By Bill Swindell, Santa Rosa Press Democrat North Coast Rep. Mike Thompson proposed a series of federal tax breaks Monday for the U.S. wine industry, including a proposal to slash a tax on sparkling wine that has lingered since the aftermath of Prohibition. The St. Helena Democrat, who owns a vineyard in Lake County, teamed […]
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By Paige Blankenbuehler, High Country News Throughout late March and into April, much of the West experienced unseasonably warm days. Then, in late April, temperatures plummeted in Southwest Colorado’s San Juan Mountains and more than 2 feet of wet, heavy spring snow fell. Suddenly, ski boots were out again and for a day or two, […]
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By Linda Fine Conaboy RENO – Climate change isn’t new news, but it is big news now and its effects are becoming increasingly obvious in the forms of horrendous wildfires, extreme weather conditions and the slow strangulation of some of the ocean’s most beautiful fields of coral. In the words of journalist, syndicated columnist and […]
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By Kathryn Reed El Dorado County has substantial money issues with no obvious solutions. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday begins the process to come up with a budget for 2016-17. The fiscal year begins July 1. By law the budget has to be balanced. The staff report says the county will be nearly $5 […]
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By Marc Benjamin, Fresno Bee Once bathed in deep green, the forests in the foothills and Sierra east of the San Joaquin Valley are increasingly turning reddish-brown as drought- and beetle-weary trees die by the month. It is a somber warning of a potentially dangerous summer. A study next month examining trees from the […]
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Publisher’s note: This is one in a series of stories about the National Park Service, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2016. By Kim Wyatt DENALI NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE – After almost four hours on the bus, the driver pulled to the side of the road and opened the door. “Little Stony Creek.” […]
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By Sudhin Thanawala, AP Jurors who threaten to derail trials by researching them on Google or posting comments about them on Twitter are often dismissed with nothing more than a tongue-lashing from a judge. But that may soon change in California. Legislation supported by state court officials would authorize judges in some counties to fine […]
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By Michelle Rindels, AP A proposed ballot measure called the Energy Choice Initiative aims to deregulate electrical service in Nevada, opening up the market to providers other than NV Energy — the sole provider in most parts of the state. Here’s how it came about and what it could mean for consumers. Nevada laws allow […]
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By Kathryn Reed South Lake Tahoe would not function without the Public Works Department. Employees do the little things like change light bulbs, the medium work such as maintaining the parks, and the big stuff – snow removal, fleet maintenance and erosion control. In terms of staff, it is the largest in the city. Some […]
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By Tom Randall, Bloomberg The Earth is warming so fast that it’s surprising even the climate scientists who predicted this was coming. Last month was the hottest March in 137 years of record keeping, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It’s the 11th consecutive month to set a new record, and it puts 2016 on course […]
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