The approval rating of Congress has hovered around nine percent for over a year. Logically, nearly every member of Congress should be turned out of office next election. Yet, Congressman Jeff Denham received a majority of total votes cast in his primary reelection bid. What is the significance of the vote?With about 17 percent of registered voters turning out in the June 3rd primary, an analysis of Jeff Denham’s election victory […]
Election? Who Cares?
Citizen participation seems to be declining in Valley elections. While some states are passing laws to make it more difficult to vote, California’s effort to encourage voting through more liberal laws hasn’t worked; fewer voters are voting in almost every election. Voter registration in conjunction with automobile registration has made it easier to register. Voting by mail has made voting more convenient. But neither initiative has increased turnout percentages. Of Stanislaus County’s 521,000 residents, […]
Committees, Water, and Wood Colony
Over the years, local government s within Stanislaus County have formed countless committees. A committee or a study can be a great smokescreen to hide decision making in government. What a committee accomplishes will depend on what politicians want the outcome to be. Sometimes when Valley politicians want to avoid public input, they form a committee. The committee report may be predetermined when committee members are told what the […]
Firefighter Shortage Costs Modesto
In the week prior to Memorial Day weekend, Modesto experienced two fires that consumed multiple single family residential units. One fire consumed four homes adjacent to the 132 Freeway right-of-way toxic waste piles. The fire started in brush and spread to the nearby homes. Every Modesto firefighter that was on duty at the time had to be called in to fight the blaze. Then, mutual aid had to be requested from other nearby […]
Want Water? Here’s a Better Alternative to Tunnels
Governor Jerry Brown proposes to build two tunnels under the San Joaquin River Delta at a cost of billions of dollars. The tunnels’ sole purpose would be to move water. They would have no effect on storage capacity. We’ve already advocated desalinization plants to make water instead of building tunnels to move water. There’s also a better way to control floods and store water in the Great Valley. In 1846, you could […]
Bruce Frohman Interviews Michael Eggman
Today at 3:30pm: Mr. Michael Eggman is running for the Congressional seat presently held by Jeff Denham. Mr. Eggman has worked in farming all of his life, specializing in beekeeping and growing almonds. He was raised locally and knows extremely well the district he seeks to represent. Farming Background and Climate Change Michael Eggman runs a thriving beekeeping business. His business has taken him all over California with bee hives for crop pollination. He […]
Brush Fire Undermines Caltrans’ Credibility
News Item: On Friday May 16, a brush fire within the toxic waste piles of Modesto’s 132 Freeway right-of-way spread out of control during a late afternoon wind storm, gutting four homes adjacent to property maintained by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The vegetation around and on the toxic waste piles caught fire. The preliminary report says the blaze originated with an illegal open pit fire. Toxic Waste Piles […]
Will Modesto Boundaries Protect Enough Farmland?
News item: 1.5 Million Square Feet Warehouse To Be Built Near Patterson For over 10 years, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors has been trying to develop a business park at the former Crows Landing Naval Air Station. The location is only a few miles from Patterson. In 10 years, nothing has been accomplished at Crows Landing. Instead of having a 1.5 million square feet warehouse located at Crows Landing, […]
Target Bird: Bushtit
Little brown birds (lbbs) are often impediments to beginning birders’ ascent up the learning curve of bird identification. Many lbbs are sparrows, and too many sparrows look alike, especially in immature plumages. Other lbbs are simply non-descript, as much gray as brown, and difficult to identify chiefly because they lack distinguishing marks or bold colors. Those who learn to recognize these inconspicuous little creatures are rewarded by the opportunity to enjoy […]
Supervisor’s Race: Frohman Interviews Calkins
Mr. Scott Calkins is running for Supervisor of District 3 in Stanislaus County, serving the northwest part of the county, including Salida, West Modesto, and the Wood Colony community. He is an instructor in Economics, Government, and United States History at Modesto High School. During an afternoon interview, Mr. Calkins gave a detailed outline of policies and improvements he will pursue upon assuming office. Regardless of who wins the District 3 seat, the […]