It’s still unclear how bad the much damage the earthquake in Napa caused, but it has definitely hit wineries in the region harder than many recent disasters. A flood and a root louse epidemic in the 1990’s killed grape vines but vintners were able to adapt because the damage came during the early phases of the wine making process. This week’s earthquake was so damaging to the Napa wine industry because it wiped out barrels and bottles of finished wine, ready for market. Joining us with an assessment of the damage is Paul Wagner, founder of Balzac Communications and Marketing, a wine industry PR firm, and Paul Leary, President of Blackbird Vineyards and a board member of the Napa Valley Vintners Association.

Photos from Wagner's home:

Cellar worker Adam Craig looks over some of the hundreds of earthquake damaged wine barrels that covered and toppled a pair of forklifts at the Kieu Hoang Winery Monday, Aug. 25, 2014, in Napa, Calif. A powerful earthquake that struck the heart of California's wine country caught many people sound asleep, sending dressers, mirrors and pictures crashing down around them and toppling wine bottles in vineyards around the region. The magnitude-6.0 quake struck at 3:20 a.m. PDT Sunday near the city of Napa. Eric Risberg / AP

People in Davis are in an uproar over the city’s acquisition of a military assault vehicle while police forces across the country are coming under scrutiny for becoming too “militarized.” The city received the Mine Resistant, Ambush Protected vehicle (known as an MRAP) from the Department of Defense two days before a police officer shot an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, sparking civilian protests and clashes with law enforcement. Davis’ mayor and city council members say they were unaware of the police department’s acquisition of the MRAP. They plan to discuss the future of the vehicle and address complains in this Tuesday’s council meeting. Davis Enterprise Reporter Jeff Hudson joins us to talk about the controversy over the vehicle in this weeks’ News Network.

LINKS: 

• South Lake Tahoe Police Receives SWAT Vehicle From Military
• Davis Enterprise: Davis Armored Vehicle Photo
• Bob Dunning: Should We Be Worried About The Cops New Toy?
• Sacramento Bee: Davis Acquires Mine-Resistant War Vehicle
• City of Davis Apartment Move Out Waste Reduction Program
• KDRT: Annual Mass Move Out

New Season for the Mondavi Center:

James Rollins entertains the notion of the extinction of mankind, beginning with the annihilation of a remote military research station's staff as well as every animal, plant, insect, and bacteria in sight. An instillation of the Sigma series, The 6th Extinction is to be released on August 12.

Rollins will appear in Roseville at Barnes & Noble on the release day for a book signing and promotional event. Rollins has released several books in the past year; this will be the 13th of the Sigma series.

Many people living today don’t know a world when the animated comedy “The Simpsons” wasn’t on television. It premiered December of 1989 and finished its 25th season this past spring. Of course, devotees know the functionally dysfunctional yellow family appeared in short bursts on “The Tracy Ullman Show” as early as 1987.

In honor of the 25th anniversary season of “The Simpsons,” and to promote its plans to start airing the show regularly, FXX is showing all 552 episodes this week. The marathon started Thursday, August 21 and ends September 1 at 11:30 p.m. Joining us to talk about the iconic –and possibly legendary- show is Simpsons expert Karma Waltonen, a continuing lecturer in UC Davis’ University Writing Program.

LINKS:

• www.Simpsonology.com  
• WHYY: The Simpsons Takeover

Simpsons Shorts-MG01 Good Night (FROM ORIGINAL AIRING ON FOX) from Bart Man on Vimeo.