California's
minimum-wage debate [Wall Street Journal]
California's
legislative session ends in three weeks, which means it's time for Democrats'
annual end-of-summer, cram-and-ram ritual.…But the top item on Democrats' list
of unfinished business is a minimum-wage hike….The legislation, introduced by
Democratic Assemblyman Luis Alejo of Salinas, would raise California's minimum
wage to $10 per hour from $8 over the next five years.…The California Chamber
of Commerce and National Restaurant Association are lobbying hard against the
bill. Much will depend on whether Senate President Darrell Steinberg, who sits
on the appropriations committee, wants to let the bill go to a floor vote. Mr.
Alejo did not endear himself to the Senate's boss by three times abstaining
from votes on one of his top priorities, a bill that would allow the United
Farm Workers to side-step collective bargaining and obtain a contract through
binding arbitration.…But even if the bill skates through the legislature, Gov.
Jerry Brown's signature is no sure thing.
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Judge
says Calif. water can be released for salmon [Associated Press]
A
U.S. District judge ruled late Thursday that water can be released from
Northern California's Trinity Reservoir to prevent a salmon kill in the lower
Klamath River, but the amount of water involved will be far less than the
federal government initially asked for. The ruling from Judge Lawrence J.
O'Neill comes after farmers in California's San Joaquin Valley sued the federal
government over the releases of water, saying they would be illegal and would
further decrease the little water available to them for irrigation.…He said in
Thursday's ruling that in the week since, a change in environmental conditions
and the federal position has meant that two-thirds less water than expected was
required, making the decision easier and less harmful to farmers. Environmental
groups, fishing organizations and Indian tribes supported the release of the
water, and the judge said the modified decision should leave both sides happy.
Water
project timeline released [Salinas Californian]
In
exchange for dropping a challenge to a key Salinas Valley water right, state
regulators have issued a set of requirements the Monterey County Water
Resources Agency must meet in order to stay in regulators’ good graces. The
standoff between the county and the state began just before last Thanksgiving
when the state Water Board said it planned to revoke Permit No. 11043, claiming
that water projects the county agreed to build when the original right was
granted in 1957 have never been built..…In response, the county Water Agency
convened a committee, called the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC), that
comprises a broad swath of of stakeholders in Salinas Valley water — growers,
other water agencies and agricultural advocates. The original goal was to brainstorm
defenses in preparation for a hearing with the Water Board that was to be held
on Aug. 14. But a settlement was reached before then — conditionally.
Agriculture
in Ventura County is worth saving, but critical issues remain, officials told
[Ventura County Star]
Growers
were frank and honest with U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley about the most critical
issues facing agriculture’s future in Ventura County at a round-table the
congresswoman organized Thursday afternoon in Oxnard….Growers, local
agriculture officials and the premier guest, California Department of Food and
Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross, agreed that while it was too late to save
agriculture in Orange and Los Angeles counties, agriculture here is worth
saving because of its untapped potential.…But the most critical issues growers
raised at the event — severe labor shortages, a lack of farmworker housing,
pesticide restrictions and invasive species — may need to be dealt with first
and survived.
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Flames
show no respect for what people cherish [Modesto Bee]
All
you need to know about the Rim fire is that it just doesn't care….Indeed, such
fires are insensitive, inhumane and never respectful. This one, now into its
seventh day, shows no signs of relenting….Across the Tuolumne River, cattleman
Stuart Crook spent Thursday morning dropping drift fences so his range cattle
can flee safely if the fire keeps moving north….A ranch that had survived other
fires got right in the way of this one. "We lost all of our 500
acres," said Crook, who has been running range cattle in the area since
1964. "It's a total loss. Now, I'm wondering how we're getting our cows
outta here."
Commentary: Investments in
Sierra forests crucial for future water supply [The Union (Grass Valley)]
…Simply
put, additional investments in the Sierra are necessary to ensure water
continues to be delivered throughout California and that these forests remain a
state icon. More than 60 percent of our water supply originates from the Sierra
as rain or snow….In addition to water, Sierra Nevada forests provide many other
benefits. They absorb carbon dioxide and store carbon. They filter water and
slow down runoff after storms, mitigating potential floods. They provide
habitat for dozens of species and offer recreational opportunities or a place
of solace for millions of people. The forests also play an integral role in our
state’s economy as a source of wood products and jobs for Californians….Funding
for the Sierra ought to derive from multiple sources, one immediate source
being the Cap and Trade auction revenues initiated last fall. After all, the
steps we take to protect California’s primary water supply from catastrophic
fire will simultaneously protect us from additional greenhouse gas emissions.
Ag
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