Belmont Beacon
MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 - JANUARY 11, 2015
belmontbeacon.com
Improved Conditions for Hens Increase Egg Prices By JENNIFER SCHLUETER As of January 1st, eggs sold in California must come from hens that live in a space of at least 116 square inches in which they are able to stretch their limbs and turn around, which means about 70 percent more space compared to the previous minimum. This new law, Proposition 2, resulted from a voter initiative and was passed in 2008 with a majority of over 60 percent. Because of the changes farmers were forced to make, consumers now see an increase in egg prices. The president and CEO of the California Grocers Association Ronald Fong told NPR: “We can confirm that egg prices have gone up at least 35 percent. Some have reported going up 70 percent.” With California being the largest consumer of eggs nationwide, according to the Los Angeles Times, farmers all over the US have adjusted to the new regulation because challenging it in court failed. California’s state veterinarian, Dr. Annette Jones reported to NPR that egg producers have switched to newly constructed free-range henhouses, built larger cages, or cut down the number of hens in already
Governor Brown Appoints Three to Los Angeles County Superior Court Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. recently announced the appointment of Keith H. Borjón, John A. Slawson and Anthony A. Trendacosta to judgeships in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
-Courtesy Photo by Matt MacGillivray
existing ones. “In general, poultry farmers are trying to move in that direction, to provide more space and the ability for their hens to exhibit more natural behaviors,” NPR quoted her. However, the website also notes that even
though “[f]ree-range houses allow chickens to move around freely, … critics say the birds are more frequently injured than those in cages.” On the other hand, the Please see page 4
improving the way we deliver services throughout the entire community,” noted Mayor Robert Garcia. The City’s accomplishments and accolades are featured in the 2014 Year in Review, an easy to read 28-page color brochure, which can be found on the city’s website. “Across the board, 2014 was an extremely productive year for the City of Long Beach,” said City Manager
Anthony A. Trendacosta -Courtesy Photo
Pat West. “Our talented and dedicated workforce has done an outstanding job providing services and implementing the Mayor and City Council’s policy direction.” Here’s a snapshot of some of the City’s accomplishments and awards in 2014: Accolades: -Top 10 “Digital City” in America, for the fourth consec-
Borjón, 55, of Whittier, has served as a supervising deputy attorney general at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General since 1990, where he has served as a deputy attorney general since 1985. He was a clerk and attorney at Westside Legal Services from 1984 to 1985. Borjón earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Charles W. McCoy. Bor-
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Long Beach Celebrates Successes from 2014 From filling 35,000 potholes and restoring 55 lane miles of streets, to fulfilling 19,000 “Go Long Beach” smartphone application requests and being named a Top 10 “Digital City” in America, for the fourth consecutive year, the City of Long Beach had an extremely productive year in 2014. “Our world-class city continues to get better and better, and these accomplishments illustrate how we’re constantly
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