Valley Solutions

Two views on Bay-Delta plan

SF Chronicle. A long-awaited CA water policy promises balance; opponents call it an ‘extinction plan.’
Synopsis: Kurtis Alexander writes about reactions to the updated Bay Delta Plan over three days of hearings in Sacramento last week. He first details complaints from critics, starting with Molly Culton of the Sierra Club, who accused the state of siding with “corporate agriculture.” Then the reporter provides ample space to those who despise “Voluntary Agreements” pioneered by water districts in the San Joaquin Valley but now used by “dozens of urban and agricultural water agencies” to restore watersheds and rivers. Baykeeper’s Jon Rosenfield says a plan that relies on VAs is an “extinction plan.” The Golden State Salmon Assn, made up of commercial salmon fishers, called the agreements “Newsom’s backroom water scam.” Eventually, the reporter paraphrases the state’s Wade Crowfoot, who says the plan will help smelt, steelhead, salmon and sturgeon along with birds and mammals.
MAD Take: Good reporters remain objective in their coverage, but there are “tells” for their personal feelings. For instance, most reporters give the first quote to those who share their priorities. In this case, that’s the Sierra Club. To his credit, Alexander also explains what a voluntary agreement is, though he leaves out any explanation of recent successes achieved through them. Nor does he explain that after three years of banning salmon-killing by commercial fishers, the population is showing a startling recovery from its drought-induced decline of four years ago.

Sacramento Bee. How to best protect the Delta? CA water agencies advocate for flexibility. 
Synopsis: Reporter Chaewon Chung covered the same Bay-Delta Plan hearings but provides a very different story. Instead of focusing on complaints from various interest groups, the reporter explains how the Healthy Rivers & Landscapes plan would provide greater flexibility in meeting the state’s flow and wildlife goals. The story explains that flow requirements would be imposed on districts that do not enter Voluntary Agreements to restore habitat. The story also points out that increased flow requirements would undo much of the work done to reduce groundwater over-pumping and restore “critically overdrafted” basins. It would also mean less cold water behind dams to facilitate salmon out-migration.

Rules to protect kids ignored?

Modesto Bee. What is CA’s mandated reporting law to protect kids; did Gustine Unified comply?
Synopsis: Reporter Atmika Iyer says she found no evidence that Gustine Unified followed the law when suspicions were raised that then-Gustine High vice principal Brian Chubon was inappropriately involved with a student. In 2022, the district’s Title IX coordinator notified the district of suspicions around Chubon and a minor student. There is no evidence of an investigation until 2024 when the then-former student came forward. Chubon was never arrested despite being pleading no contest to statutory rape and sentenced only to probation. Chubon left Gustine district and moved to Modesto City Schools in July 2022 and was promoted before his guilty plea surfaced.

73 busted for trafficking

ABC10 (Sacramento). 73 arrested, 4 rescued in Stanislaus County human-trafficking operation. 
Synopsis: Stanislaus deputies were involved in a statewide operation that rescued four individuals from sex traffickers. All four were immigrants whose papers had been taken by the traffickers and were held in confinement. The victims were taken to Haven. Statewide, the operation involved 80 officers and resulted in 600 arrests. “Our 73 arrests are over 10% of this,” said Sheriff Jeff Dirkse. “This is not because human trafficking is more prevalent here but because we have a dedicated team of men and women committed to combatting human trafficking in Stanislaus County and our region.”

‘Punjabi Devil’ pleads guilty

Stockton Record. Stockton gang founder linked to Hells Angels pleads guilty to gun crimes.
Synopsis: Jashanpreet Singh, 27, tried to sell weapons -- including an illegal short-barreled rifle and three weapons illegally converted to fully automatic – to a federal undercover agent. He was arrested last June and now has pleaded guilty. Singh is the founder of the Punjabi Devils Motorcycle Club, which has ties to the Hells Angels. He tried to book a flight to India after his arrest, according to US attorney Eric Grant. 

Slowing down in Merced

Merced Focus. Speed limits at Merced intersections change later this month.
Synopsis: The city council approved 203 changes to speed limits at its Jan. 20 meeting, mostly lowering speeds in the city. Merced hired JLB Traffic Engineering to study 233 street segments and decided to lower limits on 141 while raising them on 62 and leaving 30 unchanged. Three more street segments will be considered. 

A billion dollars for Manteca parks?

CBS13. Manteca leaders consider $930 million plan to expand and improve city parks.
Synopsis: The Recreation director of Manteca presented a plan to spend $930,568,525 over 15 years to build and improve the city’s parks. As the city has grown, parks have not kept up. Instead of having 5 acres for every 1,000 residents, the city has 3. Resident surveys show a need for a city gym, swimming pools and pickleball courts.

Big cattle auction nets $2.8M

Western Farm Press. Another record: Nearly $2.8m for 315 bulls in Red Bluff. 
Synopsis: The 85^th Red Bluff Bull & Gelding Sale saw a total of $2.8 million spent as 315 bulls were auctioned off Jan. 31. It was the third year in a row breaking a record. Turlock rancher Diana Cardey sold 26 bulls this year. “Since prices are so high, people are selling but they’re not building their herds back up,” she said. A buyer from Oregon spent $15,000 on a single bull, though the average price was $8,870 – another record. Other animals also fetched higher prices. There were 13 stock dogs auctioned for $149,500, or $11,500 per animal, and 48 horses, with the top gelding selling for $110,000 to Donald Reeve of Valley Springs.

Ceres needs a ‘foundation’

Ceres Courier. Otero pushes for re-establishment of Foundation board.
Synopsis: Ceres councilmember Cerina Otero wants to reinvigorate the dormant Ceres Community Foundation. The first step will be to appoint a new board. The foundation was created in 1994 but hasn’t been active for several years. Currently, it has two board members – the city’s development director and finance director, Vanessa Portillo.

Mexico’s ‘official’ language

Ceres Courier. Assimilation means learning the language.
Synopsis: Last week, columnist Jeff Benziger informed us that Gavin Newsom is, in fact, a demon. This week, Benziger explains that everyone who lives in the US should learn to speak his preferred language and that providing translations is a waste of time and money. Jeff insists that if he moved to Mexico, he’d be required to learn Spanish — the official language of Mexico.
MAD Note: There are roughly 290 languages spoken in Mexico, including 280 indigenous. Of those, 68 are designated “official” languages of Mexico. One of language, Nahuatl, is spoken by 1 million people, some of whom do not speak Spanish. In the expat communities near Lake Chapala, English is more common than Spanish.

These guys get the point(s)

Merced Sun Star. UC Merced guard makes history with two 30-point performances.
Synopsis: UC Merced’s Sterling McClanahan became the first CCAA player to have back-to-back 30-point games since Chico State’s Jojo Murphy did it in 2022. McClanahan, a junior guard who transferred from Las Posita College, has been coming off the bench for the Golden Bobcats. He scored 30 points in an 89-83 overtime loss to Monterey Bay State then 34 points in an 80-66 win over San Marcos State. He is averaging 16.8 points per game. UCM, 7-11 and 5-9 in CCAA, hosts Cal Poly Humboldt on Thursday night.

Turlock Journal. Turlock Christian’s Miller eclipses 1,000 points in homecoming win.
Synopsis: Michael Miller scored his 1,000^th point of his career in the third quarter of a game against Millennium of Tracy. After the bucket, Coach Jacob Gregg called a timeout, and the bench was showered in confetti and balloons. Miller is believed to be the first TC player ever to score 1,000 points. Later that evening, Miller was named homecoming King. Best of all, he led a comeback to win the game, 57-48, scoring 22 points.

Culinary athletes: Crab season!

Turlock Journal. Turlockers revel in ‘Crazy Crab’ season. 
Synopsis: Calling all culinary athletes: It’s “Crab Season!” Here in the Valley, that means attending crab feeds, which are popping up virtually every weekend through March. The season kicked off with the Turlock Firefighters in January and continues this week with Friends of the Fair and the Turlock Pentecost Assn feed at the Pentecost Hall. Upcoming: Feb. 28, the Warrior Athletics Feed at Fitzpatrick Arena; Denair Youth Football’s feed. March 7: Turlock Sunrise Rotary. March 21: Sacred Heart. Tickets range from $75 to $1,500 for a table of eight.