GOVERNMENT IS JUST A WORD WE USE FOR THE THINGS WE DO TOGETHER: Valley growers sue over high-speed rail disruptions.

California’s high-speed rail route cuts a four-mile long gash in Tim Raven’s 2,500 acres of almond, and grape orchards near Selma.

He has already sold the authority the land and has been paid, but Raven says he has not been compensated for the disruption of dividing his property.

“On one property, a year and a half ago, they cut through an almond orchard, took out a 100-acre almond orchard, took our pump out, I spent $500,000 on two pumps and redoing the drip system, and I haven’t got a dime yet.”

That is just one example of disruption.

Attorney Mark Wasser is representing Raven and a total of 70 farmers with similar claims, totaling millions of dollars against the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

But don’t worry — the consultants all got paid.