POLICY & POLITICS
Valley:
Chipotle cuts losses, settles case with ex-worker rather than face big dollar damages
Fresno Bee
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. on Monday reached a confidential settlement with a former employee, rather than face punitive damages for wrongfully firing her in January 2015 from the Shaw Avenue restaurant across from Fresno State.
Elections workers greeted with deluge of incoming ballots
Bakersfield Californian
Vote-by-mail ballots started going out May 8 to Kern County residents who've requested them, but political candidates apparently still have time to make their cases.
State:
Facebook, Instagram ads target Gavin Newsom over past relationships with women
Sacramento Bee
A social media campaign attacking gubernatorial frontrunner Gavin Newsom for an old affair, and subsequent romantic relationship with a 19-year-old when he was 39 is seeking to raise moral and ethical questions about the former San Francisco mayor before the June 5 primary.
See also:
● Democrat Gavin Newsom attacks GOP's John Cox on gun control The Sacramento Bee
● Janice Hahn backs Gavin Newsom for California governor Los Angeles Times
● Democratic congressional candidate's ad could lead to false impressions Sacramento Bee
● Gavin Newsom's latest ad attacking Republican on gun issue is mostly accurate Sacramento Bee
The 74
On Tuesday, May 15, candidates for California’s next governor will gather in Los Angeles to discuss issues vital to children and families, including educational equity.
Kounalakis Fights to Become California's First Elected Female Lieutenant Governor
Greek Reporter
A Greek-American businesswoman and former U.S. ambassador running for office in California has told Greek Reporter: “The American Dream is what made this country great, and we must keep this pathway open for everyone.”
See also:
● Candidates Are Spending Big to Become California's next Lieutenant Governor NBC Southern California
Kamala Harris isn’t up for election this year, but she’s popular for endorsements
San Francisco Chronicle
Polls show Harris is viewed favorably by 73 percent of Democrats and 63 percent of independents — making her more popular than even longtime U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Gov. Jerry Brown.
See also:
● DA candidate Phillips lands Sen. Kamala Harris' endorsement Sacramento Bee
● Sen. Kamala Harris to skip UC Berkeley commencement in support of striking workers Los Angeles Times
● Sen. Kamala Harris drops out as Cal graduation speaker amid ongoing labor dispute KGO-TV
● US Senator Kamala Harris Endorses Sacramento County DA Candidate CBS Sacramento
● US Sen. Kamala Harris, D-California, has withdrawn from being the commencement Daily Californian
● The Latest: Senator boycotts speech due to UC labor dispute Washington Post
● Women Reaching New Levels in Political Donations Roll Call
Obama backs California's Dianne Feinstein in re-election fight
Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Former President Barack Obama urged Californians to return "one of America's most effective champions for progress to the Senate," in a statement released by Feinstein's campaign.
See also:
● Obama endorses Feinstein NBCNews.com
● Neo-Nazi running second to Feinstein in Senate poll in California San Francisco Chronicle
● A neo-Nazi running second? Why some California polls have bizarre results San Francisco Chronicle
● California doesn't need a provocateur in the Senate. It needs a leader. Reelect Dianne Feinstein Los Angeles Times
● Robocall attacks Dianne Feinstein with anti-Semitic slurs San Francisco Chronicle
● Feinstein's clout is too critical in Trump era. De León is our second in top two Sacramento Bee
● Why California Sen. Dianne Feinstein has amply earned re-election The San Diego Union-Tribune
● Sacramento Bee endorsements Sacramento Bee
Senate Candidate Kevin de Leon Makes Campaign Fundraiser Stop in Long Beach
Long Beach Post
Like so many candidates before him seeking endorsements and support, U.S. senate candidate Kevin de Leon journeyed to Long Beach Monday morning for a fundraiser hosted by some of the city’s elected officials.
See also:
● Senator Kevin De León Endorses 58th Assembly Candidate Friné Medrano Los Cerritos News
Democrats running for California attorney general quarrel as Republicans hope for top-two finish
Los Angeles Times
Weeks before the June 5 primary, the race for California attorney general has incumbent Xavier Becerra and Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones trading jabs over campaign contributions as the Democrats prepare for a possible showdown in November.
GOP California Convention Post-Mortem
California Republicans are struggling to hold onto key congressional seats in this year’s midterm election.
See also:
● Log Cabin endorses out GOP CA candidates Bay Area Reporter
● A GOP surprise: House midterm hope in California Politico
Will Democrats Win The House This November?
NPR
NPR has reported on elements of potential answers to that question and shown some reasons for Republicans to find shelter — from the record number of GOP retirements, the record number of women running and special election victories to early strong Democratic turnout and continued division among the Republican base.
Mobs are going after the judiciary this election. Don't let them corrupt the law
Sacramento Bee
Denying democratic judges reelection entirely because of the political party of the governor who appointed them is all about politicizing the bench and it is an enormous threat to judicial independence.
California and Texas should flex their muscles
VC Star
If North and South Korea can have a peace summit, why can’t California and Texas do the same? The United States desperately needs its two biggest states to figure out how to keep the country together.
Despite U.S. Supreme Court Ruling, Don’t Expect California To Legalize Sports Wagering Anytime Soon
Efforts to legalize sports gaming in California have new momentum from Monday’s U.S Supreme Court ruling. But it’ll take years, if ever, before you can legally bet on the Giants or Dodgers at your nearby casino, card room or race track — or even online.
See also:
● California voters could act on legalized sports betting as early as November San Francisco Chronicle
● US Supreme Court strikes down federal ban on sports betting The Whittier Daily News
● Legalized sports betting emerges from dark ages; bet you don't know why it took so long The Mercury News
● California moves to allow legal bets on 49ers, other sports teams Sacramento Bee
● What the Supreme Court ruling on sports betting means for California The Desert Sun
● Could the Supreme Court's sports gambling decision mean legal betting in California? The San Diego Union-Tribune
● Voters Could Decide Fate Of Sports Betting In California CBS Sacramento
● Could sports betting boost the action at horse racing tracks? Los Angeles Times
● California sports betting would need constitutional change Sacramento Bee
● Sports Betting Could Lead to More Govt. Spending. How About Tax Relief? Fox and Hounds Daily
Federal:
Democrats scramble to avoid top-two shutouts that could prevent them from flipping the House
Los Angeles Times
Thanks to the top-two primary, the June 5 election could effectively decide California's next governor. It will set the direction for crucial U.S. House races that this fall will determine who controls Congress.
Trump official wanted to spy on co-workers for leaks: report
New York Daily News
A Trump administration official wanted to set up a system to monitor the communications in the White House as part of an effort to stop leaks to the press, according to a report.
See also:
● White House Aide's Plan to Stop Leaks: Spy on His Co-Workers Daily Beast
Lawmakers Concerned About Trump's Pledge to Save China's ZTE
Roll Call
Members from both parties are reacting skeptically to President Donald Trump’s intention to help troubled Chinese telecommunications company ZTE, saying they are concerned he is reversing his pledge to get tough on Beijing.
See also:
● Wilbur Ross: We’re Exploring ‘alternative remedies’ for ZTE Ban Politico
● Trump supporters suffer unintended consequences of his policies Washington Post
● Trump Lets ZTE Off the Hook WSJ
Scott Pruitt requested, received 24/7 security starting on his first day at EPA
Washington Post
Inspector General Arthur Elkins wrote in response to inquiries from Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.) about what threats prompted Pruitt’s nonstop security, which has cost in excess of $3 million.
Pence Is Trying to Control Republican Politics. Trump Aides Aren't Happy.
New York Times
While Mr. Trump remains an overpowering personality in Republican politics, he is mostly uninterested in the mechanics of managing a political party. So Mr. Trump’s supremely disciplined running mate has stepped into the void.
Other:
Most companies have done nothing to fight sexual harassment in #MeToo era, study finds
Fresno Bee
The #MeToo movement has taken down some of the biggest names in the U.S. — but it hasn't resulted in tangible changes for the majority of workplaces in America.
That's according to a new survey from the American Psychological Association, which found that just 32 percent of people in the U.S. said their employer has done anything new to keep their workers protected from unwanted sexual advancements in the #MeToo era.
The Electoral College Favors Republicans
National Review
Recently, it seems as though a growing chorus of progressives have begun to complain about how our governing institutions distort the true will of the voters. The Daily Beast recently published an illustrative example of this genre by David Faris:
A way forward on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
AEI
Following through on its pledge to reform safety net programs, the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means released a discussion draft to reauthorize the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, May 20, at 10 a.m. on ABC 30 – Maddy Report: “Candidate for Governor: Delaine Eastin” – Guest: Delaine Eastin, Former State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Candidate for Governor. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, May 20, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: “Gubernatorial Candidate Delaine Eastin & The Price of Education” – Guests: Delaine Eastin and Judy Lin, CALmatters Reporter. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, May 20, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Race for Governor: Amanda Renteria” – Guest: Amanda Renteria. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
Support the Maddy Daily HERE.
Thank you!
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Opinion: Valley congressmen should speak up for farmers of color in the 2018 Farm Bill
Fresno Bee
California’s farmers work long days in a risky business, and most aren’t getting rich in the endeavor. But on top of the challenges faced by the industry at large, farmers of color own less land, make less money, and receive less government support than their white counterparts, according to the 2012 Census of Agriculture.
See also:
● Letter: Proposed Farm Bill denies food aid to children over 6 The Mercury News
● Don't let the farm bill overrule state food laws The Hill
● Analysis: The new Farm Bill's pesticide provisions are a sneak attack on the environment Environmental Health News
● Once again, the farm bill is stuffed with food stamps The Hill
● Down On The Farm: Anti-Poverty, Animal Advocates Fear Effects Of Farm Bill WUKY
● Federal farm bill will take food from needy California families The Sacramento Bee
Romaine lettuce farmers frustrated by government response to E. coli outbreak
CBS News
California farmers say they've already seen a decline in market and even though there is no fresh romaine coming out of Yuma, the CDC recommends people avoid it unless you can verify it did not come out of the Yuma region.
Facing Climate and Water Pressures, Farmers Return to Age-Old Practice
News Deeply
Just 5 percent of California farmers use cover cropping, but that’s likely to increase as researchers work to quantify the amount of water that can be saved by the practice and its benefit for river ecosystems.
CDFA to fund study of methane emissions at dairies
Western Farm Press
The California Department of Food and Agriculture has awarded a $213,349 research grant to the California Dairy Research Foundation in collaboration with University of California scientists to study methane emissions at California dairies.
See also:
● Emergency fund prepares for struggling dairy farms Rutland Herald
USDA's hands-off approach to gene-edited crops could revolutionize research and development
Genetic Literacy Project
The US Department of Agriculture’s recent decision to stay out of the business of regulating gene-edited crops could be a game changer for a sector long dominated by a handful of companies armed with massive research and development budgets.
California Lawmakers Are Deep in the Weeds With Marijuana Bills
Marijuana.com
California’s legislators are scheduled to hold 10 hearings on proposed cannabis legislation during the week of May 14, 2018.
See also:
● State Marijuana Laws Dodge Supreme Court Bullet Marijuana Moment
● Anti-medical marijuana group takes unusual step KUTV 2News
● Gov. Brown's budget increases cannabis tax revenue estimates despite disappointing first quarter The Mercury News
● California Pot Revenue is Lower Than Forecast. Are Taxes Too High? KQED
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Drug growers planted 43500 opium poppies in plain sight in this California town
The San Luis Obispo Tribune
A field filled with thousands of opium poppies — enough to make $45,000 worth of heroin — was discovered by Monterey County sheriff's deputies. Over the weekend, authorities eradicated an acre of the poppies, according to a Facebook post from the Sheriff's Office.
See also:
● California police find poppy field in suburban town UPI.com
Fire:
Burning below 2,000 feet elevation suspended beginning May 17
Sierra Star
CalFire announced that all burning in Madera and Mariposa counties below 2,000 feet elevation is suspended beginning Thursday, May 17, at 8 a.m.
Governor Brown orders control burns and forest thinning ahead of fire season
Curbed SF
With great swaths of both Northern and Southern California still reeling from hellish 2017 wildfires, California Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order and new budget plan mandating control burns and forest thinning.
See also:
● PG&E Opens New California Wildfire Safety Operations Center Claims Journal
● Lessons From The California Fires: How Wine Country Should Plan For A Crisis Forbes
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
The impact of global intangible low-taxed income and foreign-derived intangible income
AEI
This paper analyzes the impact of two new international tax provisions passed under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on US multinational corporations’ location of new capital. It suggests that a US multinational corporation can do better by locating a new investment in the US.
Governmental system and economic volatility under democracy
AEI
Economic volatility varies substantially across democracies. We study how the difference between federal and unitary systems of government can contribute to such variation.
Jobs:
Premature mortality and the long decline of hope in America
Brookings
Although the U.S. unemployment rate has dropped below 4 percent for the first time in over a decade, many across the country remain despondent. Carol Graham highlights new research on how optimism—or its absence—is related to life expectancy.
Guaranteed jobs for all Americans?
AEI
Senator Bernie Sanders has proposed a $15-an-hour job for all Americans. AEI’s Michael Strain argues that the senator’s proposal would be impossible to execute and is demoralizing to workers.
EDUCATION
K-12:
LA Daily News
In a March survey, the Public Policy Institute of California found that, along with hot-button issues like immigration and gun and school safety, education is a top concern for the state’s voters, with 64 percent saying the candidates’ positions on K-12 issues were “very important” — a sentiment that crossed party lines but was more common among Democrats (69 percent) than Republicans (55 percent).
See also:
● A few rich charter school supporters are spending millions to elect Antonio Villaraigosa governor Los Angeles Times
● Bloomberg joins rich charter proponents in backing California governor hopeful New York Post
PUSD seniors receive Merit Awards
Porterville Recorder
Congressman Kevin McCarthy announced Friday the recipients of the 23rd Congressional District of California 2018 Merit Award for five students in the Porterville Unified School District.
Arts education will keep California students in school and prepare them for careers
Sacramento Bee
Despite a longstanding state law requiring California’s public schools to provide arts education, only 38 percent of students have access to music, dance, theatre or visual arts classes. Compounding this injustice, students with little or no access live predominantly in low-income communities.
The rise of restorative justice in California schools brings promise, controversy
EdSource
Teachers at Fremont High are among a growing number of educators in Oakland Unified charged with changing the district’s approach to behavioral issues through restorative practices. This work departs from traditional school discipline in that it focuses less on punishment and more on righting wrongs and building healthy relationships within the school.
Higher Ed:
California community colleges will soon be smoke and tobacco free
KFSN-TV
All 114 campuses in the California community college system will soon be smoke and tobacco-free. The Board of Governors voted Monday to adopt a new resolution banning smoking and tobacco.
Los Angeles Times
Cal State's leaders say that to keep their campuses' quality from slipping, they need much more money than the state is giving them. This year, they're also at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on the question of whether any extra money should come in one-time bursts or be ongoing.
What happens if UC health workers strike again? Commencements, state funding could be hit
Sacramento Bee
The University of California and the AFSCME 3299 union representing 24,000 service and patient-care workers have no plans to return to the bargaining table and each side is blaming the other for the impasse and an ensuing three-day strike that began on May 7.
See also:
● Gov. Jerry Brown releases May budget plan, increases UC funding Daily Bruin
We asked about your experiences with ethnic studies. Here's what you told us
89.3 KPCC
The California Department of Education is in the process of developing a model ethnic studies curriculum for schools around the state. Meanwhile, a bill has been introduced in the state assembly that, if passed, would require ethnic studies instruction.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
California keeps the faith on climate, replacing Washington
The Bakersfield Californian
Many on the right insist that California's tough environmental rules are strangling its businesses. Evidence to the contrary emerged last week in news that California has just zoomed past Britain to become the world's fifth-biggest economy. California must be doing something right.
See also:
● California, battered by global warming's weather whiplash, is fighting to stop it The Guardian
California Air Resources Board looks to spend Volkswagen pollution money
The Sacramento Bee
The California Air Resources Board is finalizing a plan to spend $423 million of Volkswagen's money on financial incentives to persuade trucking companies, mass-transit agencies, tugboat operators and other major polluters to upgrade their fleets and buy greener vehicles.
Lead paint makers balk at huge bill for toxic cleanup—instead they want you to pick up the tab
CALmatters
Three companies found to have sold toxic lead paint for decades—despite knowing it posed health hazards for children—are waging a major battle to avoid paying the several hundred million dollars in liability that California courts have slapped on them. And they’re asking you, the California voter, to help them get their way.
Dismal Western Snowpack Is a Climate "Warning Sign"
Scientific American
It’s only May, and it’s already shaping up to be a stressful summer for many western states. Low mountain snowpack is a big part of the problem.
State agency fails to protect vulnerable communities from pesticide exposure, report finds
SF Bay Area Indymedia
The state agency charged with regulating California’s pesticide industry allows manufacturers to make up their own usage rules, continues to allow a brain-damaging chemical to be used on food crops, is slow to hold applicators accountable when workers are poisoned, and routinely ignores community input in its rulemaking process.
See also:
● National Wildlife Refuges Contaminated with Thousands of Pounds of Toxic Pesticides Beyond Pesticides
White House, EPA Blocked Study on Military Water-Contamination Crisis to Avoid 'PR Nightmare'
Daily Beast
With one of the key findings showing that chemicals in the water supply are more hazardous to humans than the EPA has previously disclosed, White House aides reportedly moved quickly to keep the report under wraps.
See also:
● White House, EPA headed off chemical pollution study Politico
● 'This Is a Big Deal': Fearing 'Public Relations Nightmare,' Pruitt's EPA Blocked Release of a Major Water Contamination Common Dreams
● At Pruitt's EPA, Stricter Limits to Protect Americans from Toxic Fluorinated Chemicals are 'Nightmare' Environmental Working Group
● EPA's 'safe' PFAS level is 6 times too high, blocked report says MLive.com
● Republican senator demands EPA scale back refinery biofuel waivers Reuters
Energy:
Energy Commission Adopts Standards Requiring Solar Systems for New Homes, First in Nation
California Energy Commission - State of California
Moving to cut energy use in new homes by more than 50 percent, the California Energy Commission today adopted building standards that require solar photovoltaic systems starting in 2020. The building energy efficiency standards, which are the first in the nation to require solar, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equivalent to taking 115,000 fossil fuel cars off the road.
See also:
● Taxpayers lose again with new solar panel mandate OCRegister
● California Energy Commission Mandates Solar For All New Homes GlobeNewswire
● California Hardwired Energy Security Into Code, And The World Should Follow Suit Forbes
● Builders React to New California Solar Regulations KDRV
Oil industry allies challenge California regulator's funding request
Sacramento Bee
A group of California lawmakers wants to block a funding increase for the regulatory agency that oversees the state's oil and gas industry, unless it tackles a backlog of applications for dozens of drilling projects.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Where California’s candidates for governor stand on fixing health care
San Francisco Chronicle
The top six gubernatorial candidates not only differ when it comes to single-payer, they disagree on what to do next to fix the state’s $400 billion health care industry.
New center improving pediatric care in Fresno
The new Pediatric Specialty Center takes up the entire third floor of the North Medical Plaza across the way from Community Regional Medical Center.
Sexually transmitted diseases dramatically increase in California
San Francisco Chronicle
The internet has helped love bloom for many couples, but it’s also played a role in a 45 percent jump in sexually transmitted diseases over five years in California, a surge not seen in nearly three decades, health officials said Monday.
See also:
● Report finds cases of STDs reach all-time high in California Washington Post
● STDs reach all-time high in California, leading to spike in stillbirths due to syphilis, state health authorities say USA TODAY
● What Is Syphilis? Stillbirths Linked to STI in California at Highest Level Since 1995 Newsweek
OCRegister
California’s own Breast Density Law is in danger of being terminated on Jan. 1, 2019, if state legislators don’t act to renew it this year. When it comes to breast cancer, early diagnosis is critical for a good prognosis, said Dr. Richard W. Reitherman, medical director of breast imaging at the Memorial Care Breast Center at Orange Coast Memorial in Fountain Valley.
Los Angeles Times
The biggest provider of Title X services is also the GOP's current favorite healthcare punching bag: Planned Parenthood, which operates 13% of the clinics funded under the program and cares for about 40% of the patients. And now the Trump administration is steering the program itself in the wrong direction.
Did drug company payments to doctors help fuel the opioid epidemic?
Los Angeles Times
A new research letter reports that doctors who received free meals and other kinds of payments from pharmaceutical companies tended to prescribe more opioid painkillers to their patients over the course of a year. Meanwhile, doctors who didn't get such freebies cut back on their opioid prescriptions.
The effects of tax reform on the medical deduction
AEI
This article models how changes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act affect the section 213 deduction for medical expenses for 2017 and 2018. It also discusses the legislative history of the deduction and its function as an informal insurance product.
Insurance Agent's California Senate Bid Driven by Need for Better Representation
Insurance Journal
Tom Pratt, a moderate Democrat, is running in the race for state Senate’s 8th district, which encompasses more than 30,000 square miles, close to 1 million residents and nearly a dozen counties.
Human Services:
California hospital giant Sutter Health faces heavy backlash on prices
Los Angeles Times
The state's top cop is suing Sutter, accusing one of the nation's biggest health systems of systematically overcharging patients and illegally driving out competition in Northern California.
Physicians, Scientists, Celebrities Call for Passage of California's Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act
PR Newswire
Sponsors of SB 1249, the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act, launched a media campaign on Monday by taking over every ad on the homepage of the Sacramento Bee for 24 hours.
IMMIGRATION
Initial deployment of Guard troops arrives at the California-Mexico border
Los Angeles Times
Standing before 51 troops during a Monday morning news conference, Gloria Chavez — the new Border Patrol chief in the El Centro sector — said the unarmed Operation Guardian Support soldiers would serve in support roles and won't be asked to arrest any suspected gun runners, drug mules or immigrants crossing the border illegally.
See also:
● California National Guard won't carry guns or make arrests on southwestern border The Desert Sun
Do Californians Support State Action on Immigration?
Public Policy Institute of California
A solid majority of Californians (61%) support the state taking action to protect undocumented immigrants. But there is a stark partisan divide: the March PPIC Statewide Survey found eight in ten Democrats in favor of and eight in ten Republicans opposed to the state taking action.
See also:
● California’s defiance of immigration law creates stark divide Washington Post
● ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Are Working in the Trump Era, But at a Surprising Cost Pew Charitable Trusts
Fact-Checking What John Kelly Said About Immigration
NPR
Tomas Jimenez, a sociology professor at Stanford, tells NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro that recent arrivals assimilate just as fast as previous generations.
Headline exaggerates appointment of undocumented immigrant in California
PolitiFact
An undocumented immigrant, Lizbeth Mateo, did receive an official appointment by the state of California. But the headline creates a misleading impression by omitting key information about the nature of her post
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Demolition begins on old McHenry bridge. How is the new one working out?
Modesto Bee
Demolition has begun on the old McHenry Avenue bridge over the Stanislaus River that connects San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.
Housing:
A judge rescinds a Fresno law that would've closed most recycling centers this week
Fresno Bee
A Fresno Superior Court judge ordered the city of Fresno to rescind an ordinance set to go into effect this week that would've shut down a majority of local recycling centers by restricting where they could operate as a way to deal with homeless people and crime.
Californians could vote on as many as five housing measures in November
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Jerry Brown’s embrace last week of a $2-billion bond to fund homeless housing could make for an even busier ballot in November.
California will require solar panels on all new homes. That's not necessarily a good thing.
Vox
The California Energy Commission (CEC) recently voted 5-0 to add some new provisions to the state’s building code. Among them is the requirement that, as of 2020, all new house and multi-family residences of three stories or less, along with all major renovations, must be built with solar panels.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Gov. Jerry Brown’s parting gift to his successor: ship-shape state finances
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Jerry Brown is massaging the final state budget of his long career, and his No. 1 priority is simple: Don't leave his successor the same mess he did the last time. Friday's revised budget proposal has an $8.9 billion surplus.
See also:
● Editorial: Gov. Jerry Brown's final gift to California is a responsible budget San Francisco Chronicle
● Walters: Jerry Brown holds the line in last budget CALmatters
● First Look: May Revision Includes Some Key Advances, but There Is Still Significant Room for Additional Investment California Budget & Policy Center
● An ungiddy governor proposes stashing most of state's surplus—and spending on one-time expenses CALmatters
● New Tuolumne County Courthouse Still In Governor's Budget MyMotherLode.com
● Governor Brown Issues Legislative Update Imperial Valley News
● Sacramento courthouse project gets boost in budget revision Sacramento Bee
● EDITORIAL: How not to blow California’s $8.80-billion windfall Los Angeles Times
CalPERS survey shows CA city pension worries
The Sacramento Bee
Most California public workers and retirees are feeling a little better about their pensions, but their bosses are very worried. A new survey by the California Public Employees’ Retirement showed a steep drop in confidence in the $355 billion pension fund among government executives.
See also:
● School districts face choice between funding programs for students or pensions for retirees OCRegister
● The realities of California's pension crisis OCRegister
● CalPERS' CIO Ted Eliopoulos to leave pension fund at end of 2018 Reuters
● California's Brown Says Cities on Their Own as Pension Tab Rises Bloomberg
● Giant California Pension Fund Raises Bet on Tech Bloomberg
TRANSPORTATION
VW's polluting cars could cause sickness, death. What can California do about that?
Sacramento Bee
Californians spent six years breathing dangerous exhaust fumes from illegal diesel cars produced by Volkswagen. Now the state's air pollution cops are crafting a remedy for that damage that has been done.
Diesel prices jump nearly 7 cents a gallon in most recent week
Commercial Carrier Journal
With another gain in diesel prices last week, truckers are paying at least $3 per gallon in all regions across the country for the first time in over three years.
See also:
● Southern California inflation at a 10-year high. Blame housing, gas prices OCRegister
Proposals to ban internal combustion engines in California are a bad idea
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
The legislation that would have imposed the ban, Assembly Bill 1745, died last month, but bad ideas in California have a way of recurring like nightmares. We will see this proposal again, either as legislation next year or perhaps even as a ballot initiative.
Plans for Bakersfield High Speed Rail station approved
RailwayAge Magazine
The Bakersfield, Calif., City Council voted May 9 to approve the “Making Downtown Bakersfield” Station Area Vision Plan and Environmental Impact Report to continue revitalization efforts in the city.
WATER
Seawater Intrusion Threatens Some of California's Richest Farmland
News Deeply
The lush farming region has faced seawater intrusion from Monterey Bay for decades. But it has become an emergency due to unregulated well drilling, explains Gary Petersen, general manager of the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency.
Del Puerto Water District Receives Prestigious Water Award for Excellence
San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority
Del Puerto Water District received top honors among a statewide field of competitors for its project to deliver highly treated wastewater from the cities of Turlock and Modesto to farmland and wildlife refuges on the Westside.
“Xtra”
Armenian Food Festival in Visalia features lots of kebabs
Visalia Times-Delta
Traditional Armenian foods will be shared Thursday, May 17 as the 41st Armenian Food Festival comes to the Visalia Elks Lodge. This annual fundraiser benefits St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church, a spiritual fixture in Yettem since 1911.
Explore the 5 top eats in Fresno's McLane neighborhood
ABC30
Spending time in McLane? Get to know this Fresno neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from the city's favorite deli to a hidden Indian restaurant.
Merced County First Excellence in Arts Awards
Multicultural Arts Center
Help celebrate those who have given so much to the arts in the community by honoring them this Thursday, May 17 at the Excellence in Arts Awards! Tickets are only $25. Hors d'oeuvres will be served during social hour at 6:00, with light entertainment and no-host bar, and the awards will be handed out starting at 7:00.
Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad Steams Ahead For 2018 Season
Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau
The railroad’s popular “Moonlight Specials,” offered on Saturday evenings with the first ride, Saturday, May 19th, 6:30 p.m. and includes a train ride, barbecue dinner and entertainment.