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- Written by: California State Board of Food and Agriculture
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University of California, Merced, Administration Building, Room No. 306, 5200 North Lake Road.
The public can attend the meeting via Zoom; the password is Cdfa!220
Public comment on the drought will begin at approximately 2 p.m.
With the driest first three months of a year on record and reservoir conditions below historic averages, California is experiencing significant drought impacts.
The board will hear from federal officials, local irrigation and water districts, as well as community and farmer stakeholders on drought planning and preparedness.
“This will be a difficult summer for many rural communities in California,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Drought endangers safe drinking water supplies in many communities, jobs for farm workers and livelihoods of farm families. All of us are in this together. We must conserve this precious resource to protect communities, support the environment and assist farmers and ranchers in growing healthy and sustainable food.”
Invited speakers include: Regional Director Ernest Conant, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, California-Great Basin; Josue Medellin-Azuara and Joshua Viers, University of California Merced; Jarrett Martin, Central California Irrigation District; Michelle Reimers, Turlock Irrigation District; Eric Swenson, Merquin County Water District; Supervisor Scott Silveira, Merced County Board of Supervisors and other invited speakers.
“Droughts have become harder to manage for California’s farmers and ranchers,” said President Don Cameron, California State Board of Food and Agriculture. “Less water is available than in years past and flexibilities within the system are constrained. The result is that farmers have fewer options. This cycle must be fixed and California agriculture is willing to help lead the way.”
The California State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and CDFA secretary on agricultural issues and consumer needs. The board conducts forums that bring together local, state and federal government officials; agricultural representatives; and citizens to discuss current issues and concerns to California agriculture.
Follow the board on twitter at www.twitter.com/Cafood_agboard.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
Smith said the store, opened in 1978 by her parents, Robert and Dorothy Killian, will close on April 27. After the closure, Smith plans to retire.
The store’s liquidation sale begins on Friday, April 1, with 25% off the entire store.
Every subsequent Friday, the sale percentage will go up by 25%, ending on April 22.
Nature’s Own Health Food is located at 14096 Lakeshore Drive.
For more information, call 707-994-3080.
- Details
- Written by: Office of Sen. Connie M. Leyva
The California Department of Housing and Community Development, or HCD, in consultation with the California Department of Consumer Affairs, would be responsible for developing the training and enforcing the certification requirements.
Sponsored by the Golden State Manufactured-Home Owners League and supported by the County of Contra Costa, SB 869 would specifically require any person, or person under contract, who is responsible for managing a mobile home park to complete 18 hours of training, including an annual end of year online examination.
The online training would include the most prevalent complaints of the prior year, as well as Mobile home Residency Law, rights and responsibilities of homeowners and management, emergency procedures, communication with homeowners, Title 25 of the California Code of Regulations, and mobile home titling and registration.
A certificate of completion would be issued once the person has met all training requirements. The certificate must then be posted visibly and be available for inspection at the mobile home park.
If the mobile home park management is out of compliance with these requirements, HCD would then have the authority to suspend the management’s permit to operate.
“With over half a million mobile homes and manufactured homes in California, it is critical that mobile home park managers are properly trained so we can ensure the health and safety of residents,” Sen. Leyva said. “It is unacceptable that California does not already require mobile home park managers to be trained, as several neighboring states already do. As Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Manufactured Home Communities, I thank the Senate Housing Committee for supporting SB 869 and bringing California one step closer to improving the safety and quality of life in mobile home parks across our state.”
California currently has no requirements for the training or education of mobile home park managers. In many instances, the park manager may be responsible for the safety of over 200 residents and sometimes in remote locations of the state.
Other states, such as Oregon and Nevada, mandate mobile home park management undergo training and licensing to ensure the health and safety of residents living in mobile home parks.
Mobile home park managers are responsible for the health and safety of the property, as well as, the people who live in mobile home parks.
As noted at the 2016 Select Committee on Manufactured Homes and Communities hearing, ongoing violations of the law generally stem from the lack of sufficient understanding by park managers of the Mobile home Residency Law and the complex overlay of other laws and regulations.
This lack of training has led to situations of unlawful evictions, improper fees and invoices, discrimination, and poor maintenance, all of which affect the quality of life in mobile home parks.
The Manufactured Housing Metropolitan Opportunity Profile: Data Snapshot indicates that there are 519,972 mobile homes and manufactured homes in California accounting for 3.8 percent of the total housing stock and roughly 1.5 million residents in the state.
Nearly half (47%) of these homes are affordable to very-low income households, compared to just 18 percent of the state’s overall housing stock.
In a state with a desperate need for housing in this affordability range, mobile homes and manufactured homes are a significant source of affordable housing.
Mobile home residents, many of whom are seniors, rely on effective management of their mobile home park to ensure that their housing is safe and meets appropriate quality standards.
- Details
- Written by: California Attorney General’s Office
The California Department of Justice filed charges against nine defendants following a California Highway Patrol investigation that began in 2021.
During a search and arrest operation in Los Angeles on Monday, officers arrested five of the targeted suspects and recovered approximately $62,000 in cash and $135,000 of stolen merchandise from major retailers, including Macy’s, Columbia Sportswear, Abercrombie & Fitch, J.C. Penney and Lululemon.
An additional suspect from the operation was charged on Tuesday and remains at large. Three suspects were charged in a separate complaint on Tuesday for allegedly possessing over $17,000 in stolen merchandise.
“Organized retail theft hurts businesses, employees, and the public — and this criminal activity will not be tolerated in California,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today we take another step toward tackling this issue by announcing the arrests and felony charges against individuals alleged to be participants in an organized criminal scheme targeting retailers throughout our state. I want to thank the California Highway Patrol and our retail partners for their collaboration and help in this investigation. As our state’s chief law enforcement officer, I will continue to aggressively pursue and hold accountable those who participate in organized retail theft.”
“The CHP is proud of the partnership and collaboration our Organized Retail Crime Task Force has with our local law enforcement partners, the Department of Justice, and the retail industry in identifying, investigating, and prosecuting organized retail theft rings,” said CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray. “This case exemplifies law enforcement’s collective commitment to enhance public safety throughout the state of California. I applaud the efforts of our investigators who have worked tirelessly on this case which resulted in the arrests and recovery of the stolen merchandise.”
"Organized Retail Crime impacts all retailers from small businesses to national chains. ORC hurts consumers, endangers our employees, and impacts the neighborhoods where retailers operate,” said Rachel Michelin, President, California Retailers Association. “We appreciate the work of the ORC Task Forces and the Attorney General who shares our belief that prosecution and enforcement of these cases can deter this behavior. ORC is very real and impacts our most vulnerable communities. The work of the ORC Taskforce and the Attorney General, in partnership with retailers, is a positive example of how collaboration and communication can stem the tide of retail theft in California."
As part of the scheme targeted during Monday’s search and arrest operation, the suspects allegedly stole and transported hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of goods, held the items, and shipped them internationally.
These suspects are charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, organized retail theft, grand theft, possession of stolen property, and a special allegation alleging that the theft totaled more than $100,000.
The additional three suspects arrested and charged on Tuesday are charged with possession of stolen merchandise. The suspects were charged in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
California and states across the country have seen a pattern of organized retail crime.
According to a 2020 national survey, U.S. retailers lose approximately $700,000 per every $1 billion in sales to organized retail crime.
Attorney General Bonta and law enforcement partners throughout the state proactively collaborate to end organized retail crime.
In December 2021, Attorney General Bonta announced the sentencing of a group involved in organized retail theft in the Bay Area.
Late last year, Attorney General Bonta brought together retailers and law enforcement to address the challenge of organized retail theft and develop strategies for combating this criminal activity head-on.
It is important to note that a criminal complaint contains charges that are only allegations against a person. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.