There’s not much of a mystery why the Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Board of Directors wants to sell water to San Francisco. Faced with a water treatment plant that has become an embarrassing money pit and having failed to raise rates enough to maintain infrastructure, they need the money. San Francisco’s demand for water, on the other hand, is at first glance a bit puzzling. As recently as November 17, […]
From Franklin to Flint, the Library Unites America
Readers of the late John Michael Flint’s Modesto Bee Community Columns were continually impressed with the breadth and depth of his knowledge. Few could have guessed he was mostly self-taught. Flint claimed that when the movie, “Animal House,” was released it was so like his one and only year at college that he researched the script’s origins, convinced it was based on his own experience. Though his short acquaintance with […]
Bruce Frohman: Highway 132 Extension May be a Liability to Our Region
Bruce Frohman has devoted hours of study to the proposed extension and re-routing of Highway 132, west of Modesto. He’s interviewed Caltrans officials, talked to residents in the area, and investigated the expense involved in dealing with the toxic waste site in the path of the project. Here’s Frohman’s exclusive detailed analysis of the project: As presently envisioned, the 132 Freeway project can be compared to putting a square peg into […]
Chasing the Wild Blues Out on the Refuge
Few things develop one’s appreciation for a region as much as the native flora and fauna. Thus, the California coast, Sierra Nevada, and great southern deserts are special attractions for residents and tourists alike, each region’s allure derived from a special combination of location and unique natural features. For decades the great Central Valley was among the least appreciated regions in the west, in part because many of its natural features […]
Bruce Frohman on Caltrans' Failure to Maintain Modesto Toxic Waste Site
Several months ago, former Modesto City Councilman Bruce Frohman became concerned about toxic waste piles in west Modesto. Frohman’s persistent questioning of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control and Caltrans revealed Caltrans has failed to properly maintain the site. Here is Bruce Frohman’s insider report. A toxic waste site exists within the right of way of the future State Route 132 freeway. The site is located just south of Kansas […]
LBBs and the Patagonia Roadside Rest Stop Effect
Sparrows are so difficult to identify many birders are content to lump them with similar drab birds, calling them, “LBBs,” short for, “Little Brown Birds.” However, there are ways through the confusing maze of “LBB” identification, and Riverbank’s Ralph Baker seems to have found one or two. Though he’s been birding only two years, Baker has impressed veteran birders with his sharp eye and quick learning ability. He recently found […]
Did Garrad Marsh Show Jose Hernandez the Way?
Jeff Denham supporters couldn’t’ suppress their glee when Chad Condit announced his candidacy for the 19th Congressional District a few days ago. Prior to Condit’s announcement, Denham faced a challenge from former astronaut Jose Hernandez, a candidate who offered a clear and unequivocal alternative to the ultra-conservative Denham. Now, Condit has muddied the waters. “It’s very bad news for the (Democrat’s) anointed candidate,” crowed Denham campaign consultant Dave Gilliard. “Jeff […]
History Comes Alive at Modesto Mayors' Reception
History came alive in Modesto at the February 28 reception for outgoing Mayor Jim Ridenour (pictured left) and incoming Mayor Garrad Marsh. Also present were former mayors Carol Whiteside and Carmen Sabatino. Each mayor represented a fascinating chapter in local political history. Carol Whiteside was Modesto’s last progressive mayor. She served from 1987 to 1991, when moderate Republicans were still permitted to look forward rather than backward. Whiteside was a leader […]
Fred Herman on Jose Hernandez in Modesto: Next Stop Congress?
Still elated after Garrad Marsh’s decisive victory in the Modesto Mayor’s race, Fred Herman is looking forward to another big win for Valley citizens. Remember Richard Pombo? People thought he couldn’t lose, but he did. Now, once invulnerable Jeff Denham faces serious competition from a former astronaut with deep Valley roots—Jose Hernandez (pictured left). Here’s Fred on Hernandez’s recent visit to Modesto. To cynics who suggest that all politicians are motivated only […]
Learning Your Local Birds Just Got a Lot Easier
In, “How to Really Learn the Birds,” we offered a method that greatly simplifies learning the common local bird species. With the recent publication by Stanislaus Audubon Society of, “The Birding Sites of Stanislaus and Merced Counties,” learning the birds has gotten even easier. The fundamental strategy for really learning the birds is simplification. Almost any field guide has a least seven-hundred species, not to mention the various plumages of […]