Rains Soak Some, Profit Others : Commerce: The storm disrupts produce growers but helps a Dana Point roofer and Mission Viejo tire dealer--though they fight off fatigue.
The storm that continues to pummel the Southland is exacting a mounting economic toll across the region--from vegetable farmers to flower growers to delivery firms.
Although it will take time to fully assess the damage, it is already clear that shortages of some agricultural goods will lead to higher prices for consumers.
Already, in Ventura County, about 1,000 acres reserved for strawberries, flowers and sod for landscaping have been damaged. Another 1,000 acres of agricultural land are still submerged.
“In the short term, we will see price rises on these items,” said Earl McPhail, Ventura County agricultural commissioner.
McPhail said it is too soon to estimate the amount of damage to the acreage. Until the full extent of the losses is known, agriculture officials and produce brokers declined to predict how much the price on such items as nursery goods or strawberries will rise.
Growers in Los Angeles County also have taken a beating. The weather has delayed the harvesting of about 300 acres of radishes, parsley, mushrooms and herbs--making it likely that some of the crops will become soaked and spoil, said Leon Spaugy, Los Angeles County agricultural commissioner.
In Imperial County--a Southern California breadbasket--there was mounting concern about the weather. The county has not experienced prolonged heavy rain, but a storm threatens to prevent farmers from harvesting broccoli, carrots, lettuce and asparagus, said Dick Dillon, the county’s deputy agricultural commissioner.
The rains have also taken their toll on Southland service providers.
“The biggest problem is the surface streets and trying to reach our customers and trying to reach them in a timely manner,” said Janice Carpenter, airport operations manager for DHL Worldwide Express, a domestic and international package-delivery service. “Traffic is horrendous. We’re trying to put out additional manpower to reach our customers, which of course drives up our costs.”
Carpenter said the weather and construction at Los Angeles International Airport have wreaked havoc with DHL’s timetables, resulting in planes from San Diego and Santa Barbara sometimes being diverted to other airports.
But for some, there is a silver lining in the storm clouds: The rain has boosted the revenue of automobile towers, plumbers and roofing companies.
One Mission Viejo tire dealer, for instance, was braced for a rash of tire repairs.
“We had a little rush of business the first time (a big storm) came through,” said manager Dave Rabuse at the Phillips Tire Co. store. “As far as a surge of business for the second storm . . . we usually get a lot of damaged tires from debris forced up on the highways. We get a lot of emergency business.”
Business is booming at Van Nuys-based Keystone Towing, the official police towing contractor closest to the Sepulveda Basin, which was severely flooded Monday, ensnaring many cars in gooey muck.
“It’s been absolute insanity,” said Lisa Bradley, a Keystone dispatcher. “All of our trucks have been on-call on a constant basis.”
Roofing companies have been deluged with calls from homeowners, retailers, banks, apartment management companies and factories.
For Simone and John Smernoff, who run a roof-contracting business in Dana Point, the rains mark the start of 16-hour workdays.
“We’re swamped because of the rain,” said Simone Smernoff, who runs the office when her husband is out supervising the company’s eight-person crews. “He’s got more than he can handle. He wakes up at 5 a.m. and doesn’t go to bed until 9 p.m.”
Most of the calls are to patch new leaks or check old roof jobs to make sure they are still intact, she said.
“It brings a lot of anxiety,” she said. “He’s got the thing under control. He can handle it.”
Plumbing firms are also profiting. Chuck Romick, president of Roto-Rooter of Los Angeles, said business has tripled since the rain began Sunday.
“We love it!” Romick said. “We get to slop around in clean water for a change. It’s a nice feeling when you save someone from the aggravation of having their home flooded from a backed-up drain.”
ORANGE COUNTY DRENCHED
Torrential rain brings widespread flooding, rescues and death to Orange County. A1
BUSINESS PILES UP
Deluge brings a flood of business to a Buena Park sandbag company. D9
