Valley Solutions

Salmon numbers are strong

FishBio. Surviving the storm: CA’s 2026 salmon season returns after historic closure. 
Synopsis: The Pacific Fishery Management Council will allow limited salmon fishing this year for the first time in three years. That’s because “escapement” – the number of salmon exiting the Sacramento River – have improved dramatically. FishBio estimates 176,417 salmon escaped the Delta and Bay to reach the Pacific Ocean, a 42% improvement over 2024 though still substantially below the 233,655 average of the previous five years. While the Sacramento River numbers are OK, the San Joaquin system has been showing truly significant gains with 21,272 in 2025 and an estimated 35,000 in 2024 and 2023. The Stanislaus got 38% of all spawners followed by the Mokelumne (35%), Tuolumne (14), Merced (11) and the Calaveras and Cosumnes (1% combined). Historically, the San Joaquin has contributed about 10% of all escapement, but in the last 10 years that has risen to 15% each year.
MAD Take: Let that sink in. The San Joaquin is producing 15% of salmon, a 50% increase over 2016. Somebody’s doing something right.

Check the data, don’t panic

CA Water Blog. AI water use distractions and lessons for CA. 
Synopsis: Prof. Jay Lund writes about rising water fears around artificial intelligence. He recommends staying calm. The energy demand at data centers is real, as is the need to cool power generation. But the numbers aren’t as dire as stated. Currently, data centers cover 15 million square feet in CA. That’s a lot, but totals only 340 acres, not counting parking lots. Based on cooling efficiency, square footage and evaporation rates, he says data centers use only about 0.08% of water used by humans in CA. That’s enough to irrigate up to 100,000 acres – a lot, but only 1% of our total irrigated land. Bottom line: Don’t panic over AI water use. At least not yet.

Patterson ‘kid’ is best trucker

Patterson Irrigator. At CA’s Truck Driving Championships, a rookie shows what’s possible. 
Synopsis: David Kastiro maneuvered his big rig through a series of increasingly difficult courses to win the 78^th Northern California Truck Driving Championships hosted by the CA Trucking Association on April 18. Drivers had to land their tires inches from marker lines, avoid crushing any rubber duckies on the course and not touch any cones. Kastiro, 23, drives a sleeper truck for Walmart. Five years ago, he graduated from Patterson High’s logistics program run by instructor Dave Dein. Due to COVID, Kastiro’s parents lost their jobs and they lost their home. Kastiro was the youngest driver in the competition.

Valley politics, politicians

Modesto Focus. Assembly candidates take on wildfires, election fraud and much more. 
Synopsis: Incumbent Heath Flora refused to participate, leaving the debate to four political newcomers vying to represent the 9^th Assembly District that stretches from east of Elk Grove to west of Hickman. There are three Republicans (Tami Nobriga, Bandon Owen, Jim Shoemaker) and one Democrat (Matthew Adams) in the conservative-leaning district. Some of the most interesting responses came when the Focus pointed out that none of the four had ever held any elected office.

Fresno Bee. Madera supervisor candidate has history of criminal, legal troubles spanning 25 years. 
Synopsis: Charles “Brook” Allen, 48, has been imprisoned for vehicular manslaughter and DUI, has twice been a defendant in cases regarding his business, and has been the subject of a restraining order from his ex-wife. These life lessons have shaped him, says Allen, and will make him a better county supervisor. The current supervisor, Tom Wheeler, has endorsed Allen. Frequent candidate Frank Bigelow, Melanie Barker and Mark Reed are running against him. BTW, the “Brook” part of his name was added to honor the woman he killed.

A lot to love in the Valley

KCRA. ‘Love Modesto’ brings community together for day of service and kindness.
Synopsis: Thousands of people came out for the 18^th Love Modesto day of service. There were cleanups, donations of food for humans and pets, distribution of blankets and clothing and even “free hugs.” Jeff Pishney said helping others is the best therapy anyone can find.

Stocktonia. San Joaquin Asparagus Festival celebrates 40^th year.
Synopsis: Thousands of folks turned out for the Asparagus Festival at the Fairgrounds in Stockton over the weekend, enjoying asparagus prepared in everything from bacon to ice cream. There were rides, demonstrations, musical performances and more.

Modesto Bee. Pilgrimage across Valley stops in Modesto, championing most vulnerable.
Synopsis: The Seeds of Hope bus tour of the Valley stopped in Modesto to pick up passengers. As the bus arrived from Stockton, a group of about 10 people from the Church of the Brethren and a reporter greeted it. The bus stopped in Merced and Fresno before reaching Bakersfield.
MAD Take: Interesting. An event that attracted literally a dozen people was covered by a reporter, but Love Modesto that drew thousands downtown was ignored. Huh.

Butter is back, baby

Morning Ag Clips. Butter is back, and Americans are eating more of it than ever. 
Synopsis: Don’t fear the fat! TikTokers eat raw butter. YouTube chefs baste steaks in it. After years of saying it’s unhealthy, butter is back on the table, on the plate and in the pans. Americans ate 6.8 pounds per person in 2024, up 21% from 2005 years. Abroad, the global butter market is already at $45 billion and on a trajectory to hit $65 billion by 2035. There are basic butters, salted butters, softened butters, herbed butters, butters for browning and Irish butter. “Butter is no longer just a staple ingredient, but a celebration in itself.”

No punishment for walkout

Merced Focus. Merced district rescinds discipline for students who walked out for anti-ICE protest.
Synopsis: Despite nearly 400 students participating in the anti-ICE class walkouts in January, the Merced Union High School District chose to discipline just four. That drew the attention and ire of many parents, rights advocates and even the ACLU. The district claimed it was following its truancy policies. But that excuse didn’t sit well with Adam Shane, whose son was one of the “Merced Four” who was punished. School officials told Addison Shane that they knew he was an organizer and was he being suspended for “willful defiance” of school rules. Attorney Harland Diven of CA Rural Legal Assistance said the state banned districts from using “willful defiance” as a reason for suspension back in 2004. Shane and other parents are insisting their children’s records be expunged.
MAD Take: Time for a spelling quiz: A-P-O-L-O-G-Y.

A mussel emergency in Delta

Manteca Bulletin. San Joaquin County may declare Golden mussel emergency in Delta.
Synopsis: County supervisors, led by chairman Sonny Dahliwal, will consider declaring a local emergency to combat the invasive Golden mussel. The mussel’s ability to rapidly colonize pipes and pumps poses a very real risk to farming and water export.

Fed up with ‘vulture lawyers’

LA Times. One may has filed 1,800 disability lawsuits against SoCal shops; store owners are fed up. 
Synopsis: As pointed out nearly a decade ago in The Modesto Bee by reporter Garth Stapley, a handful of unscrupulous lawyers are responsible for the overwhelming majority of lawsuits filed under the Americans with Disability Act. The law allows plaintiffs to keep the proceeds from settlements or legal actions. Internet marketer Anthony Bouyer, who is in a wheelchair, has sued over veggies being out of arm’s length, a crack in parking lot pavement, a door handle he couldn’t twist. In all, he has sued 231 businesses – all small and virtually all happy to come into compliance if given the chance. Bouyer and seven others have filed 9,000 suits, all brought by Manning Law. Most states limit the proceeds of such lawsuits, but not CA. Most states offer an “opportunity to cure,” but not CA. Ash Kalra has taken up the cause in the Assembly and Roger Niello in the state senate.
MAD Take: Remedies for “vulture lawsuits” are well known, having been developed and presented by Assemblymembers Adam Gray and Kristin Olsen 10 years ago. But the legislature refused to act.

Victims recalled in Merced

Merced Focus. ‘We want to say their names’: Victims of violent crimes remembered. 
Synopsis: The Merced District Attorney’s office organized a gathering in Courthouse Park to remember the victims of violent crime. Among those commemorating lost lives during National Victims’ Rights Week were Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, city councilmember Mike Harris and Supervisor Jim Pacheco. “It’s always a difficult day for people, but we want to shine a light on this,” said DA Nicole Silveira. “We want to say their names. We want them to be remembered.”

Composting site is renamed

KVPR. Fresno County’s ‘Sumner Peck Ranch’ renamed following controversy over human composting.
Synopsis: The former Sumner Peck Ranch is now Running River Ranch, says the San Joaquin River Parkway Conservation Trust. The name change was forced by the Peck family, who sold their property to the Trust in 2020 and didn’t realize it would become a site for spreading composted human remains. The “natural organic reduction soil” had been used along the riverbank at the site. The Pecks don’t want to be associated with that practice.

Letter writers on politics, water

Modesto Bee. Letters: Valley voters must hold Rep. McClintock accountable. 
Synopsis: Jane Huffaker of Mariposa writes, “As long as (Tom) McClintock says nothing, he will continue to lose the respect of his constituents.” … Tim de Lorimier writes about the necessity to help veterans find homes. … Evan Zapien of Newman writes in response to a column written a decade ago by columnist Mike Dunbar, “Is water wasted if we’ve got nowhere to keep it?”
MAD Take: When I wrote that column about wasting water in 2016, it was to point out that all of our reservoirs were full and that climate changing would require us to develop more places to store water. The column noted that CA voters had passed a $7.5 billion bond measure two years earlier to pay for more water storage and infrastructure. Well, eight years have passed and now a decade since the bond was passed, we’re still waiting for something – anything – to store more water. Thanks, Evan, for that trip down memory lane.

Saying final farewells

Modesto Bee. Odessa Johnson, longtime education leader in Modesto and CA dies at 86. 
Synopsis: In a rare news obituary, Ken Carlson writes about the passing of Odessa Johnson, a pillar of the education community in Modesto. “Her legacy will continue through the countless lives she touched, the doors she helped open and the example she leaves behind,” noted the MJC Community Education page on Facebook. She came to Modesto after earning her Master’s degree at Columbia University, becoming the first Black teacher at Modesto High. Later, she developed programs as a dean at MJC and served as a City Schools trustee. As a UC regent, she pushed for development of a medical school at UC Merced. “There has never been a finer person,” wrote MJC dean emeritus Derek Waring. A memorial service will be May 30.

Fresno Bee. One of Fresno County’s fiercest farming advocates, Phil Larson, dies at 92.
Synopsis: Phil Larson who farmed raisins and cotton and was a three-term Fresno County supervisor, died Thursday at age 92. He was credited with spearheading development of the West Hills Community College District, opening a library on the Firebaugh college campus and libraries in Mendota and Tranquility. He carried out his duties “with honor and dignity,” said supervisor Brian Pacheco.

KSEE / CBS47. Former Madera County supervisor Max Rodriguez dies.
Synopsis: Max Rodriguez, who served four terms as District 4 supervisors in Madera County, passed at age 86. No cause of death was announced Monday. “His unwavering dedication to public service and to the people of Madera County leaves a lasting legacy,” said the statement.