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☆ Oil edges up, but on track for biggest weekly loss in over a month
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Crude oil futures inched higher on Friday, supported by a surprise drop in U.S. oil inventories and simmering Middle East tensions, but prices were headed for their biggest weekly loss in more than a month on worries of lower demand. Both contracts settled higher on Thursday for the first time in five sessions after data from the Energy Information Administration showed that U.S. crude oil, gasoline and distillate inventories fell last week. "Speculative positioning across the ICE Brent complex strengthened from historically low levels, on heightened geopolitical risk of a potential Israeli strike on Iran's oil infrastructure," Citi analysts said in a note. Citi expects global oil demand to slow to 900,000 bpd in 2025 from 1 million bpd this year on an economic slowdown and as more electric vehicles hit the road. The "potential impact of China's emerging economic stimulus plans on oil demand is uncertain, and more robust support may only result in a limited boost," it added.

Persons: Brent, WTI Organizations: Brent, West Texas, Energy, Administration, of, Petroleum, International Energy Agency, ICE, Citi Locations: San Joaquin Valley, McKittrick , California, OPEC, Israel, Iran

☆ An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4 has struck the Los Angeles area, the USGS says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4 struck the Los Angeles area shortly after noon on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. People reported feeling it strongly across the Los Angeles area. The Los Angeles Fire Department said it received no initial reports of damage or injuries as it checks infrastructure citywide. "Having lived through the Northridge earthquake (magnitude 6.7 in 1994), today's tremor made me flash back to what we know are lifesaving rules during an earthquake: drop, cover, and hold on. It struck on the first school day for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Persons: Kathryn Barger, John Marshall Organizations: U.S . Geological Survey, Los Angeles Fire Department, National Weather Service, Los Angeles Unified School District Locations: Los Angeles, U.S, San Diego, San Joaquin Valley, LA, California, Highland, Los Feliz

☆ 14 people got Valley fever after a California music festival, highlighting the fungus' growing threat
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-08 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Aria-Bendix-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Aria Bendix | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The Summary Cases of Valley fever, a fungal infection, have been climbing in California in recent years. An outbreak of Valley fever among attendees and workers at an outdoor music festival in California’s Central Valley highlights the fungal infection’s mounting threat. As climate change creates more opportunities for it to proliferate, Valley fever cases have been climbing in California. He said he suspected Valley fever, since he had heard reports that some festivalgoers had gotten infected in past years, but he was initially diagnosed with pneumonia. “We live in a high endemic area for Valley fever, so anybody who’s visiting, who lives in these areas, is at risk,” she said.

Persons: “, ”, Eric Mattson, San Luis Obispo, sweats, Mattson, coccidioides, Geetha Sivasubramanian, Sivasubramanian, Arturo Casadevall, Casadevall, you’ve Organizations: California Department of Public Health, NBC, San, UCSF, Centers for Disease Control, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, “ Locations: California, Bakersfield, San Luis, Arizona, San Joaquin County, San Joaquin Valley, UCSF Fresno, Kansas, Oklahoma, Kern County

☆ Park Fire more than 400,000 acres, 4th-largest in Calif. history
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-03 | by ( Raja Razek | Jay Croft | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —The fourth-largest wildfire in California’s history has grown to 400,956 acres, destroying 564 structures and damaging 50 as of Saturday morning, according to an update from Cal Fire. “The Park Fire has been extremely active over the last 24 hours,” Cal Fire said. However, firefighters are still actively engaging in fire suppression to an area spanning 175-miles,” the update read. As of Friday, 94 large wildfires raged across multiple states, and 28 had evacuation orders, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Fires are also burning in Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Utah, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming and Nevada.

Persons: “ Crews Organizations: CNN, Cal Fire, National Interagency Fire Center Locations: Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Tehama, Area, Northern San Joaquin, Oregon , Idaho, Washington , Utah , Montana , Arizona, New Mexico , Wyoming, Nevada

☆ An ex-California official quietly stole over $1.5 million of water in a heist that lasted decades, but mysteries remain
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A former California official pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal more than $1.5 million of water, but the decadeslong water heist case still has more questions than answers. The US attorney said Falaschi was responsible for stealing somewhere between $1.5 million and $3.5 million worth of water. Falaschi's plea agreement claims he's responsible for stealing only a fraction of the original $25 million prosecutors accused him of taking in the original indictment. The plea agreement also said Falaschi was one of several people involved in the misconduct and that he was unaware of the full extent of the misconduct. Of the water Falaschi took, the plea agreement said almost all of it was taken to "blend down and reuse drainage water, which helped protect farmland and improve water quality in the San Joaquin River."

Persons: Dennis Falaschi, Falaschi, should've, Robin Hood, he's Organizations: Service, US, Eastern, Eastern District of, Business, Prosecutors, Los Angeles Times, Times Locations: California, Fresno, Merced Counties, Eastern District, Eastern District of California, San Joaquin

☆ A 13-year-old found a 5-million-year-old fossil, and now there's a new species of walrus named in his honor
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Co-authors Robert Boessenecker and Sarah Boessenecker hold the Valenictus walrus skull. Robert BoesseneckerEleven years after Sheperd found it, Boessenecker named the newly-identified walrus species Valenictus sheperdi, after Sheperd's last name. But because the new skull was older and larger than other Valenictus species and had some physiological differences, Boessenecker suspected it was an unknown species. The smooth surface is part of the walrus skull emerging from the rock. AdvertisementThe walruses of CaliforniaMillions of years ago, over a dozen walrus species roamed the planet.

Persons: Forrest Sheperd, who's, Robert Boessenecker ., Robert Boessenecker, Sarah Boessenecker, Sheperd, Boessenecker, Sheperd's, I've, Forrest, clacking, walruses, it's Organizations: Business, Santa Cruz Museum, California, Los Locations: Santa Cruz , California, California, West, San Joaquin, Sierra

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is setting tougher standards for deadly soot pollution, saying that reducing fine particle matter from tailpipes, smokestacks and other industrial sources could prevent thousands of premature deaths a year. Soot pollution has declined sharply in the past two decades, even as the U.S. gross domestic product has increased by more than 50%, Regan said. Bakersfield tied with Visalia in California's San Joaquin Valley as the most polluted city for year-round particle pollution. Wildfires in the western U.S. were a major contributing factor to increased levels of particle pollution, the report said. Six of the 10 cities with the most soot pollution were in California, and two more were in the West: Medford, Oregon and greater Phoenix.

Persons: —, Biden, Michael Regan, Harris, “, Obama, Joe Biden, Regan, we’ve, Manish Bapna, Ben Jealous, Jeffrey Zients, Barack Obama, Donald Trump Organizations: WASHINGTON, Environmental, Environmental Protection Agency, Industry, Biden, Democratic, Administration, Natural Resources Defense Council, EPA, Sierra Club, Republican, Companies, and Paper Association, National Association of Manufacturers, White House, American Lung Association, Visalia Locations: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Bakersfield , California, Fresno , California, Bakersfield, California's San Joaquin, U.S, California, West, Medford , Oregon, Phoenix

☆ How a 1976 kidnapping transformed our understanding of childhood trauma
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Giri Viswanathan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The kidnappers planned to ransom the Chowchilla kids, all between the ages of 5 and 14 years old, for $5 million. After all, the field of child trauma psychiatry was still in its infancy. One mental health professional predicted that that only one of the 26 would be emotionally affected by the kidnappings. Much like with adults, Terr described how the consequences of kids’ trauma could linger, with implications reaching far into adulthood. After the school shootings in Columbine and Sandy Hook, for instance, mental health counselors were on the front lines to help survivors.

Persons: pantyhose —, Ed Ray, Ray, they’d, James Palmer, “, ”, Spencer, Lenore Terr, ” Terr, Terr, hadn’t, she’d, Jennifer Brown Hyde, ’ ” Jennifer Brown, Jeffrey, Larry Park, Mike Marshall, Marshall, ” Marshall, doesn’t, he’s, he’d, it’s, Hyde, “ We’ve, Elissa Benedek, Benedek, who’ve, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Sandy Hook Organizations: CNN, Police, Spencer Eth, Miami VA Healthcare, CNN Films, AP, ” Eth, American Psychiatric Association, Get CNN, CNN Health Locations: Chowchilla , California, San Joaquin Valley, urine, Los Angeles, Chowchilla, Livermore , California, San Francisco, Midwest, Columbine

☆ Oil prices ease as market awaits China data to gauge demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Oil prices eased on Tuesday, giving up most of the gains from the previous day, on concerns over weak demand in China, with investors focusing on trade data due later in the day to gauge demand from the world's second-largest oil consumer. Both benchmarks gained about 30 cents on Monday after top exporters Saudi Arabia and Russia reaffirmed their commitment to extra voluntary oil supply cuts until the end of the year. "Oil prices were supported by continued output cuts by Saudi and Russia the previous day but investors' attention has shifted to demand, especially in China," said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities, noting all eyes are on data from China this week. "We expect to see a tug-of-war at the levels near the current oil prices going forward, while digesting news on both supply and demand sides," Tazawa said, adding the trend may change dramatically if the Middle East situation becomes more tense. Moscow also announced it would continue its additional voluntary supply cut of 300,000 bpd from its crude oil and petroleum product exports until the end of December.

Persons: Toshitaka Tazawa, Tazawa, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel Organizations: Brent, West Texas, Saudi, Fujitomi Securities Locations: San Joaquin Valley, McKittrick , California, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Gaza, Moscow, Venezuela's

☆ Oil falls further on U.S. stock build, easing supply concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Oil prices extended losses for a third session, dragged down by a larger-than-expected crude and gasoline stockbuild in the U.S. and easing supply concerns. U.S. crude oil stockpiles swelled by about 12.9 million barrels, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Wednesday. "Crude oil extended losses on signs the impact of the Israel-Hamas war on the oil market will be limited," ANZ analysts said in a client note. Expectations by the U.S. EIA of global oil inventories falling further in the second half of 2023, however, limited price weakness. The lower inventories, which are forecast to keep global oil supply below consumption, are likely to boost oil prices, the EIA said in a monthly report.

Persons: Brent, JP Morgan Organizations: U.S, West Texas, American Petroleum Institute, ING, U.S . Energy Information Administration, ANZ, EIA Locations: San Joaquin Valley, McKittrick , California, U.S, ., California, Israel

☆ In ‘The Hungry Season,’ Whole Worlds in a Grain of Rice
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Ellen Barry | More About Ellen Barry | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To keep rice seedlings from shriveling in the arid San Joaquin Valley, a farmer must flood them two or three times a week with water pumped up from deep below the surface of the earth. Then she must wage war against strangling weeds, cut each stalk individually and thresh it by hand. If rice is so cheap and plentiful, why bother? Over the next 20 years, as Lisa M. Hamilton recounts in “The Hungry Season,” Ia’s 10 rows of seedlings grow into a kingdom of nine acres. Her farm will become a refuge for older Hmong women who whisper and sing to one another as they harvest rice stalks by hand, working their way up parallel rows of grain.

Persons: Lisa M, Hamilton, ” Organizations: Hamilton, U.S . State Department Locations: Fresno, Calif, Laos, Thai, California, shriveling, San Joaquin Valley

AQUIFERS AQUIFERS AQUIFERS WASH. MAINE MONT. MONITORING WELLS MONITORING WELLS MONITORING WELLS WASH. MAINE MONT. FLA. DECLINING WELLS DECLINING WELLS DECLINING WELLS WASH. MAINE MONT. FLA. UNCHARTED WATERS America Is Using Up Its Groundwater Like There’s No Tomorrow Overuse is draining and damaging aquifers nationwide, a New York Times data investigation revealed. Groundwater level trends Rising Declining Groundwater level trends Rising Declining Groundwater level trends Rising Declining Groundwater level trends Rising Declining Note: Colors depict the median trend for each site over the previous 20 years.

☆ Feds vote to reduce bottlenecks in connecting new power sources to the energy grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Also, power generators will have to meet certain requirements to keep their place in the queue, including a financial deposit. Deadlines and penalties for transmission providers: Transmission providers will have strict deadlines to to respond to power generators waiting in the queue, and will face penalties if they miss those deadlines. Also, power generators will be able to add a source of power to a single interconnection request. It can be so expensive to build new transmission, sometimes power generators can't afford the cost and have to cancel their power generation plans completely. Also, power generators wait for an average of five years in these queues because grid operators are flooded with interconnection queue applications.

Persons: Jeffrey Lamb, LADWP, Al Seib, George Rose, Rob Gramlich, Gramlich, Joseph Rand, Rand, Gregory Wetstone Organizations: Sylmar, Pacific DC, Los Angeles Department of Water, Los Angeles Times, Getty, Aera Energy, CNBC, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, FERC, Vw, American, Renewable Energy Locations: Columbia, Oregon, California, Southern California, Angeles, Los Angeles , CA, CA, San Joaquin Valley, McKittrick , California, North, Lost, Kern County, Bakersfield, United States, Milford , Utah, Milford, Smithfield, ACORE

☆ Space photos show over 1 trillion gallons of water flooding crop fields in California, and it could mean higher food prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Rebecca Strong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Tulare Lake used to be the largest lake west of the Mississippi River. This year's rain and snowmelt have replenished the lake, flooding many of the region's farms. And here's what it looked like on April 30:This is how the area looked on April 30, after Tulare Lake flooded. As of June, the flooded parts of Tulare Lake spanned about 178 square miles, or 113,920 acres — almost the size of Lake Tahoe. Tulare Lake began to reappear this March, before the Sierra Nevada snowpack started meltin.

Persons: Lauren Dauphin, NASA EOSDIS LANCE, Brad Rippey, Rippey, Dennis Hutson, Hutson, Nicholas Pinter, University of California Davis, — Organizations: Farmers, Service, NASA, U.S . Geological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture, Atmospheric Administration, TAC Farm, for Watershed Sciences, University of California, Agriculture Assembly, Southern Sierra, Southern Sierra Nevada snowpack, San, Sierra, Sierra Nevada snowpack Locations: Tulare, Mississippi, Wall, Silicon, California, U.S, San Joaquin, Tulare Lake, Lake Tahoe, Tulare County, San Joaquin Valley, Tulare Lake ., Southern Sierra Nevada, Joaquin Valley, Sierra Nevada, Central

☆ Dangerous Heat and Heavy Wildfire Smoke March Across North America
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Somini Sengupta | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A treacherous one-two punch of heat and fire, aggravated by the burning of oil and gas, scorched a large swath of North America on Thursday, killing at least 15 people in the United States in recent days, sickening countless others, closing schools and testing basic services that remain unprepared for the new perils of summer. In the United States, a heat dome stretched from Texas to Florida all the way up to the tip of Missouri, ratcheting up the heat index — a combination of temperature and humidity — to above 110 degrees Fahrenheit in some places. Temperatures were projected to climb 15 to 20 degrees above normal in much of the region through the weekend. And in coming days, a new heat dome was expected to form over California. Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley, a region where thousands of farm workers labor outdoors for hours, are under excessive heat warnings, the Weather Service said.

Persons: it’s, ratcheting Organizations: California ., San, Weather Service Locations: North America, United States, Texas, Florida, Missouri, California, California . Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley

☆ Brutal Heat Wave Is Expected to Spread Across the South
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Livia Albeck-Ripka | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The heat index is a measure of how hot it really feels, when humidity and other factors are considered along with the temperature. Already, the excessive heat has killed three hikers, brutalized workers and caused spikes in ambulance calls and emergency-room visits, as cities caution residents to stay indoors and drink water. As of Tuesday evening, more than 61 million people were under excessive heat warnings or advisories, according to data from the National Weather Service. Forecasters have warned that the relentless heat could continue across much of the South through the weekend. The heat will persist next week, with parts of the Great Lakes, Midwest, Idaho and eastern Washington State expected to be up to 10 degrees above normal, said David Roth, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center of the National Weather Service.

Persons: David Roth Organizations: Northern, San, Weather Service, National Weather Service, Washington State, Weather Locations: Northern California, Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley, Southwest, Arizona , New Mexico, Texas, Lakes, Midwest , Idaho, Washington

April 25 (Reuters) - Most of the vast, scenic valley at the heart of Yosemite National Park in California will close to visitors this weekend in a rare shutdown prompted by forecasts of floods from rapid snowmelt. The closure will start at 10 p.m. on Friday and last at least until Wednesday, May 3, possibly longer, depending on how swiftly melting mountain snow runs off into the Merced River through Yosemite Valley, the National Park Service said on Tuesday. About 100 miles to the north, the Merced River at the Pohono Bridge at the west end of the Yosemite Valley was forecast to top flood stage late this week, the park service said. The vast glacial Yosemite valley received a record 40 inches of snow during the winter, prompting the closure of the entire park to the public on Feb. 25 for three weeks. That shutdown marked one of the longest and most expansive weather-related closures in the park, according to park spokeswoman Nancy Phillipe.

☆ California's reappearing phantom lake could remain for two years in the Central Valley
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

An aerial view of a home (C) surrounded by floodwaters in the reemerging Tulare Lake, in California’s Central Valley, on April 14, 2023 in Corcoran, California. Mario Tama | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesSatellite images taken over the past several weeks show a dramatic resurrection of Tulare Lake in California's Central Valley and the flooding that could remain for as long as two years across previously arid farmland. This week, a heat wave could prompt widespread snow melt in the mountains and threaten the small farming communities already dealing with the resurrected Tulare Lake. Satellite imagery shows a large swath of farmland before water filled the Tulare Basin. Planet LabsSatellite images show miles of flooding after California's Tulare Lake returns.

☆ The US still waits for its high-speed rail revolution
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

So why doesn’t the United States have a high-speed rail network like those? Many Americans have no concept of high-speed rail and fail to see its value. William C. Vantuono, editor-in-chief of Railway Age“Many Americans have no concept of high-speed rail and fail to see its value. Corridors for the greatest potentialBrightline West and CHSR offer templates for the future expansion of high-speed rail in North America. “Where those conditions apply in Europe and Asia, high-speed rail reduces air’s share of the market from 100% to near zero.

☆ Record California snowpack bounty poses renewed flood risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But this year's abundant Sierra snowpack also poses a severe risk of renewed flooding to parts of California, especially the lower San Joaquin Valley, during the spring thaw, according to state Department of Water Resources (DWR) officials. More widely, however, electronic readings from 130 snow sensors throughout California showed the statewide snowpack's water equivalent at 61.1 inches, or 237% of average, tying the record statewide average level set in April of 1952. "This year's result will go down as one of the largest snowpack years on record in California," said Sean de Guzman, manager of the DWR snow survey8 and water supply forecasting unit. Guzman said California's reservoirs, severely drained just months ago, have all been replenished to more than 100% of average statewide. Long-term drought conditions in the Colorado River watershed will continue to impact millions of residents of Southern California residents, the DWR said.

☆ A long-dormant lake has reappeared in California, bringing havoc along with it
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Evan Bush | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

David Swanson | ReutersPeople have worked for a century to make California's Tulare Basin into a food grower's paradise. The Tulare Basin is at the southern end of California's San Joaquin Valley — and in essence, it's a massive bowl. Before irrigators dug canals and rerouted water for farming in the late 1800s, Tulare Lake filled the bowl's lower reaches. Today, the irrigation system is designed to "use every single drop of water" that flows into the basin, Mount said. Tulare Lake refilled in 1997 and 1983 during very wet seasons.

[1/3] Don Cameron stands next to one of his flood capture projects on his Terranova Ranch in Helm, California, U.S., January 25, 2023. Today, California water experts see Cameron as a pioneer. Terra Nova's basins are filled with 1.5 to 3.5 feet of water, Cameron said Wednesday. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on March 10 making it easier for farmers to divert floodwaters onto their lands until June. "We're at the beginning of a lot of momentum for groundwater recharge programs," said Gosselin, of the state groundwater office.

LOS ANGELES, March 22 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of storm-weary Californians were without power and under evacuation warnings on Wednesday as the latest storm packing wind-blown rain and snow threatened to bring more flooding to the rain-soaked state. Any more rain that we get today is only going to cause more flooding or worsen the flooding that is ongoing," said Bill South, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Hanford, California. [1/3] Floodwaters from the Tule River inundate the area after days of heavy rain in Corcoran, California, U.S., March 21, 2023. Total snow accumulations of up to 4 feet (1.22 m) and locally up to 5 feet, were in the forecast, the weather service said. California's harsh winter has caused widespread property damage and upheaval for thousands of residents, with more than 20 deaths attributed to the storms.

☆ Small California town wonders if restored floodplain prevented disaster
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

[1/5] An aerial view shows the town of Grayson near floodwaters from the San Joaquin River in Grayson, California, U.S., January 25, 2023. Advocates for floodplain restoration say it can help solve California's dual dangers of flooding and drought, replenishing groundwater for future drought relief while protecting towns from the catastrophic flooding that scientists predict will come with climate change. One of the volunteers was David Guzman, who works in an almond processing plant and lives right up against a slough of the San Joaquin River. But some experts say floodplain restoration can help spare adjacent towns, and they envision a day when a proliferation of projects will prevent wider flooding throughout the state. The valley lies west of the north-south Sierra Nevada mountain range and includes the smaller San Joaquin Valley.

Del Bosque, 72, now farms 2,000 acres — including that half-mile he first bought. "It's been a great journey for me," Del Bosque said. These last couple of years, Del Bosque has felt that his long-term family farming enterprise is under threat. When Del Bosque was growing up in the area, his life revolved around farm work, picking melons alongside field workers his father managed. Del Bosque hopes to introduce a few of his grandkids to farming, but he’s losing hope about its viability.

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