Undocumented workers rush to apply for coronavirus aid, overwhelming California system [Sacramento Bee]
Undocumented workers flooded California’s coronavirus disaster relief website Monday, causing the site to crash for several hours, a state official said. Additionally, the hotlines for the nonprofits distributing the funding were “jammed,” and many people struggled to get through, an attorney told The Bee. … Gov. Gavin Newsom and others have said the $125 million fund announced in April for the state’s undocumented population is not enough. Experts have noted the fund would only be enough to assist about 150,000 undocumented workers across the state.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article242817371.html
Monterey County COVID-19 diagnoses rise to 341, virus targets essential workers [Salinas Californian]
The number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 in Monterey County has risen to 341 as of Monday morning, and Latinos and agricultural workers are strongly overrepresented, Monterey County Public Health reported. … The vast majority (79%) of people who have been diagnosed are Latino although the county’s Latino population stands at 59% per the Census Bureau’s American Community Surveys data. Furthermore, county data shows nearly half of those confirmed to have contracted the virus (40%) work in agriculture.
Open the bottle and let’s Zoom: California wineries try online tastings during coronavirus [Wall Street Journal]
… This area has survived disruption before. … But nothing has put the California wine country on its back like the coronavirus pandemic…. Americans are drinking at least as much as ever, which has been good news for the large alcohol companies with space on supermarket shelves. But small wineries that rely on tourists stopping by tasting rooms have seen revenue dry up. … Many vintners are going digital to try to make up for at least some of the shortfall.
Opinion: Thank the farmers for our food supply [Napa Valley Register]
As we all face the daunting task of rebuilding our economy in this unprecedented time, it is important for us in Napa County to pause and recognize the positive and significant impact that agriculture has on our communities. … Our local farmers, farmworkers, food processors and other essential employees in the agricultural sector have continued to perform their crucial work. … When we are fortunate enough to have the current state of affairs dissipate, we should come out of it with a new appreciation for farmers and farmworkers who grow and harvest our agricultural products in Napa County and around the country
Judge advances states’ fight against rule changes to weaken Endangered Species Act [Courthouse News Service]
A federal judge gave the green light to a California-led lawsuit challenging new Endangered Species Act rules the states claim will gut protections for more than 1,600 plant and animal species in the United States. The regulations loosen requirements on the consultation process used to prevent harm to endangered species from federal activities, repeal automatic, blanket protections for species listed as threatened, and expand exemptions for critical habitat designations. … Tigar found the states’ complaint passed procedural muster with detailed allegations on how the new rules will affect their environmental and economic interests.
PG&E’s bankruptcy plan wins overwhelming support from wildfire victims [Associated Press]
Pacific Gas & Electric’s plan for getting out of bankruptcy has won overwhelming support from the victims of deadly Northern California wildfires ignited by the utility’s fraying electrical grid, despite concerns that they will be shortchanged by a $13.5 billion fund that’s supposed to cover their losses. The company announced the preliminary results of the vote on Monday without providing a specific tally. … PG&E still must get its plan approved by the judge supervising its case. … California state regulators also must approve PG&E’s plan.
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/business/10972605-181/pges-bankruptcy-plan-wins-overwhelming?sba=AAS
China ramping up purchases of U.S. farm goods [Wall Street Journal]
China has significantly stepped up purchases of U.S. agriculture products in the past two months, according to U.S. officials, even as purchases in other sectors fall short of expectations under the first phase U.S.-China trade deal. In the 10 weeks ended May 7, gross sales of U.S. corn and pork were up around eight times and cotton sales were three times higher than they were in the same period in 2017, before the start of the U.S.-China trade war. Soybean exports to China, the largest component of U.S. farm export receipts, rose roughly a third in the same period.
