20Aug

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POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

UC Merced Unveils Second Phase of Merced 2020 Project, Says Thank You to Leland

UC Merced Newsroom

Two simple words, “Leland Legacy,” captured the significance of Wednesday’s opening event for the second phase of the Merced 2020 Project,

Threat posted on social media brings police to Modesto’s Beyer High School

Modesto Bee

A threat allegedly made by two Beyer High School students on social media resulted in police officers going to the campus on Tuesday morning

Modesto renters see another increase in July. What’s projected for the rest of 2019?

Modesto Bee

The cost of renting an apartment in Modesto and Turlock continued its climb in July, but some analysts believe rental increases will level off the rest of this year.

Labor Day is two weeks away, but police are putting more officers on the streets now

Merced Sun-Star

The Merced Police Department is joining law agencies across the country in the ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign.

Central SJ Valley:

Rep. Nunes discloses $15K farm

Visalia Times Delta

Congressman Devin Nunes acquired a $15,000 Tulare farm, his first since at least 2007, according to a financial disclosure report released last week.

What U.S. Cities Facing Climate Disaster Risks Are Least Prepared?

The Atlantic / CityLab

New studies find cities most vulnerable to climate change disasters—heat waves, flooding, rising seas, drought—are the least prepared. (Fresno mentioned)

2019 California Economic Summit Registration Opens

CAFWD

Registration has opened for the 2019 California Economic Summit, which will take place in Fresno on November 7-8. The Summit, produced by California Forward, marks the eighth annual gathering of private, public and civic leaders from across California’s diverse regions committed to creating a shared economic agenda to expand prosperity for all.

South SJ Valley:

Lemoore Council to decide on new member, cannabis dispensaries

Hanford Sentinel

The Lemoore City Council met Tuesday to discuss cannabis retail applicants and to appoint a new District E council member. A study session will begin at 5:30 p.m. to hear proposals from six different cannabis companies.

Shafter’s air-pollution debate exposes ideological divide

Bakersfield Californian

A local committee’s efforts to improve air quality in Shafter by spending some $40 million in state money have run up against a familiar ideological divide pitting environmental activism against the interests of Kern County industry.

State:

California has a new use-of-force law. What does it mean for cops and people of color?

Fresno Bee

California’s new law governing when law enforcement officers can use deadly force is among the strongest in the country restricting when police officers can pull the trigger. Below is a guide to questions you might have about the law.

● Governor Newsom signs law to limit shootings by police abc30

● Governor signs law to limit shootings by police Visalia Times Delta

● Bakersfield families applaud as Gov. Newsom signs new police use of force bill into law Bakersfield Californian

● California Raises Standard For When Police Can Use Deadly Force Capital Public Radio

● New California Law Says Police Should Kill Only When ‘Necessary’ Capital Public Radio

● Newsom signs ‘Stephon Clark’s Law,’ setting new rules on police use of force Los Angeles Times

● Gavin Newsom signs California bill tightening rules for police shootings San Francisco Chronicle

● Getting shot by police is a leading cause of death for U.S. black men Los Angeles Times

● Watch: California’s new police use-of-force law, explained CalMatters

● EDITORIAL: Good work on new standard for police using lethal force Modesto Bee

● EDITORIAL: California’s new police use-of-force law is subtle — and important Los Angeles Times

California union’s proposal for higher pay in Bay Area rejected by Newsom administration

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has rejected a proposal from SEIU Local 1000 to boost state workers’ pay in expensive cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles, according to the union.

Is recycling collapsing in California? Advocates call on lawmakers to rescue it

Merced Sun-Star

The closure of the largest recycling center in California is a symptom of a much larger problem facing the Golden State, argues Martin Bourque, of the Ecology Center, a Berkeley-based nonprofit.

Wall Street’s ‘inversion’ curve translates to ‘Be worried, California’

San Jose Mercury

Wall Street is filled with funny phrases that don’t translate well into everyday conversation. Take the current buzz about “inverted yield curves,” which are often cited as stock prices gyrate wildly of late.

Mexican man facing voter fraud trial in Sacramento. He’s a Trump supporter

Sacramento Bee

For years, President Trump has claimed that millions of noncitizens voted in the 2016 presidential election.

Why is California spending $187 million on 2020 Census?

Mercury News

’70 percent of Californians fit some sort of hard-to-count criteria’

See also:

● Why the 2020 Census Is So Important Now NBC 7 San Diego

Federal:

An entirely plausible but clearly fake internal White House memo about buying Greenland

Los Angeles Times

Once again you have hit upon the smartest, most intuitive idea of the modern age: buying Greenland. Nobody has your brains or vision, nobody. Everybody says so. Genius, sheer genius. But it’s going to take some selling to get this deal done.

Elections 2020:

Julián Castro announces plan on animal welfare, wildlife protections

Los Angeles Times

Presidential hopeful Julián Castro announced a proposal to end euthanasia of cats and dogs for population control and to strengthen protections for endangered species, which have been weakened under President Trump. His plan would also end oil drilling on federal land and restore two national monuments diminished by Trump.

Elizabeth Warren at Native American forum: ‘I am sorry for the harm I have caused’

Los Angeles Times

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren offered a public apology Monday to Native Americans over her past claim to tribal heritage, directly tackling an area that has proved to be a big political liability.

Shell Oil allegedly coerced its workers to attend a Trump rally. Blame the Supreme Court

Los Angeles Times

Workers at a Royal Dutch Shell petrochemical plant outside Pittsburgh were coerced into attending a political event featuring President Trump on Aug. 13 on pain of losing overtime pay for the week.

Biden to skip DNC meeting in San Francisco where 13 candidates are expected

Politico

Hundreds of Democratic National Committee delegates will be here next weekend for a three-day gathering that gives them a chance to meet and hear from 13 presidential contenders — though former Vice President Joe Biden, the party’s front-runner, isn’t scheduled to be among the candidates.

The Note: The question of electability hangs everywhere

abc

In polls, in interviews with voters, in stump speeches and at events with a former second lady, the question of electability hangs everywhere in the 2020 Democratic primary.

If Economy Sours, Democrats Will Face a Tough Choice

Wall Street Journal

Which candidate would benefit more from a recession: A moderate such as Joe Biden, or someone like Elizabeth Warren? Primary and general-election voters may disagree.

Nehring: 3 real problems Republicans need to address to win in 2020

TheHill

As we head deeper into the 2020 election cycle, Republican activists and leaders face serious challenges if we are to put conservative solutions into action to strengthen our country at home and freedom abroad.

Other:

Who Is Fresno State’s Top Dog? Hint: He Wins Huge Verdicts.

GV Wire

One of the country’s leading trial attorneys, Brian J. Panish, is the recipient of Fresno State’s Distinguished Alumni Award — the university’s highest alumni honor.

Attorneys General to Move Forward With Antitrust Probe of Big Tech

Wall Street Journal

A group of state attorneys general is preparing to move forward with a joint antitrust investigation of big technology companies, according to people familiar with the situation, adding another layer of scrutiny to an industry already under a federal spotlight.

China defends its right to online speech after Facebook and Twitter accuse it of manipulation

Washington Post

Beijing on Tuesday defended its right to spread its views online — even if the tactics violate Twitter’s and Facebook’s guidelines designed to curb the spread of disinformation. “Why is it that China’s official media’s presentation is surely negative or wrong?” Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in comments that echoed complaints by U.S. conservatives that the tech companies censor their political statements.

What a freshman congresswoman learned after her ‘stunning’ clash with progressives

Washington Post

The Democrat saw liberals lashing out at moderates like herself for approving $4.6 billion in emergency aid for migrants at the Southern border — a deal they said did little to rein in the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

The 1619 Project

New York Times

The 1619 Project is a major initiative from The New York Times observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. It aims to reframe the country’s history, understanding 1619 as our true founding, and placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of the story we tell ourselves about who we are.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, August 25, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Out of District Charter Schools: Does Out of Sight, Mean Out of Mind?” – Guest: California State Auditor, Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, August 25, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Are Education Reforms & Charter Schools the Answer?” – Guests: California State Auditor Elaine Howle, Laura Hill with the Public Policy Institute of California & Dan Walters with CALmatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, August 25, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “State Auditor Report on Charter Schools” – Invitados: Margarita Fernandez, PIO State Auditor’s Office.. Presentado Por: Coordinadora del Programa del Maddy Institute, Maria Jeans.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Maybe The Way To Control Locusts Is By Growing Crops They Don’t Like

Capital Public Radio

A lab at Arizona State University tries to find new ways to combat the global scourge of locusts. One solution may have to do with farming practices.

Cannabis restaurants are coming to California, with ‘budtenders’ and ‘flower’ service

Washington Post

Like any good chef about to open a restaurant, Andrea Drummer wants to get her pairings just right. But her lamb chops with plantain-mango salsa won’t be matched with wine or beer. Instead, a “budtender” — some in the industry call them ganjiers, as in ganja sommeliers — will help guests at the soon-to-open Lowell Farms cannabis cafe pair their farm-to-table meal with the perfect strain of farm-to-table marijuana.

States must be careful with marijuana revenue — or see money go up in smoke, report finds

Merced Sun-Star

“Sin tax” revenue is notoriously unpredictable, and cannabis — now legal in California, Washington and eight other states — is no exception to the rule, according to a newly released report from Pew Charitable Trust.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Labor Day is two weeks away, but police are putting more officers on the streets now

Merced Sun-Star

The Merced Police Department is joining law agencies across the country in the ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign.

Threat posted on social media brings police to Modesto’s Beyer High School

Modesto Bee

A threat allegedly made by two Beyer High School students on social media resulted in police officers going to the campus on Tuesday morning

Public Safety:

California has a new use-of-force law. What does it mean for cops and people of color?

Fresno Bee

● Governor Newsom signs law to limit shootings by police abc30

● Governor signs law to limit shootings by police Visalia Times Delta

● Bakersfield families applaud as Gov. Newsom signs new police use of force bill into law Bakersfield Californian

● California Raises Standard For When Police Can Use Deadly Force Capital Public Radio

● New California Law Says Police Should Kill Only When ‘Necessary’ Capital Public Radio

● Newsom signs ‘Stephon Clark’s Law,’ setting new rules on police use of force Los Angeles Times

● Gavin Newsom signs California bill tightening rules for police shootings San Francisco Chronicle

● Getting shot by police is a leading cause of death for U.S. black men Los Angeles Times

● Watch: California’s new police use-of-force law, explained CalMatters

● EDITORIAL: Good work on new standard for police using lethal force Modesto Bee

● EDITORIAL: California’s new police use-of-force law is subtle — and important Los Angeles Times

‘Red flag’ gun laws can help prevent mass shootings, UC Davis study says

Fresno Bee

Researchers from the University of California, Davis, have found that, in the three years since California implemented the nation’s first law allowing guns to be taken from individuals who pose an extreme risk, the so-called red flag orders have prevented at least 21 mass shootings.

● Democrats line up three gun bills in early House Judiciary return Roll Call

Trump again appears to back away from gun background checks

Washington Post

President Trump appears to be backing away from potential support for gun background check legislation, according to White House aides, congressional leaders and gun advocates, dimming prospects that Washington will approve significant new gun measures in the wake of mass shootings that left 31 dead.

AG Barr appoints new BOP director amid Epstein controversy

abc30

Attorney General Barr has announced the appointment of a new director for the Bureau of Prisons amid the scandal over Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide.

Fire:

Arson not ruled out in $2.5 million blaze at apartment complex near Fresno State

Fresno Bee

Fresno fire officials on Monday did not rule out arson as a cause of a $2.5 million, three-alarm blaze at the Maplewood complex near Fresno State that destroyed eight units and displaced multiple people.

Wildfire acreage way down in California this year — so far

Bakersfield Californian

California is not burning. At least not as much as it has in recent years. Acreage burned through Sunday is down 90% compared to the average over the past five years and down 95% from last year, according to statistics from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

A Trailblazing Plan to Fight California Wildfires

The New Yorker

Throughout the twentieth century, federal policy focussed on putting out fires as quickly as possible, but preventing megafires requires a different approach.

In the war on wildfire, California turns to the military

The Christina Science Monitor

Boots on the ground before a disaster strikes, instead of after? That’s the thinking involved in deploying the California National Guard to act as a preventive force.

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Wall Street’s ‘inversion’ curve translates to ‘Be worried, California’

San Jose Mercury

One-third of economists predict US recession in 2021

abc30

Among 226 economists surveyed by the National Association for Business Economics, 34% said a recession would hit the U.S. in 2021, an increase from 25% who believed so in February.

Look, Americans like free trade again

Los Angeles Times

After a long succession of presidents who believed in the benefits of lowering trade barriers and entering multilateral trade agreements, the United States got one who decidedly does not. So what happens to public opinion? It moves more strongly in favor of free trade.

See also:

● Trump Is Losing the Trade War With China Wall Street Journal

● Confusing Trump trade policy keeps confusing AEI

● Here’s what new tariffs will cost an average American household CNBC

The Trump economy vs. the Obama economy in 15 charts

Washington Post

Is a recession coming in 2020 or 2021? Experts continue to debate the conflicting signals, but an equally telling question might be: How does the “Trump economy” compare to Barack Obama’s?

Free-Marketeers Have Taken Social Conservatives for Granted

Wall Street Journal

Capitalists need to make the case that prosperity is crucial for protecting tradition and security.

EDITORIAL: Big business makes a vague promise to prioritize social good, not just shareholders

San Francisco Chronicle

Confronted with climate change, income inequality, restive employees and a crop of Democratic presidential candidates who are determined to make them pay more, nearly 200 leaders of some of America’s biggest, most successful companies are redefining what it means to be a successful corporation in 2019.

· Column: In shocking reversal, Big Business puts the shareholder value myth in the grave Los Angeles Times

Jobs:

California union’s proposal for higher pay in Bay Area rejected by Newsom administration

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has rejected a proposal from SEIU Local 1000 to boost state workers’ pay in expensive cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles, according to the union.

If restaurant servers get a minimum-wage hike, should you still tip 20%?

Washington POst

You may have missed this news as President Trump’s racist tweetstorm rained down on the Squad in July, but the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, the first increase for those on the lowest rung of the U.S. workforce since 2009 . Tucked into the legislation, however, was something perhaps even more startling: a measure that would eliminate the sub-minimum wage for tipped employees.

EDUCATION

K-12:

A new school year full of new possibilities for Clovis Unified

abc30

A new school year full of new possibilities for Clovis Unified students. When it comes to safety a new layer of security has been added district-wide.

Sick of distracted students? Some schools have started locking up their phones

San Jose Mercury

Welcome to the newest front in the battle against cell phones in schools: San Mateo High and others across America have begun locking up students’ iPhones and Samsung Galaxies in opaque magnetic Yondr pouches designed to allow students to keep their phones in their possession but remove the temptation, and the opportunity, to break the rules by using them.

New pilot program among 9 school districts aims for student success from cradle to career

Bakersfield Californian

What if a student’s academic data could be tracked from their first day of school all the way until they graduate college in a way that was not available before? A Kern County pilot program is on its way to do just that.

Amid tensions statewide, an embattled California charter school’s quest ends badly

EdSource

Increasing school expenses and declining enrollments have heightened tensions between charter schools and school districts in California. From Oakland to Los Angeles and San Diego, districts with the largest numbers of charter schools, the fights over buildings are becoming more fraught, charter renewals more contested, positions of school boards more entrenched.

Support grows nationwide for paying teachers more

EdSource

Most Americans believe that K-12 schools deserve more money, the federal government should chip in a bigger share of education costs and a college education — especially at community colleges — should be tuition-free, according a nationwide education poll released Tuesday.

Higher Ed:

Fresno State welcomes incoming students at annual convocation

Fresno Bee

President Joseph Castro, faculty, marching band, and spirit team members gave an enthusiastic welcome to new and transfer students at the Save Mart Center on Monday afternoon.

Stanislaus State announces new building for Stockton campus

Stockton Record

California State University, Stanislaus has secured $200,000 in funding for a feasibility study toward building a three-story, 118,000 square-foot state-of-the-art academic and student services facility at its Stockton campus.

UC Merced Unveils Second Phase of Merced 2020 Project, Says Thank You to Leland

UC Merced Newsroom

Two simple words, “Leland Legacy,” captured the significance of Wednesday’s opening event for the second phase of the Merced 2020 Project, an event that doubled as a goodbye and thank you to outgoing Chancellor Dorothy Leland.

Delta College best in the state

Stockton Record

San Joaquin Delta College is considered to be not only the best community college in California, but according to a recent study, it is listed as one of the top in the nation.

Kern Transit to provide free rides to BC students

Bakersfield Californian

Kern Transit is continuing its free ridership service for Bakersfield College students for the Fall 2019 semester. Free rides will be provided to all enrolled BC students with the use of a valid student ID.

Women in STEM college programs under attack for male discrimination

Los Angeles Times

Female-only science programs, launched by many universities to redress gender imbalance in such fields as computer science and engineering, are coming under growing legal attack as sex discrimination against men.

See also:

● Feminism is in trouble AEI

Supporting College Students in Need of Financial Aid

California Budget and Policy Center

Many students from low-income households who are headed to California’s colleges know the reality: paying for their higher education will be a struggle.

College recruiters aggressively go after out-of-state kids

Visalia Times Delta

Every state in the U.S. has become a battleground for universities sparring to attract the most geographically diverse population, recruiting on each others’ home turf and offering merit scholarships that compete with in-state tuition.

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

Shafter’s air-pollution debate exposes ideological divide

Bakersfield Californian

See also:

· California Air Quality Map San Francisco Chronicle

· Trump’s Rollback of Auto Pollution Rules Shows Signs of Disarray NY Times

What U.S. Cities Facing Climate Disaster Risks Are Least Prepared?

The Atlantic / CityLab

New studies find cities most vulnerable to climate change disasters—heat waves, flooding, rising seas, drought—are the least prepared. (Fresno listed)

● Morro Bay oyster farmers are thriving now — but they face a looming threat Sacramento Bee

EDITORIAL: Trump’s plan to move BLM jobs west is a shallow pretext to gut the agency’s mission

Los Angeles Times

The Trump administration — propelled by those who believe the federal government should cede much of its Western lands to state and local governments — wants to move nearly all of the BLM’s headquarters out of Washington and relocate the jobs mostly to Western states.

EDITORIAL: California’s Joshua trees are threatened and the Trump administration is refusing to admit it

Los Angeles Times

Just two months ago, scientists released a study warning that climate change and other environmental stressors — including air pollution from the Los Angeles basin that’s feeding invasive, fast-burning grasses — are imperiling Joshua trees’ desert habitat.

Is recycling collapsing in California? Advocates call on lawmakers to rescue it

Merced Sun-Star

The closure of the largest recycling center in California is a symptom of a much larger problem facing the Golden State, argues Martin Bourque, of the Ecology Center, a Berkeley-based nonprofit.

Energy:

Power restored to customers in Coarsegold, Oakhurst, PG&E reports

abc30

Power has been restored to customers in the Coarsegold and Oakhurst areas after two outages left more than 14,000 without power, according to PG&E’s website.

PG&E shares plunge 25% after judge allows Tubbs Fire trial

San Francisco Chronicle

The plunge came three days after U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali said a state court trial can decide whether PG&E is responsible for the 2017 Tubbs Fire, the second most destructive wildfire in state history.

PG&E to conduct PSPS drill at Tejon, Poso Mountain

Bakersfield Californian

PG&E will conduct a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) drill, using helicopters in Tejon and Poso Mountain to practice response time, on Tuesday morning. Power will not be interrupted during the drill.

Tesla offers no-contract solar panel rentals, with a catch

Los Angeles Times

Tesla Inc.’s latest bid to revive its foundering solar division may sound familiar: rentals.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Every teenager knows vaping is an epidemic. Here’s what the Legislature can do about it

CALmatters

Teen vaping is an epidemic. Within a five year period, vaping use among high schoolers jumped 900%. I’ve heard stories from my daughters, students, educators, and parents about how prevalent these dangerous products are in our schools. These products pose a serious health risk to our youth.

● Juul, Philip Morris Sued Under Racketeer Act for Targeting Kids Bloomberg

Breastfeeding is beneficial — so, why aren’t more new mothers sticking with it?

Modesto Bee

August is National Breastfeeding Month, with the goals of raising community awareness and increasing support for breastfeeding mothers.

Human Services:

Solstice Senior Living: A small community within Clovis

Clovis Roundup

Solstice Senior Living in Clovis doesn’t just offer independent, assisted living; they offer a chance to be a part of a close-knit community.

Culver new director of the family crisis center

Porterville Recorder

The Central California Family Crisis Center welcomed Mary Culver August 1 as its new Executive Director. She has a strong financial background spanning 30 years and 25 years of office management experience, including staff development and training.

Four-story, 106-bed patient care addition planned at Mercy Southwest

Bakersfield Californian

Most of Bakersfield’s growth has been ever westward, placing pressure on the city’s only major hospital west of Highway 99, Mercy Hospital Southwest. Soon, it seems, some of that pressure will be alleviated in a big way.

Planned Parenthood Withdraws From Title X Program Over Trump Abortion Rule

Capital Public Radio

The organization says it is leaving the federal family planning program because of rule changes that prohibit its grantees from providing or referring most patients for abortion.

Democrats back off Medicare-for-all

Washington Post

The idea of Medicare-for-all — a unified government health program that would take over the basic function of private insurance — became a liberal litmus test at the outset of the presidential campaign, distinguishing Democratic contenders who cast themselves as bold visionaries from more moderate pragmatists.

Rural America Has a Maternal Mortality Problem

PEW

Hospitals are shutting down across rural America, creating a shortage of care.

IMMIGRATION

ICE provides ‘deplorable’ healthcare to detained immigrants, advocates allege in massive lawsuit

Los Angeles Times

Immigrant rights advocates filed a sweeping class-action lawsuit in federal court against the Trump administration Monday, alleging that lax oversight by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security has caused severe deficiencies in healthcare, as well as discrimination against detainees with disabilities, in nearly 160 facilities across the country.

Changes to ‘public charge’ law could mean big changes for immigrants coming to the US

Politicfact

You might have missed a piece of policy news out of the Trump White House. It concerns immigration, and how the United States determines the fate of people applying for visas and permanent residency.

EDITORIAL: Cuccinelli is wrong: ‘Poor, huddled masses’ are an inextricable part of our history

Los Angeles Times

Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said that the storied lines on the Statue of Liberty urging the world to “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” was an invitation to only those immigrants “who can stand on their own two feet and who will not become a public charge.”

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Closures expected across Macy’s. Is Visalia Mall safe?

Visalia Times Delta

Tulare County back-to-school shoppers can breathe easy — for now. No plans to shutter the Visalia Mall location have been announced, yet.

Luv 2 Play coming to Sequoia Mall in Visalia

Visalia Times Delta

Luv 2 Play, a “family entertainment center” in the vein of Chuck E. Cheese, is set to fill the long-vacant InShape Fitness Center behind Sequoia Mall, according to an Aug. 12 Visalia Planning Commission report.

What U.S. Cities Facing Climate Disaster Risks Are Least Prepared?

The Atlantic / CityLab

New studies find cities most vulnerable to climate change disasters—heat waves, flooding, rising seas, drought—are the least prepared. (Fresno listed)

Housing:

Local experts say now is the best time to buy, sell houses

abc30

The latest figures from the city of Visalia show there’s been a 50% increase in the number of multifamily building permits issued compared to this time last year. There’s also been a 31% increase in the number of single-family home permits, with 46 issued in July.

Modesto renters see another increase in July. What’s projected for the rest of 2019?

Modesto Bee

The cost of renting an apartment in Modesto and Turlock continued its climb in July, but some analysts believe rental increases will level off the rest of this year.

Opponents decry idea of homeless facility at former Holt School site

Stockton Record

Four days after leading about 20 advocates for the homeless on a tour of a potential site to house about 1,500 of San Joaquin County’s unsheltered residents, Supervisor Tom Patti received a less friendly reception Monday from residents of the Delta who would be neighbors of the proposed facility.

Low-barrier homeless shelter hits snag after community voices opposition to proposed location

Bakersfield Californian

Plans for a low-barrier homeless shelter in Bakersfield have slowed after community members voiced their opposition to a proposal that Weill Park host the project.

Fallout from state’s rent control debate: More rent hikes

OC Register

Rent control panic is gripping landlords throughout Southern California, prompting them to jack up their rents preemptively in case some type of tenant protection kicks in.

Affordable Housing Push Challenges Single-Family Zoning

PEW

Some cities and states are ending zoning that favors one home on one lot.

PUBLIC FINANCES

This developer was audited for poor recordkeeping. Fresno gave him more tax dollars

Fresno Bee

The city of Fresno will give nearly $700,000 to a downtown developer who has a history of practices that looked “not ethical,” according to an audit.

States must be careful with marijuana revenue — or see money go up in smoke, report finds

Merced Sun-Star

Vaping Craze Prompts New State Taxes

PEW

The goal: reduce vaping among young people.

Budget Decider: Making choices that impact millions

CALmatters

California lawmakers have passed a $215 billion budget filled with progressive eye-catchers. But what if you had the awesome power to tax and spend, charting a new course for California?

TRANSPORTATION

Kern Transit to provide free rides to BC students

Bakersfield Californian

Coastal Commission frowns on trenching idea for rail tracks atop oceanfront bluffs

Los Angeles Times

A proposal to place the railroad tracks in a trench at the edge of the bluff in Del Mar raises “serious concerns” about erosion and access to the beach, according to the California Coastal Commission.

Legislature’s idea to redirect high-speed rail funding may not be legal, state senator says

Silicon Valley Business Journal

There’s a problem if high-speed rail funds are spent on segments that will require an operating subsidy.

Trump’s Rollback of Auto Pollution Rules Shows Signs of Disarray

New York Times

The White House, blindsided by a pact between California and four automakers to oppose President Trump’s auto emissions rollbacks, has mounted an effort to prevent any more companies from joining the other side.

WATER

How ground-based GPS stations help weather forecasters predict heavy rain and flooding

Sacramento Bee

In the western United States, there are more than 1,200 CGPS stations, including more than 25 on the Central Coast. A few of these stations are classified as Global Positioning System Meteorology (GPS-Met), such as the ones located in Cambria, Los Osos and Point Sal.

Preparing California’s Rivers for a Changing Climate

PPIC

We talked to UC Berkeley river scientist Ted Grantham about the state of the state’s rivers, and how to help them adapt to a changing climate.

“Xtra”

T-Pain will be at Fresno State’s homecoming. Here’s how you can see him

Fresno Bee

Fresno State, in the midst of all its #backtoschool fun, is already planning for homecoming week. The festivities run Oct. 21-27 with the typical family weekend events and football game (the Bulldogs are playing Colorado State) — plus something called the Homecoming Big Show.

Tulare County Fair celebrates centennial

Porterville Recorder

The centennial edition of the Tulare County Fair will feature something for everyone, with more than 100 free things to see and do, and the chance to earn free ride tickets thanks to local public libraries.

Marking 10 years, still plenty of talent to see at annual Modesto competition

Modesto Bee

It will be 10 years since the Gallo Center for the Arts has started showcasing local talent.