Valley Solutions

They’re picking up guns

Modesto Focus. Community-led firearms training for marginalized communities in Modesto. 
Synopsis: People who have never before even held a firearm are learning how to aim, load and safely fire a weapon. It’s not for sport, it’s because many in marginalized communities -- Black, Indigenous, Brown, women and LGBTQ+ -- no longer feel safe. There is no formal organization for those providing training because “you can’t kill something that doesn’t exist,” said one instructor. “My first experience with the gun was watching it get pointed at my family,” said one student. Now she wants to go from “being terrified of them” to seeing guns as “an understandable tool.” Said one instructor, “The sad reality and the likelihood of you encountering a gun in this country is extremely high. Even if you don’t want to shoot it, the least you can know is how to make it safe.”

Thousands expected to protest

Modesto Bee. Stanislaus Indivisible organizes third No Kings in Modesto this weekend. 
Synopsis: People in Modesto who disapprove of the Trump government are expected to protest at Graceada Park at 11 am Saturday. Last year, police estimates put the crowd at around 2,000; a smaller crowd turned out for a second protest in October. The NAACP, Peace/Life Cetner, Stanislaus Dem Club, North Valley Labor Federation and others will have tables at the park. Among the speakers will be Michael Masuda, who is running against Tom McClintock, and Moses Abeyta of Youth Leading Modesto. Last year, the police department screened protesters to ensure their flagsticks didn’t exceed circumference limits and protesters were not carrying glass bottles or wearing masks.
MAD Take: Many estimated the crowd at last year’s June protest – which seemed more like a political festival than a protest --significantly beyond 2,000. Some put the number closer to 5,000.

Merced Sun-Star. No Kings anti-Trump protests planned in Merced this weekend.
Synopsis: There are two No Kings Day demonstrations planned for Merced County. One will be in Merced, at Courthouse Park from 10 am to noon. In Los Banos, the rally will be at Pacheco Park, also at 10 a.m. Indivisible Merced said the protests are outgrowths of smaller protests taking place every Friday in Merced. Organizers stress this is a peaceful protest and ask everyone not to engage with anyone trying to provoke protesters. There will be “Peacekeepers” in bright green vests to help de-escalate any issues.

Stockton Record. Stockton will take to the street for No Kings Day.
Synopsis: Protests will take place in Stockton, Manteca and Tracy in the third No Kings Day rallies. In Stockton, protesters are asked to gather on the Delta College campus at Pacific and Yokuts avenues. Last year, some 2,500 rallied there in June and 4,000 in October. In Manteca, protesters will gather at 1234 Yosemite Ave. at 10 a.m. The Tracy protest is at Powers Park on Lowell at noon.

GV Wire. What we know about Saturday’s ‘No Kings’ protests.
Synopsis: GV Wire picks up the New York Times story about the nationwide protests which expect to draw several million people into the streets in protest of Donald Trump’s war in Iran, immigration policies, healthcare cuts, economy and corruption. The two previous “No Kings” rallies were the two largest single-day protests in American history, according to Harvard University. A list accompanying the story shows protests at: Blackstone and Alluvial in Fresno; the Tulare Superior Court building; Veterans Park in Porterville; Mariposa Arts Park in Mariposa; Merced’s Courthouse Park; Pacheco Park in Los Banos; no location in Turlock (usually at Crossroads), and Graceada Park in Modesto.

Valley key to winning Congress

NY Times. Latino support for Trump is up for grabs in California’s farm country.
Synopsis: “Control of Congress may well run through California’s Central Valley,” writes reporter Jennifer Medina. The Valley’s Latino voters shifted slightly right in 2024, but that appears to have been a momentary infatuation. Polls show Latino voters are set to “rebuke” Trump-supporting Republicans for the immigration turmoil that has ripped through the Valley. The mayor of Wasco offers a good example. He voted for Trump in 2024, but now says Trump is “out of control.” A Latino labor contractor who voted for Trump twice notes, “I am all for immigration enforcement, but I am not for terrorizing people.” Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson is doing all he can to bolster the prospects of incumbent Republican David Valadao in CA-22. But it’s not just immigration, say Latino voters. Few support the war in Iran and many feel the economy is crashing with higher prices for healthcare, gas, food and everything else. “I shouldn’t have listened to him,” said one voter.
MAD Take: Interesting that this entire story is centered around Congressional District 22. The closest district in the nation in both of the last two election cycles was CA 13, which Adam Gray won in 2024 by 187 votes.

Sheriff: System still sucks

Modesto Bee. Stanislaus Sheriff’s Office airs complaints about new dispatch system for 911 calls. 
Synopsis: Sheriff Jeff Dirkse remains unimpressed with the Stanislaus Regional 911 center’s new dispatch software, CentralSquare CAD. He fought purchase of the system, preferring a beta system from Oracle. Deputy Randon Kirkbride noted that it often lacks access codes to gated communities or has trouble reading maps. The head of the dispatch center, Kasey Young, says such problems are common in new installs and will be remedied.

PR gloss or campaign donation?

Cal Matters. Newsom may spend $19 million to sugarcoat CA’s stalled economy. 
Synopsis: Columnist Dan Walters reports on the $19 million Gov. Newsom wants to spend to promote California and refute “myths driven by misinformation and political rhetoric.” How about facts? The Legislative Budget Analyst pointed out that our economy is “sluggish” and has been for two years. The cost of living is the highest in the US while unemployment is rising. Dan offers this rhetorical question: Is this a paid ad for the Golden State or a $19 million campaign contribution?

Deal outrages victim’s family

Merced Focus. Mother of Sophia Mason, 8, won’t face murder charge in case that shook Merced.
Synopsis: “A journey without justice,” was how one member of Sophia Mason’s family described the sentencing of Samantha Johnson, who entered a plea on Thursday. Johnson will serve 15 years, 8 months for voluntary manslaughter and felony child abuse in the death of her 8-year-old daughter. Johnson could be released in 12 years. Members of Sophia’s family blame Alameda County officials who removed her from a home in the Bay Area and sent her to Johnson in Merced. “This isn’t justice,” said her aunt. Authorities said Sophia suffered “unimaginable abuse” at the hands of her mother.

Stan State opens new facility

Stockton Record. Willow Hall opens at Stanislaus State Stockton campus, expands health training.
Synopsis: Stanislaus State dedicated Willow Hall Thursday, a $54 million academic and health training facility. The building, on East Magnolia, will expand enrollment in health-based programs such as nursing, behavioral health and social work to from 1,000 to 2,000 students.

Putting robots to the test

Western Farm Press. To make it to your farm, ag robots must first survive this boot camp. 
Synopsis: Editor Mike Wilson writes about the Reservoir experimental farm in Salinas where artificial intelligence is meeting robots and being sent into fields. Some 300 growers, ag leaders and investors were invited out to the Reservoir in Salinas to see the technology in action. Reservoir founder Danny Bernstein said the test farm is the culmination of two years of effort and focus. Some farmers were impressed. “Growing in California is very expensive,” said Gary Tanimura, who farms 35,000 acres. “The only way to help balance our rising costs is gain access to these high-tech machines and, hopefully, find better ways to make it easier to harvest (crops).” His farm is already using a robotic picker for celery. “We’re building a network of places where growers, innovators and investors can work side by side to bring solutions to market faster,” said Bernstein. “And we’re just getting started.”
MAD Note: Reservoir has opened a second test farm in Merced County and has partnered with Western Growers Assn., UC Merced and others to bring tech to the fields.

Cunha on Chavez, immigration, etc.

Ag Net West. Manuel Cunha discusses Cesar Chavez controversy, labor challenges facing CA agriculture. 
Synopsis: The longtime president of the influential Nisei Farmers League was angered by what we’ve learned about Cesar Chavez. But Cunha pointed out that working conditions in CA’s fields, orchards and dairy barns have improved in terms of wages, safety and overall treatment. The biggest issue now is immigration policy coming out of Washington.

Bee names its top players

Modesto Bee. Escalon’s all-around guard is The Bee’s girls basketball player of the year.
Synopsis: Arianna Velasco picked up the slack when the leading scorer in Escalon history, Madi Babasa, went down with an injury early this year. Velasco scored 20 points in four of the Cougars’ five final games, including the loss in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 5 semifinals. She was named Trans-Valley League MVP and led the 27-5 Cougars in scoring (17.4), rebounds (9.9), assists (5.2), steals (5.2) and blocks (1.7).

Modesto Bee. Modesto Christian’s breakout star is The Bee’s boys player of the year.
Synopsis: Trevor Dickson led MC to its 23^rd Sac-Joaquin Section title and its 30^th league title. He averaged 19.6 points per game, had 130 rebounds, 49 assists, 32 steals and 12 blocks. His 105 3-pointers were 15^th best in the state. Most importantly, the junior says he’s not interested in transferring and plans to return for his senior year. Most of his Section-winning teammates will be waiting for him.

How to encourage salmon

NOAA Fisheries. Record 30,000 endangered Central CA Coast coho salmon return to Mendocino rivers.
Synopsis: In the 2024-25 spawning season, some 30,000 adult coho came up Mendocino rivers to spawn, more than doubling the previously recorded high. Scientists say it was due to some 100 habitat restoration projects in rivers and floodplains, and because some spawning streams have been reconnected to the main river. The numbers are literally 10x the norm from 20 years ago.
MAD Take: Never mentioned is the fact that over the past three years, as the number of salmon returning to Mendocino have steadily grown, commercial salmon fishing was banned. If you want to have more salmon, stop killing them.

Chasing away Gustine’s egrets

Westside Connect. Gustine using noise devices, tree trimming to deter egret nesting in park.
Synopsis: Egrets might look pretty, but they’re a pretty big problem in Gustine. They have taken over certain trees in Schmidt Park and have begun creating an unsanitary nuisance. To chase away the birds, city officials are firing cannons when they see them nesting in high-use areas of the park.