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Political Briefs
Top stories
State’s ballot initiative process remade, and both parties agree — After more than a century in California’s political spotlight, the state’s initiative process will be getting a major revise next year. Even more surprising, both Democrats and Republicans in the famously partisan Legislature are happy to see it happen. San Francisco Chronicle article
Dan Walters: California’s ‘top-two’ primary has major impact — The top-two system is not a panacea for political dysfunction. But it’s dead wrong to say it isn’t working as truly intended. Walters column in Sacramento Bee
Californians to Watch in 2015: Kristin Olsen hopes to lead Republican resurgence in Assembly — For now, voters have given Olsen an enlarged and more diverse caucus. She will need to show that Republicans can respond by playing a meaningful role in a Capitol still dominated by Democrats. Sacramento Bee article
Gov. Brown
Governor pardons Modestan who drank stolen wine as teen — In pardoning a group of convicted felons last week, Gov. Jerry Brown went out of his way to explain how one of the burglars had taken “expensive wine out of a wine cellar and drank it.” It was an amusing detail offered to justify granting clemency for that crime. But Modesto’s Michael J. Moradian Jr. acknowledges that what he did back in 1986 was no laughing matter. Modesto Bee article
Immigration
Migrants can soon get driver’s licenses, but it’s been a long road — For decades, California has debated whether immigrants in the country illegally should be issued driver’s licenses. It began during the anti-illegal immigration movement of the mid-1990s and continued as Latinos have gained significant political clout in Sacramento. Beginning in January, many immigrants in the country illegally will finally be able to obtain licenses. Here’s how California got here. LA Times article
Other areas
Majority of nation now live in states allowing same-sex marriage – For the first time, a majority of Americans are living in a state that allows same-sex marriage. After a year of cascading court opinions tossing out many remaining restrictions, the dynamic in 2014 changed from how many states allow same-sex marriage to how many states don’t. San Francisco Chronicle article
Congress likely to make key decisions on commercial drones – The Obama administration is on the verge of proposing long-awaited rules for commercial drone operations in U.S. skies, but key decisions on how much access to grant drones probably will come from Congress next year. San Francisco Chronicle article
Obama warns GOP he plans to use veto pen in 2015 — Warning from President Barack Obama to congressional Republicans: I have a veto pen and, come January, I won’t be afraid to use it. AP article
News Briefs
Top Stories
Local businesses look for growth despite downturn in oil prices – Like a patient regaining strength after rehabilitation, 2014 may well be the year Kern County learns whether its economy can thrive without strong support from the oil industry. Bakersfield Californian article
Protest election on water rates gets a lively start — The Fresno City Clerk’s Office by the end of last week had received 11 votes protesting possible hikes to water rates. A deluge is coming, though. City officials said they’ve been told about 5,500 protest votes are at the Post Office, soon to be delivered to City Hall. This doesn’t mean higher rates are doomed. It does suggest Fresno is headed toward a nail-biter of an election. Fresno Bee article
Jobs and the Economy
California fuel prices going up as its greenhouse gas controls hit gasoline, diesel sales – After months of seeing gas prices sink ever lower, Californians will ring in 2015 by paying more at the pump as a result of the state’s landmark greenhouse-gas emissions law. But how much more we’ll pay, and whether it’s worth it, remains bitterly debated among oil companies, some state lawmakers and environmentalists. San Jose Mercury News article
Fresno Bee: Education, public safety are key to Fresno’s revitalization — The good news is, Fresno has a lot going for it. Employment is up. Fresno State President Joseph Castro is committed to making the university even more of a partner in helping transform the city for the better. And slowly but surely Fresno Unified is reducing the dropout rate and preparing more students to excel in college or the workplace. We can make the new general plan work, but only if everybody is paddling in the same direction. Fresno Bee editorial
Bowl games puts Livingston’s Foster Farms in national spotlight — A certain poultry producer based in Livingston will get national TV exposure Tuesday night via the Foster Farms Bowl. The Stanford-Maryland matchup on ESPN will help spread the word about a company that has mostly served Western markets over its history. Modesto Bee article
Top stories of 2014, No. 3: Goodbye to the Asparagus Festival — OK, so the “spear-it” cliche has worn thin. And the crowds didn’t materialize. But it’s still sad to think that the Stockton Asparagus Festival will cease to exist. Stockton Record article
Ambassador for downtown Sacramento prepares to retire — Mike Munson has mastered the art of human interaction. And for 25 years, downtown Sacramento has been his classroom. Sacramento Bee article
Agriculture/Water/Drought
State’s drought having pronounced effect on wildlife – Baby squirrels are just one of many animals fleeing their homes and risking their lives to search for food sources that have been diminished by drought. California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said drought has forced more bears and deer to venture onto mountain highways, where many are struck and killed by vehicles. LA Times article
Egg prices likely to rise amid laws mandating cage-free henhouses — If your eggs seem a little pricier, consider the recent changes on Frank Hilliker’s ranch. In the last six months, the third-generation egg farmer in central San Diego County has reduced his flock by half and embarked on a $1-million overhaul of his henhouses to make them more spacious. Customers are now paying about 50% more for a dozen eggs from Hilliker’s family business at around $3 a carton. LA Times article
New Year’s cold snap headed to Fresno but won’t affect Valley citrus growers — A cold snap is headed to Fresno and expected to bring freezing temperatures by Wednesday. Citrus growers say the short storm won’t affect their crops. In fact, the cold-but-not-too-cold weather is expected to firm up fruit and add vibrancy to its color. Fresno Bee article
Don Curlee: Quest for ag water has wacky outcome – The search for water to irrigate thirsty crops has led to one of the most twisted, unexpected and bizarre results imaginable, and wouldn’t you know, it involves the Delta. Curlee column in Visalia Times-Delta
LA City Council panel backs away from GMO ban it previously supported — Three days before Los Angeles lawmakers voted on a proposal to ban genetically modified crops, the world’s largest biotechnology trade group hired three top City Hall lobbyists to stop it. LA Times article
Criminal Justice/Prisons
CHP struggles to recruit minority officers – While the CHP is trying to make inroads, it remains far less diverse than the state it patrols. Nearly 7 in 10 officers are white, compared to 4 in 10 Californians. Sacramento Bee article
Education
Teacher retirement bailout may derail local school budgets – A state-mandated schedule for replenishing California’s cash-strapped teachers’ retirement fund means school districts will see their pension contributions triple by 2021 and remain high for decades, according to budget forecasts released this month by several local districts. U-T San Diego article
Catholic schools hope to enroll more Latinos – An ambitious nationwide movement aimed at narrowing the Latino achievement gap and reversing enrollment declines is gaining momentum in the Diocese of Stockton, one of the newest partners in the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education. Stockton Record article
What they said: Memorable quotes of 2014 — EdSource was there to cover these landmark developments – and the reactions to them from a range of education constituencies. We asked our staff to pick their Top 10 quotes from EdSource articles published in 2014. The following are their choices. EdSource article
Energy/Environment
10 years after Indian Ocean tsunami, California is better prepared — The day after Christmas marks the tenth anniversary of the deadliest tsunami on record. An underwater earthquake measuring 9.1 in magnitude formed waves up to 65 feet high that crashed into the Indian subcontinent. More than 230,000 lives were lost, with the greatest fatalities in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India. The tragedy was a worldwide wake-up call. It triggered a decade of improvements to tsunami warning and response technology. KQED report
Health/Human Services
Older people urged to get high-dose vaccines against flu this season — Older people, believed to be at greater risk for developing severe flu symptoms this season, should seek a high-dose vaccine instead of the standard dose even if they are frail and in long-term care, researchers say. Sacramento Bee article
Hospital workers volunteer to work on Christmas as a way to give back — Employees at Mercy Medical Center are not always guaranteed time off during the holidays. After all, a hospital must adhere to the mandated 2-to-1 patient-to-nurse ratio in a critical care unit at all times. While a number of staff members request Christmas Day off, a few will choose to work a shift on this day, allowing others to spend time with their loved ones. Merced Sun-Star article
Land Use/Housing
Merced County given more housing vouchers for veterans — An additional $80,000 in Department of Housing and Urban Development money will help Merced County provide an extra 15 housing vouchers for veterans, according to Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno. Merced Sun-Star article
Other Areas
Fresno Bee readers select top stories of 2014 — The horse from the Valley with the metallic name who proved his mettle. A visit by the president that focused attention on the state’s devastating drought. Arsonists who sparked fires that ripped through Fresno — and who may have returned for a second round. Fresno Bee article
Year in Review: New Tulare County sheriff, DA take reins — For the first time in 20 years, voters in Tulare County elected a new sheriff and a new district attorney. Visalia Times-Delta article
‘Fitz’s Stockton: One way to ‘rock’ metal thieves — Today: The stonecutter’s gift. As previously reported, exceptionally amoral metal thieves were working at loosening the bolts and stealing the large bronze plaque outside historic Temple Israel Cemetery. Mike Contreras to the rescue. Fitz’s Stockton in Stockton Record
Charity defies Roseville, feeds homeless — For the homeless feeding organization called What Would Jesus Do, it is an act of benevolent defiance. After a 31/2-month absence, the group is again serving breakfast pastries, hot chocolate and coffee, canned goods and additional staples to homeless and other disadvantaged people at Roseville’s Saugstad Park on Sunday mornings. Sacramento Bee article
Valley Editorial Roundup
Fresno Bee – The good news is, Fresno has a lot going for it. Employment is up. Fresno State President Joseph Castro is committed to making the university even more of a partner in helping transform the city for the better. And slowly but surely Fresno Unified is reducing the dropout rate and preparing more students to excel in college or the workplace. We can make the new general plan work, but only if everybody is paddling in the same direction.
Merced Sun-Star – We must find a way to increase voter turnout.
Sacramento Bee – Christmas Day hack is no fun and games.