Apparently, Janice Keating and Tom Berryhill had good reasons for missing Wednesday night’s League of Women’s Voters forum for Stanislaus County Supervisors’ campaigns; Keating sent word she was observing her thirtieth wedding anniversary and Berryhill cited a conflict. That left Frank Damrell as the only District 4 candidate present for the sparsely attended question and answer session in Modesto City Council Chambers. If they view the video of the forum, […]
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When Five Democrats Equal Two Republicans
News that Ted Howze has already amassed $256,946 for his campaign in California’s Congressional District 10 (CA-10) rocked Democratic insiders like a rare San Joaquin Valley earthquake. Howze’s late entry was initially treated as frivolous, but now the prospect of a two Republican runoff has many Democrats increasingly fretful. It’s a strong message that Democratic voters need to take their eyes off the primary and look hard at the general […]
Is the City of Modesto Our Own Big Brother?
Here’s another of Steve Ringhoff’s deep dives into the otherwise covert operations of our city authorities. Should we be concerned? You decide. For several years now, the MPD has been collecting data on your travels by photographing your license plate and storing the data, first locally then, later, in a central database to which public and private security operations have access. It is the perhaps unintended consequence of an anti-auto […]
Valley Farmers Facing Trump Tariffs
News that China has imposed tariffs on American exports, including wine, fruits, and nuts, adds an ironic dimension to the monster that is Trump in the Valley. Valley farmers voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump, and are now facing consequences they should have realized but didn’t. The farmers who used to brag about feeding the nation have almost unanimously converted to almonds, an export crop that has brought billions of dollars […]
Did “Plastic” Jeff Denham Fail to Disclose Loans from JP Morgan?
Steve Ringhoff’s careers as a journalist and attorney led him to a love of investigation and publication. His “Modesto Explained” website features detailed analysis of how our government does, and, more often, does not, serve the people. We hope to be publishing more of Steve’s fine work soon. Would it be important to know a congressman’s relationship with the country’s largest bank, especially with banking regulation legislation pending? Well, two […]
Faces of the Homeless: Chester “Utah” Hamby
Ask Chester “Utah” Hamby how long he’s been homeless, and he’ll say, “I’m not homeless, I’ve got a house and a home right here,” as he points to his “Hillbilly Hotel,” a rolling shelter of his own design. “My nickname’s, ‘Utah,’ he adds, “because that’s where I’m from.” Hamby says he has two other designs, “the Hobo Hut,” and the, “Haul-a-House.” He’s still applying siding to the Hillbilly Hotel, and […]
Oakdale Water Sale Illegal, says Attorney
“It will probably be some shady deal again.” Oakdale Irrigation District (OID) water attorney Tim O’Laughlin is fond of reminding people he’s one of the best water attorneys in the west. During a recent OID Board meeting, he told Director Linda Santos that he’s also an expert on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). It was a bold statement from a man who just last year not only lost OID’s […]
Josh Harder: The Kid Who Came Back
For decades, valley citizens have been lamenting the exodus of their children to distant locations. “We have to make our cities more attractive so our kids will want to come back here and live,” they say. But still the kids leave and don’t come back. The exodus of the valley’s best and brightest young people is no mystery. Over the years, a dark shadow has fallen across a region that […]
More Court Time for the Water District?
Tuesday morning, by a 3-2 vote, the Oakdale Irrigation District Board of Directors (OID) approved a proposal to sell $10 million of surplus water outside the district. As usual, the two directors against the proposal were Gail Altieri and Linda Santos, who have the singular distinction of having been sued by their own board, not long after both were elected by overwhelming margins in 2015. Tuesday’s meeting featured the usual […]
Four Questions for CA-10 Democrats
When Dotty Nygard dropped out of the race for Congressional District 10 (CA-10) on March 9, she left a gaping hole in the hearts of local Democrats. In many ways, Nygard exemplified the ideal candidate. Her sincerity and devotion to others were unquestionable, and her Democratic ideals of justice for all were based on the most enduring party fundamentals. But Nygard’s greatest strengths were also weaknesses. Her sincerity often resulted […]