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The article reports that union leaders and major supermarket employers in California are currently negotiating new agreements to replace the three-year deal arrived at after a 141-day strike/lockout that ended in 2004. The deal eliminates the two-tier wage structure, according to Greg Conger, president of United Food and Commercial Workers.

The article presents real estate investment opportunities in Inland Empire, California. Topics discussed include real property market in Inland Empire; growth in employment and population and low house prices; and the views of Bruce Norris, president of The Norris Group, on the increasing market and return on investment opportunities in Inland Empire. Also mentioned are real estate investment returns, importance of construction in the area, and rental housing opportunities.

The article discusses the role that Eureka, California mayor Casper Stinemets (C.S.) Ricks and his family played in providing Eureka with a public water supply through their company the Ricks Water Works (renamed the Ricks Water Company) in the last quarter of the 19th century. The role that Eureka's demand for water played in the Ricks Water Company's supply of the city's water is discussed. An overview of C.S. Ricks' son H.L. Ricks, including his expansion of the Ricks Water Company following his father's death in 1888, is provided.

Focuses on the Alternatives to Compressor Cooling (ACC) project which aims to find alternative to home air conditioning in California. Principle of the ACC project; Criteria for ventilation cooling system; Applicability and cost of ventilation cooling.

A review is offered for the new Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market store located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The article reports on the decision of Supervalu Inc. to close 60 stores who are struggling in 19 Southern California Albertsons locations and 22 Save-A-Lot discount stores. It mentions that such decision depicts the strategy of chief executive officer (CEO) Wayne Sales to lessen costs as it aims an operational turnaround. It notes that most of the stores will stop operating before December 1, 2012.

The article discusses honey harvest events held at Alameda Natural Grocery in Alameda, California to promote sustainability along with views of its chief executive officer Donna Layburn for the film "Queen of the Sun" which mentions threats to bee population from industrial agricultural practices.

The article focuses on the use of proprietary private-label offerings from Safeway supermarket as featured ingredients at the Citrine New World Bistro restaurant in Redwood City, California. The private-label offerings include O Organic chicken and seasonings, Rancher's Reserve tender beef and Primo Taglio meats and cheeses. Ron Paul, president of food industry consultancy Technomics, commended Safeway for exploring new ways to sell food.

This article reports on a statement issued by Steve Burd, president and chief executive officer of Safeway in Pleasanton, California, that the three by seven negotiating process between local labor unions and the big three Southern California supermarket operators may result in new contracts being reached well after the current deals expire. He said should negotiations pass the deadline, it would not be an unusual occurrence for Safeway, which has exceeded the expirations dates in nine of its last 20 negotiations.

The article reports on the decision of labor unions in California to sign a new contract with Stater Bros. Markets. According to the retailer, the deal would avoid the economic and emotional disaster of another contract dispute and that labor lauded as leverage in negotiations with other Southern California food retailers. The agreement provides improvements in almost every area as compared to the last contract.

The article reports that German supermarket chain Aldi plans to open several stores in Southern California. Topics discussed include the competitive nature of the Southern California market, Aldi chief executive officer (CEO) Jason Hart's reasons why the retailer chain selected California for its expansion, and how a marketing campaign can help new shoppers can become aware of the Aldi brand.

The article reports that supermarket chain Aldi has announced that it will open 45 new stores in California in 2016. Aldi chief executive officer (CEO) Jason Hart said that the California venture is part of the company's five-year strategic plan to open 650 news stores across the U.S. by the end of 2018. Hart added that Aldi will invest 3 billion dollars for the venture which he claimed would also create around 1,000 jobs.

Focuses on the career of film director Barbara Hammer in California. Motion pictures directed by Hammer; Theme of the films directed by Hammer; Achievements.

Presents an interview with San Francisco, California-based film maker, Ron Chase, who is better known in the world of opera than filmmaking, but whose second feature-length film, 'Lulu,' which began as an accompaniment to the New York City Opera company's 1973 production of Alban Berg's atonal opera 'Lulu,' won critical acclaim in the U.S. and abroad. Short films with gay themes made by Chase in the year 1972; Chase's presentation of sexuality and sensuality in his films; Reason for the time taken in completing the two feature length films; Chase's success as a successful independent filmmaker; European influences in Chase's filmmaking style.

Letters to the editor are presented in response to articles from the November 12, 2012 issue including "To Survive You Must Evolve," which discusses the evolution of college basketball, by Alexander Wolff, "The Past Was Fast," which discusses a 1990 college basketball game between Loyola Marymount University and Louisiana State University (LSU), by Luke Winn, and "It's Getting a Little Offensive," which discusses professional football players Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall, by Austin Murphy.

The article reports on the competition faced by the supermarkets of Stater Bros. Holdings from Tesco-owned Fresh & Easy located in San Bernardino, California. Stater has felt minimal impact from its new competitor, according to Jack Brown, Stater's chairman and chief executive officer. Brown described a competitive environment where players are fighting to keep a pricing edge amid considerable product cost inflation. Stater, he said, was under particular pressure as it endeavored to maintain price leadership in its markets.

The article focuses on the decision of seven San Francisco Bay area local members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) to combine into a single entity known as UFCW Local 5. The merger of the UFCW locals will represent about 25,000 workers in the California counties of Napa, Solano, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito.

This article presents views on the state of Medi-Cal recipients in California who require Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices (AAC) to communicate. Medi-Cal is a federal health insurance that covers nearly seven million Californians who are 65 years or older or who are younger than 65 years and are disabled. In 2004 to 2005, Medi-Cal spending is expected to approach $33 billion. Medicare uses the term Speech Generating Device (SGD) to describe AAC, products that provide voices to individuals who physiologically cannot speak. Medi-Cal reimbursed SGD at manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) until November 1, 2003 when the rate dropped to 80 percent of MSRP. On November 1, 2004 the rate dropped further, reimbursing 80 percent of the Medi-Cal Allowable Rate. The Medi-Cal fee schedule is less than the cost of manufacturing the device, prompting manufacturers to stop shipping to California. Manufacturers argue the embargo is necessary because, in addition to primary manufacturing costs, the price of SGD includes free technical support for the life of the product, sometimes six years or longer. Using SGD can enable users to pursue education, to work, to learn and teach. Without these devices, tasks of daily living that should be mundane become burdens.

Interviews Bill Coyne, president and CEO of Raley's in Sacramento, California, about the company's decision to switch from the high-low pricing scheme into everyday-low-price strategy. Ways to determine customers' preferences; Difference brought by the low price strategy in store operation; Impact of the strategy on the company's relationship with vendors.