Today’s post is another three-fer offering that includes the three owls that most Valley Visitors are likely to encounter in an urban setting: Great Horned […]
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Caltrans: Sweeping your Tax Dollars Away
We’re still waiting for a report from Caltrans on how much it costs to sweep the average homeless camp along one of California’s freeways. We do know that last November, Caltrans estimated it would spend $36 million on homeless camp cleanups in this year alone. Caltrans workers assigned to the sweeps, highway patrol officers who provide security during the sweeps, and neighboring businesses and residents all know that when homeless […]
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Learn 100 Valley Birds #2: Anna’s Hummingbird
Jim Gain calls Anna’s Hummingbird, the second in the “Learn 100 Birds” series, a “three-fer” because it illustrates one of the basic tactics for building a local birding list. This tactic involves knowing a birding fundamental: Learn the most common bird and you will often also learn one or two other similar but less common birds. The Anna’s Hummingbird offers a classic case. In the San Joaquin Valley, if you […]
More on Mapes Ranch Water Sales
July 25, attorneys for “Lyons Land Management and Mapes Ranch” issued a strong rebuttal to a letter to the Modesto Irrigation District (MID) from its former General Counsel that raised questions about Mapes Ranch’s use of MID water. The rebuttal argued the letter, “contains false accusations and incorrect information.” We summarized portions of the letter from Ronda Lucas on July 19. Lucas, who served as MID’s General Counsel from early […]
Learn 100 Valley Birds with Jim Gain
Jim Gain’s Reflections of the Natural World is one of the finest online explorations of nature anywhere. Jim has graciously permitted us to publish his new series, “Learn 100 Common Valley Birds.” While it may sound daunting, with Jim’s expert help and superb photos, learning to identify 100 common species is not only possible, it’s a great incentive to get outside and enjoy the Valley’s splendid natural history. Here’s Jim’s […]
Police Pull Body from Canal in Modesto’s College District
At approximately 9:00am, Saturday, July 23, Modesto Police Officers pulled a body from a Modesto Irrigation District Canal at the corner of Morris and Virginia Streets in Modesto, just two blocks east of Modesto Junior College. Officers on scene said the body was of an unidentified male and there were no signs of injury or foul play. Though there is no evidence the deceased was homeless, homeless people who frequent […]