California’s minimum wage hike for fast food employees is leading to higher prices for customers. The minimum wage rose from 16 to 20 dollars per hour on April 1st. A study from Kalinowski Equity Research says, since then, menu prices at some fast-food restaurants like Wendy’s have increased by up to eight percent. Meanwhile, Chipotle’s prices are up by seven-and-a-half-percent, while Starbucks’ prices are seven-percent higher. Starbucks is confirming its higher prices in the Golden State, blaming them on the minimum wage hike.
Flights at the Sacramento International Airport were delayed for hours Thursday due to an intentional internet outage caused by someone cutting AT&T wires. The wires were deliberately cut nearby, affecting flights from Southwest and Delta Airlines. The sheriff’s office is investigating. Crime scene investigators were seen photographing the area and dusting for prints. Charges could range from felony vandalism to more severe charges depending on the motive behind the act. In a statement, AT&T says it has restored internet and wireless service to the Sacramento International Airport area following a fiber cut which they say appears to be an act of vandalism or attempted theft. Sac International advises travelers to contact their airlines for more information on their flight or any continued delays.
California water regulators are setting the country’s first standards for a cancer-causing chemical. The State Water Resources Control Board set a limit on how much hexavalent chromium can be present in drinking water. The chemical is usually found in water contaminated by industries that use chrome, and in some groundwater sources. The standards will require cities and water agencies to spend millions to fix wells and other water infrastructure, which officials say will cost residents more if the state doesn’t provide financial help. Despite this, public health advocates say hexavalent chromium is a dangerous contaminant, and the new limit is still much higher than the minimum level considered a cancer risk.
Representative Josh Harder is demanding answers from the FDA regarding lead-tainted children’s food being sold in grocery stores. Harder and his colleagues from the Congressional Dads Caucus are calling for a plan to ensure that such food is never sold again. Over 500 children in 44 states have had high levels of lead in their blood due to lead-tainted foods, including certain contaminated applesauce products and Lunchables served in California schools.
Adventist Health Ukiah Valley has a new General Surgeon. The hospital welcomes Dr. Joanne Leibe to the team in the General Surgery Clinic on Hospital Drive in Ukiah. According to a press release, Dr. Leibe grew up in Oakland, and came to Ukiah after 3 years at Memorial Hospital and Health Center in Jasper, Indiana. She said in the release that her husband asked her where she wanted to settle down and retire and only one place came to mind, Mendocino County. Dr. Leibe will see patients in the general surgery medical office and will perform procedures at the hospital. She’s also going to be serving as the hospital’s Trauma Medical Director.
Mendocino County granted parole to man convicted of murder. Troy Harden, of Willits, was convicted for the murder of a Redwood Valley Water District employee in 1993. Harden was found guilty of stabbing Larry Stephenson to death, leaving behind a wife and 2 children. Harden attended a parole hearing on April 4th where several people spoke out against him being let out of prison, including the Mendocino County Deputy District Attorney who said Harden still poses a public safety risk. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports the parole board was required to factor in Harden’s age at the time of the crime, he’s classified as a youthful offender. He was granted parole, but he won’t be eligible for release until it’s finalized which could take up to five months.
A body was recovered from Clear Lake this week. On Wednesday, around 3pm, Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a body being discovered in the lake by boaters. Deputies were able to locate the victim in the water along Lakeshore Boulevard in Nice. Authorities have not identified the victim, and said the investigation is ongoing.
