April 3, 2019

03Apr

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Former McClintock challenger lands $165,000 job in Newsom administration

Sierra Star

Jessica Morse’s underdog campaign to oust Rep. Tom McClintock from Congress in 2018 was unsuccessful, but it helped land her a new job — in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration.

Council OK’s bonds for project

Stockton Record

The Stockton City Council on Tuesday voted 6-0 to issue multifamily housing revenue bonds by the California Statewide Communities Development Authority totaling as much as $20 million.

Central SJ Valley:

Despite challenges, Fresno groups aim for a complete 2020 Census count

Fresno Bee

Fresno County’s ethnic, language and cultural diversity, poverty and homelessness make its population hard to count. But a year ahead of the 2020 Census, groups want to maximize participation.

See also:

Fresno Mayor Lee Brand pulls gas tax spending plan due to ‘partisan disagreement’

Fresno Bee

Fresno Mayor Lee Brand on Tuesday pulled his proposed plan to spend state gas tax money after a public City Council squabble. Brand said in a news release that he plans to meet with council members as soon as possible to debate a plan that keeps all Fresnans safe.

See also:

South SJ Valley:

Cox failed to disclose several business interests, including a foreign tie, during candidacy

Fresno Bee

Rep. TJ Cox, D-Fresno, failed to disclose several business interests during his most recent congressional candidacies, including the fact that he sits on the board of a for-profit Canadian mining company, according to public records obtained by The Bee.

State:

California bans travel to South Carolina over adoption law, making 10 states on no-go list

Sacramento Bee

Attorney General Xavier Becerra on Tuesday extended California’s ban on taxpayer-funded trips to a 10th state, adding South Carolina to a list of mostly southern states where public employees and college students can’t travel for official business.

See also:

Harsh exchange with Democrat lands a California Republican in the Capitol ‘dog house’

Sacramento Bee

During a March 27 education hearing, Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Granite Bay, lashed out over a Democratic proposal to prevent Teach for America members from working in the state’s poorest schools.

For independent voters, California lawmakers seek to end ballot confusion

Los Angeles Times

In the days leading up to California’s primary three years ago, the complaints from unaffiliated independent voters started pouring in.

Auditor’s Findings in DIR Audit Challenged

Workers’ Comp Executive

A critical report by the California State Auditor alleging nepotism, retaliation, and other untoward acts was scrubbed clean of any individual names or the identities of the affected state agency. But the target of those allegations is challenging the veracity of the report.

EDITORIAL: Should Sacramento toughen the rules on who may run for president?

Los Angeles Times

But since the 2016 election, more than two dozen states, including California, have considered adding another requirement for those who want to be included on the 2020 presidential primary ballot: They must disclose their federal tax returns.

COMMENTARY: California politicians disrespect our rights

CALmatters

The Constitution’s very specific list of inviolable human rights sets the United States apart from almost every other nation on Earth.

Unfortunately, California’s Democratic politicians tend to ignore the Constitution’s Bill of Rights in their zealous efforts to impose “progressive” dogma on their constituents.

Federal:

House to vote Wednesday on condemning Trump’s renewed effort to repeal Obamacare

abc30

The House will vote Wednesday on a resolution condemning the Trump administration’s support of a federal lawsuit that could overturn Obamacare.

See also:

Fixing surprise medical bill problem shouldn’t fall to consumers, panel told

Stockton Record

One point drew clear agreement Tuesday during a House subcommittee hearing: When it comes to the problem of surprise medical bills, the solution must protect patients — not demand that they be great negotiators.

See also:

Trump is appointing judges at a record pace. Now McConnell wants to move even faster

Los Angeles Times

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is moving to change Senate rules to further speed up the confirmation of low-level judges and administration nominees, the latest example of scaling back long-standing Senate rules designed to give political power to the minority party.

See also:

Elections 2020:

2020 hopeful Kamala Harris talks taxes, teachers in Nevada

Bakersfield Californian

California Sen. Kamala Harris told northern Nevada Democrats on Tuesday she’s a fighter who can take back the White House in 2020 in a battle for the “soul of our country,” cut taxes for the working class and raise teachers’ pay with the biggest federal investment in education in U.S. history.

See also:

Bernie Sanders’ immense fundraising haul reflects a resilient movement

Los Angeles Times

Bernie Sanders put to rest any suggestion that the movement behind him has faded since his first run for president as his campaign team announced Tuesday that he had raised an immense amount of cash from a huge number of donors.

See also:

A Trump mutiny? Republican prospects warily eye 2020 presidential run

Los Angeles Times

Given Trump’s irredeemable penchant for controversy and a myriad of political and criminal investigations — probes that extend beyond Robert S. Mueller’s inquiry — several potential rivals are eyeing a primary challenge.

The Filer Voter experiment: How effective is voter registration at tax time?

Brookings

While some states have eased the voter registration process, or moved toward automatic voter registration, others have adopted policies that will likely remove a substantial number of eligible registered voters from the rolls.

EDITORIAL: Running for president in the #MeToo era

Los Angeles Times

The first #MeToo allegations of the 2020 presidential race hit over the weekend, letting the general public in on a secret that apparently was already known in political circles: that former Vice President Joe Biden can be a bit too “handsy” with women and girls.

OPINION: A Rule to Speed Up Confirmations

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. Senate has a constitutional duty to confirm or reject presidential nominees, and the Senate’s pace in the Trump era is slower than it has ever been.

Other:

Dianne Feinstein calls for suspension of races at Santa Anita

Los Angeles Times

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein called for the suspension of races at Santa Anita until an investigation into what has caused 23 horses to die at the track since late December is complete.

Old, Online, And Fed On Lies: How An Aging Population Will Reshape The Internet

Buzzfeed News

A handful of employees with AARP, the national nonprofit focused on Americans age 50 and older, hover behind the participants and jump in to help.

American Meritocracy Is a Myth

The Nation

Recent surveys indicate that substantial numbers of americans believe that the economy and political system are both rigged.

Fewer Press Briefings Equals a Dumber White House

Politico

Once a daily occurrence in previous administrations, Foggy Bottom press briefings are now weekly in the age of President Donald Trump. And don’t forget Pentagon reporters when filling in the cells of your pity budget: As Paul Farhi recently reported in the Washington Post, informal press gaggles at the Pentagon, once twice a week, are down to once or twice a month.

OPINION: If You Like Socialism, You’ll Love the VA

Wall Street Journal

Socialism is in the air—a green, wired, mindful, glossy-lipped movement that’s going to usher in free college, free health care and heavily followed Instagram accounts for all. It’s presented as new and futuristic, but there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. In one corner of Washington, socialism has been a living, breathing reality for decades. Just go visit the Department of Veterans Affairs.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Holy Guacamole!: Closed border may mean end of avocados in U.S.

abc30

President Trump is threatening to close the Mexican border. Mission Producer, the world’s largest avocado producer, says if that happens, the US could run out of avocados in three weeks.

See also:

What’s caulilini? New veggie from CA coming to stores

abc30

Growers in the Salinas Valley are working to bring this new vegetable to stores near you. It’s kind of like a hybrid of a cauliflower and broccolini.

CBD is getting buzz, but does it work? And is it legal?

Sacramento Bee

With CBD showing up everywhere, U.S. regulators announced Tuesday they are exploring ways the marijuana extract could be used legally in foods, dietary supplements and cosmetics.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Corcoran State Prison REACH Program connects inmates with at-risk teens

abc30

Tuesday, 22 students from Citrus High School in Porterville went to prison. They’re not starting a sentence. They’re spending a day in the life of an inmate, learning about their mistakes, and hearing their message of hope.

Slatic did not tell the truth about tussle. Did Fresno authorities take him at his word?

Fresno Bee

Now we have a report by a private investigator, hired by the Fresno Unified School District and released to The Bee last week, that supports my suspicions: Slatic did not tell the truth about the events of Jan. 11.

Madera County Seeking Applicants for 2019-2020 Grand Jury

Sierra News

Interested in investigating complaints of misappropriation and malfeasance around Madera County? If so, the deadline to apply for the 2019-2020 grand jury is April 22. California’s Constitution requires every county in the state maintain a grand jury to “investigate citizen-generated complaints or concerns.”

‘It’s time. It’s beyond time.’ Sex abuse victims back California priest accountability bill

Sacramento Bee

A procession of sexual assault victims on Tuesday urged the Senate to pass a law requiring priests and other religious leaders to report child abuse, ending a legal exemption that allows them to keep information confidential if they learn it during confessions.

California’s juvenile reform plan must lead to wider changes and true justice

Sacramento Bee

This plan is not about ignoring youth crime. To the contrary, it’s about preventing it and putting kids on a better, more successful path in life. The decades-old justice system for kids lands on one solution – incarceration – for almost every social dysfunction affecting them.

The anti-death-penalty movement just got a cold dose of Gorsuch

Los Angeles Times

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an argument from a condemned murderer that his execution would violate the 8th Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment because an underlying physical condition from which he suffers would make the process excessively painful.

Date rape isn’t a violent crime in California. Seriously

CALmatters

Under current California law, more than 20 clearly violent crimes aren’t classified as violent, including rape of an unconscious person, trafficking a child for prostitution, assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence.

Woman Arrested After Entering Mar-a-Lago, Allegedly With Malware

Wall Street Journal

A woman carrying two Chinese passports was arrested and charged with unlawfully entering President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort with a thumb drive containing malware and lying to federal agents about her plans, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.

See Also:

Public Safety:

‘This opinion is not normal’ — Gun control advocates criticize high capacity magazine ruling

Fresno Bee

Gun control advocates criticized a federal judge’s ruling that struck down a state law banning high-capacity firearm magazines on Second Amendment grounds. The judge said mass shootings are rare.

See also:

Cops accused of stealing didn’t violate Constitution even if they did it, court says

abc30

Fresno police are accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars, but judges say they can’t be sued for it because the Constitution doesn’t protect us from officers who steal.

Merced peace officers unions dropping misconduct records lawsuit, attorney says

Merced Sun-Star

About six weeks after filing for a mandate to withhold records of peace officer misconduct, Merced County unions are backing out, according to the attorney who represents both unions.

See also:

Stanislaus deputies start using body cams: Evidence of ‘what actually occurred’

Modesto Bee

Sheriff’s deputies in Stanislaus County have started clipping video cameras to their shirts in a bid to enhance trust with the public.

Delay could cost partnership for 911 call center

Visalia Times Delta

For the second time, Tulare County and Visalia are in discussions regarding the shared use of Visalia’s Emergency Communication Center.  And for the second time, it looks as though the county will go their own way.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes coming Saturday

Modesto Bee

On April 6, Haven, a local nonprofit that provides services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, is hosting its annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event at Gallo Center for the Arts in downtown Modesto.

CHP, other agencies stepping up enforcement for Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Bakersfield Californian

The California Highway Patrol, Bakersfield Police Department and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office are stepping up enforcement as part of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Officers and deputies out on patrol will be paying extra attention to people exhibiting signs of distracted driving.

Get ready for a major quake. What to do before — and during — a big one

Los Angeles Times

The devastation Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have brought is a reminder that exceptional natural disasters can strike — and has heightened anxiety about the risk of earthquake risks in California.

California considers nation’s strictest police use-of-force standard after Stephon Clark shooting

Washington Post

A bill before the State Assembly would raise that threshold. Under the legislation, a police officer would be justified in using lethal force only if it were determined to be “necessary” to defend against imminent death or severe harm.

Fire:

Weed abatement deadline in city limits is April 30

Porterville Recorder

Porterville Fire Chief Dave LaPere wishes to advise residents that Tuesday, April 30 is the fire season weed abatement deadline for all vegetation on vacant lots, hillsides, rivers, and waterways, on residential and commercial properties in the City limits.

Federal Judge Imposes New Probation Terms On PG&E To Reduce Wildfire Risk

Capital Public Radio

The utility company is already on probation for its felony conviction related to a 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion.

See also:

Fire victims’ suit over insurance adjusters gets court go-ahead

San Francisco Chronicle

A state court judge ruled that a lawsuit alleging that the California Insurance Department let hundreds of unlicensed out-of-state insurance adjusters work illegally can proceed.

Senate fails to pass California disaster funds amid Puerto Rico-related standoff

San Francisco Chronicle

The Senate failed to advance a disaster-aid package Monday that includes billions for California wildfire recovery, prolonging a state of limbo for victims nationwide who are waiting for federal help.

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Faraday Future strikes deal with Chinese company

Hanford Sentinel

In the midst of financial trouble, Faraday Future has received a possible lifeline from a Chinese-based internet company.

Stocks have a listless day; Walgreens dives

Los Angeles Times

U.S. stock indexes ended uneven Tuesday after a day of listless trading as the market lost some of its momentum after a three-day winning streak.

PG&E and hedge funds near deal on new CEO and board overhaul, sources say

Los Angeles Times

PG&E Corp., the California power giant that sought bankruptcy protection because of $30 billion in possible wildfire liabilities, is nearing a deal with a group of investors that includes naming Bill Johnson as chief executive and overhauling its board, according to people familiar with the matter.

Capitalization as a Two-Part Tariff: The Role of Zoning

National Bureau of Economic Research

This paper shows that the capitalization of local amenities is effectively priced into land via a two-part pricing formula: a “ticket” price paid regardless of the amount of housing service consumed and a “slope” price paid per unit of services.

Analysis: U.S. economy added 129,000 jobs in March

UPI
Payroll company ADP and Moody’s said in their monthly estimate 129,000 jobs were added. That mark would represent the slowest growth since September 2017, if it matches official government figures due Friday. Economists at Dow Jones predict about 170,000 new jobs.

Trump’s border threats complicate trade pact talks

Roll Call

The Trump administration’s sales pitch for a new trade deal with America’s northern and southern neighbors has a long way to go, and the president’s threat to close the U.S. border with Mexico does not appear to be helping matters.

After hundreds of crashes, this Britax jogging stroller faced recall. Then Trump appointees stepped in.

Washington Post

The crashes were brutal. With no warning, the front wheel on the three-wheeled BOB jogging strollers fell off, causing the carriages to careen and even flip over. Adults shattered bones. They tore ligaments. Children smashed their teeth. They gashed their faces. One child bled from his ear canal.

Few Winners, Many Losers From Trade Tariffs, IMF Study Finds

Wall Street Journal

Progress in trade talks between the U.S. and China has sidelined the Trump administration’s threat to raise tariffs on Chinese goods to 25%—and that’s a good thing for the U.S. and the world, a new study concludes.

Avocado Shortages and Price Spikes: How Trump’s Border Closing Would Hit U.S.

New York Times

While President Trump sees shutting the border with Mexico as punishment for its failure to stop the flow of undocumented immigrants, economists warn that the move would effectively paralyze the United States economy given the huge volume of bluejeans, cars, flat-screen TVs, avocados and other goods that cross the border every day.

Jobs:

Equal Pay Day symbolizes how treatment remains unfair in the workplace

Fresno Bee

Use of salary history to set current wages is a problematic one. If prior wages were tainted with discrimination, then a new employer is only carrying that discrimination forward. The practice perpetuates a pay gap women have been fighting for decades.

See also:

California fights to keep nepotism investigation out of employee’s discipline hearing

Merced Sun-Star

The state is fighting to keep a nepotism audit out of an employee’s disciplinary hearing, arguing the public report is “hearsay” because it does not explicitly name a former government executive who helped her daughter get a job.

California Business Groups Willing To Back ‘Dynamex’ Bill — In Exchange For Exemptions

Capital Public Radio

A coalition of influential California business groups says it will support a bill that would codify a California Supreme Court decision that placed strict limits on classifying workers as independent contractors — if the legislation includes additional exemptions for certain professions.

See also:

On Cesar Chavez Day, a look at the labor leader’s complex legacy

NBCNews

Chavez, a Navy veteran and father of eight, was born in Arizona on March 31, 1927. He formed the United Farm Workers with Dolores Huerta in 1966 and began pressing California’s agricultural growers for livable wages and safer conditions for workers in the fields.

How Educators and Employers Can Align Efforts to Fill Middle-Skills STEM Jobs

Rand

Meanwhile, U.S. education and workforce systems could be failing to keep pace with the needs of the STEM economy, leaving talented people out of the running for STEM jobs because they lack the proper training or credentials.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Fresno Unified students did better than their peers nationwide in beating the “summer slide”

Fresno Bee

Students who participated in a pilot reading program at Fresno Unified gained 4.9 months of literacy over the summer, as opposed to losing education to the “summer slide.”

Madera High School’s robotics team is ranked No. 1 in the world

abc30

Madera High School’s Madtown 1323 is ranked number one in the world – and the group of 15 students is preparing to defend that ranking after months of hard work.

Merced school receives donation of supplies to build garden

Merced Sun-Star

Second grade students unload supplies donated by Big Creek Lumber on Tuesday at Sheehy Elementary School in Merced. The donation included lumber, soil and tools for the construction of a school garden.

Edible Schoolyard’s first mobile kitchen classroom will teach more than just cooking

Bakersfield Californian

Mercedez-Benz of Bakersfield is full of impressive luxury vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and futuristic gadgets, but all eyes Tuesday were on a van that will be used to teach students about health and wellness.

California Kids Are Falling Behind in Education and More. What Is the State Doing to Help?

KQED
From his first minutes as governor, Gavin Newsom made it clear helping children was going to be a big part of his administration when his two-year-old son, Dutch, walked onto the stage during his inaugural address. Newsom scooped him up and kept talking.

Will Smartphones in Classrooms Be a Thing of the Past?

AALRR
In March, the results of one middle school teacher’s experiment went viral. Mary Garza encouraged students to leave their phones on, and turned up loud, during a single class period. The students then tallied each time they received a notification.

OPINION: Progressives Threaten to Destroy School Reform

Wall Street Journal

Education scholars Jay Greene and Frederick Hesswrote in these pages recently that the school-reform movement is losing its mojo, not because it has run out of useful ideas but because it has become populated by progressives who prefer to prioritize anti-Trump “resistance.”

Higher Ed:

On a budget but need your teeth fixed? Fresno City College can help

abc30

Fresno City College’s clinical skills lab looks like an ordinary dentist’s office – but it is part of a program that’s one-of-a-kind in the Valley. The institution’s Dental Hygiene Program is the only such program in the Central Valley offering low-cost dental work to the public.

Private Colleges Wary As California Legislator Calls For Crackdown On Legacy Admits

Capital Public Radio

A bill proposed last week would bar colleges and universities from receiving state financial aid dollars if they give preference to applicants with ties to alumni or donors. It’s already raising alarm among the state’s private colleges.

California schools find success building student confidence and campus culture

EdSource

When Christopher Gonzalez first entered John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, he noticed that students generally kept to themselves and their own cliques. “It was like a line you didn’t cross,” said Gonzalez, now a senior.

OPINION: You Got Into College. Here’s What You Should Know

Wall Street Journal

This Future View offers advice about college to high-school seniors who have recently received offers of admission. For next week, we ask: “Is America’s obsession with the four-year degree elitist and parochial? Or is it practical, celebrating the best path to success for most people?” Students should click here to submit opinions of fewer than 250 words before April 9. The best responses will be published that night.

Apprenticeships:

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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

When are split trash cans leaving your neighborhood?

Visalia Times Delta

After 30 years, it’s time to kiss your split trash cans goodbye. Not literally — that would be gross. Visalia sanitation crews began hitting the streets in March to swap out more than 60,000 cans across the city.

Man vows to pick up trash from Coarsegold to Fresno

abc30

A man who was sick of seeing trash on the sides of the road has taken it upon himself to clean up on his daily hikes; after filling more than 70 bags of trash in a seven-mile stretch, he’s now vowing to clean from Coarsegold to Fresno.

Seismologists say California is in an earthquake drought

abc30

California just got out of an epic drought, but seismologists say a new one is here, they call it earthquake drought because it’s been years since a major earthquake. Experts know this so-called drought will end with destructive results.

See also:

Kernville fish hatchery reopens with a new mission

Bakersfield Californian

A Kernville tourism staple that has provided fish for local anglers since 1928 recently reopened with ambitious plans to reintroduce native fish to the Kern River.

Trump campaign seeks a list of ‘climate change victories’ to tout on 2020 trail

Sacramento Bee

The Trump campaign is seeking a list of “climate change victories” that can be attributed to Donald Trump’s presidency, reflecting a shift in strategy ahead of the 2020 election as polls show growing voter concern over global warming, two sources familiar with the campaign told McClatchy this week.

California adopts new wetlands rules to protect them from Trump rollbacks

Los Angeles Times

California regulators voted Tuesday to strengthen state safeguards for thousands of wetlands and streams that are about to lose federal protections in a Trump administration rollback of the Clean Water Act.

See also:

These Countries Have Prices on Carbon. Are They Working?

New York Times

This week, Canada’s federal government took the latest step when it extended its carbon-pricing program nationwide by imposing a tax on fossil fuels in four provinces that had declined to write their own climate plans.

California Already Has a Green New Deal. Here’s How It Works

Time

Republicans in the Senate uniformly voted against the Green New Deal earlier this week. President Donald Trump thinks it can help him win re-election. And conservative pundits on cable news regularly rail against it.

Energy:

PG&E Conducts Helicopter Inspections Of Substations

Sierra News

Over the next few days, residents of Madera, Mariposa and Fresno counties may see helicopters overhead as Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) contract crews work to conduct accelerated wildfire safety inspections of substations.

PG&E’s catastrophe is California’s energy opportunity

Los Angeles Times

The upside of Pacific Gas and Electric’s enormous bankruptcy crisis is that it gives California officials an unparalleled opportunity to turn the state’s largest utility into an engine of decarbonization, a conduit for changes needed to carry out California’s ambitious climate goals.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Mariposa students possibly exposed to measles at out-of-town tournament

abc30

A couple of students at Mariposa High School may have been exposed to measles during an out of town sporting event, but now health officials worry more may be at risk.

See also:

There are nearly 400 reported cases of measles in the US. What are states doing about it?

Visalia Times Delta

The measles outbreaks in the U.S. this year — the 387 current reported cases in 15 states is already the second-largest figure in two decades — have highlighted the importance of fighting off the disease through immunization.

California Hospitals See Massive Surge In Homeless Patients

California Health

Homeless patients made about 100,000 visits to California hospitals in 2017, marking a 28% rise from two years earlier, according to the most recent state discharge data.

FDA Investigating Possible Seizure Risk With E-Cigarette Use

Bloomberg

The FDA said it has received 35 reports of seizures possibly related to e-cigarette use between 2010 and early this year, and is concerned those numbers could indicate a wider phenomenon.

Trump claims windmill ‘noise causes cancer’

The Hill

President Trump on Tuesday stepped up his attacks against wind power, claiming that the structures decrease property values and that the noise they emit causes cancer.

Human Services:

Women suing over hidden cameras in operating delivery rooms

abc30

Hidden cameras recorded about 1,800 people in a California operating and delivery room, according to a lawsuit filed late last week.

See also:

How TRMC has spent its $9M loan from the city

Visalia Times Delta

It’s been more than a month since Tulare City Council, in a controversial move, handed Tulare Regional Medical Center $9 million. In February, after a delayed vote, Mayor Jose Sigala and Councilwoman Terry Sayre approved the line of credit. They were the only two votes.

What One Man’s Brush With Death Reveals About Access To Health Care

VPR

In early 2014, Jesus Gomez nearly lost his life to an autoimmune disease that attacked his skin cells. Without insurance or a dedicated primary care doctor, he struggled for a year within a disjointed healthcare system to find a diagnosis and treatment.

California bans travel to South Carolina over adoption law, making 10 states on no-go list

Sacramento Bee

Attorney General Xavier Becerra on Tuesday extended California’s ban on taxpayer-funded trips to a 10th state, adding South Carolina to a list of mostly southern states where public employees and college students can’t travel for official business.

California Policymakers Can End Medi-Cal’s Senior Penalty

California Budget & Policy Center

Medi-Cal is a critical source of coverage for low-income seniors because it provides many services — including long-term supports and services — that are not covered by the federal Medicare program. Unfortunately, Medi-Cal’s eligibility rules place seniors at a disadvantage compared to younger adults.

Kaiser Permanente CEO: ‘Health Care Isn’t Affordable. Period.’

Fortune

Is there a better way to care for patients? On Tuesday at Fortune’s fourth Brainstorm Health conference in San Diego, Kaiser Permanente CEO Bernard Tyson argued that there is—and urged his peers to move away from “episodic” treatment and toward a more holistic approach.

OP-ED: How to cut poverty in half

Brookings

The federal government today spends about $500 billion a year on programs that guarantee cash, food, and medical benefits to the families of poor children as well as for other programs that provide housing benefits, education, training and, in some cases, encourage work and marriage. Yet in 2015, more than 9.6 million American children lived in households with incomes below the threshold that is defined by the widely recognized supplemental poverty measure.

IMMIGRATION

These new rules make it much more difficult to become a legal immigrant in the U.S.

Fresno Bee

New US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policies under the Trump administration have made it harder for immigrants who apply for visas, permanent resident status, asylum and other benefits.

Mexican American group MEChA eyes name change amid furor

Sacramento Bee

MEChA, a Mexican American student group founded 50 years ago, is considering a name change, highlighting the divisions between older civil rights advocates and younger activists.

U.S. less than halfway to ‘upper limit’ of refugee cap as record numbers seek help

abc30

The U.S. is “slow-walking” the admissions process for refugees, according to national security experts and refugee advocacy groups, and the numbers appear to back that up.

Trump eases up on border shutdown threat

Bakersfield Californian

President Donald Trump eased up Tuesday on his threats to shut the southern border this week as officials across his administration explored half-measures that might satisfy the president’s urge for action, like stopping only foot traffic at certain crossings.

America’s Biggest Economic Challenge May Be Demographic Decline
New York Times

For many years, American economists have spoken of Japan and Western Europe as places where the slow grind of demographic change — masses of workers reaching retirement age, and smaller generations replacing them — has been a major drag on the economy.

As Trump rages over border, Kushner quietly plans legal immigration boost

Politico

Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, has been working for months on a proposal that could increase the number of low- and high-skilled workers admitted to the country annually, four people involved in the discussions told POLITICO.

EDITORIAL: Running for president in the #MeToo era

Los Angeles Times

The president has once again been going into paroxysms of rage and anxiety over migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, and as usual, it has led him to some bad decisions.

OPINION: Blowing Up the Border

Wall Street Journal

President Trump is threatening to shut down all legal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, and let’s hope this is negotiating bluster and not a plan. It’s hard to imagine a more self-destructive decision, and it wouldn’t solve the border asylum crisis in any event.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Clovis highlights upcoming projects, aims to implement more digital media

Clovis Roundup

Clovis City staff presented a video at the Clovis City Council meeting on Monday, April 1, highlighting three roadway improvement projects intended to improve the flow of traffic and increase the safety of drivers and residents.

Decision delayed indefinitely on proposed RV park on Sky Ranch Road

Sierra Star

The decision on the planned RV park along Sky Ranch Road in Oakhurst has been delayed indefinitely by the Madera County Board of Supervisors after area residents fought against the park’s approval.

See also:

Sierra Tel Business Center Will Soon Close Its Doors

Sierra News

Sierra Tel has announced that “after strategic review and much deliberation,” the Sierra Tel Business Center storefront location in the Old Mill Village Shopping Center in Oakhurst will be closing effective May 31.

Downtown Merced eatery closed for years will be demolished. It’s a safety issue, officials say

Merced Sun-Star

The city of Merced will dip into its economic opportunity fund to pay for the demolition of an old downtown storefront damaged by fires. The UC Oriental Market in the 600 block of Main Street was gutted by a fire in December 2016 and has since been completely demolished.

A new, local hardware store is moving into one of Modesto’s old Orchard Supply sites

Modesto Bee

Since Orchard Supply Hardware closed its two Modesto stores last year, shoppers — particularly on the city’s east side — have had to travel farther afield to find their new lawn mowers and table saws.

Housing:

Bill Pushing Construction of Higher Density Housing Moves Forward in State Legislature

KQED

A bill that would compel California cities to allow more construction of higher density housing near transit hubs and job centers cleared its first legislative hurdle on Tuesday.

Court: Homeless cannot be prosecuted for sleeping outside

abc30

You can find the homeless on nearly every city block in Fresno. For the last 70 years, the Fresno Rescue Mission has tried to change that reality and leaders say the courts are interfering with that work.

See also:

Livingston sees housing boom thanks to Bay Area commuters

abc30

Despite a statewide housing shortage, the city of Livingston sees tremendous growth with new home construction, and there are four new developments in progress around the city.

Housing affordability drops steeply in Butte County after Camp Fire

Sacramento Bee

Although affordability decreased in 15 counties in California compared to the same period last year, few places have seen as steep a drop than Camp Fire-ravaged Butte County, according to data from the firm ATTOM Data Solutions.

More money to fight homelessness could come California’s way under this bipartisan plan

Sacramento Bee

Congress is considering giving a $750 million bump in help to comprehensive programs to help the homeless, with agreement from both Democrats and Republicans that it’s an innovative approach to a persistent issue.

California ordered to use settlement money as it was intended — to help homeowners

San Francisco Chronicle

California is wrongly holding on to $331 million from a nationwide bank settlement and must use the money for its intended purpose: to help homeowners victimized by foreclosures during the Great Recession, a state appeals court ruled Tuesday.

Affordable Housing Crisis Spreads Throughout World

Wall Street Journal

Acute shortages are persisting despite millions of dollars invested and hundreds of thousands of units built. Some countries have focused on solutions promoting unshackled free markets while others have turned more to rent control and subsidies.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Some Valley shoppers will see increased sales tax on their receipts

abc30

Shopping may cost you more thanks to a voter-approved sales tax. Coalinga, Fowler, and Kerman will see a one percent increase to 8.975%. Of all of the California sales tax measures, Kerman had the 5th highest approval rating with 73 percent of voters passing the measure.

Sales tax oversight committee approves almost all city spending proposals

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield sales tax oversight committee approved the vast majority of the city’s $56.5 million spending package at a meeting Monday. The spending is designed to vastly reshape city government over the next year.

TRANSPORTATION

Direct flights from Fresno to Chicago now available through United Airlines

abc30

You can now fly non-stop from Fresno to Chicago on United Airlines through the summer. The airline returned its seasonal daily flights Sunday between Fresno Yosemite International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

San Joaquin County Launches ‘Adopt-A-Road’ Program To Keep Roadways Clean

Capital Public Radio

Signs will be placed along county roads with the name of the volunteer group tasked with keeping them litter-free.

DMV dysfunction prompts Newsom to ask for new workers

San Francisco Chronicle

Gov. Gavin Newsom is seeking $168 million to hire more than 1,100 new employees at the California Department of Motor Vehicles and make other changes to reduce long wait times at DMV offices.

Rail travel is cleaner than driving or flying, but will Americans buy in?

The Conversation

Rail proponents often argue that investment in trains and public transportation is a key part of making transportation cleaner, and indeed, the Green New Deal calls for greatly expanding high-speed rail.

WATER

‘Frequent cloud-to-ground lightning is occurring’ with storm moving through Valley

Fresno Bee

Thunderstorms moved into the central San Joaquin Valley on Tuesday, bringing “torrential rainfall” and small hail, and causing some power outages.

Final snow survey looks promising for Valley farmers

abc30

The spring storms never stopped. The survey dipstick plunged deep into the snow at Phillips Station at 109.5 inches.  Statewide the snowpack is 162% of average.

See also:

County moves to repair Strathmore creek this summer after flooding

Visalia Times Delta

County officials had been aware of the problem and potential of a major Strathmore flood for years, according to a Tulare County Flood Control District report. County officials are now working to make sure the problem never happens again.

See Also:

Two years and $1.1 billion later, water flows down Oroville Dam spillway

Sacramento Bee

It worked. Oroville Dam’s main flood-control spillway reopened for business Tuesday morning, releasing a gentle sheet of water into the Feather River for the first time since the 2017 crisis that sent 188,000 people fleeing for their lives.

See also:

Former Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus on Lessons Learned from CA Drought, Water Wars

KQED

Felicia Marcus, who stepped down as Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board early this year, joins us to discuss California’s water challenges, what the state learned from the recent drought and the future of its water wars.

California can’t save fish by diverting more water from rivers

CALmatters

Recent decades have brought the slow collapse of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and its salmon runs. A half dozen species face extinction. Lacking natural flushing, the Delta now suffers outbreaks of toxic algae. The salmon fishing industry suffered a shutdown in 2008 and 2009 which cost thousands of jobs.

Testimony: Upgrading California’s Water Grid to Meet 21st Century Needs

PPIC

Most western states rely on water “grids”—networks of above- and below-ground water storage and conveyance systems—to manage their water supplies. California’s water grid is unusually extensive and connects most water use in the state. It is also complex, with different elements owned and managed by a wide array of local, state, and federal entities.

“Xtra”

Big hats, craft beer, comics, cosplay and the Dude! It’s festival week in the Central Valley

Fresno Bee

It’s all about festivals in and around Fresno this weekend. Here’s the quick breakdown of things to do.

Grizzly Fest is one month away. How organizers are preparing

abc30

One year after promoters expanded Grizzly Fest to two days and moved it from downtown to Woodward Park, organizers are pushing the envelope once again to try and make the event even bigger in 2019.

Clovis welcomes Spring with annual Old Town Clovis Antique Fair

Clovis Roundup

On Sunday, March 31, customers and vendors flocked to Old Town Clovis for the spring edition of the Clovis Antiques Fair. And, with a 77-degree day in the valley, it was the perfect time for customers and visitors to enjoy the event.

Food Review: Seven Bar and Grill

Clovis Roundup

Everyone enjoyed their meal. My eggs were precisely over medium, the hash browns cooked to a light crunch and the chicken fried steak with gravy was exceptional.

Celebrate Earth Day In The Exact Center Of California

Sierra News

Looking for something fun and educational to do with the family to celebrate the arrival of spring? The community of North Fork will celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, Apr. 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the North Fork Millsite.

Retailers roll out promotions to support charity fundraiser Give Big Kern

Bakersfield Californian

Local retailers are pitching in to help local nonprofits during the countdown to the biggest day of the year in Kern philanthropy.

Girl Scouts in Kern excel at cookie sales

Bakersfield Californian

Girl Scout cookie season is over. The local numbers are in. And they’re sweet. Scouts from the Central California South region, a five-county area made up of Fresno, Kings, Madera, Tulare and Kern counties, sold 971,172 packages of Girl Scout cookies during the six-week selling season.

The Instagram account that will leave you drooling — and itching to leave the Bay Area

SFGate

Scrolling @cheapoldhouses, one finds exactly what the Instagram handle promises: There’s a Victorian duplex — three bedrooms per unit! — in Milwaukeefor just under $40,000. In Webster City, Iowa, you can buy a pastel pink and green house straight from a storybook for just $27,000.

Yosemite Valley waterfalls thunder to life

San Francisco Chronicle

In Yosemite Valley, a bright sun radiated across a blue sky Sunday and turned the park’s waterfalls into a series of silver-tasseled free falls, cascades and chutes

EDITORIAL: It’s a Fresno thing to do: Grab a beer, some tacos and watch Grizzlies baseball

Fresno Bee

A new era begins Thursday for the Fresno Grizzlies when the Triple A baseball team kicks off its 2019 season as an affiliate of the Washington Nationals.