Bay Area

Water Expert: Make Conservation a Family Project as California Drought Gets Worse

Following state official calls for water use reduction last year, Californians’ water use increased by about 19% this year, according to the governor’s office. “Californians made significant changes since the last drought, but we’ve seen an uptick in water use. We have to make every drop count,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

Published

10 months ago

June 13, 2022

Oakland Post

iStock Photo.

By Aldon Thomas Stiles, California Black Media

African American water experts are joining state officials calling on Californians to conserve as much water as possible in preparation for an abnormally dry summer ahead.

California is in year three of a drought that scientists have called the driest in the history of the state.

“Look at your usage. Make it a family project,” said Dale Hunter, a respected African American water expert in Sacramento.

Last week, the State Water Resources Control Board voted to ban the watering of “non-functional” turf to combat California’s drought as state officials estimate that water supplies may decrease by 20% due to rising heat.

This statewide ban will apply to the commercial, industrial and institutional sectors.

“California is facing a drought crisis and every local water agency and Californian needs to step up on conservation efforts,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “I am hopeful the measures enacted by the State Water Board will lead to a reduction of water use across the state.”

Hunter says conservation is urgent.

“This is the state saying, ‘folks this is serious. We are encouraging all locals to come up with a conservation plan,’” he added.

Following state official calls for water use reduction last year, Californians’ water use increased by about 19% this year, according to the governor’s office.

“Californians made significant changes since the last drought, but we’ve seen an uptick in water use. We have to make every drop count,” Newsom said.

Some experts believe that one of the reasons for the increase in water usage was the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were in a pandemic where most people stayed home so naturally water use went up during that period,” Hunter explained.

The State Water Resources Control Board’s vote to restrict water usage includes requirements for local agencies to implement their own conservation measures.

Hunter said because some communities have different water needs than others, they may be affected by the drought differently. According to him people living in mostly Black neighborhoods should be aware of what their local conservation plans are — as well as what the ramifications are for not following them.

“Stay informed because water conservation, in order to be effective, is a local issue,” he said. “Local agencies all have different ways to cut back. You can reduce watering your grass, you can reduce the washing machine and dish washing.”

“What they do in Riverside they may not do in San Jose,” Hunter added.

In San Jose, for example, the Santa Clara Valley Water District will implement water use fines that can go as high as $10,000 for people who go over their water use limit.

“Some may not do that,” Hunter said. “Some agencies may keep encouraging people before they go down the more drastic route, which would include fines.”

Hunter believes that individual solutions for water use reduction will become clearer in the coming weeks.

“I believe that we’re going to see the local agencies, over the next couple of weeks, really ramp up their promotion and advertising about what individual homeowners can do.”

Hunter compared the current drought to the dry conditions the state has been experiencing over the last two years.

“The drought the last couple of years wasn’t even, meaning some parts of our state were dryer than others. I think this round it’s dry up and down the state,” Hunter said.

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Bay Area

Gov. Newsom Requests Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Counties Impacted By Storms

Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a request Tuesday for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for nine California counties, including Monterey County. If approved, the move will pave the way for federal aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be provided to local governments and individuals impacted by storms in February and March.

Published

2 days ago

March 31, 2023

Oakland Post

Monterey County Sheriff, Tina Nieto, provides California Governor Gavin Newsom an update on the Pajaro River levee repair near the township of Pajaro, Calif., in Monterey County on March 15, 2023. Floodwaters breached the levee around midnight on March 10, 2023. (Ken James/California Department of Water Resources via Bay City News)

By Thomas Hughes
Bay City News
Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a request Tuesday for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for nine California counties, including Monterey County.
If approved, the move will pave the way for federal aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be provided to local governments and individuals impacted by storms in February and March.
In addition to Monterey County, the request included Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, along with Calaveras, Kern, Los Angeles, Mariposa, Tulare and Tuolumne counties.
Four other counties were added to a previous emergency declaration from the governor, including Alameda, Marin, Modoc and Shasta counties.
“Over these past months, state, local and federal partners have worked around the clock to protect our communities from devastating storms that have ravaged every part of our state. We will continue to deploy every tool we have to help Californians rebuild and recover from these storms,” Newsom said.
If approved, aid from FEMA can be used for individual housing assistance, food aid, counseling, medical and legal services. It will also cover some storm-related costs like debris removal.
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors has requested additional state aid to help undocumented residents receive direct assistance that they aren’t eligible for from FEMA.
The governor said in a press release that funding from the state’s Rapid Response Fund would be made available to those residents and will ensure that families with mixed immigration status can access federal aid.
A local resources center opened Wednesday at the Watsonville Veterans Memorial Building at 215 E. Beach St. The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through April 7. The center is staffed with personnel from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and Monterey County emergency staff who will help guide Monterey County residents through the recovery process.
An eviction moratorium was passed by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will provide limited eviction protection for residents who lost income because of the storms. If the Presidential Disaster Declaration is approved, FEMA assistance could help some eligible residents receive money to help pay rent, which will not be forgiven during the moratorium.

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Activism

20 Years Later, Breast Cancer Emergency Fund a Testament to Faith Fancher’s Enduring Legacy

When a woman is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, chemotherapy and radiation often make her too weak to work. If she is working a low-paying job or unemployed, the mounting bills can become overwhelming. For 20 years, the Women’s Cancer Resource Center (WCRC) has provided a lifeline. The Berkeley-based non-profit organization administers the Faith Fancher Breast Cancer Emergency Fund, which gives cash grants of up to $595 to low-income women in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties who are battling breast cancer.

Published

2 days ago

March 31, 2023

Oakland Post

Faith Fancher, a KTVU reporter, died of breast cancer in 2003

By Tammerlin Drummond

For 20 years, the Women’s Cancer Resource Center (WCRC) has provided a lifeline. The Berkeley-based non-profit organization administers the Faith Fancher Breast Cancer Emergency Fund, which gives cash grants of up to $595 to low-income women in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties who are battling breast cancer.

Grant recipients have used the money to help pay for food, utilities, rent, car insurance, medical co-pays and other necessities. One woman who was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer said she used her $595 grant to buy an oxygen concentrator.

“You could say the air I breathe is because of your generosity,” she said. “I am so incredibly grateful to you and am feeling better every day.

The fund is named in honor of Faith Fancher, a popular television reporter at KTVU who died in 2003 after a valiant battle against breast disease, the web site says. Fancher saw her own cancer as an opportunity to use her public profile to raise awareness and educate others about the importance of early detection.

Fancher founded an organization called Friends of Faith that was dedicated to raising funds for low-income women with breast cancer.

It was 20 years ago this March that Fancher first approached the Women’s Cancer Resource Center about setting up an emergency grant program for women going through breast cancer treatment.

One of the earliest recipients was a 50-year-old homeless woman who used her $595 grant to pay for moving costs into housing she could afford.

“Faith understood the financial burden that low-income individuals faced when diagnosed with breast cancer,” said Dolores Moorehead, who oversees the fund at the WCRC. “This was the first fund dedicated to financial support being offered in the East Bay.”

Over the past two decades, the Faith Fancher Breast Cancer Emergency Fund has given out $992,000 in one-time cash grants. There have been 2,500 beneficiaries, including women and some men with breast cancer.

Ricki Stevenson, a founding member of Friends of Faith, reflected on Fancher’s legacy and the enduring impact of the emergency fund that she created.

“It says that Faith continues to be a presence and it wasn’t just about her,” Stevenson said. “It was so all of the other sisters who come behind us they now have help even though they don’t have the same resources.”

Rosie Allen, another founding member of Friends of Faith, said Fancher left a lasting impact. “Twenty years later Faith is no longer with us, but the breast cancer emergency fund lives on and the need is even greater than ever.”

The Friends of Faith used to host an annual 5K walk/run at Lake Merritt to honor Fancher after she died. It raised funds for the emergency fund and other Bay Area non-profits that provide services to breast cancer survivors.

After Friends of Faith disbanded in 2017, the To Celebrate Life Foundation, former Friends of Faith board members and community members have continued to support the breast cancer emergency fund.

Shyanne Reese used her grant to help pay her rent while she was going through breast cancer treatment.

“I often reflect on how I wish I could share with Faith the impact her life and friends made on me in a non-judgement environment, relieving the financial stress of simply paying the rent so that I could focus on healing,” Reese said.

“With your support, we are able to continue this fund and support our community members when they need us most, said WCRC Executive Director Amy Alanes.

To donate to the Faith Fancher Breast Cancer Emergency fund, visit https://tinyurl.com/FaithFancher.