Bob Highfill
LODI – COVID-19. Smoke. Drought.
The year 2020 was one to remember or forget, depending on whom you ask in the Lodi wine community.
The pandemic forced wineries to close tasting rooms and cancel events. Unprecedented wildfires in size and number blanketed the Central Valley with smoke, and rainfall was about half of normal.
Yet, Lodi’s wine grape growers and wineries persevered.
“I think we are all happy to see 2020 pass on all fronts,” said Stuart Spencer, executive director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission and winemaker at St. Amant Winery in Lodi. “I feel blessed to be in the wine and grape business. People have continued to support and drink wine through this, and many other businesses and industries have suffered far greater than we have.”
Unemployed Californians are left with no benefits as the EDD cuts off 350,000 claims suspected of fraud.
ABC7 s data analysis found one of the PlumpJack businesses, Villa Encinal Partners LP that received $918,720, got their loan approved on April 14. That s 11 days after the lending program launched.
It took Field 90 days to get his roughly $40,000 loan approved. It was nine months of attempt after attempt, he said. I tried to apply through four different banks.
Field got his application approved at the end of June. It wasn t until that day, with two hours to spare, that we were finally able to get through, he said.