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February 18, 2014
News Articles

Strips of red, white and blue fabric lay draped on tables and piled in bins, making the North Bay Industries warehouse in Rohnert Park look like the set of "The Colbert Report" on Patriot Day.

The 28 workers busily stitched the colorful cloth into American flags 3 feet wide and 5 feet long, big enough to cover the coffin at a veteran's funeral.

Every part of these flags — from the upland cotton grown in the U.S. South, to dye added in South Carolina, to the American brass grommets, to the painstaking sewing in Rohnert Park — is American.

Issues:Fiscal ResponsibilityJobs & EconomyVeterans

February 17, 2014
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The Sonoma Valley Community Health Center recently broke ground on a new, 18,000-square-foot facility that will help it treat an expected influx of patients amid expansion under health care reform, nearly tripling the size of its current location.

The new location, at 19270 Sonoma Highway in a former strip mall, will nearly triple the size of the health center upon completion, expected in June for an opening in July, officials said. It will replace the current center at 430 W. Napa St.

Issues:Health CareJobs & Economy

February 16, 2014
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The three Santa Rosa residents registered for Sunday's forum on the Affordable Care Act and then gathered outside in the sun, discussing in Spanish the questions they had.

"The first question is, 'What help is there for people who don't earn much," said Odilon Salgado, 53, sitting on the curb outside Taylor Mountain Elementary School. "For people like me, for farmworkers."

"Another question," added Yolanda Flores of Santa Rosa, "is it obligatory."

Issues:Health Care

February 6, 2014
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Seventy-five percent of California is in an "extreme" or "exceptional" drought. CBS News' Bill Whitaker reports on how Washington is turning the crisis into a campaign issue.

Issues:Energy & EnvironmentJobs & EconomyWine & Agriculture

February 6, 2014
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (KCBS) — The Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved a water bill on Wednesday addressing California’s ongoing drought but the measure is likely to go no further because of a White House veto threat and opposition from the state’s Democratic Senators.
The federal water bill, passed mostly along party line 229-191, loosens environmental restrictions to pump more water from the Delta to the San Joaquin Valley.

Issues:Energy & EnvironmentJobs & EconomyWine & Agriculture

February 6, 2014
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Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, visited with eighth-grade students in Ms. Jo Ann Clark’s U.S. history class at American Canyon Middle School. As a part of their project based learning unit called a “Message to Congress,” students actively researched and prepared documentary films about a current issue that is important to them.

Issues:Education

February 5, 2014
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U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson’s (D-CA-5) legislation, The Crop Insurance Accountability Act of 2013 (H.R. 2260), passed the Senate on Tuesday as part of the compromise long term reauthorization of the Farm Bill (H.R. 2642) and is expected to be signed into law.

The bipartisan Crop Insurance Accountability Act, co-authored by Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE-1), enhances conservation by incentivizing responsible farming practices.

Issues:Energy & EnvironmentJobs & EconomyWine & Agriculture

February 5, 2014
News Articles

WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled House passed legislation Wednesday billed as a response to the California drought, but the measure is unlikely to go further in the face of a White House veto threat and opposition from the state’s Democratic senators.

Still, the action highlights the growing interest on Capitol Hill in trying to do something about the water shortage, a potentially hot issue in this year’s elections. Democratic lawmakers are calling for hearings and hurriedly drafting legislation of their own.

Issues:Energy & EnvironmentJobs & EconomyWine & Agriculture

February 5, 2014
News Articles

Farm Bill legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, Benicia’s representative in the House, has passed the Senate and is expected to be signed into law, the Congressman said Tuesday.

His legislation, the bipartisan Crop Insurance Accountability Act of 2013, co-authored by U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., has become part of the compromise long-term reauthorization of the Farm Bill, Thompson said.

Issues:Jobs & EconomyWine & Agriculture

February 5, 2014
News Articles

WASHINGTON - A Republican bill that would increase the amount of water available to farmers in California's fertile, but parched Central Valley, passed the GOP-majority House on a mostly party-line vote of 229-191 Wednesday.

Seven Democrats voted for it and two Republicans voted against. Californians were split along party lines, with Democratic Reps. Raul Ruiz of Palm Desert and Sam Farr of Carmel voting no and Republican Rep. Devin Nunes of Tulare voting yes.

Issues:Energy & EnvironmentJobs & EconomyWine & Agriculture