Valley Solutions

Valley Solutions offers a daily look at the top headlines appearing on media websites affecting the San Joaquin Valley. It is compiled by Mike Dunbar, who worked in Stockton, Modesto, Merced and Los Banos media for 40 years and later served as Adam Gray’s press secretary when he was in the Assembly. Valley Solutions is brought to readers by Rep. Adam Gray.

63 Days: Real ‘party politics’

Valley Solutions: What started as a Bobby Pulido concert turned into a party.
Synopsis: Hundreds of music fans came to the Art Kamangar Center in Merced on Saturday night to hear Bobby Pulido and his Grammy-winning Tejano band perform. What started as a concert, with people waiting patiently in their seats for the show to start, became a dance party once the music began. Dozens stood and moved into the aisles to dance while others called out to Pulido. The singer often answered from the stage. Others lined up to have their photos taken with Pulido and Rep. Adam Gray, who joined Pulido on the stage. The concert went for nearly two hours as Pulido’s six-member band played his hits and familiar songs. A Grammy Award-winning artist, Pulido is now running for Congress in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. With 63 days left before the election, Pulido hopes to join Gray in Congress as a member of the moderate Promise To America coalition, which sponsored the show. 

Manteca heats up

Stocktonia. Racism fears flare in Manteca after mayor’s campaign signs are set on fire. 
Synopsis: Two large campaign signs for Mayor Gary Singh have been set ablaze in recent days. The mayor says, “Burning a sign with my name on it will not change how I show up for Manteca.” But he is worried the large signs could ignite nearby structures. “What happens if the flames spread?” One of the burning signs ignited a nearby bush, which threatened to set off a larger fire. Manteca police are investigating the burning signs as possible hate crimes. Singh’s opponent, Jacob Naven, condemned the “destruction of Gary Singh’s campaign signs as well as the racism we’ve seen directed at people participating in this election. None of it belongs in Manteca.” He offered to help replace the signs. As the mayor put it, “After Election Day, we are still neighbors.”

Fox40. ‘It does pay off to vote for your mayor’: Manteca mayor accused of buying votes after video. 
Synopsis: Manteca Mayor Gary Singh shared a video on Facebook showing him touring Alexander Chiropractic & Wellness. After the tour, Dr. Matt Alexander told Mayor Singh that anyone who comes in and says they voted for Singh will get $50 off their first visit. Singh replies, “That’s awesome! You know what? It does pay off to vote for your mayor.” The video was called a “blatant, documented violation of election integrity laws,” by the campaign manager for Jacob Naven, Singh’s opponent. It has since been removed from Singh’s website.

Is it 1880 again? Wheat is back

Valley Ag Voice. Evaluating the economics of ‘SGMA-ready’ crops.
Synopsis: After studying reductions in groundwater availability, the Public Policy Institute of CA is urging Valley farmers to switch crops. Saying up to 900,000 acres should come out of production based on current water use, it makes sense to find less water-intensive crops. Instead of trees and vines, the PPIC says wheat, rye and barley would be good alternatives to fallowing. Wheat was the No. 1 crop in California for roughly 40 years, or until widespread irrigation arrived in the early 1900s. In the 1880s, the state produced more than a million tons of wheat annually, with much of it exported. Researcher Bradley Franklin recognized wheat’s history in the state but said his suggestion is a new way of thinking about it.

Data centers front & center

Valley Sun. City of Fresno weighs data-center ban.
Synopsis: Current city rules allow the city’s planning director to approve data centers without input from the planning commission or city council as long as the plan conforms to city rules. Some members of the council want to change that, banning the vast server farms for 10 years over concerns about their water and electricity consumption. Councilmember Nick Richardson wants to make sure that any such project gets public scrutiny before being approved.

Bloomberg. AI billionaire-backed group launches pro-data-center ad blitz.
Synopsis: An advocacy group calling itself Build American AI is buying advertising in election battleground states to counter the mounting backlash against data centers. The campaign will focus on Kansas, Ohio and Wisconsin, where statewide elections are expected to hinge on the issue. Meanwhile, Donald Trump posted that voters who oppose data centers are “stupid,” and that they’ll “kill the golden goose.” He ended his message with, “let Data Reign.”

Can women ever retire?

Turlock Journal. Invisible Crisis: Why women’s retirement is heading for a cliff and how to fix it. 
Synopsis: Frequent contributor Jeffrey Lewis writes there is a “quiet crisis” developing nationwide – the collapse of women’s retirement security. It is especially acute in rural communities. By the mid-21^st century, “the concept of retirement” will become “nearly extinct and the responsibility of funding the golden years” will be shifted to the individual. It will be worse for women, who live longer, often work only part time due to childcare duties, and are expected to care for both their children and their parents. This will require “a coordinated effort” starting with the federal tax code.

Crime blotter

Merced Sun Star. Tip leads to arrest in Merced; suspect had stash of illegal items, police say.
Synopsis: A tip from residents about explosions led police to investigate a home on Teak Avenue where they found illegal fireworks, steroids, explosive devices and a gun. After the bomb squad was called out, police took one suspect into custody.

KSEE / CBS47. Wanted felon decides not to jump from balcony, surrenders in Coalinga.
Synopsis: After threatening to jump, Edgar David Cerventes thought better of the plan and surrendered to police. He had been hiding on the front porch of a home on East Houston Street but fled upstairs when police arrived. He was wanted for suspicion of vehicle and mail theft and conspiracy, among other charges. Police say several stolen wallets were found near Cerventes.

Trucking schools targeted

LA Times. Citing CA as a problem state, Trump administration shuts down 110 trucking schools. 
Synopsis: Homeland Security director MarkWayne Mullins says schools that teach people how to drive big rigs – especially in states run by Democrats – are an eminent danger to the public. Declaring an “emergency,” Mullin is shutting down 110 driving schools with the highest concentrations in CA, Illinois, NY, Florida and Texas. Charges include missing documentation and “inadequate space” to maneuver trucks. Others are being cited for certifying drivers who have “an English language deficiency.” One of the 11 California schools is in Fresno. Many of the CA schools cater Sikh drivers, who make up 20% of the US trucking workforce. The Asian Law Caucus is suing to stop discriminatory enforcement of federal laws.

Ag groups reject beef imports

Ag Net West. Cattle groups urge Trump to reconsider beef import proposal.
Synopsis: Four major US farming organizations are asking President Trump to reject his own plan to bring 661.4 million pounds of foreign beef to American markets. The American Farm Bureau Federation, Livestock Marketing Assn, National Cattlemen’s Assn and US Cattlemen’s Assn sent a joint letter pointing out that “rebuilding the US cattle herd requires stronger market signals for American producers, not additional competition from subsidized or lower-priced foreign beef.”

Farmers feeling a bit sunnier

Morning Ag Clips. Farmer sentiment rises again in August as future expectations improve.
Synopsis: The monthly sentiment survey conducted by Purdue University shows farmers feeling a little more optimistic about the future. Sure, things are tough now, but they’ll be better in a year. Farmer “Future Expectations” sentiment was 126 in July but 135 in August. The survey polls 402 farmers from across the nation, mostly in the Midwest. Part of their renewed optimism is due to the rising value of farmland. In the first six months of 2025, 71% of farmers felt the US was moving in “the right direction.” That number fell to 51% in April, rose to 57% in July but fell back to 51% in August.

Flock out! Take the drones, too

Stockton Record. ‘Get the Flock out’: Residents urge Stockton city council to end Flock contract.
Synopsis: Some residents, concerned with privacy and government overreach, went to the Stockton city council to demand the city cancel its $3.15 million contract with Flock Safety. The Atlanta-based company operates traffic cameras throughout the city and hundreds of other cities across America. Stockton recently expanded that contract to allow Flock to operate a drone program through April 2031. A group called Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities is pushing the “Get the Flock Out” effort.

Night Market opens in Ceres

Modesto Bee. Popular night market returns to Stanislaus County.
Synopsis: The Ceres Night Market will make its 2026 debut Wednesday night from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be food, vendors, raffles and entertainment. Organizers say it will return every Wednesday night. Among groups scheduled to perform at future markets are Ceres Karate and the Ceres High marching band.

Manhunt on for suspected killer

ABC30. Authorities search for man accused of killing security guard at Los Banos fairgrounds. 
Synopsis: Authorities are searching for Sacramento resident Gabriel Angel Salas, 21, in connection to the killing of Kody Pena on Saturday night. Pena was working as a security guard at the Los Banos Fairgrounds. Pena’s friends mourned his death. “He was a good friend. It really hurts because he has his daughters. He just came to work, and now he’s not going home,” said Marbella Martinez. “It’s such a heartbreaking thing,” said Alexandra Garcia.

It’s a bathtub! It’s a boat!

Stocktonia. ‘That’s what we need’: Bathtub Boat Race brings floating fun to Louis Park. 
Synopsis: The Bathtub Boat Race is a bit of an oddball event you’ll find only in Stockton. The boats are kept on the surface by any number of buoyant objects and powered by old bicycles, paddles, or “just plain fun.” Initiated in 2009, the race attracts roughly 100 spectators to Louis Park for what is an “unofficial” activity. One observer said he was there just to “watch people fall in the water.”