanislaus judge denies release of violent sex predator; housing search continues. 
Synopsis: Timothy Roger Weathers still has nowhere to live and will remain at a state hospital while a halfway housing company continues to search for a place to put him. Judge Carrie Stephens denied Weathers’ request to be allowed to live in a hotel, RV or tent because supervision would be impractical and pose “an unreasonable risk to public safety.” Weathers was ruled eligible for release in January 2023 but remains civilly committed as a violent sex offender. Weathers told the court he wants treatment as part of his release.

KCRA. 13 arrested in Turlock online predator operation, police say. 
Synopsis: Thirteen men were arrested following a multi-agency crackdown on online predators spearheaded by the Turlock PD. Four are from Turlock while the others are from Modesto, Stockton, Merced, Fresno and San Francisco and other communities. “Every conversation intercepted is one that never reached a child,” said detective Gina Giovacchini.

Dos Palos axes superintendent

Westside Express (print only). Dos Palos school district parts ways with superintendent.
Synopsis: The Dos Palos/Oro Loma Joint Unified School District board dismissed superintendent Andrew Schwab following its June 23 meeting. The dismissal was called “surprising” by reporter Dave Borba. Schwab had been superintendent since March 2024.

After 20 years, a new city hall

Stocktonia. Stockton celebrates new city hall opening after long, costly journey. 
Synopsis: The red ribbon was cut on Stockton’s new city hall Tuesday. The project took two decades to complete and involved years of delays, scrutiny, cost overruns and contract squabbles. Mayor Christina Fugazi called it a “symbol of progress, stability and renewed confidence in the future of our city.” The city paid $13.6 million for the Waterfront Towers building and anticipated spending another $11.8 million on renovations. Instead, the project grew increasingly expensive with multiple delays. Stocktonia reported the entire project cost roughly $100 million, including $6.9 million approved last November.

Fairgrounds or data centers?

SF Chronicle. CA proposal would build 8 data centers in Bay Area. 
Synopsis: A CA company called Global Stack LLC wants to convince local leaders across Northern California that building data centers at fairgrounds is a good idea. CEO Dan Kang calls it the “ultimate public-private partnership.” Two of those fairgrounds would be in the Valley, in Tulare and Kings counties. The others include the Cow Palace, the San Mateo Event Center and in Solano County. Eventually, Kang said he would like to have data centers on 70 of the state’s 80 fairgrounds by 2030. 
MAD Take: Think of the possibilities! With all the cows around, he could put up a methane digester to power the data crunching.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Wine Country isn’t for sale, least of all for a data center. 
Synopsis: The Press Democrat responded to the data center/fairgrounds plan with an editorial. “The region’s (leaders) should swiftly add their collective voice to that of the naysayers, lest any momentum emerge for the company’s visionary but out-of-touch proposal” that includes the Calistoga Fairgrounds. The piece concludes: “This editorial was written by humans, not AI.”

How mussels hurt farming

Ag Alert. Golden mussels plague farms and water districts.
Synopsis: Farmers are told to be alarmed by the spread of invasive golden mussels from the Port of Stockton into much of the rest of the state. The inch-long crustaceans are obstructing irrigation systems that sustain trees, vines and field crops. Chris Neudeck of Kjeldsen, Sinnock & Neudeck says the steel pipes used to siphon water from sloughs are especially vulnerable and dozens have been clogged already. Officials say mussels will cost farmers $35 million this year alone.

PBS Abridged. Golden mussels spread to West Sacramento port as Yolo County weighs emergency order.
Synopsis: The CA Dept of Fish & Wildlife announced invasive golden mussels have been found in the Sacramento River Deep Water Ship Channel. The bivalve crustaceans compete with native species and lead to harmful algae blooms.

Wolves remain a menace

Ag Alert. CA awards $2 million to curb livestock attacks by wolves. 
Synopsis: The CA Dept of Fish & Wildlife will give $1.1 million to the CA Farm Bureau to reimburse ranchers who have lost income and animals to wolf predation. Two other organizations will get about the same between them to disburse in other areas. “We have heard clearly from ranchers how hard the return of wolves has been on their livelihoods – not just financially but in the day-to-day mental and physical toll of managing this animal,” said CDFW director Meghan Hertel. The Farm Bureau calls the payment a nice Band-aid, but not nearly enough to fully compensate ranchers. The state has 12 confirmed wolf packs responsible for 26 head of livestock being killed from January through March; last year 196 head were lost. Ranchers are sleeping in their trucks to guard cattle against attacks. Ranchers want a long-term solution that includes allowing them to haze hunting wolves. Currently, ranchers aren’t even allowed to scare off the wolves.

Speaking of threats to farming …

Ag Alert. It’s not too soon to prepare for screwworm response.
Synopsis: The New World screwworm reached Texas and New Mexico last month, and researchers say it’s only a matter of time before it gets to California. To be ready, ranchers and farmers need to learn how to identify attacks by the flesh-eating maggots. “It’s more likely to get here than not, so it’s not too soon to start thinking about how to prepare,” said UC Davis epidemiologist Gaby Maier. A few people recall the last time screwworms were here, back in the 1960s. “We lost very few animals,” said veterinarian Tom Talbot of Inyo County. The state is already monitoring the southern border with traps, which so far have been negative.

Ag Daily. Idaho leads nation in new dairy bird flu cases as H5N1 resurges.
Synopsis: As if screwworm isn’t enough, bird flu in cattle has reemerged as a threat with 40 new cases confirmed in Idaho in June. The flu spread from a dairy farm to a nearby poultry operation. Veterinarians say the flu is spread from cow to cow rather than through contact with wild birds. Idaho ranked second to California in the number of bird flu cases in cows last year. The only good news is “they are seeming to recover faster” this year.  

Is homeless count accurate?

Modesto Bee. What this year’s point-in-time count says about homelessness in Stanislaus County. 
Synopsis: The annual PIT count showed “a significant drop” in Stanislaus County’s homeless population, falling by 14%, from 2,086 in 2025 to 1,791 in January 2026. It was the fourth consecutive drop since 2023 when the count was 2,091. While “encouraged” by the drop, the data “also reminds us that housing affordability, health challenges and barriers to accessing services continue to impact many residents in our community,” said Maryn Pitt of the Community System of Care. The most significant drop was seen in the number of people who are unhoused, as it fell from 950 to 686 – a drop of 27%. Not everyone trusts the new data. There were 44% fewer volunteer counters participating this year, which could have resulted in fewer people being counted.