POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Modesto district to spend millions on school upgrades. Where your money is going
Modesto Bee
Modesto City Schools is poised in May to issue the first $26 million in bonds for renovations and improvements for elementary schools and junior high campuses.
GM will retire from one of Stanislaus County’s largest water and power providers
Modesto Bee
Casey Hashimoto, general manager of the Turlock Irrigation District since 2010, announced Tuesday that he will retire at the end of 2019. The leader of one of Stanislaus County’s largest water and power providers disclosed his plans at the morning board meeting.
Central SJ Valley:
State Senator Andreas Borgeas On ‘Gavin’s Law,’ HSR, And How Local And State Politics Differ
VPR
Before State Senator Andreas Borgeas was elected to to represent the 8th District in November, he spent time as a Fresno city councilmember, and later a county supervisor. Now, he represents a much larger region that extends as far north as Sacramento County, and as far south as Tulare County.
Familiar face in new position on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors
Fresno Bee
Steve Brandau was sworn in on Tuesday as a Fresno County Supervisor to represent District 2, which includes large portions of Fresno and Clovis. Sheriff Margaret Mims administered the oath to Brandau, who was joined by his parents.
‘#YachtCocaineProstitutes’ trends on Twitter after Nunes announces McClatchy lawsuit
Fresno Bee
The morning after U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes announced that he is suing McClatchy, alleging defamation in a lawsuit focusing on the social media reach of the Sacramento, California, company’s publications and reporters, tens of thousands of users are criticizing Nunes via the social media platform Nunes is suing in a separate suit.
See also:
● First Twitter, now The Fresno Bee: Devin Nunes files lawsuit against McClatchy Fresno Bee
● Nunes files $150M defamation claim against McClatchy Co. abc30
● Devin Nunes sues Fresno Bee for $150 million Visalia Times Delta
● Nunes Files $150 Million Defamation Suit Against McClatchy: ‘It’s Baseless’ Says Company VPR
● Nunes sues McClatchy for $15M over sex party lawsuit story San Francisco Chronicle
● Twitter Gets #Yachtcocaineprostitutes Trending To Mock Republican Devin Nunes After He Files Lawsuit News Week
Warszawski: Next mayor of Fresno will be a Democrat. Only uncertainty: Will it be in 2020 or 2024?
Fresno Bee
The next mayor of Fresno will be a Democrat. Of that, I’m fairly certain. The unknown is whether that Democratic mayor will win election in 2020 or 2024. Either way, the 20-year-plus run of Fresno mayors that belong to the Republican Party ends with Lee Brand.
EDITORIAL: New anti-panhandling plan is a good way to help those in Fresno who most need assistance
Fresno Bee
Three weeks after the Fresno City Council turned down a proposed law meant to deal with panhandling, a new plan will come to the panel this Thursday that has a better approach and should be supported.
South SJ Valley:
Councilman wants $16.5 million and public apology from City of Tulare
abc30
Last August, retired Tulare Police Lt. David Frost filed a civil suit at the Tulare County courthouse. The suit names the city of Tulare, city councilmember Greg Nunley, and his businesses as defendants in the case.
State:
Surf City, El Salvador? Gavin Newsom promotes tourism to Central America
Fresno Bee
CA Gov. Gavin Newsom says he wants his state and El Salvador to partner to promote tourism. He says boosting the economy in Central America could help stem the flow of migrants coming across the U.S. border.
See also:
● Gavin Newsom visits rural indigenous town in El Salvador Merced Sun-Star
● ‘It’s Really Powerful:’ California Lawmaker Returns To Her Birthplace Of El Salvador On Visit With Newsom Capital Public Radio
● “Because We Punch Above Our Weight:” Gov. Newsom Says California Deserves Bigger Say In U.S. Immigration Policy Capital Public Radio
● Tension looms during Newsom’s trip to El Salvador over Trump’s decision to pull aid Los Angeles Times
● The governor goes to Central America CALmatters
● EDITORIAL: While Newsom learns about asylum seekers, Trump tries to crack down San Francisco Chronicle
Sleeping on the job and other abuses: California state audit uncovers cheating workers
Fresno Bee
California State Auditor Elaine Howle uncovered tens of thousands of dollars in wasteful spending. Taxpayer funds were used to pay government employees who slept on the job and abused bereavement policy.
Sloppy expenses at California lottery let workers claim unneeded hotels, mileage
Fresno Bee
The California lottery paid unallowable mileage, hotel and travel expenses for sales conferences over four years, State Controller Betty Yee reported. Managers were reimbursed for their work commutes.
See also:
● Audit of California Lottery finds over $305,000 in improper or dubious spending Los Angeles Times
3 million Californians might have to go back to the DMV after ID failure
Fresno Bee
More than 3 million Californians who obtained new identification cards to comply with a federal mandate might have to return to the Department of Motor Vehicles because the state did not adhere to Homeland Security guidelines when it developed the program.
See also:
● DMV Hearing: Lawmakers hesitant to provide additional funds for offices abc30
● Hackers attacked California DMV voter registration system marred by bugs, glitches Los Angeles Times
● Who’s responsible for DMV’s voter registration problems? Lawmakers want answers Los Angeles Times
California’s Universal Health Care Goals Are On Paper. Here Are 21 Bills To Keep An Eye On
Capital Public Radio
A single-payer health care system doesn’t appear to be on the table this year, but Democratic lawmakers are pushing 21 other bills to expand coverage and make it cheaper.
See also:
● New California Bills Aim To Make Health Care Cheaper And More Accessible Capital Public Radio
Federal:
Trump picks Miller, setting up potential clash with Kushner on immigration
Fresno Bee
President Donald Trump picked Stephen Miller to lead on immigration policy, putting the hardliner in potential conflict with one of the most influential people in the White House, the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
See also:
● Kirstjen Nielsen’s deputy resigns from Homeland Security as well amid Trump agency shakeup Bakersfield Californian
● Trump Administration Mulls Tougher Immigration Policies Amid DHS Shake-Up Capital Public Radio
● EDITORIAL: Kirstjen Nielsen’s departure is just more chaos from the White House Los Angeles Times
Barr to release redacted Mueller report ‘within a week’
abc30
Attorney General William Barr has told Congress he will release a redacted report of Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling “within a week.
See also:
· Attorney general says he believes ‘spying did occur’ in campaign probe of Trump associates Washington Post
Treasury secretary grilled as Democrats’ deadline for Trump’s tax returns looms
abc30
Although the White House believes that Democrats will never get their hands on copies of President Donald Trump’s tax returns, the deadline to respond is Wednesday.
See also:
● Mnuchin says he will ‘follow the law’ on Trump tax returns Los Angeles Times
● The law is clear on disclosing Trump’s tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee Los Angeles Times
● Trump says he won’t release his tax returns by House deadline, hasn’t seen Mueller report Roll Call
● OPINION: The law is clear on disclosing Trump’s tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee Los Angeles Times
Nancy Pelosi’s 2020 opponent thinks she’s soft on Trump
San Francisco Chronicle
It would seem to be a difficult time to challenge a resurgent House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, but San Francisco attorney Shahid Buttar is hoping to catch the same lightning that vaulted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over a top Democrat last year in New York.
Moderate Democrats Back Balanced-Budget Amendment, Countering Liberals
Bloomberg
A group of moderate House Democrats is proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution as they try to further distance themselves from the party’s progressive wing, which is backing big boosts in spending for social programs and infrastructure.
Republicans press Trump to drop Herman Cain’s Fed nomination
Politico
Senate Republicans are warning the White House that the 2012 presidential candidate will face one of the most difficult confirmation fights of Donald Trump’s presidency and are making a behind-the-scenes play to get the president to back off, two GOP senators said.
Republicans Revive Efforts to Preserve Health-Law Provisions
Wall Street Journal
A group of Senate Republicans is reviving legislation aimed at guaranteeing protections for people with pre-existing conditions, as the GOP attempts to blunt the political advantage Democrats may have on health care before the 2020 election.
Facebook, Google executives grilled by Congress on hate speech
abc30
Executives from Google and Facebook faced Congress Tuesday to answer questions about their role in the spread of hate crimes and the rise of white nationalism in the U.S.
Net neutrality bill sails through the House but faces an uncertain political future
Washington Post
House lawmakers on Wednesday approved a Democrat-backed bill that would restore rules requiring AT&T, Verizon and other Internet providers to treat all Web traffic equally, marking an early step toward reversing one of the most significant deregulatory moves of the Trump era.
Fact Check: Have more Florida felons registered as Republicans since Amendment 4 took effect?
PolitiFact
As President Donald Trump builds the Republican Party’s coalition before the 2020 election, his son-in-law Jared Kushner tossed out a surprising statistic about a group of people who he said leans right: felons in Florida.
Elections 2020:
Quinnipiac Poll
Former Vice President Joe Biden is the leader of the pack with 26 percent of California Democrats and voters leaning Democratic, according to a Quinnipiac University Poll released today. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont takes 18 percent of Democrats and Democratic leaners, with 17 percent for native daughter, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris.
See also:
● Joe Biden’s campaign nearly imploded before it began. Here’s why he could still win Sacramento Bee
Sen. Gillibrand calls Hillary Clinton ‘a role model for all’
Fresno Bee
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says that her relationship with Hillary Clinton is strong and that Clinton has given her advice about a presidential bid.
Who is Eric Swalwell? What to know about the Democratic 2020 Presidential candidate
abc30
Bay Area congressman, Eric Swalwell, is officially running for president. Here’s what you need to know about the 38-year-old.
See also:
● Eric Swalwell announces campaign for president Visalia Times Delta
● Eric Swalwell jumps into 2020 Democratic presidential race San Francisco Chronicle
Fox News: OK for Bernie Sanders town hall, but not Democratic debates
San Francisco Chronicle
Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez is OK with independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders appearing next Monday at a town hall forum on Fox News to push his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The Center-Left Wants to Pass the Baton, but What 2020 Candidate Will Take It?
The Nation
DeLong, a self-confessed “neoliberal shill” and “Rubin Democrat”—a reference to Robert Rubin. “The baton rightly passes to our colleagues on our left,” DeLong wrote. “We are still here, but it is not our time to lead.”
Other:
Transgender visibility rally in Fresno allegedly targeted by trucks ‘rolling coal’
Fresno Bee
A group of about 40 people who gathered on a corner in River Park for Transgender Day of Visibility were allegedly repeatedly blasted with black exhaust from three diesel trucks, something that’s called “rolling coal.”
The Urgent Quest for Slower, Better News
The New Yorker
In his new book, “Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World,” Cal Newport, a computer-science professor at Georgetown University, marshals evidence that the addictive properties of our devices are not accidental but, rather, the product of careful thinking by tech companies about the feedback loops that will keep people returning to them.
States Need to Ensure Donor Privacy — It’s Crucial to Freedom of Speech
National Review
Yet many policy pundits on the left, and even a few on the right, have been doing all they can to convince lawmakers across the country that the government has a compelling interest in knowing to whom you give your after-tax money.
While America Dithers, Europe Gets Busy Crafting Artificial Intelligence Regulations
KQED
The group collected ideas from 50-plus experts and issued a report last
December. This week, after receiving more than 500 comments in response, the
group issued ethics guidelines for trustworthy artificial intelligence.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Harris Ranch is selling its beef operations. Another Valley company is the buyer
Fresno Bee
Central Valley Meat in Hanford, California, is buying Harris Ranch Beef, which has a slaughterhouse plant in Selma and a feedlot in Coalinga. The company’s inn & restaurant on Interstate 5 is not part of the deal.
See also:
● Harris Ranch Beef Holding Company purchased by Central Valley Meat Holding Company abc30
Capital Public Radio
The three-day festival, which has been around for more than 30 years, kicks off Friday at the county fairgrounds.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Victims of murder, violent crime remembered in Merced’s Courthouse Park
Fresno Bee
A somber gathering of families with loved ones who’ve lost their lives to violence happened at Courthouse Park in Merced on Tuesday.
See also:
● Merced County victims remembered during annual Victims Rights ceremony Merced Sun-Star
● ‘Survivor strong’: Resilience follows trauma Stockton Record
● March honors victims of violent crimes and their families Bakersfield Californian
Hearing set for Madera County killer hoping Prop 57 will set her free
abc30
Prop 57 changed the rules so prosecutors have to convince a judge to file an adult case against a juvenile. It’s called a fitness hearing or a transfer hearing and Navarra gets one because she was 16 at the time of the murder and hadn’t exhausted her appeals by the time Prop 57 became law.
Is Momentum Growing to End California’s Death Penalty?
PPIC
On March 13, Governor Newsom signed an executive order placing a moratorium on
the death penalty for the 737 inmates on death row in California’s prisons. The
order suspends executions for the remainder of Newsom’s administration but does
not allow for the release of any inmates or alter any convictions or sentences.
Public Safety:
Local woman creates quilt to raise money for police dogs
abc30
A local woman with a love for quilting and animals has chosen to use her talents to help the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office in a very unique way. Delores Murch created a quilt adorned with pictures of all eight K-9 officers at TCSO and gave it to the department for use in a fundraiser.
Madera Sheriff’s Office Welcomes Three New Deputies
Sierra News
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) officially welcomed three newly sworn deputies to their ranks at today’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
‘Impossible standard?’ Police oppose it, but California use-of-force bill advances
Sacramento Bee
The officer use-of-force bill updates the current “reasonable” deadly force standard to “necessary,” and would make it easier to file criminal charges against officers who use lethal force if other enforcement options are available.
See also:
● Police Use-Of-Force Bill Moves Forward In California Legislature Despite Concerns From Some Lawmakers Capital Public Radio
Who monitors sheriffs? Proposed law would place that power firmly with counties
Los Angeles Times
In Sacramento, the sheriff deactivated the key card of an appointed inspector general, effectively running him out of office after a critical analysis of a police shooting last year. In Los Angeles, the civilian oversight board is struggling to compel the sheriff to release information it needs to do its job.
Fire:
PG&E now faces criminal probe in Camp Fire, victims’ lawyer says
Merced Sun-Star
In what could be a significant new legal headache for PG&E, a lawyer representing wildfire victims said Tuesday that the utility is being investigated for possible criminal conduct in the start of the Camp Fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed much of the town of Paradise.
See also:
● ‘It doesn’t quite feel right yet’: Judge delays ruling on PG&E’s bonus plan San Francisco Chronicle
Meet the families whose homes survived the Camp Fire
Sacramento Bee
Homes built after California implemented fire-resistant building codes in 2008 in high risk areas were more likely to survive when the Camp Fire burned through Paradise in 2018. Two families share their experiences in March 2019.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Why the New T-Mobile wants to invest in Fresno County
Fresno Bee
This past week, we shared big news: When T-Mobile’s pending merger with Sprint is approved, the New T-Mobile plans to build an amazing Customer Experience Center (CEC) in the Kingsburg area.
Financial technology is changing how we do business, and regulators are trying to catch up
Roll Call
Fintech is the entire field of up-and-coming financial technologies that are changing the way business is done around the world and leaving regulators in the dust.
Stocks fall, ending the S&P 500’s eight-day win streak
Los Angeles Times
Industrial companies led a broad slide in stocks on Wall Street on Tuesday, ending the benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 index’s eight-day winning streak.
The Long Bull Market Has Failed to Fix Public Pensions
Wall Street Journal
Maine’s public pension fund earned double-digit returns in six of the past nine years. Yet the Maine Public Employees Retirement System is still $2.9 billion short of what it needs to afford all future benefits to all retirees.
Jobs:
City of Clovis adds more than 1,000 Acres, will generate thousands of jobs
Clovis Roundup
On April 3rd, the Fresno County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) approved a City of Clovis request to add 1,035 acres to the city’s Sphere of Influence for land that is designated to be a significant job generator for the region.
Bank of America raising hourly minimum wage to $20
abc30
Bank of America is raising its starting pay to $20 an hour over a two-year period, starting with a hike next month.
See also:
● Bank of America lifts minimum wage to $17 Visalia Times Delta
Thousands strike at five UC hospitals today, alleging unfair labor practices
Sacramento Bee
Thousands of unionized workers statewide will hit the picket line Wednesday at five University of California hospitals in a one-day strike over what they allege is a coordinated campaign of unfair labor practices designed to discourage labor participation and mute protesters.
‘Job killer’ bills may be more difficult to kill
CALmatters
Even though most of the bills are carried by the Legislature’s dominant Democrats and are sponsored by some of the party’s most influential allies, such as labor unions and personal injury lawyers, the chamber has rung up about a 90 percent kill ratio.
Meet the millions of young adults who are out of work
Brookings
17 percent of young adults ages 18 to 24 are out of work in mid to large cities in the U.S., totaling 2.3 million young people, this path does not appear to work equally well for all, particularly in light of the effects of the Great Recession and the declining rates of employment among teens and young adults since about 2000.
Walmart Is Rolling Out the Robots
Wall Street Journal
Walmart Inc. is expanding its use of robots in stores to help monitor inventory, clean floors and unload trucks, part of the retail giant’s efforts to control labor costs as it spends more to raise wages and offer new services like online grocery delivery.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Texas schools bringing cursive back to classrooms
abc30
The state board made the change in 2017, and all districts will implement it in the 2019-2020 school year. The list of Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading can be found here.
Yosemite High getting a new principal beginning in fall. Meet Stephanie Osowski
Sierra Star
Yosemite High School will have a new principal come this summer. At the monthly Yosemite Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting Monday night, Dr. Stepanie Osowski was unanimously approved as the school’s new principal effective July 1.
See also:
● SoCal Educator Named New Principal At YHS Sierra News
Modesto district to spend millions on school upgrades. Where your money is going
Modesto Bee
Modesto City Schools is poised in May to issue the first $26 million in bonds for renovations and improvements for elementary schools and junior high campuses.
Parents continue to push BCSD for summer school
Bakersfield Californian
Emotions continued to rise among Bakersfield City School District parents surrounding summer school as the district looks to approve its revised Local Control Accountability Plan.
Education Day fun for students at the Stockton Ports
Stockton Record
Hundreds of students from San Joaquin, Contra Costa and Amador counties enjoyed the sunshine and a day at the ballpark. The Stockton Ports hosted Education Day on Tuesday at Stockton Ballpark, an annual tradition since the downtown waterfront stadium opened in 2005.
Higher Ed:
Free symposium takes closer look at SEED program
Stockton Record
If you wanted to know more about guaranteed income programs, University of the Pacific is hosting a forum discussing their concepts and highlights Wednesday afternoon.
City zoning board turns down dorms proposal at Coffee and Stockdale
Bakersfield Californian
A controversial proposal to build five-story dorms at Coffee Road and Stockdale Highway was rejected Tuesday by a unanimous vote of Bakersfield’s Board of Zoning Adjustment.
The Trump administration takes on affirmative action — and wins
Los Angeles Times
Several news organizations are reporting that the Trump administration in February reached an agreement with Texas Tech University under which the university will stop using race as a factor in admitting students to its medical school.
How a lax IRS let the college admissions scandal continue for years
Los Angeles Times
The college admissions scandal was hiding in plain sight for years. It may have continued because the Internal Revenue Service, which had enough information in its hands to open an investigation, didn’t bother looking.
Fewer schools, more accountability: How for-profit college bills could affect California
CALmatters
But with the Trump administration vowing to repeal the Obama-era rule, California could soon put in place its own law requiring vocational programs to demonstrate that they can place students in jobs that pay well enough to cover their loans.
New York Review
On all fronts, fields like history and English, philosophy and classical studies, art history and comparative literature are under siege. In 2015, the share of bachelor’s degrees awarded in the humanities was down nearly 10 percent from just three years earlier.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Air pollution: Children near major roads have more health risks, UC Merced researcher says
Fresno Bee
Children living near major roads are at a higher risk for developmental delays, according to a new study authored by a UC Merced assistant professor and other researchers.
Don’t believe in climate change? When science becomes political, public distrust grows
Fresno Bee
Several journalists and a scientist from Fresno State gathered Tuesday night for a seminar hosted by the Institute for Media and Public Trust on the topic of science and journalism in an age of growing distrust.
Yosemite Conservancy Provides $15.3 Million in Support
Sierra News
Yosemite Conservancy is providing $15.3 million in support to Yosemite National Park in 2019. Among nearly 50 programs and grants the Conservancy is backing this year are the protection of the rare Sierra Nevada red fox, revitalizing wetlands, and funding volunteer programs.
Reforestation Program Begins On SNF, Seedlings Available
Sierra News
The Bass Lake Ranger District is set to begin its 2019 reforestation program. During the next two months, contract and Forest Service crews will be planting approximately 500 acres focusing on the areas of the 2014 French and Courtney Fires.
After straw ban, California builds a non-plastic future
Los Angeles Times
Ever since California became the first state to bar full-service restaurants from automatically giving out single-use plastic straws, many Californians have been bracing for its impact. And some have definitely not been pleased to find out they have to specifically ask for one if they want to sip their drink through a straw.
Newsom gets climate advice, Atkins offers ‘Trump insurance’
CALmatters
Drought, wildfire and natural disaster are about to become a big part of life for Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, who should focus on California’s shaky environment with a sense of urgency.
Climate debate heats up Oversight Committee
Roll Call
Kerry, who testified alongside former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, had a contentious back-and-forth with Republicans on the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
Identifying and Prioritizing Environmentally Impacted and Vulnerable Communities Tickets
Eventbrite
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is launching a training webinar series to build the capacity of environmental justice practitioners working at the state level. The first webinar “Identifying and Prioritizing Environmentally Impacted and Vulnerable Communities” is now open for registration.
NPR
University of Sydney economist Rebecca Taylor started studying bag regulations
because it seemed as though every time she moved for a new job — from
Washington, D.C., to California to Australia — bag restrictions were
implemented shortly after.
Energy:
Democrats: Why not just end mountaintop removal coal mining?
Fresno Bee
A House committee hearing to look at a potential moratorium on new permits for mountaintop removal coal mining until a study has been conducted on the health risks evolved into a conversation about whether the practice should be ended entirely.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Immigrants and Health in California
PPIC
Immigrants, who make up about 27% of Californians, face a more complex health care landscape than US-born residents. While
95% of US-born residents in California have health insurance coverage, 86% of
immigrants do.
Tracking your pregnancy on an app may be more public than you think
Washington Post
Period- and pregnancy-tracking apps such as Ovia have climbed in popularity as fun, friendly companions for the daunting uncertainties of childbirth, and many expectant women check in daily to see, for instance, how their unborn babies’ size compares to different fruits or Parisian desserts.
Lethal Plans: When Seniors Turn To Suicide In Long-Term Care
Kaiser Health News
A six-month investigation by Kaiser Health News and PBS NewsHour finds that older Americans are quietly killing themselves in nursing homes, assisted living centers and adult care homes.
Certain supplements could increase chances of cancer, study says
abc30
Many people take vitamin supplements to add years to their life, but a new study says some supplements could actually increase your chances of cancer.
Fact Check: Donald Trump’s ridiculous link between cancer, wind turbines
PolitiFact
Trump made the off-hand remark at a fundraiser for the National Republican Congressional Committee. As he often does, Trump attacked wind power as an energy source. (We checked his recent Mostly False claim that it leaves electric grids at the mercy of the wind.)
How Russia Sows Confusion in the U.S. Vaccine Debate
Foreign Policy
Measles is concerning in its own right. Aside from the discomfort it causes, in 25 percent of cases people who get measles are hospitalized. But an overlooked detail adds another layer to the threat. In the United States, measles has a surprising booster: Russian trolls and bots.
Human Services:
Eying Supreme Court, abortion foes promote tough state bans
Fresno Bee
Emboldened by the new conservative majority on the Supreme Court, anti-abortion lawmakers and activists in numerous states are pushing near-total bans on the procedure in a deliberate frontal attack on Roe v. Wade.
PRO-PT expands physical therapy services in Porterville
Porterville Recorder
PRO-PT Physical Therapy and Porterville Physical Therapy have joined forces and will continue to operate under the PRO-PT name. For quite some time, discussions have been on the table to merge the two practices.
State department defends $2.3 million monthly sanction on Kern Behavioral Health
Bakersfield Californian
A state healthcare department is defending itself after criticism arose over a $2.3 million monthly sanction of the Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Department.
Nurse practitioners win first round against doctors with bill to expand patient care
Los Angeles Times
Nurse practitioners, who undergo more training than registered nurses, have been lobbying the Legislature for years to care for patients on their own without a physician’s approval. They’ve argued this change in state law would ensure the state’s aging population has access to medical care.
As Drug Crises Surge, Babies Enter Foster Care at Higher Rate
PEW
Babies and toddlers are entering the foster care system at a higher rate, a
trend that some child welfare experts fear is correlated to the opioid and
methamphetamine epidemics wreaking havoc across the country. And that is
further straining the nation’s already overburdened child welfare system.
IMMIGRATION
FACT CHECK: Trump Wrongly States Obama Administration Had Child Separation Policy
NPR
President Trump repeated a false claim to reporters Tuesday, wrongly blaming the Obama administration for instituting a policy in which children were separated from their parents at the Southern border.
Trump suggests family separation policy deters migrants
Fresno Bee
Amid bipartisan pushback, President Donald Trump says he’s not looking to revive the much-criticized practice of separating migrant children from their families at the southern border.
See also:
● Trump claims he’s not looking to reinstate family separation policy at border Los Angeles Times
● Trump lies yet again about Obama and separating families at the border Los Angeles Times
● Trump says the U.S. is too ‘full’ for more immigrants. The opposite is true Los Angeles Times
● Trump’s immigration chaos gives Democrats an opening Los Angeles Times
● U.S. Aims to Move More Aggressively Against Central American Asylum Seekers Wall Street Journal
● Twelve days of chaos: Inside the Trump White House’s growing panic to contain the border crisis Washington Post
● Fact-Checking Trump’s Family Separation Claim about Obama’s Policy New York Times
Trump’s hardline new border plan
Axios
President Trump has directed top officials to execute the most aggressive changes in immigration policy since his inauguration, sources tell Axios. Some officials consider the moves legally and politically dubious.
Vox
America is the 146th most densely populated country on earth, sandwiched between Venezuela and Kyrgyzstan. Still, immigration is about more than land. People who say America is full are arguing that the costs immigrants impose outweigh the benefits. Those costs can be cultural, economic, or even political.
UN refugee chief sees more ‘poison’ focused against migrants
Fresno Bee
The U.N. refugee chief says he has never seen “such toxicity, such poison” in politics, the media, social media and everyday conversation focused on refugees, migrants and foreigners.
Autopsy: Migrant detainee died from AIDS complications
Bakersfield Californian
A Honduran transgender migrant, whose 2018 death while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sparked protests and calls for an investigation, died of a rare disorder that developed quickly due to AIDS, according to an autopsy released Tuesday.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Housing:
Housing bill problem: It looks like one size fits all
Porterville Recorder
As they consider Senate Bill 50, many who are aware of the latest attempt by San Francisco’s Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener to solve California’s housing shortage believe the plan treats this state as if it were monochromatic.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Audit of California Lottery finds over $305,000 in improper or dubious spending
Los Angeles Times
California Lottery officials tallied more than $305,000 in improper or questionable spending over the last four years that included travel, food, gifts to employees and entertainment expenses, a state audit concluded Tuesday.
The Secret Trust Scores Companies Use to Judge Us All
Wall Street Journal
When you’re logging in to a Starbucks account, booking an Airbnb or making a reservation on OpenTable, loads of information about you is crunched instantly into a single score, then evaluated along with other personal data to determine if you’re a malicious bot or potentially risky human.
TRANSPORTATION
‘A fiasco from the beginning’ — Caltrans’ costs soar on $1.1 billion San Francisco tunnels
Sacramento Bee
Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger celebrated when the California Transportation Commission voted, despite a host of warnings, to pay a contractor more than $1 billion to build two tunnels and a stretch of road outside San Francisco nine years ago.
Caltrans reminds drivers to stay alert during Work Zone Awareness Week
Porterville Recorder
This week is National Work Zone Awareness Week, and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) encourages drivers to exercise caution when driving through areas where highway workers are present.
Understanding high-speed rail’s logic in avoiding San Jose — for now
Silicon Valley Business Journal
That’s notwithstanding the project’s construction timelines between San Francisco and Gilroy — a plan that’s been scrapped for the time being while the California High-Speed Rail Authority pours its few remaining billions into getting trains up and running between Merced and Bakersfield ASAP, which means 2027 for now.
How Gov. Newsom’s revised high- speed rail plan would link ‘train to nowhere’ to somewhere
Silicon Valley Business Journal
Bakersfield to Merced via high-speed rail sounds like a “train to nowhere” to a lot of people — essentially an expensive way to get a few folks who might not really be in all that much hurry to get from one end of the Central Valley’s irrigation system to the other.
WATER
Opinion: Yes, we need clean water. But it must remain tax-free
CALmatters
Five years ago, the California Legislature passed a law declaring that water is a basic human right. But the truth is that not everyone in California can count on the safety or reliability of water coming out of their taps or wells.
“Xtra”
Erna’s Elderberry House: The Valley’s only four-star restaurant adds new Sunday option
Fresno Bee
Fine dining eatery Erna’s Elderberry House in Oakhurst, California, located near Yosemite, is adding high tea service on the first Sunday of each month with a menu featuring scones, sandwiches and fresh fruit.
Tachi Palace community breakfast benefits United Cerebral Palsy
Hanford Sentinel
Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino recently hosted its monthly community breakfast and presented a check for $8,062.04 to United Cerebral Palsy (UCP).
Sequoia National Forest camping options for Fishing Derby
Porterville Recorder
There are many camping options on the Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District for the 2019 Isabella Lake Fishing Derby (April 13-15).
18th Central Valley Honor Flight takes off for Washington D.C.
abc30
It was an early morning for this group of local war veterans as they packed the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport. The excitement was high as they prepared to board the 18th Central Valley Honor Flight, the next stop, Washington D.C.
See a black hole for the first time in a historic image from the Event Horizon Telescope
Washington Post
Scientists have finally captured the first direct image of a supermassive black hole.
The highly anticipated cosmic portrait belongs to the black hole at the center of Messier 87, the largest galaxy we know of, about 54 million light-years away.