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California Matters

Drought has big impacts on California agriculture

As California experiences a second year of drought, with no end in sight, the effects on California’s largest-in-the-nation agricultural industry are profound and perhaps permanent.

State and federal water agencies have cut deliveries to some DaN WaLTErS farmers to zero while others, thanks to water rights dating back more than a century, still have access to water.

Farmers are reacting to shortages in three, often intertwined ways — suspending cultivation of some fields or ripping up orchards for lack of water, drilling new wells to tap into diminishing aquifers and buying water from those who have it.

All three have major economic impacts. They are driving some farmers, particularly small family operations, out of business altogether, accelerating the shift to large-scale agribusiness Summary corporations with the financial resources to cope, changing the kinds California’s serious and prolonged of crops that can be drought is having profitably grown and supercharging the semisecretive market for serious and prolonged impacts buying and selling water. on California’s By happenstance, all of these trends are occurring just as agricultural industry, the the state begins to nation’s largest. implement a 2014 law aimed at limiting the amount of water that farmers can pump from underground aquifers.

A few weeks ago the state Department of Water Resources announced that it had rejected as inadequate the underground water management plans of four San Joaquin Valley agencies, including the huge Westlands Water District, indicating that the state will be aggressive in enforcing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

“We’re not going to accept a plan to do a plan,” Paul Gosselin, deputy director for the California Department of Water Resources, Sustainable Groundwater Management Office, told the Sacramento Bee. “We’re looking for very concrete, measurable changes to address these deficiencies.”

If anything, however, farmers are drilling more wells to cope with the current drought, the Bee also reported.

“I could work seven days a week if I wanted to,” Fresno County well driller Wesley Harmon told the

n See WalterS, page A5

Letters to the Editor

Christmas parade

EDITOR:

Who let the Proud Boys be part of our family Christmas parade? Is this what Placerville is projecting to our children, our families and the world — that we support the overthrow of our democratically elected government? Why are we letting 10 or 15 people in our community define who the residents of El Dorado County represent? Don’t let these few disgrace us all.

SUE BURGDORF Placerville

Letter lacking

EDITOR

Mr. Lanner’s letter, “Republican betrayal,” is nothing more than his usual mix of misinformation and name-calling.

First he says Republicans would get “red in the face” when the United States was described as a democracy and insisted that it was a republic. Well, Mr. Lanner, educated people know that the United States IS a republic.

He says Republicans never accepted majority rule. Were he educated he would know that long before the Republican Party existed back, in the revolutionary days, our government was set up the way it was because the rest of the colonies/states didn’t want to be ruled by New York. They didn’t throw off one tyrant just to be governed by another. That’s where the Constitution and States’ Rights came from. It would also seem that Mr. Lanner doesn’t know that those revolutionary days also predate the Democratic Party.

Then Mr. Lanner moves on to say the Republicans opposed the massively popular World War II and had to cover their tracks. Anyone who knows anything about history knows that opposition to entering the war before Pearl Harbor was bipartisan with public support never going over 25%.

Next Mr. Lanner goes to the tried and true leftwing tactic of painting any who disagrees with them Neo-Nazis. He says the Republicans attack constitutional values while overlooking the left’s relentless attacks on the Second Amendment. Then Mr. Lanner moves on to attacking those who make money basically taking a page from Karl Marx’ Communist Manifesto, which states from everyone according to his ability to everyone according to his need. That fails when the former gets tired of supporting the latter.

He finishes by saying that the Republicans support rioting and treason. Just what did he call all those riots, looting, arson, autonomous zones where anarchy reigned in Portland, Seattle, Milwaukee and on and on? Lawlessness that wasn’t even mentioned in the Democrats’ convention.

You won’t be taken seriously about things like rioting and lawlessness, Mr. Lanner, until you lose the hypocrisy and look out of both eyes. GEORGE ALGER Placerville

Not in my neighborhood syndrome

EDITOR:

The public by and large supports efforts to house the homeless, until it happens in their neighborhood. For so many, changes are bad and produce fears both just and unjust.

Homelessness is not new to Pollock Pines. Longtime residents know many of our homeless by sight and some try to help in small ways. The public complains about people living behind our businesses, leaving behind mounds of trash, with no one taking responsibility for the problems created.

The county is now trying to take a small step toward getting a segment of this population (disabled, veterans and folks older than 55) off the streets and into more stable housing.

Jesus scolded those who would step over those in need, the homeless and sick, to go on with their daily life. The homeless need our support from people of faith who profess to follow the Lord and love people as God would love them. Please do not step around this issue but take the time to call or email your county supervisor.

Guest columnist Don Semon, director of HHSA, wrote a good article in the Mountain Democrat about real progresses made thanks to the Project Room Key program. This program is not going to solve many of the issues homelessness creates, but it is a real step toward something better. HEATHER CAMPBELL Pollock Pines

The Not So Weekly Daley

It’s time for some letters from Santa Claus

Joey,

Don’t take no malarkey off a nobody. C’mon

Love, Santa (from dad) • • • Dear 49ers,

Looking better till last Sunday. Too bad it’s not mid-September.

Just wait till next year. Santa Got Game • • • Dear D.B. Cooper,

Where did you drop that darn briefcase? I can’t remember either. It was a long time ago, but I’ll keep looking. BTW, you were the G.OA.T. And you rocked air travel for quite a while. Holiday greetings from the G.O.A.T. ever! Santa

• • • Nancy Dear, Help! Smoother roads and updated runways. It’s the lumbago, sciatica, arthritis ‘n’ sh*t. You know what I’m talking about. And the air. Blizzards of volcanic ash, smog and acid rain, but the worst was ChriS DaLEy dense clouds of drones. Think bug-smeared windshields on a muggy night at Talladega. Plus, I got 27 elves off work for lack of childcare. Please hurry. Thanks in advance. Love from the Jolly (no longer young) Elf • • • Dear Virginia, Yes there is a Santa Claus!!! Love, Santa Claus • • •

Dear Donald,

Dude, chill awhile. You can’t win ’em all, really. I mean it. Quit with the nonsense. Right NOW. Cuz I’m already seeing a ginormous bag of coal under your tree come the 25th. Don Jr.

You said a voicemail from Easter Bunny Ed called you “a punk*ss little twit?”

The Easter Bunny Ed I know wouldn’t sugar coat it like that. Just sayin’. Dear Melodie,

“Bob’s your uncle.” I’ve told you guys that for more than a hundred years. Enough said. So let it go.

Love, Santa

• • • Delta and Omicron,

I recognize you rascals from a couple thousand years ago. I wasn’t impressed then and I’m sure not impressed now. Go on, scram and beat it back to whatever hell place you call home. And if you know what’s good for you, you won’t mess around with ...

THE SANTA CLAUS • • •

Dear Kamala,

You should probably ask Al Gore or even Mike Pence? I don’t know what to tell you, other than good luck. XO – Santa

• • • Rep. Tommy Massie, (R) Kentucky,

The Massie family Christmas card presents an unusual draw for your fine state. “Try Kentucky — and see what comes from kissin’ cousins.” Yikes! You could actually “be your own grandpa.” • • • Jeff, Elon, Sir Richard et al.,

It’s getting pretty crowded up here, so don’t take any wooden space junk. Ha Ha Ho Ho.

That’s a little “other-world” humor, boys. I got a million of ’em. CU soon. Santa Claus • • •

Dear Kevin,

A certain wag I know intimated that you are actually a Massie from Kentucky and not a McCarthy from Fresno. Hmmm? The resemblance is uncanny. How ’bout it, Kev? Santa from the N.P. • • •

Hey Hon,

No matter what you say, I still don’t like “Amal and the Night Visitors.” Never have. Never will. Luv ‘n stuff, Santa Baby • • •

Dear Mitch,

I just realized. You’re also from Kentucky. Well, that explains a thing or two, y’all. Santa from up north a piece. • • • Lauren, Paul and Marjorie T-G,