Off The 99

Welcome to "Off the 99," a weekly radio show about news, politics and all issues concerning Merced County.

Every week the show's two hosts, Sun-Star reporters Scott Jason and Jonah Owen Lamb, bring together a variety of guests to discuss the major topics affecting Merced County.

From gangs to unions, "Off the 99" aims to push past the surface to the roots of the county's most important issues. Join us on 94.1 FM Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 7 a.m. and all the time online.

E-mail: OFFTHE99@MERCEDSUN-STAR.COM

Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009:
Health care reform

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To understand what national health care reform means to Merced, "Off the 99" sat down with Congressman Dennis Cardoza and Michael Sullivan, CEO of Golden Valley Health Centers.

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Monday, Nov. 2, 2009:
Merced Irrigation District elections

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Merced Irrigation District, the agency that oversees several dams and a huge network of canals that deliver water to local farmers, has one open seat this election season. At stake in this rough-and-tumble contest is the balance of power on a board often split 3-2 on crucial votes. It's also at odds about management style, financial decisions and transparency.

The outcome of the election may seem unimportant to none-farmers, but the district's future is inextricably linked to Merced County. Ground water levels for thirsty cities, the local farming economy and the control of several dams on the Merced River are all in the hands of MID.

This week Off the 99 brought the two candidates -- long-time board member Jack Hooper and challenger Dave Long -- to the studio for a discussion and debate about their merits for the office.

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Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009:
Mayoral elections

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"Off the 99" this week brought the three mayor candidates on the show to learn more about their plans, goals and opinions.What course will they chart for the city? What will they do to create more jobs? How will they bridge north and southside differences?

Citizens can choose from Michele Gabriault-Acosta, Bill Spriggs and Rick Osorio.

Gabriault-Acosta, a real estate agent, is in the midst of her second term on the council. She'll remain in office even if she loses her mayoral bid. Spriggs, a real estate appraiser, is termed out. If he loses he'll be off the council. Osorio, who's retired, unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2005 and 2007. He's already served two council terms.

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Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009:
Water

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Water issues continue to plague Valley farmers, politicians and residents.

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Monday, Oct. 12, 2009:
Merced city council elections

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In less than a month, Merced's City Council will be transformed. Three new council members, plus a new mayor, will take their places on the dais come December. The candidates are hammering on the typical campaign promises -- jobs, public safety and quality-of-life. The five candidates vying for the three open council seats have shown they differ only by degrees.

Will this election bring new faces and ideas to the council? Or will the new blood bring nothing but the same old ideas when it comes to governing Merced's largest city?

"Off the 99" brought the candidates into the studio to get past the election bluster and learn how they would accomplish their goals. What do they have to offer? What are their views on growth? And what kind of new ideas will they bring to the council? And how might they bring jobs to Merced?

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Monday, Oct. 5, 2009:
Merced's business climate

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Merced's economy has been in a free fall since the housing bubble burst and the recession began. Businesses have been laying off workers and cutting hours to stay afloat. Others have been forced to shut down. The biggest blow came earlier this year when County Bank, arguably one of Merced's most important institutions, collapsed and was handed over to Westamerica. Some businesses have entered the local market to fill the void. But that's only filling what left. There hasn't been much, if any, growth.

To understand the current business climate and what is needed for the local economy to rebound and grow, "Off the 99" brought together Merced Economic Development Director Frank Quintero, Bill Anderson who manages Merced's Alliance Small Business Development Center and David Hoffman, owner of Hoffman Electronic Systems.

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Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009:
Agriculture

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While most people in Merced County live in cities, the surrounding countryside and the crops growing there are central to the county's economy. Collectively the crops and products that come from county's planters, growers and ranchers are valued at nearly $3 billion.

But pressures threatening agriculture in Merced and the Central Valley, sprawl, development, water shortages and the sinking price of milk are an ever-present worry for the area's farmers and the future of farming in the Central Valley.

"Off the 99" brought three local experts on ag into our studio this week in order to understand this huge industry and its impacts on Merced, California and the nation. We sat down with Diana Westmoreland Pedrozo, president of the Merced County Farm Bureau, Maxwell Norton of the UC Davis Extension and Tiffany LaMendola, an economist with the Western Dairymen.

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Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009:
Growth in Merced

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Drive any direction in Merced and you'll find a half-built subdivision. New houses are next to brown, weed-covered lots with electrical wires sprouting out of the ground - monuments to an economic engine that exploded.

Could Merced have avoided the dramatic rise and fall of its housing market? To be sure, it's a crash that extends coast-to-coast. But remember, this small agricultural city few had heard of now leads almost all of the bad lists.

Will Merced guard itself against future busts? Will better policies be adopted to hold developers accountable for their promises? Will Merced find ways to grow in a more sustainable way that doesn't pave over prime ag land or drain the water table?

In this lull, Off the 99 brought together Merced Mayor and real estate agent Ellie Wooten, city Development Services Director David Gonzalves and county Planning Commissioner and farmer Cindy Lashbrook.

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Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009:
Latinos

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Merced, while it may be many things, is Latino, and overwhelmingly so. Just look at the most recent census from 2008 and you will see that the majority of the population identified as Latino.

More than 45 percent of Mercedians speak a language at home other than English, and you can bet many of those people are speaking Spanish. To see the faces of Merced's future policemen, firemen, mayors and businessmen, go to any school in the county and you will see the overwhelmingly Latino student body.

This week "Off the 99" brought several guests to the Sun-Star to discuss the state of Latino political and economic power in Merced and why there is such a lack of leadership. In our Sun-Star studio we stat down with Mereya Cazanes who is organizing a local chapter of the Mexican American Political Association, or MAPA, Luis De La Cruz and Irene De La Cruz, editors of Amigos, a family magazine.

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Saturday, August 29, 2009:
Cardoza's influence in Washington

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The nation's most pressing challenges -- the troubled economy, the foreclosure crisis, drought, and the health care crisis -- are as present in Merced as they are anywhere. In fact, they are concentrated here. For Congressman Dennis Cardoza, trying to get Washington's powerbrokers to aid the region has been a tough climb.

But recent events have thrust Cardoza and his conservative Blue Dog Democrats into an influential position in Washington. Now to pass controversial legislation the democratic leadership needs the Blue Dogs. Is Cardoza using his position as a go between with the Democratic leadership and his Blue Dog allies in order to bring Merced's issues to the attention of Congressional leaders?

"Off The 99" spoke with reporter Susan Ferrechio from The Washington Examiner to tell us how Cardoza's position in the Washington power structure may be changing and what that means for Merced. We also sat in on a Sun-Star editorial meeting with Cardoza and House Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

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Saturday, August 22, 2009:
The labor movement in Merced

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Unions and the union movement have been in decline for more than 30 years. The departure of domestic manufacturing, technological innovations, complacent unions and a less-than-friendly political landscape have all contributed to a shrinking of union membership in California and the nation. In 1983, for example, more than 20 percent of the work force was unionized. Now, it's just over 12 percent.

A recent upsurge in organizing energy has put a spring in the union movement's step. But the tough economy, mass layoffs and high unemployment have thrown a curve ball into this situation. Will unions in Merced and the nation take advantage of a disenchanted working class, the under and unemployed, or will this economy be one more blow to an already shrunken movement?

To find out how these forces are playing out in Merced County, "Off The 99" brought to the studio three guests familiar with the state of working Mercedians and their unions. We sat down with Alex Whalley, a professor at UC Merced, Harriet Lawlor with the Merced Central Labor Council and Henry Idlefonzo with SEIU at Golden Valley Health Center.

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Saturday, August 14, 2009:
Walmart: A good idea?

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When Walmart came to the City of Merced with idea of opening a distribution center it seemed like a good idea. It would bring jobs to an area with one of the state's highest unemployment rates. But a group of local residents say that Walmart's benefits to Merced will be mixed at best.

Hundreds of trucks spewing diesel fumes, say Wal Mart opponents, will not better Merced's already damaged air quality.

This week "Off The 99" brought both sides of the debate to our studio in the Merced Sun-Star to discuss this contentious issue.

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Saturday, August 7, 2009:
Merced's Gangs

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Eleven people in Merced County have been shot, stabbed or bludgeoned to death so far this year. In four instances, gangs were involved.

The gangs of Merced County have been around for nearly 40 years. By last count, there were 24 active ones with a total of 3,000 members from here to the Westside.

Eliminating gangs will likely prove more difficult as budgets for police, sheriff's and innovative partnerships shrink. To talk about the future of gangs in Merced County, "Off the 99" brought together District Attorney Larry Morse II, Livingston Police Lt. Chris Soria and Reuben Torres Jr., a former gang member from Los Banos.

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