Modesto resident Bill Amundsen, a founding member of Stanislaus Audubon Society, passed away earlier this week. He was on the Audubon Society’s Board of Directors for almost forty years. His only interruption in service after its establishment in 1973 was during the period he served as his son’s Boy Scout Master. He was a big man who during his college years served as a nightclub bouncer. His love of nature […]
Josh Harder and Adam Schiff: Standing for America
“I don’t know which line is longer,” said Congressman Josh Harder last Sunday, “the food line or the line to see Adam Schiff.” For much of the afternoon, it was the line to see Adam Schiff that was by far the longest. The twenty-year veteran of Congress has gained international fame not only as chair of the House Intelligence Committee but especially for his role on the House Select Committee […]
On Water: Josh Harder gets it Right
Right until the bitter end, Jeff Denham insisted he was against Jerry Brown’s twin tunnels, the key features of the now defunct California Water Fix. The facts showed otherwise; Denham consistently supported the program with votes he figured would never be exposed to his northern San Joaquin Valley constituents. Like Republicans throughout the Valley, Denham knew that if he wanted to get ahead in politics, his default command was allegiance […]
Homeless: The Accountability Papers #3
“Given the significant dollars spent to address homelessness, this lack of accountability is problematic and can undermine the public’s confidence in our public agencies.” Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury, June, 2022 It was only last year that Stanislaus County added “accountability” to its plan for reducing regional homelessness. The new measure was intended to hold homeless people more accountable for being homeless. Released this June, in yet another of too […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Dos Rios: The Many Facets of a Natural Gem
“It looks like a bunch of weeds,” said David Froba when he pulled over to look at an early stage restoration project near the confluence of the Tuolumne, San Joaquin and Stanislaus Rivers, just west of Modesto. The “weeds” may not be as attractive as the ducks, geese, and songbirds that capture the attention of nature lovers when they visit the nearby San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge, but they’re […]
Mapes’ Water Sales May Roil Irrigation District
Longtime Modesto Irrigation District Board member John Mensinger announced recently he would be stepping down from the board. Thus far, the only declared candidate for his position is Frank Damrell, former Senior District Representative to Cathleen Galgiani when she was a State Senator. Mensinger’s term was stormy, with board members disagreeing about water sales, electricity rates and lawsuits. In one recent lawsuit, female members of the district’s legal department accused […]
Need Optimism? Think Josh Harder
With the nation lurching ever closer to a totalitarian theocracy and the Valley’s own Kevin McCarthy defining “lily-livered” down in hopes of becoming Speaker of the House of Representatives, there are multitudes of reasons to be pessimistic about our political future. Nonetheless, Valley citizens shouldn’t despair; there are points of light in the darkness. Just think back four and a half years ago and ponder how far we’ve come. Early […]