Editor’s note: Please note a correction below this article; we apologize for the error. If you were a farmer during a drought, wouldn’t you like to have an unlimited supply of water? Wouldn’t you also like access to river water and have the privilege of selling it? In Stanislaus County, some farmers have special privileges given to them by the Board of Directors of the Modesto Irrigation District (MID). In order […]
Supervisor’s Race: Frohman Interviews Withrow
Stanislaus County Supervisor Terry Withrow, a Certified Public Accountant, is running for reelection. His challenger is Scott Calkins, a high school teacher in Modesto. This article is a summary of an hour long conversation with Mr. Withrow. The viewpoints of Mr. Calkins will be the subject of another article. The election is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, 2014. Supervisor Withrow was asked to summarize his proudest accomplishments of the past four years. He mentioned the […]
Denham: “All Form and No Substance,” says Frohman
Ever since Congressman Jeff Denham helped to shut down the government last year, he has campaigned hard for reelection. Apparently, he received a low approval rating from the voters in his district. With Congress showing single digit approval ratings in poll after poll, Mr. Denham may have realized that his constituents might be unhappy with him, too. Given the pattern of his activities, he appears to be using professional political advisors. Advisors are great […]
Merced Gang Numbers Frighten Senior Citizens
At the April 23rd general meeting of Merced AARP, Merced County District Attorney Larry Morse II deviated from his planned talk on scams of seniors to express concern for last year’s 29 deaths by murder in Merced County. The District Attorney noted that while 29 murders is fewer than the 53 recorded in Fresno County in 2013, the per capita rate of murders for Merced County’s population of 260,000 is much […]
Leadership Vacuum Growing At Modesto City Hall
“If I had known that Modesto would become like it is, I would never have moved here.”—Casual comment from an elderly lady walking her dog. Modesto residents who have lived in the community for many years are wondering when the city will hit bottom. The number of citizens contemplating a move to a better community can’t be determined, but the lack of population growth during the last ten years is an indicator. […]
More Trouble Ahead for Modesto Flight Services?
News Item: SkyWest, a subsidiary of United Airlines, announces that it will cease serving the Modesto airport in July, 2014, citing declining numbers of passengers. With a population of over half a million citizens, Stanislaus County has a sufficient population base to support the service of at least one airline. So what is the problem? A History of Mediocre Service and Schedules If one wants a case study on how not to run […]
Valley Schools Have Child Safety Problems
On March 26th, a child died in front of a Modesto school when he ran in front of a bus. A few years ago, another child was hit in front of a school when he was run over by his own father’s car. At another school, a child on a bicycle was hit by a car. These accidents should not be happening.Every school day in valley communities, a mad rush of traffic occurs before and after each session. Large numbers of parents ferry their children as close […]
Is Reelection of Sheriff Adam Christiansen a Cakewalk?
This writer does not normally pay attention to elections for Stanislaus County Sheriff, but this year’s race between incumbent Adam Christiansen versus one of his deputies, Tom Letras, could be interesting. The incumbent has a bona fide challenger and issues appear to exist. Analysis by a Local Businessman A longtime local business owner talked to this writer about the race. He was quite animated about the performance of the incumbent Sheriff, citing a litany […]
How Would the New 132 Freeway Affect Wood Colony?
During the four years that this writer served on the Modesto City Council, many maps were examined and studied for planning purposes. Various urban configurations were presented for consideration. Based on this writer’s experience, the residents of that community may have considerable misconceptions about the impacts that the construction of the 132 freeway would have on them. Historical Examples When the 120 Freeway Manteca bypass was originally opened, the road cut through pristine farm land. There […]
Withrow vs Calkins, by Bruce Frohman
Stanislaus County Supervisor Terry Withrow will be running with opposition in his bid for a second term in District 3. Citizen advocate Scott Calkins is dissatisfied with the representation provided by the incumbent and will raise several issues during the campaign, including expansion of the 132 Freeway, the future of Wood Colony, and toxic waste sites in the District. Supervisor Withrow strongly supports construction of the 132 Freeway between Highway 99 and Interstate 5. Scott […]