California Farmers Once Again Facing Labor Shortages
From Capital Public Radio: "California farmers are facing a serious shortage of labor according to a new report by the California Farm Bureau."
"A survey showed that almost six out of 10 farmers were unable to hire all the workers they needed at some point in the past 5 years. Many of those farmers said shortages were worse the past two years, even though 86 percent of farmers said they had raised wages."
“With competition the way it is especially during peak summer season, minimum wage rarely applies especially when it comes to the harvest season," said Ryan Van Gronigen, who grows melons, corn, and pumpkins in the Manteca area. "Those jobs are definitely well over minimum wage.”
Major California utilities spent $1.3 million on lobbying
From AP's KLATHLEEN RONANYNE: "California’s three major utilities spent at least $1.3 million to lobby state government in the first three months of 2019, during which one filed for bankruptcy and Gov. Gavin Newsom called for rethinking the state’s energy future."
"PG&E and the parent companies for Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric disclosed on Monday their spending between Jan. 1 and March 31. They spent that money paying lobbyists to advance their interests before the state Legislature, state agencies and the California Public Utilities Commission, the state’s utility regulator."
"Edison International, Southern California Edison’s parent company, spent the most at nearly $679,000, while Sempra, which includes San Diego Gas & Electric, spent about $396,000. PG&E, in the midst of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, spent $277,000. Nearly a third of the spending by PG&E went toward lobbying the CPUC, which oversees utilities’ wildfire safety plans and voted in January to let the utility access credit and loans during the bankruptcy."
From the SacBee's DAVID CARRACIO: "Forty miles north of Truckee, in a remote corner of the Sierra Nevada, sits a grand private retreat. The 93.6-acre property—with a 16,350 square-foot, three-story main residence and guest comforts galore—just went on the market at $55 million."
“It’s pretty amazing,” said Trinkie Watson of Chase International, the listing agent. “It’s your own little personal resort.”
"She’s right. It is amazing."
Ghost Ship trial: Prosecutors say victims had ‘no notice, no time, no exits’
From the Chron's MEGAN CASSIDY and MATHIAS GAFFNI: "When people go to a show, they expect to see the performance and leave safely — but what if fire broke out and there were “no notice, no time, no exits”? That’s what Alameda County prosecutor Casey Bates said to the jury Tuesday in his opening statement of the Ghost Ship trial."
"One by one, photos of the 36 people who died in the Ghost Ship warehouse fire on Dec. 2, 2016, were projected onto a screen as Bates read their names aloud — each representing a count of involuntary manslaughter on which defendants Derick Almena and Max Harris are being tried."
“Count one, Jason McCarty,” Bates said as McCarty’s photo lingered for a moment. “Count two, Donna Kellogg…”
Congress OKs more than $29M in disaster relief for California fisheries
Eureka Times-Standard's DAN SQUIER: "It’s taken four years but fishermen along California’s North Coast who have seen crab and salmon seasons truncated and even closed altogether will finally see some relief after $29.65 million in federal disaster relief funding was approved by Congress."
"It was in the 2015-16 year the Dungeness crab fishery and the Yurok Chinook salmon fishery both collapsed due to poor water quality. Despite $200 million in relief funding made available in 2018, the release of the money was delayed by the U.S. Department of Commerce and it took a letter from U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman and Rep. Jackie Speier to get the ball rolling again last year."
"We’ve been waiting almost two years since these funds were made available by appropriations from Congress,” said Noah Oppenheim, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman’s Association on Monday. “These funds have been desperately needed for a long time and the crab fishermen are already experiencing another severe hardship with whale entanglements and the funds are needed more now than they were before."
Independent millenial Latinos could end up being the 2020 kingmakers
Sacramento Bee's EMILY CADEI: "Hispanic voters now make up well over a quarter of all registered voters in California, after a surge of interest in the 2018 election, new data released Tuesday by Univision and political data company L2 shows."
"Their research, unveiled at an event in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, reveals that nearly 1.2 million Hispanic citizens registered to vote in the state between 2014 and 2018, an increase of 29 percent. That’s more than double the rate of increase among non-Hispanics in California, which was 13 percent for the same time period. Another way of putting it: 2 in 5 new registered voters in California were Hispanic."
"Along with Texas, that represents the largest proportion of new voters of any of the six states the research covered."
Estimated cost of 2028 Los Angeles Olympics jumps to $6.9 billion
From the LAT's DAVID WHARTON: "The predicted cost of staging the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has risen to $6.9 billion, according to an updated budget released Tuesday by the private committee responsible for staging the massive sports event."
"The new figure represents a $700 million increase over previous estimates, with organizers saying they had to adjust for inflation after L.A., which originally bid for the 2024 Games, agreed to wait four more years."
"Those same economic forces led LA 2028 to forecast a corresponding bump in revenue that would cover all expenses through corporate sponsorships, ticket sales, merchandising and other sources."
More than $400K given to Camp Fire-related programs
Chico ER: "The North Valley Community Foundation released 22 Camp Fire Relief Fund grants totaling more than $457,566 on Tuesday."
"The latest grants, approved by a majority of the NVCF board of directors, include the following:"
"In the nearly six months since the Nov. 8 fire that devastated Butte County, the NVCF has issued 210 grants totaling $3,663,635.31 for relief and recovery efforts. The grants are given to organizations, schools and agencies working directly with Camp Fire survivors."
Sacramento's business community issues strong rebuke for Measure U tax money projection
Sacramento Bee's JAMES PATRICK: "The Sacramento business community is already pushing back on a city budget projection that Mayor Darrell Steinberg said indicates Measure U funds will be used to cover increased pension and labor costs for the city."
"The future budget projections, released last week as part of the city’s overall budget, suggest money raised by the 1 percent Measure U tax will be moved into the city’s general fund, which funds most basic city services, employee salaries and pensions. The mayor said Tuesday that plan runs counter to a campaign that promised none of the money would go to cover pensions, and would instead go toward increased spending on social and business infrastructure."
"The newly formed Sacramento Economic Growth and Equity Coalition sent a letter last week to City Manager Howard Chan, whose office develops the city budget."
READ MORE related to Death & Taxes: Sacramento mayor promised tax money for your neighborhood. Will millions go to pensions instead? -- Sacramento Bee's THERESA CLIFT
Sacramento City Council approves $47M for Old Sac waterfront development
Sacramento Bee's VINCENT MOLESKI: "The Sacramento City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to fully fund a proposal to revamp Old Sacramento, approving up to $47 million in hotel tax revenue to fund the project."
"Mayor Darrell Steinberg’s plan to revitalize the waterfront calls for several additions, including a lawn, a concert stage, two rooftop bars, an interactive water fountain and other features."
"The project aims to improve access to the waterfront and create a series of new venues for weekly events to draw residents and visitors to Old Sacramento much more frequently than a couple times a year, Steinberg said."
Sacramento City Teachers Announce Another One-Day Strike
From NICK MILLER, Capital Public Radio: "The union representing Sacramento teachers announced Tuesday it would hold a strike May 22, the second in as many months."
"The Sacramento City Teachers Association, the union representing 2,500 teachers and employees, says the school district hasn't fully implemented a deal struck in 2017 that would have used savings from a new health care plan to fund better classroom staffing."
"Teachers also held a one-day strike April 11 over the issue."
READ MORE related to Education: Don't say 'back in my day' to a California millennial in debt. Tuition costs a lot more -- Sacramento Bee's HANNAH WILEY; Local high schools rank in top 30 in California, report says -- SCNG's KALAISHA TOTTY; Where can a teacher afford to live in a Bay Area? -- BANG's KAITLYN BARTLEY
Hydropower bill would sabotage California’s clean energy mandate, critics say
From the LAT's SAMMY ROTH: "The Don Pedro hydropower project, just west of Yosemite National Park, has been churning out carbon-free electricity for nearly a century. As the Tuolumne River flows from the Sierra Nevada to the Central Valley, it passes through Don Pedro Dam, spinning four turbine generators."
"None of the electricity is counted toward California’s push for more renewable energy on its power grid. A new bill advanced by state lawmakers last week would change that — and it’s being opposed by environmental groups, who say it would undermine the state’s landmark clean energy law by limiting the need to build solar farms and wind turbines."
"Under Senate Bill 100, which was signed last year by then-Gov. Jerry Brown, California is required to get 100% of its electricity from climate-friendly sources by 2045. The law has become a model for climate change action in other states, with lawmakers in New Mexico and Washington recently approving similar legislation."
READ MORE related to Energy & Environment: How NASA is taking the guesswork out of measuring California's snowpack -- BANG's LISA KRIEGER; Mountain lion survived deadly California fires. Rat poison likely killed him, rangers say -- Sacramento Bee's JARED GILMOUR
FBI affidavit: Online posts reveal growing rage of man accused in Long Beach terror plot
SCNG's JOSH CAIN/EMILY RASMUSSEN: "When Mark Steven Domingo introduced himself to what he thought was a like-minded, online community of radical Muslims, he did so in a video declaring his newfound faith in Islam."
"Just a day later, Domingo, a 26-year-old former U.S. Army infantryman from Reseda, allegedly began calling for violent warfare against innocent people."
"America needs another vegas event (to be honest),” Domingo wrote in a message to the group, referencing the 2017 shooting at a Las Vegas concert that killed 58 people."
READ MORE related to Terrorism: FBI terror suspect sought conversion to Islam after witnessing the 'mistreatment of Muslims' -- Daily News's ARIELLA PLACHTA
Top 4 housing markets are in California
OC Register's JON LANSNER: "One group that likely will not complain about California’s high home prices: Sellers."
"The Golden State was home to the nation’s top four metropolitan areas for largest seller profits in the first quarter."
"That’s an eye-catching snapshot of the state’s home-price boom, which is good for sellers and not so good for wannabe owners, according to Attom Data Solutions. The firm studied differences between first-quarter selling prices and what the owner paid for the residence — a rough profit figure that does not include any transaction costs or home-upgrade expenses."
READ MORE related to Homelessness & Housing: Why are millennials moving to this rough-hewn California city? -- BANG's PATRICK MAY
New California measles cases involve travelers
AP's JOHN ROGERS: "Two people who returned to Southern California from overseas were infected with measles, health officials said Tuesday, emphasizing the travelers were not connected to other cases that prompted quarantines involving hundreds of people at two Los Angeles universities."
"The latest case in Los Angeles County involves someone who arrived April 23 at Los Angeles International Airport, according to the county Department of Public Health."
"The person, who was not identified, is the sixth LA County resident to contract measles so far this year and one of more than 700 nationwide."
Sacramento's Joe Carnahan helps deliver first Latino superhero movie, 'El Chicano'
Sacramento Bee's CLAIRE MORGAN: "It’s no secret that superhero movies have been dominating the box office for the past year."
"During its opening weekend, “Avengers: Endgame” grossed $1.2 billion worldwide. “Black Panther,” praised by movie critics and social media users alike for featuring a black superhero as its main character, grossed $520 million during its opening weekend worldwide."
"Enter “El Chicano,” the newest superhero movie to hit big screens, co-written and produced by former Sacramento-based director Joe Carnahan. Carnahan and co-author Ben Hernandez-Bray teamed up to make a movie specifically for the Hispanic audience, which doesn’t typically see superhero films with Latino characters."
Mueller frustrated with Barr over portrayal of findings
AP: "Special counsel Robert Mueller expressed frustration to Attorney General William Barr last month about how the findings of his Russia investigation were being portrayed, saying he worried that a letter summarizing the main conclusions of the probe lacked the necessary context and was creating public confusion about his team’s work, a Justice Department official said Tuesday night."
"Mueller communicated his agitation in a letter to the Justice Department just days after Barr issued a four-page document that summarized the special counsel’s conclusions about whether President Donald Trump’s campaign had conspired with Russia and whether the president had tried to illegally obstruct the probe. Mueller and Barr then had a phone call on which the same concerns were addressed. The official was not authorized to discuss Mueller’s letter by name."
"The letter lays bare simmering tensions between the Justice Department and the special counsel about whether Barr’s summary adequately conveyed the gravity of Mueller’s findings , particularly on the key question of obstruction. The revelation is likely to sharpen attacks by Democrats who accuse Barr of unduly protecting the Republican president and of spinning Mueller’s conclusions in Trump’s favor. And it will almost certainly be a focus of Wednesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at which the attorney general will defend his handling of Mueller’s report."