Before we get into a story that involves dams, reservoirs, and irony: A reminder that this edition of The Newsletter includes, as always, a carefully curated news digest that makes it easy for you to quickly find the most important stories happening in your community this week. Also: A brief intro to a nonprofit doing good work AND a seasonal recipe. It's an effortless scroll—but first:
| View in Browser | Our Journalism Needs Your Support | Please Donate Today |
By Eric Johnson
Published Sep 16, 2024
Loch Lomond, the reservoir that supplies the city of Santa Cruz with a significant portion of its drinking water, is also a beautiful recreational and natural resource.
Dams and Reservoirs: Up and Down
California Dams Get Raised and Razed
As a lifelong sworn environmentalist, I have always felt a little bit guilty about the fact that I love reservoirs—and if I'm honest the dams that create them. As a kid growing up in New Jersey just outside Manhattan, the Oradell Reservoir was my refuge, and the place where I discovered nature. When I moved to the Santa Cruz Mountains soon after high school, the Loch Lomond reservoir was walking distance from my home and became another refuge.
I saw my first eagle at the Oradell Reservoir when I was 16, and my first mountain lion at Loch Lomond when I was 19. I mention this not out of pure nostalgia, but to pont out that beyond their intended benefit of storing water for human use, reservoirs can be inherently good, in that they support rich and healthy ecosystems. And yes: Dams throughout California and the West have massively disrupted fisheries and threaten keystone species such as Chinook salmon with extinction.
So this week, a nuanced look at some dams throughout the state that are going up and coming down.
The Ups and Downs of California Dams
We check in on efforts to raise some dams in the state to store more water, and to raze some dams to to let water run free.
|
San Joaquin County's Homepage |
| Direct your browser to https://sanjoaquin.californialocal.com/ to catch up on the latest news in California and San Joaquin County. Bookmark the link and visit often, there's a lot happening in your community! | |
Recipe of the Week
Our friends at Sacramento Digs Gardening publish a recipe from their gardens every Sunday, which we feature here so you can start your week with some yum.
See more recipes in their Taste Fall! cookbook.
Get to Know a Group
|
Chest of Hope |
Created in 2005 by friends and volunteers, Chest of Hope raises funds to support women and orphans who are suffering from domestic violence.
|
From Our Media Allies |
→ View All |
 |
San Joaquin County Agriculture Industry Sees Fewer Jobs, Less Production in Annual Survey |
|
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY’S output of agriculture products declined last year as grapes, milk, almonds and cherries fell in value, according to new data. |
|
San Joaquin Supervisors Eye New Restrictions on Tent, Vehicle Camping on Public Property |
|
The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on September 10 unanimously voted to advance a proposal that would prohibit camping on public property in the county. |
|
Recent Local News |
→ View All |
• Report on Annual Solidarity Summit on Homelessness
A Solving Sacramento report on the September 7 Solidarity Summit on Homelessness.
(09/16/2024) → CapPublicRadio• San Joaquin County Considers New Camping Ordinance
An ordinance banning camping on land under county jurisdiction is under consideration by the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors and may come up for a vote in their September 24 meeting.
(09/16/2024) → Stocktonia• Spotlight on Proposed Wood Pellet Facility at Port of Stockton
Stocktonia provides background information about a proposed wood pellet facility to be located at the Port of Stockton, and some of the concerns around the project.
(09/11/2024) → Stocktonia• Most Manteca Housing Under 25 Years Old
Manteca has been growing rapidly since 1990. The Manteca/Ripon Bulletin gives an overview of the makeup of housing in the city.
(09/10/2024) → Manteca Bulletin• San Joaquin County Developing Safe Camping Area
In anticipation of passing a camping ordinance, San Joaquin County is developing a safe and secure camping area for homeless access to health, hygiene and social services.
(09/10/2024) → Manteca Bulletin|
|
Recent Statewide News |
→ View All |
• Audit of Military Equipment Used By UC Police
In compliance of state law, the University of California Regents will be considering the attached audit of inventory and use of military equipment by UC police and a budget request for additional items.
(09/15/2024) → University of California• Which Growing California Communities Will Get the Hottest?
California’s inland regions are experiencing dangerous heat waves, exacerbated by rapid population growth. As more people move away from the expensive coastal areas to more affordable inland communities, these regions are seeing significant demographic changes and spiking electricity bills.
(09/13/2024) → CalMatters• CA Cities Jump on Homeless Encampment Bans
For five years, California officials responding to the homelessness crisis had to work around one big restriction imposed by the federal courts: Because they didn’t have enough shelter beds, cities generally couldn’t make homeless camps illegal.
(09/13/2024) → CalMatters• No Sleeping Bags, Keep Moving: California Cities Increase Crackdown on Homeless Encampments
More than two-dozen California cities passed, strengthened or are considering ordinances that penalize people for sleeping outside, after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed cities to crack down.
(09/11/2024) → CalMatters• California Schools Face Twin Perils: Chronic Absenteeism and Declining Enrollment
California’s public schools have a numbers problem —and it’s not just that their students don’t score very highly in national tests of mathematics ability.
(09/11/2024) → CalMatters• H5N1 Bird Flu Infects California Dairy Cows
H5N1 bird flu has been reported in three California dairy herds.
(09/11/2024) → Los Angeles Times• CA Homeless Count Is Up 8% From 2022
An exclusive CalMatters analysis of the latest California homeless count reveals some good news and bad news: Though the growth rate of homelessness appears to be slowing, the overall number of unhoused Californians increased from two years ago.
(09/10/2024) → CalMatters|
|
Government Announcements |
→ View All |
|
United States (09/12/2024) Dearborn Sausage Company, Inc. Recalls Wiener Products Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens |
|
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2024 - Dearborn Sausage Company, Inc., a Dearborn, Mich. establishment, is recalling approximately 1,944 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) wiener products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the...
|
|
|
State of California (09/03/2024) Damon Connolly CA Assembly 12: |
|
Assemblymember Connolly Passes Eleven Bills to Governors Desk
myreme
Tue, 09/03/2024 - 09:03
Completing his second year representing Marin and Sonoma counties in the California State Assembly, Connolly successfully passes robust bill package.
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
SACRAMENTO, CA Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael) has passed eleven bills successfully through the State Legislature. These bills are now being considered by …
|
|
|
|
United States (08/30/2024) Hickory Hollow Jerky Recalls Ready-To-Eat Jerky Products Produced Without Benefit of Inspection |
|
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2024 - Hickory Hollow Jerky, a Eufaula, Ala., establishment, is recalling approximately 6,229 pounds of ready-to-eat jerky products that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection...
|
|
|
|
United States (08/16/2024) FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Ineligible Meat and Poultry Products Illegally Imported From the Republic of the Union of Myanmar |
|
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for various meat and poultry products that were...
|
|
|
|
United States (08/16/2024) Perdue Foods LLC, Recalls Frozen, Ready-To-Eat Chicken Breast Nugget and Tender Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination |
|
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2024 - Perdue Foods LLC, a Perry, Ga. establishment, is recalling approximately 167,171 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken breast nugget and tender products that may be contaminated...
|
|
|
|
United States (08/16/2024) FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ineligible Meat and Poultry Products Illegally Imported from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar |
|
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for various meat and poultry products that were...
|
|
|
|
United States (08/16/2024) Perdue Foods LLC, Recalls Frozen, Ready-To-Eat Chicken Breast Nugget and Tender Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination |
|
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2024 - Perdue Foods LLC, a Perry, Ga. establishment, is recalling approximately 167,171 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken breast nugget and tender products that may be contaminated...
|
|
|
|
State of California (08/15/2024) Damon Connolly CA Assembly 12: |
|
Connolly Bills Pass out of Senate Appropriations Committee
myreme
Thu, 08/15/2024 - 15:11
Six of Assemblymember Damon Connollys bills passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and will be heard on the Senate floor.
Thursday, August 15, 2024
SACRAMENTO, CA Today, six of Assemblymember Damon Connollys (D-San Rafael) bills passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and will be heard …
|
|
|
|
United States (08/01/2024) Metro Produce Distributors Inc. Recalls Fresh Guacamole Because of Possible Health Risk |
|
Metro Produce Distributors Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is voluntarily recalling all Lunds & Byerlys fresh guacamole products with a use-by date of August 2, 2024, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fat
|
|
|
|
United States (07/30/2024) Colonna Brothers, Inc. Issues an Updated Voluntary Recall for "1.5oz Marcum Ground Cinnamon & 2.25oz Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon" Because of Possible Health Risk Due to Elevated Lead Levels |
|
Colonna Brothers of North Bergen, NJ is voluntarily recalling its 1.5oz Marcum Ground Cinnamon & 2.25oz Supreme Tradition Ground Cinnamon because of a possible health risk due to elevated lead levels. Short term exposures to very low levels of lead may not elicit any symptoms. It is possible that in
|
|