Life in Mendota, Calif., where the jobless rate is 41 percent

[babylonsister]

Life in Mendota, Calif., where the jobless rate is 41 percent

By Chris Collins | Fresno Bee


MENDOTA, Calif. — The customer seemed interested in a black blouse offered for $1 at the thrift store. But instead of buying it, she set it on the front counter.

Maybe tomorrow, she told the cashier, she would have the money. Or the next day. But not now.

"That is the way people are now," said the cashier, Alicia Reyes, as she watched the middle-aged woman walk out of the store. "They just come in here and look. They just come in here to kill the time. And then they take off."

Welcome to life in Mendota — the unemployment capital of California. With a 41 percent jobless rate, the town's social fabric is tearing at the seams. Alcoholism and crime are on the rise. To save money, some mothers wash and re-use disposable diapers. Unemployed men with nothing to do wander the streets and sit on benches.

The irony is obvious: In a large swath of the nation's most productive farming region, many struggle to fill their own cupboards.

During this third year of drought, farmers on the west side are fallowing hundreds of thousands of acres and hiring fewer than half the workers they did two years ago. They blame the dry weather and federal environmental laws — meant to protect endangered species of fish — that have severely restricted how much water can flow into the west side.

more...

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/226/story/65076.html

[Hannah Bell]

1. " the nation's most productive farming region, many struggle to fill their own cupboards"

says it all.

[sandnsea]

13. Productive because of irrigation

and the water is running out. That's what really says it all, but the locals won't accept. Same as here, every time we have a government economic crunch, they want to cut more trees to pay for it. I don't understand why they can't see that there aren't any more trees, all that's left are some replants that aren't even 15 years old.

[tularetom]

2. To a large extent the farmers brought this on themselves

and the local economy is going down the crapper because of it.

A century of wasteful irrigation practices based on the availability of cheap (to the user) taxpayer funded water has prevented them from being able to deal with the inevitable droughts we face in this part of the world.

We are a feudal society in this valley. A few very wealthy, a large group of very poor and no middle class to speak of.

I've dealt with these farmers for almost 50 years. I delivered propane to some of them when I was a teenager. They really think they are rugged individualists when in fact they are the biggest welfare queens around. They've been getting federal bailouts in the form of cheap water, crop subsidies and in lieu payments for years. And bitched about the government the whole time.

[Ron Green]

3. Bingo. What you said.

[CreekDog]

4. those unemployed aren't the "farmers"

most of them are just workers in the fields or work ancillary to farming.

the "farmers" that you say brought it on themselves are likely not the ones suffering since nearly all Central Valley ag land is owned by a handful of large landowners who never feel any pain.

[tularetom]

10. That's exactly my point

When the times are good the farmers make a bundle and everybody else does more or less OK.

When the shit hits the fan, the farmer may cut back on his acreage and lose half his income. But the farm workers lose ALL theirs.

That's the way it is here in the Appalachia of California.

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. So, what is not being planted/grown now, and when will we notice is it gone?

[villager]

14. Yup -- the agri-combines pissed away that water, with open ditch irrigation

...and every other wasteful practice the taxpayers would subsidize (without ever really knowing it).

Then they turn around and blame the "eco hippies" when the inevitable end of productive soil (also leeched out and salted, due to those same irrigation practices) and "infinite water" comes 'round...

[GoesTo11]

5. That's a pessimistic read of the situation

How about calling it 59% employment?

[TBF]

6. Does that make it better? With nearly 1/2 your people out of work? n/t

Please tell me you just forgot the sarcasm thingy.

[babylonsister]

7. Are you serious? That makes it better? nt

[TBF]

8. With a user name like "goes to 11" I'm hoping it's just sarcasm. n/t

[marmar]

9. I hope you just forgot to add the sarcasm emoticon.....

n/t

[GoesTo11]

11. Of course sarcasm.

41% unemployment is unimaginable to me. Very sad.

[XemaSab]

15. Say NO to Shasta enlargement!

:grr:

[Liberal_in_LA]

16. 41%?!

:wow:

[SoCalDem]

17. Meth... n/t users/cookers/sellers

:(

[Liberal_in_LA]

18. "at least three families that were so short on cash that they were rewashing disposable diapers"