State shuts down hydroelectric plant as Lake Oroville drops to historic lows
The Chronicle, CHASE DIFELICIANTONIO: "One of California’s biggest hydroelectric plants was taken offline Thursday after water levels at the Oroville reservoir plummeted to historic lows, which authorities blamed on drought caused by climate change.
It was the first time the Hyatt Powerplant at Lake Oroville was shut down because of low lake levels since it was constructed, said California Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth in a statement. Hyatt is the fourth largest energy producer of all the hydroelectric facilities in California, authorities said.
Nemeth said the department had worked with the California Independent Service Operator and the California Energy Commission to take steps “In anticipation of the loss of power generation,” but did not specify what those were."
California's Big Summer Wildfires Keep Sending Up Dangerous Fire-Triggered Thunderstorms
RAQUEL MARIA DILLON, KQED: "The photo of the Dixie Fire captured by Cal Fire’s Santa Clara unit last month is composed like a Renaissance religious painting. Rocks frame the subject — in this case, a towering smoke plume — pine trees point to the sky, while small human figures stand in awe. But the cloud is a product of an earthly inferno, not heaven sent.
The pyrocumulus cloud rose above the Dixie Fire on the afternoon of July 19, nearly growing into pyrocumulonimbus — a wildfire-driven thunderhead. Meteorologists call these massive smoke columns “pyroCbs” for short (pronounced “pie-roh-cee-bee”).
Scientists are seeing more of them around the world, as fires burn bigger, fiercer and more frequently."
Judge OKs Newsom tagging recall election a 'Republican power grab'
The Chronicle, BOB EGELKO: "The recall campaign against Gov. Gavin Newsom is being led by Republicans, and Newsom is entitled to say so in his ballot arguments, a judge ruled Thursday, rejecting an attempt by recall leaders to purge the ballot materials of the governor’s claim that he is the target of a “Republican power grab.”
Although not all supporters of Newsom’s removal are Republicans, “the recall effort was clearly spearheaded by Republicans,” Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Laurie Earl said in a ruling dismissing a lawsuit by two organizers of the recall that will go before the voters on Sept. 14.
She also said Newsom was entitled to argue that the recall is being led by supporters of former President Donald Trump."
Thousands of Californians will soon lose unemployment benefits as fed programs end
Sac Bee, DAVID LIGHTMAN: "About 41,000 Californians who get emergency unemployment benefits will stop receiving them next week.
It’s a preview of sorts of what’s to come. Five major federally-funded unemployment programs end Sept. 4, and the Century Foundation estimates that more than 2 million people in the state will lose benefits, which can be as much as $750 a week.
The program that has been cut back immediately is the Federal-State Extended Duration (FED-ED) benefit. It’s payable to people who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits and their available Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) extension benefits."
The West is burning. Why are some campfires still allowed in some California forests, parks?
Chronicle, JASON POHL/MARGO ROSENBAUM: "When Jennifer Bullard arrived at Donner Memorial State Park this week for a few days of camping with her family, she expected to be roasting under the blazing sun in the heat of summer. But what she saw after pulling into her campsite made the Truckee local’s blood boil.
The campers in a spot nearby had started a fire in a designated ring. Then they walked away.
It was dangerously irresponsible, she thought. California is in a drought, firefighting resources across the West are already overstretched and the most explosive part of the fire season has yet to arrive. An errant spark can put nearby towns at risk. People might die."
3 reasons the Bay Area and California aren't planning new lockdowns even amid delta surge
The Chronicle, ANNIE VAINSHTEIN: "The spike in coronavirus cases driven by the delta variant has prompted the return of a familiar restriction to the Bay Area: an indoor mask mandate for everyone.
But could this latest surge bring back a far more disruptive measure in the Bay Area or even statewide — namely, lockdown orders?
The answer so far, according to California and many county officials, is no."
There's nearly $900M for Bay Area rent relief. So why has only 10% gotten to residents?
The Chronicle, LAUREN HEPLER: "Victoria Medina has always loved to cook. But lately, there’s a lot more urgency when she steams her chile verde tamales.
After losing her job as a contract kitchen worker at Google last spring, the 47-year-old mother of three started selling her tamales for $3 each near the Mission District apartment where her family has lived since 2004. But Medina is still $9,000 behind on rent and owes another $2,500 for utilities. Two applications for rent relief have yet to pan out. So she prays in the bedroom she shares with her youngest daughter, her two older children splitting bunk beds in the living room.
“Más que nada ahorita estoy buscando la ayuda,” Medina said."