A 29-year-old man was hospitalized after a shooting in Lodi on Saturday night, according to the police department. Officials said a man who admitted to the shooting is in custody.Officers responded to a warehouse on Houston Lane around 9:47 p.m. after a 911 caller reported a shooting before hanging up.Lodi police said the victim was found in a warehouse with a gunshot wound. He was taken to an area hospital and is in critical, but stable condition. Officials said officers made contact with 27-year-old Vladimir Flores at the shooting scene, and he admitted to the shooting. The police department also noted that a search warrant at the warehouse uncovered additional evidence, including a loaded rifle. Lodi police said the motive in the shooting is unclear, but that Flores and the victim knew one another. Flores was arrested and booked into the San Joaquin County Jail for attempted murder and weapons violations. He is set to appear in court on Tuesday. Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact Detective Sanchez at the Lodi Police Department at 209-333-6727 or by emailing msanchez@lodi.gov. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
LODI, Calif. —
A 29-year-old man was hospitalized after a shooting in Lodi on Saturday night, according to the police department. Officials said a man who admitted to the shooting is in custody.
Officers responded to a warehouse on Houston Lane around 9:47 p.m. after a 911 caller reported a shooting before hanging up.
Lodi police said the victim was found in a warehouse with a gunshot wound. He was taken to an area hospital and is in critical, but stable condition.
Officials said officers made contact with 27-year-old Vladimir Flores at the shooting scene, and he admitted to the shooting. The police department also noted that a search warrant at the warehouse uncovered additional evidence, including a loaded rifle.
Lodi police said the motive in the shooting is unclear, but that Flores and the victim knew one another.
Flores was arrested and booked into the San Joaquin County Jail for attempted murder and weapons violations. He is set to appear in court on Tuesday.
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact Detective Sanchez at the Lodi Police Department at 209-333-6727 or by emailing msanchez@lodi.gov.
Two people, including a minor, have been arrested after a shooting in downtown Lodi that left two people injured, Lodi police said.Officers responded to the 300 block of North Sacramento Street at 8:17 p.m. Sunday. They found two gunshot victims, who were taken to area hospitals in unknown condition.A KCRA crew at the scene spotted multiple evidence markers placed on the ground outside of a bowling alley.According to police, officers located the suspect vehicle nearby, and the two people inside were identified as being involved in the shooting. Police identified the suspects only as a juvenile and an adult.Officers searched the vehicle and found two firearms inside, police said.A motive for the shooting is unknown, but police said it is being investigated as a targeted incident.Police said there are no active or outstanding threats to the community.Community members are urged to avoid the area as investigators continue collecting evidence through the night.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
LODI, Calif. —
Two people, including a minor, have been arrested after a shooting in downtown Lodi that left two people injured, Lodi police said.
Officers responded to the 300 block of North Sacramento Street at 8:17 p.m. Sunday. They found two gunshot victims, who were taken to area hospitals in unknown condition.
A KCRA crew at the scene spotted multiple evidence markers placed on the ground outside of a bowling alley.
According to police, officers located the suspect vehicle nearby, and the two people inside were identified as being involved in the shooting. Police identified the suspects only as a juvenile and an adult.
Officers searched the vehicle and found two firearms inside, police said.
A motive for the shooting is unknown, but police said it is being investigated as a targeted incident.
Police said there are no active or outstanding threats to the community.
Community members are urged to avoid the area as investigators continue collecting evidence through the night.
THE EXCITEMENT. GUYS HAVING FUN SAY YEEHAW! THERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF THINGS TO DO OR SEE INSIDE THE GATES OF THE LODI GRAPE FESTIVAL. IT’S ACTUALLY A FAMILY TRADITION. WE’VE BEEN GOING. I’VE BEEN GOING HERE SINCE I WAS LITTLE. THAT’S HOW IT’S BEEN FOR YEARS. IT’S JUST SOMETHING THAT, LIKE, TRULY MEANS A LOT TO US. IT’S SHOWTIME. THE FESTIVAL DATES BACK TO THE 1930S. ARE WE READY? FOR MANY, THE OUTING IS A TRADITION. WE HAVE LOTS OF MEMORIES HERE. THIS IS THE LAVA. THIS GROUP SAYS THEY’VE BEEN COMING HERE FOR DECADES. AND I HAVE EVERY ONE OF THEM. AND THEY HAVE THE PINS TO PROVE IT. THEY STOPPED MAKING THEM, LIKE TEN YEARS AGO. BUT I HAVE EVERY SINGLE ONE. IT USED TO BE WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP, YOU GOT AS FAR AS THE BEER BOOTH, AND THAT’S THAT’S WHERE ALL THE PARENTS STOP THOSE LONG LINES STILL MARK THE BOOTHS WHERE YOU CAN BUY DRINKS, AND WHILE MANY WILL DRINK THE WINE, CATCHING ME DOUBLE — THE GRAPES. WANT TO BECOME WINE VERY BADLY? THEY DO. SOME WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO MAKE IT. SINCE WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF 100,000 ACRES OF CALIFORNIA’S NICEST GRAPES, IT’S A GOOD IDEA THAT YOU SHOULD MAKE SOME WINE. THE GRAPES AND THE WINE INDUSTRY IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WE WANT TO PROMOTE THAT THE BEST WE CAN. MARK ARMSTRONG IS THE CEO OF THE LODI GRAPE FESTIVAL. I’VE BEEN THE MANAGER 34 YEARS. I’M STILL THE NEW GUY. HE SAYS HE’S PROUD TO PUT THE FOUR DAY EVENT ON FOR THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO COME EVERY YEAR. IT’S LIKE HOMECOMING FOR EVERYBODY. IT’S A CELEBRATION OF THE GRAPE HARVEST AND SOMETHING FOR LODI FAMILIES TO LOOK FORWARD TO. EVERY YEAR. AND IT IS A FOUR DAY FESTIVAL, SO YOU CAN STILL COME IF YOU PLAN TO. THEY RECOMMEND BUYING YOUR TICKETS ONLINE. THAT WAY YOU CAN GET THE BEST DEAL IN LODI, PEYTON HEADLEE KCRA THREE NEWS. IT RUNS FROM NOON TO MIDNIGHT TOMORROW AND SATURDAY NOON TO 11 ON SUNDAY. THERE’S LIVE MUS
‘It’s like a homecoming for everybody’: Lodi Grape Festival celebrates decades of tradition
The Lodi Grape Festival in Northern California kicks off its four-day celebration, drawing thousands to enjoy food, wine, and entertainment.
The Lodi Grape Festival in Northern California has begun its four-day celebration, marking the harvest season for wine grapes and drawing thousands of attendees to enjoy the festivities.The festival is filled with entertainment, food, vendors, grape murals, wine tasting, and so much more.”It’s actually a family tradition. I’ve been going here since I was little,” Monica Izaguirre said. “It’s just something that, like, truly means a lot to us.”For many families, the outing is a tradition that dates back decades. “It used to be when we were growing up, you got as far as the beer booths, and that’s where all the parents stopped,” Karen Brown Anderson said. “We’d get ride tickets and they go, okay, you’ve got a half hour and then come back here.”While many drink the wine that the festival offers, one booth will teach you how to make it.”Since we’re in the middle of 100,000 acres of California’s nicest grapes, it’s a good idea that you should make some wine,” Randy Savig with the Lodi Amateur Vintners Association said. “We make wine amateurish to start out with, and then some get very good at it. We have over, I think it’s 18 wineries in our Lodi area that they have started with our club and now they are a commercial winery.”Mark Armstrong, CEO of the Lodi Grape Festival, said the festival dates back to the 1930s. He emphasized the importance of the grape and wine industry to the community. “The grapes and the wine industry is the lifeblood of the community. And we want to promote that the best we can,” he said. Armstrong, who has managed the festival for 34 years, expressed pride in hosting the event for tens of thousands of attendees. “It’s like a homecoming for everybody,” he said.Tickets are still available. Armstrong said he recommends you buy tickets online for the best deals. The festival runs from noon to midnight on Friday and Saturday, and noon to 11 p.m. on Sunday, featuring live music acts including Tyler Rich and “We the Kings.”See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
LODI, Calif. —
The Lodi Grape Festival in Northern California has begun its four-day celebration, marking the harvest season for wine grapes and drawing thousands of attendees to enjoy the festivities.
The festival is filled with entertainment, food, vendors, grape murals, wine tasting, and so much more.
“It’s actually a family tradition. I’ve been going here since I was little,” Monica Izaguirre said. “It’s just something that, like, truly means a lot to us.”
For many families, the outing is a tradition that dates back decades.
“It used to be when we were growing up, you got as far as the beer booths, and that’s where all the parents stopped,” Karen Brown Anderson said. “We’d get ride tickets and they go, okay, you’ve got a half hour and then come back here.”
While many drink the wine that the festival offers, one booth will teach you how to make it.
“Since we’re in the middle of 100,000 acres of California’s nicest grapes, it’s a good idea that you should make some wine,” Randy Savig with the Lodi Amateur Vintners Association said. “We make wine amateurish to start out with, and then some get very good at it. We have over, I think it’s 18 wineries in our Lodi area that they have started with our club and now they are a commercial winery.”
Mark Armstrong, CEO of the Lodi Grape Festival, said the festival dates back to the 1930s. He emphasized the importance of the grape and wine industry to the community.
“The grapes and the wine industry is the lifeblood of the community. And we want to promote that the best we can,” he said.
Armstrong, who has managed the festival for 34 years, expressed pride in hosting the event for tens of thousands of attendees.
“It’s like a homecoming for everybody,” he said.
Tickets are still available. Armstrong said he recommends you buy tickets online for the best deals.
The festival runs from noon to midnight on Friday and Saturday, and noon to 11 p.m. on Sunday, featuring live music acts including Tyler Rich and “We the Kings.”
As the nation reflects on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, California lawmakers are raising concerns about the state’s flood preparedness and advocating for increased federal funding for essential flood protection projects.The Army Corps of Engineers is actively working along the Sacramento River to double the size of a weir, one of many flood protection projects deemed vital by officials. “The city of Sacramento is one of the most at-risk regions in the entire nation for catastrophic flooding,” said Greg Trible from the Army Corps of Engineers. It’s one of several projects that experts say is part of a large network of flood protection measures in the state. Despite the ongoing work, federal funding for four other projects is at risk.Representative Josh Harder and other Democratic California Representatives are pushing for $126 million to be reinstated in the President’s latest construction budget, warning that without it, construction updates necessary to protect Stockton, Lodi, and Manteca could halt.”We’re going to see hammers stop mid-stroke, we’re going to see money taken away from some of the needed construction updates to keep Stockton and Lodi and Manteca safe,” Harder said, attributing the situation to political games.RELATED | Do you live near an unsafe dam? See interactive mapHarder, along with other members of Congress, signed a letter in June urging the House to increase what they called “seriously insufficient” funding. Among the proposed cuts are repairs to levees in West Sacramento and Natomas, as well as increased flood protection in Watsonville and the San Joaquin River Basin. “San Joaquin County is one of the most densely populated floodplains anywhere in the United States,” Harder said, emphasizing the need for flood protection.Todd Bernardy from the California Department of Water Resources highlighted the state’s perspective, saying, “We need to improve and create better resiliency for our infrastructure.” He noted that 300 miles of levee improvements are needed in the Central Valley, equating to about $12 billion total. Trible stressed the importance of proactive measures. “It’s about protecting our people, our friends, and neighbors here in Sacramento families. That’s why we’re doing the work that we’re doing,” he said. Harder echoed this sentiment. “It’s so much cheaper to build a levee to prevent a flood than to rebuild after a natural disaster,” he said.Bernardy also acknowledged the ongoing risk. “You’re never going to get your risk down to zero,” he said. “There’s always going to be residual risk, and the infrastructure is part of reducing that risk.”The Trump administration’s budget requested approximately $1.5 billion for construction, with the House-passed version adding substantial funding, including for California projects. The Senate has yet to release its version, but the situation continues to be closely monitored.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
As the nation reflects on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, California lawmakers are raising concerns about the state’s flood preparedness and advocating for increased federal funding for essential flood protection projects.
The Army Corps of Engineers is actively working along the Sacramento River to double the size of a weir, one of many flood protection projects deemed vital by officials.
“The city of Sacramento is one of the most at-risk regions in the entire nation for catastrophic flooding,” said Greg Trible from the Army Corps of Engineers.
It’s one of several projects that experts say is part of a large network of flood protection measures in the state. Despite the ongoing work, federal funding for four other projects is at risk.
Representative Josh Harder and other Democratic California Representatives are pushing for $126 million to be reinstated in the President’s latest construction budget, warning that without it, construction updates necessary to protect Stockton, Lodi, and Manteca could halt.
“We’re going to see hammers stop mid-stroke, we’re going to see money taken away from some of the needed construction updates to keep Stockton and Lodi and Manteca safe,” Harder said, attributing the situation to political games.
Harder, along with other members of Congress, signed a letter in June urging the House to increase what they called “seriously insufficient” funding. Among the proposed cuts are repairs to levees in West Sacramento and Natomas, as well as increased flood protection in Watsonville and the San Joaquin River Basin.
“San Joaquin County is one of the most densely populated floodplains anywhere in the United States,” Harder said, emphasizing the need for flood protection.
Todd Bernardy from the California Department of Water Resources highlighted the state’s perspective, saying, “We need to improve and create better resiliency for our infrastructure.”
He noted that 300 miles of levee improvements are needed in the Central Valley, equating to about $12 billion total.
Trible stressed the importance of proactive measures.
“It’s about protecting our people, our friends, and neighbors here in Sacramento families. That’s why we’re doing the work that we’re doing,” he said.
Harder echoed this sentiment.
“It’s so much cheaper to build a levee to prevent a flood than to rebuild after a natural disaster,” he said.
Bernardy also acknowledged the ongoing risk.
“You’re never going to get your risk down to zero,” he said. “There’s always going to be residual risk, and the infrastructure is part of reducing that risk.”
The Trump administration’s budget requested approximately $1.5 billion for construction, with the House-passed version adding substantial funding, including for California projects. The Senate has yet to release its version, but the situation continues to be closely monitored.
Two people were arrested in Lodi after a pursuit that started outside of the city and ended in a crash, officials said.According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, deputies around 9:40 a.m. near Hammer Lane and Etna Street in Stockton tried pulling over a stolen van, but the driver did not stop. The pursuit ended near Mills Avenue and Lake Street in Lodi after the van went through multiple fences. Two people then fled. Officers soon took the driver into custody with the help of a K9 and then searched for the passenger, the sheriff’s office said. She was taken into custody around 1:30 p.m. The two suspects were identified as Brandon Beatty and Faith Johnson. They are being booked into the San Joaquin County jail on felony charges that include possession of stolen property, evading, vandalism and for resisting arrest.This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 for the latest.Do you have photos or video of an incident? If so, upload them to KCRA.com/upload. Be sure to include your name and additional details so we can give you proper credit online and on TV.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
LODI, Calif. —
Two people were arrested in Lodi after a pursuit that started outside of the city and ended in a crash, officials said.
According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, deputies around 9:40 a.m. near Hammer Lane and Etna Street in Stockton tried pulling over a stolen van, but the driver did not stop. The pursuit ended near Mills Avenue and Lake Street in Lodi after the van went through multiple fences. Two people then fled.
Officers soon took the driver into custody with the help of a K9 and then searched for the passenger, the sheriff’s office said. She was taken into custody around 1:30 p.m.
The two suspects were identified as Brandon Beatty and Faith Johnson.
They are being booked into the San Joaquin County jail on felony charges that include possession of stolen property, evading, vandalism and for resisting arrest.
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A teenager is in police custody after he directed threats of violence toward a Lodi school, the police department said on Monday.Officials said a 15-year-old boy was arrested as part of an investigation into several threats made against local schools.Lodi police said officers served a search warrant at the teenager’s residence and he was arrested and booked into juvenile hall.Officials have not specified which school the boy targeted with his threats.The police department said the suspect was not enrolled in the Lodi Unified School District.The arrest was one of several made in connection to threats of violence toward schools in the Central Valley on Monday, along with incidents in Manteca and Modesto. The police department said they have increased patrols at Lodi schools due to the threats.Officials also urge parents to speak with their children about the responsible use of social media and the seriousness of threats involving schools.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
LODI, Calif. —
A teenager is in police custody after he directed threats of violence toward a Lodi school, the police department said on Monday.
Officials said a 15-year-old boy was arrested as part of an investigation into several threats made against local schools.
Lodi police said officers served a search warrant at the teenager’s residence and he was arrested and booked into juvenile hall.
Officials have not specified which school the boy targeted with his threats.
The police department said the suspect was not enrolled in the Lodi Unified School District.
The arrest was one of several made in connection to threats of violence toward schools in the Central Valley on Monday, along with incidents in Manteca and Modesto.
The police department said they have increased patrols at Lodi schools due to the threats.
Officials also urge parents to speak with their children about the responsible use of social media and the seriousness of threats involving schools.
With school districts preparing for a new school year, thousands of school buses will also be back on the road.School districts and police departments are warning drivers to follow the rules of the road.When a school bus is stopped, drivers shouldn’t pass by them in either direction.But many drivers don’t know the rule or decide to completely ignore it.A report by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services recorded that one day in April, more than 12,000 drivers were seen passing a school bus illegally.”When you see this bus moving in the morning and afternoon, remember there could be dozens of children on it,” said Isaac Gonzalez, founder of Slow Down Sacramento.He said it’s an all too common sight when school is back in session.”When a school bus comes to a stop and turns on red lights, state law says you must stop. However tempting it may be, don’t go around a school bus,” Gonzalez.But people still do.”We call it,’They run the reds.’ That’s what we call it,” said Lupe Villalba. Villalba is a school bus driver in the Lodi Unified School District.Villalba said bus drivers have already seen impatient drivers breaking the law.”Within the district, at least one driver will see at least one driver running the reds on a daily basis,” she said. Villalba said school bus drivers are also trained to stay alert when behind the wheel and do have cameras recording lawbreakers.”Our drivers are trained to be aware of the surroundings at all times,” she said. “We are always checking every mirror and every student.”When a driver comes upon a school bus, there will first be yellow warning lights 200 feet before the driver actually makes the stop. Red lights will then start flashing and the stop sign arm will come out.Drivers are required by law to stop for school buses in both directions or face a fine from $150 to $1,000 or even lose their driver’s license.Police departments are putting out warnings. Galt Police officers posted, “If you don’t stop for theirs, we’ll stop you with ours.””It’s our job as drivers to drive safe in school zones and be extra safe around school buses,” said Gonzalez.Lodi Unified School District is looking for full and part-time drivers.Apply to be a school bus driver here.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
LODI, Calif. —
With school districts preparing for a new school year, thousands of school buses will also be back on the road.
School districts and police departments are warning drivers to follow the rules of the road.
When a school bus is stopped, drivers shouldn’t pass by them in either direction.
But many drivers don’t know the rule or decide to completely ignore it.
A report by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services recorded that one day in April, more than 12,000 drivers were seen passing a school bus illegally.
“When you see this bus moving in the morning and afternoon, remember there could be dozens of children on it,” said Isaac Gonzalez, founder of Slow Down Sacramento.
He said it’s an all too common sight when school is back in session.
“When a school bus comes to a stop and turns on red lights, state law says you must stop. However tempting it may be, don’t go around a school bus,” Gonzalez.
But people still do.
“We call it,’They run the reds.’ That’s what we call it,” said Lupe Villalba.
Villalba is a school bus driver in the Lodi Unified School District.
Villalba said bus drivers have already seen impatient drivers breaking the law.
“Within the district, at least one driver will see at least one driver running the reds on a daily basis,” she said.
Villalba said school bus drivers are also trained to stay alert when behind the wheel and do have cameras recording lawbreakers.
“Our drivers are trained to be aware of the surroundings at all times,” she said. “We are always checking every mirror and every student.”
When a driver comes upon a school bus, there will first be yellow warning lights 200 feet before the driver actually makes the stop. Red lights will then start flashing and the stop sign arm will come out.
Drivers are required by law to stop for school buses in both directions or face a fine from $150 to $1,000 or even lose their driver’s license.
Police departments are putting out warnings.
Galt Police officers posted, “If you don’t stop for theirs, we’ll stop you with ours.”
“It’s our job as drivers to drive safe in school zones and be extra safe around school buses,” said Gonzalez.
Lodi Unified School District is looking for full and part-time drivers.
AGRIGENTO, Italy (AP) — Lakes are dry and fields are scorched by heat in Sicily, but water is still gushing copiously for tourists.
After an almost totally rain-free year on the Italian island, fountains inside Agrigento’s famous archaeological park are still flowing, and pools in rows of hotels are full.
Like many Mediterranean islands, people in Sicily are used to long spells without rain, but human-caused climate change has made weather more erratic, and droughts can be longer and more frequent. Islanders are surviving as they have for decades – they store as much as they can in cisterns and use tankers to deliver water – and do it so well visitors that don’t feel the difference. But this year, the drought has gotten so bad that it’s putting residents at even greater risk, even as water still flows to hotels and tourist sites.
Fanaco Lake that provides water to a vast part of souther Sicily, including the city of Agrigento, shows the extremely low level of it’s water after a winter with very scarse precipitations, in Castronovo di Sicilia, central Sicily, Italy, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Fanaco Lake that provides water to a vast part of souther Sicily, including the city of Agrigento, shows the extremely low level of it’s water after a winter with very scarse precipitations, in Castronovo di Sicilia, central Sicily, Italy, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Resilience in a dry year
The drought is punishing. The local water basin authority has tightly rationed water for almost a million residents – they are allowed as little as two to four hours a week — to get through the summer. And on Friday, the first Italian navy tanker ship arrived to supply 12 million liters (3.2 million gallons) of water to the most affected residents.
But Agrigento residents are among the most drought-resilient in Italy, and even with rationing, they still run their businesses, hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and households without missing a shower, neglecting their garden or closing the swimming pool.
“Nobody can cope with water shortage better than southern Sicilians,” said Salvatore Cocina, head of the local civil protection, who has the hard task of coordinating what little water is left on the island.
Visitors refresh at a drinking fountain in the Valley of the Temples archeological park, in Agrigento, southern Sicily, Italy, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Visitors admire the ancient Greek Concordia temple, in the Valley of the Temples archeological park, in Agrigento, southern Sicily, Italy, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Water scarcity is not new as southern Sicily’s terrain does not hold much water and the aqueducts are leaking. The region is also prone to dry spells, particularly in the summer.
Most residents own a private cistern that can hold at least a thousand liters (264 gallons) of water. The city’s rooftops are dotted with large plastic tanks, and just as many are underground in gardens and basements.
Despite the water emergency, tourists continue to flock to the beautiful beaches of southern Sicily and line up to admire the vestiges of ancient Greek colonies.
Antonino Contino, left, and his wife Antonella Croce fill jerry cans with water for daily use at Agrigento’s only public fountain, after they faced difficulties having water delivered by the tankers they were relying on, Southern Sicily, Italy, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
“I did not have any problem with water,” said New Zealand tourist Iain Topp, as he sweated under the blazing sun during a visit to the 2,500-year-old temple of Concord. But he added that he was “told to conserve water because there could be a shortage.”
Gianluca, an Italian tourist from Lodi who didn’t give his last name, said “there are no problems with drought” in his experience and “at my hotel, they told me they have their own reserves, their cisterns.”
The Valley of Temples archaeological site, which its director said drew in over a million visitors last year, has also been prioritized, so doesn’t suffer from water scarcity.
“We have water 24/7,” explained director Roberto Sciarratta. “Our archaeologists are at work, the valley is open also at night with theater plays. We have no problems with water supplies.”
Water reserve cisterns are seen on the roof of a building backdropped by the Ancient Greek Concordia temple in Agrigento, southern Sicily, Italy, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
The Ancient Greek Hera Lacinia temple, known as the Temple of Juno, is backdropped by the nearby city of Agrigento, southern Sicily, Italy, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Meanwhile, water-scarce residents’ tactics are working reasonably well for now, but they have been facing exceptionally difficult circumstances.
2024 has been the worst year for rainfall in more than 20 years according to the civil protection regional department. Lake Fanaco, which supplies water to Agrigento province, used to collect up to 18 million cubic meters of water during an average rainy season, which normally runs from September to April. But by April the lake’s water was already below 2 million cubic meters and is now almost completely dry.
In May, the national government declared a state of emergency for drought and allocated 20 million euros ($21.7 million) to buy water tankers and dig new wells.
And temperatures in southern Sicily are currently 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) warmer than the 1991-2020 average, according to the Climate Shift Index, meaning water is quick to evaporate.
“If it does not rain in September, we will have to start tapping critical reserves, and wells and aquifers will also go below critical levels, not just our lakes,” said Cocina.
President of the Agrigento Federalberghi, hotel owners association, Francesco Picarella opens the lid of the water reserve that supplies his Hotel Del Viale, in Agrigento, in the southern Sicily, Italy, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Solutions stretched thin
Salvatore Di Maria’s phone rarely stops ringing. He is a driver and owner of one of the main water tanker fleets in the area.
On a recent hot day, Di Maria picked up his phone as he filled his gleaming blue tanker at a public water station to yet another customer.
“I need 12,000 liters (3,170 gallons) of water,” said the voice on the other end, calling from a tourist resort.
“There is a waiting list of 10 to 15 days,” Di Maria answered.
A worker refills a water tanker at the Aica, Azienda Idrica Comuni Agrigentini, Agrigento municipalities water company, before going to supply a holiday resort in the nearby town of Porto Empedocle, in southern Sicily, Italy, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Everyone asks him for water. Everyone wants to make sure they will not run out of water. Everyone wants to have full cisterns. And tankers are the best way to deliver the precious water directly to residents without leaks.
Dozens of tanker drivers speed along the winding roads delivering water to priority areas as determined by the local water company, AICA. Higher priority groups are sick or elderly people, hospitals, and several key businesses, such as hotels.
“The drought emergency was a wakeup call,” explained Settimio Cantone, president of AICA. “Our aqueduct leaks 50 to 60 percent of its water.”
“We are now digging new wells, fixing the entire waterworks and reactivating a desalination plant with the emergency funds. This will make our province more independent,” he said.
“Sicily is so vulnerable due to leaky pipes and obsolete and undersized infrastructures. It is not just climate,” said Giulio Boccaletti, scientific director of Euro-Mediterranean center on climate change.
In between visits from water tankers, several Agrigento residents make frequent trips to the only public fountain left open in town to fill their jerrycans on the way home.
Nuccio Navarra is one of those residents, filling up jerrycans from the Bonamorone fountain two or three times a day. “In my house we receive water every 15 days and the pressure is very low, and those who live on the upper floors cannot fill the cisterns,” he said.
Climate scientist Boccaletti fears for the future, although he noted that fixing water infrastructure and investing to adapt agriculture and engineering as AICA hopes to do could offset some concerns.
Tourists enjoy the swimming pool of the “L’Ancora” holiday resort in the sea town of Porto Empedocle, in southern Sicily, Italy, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Tourists sit on the beach of the sea town of Porto Empedocle, in southern Sicily, Italy, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
The Mediterranean basin “will experience higher temperatures, less rainfall and continued sea level rise during the coming decades,” according to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The group dubbed the region a “climate change hotspot” due to the vulnerability of human society and ecosystems.
“What used to be extraordinary is the new normal,” said Boccaletti.
Tourists and residents hang out in a central street of Agrigento, southern Sicily, Italy, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
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Leila El Zabri contributed from Rome.
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(FOX40.COM) — Northern California law enforcement is in search of a mountain lion that has been spotted twice within two days. • Video Above: Detailed account of deadly mountain lion attack in El Dorado County
“A mountain lion sighting has been again reported and now in the area of Peltier Road in Lodi, in an orchard,” the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said on Monday. “Our previous search was unsuccessful in the Acampo area.”
Deputies said the most recent sighting of the mountain lion happened around 2 p.m. on Monday. The previous sighting was last Saturday.
“We want to emphasize again that we are aware that mountain lions are inherently dangerous and ask that you please remain vigilant and keep your pets indoors,” SJCSO said. “Our deputies are searching the area with the anticipation of trapping the animal if it is spotted.”
LODI – One person is dead after a train and vehicle crashed near Lodi Sunday evening, officials said.
Around 6 p.m., a Union Pacific train collided with a vehicle at a crossing near E. Armstrong Road and Pearson Road, near Micke Grove Park.
The California Highway Patrol said the driver of a white Honda was traveling west on Armstrong Road when it appeared that they tried to go around the crossing arms before they were struck by the train heading south.
Stefanía Haynes
The Honda overturned and ended up on its side. The driver died at the scene.
No train crew members were injured, Union Pacific said.
The identification of the driver has not been released.
A 41-year-old man is accused of shooting and killing a man at a Lodi fruit-packing plant, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said.Previous coverage in the video player aboveGabriel Hernandez was arrested on charges related to murder, felony possession of a firearm and breaking a policy prohibiting street gang members from owning or possessing ammunition, the sheriff’s office said.The late Monday night shooting at the Rivermaid Trading Company on East Pine Street left 27-year-old Jorge Cortes Bejar dead with multiple gunshot wounds at the scene.On Tuesday night around 11:05 p.m., the sheriff’s office said it learned that an officer with the Manteca Police Department spotted a vehicle linked to Hernandez near Louise Avenue and Airport Road in Manteca. The officer followed the vehicle with the knowledge that the driver, later identified as Hernandez, was likely armed and dangerous.The sheriff’s office said when backup arrived, the officers tried stopping the vehicle on Walnut Road north of Yosemite Avenue. At first, Hernandez followed commands but then he got out of the vehicle and ran away.With the help of Manteca police setting up a perimeter and a helicopter from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s office, San Joaquin deputies also went to the area and eventually found Hernandez. They also found a firearm, but it is unknown if that was the same one used in the Lodi shooting.Details on a motive, what led to the shooting and if the two knew each other were not released. The sheriff’s office said detectives believe the shooting was isolated.Officials as of Wednesday have yet to confirm if Bejar was an employee at the fruit-packing plant, only that he was “at work” at the time of the shooting. An attorney representing Rivermaid also would not clarify if Bejar was an employee. The attorney instead sent this statement: “The safety of Rivermaid Trading Company’s employees and the security of its facilities are of the utmost importance to the Company. Rivermaid Trading Company is continuing to investigate the incident and is fully cooperating with law enforcement. Our attention is focused on the investigation. Since there is an ongoing investigation, I cannot comment on any details at this time.”According to the company’s website, cherries and pears are packed at the Lodi facility.| MORE LIKE THIS | Residents, businesses startled by deadly shootingSee more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app.
LODI, Calif. —
A 41-year-old man is accused of shooting and killing a man at a Lodi fruit-packing plant, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said.
Previous coverage in the video player above
Gabriel Hernandez was arrested on charges related to murder, felony possession of a firearm and breaking a policy prohibiting street gang members from owning or possessing ammunition, the sheriff’s office said.
The late Monday night shooting at the Rivermaid Trading Company on East Pine Street left 27-year-old Jorge Cortes Bejar dead with multiple gunshot wounds at the scene.
On Tuesday night around 11:05 p.m., the sheriff’s office said it learned that an officer with the Manteca Police Department spotted a vehicle linked to Hernandez near Louise Avenue and Airport Road in Manteca. The officer followed the vehicle with the knowledge that the driver, later identified as Hernandez, was likely armed and dangerous.
The sheriff’s office said when backup arrived, the officers tried stopping the vehicle on Walnut Road north of Yosemite Avenue. At first, Hernandez followed commands but then he got out of the vehicle and ran away.
With the help of Manteca police setting up a perimeter and a helicopter from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s office, San Joaquin deputies also went to the area and eventually found Hernandez. They also found a firearm, but it is unknown if that was the same one used in the Lodi shooting.
Details on a motive, what led to the shooting and if the two knew each other were not released. The sheriff’s office said detectives believe the shooting was isolated.
Officials as of Wednesday have yet to confirm if Bejar was an employee at the fruit-packing plant, only that he was “at work” at the time of the shooting.
An attorney representing Rivermaid also would not clarify if Bejar was an employee. The attorney instead sent this statement:
“The safety of Rivermaid Trading Company’s employees and the security of its facilities are of the utmost importance to the Company. Rivermaid Trading Company is continuing to investigate the incident and is fully cooperating with law enforcement. Our attention is focused on the investigation. Since there is an ongoing investigation, I cannot comment on any details at this time.”
According to the company’s website, cherries and pears are packed at the Lodi facility.
(FOX40.COM) — Law enforcement officials in Lodi will soon be in search of drivers who choose to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
On May 24, the Lodi Police Department said it will conduct a DUI checkpoint from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.
“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” said Sergeant Dan Bristow. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety.”
The location of the checkpoint is undisclosed but LPD said the DUI checkpoint is determined based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes.
“Impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving,” LPD said. “While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.”
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, and a suspended license.
A Lodi, California, cherry orchard is working to protect its crop from the threat of rain. And the solution comes from the skies.Chinchiolo Farming Company at Lodi Blooms, which ships cherries across the U.S., called upon a helicopter to dry the cherries after Saturday’s soaking rain.”It’s less than ideal conditions for growing cherries,” said James Chinchiolo of Chinchiolo Farming Company. “What happens in the rain is cherries tend to absorb the water and crack. That’s something that ends up ruining these cherries.”Chinchiolo said the cherries are currently at a stage of growth that makes them pretty susceptible to cracking. As soon as the rain stopped on Saturday, a helicopter hovered over the crops to try and dry them off.Chinchiolo said they wanted to bring the helicopter in to, “minimize as much potential damage as possible.” See more in the video player above.
A Lodi, California, cherry orchard is working to protect its crop from the threat of rain. And the solution comes from the skies.
Chinchiolo Farming Company at Lodi Blooms, which ships cherries across the U.S., called upon a helicopter to dry the cherries after Saturday’s soaking rain.
“It’s less than ideal conditions for growing cherries,” said James Chinchiolo of Chinchiolo Farming Company. “What happens in the rain is cherries tend to absorb the water and crack. That’s something that ends up ruining these cherries.”
Chinchiolo said the cherries are currently at a stage of growth that makes them pretty susceptible to cracking.
As soon as the rain stopped on Saturday, a helicopter hovered over the crops to try and dry them off.
Chinchiolo said they wanted to bring the helicopter in to, “minimize as much potential damage as possible.”
A Lodi cherry orchard is working to protect its crop from the threat of rain. And the solution comes from the skies.Chinchiolo Farming Company at Lodi Blooms called upon a helicopter to dry the cherries after Saturday’s soaking rain.”It’s less than ideal conditions for growing cherries,” said James Chinchiolo of Chinchiolo Farming Company. “What happens in the rain is cherries tend to absorb the water and crack. That’s something that ends up ruining these cherries.”Chinchiolo said the cherries are currently at a stage of growth that makes them pretty susceptible to cracking. As soon as the rain stopped on Saturday, a helicopter hovered over the crops to try and dry them off.Chinchiolo said they wanted to bring the helicopter in to attempt to dry off the cherries as best they could. “Minimize as much potential damage as possible,” he explained.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app.
LODI, Calif. —
A Lodi cherry orchard is working to protect its crop from the threat of rain. And the solution comes from the skies.
Chinchiolo Farming Company at Lodi Blooms called upon a helicopter to dry the cherries after Saturday’s soaking rain.
“It’s less than ideal conditions for growing cherries,” said James Chinchiolo of Chinchiolo Farming Company. “What happens in the rain is cherries tend to absorb the water and crack. That’s something that ends up ruining these cherries.”
Chinchiolo said the cherries are currently at a stage of growth that makes them pretty susceptible to cracking.
As soon as the rain stopped on Saturday, a helicopter hovered over the crops to try and dry them off.
Chinchiolo said they wanted to bring the helicopter in to attempt to dry off the cherries as best they could.
“Minimize as much potential damage as possible,” he explained.
(FOX40.COM) -The Lodi Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance to identify the suspects involved in a grand theft at Carters Pet Mart.
Police did not specify the time the crime happened, however, the pet store is located at 1379 S. Lower Sacramento Road.
Have you seen them? LPD is asking for help to identify to grand theft suspects./Lodi Police Department
Anyone with information is advised to contact Officer Lewis at tlewis2@lodi.gov or the Lodi Police Department at (209) 333-6728 and reference case #24-2427. Informants can also contact the Lodi Area Crime Stoppers at (209) 369-2746 and be eligible for a reward of up to $1000.
