Valley farmers weather effects of punishing storm [Fresno Bee]
San Joaquin Valley growers and agriculture officials on Thursday said damage from a punishing storm that dropped half-inch sized hail on the region was more severe than expected -- and financial losses could reach into the millions. Parts of the Valley's tree fruit orchards got pelted Wednesday by hail that shredded leaves, knocked fruit off trees and slashed developing fruit. Among the hardest hit were farmers in the Traver area near Highway 99 south of Kingsburg, where hail blanketed the ground after nearly a 20-minute downpour….Agriculture officials in the Valley said that while it may take several days to get a complete picture of the potential dollar losses, early reports did not look good for some farmers. The Tulare County Agriculture Commissioner's office said that 500 to 800 acres of tree fruit received some sort of damage ranging from 20% to 80% of the fruit. One 200-acre block of tree fruit, north of Avenue 360 and west of Highway 99, suffered at least 80% damage.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/04/12/2797523/hail-from-storm-damages-valleys.html
Court: Employers don't have to ensure lunch breaks for workers [Associated Press]
In a case that affects thousands of businesses and millions of workers, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that employers are under no obligation to ensure that workers take legally mandated lunch breaks….The opinion written by Associate Justice Kathryn Werdegar explained that state law does not compel an employer to ensure employees cease all work during meal periods. It stated that while employers are required to free workers of job duties for a 30-minute meal break, the employee is at liberty to use the time as they choose even if it's to work, she wrote. "The employer is not obligated to police meal breaks and ensure no work thereafter is performed," Werdegar wrote.
http://www.masslive.com/talk/index.ssf/2012/04/court_employers_dont_have_to_e.html
California bullet train plan approved by state rail agency [Los Angeles Times]
A formal plan to build a California bullet train that would become partially operational in 10 years was approved by the state rail agency Thursday, though the blueprint was amended at the last minute to include a goal of providing service to Orange County….The project now needs the approval of the Legislature, which is being asked by Gov. Jerry Brown to provide $2.7 billion for an initial 130 miles of track in the Central Valley. A relentless barrage of criticism of the project across the state resulted in major changes that have lowered the system's costs, reduced risk and softened some of the extreme effects on communities along the route, officials said….Still, Sen. Doug La Malfa (R-Richvale), a fierce opponent of the project, has charged that even now the system is smaller and more expensive than what was promised to voters when they approved money for it in 2008. He is sponsoring legislation to allow a new vote on the project.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bullet-business-plan-20120413,0,106980.story
Editorial: Antibiotics, animals and us [Los Angeles Times]
Voluntary guidelines for pharmaceutical companies will not wean the livestock industry off its addiction to antibiotics. Yet that's what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — which has previously taken tentative steps to curb the agricultural use of antibiotics and is under a judge's order to carry out existing laws that call for limiting the overuse of two classes of antibiotics — is proposing. Obviously, the agency wants to avoid a protracted legal battle with producers, and its authority is limited by Congress' repeated refusal to act. But this latest plan falls far short of the decisive action needed to make a difference….The FDA contends, with justification, that guidelines would work faster than a ban, which would almost certainly be greeted with multiple lawsuits — potentially one for every drug affected. But moving faster isn't necessarily moving better.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinionla/la-ed-antibiotics-20120413,0,5812136.story
Editorial: Historic vision is lacking today [Fresno Bee]
It has been almost 50 years since President John F. Kennedy broke ground on the San Luis Dam, a project that moves water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to farmland on the west side of the Valley. Kennedy's words on Aug. 18, 1962, could be spoken today, as the president told of the importance of the state and federal governments working together to build major infrastructure projects that serve future generations. Watching a video of those 1962 remarks makes you wonder whether the San Luis Dam and Reservoir -- or the entire Central Valley Project, for that matter -- could be built in today's divisive political environment. Today, we seem to shrink from our responsibility to invest in our future. We refuse to solve current water delivery problems and fight over whether we need a 21st century transportation project.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/04/12/2797883/editorial-historic-vision-is-lacking.html
This means war between humans and insects! [San Bernardino County Sun]
Are we going to allow some lousy little bug to destroy what's left of our citrus groves? Heck, no. We are going to fight the Asian Citrus Psyllid, and we are going to fight to win. First thing we need to do is open our eyes….Experts stress that the Asian Citrus Psyllid is just as likely to appear among the backyard trees of private residents as among the orchards of commercial growers. That means we all should consider ourselves summoned to duty as soldiers in this war. That's right, you and I are just as able, and just as likely, to spot danger as the professionals.
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