12/10/2023 0 Comments Epic games oxenIf Epic determines you are abusing the refund policy, you may not be eligible for refunds. We do not consider this to be refund abuse. ![]() You can refund your purchase for a full refund and immediately re-purchase the product as long as it abides by the above guidelines. What if a product I recently purchased goes on sale? However, you must have less than 2 hours of runtime on record. Products are eligible for refund within 14 days of purchase if they are marked as “refundable” or “self-refundable”. This applies to early access, beta, and alpha versions of a product.Īfter the release date, our standard refund policy applies. Before the official release date, you may cancel the pre-purchase and get a refund at any time so long as you have less than 2 hours of runtime on record. Refunds for pre-purchase games and products are dependent on product runtime and release date. Please note the amount of time for the refund to process is dependent on your payment method. You and Epic may also agree that the refund be issued by alternative method. How can I request a refund?įor purchases marked “refundable” or if you have questions about the refund process, you can request a refund by clicking “Contact Us” on our Epic Games Store and Launcher help page and submitting a refund request.īy default, purchases will be refunded to the payment method used to make the purchase, but this may not always be possible depending on the payment method. In addition, you may not be eligible for refunds if Epic determines that you are abusing the refund policy. You will not be eligible for refunds for games or products from which you have been banned or for which you have otherwise violated the terms of service. Most in-app purchases are non-refundable. Offers that include virtual currency, consumables, and offers marked “non-refundable” are not eligible for refund. Games and apps are eligible for refund within 14 days of purchase if they are marked as “refundable” or “self-refundable”. Purchases made on mobile stores or on console stores are governed by the refund policy of the store where you made your purchase. In-game purchases in Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League are powered by the Epic Games Store, so this policy also applies to purchases made in those games on PC. If the game is eligible for a self-service refund, please click the “Refund” button to start the refund process. Sign into your account on our website, click the Account dropdown on the top right of the store, go to the Transactions tab and click the game title. Epic cannot provide refunds for purchases made outside of the Epic Games Store.įor purchases marked “self-refundable”, you can refund the item online by yourself. Also, most in-app purchases are non-refundable. Offers that include virtual currency or other consumables are marked “non-refundable” and are not eligible for refund. If a game or product is marked as "non-refundable", then it is not eligible for a refund. ![]() Games and products you purchase through the Epic Games Store are generally eligible for a refund. What types of products can I return for a refund? Below you’ll find all the info on what you can refund, when you can refund, and how to begin the process. If you’ve recently made a purchase through the Epic Games Store and want a refund, you’re in the right place. Don’t like what you bought? Read on for how to return your purchase for a refund.
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12/10/2023 0 Comments Us time zone map summer arizona![]() Explore the dataĬurious about America’s time zones? The National Transportation Atlas Database provides a digital representation of the geographic boundaries for the nine time zones that cover United States and its territories. National Council of State Legislatures map shows States with legislative activity to adopt year-round DST. Some States have enacted legislation to adopt DST as their permanent setting, pending federal approval. States can opt-out from DST, but such an exemption must apply to the entire portion of that State that lies in a given time zone (some states, like North Dakota, straddle two different zones). ![]() Daylight Savings Time Ends: Sun, Novem02:00. Daylight Savings Time Started: Sun, Ma02:00. Currently, DST begins the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November. There is no DST, (No Daylight Saving Time) during the whole year. Congress has amended time change laws several times since then. The Standard Time Act of 1918, “an Act to save daylight and to provide standard time for the United States,” authorized the nation’s first “Daylight Saving Time” to begin on the last Sunday of March and conclude on the last Sunday of October. time zones as recorded in the National Transportation Atlas Database Daylight Saving Time rules begin in 1918 but have changed through the years Department of Transportation to change their time zone.Ĭurrent U.S. The early maps had today’s four time zones for the coterminous states, but the boundaries were very different from today. Time zone map of the United States from 1913, as published in the Chicago Daily News Almanac and Yearbook. British railroads were the first to adopt standard time in 1840, and railroads in the US and Canada adopted standard time zones in 1883. Thank the railroads for our standard time zonesīefore time zones were created, each locality set its own clocks to noon at the time of day when the sun was at its highest position. Virgin Islands) don’t practice the spring and autumn time change. territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Some states (Hawaii, Arizona-except for the Navajo Nation within the state) and U.S. Last weekend, millions of Americans turned back their clocks one hour to mark the return from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time. Advisory Council on Transportation Statistics.National Transportation Knowledge Network. ![]()
12/10/2023 0 Comments Wasted book controversy![]() In response to this, we have swiftly adapted our tools to prohibit the generation of any inappropriate or illegal content, including nude images of children and NSFW material. He adds: “As AI continues to advance, there is a risk that it may be able to synthesise images of inappropriate or illegal subjects based on existing content. Chernev admits that during the initial launch of Text 2 Dream, people tried to “generate images of nude children, despite the fact that no such images were present in the training dataset”. ![]() But there’s a more insidious danger: the ability to create images that are potentially illegal. This is essentially what AI art is doing.”Ĭhernev says he recognises the “complex ethical considerations surrounding the use of non-public domain images and the potential impact on artists whose work is used in the training of AI tools like ours”. AI doesn’t do the same – it can only copy.” When a human artist does “mimic a style, or pass off a piece of artwork as their own, it is incredibly frowned upon – and in some cases could be seen as copyright infringement. They will never move their hands the way the original artist did. Syed agrees, saying “another human will never look at an image the exact same way the original artist did. It samples everyone’s – then mashes it into something else Inevitably, I’ll misremember it, and will probably end up creating something that bears a faint resemblance to something Hockney once painted, but in my own style.” AI doesn’t look at art and create its own. I’m going to think, ‘I like the way Hockney juxtaposed blocks of purple, green and ochre in that painting of a field I saw at the National Gallery.’ And then I’ll attempt to add that into my picture. He adds: “If I’m making a painting and decide it should be Hockney-esque, I’m not going to trawl the internet for millions of Hockney-esque images, work out exactly what traits makes these images Hockney-esque, then apply them to my picture, systematically and with forensic accuracy. There is an argument that AI generators work no differently to humans when it comes to being influenced by others’ work, but Biddulph says: “A human artist is also adding emotion and nuance into the mix, and memory – specifically, its failings.” Syed says that this could lead to the creation of images “that are intentionally meant to mimic my style” or that of other artists, without their consent. While prompts to image generators can be very general, they can also ask for an image to be based on the work of another artist, further blurring ethical boundaries. The real thing … Dapo Adeola’s debut Hey you! It samples everyone’s then mashes it into something else.” Harry Woodgate, author and illustrator of Grandad’s Camper, which won the Waterstones 2022 picturebook prize, says: “These programs rely entirely on the pirated intellectual property of countless working artists, photographers, illustrators and other rights holders.” It’s a point echoed by illustrator Anoosha Syed: “AI doesn’t look at art and create its own. Kaloyan Chernev, founder of DDG, says that the dataset comprises “largely public domain images sourced from the internet”, but many artists and illustrators say that databases will often also include a lot of copyrighted images. ![]() Among the biggest is the open-source LAION-5B dataset, used by DDG’s Text 2 Dream. These comprise billions of images that have been scraped from the internet. To create images from prompts, AI generators rely on databases of already existing art and text. An online campaign – #NotoAIArt – has seen artists sharing concerns about the legality of AI image generators, and about how they have the potential to devalue the skill of illustration. And simply pressing a button to generate an image is not a creative process.”īeyond creativity, there are deeper issues. Whatever form it takes, be it a sculpture, a piece of music, a piece of writing, a performance, or an image, true art is about the creative process much more than it’s about the final piece. Fundamentally, I have always felt that art is all about translating something that you feel internally into something that exists externally. Among them is author and illustrator Rob Biddulph, who says that AI-generated art “is the exact opposite of what I believe art to be. Children’s illustrators were quick to raise concerns about the technology on social media. The implications of AI image generation are far-reaching and could impact everything from film to graphic novels and more. ![]() ‘It’s nonsense’ … Rob Biddulph in his studio 12/10/2023 0 Comments Skechers arch fit sandals ladiesWe also noted that they felt super lightweight and the extra cushioning in the soles left our joints feeling protected from hard surfaces like concrete. When we tried them during testing, we were impressed by how our feet never slid around-a result of the three adjustable straps.ĭespite the elevated heel from the arch, we always felt supported walking up and down stairs, on uneven sidewalks, and during long strolls. The memory foam contours to your feet, while the shock-absorbing midsole protects against impact. Skechers Go Walk Arch Fit Affinity sandals provide excellent arch support and cushioning for all-day comfort. These sandals may not be a great fit for those with narrow feet. These are the best sandals with arch support. Our top picks can help with plantar fasciitis, overpronation, flat feet, and high arches-and they're comfortable enough to wear all day long. We also tested 32 sandals to see how they held up on our daily strolls. We researched dozens of sandals with arch support and consulted with podiatrists to find the best options with contoured footbeds, cushioned midsoles, heel cups, and secure straps for optimal fit. ![]() However, sandals that do boast arch support will provide the opposite result (less strain) as they conform to the feet to support proper function, he adds. ![]() Said Atway, DPM, a podiatrist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, explains that sandals without arch support can eventually cause pain due to the strain they put on foot ligaments. Often, a heel cup or strap can help keep your foot in place and prevent slippage. When buying sandals for arch support, look for a style with good arch coverage and adjustability for the best fit. They also often have features like contoured footbeds and cushioned midsoles to further reduce pain. Sandals with arch support work to distribute your weight evenly across your feet, to help ease pressure on the arches. Local weather conditions can also affect delivery time.Arch conditions like plantar fasciitis can be painful and debilitating, but the right pair of sandals may provide relief. Deliveriesĭelivery to remote areas can take an extra 1-2 days. Next day delivery to the Scottish Highland and Scottish Islands can take between 3 - 4 working days to arrive. Therefore, if your order is placed on a bank holiday, after 2pm, late on a Friday or on the weekend, please expect a small delay. Orders will normally arrive in 2-5 working days. We process orders in our warehouse from 9am to 2pm Monday to Friday. Unfortunately, we do not deliver on a Saturday. Tracking OrdersĪs soon as your order is dispatched, you will receive a confirmation email with a tracking number. Working Days are Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays.Įxtended Returns: Any purchases made from 1st November 2023 can be returned until 14th January 2024. PLEASE NOTE: Any orders placed on a Saturday, Sunday and after 2pm on a Friday will mean your order will be dispatched on the Monday. In time for Christmas: order by 2pm 21st December. Next day delivery to the Scottish Highland can take between 3 - 4 working days to arrive. To ensure next working day delivery orders will need to be submitted before 2pm Mon - Fri. Orders will normally arrive the next working day. This applies only for mainland UK postal addresses. We offer DPD next working day delivery of £7.99. ![]() In time for Christmas: order by 2pm 19th December. Orders will normally arrive between 1-3 working days. O rders will need to be submitted before 2pm Mon - Fri. D elivery to the Scottish Highland can take between 3 - 4 working days to arrive. In time for Christmas: order by 2pm 18th December. Orders will normally arrive between 3-5 working days. We offer free delivery for orders over £50. We offer Saver delivery of £3.99 for Royal Mail Tracked for all orders under £50. 12/10/2023 0 Comments Amount of precipitation yesterday![]() Your weekend plans may have to change if the weather doesn’t cooperate.Weather reports from the last weeks in Fargo with highs and lows. You need to know the weather to know how to dress and what time to leave for work or school. Weather factors into your day virtually every day. This very long satellite animation updates in real-time. See more current weather.S.Cent United States One-Week Rapid Satellite Loop ( Color Enhanced) High-resolution, rapid satellite loop for the past 7 days. (Weather station: Baltimore-Washington International Airport, USA). Mostly cloudy.Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 72 ☏. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 55 ☏. See more current weather.Past Weather in Paris, Paris, France - Yesterday and Last 2 Weeks. (Weather station: Charlotte / Douglas International Airport, USA). (Weather station: Meacham International Airport, USA).Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 74 ☏. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 67 ☏. Passing clouds.Past Weather in Fort Worth, Texas, USA - Yesterday and Last 2 Weeks. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 75 ☏. Scattered clouds.Current weather in Salem and forecast for today, tomorrow, and next 14 daysPast Weather in Manila, Philippines - Yesterday and Last 2 Weeks. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 48 ☏. Are you going to be able to make like Bill Murray and escape living the same day for the rest of your life? Or are you doomed to repeat it foreve.Past Weather in Portland, Oregon, USA - Yesterday and Last 2 Weeks. That’s why it’s important to have a weather radio.It's February 2nd! Punxsutawney Phil is predicting the weather, and you're there to report it. Whether you’re at home or on the go, you can’t afford to miss weather warnings. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 47 …In today’s busy world, it’s always good to know what’s going on with the weather. Past Weather in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA - Yesterday and Last 2 Weeks. Fire Danger - High Sun protection recommended from 9:00 am to 4:20 pm, UV Index predicted to reach 9 Partly cloudy. Light winds becoming northeasterly 25 to 35 km/h in the middle of the day then tending northerly 15 to 20 km/h in the evening. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 70 …Sunny. (Weather station: Richmond International Airport, …Past Weather in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia - Yesterday and Last 2 Weeks. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 59 ☏. (Weather station: Tulsa International Airport, USA). Passing clouds.Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 79 ☏. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 77 ☏. Warm.Past Weather in Valletta, Malta - Yesterday and Last 2 Weeks. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 81 ☏. Cloudy More Details.Past Weather in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - Yesterday and Last 2 Weeks. Daily Weather Observations are also routinely prepared for hundreds of other locations in Victoria and across Australia.Current Weather. Feb 23 Jan 23 Dec 22 Nov 22 Oct 22 Sep 22. The last 14 months of Daily Weather Observations for Melbourne, Victoria are also here on this web site: Oct 23 Sep 23 Aug 23 Jul 23 Jun 23 May 23 Apr 23 Mar 23. Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 49 ☏. Past Weather in Seattle, Washington, USA - Yesterday and Last 2 Weeks. 12/10/2023 0 Comments Cities skylines better train railsYou should have intercity terminals - only connected to one outside connection. Bridge over or tunnel under anywhere railtracks connected to another outside connection intersect. Therefore dedicate only one terminal per outside connection. ![]() This will cause inefficient loads on too many trains. Thanks!Įvery outside connection you connect a cargo terminal (any type of mass transit in fact, trains, boats and planes) to will spawn trains and the load capacity of all the trains will be shared among them. In this one the Freight Station can't load/unload the trucks fast enough, so they are getting backed up on the streets.Īs time goes on the freight trucks are getting even more backed up:Ĭomments and advice are appreciated for this city builder novice. It's not terrible now, but when I had the External and Internal lines separated with the little truck loop, their must have been 30 trains backed up. In this one the Freight Station can't keep up with the loading and unloading, so the trains are getting backed up. Now all the trucks are getting crammed onto the streets trying to get to the Freight Station, but it can't keep up. The trucks just used my vast freeway network instead. How do I fix this problem? To be honest, my city was actually running better without the trains. The Freight Stations cannot keep up with the volume of cargo. Here's my current setup, and I have a new set of problems. I'm not sure why the original design is recommended. The trains seem to be running better now. I destroyed that whole setup and connected the Internal and External tracks together. Problem was the Freight Stations could not keep up with the volume of cargo and the trains backed way up. I just started using the Freight Cargo Train Stations and built a big train circle while also keeping the External tracks separate from the Internal track per the guide. The Guide was very helpful, but I have some questions that are not answered. I have read the Freight Cargo Train Guide. 12/10/2023 0 Comments Amethyst vs. rose quartz pendulumCan Lepidolite Get Wet?īeing a friable crystal, the lepidolite rock does not get wet for an extended period. Furthermore, the lepidolite lithium-ion cannot readily substitute other minerals for its lean countenance. ![]() It is because of the rare transpiration of the geochemical occurrences that results in these beautiful crystals. The existence of lepidolite minerals is genuinely rare. Nonetheless, their solubility in acids can make them hazardous in rare cases. When it comes to the usable lepidolite gemstone, it does not deliberately exhibit any toxicity. With that said, the rough lepidolite price varies from $5.49 USD per pound to $5.99 USD per pound. Lepidolite mineral is a prominent source of lithium. In these, lepidolite manifests itself in the shape of disseminated particles, flat sheets called "books," and aggregates of finer grains and curved sheets. Inside the mine, the process of late-stage magmatic crystalization forms pegmatites, greisens, and hydrothermal quartz veins. The general notion in the spiritual community about this gem is that it can help channel one's awareness and heal profound emotional damages and blockages. The crystalline lepidolite mineral, thus, gets transformed into a wearable lepidolite gem. Lepidolite is known for its unique stress-reducing properties. Besides these typical hues, some rare specimens can bear colorlessness and yellow hues. This rock comes in pink, red, or purple colors. This feature often exhibits the traits of perfect cleavage and transparency. Usually, the lepidolite crystal has a crystalline pseudohexagonal structure. This dark hue is because of a slight change in the lepidolite mineral structure. The lepidolite stone can sometimes assume a grayish appearance. The word itself originated in the 18th century by combining the Greek words lepidos and lite, where lepidos loosely translates to 'scale.' What does Lepidolite Look Like? ![]() ![]() According to International Phonetic Alphabets (IPA), the pronunciation looks something like this: /ˈlɛpɪdəlʌɪt/ or /lɪˈpɪdəlʌɪt/. Pronouncing lepidolite requires you to split the syllable into four parts: Lep Lepidolite crystal has a vitreous luster and white streak with tabular to prismatic crystal habit. Lepidolite has the most lithium in terms of quantity as a mineral. Lepidolite is a crystal of the mica group, typically found in a lilac-gray or rose-colored shade. This comprehensive guide strives to unravel intriguing lepidolite facts. However, many people who want to incorporate the blissful effects of lepidolite do not know much about this gem. Lepidolite, often known by the name of the "peace stone," is a prominent gemstone in the domain of spirituality. In this post, we reveal everything you need to know about lepidolite, including its meaning, benefits, properties, types, colors, and uses. 12/9/2023 0 Comments Io solitaire spiderScores 50 points.Our Spider Solitaire game has 3 levels: 1 colour (easy), 2 colours (more challenging), and 4 colours (extremely challenging, only for the real expert). ![]() Chance: You can put anything into chance, it's basically like a garbage can when you don't have anything else you can use the dice for. 1 Suit Solitaire is fun for people of all skill levels from .Scores 30 points. spider solitaire rules but presents only 1 suit of cards (spades) instead of the usual 4. ![]() Play Now! Play FREE Games in your browser on any Desktop, Laptop, Mac or Tablet!. Spider Solitaire is played with 104 cards, the equivalent of two decks combined.Backgammon - Play Online. This game uses the …Two Suit: Half the cards are Spades and half are Hearts, giving 4 sequences of each suit Four Suit: All four suits are used, giving 2 sequences of each suit Play Multiplayer Spider Solitaire Online The Deck and the Deal. 1 Suit Solitaire is exactly as the name suggests – an online game of solitaire involving one suit of cards. Then, after I created Spades I remembered Whist and decided to make it as well.Play the classic card game of 1 Suit Solitaire. I always liked the game but hadn't played it in years. My name is Einar Egilsson and over there on the left is my current Facebook profile picture! When I was about 12 we used to have Whist nights at my school. This online version of Whist was made by me. 12/9/2023 0 Comments Vue router exampleVue router is the official router for the Javascript framework Vue js. Instead of importing a component and declaring it in the component option, we create an arrow function that directly imports the component.14 Final Thoughts Official Router For Vue.js We can do something called Code Splitting, which means we only load a view’s javascript when a user visits that route. In a real world application, we would try to make our Javascript bundle size as small as possible so the user doesn’t have to wait too long. If a user missed something in one of the steps, they can be sent back easily. The History API is especially useful when dealing with multi-step forms. Method requires there to be at least one step in the history, so we will have to navigate around the app with the router-links before it will work correctly. Instance object, which let’s us access route parameters. Instance object only allows us to access the web history API, it is not the same as the ![]() ![]() It takes a hardcoded path or object with a path name as argument. This method allows us to move to a specific path. This method allows us to specify a positive or negative number to move forward or backward in the history. We can use that functionality to navigate around our application programmatically with the This method does a few things, including allowing us to use the browser’s forward and back functionality. When we created the router earlier in the lesson, we used an option called ![]() The History API and programmatic navigation We want the UsersPage component on the “/user” path to demonstrate that the path can be different from the component, and because we will add parameters to it later on.We want the HomePage component to load when the user visits the application’s main page, like.Let’s add two routes for our HomePage and UsersPage components. To have access to the components, they must be imported at the top of the document. This is the ( view) component we want to load when the route url is accessed. Note The path is relative to your base url, not the internal folder structure. This is the relative path the ( view) component can be accessed with. To open a terminal or command prompt with the project folder already selected.Īnd create the routes for them in the routes array.Įach route is an object with at least two options. Tip If you’re working in VSCode, you can go to To install the package manually, open a new terminal/command prompt and navigate to your project folder, then run the following command. Step 1: Install the Routing package with npm To manually install and set up the Routing package, we follow a simple 3 step process. How to manually install and set up the Routing package With routing, we associate the url with a component so that the app simulates navigation to a different page. What we want is for the url to reflect which component is loaded, which “page” the user is on, like When the user clicks on a link, it loads the appropriate component.īut when we load a component, the url stays With links to various “pages” like Contact Us or About Us. Routing is how we load components when the user navigates to a “page” in our application.Īs an example, let’s say we have a Vue app at If you prefer to learn visually, you can watch this lesson in video format. How to scaffold a new project with the Router package.The History API and programmatic navigation.How to display views (load router components).Step 1: Install the Routing package with npm.How to manually install and set up the Routing package. ![]() We cover how to install the router package, create and load routes to components and views, dynamic route links and redirecting and 404 routes.įinally, we take a look at how to navigate with programmatically and how to lazy load routes to improve application performance. In this Vue tutorial we learn how to navigate to different pages in our app with routing. Router Vue.js 3 Router Setup & Basics Tutorial
12/9/2023 0 Comments Workers in teh harvest meaning![]() A recent UC Davis study found that residual ash continues to emit dangerous particulates that pose an additional threat to outdoor workers - even after the skies have cleared. The health risks don’t dissipate after the flames are extinguished. There are also the invisible effects of living year after year with the stress of wildfire disasters: depression, anxiety, and PTSD. In pregnant women, smoke exposure is linked to low birth weight and preterm birth. “We see workers having no choice but to work under dangerous circumstances in order to survive.”Ī variety of other risk factors, including poor access to healthy foods, unstable housing, and financial insecurity, can make farm laborers vulnerable to asthma, heart disease, and lung disease, says Fish. “This community is one of our most marginalized,” she says. Jennifer Fish, a family physician with Santa Rosa Community Health and cofounder of Health Professionals for Equality and Community Empowerment (H-PEACE), says she routinely sees farmworkers and their families suffering from the impacts of smoke inhalation. “I never send anyone into a place where I wouldn’t go myself,” he says. Everyone uses a buddy system so no one’s caught alone. In case of stray sparks, every truck has a fire extinguisher and water tank. In case cell networks go down, he carries a satellite phone. Tony Bugica, director of farming and business development at Napa’s Atlas Vineyard Management and one of 11 commissioners of the Sonoma County Winegrowers, describes his harvest procedures with military precision. Vineyard managers who oversee much of the harvest say they are taking steps beyond standard protective equipment such as face masks and safety checks to minimize the peril for laborers. Our local grape growers are not activists, but local families in our Sonoma County community who have been caring for the land, spending time and money investing in our community and ensuring that the health and well-being of their workforce is always at the forefront.” “They provide workforce housing, education, and they have been innovative in how to safely keep vineyard workers employed during the Covid-19 crisis. “Worker safety is the number one priority for our local farmers,” says Karissa Kruse, president of Sonoma County Winegrowers, a group that represents the interests of 1,800 growers. Wine industry representatives and leaders say they recognize the health and safety risks as an emerging existential threat to their business - one on par with the threats posed by climate change. Amid a historic drought that’s fueling another severe fire season, local and state officials are proposing a raft of new regulations on this multi-billion-dollar industry, while leaders in the farm labor movement are calling for more to be done to protect their members. These competing environmental and economic forces have thrust Sonoma County to the front line of a human health dilemma with implications for fire-prone communities across the West. That collision - of fire season and grape harvest - now increasingly forces workers to risk their health, and sometimes their safety, to bring in the crop. They harvest regularly in the cool hours of night during the North Bay’s hottest and driest months. Vineyard workers are deemed “essential” by the state, meaning their jobs continue even in times of crisis. Combine that with harvests from Napa, Mendocino and Lake counties, and the total haul topped $1.8 billion.īut those make-or-break weeks stretching through October now coincide with a fire season that’s grown longer and more catastrophic.įarming goes on amid these disasters. The roughly 11,000 grape workers who call the county home harvest a crop that covers more than 62,000 acres and in 2019 was valued at $654 million. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)Įvery year, for a frenzied period beginning in early August, Sonoma County’s vineyards reap the harvest they’ve spent all year cultivating. But advocates worry these workers have too few protections. ![]() Sonoma’s Ag Pass system has allowed some crews into evacuated zones. |
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