California County News

Bidding War: Companies Lure County w/ Revenues for Food Contract at John Wayne Airport

It’s getting competitive in Orange County, as companies are battling it out to become the county’s choice of food concession provider at the John Wayne Airport. The bidding war has now become controversial between Delaware North Companies and HMS Host International, both of which are the rival frontrunners. The bidding war has become quite a battle as the companies have attempted to outdo one another when it comes to guaranteeing the county a slice of the revenue pie. Delaware North Companies has upped the ante by saying it will give Orange County an additional $1 million per year in revenue. The OC Register points out that officials will be voting on January 11th to make a final decision on who will take up a spot at the airport. The Register also reports:

“Delaware North -- whose food bid includes adding Wahoo's Fish Taco and a John Wayne-themed grill -- is now guaranteeing the county an extra $10 million in revenue, or $34 million, over a 10-year period. ‘We're not buying the deal,’ said Nick Schaefer, Delaware North's director of business development. ‘We're basing it on a percentage of (attainable) sales.’ Translation:  Delaware is essentially taking a smaller cut to win the food contract.”

Of course, HMS Host has already made an offer to the county that guarantees $39 million in revenue. But the President of Delaware North has pointed out that even though his company’s bid is lower than his rival’s, he believes HMS is likely to raise prices on customers. Notably, the county's Airport Commission unanimously told supervisors last month to go with HMS. For more, see here.

Survey Shows Strong Education Gaps in Parts of Stanislaus County; National/County Data

There is concern in Stanislaus County after new demographic data shows that in many parts of the county education levels have not made the same strides as other parts of the state or even the nation as a whole. For example, in one district of the county, less than one-third of adults graduated from high school and very few hold a bachelor’s degree. Neighborhood-by-neighborhood statistics have been released by the U.S. Census Bureau, and the decline of educational attainment in parts of Stanislaus proves troubling in comparison to positive nationwide growth. The county has even experienced a 10 percent drop in the number of high school graduates since 2000. The Modesto Bee reports:

“Nationally, 84.6 percent of adults age 25 or older have high school diplomas, as do 80.5 percent of those in California and 75.3 percent in Stanislaus County. Diploma rates for the nation and state have risen about 4 percentage points since 2000. Stanislaus County has seen a nearly 5 percentage point increase. […]A neighborhood's education attainment level can decline if higher-educated adults move out, less-educated adults move in or dropout rates increase among those who grow up there. Most parts of the county, by contrast, saw modest improvements in the percentage of adults with high school diplomas and university degrees.”

You can view a map detailing the percentage of residents who have a high school diploma in different parts of the county here, where you can also read more about such education gaps.

Interested in how data shapes up for your county or neighborhood? Then you can search the American Community Survey through the U.S. Census Bureau at this website.

Workers in San Joaquin County’s Human Services Agency Voice Concerns about Work Conditions; Strike?

In light of the poor economy, counties have had to endure deep cuts and residents, in many cases, have required a greater need for government services to make it through tough times. But with a greater number of caseloads, workers in San Joaquin County’s Human Services Agency have been swamped, and as a result, tensions have increased. Case in point, the director of the county Human Services Agency is facing scrutiny and workers recently circulated a petition of no confidence. Agency employees have been concerned about unmanageable workloads, not being able to quickly complete applications due to an influx of cases, imposed overtime, and working off the clock. More than 50 workers from the Human Services Agency recently met to voice their concerns about the delays in serving residents in need of county-administered programs, such as food stamps, cash assistance and Medi-Cal, as well as poor working conditions. The meeting was organized by Service Employees International Union Local 1021. Record Net reports:

“The employees were upset at mandatory overtime imposed in some cases and spoke of workers keeping abreast of growing workloads while working off the clock. They also said unmanageable caseloads could lead to inaccuracies that in turn could lead to people receiving incorrect benefits, discipline for employees and sanctions from the state.Human Services Director Joe Chelli said he's concerned with the circulation of the no-confidence petition, in particular because he said he has held meetings for all employees to discuss challenges to the agency caused by the recession and an increased demand in social services. The agency lost eligibility workers to attrition and retirement, and more are on the way, he said. But it takes time to train these specialized workers, he said. Starting with a 16-week induction period, it takes about a year for an eligibility worker to handle a full caseload, he said. ‘We've been in constant hiring mode.’”

One county worker noted that she handled 280 cases last year and this year she is responsible for 445 families in the county that are covered by a variety of programs. Some workers have raised the possibility of a strike and a more formal no-confidence vote could take place soon. For more on the workers’ concerns, see here.

Riverside County Animal Services Called to the Scene to Rescue Puppy w/ Head Stuck in Wall

Curiosity landed one German Shepherd puppy with his head stuck in an 18-inch block wall out in Riverside County, a story that has been making headlines around the country and even the world. Somehow the 8-month old pup managed to squeeze his head into a hole in the wall, but found himself stuck when he was unable to pull his head out. Riverside County Animal Services was called to the scene, and found the dog whimpering. Sgt. James Huffman stated, “My initial reaction was, 'Wow, how'd he get in there?' And why is there a hole that big in the wall?” It was Animal control Officer James Huffman that managed to set the poor pup free. While the dog was not in any danger while being stuck, it was a neighbor that first noticed the dog and in the end he was only in the hole for about an hour. CBS News reports:

“Rebel's owner was away, but a neighbor heard Rebel's cries for help and called Riverside County Department of Animal Services, who immediately sent their team to help. When they arrived, they found a slightly bloodied and bewildered dog. […]Sgt. Huffman and a colleague, Officer Hector Palafox, immediately checked the dog's breathing and determined that he was not in serious danger, the release states. He was still able to breathe comfortably, despite the awkward predicament. ‘Our main concern was not hurting him in doing so,’ Huffman said. Both officers checked the space between the block wall and the dog's head, the release stated. There was enough room to manage a rescue without breaking down the wall and risking further injury to the animal. One officer worked the dog's head from one side of the wall, while the other officer worked the dog's body on the other side, the release stated. Officer Palafox pushed the dog's ears back to ensure the dog would not suffer during the rescue attempt.”

According to a spokesman for the county’s animal services, news agencies from countries in Europe have even reported on the story. For more on the rescue, see here.

Public Health Data Ranks CA’s Counties for Highest Smoking Rates; Rural Counties at the Top

Hospitalizations for lung diseases are far higher in Butte County than the average state rate, according to a report from state officials. The report examined hospitalizations for 15 conditions that are notably all preventable with proactive treatment; nevertheless, it is unclear why figures were higher in Butte County, according to health officials. The Contra Costa Times reports that “Butte County's Public Health Department will apply for a grant to try to reduce preventable hospitalizations among south-county residents who can't afford health care, said Dr. Mark Lundberg, the county's health officer.”

On a related note, smoking rates were reported for each county in the state and Butte County was ranked third for the most smokers, with 21 percent lighting up. The state average is around 13 percent. The county with the highest percentage is Tehama County, which has a percentage of smokers at 22.8. Coming in second was Tuolumne County with 21.9 percent. The Oroville MR reports:

“After Butte came Calaveras County at 18.1 percent.  Elsewhere in the north valley, Glenn County and Colusa County were both at 16 percent. ‘It looks like we've got a bit of work to do,’ said Brad Banner, director of the Butte County Public Health Department's Environmental Health Division. The county Health Department has a program that tries to reduce smoking locally.  In the report issued Monday, smoking prevalence in California was broken down county by county for the first time, according to a spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Health. The report showed that on average, more people who live in rural California counties smoke (the rate was 15.9 percent) than those who live in urban areas (a 10.9 percent rate).  Most counties in the Bay Area had smoking rates of less than 10 percent although San Francisco County was at 13.4 percent. In Los Angeles County, the rate was 10.4 percent.”

For the state’s overall percentage, there has been improvement since 1988, as 22.7 percent of Californians were smokers at that time and now the rate stands at around 13 percent. For more, see here. As for the largest urban counties, Sacramento stands out as the county with a higher percentage of smokers. For more on Sacramento’s rate, see here.

Counties to Hold Off Enforcing Calorie Counts at Restaurant Chains; Fed Law Set for March

Starting January 1st, restaurant chains that have more than 20 locations in the state of California will be required to post calorie counts on menus for all food items, according to a new state law. Major restaurant chains like McDonald’s and IHOP will be subjected to the guidelines. But are the outfits expected to follow the new rules under the state law? Not so much. That’s because a federal law has also been passed that will go into effect in March, so such restaurants across the state are not likely to face penalties from many counties since they are planning to adopt the federal rules instead, which supersede the state law. The Times reports that Angelo Bellomo, director of environmental health for Los Angeles County, stated “These restaurant operators should not have to make up new menu boards and then make them again in March.” So what are the differences between the federal and state regulations? More items, restaurants, and alcoholic beverages will fall under the federal rules. The Times reports:

“McDonald's employees, who didn't have permission to be quoted on the subject, said some customers opened their eyes wide when they saw the high numbers, while others seemed not to notice. Mitch Kenney strode up to the counter Wednesday to order Sausage McMuffin sandwich meals, including hash browns, for his son and a friend, both 10. According to the ‘Cal’ numbers on the board, the meals contained 1,050 calories each — more than half the daily requirement for boys of that age. Kenney said he hadn't noticed the numbers, but it probably wouldn't have made a difference if he had. ‘It's a special occasion,’ he said, pointing out that the boys had had a sleepover and were going out for a special breakfast.”

The state law was originally passed two years ago. So starting in March, get ready to be more aware of just how many calories you’ll be consuming when you eat at your favorite fast food joint. For more, see here.

Budget Blueprint: Details of Brown’s Budget Plans; Deep Cuts and Tax Extensions

All is relatively quiet on the budget front, as newly-elected governor Jerry Brown has yet to be sworn in and with the holidays there has been little news stemming from the Capitol. Nevertheless, some details have emerged about Brown’s plans for the state’s many fiscal issues, and by the sounds of it, his solutions are bound to make no one happy as he focuses on tough solutions for a tough budget crisis. So what’s in store for the state when Brown takes office and begins tackling California’s much-beleaguered budget? First, cuts, cuts, and cuts. Brown reportedly plans to propose cuts for welfare programs, universities, and a variety of state services. He also has announced that he will reduce his own office budget by about 25 percent. According to the LA Times, here are some other potential proposals:

• “extending temporary tax hikes on vehicles, income and sales that are set to expire next year
• multibillion-dollar incentives for redevelopment projects
• hundreds of millions of dollars of "enterprise zone" credits meant to encourage investment in blighted neighborhood
• targeting a recent change to state business tax formulas that has saved corporate California roughly $1 billion
• targeting tax breaks and subsidies"

As for raising taxes, the Times reminds readers that “Brown, who pledged not to raise taxes without voters' signoff, would face a daunting mid-March deadline to get his proposals onto a special-election ballot. He has said publicly he wants lawmakers to approve a budget within about 60 days. The process usually drags on seven or eight months.Brown is widely expected to suggest to lawmakers and the public that extending the taxes would stave off even deeper cuts to schools and other services.”

So will voters be up for approving a ballot measure that would temporarily extend higher tax rates? Especially in light of the poor economy? Well, voters in 2009 did not approve a similar measure that Brown seems to be focusing on now. But the local government angle will play out with Brown’s ballot measure, as the Bee notes that he is reportedly “directing a significant part of revenue to local governments, while also shifting to local agencies responsibility for some services the state now provides.” For more, see here.

You’ll recall that the state currently has a $28 billion budget deficit on its hands. For more on his budget blueprint, see here.

Joints for Food: Santa Cruz Dispensary Offers Free Pot for Contributing to Local Food Drive

As a way to spur food donations to a local food bank, one Santa Cruz County medical marijuana dispensary offered local clients a tempting offer: donate food and receive some complimentary pot. Known as the Granny Purps dispensary, the owners of the outfit are offering a free joint for every four cans of food that is donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank holiday food drive. However, the dispensary has noted that only a maximum of 3 free pre-rolled marijuana joints can be obtained each day. So has the offer been successful in getting locals to donate food? It would appear so, as more than 11,000 pounds of food has been collected. That means the dispensary handed out more than 2,000 joints to its clients! While the dispensary only has about 8 employees, the amount of food that it donated was typical of business that has around 30-40 workers, suggesting that the free pot was certainly a motivating force. The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports:

“When the Second Harvest barrels were first put out at the dispensary in November, donations were trickling in. After word of the promotion spread to the dispensary's 1,900 patients, the employees at Granny Purps could barely keep up with the flood of food, and even reduced the minimum amount for the promotion from four cans of food to three. ‘We only had the barrels out for three or four days before the incentive was announced, and I think our patients would have come out even without the incentive,’ Black said. ‘We have an incredible group of compassionate patients.’... I love that our patients are so compassionate. When we told them that we were doing this, their response was amazing.’ Some patients donated way over the minimum amount, like one person who brought in 5 pounds of rice. It wasn't just the patients who chipped in either.”

More than 17,200 people per week are assisted by the local food bank. The dispensary owners have already said they plan to do the same drive next year. For more, see here. And NPR gave the dispensary coverage here.

Gas Station Built by Tribe Triggers Criticism from Lake County Officials; Lacked Local Oversight

County officials are not pleased in Lake County that they were not informed of plans by an Indian tribe to build a gas station near their casino, which is also next to an area designated as future wetlands. The economic and environmental impact of such a station’s construction has prompted concerns about the absence of local government oversight in the matter. The Press Democrat reports that Lake County Supervisor Rob Brown stated, “No one should be exempt from environmental controls.” So how did county officials become aware of the station’s new presence? It was noticed when driving by the site, as the tribe did not disclose any information about the project. The Press Democrat reports:

“Indian tribes typically are exempt from local and most state controls on tribal lands because they’re considered sovereign nations. But local officials said they are surprised the tribe would not discuss building on a site they know is designated for wetlands restoration. The county has been purchasing property — largely farmland used to grow rice — between Rodman Slough and Highway 20 for the wetlands project, which is intended to improve the water quality of Clear Lake. There also is concern about possible failure of the aging levee system that protects the area much of the year. Typically, a gas station proposal would be subjected to numerous of state and local evaluations. But tribes, for the most part, are subject only to federal regulations.”

Despite being on tribal lands, the gas station cannot be exempt from state air quality regulations and inspections would inevitably be required. And without state and local permits, there is also concern that the gas station would give the tribe an unfair advantage in comparison to other businesses in the area. For more on criticism of the station, see here.

Beach Closures in Two Counties After Heavy Rainfall Overwhelms Region’s Sewer Systems

Southern California has experienced uncharacteristically heavy rainfall this winter, and as a result, beaches in Orange and San Diego Counties have been closed due to problems with the region's sewage systems that have been taxed by a great amount of dirty storm runoff. Sewer mains have been ruptured and pump stations disabled, resulting in thousands of gallons of waste landing into the ocean. The Times notes that Garry Brown, executive director of the nonprofit Orange County Coastkeeper, stated that “With this volume of water, a lot of things that have been sitting for a long time all got washed down. There are viruses, toxic metals, trash and debris polluting the coast, and it's the things you can't see that are more detrimental to human health." An example of the amount of pollution landing in the ocean is Laguna Beach in Orange County, as more than 60,000 gallons were washed toward the area’s beaches due to the rain. The Times reports:

“Some of the waste came from broken pipes on private property or sewer lines overflowing with storm water. But the highest volume spilled from the sewer infrastructure. A pump station ruptured near Laguna's popular Main Beach and sent 47,000 gallons of sewage seaward while a second station on the outskirts of the city broke and spilled 6,000 gallons of sewage into Aliso Creek. In both cases, the rain caused the volume of material flowing through sewage pipes to double, overwhelming the system. […]Water quality advocates, however, say wastewater agencies should have been prepared to accommodate the stress of a major downpour.”

Also, more than 1.1 million gallons of partially treated sewage landed into San Mateo Creek near Camp Pendleton. For more on beach closures in the two counties, see here.