State Worker Negotiations | Full Belly Farm’s New Book | Sac History Museum Wants You To ‘Meet Mary Pleasant’
Department of Fish and Wildlife employee Nikolette Clavel holds a sign at a protest against Newsom’s return to the office mandate. March 12, 2025
Megan Myscofski/CapRadio
State Worker Negotiations
Governor Gavin Newsom is calling on state employees to return to the office four days a week starting in July. But his order is facing pushback from labor groups including SEIU Local 1000, which represents the largest share of state workers. It’s also become subject of tense contract negotiations with the union demanding 100% telework and stipends for employees that have to return in-person. The CapRadio Statehouse Politics Reporter Laura Fitzgerald and SEIU Local 1000 job steward Gina Garcia-Smith join Insight to talk about where things stand.
The California Department of Human Resources sent CapRadio the following statement: “CalHR respects the confidentiality of the bargaining process and does not speak on ongoing negotiations. CalHR looks forward to bargaining in good faith with SEIU in the weeks ahead.”
Full Belly Farm’s New Book
Even if you have never heard of Full Belly Farm, chances are you’ve eaten their food before. Nestled in the Capay Valley, they work year-round to supply produce to restaurants like Chez Panisse in Berkeley and food co-ops here locally in Sacramento and Davis. In 201, they built the Full Belly Farm Kitchen to showcase their produce. And they’ve just released a new book to help tell the story of the farm’s history and share some recipes. We’ll meet two of the farms’ owners, Amon and Jenna Muller, who also happen to be the married couple behind the new book, Full Belly Farm and Kitchen: Stories and Recipes from a Family Farm.
There will be a book release celebration at Full Belly Farm this Saturday from 1-5 p.m. Reserve a spot here.
Sac History Museum Wants You To ‘Meet Mary Pleasant’
Have you ever heard of Mary Ellen Pleasant? Born a slave in Georgia in 1817, she eventually made her way to California, becoming an entrepreneur and abolitionist. Her story was mostly lost to history until a Sacramento filmmaker, scholar and singer stepped in. Today on Insight, we’ll meet Susheel Bibbs, who has spent decades researching and sharing Pleasant’s story on stage and through film. She’s joined by Delta Pick Mello, executive director of the Sacramento History Museum, which is presenting this performance as a Chautauqua at Celebration Arts Theatre on Wednesday, March 18.