POLICY & POLITICS
Valley:
Trump praises Nunes as ‘a very courageous man’
POLITICO
President Donald Trump on Monday praised Rep. Devin Nunes — who is aggressively pushing the Justice Department for sensitive documents related to the Russia probe — as a "very courageous man."
See also:
● Ad campaign whacks Devin Nunes Politico
● Group posts three billboards in Fresno aiming to unseat Devin Nunes abc30.com
● Devin Nunes: No More DOJ Meetings until Russia Documents Turned Over National Review
Amazon gives Fresno leaders a peek at its new fulfillment center
The Fresno Bee
Amazon opened the doors to its massive new Fresno fulfillment center to the local leaders and the media Monday as it prepares for a possible June opening.
This foreign service officer from Fresno circled the globe 'creating a better world'
Fresno Bee
The distinguished international career and interesting life of Fresno native Mark Mitchell was cut short by a car accident in the country of Georgia, north of Armenia.
Tulare man's signs stir controversy, call out city officials
Visalia Times-Delta
On Sunday, Bruce Creamer of Tulare decided he'd had enough with leaders in the community. He secured three blue tarps to his chain link fence along San Joaquin Avenue. The message on the tarps calls out city officials.
New agreement could tell whether Modesto has fixed its problem purchasing practices
Modesto Bee
Modesto is about to revisit some embarrassing recent history regarding the breakdown of its purchasing practices that allowed the city to purchase about $16 million more in goods and services than what had been authorized.
Here's who's giving money to the Merced County supervisor candidates
Merced Sun Star
One candidate for District 5 of the Merced County Board of Supervisors has received about three times the amount of campaign donations compared to his opponents, according to county records.
Community event scheduled to celebrate former Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall
Bakersfield Californian
A "community celebration" has been scheduled to honor the life of former Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall, whose death Saturday at the age of 77 has elicited fond remembrances by friends and supporters.
Tehachapi Mayor Ed Grimes dies at age 75
Bakersfield Californian
Tehachapi Mayor Edward Clem Grimes died Monday. He was 75.
Sierra Sun Times
Senator Andy Vidak’s (R-Hanford) Senate Bill 1137, which would help veterans in California, passed the State Senate on a unanimous 38-0 vote on Monday. It now moves to the State Assembly for consideration
State:
Voter Guide: California 2018 primary election
The Sacramento Bee
Voting for California's June 5 primary election began May 7. If you're wondering how to choose between the candidates on your ballot, The 2018 Sacramento Bee Voter Guide can help. See the races you'll be deciding and create a personalized list of candidates.
See also:
● County Elections strives to make voting convenient Bakersfield Californian
● California Focus: June 5 ballot to see cap-and-trade, water bond among other propositions Sonoma Propositions
● Where and How to Vote Secretary of State
3 California Democrats in a scramble for second in governor’s race
San Francisco Chronicle
With Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom a good bet to win a spot on the November ballot for governor, three other Democrats face the inexorable arithmetic of California’s top-two primary.
See also:
● Election on the horizon; deadline is June 5 The Madera Tribune
● No lack of choice in race for California governor Fox5
● Who's picking the winners of Democratic primaries: the voters or the party? Politico
● Governor of California CALMatters
● Politifact CA: Has Obama endorsed in the California governor’s race? No. Politifact CA
Los Angeles Times
In Measure R, Villaraigosa has a signature accomplishment, one that he is pitching to voters as he runs for governor.
Walters: California's primary vote could be decisive
CALmatters
Thanks to California’s “top two” primary system, the June 5 election could effectively decide who will be the state’s next governor and, perhaps even more importantly, whether President Donald Trump will continue to enjoy Republican control of Congress or face a Democratic takeover that could bring impeachment.
See also:
● California’s primaries are the most unpredictable in America Economist
California’s lieutenant governors rarely move up to the top job
San Francisco Chronicle
The office of California’s lieutenant governor is often referred to by the unflattering diminutive “lite gov.” But it can get even worse.
Democrats try to end civil war in California race that’s key to House control
San Francisco Chronicle
A truce has been negotiated in a nasty battle between two Democratic congressional candidates in a California district that’s crucial to the party’s hopes of winning the House this fall.
Dianne Feinstein, Kamala Harris try to cut a deal with Trump
Sacramento Bee
The president’s legal advisers have been working with California’s two Democratic senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, to vet potential nominees for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
See also:
● Incumbent Sen. Dianne Feinstein talks UC funding, gun control Daily Bruin
CALmatters
Democratic Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones is in a tough spot in his campaign to become California’s next attorney general: His opponents include a fellow Democrat who enjoys the power of incumbency with the governor’s seal-of-approval, and a Republican who’s been endorsed by the state GOP.
See also:
● Democrats in California's attorney general race clash over campaign ads filmed on state property Los Angeles Times
● Attorney General candidates debate criminal justice reform, immigration enforcement The Highlander
● Xavier Becerra illegally filmed ads in state courts, election foe says San Francisco Chronicle
Why does this investor think three Californias are better than one?
Mercury News
You could argue a Silicon Valley investor who saw the early potential of Tesla, Skype and cryptocurrency has a keen sense of knowing what we want before we do.
See also:
Like California, these other states have tried to break themselves apart San Jose Mercury
Our State, Our Economy, Our Counties
Public CEO
Graham Knaus, CSAC’s Executive Director: The CSAC Legislative Conference is just getting started and we will be engaged in two full days of discussing policy, analyzing the Governor’s May Revision to the State Budget, and networking with colleagues from around the state.
Federal:
Partisan Split Over Election Security Widens as 2018 Midterms Inch Closer
Roll Call
Democrats and Republicans struck drastically different tones about their confidence in federal agencies’ efforts to secure voting systems and stamp out foreign state-sponsored influence campaigns ahead of the 2018 midterms after a classified meeting on the subject for House members Tuesday.
See also:
● Garofoli: Bad news for Dems: Trump’s rating is rising where it counts in California San Francisco Chronicle
California rebukes Trump with health care push for immigrants
Politico
California is poised to become the first state in the nation to offer full health coverage to undocumented adults even as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown by separating families at the border.
The constitutional crisis is here
Washington Post
Stop waiting for the constitutional crisis that President Trump is sure to provoke. It’s here.
Senate panel delays vote to approve auto safety chief
Reuters
The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Monday delayed a vote on the Trump administration’s nominee to be the top auto safety regulator in the face of opposition among Democrats over planned changes to vehicle emissions rules.
Other:
EDITORIAL: Stop the gun shows at the Cow Palace
San Francisco Chronicle
The communities living near the Cow Palace, the enormous state-owned exhibition hall in Daly City, overwhelmingly want the venue to stop hosting gun shows. The state Legislature has previously passed legislation designed to stop the shows.
See also:
● Antonin Scalia was wrong about the meaning of ‘bear arms’ Washington Post
Arizona prepares for mass exodus of Californians in event of catastrophic earthquake
San Francisco Chronicle
The state of Arizona started a full-scale, three-and-a-half-day-long exercise Monday to prepare for a mass exodus of Californians in the event of a catastrophic earthquake.
A 78-foot wave was recorded near New Zealand — and it's barreling toward the Central Coast
San Luis Obispo Tribune
An intense storm with hurricane-force winds generated massive waves in the Roaring Forties (south of the 40th parallel in Southern Hemisphere). A wave rider buoy moored about 375 miles south of New Zealand near Campbell Island measured a 78-foot wave May 9, the highest individual wave ever recorded south of the equator.
States Stumble on Internet Privacy
Pew Charitable Trusts
When President Donald Trump signed the repeal of Obama-era internet service provider privacy rules last year, states rushed in to craft privacy legislation of their own. But most of those 2017 and 2018 bills have floundered, done in by the same business and industry forces that opposed the federal rules.
See also:
● Mark Zuckerberg to Apologize Again, This Time to European Parliament New York Times
Can government-funded fiber networks close digital divides?
AEI
When it comes to broadband networks, this is certainly the case when the government funding addresses “missing markets for investment” — areas where the simple economic reason that high costs or low willingness to pay means that a private investor will be unable to recover a fair return on the substantial capital sums involved. The counterfactual of no government funding is no network.
5 things you need to know about sports betting
Marketplace
This spring, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide if states can legalize sports betting. The court heard arguments late last year on a case called Christie v. NCAA — named for the then-governor of New Jersey — that could invalidate the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a 1992 law that bans sports betting in most states (Nevada, Oregon, Delaware and Montana are exempt).
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Farmers 'cautiously optimistic' after China trade deal, citrus hurting
Visalia Times Delta
The Trump administration sent mixed signals Monday about a potential trade deal with China as senior economic officials defended a decision to lift sanctions in exchange for promises from Beijing to ease trade barriers.
See also:
● A Welcome China Trade Truce Wall Street Journal
● U.S. farmers plow ahead with plantings as China trade war fears ebb Reuters
Fresno Food Expo not just a Valley event anymore
The Business Journal
This year’s Fresno Food Expo will be different than those of previous years. For one thing, the annual event for growers and food processors to display their goods to representatives from grocery stores and other retailers will occur only one day — July 26 — instead of the usual two at the Fresno Convention Center.
See also:
● The Fresno Food Expo Expands to Welcome all Food & Beverage Companies from California’s $71.25 Billion Food Industry Business Wire
California could make food more affordable and help farmers; here’s how
San Francisco Chronicle
In the coming days, our Legislature has the opportunity to pass a budget that would reduce hunger, improve health and support California agriculture.
This 'farmer's market' wasn't your normal kale stand. Now the city wants to shut it down
Sacramento Bee
Instead of fruits and veggies, the operators of the 11:30 Club on 26th Street in midtown have been illegally selling marijuana out of a "farmer's market," according to a civil complaint filed May 10 in Sacramento Superior Court by the city of Sacramento.
Scalise Announces Plan for Immigration, Farm Bill Votes Third Week of June
Roll Call
The farm bill, which failed on the House floor Friday, will get a second vote June 22 after a vote on a conservative immigration bill earlier that week, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise said Monday.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
More than 3,000 marijuana plants destroyed during Merced County raid
Merced Sun Star
More than 150 pounds of marijuana buds and about 3,500 plants were confiscated in Ballico during a marijuana enforcement operation by authorities, according to the Merced County Sheriff's office.
The 'reasonable' use of force by police has killed too many people. California can change that
Los Angeles Times
Excessive force by police officers is a national problem, but the solution will need to come from state and local governments. The federal courts and federal government are showing themselves unwilling to deal with the problem, but meaningful action at the state and local levels is possible and, indeed, essential.
Disputed autopsies fuel effort for independent coroners
Capitol Weekly
Can law enforcement be trusted to fairly review law enforcement-involved shootings? Some state senators think not, citing the example of San Joaquin County, which saw two forensic pathologists resign after claiming that Sheriff Steve Moore pressured them to change their findings in officer-involved deaths.
Prison for California Man Who Impersonated ICE Officer
U.S. News
Prosecutors say a man who impersonated an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent and kept a stash of guns, grenades and thousands of rounds of ammunition is going to prison.
Public Safety:
After Texas Shooting, California Assembly Votes To Expand Gun Violence Restraining Order
Capital Public Radio
Democratic lawmakers on Monday passed legislation that would allow teachers and school staff to request temporary confiscation of a person’s firearms. Employers and co-workers at businesses could also request gun violence restraining orders, under the bill. Friday’s school shooting in Texas framed the debate.
See also:
● Calif. May Expand Gun Violence Restraining Order Law KMJ
● Are Alzheimer’s Patients Safe Around Guns? Doctors Say It’s Worth Discussing Capital Public Radio
● Santa Fe School Shooter Arrested After 25 Minutes NBC Los Angeles
● Have more students been killed in schools than soldiers in combat zones? PolitiFact Florida
● California may expand gun violence restraining order law Washington Post
● School shootings in the US compared with the rest of the world CNN
On his way out, Gov. Jerry Brown offers prison guards a big raise
Sacramento Bee
California's state correctional officers would get their biggest raise since the recession if they approve a tentative agreement for a one-year contract their union struck with Gov. Jerry Brown's administration this month.
RAND
After conducting a comprehensive literature search, the authors undertook a meta-analysis to examine the association between correctional education and reductions in recidivism, improvements in employment after release from prison, and learning in math and in reading. Their findings support the premise that receiving correctional education while incarcerated reduces an individual's risk of recidivating.
EDITORIAL: Bad cops shouldn’t get to operate in secret. Lawmakers, it’s time for transparency
Sacramento Bee
Because of a 40-year-long build-up of bad law, unanticipated court rulings and political deference to police unions, we, the taxpayers, know next to nothing about most of the 162 cases last year in which California law enforcement officers on our payroll killed people in our name.
Fire:
BLM Bakersfield Field Office issues fire restrictions
Bakersfield Californian
The Bureau of Land Management's Bakersfield Field Office has issued Stage 2 fire restrictions for BLM-managed public lands effective Monday, due to potential fire danger.
Utility poles alarm experts in wake of Wine Country infernos
San Jose Mercury News
State regulators and other experts, alarmed by infernos in the North Bay Wine Country and elsewhere, are attempting to determine whether PG&E and other utilities must undertake a comprehensive, up-to-date survey of utility poles in California.
PG&E Judge Won’t Rule Out California Fire Cost Claim
Insurance Journal
PG&E Corp. suffered another legal setback with a judge saying he won’t release the company from a key legal claim over the most destructive wildfires in California history.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
How to build a stronger middle class: With respect.
Brookings
We worry a lot about the middle class: but who are they? Are you middle class? What does it really mean to be middle class in America today?
Jobs:
Supreme Court arbitration ruling could slow #MeToo movement
San Francisco Chronicle
Under the 5-4 ruling, employers can limit workers’ ability to band together in court to pursue redress for labor violations. The practice, known as forced arbitration, means workers can be contractually obligated to solve disputes out of court and individually, rather than in a class-action suit in front of a jury.
See also:
● EDITORIAL: After Supreme Court decision, Congress must preserve workers' right to sue Los Angeles Times
● Supreme Court Decision Delivers Blow To Workers' Rights NPR
● Supreme Court Says Employers Can Bar Worker Class-Action Lawsuits Bloomberg
● Supreme Court sides with employers in class action arbitration cases CNNPolitics
● Supreme Court Upholds Workplace Arbitration Contracts Barring Class Actions The New York Times
● Editorial: Supreme Court leaves workers on their own San Francisco Chronicle
Opinion: Proposed law would tilt favor union construction projects, hurt local contractors
The Modesto Bee
Sadly, Assembly Bill 3018 will ostensibly turn off the spigot of projects and job opportunities for thousands of hard-working family firms and the men and women employed by them.
Businesses really, really don't like this privacy bill, which is why you should
Los Angeles Times
It's my experience that the more fuss businesses kick up about consumer-related legislation, the more likely it is such a bill is needed and would be an effective deterrent to bad practices.
To stay competitive, US call centers are training workers to be super agents
CNN
Manufacturing isn't the only sector that has sent American jobs overseas over the past decade.
Brookings
Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are propelling development in many parts of the world. There are new applications in finance, healthcare, transportation, national security, criminal justice, and smart cities, among other areas.
Democrats’ Next Big Thing: Government-Guaranteed Jobs
New York Times
Prominent Democrats — stung by their eroding support from working-class voters but buoyed by the deficit-be-damned approach of ruling Republicans — are embracing a big idea from a bygone era: guaranteed employment.
Low-wage workers are reviving Dr. King's 1968 Poor People's Campaign
Marketplace
The meeting room in the basement of the First Congregational Church of Memphis was packed. Their purpose for coming together was a four-hour training session on community building and peaceful protest.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Merced children show what they've learned at STEAM Fair
Merced Sun Star
Hundreds of students, parents and staff from all 18 Merced City School District campuses came together recently for the fourth annual STEAM Fair.
Modesto school district settles dispute about discipline of minority students
Modesto Bee
Modesto City Schools will hire a nationally recognized expert on race and discipline to address claims that school district practices have placed a disproportionate number of African-American, Latino and English-learner students in alternative programs, which have fewer educational opportunities.
KHSD trustees vote 5-0 for map plan 3, sure to anger many in south Kern
Bakersfield Californian
Some might say Monday night's special meeting of Kern High School District trustees was a battle between emerging Latino political muscle and the status quo.
Push underway to increase California school funding by billions
EdSource
Rather than hang a banner and declare victory, legislators and education advocates who support Brown’s funding formula are ready to set the next target: an aspirational goal of committing more than $35 billion in new K-12 dollars to the funding formula — enough to raise California’s current per-student spending of $11,149 by about $6,500.
Why charter school backers are spending big in California's governor's race
Sacramento Bee
Charter schools advocates, including at least six billionaires, think Villaraigosa will be a champion for their cause to protect and expand charter schools across the state, creating more choice for parents and improving educational outcomes for students.
Pay Teachers More—but Make Sure They Earn It
Wall Street Journal
I’d suggest a 40% raise, to put them on par with civil engineers—and reforms to improve teacher quality.
Higher Ed:
Fresno State professor’s Tweet fallout shakes donor trust
The Business Journal
Amidst the controversy surrounding Fresno State professor Randa Jarrar’s statements on Twitter celebrating the death of former First Lady Barbara Bush, the university has become embroiled in a crisis that has led to a potential loss of enrollment and donations.
Quick fixes not an option as Fresno State continues search for athletic director
Fresno Bee
Fresno State President Dr. Joseph I. Castro is not entertaining quick fixes for an athletics department that is struggling to squeeze 21 sports programs into a $37 million budget and push forward facilities projects — including a plan to improve the Duncan Building and student-athlete village that in its developing stages carries a $20 million price tag.
New Admission Requirements at the University of California?
Public Policy Institute of California
The University of California is considering increasing minimum science requirements for admission, a move that will challenge California high schools to prepare students for the changes.
California Community College reforms are on the right track
EdSource
The urgency with which Gov. Jerry Brown, the Legislature and Community College Chancellor Eloy Ortiz-Oakley are moving to invest in and transform community colleges to better serve students is long overdue.
See also:
● Community college funding: Put students first Capitol Weekly
● New analysis: College students' housing and food insecurity California Budget & Policy Center
● Candidates for governor take on college affordability Santa Cruz Sentinel
Students lobby in Sacramento for bill requiring access to abortion services on campus
The Daily Californian
Nearly 40 students from 14 different universities gathered in Sacramento to lobby the state Assembly Monday to support a bill that would require all public university health centers in California to offer medical abortion services.
Leaders of California’s Big University Systems Look Ahead at Finances, Safety, Capacity
Diverse Education
Finances, safety and institutional capacity are the main challenges ahead for two of the nation’s biggest university systems, according to their leaders, who discussed the topics recently at the Education Writers Association National Seminar in Los Angeles.
Apprenticeships:
It is time to bring back the summer job. Here is why, and tips for finding one.
The Washington Post
A Pew Research Center analysis found that the Great Recession of 2007 through 2009 caused a drastic reduction in summer jobs for American teens.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Proposition 70: Who Decides How to Spend California Climate Funds
KQED
Proposition 70 is about money raised by California's cap-and-trade program to control climate emissions. Under that program, industries buy permits at a state auction allowing them to emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
See also:
● ‘Climate Change Is Real,’ Carmakers Tell White House in Letter Bloomberg
● How California Undercuts Its Efforts To Combat Climate Change Pacific Standard
Nothing Certain In Search For 'Regulatory Certainty' At EPA
NPR
As Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt has moved to roll back a sweeping array of Obama-era regulations he's relentlessly cited his goal of providing "regulatory certainty."
See also:
● Amid ethics scrutiny, EPA’s Pruitt also finds his regulatory rollbacks hitting bumps Washington Post
● Senators press Pruitt for details on new legal defense fund Washington Post
Two Hundred Million Pounds of Toxic Pesticides Used in California, According to 2016 Annual Data
Beyond Pesticides
A staggering 209 million pounds of pesticides were used in California in 2016, according to the latest data released by the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR).
A Class-Action Paradise: Legal Environment In California Encourages Frivolous Claims
Forbes
California: the land of beaches, Hollywood, and lawsuits. A land where dreams can come true and where plaintiff-friendly statutes and forgiving federal judges allow consumer class actions to reign supreme.
Salters: Time for less courage and more common sense in environmental policy
Bakersfield Californian
What’s the best way to help solve California’s housing supply crisis? If your response was “increase the cost of building a new house,” you should consider applying to serve on the California Energy Commission.
Energy:
California looking into utility pole safety, database
ABC7
The state has no central database to monitor maintenance and safety issues for utility poles. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is looking to change that.
EDITORIAL: Pricey new-home mandate is not a ‘sunny’ idea
Bakersfield Californian
California is on the brink of an historic national first – mandating all new homes built after 2020 be equipped with solar photovoltaic systems. It is also on the brink of exacerbating the state’s existing affordable housing crisis by adding thousands of dollars to the cost of constructing and buying a new home in California.
See also:
● Solar Power Enthusiasts Unimpressed by California's New Rooftop Mandate U.S. News
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Opinion: Opioid crisis as national health emergency: An essential collaboration for the Valley
Fresno Bee
Dr. Amir H. Fathi, an assistant clinical professor of surgery at UC San Francisco-Fresno, writes how some Fresno-area hospitals are working to reduce use of the powerful painkillers.
Shaped by AIDS crisis, Covered California’s leader champions health access
San Francisco Chronicle
In the 1980s, Peter Lee headed for the front lines of the HIV/AIDS crisis. It was his first job in health care, and 30 years later, the lessons still resonate as he heads the enormous insurance marketplace known as Covered California.
California appeals to save assisted death law
Sacramento Bee
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed an appeal on Monday to a court ruling that overturned the state's controversial assisted suicide law.
See also:
● California attorney general appeals judge's decision to overturn physician-assisted suicide law Los Angeles Times
California's top cop moves to defend Planned Parenthood
The Sacramento Bee
California's top cop hinted last week that the state will file another lawsuit against the federal government, potentially taking on the Trump administration over its plan to strip funding for Planned Parenthood and other clinics that provide abortions.
See also:
● EDITORIAL: Once again, the Trump administration is out to mess with women's healthcare Los Angeles Times
Children’s Hospitals Look To Voters For Financial Aid
California Healthline
California’s children’s hospitals say they’re struggling to keep up with advances in medical care and a growing demand for their services, and they’re asking taxpayers to help — again.
Human Services:
California rebukes Trump with health care push for immigrants
POLITICO
California is poised to become the first state in the nation to offer full health coverage to undocumented adults even as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown by separating families at the border.
See also:
● California Plan For Health Coverage Of Undocumented Adults Flies In Face Of Trump Immigration Policies California Healthline
● Free health care for unauthorized immigrants in California? It's being considered San Diego Union-Tribune
● Kidney Docs Worry Over No Dialysis for Undocumented Immigrants U.S. News
● California would become ‘utopia’ for illegal immigrants with free healthcare coverage: Orange County supervisor Fox News
● Coverage Rates Lag For Latinos Even Under Health Law’s Expanded Medicaid California Healthline
● California plan would provide Medicaid to undocumented adults Healthcare Drive
Proposed California Bill Puts The State In Charge Of Healthcare Costs
The ACA Times
California state legislators may have offered the most daring approach to healthcare in recent months. The proposed California Health Care Price Relief Act would form an independent state agency, the California Health Care Cost, Quality and Equity Commission.
See also:
● BRIGGS: AB 3087 would dismantle California’s health care system Bakersfield Californian
EDITORIAL: Patients deserve to know if their doctors are on probation
Los Angeles Times
Although California requires physicians who are placed on probation to inform their insurance companies and the hospitals and clinics where they practice, they don't have to tell the people who may be harmed the most — their patients.
IMMIGRATION
Activists rally in Fresno after sheriff tells Trump sanctuary state laws are a 'disgrace'
Fresno Bee
Brisa Cruz, an organizer with the California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance, told about 50 fellow protesters that Mims has long held “an anti-immigrant agenda.”
See also:
● Another California city rebels against state's pro-illegal immigration ‘sanctuary city’ policies Fox News
● Stanislaus Sheriff Rails Against Local Newspaper Article On ICE Raids CBS Sacramento
Carlsbad joins cities opposing sanctuary status
San Diego Union - Tribune
Carlsbad’s City Council waded into the national “sanctuary state” issue Monday evening, voting 4-1 to back the federal government’s lawsuit against California.
Sanctuary officials could get 5 years in prison under ‘Libby Schaaf Act’
Washington Times
New bill named after Oakland mayor who tipped illegal immigrants to ICE sweep
New California Law Makes It Harder for ICE to Arrest Immigrants from Courthouses
CityWatch
In another move to cement California's status as a "sanctuary state," Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill on Thursday that will help to prevent Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents from nabbing people directly from courthouses.
An Immigration Debate Distinct From Economic Realities
Wall Street Journal
There is a good case that America’s economy has never needed immigrant labor more than it does now
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Bakersfield Ronald McDonald House breaks ground on expansion project
Bakersfield Californian
On Monday, hundreds of people gathered at the facility next to Bakersfield Memorial Hospital to celebrate the start of an expansion project that will add three more guest rooms and a "napping room" for people who need a break but don't plan to spend the night.
Proposition 68: Will voters approve $4.1 billion for parks and water projects?
San Jose Mercury
The last time California voters passed a statewide ballot measure to provide funding for parks, beaches, wildlife and forests, it was 2006. Arnold Schwarzenegger was in his first term as governor, Twitter was a fledgling app, and the iPhone hadn’t been invented yet.
In San Francisco, Public Art Soars High Into the Skyline
New York Times
Starting tonight, 11,000 LEDs will project an ever-changing visual display on the six-story crown of the Salesforce Tower.
Governing,com
Far too many pedestrians are dying on our most heavily traveled streets. They don't have to.
Housing:
California cities know best how to reduce homelessness. But they need more money
Sacramento Bee
The solutions to help end homelessness must be carefully tailored to reflect the needs of each community’s population. Because the needs vary so much, local governments are in the best position to find solutions that work.
See also:
● Huge pop-up homeless shelters are planned for three Sacramento neighborhoods Sacramento Bee
California Turns to Homeowners to Help Solve a Crisis
Bloomberg
A new state law that allows owners of single-family properties to build guest apartments is showing plenty of promise in easing the housing crunch.
California's Self-Inflicted Housing Disaster Couldn't Get Worse — Or Could It?
Investor's Business Daily
As the headlines above show, the same politicians that vow to build "millions" of new homes to keep state citizens from leaving will now require solar panels on new houses. They claim that'll add just $9,500 per house, but of course that's way low. Making homes less affordable is no way to end a housing shortage.
PUBLIC FINANCES
EDITORIAL: California must save more, but invest more, too
Modesto Bee
Gov. Jerry Brown, frugal to the end, wants to fill the state’s “rainy day” fund. Great idea. But for too many Californians, it’s pouring hardship right now.
Fox: Gov. Brown Knows Political Stunts
Fox & Hounds
Gov. Jerry Brown visited Los Angeles Friday to urge defeat of an initiative to repeal the gas tax. During his talk he called the initiative effort a “political stunt” and “devious, deceptive, unfair and un-Californian.” Interesting, considering that Brown, himself, is an expert at getting the political edge.
Los Angeles Times
Charles Asubonten, whose background and experience came into question months after he was hired as the chief financial officer of CalPERS, is no longer with the giant pension fund, the organization acknowledged Monday.
See also:
● Pension fund's CFO 'no longer works' for CalPERS after hiring review Merced Sun Star
● Reputation of hedge funds is hacked back hard Financial Times
● CalPERS loses its CFO after questions raised about his background and experience Los Angeles Times
TRANSPORTATION
Frontier Airlines returning to Fresno
ABC30
It has been a few years since Frontier Airlines touched down at Fresno Yosemite International Airport. But starting on Tuesday, the ultra-low-cost airline will once again taxi down the airstrip connecting Fresno to Denver.
Washed-out stretch of Highway 132 near Coulterville reopens
Modesto Bee
A stretch of Highway 132 near Coulterville reopened to traffic on Friday afternoon, just short of two months after stormwater washed it out on March 22.
What happened to the 'affordable' $35,000 Tesla Model 3?
Los Angeles Times
It's March 2016. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk is on stage for the dramatic unveiling of the Tesla Model 3. Tesla will make hundreds of thousands a year, he said. It will be fun to drive. It will be affordable. "In terms of price, of course, it'll be $35,000," he beamed, awash in thunderous applause.
See also:
● Tesla Model 3 dissed by Consumer Reports San Francisco Chronicle
ENGINEERS DON'T TOTALLY DIG ELON MUSK'S TUNNELING PROMISES
Wired
IF YOU’RE A bit confused about Elon Musk’s plans to tunnel his way out of terrible LA traffic, you are not alone.
Is Uber disrupting itself with its bike share investment?
Marketplace
Uber is looking beyond cars in its bid to control the future of mobility. The company recently acquired electric bike share startup Jump. That means in select cities, Uber users can opt for a bike instead of a driver to help them get around.
WATER
100,000 Residents In Bountiful Central Valley Still Lack Access to Clean Water
KCET
Cristobal Chavez has every reason to believe that for 11 years, he and his family were drinking water containing four times the legal limit of nitrate, a possible carcinogen. He moved to his current residence – a 20-acre ranch in rural Tulare County, a few miles outside the town of Porterville, California, – in 2003. In 2014, he had his well tested, and a lab analysis revealed that the water was essentially undrinkable.
See also:
● Pruitt: Dealing with water contaminant a ‘national priority’ Associated Press
Fresno has a new app to help you save money and waste less water
Fresno Bee
If you love to obsess about your water bill or just want to know more about how much water you use, than the city of Fresno has an app for you.
State Water Project allocation rises to 35%
Bakersfield Californian
Farmers receiving allocations from the State Water Project can expect a bigger allotment this year than they anticipated as recently as last month, thanks to late-season precipitation.
Five Things to Know About Water Bonds on Upcoming California Ballots
KQED
Californians this year will vote on not one but two water bond measures totaling $13 billion. Given that the state still hasn’t spent all of the $7.5 billion from the Proposition 1 water bond passed in 2014, it raises a crucial question: Does California really need another $13 billion in water bonds?
See also:
● Understanding the 2018 Water Bonds Sustainable Conservation
● Prop 68: Will voters approve $4.1 billion for parks and water projects? San Jose Mercury
Bird’s eye look of work underway at Oroville Dam spillways
Chico ER News
This year, contractor Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. is rebuilding the top 730-foot portion of the main spillway and using structural concrete to rebuild the walls and resurface the chute in the middle.
Mapping changes in world’s water, NASA scientists find 'human fingerprint' in many areas
Desert Sun
Using measurements from Earth-observing satellites, NASA scientists have tracked changes in water supplies worldwide and they’ve found that in many places humans are dramatically altering the global water map.
California Water Agency Concerned as Neighboring Geothermal Plant Expands
News Deeply
Volcanically active Mammoth Mountain in California has been home to a productive geothermal energy operation for decades. Now, expansion plans have the local water agency concerned about the future of its groundwater.
“Xtra”
Memorial weekend ceremony set for Saturday at National Cemetery
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield National Cemetery and the Bakersfield National Cemetery Support Committee will host a ceremony to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation, beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday at the National Cemetery.
Hundreds turn out for annual Madera County ArtsFest
Madera Tribune
Hundreds of Valley residents showed up for the fifth annual Madera County ArtsFest on Saturday, May 12. Madera County Schools Foundation and the office of the Madera County Superintendent of Schools played hosts for the free, family-friendly event promoting art in Madera County.
Stop by The Bee on Wednesday to learn a lesson that could save someone's life
Modesto Bee
A few minutes out of your workday could save someone's life
The Madera Tribune
The Madera City Council voted Wednesday to cancel this year’s 4th of July fireworks extravaganza at The Madera golf course.