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 […]
Politics
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 […]
Josh Harder’s Bay Area Friends
April 26, the Modesto Bee ran a story about an event Josh Harder held for Bay Area supporters of he and TJ Cox. One reader wrote he could see no difference between support from the Bay Area and support from Russia. That seems to be the view of many Valley citizens. If only John Flint were around to comment. Ed. The late John Michael Flint used to say nothing could […]
David Bernhardt Wants your Water
Trump appointee Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt may already have set new standards for an administration where turnover and scandals have become norms. Bernhardt’s predecessor, Ryan Zinke, left office in December after a “resign or be fired” edict from the White House, which viewed his real estate deals with Halliburton too much even for a government where conflicts of interest are just business as usual. Given Zinke’s problems and ouster, […]
Farmer Applies Brown Act as Water Torture
Most public officials would probably rather step on a nail than see someone like rice farmer Bob Frobose show up at a public meeting. Depending on your point of view, Frobose can be seen as a crank, activist, watch dog, concerned citizen, public advocate, and most everything in between and beyond. With a persistence that rockets past intensity into obsession, Frobose differs from most civic critics in his ability to […]
Storm Clouds over the Irrigation District
Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Board members Larry Byrd and John Mensinger agree that flash points for their escalating war of words include terminating MID General Counsel Ronda Lewis and an investigation sponsored by Byrd and Nick Blom into supposed illegal activities by fellow board members Mensinger, Stu Gilman, and Paul Campbell. Mensinger, Gilman and Campbell formed a new board majority after Gilman upset incumbent Jake Wenger in 2017. January 24, […]
Josh Harder One-on-One
Continuing the blistering pace he set during his campaign for Congress, Josh Harder has been meeting one-on-one with constituents throughout his district since Saturday. He’s also holding town hall meetings while visiting locales from Turlock to Tracy and points between. Saturday, he hosted “office hours” at the Veterans’ Center in Modesto, participated in the Women’s March, and then held a town hall meeting in Ceres, where there was standing room […]