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Modesto City Manager Errs on Homelessness

Modesto City Manager Joe Lopez might have second thoughts after citing Chico as an example of cities that have tried safe sleeping sites for homeless people and then found they “didn’t work.” Lopez made the remark in a May 24 meeting with members of the Modesto Citizens Action Group (MoCag). He may not have realized […]

Modesto City Councilmember Favors Safe Sleeping Sites

In a Thursday morning meeting with members of MOCAG, a local citizens’ activist group, Modesto City Councilmember Jeremiah Williams said he favored safe sleeping sites for homeless people as long as supervision of the site was contracted out to service providers. The meeting was held on May 18 in a city council conference room in […]

Still no Homeless Management Plan for City of Modesto

As homeless numbers continue to grow throughout California, the disconnect between people on the ground and state and local leaders also continues to grow. That widening gap between those who work almost daily with homeless people and those who set policy was starkly evident during a meeting of the Modesto City Council on May 9. […]

Homeless? Gavin Newsom Passes the Buck

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s presidential ambitions hinge as much on appearances as they do realities, and the unsightly presence of homeless people throughout California is a reality he can’t make disappear. Born of desperation fostered by the futility of his own efforts to eliminate homelessness, Newsom has decided to blame California’s mayors for his own […]

Valley Voters Could Decide House Majority

Republicans are still favored to become the majority in the House of Representatives, but Democrats nationwide have performed better than expected, leaving a narrow possibility they could maintain their current House advantage. Three Valley races could tip the balance. With half the total votes left to count in the race for newly drawn California Congressional […]

Three Rules of Thumb for Late Valley Voters

Rule #1: Choose democracy. When America’s founding fathers put the power of last resort in the hands of the people, they knew democracy is a flawed and often clumsy form of government. They also realized that among all options, it’s the most likely to achieve the critical balance between freedom and equality that empowers the […]

Did Candidate Keating’s Biggest Donor Sell MID Water?

It was probably only a coincidence that Frank Damrell and Robert Frobose were chatting in front of an outdoor bulletin board that read “Modesto Irrigation District Public Information” on Tuesday, October 11. Damrell and Frobose had just come out of a meeting of the Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Board of Directors. Both are running for […]

MID Board: Damrell and Frobose for Your Water

For decades, ratepayers and farmers within the Modesto Irrigation District (MID) have benefitted from low water and power rates while enjoying exceptionally good service. Today, after costly legal battles, lack of transparency, and mounting employee turnover and discontent, the embattled Board of Directors is certain to have at least two new members after the November […]

Adam Gray and Mike Barkley for Democracy

A small crowd showed up at Modesto’s Red Center Thursday, September 22, for debates featuring candidates for two of the Valley’s seats in the House of Representatives. John Duarte, running against Adam Gray in Congressional District 13, was represented by his wife Alexandra. Republican Tom McClintock, heavily favored in District 5 against Mike Barkley, didn’t […]

Tom Patti Doesn’t Want to Talk: We Know Why

San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti is running for Congress in California Congressional District 9. His opponent is Congressman Josh Harder. When Patti refused to answer questions from the San Jose Mercury News, it piqued our interest. What was it a candidate for Congress didn’t want to talk about? Turns out, there’s an awful lot. […]