Labor
NorCal taqueria owners used ‘priest’ to extract ‘workplace sins,’ owe $140,000 in back wages
San Francisco Chronicle 6/13
Owners of two Northern California taquerias used a man they said was a priest to extract “workplace sins” from employees while also failing to pay overtime hours, according to employees who testified in front of a federal judge.
California’s Fast-Food Punishment
Wall Street Journal 6/13
What happens when businesses fight back against the union political machine in California? Fast-food restaurant owners are learning the hard way, as Democrats in Sacramento seek to jam through a joint-employer bill as punishment for a referendum to overturn a new law fixing fast-food worker wages.
Food Industry Policy
Biden urges court to allow local ban on new gas stoves in Berkeley, California
The Washington Times 6/12
Officials from the Department of Justice and Department of Energy urged federal judges Monday to reverse their decision overturning a ban on natural gas hookups in new buildings in Berkeley, California.
Aspiring urban planner chews into use of city property for outdoor dining
UCLA Newsroom 6/12
In recent weeks, UCLA graduate student Graham Rossmore has become a go-to expert for Los Angeles officials who are studying the economic pros and cons of continuing the al fresco dining that sprang up during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the Side
Gilberto Cetina’s Holbox is The Times’ 2023 Restaurant of the Year
Los Angeles Times 6/13
Even in the throes of June gloom, the sunny disposition of Southern California is an ideal climate for mariscos — for the precise uplift of citrus-doused, chile-ignited seafood.
Smokin J’s BBQ in Poway among restaurants awarded $5,000 grants for upgrades
San Diego Union-Tribune 6/13
Smokin J’s BBQ restaurant near Old Poway Park plans to spend a $5,000 grant from the California Restaurant Foundation on software that can better track its inventory, pricing and staff schedules.
