Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, February 28, 2025…
- President Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on imported goods have faced heavy criticism among some experts who warn that the move will raise prices for American consumers and harm U.S. businesses that rely on imports. But the tariffs have also found support among one state industry: California grape growers.
- A federal judge in San Francisco has temporarily blocked a Trump administration directive to mass terminate thousands of federal employees. The ruling only covers some federal agencies, including Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.
- San Diego may soon raise the minimum wage for workers in the city’s tourism industry to 25 dollars per hour. The proposal received a green light from a city council committee Thursday, moving it one step closer to passage by the full council.
Some in California’s Wine Industry Support Trump’s Tariff Plans
California is a global wine superpower, accounting for 80% of the U.S. wine industry and 95% of the country’s wine exports.
But many industry leaders, particularly grape growers, say California is still at a disadvantage when it comes to competing with the world’s other wine regions, like Spain, France, Italy, Chile and Argentina.
Stuart Spencer, head of the Lodi Winegrape Commission, says some of the state’s largest wine producers are importing cheap bulk wines and blending them with domestic wines to create low-priced products, cutting into the demand for domestic wine grapes. That’s why Spencer favors President Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on productions from a variety of products, including wine.
“I think many of the growers in our communities see tariffs as a positive option in correcting some of these imbalances. Our growers here in California want to compete on a level playing field, and we don’t feel like we’re being treated fairly around the world,” Spencer said.
The Trump Administration’s Mass Firing Plan is On Hold After Temporary Restraining Order By San Francisco Judge
U.S. District Judge William Alsup has ordered the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to rescind its directive instructing federal agencies to fire probationary workers, calling the order illegal.
Alsup’s temporary restraining order does not apply to all agencies, only those where the firings impacted civic groups currently suing the federal government, according to NPR’s reporting. Affected agencies include the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Park Service, the Small Business Administration, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense.