Mark Looker
marklooker.bsky.social
Mark Looker
@marklooker.bsky.social
Retired communications consultant located in Modesto in California's abundant San Joaquin Valley. Interested in politics, journalism, agriculture, SF Giants, Golden State Warriors, UC Berkeley (Go Bears) and Cal Poly SLO.
California’s ‘Twilight Zone’ of Endless Fog Is Finally Clearing www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/w...
California’s ‘Twilight Zone’ of Endless Fog Is Finally Clearing
www.nytimes.com
December 18, 2025 at 7:17 PM
How much will California farmers receive in federal tariff relief? bit.ly/3YmGPnz
bit.ly
December 11, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Massacred’: The California GOP hits a new low www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
‘Massacred’: The California GOP hits a new low
A partisan gerrymander left even less for California Republicans to fight for. But they’re fighting — including each other.
www.politico.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Trump Giving Farmers $12 Billion to Blunt Trade War Fallout
Federal relief money comes after China boycotted American farm products in retaliation for U.S. tariffs bit.ly/3MqvS1J
bit.ly
December 8, 2025 at 8:25 PM
ACWA Presents Lifetime Achievement Award to Mike Wade www.cbs42.com/business/pre...
www.cbs42.com
December 5, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Agriculture Dept. Threatens to Withhold Food Stamps From Democratic States www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/u...
Agriculture Dept. Threatens to Withhold Food Stamps From Democratic States
www.nytimes.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Chickenless Chicken Shows? Bird Flu Reshapes County Fairs and 4-H Kids Make Do www.kqed.org/science/1999...
Chickenless Chicken Shows? Bird Flu Reshapes County Fairs and 4-H Kids Make Do | KQED
California’s state veterinarian banned all chicken shows this year to limit the spread of bird flu, leaving county fairs across the state devoid of chickens.
www.kqed.org
November 27, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Temporary mural at Modesto mall honors those who work farms. It’s in a dining area

Read more at: www.modbee.com/news/busines... www.modbee.com/news/busines...
Temporary mural at Modesto mall honors those who work farms. It’s in a dining area
The text on the artwork is sprinkled with Spanish words in a nod to the mostly Latino crews on the farms.
www.modbee.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Tyson Foods to close major US beef plant as cattle supplies dwindle www.reuters.com/business/tys...
www.reuters.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Del Monte Foods bankruptcy leaves California peach farmers in limbo
kmph.com/news/local/d...
Del Monte Foods bankruptcy leaves California peach farmers in limbo
California peach farmers are grappling with uncertainty following Del Monte Foods' bankruptcy filing in July.Many farmers, who had contracts with the company,
kmph.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Trump Administration Live Updates: Judge Tosses Criminal Charges Against James Comey and Letitia James www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11...
Trump Administration Live Updates: Judge Tosses Criminal Charges Against James Comey and Letitia James
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:36 PM
How fear of Trump’s immigration blitz is changing life in California farm towns calmatters.org/economy/2025...
How fear of Trump's immigration blitz is changing life in California farm towns
Tax receipts are down almost 30% in one California farm town, where immigrants are afraid to go out and some longtime workers are weighing self-deportation. People panicked when probation agents in gr...
calmatters.org
November 24, 2025 at 3:37 PM
California #Almond Acreage Declines for Fourth Consecutive Year bit.ly/49RgxRF
California Almond Acreage Declines for Fourth Consecutive Year
MODESTO, Calif. – California’s total almond acreage fell again in 2025, marking the fourth straight year of acreage reduction. According to the recently
bit.ly
November 21, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Immigrants from Mexico bringing diseased cattle across the border are to blame for high beef prices?!!
www.newsweek.com/trump-admin-...
Trump admin says beef prices could hit $10 per pound because of migrants
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed rising beef prices are tied to cattle disease spreading through “mass immigration.”
www.newsweek.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Trump Cuts Ties With Marjorie Taylor Greene, Calling Her ‘Wacky’ www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/u...
Trump Cuts Ties With Marjorie Taylor Greene, Calling Her ‘Wacky’
www.nytimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Your Thanksgiving turkey could be more expensive this year. And it's not just because of bird flu nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news...
Your Thanksgiving turkey could be more expensive this year. And it's not just because of bird flu
Turkey prices tend to rise closer to holidays such as Thanksgiving. But tariffs and bird flu could dramatically drive up the cost of turkeys this year.
nebraskapublicmedia.org
November 13, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Rep. Adam Gray: We shouldn’t run a government by holding hungry families hostage www.turlockjournal.com/opinion/edit...
Rep. Adam Gray: We shouldn’t run a government by holding hungry families hostage
The recent government shutdown made one thing very clear: President Trump and his allies are far too comfortable using vulnerable Americans as political leverage.
www.turlockjournal.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Christine Pelosi Will Not Run for Her Mother’s House Seat www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...
Christine Pelosi Will Not Run for Her Mother’s House Seat
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Prop. 50 could nudge Stanislaus and Merced counties to the political left, experts say bit.ly/4nFgIm5
Prop. 50 could nudge Stanislaus and Merced counties to the political left, experts say
Stanislaus and Merced counties voted less enthusiastically for Pop. 50 than the rest of the state. What the new maps could mean in the Valley.
bit.ly
November 7, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Republican Kevin Lincoln to face Rep. Adam Gray after Prop. 50 redraw

Read more at: www.sacbee.com/news/politic...
Republican Kevin Lincoln to face Rep. Adam Gray after Prop. 50 redraw
Lincoln will now run against Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, instead of Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy in 2026.
www.sacbee.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:23 PM