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September 1, 2003 to Date
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Daily Democrat, CA

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/articles/2003/09/17/news/news7.txt

Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Poultry disease is eradicated in state

RIVERSIDE (AP) - State officials Tuesday declared California free of Exotic Newcastle Disease, ending a quarantine on pet fowl and commercial birds in a 46,000-square-mile zone stretching from Santa Barbara to San Diego counties.

"We have eagerly anticipated this day and are extremely proud of the tireless work of the Exotic Newcastle Task Force," William J. Lyons Jr., state Department of Food and Agriculture secretary, said in a news release.

"Many government agencies and thousands of people contributed to an expeditious and successful conclusion," Lyons added.

The U.S. Agriculture Department also lifted the nationwide quarantine on California chickens Tuesday after concluding the state had eradicated the disease that paralyzes and kills all bird species, but isn't a threat to humans.

The last infected commercial flock was found March 26 in San Diego and the last infected back yard flock was detected May 31 in Los Angeles County.

The quarantine zone included Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, and San Diego counties, and southeastern Kern County near the Tehachapi mountains.

The first case of Newcastle was detected last fall, during the months in which there is a high risk for outbreaks. By last winter, the disease had spread to poultry farms in Southern California.

In January, Gov. Gray Davis declared a state of emergency.

Newcastle disease ravaged California's poultry industry in the 1970s, costing millions of dollars to eradicate. It can be transmitted through feces, feed, cages and other materials and can become airborne.

This time, California spent $160 million to eradicate the disease, using thousands of veterinarians from the state, federal government and Baja California, Mexico. About 3.1 million birds statewide were destroyed.

California is the nation's third-largest egg producer. More than half the state's 12 million egg-laying hens are in the Southern California quarantine zone. In 2001, Riverside County led the state in production with an egg crop valued at $56 million.

U.S. Agriculture Department officials believe farm workers who keep cockfighting roosters infected with Exotic Newcastle spread it to egg farms. The infection can be carried on people's clothing and shoes.

The federal government spent $11.5 million from October to May to destroy 144,000 birds characterized as game fowl.



CIDRAP

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/biosecurity/ag-biosec/news/sep1703end.html

Exotic Newcastle disease battle ends
Sep 17, 2003

(CIDRAP News) – The last areas of California under quarantine for exotic Newcastle disease (END) were released yesterday, signaling the end of an 11-month, $160 million battle to control the highly infectious disease of poultry and other birds.

"Extensive testing of the regulated area has been completed, with no additional detections of the disease," the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) said in a news release. The announcement ends the ban on movement of poultry and other birds in the areas.

The last areas under quarantine included parts of Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties, according to a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) news release. The quarantine area originally encompassed 46,000 square miles, but the quarantine for all but 7,300 square miles was canceled Aug 4. The ban on poultry exhibitions throughout California has also been lifted.

END was detected in California last October. In January, Gov. Gray Davis declared a state of emergency over the disease. The fight to control it cost $160 million and included the destruction of more than 3 million birds at 2,148 sites, including 22 commercial poultry farms. More than 18,000 premises were under quarantine during the crisis. The last major END outbreak in California, in 1971, led to the slaughter of almost 12 million birds.

"We have eagerly anticipated this day and are extremely proud of the tireless work of the Exotic Newcastle Disease Task Force," CDFA Secretary William J. Lyons Jr. said in the news release. He praised the work of veterinarians from the CDFA, the USDA, and Baja California, and thanked other state, federal, and local agencies and the University of California for their help in controlling the disease.

The CDFA said it will continue a monitoring program and urged all poultry owners to routinely check birds for signs of illness, report any suspected diseases, and take steps to prevent the introduction of disease.

The USDA said an interim rule ending the quarantine will be published Sep 19 in the Federal Register. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service documents published in the Federal Register, along with related information, are available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

A few counties in Arizona and Nevada also had END quarantines last winter after cases were detected there, and some counties in Texas and New Mexico were quarantined last spring after cases were found in the El Paso area. Those quarantines all were canceled previously.

END is usually fatal for poultry, but it poses no threat to public health and does not affect the safety of poultry or eggs as food.

See also:

CDFA news release
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/exec/pa/pressreleases/PressRelease.asp?PRnum=03-060

USDA news release
http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/2003/09/0321.htm

CDFA END page
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/ah/Newcastle_info.htm



Ventura County Star, CA

http://www.insidevc.com/vcs/county_news/article/0,1375,VCS_226_2265898,00.html

Newcastle disease quarantines lifted
September 17, 2003

Officials with the exotic Newcastle task force said Tuesday that statewide quarantines have been lifted, including the ban on poultry exhibits.

Extensive testing of commercial and backyard flocks has been completed with no additional detections of the highly contagious disease that has killed more than 3 million birds statewide.

The state Department of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture warned that continued precautions should be taken to prevent another outbreak of the disease.

The initial cases of END were detected last fall. By winter the disease had spread to commercial poultry operations in Southern California. In March, several outbreaks among backyard flocks were discovered in Simi Valley.

To guard against the risk of future outbreaks, especially in the high-risk fall months, officials will continue community outreach in areas where animal keeping is prevalent to encourage biosecurity measures.

For birds with any suspected signs of illness contact the END information line at (800) 491-1899 or visit the Web site at www.cdfa.ca.gov.



Santa Maria Times, CA

http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2003/09/17/news/local/news04.txt

Exotic Newcastle Disease eradicated in California
Staff/wire reports

State officials Tuesday declared California free of Exotic Newcastle Disease, ending a quarantine on pet fowl and commercial birds in parts of nine counties, a 46,000-square-mile zone stretching from Santa Maria to San Diego.

"We have eagerly anticipated this day and are extremely proud of the tireless work of the Exotic Newcastle Task Force," said William J. Lyons Jr., state Department of Food and Agriculture secretary.

"Many government agencies and thousands of people contributed to an expeditious and successful conclusion," Lyons added.

The quarantine's end is especially good news in Santa Maria, where Rosemary Farms implemented biosecurity measures - restricting access to the property and washing trucks as they arrived - to guard against the disease. The egg operation on Rosemary Road has 300,000 birds, making it a mid-size operation.

The quarantine also prompted Santa Barbara County Fair officials to pluck live poultry from this year's lineup. Instead of showing off live birds, youngsters demonstrated art skills by making pretend poultry and got tested on their knowledge during a 'Poultry Bowl.'

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also lifted a nationwide quarantine on California chickens Tuesday after concluding the state had eradicated the disease, which can paralyze and kill birds of all species but isn't a threat to humans.

The last infected commercial flock was found March 26 in San Diego and the last infected backyard flock was detected May 31 in Los Angeles County.

The quarantine zone included Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial and San Diego counties, and southeastern Kern County near the Tehachapi mountains.

The first case of Newcastle was detected last fall, during the months in which there is a high risk for outbreaks. By last winter, the disease had spread to poultry farms in Southern California.

In January, Gov. Gray Davis declared a state of emergency.

Newcastle disease ravaged California's poultry industry in the 1970s, costing millions of dollars to eradicate. It can be transmitted through feces, feed, cages and other materials and can be spread through the air as well.

This time, California spent $160 million to eradicate the disease, using thousands of veterinarians from the state and federal governments and from Baja California, Mexico. About 3.1 million birds statewide were destroyed.

California is the nation's third-largest egg producer. More than half the state's 12 million egg-laying hens were in the Southern California quarantine zone. In 2001, Riverside County led the state in production with an egg crop valued at $56 million.

Agriculture Department officials believe farmworkers who keep cockfighting roosters that became infected with Exotic Newcastle inadvertently spread the disease to egg farms. The infection can be carried on people's clothing and shoes.

The federal government also spent $11.5 million from October to May to destroy 144,000 birds characterized as game fowl, and many zoos closed their bird exhibits or restricted the public's access to them.

Sept. 17, 2003



Victorville Daily Press, CA

http://www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-bin/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1063805976,88309,

Wednesday, September 17, 2003
State lifts poultry quarantine
By CHRISTINA L. ESPARZA/Staff Writer

APPLE VALLEY -- The state on Tuesday lifted the quarantine on a deadly avian virus that has killed more than 3 million commercial and backyard birds since last fall, officials said.

State and federal officials said no new cases of Exotic Newcastle Disease have been detected since May. However, the Exotic Newcastle Disease Task Force will continue to monitor movement of birds and periodically test them for the next several months.

"I think the efforts in Southern California played a tremendous role" in the lifting of the quarantine, said Dr. Richard Breitmeyer, the state veterinarian for California, and director of Animal Health and Food Services. "People did a good job not moving their birds."

The Exotic Newcastle Disease outbreak was first detected in October at a backyard coop in Compton. It was then discovered throughout several California counties, including San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego and Kern.

About 3 million commercial poultry were destroyed in an effort to end the epidemic, and another 145,000 backyard and hobbyist-type birds were also killed, Breitmeyer said.

The cost to eradicate the outbreak was about $160 million in California, and encompassed 46,000 square miles, officials said. However, that cost does not include the losses suffered by the poultry industry in the areas affected by the quarantine.

Those figures are not available, Breitmeyer said.

The quarantine put financial hardship on an Apple Valley commercial poultry farmer.

Doug Osborne, who made a business selling ostrich meat, said the outbreak of Exotic Newcastle Disease and the resulting quarantine caused him to lose more than $100,000. It also cost him a contract with a major restaurant chain that could have been worth as much as $500,000.

Officials told him last November that he couldn't move birds out of his O.K. Corral Ostrich Ranch, effectively stopping his sales. Meanwhile, Osborne's 800 ostriches cost about $7,000 a month to feed, and another $5,000 for labor and overhead costs.

He hopes the end of the quarantine didn't come too late.

"I don't know if I can stay in business very much longer, unless I pick up a large account -- and I got to do that pretty quick," Osborne said. "There were 20 ostrich farmers in California; now there are only six left. It's been a very unfortunate situation."

Breitmeyer said commercial poultry owners, like Osborne, can apply for low-cost federal grants to get them back on their feet.

Osborne said he is working on the paperwork to get a loan.

Christina L. Esparza can be reached at christina_esparza@link.freedom.com or 951-6233.



just-food.com, UK

http://www.just-food.com/news_detail.asp?art=55401

USA: Southern California declared free of poultry virus
17 Sep 2003
Source: just-food.com

State and federal officials have said they have eradicated the avian virus Exotic Newcastle disease from southern California and have therefore lifted any remaining quarantine restrictions on poultry shipments.

"We're confident that we're free," Paul Ugstadt, a US Department of Agriculture veterinarian for California and Nevada, was quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying. "We've done enough testing in the quarantined area to make sure that we're free."

Although not thought to be harmful to humans, the flu-like virus is highly contagious among birds and is often fatal to them.

This particular outbreak began last autumn and had spread to commercial poultry operations in southern California by winter. Quarantine restriction were placed on eight counties and more than three million birds were destroyed in a bid to control the outbreak.

The federal government spent US$160m to combat the outbreak in California, including compensation for poultry farmers whose birds were destroyed.

No California birds have been found to have the virus since May, the paper reported.



Sacramento Bee, CA

http://www.sacbee.com/content/business/story/7430777p-8373829c.html

Poultry quarantine lifted in south state
The exotic Newcastle disease outbreak is declared over.
By Melanie Payne -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Chickens are now free to move about California.

The quarantine on Southern California poultry was lifted Tuesday after officials determined that an outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease was over.

The poultry-killing virus spread quickly after it was discovered in backyard flocks last fall and threatened California's $3.5 billion poultry industry. The disease, which does not affect humans, never made it over the Tehachapi mountain range into Northern California, but nine Southern California counties were quarantined because of the virus. Three million commercial birds were destroyed as were 145,000 backyard birds and pets infected or exposed to the virus.

The ban on bird exhibitions was also lifted Tuesday, meaning birds can be allowed back into county fairs, swap meets and auctions.

The federal and state governments have spent $175 million on the current outbreak. Of that, $160 million was spent in California, including $23 million to repay owners the market value of the birds that were euthanized.

Agriculture agencies will continue to spend money fighting the virus, cautioning that they haven't seen the last of exotic Newcastle or other diseases.

Dr. Richard Breitmeyer, the state veterinarian for California, said in a telephone conference that efforts will continue to inspect venues where birds are sold and will educate poultry owners about disease control.

The state will also keep open the exotic Newcastle disease hotline, (800) 491-1899, and will continue to provide free diagnostic testing for sick birds.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will keep a small group of employees in Southern California as part of what Dr. Paul Ugstad, the USDA's veterinarian for California and Nevada, called "an overall plan to find this disease sooner, before it gets as widespread."

Ugstad said that the USDA will work to get other countries to lift their bans on imports of California poultry.

Bill Mattos, president of the California Poultry Federation, estimates the damage to exports at more than $10 million. Of the 250 million chickens and 17 million turkeys raised for meat in California, 98 percent are in Northern California, Mattos said, and a number of countries prohibited the importation of these birds or their fertile eggs.

He said it will take several weeks for many of the countries to lift bans on imports. Some countries, including Canada, have already lifted the ban for Northern California, he said.

Although Mattos was relieved the quarantine was lifted, he cautioned poultry owners "not to be complacent again" when it comes to protecting their birds from disease.

In Southern California, 21 commercial producers had their entire flocks destroyed. Despite the loss, the egg producers have "been doing real well this year after having three or four bad years," said Don Bell, a retired poultry specialist for the University of California.

About the Writer

The Bee's Melanie Payne can be reached at (916) 321-1962 or mpayne@sacbee.com.



Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030916/APN/309161115

Exotic Newcastle Disease eradicated in California
September 16, 2003
The Associated Press

RIVERSIDE, Calif. --
State officials Tuesday declared California free of Exotic Newcastle Disease, ending a quarantine on pet fowl and commercial birds in a 46,000-square-mile zone stretching from Santa Barbara to San Diego counties.

"We have eagerly anticipated this day and are extremely proud of the tireless work of the Exotic Newcastle Task Force," William J. Lyons Jr., state Department of Food and Agriculture secretary, said in a news release.

"Many government agencies and thousands of people contributed to an expeditious and successful conclusion," Lyons added.

The U.S. Agriculture Department also lifted the nationwide quarantine on California chickens Tuesday after concluding the state had eradicated the disease that paralyzes and kills all bird species, but isn't a threat to humans.

The last infected commercial flock was found March 26 in San Diego and the last infected back yard flock was detected May 31 in Los Angeles County.

The quarantine zone included Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, and San Diego counties, and southeastern Kern County near the Tehachapi mountains.

The first case of Newcastle was detected last fall, during the months in which there is a high risk for outbreaks. By last winter, the disease had spread to poultry farms in Southern California.

In January, Gov. Gray Davis declared a state of emergency.

Newcastle disease ravaged California's poultry industry in the 1970s, costing millions of dollars to eradicate. It can be transmitted through feces, feed, cages and other materials and can become airborne.

This time, California spent $160 million to eradicate the disease, using thousands of veterinarians from the state, federal government and Baja California, Mexico. About 3.1 million birds statewide were destroyed.

California is the nation's third-largest egg producer. More than half the state's 12 million egg-laying hens are in the Southern California quarantine zone. In 2001, Riverside County led the state in production with an egg crop valued at $56 million.

U.S. Agriculture Department officials believe farm workers who keep cockfighting roosters infected with Exotic Newcastle spread it to egg farms. The infection can be carried on people's clothing and shoes.

The federal government spent $11.5 million from October to May to destroy 144,000 birds characterized as game fowl.



Biloxi Sun Herald, MS

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/breaking_news/6787820.htm

Posted on Tue, Sep. 16, 2003
Feds Lift California Chicken Quarantine
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The Agriculture Department lifted the yearlong quarantine on California chickens Tuesday after concluding the state had eradicated a poultry disease.

Chicken and egg farms in the state were placed under quarantine last year after animal health officials found an outbreak of Exotic Newcastle, a bird disease that infected several egg-laying flocks. It paralyzes and kills all species of birds, but isn't a threat to humans.

The department's decision Tuesday means quarantines ended in portions of Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernadino and Ventura counties.

Federal officials believe farm workers who keep cockfighting roosters infected with Exotic Newcastle spread it to egg farms. The infection can be carried on people's clothing and shoes.

The federal government spent $11.5 million from October to May to destroy 144,000 birds characterized as game fowl.
ON THE NET
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: http://www.aphis.usda.gov



Crop Decisions, MO

http://www.cropdecisions.com/show_story.php?id=21307

USDA Lifts Quarantine For Exotic Newcastle Disease In California
Sep. 16, 2003

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced that there are no longer any areas in the United States that are quarantined because of exotic Newcastle disease (END), a serious disease of poultry and other birds.

While this is a major milestone in the fight to end what was a very serious avian disease outbreak, USDA officials warn that continued precautions should be taken against the reintroduction of END.

Today's action removes portions of Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, Calif., from the list of END quarantined areas. This means that restrictions are removed on the movement of birds, poultry and certain other articles from those areas. This action comes 11 months after END was verified in California.

END is one of the most infectious poultry diseases in the world. It is a contagious and fatal viral disease that affects the respiratory, nervous and digestive systems of all species of birds. The virus is spread primarily through direct contact between healthy birds and the bodily discharges of infected birds. The disease is transmitted through infected birds' droppings and secretions from the nose, mouth and eyes. END is not considered a public health threat.

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) encourages bird owners to take biosecurity precautions and to report sick birds immediately to local animal health authorities.

Source: USDA Release

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced that there are no longer any areas in the United States that are quarantined because of exotic Newcastle disease (END), a serious disease of poultry and other birds.

While this is a major milestone in the fight to end what was a very serious avian disease outbreak, USDA officials warn that continued precautions should be taken against the reintroduction of END.

Today's action removes portions of Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, Calif., from the list of END quarantined areas. This means that restrictions are removed on the movement of birds, poultry and certain other articles from those areas. This action comes 11 months after END was verified in California.

END is one of the most infectious poultry diseases in the world. It is a contagious and fatal viral disease that affects the respiratory, nervous and digestive systems of all species of birds. The virus is spread primarily through direct contact between healthy birds and the bodily discharges of infected birds. The disease is transmitted through infected birds' droppings and secretions from the nose, mouth and eyes. END is not considered a public health threat.

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) encourages bird owners to take biosecurity precautions and to report sick birds immediately to local animal health authorities.

Source: USDA Release



AgWeb

http://www.agweb.com/news_show_news_article.asp?file=AgNewsArticle_20039161622_5112&articleid=101237&newscat=WA

09/16/2003
USDA Lifts Quarantine Restrictions for Exotic Newcastle Disease in Calif. by Julianne Johnston

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced that there are no longer any areas in the United States that are quarantined because of exotic Newcastle disease (END), a serious disease of poultry and other birds.

While this is a major milestone in the fight to end what was a very serious avian disease outbreak, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials warn that continued precautions should be taken against the reintroduction of END.

Today's action removes portions of Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, Calif., from the list of END quarantined areas. This means that restrictions are removed on the movement of birds, poultry and certain other articles from those areas. This action comes 11 months after END was verified in California.

END is one of the most infectious poultry diseases in the world. It is a contagious and fatal viral disease that affects the respiratory, nervous and digestive systems of all species of birds. The virus is spread primarily through direct contact between healthy birds and the bodily discharges of infected birds. The disease is transmitted through infected birds' droppings and secretions from the nose, mouth and eyes. END is not considered a public health threat.

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) encourages bird owners to take biosecurity precautions and to report sick birds immediately to local animal health authorities.



The Desert Sun, CA

http://www.thedesertsun.com/topics/valley_economic_review/stories/20030914013826.shtml

Valley business, tourism show growth potential
The Desert Sun
September 14th, 2003

Agriculture

Coachella Valley agriculture posted a slight drop in crop valuation in 2002 from the previous year - with a competitive global market registering more impact than anything caused by nature, according to agriculture officials. The valley's agriculture industry is one of the region's largest economic drivers. Figures released recently by the Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner's Office showed the valley's total agricultural crop output valued at $425,631,400 in 2002. The figure was well ahead of 2000 but missed 2001's yield by about $25 million. The 2002 valley figure also topped the 1998 valuation of $398 million, and was on par with 1999's $427 million. According to deputy agricultural commissioner Dustin Wiley, much of the valley drop could be attributed to a tight market faced by the desert's citrus crops. Lemon growers in particular had a rough year in 2002, Wiley said.

Visitors to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert will again get to see the zoo's diverse collection of herons, egrets, vultures and other non-native birds in a way they haven't been able to since January - up close, in its two walk-in aviaries. "The walk-through bird exhibits should be open again sometime in September," said Kevin Leiske, the zoo's head veterinarian.

The planned re-opening of the popular tourist attraction's aviaries is among the earliest signs that things are returning to normal, now that state agriculture officials have lifted much of the multi-county quarantine imposed last fall in response to an outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease in chicken flocks. The Coachella Valley is no longer in the quarantine zone. In fact, about 84 percent of the zone was rescinded earlier this month by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Growth and Development

California's primary agency for attracting new business has fallen to the budget ax, and the director of the Coachella Valley Enterprise Zone worries that the fallout could hurt one of the valley's most effective job-attraction tools. Hal Joseph, executive director of the Coachella-based enterprise zone program, said the recent move by state lawmakers to eliminate the cabinet-level California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency could be disastrous for the state's economic improvement efforts. Created in 1991, the valley's enterprise zone covers 56 square miles and encompasses Thousand Palms, Indio, Coachella and Thermal. It is credited with creating about 3,500 new jobs at 250 businesses since its inception. If the state is hampered in efforts to lure out-of-state companies, Joseph said, that disadvantage will probably trickle down to local communities. As part of a deal to address the state's projected $38 billion deficit, the Legislature voted to eliminate the trade and commerce agency, which has a $40 million annual budget and employs 88 persons at its Sacramento and foreign offices. The agency is slated to be phased out over the next six months.

Plans for a new Wal-Mart SuperCenter in Palm Desert remain on track for the time being, despite a lawsuit filed against the city over the way it approved the project. "Our position is that we've done everything right, and the project should go forward," David Erwin, city attorney for Palm Desert, said Tuesday. An Oct. 9 hearing has been set in Riverside County Superior Court in Indio for the suit, which was filed in April by Palm Desert residents Greg Clyde, Susan Hayes and Andrew Murray. The plaintiffs claim the city approved the SuperCenter - the centerpiece of a retail development known as Desert Gateway - without sufficiently considering the environmental impacts. The suit asks that the city be required to rescind its February approval of the Desert Gateway development, planned for a site on Monterey Avenue at Dinah Shore Drive, and re-conduct the environmental review process, which took into account aesthetics, air quality, noise and traffic issues.

Health Care

John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio is laying off seven employees, as it cuts back on its outpatient services. The move was announced to employees on Aug. 18 and takes effect Sept. 19. According to Linda Evans, the hospital's director of business development, the internal streamlining will affect workers currently employed in the hospital's diabetes, neurology and rehabilitation outpatient services. Some of the work that was done by those employees will be transferred to in-patient programs. JFK Memorial employs a total of 800, including 550 full-time workers. Evans also said she could not comment on how the layoffs relate to overall cost-cutting being done nationwide by beleaguered Tenet Healthcare Corp., the Santa Barbara-based company that owns JFK Memorial and also operates Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs.

Housing

High demand and relatively limited supply kept pressure on housing affordability in the Coachella Valley for the month of June, with the region coming in lower than the state as a whole for the percentage of households that can afford the median-priced home. According to figures released recently by the California Association of Realtors, the valley's housing affordability index stood at 20 in June, compared with 21 in May and 22 in June 2002. This means that in June, 20 percent of households could afford the median-priced valley home, which according to CAR was priced at $265,000. CAR figures are based on Multiple Listing Services data, and cover existing single-family homes and condominiums. The median is the level at which half the homes in a community sell for a lower price, and half sell higher. The June median in the valley was 4.4 percent higher than May's, and 16.9 percent higher than that for June 2002. Total valley sales in June were up 14.4 percent from the previous-year figure, according to CAR. CAR said 27 percent of Californians overall could afford the median-priced home in June, costing $376,260.

Home sales in the Coachella Valley rose sharply in July over the same month last year, as buyers seemed to lend credence to the belief the overall economy might be beginning to improve. Sales were up 24 percent in the valley over last July, with new construction leading the charge with a 48 percent increase year over year. The median price of all homes sold - including new and existing houses and condos - rose in July to $228,000, a 12 percent jump over a year ago, according to figures released by DataQuick Information Systems, but that was a slight drop from June's $236,750. It was the seventh consecutive double-digit increase in median value year over year. Median price is defined as the level where half the homes sell for a higher price and half for a lower price. DataQuick reported that in July there were 1,280 home sales in the valley against 1,266 in June.

Tourism/Gaming

After waiting three and a half years to join 61 other tribes with compacts, the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla reached an agreement with Gov. Gray Davis to become a gaming tribe. In a joint announcement, the tribe and the governor emphasized the compact was "negotiated to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the Torres Martinez Tribe." And because of that, it is almost certain to stir controversy. Unlike the 1999 compact, the agreement calls on the tribe to give the state general fund a share of its profits from slot machines and to enter binding agreements with local governments before it can begin construction. Davis earlier this year said he wanted compact re-negotiations to bring the state at least $1.5 billion in new fees to help reduce the state budget deficit.

Officials of the University of California at Los Angeles have found that its Institute for Industrial Relations violated both university regulations and federal standards in a study it funded on healthcare benefits at the Agua Caliente Casino. Max Benavidez, senior counsel of UCLA Media Relations, said the university found the study did not have appropriate review or approval "and was thus in violation of our Federal Wide Assurance with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Human Research Protection." The study, funded by the University of California's Institute for Industrial Relations and released March 11, is entitled "Wages and Healthcare Benefits of Workers at Agua Caliente Casino." "We are glad to learn that UCLA has determined that this study was not properly conducted and its findings called into question," said Barbara Gonzales-Lyons, vice chair of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. "It certainly raises doubts about the credibility of any of HERE's assertions," she said. HERE is the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union which has been attempting to organize workers at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, and which collected the data included in the report.

The Morongo Band of Mission Indians announced in August that it had acquired for $21 million a Las Vegas-based casino management and development company. The company, Full House Resorts Inc., primarily manages Midway Slots and Simulcast at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington, Del., where it maintains 1,400 slots, a 450-seat buffet, a dining room and a lounge.

Small Business

The Coachella Valley's serious cinephiles will get seven screens worth of additional films to choose from come October, when Flagship Theatre Corp. opens a new arthouse-style moviehouse at Westfield Shoppingtown Palm Desert.

The new theater - Cinemas Palme d'Or, named after the top prize at the famed Cannes Film Festival - will fill the spot vacated in December 2002 when Resort Theaters of America closed a 10-screen theater as part of a bankruptcy filing. Flagship, a Los Angeles-based niche film exhibitor, plans a major renovation at the site, located on the north side of the shopping center in space it is leasing from Westfield. When it opens in mid-October, it will be Palm Desert's first theater since the closing by Resort, and will bring the valley's movie screen total to 80. The newcomer will officially be doing business in the valley as Flagship Theatres of Palm Desert LLC. One of the partners in the new venture, Rancho Mirage resident Alise Benjamin, said the new theater will tap into an existing strong local base of film aficionados.

Her company's business card jokingly states, "We fix traffic tickets." But with the name of her business, Fun-D-Mental Traffic School, company president Carolyn Barry is trying to strike a balance. She wants it known that this is a place to come when someone wants to avoid getting points placed on a driver's license after a traffic violation. But she also aims to make it clear that this need not be the motorist's equivalent of a trip to the dentist. "I joke with people as everyone is being introduced that this is the fun part; but now comes the mental part - you have to take this seriously." With a healthy mix of levity and education, the Palm Desert resident runs Fun-D-Mental, which is the only locally owned traffic school among the 21 DMV-approved schools operating in the Coachella Valley. And for her track record of business community and organizational work, the 59-year-old Barry was recently honored as one of the "2004 Top 10 Business Women" by the 55,000-member American Business Women's Association.

Transportation

The Coachella Valley's only dealer of Hummer vehicles is taking extra security precautions after recent vandalism of a Los Angeles area dealership by environmental activists. But otherwise, managers at Jessup Auto Plaza say recent skyrocketing gas prices, and an overall slump for the auto industry, are not diminishing sales or interest in the Hummer H2, a hulking but luxury-focused sport utility vehicle that weighs 6,400 pounds and gets between 10 and 15 miles per gallon on valley roads. In fact, general manager Andrew T. Jessup Jr. said interest had remained steady since General Motors Corp., which owns the Hummer line, began offering dealer incentives on the company's 2003 H2 models.

SunLine Transit Agency's chief financial officer quietly has resigned his post, citing "strange actions" of the agency's executive board that put him on paid administrative leave last month without ever stating a reason. "I had been planning to retire for some time, and this seemed like a good time," William Maier said Tuesday in a telephone interview form his La Quinta home. "I was not planning to be with SunLine forever." Legal representatives of Maier and SunLine drew up a resignation and severance agreement on Aug. 6, the same day longtime SunLine general manager Richard Cromwell III resigned his post. Maier signed the severance agreement on Aug. 14; SunLine acting general manager Dennis Gilman inked it on Monday.

Unemployment

For the second straight month, Coachella Valley communities saw their unemployment rates rise in July from their previous-month figures, reflecting an upward trend for Riverside County as a whole. The state of California continued to struggle, posting a slight drop in the unemployment rate but losing 21,800 jobs from the previous month, according to figures released Friday by the California Employment Development Department. July unemployment rates in the valley ranged from 3 percent in Indian Wells to 19.5 percent in Mecca. The 9,510 people unemployed in the valley represented 17 percent of the total 55,400 reported jobless in Riverside County, a percentage on par with the previous two months. California's jobless rate was 6.6 percent, down from June's revised 6.8 percent but topping the national unemployment rate of 6.2 percent. In July 2002, California's unemployment rate was 6.7 percent. Riverside County's unemployment rate was 6.7 percent during the month, up from June's 6.1 percent, according to EDD.



Santa Cruz Sentinel, CA

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2003/September/11/style/stories/03style.htm

September 11, 2003
Fair fun flies high — even without the chickens
By NANCY REDWINE
sentinel staff writer
Where can you go to a concert, kick back on the grass and nosh on fresh-baked cinnamon rolls and hot french fries, while the kids ride the Tilt-a-Whirl? All for $7 or less?

Whether it’s bluegrass, vintage rock ’n’ roll, or wandering mariachis, the entertainment dazzle for the dollar is excellent at the Santa Cruz County Fair, open through Sunday.

On these last evenings of summer, the fair’s grassy amphitheater is a great place to watch the sun go down and the lights go up on acts like tonight’s Peter Rowan and the Free Mexican Air Force, Friday’s Eric Burdon and the Animals, and Saturday’s Double Funk Crunch.

"We’ve beefed up the entertainment budget this year to serve the community better and make the fair more fun," said Judith Panick, Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds manager.

As if the pig races, the livestock exhibits, the food midway, the carnival, and this year’s 10,000-gallon sea lion tank weren’t enough fun already. Actually, all the fun stuff like flower arranging, jumping horses, tractor rodeo, snake petting and Frisbee dogs make it possible for the fair to bring artists with high fun potential.

"While Eric Burdon performs, there will be anywhere from 15,000 to 17,000 people on the grounds," Panick said. "The amphitheater can’t hold that many people. So we want to bring acts that excite people, but if we go big time it’s not going to be fun."

Count on some big-time fun tonight with Rowan and his Free Mexican Air Force. One of the creators of the mythic American West, Rowan — for more than 40 years — has built a devoted following worldwide with his rhythm guitar, insightful songwriting, and occasional yodeling.

Thoughts of Eric Burdon and the Animals may take you down a crooked memory lane, but don’t think they’ve been stuck in the past. British Invader Burdon and his band — famous for hits like "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" and "It’s my Life" — not only tour regularly, Burdon has made a career of acting and writing soundtracks for films.

Putting the fun in funk is San Francisco’s Double Funk Crunch, a popular party band offering fairgoers the opportunity to burn off a few of those deep-fried artichokes. Their wild costumes, outrageous antics and tight horns will be stiff competition for the midway.

Sunset at the amphitheater is not the only time and place to be entertained and inspired at the fair. Wandering the grounds each day are Big Mama Sue singing ragtime and country and Goofy Gary on banjo, and Mariachi California de Javier Vargas.

If you’re looking for laughs and magic, you’ll find both at Snuffy’s Magical Clown Review (Playhouse Stage), the hilarious and daring acrobats Grinn and Barrett (Tankhouse Stage) and Michael Mesmer’s "Theater of the Mind Comedy Hypnosis Show" (Tankhouse Stage).

For entertainment that holds still, don’t miss the cornucopia of local visual arts on display at the Art Building.

Though the folks at the fair make it look so easy, putting together the entertainment package requires a sense of balance and the ability to adapt to last-minute changes.

In 2001, the Santa Cruz County Fair was scheduled to open on Sept. 11. Responding to the needs of a stunned community, the fair opened its gates the next day.

With airports around the county closed, none of the scheduled acts — including Ray Wylie Hubbard and Freddy Fender — could get to the fair, leaving Read Zaro, the fair’s entertainment director to improvise.

The stage and the amphitheater were full every night.

"People were so grateful and relieved to have a positive social experience at the fair," Panick said. "That gave us all great joy."

This year, fair organizers are dealing creatively with another national crisis affecting their entertainment capacity. Exotic Newcastle Disease (a fatal viral infection found in fowl) has closed live chicken displays at fairs all over the country, including Santa Cruz County.

While the entertainment value of chickens is a subjective affair, the chicken house is traditionally a huge draw at the fair

"That clucking sound is very comforting," Panick said.

For those looking for their cluck fix, check out the "Featherless Chicken Show," organized by local chicken expert Terry Reeder. Completely chicken-free, this year’s exhibit — complete with a clucking soundtrack — includes educational videos, a giant sculpture competition and an exhibit of poultry farm equipment.

"Terry has a lot of pluck," quipped Panick. "Some fairs are just locking up their poultry barns, but we’re soldiering through until the ban is lifted."

Contact Nancy Redwine atnredwine@santa-cruz.com.



Bettendorf News, IA

http://www.qctimes.com/internal.php?story_id=1017196&l=1&t=Business&c=31,1017196

SUNNY SIDE UP: Farmers cheer as egg prices double in past year By Associated Press

IOWA FALLS, Iowa (AP) -- Over easy, scrambled, deviled or hard boiled -- it doesn't matter how you cook them to Iowa's eggs producers. They're just happy to see that egg prices have almost doubled since last year.

"This gives us a chance to get some bills paid," said Brent Granzow, who owns a 600,000-layer operation with Joe Scallon near Iowa Falls. "Usually Easter is the best time of the year and prices usually fall off in May, so this rally is pleasantly surprising."

Overproduction had been causing egg producers to lose money. Now, for the first time in about four years, they're seeing a profit due to a reduction in layer populations and strong demand for their product.

On-farm large egg prices in Iowa ranged from 66 to 70 cents per dozen toward the end of August. That's 35 to 36 cents higher than a year ago. Retail prices have gone up accordingly since the surge in the past three months.

The price increases come as farmers reduce the number of chickens in cages to pacify animal rights groups and at a time when about 3 million birds, though not all layers, were destroyed in California to halt the spread of Exotic Newcastle Disease, fatal poultry disease.

Demand for eggs remains strong, with average consumption at 261 eggs per person in 2002, up almost 10 eggs in two years, according to government figures.

The nation's average layer population was 332 million in July, down 1 percent from the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Egg production was also slightly down at 7.34 billion eggs.

Maybe the best part about the new-found profitably for egg producers is that it' s expected to last up to two more years, said Randy Pesciotta, market analyst with Urnerbarry Publications in New Jersey. He said most farmers are making about 30 cents profit for each dozen eggs. That compares with recent losses of 3 to 5 cents a dozen.

Some egg producers couldn't keep operating during the recent down cycle and bailed out. That includes Farmegg Products of Humboldt, which sold out to Sparboe Farms.

"That's the reason our company sold, they were tired of loosing money," said Russ Dugan, complex manager at Farmegg and chairman of the Iowa Egg Council.

Even with a jump in egg prices, grocery store managers said customers are continuing to buy just as many eggs.

Terry Evans, manager of a Hy-Vee in Waterloo, put up a sign on the egg case explaining the price hike to shoppers. He said hasn't seen a drop in sales, averaging 1,800 to 2,000 dozen per week.

"It's such a staple item, like a gallon of milk, that people are going to buy them. Now if it was something like T-bone steak, that would be different," Evans said.

Customers like Pam Garrison, who buys a couple dozen eggs a week, agree that they're a must-have for family favorites like omelets, egg sandwiches and for baking.

"You have to have eggs. It's just one of those things you have to have," she said.



Press-Enterprise, CA

http://www.pe.com/ap_news/California/CA_XGR_Cockfighting_Fines_116938C.shtml

Bill increasing penalties for cockfighting signed
The Associated Press
SACRAMENTO
Cockfight operators will pay a heftier fine if they get caught next year.

Gov. Gray Davis signed a bill Tuesday raising the penalty for cockfights from $1,000 to $5,000 for the first offense and to $25,000 for the second offense starting Jan. 1.

Agriculture officials and animal rights advocates say cockfighting was the likely cause for the spread of the exotic Newcastle disease, a highly contagious poultry virus. Thousands of backyard and commercial birds were destroyed after an outbreak of disease nearly a year ago.

"With hundreds of thousands of dollars changing hands at some organized cockfights, pitifully small fines are considered a minor cost of doing business," said Wayne Pacelle, a senior vice president of the Humane Society of the United States. "The only way to shrink the prevalence of cockfighting is to provide penalties that will bankrupt the repeat offender."

Despite the hefty fines, cockfighting is still a misdemeanor and punishment includes as much as a year in county jail. It's also legal to own and raise game birds, as long as they're not used for fighting.

Kern County Sheriff's Sgt. Ric Yorke said the new law will have little impact without the manpower to enforce it. Cockfighting operations are notoriously difficult to track and few law enforcement agencies have the resources to devote to the investigations of misdemeanors, he said.

"We've still got to respond to traffic accidents, robberies, assaults and other violent crimes first," Yorke said. "Will we be able to pull off of those and go work cockfighters? No, we just don't have the manpower."

Information from: The Bakersfield Californian

Published: Wednesday, September 3, 2003 11:21 PDT



Riverside Press Enterprise, CA

http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_NEWS_nasoto03.f282.html

Cock fight fines raised in bill signed by Davis
02:17 AM PDT on Wednesday, September 3, 2003
The Press-Enterprise

Gov. Davis signed legislation this week that increases the fines on cockfighting convictions, from a maximum of $1,000 on a first offense to $5,000.

The bill by Sen. Nell Soto, D-Pomona, emerged earlier this year after evidence suggested that cock fights contributed to the spread of exotic Newcastle disease, which has devastated the Southern California poultry industry.

"California's penalties for illegal cockfighting have traditionally been much weaker than other states in the West. The enactment of this legislation sends a signal to cockfighters that our state won't tolerate this conduct," said Eric Sakach, the West Coast director of the Humane Society of the United States.


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