Obama pushing immigration as new doubts emerge in House [Wall Street Journal]
The
White House is intensifying its push to get an immigration overhaul through
Congress this year, but House Speaker John Boehner cast new doubt Wednesday
about the prospects for quick action. President Barack Obama brainstormed at
the White House Wednesday with religious leaders over how to persuade House
Republicans to move on the issue.…But Mr. Boehner said House lawmakers wouldn't
vote on any immigration bills while Republicans work on "principles"
behind legislation. Many advocates for an immigration overhaul read the Ohio
Republican's announcement as a setback. Others saw hope that the speaker was
setting a course that could lead the GOP House to take up legislation, which has
stalled since the Senate passed a sweeping bill in June.
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Editorial: Last call for the
immigration bill [San Francisco Chronicle]
…Fixing
this country's broken immigration system is one of the most important things
Congress can do. Providing a path to citizenship for the millions of people who
are already living, working and paying taxes here isn't just the right thing to
do - it will improve the country's economic prospects and provide social
stability for all Americans. The status quo - with sectors of the economy
dependent on immigrant workers subject to deportation at any moment - is
neither humane nor pragmatic. The House's job is to address the nation's
pressing problems. If House members can't even take up a bill that's already
been passed by the Senate and debated in this country for at least a decade -
then they really do deserve every negative point of their approval rating.
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Water
quality officials to unveil plan for Elk River; Humboldt County hosts public
forum on sediment pollution [Eureka Times-Standard]
Local
dairyman John Estevo wasn't able to pump water for his farm for six years
because of the conditions on the Elk River. ”We don't have a ground water
table, we're on clay, so a well is not an option,” the 57-year-old Eurekan
said. “We need to pump out of the river for fresh water, and we couldn't
because there was too much sediment. It would just chew up the pumps.” State
officials will propose a pilot restoration plan for the Elk River to county
representatives and local residents at a public forum this Saturday….Robbins
said details of the proposed recovery plan will not be released prior to the
forum. He said sediment can get into the river when companies use the dirt
logging roads in the forest, which causes erosion. He also said that if trees
are harvested too close to the water, a slide could occur.
Air
district: Valley reaches long-awaited ozone standard [Fresno Bee]
Local
air leaders are poised Thursday to announce the Valley has attained a federal
ozone standard, a health landmark and a new symbol of hope in a region
notorious for bad air. The announcement at the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution
Control District also will touch on a $29 million annual fee related to the
one-hour federal ozone standard. Officials want to eliminate the mandate for
the fee, paid mostly by a vehicle registration surcharge. But the mandate will
remain while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency examines the district's
case to be excused for problems in two Valley ozone hot spots. EPA can examine
the evidence for up to a year….With cleaner fuels and vehicles as well as
pioneering rules over such sources as farming, the air has improved dramatically
since the 1990s.
Mendocino
County cuts its ag preserve contracts [Ukiah Daily Journal]
The
Mendocino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a measure that will
cut the property tax break owners of agricultural land get as part of
agricultural preserve agreements they have with the county under the Williamson
Act….Having in recent years lost the state funding that compensated the county
for its loss of property tax revenue, the board on Tuesday adopted the
provisions of Assembly Bill 1265, which allows the county to temporarily
shorten the 10-year Williamson Act contracts by one year.…The bill lets
counties implement new Williamson Act contracts with landowners that run for 10
percent less time in exchange for the property owner getting 10 percent less
tax relief.
Organic
farming gains ground with consumers, California growers [KERO-TV/Bakersfield]
Organic
farming continues to rise as consumer demand grows. The Kern County Farm Bureau
says the number of local farmers markets has increased significantly over the
last several years. Many who buy their produce from farmers markets look for
locally grown fresh organic produce. "In 2002 there were only two farmers
markets with 18 growers, but as of 2012, there are now 75 growers and more than
15 farmers markets in town," said Ben McFarland, Kern County Farm Bureau.
Ag
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