Valley Solutions

Solar’s growing Valley footprint

Hanford Sentinel. Westside’s solar footprint grows along I-5. 
Synopsis: In the past six months, a dozen utility-scale solar projects have submitted permitting requests for thousands of acres of ag land along Interstate-5 from Buttonwillow to Los Banos. With farmers still reeling from reduced pumping under SGMA, many are turning toward solar projects for income. “While the current administration in Washington has downplayed the benefits of renewable energy, even calling it a scam, farmers are watching missiles fly over the Middle East where fossil fuels are being fought over. Meanwhile, there are no missiles flying over I-5,” writes John Lindt. One of the largest projects has financial backing from the United Arab Emirates. “The bottom line suggests it’s prudent to use some of this excess land to harvest the sun, never facing tariffs.”

Making Love Modesto work

Modesto Bee. More signups needed for Love Modesto. 
Synopsis: More than 3,000 volunteers are expected to work on 80 projects in Modesto and a dozen other nearby communities. Jeff Pishney, founder of Love Modesto, said more than 8,000 will participate across the region. The event is in its 18^th year, with a kickoff pancake party April 25 at 7 a.m. at the Gallo Center. Volunteers will be dispatched to sites by 8:30. Flowers and gardens will be planted, trash picked up, parks spruced, the river revived and donations collected. Bring the kids, says Pishney. “The bottom line is there is something for everybody.” Love Patterson is April 18.

Pope, no fear of Trump

GV Wire. Pope Leo issues warning on democracy after Trump criticism. 
Synopsis: In a letter issued Tuesday, Pope Leo warned of the risk to all democracies that are “sliding into majoritarian tyranny.” The letter was released the day after Trump attacked the pontiff on social media and also depicted himself as a savior descending from the heavens in glowing robes to heal a sick man. The Pope’s response came as he began a 10-day tour of African nations. It did not name Trump or directly address the US, but he seemed to be offering the president some advice in saying “temperance” is an essential ingredient of authority. And “true temperance restrains inordinate self-exaltation and acts as a guardrail against the abuse of power.”

LA Times. Pope Leo isn’t afraid of President Trump; we shouldn’t be either. 
Synopsis: Columnist Gustavo Arellano writes that when Pope Leo told us “I’m not afraid” of Trump, he signaled to the world that no one should be afraid. “If a mild-mannered man of God such as Leo isn’t afraid, no one should be,” wrote Arellano. He wrote hearing Leo “is like receiving a sacrament I never knew I needed.”

Don’t fall for Aussie scam

Colorado Sun. Opinion: Colorado River Basin states could learn from what we developed in Australia.
Synopsis: Prof. Mike Young writes glowingly about the “reforms” he helped develop during the 10-year drought in Australia’s Murray-Darling River watershed three decades ago. Those reforms turned water-rights holders into “shareholders” and completely restructured water allocation. Basically, he outlines a similar plan for the Colorado River basin in which “trading water rights would be simple.” You could sell rights, trade them or mortgage them.
MAD Take: We’ve heard before about the wonders of Australia’s free-market water-allocation system, especially from those who want put a price tag on our water. It’s a scam. At last month’s international ag summit in Merced, an ag CEO based in Australia called the nation’s water-allocation system a disaster. Born of drought desperation, it’s become a nightmare for growers. The “water shares” they were issued have been increasingly concentrated into the hands of speculators and big companies who re-sell them at a profit. Dozens of stories describe Australia’s “failed” $13 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan, calling it a “30-year flop” that failed to meet 74% of its success metrics. The “reforms” resulted in severe river decline, lower reservoir storage, reduced bird populations and increased fish kills. Oh, and farming has suffered dramatic yield and income losses. Water now costs farmers 10x more than in the past. Farmers use terms like “steal-backs” and “scam” for the system. A University of Melbourne study was titled: “How to undo Australia’s epic water fail.” An interesting “doco”: “Blood Water: The War for Australia’s Water.” The speculators are so thoroughly reviled that they have been forced to do damage control through “studies” trying to deflect blame as they grow rich.  

A spillway for Woodward?

MSN / CBS13. Woodward Reservoir looks to improve spillway to meet CA dam standards.
Synopsis: South San Joaquin and Oakdale irrigation districts will be required to add a spillway at Woodward Reservoir to meet state safety standards. Since the near failure of the Lake Oroville spillway nine years ago, the state is requiring spillways on all reservoirs.

‘Give us fertilizer, not BS’

Successful Farming. USDA Sec Rollins faces question on fertilizer costs during visit to Michigan State. 
Synopsis: In a visit to Michigan – which she called “ground zero for specialty crops: cherries, asparagus, nursery, floriculture and so many other fruits and vegetables” – Brooke Rollins deflected some very pointed questions from farmers about the rising cost of fertilizer. Instead, she talked about research and tax breaks. But farmers insisted: “The cost … has been skyrocketing since this war started,” said one. “And our commodity prices have been flat or even lower.” Farmer Mark Zacharda said, “Putting farmers under stress and putting farms out of business is not going to help grocery prices.” Rollins insisted fertilizer prices will fall when the war stops.
MAD Take: Michigan is “ground zero” for cherries and vegetables? Uh, sorry, but CA produces more cherries. We produce 12x more vegetables ($61 billion vs. $5 billion). But Rollins likes to pretend California isn’t part of the United States. That’s a fertilizer of a different sort.
Youtube:

Hey, compost could work

Fox26. Rising fertilizer costs tied to Middle East tensions push farmers toward compost. 
Synopsis: Composting has become a significant business in California, and with fertilizer being blocked from the Strait of Hormuz, farmers are finding they need a substitute. California has required composting of organic garbage since 2022. With fertilizers selling for $570 a ton, compost can be purchased for a tenth of that or less. This story features a Waste Management yard compost yard in Tulare, saying its products provide nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous.
MAD Take: There are large composting facilities in Vernalis, Westley, Kerman, Keyes and outside Stockton.

Out of hospital, into jail

Modesto Focus. Patterson man shot by ICE agents arrested, released from Modesto hospital.
Synopsis: Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, 36, has been transferred to the Stanislaus County jail despite concerns over his health following surgery for seven gunshot wounds. “All of a sudden, the hospital magically decided that he was good enough to go and they handed him over to the FBI without notifying his family,” said attorney Patrick Kolasinski. “This is wrong in so many ways.” DMC said its medical decisions are “tailored to provide for the safety and continued health journey of the patients.” Meanwhile, the attorney of the woman who came forward with video of the incident called into question the agents’ actions: “Any situation involving gunfire in close proximity to civilians raises serious public safety concerns that deserve careful and objective review,” said Roberto Serrato. 

He avoided a garbage tragedy

Modesto Bee. Modesto garbage truck camera helps save man trapped inside. 
Synopsis: The operator of a Bertolotti Disposal truck likely saved a man’s life when he spotted the man lying inside the garbage cylinder he was about to compress. The man had apparently been sleeping in a bin that had been emptied into the truck. As he was looking at the monitor, someone rode up on a bicycle to warn him that someone had been sleeping in the bin. That’s when the driver called 911. It was reported that the man appeared to be heavily intoxicated and unable to climb out of the truck on his own. It wasn’t the first time such an incident had occurred, hence the cameras.

Get your goat milk here

Modesto Bee. Animal rights activists protest Turlock goat milk over alleged cruelty of supplier.
Synopsis: About a dozen Bay Area animal rights activists showed up at the Meyenberg Goat Milk facility in Turlock on Saturday then left to do a “die-in” at a grocery store. Meyeberg uses milk only from “certified humane” producers. The story goes into detail about several episodes dating back to 2021 in which the group Direct Action Everywhere demonstrated against animal agriculture. During the “die-in” at Raley’s, the group handed out flyers urging people to write letters to Kings County asking the District Attorney not to prosecute the animal “rescuers.”
MAD Take: Why ask Turlock residents to write letters to someone in Kings County, which is 125 miles south? Why did this Bay Area group pick Turlock for their protest? Did their car break down? Did they get up late and decide to protest in the first place where they needed a bathroom break?

Crime report: Murder, arrest

ABC30. Witnesses say Livingston man shot mother of one of his children, then himself. 
Synopsis: Police say a man shot and killed the mother of one of his children then shot himself at an apartment complex in Livingston on Sunday. Police Chief John Ramirez confirmed the relationship between them and that the woman had died at the scene. The man was airlifted to a hospital, presumably in Modesto. The shooting was seen by “dozens of witnesses,” including the woman’s child. The shooter’s wife was concerned for the child. “Where is he? I don’t know if he has eaten; he’s a very picky eater. I don’t know if they’re gonna give him the food he likes.”

Merced GV Wire. Los Banos coach, substitute teacher arrested on out-of-state warrant.
Synopsis: Los Banos police assisted Missouri law enforcement in detaining and arresting Matthew Bowman, 25, on changes of soliciting minors for sexual gratification. He was at work as a substitute teacher and coach at Los Banos Unified when arrested.

It was a, uh, virtual eatery

Merced Sun Star. Is Merced really getting a new Japanese noodle spot? It was just a hoax.
Synopsis: Reporter Jim Silva says there will not be a new ramen restaurant – with the clever name Dusk to Dawn –opening near Merced College and serving meals until 2 a.m. after all. The Instagram page that announced the opening last week was “part of a small business project.” Regardless, several media outlets picked up on the announcement and repeated it. The post divulging the hoax did not say who was behind it. Maybe Salma Hayek or George Clooney?