California’s election may set record for apathy [Sacramento Bee]
California
voter turnout will likely sink to just 46 percent on Tuesday, a new record for
apathy in a statewide general election, according to Field Poll estimates. The
absence of competitive statewide contests combined with a dearth of compelling
ballot propositions should produce the least attended general election in the
state’s modern era, replacing the previous low of 50.6 percent in 2002, when
incumbent Democratic Gov. Gray Davis held off Republican Bill Simon….Released
on Monday, the survey anticipates 8.2 million of the state’s nearly 18 million
registered voters will cast a ballot….Field estimates the voters this fall will
generally be older, less diverse and more conservative. A healthy majority, 60
percent, will cast their vote using a mail ballot, up from 51.2 percent in the
presidential election of 2012.
Meat
companies go antibiotics-free as more consumers demand it [Wall Street Journal]
The
Food and Drug Administration, responding to concerns about antibiotic-resistant
bacteria, asked drug and meat companies late last year to end the practice of
feeding antibiotics to livestock to speed growth. Brandon Glenn had already
gone further. Not at the behest of the government, but of a meat company for
which he raises chickens….Perdue is among a growing array of food producers
moving to limit the routine use of antibiotics in livestock production—less in
response to regulatory action than to consumer pressure….Meat producers’
growing embrace of the niche draws praise from health advocates worried about a
rise in some types of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. They regard
the commercial moves as a breakthrough after years of tentative actions by
regulators.
Killing
of 11 coyotes in California infuriates conservationists [San Francisco
Chronicle]
The
killing of 11 coyotes in Bakersfield during a weekend hunting contest has
infuriated conservationists who are trying to ban animal killing competitions
that they say are needlessly harming important predator populations in
California, including, potentially, migrating gray wolves. The coyotes were
shot Sunday during a killing “derby” held in remote areas around Bakersfield,
according to Camilla Fox, the executive director for Project Coyote. She said
another contest, in which hunters receive as much as $300 for killing the most
coyotes, is scheduled in the same area on Nov. 9….Project Coyote is one of
several organizations that is urging the California Fish and Game Commission to
ban wildlife-killing contests in California. The commission is scheduled to
vote Dec. 3 on a petition that would make it illegal to offer a prize,
inducement or reward for killing predators….Ranchers say they need to manage
coyotes in particular because the wily canines are responsible for the vast
majority of livestock deaths.
OID
to discuss selling water to outside agencies during closed-door meeting
[Modesto Bee]
Oakdale
Irrigation District directors will discuss options for selling water to
out-of-county agencies Tuesday morning during a closed-door session. OID will
discuss the “price and terms” of water sales to the Westlands Water District,
Stockton East Water District and “federal and state water contractors.” How
much water OID will have available to sell isn’t known, said General Manager
Steve Knell….Numerous Stanislaus County farmers – such as those in the Paulsell
Valley southeast of Oakdale – also have been asking to buy OID water, rather
than continuing to pump groundwater. Negotiations between OID leaders and
Paulsell farmers have been going on for months.
State
to release per-capita water use numbers [Associated Press]
Data
to be released Tuesday will show per-capita water use in communities across
California that are facing pressure, including the threat of fines, to cut back
during the third year of a drought. The state agency tasked with monitoring
conservation efforts will release per-person, per-day water use. The figures
come as government officials examine where to target conservation efforts….A
report released during the board's Tuesday meeting will show a wide range in
water use from 50 to 500 gallons per-person, per-day, said board scientist Max
Gomberg. He said coastal cities in the San Francisco Bay Area city will rank
among the lowest water users, while small wealthy communities where homeowners
have sprawling landscapes will rank among the highest.
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