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 […]
History
Johnston’s Exit: New Era for the Bee?
Publisher Eric Johnston has left the Modesto Bee. His departure marks the end of an era. Though still demonized as a “liberal” newspaper by tea-soaked locals, under Johnston, Mark Vaschè, and Judy Sly, the once moderate Bee veered sharply right. Jeff Denham and Kristin Olsen became political darlings and the Chamber of Commerce became the go-to authority for the final word on local issues. Vaschè was known to dislike confrontation, […]
MID Rate Policy Threatens Survival of Small Farms
Farmers are businesspeople first and friends second. When it comes to relationships in the farming business, the farmer looks after his own interests, just like a businessperson in any other business. Water is an indispensable part of the business of farming. No farmer is going to sell his entire water allocation to others unless he does not intend to farm. As a businessperson, the farmer is not likely to sell water to a friend below […]
Down the Higher One Rabbit Hole with Kyle Summerfield
Down the Higher One Rabbit Hole with Kyle Summerfield Note: Despite problems with the courts, the controversial financing practices of Higher One haven’t stopped hundreds of college administrations from hiring Higher One to disburse financial aid. Here, Merced College student Kyle Summerfield offers a graphic account of his own experience with the Higher One “Blue Card.” My name is Kyle Summerfield. I am currently a Merced College student. I am a […]
MID Faces Conundrum about Need for Rate Increases, by Bruce Frohman
The Modesto Irrigation District (MID) is the primary electricity supplier to northern Stanislaus County and the town of Mountain House in San Joaquin County. The Board of Directors of MID has been discussing an electric service rate increase in 2014. The numbers suggested have ranged from zero percent to a double digit increase. Current MID electric rates rank among the highest in California. The debate about the rate increase centers on the overall financial condition of the utility. MID […]
Carson vs Fladager, by Bruce Frohman
Next year, an election will be held to either affirm the job District Attorney Birgit Fladager is doing for the citizens of Stanislaus County or to replace her with criminal defense attorney Frank Carson, who has already announced that he is running for the job. One way to evaluate the upcoming contest is to view it from the perspective of those who have been inside the office. DA Birgit Fladager is seen by some as projecting […]
Higher One: Busted Again?
On November 6, Inside Higher Education reported that Higher One, the provider of debit cards on hundreds of college campuses, including Modesto Junior College and Merced College, is in trouble again. As we reported here, Higher One paid $11 million last year as part of deal with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to provide restitution to students who were wrongfully charged for overdraft fees. Now Higher One is in trouble […]
Obamacare in the Great Valley, by Bruce Frohman
Many residents of the Great Valley are not too sophisticated about buying health insurance. The recent losses of coverage attributed to the higher standards of the Affordable Care Act, otherwise referred to as Obamacare, highlight the worthlessness of the health insurance policies that many Valley residents had purchased. Worthless Policies Cancelled Virtually all of the cancelled insurance policies would pay almost nothing towards treatment of a catastrophic illness. For example, this writer saw a Blue Cross policy where the plan only paid $102 […]
San Joaquin Valley Still Heading Toward Unsustainability, By Bruce Frohman
Over the last 25 years, concerned citizens in the San Joaquin Valley have tried to change growth policies in order to build sustainable communities. Citizens from interest groups such as Sierra Club, Audubon, GOAL: Growth, Orderly Affordable, and Livable, and FOOD: Future Options On Development, have had minimal impact on the rate of urban growth policies, the manner in which land is used, or conservation of the environment. Political groups in control of communities tend to oppose the […]
Merced College Students Study Outsourcing Financial Aid
Despite their popularity with college and university administrators, institutions that have been hired to disburse financial aid for students continue to come under scrutiny from federal and state government overseers. On September 6, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 595 (SB 595). The bill stipulates, among other things, b) (1) Each campus of the California Community Colleges and the California State University shall offer a student the option of […]