Welcome To Badlands Journal

Best little weekly on the Grapevine

For reasons unknown to Patric Hedlund, editor of the Mountain Enterprise, and to the Badlands editorial staff, we received a press release on the Enterprise's recent success garnering three awards for excellence in journlaism from the California Newspaper Publishers Association. What is more remarkable, for an CNPA award, the Enterprise in an independent newspaper serving unincorporated towns near and along the Grapevine and in the Los Padres National Forest.

Pombusho

The National Park Service's top scientist says politics drove the decision...Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior Todd Willens was the leader of the U.S. delegation who made the motion to take the Everglades off the list. Until last fall, Willens was a top aide to former Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., a frequent critic of environmental laws and environmental groups. -- St. Petersburg Times, Craig Pittman, July 31, 2007

Ol' Marse Mixed Metaphor, D-Merced

"We're going to keep an eye on them," said Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced. "The administration was in a total meltdown over this, and they were putting on a full-court press to be given a second chance."

Returning agricultural border inspectors from Department of Homeland Security to Department of Agriculture jurisdiction seemed like one of the better reforms in this year's Farm Bill, at least for the purposes of crop protection, the supposed mission of agricultural inspectors.

Show time

At the financial market level, it is of course assumed that all local land-use authorities would automatically have to approve subdivisions funded by subprime loans, now in default, because, naturally, no local land-use officials could possibly behave with any kind of economic caution or care. In fact, elected officials in this area -- from Rep. Dennis Cardoza, Shrimp Slayer-Merced, down to three county boards of supervisors and many city councils, promoted an orgy of greed that has ended in the northern San Joaquin Valley counties leading the nation in per capita mortgage foreclosures.

Conservation groups' letter to the Governor in defense of CEQA

For Immediate Release, July 24, 2007

Contacts:
Brian Nowicki
Center for Biological Diversity
bnowicki@biologicaldiversity.org, 520-449-3898
Others

For Immediate Release, July 24, 2007

Conservation Groups Call on Governor Schwarzenegger to Stand Up for Global Warming Law:
Senate Republicans Hold State Budget Hostage to Favors for Development and Fossil-Fuels Lobby

Badlands replies to Commissioner Lashbrook's information and commentary

To: Merced County Planning Commissioner Lashbrook

Thank you for your letter and the OTA press release. In the attachment you will find our reply.

Central Valley Safe Environment Network
San Joaquin Raptor/Wildlife Rescue Center
Protect Our Water
San Joaquin Valley Conservancy
Stanislaus Natural Heritage Project
Badlands Journal

Badlands replies to Commissioner Lashbrook’s information and commentary
July 21st, 2007

Greased pig contest in Congress

We rodeo fans down here in the San Joaquin Valley have had a ball for the last 10 days watching representatives debate the Farm Bill. McClatchy gave us minute-by-minute coverage of this greased pig contest, featuring Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced, the fellow with the big 18-CA on his back. Cardoza was moving real good after them squealing, greased porkers. Boy’s got some moves in him we hadn’t seen before.

Hun talks on water

"There's no better place in California to illustrate the water crisis happening right now
in our state," the governor said (standing on the shores of the San Luis Reservoir in
Merced County
) -- Merced Sun-Star, July 17, 2007

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