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Driving down Interstate 5 through the San Joaquin Valley it was clear that the lobbying for agricultural water solutions along the main north-south artery has been stepped up with another round of fresh signs.
Gone are mentions of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Jim Costa. In their place, there are a number of new signs—all with a common theme—water for agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley is important for all Californians.
The old sign “Congress created dustbowl” has been modified with “Solve the” message tacked along the top.
Other signs read:
23.5 million Southern Californians pay millions for water that is not delivered.
No water=higher water prices/higher food prices for Californians.
Is growing food wasting water?
Dams or trains. Build water storage now.
Right crops, right place.
No water (for) valley farms=no jobs.
More than 30,000 cars and trucks daily pass these signs—it’s nearly impossible to miss the message.
The most telling message is questioning the governor’s insistence on pushing his high-speed choo-choo ahead—a project that is so expensive that it makes the twin water tunnels under the Delta look quite reasonable. It is also a project that is unnecessary.
Pleasanton has a new fleet of fancy limo options on its streets.
Locally owned and headquartered Black Tie Transportation now is offering BMW 740Li sedans in place of the traditional Lincoln Town Cars for airport runs and other uses.
Lincoln quit making Town Cars in 2011, but Black Tie ordered 30 of the last batch of Town Cars. That served them well until this year when it was time to replace them.
Bill Wheeler, Jr., the son of founder and CEO Bill Wheeler, wrote in an email, “Over the past few years, we have tried the Cadillac XTS (too small), Chrysler 300 (too small and cheap), Lincoln MKT (too ugly), and the Audi A6 (too small and expensive). Late in 2014, we finally tested and fell in love with the BMW 740Li – and so did our customers. We completed the largest order in the industry this year as we purchased 30 units, and we continue to raise the bar for premier executive travel.”
The BMW’s carry a manufacturer’s suggested price of $78K, although with a purchase of 30, Black Tie certainly got the fleet discount. The new cars are a cool option for the airport runs.