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Continued Drought Conditions Add Billions in California Agriculture Losses, UC Merced Report Finds

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Losses to California’s ag trade have continued to mount because the state’s drought stretched into a 3rd straight 12 months, in keeping with a report launched Tuesday by researchers from the College of Engineering and the Public Coverage Institute of California.

The report, led by Professor Josue Medellín-Azuara, estimates direct financial impacts on farm exercise of $1.2 billion this 12 months, up from $810 million in 2021 — representing a 4.9% and three.4% influence on crop worth added, respectively. “Worth added” is the contribution from a sector to the area’s gross home product. It contains income, compensation and taxes.

Past direct farm results, impacts on meals processing industries that depend on farm merchandise have been roughly $845 million in 2022, up from $590 million in 2021. Altogether these penalties complete $2 billion in value-added losses this 12 months alone (5.9% discount with respect to 2019) and a lack of 19,420 jobs, the researchers calculated.

However it might have been worse, the report exhibits.

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“Findings from our examine point out drought influence mitigation actions similar to land idling and elevated groundwater pumping have been the commonest. Extra intensive fallowing within the Sacramento Valley, together with water buying and selling, decreased the financial losses of a drought of this magnitude,” mentioned Medellin-Azuara.

The 2020-2022 water years represent the driest three-year interval in California’s instrumented historic file.

“California isn’t any stranger to drought, however this present drought has hit actually arduous in a few of the sometimes water-rich elements of the state which can be important for the broader state water provide,” mentioned Professor John Abatzoglou, a coauthor on the report.

“The Sacramento Valley and its communities have been floor zero throughout this drought,” mentioned Alvar Escriva-Bou, a senior fellow on the Public Coverage Institute of California. The report estimates that statewide idled land in 2022 elevated by 750,000 acres with respect to 2019, with greater than half of those farms within the Sacramento space, and a majority of them within the rice manufacturing counties of Sutter, Colusa and Glenn.

“The Sacramento Valley confirmed higher vulnerability this time due to the unprecedented climatological circumstances, but additionally as a result of there’s much less groundwater pumping capability. Provided that it’s a usually wetter area, it is perhaps clever to evaluate investments in recharge and pumping infrastructure to extend drought resilience,” added Escriva-Bou.

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“On prime of precipitation deficits, this drought has proven the significance of what some are calling an ‘evapotranspiration tax’ — elevated crop water demand resulting from a thirsty ambiance. Impacts of water provide deficits are exacerbated by elevated irrigation wants to keep up crop productiveness,” mentioned graduate college students and report coauthors Spencer Cole and Jose Rodriguez. In some places, crops similar to almonds, berries and tomatoes had decreased yields resulting from water stress, but additionally due to heatwaves.

Along with drought impacts, California’s ag economic system additionally suffered from disruptions within the provide chain, together with delays in delivery crops out of California. The report’s authors mentioned these delays might end in elevated stock and will affect a few of California’s specialty crop costs.

Every drought supplies the chance to be taught one thing to use to the subsequent drought, researchers mentioned.

“We have to extra absolutely put money into constructing local weather resilience in our rural, agriculture dependent communities as they’re on the entrance traces of local weather impacts to their financial base,” mentioned UC Merced Affiliate Dean for Analysis Professor Joshua Viers, additionally a report co-author. “We will solely anticipate extended dry intervals briefly interrupted by pronounced moist ones — which can additional stress entry to scrub consuming water and regular employment, amongst many challenges.”



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California

Dickies to say goodbye to Texas, hello to Southern California

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Dickies to say goodbye to Texas, hello to Southern California


FORT WORTH, Texas — Dickies is leaving Cowtown for the California coast, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.

The 102-year-old Texas workwear brand, which is owned by VF Corp., is making the move from Fort Worth to Costa Mesa in order to be closer to its sister brand, Vans.


What You Need To Know

  • Dickies headquarters will be relocated from Texas to California, according to a Los Angeles Times report 
  • The workwear brand has operated in Fort Worth since 1922
  • The report says the movie will occur in May 2025 and affect about 120 employees 
  • Dickies headquarters is being moved by owner VF Corp. so that it can be closer to its sister brand, Vans

Dickies was founded in Fort Worth in 1922 by E.E. “Colonel” Dickie. Today, Dickies Arena is the entertainment hub of the city and home of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.

The company is expected to make the move by May. Approximately 120 employees will be affected, the report said.

By moving one of its offices closer to the other, VF Corp. says it can “consolidate its real estate portfolio,” as well as “create an even more vibrant campus,” Ashley McCormack, director of external communications at VF Corp. said in the report.

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Dickies isn’t the only rugged brand owned by VF Corp. The company also has ownership of Timberland, The North Face and JanSport.

VF Corp. acquired Dickies in 2017 for $820 million. 

“Their contributions to our city’s culture, economy and identity are immeasurable,” District 9 City Council member Elizabeth Beck, who represents the area of downtown Fort Worth where Dickies headquarters is currently located, said in a statement to the Fort Worth Report. “While we understand their business decision, it is bittersweet to see a company that started right here in Fort Worth take this next step. We are committed to supporting the employees who remain here and will work to honor the lasting imprint Dickies has left on our community.”



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Caitlyn Jenner says she'd 'destroy' Kamala Harris in hypothetical race to be CA gov

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Caitlyn Jenner says she'd 'destroy' Kamala Harris in hypothetical race to be CA gov


Caitlyn Jenner, the gold-medal Olympian-turned reality TV personality, is considering another run for Governor of California. This time, she says, if she were to go up against Vice President Kamala Harris, she would “destroy her.” 

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Jenner, who publicly came out as transgender nearly 10 years ago, made a foray into politics when she ran as a Republican during the recall election that attempted to unseat Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021. Jenner only received one percent of the vote and was not considered a serious candidate. 

Jenner posted this week on social media that she’s having conversations with “many people” and hopes to have an announcement soon about whether she will run. 

Caitlyn Jenner speaks at the 4th annual Womens March LA: Women Rising at Pershing Square on January 18, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images)

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She has also posted in Trumpian-style all caps: “MAKE CA GREAT AGAIN!”

As for VP Harris, she has not indicated any future plans for when she leaves office. However, a recent poll suggests Harris would have a sizable advantage should she decide to run in 2026. At that point, Newsom cannot run again because of term limits. 

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If Jenner decides to run and wins, it would mark the nation and state’s first transgender governor.  



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Northern California 6-year-old, parents hailed as heroes for saving woman who crashed into canal

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Northern California 6-year-old, parents hailed as heroes for saving woman who crashed into canal


LIVE OAK — A six-year-old and her parents are being called heroes by a Northern California community for jumping into a canal to save a 75-year-old woman who drove off the road. 

It happened on Larkin Road near Paseo Avenue in the Sutter County community of Live Oak on Monday. 

“I just about lost her, but I didn’t,” said Terry Carpenter, husband of the woman who was rescued. “We got more chances.” 

Terry said his wife of 33 years, Robin Carpenter, is the love of his life and soulmate. He is grateful he has been granted more time to spend with her after she survived her car crashing off a two-lane road and overturning into a canal. 

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“She’s doing really well,” Terry said. “No broken bones, praise the Lord.” 

It is what some call a miracle that could have had a much different outcome without a family of good Samaritans. 

“Her lips were purple,” said Ashley Martin, who helped rescue the woman. “There wasn’t a breath at all. I was scared.” 

Martin and her husband, Cyle Johnson, are being hailed heroes by the Live Oak community for jumping into the canal, cutting Robin out of her seat belt and pulling her head above water until first responders arrived. 

“She was literally submerged underwater,” Martin said. “She had a back brace on. Apparently, she just had back surgery. So, I grabbed her brace from down below and I flipped her upward just in a quick motion to get her out of that water.” 

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The couple said the real hero was their six-year-old daughter, Cayleigh Johnson. 

“It was scary,” Cayleigh said. “So the car was going like this, and it just went boom, right into the ditch.” 

Cayleigh was playing outside and screamed for her parents who were inside the house near the canal.

I spoke with Robin from her hospital bed over the phone who told us she is in a lot of pain but grateful.

“The thing I can remember is I started falling asleep and then I was going over the bump and I went into the ditch and that’s all I remember,” Robin said. 

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It was a split-second decision for a family who firefighters said helped save a stranger’s life. 

“It’s pretty unique that someone would jump in and help somebody that they don’t even know,” said Battalion Chief for Sutter County Fire Richard Epperson. 

Robin is hopeful that she will be released from the hospital on Wednesday in time to be home for Thanksgiving. 

“She gets Thanksgiving and Christmas now with her family and grandkids,” Martin said. 

Terry and Robin are looking forward to eventually meeting the family who helped save Robin’s life. The family expressed the same feelings about meeting the woman they helped when she is out of the hospital. 

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“I can’t wait for my baby to get home,” Terry said. 



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