POLICY & POLITICS
Valley:
California Congressional District 21: Debate between David Valadao & TJ Cox
Fresno Bee
Fresno Democrat TJ Cox has responded to Rep. David Valadao’s debate challenge with three new challenges of his own, as the two sides jockey for favorable ground on which to battle.
Two Republicans want to be called farmers on the ballot. Democrats say they’re not
Modesto Bee
Reps. Jeff Denham and Devin Nunes say they’re farmers, and that’s how they’re going to be described on this fall’s California election ballots. But are they farmers? Democrats say no.
Video: A Conversation with Congressman Kevin McCarthy
PPIC
They focused on the relationship between California and the federal government in several areas, including tax reform, immigration, health care, water policy, wildfire management, and fuel emissions standards.
Who's running in November?
Hanford Sentinel
With the filing deadline for candidacy paperwork officially closed, Kings County residents finally know who will be on their ballots for the Nov. 6 statewide general election.
Madera County DA sues Board of Supervisors, blames them for losing election
Fresno Bee
Madera County District Attorney David Linn is suing the county’s Board of Supervisors, blaming them for his failure to win reelection.
Firebaugh opposes U.S. Census citizenship question, fifth regional city to pass resolution
Fresno Bee
The city of Firebaugh passed a resolution Monday opposing the citizenship question on the 2020 U.S. Census — the fifth city in the Central San Joaquin Valley to do so.
Modesto, Stanislaus put Escalon on notice over alleged homeless dumping
Modesto Bee
Modesto and Stanislaus County have put Escalon on notice after police in the small San Joaquin County city last week dropped off two homeless people here.
Stockton Looking For Proposals To Redevelop Historic City Hall
Capital Public Radio
Most departments that occupy the building will move into the Waterfront Towers in Downtown Stockton within a couple of years as the new city hall.
Deputies stage walkout during supervisors meeting as pressure rises for contract deal
Bakersfield.com
Wearing coordinated blue shirts, and telling stories of diminishing deputy ranks, slow response times and poor staff morale, the union tried to win support from the supervisors in an effort to increase their salaries and force the county to hire more deputies to fill gaps in the department.
Price: Lights, camera, politics: It's on and we're taping
If it seems like the process of electing people to serve in government and education is a never-ending process, it's because it is.
State:
Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter indicted
ABC30
Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif, and his wife were indicted by a federal grand jury in San Diego on charges that they converted more than $250,000 in campaign funds to pay for personal expenses and filed false campaign finance records with the Federal Election Commission.
See Also:
● San Diego County Rep. Duncan Hunter and his wife are indicted on campaign finance violations Los Angeles Times
● Rep. Duncan Hunter and wife indicted on fraud and campaign finance charges San Diego Union-Tribune
● EDITORIAL: Rep. Duncan Hunter, do the honorable thing. Resign. San Diego Union-Tribune
● US Rep. Duncan Hunter, Wife Indicted On Corruption Charges Capital Public Radio
● Duncan Hunter Indicted for Misuse of Campaign Funds Roll Call
● Paul Ryan Strips Duncan Hunter of Committee Assignments Roll Call
● Rep. Duncan D. Hunter (R-Calif.) and wife indicted on charges they used campaign money for personal expensesWashington Post
● House Republican Indicted for Campaign Finance Violations The Wall Street Journal
● Duncan Hunter indicted—but will it matter in one of state's Trumpiest districts? CALmatters
An Indictment Reveals a Pitfall in the Top-Two Primary System
The New York Times
A good deal of thought went into the top-two nonpartisan primary system that was approved by California voters in 2010. The idea was that an open primary in June with the top two finishers — regardless of party — facing off in November would take the partisanship out of elections.
Another lawsuit demands California unions return fair share fees to government workers
The Sacramento Bee
This time, the National Right to Work Foundation is suing Services Employees International Union Local 522 on behalf of William Hough, a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority worker who did not want to participate in the labor organization but still had so-called “fair share” fees deducted from his paycheck and handed to the union.
Lawmakers kill a proposed tax deduction for California union members
The Sacramento Bee
Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, wrote Assembly Bill 2577 to let union members deduct their union dues on state income tax returns.The Senate Appropriations Committee chose to hold it last week. Gray’s spokesman on Wednesday conceded the bill would not advance to a final floor vote.
Ten Silicon Valley money players behind this November’s U.S. midterms election
Recode
Here, based on conversations with top Democratic donors, fundraisers and operatives — along with campaign finance records — is something of a cheat sheet to the liberal tech barons behind the gusher of cash flooding the airwaves in advance of Election Day.
Walters: Is maturity finally taking root in Capitol?
CALmatters
Brown proposed what he characterized as a compromise, but over the weekend, with less than a fortnight remaining in this year’s session, legislative leaders decided that the issue is too big and too contentious to act this year.
Happy birthday, Pete Wilson. And thanks: You made California what it is
Los Angeles Times
Former California Gov. Pete Wilson turns 85 tomorrow, so on behalf of all Californians, I say: gracias. (That’s “Thank you” in Spanish, Pedro).
EDITORIAL: Democrats bring arrogance to work at California Capitol
Fresno Bee
Since returning for the final month of the legislative session, too many Democrats have displayed why some Californians are concerned about one-party domination of the state Capitol. Here’s recent examples.
Federal:
What you should know about collusion, the term at the heart of the Trump-Russia probe
ABC30
Part of the debate surrounding what did or didn't happen behind the scenes in the Trump presidential campaign stems from the vague nature of the word at the heart of the investigation: collusion.
See also:
● Everything you need to know about who’s been charged in the Russia case Los Angeles Times
● Facebook removes 'multiple pages' linked to 'inauthentic behavior' in Russia, Iran ABC30
● Facebook removes 652 pages and accounts tied to influence campaigns from Iran and Russia Los Angeles Times
● Facebook says it has taken down 652 disinformation accounts with Iranian and Russian origins Washington Post
● Facebook Fueled Anti-Refugee Attacks in Germany, New Research Suggests New York Times
● Facebook Identifies New Influence Operations Spanning Globe The New York Times
Back-to-back legal blows in Trump circle jolt presidency
Sacramento Bee
President Donald Trump confronted one of the most perilous moments of his presidency Tuesday after two onetime members of his inner circle simultaneously were labeled "guilty" of criminal charges.
See Also:
● Former Trump fixer Michael Cohen pleads guilty to charges involving hush money at direction of Trump Hanford Sentinel
● Cohen and Manafort are guilty. And Trump faces a reckoning Los Angeles Times
● Michael Cohen pleads guilty, says he coordinated hush money with Trump to influence election Los Angeles Times
● Paul Manafort is guilty and truth is still truth — for now, anyway Los Angeles Times
● Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty to Eight Criminal Counts The Wall Street Journal
● Michael Cohen says he worked to silence two women before 2016 election 'in coordination' with Trump The Washington Post
● Democratic Senators to Trump on Manafort, Cohen Pardons: Don’t Go There Roll Call
● What Michael Cohen’s Guilty Plea Means for Donald Trump Roll Call
● Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty, Says He Acted at Trump’s Direction The Wall Street Journal
● Paul Manafort Found Guilty on Eight Counts of Fraud The Wall Street Journal
● Trump calls Paul Manafort verdict 'a very sad thing' but says 'it didn't involve me The Washington Post
● EDITORIAL: Manafort convictions show Mueller's probe is no 'witch hunt.' But Cohen's plea is what Trump should fear Los Angeles Times
● EDITORIAL: Convictions get ever closer to Trump White House San Francisco Chronicle
Taking a page from Trump, Democrats plot bigger and bigger promises
Fresno Bee
Jobs guarantees, single-payer health care and abolishing the agency in charge of border enforcement — ideas once confined to the fringes of the Democratic Party — are now being considered seriously by many in the party.
Eric Garcetti responds to our policy questions
The Washington Post
The mayor embraces the idea that trade benefits U.S. markets and that trade warriors who obsess about the trade deficit are going down a dangerous road.
Los Angeles Times
President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, has told Sen. Susan Collins of Maine that he considers the landmark abortion ruling Roe vs. Wade to be settled law, the moderate Republican senator said after meeting with him Tuesday.
‘Watch what Trump does, not what he says’
AEI
It is increasingly common to hear conservatives say that they don’t like President Donald Trump’s political incorrectness and rhetoric, but they do like the policy victories of his administration.
Think It’s Bad for the GOP Now? Wait for an October Surprise
Roll Call
This is the golden age of political horoscopes — sophisticated projection systems designed to forecast the 2018 elections.
See also:
● Men Are Seeing Roses. Women Are Gloomy. What Does That Mean for the Midterms? Roll Call
Other:
States Detail Election-Security Plans
The Wall Street Journal
State election officials plan to spend about two-thirds of grants approved by Congress earlier this year on new voting equipment and cybersecurity efforts, reports Alexa Corse. But not all the improvements will be completed before the November elections. Some $380 million was appropriated for the upgrades.
Today, Truth Itself Can't Be Taken for Granted
The Wall Street Journal
Polarization has put the reliability of facts in doubt. But nations rest on shared beliefs.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Fresno County crop values rebound, rising to $7 billion
Fresno Bee
Fresno County’s overall crop values rebounded last year, growing by nearly 14 percent and topping $7 billion.
See Also:
● Wetter 2017 resulted in a rebound year for Fresno County farmers ABC30
● Fresno County Ag Sales Break Record in 2017 The Business Journal
● Golden State Killer suspect is facing new charges, will be tried in Sacramento County Los Angeles Times
Tariffs are a big deal locally
Bakersfield Californian
It will take far more than a $12 billion farm subsidy bailout to address the harm that tariffs inflict on farmers both across the U.S., and especially here in Kern County. We need markets. We need demand. We need trade.
Regulations cost citrus industry $203 million per year
The Sun Gazette
A recent report issued by Bruce Babcock, a professor at the School of Public Policy at the University of California, Riverside, quantifies the impact of regulations on production costs and competitiveness of the California citrus industry.
Betty Yee to cannabis industry: Grow up and deal with stoned drivers
CALmatters
“I want to have the industry step up and be responsible,” she said. “They have an adversarial relationship with law enforcement, so it’s not the easiest conversation to have, but people are getting hurt. So deal with it.”
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
A ‘stay out of jail card’ or ‘justice for all?’ Jerry Brown will decide money bail
Fresno Bee
The California Senate on Aug. 21, 2018, passed Senate Bill 10, which eliminates money bail and replaces it with a risk assessment system. Gov. Jerry Brown will now decided whether to sign or veto the legislation.
See also:
● California Senate sends landmark bail reform bill to Gov. Jerry Brown Los Angeles Times
● Senate approves bill to end cash bail, sends it to the governor San Francisco Chronicle
● Bill To End Bail In California Headed To Gov. Brown Capital Public Radio
● Bill to end bail in California headed to Gov. Brown AP
● EDITORIAL: California has the bail industry on the run. Don’t give up on bail reform now, Jerry Brown Sacramento Bee
● EDITORIAL: California has a ragged road to bail reform Los Angeles Times
New bill could put cap on prison time for felons
ABC30
Assembly members are expected to vote on Senate Bill 12-79. It would limit the maximum term of imprisonment for felony convictions to twice the length of the base term.
See also:
● California lawmakers move to cap prison time for felons The Sacramento Bee
● The Changing State of Recidivism: Fewer People Going Back to Prison PEW Trusts
● Recidivism Rate Has Fallen by Nearly a Quarter Over the Past 7 Years PEW Trusts
Trump, Sessions feud spills over into dispute over policy on criminal justice reform
Sacramento Bee
Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ disconnect with his boss, President Donald Trump, is extending beyond their disagreement about the Russia probe to disagreeing on policy issues for which Sessions would normally speak for the administration — notably, prison reform.
See also:
● Juvenile Justice Reform Can Help Young People ‘Turn Their Lives Around’ PEW Trusts
● New 50-State Criminal Justice Data Resource PEW Trusts
Tulare DA ready to assist Golden State Killer prosecution in Sacramento
ABC30
In Orange County on Tuesday, Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward and five other DA's from around the state announced the joint filing in Sacramento County Superior Court.
See also:
● Suspected 'Golden State Killer' to face trial in Sacramento ABC30
● Golden State Killer suspect’s trial headed to Sacramento courtroom Sacramento Bee
● Suspected serial killer charged with new crimes San Francisco Chronicle
● Golden State Killer Trial To Be Held In Sacramento Capital Public Radio
How CA Fwd data and counties can create public safety success inside and outside of jail
CAFWD
Leaders from three California counties gathered in Riverside last month present the work they are doing to transform their justice systems using data driven-evidence, cross-system collaboration and capacity building programs. The participants were from Riverside, San Bernardino and Santa Cruz counties, the three counties that participated in CA Fwd’s Justice System Change Initiative (JSCI).
Public Safety:
KLEA stages walkout during supervisors meeting as pressure rises for contract deal
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Law Enforcement Agency attempted to put pressure on the Board of Supervisors during negotiations for a new contract Tuesday by staging a rally at the board meeting, during which many sheriffs deputies and family members complained of low pay and retention rates within the Sheriff’s Office.
Los Angeles Times
With wildfires raging across California, more and more residents are being faced with having to evacuate. Here's what to pack.
Fire:
Amid record-breaking fire season, new workshops offer history of Sierra wildfires
Fresno Bee
The Central Sierra Historical Society and Museum is holding a workshop on Aug. 25, 2018 to talk about fire in the Sierra. The free event features a historical perspective on wildfires, plus information on fire legislation and the actual cost of events like the Ferguson Fire.
California wildfires: How many fires are burning and where are they?
Sacramento Bee
Firefighters are making progress on the wildfires that continue to suffocate California. On Sunday, the Ferguson Fire near Yosemite reached 100 percent containment and officials said they expect to reach full containment on the Holy Fire in Southern California by Sunday. The devastating Carr Fire’s containment has also bumped up.
‘Best chance’ to end largest wildfire in state history
San Francisco Chronicle
A second night of increased humidity and lower temperatures was expected to help slow down the Ranch Fire, which grew only by a few thousand acres from Monday to Tuesday.
See also:
● The Smoke In Redding Is So Thick You Can't See The Sun Most Days Capital Public Radio
Chief: Verizon's data throttling endangered fire crews
San Francisco Chronicle
Santa Clara County firefighters were hobbled by poor internet service while they battled the Mendocino Complex fires in July because Verizon its data, the fire chief says in a court filing.
EDITORIAL: Even as California gets hotter and drier, lawmakers continue to punt on wildfire liability
Los Angeles Times
The most intense debate in the California Legislature this summer was also the wonkiest: Whether to lift the requirement that investor-owned electric utilities reimburse property owners for losses caused when their electrical equipment sparks a fire, even if the utility did nothing wrong and could not have reasonably prevented the blaze.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
S&P 500 touches all-time high as earnings reports drive up stock prices
Los Angeles Times
The Standard & Poor’s 500 index briefly traded at an all-time high Tuesday as the U.S. stock market's bull run came closer to becoming the longest on record.
See Also:
● Longest bull market in U.S. history comes with a huge asterisk Los Angeles Times
● Market milestone: This is the longest bull run in history Money CNN
● U.S. Stocks Poised to Enter Longest-Ever Bull Market WSJ
● How We Got to the Longest Bull Run in History WSJ
Make up your mind, Mr. President. Do you want low interest rates or a strong dollar?
Los Angeles Times
In an interview Monday with Reuters, President Trump accused China and the European Union of manipulating their currencies while also urging the U.S. central bank to allow for a greater supply of U.S. dollars.
Trump Auto-Tariff Timetable Likely to Slip Amid Europe, Nafta Talks
The Wall Street Journal
The move, signaled in comments by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, came as administration officials are seeking to negotiate agreements with some of the world’s largest car-exporting countries. The auto industry took the development as evidence of progress in those negotiations.
California women are still second class on economic security
Sacramento Bee
The latest numbers on women’s well-being in California show that this is no time for complacency, especially on equity, opportunity and justice for all women in our state, including transgender and gender non-conforming.
Board of Supervisors approve $2.3 million incentive package for L’Oreal
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Board of Supervisors have approved an economic incentive plan with L’Oreal USA worth $2.3 million in tax rebates as part of the county’s Advance Kern initiative.
Reexamining the Data on Extreme Poverty
American Enterprise Institute
Dr. Meyer presented his new Comprehensive Income Dataset, which aggregates several different types of survey and administrative data to provide a more accurate picture of the conditions of low-income Americans.
Jobs:
Orchard Supply Hardware stores everywhere are closing for good by the end of the year
Fresno Bee
Orchard Supply Hardware is closing all its store by the end of the year, a spokeswoman for parent company Lowe’s said Tuesday. Orchard’s 4,000 employees learned of the permanent shutdown Tuesday.
See Also:
● Report: All Orchard Supply stores to close permanently ABC30
● Orchard Supply Hardware stores to shut down permanently, report says San Francisco Chronicle
● Seven Orchard Supply stores to close in Central Valley The Business Journal
Cheesecake Factory grapples with the cost of workers' rising wages
Los Angeles Times
The rising minimum wage is a welcome development for hourly workers, but it carries a price for employers and consumers. Case in point: Cheesecake Factory Inc.
See also:
● Let Taxpayers Pay the Minimum Wage WSJ
New evidence that losing your job is even more stressful for Black Americans
Brookings
This research provides suggestive evidence that disparities in wealth may make already bad situations worse; losing one’s job causes significant stress, but the lack of access to a safety net will intensify the psychological distress.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Educators dispute USA TODAY naming two Valley cities as worst place to raise kids
ABC30
A new report lists four California cities as the worst places in the country to raise children. Two of those cities, Madera andHanford, are located here in the Central Valley.
‘How Schools Work’ review: The Worm in the Apple
American Enterprise Institute
A former education secretary doesn’t pull his punches when it comes to teachers’ unions; still, the Obama administration didn’t take them on. Naomi Schaefer Riley reviews “How Schools Work” by Arne Duncan.
Higher Ed:
Charitable giving to Fresno State up 22% for 2017-18
Business Journal
Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro announced today that charitable giving to the university increased 22% in the 2017-18 academic year.
BC delays parking lot work to September, college opens smoothly
Bakersfield Californian
Parking is rarely easy during the first week of classes, but with more than 20,000 students enrolled at Bakersfield College this fall, finding a spot between the painted lines was expected to be more difficult than usual Monday.
A major barrier to a college degree for low-income Californians: housing costs
Marketplace
In a little over a decade, the median rent in California has gone up 44 percent. Over the same period, the maximum financial aid award the state gives low-income students for non-tuition costs has gone up by only 8 percent, according to a recentreport from the California Budget & Policy Center.
Dropout crisis: Rewarding colleges for cooking the books won’t solve it
AEI
As 2 million students drop out of college each year, the costs should give everyone pause — including a half-trillion dollars in unpaid student debt and public subsidies wasted on college-goers who never graduate.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Hard to see, hard to breathe: US West struggles with smoke
AP News
In California, wind blew smoke from several wildfires into the San Francisco Bay Area, where haze led authorities to issue an air quality advisory through Tuesday. They suggested people avoid driving to limit additional pollutants in the air and advised those with health problems to reduce time outdoors.
What cities have the most nice days in America?
The Washington Post
If you disregard the summer, Fresno has very pleasant weather. It came in ninth place in a climate scientist's ranking of U.S. cities with the most nice days per year. Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and Oakland took places one through five.
Contact Lenses Are a Surprising Source of Pollution
Scientific American
Wastewater contains billions of lenses, which eventually make their way into the environment
Energy:
Trump’s False Claims About Coal, the Environment and West Virginia
The New York Times
But despite all of Mr. Trump’s efforts, the industry remains under heavy economic pressure from cheap natural gas and the rise of renewable energy. Coal consumption has continued to decline, and production too was lower in the first three months of 2018 compared with last year.
EPA's response to Obama climate policy includes fewer restrictions on coal plants
ABC30
The Environmental Protection Agency announced that its replacement for a signature policy designed to fight climate changeunder President Barack Obama will give states more flexibility to set their own goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but that the plan could result in more negative health impacts.
See Also:
● Trump’s coal plan to have little direct effect on California San Francisco Chronicle
● Not the Climate Apocalypse WSJ
● EDITORIAL: Not surprisingly, Trump's new Affordable Clean Energy plan is anything but Los Angeles Times
Mexico’s President-Elect Balks at Including Energy Chapter in New Nafta
The Wall Street Journal
The incoming government of President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador wants to prevent a new chapter on energy investment from being included in the pact, something the current Mexican team and its U.S. and Canadian counterparts had already agreed upon, according to people with knowledge of the talks.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Yellow Fever, Zika mosquitoes found in Merced County, officials say
Modesto Bee
A foreign, invasive mosquito capable of transmitting several fatal human diseases was discovered in Los Banos Tuesday morning, according to the Merced County Mosquito Abatement District.
The more you do to promote your cardiovascular health, the lower your risk of dementia
Los Angeles Times
You know it’s important to eat right, exercise and keep your cholesterol under control to reduce your risk of a heart attack of stroke. If that’s not enough of an incentive, new research suggests that taking care of your cardiovascular system will pay off for your brain as well.
Fresno orthodontists promoting mouth defense awareness
The Business Journal
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, 39 percent of all children’s dental injuries are related to sports accidents. Drs. Greg and Nicole Nalchajian of Nalchajian Orthodontics are hosting their first annual “Defend Your Mouth” Day on Saturday to raise awareness about wearing a mouth guard while playing sports
Brookings
This week, the journal Pediatrics featured a clarion call to encourage play as a way to reduce stress, promote social skills, and to embolden cognitive growth in young children.
What Does Knee Surgery Cost? Few Know, and That’s a Problem
WSJ
The price we pay for health care often has little connection to what it actually costs. One hospital decided to investigate.
Human Services:
Legislature bans short-term health insurance
San Francisco Chronicle
The California Legislature has passed a bill banning the sale of short-term health insurance plans — a type of insurance the Trump administration is seeking to expand.
Why does my Medicare plan charge me more for my medication?
PBS NewsHour
Why do I need Part D and the monthly premium I’m paying if this is what I wind up paying for drugs?
Listen to Health Care in America—What Happens Now?
The Commonwealth Club of California
Listen to Health Care in America—What Happens Now? from Commonwealth Club of California Podcast in Podcasts.
Hundreds of Thousands of Veterans’ Appeals Dragged Out by Huge Backlog
The Wall Street Journal
Hundreds of thousands of veterans face yearslong delays in their appeals of disability rulings because of a backlog of cases choking the Department of Veterans Affairs, but a new round of efforts aims to improve and speed up the claims-and-appeals process.
IMMIGRATION
Afghan who aided U.S. wants to live in California. Feds ignore House members’ questions
Sacramento Bee
Northern California Reps. Jeff Denham, Doug LaMalfa, John Garamendi and Barbara Lee are part of an unlikely coalition of Congress members working together for an urgent cause.
Immigration Attorneys Raise Concerns About U Visa Policy Changes
Valley Public Radio
They would not go back to reevaluate the crimes that happened before the U Visa status was applied. He says the Trump administration is reexamining past crimes, and now he says he has different conversations with his clients when it’s time for them to apply for residency.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Advocates and supervisors get testy over Fresno County general plan
Fresno Bee
Advocates for disadvantaged communities lined up to address Fresno County supervisors Tuesday to complain that the county’s process for updating its long-term growth plan favors developers but excludes the poorest of those most affected by the plan.
See Also:
● Fresno County told to get more public input on growth plans ABC30
Lease signed for half of Manchester Center Sears Building
Business Journal
By this time next year, the Sears at Fresno’s Manchester Center could occupy only half the space it now has, while a new retail tenant could occupy the rest.
Housing:
Construction begins on Central Sacramento’s largest apartment development in decades
Sacramento Bee
Construction has begun on one of the biggest apartment developments in Sacramento’s central city.
The New Housing Crisis: Shut Out Of The Market
NPR
Today, home values have rebounded, but people who want to buy a new home are often priced out of the market. There aretoo few homes and too many potential buyers.
Four strategies to deliver on a smart city vision in 2018
Brookings
The consequences of this rapid growth are real. Environmental, economic, and social equity concerns arise when connecting more people and more businesses across wider space.
Housing Rebound Approaches a Crossroads
WSJ
Data on existing- and new-home sales set for this week will be closely watched for signs of a cooling housing market
For Many Blacks, the American Dream Remains an Impossible One
NPR
Owning a home is widely believed to be the best way for working and middle class Americans to build wealth. And for many African-Americans, the dream of homeownership remains an elusive one.
Rural America Faces A Crisis In 'Adequate Housing'
NPR
Economists say this phenomenon of "aging in place" is one of the main factors driving a shortage in housing nationwide. According to one analysis, people are living in their homes twice as long as they did before the Great Recession.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Soaring overtime fattens paychecks of California cops & firefighters. But at a cost
Sacramento Bee
California cities and counties have too few cops and too many wildfires to get a handle on their soaring overtime budgets. That’s how they explain the $3.7 billion they spent collectively on overtime last year, a 60 percent increase from the $2.3 billion they shelled out for overtime in 2012
Gas tax defection: Progressive congressional candidate endorses repeal effort
CALmatters
The Republican-led campaign to repeal a recent increase in the state gas tax has a new high-profile backer: “Elizabeth Warren’s protégée.”
Let Taxpayers Pay the Minimum Wage
WSJ
Employers shouldn’t bear the brunt of redistributive policy.
Search our salary database of California state workers
Sacramento Bee
Search the salaries of California’s 500,000-plus state workers and view up to 11 years of their pay history with The Bee’s state worker salary database.
TRANSPORTATION
Funding approved for hundreds of transportation, rail and local projects
Hanford Sentinel
Caltrans announced that the California Transportation Commission (CTC) approved funding for more than 100 transportation projects funded entirely or at least partly by $690 million from SB 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
See also:
● (Blog) California Transportation Commission Approves Funding Allocations for Transit, Highways StreetsBlog Cal
State SB1 Funds to Help Rehab Highway 14 Sierra Highway Off-Ramp
SCV News
The California Transportation Commission has approved funding for more than 100 transportation projects funded entirely or at least partly by $690 million from SB 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, including rehab of the southbound Highway 14 offramp to Sierra Highway.
Speed limits on several Merced streets could soon change
ABC30
The Merced City council is considering an adjustment to the speed limit for a number of main and residential streets in town.
SUVs sell briskly, but so do electric cars
San Francisco Chronicle
When it comes to fuel efficiency and climate change, California’s car market appears to have a split personality.
Sustainability progress on California’s high-speed rail project
Climate Action Programme
The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has discussed plans for the upcoming high-speed rail in their recent annual sustainability report.
See also:
● High-Speed Rail Leads California Towards a Sustainable Transportation System Global Railway Review
High-Speed Rail in America: Tracks to the Future
Global Railway Review
Karen Philbrick, Executive Director of the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University, explores the benefits that high-speed rail will bring to America and how it will play a vital role in future mobility, especially as the country’s population continues to grow.
WSJ
Auto makers are figuring out how to monetize drivers’ data
WATER
Stratford families concerned about wells repeatedly failing
ABC30
Water is flowing again in the town of Stratford, but families are cautious how long this wave will last.
See also:
OPINION: Safe Drinking Water for All The New York Times
California’s water wars heat up at Sacramento hearing over river flows
San Francisco Chronicle
Central Valley farmers and their elected leaders converged on Sacramento on Tuesday to accuse the state of engineering a water grab that puts the fate of fish above their fields and jeopardizes a thriving agricultural economy.
The Next Big Bet in Fracking: Water
WSJ
Investors sense opportunity in companies that handle drilling wastewater.
(Blog) Waterfix Tunnels Deeper Hole for Taxpayers
The Beacon
The project has jumped to nearly $20 billion, a 22 percent increase from last year’s $16.3 billion. Backers attribute the jump to inflation, but taxpayers will recognize the familiar pattern.
“Xtra”
Forum on free speech, related issues planned for Fresno State Sept. 17
Fresno State Institute for Media and Public Trust
The program is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 17 in the Peters Education Center on the Fresno State campus. The public is invited.
You're Invited to a FUSD Board of Trustees Candidate Forum
FUSD
With the Fresno Unified Board of Trustees elections just around the corner, we are inviting all parents, educators, and community allies from across Fresno to join us on Wednesday, September 26th at 5:30pm at Philip J. Patiño School of Entrepreneurship (Cafeteria - 2000 E. Cambridge Ave. Fresno, CA 93703) for a public candidate forum.
French Bar Wines from Stanislaus County shine
Modesto Bee
French Bar from the Coleman Valley Vineyards are produced by third generation California wine growing brothers Brad, Ted and Tim Coleman. The wines are 100 percent estate grown from the Rock Ridge Vineyard in the Sierra Foothills of Stanislaus County.
Yoga with animals is the fur-real deal
Bakersfield Californian
Goat yoga? Cat yoga? Horse yoga? Yoga classes full of adorable and furry animals have become all the rage across the nation, and Bakersfield it picking up on the trend.
Highway 41 to Yosemite Valley opens Friday, Glacier Point road remains closed
Sierra News
Yosemite National Park officials confirmed today that the Wawona Road (Highway 41) inside Yosemite National Park will reopen to all vehicles between Wawona and Yosemite Valley on Friday, Aug. 24, at 8 a.m..
California Is Updating Its Camping Reservation System After Tons of Complaints
Travel+Leisure
The changes are meant to make California’s state park reservation system more user-friendly, and allow more people to access the 13,000 campsites available on the reservation system, Moreno said.