In the News
MONTEREY – A federal grant totaling more than $1.6 million was awarded to Monterey County for reimbursement of Palo Colorado road repairs caused by severe winter storms that took place in February 2017.
Representative Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, who helped get the funds, announced that the United States Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded the grant totaling $1,663,670.25 to pay back the county for its work.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie said the agency is struggling with the same shortage of cancer treatment experts that the U.S. medical community at large has faced, which veterans told McClatchy has resulted in missed or late-stage cancer diagnoses.
McClatchy last month reported in an exclusive investigation that the rate of urinary, prostate, liver and blood cancer treatments has sharply risen over the last two decades of war.
Desde que Oswaldo llegó de México hace 17 años ha trabajado en los campos de California. "Sería maravilloso si pudiera tener un permiso para trabajar; y más tarde, la residencia. Podría andar más tranquilo sin tanta angustia", dice este trabajador agrícola del Valle de Salinas en el norte del estado.
Five California Congress members, including Zoe Lofgren (District 19) and Jimmy Panetta (District 20) have unveiled a House bill to provide a path to citizenship for undocumented farmworkers.
In an Oct. 30 "tele-press conference," Lofgren and Panetta said their Farm Workforce Modernization Act would provide a path to legal status for nearly 250,000 California farmworkers provided they can demonstrate they have worked in agriculture in the past, will continue to work in agriculture in the future, and meet other requirements.
SALINAS, Calif. - Signs displaying the names of our nation's heroes will soon be placed on highways around Monterey County. They were unveiled Thursday night at an event in Salinas to memorialize five fallen men from Monterey County. All five were killed in combat in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2014.
- U.S. Army Ranger Ricardo Cerros, Jr. of Salinas
- Army Specialist Vilmar Galarza of Salinas
- U.S. Army Sargent Javier Sanchez, Jr. of Greenfield
- Army Chief Warrant Officer Edward Balli of Salinas
In the nighttime hours of Jan. 20, 2014, insurgents used a car bomb to break through the wall at a Kandahar, Afghanistan, outpost where Salinas native and U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli, 42, was stationed.
Six insurgents rushed in and opened fire with AK-47 rifles. Balli and a sergeant returned fire while civilians and others rushed for shelter.
With support from the California Farm Bureau Federation and many other agricultural groups around the state and nation, members of the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced a bill that seeks to ensure a stable and legal workforce for farms, ranches and other agricultural producers.
Courtesy of Congressman Jimmy Panetta's Office:
Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) announced that he cosponsored the Basic Assistance for Students In College (BASIC) Act, legislation to ensure that college students—particularly those receiving Pell Grants or attending a community college or minority-serving institution—are able to afford basic, day-to-day necessities.
U.S. Senators Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
The central coast of California has deep roots with people who come to this country and work in agriculture. The willingness of people to take risks and work hard has greatly contributed to the success of our local agriculture and a sustained food production on American soil.
Problem Solvers Caucus Endorses Landmark Bipartisan Agricultural Workers Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the Problem Solvers Caucus announced its endorsement of H.R. 4916, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019, to provide earned visa status for Certified Agricultural Workers (CAWs) and provide ranchers and farmers a legal, reliable workforce. This bill specifically expands the H-2A foreign guest-worker program, so farmers can easily hire workers.