Capitol rally seeks water help SACRAMENTO -- Chanting "agua, agua, agua," busloads of farmworkers joined Valley politicians Wednesday at the Capitol to demand that lawmakers spend state money on dams and canals to ease a growing water crisis.
Dead farmworker's employer fined A California agency issued six citations Wednesday and assessed fines of $262,700 against Merced Farm Labor Contractor, based in Atwater, the employer of a 17-year-old farmworker who died of heat stroke in May.
Business briefs Valley Commerce Bancorp profits slide
Visalia-based Valley Commerce Bancorp, parent company of Valley Business Bank, reported Wednesday that profit fell 15% in the second quarter of 2008 compared with the same period last year, as it joined other regional banks in increasing loan loss reserves.
Health centers get OK for loan A federal bankruptcy court judge gave Sequoia Community Health Centers permission Tuesday to borrow $1.5 million from Bakersfield-based Clinica Sierra Vista, which is in talks to take over the financially strapped Fresno-based clinic system.