Choose your location
The Valley Citizen
Defenders of Del Puerto Canyon Stand Firm
Christopher Quock has a Master’s Degree in Entomology from San Francisco State University. His job history there includes work in research and as a teaching assistant. He’s a volunteer defender of Del Puerto Canyon, where a remarkable variety of wildlife and geologic history come together in a natural classroom and science lab. ed.
About the Valley Citizen
Over the years, I’ve neglected the business side of The Valley Citizen. Also, there have been seismic changes since I started publishing, so I’ve decided to post a new “About” essay to give readers a better idea of our mission. Let us know what you think. ed.
Learn 100 Common Valley Birds: Species #69/100
Few things on earth fill us with as much delight as birds, and knowing them by name only adds to our pleasure. In California’s Central Valley, with only a little bit of effort, anyone can learn 100 local bird species. Valley residents almost daily come in contact with at least a dozen species that most recognize, but may not know the name of. Learning local birds is one of the most gratifying ways to connect with nature. See more of Jim Gain’s excursions into nature at Reflections of the Natural World.
A Defender of Wildlife has Fallen: RIP Robert Gallo
Robert Gallo, known to everyone as “Bob,” died last Saturday. Like the Gallo family in general, he was very much a private person who preferred his contributions to nature and other public service went unpublicized. Nonetheless, he was a major benefactor to birds and wildlife, especially with his key role in the recovery of the Aleutian Cackling Goose, a formerly endangered species he helped bring back from the brink of extinction.
Congressman Tom McClintock’s Sham Town Hall Meetings
Congressman Tom McClintock is notorious for being absent from his district. Modesto residents who enjoyed the regular presence of Congressman Josh Harder before redistricting moved him north have been especially disgruntled by McClintock’s absenteeism. His Modesto office is often unstaffed. Below, former Modesto City Councilmember Bruce Frohman expresses his frustration with McClintock’s remote town hall meetings, which always seem to interrupt Frohman’s dinner hour. ed.
Learn 100 Common Valley Birds: Species #68/100
Few things on earth fill us with as much delight as birds, and knowing them by name only adds to our pleasure. In California’s Central Valley, with only a little bit of effort, anyone can learn 100 local bird species. Valley residents almost daily come in contact with at least a dozen species that most recognize, but may not know the name of. Learning local birds is one of the most gratifying ways to connect with nature. See more of Jim Gain’s excursions into nature at Reflections of the Natural World.
Dos Rios State Park: “A new era of water management.”
Julie Rentner and Patrick Koepele have spent decades of their lives dedicated to healing nature through the restoration of rivers, Rentner with River Partners and Koepele with the Tuolmne River Trust. Wednesday, June 12, the entire state of California celebrated one of the greatest outcomes of their labors with the opening of Dos Rios State Park, at the confluence of the San Joaquin and Tuolumne Rivers, just west of Modesto.
“Birder’s Logic” Leads to a Rare Pair in Stanislaus County
Jim Gain’s tours through nature can be seen here. So it’s a hot day in the San Joaquin Valley, the chores are done, you’ve got a few hours to yourself and you choose to visit one of the most unlikely places the average person might think of. Maybe only a dedicated birder could figure out why, and, even then, it would take some Sherlockian deduction.
Will Water Districts Fail to Deliver on Historic Contract?
Earlier this year, Louis Brichetto was having breakfast with a local cattleman who mentioned having seen the Brichetto name on a historical water contract he had been reviewing along with some of his own old contracts. The casual remark got Brichetto’s immediate attention. Brichetto’s roots in Stanislaus County’s Oakdale...
Gender Harassment at MID? You be the Judge
In a suit filed on May 14, Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Board Member Janice Keating has accused the district and Board Member Robert Frobose of harassment based on her status as a woman. Keating claims that Frobose tried to intimidate her last year, during a January 17 visit to La Grange Dam:
Modesto Councilmember Kicks Hornets’ Nest on Homelessness
Modesto City Councilmember Nick Bavaro raised a lot of hackles during the May 7 meeting of the Modesto City Council. The item in question was what appeared to be a routine funding approval for the Salvation Army to continue operating a day center at the Berberian Shelter, which includes a traditional Salvation Army shelter and Stanislaus County’s low barrier shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
Homeless in Modesto: A Tale of Two Cities
The last week of April in Modesto featured two of the city’s biggest public events, the State of the County report and, “Love Modesto,” the annual rite where volunteers display their civic pride with a citywide cleanup of trash and grafitti, while planting gardens, handing out hygiene kits and donating food packages, among other charitable deeds.
Super Rare Visitor Wows Valley Birders
It was only fitting that Stanislaus Audubon Society Board member Jodi Smith found one the rarest birds ever to visit the San Joaquin Valley. Smith was enjoying the wetland and riparian habitat at the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge last Saturday when she peered through her binoculars and saw a stunning pink bird in a shallow pond, a little over a hundred yards from the nature trail she stood on.
Hope Amid the Homeless on Modesto’s Mean Streets
As I was waiting for a bus last Sunday at the downtown transit center, an elderly man, using a walker loaded with what looked like his belongings, was denied access to a bus. The man stood there on this grey windy afternoon, shouting furiously at the bus driver at the injustice of denying him service, correctly noting — in my estimation — that some bus drivers allow carts larger than his walker. Even as a freight train thundered by, this fellow’s righteous roaring could be heard from one end of the passenger platform to the other.
California Fails on Homelessness says Statewide Audit
It came as no surprise to people who’ve watched state and local authorities fail to manage homelessness that those same authorities don’t know where the money goes. Recent reports from a statewide audit of homeless programs and expenses concluded that, “the State must do more to assess the cost-effectiveness of its homelessness programs.”
Modesto Mayor and Council Should Receive Fair Compensation
We’re not fans of the current administration for the City of Modesto. Too many councilmembers are incurious and too firmly rooted in the past. Nonetheless, we support pay raises for all. Governing today is far more difficult and time consuming than it was even ten years ago. The pandemic,...
Former Councilman Explains Anger over Tiny Homes for Homeless
Former Modesto City Councilmember Bruce Frohman lives in the Woodland West neighborhood where the City of Modesto has proposed locating a tiny home community for homeless people transitioning to traditional housing. Below, he explains the anger and confusion that arose when he and his neighbors learned about the proposal. ed.
Former Councilman Explains Anger over Tiny Homes for Homeless
Former Modesto City Councilmember Bruce Frohman lives in the Woodland West neighborhood where the City of Modesto has proposed locating a tiny home community for homeless people transitioning to traditional housing. Below, he explains the anger and confusion that arose when he and his neighbors learned about the proposal. ed.
Angry Neighbors Protest Proposed Tiny Homes for Homeless
“This is the democratic process,” said Modesto City Councilmember Chris Ricci to a restive crowd of well over a hundred people at Modesto’s Church of the Brethren near the conclusion of a March 29 community meeting to discuss a proposal to locate a tiny home village on church grounds.
The Moral Dilemma of Homelessness
As more and more studies reveal that homelessness is a result of material factors unrelated to cultural issues like family values, it’s become increasingly evident that the majority of homeless people are victims of forces beyond their control. If this is truly the case, state and local management policies for homelessness need to be reevaluated.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.