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TOP POLITICAL STORIES​​​​​​​  Local/Regional Politics:  Nunes creates his own partisan news site to get around the mainstream media Fresno Bee House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, has created his own partisan news site online to bypass the mainstream media. Politico, an online news organization in the nation’s capital that covers politics, published an article Sunday about The California Republican Facebook page.  McCarthy as White House chief of staff? He may have the chops The Bakersfield Californian Help wanted: Telegenic partisan warrior capable of massaging the outsized ego of a former reality television star turned chief executive who says whatever he wants to say and doesn’t much care what anyone thinks.  Attorney General Becerra To Discuss Immigration Policy With Local Growers Valley Public Radio California Attorney General Xavier Becerra met with local officials from across the San Joaquin Valley in Fresno today. After addressing DACA and criminal justice reform, Becerra said that over the weekend he plans to meet with employers, like growers, to discuss what to expect from federal immigration authorities now that California is officially a sanctuary state.  World Ag Expo kicks off three-day runBakersfield Californian Tuesday, Tulare becomes the mecca of all things agriculture as the World Ag Expo 2018 opens for its annual three-day run. The event focuses on cutting-edge agriculture technology and equipment, with more than 1,500 exhibitors and a whopping 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space.  Ag leader critical, air officials cautious, about UC study on valley air pollution Bakersfield Californian Roger Isom was not in a mood to be polite. When the president and CEO of the Fresno-based Western Agricultural Processors Association read about a UC Davis study published last week that attributed a huge chunk of the air pollution in the San Joaquin Valley to emissions from fertilized farm fields, Isom was, at best, perplexed, and at worst, fighting mad. ACE train to begin offering Saturday service  Stockton Record The Altamont Corridor Express, relied upon regularly by commuters for its Monday-Friday service, has announced the receipt of grant funding that will allow its ACE trains to add Saturday service from Stockton to San Jose. A start date has not yet been determined. ACE’s plan is to run two trains from Stockton to San Jose every Saturday morning, with two return trips each Saturday evening. Separating hype from reality with high speed rail KCRW Yesterday Elon Musk’s company SpaceX launched its new Falcon Heavy from Cape Canaveral, the most powerful rocket on Earth. The dramatic take-off sent MSNBC’s Brian Williams into paroxysms of excitement. In his show 11th Hour he exclaimed, “Elon Musk showed the world how it’s done,” and then he went into a diatribe about America’s failed transit infrastructure. New team tasked with keeping Merced clean ABC30 Along with targeting rundown homes, the city is also working on cleaning up trash, and citing the people who illegally dump on city property. The view is unsightly, tires and trash in alleyways and along the street. Merced city officials say they’re tired of seeing it and have now created a task force to clean up the mess. As Madera falls deeper into debt, city employees’ salaries come into question KMPH People in Madera now want answers when it comes to city employees’ salaries. Especially since the city is estimated to be about $1.8 million in debt Construction projects start on empty lots across Fresno The Fresno Bee Dirt is moving, concrete is pouring, and buildings are going up on some long-vacant lots across Fresno. Soon, you’ll see gas stations, restaurants, apartment complexes, and a funeral home pop up. “Economic activity is robust and it’s across the entire city, all being driven by market forces,” said Mayor Lee Brand.  The fall of Faraday Future’s key backer threatens a California town’s (Hanford) dream Los Angeles Times The black SUV that pulled up to an abandoned tire factory in Hanford, Calif., three years ago was supposed to transport the farm town south of Fresno into the future. A group led by former Tesla Inc. executives brought a bundle of gutsy ideas from their new employer, Chinese tycoon Jia Yueting, who vowed to revive the 1-million-square-foot building and assemble a luxurious electric car that would surpass anything from Tesla’s Elon Musk.  Public records request lawsuit filed against Tulare Visalia Times-Delta A California Public Records Act request denial by Tulare city officials has sparked a lawsuit.Last month, Ben Brubaker requested contracts for investigators hired to complete an investigation into the suspensions of three high-ranking Tulare police department officers.  Dramatic claims of bribes trigger look into marijuana mess at the county of Kern The Bakersfield Californian Legal marijuana has turned Kern County government into a muddy mosh pit of criminal and ethical accusations over the past month. The story is complex and the stakes for those involved are high.  For first time in a decade, Public Health department hires nutritionist to battle rising obesity ratesBakersfield Californian It’s been more than a decade since the Kern County Public Health Services Department has staffed a full-time nutritionist, but that changed recently. Recognizing a growing need, the department filled the position in December, hiring Aaron Stonelake, who graduated from California State University Fresno with a degree in dietetics before returning to his hometown of Bakersfield last year.  Price: Californian omitted facts about Tastries wedding-cake case Bakersfield Californian Robert Price’s description of the same-sex wedding cake case is a clear example of obfuscation. By leaving out glaring facts, Mr. Price depicts the case as one of discrimination against a same sex couple (“Of sugar, flour, eggs and free speech,” Feb. 7). The very fact that Cathy Miller’s store was the only bakery being hauled into court shows that this was in fact an attack on a Christian-owned business.  State Politics:  Police endorse Antonio Villaraigosa over Gavin Newsom The Sacramento Bee California organizations representing both police chiefs and rank-and-file officers put their law enforcement muscle behind Antonio Villaraigosa’s campaign for governor on Monday, contending that his Democratic rival, Gavin Newsom, supported criminal justice and public safety measures that are anathema to their priorities. See also ·      Why cops like Antonio Villaraigosa and not Gavin Newsom Sacramento Bee ·      I pushed to hire more cops, Antonio Villaraigosa says The Sacramento Bee  John Chiang goes for the funny bone with new ad that closes with the message: ‘Stay woke.’ Los Angeles Times California state Treasurer John Chiang is riffing off the popular, kitschy Dos Equis beer ad “The Most Interesting Man in World” in a new digital spot for his campaign for governor. The ad opens with scenes of Chiang walking through an orchard with a basket of fruit, shooting pool, strumming a guitar and sawing wood in a funky, frontier days hat.  GOP candidate for California governor John Cox once linked gay rights to polygamy, bestiality Los Angeles Times Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox, at a presidential debate more than a decade ago, linked gay rights with “transvestites,” polygamists and people who have sex with animals. When asked about the “homosexual agenda” during a 2007 Values Voters debate, responded by saying that while the United States is a free country, the government should not “sanction” gay relationships.  Candidate for governor Travis Allen donated to Democrats Mercury News State Assemblyman Travis Allen, an Orange County Republican running for California governor, has built his political brand by railing against the policies of Gov. Jerry Brown and state Democrats. But before he was elected to the Assembly in 2012, Allen made a series of campaign donations to the Democrats he now denounces — including Brown, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the state Democratic Party and a congressman who has filed articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.  He Barely Has A Campaign. But Doug Ose Is Running For California Governor. Really. Doug Ose has heard the snarky questions: Is he really running? Is he a serious candidate for California governor? The former Republican congressman, who represented a suburban Sacramento district for three terms from 1999-2005, declared his candidacy in early January.  Can a wealthy ex-Republican win office in California? Steve Poizner will find out Sacramento Bee When then California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner last ran for office, a Republican consultant who had a way with words threatened to feed him through a wood chipper. Metaphorically, of course.  A public bank for pot entrepreneurs? How about the rest of us? Los Angeles Times More than 100 years since the only surviving public bank was established in North Dakota, the nation’s largest state has begun exploring the option. California Treasurer John Chiang — a gubernatorial candidate — and Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra told reporters last week that they would study how to establish a state-owned bank to service the hundreds of marijuana-related businesses that have had difficulty securing reliable financial services because of federal anti-drug laws.  California rejects immigration census question The Sacramento Bee California, home to 1 in 4 of the nation’s foreign-born population, is pushing back against the Trump administration’s efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. On Monday, just as President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the upcoming census, Thomas Brunell, reportedly withdrew himself from consideration for the post, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and 18 other state attorneys general registered their opposition to the question.  Utah moves to sue California over fee on coal power Sacramento Bee Utah lawmakers gave initial approval Monday to a proposal that would set aside $2 million to sue California over rules that make coal-fired power more expensive. The proposal from Republican Rep. Mike Noel passed through a subcommittee with only one Democratic lawmaker raising objections. It marked the latest attempt by the state’s GOP leadership to help a struggling coal industry that is key to economies in several central Utah counties.  Time for Sacramento to fix PAGA mess it created The Bakersfield Californian PAGA. If those letters mean nothing to you, count yourself among the lucky. The less fortunate have shivers run down their spine at the mention of the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004. PAGA authorizes employees to file lawsuits against their employers and recover civil penalties for labor code violations. Rather than working through the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, PAGA allows individuals to lawyer up and pursue legal action.  Los Angeles Times Last month, I dismissed as “hogwash” concerns that the recall of Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky could impair judicial independence. This did not endear me to many attorneys, law professors and retired judges who reached out to accuse me of flippantly dismissing their sincerely held beliefs.  Speed Up the Sexual Harassment Investigations Fox and Hounds Daily The #MeToo crusade has shined a light in the dark corner of American life including California’s state capitol. Accusers’ stories of sexual harassment are believed more readily than in the past and now the accused are immediately ostracized, most stepping back from their jobs while often declaring their innocence. Justice for the victims and proper due process for the accused requires swift action. Yet, the investigations grind slowly. They must be resolved more quickly.  Federal Politics:  White House Proposes $4.4 Trillion Budget That Adds $7 Trillion to Deficits The New York Times President Trump sent Congress a $4.4 trillion budget proposal on Monday outlining steep cuts to domestic programs, large increases in military spending and a ballooning federal deficit that illustrates how far Republicans have strayed from their longtime embrace of balanced budgets. The blueprint has little to no chance of being enacted as written and amounts to a vision statement by Mr. Trump, who as a businessman once called himself the “king of debt” and has overseen a federal spending spree that will earn him that title in an entirely different arena. See also: ·      In budget deal, new signs of clipped wings among GOP’s fiscal hawks The Washington Post ·      Lessons learned from Congress’s recent budget deal Brookings ·      Trump Administration Wants To Decide What Food SNAP Recipients Will Get NPR ·      The only certainty in Trump’s budget: Oceans of red ink POLITICO  Trump Infrastructure Plan Would Pay For A Fraction Of Investment NPR It’s a year later than first promised, but President Trump finally announced his long-awaited infrastructure plan at the White House today, flanked by governors, mayors, and other state and local leaders. Calling the condition of the country’s roads, bridges, ports, tunnels and water systems “horrendous,” Trump says his plan “will spur the biggest and boldest infrastructure investment in American history. The framework will generate an unprecedented $1.5- to $1.7-trillion investment in American infrastructure.” See also: ·      Trump’s Infrastructure Plan Puts Burden on State and Private Money The New York Times ·      Trump’s plan to rebuild U.S. roads relies on local dollars Marketplace ·      ‘Woefully inadequate:’ Bay Area leaders decry Trump’s ‘puny’ infrastructure plan The Mercury News  Beverly Hills attorney set to lead IRS likes magic tricks — he’ll need a few to run the agency Los Angeles Times The Internal Revenue Service this year will have to write and interpret a bevvy of rules as the agency implements the most sweeping set of changes to the tax code in a generation. And leading the agency through that process could be an IRS commissioner with a resume quite unlike those of his predecessors.  Don’t ask about citizenship on census, California tells Trump Sacramento Bee California, home to 1 in 4 of the nation’s foreign-born population, is pushing back against the Trump administration’s efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. On Monday, just as President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the upcoming census, Thomas Brunell, reportedly withdrew himself from consideration for the post, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and 18 other state attorneys general registered their opposition to the question.  Senate GOP, Dem leaders say it’s time for immigration dealMadera Tribune The Senate’s two top leaders put on a show of comradery Monday as their chamber launched its immigration debate, but also laid down markers underscoring how hard it will be to reach a deal that can move through Congress.  Nurses’ union backs Kevin de LeĂłn in his effort to topple Sen. Dianne Feinstein Los Angeles Times A powerful nurses union that has a history of jolting California elections endorsed state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de LeĂłn on Monday in his bid to topple fellow Democrat Dianne Feinstein in the U.S. Senate contest. National Nurses United and its state organization, the California Nurses Assn., said it was backing De LeĂłn because of his support for single-payer healthcare, including SB 562, a bill that passed the state Senate last year, but stalled in the Assembly because of concerns about funding.  Other:  CALmatters Veteran Editorial Editor and Writer, Political Affairs Columnist Joins Nonprofit Nonpartisan Public Interest Journalism Venture. Dan Morain, editorial page editor and political affairs columnist at The Sacramento Bee, is bringing his decades of experience and institutional knowledge to CALmatters, a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters.    Topics in More Detail…  AGRICULTURE/FOOD  World Ag Expo is here, check these exhibits out Visalia Times-Delta The World Ag Expo is here and is once again loaded with exhibitors offering the latest in farm equipment, technology, communication and everyone’s favorite — food. “We are taking a closer look at moving into the future,” said Tom Finn, the 2018 World Ag Expo chairman. “If you’re walking around taking to exhibitors you’re going to hear safety, quality, production, cost and that’s our aim for the future — to grow with us because growing business is what it’s all about.” See also: ·      The 51st World Ag Expo is here Hanford Sentinel·      World Ag Expo honors a Kingsburg-based company Hanford Sentinel  Attorney General Becerra To Discuss Immigration Policy With Local Growers Valley Public Radio California Attorney General Xavier Becerra met with local officials from across the San Joaquin Valley in Fresno today. After addressing DACA and criminal justice reform, Becerra said that over the weekend he plans to meet with employers, like growers, to discuss what to expect from federal immigration authorities now that California is officially a sanctuary state.  California immigration law causing problems for employers Western FarmPress Several California agricultural trade associations are alerting their members to Department of Homeland Security inspections of packing house operations and what to do if U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inspectors arrive on site. The warnings come amidst confusion over a new state law that prohibits employers from allowing federal immigrations officials into “non-public” areas of the business without a court order. The law came about following the election of President Trump and California’s desire to prevent heightened federal enforcement against undocumented workers.  Why California’s cannabis taxes are much more than wine and beer, but less than cigarettes The Mercury News Bummer! For every dollar you spend on cannabis in California, you may have to pay another 35 cents to the government. The tax man’s grab on ganja proceeds has come into full focus since legal sales started in January, and the sticker shock over the price of pot has filled social media with a mix of outrage and confusion over just what’s driving up the cost of cannabis.  Can Cannabis Save Us From the Opioid Crisis? KQED Have California’s medical marijuana dispensaries helped ease the state’s opioid crisis? Several studies have found lower rates of opioid-related overdoses in states that have legalized marijuana for medical purposes.  CRIMINAL JUSTICE​ ​/​ ​FIRE​ ​/​ ​PUBLIC SAFETY  —  ECONOMY / JOBS  Economy:  What stock market swings can mean for California’s budget 89.3 KPCC The stock market just had one of its worst weeks in years. That volatility should be concerning to Californians — even those with no money in the market — because it can have an outsized impact on the state’s budget.  As Trump gambles with more economic stimulus, the Fed is poised to counter inflation Reuters Congress has already given him tax cuts and increased deficit spending that is expected to stimulate the economy. But here’s the risk: Trump’s stimulus could boost hiring without triggering the kinds of company investments that make workers more productive. With workers in short supply in many industries, the wages that are now increasing could get eaten away by higher inflation.  Jobs:  How Much Do Working Families and Individuals Benefit From the CalEITC? California Budget & Policy Center The California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) is a refundable state tax credit, modeled after the federal EITC, that boosts the incomes of low-earning workers and their families and helps them afford basic expenses. The CalEITC was established by the 2015-16 state budget package and was subsequently expanded as part of the 2017-18 budget deal. The CalEITC has these key features:  America is running out of truck drivers Modesto Bee Economists debate how close the U.S. is to full employment, but less often discussed is where the labor market is bottlenecking. If we have a shortage of line cooks, the economy can adapt without even adding any new line cooks: The wages for existing line cooks would rise, and dining out would become more expensive, inducing some consumers to eat at home. This reduces the business at restaurants and eases the shortage of line cooks. A shortage of bank tellers, resulting in long lines, could encourage consumers to switch to online banking.  EDUCATION  K-12:  Here are some answers about the ‘Race and IQ’ science project that caused an uproar Sacramento Bee A student in a prestigious college preparatory program at a Sacramento city high school last week made international headlines after the news of his science fair project on “Race and IQ” went viral.  Creating a ‘test kitchen’ to come up with a better school accountability plan in California EdSource Four organizations and three California school districts will attempt to create what the State Board of Education and the California Department of Education have struggled with through three iterations: an annual district budget and planning document that is more readable, credible and manageable.  Higher Ed:  CSU experiment could hurt students Sacramento Bee Like it or not, California State University students are about to become guinea pigs in a grand educational experiment. Beginning this fall, CSUs will stop giving placement tests or offering remedial classes, and instead will place all students in regular classes to sink or swim.  Applications for college aid through the California Dream Act are down again Los Angeles Times Each year, California invites students who are in the country without legal permission to apply for the same financial aid packages available to others. But officials once again are concerned that fears are keeping those they want to help from seeking the funding. The deadline to apply for aid through the California Dream Act is March 1, just about two weeks away.  Brookings As the U.S. Department of Education proposes weakening the Gainful Employment (GE) rules regulating for-profit and vocational education programs, accurate estimates of the earnings outcomes and debt incurred by students in these programs are essential for judging the merits of various policy options.  ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY  Walters: Climate lawsuits may haunt localities Fresno Bee Suing oil companies for causing climate change has become a popular exercise in California’s coastal communities. Officials in five cities and three counties have filed suits, alleging that the companies knowingly emitted greenhouse gases that will damage those communities as oceans rise, and should pay for it.  Gardening is a challenge with higher average temperatures and inconsistent rain Sierra Star Gardening in this time of higher average temperatures and inconsistent rain is challenging to say the least. Plants are blooming earlier and growing seasons are becoming unpredictable. Even warm-weather plants like tomatoes are producing poorly because of increased temperatures. Invasive, non-native plants and animals are finding their way into our ecosystems and are out-competing native species.​ Many of our foothill native and unique plants may no longer be able to exist in parts of their historic range.  California Officials Set Up Invasive Swamp Rodent Hotline NPR California has a giant rodent problem. To clarify, it’s not that California has a huge problem with run-of-the-mill rats, it’s that the state has an emerging problem with jumbo-sized critters.  HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES  Health:  Looking to give your valentine a little sugar this year? Try skipping the sweets this year, public health officials warnBakersfield Californian Before last week, Mackenzie Starkey considered herself pretty healthy — then she began keeping track of how much sugar she consumed daily.The results, she said, were shocking. By the second day, she realized that the Izze Sparkling Fruit Juice drinks of which she had grown so fond were loaded with about 25 grams of sugar — about as much as the American Heart Association recommends in one day for a woman.  California’s two health insurance regulators to investigate Aetna coverage decisions Los Angeles Times The Department of Managed Health Care, which regulates the vast majority of health plans in California, said Monday it will investigate Aetna after CNN first reported Sunday that one of the Hartford, Conn., company’s medical directors had testified in a deposition related to the lawsuit that he did not examine patients’ records before deciding whether to deny or approve care. Rather, he relied on information provided by nurses who reviewed the records — and that was how he was trained by the company, he said.  For first time in a decade, Public Health department hires nutritionist to battle rising obesity ratesBakersfield Californian It’s been more than a decade since the Kern County Public Health Services Department has staffed a full-time nutritionist, but that changed recently. Recognizing a growing need, the department filled the position in December, hiring Aaron Stonelake, who graduated from California State University Fresno with a degree in dietetics before returning to his hometown of Bakersfield last year.  Flu Is Causing 1 in 10 American Deaths and Climbing Bloomberg The amount of influenza ravaging the U.S. this year rivals levels normally seen when an altogether new virus emerges, decimating a vulnerable population that hasn’t had a chance to develop any defenses. It’s an unexpected phenomenon that public health experts are still trying to decode.  Keeping track of medical records is key to protecting your health. Washington Post The 64-year-old former gym teacher who came to see Orly Avitzur, Consumer Reports’ medical director, was a frequent visitor to emergency rooms. He had several medical problems, including diabetes and high blood pressure.  Trump Administration: Let States Decide if Health Plans Have Enough Doctors Pew Charitable Trusts | Stateline In Washington state, a woman in Spokane named Cynthia Harvey bought health insurance from Coordinated Care, in part because the brochure promised a robust roster of physicians and coverage for an array of services, including, if needed, emergency room services. According to a federal lawsuit, however, Coordinated Care failed to mention that in all of Spokane in 2017, the year in which Harvey was enrolled, there were exactly zero emergency room in-network doctors. That left Harvey with a $1,544 bill from an out-of-network ER doctor.  From Clinics to Child Insurance, Budget Deal Affects Health Care The New York Times The budget deal in Congress is billed as a measure to grant stability to a government funding process that has lurched from crisis to crisis — but it is also stuffed with provisions that will broadly affect the nation’s health care system, like repealing an advisory board to curb Medicare spending and funding community health centers.  Human Services:  Trump Administration Wants To Decide What Food SNAP Recipients Will Get NPR The Trump administration is proposing a major shake-up in one of the country’s most important “safety net” programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. Under the proposal, most SNAP recipients would lose much of their ability to choose the food they buy with their SNAP benefits. See also: ·      Trump wants to overhaul America’s safety net with giant cuts to housing, food stamps and health care Washington Post  IMMIGRATION  California rejects immigration census question The Sacramento Bee California, home to 1 in 4 of the nation’s foreign-born population, is pushing back against the Trump administration’s efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. On Monday, just as President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the upcoming census, Thomas Brunell, reportedly withdrew himself from consideration for the post, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and 18 other state attorneys general registered their opposition to the question.  Tucker Carlson claims more immigrants now in the United States than any other time. Is that true? PunditFact Fox News’ Tucker Carlson shared on Twitter a key detail of the immigration debate: how many immigrants are in the United States. “There are more immigrants in our country right now than any other time. Is the country more united? Stronger? Just the opposite & everyone knows it. Maybe that’s bc our elites welcome immigrants by telling them how flawed America is and how bigoted its native population #Tucker,”tweeted Carlson, host of Tucker Carlson Tonight on Feb. 8.  LAND USE/HOUSING  Land Use:  Construction projects start on empty lots across Fresno The Fresno Bee Dirt is moving, concrete is pouring, and buildings are going up on some long-vacant lots across Fresno. Soon, you’ll see gas stations, restaurants, apartment complexes, and a funeral home pop up. “Economic activity is robust and it’s across the entire city, all being driven by market forces,” said Mayor Lee Brand.  Housing:  California lawmaker aims to take local politics out of housing for the homeless The Mercury News A San Francisco lawmaker and fellow Democrats aim to speed up approvals of affordable housing developments that include support services for the homeless by making it harder for local officials throughout California to slow or deny such projects in the face of community resistance. See also: ·      Homeless housing would grow under California proposal The Sacramento Bee  Bill Aims to Help Homeless Suffering From Severe Mental Illness, Drug Addiction KQED The bill intends to expand and strengthen California’s conservatorship laws that are currently limited to seniors vulnerable to abuse as well as people who are “gravely disabled” or have severe cognitive limitations. SB 1045 would give counties another option to address homeless individuals known as “frequent fliers” who are in and out of jail, emergency rooms and other government services.  Los Angeles Times Seven years ago, at the depth of the state’s budget crisis, Gov. Jerry Brown eliminated an urban renewal program that provided billions of dollars annually for economic development and low-income housing. Ever since, lawmakers have tried and failed to bring it back.  California Is Considering a “Radical” Statewide Upzone PublicCEO That California is in the midst of a statewide housing crisis is not a particularly controversial statement. A 2016 report from the McKinsey Global Institute puts some stark numbers on it. Real estate prices are rising three times faster than household incomes and 50 percent of the state’s population cannot afford housing. The state is also adding new residents faster than it’s building housing. To address pent-up demand, McKinsey found that California will need to build 3.5 million homes by 2025.  PUBLIC FINANCES  For discussion of federal budget, see “Top Stories: Federal,” above.  Pension fund hits milestone: It’s earning more money than it’s paying out Sacramento Bee For the first time in years, CalPERS is stable enough that it no longer expects to run deficits into the middle of the century. Though still underfunded, the $345 billion pension fund has a better financial outlook because it’s collecting more money from employers and making the most of recent stock market gains, its chief investment officer said on Monday. That should help it avoid scenarios where it has to sell investment assets to pay pensions.  TRANSPORTATION  Remember $4-a-gallon gas in Merced? Get ready to say ‘ouch’ Merced Sun-Star Remember $4-a-gallon gasoline? It could be coming to a gas station near you, perhaps as soon as Memorial Day weekend. At the close of January, national gas price tracker GasBuddy.com said average gasoline prices across most of California were at their highest levels in more than two years.  ACE train to begin offering Saturday service Stockton Record The Altamont Corridor Express, relied upon regularly by commuters for its Monday-Friday service, has announced the receipt of grant funding that will allow its ACE trains to add Saturday service from Stockton to San Jose. A start date has not yet been determined. ACE’s plan is to run two trains from Stockton to San Jose every Saturday morning, with two return trips each Saturday evening.  Motorcycle Lane-Splitting: Safe or Scary? Pew Charitable Trusts | Stateline Every morning, commuter Surj Gish hit a major traffic jam as he crossed the Bay Bridge from his Oakland home to his San Francisco job. Sedans and SUVs clogged five lanes of traffic and idled for miles on a trip that could take them an hour or longer. But for Gish it was no problem: He just zipped his motorcycle between lanes, moving past slow-moving vehicles stuck on the bridge.  Separating hype from reality with high speed rail KCRW Yesterday Elon Musk’s company SpaceX launched its new Falcon Heavy from Cape Canaveral, the most powerful rocket on Earth. It contained a red Tesla roadster for added fun and bravado. The dramatic take-off sent MSNBC’s Brian Williams into paroxysms of excitement. In his show 11th Hour he exclaimed, “Elon Musk showed the world how it’s done,” and then he went into a diatribe about America’s failed transit infrastructure.  WATER  A Hot, Dry Winter in California. Could It Be Drought Again? New York Times Atmospheric conditions that helped create the recent multiyear California drought have returned, leaving the state dry and exceptionally warm this winter and its residents wondering if another long dry spell is on the way. See also: ·      California’s drought restrictions on wasteful water habits could be coming back — this time they’ll be permanent  Orange County Register ·      Newest storm won’t bring much rain to California Modesto Bee ·      Yosemite’s ‘firefall’ unlikely appear due to drought ABC30 ·      Dry, hot California winter closes ski resorts, stalls wildflower blooms and revives drought fears Los Angeles Times·      LA area — like much of California — has little to look forward to in newest storm Los Angeles Times  Oroville-inspired dam inspection bill passes The Sacramento Bee On the anniversary of evacuations prompted by the near disaster at Oroville Dam, California lawmakers on Monday sent Gov. Jerry Brown a measure to tighten dam inspection standards. The Assembly unanimously approved Assemblyman James Gallagher’s bill, which will require the California Department of Water Resources to annually inspect the vast majority of the 1,249 dams it oversees. See also: ·      California lawmakers increase dam safeguards after dam scare Merced Sun-Star “Xtra” Tulare County Peace Officer Memorial gets upgrades Visalia Times-Delta Names of fallen peace officers are etched into the Tulare County Peace Officers Monument. One of those names is deputy Scott Ballantyne. Saturday marked the two-year anniversary of the death of Ballantyne and sheriff’s pilot James Chavez. On Feb. 10, 2016, the Sheriff One plane carrying the men crashed into a hillside in south Tulare County, killing both men.  Let the good times roll with Fat Tuesday fun Bakersfield Californian Bakersfield, be warned: This will be no regular taco Tuesday. You can still stuff your face at any taqueria in town but you should also step up your celebrating game. It’s Mardi Gras and before we enter a season of repentance (or fear, as tax time nears), it’s time to party like you don’t have to work the next day. If you are ready to celebrate Fat Tuesday with some flair, here are a few local events you can check out.  EDITORIALS  The pension nightmare for California’s cities is getting scarier Sacramento Bee After years of denial, California’s cities are finally waking up to their pension nightmare. Unfortunately, now the crisis is so dire that there are no painless choices left. To keep up with ballooning pension payments, cities soon will have to raise taxes or cut services, or both.  AG Becerra’s delay enables more opioid deaths Mercury News While state Attorney General Xavier Becerra has fiddled, thousands more Californians have died from opioid overdoses. It’s been more than 16 months since Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation mandating that physicians check a statewide database before prescribing addictive medications. The goal is to stop patients from “doctor shopping,” seeking potentially dangerous drugs, like OxyContin, Vicodin and Demerol, from multiple physicians to feed a habit or sell the pills on the street.  Clovis Unified teacher tells student ‘go back to your country’ The Fresno Bee A Clovis East High School teacher reprimanded a student for not standing during the Pledge of Allegiance and told her “go back to your country,” according to a school incident report filed last week. Freshman Thailia Luna said that agriculture science teacher Ken Dias took her phone after she refused to stand during the pledge on Wednesday.  Trump’s infrastructure plan isn’t a plan. It’s a fantasyLos Angeles Times President Trump’s infrastructure plan isn’t a plan. It’s fantasy. The outline the administration put forth Monday is essentially this: The federal government will offer a diminished amount of money — $200 billion over 10 years — for building or repairing roads, bridges, airports, seaports, energy projects and water systems and somehow, magically, $1.5 trillion to $1.8 trillion in infrastructure spending will materialize.  Donald Trump is the last person who should be complaining about a lack of due processLos Angeles Times About 20 women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct of one sort or another dating back for decades and there’s audio of him bragging to “Access Hollywood” about grabbing women “by the pussy.” What could Trump say with a straight face on the subject that wouldn’t sound self-serving, insincere or creepy?  Trump plays politics with Dems’ memoSan Francisco Chronicle And so Americans are left to wait for a Democratic response to the Republicans’ memo that alleged the FBI abused its authority in applying for reauthorization of court permission to monitor the communications of Carter Page, the former campaign adviser to Donald Trump who was suspected of being an agent of Russia. |