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☆ Torrential Rains Leave at Least 13 Dead and More Missing in Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Ana Ionova | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At least 13 people have been killed and 21 are missing after heavy rains drenched southern Brazil, prompting a state government to send rescue helicopters in search of stranded residents, the authorities said on Thursday. The torrential rains that poured over the state of Rio Grande do Sul in recent days were well above normal for this time of year, according to experts. The rains swelled rivers across the state’s low-lying central valley region, flooding towns, causing a bridge to collapse, blocking roads and setting off mudslides. One town, Canudos do Vale, was left isolated with no electricity or communication. In the town of Candelária, residents awaited rescue helicopters on the roofs of their flooded homes.

Organizations: National Institute of Meteorology, The New York Times Locations: Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Canudos, Candelária

☆ Levi Strauss shares surge 18% on raised profit guidance, holiday earnings beat
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of Levi Strauss surged 18% on Thursday after the retailer raised its full-year profit guidance and posted holiday earnings that beat expectations. Late Wednesday, Levi's announced its fiscal first quarter earnings and said it expects adjusted earnings per share for fiscal 2024 to be between $1.17 and $1.27, up from a previous range of $1.15 to $1.25. As part of the project, Levi's cut about 12% of its global workforce. It also exited its Denizen business, which comes at a lower margin, and has relied less on aggressive discounting to drive sales. It's also seeing record amounts of sales happening online and through its own shops instead of through department stores like Macy's and Kohl's , which come at a lower margin.

Persons: Levi Strauss, Levi's, it's, that's, It's, Harmit Singh Organizations: Woodbury Locations: Central Valley , New York, U.S

☆ Here are the 6 California Republicans up for reelection whose competitive districts could determine the House majority in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( John L. Dorman | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

And it is in these districts, from the Central Valley to the outskirts of Los Angeles and down to Orange County, where the House majority will likely be won or lost in 2024. Republicans currently hold a slim 218-seat majority, a precarious position for the party as the 213-member House Democratic Caucus works to flip the chamber this year. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesKen Calvert, 41st DistrictFirst elected to the House: 1992AdvertisementCalvert is the longest-serving California Republican in Congress. Calvert won most of his races by large margins before redistricting, and he last faced a truly competitive reelection fight in 2008. Valadao's return to Congress was overshadowed by his decision to become one of 10 House Republicans to vote to impeach President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the Capitol riot.

Persons: —, Kevin McCarthy —, Joe Biden, Young Kim, Bill Clark, Kim, Ed Royce, Gil Cisneros, McCarthy, Cisneros, Biden, She'll, Joe Kerr, Michelle Steel, Harley Rouda, Rouda, Dana Rohrabacher, Steel, Jay Chen, Derek Tran, Mike Garcia, Tom Williams, Garcia, Katie Hill, Christy Smith, Smith, George Whitesides, Ken Calvert, Calvert, he's, Will Rollins, Rollins, John Duarte, Duarte isn't, Duarte, Jim Jordan's, Jordan, Mike Johnson of, Democrat Adam Gray, Gray, David Valadao, Valadao, TJ Cox, Valadao's, Donald Trump, Rudy Salas, Salas Organizations: Service, Golden State, Business, Republicans, Democratic Caucus, Inc, Getty, California State Assembly, GOP, Democratic, Navy, Biden, NASA, onetime Virgin Galactic, District, California Republican, Republican, House Democrats, Democrat, Trump, Democratic Rep, Capitol Locations: California, Bakersfield, Golden, Los Angeles, Orange County, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Steel, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, Congress, Inland, Corona, Mike Johnson of Louisiana

☆ I'm a winemaker for The Dreaming Tree, the label owned by Dave Matthews. Here's what goes into making a celebrity wine.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Perri Ormont Blumberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Grayson Stewart, the winemaker for The Dreaming Tree from Sanger, California. AdvertisementI've been the full-time winemaker for The Dreaming Tree, the wine label of Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band, since March 2022. I jumped at the opportunity to work with Dave and his labelDave Matthews with The Dreaming Tree wine. Here's how we make our sustainable wineThe Dreaming Tree is now fully sustainable, from the wine inside the bottle to the bottle itself. My friends send me pictures of The Dreaming Tree on store shelves, letting me know that they're trying the wine, which is really cool.

Persons: Grayson Stewart, I've, Dave Matthews, Dave, Dave Matthews Band's, We've, we're, Dave Stewart, Matthews Organizations: Service, Business, Wine, Dave Locations: Sanger , California, Central, Napa, California, There's, Nature

LOS ANGELES (AP) — County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux is advancing to a May election in California to decide who will complete the remainder of the term of deposed former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which runs through January. Boudreaux will face state legislator Vince Fong in the May 21 special election in the 20th District. Boudreaux is the Sheriff of Tulare County in the state’s Central Valley. Republicans are expected to easily hold the seat, and the party’s fragile majority in the chamber was not at stake in Tuesday’s election. The district, which cuts through the Central Valley farm belt including parts of Bakersfield and Fresno, is the most strongly Republican House seat in heavily Democratic California.

Persons: Mike Boudreaux, Kevin McCarthy, Boudreaux, Vince Fong Organizations: ANGELES, U.S ., Republicans, Republican, Associated Press Locations: — County, California, 20th, Boudreaux, Tulare County, Bakersfield, Fresno, Democratic California

Republicans are expected to hold the seat easily, and the party’s fragile majority in the chamber is not at stake. The district, which cuts through the Central Valley farm belt including parts of Bakersfield and Fresno, is the most strongly Republican seat in heavily Democratic California. Fong and Boudreaux have advanced to the November election in that contest. The special election only covers the time remaining in McCarthy’s term, running through early next year. But there is an insider-outsider aspect to the race: Fong is McCarthy's handpicked choice and a product of his political operation, while the sheriff is not.

Persons: Donald Trump, Kevin McCarthy, Vince Fong, McCarthy, Mike Boudreaux, Joe Biden, —, Fong, Marisa Wood, Boudreaux, Boudreaux's, ” Fong, Ryan Gardiner, Trump, ”, Ric Grenell, Sen, Shannon, McCarthy's Organizations: ANGELES, GOP, Republicans, Republican, Trump Locations: California, Tulare County, Bakersfield, Fresno, Democratic California, Shannon Grove, Kern County, Tulare, Kings, Fresno County

☆ Driving With Mr. Gil: A Retiree Teaches Afghan Women the Rules of the Road
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Miriam Jordan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

“Go, go, go” said her driving instructor, as she slowed down through an open intersection. Don’t stop.”Her teacher was Gil Howard, an 82-year-old retired professor who happened upon a second career as a driving instructor. In Modesto, Calif., he is the go-to teacher for women from Afghanistan, where driving is off limits for virtually all of them. In recent years, Mr. Howard has taught some 400 women in the 5,000-strong Afghan community in this part of California’s Central Valley. Gil,” as he is known in Modesto, more Afghan women likely drive in and around the city of about 220,000 than in all Afghanistan.

Persons: ”, Gil Howard, Howard, Mr, Gil Locations: Modesto, Calif, Afghanistan, Central Valley

☆ What to watch for on Super Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Gregory Krieg | Eric Bradner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Here are 9 things to watch for:The night the lights go out on HaleyBarring a stunning upset – actually, multiple stunning upsets across the country – Super Tuesday is looking like the end of the road for Haley. While Haley has said she would stay in the race through at least Super Tuesday, she has not hinted at an exit. A North Carolina governor’s race with implications up and down the ballotOn a Super Tuesday with an unusual lack of spice, the North Carolina gubernatorial primary is a rare exception. Mark Robinson and Democratic state Attorney General Josh Stein are expected to coast to their parties’ respective nominations. Down-ballot in Texas, there’s more to watch, starting with the payback campaign of Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Trump, Nikki Haley, Trump’s, Dianne Feinstein, Haley, –, Liz Cheney, she’s, “, specter, MAGA, Barack Obama, Mark Robinson, Josh Stein, Robinson, Stein, Roy Cooper, Beto O’Rourke’s, Republican Sen, Ted Cruz, Colin Allred, Cruz, Sen, Roland Gutierrez —, Allred, ’, outraising Cruz, Ken Paxton, Paxton, Dade Phelan, He’s, Dianne Feinstein —, Laphonza Butler, Steve Garvey, Adam Schiff, Schiff, Katie Porter, Barbara Lee, Garvey hasn’t, Garvey, Jerry Carl, Barry Moore, Moore, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Carl, Steve Scalise, It’s, Terri Sewell, David Valadao, Michelle Steel, Young Kim, Ken Calvert’s, Katie Porter’s, Scott Baugh, Josh Harder’s, Mike Levin’s, London Breed, George Gascon, CNN’s Simone Pathe, Fredreka Schouten Organizations: CNN, South Carolina Gov, Trump, California Senate, Democrats, Haley, Trump Republicans, Wyoming, GOP, Democratic, MAGA Republicans, Virginia, North, North Carolina Republicans, Carolina governor’s, North Carolina, Republican, Gov, Texas Democrats, Cruz, NFL, Affordable, Texas Legislature, Senate, Democrat, Alabama, showdowns, 2nd, Caucus, Georgia, Louisiana Rep, Chamber of Commerce, California House, Rep, London, Supervisors, District Locations: Alaska, California, Colorado , Minnesota, North Carolina, Alabama, Gaza, Minnesota, South Carolina, Virginia, Carolina, Texas, San Antonio, Uvalde, Tuesday’s, Florida, Montana , Ohio, West Virginia, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Orange County, Francisco, Los Angeles

☆ Giving Big, a California Couple Gets Gratitude and Scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Robin Pogrebin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Standing on the grand staircase of Lynda and Stewart Resnick's opulent Beverly Hills mansion at a party last fall — where Diane Keaton, Bob Iger and Brian Grazer were among the luminaries making small talk over crudités and Sazerac cocktails — the author Walter Isaacson took a moment to thank his hosts. Not only were the Resnicks giving the party to celebrate his new biography of Elon Musk, they had also been major supporters of his former professional home, the Aspen Institute, donating $36 million to the think tank over the years. Isaacson was not the only one in the room with reason to be grateful to them. Overall, the Resnicks — whose Wonderful Company business empire includes Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice, Wonderful Pistachios, Fiji Water, Halos mandarins and Teleflora, the flower-delivery service — have donated $1.9 billion of their estimated $13 billion fortune to academic institutions, climate change initiatives, cultural organizations and programs in California’s Central Valley. Their gifts have landed them on the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual list of the 50 biggest donors three times.

Persons: Stewart, Diane Keaton, Bob Iger, Brian Grazer, Walter Isaacson, Elon Musk, Isaacson, Picasso, Fragonard, Boucher, Michael Govan, Ann Philbin, Michael Milken Organizations: Aspen Institute, Angeles County Museum of Art, Milken Institute, Wonderful Company Locations: Beverly, Fiji, Central Valley

The leading Democrat in the primary is George Whitesides, a former NASA chief of staff supported by the campaign arm of House Democrats. A STRONGLY DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT THAT VOTES REPUBLICANThe Central Valley farm belt is a political conundrum. Gray, who is backed by the campaign arm of House Democrats, argues that his party can’t reclaim the House majority without winning his district. Rollins, who is backed by the campaign arm of House Democrats, says it's time for new leadership and has depicted Calvert as an extremist. “House Democrats are ready to find common ground and a bipartisan path forward.”

Persons: Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, hasn’t, Joe Biden, —, Gavin Newsom, Donald Trump, Newsom, ” Newsom, Trump, Mike Garcia, Garcia, — Garcia, George Whitesides, He's, “, Katie Porter, Scott Baugh, Porter, Sen, David Min, Joanna Weiss, David Valadao, Democrat T.J, Cox, Rudy Salas, Valadao, Salas, Chris Mathys, Melissa Hurtado, Republican John Duarte, Democrat Adam Gray, Gray, Ken Calvert, Will Rollins, Calvert, Rollins, Michelle Steel, Kim Nguyen, Derek Tran, Steel, Mike Levin, Levin, ” Organizations: ANGELES, —, Republican, Democratic, GOP, White House, LA COUNTY, District, Navy, Trump, California’s, Los Angeles, NASA, Democrats, REAGAN, Orange, “ Reagan, U.S, Senate, Central, Republicans, Democrat, CENTRAL, ANGELES Rep, SOUTH, Republican Rep, Capitol, Steel, Democratic Party, Hamas, American, DEMOCRAT, DISTRICT, Biden, Marine, Base, Congress, “ Locations: California, Southern California, rematches, Washington, Democratic Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, Mexican, Central, Salas, Palm Springs, Korean, Capitol Hill, Orange County, Israel, Orange, San Diego, Coastal California, Pendleton

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Extreme heat and wildfire smoke are independently harmful to the human body, but together their impact on cardiovascular and respiratory systems is more dangerous and affects some communities more than others. A study published Friday in the journal Science Advances said climate change is increasing the frequency of both hazards, particularly in California. The authors found that the combined harm of extreme heat and inhalation of wildfire smoke increased hospitalizations and disproportionately impacted low-income communities and Latino, Black, Asian and other racially marginalized residents. Homes and work places with air conditioning and neighborhoods with tree canopy cover are better protected from extreme heat, and some buildings filter smoke from wildfires and insulate heat more efficiently. “For a variety of reason, they tend to feel climate change much worse than other non-underserved communities, and I think it's really important to highlight this social injustice aspect of climate change,” said the emergency physician and fellow at the Harvard T.H.

Persons: ”, Tarik Benmarhnia, Benmarhnia, Christopher T, Minson, it’s, Catharina Giudice Organizations: ANGELES, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, UC San Diego, University of Oregon, Environmental Protection Agency, University of Southern, Harvard, of Public Health, National Weather Service, Associated Press, Walton Family Foundation, AP Locations: California, San Diego, United States, Oregon, Washington, Canada, British Columbia, Central Valley, Central, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Chan

California poultry farms are implementing strict biosecurity measures to curb the spread of the disease. So we’ve got to be as vigilant as possible to protect our birds,” said Bill Mattos, president of the California Poultry Federation. Climate change is increasing the risk of outbreaks as changing weather patterns disrupt the migratory patterns of wild birds, Pitesky said. For example, exceptional rainfall last year created new waterfowl habitat throughout California, including areas close to poultry farms. “I’m very concerned because this avian flu is transmitted by wild birds, and there’s no way I can stop the wild birds from coming through and leaving the disease behind,” Peterson said.

Persons: Mike Weber, “, ”, Weber, Annette Jones, we’ve, Bill Mattos, Maurice Pitesky, Pitesky, Rodrigo Gallardo, Gallardo, Ettamarie Peterson, I’m, ” Peterson, Weber’s, ” Weber, they’ve, “ We’re Organizations: —, Sunrise, California Poultry Federation, San Francisco Bay Area, U.S . Department of Agriculture, University of California, USDA . Industry, UC Davis Locations: PETALUMA, Calif, Sonoma County, San Francisco, Petaluma, California, Midwest, Merced County, Central California, San Francisco Bay, U.S, Turkey, Australia, Davis, North Coast, Central Valley

☆ The 10 US cities with the longest commute times
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, has the longest average commute time at 36.2 minutes one way. The New York City metro area ranked second, while four California cities were in the top eight. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that residents of East Stroudsburg, a city about 40 miles north of Allentown in Pennsylvania, have the longest commute times of any metro area. The average commute time in East Stroudsburg — sometimes considered the gateway to the Poconos — may be the longest since residents often work in larger metropolitan cities like New York City, Allentown, or Philadelphia. The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario area similarly has commute times of nearly 33 minutes as it's near the Los Angeles area.

Persons: — Organizations: New, Service, U.S . Census Bureau, Jersey City, Apple, Cambridge Locations: Stroudsburg , Pennsylvania, New York City, California, East Stroudsburg , Pennsylvania, U.S, East Stroudsburg, Allentown, Pennsylvania, New York, Newark, Jersey, East Stroudsburg —, Philadelphia, Jersey City, York, Stockton, Central, Sacramento, Riverside, San Bernardino - Ontario, Los Angeles, Yuba City, Washington, DC, Arlington, Alexandria, Chicago, Naperville, Elgin, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Boston, Houston, Great Falls , Montana, Lewiston , Idaho, Manhattan , Kansas, Casper , Wyoming

☆ Where Groundwater Levels Are Falling, and Rising, Worldwide
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Delger Erdenesanaa | Mira Rojanasakul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

An investigation into nearly 1,700 aquifers across more than 40 countries found that groundwater levels in almost half have fallen since 2000. Only about 7 percent of the aquifers surveyed had groundwater levels that rose over that same time period. The new study is one of the first to compile data from monitoring wells around the world to try and construct a global picture of groundwater levels in fine detail. The declines were most apparent in regions with dry climates and a lot of land cultivated for agriculture, including California’s Central Valley and the High Plains region in the United States. The researchers also found large areas of sharply falling groundwater in Iran.

Locations: Valley, United States, Iran

☆ Holiday sales climb, boosting retailer hopes that shoppers will spend during uncertain 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Holiday sales rose 3.8% year over year to $964.4 billion, according to the National Retail Federation, as consumers spent on gifts and celebrations even after enduring a prolonged period of higher prices. The holiday sales total was not adjusted for inflation and included both in-store and online purchases. "Consumer spending was remarkably resilient throughout 2023 and finished the year with a solid pace for the holiday season," he said in a news release. Online sales and other nonstore sales rose 8.2% year over year. Average sales growth during the holiday season was 3.6% from 2010 to 2019, according to NRF data.

Persons: NRF, Jack Kleinhenz Organizations: Woodbury, National Retail Federation, Commerce Department, CNBC, NRF, Retail, Electronics, Federal, Abercrombie, Fitch, Eagle Outfitters, CNBC PRO Locations: Lacoste, Central Valley , New York, Lululemon

☆ Americans are 'doom spending' — here's why that's a problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Consumer spending has remained remarkably resilient in the face of some stiff economic headwinds. Nearly all Americans, 96%, are concerned about the current state of the economy, according to a recent report by Intuit Credit Karma. Still, more than a quarter are "doom spending," or spending money despite economic and geopolitical concerns, the report found. This season, holiday spending is expected to reach record levels, totaling up to $966.6 billion, the NRF projects. Rather than cut expenses, 73% of Gen Zers say they would rather live in the moment, a recent Prosperity Index study by Intuit found.

Persons: Courtney Alev, Gen Zers Organizations: Nike, Woodbury, Intuit Credit Karma, National Retail Federation, Finance, Intuit, Bank of America Locations: Central Valley , New York, U.S

☆ US Black Friday sales rise 2.5% -Mastercard Spendingpulse
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Vincent Alban Acquire Licensing RightsNov 25 (Reuters) - Mastercard (MA.N) Spendingpulse said on Saturday that U.S. retail sales on Black Friday rose 2.5% year-over-year excluding automotive sales, not adjusted for inflation. In September, Mastercard SpendingPulse, which measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment, said it anticipated U.S. retail sales, excluding automotive, to grow 3.7% during the holiday season, running from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24. Black Friday refers to the day after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, when retail sales are traditionally strong. E-commerce sales on Friday increased by 8.5% year-over-year as consumers shopped for deals online, while in-store sales increased by 1.1%, MasterCard Spendingpulse said. Reporting by Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Vincent Alban Acquire, Spendingpulse, MasterCard Spendingpulse, Gursimran Kaur, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Woodbury, REUTERS, Mastercard, Mastercard SpendingPulse, U.S, MasterCard, Adobe Analytics, Adobe, Thomson Locations: Central Valley , New York, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Black Friday shoppers spent a record $9.8 billion in U.S. online sales, up 7.5% from last year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Black Friday's spending spike reflects a consumer who is more willing to spend than in 2022, when gas and food prices were painfully high. Pandya noted that impulse purchases may have played a role in the Black Friday growth since $5.3 billion of the online sales came from mobile shopping. A Mastercard analysis of this year's Black Friday sales found that in-store sales rose just over 1% versus online sales, which grew by over 8% compared to last year. Black Friday kept the momentum going from the day before on Thanksgiving when online sales totaled $5.6 billion, according to a prior Adobe analysis. The report forecasts that online shoppers will spend roughly $10 billion over the course of Saturday and Sunday, and a record $12 billion on Cyber Monday.

Persons: they're, Vivek Pandya, Pandya Organizations: Woodbury, Adobe Analytics, Adobe Digital, Adobe, Mastercard, Target Locations: Lacoste, Central Valley , New York, U.S

While the S&P 500 index (.SPX) ended little changed, the Amplify Online Retail ETF climbed 0.4% and the broader SPDR S&P Retail ETF gained about 0.7%. The SPDR S&P Retail ETF, which has net assets of $396.6 million, recorded weekly outflows of $115.6 in the week ended on Wednesday, according to data from Lipper. Still, the bulk of 2023 returns for investors in U.S. retail ETFs have come in recent weeks. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH.O) has generated half of its 12.8% year-to-date gains in the last two months. But Thomas Hayes, chair at Great Hill Capital LLC in New York, anticipates better-than-expected gains in retail stocks this holiday season.

Persons: Vincent Alban Acquire, Michael Ashley Schulman, Schulman, Thomas Hayes, Suzanne McGee, Lananh Nguyen, Josie Kao Organizations: Woodbury, REUTERS, Exchange, P Retail, Retailers, National Retail Federation, Walmart, United Auto Workers, Hollywood SAG, Running, Retail, Great, Capital, Thomson Locations: Central Valley , New York, U.S, New York

In a move that may soon be replicated elsewhere, the Gila River Indian Community recently signed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to put solar panels over a stretch of irrigation canal on its land south of Phoenix. “This was a historic moment here for the community but also for the region and across Indian Country,” said Gila River Indian Community Gov. The idea is simple: install solar panels over canals in sunny, water-scarce regions where they reduce evaporation and make renewable electricity. Neither the Gila River Indian Community nor the Turlock Irrigation District are the first to implement this technology globally. Tribes hold the most senior water rights on the Colorado River, though many are still settling those rights in court.

Persons: ”, Stephen Roe Lewis, ” Lewis, Sun Edison, haven't, Heather Tanana, “ Organizations: U.S . Army Corps of Engineers, Community, Twitter, University of California, UC Merced, Irrigation, Sun, Reclamation, Associated Press, Walton Family Foundation, AP Locations: Phoenix, United States, Gila, Merced, Central, Gujarat, U.S, Irvine, Navajo, Colorado, Lake Mead

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's wide-open U.S. Senate race shifts to Sacramento on Saturday as the leading Democratic candidates work to woo activists in search of a state party endorsement ahead of the March primary. The state's last two U.S. Senate races — in 2016 and 2018 — each featured two Democrats. The Senate candidates will each take turns speaking during a forum shortly before delegates cast their votes. An endorsement from the state Democratic Party can boost a campaign in a competitive primary, but it doesn't necessarily signal how the wider electorate feels about the race as party delegates tend to be more liberal. “The reality is, is that you can’t win the House if you don’t win seats here in California."

Persons: Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, Barbara Lee, Lexi Reese, Sen, Laphonza Butler, Dianne Feinstein, Butler isn't, Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, Porter, Lee, Kevin de Leon, Feinstein, “, Matt Barreto, aren't, Rusty Hicks, ”, Andrew Acosta, Hicks, Republicans John Duarte, David Valadao, Mike Garcia, Michelle Steel, Young Kim, ” Hicks Organizations: Senate, Democratic, U.S, Reps, California Democratic, Democratic Party, University of California, Democratic National Committee, U.S . Senate, U.S . House, Republicans, Representatives Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Israel, Washington, California, Gaza, Afghanistan, Central, Southern California

☆ Here's one area of California where people aren't leaving and the population is actually growing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But the Central Valley is booming, making it one of the few areas of the state experiencing sustained growth. But the 2020 Census revealed a stunning statistic: California's population growth had slowed in the prior decade, which resulted in the state's first-ever loss of a congressional district. But in California's Central Valley, the population is booming, driven by higher birth rates and substantial migration from more expensive coastal counties, according to The Economist. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn Northern California's Central Valley, San Joaquin County is poised to become a primary beneficiary of this inward migration. The state is projecting that the Northern California county will have almost 1 million residents by 2060, up from its current population of about 780,000 residents.

Persons: —, Jane Tyska, aren't Organizations: Service, Golden, California Department of Finance, Golden State, Alameda County —, Oakland, San, Media, East Bay Times, Getty, San Bernardino counties —, Inland Locations: California, San Joaquin County, Bay Area, Golden State, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Central, Golden, Francisco, Alameda County, Berkeley, Alameda, Bay, Southern California, Riverside, San Bernardino, Central Valley, Northern California, San Joaquin

☆ In a U.S. First, a Commercial Plant Starts Pulling Carbon From the Air
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Brad Plumer | More About Brad Plumer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In an open-air warehouse in California’s Central Valley, 40-foot-tall racks hold hundreds of trays filled with a white powder that turns crusty as it absorbs carbon dioxide from the sky. The start-up that built the facility, Heirloom Carbon Technologies, calls it the first commercial plant in the United States to use direct air capture, which involves vacuuming greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Heirloom will take the carbon dioxide it pulls from the air and have the gas sealed permanently in concrete, where it can’t heat the planet. Microsoft has already signed a deal with Heirloom to remove 315,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The plant can absorb a maximum of 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, equal to the exhaust from about 200 cars.

Organizations: Carbon, Microsoft Locations: Central Valley, United States, Iceland, Tracy , Calif

☆ Jewellery maker Pandora raises sales forecast after Q3 profit beat
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pandora products are seen at their store at the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, New York, U.S., February 15, 2022. Pandora said it now forecasts full-year organic sales growth of 5%-6%, up from 2%-5% previously seen, and said it still expects an operating profit margin of around 25%. Operating profit fell to 920 million crowns ($132 million)from a year-earlier 978 million as costs rose, although this also beat analyst expectations for a profit of 875 million crowns in apoll published by Pandora. Improvement in like-for-like sales was driven by the U.S., as traffic picked up in the region given recent brand initiatives. The affordable luxury brand said its gross margin reached a record 79%, helped by cost savings and price hikes.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Pandora, apoll, Alexander Lacik, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Anna Ringstrom, Louise Heavens Organizations: Woodbury, REUTERS, Rights, Pandora, JPMorgan, Thomson Locations: Central Valley , New York, U.S

Consumers started spending more on high-quality spirits during the pandemic shutdowns, which spurred a rise in premium beverage products, said Erlinda A. Doherty, an agave spirits expert and consultant. Both are proprietary spirits under Mexican laws, which are recognized in U.S. trade agreements. While he didn’t comment specifically on California’s foray into agave spirits, he said he believes Mexico can respond to the growing demand. The state legislature enacted a law last year requiring “California agave spirits” be made solely with plants grown in the state and without additives. He said those making agave spirits have a deep appreciation for Mexican tequila.

Persons: — Leo Ortega, Ortega, ” Ortega, Doherty, ” Doherty, “, ” Alfonso Mojica Navarro, ”, Henry Tarmy, “ We’ve, we’ve, Craig Reynolds, Davis, Stuart Woolf, Woolf, Lisa, ” Woolf Organizations: distillers, California —, Mexican Chamber, Tequila Industry, Ventura Spirits, California Agave, University of California Locations: Calif, Southern California, Mexico, California, United States, U.S, France, Jalisco, Texas, Arizona, Northern California, Central, Davis

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