Sometimes it’s easy to forget how little most of us really know about water in the San Joaquin Valley. And even when we do know just a little, it’s even easier for what little we know to be submerged in the flood of mis- and disinformation that fills most of our media most of the time. For those reasons and more, insiders who follow western water news closely rely on […]
A New Tyranny of the Minority Threatens Wildlife and Nature
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. […]
Josh Harder is Hard at Work
Almost a third of the way into his first term as the Congressman for California’s Congressional District 10, Josh Harder continues to set the same blistering pace he did during his campaign against heavily favored incumbent Jeff Denham. Whether he’s wading through wetlands in search of destructive rodents or visiting Valley classrooms to learn more about the current state of education, Harder has already set a very high bar for […]
Trinitas Partners Brings its Water Hammer to Maui
Like any journalist in these days of escalating water prices amid growing scarcity, Deborah Rybak maintains a keen interest in agriculture. So late last December, when she learned 56,000 acres of farmland had changed hands on the island of Maui, her reporter’s radar went on full alert. Rybak writes for Maui Time, the island’s leading news journal. The selling price alone—$262 million—was enough to pique her interest. Anyone with that […]
Searching for the truth about “water grabs”
While last year’s protests about state proposals for increased flows along our rivers rang out most everywhere in the Valley, few sounded as loud and often as those in the northern San Joaquin, where invoking “the water grab” became a sure way to encourage curses and shaking fists. A rally in Sacramento to protest the flow proposals turned out to be a litmus test for Valley virtue. Local leaders who […]
Sabatino: “Taxpayers’ Association files to recall Fladager.”
“This is about accountability,” said Sabatino of the recall. “If the people can’t have accountability from their elected officials, they can’t count on anything.” At 81 years old, former Modesto Mayor Carmen Sabatino still comes into his popular restaurant by its 6:00 am opening time almost every day. He usually spends the morning catching up on news, responding to messages, and chatting with customers. He also remains active in his […]
Josh Harder—Leading by Example
It’s only a few months into Josh Harder’s first term as California District 10’s Congressman, but he’s already more than delivered on his promise to be available for his constituents. Somebody, somewhere, is probably counting the town halls, office hours, ribbon cuttings and meetings Harder has attended so far, but the number is not as important as the quality. Congressman Harder has been on a district-wide listening tour that has […]
Read the Mueller Report, Part II. Read it Now
Every American citizen should read the Mueller Report, Part II. While Part I covers Russian interference into a presidential election, Part II centers on the behavior of the nation’s leaders subsequent to the interference, including the President of the United States. High school teachers, college professors, law enforcement officers, military personnel, attorneys, judges, elected local, state and federal officials, and business leaders throughout the nation in particular have a special […]
Edging toward homelessness: “A human catastrophe of historic dimensions…”
In a sweeping survey of housing needs in the San Joaquin Valley, the California Housing Partnership and the California Coalition for Rural Housing have concluded that the Valley needs 137,254 more affordable homes. Among the most troubling findings was that many hard-working Valley citizens live on the edge of homelessness because housing costs consume up to 70% of their incomes. Minimum wage earners are especially burdened. Of the eight Valley […]
Homeless: It’s going to get worse
Every year, the community Continuum of Care (COC) does a Point-in-Time (PIT) count of homeless people throughout California. Thus far this year, 9 of the 13 most populous regions have reported. Of those 9, 8 regions counted more homeless people than last year. Conducted last January, the Stanislaus County count set a record of 1,923 people; the previous high of 1,800 people was in 2009, during the Great Recession. Still, […]