Hello!
California passed SB-197, which gave birth to the housing program California Dream for All. This program isn't available to apply for until 3/27/2023; however, the guidelines and details about the program have been released. You can verify all the info in my post here. This program is similar to the 10% down program CalFHA had last year. Like that previous program, this program only has a set amount of funds available.
What is the program?
Through shared appreciation, The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) will provide 20% down payment assistance, in the form of a silent second loan. There is not a monthly payment associated with this loan; however, should you sell, refi, or transfer ownership, you will have to repay the loan they provided to you, as well as a portion of the appreciation. This loan does not turn into a grant.
- For Example -
$500,000 purchase price.
CalHFA will give you $100,000
This amount doesn't include what you would owe through shared appreciation.
What does shared appreciation mean?
CalHFA is entitled to 15% or 20% of the appreciation gained the purchase date. Whether you pay 15% or 20% will depend on your income. Per the guidelines, buyers whose income is between 80% - 150% of your county's Area Median Income (AMI) pay 20% of the appreciation. Most buyers are going to be within this range. If your income is less than 80% then CalHFA will only take 15%.
Benefits

• No down payment
• No private mortgage insurance
• Lower monthly payment
• increased purchase power

Qualifications:

• First-time Homebuyer (haven't owned a property in the last 3 years)
• Minimum credit score: 660
• Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 45%
• Single Family home or Condo; no multifamily
• Income can't exceed county income limit
• CalHFA homebuyer education course required
• One year home warranty required

Thank you :)
https://www.reddit.com/orangecounty/comments/11xsw2w/california_will_give_firstime_home_buyer_20_down/

What the rich don’t want to believe

https://v.redd.it/i2yv66n4m9pa1
https://www.reddit.com/LateStageCapitalism/comments/11y7u5o/what_the_rich_dont_want_to_believe/

The Federal Reserve is supposed to monitor the nation’s banks for risk. Is it up to the job? NBC

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/federal-reserve-san-francisco-silvergate-silicon-valley-bank-failure-rcna75908

Convincing Wife to Quit or Go Part Time

TLDR - Our passive income covers all our expenses, plus some.
Kids' college is fully funded, no debt, paid off house, blah, blah.
My wife is still killing herself working as an OR nurse even though she could quit altogether if she wanted.
We're at the point where we are saving her entire paycheck by just shoving it into our brokerage account.
Her theory is we should just keep going with the money grab as long as possible.
I've always handled the bills and investments and I keep telling her we're good.
I've talked to her many times about at least going part time so we can start enjoying the fruits of our efforts.
Anyone have some sort of magical script which finally got your spouse out of the rat race?
https://www.reddit.com/financialindependence/comments/11xp2b3/convincing_wife_to_quit_or_go_part_time/

Opinion If we take bold, coordinated, global action now — in this decade — we can limit climate change to a tolerable level. But if we stay on our present course, then heaven help us all.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/03/21/ipcc-climate-report-warming-disaste
https://www.reddit.com/climate/comments/11xgz4v/opinion_if_we_take_bold_coordinated_global_action/

University of Montana ~150 years apart

https://i.redd.it/1upzj75q8yb51.jpg
https://www.reddit.com/Montana/comments/11xxapa/university_of_montana_150_years_apart/

A picture of Mount Rushmore before the faces were carved in. It was known as the Six Grandfathers.

https://i.redd.it/fo9gm9neh5pa1.jpg
https://www.reddit.com/pics/comments/11xt3x8/a_picture_of_mount_rushmore_before_the_faces_were/

8 Dolphins Dead After Washing Ashore in New Jersey NY Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/nyregion/dolphins-dead-new-jersey-shore.html
[UK]

I live on a canal boat currently moored at Alperton. The amount of plastic that I see along the canal and in general in this area in particular is disgraceful. In the past week, I have seen 3 dead animas, nestled amongst a huge churn of plant matter and plastic waste. This makes me so sad.

https://i.redd.it/3zhhewvaz9pa1.jpg
https://www.reddit.com/london/comments/11y9fyd/i_live_on_a_canal_boat_currently_moored_at/

title literally fml.
BS in Chemical Engineering, worked while in school so I have almost 5yrs of experience in engineering roles, 2 yrs postgrad. Process engineer specializing in biotech but I'm genuinely open to anything, I could work in any sort of MechE, Industrial Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer role, etc. very much open to remote work. living in a major US city currently
please dm me for more info.
I've already talked to HR at my company, and they're trying to move me around but the situation is genuinely reaching a really bad breaking point. I don't know if I'd want to stay even if it gets resolved. I just need a way to pay my bills and not be financially punished because of this really bad situation. I'm just in total emotional hell currently. I reported the whole situation last week and since then he's lashed out at me twice over email. I don't know how I can be expected to work in such a bad environment. I don't know what to do.

My therapy class has two payments of 1100, and I've paid the first one. However I'm in a bit of a hole with having to drive around to multiple family members in the hospital many miles apart, and having multiple therapists is not cheap but it saved my life for dang sure. I'm 28, an only child with a great support network(just a poor one).
I'm the sole inheritor of a very expensive property in a very special spot, so collateral isn't an issue. But I won't be able to get any equity out of that or start catching up until my dad can start using his full retirement money in 3 years.... that's a whole other fiasco. So I can't get any normal financial assistance because we don't QUALIFY as being poor even though we have literally zero money and lots of bills that our income JUST covers. I mean like, having 0 dollars in the bank EVERY thursday.
I'm not sure what/how much anyone WOULD be willing to help with, but like I said I'd appreciate anything more than you guys will ever know I swear that. Please DM me if you're willing to help out someone in need that just NEEDS to have a little financial peace of mind so I can even have a chance at getting all the way back on my feet. I AM a network engineer with income, it's just not nearly enough right now and my WHOLE family is kinda suffering.
Unfortunately money is the only means to achieve the end that we desire, which is simply good mental/physical health and to enjoy being a family.
I've made it up to one knee on my own, and that hasn't been easy at all. But I know I'm not alone. Hopefully some kind soul will see this, and bless you for even reading all this if you did. Thank you all in advance. I REALLY don't want to lose this one men's group just because I couldn't pay my other bills if I paid for that and can't even find anyone predatory to borrow from on paper.
That's no one's fault but my own, but I'm hoping some of you out there may have been through something similar and feel the same way I do. Helping others that need a hand to get up is the most fulfilling thing to me, not helping some corporate CEO. Whether that be someone suffering from poverty, mental illness, or whatever. No one deserves to do this alone.

Like many of us, I want to write my first book.
I work a lot! Sometimes, an upwards of 12 hours a day. It depends on the day. I often work on weekends in addition to long hours during the week. I'm a budding software engineer and much of the day is spent solving logical problems on my screen or learning how to do something so that I can complete my tasks. Essentially, it's a huge time-suck, but it pays my bills.
The silver-lining is that I work from my computer, and often from home. This has inspired me to start writing again. I have an idea in mind, but nothing too fleshed out. I don't like to over-plan or under-plan.
At the end of the day, it's a matter of priorities and commitment... isn't it? But, I have to wonder, what are some practical tips and tricks to writing your first book when you work a lot, when life is tumultuous, or even when you're simply having a bad week/month/or year?
Thanks for your input! Feel free to share your experience so others can learn something too. <3

Made a simple inquiry to an online customer rep over chat to this crappy mortgage lender about my supplemental taxes and if they can be paid out from my escrow account. They confirmed they can but its not their responsibility so they would have raise my monthly.
That was that. Couple of weeks later I find out they paid my supplemental tax bill without a request on my part. I never sent a signed letter requesting this, yet they went ahead and did it, then sent me a letter saying they are increasing my monthly and that they had to pay because I didn’t pay it on time.
My tax bill becomes delinquent after April, so that excuse they gave me went down the drain. Then they said I made that request over chat. Firstly, I only asked a question and secondly I never submitted a signed request. Moreover, I request the chat transcript (had to do so with a signed letter) and they have yet to send them to me.
Their solution is to reverse the tax payment to the county, and then have me pay it (couple grand). They put me in a tight spot because of their illegal? handling of my escrow account, acting on my behalf without my authorization.
What should I do apart from submitting a complaint to Consumer Finance Protection Bureau?

Another (now biweekly) installment of Best-of Sunday for folks! Sorry for the delay and earlier mispost--u/lanqian was away on a trip and now back to do a make-up post.
Best Submitted articles:
South Korea: Mandate lifted, but most continue to mask up
The Truth About Long COVID Is Finally Emerging. It’s Not What We Thought. <--In Slate!
(Lack of) Evidence for pandemic NPIs
VIA Rail ordered to rehire engineer terminated over COVID vaccine [Canada]
US officially rescinds recent Covid testing rules for travelers from China
TWITTER FILES #19 The Great Covid-19 Lie Machine Stanford, the Virality Project, and the Censorship of “True Stories”
Number of pupils missing the majority of school doubles since the pandemic, new figures show [UK]
CDC Bought Phone Data to Monitor Americans’ Compliance With Lockdowns, Contracts Show
Owner of COVID testing company accused of defrauding US government out of $83M
Child and Teen Suicide Attempts Rose 22 Percent During Pandemic, Researchers Say
David Zweig: how and why the reality of Covid was censored
The Cochrane Mask Fiasco: A Cochrane Report Tells the Truth, But Many Are not Ready to Hear It
Unvaccinated Australians still can’t find work due to mandates
Sweden had lowest excess mortality in EU 2020-2022, indicating its long-term strategy was well founded
Chinese city backs return of lockdowns for flu outbreaks Evening Standard
Covid-19: Hong Kong university entrance exam candidates must wear masks despite end of mandate
China reopening borders to foreign tourists for first time since Covid erupted
Our own u/freelancemomma speaking about her recent book! On the Tom Woods show: talking about "Blindsight Is 2020" and other Covid things
Best Original Posts:
My family are a bunch of covid cultists and I don't know what to do. Posted byu/Aggravating_Comb_418
Did the culling of mink for CoVid cause more problems than it solved? Posted byu/AndrewHeard
Spending my early 20s in lockdown I have learnt so much and I will never forget Posted byu/AnarchistEva
"There's gonna be a next pandemic!" is the best argument against heavy restrictions Posted byu/Sgargarozzi
How many were convinced by vax-mandates and how many were genuinely following recommendations ? Posted byu/Sgargarozzi
Do you feel the effects of lockdown are still apparent in terms of making it harder to be productive, advance in careers, in your personal live and/or with the population at large? Posted byu/emaxwell13131313
What’s something from pre-CoVid that has had the “volume turned down” on it now? Posted byu/AndrewHeard
Honorable Mentions:
LA County Keeps COVID Vaccination And Mask Requirement For Health Workers
Two Thirds Of US Adults Think COVID Likely Started In A Lab
Twice-weekly local testing for COVID variants to end, scientist says [Canada]
More cruise lines will drop the Covid test and vaccine rules this spring
Online gambling in Québec surged during 1st year of pandemic: study
Yes, it is remote workers who spiked housing, rent costs
The ROM collected millions in wage subsidies during COVID-19 closures. Now, the Canadian government wants the money back
U.S. government agencies may have been double billed for projects in Wuhan, China, records indicate; probe launched

Hi guys. I (24M) am from the UK and doing my master's in Germany at the moment (MSc in Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering).
I got my BSc. from an American university in the UAE in Chemical Engineering and got a 3.85/4.0 GPA score. I had my ups and downs during Bachelor's but I passed everything with pretty high grades and from the first try. Even managed to do 3 internships. I graduated in the summer of 2020.
Fast forward to September 2021. I join my current program (never really wanted to tbh, but I was practically pressured into it by my entire family and relatives). Almost 2 years later, my mental health is gone. My grades are dogshit. The system is brutal (100% of the grade is the final exam, you screw it up and you are done. There are no quizzes, midterms, homework, projects, etc. that contribute to the final grade). The chemical engineering subjects are fine, anything bio-related is a bloodbath (I have things related to genetic engineering, CRISPR, etc. and they are not electives).
I have no desire to continue, everything looks bleak, and I recently lost my job which I held since May of 2021 that helped me pay my bills (I rely on my savings now, I have no allowance or anything of the sort since my family is poor).
​
Is this the whining of a sore loser who wants his training wheels back (i.e. quizzes, midterms, etc.)? What can I do? Trying to persevere is easier said than done. Every day is just a repetitive nightmare.
​
Thanks in advance I guess :)

West Virginia has recently approved into law a new restructuring of their tax bill including a revised homestead exemption for 90% T&P Disabled Veterans
I am semi confused on the way it is worded it seems unlike Florida, Virginia, Texas etc. you will still pay your property tax monthly but then receive it all back at the end of the year in a lump some from the state. (please correct me if I miss understand this bill)
(a) Credit allowed. - Disabled veteran eligible taxpayers shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed under article 11-21-1 et seq. of this code as provided in this section.
(b) Effective January 1, 2024, a disabled veteran eligible taxpayer may receive a refundable tax credit in the amount of one hundred percent of real property taxes paid pursuant to §11-4-1 et seq. of this code and Article X of the Constitution of West Virginia and as set forth in this section which are timely paid in the taxable year 2024.
(b) Amount of credit. - The amount of credit allowed under this article to the disabled veteran eligible taxpayer is the amount of West Virginia real property tax due and owing and timely paid during the taxable year to a county sheriff on the value of real property owned by the disabled veteran eligible taxpayer: Provided, That in no case shall any credit be allowed under this article for any untimely real property tax paid, or any payment of delinquent real property tax, or payment of "back tax" real property taxes.
SOURCE LINK : https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=sb424%20sub1.htm&yr=2023&sesstype=RS&i=424

Hello!
California passed SB-197, which gave birth to the housing program California Dream for All. This program isn't available to apply for until 3/27/2023; however, the guidelines and details about the program have been released. You can verify all the info in my post here. This program is similar to the 10% down program CalFHA had last year. Like that previous program, this program only has a set amount of funds available.
What is the program?
Through shared appreciation, The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) will provide 20% down payment assistance, in the form of a silent second loan. There is not a monthly payment associated with this loan; however, should you sell, refi, or transfer ownership, you will have to repay the loan they provided to you, as well as a portion of the appreciation. This loan does not turn into a grant.
- For Example -
$500,000 purchase price.
CalHFA will give you $100,000
This amount doesn't include what you would owe through shared appreciation.
What does shared appreciation mean?
CalHFA is entitled to 15% or 20% of the appreciation gained the purchase date. Whether you pay 15% or 20% will depend on your income. Per the guidelines, buyers whose income is between 80% - 150% of your county's Area Median Income (AMI) pay 20% of the appreciation. Most buyers are going to be within this range. If your income is less than 80% then CalHFA will only take 15%.
Benefits

• No down payment
• No private mortgage insurance
• Lower monthly payment
• increased purchase power

Qualifications:

• First-time Homebuyer (haven't owned a property in the last 3 years)
• Minimum credit score: 660
• Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 45%
• Single Family home or Condo; no multifamily
• Income can't exceed county income limit
• CalHFA homebuyer education course required
• One year home warranty required

Thank you :)

All major Central Valley reservoirs are releasing water
The warm storms this week delivered rain up to 8,000 feet in elevation. That is sending an extraordinary amount of runoff into reservoirs. The inflow to Lake Shasta is topping 73,000 cubic feet-per-second, while Lake Oroville is receiving 63,000 cfs.
The American River, meanwhile, is nearly flowing unimpeded through Folsom Lake. Almost 40,000 cfs of water is rushing into the reservoir, while 27,000 cfs of floodwater is gushing out. Trinity Lake, which stubbornly remains at half its average supply, is seeing just 9,000 cfs of inflow.
Keep in mind: Agencies never fully fill reservoirs in winter to maintain space for flood control. But most of the major Central Valley reservoirs have filled beyond that flood protection point—and all are now releasing water.
Bauer-Kahan decries DPR’s pace and revives neonic ban
Asm. Rebecca Bauer-Kahan argued this week that Gov. Newsom has not followed through with a commitment to examine the backyard use of neonicotinoids.
The governor vetoed her bill last year to ban neonics for lawns and gardens. He reasoned the Department of Pesticide Regulation will begin evaluating nonagricultural uses this year. Bauer-Kahan renewed her bill “to ensure that the administration does as they promised.” She charged that DPR has yet to start the process based on her conversations with them and that bees are still dying.
Agriculture is taking a less combative approach this year. The bill would require DPR to reevaluate neonics and set new regulations. Taylor Roschen, lobbying for Western Plant Health and other associations, is hoping to amend that language so that DPR would only set new rules if the scientific review warrants them.
Despite the opposition, the committee once again approved the measure.
On EJ advisors: The same lawmakers approved a measure to establish an environmental justice advisory committee at DPR. Introducing his bill, committee chair Alex Lee of San Jose argued DPR does not adequately address racial and socioeconomic disparities from pesticide exposure.
California Farm Bureau’s Chris Reardon, who spent 13 years at DPR, countered that the department has been “actively incorporating environmental justice into its program for a long time.” He pointed out that DPR has created an EJ liaison and will soon hire a deputy director to oversee all EJ activities. Roschen added that the bill would add a layer of bureaucracy at a significant cost, when DPR’s budget is already structurally deficient.
Proponents responded that DPR’s proposal to overhaul the mill fee on pesticide sales would cover the cost. Bauer-Kahan asserted that just one liaison and one deputy director cannot represent all farmworkers statewide.
“I just am really confused why anyone would be afraid to bring voices to the table,” she said.
DHS needs to scale back fee proposal, senators say
A bipartisan group of senators led by Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is asking the Department of Homeland Security to rethink its plan to sharply increase fees employers must pay to bring workers in from outside the country.
A proposed rule from DHS would more than double the current $460 petition fee when applying for an H-2A or H-2B visa for a prospective guest worker, and impose a new $600 fee for screening and asylum work.
Food companies: Protect climate, conservation funds
Some of the largest multinational food companies are calling on lawmakers to maintain funding for conservation and climate priorities in the next farm bill.
In a letter going to the Senate and House Ag committees today, the Sustainable Food Policy Alliance says farm bill programs can help America’s farmers and ranchers address expanding markets and changing consumer needs while managing conditions such as drought and extreme weather. The alliance includes Danone North America, Mars Inc., Nestle USA and Unilever.
The letter notes that many conservation programs are already oversubscribed and that demand for funding is expected to grow. “In this spirit, we note that the climate crisis facing the food and agriculture supply chain is significant, and the funding must be proportional to the challenge,” the letter says.
Why it matters: Food companies have traditionally stayed out of farm bill debates other than those involving nutrition programs. The companies’ backing will help Senate Ag Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow’s defense of the Inflation Reduction Act funding for conservation programs.
Vilsack faces Senate Ag amid DOJ question
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is on Capitol Hill today to face questioning from the Senate Ag Committee.
Ahead of the hearing, two Republican members of the committee are raising concerns about Vilsack’s testimony to the committee last May, when he was asked whether the Justice Department had contacted USDA before taking a position in a Supreme Court case involving glyphosate herbicides. Vilsack told the committee his department wasn’t consulted, but DOJ has since told Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., that DOJ did reach out to USDA.
In a letter to Vilsack this week, Marshall and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told the secretary he “should be well aware that the longstanding practice of the DOJ is to solicit the views of other cabinet departments before taking a public position on a matter before the Supreme Court. … Your allegation that DOJ ignored the Agriculture Department before filing its brief in the Monsanto case stunned many in the agricultural community and led them to believe that USDA had been shunted aside.”
In a statement to Agri-Pulse, a spokesman for Vilsack said the department would “review the letter and respond accordingly. Secretary Vilsack looks forward to discussing USDA’s efforts to strengthen the agricultural economy, expand market opportunities, and support farmers and rural communities across the country” during today’s hearing.
Why it matters: DOJ took the position before the Supreme Court that the nation’s pesticide law doesn’t preempt state-law claims such as those that have resulted in multimillion-dollar judgments against Monsanto for Roundup exposure.
He said it:
“We’ve got to change the way the federal government scores these projects.” — Gov. Gavin Newsom, speaking in Pajaro while surveying flood damage.
He argued the Army Corps of Engineers needs to factor in societal impacts when gauging the importance of levee projects and was frustrated the town must wait up to five years to strengthen the breached levee, with just a temporary fix for now. The governor vowed to add more state dollars to bolster the local spending needed for federal matching grants.
Newsom added that no other state does more for farmworkers, but he stressed that “we don’t do enough.”
Jacqui Fatka, Bill Tomson and Steve Davies contributed to this report
https://cdec.water.ca.gov/resapp/RescondTopMain?utm_source=Agri-Pulse+Daybreak+WEST&utm_campaign=6b4d70e50d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_03_16_03_53&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-6b4d70e50d-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D
https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/17499-another-bill-to-ban-certain-neonics-is-stirring-fears-over-citrus-greening

I wanted to share my whole DUI experience in case it can help some of you just going through this. It is very long, so I split it up into parts to make it more digestible, and so you can skip a part of you aren’t interested in reading it. TLDR; at the bottom.
Some key info: I’m a female and was arrested at 28 with my first DUI charge and received it while living in Texas at the beginning of 2022. BAC came in at .21 and I had crashed my car into the curb when the cops found me. I hired my own attorney and the whole ordeal took 10 months.
Part 1: The Night I got Arrested
I went to a bar I had never been to by myself. I was recovering from COVID that I had tested positive for 10 days earlier. I had tested positive on my birthday and was feeling very bored and lonely and thought it would be a great idea to go out by myself and maybe make some friends or meet someone. Pro-tip for any of you new to San Antonio, the bars on the strip over-pour. I was not aware of this at the time and that was my second mistake. My first was going out without any friend.
Long story short, I left around close but I was so drunk that I blacked out. Usually when I drink heavily, I’ll sleep it off in my car before I leave, but I was so far gone, I didn’t sleep first. I don’t remember getting into my car or crashing it. The first time I came to consciousness, I realized my car was acting weird and pulling me to the left so I got out to look at it. The next thing I remember was having a cop standing next to me and the flashing lights behind my car. I tapped my damaged side skirt with my foot, looked at the cop, and said, “I dunno what happened.” I know, I should have claimed someone I had just met was driving because they said they were okay to drive, then crashed and ran off, but I was too drunk to think that clearly.
Next thing I remember, I’m being put in a holding cell. I didn’t come back to full awareness until I had woken up in the cell. I’m a little bitch, so needless to say, I spent the rest of the night sobbing. I learned that I had denied the breathalyzer and was taken to the nurses room to get my blood drawn. I tried to deny that one too but they had a warrant. Considering this was about 4 hours after I had left the bar and taking into account my sex and body weight, I was probably at around a .28 when I left. Around 9am I was taken to the magistrates office.
​
Part 2: Magistrates
I was taken to the processing room and asked by a male officer, “what do you have down there?”. Very professional way of asking if I'm a man or a woman... I look like a girl, but whatever. They set me up with a female officer and she had me strip naked, bend over and cough. One of the more humiliating times of my life. Pro-tip, if you plan on getting a DWI, make sure to bring a sweatshirt or jacket because it is absolutely freezing in both the police station and magistrates office. Also, maybe wear some sweatbands to shove under the ankle cuffs. I had a lot of bruises around my ankles when I left.
To save you all of the boring details of how the next 14 hours went, just skip to part 3 from here. Between waiting, watching whatever was playing on the TV’s, and trying to sleep in between fits of crying, I went through the whole processing process. First up was the judge where I was read my charges and given my bond. The bond amount came out to $1000, and thankfully I was eligible for a PR bond. I was bonded out with a $70 fee, but that didn’t mean I could leave like I was hoping.
Next up was getting processed. Finger prints, mugshot, the works. Then I had to sit down and go over my details with the bonds office so I could be accepted for the PR bond. After that was a trip to the nurses station where I had to take a pee test to check if I was pregnant (fun fact, I’m only attracted to women so... no), asked some medical history questions, and tested for TB. I was finger printed a second time for some reason and then spent the next forever hours waiting to be released. People with severe ADHD are not built for being locked up. I thought I was going to go insane.
Around 11pm they called my name for release where I was given my inmate card and told me this would be used as my ID since I wasn’t getting my license back. Then I was brought into the exit room and received my things from the desk. Wallet, keys, shoe laces, and phone. My phone was dead and no one had a charger, and with my car being impounded, I had no way to get home. Thankfully I made friends with another lady that had been locked up and her family was picking her up. She offered to get me a ride home.
​
Part 3: Impounded Vehicle, Damage, and Hiring a Lawyer
The next morning, I called a lawyer one of my friends used for her DWI and set an appointment for that afternoon, then took an Uber straight to the impound lot. I got to my car and saw the full extent of the damage in the light. It was bad. I clearly got into a fight with a curb and somehow got damage on the top of my fender. I never got charged for hitting anyone, so who knows what happened there. Maybe a concrete barrier, considering how much the top of my fender was ripped up. My rocker panel was completely crushed in, stress cracks on my front bumper, front lip was hanging off a bit, both wheels were cracked and tires were flat, and my side skirt had been mostly ripped off. I called a tow truck and he dropped me off at a little family owned shop and they took the wheels off to find the tie rod was snapped, and the front lower control arm and rear control arm were bent.
Suspension repairs came out to $700. I ordered a new set of wheels and tires later that week and left my car sitting in front of the shop while I waited for the wheels to get delivered. It took an entire month to get my car back in a driveable condition because of how long it took to get the wheels. I didn’t have the money to fix the body and didn’t want to file it with my insurance due to the situation, so over a year later I’m still driving a busted up car, but at least it works. Total cost for the parts, labor, getting it out of impound and tow came out to around $2600. I had a friend’s ex look at the body damage and he told me to expect around $3400 in body repair. Pro-tip, don’t get a DWI, they’re expensive.
One more pro-tip, as soon as you get out of jail, go online and get your license replaced. It takes a couple months for your license suspension to go through, so make sure you get a replacement license in the mean time. The cops will not give you your license back. As for the lawyer, he was cheaper than the car and was a huge help. $2700 and he dealt with everything. My advice when it comes to lawyers is get one. Many will offer payment plans so you don’t have to provide cash up front. He made the whole ordeal so much easier and gave me a lot of helpful info, plus knew the prosecutors and had friends among them. I’ll get more into why you need to get a private attorney in later parts. Hiring him was simple. I went to their website and set up an appointment time. Went to his office the day after being arrested, and told him the story. He told me what to expect, let me know what he can do, and we set up the payment plan. The deductible was $200 and he set me up to pay $150 biweekly until the $2700 was paid off. I had trouble paying him back and he said no worries, just get him back by the end of the year.
​
Part 4: Court, License Suspension, and Legal Advice
If you just got out of jail, be prepared for many months and many court appearances. Thankfully, a lot of court in Bexar County has been moved to Zoom since COVID hit and that is still the case today. My roommate is going through it right now, but for a different crime and with a free public defender, so I will be making comparisons in Part 8.
The first court date is just you stating that you are there and willing to follow the orders of your bond, stay in the state, and all that fun stuff. They ask if you’re present and you say you are, then your attorney will introduce him or herself. The next couple court dates are a blur, just mundane conversations with the lawyer and judge. Thanks to having an attorney, I didn’t have to attend 2 of the dates and he took care of the license suspension court. I was suspended for 6 months and could request approval to drive to and from work with a Restricted Drivers License, but I didn’t want to pay for the SR22 insurance. I only drove to and from work over the next 6 months, mounted my front license plate instead of leaving it in my window, and always drove as carefully as possible. Happy to say I made it without any issues. If you do get caught, that could mean additional fees or even being arrested again if the cop is having a bad day.
During this time, my attorney gave me a list of things to do that would look good to the judge. Based on his conversations with the prosecutors, without doing those things I was looking at 18 months probation and 9 months with an interlock. These things included taking 2 different driving courses, getting my friends and family to write letters saying nice things about me, writing a letter saying nice things about myself, donating to the judge’s favorite charities, and I even went ahead and took a SASSI-4. That’s an exam you take that a therapist will review and screen you for substance use disorder and risk. My lawyer decided not to show that one to the prosecutors when my result for “Alcohol and other Drug Problem” was “High probability of substance use disorder”.
I completed everything he gave me and the prosecutors offered a plea deal for 15 months of deferred adjudication probation (which allows me to have my record wiped 2 years after completing probation) and 7.5 months with an interlock. If you live in Texas and are convicted of a DWI for the first time, you are required a minimum 12 months of probation and have to have an interlock installed for at least half of your probationary period. They say a mandatory three days incarcerated too, but this is not true. The likelihood of going to jail for your first DWI once convicted is extremely low. I talk to one guy at the bar a year ago who volunteered 30 days in jail instead of taking a plea deal. That didn’t seem like an option for me, but I wouldn’t have taken it because fuck that. He said he wished he hadn’t.
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Part 5: Conviction
I voluntarily decided to get sober in September and started attending AA meetings. I received my 1 month chip the day before my final court hearing and I think this helped my case a ton. My final court hearing had to be in person. My lawyer met with the prosecutors one last time and they settled on their original deal of 15 months probation and 7.5 months on interlock, but agreed to drop me from a Misdemeanor A to a Misdemeanor B because of my voluntary 1 month completion of sobriety with AA.
Once I was called to the stand, my lawyer stood with me and spoke to the judge about my case and the plea deal. She asked me a couple yes or no questions. Make sure you always say “your honor” when you finish speaking as a show of respect. The judge will take your respect of them into account. When all was said and done, and this is why I say having a lawyer is very helpful, I pleaded no contest and the judge sentenced me to 12 months of probation because in her words, “that’s as low as I can go”, which told me she would have gone lower if she could, 6 months on interlock, and agreed to dropping me to a misdemeanor B. I wanted to bear hug my lawyer after we left the court. Thanks to him and to my efforts based on his recommendations, and my personal decision to attend AA and get sober, I was dropped from 18 months of probation and 9 months on interlock to just 12 months of deferred adjudication probation and 6 months of an interlock. I am so thankful to the judge for having some mercy on me.
After court, I went to the probation office to get registered, and my first meeting was scheduled for a month later.
​
Part 6: Probation
Since I had completed all of those things my lawyer suggested I do (all except the donating to the judges charity because I was broke), I had the certification already completed for the mandatory classes. Also, and this one is weird and totally up to the judge, because I was vaccinated for COVID, she dropped 20 hours from my 45 hours of community service. I don’t know why, but I’m not complaining.
My first probation meeting went well. I seem to have a good PO. She did make me aware that I had to give 3 months notice for any planned travel outside of the state, but I travel for work frequently, and usually only get 3 days to 2 weeks notice before I have to fly out, and I work outside of the country on occasion. I contacted my lawyer and he was able to get the judge to approve an Order for Travel, allowing me only 48 hours notice to my PO if I am traveling anywhere inside or outside of the country for work with a mandatory drug test within 24 hours of returning home. Once again, thank you lawyer. A free attorney would have taken months to get this approved, but it only took my attorney a week.
I’m nearly half way through my 12 months of probation, and so far I haven’t had any issues. Every drug test is clean, my certification was approved, she set me up to do my community service at the animal shelter, and that’s it! Almost… I did have to take an alcohol and drug evaluation and, like the SASSI, the counselor who evaluated me, said I have a high probability of a substance use disorder. Pro-tip, if you had a beer while on probation, even if it was just one, don’t admit that… She talked me up and was being super friendly, then asked when the last time I purchased alcohol was and my dumbass admitted to having a beer with some pizza earlier that month. Now, I have to complete a month long $500 outpatient substance abuse treatment program. I start that next week.
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Part 7: Interlock
Per my plea deal, I have to have an interlock installed on my car for 6 months and had a month after my court date to get it installed. I shopped around and ultimately went with SmartStart because they had the closest location to me. That was the only reason. The reviews for every company are all equally bad. I’ve had it for almost 5 months, and I can genuinely say this is the worst part of the punishment. These thing drives me insane. I’m required to blow into it 3 times a day, even if I’m not going anywhere. I’ve had to have the technicians fix something with it twice now. The first time it locked me out even though I wasn’t in my car, the second time it kept disconnecting and I couldn’t start my car unless I fiddled with the wires.
I also had someone break into my car a couple months ago, and that dumbass stole the camera. They probably thought it was a security camera, but it is definitely not. The camera only turns on when you are blowing into the device, just to make sure you are the one blowing into it and not cheating the system by having someone else blow into it. You are responsible for any damages to the device, so that ended up costing me $300 dollars to replace plus an additional $90 for the install. That brings me to my next issue… You have to have the device calibrated once a month. Calibration means they download all of the data on the interlock device and send it to your PO. It will record any time you blew dirty, got a warning (this happens if you are close to .025 BAC), didn’t blow when it alerted you while driving, or got a lockout. And it costs $90 each time. I'm looking at 6 months of interlock costing around $1000.
This past month, I started having an issue with my battery and found that the car will completely lose power and I have to adjust the negative terminal to get power back. This wouldn’t be the worst thing ever, and it isn’t the fault of the interlock, but if I get into my car and it has power, and I blow, sometimes the car will lose power when I try to start it. This causes the interlock device to freak out when I get power back to my car, and it won’t allow me to start the engine even though it isn’t asking me to blow. I have to turn my car off, disconnect and reconnect the unit, then sit there for 10 minutes with the battery disconnected before I can reconnect it, blow into the interlock, and finally start my car. This thing is nothing but an expensive pain in my ass.
Just a little over a month left and I can say goodbye to this little piece of shit. Provided my PO doesn’t take a long time to get the request for removal and the judge doesn’t take a long time to respond. That’s my final issue. Even though there was the agreement made in court that I only had to have it for 6 months, I can’t just get it removed once I hit the 6 month mark. I have to get approval for it to be removed and this can take anywhere from a couple days to a couple months depending on how backed up the judge is. According to my PO, the judge is very backed up. It took one of my friends nearly 2 months to get approval to have hers removed. That whole time you still have to use it as normal and go in for monthly calibrations. Our court system is so convoluted.
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Part 8: Private Attorney vs Public Defender
Whatever you do, do not use a public defender. If there is any possible way you can afford an attorney, do that. Even if you have to take out a loan, HIRE AN ATTORNEY. My roommate is using a public defender for the trouble she’s in, and it has been nothing but a pain in the ass. They are overworked and will only do the bare minimum for you. My attorney was so easy to contact, went out of his way to help, covered court dates for me, got a great deal with the prosecutors, and gave me tons of helpful advice. Plus he was able to help with the work order and have it approved in a week after I completed court.
My roommate’s attorney is nearly impossible to contact, and when she finally does get a hold of him, he has no idea who she is or what is going on with her case. He’s always asking her to remind him of what happened last, and asking his assistant questions too. He got the prosecutors to agree to consider dropping her case after her first court date and all they needed was her hospital records to review since she was arrested on domestic dispute charges for taking the fall for her abusive ex. She was also arrested on a warrant for missing her court date, which means she is currently on full house arrest. For the past 3 court dates, her attorney has forgotten to give the prosecutors her hospital records.
She also requested partial house arrest so she can return to work but the attorney is dragging his feet on that too. She has now been out of work for 5 months and can never get a straight answer from him when she asks if she can go to work yet. Her place of employment has rehired her twice now, but she keeps getting removed from their system because it is taking so long. It seems this second time was the last straw, because now they won’t contact her back, and she can only get approved for partial house arrest if she has employment and a schedule to prove. It feels like going in circles with this guy, and she’s extremely depressed and defeated, and I’m footing all of the bills because I’m nice and love her. But holy fuck I am BROKE.
Please, for the love of all that is good, hire a private attorney, otherwise you’re probably going to get a shit plea deal, the absolute minimum amount of help, and be stuck to navigate the court system on your own. I regret not hiring an attorney for her, because she would have had her charges dropped back in January if it wasn’t for this shitty public defender, could have gone back to work, and she would have made back what the lawyer cost a month later. Don’t put yourself through that if you don’t have to.
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Part 8: Conclusion/TLDR
Anyway, if you made it this far, congrats. If I was helpful in any way, I am glad I could share. This took me a solid 3 hours to write. If you didn’t make it through, here’s the TLDR or a summary for those of you who did read most, if not all of it;
I got in an accident with a curb after blacking out and was arrested for a DWI. I declined to blow, but was given a blood test about 4 hours later, resulting in a .21 BAC. My license was suspended for 6 months because I refused the breathalyzer, although I would still recommend refusing just in case. It’s easier for a lawyer to get a dismissal on a blood test, plus there's a chance you’ll sober up enough to be under the legal limit by the time they get the warrant for the blood test. Make sure to get a replacement license as soon as you get out of jail, because it’ll take a couple months before your license is suspended.
Push for a PR bond if this is your first time being arrested and you have a clean record. The county will pay your bond and you just have to pay a fee. My bond was $1000 and I had a $70 fee. Do not accept a public defender if you can avoid it. Hire a lawyer. If you want all the details of why, you can read that in Part 7. Thanks to my lawyer and his recommendations, my charge was dropped from a Misdemeanor A to a Misdemeanor B, went from 18 months of probation and 9 months on interlock to 12 months and 6 months, and got a work travel order permitted in a week.
He was also able to get me a plea deal for deferred adjudication probation, which means you don’t get officially charged until you complete probation, and can have your record expunged after 2 years of completion. That’s great, because having a DWI on your record can be extremely limiting. You can’t go to Canada for 10 years, can’t rent a car, might not be approved for TSA PreCheck, employers will see it on a background checks, landlords and universities can see it too, and your insurance goes up. Get that expunged as soon as you can.
And finally, I wanted to put all of the costs together, including my extra costs and possible costs for anyone curious of the total.
Car Stuff - $11 for license replacement, $400 to have removed from Impound and towed to a shop, $700 on suspension repairs, estimated $3400 for body work. Total = $4511
Court/Probation Fee's - $70 for PR Bond, $2500 in court/probation fees, $120 for DUI courses, $10 a service hour, so $250 total if I don't do community service, outpatient therapy is $500. Total = $3440
LawyeInsurance - $2700 in lawyer fees, $250 for Restricted Driver License, around $800 for SR22 insurance for 6 months Total = $3750
Interlock - $540 for 6 months of calibrations, $390 for stolen camera, $90 for removal. Total = $1,020
Expunging Record - $600
Total cost when all is said and done - $13,321
Needless to say, I should have taken a $30 Uber. But hey, I've learned a lot because of what I did and there is nothing I can do but make the best of it. You can do this too. This is just one shitty hurdle in life, but you can overcome and move past it with time and effort. Thanks for reading.

I have an opportunity to relocate to So Cal, Orange County… anyone on here in sales out there. Curious about base pays for construction industries. It’s a lot to type, but to paraphrase… rental equipment, 60’ and taller building need to have what I rent… per building codes… commission I can figure out, it’s a transfer intro company and I have access to pipeline, budget, actual billings… it’s the base that I am interested in. I would be relocating from the Metro DC area.

My problem:

My checking account is in the negative after recent auto bill pay transactions for two days.
I've already explored every option possible but after losing my job and my car taking a Sh*t, I have to take the last resource I have which is my 401k. I'm a single father with 3 kids and yes life happens, we prepare but things can severely change within a year. A year ago my credit score was 722 and I had about 20% debt utilization.
Today my score (average score) is 628 with a debt utilization of 67%. Didn't help when Wells Fargo cut my personal line of credit and their credit card by $1,400 total. No charge-offs ever, collections ever, late payments ever in my 12 year credit history as a home owner (3 months behind) and trying to salvage my credit because my only way out (in my opinion) is to start a business and get back on track with business credit and working as an entrepreneur.
I had to use credit cards to fill in the blanks but now the engine in my car needs to be replaced (Timing Chain) and I desperately need transportation. I need to figure it out fast!

My immediate priority:

To find a way to withdraw the most I can of my $20K in my Vanguard 401k by finding a way to avoid as much of the 20% withholding and/or penalties associated. Should I transfeconvert to a Roth or Solo 401k then width drawl? Should I apply for a personal loan given my personal credit changes? Yes I've been doing my due diligence and everyone's situation is different but since my job laid me off last year, i need to get the most money I can ASAP.

My Strategy:

To get as much money as I can from my 401K and open up a business banking and checking. Place $5-10K on a prepaid secured card and the same on a pledge loan. Immediately set up both for automatic payments and pay off about 90% each. Building my business credit portfolio and using some money to put down on a vehicle. I don't have the best credit score but 0% down would be perfect with a credit union and i would refinance later. This would at least give me the opportunity to do ride share with UbeLyft anytime although this would be my first time. I forgot to mention that I'm taking classes and would finish with my undergrad in the fall and I would get some student loan money in the fall (potentially). Beyond rideshare for income i would be pouring my time into various opportunities as an entrepreneur since jobs don't hire without experience or certifications in software development and/or cyber security.
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It has been very stressful so that is literally the best realistic plan I can come up with given my constraints.
Feel free to make any suggestions, I don't know what options are out there but I believe this post will provide a few things that I.m unaware of. Thanks in advance! Respectfully.

We live in Atlanta, Georgia and our old landlords kept our entire security deposit for repainting the home we rented for 4 years. They said we damaged the property by mounting our television and hanging curtain rods. Our move out “walk through” was the morning we turned in our keys and the new tenants were taking possession of the home that afternoon. Therefore, we were not given the chance to repair the damages ourselves. I filled a case in small claims court because the bill sent to us by the landlord didn’t have an itemized breakdown of the cost for fixing the holes in the sheetrock. The invoice total was over $3,000 but the landlord said we only had to pay $1,450 of that (the entire amount of our security deposit).
We were good tenants and took care of the home as if it were our own and we were never a minute late with the rent in four years.
From the beginning of our residency in the rental, there were major electrical problems. We frequently went days (up to 9 in a row) without hot water. Our HVAC system went out too many times to count. The last month we lived there, we had no power for an entire week with temperatures hovering at around 90 degrees. Our landlords “generously” offered us $350 to find alternative lodging (for 3 people and 2 dogs) while the base of our electrical meter (which had maybe been updated once - decades ago - since the house had been built in 1955 and was the source of all of the electrical problems in the house) being repaired and county permits were secured to turn the electricity back on in the house. In fact, I had to communicate with the landlord’s electrician and the county permit office, repeatedly, because the landlord disengaged himself from the entire week long process of rectifying the situation in his rental house while his paying tenants (of 4 years) had absolutely no electricity.
I have text and email proof of the majority of this ongoing and blatant disregard of the law regarding the warranty of habitability by the landlord.
I filed my claim and then the landlord (who also happens to be a LAWYER) filed a counterclaim suing us for $3,140 plus attorney and court fees “due to Plaintiff’s stubborn litigiousness”.
I don’t understand the legalese of the counterclaim and now I’m super anxious that I’ve started a battle I can’t win.
I did email the company the landlord used to paint the house (once the new tenants had already moved in) and asked what they charged to repair the walls before they paint. The company said that they don’t charge anything for that and it’s considered part of the paint prepping.
Would a judge in a small claims court take into account all of the times we didn’t have hot water, heat, air, or any electricity at all when considering whether or not the landlord should refund my full security deposit or have I screwed myself?

Good morning guys. New member to the community
I've already completed my application, and am just waiting on a decision come June. My company has a relatively generous tuition reimbursement program, and I am planning on completing the course with a combination of post 9/11 GI Bill, and my companies Tuition reimbursement.
I only have 6 months of GI Bill left.
From what I understand, Each class is delivered one at a time, and counts as "Full Time" student. Is this correct?
How realistic is it to complete the first couple of classes in a month each? (I've got 5 yearsish SOC/Engineering experience, and my CISSP). I'm hoping to knock out the GSEC, GCIH, GSTRT in just about 3 months, so I can get in an extra 2 classes under the wire. (1 class can take nearly 3 months, and as long as I have a day left, I can pay for one more class).
Is that practical thinking? Or just not doable. I thought the early certs would be relatively easy, but I've never taken a GIAC exam before. Can I pre-game/study so to speak over the next couple of months to make it easier?
Any advice you guys have who have gone through the program would be helpful.
(Let me add, I have no desire to maximize my "BAH" value. I'm too far away for live classes, and am way more interested in maximizing the "Pay for SANS Tuition" rate throught the GI bill)

Hello!
California passed SB-197, which gave birth to the housing program California Dream for All. This program isn't available to apply for until 3/27/2023; however, the guidelines and details about the program have been released. You can verify all the info in my post here. This program is similar to the 10% down program CalFHA had last year. Like that previous program, this program only has a set amount of funds available.
What is the program?
Through shared appreciation, The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) will provide 20% down payment assistance, in the form of a silent second loan. There is not a monthly payment associated with this loan; however, should you sell, refi, or transfer ownership, you will have to repay the loan they provided to you, as well as a portion of the appreciation. This loan does not turn into a grant.
- For Example -
$500,000 purchase price.
CalHFA will give you $100,000
This amount doesn't include what you would owe through shared appreciation.
What does shared appreciation mean?
CalHFA is entitled to 15% or 20% of the appreciation gained the purchase date. Whether you pay 15% or 20% will depend on your income. Per the guidelines, buyers whose income is between 80% - 150% of your county's Area Median Income (AMI) pay 20% of the appreciation. Most buyers are going to be within this range. If your income is less than 80% then CalHFA will only take 15%.
Benefits

• No down payment
• No private mortgage insurance
• Lower monthly payment
• increased purchase power

Qualifications:

• First-time Homebuyer (haven't owned a property in the last 3 years)
• Minimum credit score: 660
• Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 45%
• Single Family home or Condo; no multifamily
• Income can't exceed county income limit
• CalHFA homebuyer education course required
• One year home warranty required

Thank you :)

Hello!
California passed SB-197, which gave birth to the housing program California Dream for All. This program isn't available to apply for until 3/27/2023; however, the guidelines and details about the program have been released. You can verify all the info in my post here. This program is similar to the 10% down program CalFHA had last year. Like that previous program, this program only has a set amount of funds available.
What is the program?
Through shared appreciation, The California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) will provide 20% down payment assistance, in the form of a silent second loan. There is not a monthly payment associated with this loan; however, should you sell, refi, or transfer ownership, you will have to repay the loan they provided to you, as well as a portion of the appreciation. This loan does not turn into a grant.
- For Example -
$500,000 purchase price.
CalHFA will give you $100,000
This amount doesn't include what you would owe through shared appreciation.
What does shared appreciation mean?
CalHFA is entitled to 15% or 20% of the appreciation gained the purchase date. Whether you pay 15% or 20% will depend on your income. Per the guidelines, buyers whose income is between 80% - 150% of your county's Area Median Income (AMI) pay 20% of the appreciation. Most buyers are going to be within this range. If your income is less than 80% then CalHFA will only take 15%.
Benefits

• No down payment
• No private mortgage insurance
• Lower monthly payment
• increased purchase power

Qualifications:

• First-time Homebuyer (haven't owned a property in the last 3 years)
• Minimum credit score: 660
• Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 45%
• Single Family home or Condo; no multifamily
• Income can't exceed county income limit
• CalHFA homebuyer education course required
• One year home warranty required

Thank you :)

So my engine failed due to oil problems (due to my unfortunate negligence) the repair bill is about $25,000... it's a 2015 Jaguar F Type R. This is for an engine replacement with labor.
I do not have the means to pay for this repair but it's not considered totaled either I don't think. Even if it's totaled I believe I'd be liable anyways and get no money but I'm not sure how the insurance works on that as I'm very new to this situation.
This car has a lien holder so I can't sell it to salvage so I honestly have no idea what I can do with this car that doesn't work. Everything else is fine with the car but the engine is the only fault.
What can I do? I don't know if I should call my insurance and I don't really want to take out a loan for a car repair bill, I'd rather just get rid of the car and re-coup some bit of money and save up for another cheaper car this time.
Any help is appreciated I really need advice on this badly.

CARB rejects petition to ban fumigant
The Air Resources Board has denied a petition by environmental groups to phase out sulfuryl fluoride, a fumigant used in homes and food processing plants.
Californians for Pesticide Reform and the Center for Biological Diversity charged that the pesticide is a potent greenhouse gas. But CARB found the petition lacked data connecting the pesticide to a climate impact. The agency also worried about alternatives to the pesticide, potential economic impacts and a rise in termites in homes.
Rice commission seeks drought flexibility
State statute requires members of the California Rice Commission to be actively farming, even when half of the state’s rice fields go fallow. Now lawmakers are seeking more flexibility to ensure the commission represents all farmers.
The Assembly Ag Committee has approved a measure that would override the restriction during a drought emergency. Commission CEO Tim Johnson explained that the east side of the Sacramento Valley had a crop close to normal, while the west had almost no rice. Half of the valley now gets 80% of the votes, the rest only three seats.
Research could resolve tension in wine industry
A new bill is requesting $5 million to fund research into smoke taint in wine grapes.
The issue came to a head in 2020, when smoke taint led to $3.7 billion in losses. State, federal and private funding has since poured into research, but more is needed to identify the compounds and mitigate the impacts.
Tim Schmelzer, vice president of state relations at the Wine Institute, described it as a desperate need for research. He noted that smoke taint has created tension between growers and vintners due to testing constraints.
Jackson Gualco, a lobbyist for winegrape growers, warned that the issue could create a stigma that a prized California product has less than full integrity.
Feds award first of $1B in community wildfire grants
The Biden administration on Monday awarded $197 million in grants to help 22 states and seven tribes prepare for the coming wildfire season.
The funding will boost firefighter housing and pay, treat fuels on federal forest lands and help manage fires, with a focus on low-income communities and tribes. The grants are the first from a new $1 billion community protection program that stems from $7 billion in wildfire funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act.
The 100 projects in the initial round will also help high-risk communities, nonprofit organizations and state forestry agencies establish protection plans and educate homeowners on prevention practices like cleaning roof gutters and clearing vegetation.
Read our full report at Agri-Pulse.com.
WOTUS ruling sparks divided response
A decision from a federal judge in Texas halting the implementation of WOTUS in Texas and Idaho prompted diverse reactions, even within the ag community.
The American Farm Bureau Federation cheered the injunction, the only one to be issued among a handful of lawsuits challenging the Biden administration rule, which went into effect Monday. AFBF President Zippy Duvall said the judge’s ruling “undermines the [EPA and Army Corps of Engineers’] rationale for pushing through this new rule before the Supreme Court rules in Sackett v. EPA.”
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, however, emphasized the fact that the rule would remain in effect in 48 states.
“While we appreciate the court’s injunction of the rule in Texas and Idaho, we are strongly disappointed in the decision to keep this WOTUS rule in place in 48 states,” said NCBA President Todd Wilkinson, a South Dakota cattle producer.
The National Wildlife Federation said the decision “sets a dangerous precedent that threatens the urgent restoration of federal clean water protections nationwide.”
The Supreme Court has yet to issue its Sackett decision, which could force EPA to take another look at the rule.
Read our full report at Agri-Pulse.com.
Food insecurity on the rise
As food prices increased over 10% from December 2021 until December 2022, the share of adults reporting food insecurity rose from 20% to 24.6%, according to a new report released by the Urban Institute.
Food insecurity hit Hispanic and Black adults at a higher level, nearly double the increase when compared to white adults.
“Households experiencing very low food security not only report reductions in dietary quality and variety but also experience reduced food intake and skipped meals, presenting a more severe indicator of household hunger,” the report states.
Food banks continued to report strong needs as federal support decreased and food costs increased. Nearly one in six adults (about 16%) reported their households received charitable food in 2022, down from 17.4% in 2021. That also was down from the height of usage in 2020 at 19.7%, but well above the pre-pandemic rate in 2019 of 12.7%.
Producers exercise caution as interest rates roil farm country
Federal Reserve action to curb inflation is also having an impact on the business decisions of American producers, according to a panel of ag economy experts speaking Monday at the Agri-Pulse Ag and Food Policy Summit.
Interest rates have ticked higher over the last year, and media reports indicate another quarter-point hike could take place this week. After years of robust commodity prices and a solid farm economy, many producers have cash on hand, and they’re using it to avoid relying on changes in the market for credit.
“The one place that the high interest rates are really bothering (farmers) is their operating notes,” Joe Outlaw, a professor and extension economist with Texas A&M, said during a panel discussion. “The cost of (planting) crops is so much more across the board; not just fertilizer went up, but everything went up.”
Read our full report at Agri-Pulse.com.
She said it:
“Imagine a world where your diagnosis is being treated by what’s on your plate, not what’s in a pill” – Cathy Burns, CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association, speaking on a panel about prescribing food as medicine at the Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit.
Philip Brasher, Jacqui Fatka, Bill oms0n and Noah Wicks contributed to this report.
Biden WOTUS rule enjoined in Texas, Idaho
https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/19089-biden-wotus-rule-enjoined-in-texas-idaho
As Inflation Squeezed Family Budgets, Food Insecurity Increased between 2021 and 2022 Subtitle Findings from the Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey
https://www.urban.org/research/publication/inflation-squeezed-family-budgets-food-insecurity-increased-between-2021-and-2022?utm_source=Agri-Pulse+Daybreak+WEST&utm_campaign=ee4016ecb3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_03_21_02_44&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-ee4016ecb3-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D

This was incredibly hard for me to write and admit., I'm sure I have forgotten important information and have errors.
DEEP IN DEBT DIARY TEMPLATE
Title: I am 33 years old, making $80,000 salary ( just started new job ) plus $21,300. Spouse ( 39 )makes $40 per hour plus $14,200, and we have $77,313 debt not including our mortgage.
SECTION ONE: Background
Job: Project Analyst ( new job ) & GIS Analyst
Industry: Finance
Location - MCOL, rural Texas
Context - I have worked for my MIL since 2015 with no benefits. My husband has worked for her since 2013 with no benefits. We were led to believe we would take over the business and have a really good secure income. Instead, we have made less than others in our same careers or near the same, but with no benefits, no paid holidays etc. We attempted to get the plan of action for us to take over starting in 2017, but were met with aggression and personality issues each time. It’s been a long mentally exhausting 5+ years. I have finally broken away.
SECTION TWO: Current Debt and Assets
Credit card debt: Total Credit Card Debt $31,606.30. Breakdown: Card 1 ($10,799.30 out of $14,500) Card 2 ( $17,002.84 out of $18,000 ) Card 3 ( $0 out $0 ) Card 4 ( $3,805 out of $5,000)
Personal loans: $0
Medical debt: $0 paid down from $18,000
Student loan debt (for what degree). $12,534.18 Bachelors in Engineering Technology. Already paid off over $15,000. His grandparents and parents paid for his undergrad; he saved up ( before we met ) and paid for his master's.
Remaining mortgage balance if you’re a homeowner. $298,000 remaining. Originally 318,000 at 4.84%. Yearly Dividends are around $3,500-$3,800.
Auto loans: Truck $19,781.71 u/2.25%, small SUV $13,390.64 @ 2.25%
Any other type of debt and how you accumulated it (e.g., payday loans, title loans). N/a
Retirement balance (and how you got there). Around $5000-$6,000 for both of us. This was from putting some into accounts we opened a few years ago.
Equity $502,000
Our first house was purchased for $82,000 in December 2010 with low interest. We sold it 2016 for $115,000 to buy our land.
To buy our land, we put some of the equity towards credit card debt and the rest towards purchasing the land for $150,000 at a 15 yr fixed rate of around 5% interest rate. We “rebuilt” our house starting Nov 2019 with a refinance and construction loan in one. We didn’t put any down, it was 90% loan to value. The house we built made the value ( once complete ) more than the loan. Currently, the estimated appraisal is around $800,000 leaving $498,000 in equity. We didn’t purchase and build in a typical way. We bought the 45 acres for 150k 4% or so15 year loan 3 years before refinancing with a construction loan. We did put down $15,000 to purchase the land originally.
Savings account balance: $200
Checking account balance: averages $4000-$5000 to cover all bills etc.
Any other assets that are applicable to you.
SECTION THREE: Income
Main Job Monthly Take Home aka Net Pay I just started my new job so I don’t know what the health insurance etc will look like. My salary is $80,000. My insurance is 80% covered. My husband makes $40/hour with no benefits besides two weeks of paid vacation.
Side Gig Monthly Take Home
We have owned a business for 10 years. It is a contract that has been $30,000 per year until this year; it is now $35,500. This is very part-time, part of the year. We have always worked on this in our free time, until 2021 when I did work it as my main job for that year and a half. We have had our real estate licenses since 2016; we didn’t make any money until 2019. It ranged from $15,000-$30,000, was in 2021. He is quitting real estate and I recently also quit.
Any Other Monthly Income Here
N/A
SECTION FOUR: Monthly Expenses
Mortgage $1676
Home insurance Annually $3,000
Property Taxes Annually $3,300
Private Health Insurance $580
Additional Retirement contribution N/A
Savings contribution N/A
Investment contribution N/A
Private School $350 plus $100 for aftercare
Trash Pickup $89/quarter
Husbands Life Insurance $51 monthly
My Life Insurance Annually $180
Debt payments We put extra money towards debt and get out of credit card debt most years, then go back into it. We paid the minimum from when I quit working full time for MIL until now.
Donations (please estimate monthly) I donate a lot; I’ve been on a minimalist journey for years and donate nearly everything. I used to also donate to St Jude's $25 a month.
Electricity averages $200-$275.
Water Averages $45-50
Sewage on a septic system
Internet $71 it will go up to $97 soon.
Cellphone $240 per quarter Mint
Subscriptions Apple TV $6.99, Apple Care $10.81, Discovery+ $6, Hulu Disney Bundle $5.39, Amazon $8 ( sister is taking over ), Netflix another sister usually pays for this,
Pet expenses Approximately $50
Car payment / insurance small SUV $317, truck $526. Yearly auto-ins. $1,000 for the truck, $600 suv
Parking/toll/gas/other transportation costs. $500-$700 we live out of town. It’s a 45-mile drive one way to go to a decent grocery store or to buy most things. Our town only has a tiny walmart ( limited options and bad produce ) and a very expensive small grocery store. He does get paid mileage but also has to have a 4x4 truck for work; although he doesn't work in the woods most days.
Regular therapy/other routine healthcare or wellness treatments. No insurance to cover it, but grandfathered in at $75 when I go. I/we used to go once or twice a month for years on and off. Our daughter did see a therapist last summer. She was $125 every two weeks for a couple of months.
Beauty/grooming not enough, honest. I may get a haircut twice a year and he gets his cut maybe once every few months. This will become more scheduled.
Paid hobbies nodda
Food/Drink Average $800 a month on groceries but during the worst times for us, $2000. I want to get this lower; we don’t buy meat so I feel like we need to do better planning.
Fun / Entertainment $0
Random House/Property stuff Averages $200 a month +
Clothes $0. Our daughter has a uniform for school; I tend to buy when on clearance. I’ve rarely bought anything since quitting MIL.
Any other expense that's relevant to you.
SECTION FIVE: [Write your Deep in Debt Diary here]
Please provide a detailed history of your debt accumulation and payments, including your pay at the time, any strategies you used to target your debt, and anecdotes about your experience. Example:
2010-2014 Worked as a draftsman while getting my associates in drafting. I was honest with them from the beginning about going back for a bachelor's. The most I made was $15/ hour with benefits only in the last year of employment. We started our contract work in 2013 at $25,000 per year.
2014 went back to college for a bachelor's degree and got my first real credit card. I don’t recall my balance when I started working on it but I would say it was over 3k. I also learned he had over 5k in cc debt when we started talking about combining our finances and working on debt. He was making $33 per hour with no benefits. Our contract was $25,000 per year which was broken up into equal payments over the year.
2016 - 2019 We combined out income and I took over finances completely with no help. I agreed to join the family business after finishing my degree in May 2016 and also got my real estate license ( boss MIL was also a broker). Worked full time from May until end of November when our child was born. I made $15-$25 in that time. We paid $800 per month for private insurance and had a traumatic delivery that came to another $18,000 after insurance coverage. I was scared of being one alone with my child; I had postpartum but didn’t tell anyone nor fully wanted to admit it to myself. Our daughter wasn’t easy going even as a baby, she had to be on my body at all times to be happy. She still gets bored easily. We spent a lot of money on stuff to entertain her at home; she never liked anything, not even a swing. We hired a nanny to be at our office with us full time from age 1 month to 3. We paid her $10 per hour in cash. Our daughter started pre-k at a private school at 3. $350 a month. Debt varied as always. I was at the office 40-45 hours but my boss used me to do real estate stuff she didn’t want to do which cut my hours to 30-32 per week hourly; I was never compensated for all of the real estate admin and website building. We both had our real estate licenses but never made anything until 2019-2022. It took up 8+ hours or so of my weekly hours then a lot of our weekends. In 2016, our contract work increased to $30,000 and payments changed to larger payments during our busy time of the year. I feel like that was when we started relying on that income to bail us out of debt.
Nov 2019-April 2020. Refinanced our land and did a construction loan to rebuild our house. Our daughter was out of school and at home with me working which was very hard. Our house was finished April 2020 two weeks before everything started shutting down further it seems. Debt was maybe around 10k because we forgot to plan for the carport that still doesn’t have a slab. It’s just dirt.
2020-2021 We told our boss MIL we were leaving the business. We were tired of the stress and chaos with her and low wages with no benefits. We were given raises ( $33 and $40 per hour ) to keep us there. I told her several months later in a formal notice I was quitting. I was guilt tripped and manipulated to stay; she stated we would make the changes necessary and I would start taking over her job. Of course nothing at all changed. I was a wreck and quit without notice 6 months later after trying again 2 months before because I was a serious mess. This hurt us financially because I wasn’t taking care of our finances and was too upset. I did take over our business contract work so we didn’t have to work on that during our free time. My husband was also a mess on and off, so we kept an emergency fund to support him quitting and finding a job. He told her twice he was quitting but could never follow through. We used up our emergency fund because we weren’t paying attention. Somehow spending 2k a month on groceries for several months. I hate that I have no clue how it happened and how much food waste we had.
2021-2023 I didn’t work for MIL from May 2021-October 2021 when I went back but only 10 hours per week. I went back because we needed the income. I typically worked 12 hours a week until leaving recently. We decided to move to Michigan; I feel like i sacrificed a lot staying in Texas ( I never wanted to ) and putting up with everything working for his mother and all the chaos and control that came with that. We will be moving end of May beginning on June. He still works for her and doesn’t have a set plan.
Reflection
I feel like our lives have been a wreck the last 3-6 years and I refuse to fall back into it. I feel like not having benefits has hurt us more than we ever imagined it would. Just this year so far we’ve paid $2400 for his emergency root canal and crown. $400 for a consultation and CT scan for my nose for sinus issues. $3500 for a new fence for our dogs. It seems to never end.
I was upset with myself for awhile; I am trying hard to focus on the future. We need to learn to plan and save for large expenses. I am highly considering separating our finances and splitting everything proportionally. He has yet to actually help me with managing our finances although I have mentioned and asked numerous times. He is also supposed to be evaluated for ADHD. He does try and he’s a great partner besides his mom problems and not helping with finances. He thinks just not spending money is enough for our finances. Our therapist thinks us getting away ( even if it is only part of the year ) will change my husband and his dynamic with his mother. I hope he will fall in love with where we are moving, and agree to stay there permanently and sell our home/property in Texas.
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The above template was modified, with permission, from MoneyDiariesACTIVE.

I'm so frustrated but I'm going to try to make this as brief as I can. How would you deal with this situation?
Coparent is responsible for providing insurance. He switched to a cheap provider only/ancillary plan. None of my child's doctors or specialists are in network. In fact, there are no specialists in network in my county, and the only peds coming up are at the hospital. So. The hospital takes the insurance. Not helpful for a regular doctor.
I call the plan to figure out how to bill for out of network services. They tell me they need his permission to discuss my child's insurance. Of course I ask him to call them and he's going to make me wait forever. Whatever.
The next problem is that I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to pay cash for her appointments and then request reimbursement. I primarily take her to and attend appointments. He's maybe taken her to 2 her whole life and none since we have been divorced. I already can't get him to pay me back for half of medical not covered by insurance. And I know if I request reimbursement, they will send a check to him in his name that I'll never see because he's the policy holder.
I feel crushed and stuck because I basically can't move forward with even trying to bill them until he gives permission, and then I have no guarantee I'll even see my money again after paying for the appointments. It's basically insurance I can't use for her. What do I do?