In national news, many parts of America, long considered the breadbasket of the world, are now confronting a once unthinkable phenomenon: food rationing. Major retailers in New York, in areas of New England, and on the West Coast are limiting purchases of flour, rice, and cooking oil as demand outstrips supply. There are also anecdotal reports that some consumers are hoarding grain stocks. At a Costco Warehouse in Mountain View, California yesterday, shoppers grew frustrated and occasionally uttered expletives as they searched in vain for the large sacks of rice they usually buy. “Due to the limited availability of rice, we are limiting rice purchases based on your prior purchasing history,” a sign above the dwindling supply said.

An employee at the Costco store in Queens New York said there were no restrictions on rice buying, but limits were being imposed on purchases of oil and flour. Internet postings attributed some of the shortage at the retail level to bakery owners who flocked to warehouse stores when the price of flour from commercial suppliers doubled. The curbs and shortages are being tracked with concern by survivalists who view the phenomenon as a harbinger of more serious trouble to come. Spiking food prices have led to riots in recent weeks in Haiti, Indonesia, and several African nations. India recently banned export of all but the highest quality rice, and Vietnam blocked the signing of a new contract for foreign rice sales. At the moment, large chain retailers seem more prone to shortages and limits than do smaller chains and mom-and-pop stores, perhaps because store managers at the larger companies have less discretion to increase prices locally. For now, rice is available at Asian markets in California, though consumers have fewer choices when buying the largest bags.

Two more photographs of a wolverine lurking in the Tahoe National Forest were released Monday, extinguishing all doubt that the elusive predator exists in the wilds of California. The wolverine pictures, taken from remote digital cameras by U.S. Forest Service researchers, mean the muscular carnivore with the almond-colored stripe has either avoided detection for three-quarters of a century or returned to the state after an epic journey. An earlier image of what may be the same wolverine was captured inadvertently on February 28 by a graduate student doing research on the wolverine's weasel family relative, the marten, and set off a near frenzy among scientists and wildlife experts.

The latest pictures, taken March 13, show the front of a wolverine that researchers believe is the same animal. Researchers, biologists and volunteers have fanned out over 155 square miles from the spot where the photo was taken in the forest north of Truckee, hunting for genetic material. The wolverine, which had not been documented in the Sierra since 1922, was believed by many to have vanished from California. Researchers say the animal either migrated across an enormous distance or it's part of a small group of native wolverines that somehow evaded detection for the better part of a century.

The North American wolverine is the largest member of the weasel family, with adults weighing as much as 45 pounds. Remarkably strong, with powerful jaws, wolverines have been known to kill much larger prey, but in North America they are mostly scavengers. Wolverines were once fairly common throughout the northern regions of the United States, but they are now found mainly in the Northern Cascades in Washington, the Northern Rockies in Montana and Idaho, and in Alaska.

Local gardeners from Amador and Calaveras county are now utilizing their skills to benefit others. Gardeners ranging from expert to amateur are working together with the Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency food bank, or ATCAA, by donating home grown produce to help curb a rising number of hungry and homeless. The idea is so simple it’s almost ingenious. "When you're out there putting out your garden, put in an extra row," said Lee Kimball, food bank director.

The effects of our current economic downturn have hit home, and the food bank representatives believe that personal contributions begin in your own backyard. The food bank can not take complete credit for the idea. The Plant-a-Row program is mentioned in the popular book, “Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul”.

Kimball thought it was a great idea and immediately went to work implementing the program locally. Additionally, people with chickens are encouraged to donate their extra eggs to supply more protein fortified contributions. In 2007, the ATCAA food bank was only able to provide an average of 2.25 pounds of food per person per month, Kimball said. They served an average of 11,000 people per month. Master gardeners will be available to answer questions and offer advice to people interested in participating. The food bank asks that all interested gardeners sign up by calling 984-3960. For more information on Plant-A-Row for the Hungry, visit www.gardenwriters.org.