TOP POLITICAL STORIES
Valley Politics:
These Central California counties have the most to lose in a China trade war
Sacramento Bee
If President Trump follows through on his trade threats against China, it will open a broad new front in his administration’s war with California, a new study underscores. An analysis by experts at the Brookings Institution, a non-partisan D.C. think tank, finds that California – and the West Coast, more broadly – have far and away the most jobs on the line in the tariff tit-for-tat between Washington and Beijing.
See also:
● White House Plans to Escalate Trade Pressure on China Wall Street Journal
● Lawmakers say Trump is exploring rejoining Pacific trade talks LA Times
● Trump says U.S. will only rejoin Pacific trade pact if terms are improved Reuters
● Trump open to rejoining talks on Pacific trade pact Fresno Bee
● Trump Asks Advisers to Study Rejoining Pacific Trade Pact Talks Wall Street Journal
● The US may have missed its chance to rejoin the TPP CNN
● Trump Wants Back Into the TPP. Not So Fast, Say Members. The New York Times
Valley reaction to new restrictions on welfare
ABC30
President Trump taking a big step toward welfare reform after signing an executive order on Tuesday aimed at creating stricter work requirements in return for government help. “I don’t think he should have done that. I’d probably just have bread and milk in my fridge. It helps a lot. It would affect me and other families that have children,” Fresno resident, Mashamanik Bolden said.
Attack ad targets NRA support for California Republican (Jeff Denham)
San Francisco Chronicle
Throughout his career in Congress, Rep. Jeff Denham of Turlock has regularly appeared on Democratic lists of Republicans who can be knocked off in the next election — but he’s always survived. He’s there again this year, largely because Hillary Clinton outpolled Donald Trump in his district in 2016 and Denham won his own race by just three points.
Los Angeles Times
California Republican Rep. Jeff Denham says he has the support needed to force a vote in the House on four immigration bills to protect so-called Dreamers, despite the objections of his own party’s leadership. But he’s not committing to using it yet.
Get ready to pay more at Yosemite. Trump administration raises fees at national parks
Sierra Star
Entrance fees are going up at national parks around the country, including some of the most beloved in California: Yosemite, Muir Woods, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Lassen Volcanic National Park and others. After months of study, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced the long-anticipated increases Thursday, saying the higher fees are needed to deal with an $11 billion backlog in repairs and upkeep.
Sally Moreno picks up key endorsement in race for Madera County District Attorney
ABC30
Madera County District Attorney candidate, Sally Moreno, announced on Wednesday that the County Sheriff, Jay Varney, decided to endorse her for the position. “They’re choosing the best person for Madera County, and I’m pleased and honored that they think I’m the person they believe is best,” Moreno said. Moreno is running against attorney Paul Hornick and current district attorney, David Linn.
See also:
● Sheriff Jay Varney gives nod to Sally Moreno Madera Tribune
Clovis council supports Keep California Safe initiative
Clovis Roundup
On April 2, the Clovis City Council’s light agenda included brief discussion on one serious topic.
Fresno Police taking an average of 100 guns off the streets each month
ABC30
Neighborhoods infamous for gang violence, filled with Fresno Police officers and gang units, spreading out in South Fresno. It’s a daily routine of looking for gang members, and guns, a big contributor to a drop in violent crimes. It’s all part of Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer’s dedication to bringing the number of shootings down in Fresno, currently at a 30% decrease from last year.
Tulare Co Sheriff Boudreaux calls on supervisors to fight California immigration law
Visalia Times-Delta
Tulare County may become the latest jurisdiction to join the legal opposition to Senate Bill 54, the California law that limits local law enforcement from alerting federal immigration officials when undocumented immigrants in jail are set to be released.
See also:
· Ripon Joins Feds In Opposing California Immigration Laws CBS Sacramento
· Westminster joins Orange County cities in taking a stand against California sanctuary law OCRegister
· Money for police cannot be pegged to cooperation with ICE, judge rules Los Angeles Times
● Justice Dept. Can’t Tie Police Funding to Help on Immigration, Judge Rules New York Times
ACLU calls for VUSD to address racism on campuses
Visalia Times-Delta
On Tuesday, ACLU Foundation of Northern California attorney Abre’ Conner filed a Public Records Act Request with the district, seeking “information about discipline policies and procedures; responses to discrimination and harassment; and the presence of law enforcement officers at all high schools and Alternative Education programs in Visalia Unified School District.” District administrators discussed the idea of the task force with ACLU members who gave the district ideas on how to form the group.
Calif Central Valley EDC Conducts Annual Mission to State Capitol
Representatives from EDC’s throughout the Valley met with more than 20 legislators and top government officials to bring the voice of Central Valley businesses to the Capital. “This annual effort helps to keep the needs of the Valley forefront in the minds of legislators from throughout the state. Needed infrastructure, regulatory reform and assisting all of California’s communities were primary topic of discussion.”
Gap secures $4.25M state tax credit for Fresno expansion
The Business Journal
The Gap, Inc. has been awarded a $4.25 million tax credit to support its expansion plans at its Fresno campus, where an e-commerce fulfillment center has been planned. A committee of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, or GO-Biz, today approved a total of $76 million in tax credits for 63 companies as part of the California Competes program to help businesses create new jobs in the Golden State.
Vote for Fulton Street (downtown Fresno)
The Fresno Bee
If Fresno had a “main street” — in the American, cultural center, main drag sense of the term — it would be the Fulton corridor, with its street parties, downtown parades and monthly cruise nights, which start Saturday. It’s fitting, then, to see Fulton Street on the list of nominees in theAmerica’s Main Streets contest, the winner of which will be announced June 4 and get recognition July 4 (obviously) at a “Main Streets Make Us Better” event and a $25,000 grand prize.
See also:
● Fulton Street up for $25K in America’s Main Streets contest The Business Journal
Kern Medical To Lose One Of Its Residency Programs
Valley Public Radio
The San Joaquin Valley will soon have fewer training opportunities for doctors; one of Kern Medical’s residency programs is losing its accreditation. Kern Medical CEO Russell Judd says he doesn’t yet know why the hospital’s residency program in surgery will need to shut down.
See also:
● Kern Medical Center vows to get student doctor program back after losing accreditation | bakersfield.com
Tulare Supervisors authorized closing out of Yokohl Ranch project
Visalia Times Delta
The Tulare County Board of Supervisors authorized closing down and cashing out after the failed Yokohl Ranch project fell through. Supervisors approved paying out $28,638.79 to Michael Baker International for planning review consultation and returning $16,570.16 to Yokohl Ranch Company, which fronted the project
‘It’s unacceptable’: Delano councilman says pursuing charges against ICE after fatal crash sends message bakersfield.com
When it comes to federal agents stepping up immigration enforcement throughout California, there’s little cities can do to fight back.
Detailed maps of new Kern County Supervisor’s boundaries now online bakersfield.com
Chances are, right now, most Kern County residents are a bit uncertain about who represents them on the Kern County Board of Supervisors.
New entertainment venue could come to downtown Bakersfield
The Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield could soon have more entertainment options in the downtown area. The City of Bakersfield has a 223,000-square-foot piece of land at California Avenue and P Street that it intends to sell to Discovery Management Group LLC, partly for the construction of a venue called Discovery Bakersfield that would include a bowling center, restaurants, a music venue and more.
Fitzgerald: Dreaded tunnels start looking real
Stockton Record
L.A.’s mammoth water district voted Tuesday to rescue the twin tunnels from oblivion. Which could mean condemning the San Joaquin Delta and our regional economy. So, are these damn tunnels going to get built? Realistically, what permitting and legal hurdles stand in the way? And what is the Metropolitan Water Board of Southern California thinking to pony up almost $11 billion for this dubious project?
State Politics:
California voters say education is a top priority as the governor’s race unfolds
Sacramento Bee
An overwhelming majority of Californians say K-12 education is important to them in the 2018 governor’s race, but only slightly more than half are paying close attention to news about the candidates. The head of the Public Policy Institute of California suggests the results of a new statewide education poll released late Wednesday mean candidates for the state’s most powerful post are struggling to connect with voters.
See also:
● Campaign underway in California to elect a ‘children’s governor’ EdSource
● Charter school backers spend millions to support Antonio Villaraigosa for California governor Sacramento Bee
● This $7 Million Donation Signals The California Governor’s Race Is Ready To Rumble Capital Public Radio News
In race for California governor, John Chiang is the anti-soundbite candidate
CALmatters
Gubernatorial candidate John Chiang is known as the wonk in the race. The Democratic state treasurer, former state controller and high school “mathlete” touts himself as the no-drama candidate—the guy who compensates for his lack of pizzazz by a willingness to dive into the details.
Gavin Newsom says he’d refuse Trump on sending National Guard to the border
CALmatters
A day after Gov. Jerry Brown agreed to the Trump administration’s request to beef up the National Guard in states along the Mexico border, fellow Democrat Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would not have made the same decision as governor. But Newsom, who is the front-runner in the race to replace Brown as governor, put a large asterisk on his disagreement with Brown.
See also:
● Trump thanks California governor for sending troops to border: ‘Good job’ The Hill
● Guard faces tricky dance in California border mission AP
California takes on Texas and Trump over billions of health care dollars
CALmatters
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra moved today to intervene in a Texas lawsuit aimed at undoing Obamacare. Becerra and 15 other attorneys general joined forces to file their motion to prevent “immediate and irreparable harm,” as Becerra put it, to California and other states.
California needs a Secretary of Youth. The next governor should appoint one.
Sacramento Bee
A human resources manager typically spends less than seven seconds reviewing a resume, making it particularly difficult to assess talented job applicants who may not have traditional resumes or a four-year degree. And in today’s job market, it has become increasingly common for employers to seek a college graduate to fill a job that does not require a degree, limiting opportunity for candidates who have to overcome misperceptions about work ethic and readiness.
Gavin Newsom, Kevin de Léon win backing of major California labor group
San Francisco Chronicle
The 2.1 million-member California Labor Federation endorsed Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom for governor and state Sen. Kevin de Léon for U.S. Senate on Thursday. The endorsement could be particularly helpful in providing grassroots campaign help for de Léon. According to the latest campaign finance reports, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has $9.8 million cash on hand going into the June 5 primary, compared with $359,261 for de Léon.
Pro-Kevin de León group launches ad castigating Dianne Feinstein
Los Angeles Times
A group that is supporting Kevin de León’s bid for the U.S. Senate launched a blistering ad against Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday, questioning her progressive principles and tying her to President Trump. The ad buy from A Progressive California is minuscule — $10,000 to air it in Los Angeles for one day on CNN and MSNBC during programming such as “The Rachel Maddow Show,” “Hardball with Chris Matthews” and “Anderson Cooper 360.”
See also:
● De León on Feinstein: She’s ‘lived in a mansion surrounded by walls all her life’ San Francisco Chronicle
● Super PAC goes on the air for Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s primary challenger Washington Post
This could complicate the push for economic justice in Sacramento after Stephon Clark
Sacramento Bee
If local elected officials only say generally how the money from a tax measure will be spent, it requires only a simple majority to pass. But if officials make promises that are too specific – if they try to be more transparent about where the money will go – it takes a two-thirds supermajority to pass. That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but it’s one of the arcane rules of California’s tax system. And it could complicate the rising calls for economic justice in Sacramento after the Stephon Clark killing.
See also:
● Stephon Clark Protest Moves Outside Sacramento Jail, After Two Arrested Capital Public Radio
Is California too big? Voters may get chance to split Golden State into three
The Mercury News
Should there be three Californias instead of just one? You may soon have a chance to decide. A Bay Area venture capitalist backing a ballot measure to divide California into three states said Thursday it has received more than enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot.
See also:
● Proposal To Break California Into 3 States Could Make November Ballot CBS Sacramento
Los Angeles Times
Last year’s bloody clashes on California college campuses have spawned a battle in the state Legislature over how far the law should go to protect unpopular speech and prevent violence between those with opposing political views.
Dispute over money emerges in campaign to repeal California’s gas tax increase
Los Angeles Times
A proposed initiative to repeal hikes to California’s gas tax has been caught in the middle of a dispute involving Republican rivals in the governor’s race. Assemblyman Travis Allen, a Republican candidate for governor, decided in January to drop plans for his own initiative and said he would urge supporters to sign a separate petition being supported by several Republican members of Congress. Then last week, the committee Allen formed to finance his ballot measure reported a $300,000 contribution from PISF Inc., a Novato, Calif., real estate firm.
See also:
● Meet the woman making sure your gas taxes are spent right The Mercury News
Facebook to stop spending against California privacy effort
San Francisco Chronicle
Facebook says it will stop spending money to fight a proposed California ballot initiative aimed at giving consumers more control over their data. The measure, known as the “California Consumer Privacy Act,” would require companies to disclose upon request what types of personal information they collect about someone and whether they’ve sold it. It also would allow customers to opt out of having their data sold.
See also:
● Facebook Will Stop Opposing A User Privacy Initiative in California NPR
● Many believe Facebook is having a negative impact on society around the world Recode
● 2 Days, 10 Hours, 600 Questions: What Happened When Mark Zuckerberg Went to Washington The New York Times
● Regulation Would Increase Facebook Profits National Review
California must preserve net neutrality FCC repealed
San Francisco Chronicle
The Internet is no longer a luxury. It is an essential tool for participating in modern daily life, communication, education, employment and interacting with government. As such, it should be accessible and affordable for all of our residents and businesses.
Job Killer Update: CalChamber Identifies Three More Bills
California Chamber of Commerce
The California Chamber of Commerce today added three more bills to its job killer list, bringing the total number of job killers to 24. Here are the new additions to the list.
Federal Politics:
Trump orders Postal Service review after attacking Amazon
CNN Money
President Trump stepped up his long-running battle with Amazon, ordering a federal task force to investigate the Postal Service’s finances. The executive order issued late Thursday night does not mention Amazon by name, but Amazon is the subtext. Trump has frequently complained that Amazon takes advantage of the post office.
See also:
● Trump orders review of Postal Service’s business model Washington Post
● President Orders Review of Postal Service’s Finances WSJ
Health Workers’ New Advocate Sees Objection to Abortion as a Civil Right
Wall Street Journal
The Trump administration is pursuing a significant shift toward a more conservative health-care agenda, expanding the use of civil-rights laws to defend health-industry workers who object to medical procedures on religious grounds.
She has her eye on 2020 and Trump. But first this California senator is lending a hand in 2018.
Sacramento Bee
She’s been in the Senate for just over a year, but California Democrat Kamala Harris has been quickly making friends. Through the first quarter of 2018, which ended March 31, Harris has helped raise campaign cash for all 26 of the Senate Democrats up for reelection in November. She’s also raised money for two Democrats gunning to unseat Republican senators in Arizona and Nevada.
Californian and White House veteran offers clarity on Washington’s chaos
San Francisco Chronicle
Even for unusually chaotic times, there’s been an unusual amount of chaos lately. President Trump is threatening to attack Syria, and all but daring Russia to do something about it. He’s musing about firing Robert Mueller. The FBI just raided Trump’s lawyer’s office, looking into hush money paid to a pornographic movie actress. Trump’s nominee to lead the CIA was involved in its history of torture. And that’s only the chaos from the past week.
A House (and a Party) Upended as Paul Ryan Calmly Takes His Leave
New York Times
House speakers historically exit amid political intrigue, mounting scandal or humiliating rejection by the voters. By contrast, Paul D. Ryan’s disclosure on Wednesday that he would step aside at the end of the year was quite calm and businesslike even as he gave that most Washington of reasons — more time with the family.
Other:
Why We Need to Update the Second Amendment
National Review
The ‘militia’ clause confuses modern Americans. Let’s clarify it to secure the individual right to keep and bear arms. Is the reference to the militia simply an interesting preamble, as some gun-rights advocates argue, or does it limit and define the rest of the provision, as Justice Stevens and other gun-control proponents maintain?
Billionaire vs. Billionaire: A Tug of War Between 2 Rogue Donors
New York Times
Two rogue billionaires — one on the left, one on the right — have emerged as the biggest political spenders of the 2018 elections, defying their own parties and pouring millions of dollars into confrontational campaign tactics. Tom Steyer, a former hedge fund investor based in California, is the biggest individual donor on the Democratic side. His Republican counterpart is Richard Uihlein, an elusive packaging supplies magnate from Illinois.
What ice cream flavors can teach us about the changing California Dream
CALmatters
For families with generations in California, the dream evolves. For those who are new — like Asian and Latino immigrants who have been arriving in greater numbers since the 1970s — the dream also is evolutionary. What, if anything, does it mean for the California dream when the population changes? Despite generational and cultural differences most people seek a version of the same dream, said Bill Deverell, University of Southern California historian.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, April 15, at 10 a.m. on ABC 30 – Maddy Report: “The Road Ahead for Zero-Emission Vehicles in CA” – Guest: F. Noel Perry, Founder of Next 10. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, April 15, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Climate Change and Electric Vehicles: Public Action and Private Markets?” – Guests: F. Noel Perry, Founder of Next 10 & State Senator Fran Pavley. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, April 15, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “California’s Top Ten” – Guests: Alexei Koseff, Sacramento Bee reporter. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
Support the Maddy Daily HERE.
Thank you!
Topics in More Detail…
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Farm Bill Ties Food Stamps to Work, Adjusts Farm Aid
Roll Call
The House Agriculture Committee released its 2018 farm bill Thursday with proposals to reshape the nation’s largest domestic food aid program, consolidate conservation efforts and tweak farm aid. The bill arrives amid controversy over its focus on shifting funding within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, into work and training programs.
Should California Winemakers Be Worried About China’s Tariffs?
NPR
California’s vintners and grape growers are among the latest potential victims in the escalating trade spat between the U.S. and China. Responding to U.S. plans to impose import duties on goods from China, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce reciprocated by introducing new tariffs on 128 U.S. products, including an additional 15 percent import tariff on wine.
Feed the hungry and fight climate change by not tossing edible food
San Francisco Chronicle
Some 4.9 million Californians face food insecurity — our neighbors, a fellow PTA parent, the children running down your street. Yet, as Californians worry about where they will get their next meal, bags full of groceries end up in dumpsters. As our state’s population rises and the food waste problem is expected to grow, we can’t let these precious resources continue to go to the landfills.
Cannabis rules in California: How does your city make money on weed?
OCRegister
Some California cities and counties have raked in tens of thousands to millions of dollars in cannabis-related tax revenue since recreational sales became legal on Jan. 1. Yet more than half of the jurisdictions that so far have welcomed the cannabis industry aren’t yet making those businesses pay a local marijuana tax.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Fresno Police taking an average of 100 guns off the streets each month
ABC30
Neighborhoods infamous for gang violence, filled with Fresno Police officers and gang units, spreading out in South Fresno. It’s a daily routine of looking for gang members, and guns, a big contributor to a drop in violent crimes. It’s all part of Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer’s dedication to bringing the number of shootings down in Fresno, currently at a 30% decrease from last year.
Auto thefts in California run counter to national trend
The Mercury News
Bucking a national trend, vehicle thefts dropped in California last year to their lowest level since 2014. The California Highway Patrol reported a 6.2 percent decline in thefts of cars, SUVs and trucks, compared to a 4 percent increase across the country. California still has the most vehicles stolen — thanks to its large population and warm weather. It’s easier swiping a car here year around compared to Iowa in freezing winter. But there are other reasons, said CHP officer Art Montiel.
Los Angeles Times
While California has established itself as a leader in the nation when it comes to protecting our most vulnerable residents, there is one particularly vulnerable population whose rights and safety have been largely ignored. It is in all of our best interest to ensure that every victim or witness feels safe and comfortable enough to report a crime. Unfortunately, there is an entire population within our state that experiences violent crime on a daily basis, but are too afraid to report these crimes because of who they are — sex workers.
State senator seeks to crack down on wage theft in port trucking industry
Los Angeles Times
A California state senator is proposing a bill aimed at holding major retailers accountable for using port truck companies that have a history of engaging in wage theft of drivers who are misclassified as independent contractors. Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), who represents the Port of Long Beach, put forth the bill this week.
Fire:
What does the 2018 fire season look like?
ABC30
Firefighters say they’ve already seen an increase in grass fires and are getting ready to take on what could be another busy year. “I think it’s going to be a long, hot, busy fire season,” says Fresno Fire Department Public Information Officer Hector Vasquez. A 25% increase in total fire calls and a 33% boost in the number of vegetation fires for the Fresno Fire Department so far this year.
If PG&E started the wine country fires, they should pay. Don’t blame climate change.
Sacramento Bee
My wife and I almost died in last year’s wine country fire. Like our neighbors, we lost nearly everything we owned in the blaze. More than 6,000 homes were destroyed, 44 people died and more than 200,000 acres were scorched, causing billions of dollars in damage. Now all of us who suffered are about to get burned again if PG&E gets its way at the Capitol.
ECONOMY / JOBS
For stories on “trade war” see: Top Stories – Local, above
Economy:
Change in law allows pooling of tips in California, aiding cooks, dishwashers
San Francisco Chronicle
A new law may save tipping as we know it, thanks to a rider slipped into the 2018 federal budget that changes how restaurants in California can pool servers’ tips. The seemingly wonky change may have major ramifications for how cooks and waiters are paid — and how diners settle up their bills.
In Most States, the Middle Class Is Now Growing — But Slowly.
The Pew Charitable Trusts
After losing ground in 49 states — all but Wyoming — between 2000 and 2013, the U.S. middle class is slowly clawing its way back. In 38 states, a larger share of households were “middle class” — defined as earning between two-thirds and twice the state’s size-adjusted median household income — in 2016 than in 2013, according to a new Stateline analysis.
European Buyers Go Shopping for U.S. Companies
Wall Street Journal
European executives are targeting U.S. companies as a brighter economic landscape at home and abroad boosts buyer confidence. Lower taxes and favorable foreign exchange rates are increasingly enticing for France’s JCDecaux SA, which has looked at U.S. rivals as potential acquisition targets for more than a decade. “The change in the U.S. tax rate will make it more attractive for us to pursue such a deal,” said finance chief David Bourg.
Jobs:
Calif Central Valley EDC Conducts Annual Mission to State Capitol
Representatives from EDC’s throughout the Valley met with more than 20 legislators and top government officials to bring the voice of Central Valley businesses to the Capital. “This annual effort helps to keep the needs of the Valley forefront in the minds of legislators from throughout the state. Needed infrastructure, regulatory reform and assisting all of California’s communities were primary topic of discussion.”
California needs a Secretary of Youth. The next governor should appoint one.
Sacramento Bee
A human resources manager typically spends less than seven seconds reviewing a resume, making it particularly difficult to assess talented job applicants who may not have traditional resumes or a four-year degree. And in today’s job market, it has become increasingly common for employers to seek a college graduate to fill a job that does not require a degree, limiting opportunity for candidates who have to overcome misperceptions about work ethic and readiness.
Tesla Workers Claim Racial Bias and Abuse at Electric Car Factory
Bloomberg
On a fall evening in 2015, Owen Diaz went to drop off food for his 20-year-old son Demetric, whom he’d helped find a job at the same Tesla Inc. factory where Owen operated elevators. As he turned the corner, the two African-American men allege in a lawsuit, Owen saw Demetric’s supervisor condemning his black subordinates with curses and slurs: “All you f-cking n-ggers,” they heard him say. “I can’t stand you motherf-ckers.”
U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Hold Below 300,000 for Longest Streak on Record
Wall Street Journal
The number of Americans claiming new unemployment benefits has never been so low for so long. Initial jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs across the U.S., decreased by 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 233,000 in the week ended April 7, the Labor Department said Thursday. This means claims have now held below 300,000 for 162 consecutive weeks, cementing the longest streak for weekly records dating back to 1967.
EDUCATION
K-12:
ACLU calls for VUSD to address racism on campuses
Visalia Times-Delta
On Tuesday, ACLU Foundation of Northern California attorney Abre’ Conner filed a Public Records Act Request with the district, seeking “information about discipline policies and procedures; responses to discrimination and harassment; and the presence of law enforcement officers at all high schools and Alternative Education programs in Visalia Unified School District.” District administrators discussed the idea of the task force with ACLU members who gave the district ideas on how to form the group.
Tired of paying for your 4-year-old’s preschool? California looking at expanded public kindergarten
Sacramento Bee
A proposal to expand transitional kindergarten to all four-year-old children in California cleared its first hurdle this week, but opposition and a major funding problem could doom its chances in the state Legislature. “I strongly believe that universal early childhood education is an investment in our future that will pay dividends in years to come,” said Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, to a Senate Education Committee that passed the bill Wednesday.
California education officials finally agree on a plan to meet key federal requirements
Los Angeles Times
Two years, a presidential election and many meetings after the California State Board of Education first started talking about how to satisfy a major federal education law, members finally agreed Thursday to submit a final plan. They voted in a special meeting, a month after they opted to delay. The plan, which came together after months of back-and-forth with Betsy DeVos’ U.S. Department of Education, is designed to satisfy the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Higher Ed:
Kern Medical Center vows to get student doctor program back after losing accreditation
The Bakersfield Californian
Kern Medical Center is vowing to bring its surgery residency program back online as fast as possible after the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education informed the hospital it was stripping away the program’s certification. Russell Judd, KMC’s CEO, said Thursday that the ACGME informed the hospital by email that a February audit of the program resulted in termination of its accreditation.
YCCD spent $800,000 without public bidding; the fallout continues
Modesto Bee
Darin Gharat, chairman of the Yosemite Community College District board, said the district’s new legal firm will send an order demanding that a New Jersey software firm remove a former chancellor’s endorsement from its marketing website. At Wednesday’s YCCD board meeting, Gharat said Joan Smith’s endorsement violated a district policy. The cease-and-desist order will be sent to the Robert Ferrilli Company, whose contracts with YCCD have come under scrutiny in recent weeks.
UC will guarantee admission to qualified California community college students
Sacramento Bee
Eligible community college students hoping to attend the University of California will have a guaranteed spot at one of its campuses beginning in fall 2019. UC and the California community college system on Wednesday announced an agreement to ease the often complicated process of transferring to a four-year school. It builds on a 2015 program that created “transfer pathways,” clarifying what classes community college students should take to qualify for 21 of the most popular majors at UC.
See also:
● Best Value Colleges 2018: 300 Schools Worth The Investment Forbes
● A huge UC Davis tech campus is coming to this neighborhood in Sacramento Sacramento Bee
Faculty union says they don’t want a new online community college
89.3 KPCC
Community college faculty are raising their voices in opposition to the creation of a new online community college. That opposition has extended from the state’s biggest labor unions to the local campuses. “We created a petition,” said Glendale Community College faculty union president Roger Bowerman. “The petition basically states that the faculty at Glendale are opposed to the creation of a fully online community college as it’s currently envisioned.”
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Trump targets smog standards, ordering EPA to make it easier for companies to comply
Los Angeles Times
President Trump took aim at federal air quality standards Thursday, directing the Environmental Protection Agency to relax restrictions on state governments and businesses that have been key to cutting smog.
A ban on diesel cars isn’t the best path to cleaner air
Sacramento Bee
A recent decision in Germany’s top administrative court to uphold cities’ right to ban diesel passenger cars is a knee-jerk reaction to the emissions scandal that has plagued Volkswagen. Some may call it a courageous attempt to save our planet, but this ruling is a hyper-politicized decision that will not accelerate progress toward an emissions-free transportation system. Here in California, some legislators want to ban the commercial sale of vehicles that run on combustion engines by 2040.
Energy:
Jerry Brown under pressure to halt oil and gas drilling
The Sacramento Bee
Critics of Gov. Jerry Brown are pressuring him to take a stronger stance on an issue that has come to define his legacy – climate change and the environment. Consumer and health care groups launched a campaign Wednesday, “Brown’s Last Chance,” calling on him to freeze all new oil and gas drilling in California and phase out current production.
See also:
● If Gov. Brown is so green, why does he back oil drilling? Sacramento Bee
Gas prices at highest level since 2015 amid fears of another oil shock
LA Times
Southern California drivers are paying the highest pump prices for gasoline in 2½ years amid fears that prices could jump even further if the United States takes military action against Syria. The upswing in prices reflects not only rising crude-oil prices but also a higher state gasoline tax, continued strong demand for fuel and seasonal adjustments at California refineries that typically lift pump prices in the spring.
What Happened to the Oil Glut?
Wall Street Journal
A glut of stored oil that helped keep prices low for years is almost gone, thanks to production cuts by OPTrump Asks Advisers to Study Rejoining Pacific Trade Pact TalksEC and Russia, a humming global economy and a series of small but meaningful supply disruptions. Excess inventories of stored oil by the world’s industrialized economies are now at their lowest level in more than three years, based on a five-year running average.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
New Valley facility for people with mental health issues under construction
ABC30
In Southeast Fresno, construction is underway on a treatment facility designed to help the growing problem of mental illness in our community. The involuntary referral center will help fill a huge void in the community for the hundreds of Fresno County residents who might otherwise be forced out of the area, to Los Angeles or the Bay Area, for psychiatric health assessment and treatment.
Kern Medical To Lose One Of Its Residency Programs
Valley Public Radio
The San Joaquin Valley will soon have fewer training opportunities for doctors; one of Kern Medical’s residency programs is losing its accreditation. Kern Medical CEO Russell Judd says he doesn’t yet know why the hospital’s residency program in surgery will need to shut down.
See also:
● Kern Medical Center vows to get student doctor program back after losing accreditation The Bakersfield Californian
Let the market, not contracts, set price for health care
San Francisco Chronicle
The state’s antitrust lawsuit against Sutter Health is a welcome move to stop Sutter from inflating health care costs across the Northern California market. The lawsuit alleges that Sutter has illegally used its market power to compel commercial health plans to contract with all or none of its hospitals, extract exorbitant prices and prohibit use of financial incentives to encourage use of lower-cost providers.
Health Workers’ New Advocate Sees Objection to Abortion as a Civil Right
Wall Street Journal
The Trump administration is pursuing a significant shift toward a more conservative health-care agenda, expanding the use of civil-rights laws to defend health-industry workers who object to medical procedures on religious grounds.
IMMIGRATION
For stories on “Sanctuary State” and immigration laws See: “Top Stories – Local Politics,” above
H-1B application numbers fall for second year in a row
San Jose Mercury
The number of H-1B applications for the next fiscal year dipped for the second year in a row — a trend experts say could be influenced by the current administration’s “America First” rhetoric and a rise in scrutiny of companies’ petitions.
Guard faces tricky dance in California border mission
AP
California Gov. Jerry Brown is crystal clear that his National Guard will help President Trump go after drugs and thugs on the Mexican border, but not immigrants. Drawing that line may be hazy. The Democratic governor, who cast his decision as a welcome infusion of federal support to fight transnational criminal gangs and drug and firearms smugglers, broke from his Republican counterparts from the three other states by insisting that his troops will have nothing to do with immigration enforcement.
Los Angeles Times
California Republican Rep. Jeff Denham says he has the support needed to force a vote in the House on four immigration bills to protect so-called Dreamers, despite the objections of his own party’s leadership. But he’s not committing to using it yet.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Supervisors authorized closing out of Yokohl Ranch project
Visalia Times Delta
The Tulare County Board of Supervisors authorized closing down and cashing out after the failed Yokohl Ranch project fell through. Supervisors approved paying out $28,638.79 to Michael Baker International for planning review consultation and returning $16,570.16 to Yokohl Ranch Company, which fronted the project.
Development can’t happen in California? Truckee’s cool downtown shows how it’s done
Sacramento Bee
One of California’s hottest development projects can be found in one of its coldest towns. In an era of neighbor-bites-neighbor fights against big developments, perhaps it’s fitting that an antidote should emerge from the Donner Pass. Tiny Truckee – a snowy municipality of 16,300 – is doubling the size of its downtown. The Railyard Project – it’s a converted railyard – shows that communities can overcome NIMBYism, environmental litigation, and other California obstacles in pursuit of transformational development
Housing:
A change to California’s housing supply law could spur a big expansion in home building
Los Angeles Times
A Bay Area lawmaker’s housing proposal could expand the size and scope of home building efforts in California at an unprecedented scale. The legislation, Senate Bill 828, from state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), would require cities and counties to rezone land in their communities to permit many more homes than are currently in their plans.
A California Housing Fight, Waged With Pen and Walking Shoes
The New York Times
How do you get a landlord to endorse a proposal to limit rent increases? Yong Her, a 39-year-old bookkeeper, was one of 40 or so organizers who considered the question on a recent afternoon. The group had gathered in a conference room here to discuss strategies for getting people of various backgrounds, incomes and occupations to sign a petition to put a rent-control measure before Sacramento’s voters.
PUBLIC FINANCES
A mysterious gas surcharge is costing Californians billions every year. Where is that money going?
89.3 KPCC
The average price of regular gas in the Golden State is now $3.52 per gallon— the highest it’s been since 2015. And while Californians are used to paying more for gas than the rest of the country, something didn’t quite add up for UC Berkeley professor Severin Borenstein. That’s because around three years ago prices spiked. And they never fell back down like they should have. Borenstein calls it “California’s mystery gasoline surcharge,” and he’s on a mission to figure out where it’s coming from.
Dollars and Democracy: A Guide to the County Budget Process
California Budget & Policy Center
The county budget process in California plays a critical role in directing dollars to support public services and systems. Although county budgets are shaped to a certain degree by budget and policy choices made at the federal and state levels, they also reflect the priorities of local residents and policymakers.
County Budgets: Where Does the Money Come From? How Is It Spent?
California Budget & Policy Center
Each year, counties develop their budgets for the upcoming fiscal year through a months-long process that reflects both unique local practices and the requirements of state law. (The fiscal year runs from July 1 to the following June 30.) A key task in crafting the annual spending plan is estimating how much revenue the county will receive, since this number helps to determine whether the county can expand and/or improve service levels, as opposed to maintaining or (during economic downturns) reducing services.
Nearly 1 million signatures filed for initiative to strike Prop. 13’s ‘moving penalty’
Orange County Register
If approved, the Prop. 13 “portability” measure would allow homeowners who are 55 or older to take their low property tax base with them after selling their home and buying a new home anywhere in the state. There would be no limit on how many times they can use the provision and no limit on home prices (although buying a more expensive home would result in a slightly higher “blended” tax assessment).
Mounting Headlines are Fuel for Pension Reform Movement
Fox & Hounds
The public pension reform initiative campaign –if and when it comes, and it will– is being fashioned by the media. All proponents of a reform plan would have to do is make endless lists of the enormous payouts and mismanagements of the pension systems that seem to be reported daily. Put the lists on mailers, on billboards, in commercials… then ask the question—what does your pension look like?
Cloud, Not Tax Cuts, Drives IT Spending: Survey
Wall Street Journal
Corporate information-technology budgets are expected to inch up over last year, as large firms continue to shift more workloads to the cloud, according to Morgan Stanley. Despite recent federal tax cuts aimed at boosting corporate spending, most chief information officers say their IT spending plans haven’t changed, the bank said in a report Wednesday.
The fiscal picture is worse than it looks—and it looks bad
Brookings
On the surface, CBO’s new projections of the federal debt and deficits over the next 10 years paint a troubling picture. But, dig deeper and the story gets … more dire. The Federal government is not only running enormous deficits, but we are doing so at a time of full-employment. When the inevitable recession comes, we will be in deep trouble.
CBO Sees $804 Billion 2018 Deficit, $1 Trillion Gap By 2020
Roll Call
The deficit is estimated to climb to $804 billion this year and $981 billion in fiscal 2019, hitting $1 trillion in 2020 and topping $1.5 trillion in 2028, the Congressional Budget Office said in a report Monday.
Top 20% of Americans Will Pay 87% of Income Tax
Wall Street Journal
One of the least discussed parts of America’s income tax is how progressive it is, and the tax overhaul didn’t change that fact. In 2018, top earners will pay a higher share of income taxes. The individual income tax matters–a lot–because it is the largest single source of U.S. revenue. And its share has risen in recent years. For 2018, it could rise 50% of total federal revenue, up from about 48% last year.
TRANSPORTATION
A ban on diesel cars isn’t the best path to cleaner air
Sacramento Bee
A recent decision in Germany’s top administrative court to uphold cities’ right to ban diesel passenger cars is a knee-jerk reaction to the emissions scandal that has plagued Volkswagen. Some may call it a courageous attempt to save our planet, but this ruling is a hyper-politicized decision that will not accelerate progress toward an emissions-free transportation system. Here in California, some legislators want to ban the commercial sale of vehicles that run on combustion engines by 2040.
See also:
● Bay Area Set To Become First US Region To Use Renewable Diesel Ferries SFGate
NTSB and Tesla executives clash over investigation into deadly California crash
Washington Post
Tesla is no longer a party to the federal investigation into a deadly crash involving one of its vehicles in California last month, the government and company said Thursday. But the two sides offer different explanations for the split, and the dispute between the National Transportation Safety Board and the electric carmaker could have broad implications for safety investigations and the development of partially and fully automated vehicles.
WATER
California sees strong winds, spring snowfall
Fresno Bee
A blustery weather system swept parts of California with strong northwest winds and brought more spring snowfall Thursday, making travel hazardous in the mountains and deserts. An 84 mph (135 kph) wind was recorded in mountains above the high desert northeast of Los Angeles, among many powerful gusts throughout Southern California, north through Kern County and along the Eastern Sierra, the National Weather Service said.
See also:
● Weak storm barely dampens Sacramento but brings snow to Sierra Sacramento Bee
● Westlands Growers Hope Late Season Storms Boost Water Allocations Valley Public Radio
Hearings still stand in way of Delta tunnels
Fresno Bee
Lawsuits are another barrier. At least 58 tunnels opponents, including Sacramento-area governments, fishing groups and a Native American tribe, are suing under California’s environmental protection law. Many of those same opponents filed lawsuits challenging the plan’s financial arrangements. And in late February, many of these groups filed a fresh lawsuit saying the water board broke state law by secretly meeting with state and federal officials about the project
“Xtra”
Maria Shriver, former California first lady, to speak at Fresno women’s conference
Fresno Bee
Journalist and activist Maria Shriver, who was once first lady of California, will be the keynote speaker at the 31st annual Central California Women’s Conference on Sept. 25 in Fresno. Shriver is one of the world’s leading advocates for women and Alzheimer’s support and research.
It’s a girl! Fresno Chaffee Zoo welcomes new giraffe, Betty Lou
Fresno Bee
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo announced it has added a new giraffe named Betty Lou. The 10-year-old Betty Lou comes from the Santa Barbara Zoo and is the first Masai giraffe to reside in Fresno since 1994.
Valley Cultural Coalition
Great things are happening in the valley. Here’s a list of VCC member offerings to keep you busy and entertained!
Downtown Fresno restaurants: Japanese, Mexican, sushi, trucks
The Fresno Bee
Downtown Fresno doesn’t have a reputation as hotbed of dinner-time dining. We set out to create a guide to the handful of restaurants that are open in the evening. What we found surprised us. Would you believe there are 24 restaurants downtown open for dinner?
Take me home! Dogs available for adoption
3951 Fruitvale Ave., 868-7100, Facebook.com/
New entertainment venue could come to downtown Bakersfield
The Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield could soon have more entertainment options in the downtown area. The City of Bakersfield has a 223,000-square-foot piece of land at California Avenue and P Street that it intends to sell to Discovery Management Group LLC, partly for the construction of a venue called Discovery Bakersfield that would include a bowling center, restaurants, a music venue and more.
Dolores Huerta Day? Legislature to consider it
A new bill in the California Assembly would designate April 10 as Dolores Huerta Day.
EDITORIALS
Shriver to speak at women’s conference
Fresno Bee
Journalist and activist Maria Shriver, who was once first lady of California, will be the keynote speaker at the 31st annual Central California Women’s Conference on Sept. 25 in Fresno. Shriver is one of the world’s leading advocates for women and Alzheimer’s support and research.
Protecting Kern’s water high priority
The Bakersfield Californian
The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board is right to make protecting Kern County’s groundwater from contamination spreading from oilfield waste disposal ponds in McKittrick a high priority. The board is ordering Valley Water Management Co. to install monitoring wells to determine the content and migration of millions of gallons of oilfield wastewater dumped daily into the company’s ponds.
We should have passed Proposition 53, and killed the twin tunnels
Modesto Bee
Dino Cortopassi saw this coming in 2016, but too few voters believed him. The businessman, farmer and founder of Modesto’s Stanislaus Food Products, knew that Gov. Jerry Brown and the Metropolitan Water District would eventually try again to re-route the Sacramento River south to Southern California. Their first attempt, during Brown’s first stint as governor in 1982, ended when voters profoundly rejected the Peripheral Canal (voting 9-to-1 against it in some districts).
Stop the madness! Californians deserve Delta tunnel vote
The Mercury News
It’s time to stop the madness. California voters should demand the right to have a say on the future of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the lynchpin of the state’s water system. Los Angeles’ water district opposes the proposed $16 billion Delta twin-tunnels project. So does San Diego’s. Central Valley farmers don’t think it pencils out. Many leading candidates in the race for governor are against it. And nearly all of Northern California’s water agencies are opposed because it threatens the Delta’s fragile ecosystem and risks ratepayers holding the bag for cost overruns.
Brown says ‘yes’ to Trump’s lame-brained National Guard border deployment. Here’s why he’s right
Los Angeles Times
President Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexican border is as lame-brained as his insistence on building an $18-billion wall between the two countries. It’s pure theater aimed at his xenophobic supporters, a follow-up to his histrionic tweetings about the much-hyped caravan of migrants that was heading north to the border.
Facebook says it’s open to some privacy regulation. Here’s where to start
Los Angeles Times
The clearest lesson from Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg’s 10 hours of testimony on Capitol Hill this week is that members of Congress don’t have much of a grasp on what the privacy problems are online, let alone how to fix them. The recent revelations about Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, however, should make at least one thing abundantly clear to lawmakers: Consumers need more control over how their personal information is used and shared online.
It’s time to derail California’s bullet train
OCRegister
California’s high-speed rail project has been a disaster from the beginning, and it’s only getting worse. When voters were asked to approveProposition 1A in 2008, they were told the cost to develop and construct the bullet train would be about $45 billion. Two years ago, the public was told it would cost $64 billion. According to the latest business plan released by bullet train authorities, the public should now expect $77.3 billion, but with a possibility of the cost rising to as much as $98.1 billion.
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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
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