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Cortopassi not about to give up

Stockton native Dino Cortopassi refused to concede on Wednesday, holding onto hope that vote-by-mail and provisional ballots will give his Proposition 53 a comeback win.

Prop. 53 trailed 51 percent to 49 percent, or by nearly 250,000 votes statewide. According to published reports there may be millions of votes outstanding. The measure would force a public vote on state megaprojects such as the Delta tunnels and high-speed rail. In a prepared statement, Cortopassi compared the campaign against Prop. 53 to the Germans’ blitzkrieg on Poland in 1939. Opponents, including Gov. Jerry Brown, raised more than $22 million while Cortopassi and his wife, Joan, spent about $5 million.

What ‘President Trump’ might mean for Delta

The joke on social media after Donald Trump’s victory early Wednesday was that the tears of liberal Californians would refill the state’s reservoirs and end the drought.

Since that doesn’t seem to have worked, it’s now a matter of waiting to see what policies the president-elect might push after Inauguration Day. And on that front, Delta advocates aren’t holding out much hope.

 

California Drought Puts Renewed Focus On Dry Grape Growing For Wineries

California’s drought is forcing farmers across the state to squeeze the most out of every last drop of water, but what if it was possible to grow a bountiful crop with no water at all? One local winery is doing just that, with a centuries-old technique enjoying a renaissance in parched California. A soft breeze is blowing through Amador County, where the birds are chirping, the flags are flying and the wine is flowing at Andis Wines. For winemaker Mark McKenna, “It’s a dream come true.”

 

VIDEO: California Drought Puts Renewed Focus On Dry Grape Growing For Wineries

California’s drought is forcing farmers across the state to squeeze the most out of every last drop of water, but what if it was possible to grow a bountiful crop with no water at all?

One local winery is doing just that, with a centuries-old technique enjoying a renaissance in parched California. A soft breeze is blowing through Amador County, where the birds are chirping, the flags are flying and the wine is flowing at Andis Wines. For winemaker Mark McKenna, “It’s a dream come true.”

 

California Measure On State Mega-Projects Trailing Slightly

A California ballot measure that could put two of Gov. Jerry Brown’s legacy projects on the line was trailing slightly in incomplete counting late Tuesday. With more than 5 million votes counted, the “no” vote against Proposition 53 reached 50.9 percent, with a lead of 98,568. The ballot measure would make the state get voter approval before launching any state project needing $2 billion or more in revenue bonds. Brown supports a $64 billion high-speed rail project and two proposed giant tunnels costing $15.7 billion to carry Northern California water for use by Central and Southern California cities and farms.

 

Oceanside could see rise in water, wastewater rates

The City Council will consider increased water and wastewater rates Nov. 16. Per month, single family households that use 10 units of water, or 7,480 gallons, may see a $1.36 increase in water rates, and pay $1.21 more for wastewater. Higher water rates cover increases in the fixed service rate, unit cost and imported water pass-through charges.

Increased wastewater rates pay for greater fixed monthly charges, fixed service charges and wastewater flow charges. Greater rates keep services operating by covering increased costs for energy, treatment, regulatory compliance, maintenance and replacement of facilities and infrastructure.