Posted on 01/24/2007 4:45:02 AM PST by radar101
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Tuesday that Escondido would get one of several temporary "one-stop" assistance centers aimed at helping agricultural workers who may have lost their jobs because of freezing temperatures that have hit the state.
Schwarzenegger's office said the state would open assistance centers in the seven counties that have been hit hardest by the freeze, including one at the North County Inland Career Center in Escondido.
Local officials said they did not think the Escondido center would be very busy because the county has had a shortage of agricultural workers for some time. Officials said the shortage probably meant that few local agricultural workers had lost jobs ---- despite the freeze.
Below-freezing temperatures that destroyed more than $1 billion in citrus crops earlier this month hit hardest in California's Central Valley. But growers and nurseries in San Diego County were also harmed by the weather. Last week, Schwarzenegger added San Diego to the "state of emergency" list of counties that suffered extensive damage.
On Monday, officials from the California Strawberry Commission said San Diego County could lose 50 to 80 percent of its crop ----- which was worth $27 million in 2005. Local avocado growers say they're still trying to put numbers to their damages.
Darrel Ng, a spokesman for the governor, said the assistance centers would help farm, nursery and field workers sign up for unemployment benefits, find other work, get food stamps and find health care assistance, if they had lost their jobs.
The assistance center is scheduled to be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and to remain in operation as long as necessary.
Agricultural officials statewide have said the freeze could cost thousands of people their jobs, and that pickers and truckers would be the first to feel the strain.
However, Reg Javier of the San Diego Workforce Partnership said he doesn't expect large numbers of agricultural workers to show up for help in Escondido because there haven't been enough agricultural workers to fill all the available jobs here for a while. The workforce partnership operates the career center where the governor's team will set up shop.
"There has been a significant shortage of agricultural workers," Javier said. "And other agricultural employers who have had shortages probably picked up anyone who may have lost jobs. We're not expecting a great deal of traffic, but we're just making sure we're prepared."
Eric Larson, executive director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau, said the local shortage had been worsened by controversy over illegal immigration, and Congress' inability to pass immigration reform laws.
Larson said the Farm Bureau and local agricultural businesses would like Congress to pass reform laws containing "guest worker" clauses ---- which would allow immigrant workers to cross over into the United States to work, and go back to Mexico to live.
So basically, he has set up a temporary employment agency for illegals. Great.
Again, government services going to help out lawbreakers, while honest people still look for jobs and a helping hand...
Wonder why they had a shortage of fruit pickers even before the freeze? LOL.
sw
California has passed the point of no return a long long time ago. If I were there, I'd sell out and get out ASAP.
Yeah, sell out, and move into our communities and start voting in leftist agenda.
ping
Arnold has been seduced the girly men. He is now a card carrying member.
Where does it state in the article that these centers are targeting illegal aliens? Not all ag workers are aliens.
"RU Ready 4A Recall"
And what makes you think they are not already doing that?
IF your from one of the states bordering California, I wonder if you've been watching the plates on the cars from California passing you every day.
The thing is, many of those from California leaving that state, are the conservatives leaving...and true, some are socialists. But, its up to each of us from those border states to let them know that they must conform to the local life and not us to theirs.
Ping!
More fuel for the fire ;-)
Yes... Just 24 and a half more months to wait for the Emperor to become completely naked to enough of the CA voting public... Just you wait!!!
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