Valley Solutions

Nothing dims Christmas spirit

Turlock Journal. The lights will continue to shine on Christmas Tree Lane. 
Synopsis: As reporter Kristina Hacker puts it, “The Grinch didn’t steal Christmas Tree lane.” Every year, roughly 40 homes on Wellerman Way and a few surrounding courts have gone all out in decorating for the season. But this year, just before decorating began, Race Communications began digging up the street to lay fiber-optic cables. Residents called the city, which said the SF-based firm set its own timelines. Eventually, Race relented “so the people of Turlock can enjoy this cherished holiday tradition.”

Speak up about predator

Turlock Journal. Chief, Sheriff, DA seek public’s help in preventing predator moving to area.
Synopsis: Turlock police chief Jason Hedden, Sheriff Jeff Dirkse and DA Jeff Laugero have produced a 90-second video asking the public’s help in keeping convicted sex offender Kevin Scott Gray away from their communities. Gray, who admitted to molesting dozens of children over 50 years, has been assigned to a half-way house in Denair, not far from Turlock. “We’ve been fighting against the placement for over a year,” said Laugero. “We won in local court, but the state overturned that decision. Now, the judge is asking for your voice, and we need you to speak up.” Send your thoughts to StanSVP.com or by emailing Sheriff Dirkse at [email protected] by Dec. 19. Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1336539461489104

Ceres to plant 1,300 new trees

Ceres Courier. City orders massive tree planting effort.
Synopsis: The Ceres City Council will plant 1,300 trees in and around the city thanks to a $1.08 million grant from the CA Dept of Forestry. The trees – which include blue oak, live oak, red maple, eastern redbud and crape myrtles among others -- will come from West Coast Arborists and be planted by Westside Landscape & Concrete. While most people are happy about the project, a few worry about ongoing maintenance and vandalism.

Stanislaus judge sues court

Modesto Focus. Modesto judge – usually the one ruling on lawsuits – brings one of her own. 
Synopsis: Judge Linda McFadden says her bosses at the CA Judicial Council retaliated against her when she became ill with Lyme Disease and asked for necessary accommodations. She told the court that her disease was aggravated by allergens found in the courthouse tunnel, used to transport prisoners from the nearby jail. She was assigned to the courtroom nearest to the tunnel. The lawsuit contends Judge Carrie Stephens, then presiding judge, punished McFadden after she had complained about “ethical violations.” Said McFadden’s lawyer: “Because someone wears a robe doesn’t mean they give up the right to be treated fairly … or ask for accommodations when needed.” Stephens is not a defendant and current presiding judge Sonny Sandhu is not mentioned in the lawsuit. To avoid conflict with colleagues, the case has been assigned to a Placer County judge.

UC: Be more careful, scooters

Merced Sun Star. E-scooter crashes at UC Merced cause changes on campus. 
Synopsis: Electric scooters, bikes and skateboards are ubiquitous on the sprawling UC Merced campus. But these “micromobility devices” can reach 20 mph and become unsafe. On Oct. 18 a student riding a scooter was “seriously injured” after being hit by a car. So many collisions have occurred that campus admin has published warnings and now enforces a 15-mph speed limit. “Slow Your Roll” signs have been posted across campus, and some areas have been designated “Dismount Zones.” With $500 fines for scofflaws, it seems to be working.

Work begins at Crows Landing

Westside Connect. Crows Landing airfield redevelopment breaks ground on first phase. 
Synopsis: Sabra Stafford reports that the long-awaited redevelopment of the World War II era training airfield has begun. The 1,528-acre project is projected as an employment hub with 14 million square feet of buildings, a public airport and rail links. Having earmarked $20 million to the project, the county began work to install water infrastructure and storage on the grounds this week.

Trailer park cleanup: $200K

Ceres Courier. Owner faced with nightmare clean-up of Lazy Wheels.
Synopsis: Property owner Anthony Nowaid says it cost $200,000 to clean up the mess, debris and remnants of his Lazy Wheels Mobile Home Park. Tenants were ordered out of the long-standing eyesore by Nov. 1. They’re gone, but the eyesore remains. “The mess left behind has been nothing short of mind boggling with trash and rubbish strewn around many of the units,” reports Jeff Benziger. Meanwhile, squatters are moving into the abandoned trailers.

Balancing water needs is hard

UC Merced. Report reviews how CA’s water policies balance needs of people, endangered species.
Synopsis: A committee of professors at the National Academies has looked at CA’s two major water-supply facilities – the State Water Project and Central Valley Project -- suggesting that managing them to benefit both people and wildlife will grow ever more complicated in the future. They concentrated on the operation of the Shasta coldwater pool, management of flows on Old and Middle rivers in the south Delta and the Summer-Fall Habitat Action. The group, which includes Prof. Josue Medellin-Azuara of UC Merced, recommends better temperature monitoring for salmon survival, reviewing modeling used to regulate flows through the Delta and special attention to pumping schedules and regimes. Said Medillin-Azuara: “California’s water challenges lack simple answers, but this report shows how essential good science is for informed decision-making.”

How about purple potatoes?

Ag Alert. Purple sweet potato varieties gain interest, acreage. 
Synopsis: Merced growers are bringing a new color to the Thanksgiving and Christmas table – purple. The UC Cooperative Extension is helping introduce new varieties of sweet potato to Merced County, the best area in the nation for growing the tubers and the only area where they are grown organically. Six varieties of purple potatoes are available – including Bern Yogi, Purple Rayne and Purple Majesty. Jeremy Fookes of AV Thomas Produce says the key is to educate retailers then helping consumers accept purple potatoes. Currently, most of his crop is shipped to the Middle East.

Not much help for CA farmers

KSEE / CBS47. How much will CA farmers receive in federal tariff relief?
Synopsis: Farmers across the US were promised help by the Trump administration on Monday as their markets have been disrupted by tariffs. The plan is to send $11 billion in “bridge payments” to Midwest farmers who grow corn, soybean, wheat, sorghum and cotton. While CA farmers raise a lot of cotton, the rest of those crops are not as common here. “California ag is extraordinarily suffering right now,” said Fresno Farm Bureau exec Ryan Jacobsen. “I would argue that we haven’t seen anything like the current conditions probably since the early 1980s.” He expects $1 billion will be allocated to specialty-crops such almonds, grapes, peaches, apples, etc. None of the bridge payments will be available until the end of February.

Remote meetings returning

Modesto Bee. Modesto to bring back remote public comment under new state law. 
Synopsis: SB 707 requires city councils and other public bodies to have remote two-way audiovisual options for the public starting July 1. The city and Stanislaus County – which share chambers -- are developing plans to implement the program. Modesto discontinued its remote services in 2023 after many viewers on Zoom trolled meetings. “We had those Zoom bombers, and so you could never tell who it was and where they were at” or “what they were going to say. So, it was disrupting the meetings,” said Mayor Sue Zwahlen.  

Grant keeps DOJ job

GV Wire. Modesto native Eric Grant will continue as US attorney for Eastern District of CA.
Synopsis: Attorney Eric Grant was reappointed by a panel of district judges to continue serving as the US attorney for the Eastern District. He had been serving under a 120-day interim appointment by the attorney general. Grant previously supervised more than 100 litigators in the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. The Modesto native will oversee prosecution in 34 CA counties with offices in Sacramento, Fresno and Bakersfield. He is the son of popular Stan State history professor Curtis Grant.

Some doggone good news

Modesto Bee. Dogs rescued from Modesto, Ceres among those flown to Northwest.
Synopsis: New Beginnings For Merced County Animals has relocated 132 dogs and cats – including many of the rescued Chihuahuas found in Ceres and Modesto – to homes in Washington and Montana. Founder Sharon Lohman said Wings of Rescue based in San Diego flew the animals to new homes. Since being rescued from “squalid conditions,” all the dogs have been assigned to new homes.

Merced Sun Star. Dog from Los Banos makes national headlines after being rescued in San Diego.
Synopsis: Sadie, a 5-year-old black Lab mix, wandered away from her owners who were vacationing in San Diego last month. The Los Banos couple began searching for her and called in SD Fire & Rescue. About an hour into the search, Sadie was spotted about a half mile offshore. She had been swept out to sea by a sneaker wave. A jet ski and boat were launched to save her. Because there was video, Sadie has become famous, along with her owners – Alexis Barcellos and Brandon Valdez.