Biking in Calaveras

“Bicycling is becoming more popular in the central Mother Lode, with more tourists, recreational cyclists and commuters demanding safe routes, and businesses recognizing the economic opportunity. But our roads and streets remain an obstacle to taking advantage of cycling opportunities.” If you are interested in biking in Calaveras County, please read, “Bike riding is an opportunity for Calaveras County” (Guest Opinion by Rob Williams, Calaveras... Read More

Medical care services in danger for Calaveras?

The Silver Oak Medical Office is closing its doors on Feb. 28. An announcement from the office stated that the increasing cost of running a private health care business and decreasing reimbursements from insurance companies were the major factors contributing to the office’s closure. An inability to draw new doctors to the area was also cited as a hurdle for the office. Read Calaveras Enterprise article here  Read More

Wet weather doesn’t mean Sierra Nevada forests are OK

Between 2014 and 2016, an estimated 83 million trees died in the Sierra Nevada from overgrowth, bark beetles, and drought… Between 2014 and 2016, the Butte, King and other fires have killed 30 million trees. Sierra Nevada Conservancy staff say these numbers are unprecedented… Federal agencies must confront overgrown, over-crowded, over-dense forests that have resulted from a century of fire suppression, mismanagement and neglect Read Article... Read More

Marketing sustainable livestock products: A Pasture for Life perspective

Farmers integrate new knowledge about soils, carbon, biodiversity, animal health, nutrition and welfare into the ways that they farm. Read this article here from Sustainable Food Trust  Read More

What is the “Left Coast” Doing About Climate Change?

The three West Coast states have a lot in common, including strong commitments to address climate change. They are all taking action on this front, but so far coordination efforts seem weak. Given the situation in D.C., it would make sense for these states to go further in terms of making a collective effort. It would also make sense to go beyond climate issues and start serious collaboration on other issues, such as how to protect  public lands... Read More

Why CalPERS is pouring millions into Southern California water deal:

“On the edge of the Mojave Desert, beneath 1,800 acres of scrubland and tumbleweeds, California’s giant public pension fund is trying to make a killing in the water business.  CalPERS is the primary owner of the Willow Springs Water Bank, an underground reservoir that could hold as much water as Folsom Lake when fully developed. Its customers, mainly a collection of Los Angeles-area water agencies, pay fees to store water beneath the Kern County... Read More

The SF Bay-Delta Is Invaluable. What Will Happen to It Under Trump?

“The Bay-Delta, comprised of San Francisco Bay and the shared delta of the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers, is the largest estuary on the west coast of the continental United States. It sustains valuable salmon and Dungeness crab fisheries, supports hundreds of family farmers who work the rich peat soils of its reclaimed islands, serves as a recreational relief valve for millions of Bay Area urbanites and the main source of drinking water for... Read More

Restore the Delta releases California’s Sustainable Water Plan

Today, Restore the Delta released a survey of water projects and proposals that improve California’s regional water sustainability and provide good paying jobs. California’s Sustainable Water Plan highlights projects in communities statewide that are far smarter investments than Jerry Brown’s controversial and expensive Delta Tunnels (CA WaterFix) proposal. Read This Article and other related stories here in Maven’s Notebook  Read More

Trump’s Defense Secretary Cites Climate Change as National Security Challenge

James Mattis’ unpublished testimony before a Senate panel recognizes a threat others in the administration reject or minimize. Read Article Here in ProPublica  Read More

ACA-Repeal-in-California report with stats by county

Please share widely    FYI – this contains stats by county and age groups of who has ACA and could lose coverage in CA  here is the link to the full report http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/pdf/2016/ACA-Repeal-in-California.pdf or download this report:ACA-Repeal-in-California USE in ltes/opeds In discussions Take report to leg offices Etc  Read More