Lodi grapevines removed as glut lowers prices Lodi is one of the premier grape-growing regions in the world. Less renowned than Napa/Sonoma producers, Lodi winemakers are nonetheless famous worldwide for voluminous production and niche wines like Zinfandel. Recently, however, Lodi grape-growers have been pulling out vineyards as falling demand for wine has made grape production a losing proposition. Read More 82-year-old driving instructor from Modesto in NYT story 82-year-old Gil […]
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Lodi grapevines removed as glut lowers prices Lodi is one of the premier grape-growing regions in the world. Less renowned than Napa/Sonoma producers, Lodi winemakers are nonetheless famous worldwide for voluminous production and niche wines like Zinfandel. Recently, however, Lodi grape-growers have been pulling out vineyards as falling demand for wine has made grape production a losing proposition. Just as almond farmers have had to deal with falling prices and […]
How to Kill a River: A Media Guide
Killing a river is the outcome of a systematic process. The key is strict control of public perception throughout the process. The first and most important principle is to omit any mention of the river except when absolutely necessary. This is the single most important and easily overlooked tactic. While it may be necessary to mention the river, it is imperative that as soon as possible the river be reduced […]
Bruce Frohman on Hepatitis C in the Northern San Joaquin Valley
The northern San Joaquin Valley has long been a hot spot for methamphetamine use and addiction, prime risk factors for viral Hepatitis. Nationwide, health experts are increasingly alarmed about what they claim is the hidden epidemic of viral Hepatitis, or Hepatitis C. In Stanislaus County, reports of Hepatitis C fluctuate wildly, from lows of 234 cases in 2007 to 778 cases in 2008. There is at present no systematic way […]
Political Calculus of the MID Water Sale
If there’s anything each of the members of the Modesto Irrigation District Board of Directors (MID) knows for sure, it’s that voters hate rate increases. This fact was painfully evident May 13, 2010, when an angry crowd packed the MID boardroom to protest a five dollar a month rate increase in their electrical bills. And if an angry crowd isn’t enough to discourage rate increases, the Directors also know that […]
Fred Herman on Jose Hernandez in Modesto: Next Stop Congress?
Still elated after Garrad Marsh’s decisive victory in the Modesto Mayor’s race, Fred Herman is looking forward to another big win for Valley citizens. Remember Richard Pombo? People thought he couldn’t lose, but he did. Now, once invulnerable Jeff Denham faces serious competition from a former astronaut with deep Valley roots—Jose Hernandez (pictured left). Here’s Fred on Hernandez’s recent visit to Modesto. To cynics who suggest that all politicians are motivated only […]
To Sell or Not to Sell Water to San Francisco, That is the Question
Former Modesto City Councilman Bruce Frohman (pictured left) continues to follow important regional political issues. As a Councilman, Frohman was known for his cautious use of taxpayer money and his dedication to preserving farmland. Below, Frohman discusses the controversial proposal to sell Modesto Irrigation District water to San Francisco. The Modesto Irrigation District is considering a proposal for a long term contract to sell water to the City of San […]
The Perverted Poltical Calculus of the Asphalt Empire
Peggy Mensinger’s late 1980’s warning of a developer takeover of Modesto city government was realized in the 1990’s during the Dick Lang administration. That was when the City Council lowered fees on Village I developers and watched them abandon the original Village I plan with barely a murmur of protest. Since that time, the Asphalt Empire has employed most of the traditional tactics of dirty politics to maintain its hold […]
Special Report: Columbia Journalism Review Claims Need for News in Modesto Far Exceeds Supply
A recent report by the Columbia Journalism Review focused on news in Modesto. It is a must read, especially those sections by former Modestans, including former Modesto Junior College Professor Laura Paull. The report sparked a great deal of commentary, all of it of keen interest to Valley citizens. Our take follows. Many Modesto Bee employees and former employees cried “foul” when the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) released a report that […]
Brad Hawn's Wedge Politics: A Mirror of the Man?
There’s a telling moment during the Modesto Bee interview with mayoral candidates Garrad Marsh and Brad Hawn. It comes when Bee publisher Eric Johnston asks Hawn whether he wrote his pension reform initiatives himself or had help from a campaign consultant. Hawn’s reaction is a study in waffling. He ultimately admits many things at once: his wife helped him, lots of people helped him, he wrote them himself. He never does […]