Jonathan J. Cooper

Associated Press

Today in Manufacturing Podcast

Today in Manufacturing Podcast

Today in Manufacturing has a new podcast brought to you by the editors of Industrial Media. In each episode, we discuss the five biggest stories in manufacturing, and the implications they have on the industry moving forward.

In this Oct. 10, 2019, file photo, a helicopter drops water near power lines and electrical towers while working at a fire on San Bruno Mountain near Brisbane, Calif. California’s Pacific Gas & Electric is faced regularly with a no-win choice between risking the start of a deadly wildfire or immiserating millions of paying customers by shutting off the power.

California Crisis Decades in the Making

How that came to be is a story not of a single villain but of systemic failure by PG&E's management

Utility Admits that Lines May Have Started Fires

Powerful winds were driving multiple fires across California and forcing power shut-offs intended to prevent blazes.

This undated product image obtained by the Associated Press shows Nike Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July shoes that have a U.S. flag with 13 white stars in a circle on it, known as the Betsy Ross flag, on them. Nike is pulling the flag-themed tennis shoe after former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick complained to the shoemaker, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Nike Proceeds with AZ Factory

Nike faced criticism last week for its decision not to sell the Nike Air Max 1 USA shoe, which included a Revolutionary-era emblem known as the Betsy Ross flag.

This photo taken in May 2017 and provided by Arizona Public Service shows the Festival Ranch 2 megawatt battery owned by Arizona Public Service near Buckeye, Ariz. An identical battery caught fire in April 2019 in a massive blaze that sent eight firefighters and a police officer to the hospital, highlighting the challenges and risks that can arise as utilities prepare for the exponential growth expected for massive batteries to store energy.

Fire Highlights Energy Storage Risk

An April fire and explosion at a massive battery west of Phoenix sent eight firefighters and a police officer to the hospital.

In this April 23, 2019, photo, Chris Williamson poses for a photo sitting on his car in Phoenix. When Williamson was in the market for a new family car, a timely ad and conversations with a co-worker convinced him to try something out of the ordinary. He bought the BMW 3 Series convertible and covers the payments by renting it to strangers on a peer-to-peer car sharing app called Turo. It allows his family of seven to have a nicer car, essentially for free.

Legislative Battles Follow Car-Sharing

Car-sharing apps around the United States get their rentals tax-free, making them a target for rental car companies.

A sign still stands at a McDonald's restaurant burned in the Camp Fire, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, in the northern California town of Paradise.

Fires Put Pressure on CA Utilities

Authorities have not determined a cause for major blazes burning now, but two utilities reported irregularities with their equipment near the place both ignited.

State Sen. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, second from right, displays his environmental measure SB100 after is was signed into law by Calif., Gov. Jerry Brown front center, Monday, Sept. 10, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Brown, surrounded by lawmakers and activists including Assembly members Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, of San Diego, second from left, Ken Cooley, of Rancho Cordova, third from left and billionaire activist Tom Steyer, right, signed SB100 which sets a goal of phasing out all fossil fuels from the state's electricity sector by 2045.

CA to Drop Fossil Fuels by 2045

The policy could serve as a model for other states.

Assemblyman Matthew Harper, R-Huntington Beach, sips a Coke as Assembly members debate a ban on local soda taxes, Thursday, June 28, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Lawmakers passed a bill to ban local taxes on soda for the next 12 years and send it to the Gov. Jerry Brown. Harper did not cast on vote on the bill.

CA Blocks Soda Taxes

The beverage industry has used aggressive campaigning to beat back soda taxes and other measures.

In this Sept. 23, 2013, file photo, a tugboat pushes a barge down the Sacramento River past wind turbines near Rio Vista, Calif. A contentious proposal to link oversight of California's electric grid with other western states faces a crucial test Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in a state Senate committee.

Lawmakers Debate Regional Electric Grid

Supporters say regionalizing the grid would make it easier and cheaper to deploy renewable energy across the western U.S.

A for sale sign hangs outside a recently built house Friday, May 4, 2018, near Roseville, Calif. Federal data released Friday shows California has surpassed the United Kingdom to become the world fifth largest economy, with real estate and financial services leading other economic sectors in driving the state's economic growth.

CA is Now the World's 5th Largest Economy

Its economy has now surpassed that of the UK.

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California Protesting Offshore Drilling

Commissions that oversee coastal areas have stated that they will block pipelines if the Trump administration expands offshore drilling.