Maddy Institute – April 25, 2019

25Apr

POLICY & POLITICS

‘No reason that boy should’ve died’: More people than ever are dying in California jails (focus on Valley County Jails)

Modesto Bee

Inmate deaths at California county jails increased after the US Supreme Court ordered reforms because of overcrowding, an investigation, OverCorrection: Crisis in California Jails, by McClatchy and ProPublica found. In Fresno County, fatalities doubled.

American Lung Association gives Valley counties ‘F’ rating for air quality

abc30

The latest report on California’s air quality is out and it’s not good news for the Central Valley. The American Lung Association released the results of its 20th annual State of the Air report.

● Report: Despite Improvements, Valley Air Still Worst In The Country VPR

● Wildfires, warmer weather leave Bay Area air among worst in nation San Francisco Chronicle

● Bad air days on the rise: The nation’s most polluted city is … USA Today

North SJ Valley:

How simple tasks reveal a big rift among Modesto council members

Modesto Bee

The Modesto City Council’s Tuesday evening meeting included two seemingly routine items: approving the mayor’s pick to a new countywide homeless panel and council members’ assignments to the various committees and boards they serve on.

Harder unveils bill funding Valley water projects, including reservoir near Patterson

Modesto Bee

Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, thinks there is a better way to find water solutions for California’s Central Valley and to stop squandering water in wet years that’s needed in dry years.

Central SJ Valley:

Fresno Assemblyman Arambula’s attorneys seek to discredit 7-year-old daughter’s stories of abuse

Fresno Bee

Attorneys for Joaquin Arambula revealed that at least part of their strategy to clear the Fresno assemblyman of a misdemeanor child abuse charge involves convincing a jury that his 7-year-old daughter, the alleged victim of the case, either exaggerated or lied in her statements to investigators.

● Celebrity parallel pops up in high profile Fresno County trial against state assembly member abc30

Fresno wants to crack down on liquor stores. But businesses force vote delay

Fresno Bee

The Fresno City Council is postponing for one week a vote on a proposal to crack down on the number of liquor stores.

Fresno housing official’s comments called racist. So she apologized. But critics are skeptical

Fresno Bee

A Fresno Housing Authority commissioner whose recent comments were criticized by some as racist apologized during Tuesday’s meeting “for pain that was caused by my words.”

Madera Animal Shelter Sees Huge Decline In Euthanasia Rates

Sierra News

April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month and the two-legged folks at the Madera Animal Shelter are saving the lives of more four-legged creatures than at any other time in the organization’s 50-year history.

Inside A Program To Hatch Fresno’s Emerging Leaders

VPR

The 35th class to participate in a yearly program to boost community leaders in Fresno is about to graduate. But before that, they must finish a group project that benefits the city.

South SJ Valley:

Sen. Grove: California must provide workers with flexibility

CALmatters

The Dynamex decision creates a three-part test to establish whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. The distinction between independent contractor and employee is important because it determines the work-life patterns of millions.

It’s viva Las Vegas for Tulare city councilmen

Visalia Times Delta

An empty chair on Tulare City Council was representative of the widening gap between those who sit at the dais. Last week, Councilman Carlton Jones and Mayor Jose Sigala butted heads over a Las Vegas economic development conference held annually in May.

Salas bills to aid seniors, disabled and farmers advances committee

Hanford Sentinel

Monday, Assembly Bills 970 and 1589, authored by Assemblymember Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield), passed out of the Assembly Committee on Transportation with bipartisan support.

Rep. McCarthy presents Blaine Hodge with Citizens Honors Award

Bakersfield Californian

Rep. Kevin McCarthy presented Blaine Hodge with the 2019 Citizens Honors Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society on Tuesday.

State:

The liberal list: Here’s how far left California is moving

Fresno Bee

California Democrats now enjoy their biggest legislative advantages in decades, with veto-proof majorities in both the Assembly and Senate.

Scott Wiener’s SB50 transit-housing bill clears key hurdle after some changes

San Francisco Chronicle

A plan by Sen. Scott Wiener to ease the construction of new apartment buildings around public transit in California cities will move forward by carving out separate rules for counties with fewer than 600,000 people.

New lawsuit alleges sexual assault by former California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman

Los Angeles Times

A California Democratic Party employee sued the organization in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday, alleging he was repeatedly groped and sexually assaulted by former Chairman Eric Bauman.

California lawmakers seek to squelch high-interest loan industry

Politico

Borrowers seeking a quick infusion have turned to a product that has exploded in prevalence over the last decade: loans for greater than $2,500 that, because of a decades-old exemption in California law, often carry interest rates exceeding 100 percent.

Opinion: California Politicians Hiked Gas Tax, Now Demand Investigation Into State’s $4 Per Gallon Gas Prices

Sacramento Bee

On Tuesday, the governor sent a letter to the California Energy Commission (CEC) asking that the state agency investigate the Golden State’s roughly $4.03 per gallon gas prices, currently the highest in the country.

Opinion: Making the California Legislature 50% Female Should Be Easy

Zocalo Public Square

The approach would be simple for voluntary government boards or commissions: a 50-50 mandate.

Federal:

Californians benefit the least from Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, new report finds

Sacramento Bee

California households benefited the least from the income tax cuts in the 2017 tax law, according to a new report.

● Trump tax cuts helped rich people in GOP states more than in Democrat states

CNBC

● Most Americans don’t feel new law made them better off Los Angeles Times

● Tax Refunds, Returns End Filing Seasons Near 2018 Pace Wall Street Journal

‘We’re fighting all the subpoenas’: Trump on battle with House Democrats

abc30

President Donald Trump on Wednesday promised to fight “all the subpoenas” Democrats might try to get former White House counsel Don McGahn and other aides to testify.

EDITORIAL: The Supreme Court must ensure an accurate 2020 census

San Francisco Chronicle

The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether or not the 2020 Census form sent to American households should include a citizenship question, and so far, its deliberations are ominous.

Elections 2020:

Thousands of Californians give to Donald Trump’s reelection campaign

Sacramento Bee

The president’s reelection campaign raised $1.7 million from California donors giving $200 or more in the first three months of 2019 — and no doubt even more from small-dollar donors in the state whose information does not have to be disclosed.

Some women of color frustrated by Biden’s expected 2020 bid

Fresno Bee

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s decision to enter the Democratic presidential race is causing consternation among some Democrats, particularly women of color, who have been hoping for a nominee who better reflects the nation’s diversity.

● Women of color pose a question for Democratic candidates: Why should we vote for you? Los Angeles Times

● In 2020, Biden experience could turn out to be baggage Roll Call

● Joe Biden dives into 2020 race Politico

● Joe Biden Joins 2020 Democratic Presidential Race Wall Street Journal

● Joe Biden’s Expected 2020 Bid Is Likely to Rely on Big Donors Wall Street Journal

Democratic candidates set vision for future at Texas forum

abc30

Eight candidates hoping to face off with President Trump engaged progressive activists and women of color at a major forum in Houston Wednesday.

Beto O’Rourke bringing campaign to San Francisco on Sunday

San Francisco Chronicle

Texan Beto O’Rourke will bring his Democratic presidential campaign to San Francisco on Sunday for a town hall meeting at the Irish Cultural Center.

Buttigieg plans aggressive fundraising push in California

Politico

Democrat Pete Buttigieg is planning a series of 11 fundraisers over three days in California next month, as the rising presidential candidate looks to seize on interest from eager donors to power his campaign.

Are All Democrats Socialist? Don’t Believe the Hype

Wall Street Journal

Right-leaning media like to lavish the lion’s share of coverage on the radicals of the Democratic Party—to paint the entirety of their opposition as out-of-step cry-bully socialists. Pragmatists like Pelosi, not radicals like Omar and Ocasio-Cortez, are the party’s real leaders.

Other:

Fresno City Hall Armenian flag-raising commemorates genocide

Fresno Bee

Several observances were held Wednesday in Fresno to commemorate the Armenian Genocide, including an annual flag-raising at Fresno City Hall.

● Thousands take to L.A. streets to demand recognition for the Armenian genocide Los Angeles Times

● EDITORIAL: President Trump, 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks. It is a genocide Sacramento Bee

Selling civic engagement: A unique role for the private sector?

Brookings

Much has been written on the worrisome trends in Americans’ faith and participation in our nation’s democracy. According to the World Values Survey, almost 20 percent of millennials in the U.S. think that military rule or an authoritarian dictator is a “fairly good” form of government, and only 29 percent believe that living in a country that is governed democratically is “absolutely important.”

Sizing Up Twitter Users

Pew Research Center

U.S. adult Twitter users are younger and more likely to be Democrats than the general public. Most users rarely tweet, but the most prolific 10% create 80% of tweets from adult U.S. users

Facebook Sets Aside $3 Billion to Cover Expected FTC Fine

Wall Street Journal

Facebook Inc. set aside $3 billion for an expected fine from the Federal Trade Commission over privacy violations, cutting into the social-media giant’s profit even as its underlying business remained strong.

See also:

● FTC Aims New Task Force at Big Tech Wall Street Journal

● Misinformation doesn’t have to be altered to go viral Poynter

● Facebook expects up to $5B FTC fine Politico

● Facebook tells us why net neutrality regulation is a bad idea AEI

● Facebook collected 1.5 million users’ email contacts without their knowledge CNN

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, April 28, at 9 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “The 2018 Turnout: What it Means for 2020?” – Guests: Mindy Romero, USC Price School of Public Policy; John Myers, Los Angeles Times; and Secretary of State, Alex Padilla. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, April 28, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Voters and Legislators: The Midterm’s New Faces” – Guests: State Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Salinas), State Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), State Sen. Andreas Borgeas (R- Fresno), Mindy Romero, USC Price School of Public Policy; John Myers, Los Angeles Times; and Secretary of State, Alex Padilla. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, April 28, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Cuenta atrás para el Censo del 2020” – Guests: Secretario de Estado Alex Padilla, Gisell Gasca – Mi Familia Vota y Alexei Koseff con San Francisco Chronicle. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

A California Farmer Goes In Search Of A Successor

Capital Public Radio

The average age of a California farmer is 59. Who will grow our food when today’s farmers retire?

U.S agriculture census shows fewer farms, bigger operations

UPI

The latest five-year agricultural census, released this week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, confirms that the number of farms in the country continues to shrink while the remaining operations are becoming larger.

The Age of Robot Farmers

The New Yorker

Picking strawberries takes speed, stamina, and skill. Can a robot do it?

Perdue trying to help farms get foreign workers in Kushner immigration effort

Fresno Bee

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is wading into legal immigration efforts led by Jared Kushner by dispatching a former farm lobbyist to work with the agribusiness community on how to meet their need for foreign workers without compromising the ideals of the administration.

Beyond The Concrete And Barbed Wire, A Garden To Help Women Grow

VPR

There’s a garden in Chowchilla off of Road 22 that’s surrounded by miles of farmland. Only women tend to this garden. The garden exists because of the Insight Garden Program, a nonprofit that aims to connect people in prison with nature, the community, and themselves.

What’s behind a new surcharge that could be coming to your restaurant bill

San Francisco Chronicle

The state of California is partnering with S.F. nonprofit the Perennial Farming Initiative on a new program, Restore CA. Restaurants will be able to add a 1 percent charge to bills that would help farmers transition to renewable farming practices and counteract climate change.

Mental illness implications of cannabis use must not be ignored

CALmatters

For California voters, recreational marijuana legalization was sold as a win-win-win: billions of dollars in new tax revenues, a chance for law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes, and the societal acceptance of a relatively low-risk alternative to alcohol.

● Regulating the cannabis market is preferable to prohibition CALmatters

● Cultivating clout: Marijuana money flows into California politics CALmatters

● California Allows Marijuana Delivery Pretty Much Anywhere. But Some Cities Are Pushing Back — And Suing. Capital Public Radio

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

‘Rolling coal’ incident at transgender rally ‘inappropriate,’ not criminal, say Fresno police

Fresno Bee

Fresno police say the drivers of three trucks who blasted exhaust at a Transgender Day of Visibility rally did not commit a crime.

‘No reason that boy should’ve died’: More people than ever are dying in California jails (focus on Valley County Jails)

Modesto Bee

California prison begins treating water contaminated with deadly bacteria

Sacramento Bee

California prison officials have started treating water with chlorine following tests that showed a dangerous bacteria was present in water throughout several facilities in Stockton.

DOJ: Prison populations fall with crime rate as drug sentencing declines

UPI

The prison and jail populations have dropped 10 percent over the last decade, showing that changing attitudes on crime and sentencing are working, according to data released Thursday from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Public Safety:

California cops and activists fought for competing use-of-force laws. Now they are linked

Sacramento Bee

The bill favored by police chiefs and unions that would require more training would become obsolete unless lawmakers also pass a more controversial bill that would raise the legal standard for officers to use deadly force.

Flag raising to honor child abuse victims in Kern County

Bakersfield Californian

In 2018, four children died in Kern County as a result of child abuse by those responsible for caring for them. On Friday, the Kern County Department of Human Services will join service agencies throughout the nation to remember those children and others who were lost to child abuse.

‘A culture of fear’: A look at the California National Guard allegations spurring lawmakers to consider new legislation

Stars and Stripes

California lawmakers are considering a bill to remove the state’s National Guard Inspector General from under the command of its top general, after years of allegations that senior command officials retaliate against those who report possible wrongdoing.

NRA Sues Over LA Law Requiring Contractors To Disclose Ties To The Gun Rights Group

Capital Public Radio

Los Angeles wants to know whether city contractors also do business with the NRA. An attorney for the gun rights group calls it “McCarthyism.”

The Smart Gun Doesn’t Exist for the Dumbest Reasons

Bloomberg

Firearms makers have resisted Silicon Valley-sponsored digital innovation that could transform public safety.

Fire:

Red Cross training new volunteers in Mariposa in preparation for fire season

Sierra Star

In preparation for the southern Sierra Nevada’s fire season, the American Red Cross of the Central Valley will be training volunteers in Mariposa next week.

In the hot seat: What California will be paying on Erskine Fire claims

Bakersfield Californian

The state of California is preparing to pay nearly $26 million in insurance and legal claims related to the Erskine Fire.

Unprepared to flee: Fleeing from fires is common; evacuation planning isn’t

Visalia Times-Delta

The destruction over the past three years from California wildfires has not resulted in a rush to more evacuation planning around the state.

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Stocks edge down from record highs

Los Angeles Times

U.S. stocks closed slightly lower Wednesday, with the market giving back some of its gains the day after the Standard & Poor’s 500 index and Nasdaq composite hit record highs.

Two Capitalists Worry About Capitalism’s Future

Wall Street Journal

“I believe that all good things taken to an extreme become self-destructive and that everything must evolve or die. This is now true for capitalism,” Mr. Dalio, founder of hedge-fund manager Bridgewater Associates, writes on LinkedIn.

Debate Grows Over Likely Effects of Trump’s North American Trade Deal

Wall Street Journal

Bipartisan agency sees limited positive effect, while Trump administration offers its own, more upbeat study

● California Trade Report for February 2019 California Center for Jobs & the Economy

Fed running out of monetary ammunition

AEI

President Trump’s quest for an ultra-easy monetary policy at this late stage in the economic cycle might cause the US economy to overheat and rekindle inflation. Moreover, it would leave the Fed with scant ammunition to fight the next recession.

The condition of the middle class matters more than its size

Brookings

The middle class might be contracting for three very different reasons: because there are more people on high incomes; because there are more people on low incomes; or because there are more people on both high and low incomes.

Jobs:

California Employment Report for March 2019

California Center for Jobs & the Economy

EDD reported total employment (seasonally adjusted; March preliminary) was down 16,900 from February, while the number of unemployed rose 14,400. Unemployment rate rose to 4.3%. The unadjusted rate was up 0.2 point from the year earlier to 4.6%.

Sen. Grove: California must provide workers with flexibility

CALmatters

Supreme Court Sides With Business in Arbitration Case

Wall Street Journal

The Supreme Court put tighter limits on classwide arbitration Wednesday, making it easier for businesses to avoid claims by groups of employees or consumers.

● EDITORIAL: Another Ninth Circuit Spanking Wall Street Journal

Are a majority of working women earning the minimum wage? No

PolitiFact

During 2017, the economy as a whole employed approximately 72 million women, meaning that 1.6% of all female workers were paid at or below the minimum wage. So it’s incorrect to say that “the majority of women are minimum wage workers.”

Think Ex-Felons Should Be Working? Then Give Them a Chance

Bloomberg

Waiting until later in the process means that employers consider a candidate’s qualifications for a job before factoring in any criminal history.

EDUCATION

Selling civic engagement: A unique role for the private sector?

Brookings

K-12:

Majority of Californians supports teachers striking over wages, poll finds

Fresno Bee

Teachers who have gone on strike in Sacramento, Los Angeles and Oakland demanding higher pay have the backing of most California adults, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll released Wednesday.

See also:

● California Facing Teacher Shortage Capital & Main

● After 20 years of reform, are America’s schools better off? AEI

Amid poverty, gangs and deportation fears, students at a small California school keep succeeding

Fresno Bee

For some students, it all comes to a head on the walk home from school: they may dodge a gang member on the sidewalk by cutting through a field, only to come face to face with ICE.

MadTown Robotics best in world

Madera Tribune

Top ranked globally this season, MadTown Robotics now can be called a world champion. The FIRST competitions brought more than 15,000 students from around the world to Houston, Texas, as well as more than 33,000 people as spectators.

Life Games provide special students with way to show abilities

Madera Tribune

The Madera County Superintendent of Schools Life Games were held at the Madera District Fairgrounds. The games grew out of a desire to demonstrate that all students, even the most severely disabled, can be included in any activity with the right preparation.

BCSD cancels district-wide summer school

Bakersfield Californian

The traditional summer school program offered at Bakersfield City School District was officially canceled at Tuesday night’s Board of Education meeting in favor of a 16-day program at four schools.

California could soon ban schools from suspending ‘unruly’ students

Sacramento Bee

It could soon be illegal in California for schools to suspend students for being disruptive. A bill banning that practice for K-12 students, in both public and charter schools, sailed to passage in the California Senate on Monday, 30-8. The bill moves on now to the Assembly.

California Lawmaker Wants To Buy Organic For School Meals

Capital Public Radio

A bill that would put more organic food on school lunch trays in California is working its way through the Legislature. It would launch a $2 million pilot program to help a handful of school districts purchase organic foods from California growers.

Gov. Newsom, our kids depend on after-school programs

San Francisco Chronicle

After-school programs improve school attendance, graduation rates, social-emotional skills and health, and prevent substance abuse and crime. They help working parents by filling a critical child-care need.

Walters: School spending popular, taxes not so much

CALmatters

For years, even decades, polling has consistently found that Californians’ highest political priority is public education. However, it’s not at all certain that, despite their apparent support for spending more, Californians are willing to tax themselves more.

See also:

● PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Education Public Policy Institute of California

California opinions on charter schools are divided—and more complex than portrayed

CALmatters

The growth in charter schools has become one of the year’s most contentious issues in California. Now a statewide poll shows that not only are state lawmakers divided on the issue, but California voters are as well.

See also:

● Democrats, Support Charter Schools Wall Street Journal

Universal preschool bills advance, and it’s more than just baby steps

CALmatters

Legislation that would significantly expand California’s subsidized preschool program cleared its first committee hearing Wednesday, leaving early childhood education advocates increasingly optimistic.

● Public Preschools in California Public Policy Institute of California

More funding for full-day kindergarten questioned as many low-income California schools already offer it

EdSource

Funding proposed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand full-day kindergarten would not likely benefit many low-income communities, where the greatest need is more programs for 3- and 4-year-olds, according to a new analysis.

Higher Ed:

Brandman University cuts ribbon on Valley campus

Hanford Sentinel

School is back in session. Educators and officials gathered in Visalia Tuesday morning to cut the ribbon on the new Brandman University campus at 337 North Plaza Dr.

Discovering the World, Back at School

Graying California

Around the state there are more than 134,000 people over the age of 50 enrolled in our public colleges and universities. They are hitting the books later in life to change careers, to pursue unexplored passions, and to get degrees.

As Trump rolls back student loan protections, an Obama-era watchdog brings the fight to California

CALmatters

The state’s massive population and reputation for consumer protection make it the perfect laboratory for testing whether more regulation of loan servicers can help keep student debt from mushrooming.

See also:

● 5 Ways California’s Financial Aid Program Can Better Serve Students California Budget & Policy Center

University Theatre Offers Original Concept on African-American Musical

Fresno State News

University Theatre will present its first-ever African-American musical “Carmen Jones” May 3 through 11 in the John Wright Theatre. This Fresno premiere is directed by Professor Thomas-Whit Ellis and will feature an all African-American cast.

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

American Lung Association gives Valley counties ‘F’ rating for air quality

abc30

The latest report on California’s air quality is out and it’s not good news for the Central Valley. The American Lung Association released the results of its 20th annual State of the Air report.

● Report: Despite Improvements, Valley Air Still Worst In The Country VPR

● Wildfires, warmer weather leave Bay Area air among worst in nation San Francisco Chronicle

● Bad air days on the rise: The nation’s most polluted city is … USA Today

Dead fish wash up near $6.3 million passageway designed to protect them. Why didn’t it work?

Sacramento Bee

Dozens of fish carcasses — 13 of them Chinook salmon protected by the Endangered Species Act — rotted in the sun Tuesday a couple hundred yards from a new $6.3 million structure that state officials built specifically to keep that grisly scenario from happening.

Coming soon to California restaurants: Carbon neutral meals, verified by regulators

Los Angeles Times

Diners may soon have the chance to nibble away some of their climate guilt by patronizing California restaurants that have pledged to slash their carbon footprints to zero.

The Green New Deal: Economics and Policy Analytics

AEI

The GND’s central premise is that such policies would increase the size of the economy in real terms, increase employment, improve environmental quality, and improve distributional equity.

Energy:

Judge OKs bankrupt PG&E’s plan for $235 million in bonuses

Sacramento Bee

A federal judge approved Pacific Gas & Electric Corp.’s plans Tuesday to pay $235 million in employee bonuses this year, despite the California utility’s bankruptcy and objections from lawyers of victims of the state’s massive wildfires.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Stanford researchers help Clovis parents find answers to son’s delayed development

abc30

A Clovis family was left frustrated because doctors were stumped by their son’s delayed development, but these Stanford researchers were able to help.

US measles cases at highest level in nearly 20 years, according to CDC

abc30

There were 695 reported cases of measles across 22 states as of Wednesday afternoon.

● Here’s How Many Measles Cases Have Been Reported In California This Year Capital Public Radio

● CDC Reports Largest U.S. Measles Outbreak Since Year 2000 Capital Public Radio

● California made it hard to avoid vaccinating kids. Medical waivers have tripled. Now what? CALmatters

California vaccine rules advance over emotional opposition

Bakersfield Californian

California lawmakers advanced tougher rules for vaccinations late Wednesday after hearing hours of testimony from hundreds of opponents while the nation grapples with the highest number of measles cases in decades.

● Opponents Spar Over California Vaccine Exemption Bill Capital Public Radio

● Opponents call it a ‘crime against humanity,’ but vaccine bill moves forward Los Angeles Times

● California vaccine rules advance over emotional opposition Associated Press

● California Lawmakers Consider Crackdown on Fake Medical Exemptions for Vaccines KQED

● Vaccines, housing, family leave, police, fire: what to watch this week CALmatters

● No, anti-vaccination meme is way off on vaccine testing PolitiFact

Valley fever cases in Kern last year were highest since 1992

Bakersfield Californian

Valley fever, the often harmless, yet sometimes deadly respiratory disease endemic to Kern County, killed six people and infected nearly 3,000 in Kern County last year, the highest number of diagnosed cases since 1992, local public health officials announced Wednesday.

Court to hear Washington challenge to Trump abortion rule

Bakersfield Californian

A federal judge in Washington state will hear arguments in two cases against new Trump administration rules that could cut off federal funding for health care providers who refer patients for an abortion.

W.H.O. Says Limited or No Screen Time for Children Under 5

New York Times

In a new set of guidelines, the World Health Organization said that infants under 1 year old should not be exposed to electronic screens and that children between the ages of 2 and 4 should not have more than one hour of “sedentary screen time” each day.

Trump claims credit for progress in fighting opioid epidemic

abc30

President Donald Trump on Wednesday took credit for he said was good progress combatting the nation’s opioid epidemic.

Human Services:

Mariposa County Sheriff and DEA team up to help community dispose of prescription medication

Sierra Star

The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office is offering mountain area residents the opportunity to dispose of their unwanted prescription medication this weekend.

Law firm won millions against Monsanto. Now it’s looking into Ripon cancer cases

Modesto Bee

Some residents concerned about cancer cases at an elementary school are putting more attention on the water in Ripon. At a community meeting earlier this month, attorneys said they’re looking at the groundwater contamination.

Kaweah Delta Clinics embrace federal status

Business Journal

Kaweah Delta Medical Center is preparing to turn two of its locally run clinics into federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in an effort to promote greater patient access and battle the region’s physician shortage.

California’s Seniors, By The Numbers

Capital Public Radio

California is getting old. As the last of the baby boom generation enters the golden years of their California dream, seniors are the state’s fastest-growing age group, far outpacing growth in children or working-age adults.

Rady study documents advances in high-speed genetic diagnosis

San Diego Union-Tribune

Having already set a Guinness world record for delivering a gene-based diagnosis in 19.5 hours, the Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine now must show that such speedy results are possible for the estimated 80,000 American children in need of such workups each year.

EDITORIAL: Bernie Sanders is wrong about getting private insurers out of the healthcare system

Los Angeles Times

Medicare for all received a shot of adrenaline the other day as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who wants to be president, reintroduced legislation intended to provide health coverage to all Americans and put private insurers out of business.

IMMIGRATION

Authorities keep distance, yet work with armed border group

Fresno Bee

Authorities on the U.S.-Mexico border have distanced themselves from an armed civilian group that detains asylum-seeking families, but the United Constitutional Patriots have never been shy about saying they work with Border Patrol agents.

Ninth Circuit denies Trump attempt to block California sanctuary law

Sacramento Bee

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals dealt another blow to President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda on Thursday, rejecting the administration’s bid to block two California “sanctuary” laws that limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

After DACA, future of thousands of Dreamers remains unclear

San Francisco Chronicle

Nearly 100,000 young undocumented immigrants across the nation who graduate from high school each year face limited educational and job opportunities because of their legal status, according to data released Wednesday by the Migration Policy Institute.

Court Grills Trump Officials on ‘Remain in Mexico’ Asylum Policy

Wall Street Journal

A federal appeals court questioned the Trump administration’s arguments for returning Central American migrants to Mexico while their asylum requests are adjudicated.

As Americans spread out, immigration plays a crucial role in local population growth

Brookings

New Census Bureau population estimates for counties and metropolitan areas confirm that after concentrating in big cities and major metro areas during the first part of this decade, Americans are spreading out again into suburbs, exurbs, and smaller towns and rural areas.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

City of Madera to explore options for muni golf course

The Business Journal

The City of Madera is open to exploring new options for its municipal golf course as an agreement with the current management group expires.

Modesto officials accept study for high-end hotel

Modesto Bee

A proposal for a high-end hotel in downtown Modesto has passed its first public tryout after a City Council committee last week accepted a consultant’s study and forwarded it to the full council.

The Federal Opportunity Zones Program and Its Implications for California Communities

California Budget & Policy Center

The Opportunity Zones program provides federal tax incentives for investments in areas that meet certain criteria and have been designated as Opportunity Zones (OZs).

Aging and in need of attention: America’s infrastructure and its 17 million workers

Brookings

Just as our physical infrastructure systems are aging and in need of attention, so too are the workers who design, construct, operate, and oversee these systems.

Housing:

California cities could get denser housing after lawmakers strike deal

Sacramento Bee

A high-profile housing bill that would force cities and counties to allow construction of more tall apartment buildings moved forward Wednesday after California lawmakers agreed to narrow the proposal by exempting small counties from some requirements.

● Holy cow! California may get rid of single-family zoning Los Angeles Times

A New Reality for Federal Flood Insurance

Public Policy Institute of California

The National Flood Insurance Program provides coverage to more than 5 million households and small businesses across the United States, including more than 229,000 in California.

Where ‘Returning Citizens’ Find Housing After Prison

Pew Research

For those who’ve been locked up in prison for years, finding a home on the outside can be rough. Parole restrictions may limit where former inmates can live. Public housing and housing vouchers may be off-limits, and many landlords are reluctant to rent to former offenders.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Californians benefit the least from Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, new report finds

Sacramento Bee

California households benefited the least from the income tax cuts in the 2017 tax law, according to a new report.

● Trump tax cuts helped rich people in GOP states more than in Democrat states

CNBC

● Most Americans don’t feel new law made them better off Los Angeles Times

● Tax Refunds, Returns End Filing Seasons Near 2018 Pace Wall Street Journal

CalPERS bill for California state worker pensions set to reach $7 billion next year

Modesto Bee

CalPERS on Tuesday advanced a scheduled increase in employer contribution rates, bringing the state’s total bill for the 2019-2020 budget year to about $7 billion. That money comes out of taxes and fees collected by the state.

Walters: Bond issue transparency still under assault

CALmatters

Two years ago, in a rare display of support for transparency in government finance, the Legislature and then-Gov. Jerry Brown required local governments and school districts to tell voters how proposed bond issues would affect their property taxes.

California Politicians Hiked Gas Tax, Now Demand Investigation Into State’s $4 Per Gallon Gas Prices

Sacramento Bee

What’s behind a new climate surcharge coming to your restaurant bill in California

San Francisco Chronicle

Some California restaurants will put another surcharge on their bills later this year — but this time, it won’t be for service or employee benefits. It will be to fight climate change.

Democrats want to expand welfare by soaking the rich. That doesn’t add up.

Washington Post

Democratic Party leaders and presidential candidates so often tell us that we can have significantly more domestic services and pay for it by hiking taxes on the wealthy and large corporations.

TRANSPORTATION

Diesel Locomotive Debuts At Stockton Railroad

Capital Public Radio

A diesel locomotive billed as the cleanest in the world made its debut Tuesday at the Stockton Terminal and Eastern Railroad. The $2 million price tag for the Omni 1050 locomotive was helped by a $900,000 grant from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.

You can smoke marijuana on California party buses. A lawmaker wants to protect their drivers

Sacramento Bee

A California lawmaker is looking to close what he calls a loophole in the law that could lead drivers of cannabis-oriented “party buses” vulnerable to a second-hand high.

Metro leaders eye high-speed rail money for LA transit projects

Curbed

With new California Gov. Gavin Newsom taking a “realistic” approach to the state’s slow-moving high-speed rail project, Los Angeles transportation officials are asking whether funds for the Central Valley portion of the project would be better spent in Southern California.

Central Valley high-speed rail may help solve Bay Area housing, job crisis

abc30

In the heart of California’s Central Valley, the biggest transportation project of it is kind in the country, is underway. The state’s High Speed Rail project is being built in Madera just north of Fresno, along State Route 99.

WATER

Newsom offers a new approach to California’s water issues

CALmatters

By rejecting the twin tunnels proposal, Gov. Gavin Newsom has sent an important message that new thinking is required to address California’s complex water issues.

New bill would repair Friant-Kern canal, benefiting both the Valley and state

Fresno Bee

Today, more than 100 rural communities in the San Joaquin Valley have limited access to clean water, while many others have seen their wells go dry.

California dispute threatens plan to protect Colorado River

Associated Press

A dispute between two major California water agencies is threatening to derail a hard-won agreement designed to protect a river that serves 40 million people in the U.S. West.

What the hot days ahead mean for rivers and reservoirs in Stanislaus County

Modesto Bee

Winter storms built a healthy snowpack, and warming temperatures have been melting it, “but not in a manner we can’t accommodate,” Calvin Curtin, emergency preparedness coordinator for the Turlock Irrigation District, said Tuesday.

Swift Water Rescue training prepares for the coming snow melt

Fresno Bee

Fresno County Sheriff Office Swift Water Rescue Team (SAR) held training in water rescue at a canal east of Fresno Wednesday afternoon.

Video: Managing Wastewater in a Changing Climate

Public Policy Institute of California

California’s wastewater sector plays a key role in protecting public health and the environment. It is also the source of recycled water—a growing part of the water supply.

“Xtra”

Want a peek behind the fence at some of Fresno’s most beautiful gardens? Here’s your chance

Fresno Bee

The 2019 Fresno County Master Gardeners Spring Garden Tour is Saturday, April 27 in Fresno, California. It features five home gardens including three in the Wilson Island neighborhood that’s celebrating its centennial.

See also:

● Master Gardeners to Host 13th Tour Madera Tribune

National Concert Week is coming up. Celebrate with $20 tickets from Live Nation

Fresno Bee

National Concert Week is a thing Live Nation created five years ago as a way to promote its shows, which is a win-win scenario for fans, given the promotions company is offering cheap tickets to some 2,800 summer concerts this year.

First four acts for Big Fresno Fair 2019 announced, includes Roseanne Barr

abc30

The first four acts for the Big Fresno Fair 2019 have been announced, including Christian Nodal, Newsboys, Tower of Power, and comedian Roseanne Barr.

Clovis Rodeo prepares to keep attendees cool from summer-like temperatures

abc30

Each year the Clovis Rodeo prepares for certain types of weather but rain, wind or heat the rodeo goes on. And this year officials are preparing for temperatures in the mid to upper 90s. That means keeping the crowds, athletes, and cattle cool.

Seeking a forever home: 7 adorable dogs to adopt now in and around Fresno

abc30

Looking to add a new companion to the family? There are dozens of lovable pups up for adoption at animal shelters in and around Fresno, so you won’t have to look far to find the perfect new pal.

Mobile spay and neuter trailer in Modesto on Friday. Here’s what you need to know.

Modesto Bee

A mobile spay-neuter clinic will debut in the Modesto area Friday and roll on to Atwater and other parts of the San Joaquin Valley. The nonprofit service is called SNIP, which stands for Spay Neuter Imperative Project.

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The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

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