23ABC News at 6 a.m. | Top Stories for April 1, 2020

23ABC News at 6 a.m. | Top Stories for April 1, 2020

A NEW PERMIT WILL ALLOWCALIFORNIA TO HOLD BACK EVENMORE WATER FROM CENTRAL ANDSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.WE'LL TELL YOU WHO'S BEHIND IT..AND GET REACTION FROMCONGRESSMAN KEVIN MCCARTHY.PLUS..

KEEPING EMPLOYEES ANDRESIDENTS OF THE STATE'SPRISON SYSTEM SAFE FROM THECORONAVIRUS.WE'LL TELL YOU ABOUT A NEW PLANTHAT WILL RELEASE MOREPRISONERS.AND..

WALMART HAS ANNOUNCED NEWPOLICIES FOR EMPLOYEESDURING THE PANDEMIC.DETAILS ON WHAT CHANGES ARECOMING BEFORE WORKERS CAN"CLOCK IN"...GOOD MORNING... AND THANKS FORTUNING IN FOR 23ABC NEWS ATSIX A-M..

I'M MIKE HART.(THERE ARE NO MAJOR TRAFFICINCIDENTS TO REPORT THISMORNING.)(THERE ARE NO MAJOR TRAFFICINCIDENTS TO REPORT THISMORNING.).SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES WILLPREVAIL ACROSS THE AREAINTO THE WEEKEND.

A DRY COLDFRONT WILL PUSH THROUGHTHE AREA ONWEDNESDAY, KEEPING GUSTY WINDSIN THE KERN COUNTYMOUNTAINS ANDDESERT.

A SERIES OF WEATHERSYSTEMS MAY BRING UNSETTLEWILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE AREAINTO THE WEEKEND.

A DRYCOLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THEAREA ONWEDNESDAY, KEEPING GUSTY WINDSIN THE KERN COUNTYMOUNTAINS ANDDESERT.

A SERIES OF WEATHERSYSTEMS MAY BRING UNSETTLEWEATHERCONDITIONS LATE THIS WEEKENDINTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OFCORRECTIONS ANDREHABILITATION HAS RELEASEDADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONS TOPROTECT STAFF AND INMATES AT THESTATE'S INSTITUTIONSFROM COVID-19.THE C-D-C-R'S PLAN INCLUDESEXPEDITING THE PAROLE OFELIGIBLE INMATES.C-D-C-R ESTIMATES THAT UP TO3,500 PRISONERSWOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANEXPEDITED TRANSITION TOPAROLE.THE FIRST GROUP WOULD BE WITHINMATES WITH LESS THAN 30DAYS TO SERVE -- THEN THOSE WITHLESS THAN 60 DAYS.THESE NEW MEASURES BUILD ON MANYOTHERS ALREADY TAKENTO REDUCE THE RISK OF COVID-19TO ALL WHO WORK AND LIVE IN THESTATE PRISON SYSTEM.AS OF MARCH 30TH -- 22 EMPLOYEESAND FOUR INMATESHAVE TESTED POSITIVE FORCOVID-19.CENTRAL VALLEY RESIDENTS FACE ANEW THREAT TO STATE WATER.AND..

LOCAL CONGRESSMAN KEVINMCCARTHY SAYS IT'S DUE TOTHE STATE DEPARTMENT OF FISH ANDWILDLIFE BOWING TOENVIROMENTAL GROUPS.THE D-F-W HAS GIVEN WHAT'SCALLED AN "INCIDENTAL TAKEPERMIT" TO THE STATE DEPARTMENTOF WATERRESOURCES FOR THE OPERATION OFTHE STATE WATER PROJECT.THE NEW DIRECTIVE WILL REDUCESWATER SUPPLIES..BEYOND WHAT IS REQUIRED TOPROTECT ENDANGEREDSPECIES.PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES INDICATETHAT S-W-P WATERSUPPLIES TO KERN COUNTY COULD BEREDUCED BY ANANNUAL AVERAGE OF 50-THOUSANDACRE-FEET -- AND THAT WOULDINCREASE TO AS MUCH AS 100,000ACRE FEET FOR SOUTHERNCALIFORNIA.MCCARTHY SAID THE STATE HASBOWED TO ENVIROMENTALGROUPS BY DENYING CRITICAL WATERTO 2/3RDS OF THEPOPULATION.HE WENT ON TO SAY DESPITE THEGOVERNOR'S TALK OF A NEWAPPROACH TO WATER..

HE'S STILLPUTTING FISH BEFOREFAMILIES.A NUMBER OF GUN RIGHTSORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THENATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION HASFILED LAWSUITS OVER THEDESIGNATION OF ESSENTIAL ORNON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES.THE LAWSUIT CLAIMS THAT THEGOVERNMENTS CANNOT SHUTDOWN GUN STORES AND SHOOTINGRANGES -- BYDEEMING THEM NON-ESSENTIALDURING THE CORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC.THE N-R-A HAS ALSO FILED ASIMILAR LAWSUIT IN LOS ANGELESCOUNTY OVER SIMILAR MEASURESTHAT HAVE TAKENPLACE.WALMART HAS ANNOUNCED NEWMEASURES FOR ITS EMPLOYEES.HOPING TO HELP STOP THE SPREADOF THE CORONAVIRUS.THE COMPANY WILL BEGIN CHECKINGTHE TEMPERATURE OFALL OF ITS EMPLOYEES BEFORE THESTART OF THEIRSHIFT.ANY EMPLOYEE WITH A TEMPERATUREOF OVER ONEHUNDRED DEGREES WILL BE TOLD TOGO HOME.THE COMPANY WILL STAY PAY THEEMPLOYEE FOR COMING TO WORKBUT THEY WILL NOT BE ALE TORETURN UNTIL THREE DAYSAFTER THEIR FEVER IS GONE.THEMOMETERS FOR THE TEMPERATURECHECKS WILLARRIVE IN THREE WEEKS.EMPLOYEES ARE STILL ENCOURAGEDTO CHECK THEIR OWNTEMPERATURE AT HOME.GROCERY STORES CONTINUE TO CARRYEMPTY SHELVES LEAVINGSOME TO WONDER HOW THEY AREBEING RESTOCKED.23ABC'S DANIELA GARRIDO SPOKEWITH A LOCAL FARMER ON THESTATUS OF FOOD PRODUCTION INKERN COUNTY.IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE GROCERYSTORE YOU MIGHT STILL SEE THEFOOD CAN AISLE OR THE POTATOBAGS OUT OF STOCK BUTI SPOKE WITH A LOCAL FARMER WHOTELLS ME FOOD SECURITYISN'T SOMETHING WE SHOULD WORRYABOUT.:"ITS MORE THAN JUST A PRODUCTITS HOW WERE GOING TO GETTHROUGH A CRISISLIKE THIS"AS CALIFORNIANS ARE ASKED TOSHELTER IN PLACE, THEY ARESTOCKING UP ON GROCERIES FORTHEIR TIME IN QUARANTINE..

BUTNOT EVERYONE HAS BEEN ABLE TOFIND FULLY STOCKEDSHELVES."ITS GREAT TO SEE PEOPLE REALIZEHOWGREAT A STABLE FOOD SUPPLY IS ISPEAK FOR THE FARMERS WHEN I SAYWE'RE GOING TOCONTINUE TO DO OUR JOBS"AS GROCERY STORES DEMAND MOREPRODUCT FROM FARMERS,THEY SAY THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISPREPARED FOR IT."DOMESTIC DEMANDS HAS INCREASEDBECAUSE OF GROCERY STORES BUT ATTHE SAME TIME DEMAND FORRESTAURANTS HAS DECREASED"AT MOORE FARMS, THE DEMAND FORPOTATOES HAS GONE UP.."OUR POTATOES GO TO FRITO LAYSSO THEIRDEMAND FOR POTATO CHIPS HAS GONEUP BECAUSE EVERYONE IS INQUARANTINE SOTHEY HAVE A GOOD SHELF LIFE"DUE TO CALIFORNIA'S STANCE INAGRICULTURE,MANY FARMERS ARE ABLE TO PRODUCEYEAR ROUND EVENWHEN DEMAND ISN'T AS HIGH AS ITIS NOW.

"THE FOOD SYSTEM IN THEUNITED STATESESPECIALLY CALIFORNIA ISUNPARALLEL TO WHAT WE DO HERE..SAFETY,SUPPLY CHAIN..

ITS BUILT TOWITHSTAND A LOT OF DEMAND.

WEARE ABLE IN KERNCOUNTY, CENTRAL VALLEY,CALIFORNIA TO PRODUCE A GREATPRODUCT ALL YEARROUND"ALTHOUGH FOOD SECURITY HAS BEENON MANY PEOPLES MIND,FARMERS ASSURE THE PRODUCT ISCOMING AND IT WILL BE THERE ASLONG AS STORES ARE OPEN."YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME,POTATOES, SUNSHINING, PEOPLE IRRIGATING,CITRUS OVER HERE GROWING,GRAPES, YOUPRODUCT IS COMING ON AND ITSGOING TO BE THERE"MANY FARMING COMPANIES HAVE HADTO LAY OFF EMPLOYEES TOMEET C-D-C GUIDELINES OF SOCIALDISTANCING.SO THE FOOD MAY BE COMING, BUTGETTING EVERYTHINGREADY TO GO HAS DEFINITELY BEENA DIFFICULT TASK FOR THESEFARMERS.A LOCAL MAN IS ORGANIZING ASPECIAL EVENT TO HONOR AND SHOWSUPPORT FOR OUR LOCAL HOSPITALSAND THEIR STAFF...JOSEPH CASTRO PUT TOGETHER THEFACEBOOK PAGE AND GROUP-- CALLED "UNITED WE STANDBAKERSFIELD".HIS GOAL IS TO BRING THECOMMUNITY TOGETHER TOSHARE SOME POSITIVITY AND KEEPSPIRITS LIFTED.HE ALSO IS PUTTING TOGETHER ANEVENT -- WHERETHOSE INTERESTED -- CAN COME ANDPRAY TOGETHERAT A LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR THATHOSPITAL AND ITS STAFF...THE FIRST EVENT WILL BE AT MERCYSOUTHWEST ON OLD RIVER ROADON THURSDAY AT 8 P-M.CASTRO EXPLAINED HOW THE EVENTWILL WORK AND STILLMAINTAIN THE RULE OF SOCIALDISTANCING..."SO, ONCE WE ARE OUT THERE --THEEVENT IS GOING TO START RIGHT AT8 O'CLOCK.

IF YOU WANT TO GETTHERE EARLYAND FIND A PARKING SPOT, IT'SGOING TO BE IN THE MAIN PARKINGLOT ATMERCY SOUTHWEST.

AS YOU GO INOFF THE MAIN LIGHT OF OLD RIVER.WE WANTEVERYONE TO STAY IN THEIR CARS.MAINTAIN THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING.STAY INYOUR CARS WITH YOUR HAZARDLIGHTS ON."IF THIS EVENT IS A SUCCESS --CASTRO SAID HE WOULD LIKE TOKEEP IT GOING -- AND HAVE IT BE-- THAT EVERY THREE DAYS -- THECOMMUNITY PRAYS AT A DIFFERENTPARKING LOT OF ADIFFERENT LOCAL HOSPITAL.UPDATES AND DETAILS FOR POSSIBLEFUTURE EVENTS WOULDBE POSTED ON THE "UNITED WESTAND BAKERSFIELD"FACEBOOK PAGE..SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES WILLPREVAIL ACROSS THE AREAINTO THE WEEKEND.

A DRY COLDFRONT WILL PUSH THROUGHTHE AREA ONWEDNESDAY, KEEPING GUSTY WINDSIN THE KERN COUNTYMOUNTAINS ANDDESERT.

A SERIES OF WEATHERSYSTEMS MAY BRING UNSETTLEWEATHERCONDITIONS LATE THIS WEEKENDINTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.(THERE ARE NO MAJOR TRAFFICINCIDENTS TO REPORT THISMORNING.)(THERE ARE NO MAJOR TRAFFICINCIDENTS TO REPORT THISMORNING.)COMING UP ON 23ABC NEWS AT SIX--