POLICY & POLITICS
Valley:
Is Rep. Devin Nunes a farmer? Yes, judge rules
Fresno Bee
A Sacramento Superior Court Judge denied a petition filed on behalf of a Tulare County farmer who alleged Rep. Devin Nunes is not a farmer as suggested on his ballot designation. The petitioners plan to appeal.
See Also:
● Judge rules Congressman can still call himself a farmer ABC30
● Denham wins in court, will be called ‘farmer’ on November ballot Modesto Bee
● Nunes, Denham can call themselves farmers on ballot San Francisco Chronicle
2020 Census: Counting the San Joaquin Valley
PPIC
PPIC’s new interactive census maps are an important tool for Californians working to ensure an accurate census count. Using estimates from the Census Bureau and the Federal Communications Commission, they highlight hard-to-count communities across the state and pinpoint reasons why certain areas may be hard to reach.
Respect? We’re not getting it from the state
The Modesto Bee
We’d often prefer to ignore what happens in Sacramento, but then we wake up to find we’ve been, uh, disregarded again.
No time to breathe easy over dirty Valley air
Fresno Bee
There is nothing more personal, or universal, than the air we breathe. We all process oxygen into carbon dioxide individually (yes, I know that’s an oversimplification), but ensuring this basic life process doesn’t make us sick or subject us to long-term maladies like asthma or emphysema needs to be a collective effort.
State:
Los Angeles Times
Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox often cites his role in the financial turnaround of a Chicago potato-chip company as evidence of the sharp business mind he’d use to run California.
From top to bottom, know your ballot and make it count
Fresno Bee
Labor Day weekend is the traditional sounding bell for the start of election season. Here’s what’s on the ballot this fall for voters, from national stakes to local candidates and issues.
‘Blue wave’ would have undercurrent in California races
Fresno Bee
California plays a big role in speculation about a “blue wave” in the November election. Here are a few things to keep an eye on that are very important to how California may be governed in the years ahead.
Billionaire, unions have a plan to tip California’s closest congressional races
Sacramento Bee
Some of California’s most competitive congressional races could be decided by a few thousand votes this November.
California legislators advance bill to set strongest net neutrality protections in U.S.
Los Angeles Times
California lawmakers advanced an ambitious proposal Thursday to prevent broadband providers from hindering or manipulating access to the internet, bringing the state closer to enacting the strongest net neutrality protections in the country.
See Also:
● California net neutrality bill easily passes Assembly San Francisco Chronicle
● Assembly Passes Net Neutrality Measure Capital Public Radio
● California poised to offer strongest net neutrality protection in the country CALmatters
● EDITORIAL: No, preserving net neutrality won't raise your cellphone bill Los Angeles Times
Sexual harassment shook Caliornia's Capitol—but did #MeToo bills prevail? We're keeping score
CALmatters
Sexual harassment scandals loomed large when the legislative year opened in January. Hundreds of women who work in the Capitol had spoken out about a climate they said was rife with misconduct, two legislators had just resigned facing harassment allegations, and a third went on a leave-of-absence while officials investigated accusations against him.
It’s The Final Day Of California’s Legislative Session. Find Out What Laws Pass And Fail Here.
Capital Public Radio
California’s legislative session ends this Friday at midnight. Lawmakers will debate hundreds of bills, including laws dealing with renewable energy, who pays for wildfires, police use of force, and many others. Keep up to date by following CapRadio’s live blog, below.
Federal:
Translating Trump: Even aides wonder, is he serious or just venting?
Los Angeles Times
When President Trump threatened to take action against Google this week unless it altered its search engine to show more positive news about him from conservative sites, even his aides were flummoxed.
● Google Under Fire Again on Search as Hatch Calls for FTC Probe Bloomberg
● Trump wrongly claims Google shunned speech PBS NewsHour
Everyone's unhappy and it's all unfair, but let's not fiddle around with the electoral college
Los Angeles Times
Instead of giving the president enormous power, then bemoaning civilization when he or she uses it, why not use legislation to reduce the president’s power?
Trump's Supreme Court pick signals skepticism over GOP's latest bid to repeal Obamacare
Los Angeles Times
If Republicans are hoping Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will help them knock down Obamacare in the courts, they might be in for a disappointment.
Trump Says He’ll Eliminate Pay Raises for Civilian Federal Employees Next Year
WSJ
Democrats and unions denounce the move in a time of tax cuts and vigorous economic growth.
See also:
Don McGahn’s Quiet Achievement WSJ
Bloomberg
President Donald Trump said he would pull out of the World Trade Organization if it doesn’t treat the U.S. better, continuing his criticism of a cornerstone of the international trading system.
Trump Says Democrats Can’t Impeach Him Because He’s Doing a ‘Great Job’
Bloomberg
President Donald Trump said that Democrats shouldn’t try to impeach him, citing a strong economy, his performance on foreign policy and the danger of setting a precedent making it too easy to remove future presidents.
Poll: Trump disapproval rating up to 60%
Politico
Sixty percent of those polled in a new survey disapprove of President Donald Trump's job performance, a new high for the president in joint polling conducted by The Washington Post and ABC News.
See also:
● Poll: 60% disapprove of Trump, while clear majorities back Mueller and Sessions The Washington Post
Why Republicans Stick With Trump
WSJ
With each new controversy, Donald Trump’s opponents plead with Republicans to denounce him. Hasn’t Mr. Trump broken from GOP orthodoxy on free trade, immigration and entitlement reform? Not to mention the personal scandals and the never-ending tweets. Why do Republican leaders hesitate to rebuke him?
The ‘Trump Slump’: With a Friend in the White House, Gun Sales Sag
WSJ
President Trump spoke to a cheering crowd at the National Rifle Association’s annual conference in May, saying gun owners had no stronger ally than the president and the Republican majority in Congress.
EDITORIAL: Leave Jeff Sessions alone
Los Angeles Times
It’s not that we like Sessions any better than we used to, or that we think he’s doing a good job running the Justice Department. But we fear that Trump wants to remove him for one simple reason: as a way to undermine the investigation of possible collusion between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. That must not be allowed to happen.
Other:
Stockton VFW will hold gathering Saturday for McCain services
Stockton Record
The Stockton Veterans of Foreign Wars will remember Sen. John McCain with a public gathering to view his funeral service on Saturday.
See Also:
● Nostalgia for John McCain’s ‘straight talk’ in the age of Trump Los Angeles Times
● John McCain memorialized as a hero, fighter and imperfect friend by Joe Biden Los Angeles Times
● 'We Shall Not See His Like Again': Joe Biden Honors His Friend, John McCain Capital Public Radio
● What It Means to Be Lying in State The New York Times
Coming Soon to Facebook: Lots of Extreme Political Ads
WSJ
Campaign strategists are gearing up to flood Facebook with inflammatory and polarizing ads heading into the midterm elections, saying its advertising platform rewards extreme messaging more than other venues.
Should Trump fans have their own versions of Google and Facebook? Would that even work?
AEI
President Trump claims Facebook, Google, and Twitter treat him and his supporters unfairly. “They are really trying to silence a very large part of this country and those people don’t want to be silenced,”
How state attorneys general are driving tech policy
AEI
State attorneys general (AGs), for better or worse, are increasingly important actors in tech policy.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Are we done boycotting In-N-Out yet? California Democrats have better things to do
Fresno Bee
As we edge ever closer to the oh-so-important midterm elections, the last thing Democrats need is to enlist more people who are willing to boycott or protest, but not vote. Try telling that to California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman, though.
See Also:
● In-N-Out faces backlash, calls to boycott after donation to California Republican Party ABC30
● What’s California Democrats’ beef with In-N-Out Burger? We explain in less than a minute Modesto Bee
● Democratic leader's call for In-N-Out Burger meets its own resistance Los Angeles Times
● In-N-Out boycott call from top Dem disowned by state party San Francisco Chronicle
Burger boom hits Visalia, Tulare
Visalia Times-Delta
In America, the hamburger is king. In Tulare County, that has never been more true. New burger joints have been popping up across Visalia and Tulare — and these aren't just your run-of-the-mill burgers either.
Campbell's looks to sell Bolthouse Farms
Bakersfield Californian
Iconic Bakersfield-based grower Bolthouse Farms is being marketed for sale as part of a plan by its owner, New Jersey-based Campbell Soup Co., to refocus on its core North American businesses.
See also:
● Campbell Soup wanted to appeal to health-conscious consumers. But now it's selling off its fresh-food unit Los Angeles Times
Fruit Fly Infestation In Sacramento Will Disrupt Region’s Farmers
Capital Public Radio
You can’t call the “oriental fruit fly” a picky eater. It feasts on more than 200 fruits, vegetables and plants. That’s a big part of why it poses a serious risk to agriculture, according to Sacramento County Agricultural commissioner Juli Jensen.
Coffee Does Not Merit Cancer Warning Label Ordered In California, FDA Says
NPR
The Food and Drug Administration has stepped into a simmering debate in California as to whether coffee should come with a cancer warning label.
Trump's farmer bailout begins. USDA spends $1.2 billion to buy surplus food
CNNPolitics
The government is starting to pay farmers that have been hurt by the fallout of President Donald Trump's widening trade feuds.
Cannabis companies could move into Merced soon
ABC30
Cannabis companies could be moving into Merced soon. The city's planning commission has approved ten permits that will allow companies to start manufacturing cannabis. At the same time, the top four picks for potential dispensaries will now go to a public hearing.
Legislative Counsel's Digest
California Legislative Information
Approve a late-blooming bill pushed by cannabis companies. Without the bill authorizing provisional licenses, legal operators will be operating illegally after Dec. 31 because local jurisdictions cannot process all the requests for commercial cannabis licenses.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Feds and local law enforcement target ‘MS-13’ gang in Fresno County
Fresno Bee
Local, state and federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations were in the community of San Joaquin on Thursday interviewing people taken into custody following a raid against alleged MS-13 gang members in Mendota.
Bail bonds agents face extinction
Stockton Record
We sometimes see people lose their jobs. We rarely see people lose their entire profession. But bail bonds just went the way of bowling pin setters.
California could soon limit who can be charged with felony murder
Los Angeles Times
The legislation would restrict the criminal charge to those who committed or intended to commit a killing.
Car break-in case: Should judges be accountable for multiple free passes?
San Francisco Chronicle
If we want to truly protect the community, then people who refuse to give up criminal activity — especially when it becomes violent — should serve serious jail time.
Pedestrian fatalities on the rise locally, statewide; BPD to increase patrol in hot spots
The Bakersfield Californian
September is pedestrian safety month and Bakersfield has a lot of work to do.
Public Safety:
Nova was injured busting bad guys. Now this Clovis police dog is set for surgery
Fresno Bee
Nova needs surgery. That’s the word from Clovis Police Department’s K9 unit, which posted pictures of the police dog at home on the couch, seemingly totally content and “dreaming about getting back on the street.”
See Also:
● Clovis PD K-9 Officer going into surgery after being injured apprehending suspect ABC30
Escalon fires back in tussle with Modesto over claim of homeless dumping
The Modesto Bee
Escalon’s city manager has responded to Modesto and Stanislaus County’s claims that its officers dumped two homeless people in Modesto by saying they have engaged in “blatant political grandstanding being waged at our expense” and not treating Escalon’s police chief with professional courtesy.
Pedestrian fatalities on the rise locally, statewide; BPD to increase patrol in hot spots
Bakersfield Californian
September is pedestrian safety month and Bakersfield has a lot of work to do. Rates of pedestrian killed by motorists have markedly increased statewide and in Bakersfield over the past six years.
Californians could buy no more than one long gun a month under bill sent to Gov. Jerry Brown
Los Angeles Times
Californians would be barred from buying more than one rifle or shotgun in any 30-day period under a bill approved Thursday by state lawmakers and sent to the governor as part of a raft of gun-control bills in response to recent mass shootings.
California high court allows DNA databases to keep samples from non-felons
San Francisco Chronicle
California voters reduced large numbers of drug and theft crimes from felonies to misdemeanors in 2014, lowering their sentences and ending, for future defendants, a requirement to provide DNA samples for state and national crime databases. But the state Supreme Court says DNA already in the databases will stay there.
Fire:
California wildfires putting damper on Wine Country tourism
ABC30
Reports of wildfires in California may be keeping tourists away from the Wine Country. Tourists in tasting rooms said they had to do research to confirm that not all of California was on fire.
The Carr Fire, one of the most destructive fires in state history, is fully contained
Sacramento Bee
The Carr Fire has now been 100 percent contained, according to Cal Fire. The fire, which has burned for 38 days and chewed through 229,651 acres, is the sixth most destructive wildfire in state history.
See Also:
● Carr Fire is 100 percent contained after 39 days and 8 deaths San Francisco Chronicle
● Firefighters Declare Carr Fire Fully Contained Capital Public Radio
California wildfires fuel a new push to ban smoking at state parks and beaches
Los Angeles Times
After more than a decade of attempts to ban smoking at California beaches and parks, environmentalists have advanced new legislation to prevent lighting up in certain public places.
As California fire disasters worsen, insurers are pulling out and stranding homeowners
Los Angeles Times
Sheri Madrzyk and her husband got the letter from their insurer two years ago: Because they live in an area at high risk for wildfires, the company would no longer insure their home.
EDITORIAL: The California wildfire deal needs a big fix. Otherwise, it is a big bailout for PG&E
Sacramento Bee
Even supporters concede that the last-minute compromise on paying for California wildfires is far from perfect. Indeed, there’s a huge flaw that is unfair to ratepayers. If the Legislature approves this deal on Friday, the last day of its session, it must find a way to fix it later.
See Also:
● EDITORIAL: There's a better way to pay for California's wildfire costs Los Angeles Times
● EDITORIAL: Why California's last-minute wildfire liability bill should be rejected San Diego Union-Tribune
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Bars in seven California cities move closer to a 4 a.m. last call
Fresno Bee
The California Legislature sent Gov. Jerry Brown Senate Bill 905, which would allow Sacramento and six other cities to keep bars open until 4 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018.
Women and Latina's overcoming financial barriers when starting a business thanks to unique program
ABC30
Non-profit lender Opportunity Fund offers the Opportunity Fund Empowering Women program for women wanting to start businesses.
Bank of America freezing accounts of customers suspected of not being US citizens
Sacramento Bee
In recent months, Bank of America has been accused of freezing or threatening to freeze customers’ accounts after asking about their legal status in the U.S.. Multiple customers have been locked out of their accounts after Bank of America questioned whether the account holders were U.S. citizens or dual citizens.
Trump wants tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods next week, sources say
Los Angeles Times
President Trump wants to move ahead with a plan to impose tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports as soon as a public-comment period concludes next week, according to six people familiar with the matter.
Trump Says He’s Thinking About Indexing Capital Gains to Inflation
Bloomberg
President Donald Trump said he’s considering a capital gains tax break by issuing a regulation that would index gains to inflation.
WSJ
President Trump says his new trade deal with Mexico can go forward without Canada, but that’s more bluster than reality. Canada needs the U.S. market for its goods, but Mr. Trump also needs Canada to join his revised deal to prevent economic harm and get his pact through Congress.
See also:
● U.S. and Mexico strike preliminary accord on NAFTA, but will Canada agree? Los Angeles Times
● Observations on the Mexico trade handshake AEI
To Counter China, U.S. Looks to Invest Billions More Overseas
WSJ
Congress is working to resolve the final barriers to enacting a measure that would boost the U.S.’s role in international development as a counterweight to China’s growing involvement in infrastructure projects around the world.
Closing the digital and economic divides in rural America
Brookings
While Don has a smartphone, an estimated 55 million people lack access to a broadband connection in the United States. Fourteen million of them live in rural areas.
How did America get rich to begin with? It sure wasn’t because of tariffs and protectionism
AEI
President Trump wants to use tariffs to help make America great again. But did tariffs help make America great originally?
Social Security can’t be a piggy bank for family leave
AEI
Senator Marco Rubio has introduced a paid-leave bill that would allow parents to collect Social Security benefits following the arrival of a new child, even if those parents are not retired.
Explaining America’s new-found appreciation for free trade
AEI
Here’s a paradox. Donald Trump arrived in office riding a wave of popular backlash against free trade, bashing NAFTA, WTO, and TPP. But today, it is hard to see evidence of that backlash.
Jobs:
Trump seeks to expand access to retirement plans for small businesses
ABC30
Heading into the Labor Day holiday weekend, the White House is preparing to announce new policy aimed at expanding access to retirement plans for small businesses, the administration announced Thursday evening.
See Also:
● Trump to Sign Executive Order on Retirement Savings WSJ
Kern County to hold job fair
Bakersfield Californian
Although it's more than a week away, the 2018 Kern County Job Fair is something to prepare for. There will be representatives from ten Kern County Departments to answer questions about current job openings, job descriptions and minimum qualifications.
California bill to help inmates land jobs moves to governor’s desk
San Francisco Chronicle
Inmates who receive career training in automotive repair, cosmetology, construction and other fields would find it easier to find jobs in those professions once they leave lockup, under a bill headed to Gov. Jerry Brown.
Here's what a 'silver tsunami' of retiring baby boomer business owners could mean for their workers
Los Angeles Times
As Labor Day arrives — and economic inequality rises on the political agenda — a little-noticed measure in the recently signed defense spending bill aims to address the widening wealth divide between workers and the owners or top executives who manage them.
California wants to mandate a woman on every company board
CNN
California just took a crucial step toward increasing the number of women on corporate boards.
See also:
This Labor Day, Let’s Commit to Helping All Women Thrive California Budget & Policy Center
EDUCATION
K-12:
ABC30
A parent of a school student donated his time, talents, and metals to build a security fence at Forkner Elementary.
Fear of failure? Not when you’re with the Girl Scouts
Modesto Bee
Girl Scouts have always inspired, but now new STEM Center + MakerSpace will help many realize they’re capable of doing anything (and everything).
Liberty Middle School continues honors streak
Hanford Sentinel
After being recognized as a California state “School to Watch” in March, Liberty Middle School in Lemoore did not let much time lapse between earning even more recognitions for its excellence.
Hanford high school district AP pass rate slightly improves
Hanford Sentinel
Hanford Joint Unified High School District reported a slight increase of the rate of students passing its Advanced Placement exams at its board meeting Tuesday.
Higher Ed:
Abortions offered at CA universities if Brown signs bill
San Francisco Chronicle
California would be the first state to mandate that public universities offer their students medical abortions — pills that women take to end pregnancies — under a bill the Legislature approved and sent to Gov. Jerry Brown.
Three bachelor’s degree programs offered at California State University have been accredited
The Bakersfield Californian
The computer engineering, electrical engineer and engineering sciences programs received accreditation by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, a global accreditor of college and university programs in science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.
Newly Accredited University Welcomes The Next Class
The Business Journal
The university’s accreditation became official earlier this month, with the letter of notification going out on July 20. This step also means that students at CHSU are now qualified to apply for federal student loans.
The left gives community colleges another free pass for unpaid student loans
AEI
A recent New York Times op-ed warns that the student debt crisis is “worse than we imagined” because default rates on government loans are much higher than official statistics show.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
No time to breathe easy over dirty Valley air
Fresno Bee
There is nothing more personal, or universal, than the air we breathe. We all process oxygen into carbon dioxide individually (yes, I know that’s an oversimplification), but ensuring this basic life process doesn’t make us sick or subject us to long-term maladies like asthma or emphysema needs to be a collective effort.
Trump administration, California meet on vehicle emissions
Reuters
Trump administration officials and California clean air regulators emerged from a meeting on Wednesday saying they would keep meeting to work toward resolving their sharp conflict over vehicle emissions and shared the goal of a single national standard.
California Legislature sends bill to reduce dolphin, whale deaths to governor
San Francisco Chronicle
Fishing gear that is responsible for the unintentional deaths of dozens of marine mammals every year will be phased out under a new bill passed by the state Legislature Thursday.
Climate change is going to cost California, and the bill will be staggering
CALmatters
As California lawmakers struggled this week to address an apparent new normal of epic wildfires, there was an inescapable subtext: Climate change is going to be staggeringly expensive, and virtually every Californian is going to have to pay for it.
Emissions vs. Wildfires: The ultimate CA showdown
Politifact
What do you think when you think California? Wildfires? Traffic? How about both?
Energy:
California's plan to rely entirely on clean energy by 2045 heads to the governor's desk
Los Angeles Times
California lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to a plan that would put the state on a path to phase out fossil fuels by 2045.
Pro-Con: Does a Western regional electric grid make sense?
CALmatters
The momentum that a risky and ill-timed regional energy grid proposal has gathered in the legislature is disconcerting. As consumer advocates we have not forgotten how spectacularly deregulation, the Enron-sponsored energy law approved in 1996, failed.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Soroptimist gives from the heart for the heart
Madera Tribune
Madera Community Hospital Foundation announced the leadership gift from Soroptimist International of Madera for $7,500 and was the first community gift received for Madera Community Hospital Foundation’s Capital Campaign to purchase new EKG Machines.
You asked - How much would universal health care cost?
Modesto Bee
For California to create a single-payer system, it could need $200 billion from taxpayers. Here's a look at the kind of taxes increases that would be needed.
Adventist Health receives Gold recognition for workplace health achievement
Hanford Sentinel
The American Heart Association (AHA) announced that Adventist Health in the Central Valley earned Gold level recognition for taking significant steps to build a culture of health in the workplace.
Virus-carrying bloodsuckers fill Tulare County: Here's what you can do to avoid mosquitoes
Visalia Times-Delta
Officials are reminding people to stay vigilant for summer's pesky bloodsuckers: mosquitoes. This year, more mosquitoes have tested positive for St. Louis Encephalitis Virus than in 2017, officials said.
Health Plans, Pharmacy Middlemen Push Back Against California Drug Pricing Bill
Capital Public Radio
One California lawmaker is determined to increase price transparency in the drug industry. Plans and their negotiators say it’s an unnecessary burden.
These lawsuits could change healthcare nationwide if they make it to the Supreme Court
Los Angeles Times
Perhaps no recent major legislation has been shadowed as dramatically by legal battles as the Affordable Care Act that President Obama signed into law eight years ago.
Los Angeles Times
As of Friday, consumers have to be told which of the 900 or so compounds “known to the state of California” to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm is in what they buy, touch, breathe or drink in the course of their day.
Meth-Addicted Mothers and Child Abuse
The Atlantic
In the United States, methamphetamine is making a comeback. Following the legalization of medical marijuana in California, Mexican cartels pivoted to the production of pure liquid meth, which is brought across the border and crystallized in conversion labs.
Human Services:
VA confirms Clovis expansion plans
Clovis RoundUP
The Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center is aiming to “decompress” its Fresno campus by expanding to Clovis, officials confirmed to the Clovis Roundup last week.
You asked - How much would universal health care cost?
Sacramento Bee
How much would universal health care cost and how could it be funded?
Single Payer Is Actually a Huge Bargain
The Nation
It would save both dollars and lives compared to our current system.
IMMIGRATION
For some undocumented immigrants with cases, jail is only option to prevent deportation
Fresno Bee
Some undocumented defendants can be placed in a difficult situation by not being allowed to be free on bail — languishing in jail for months — due to concerns that ICE can detain and deport them without their court cases being resolved.
Los Angeles Times
With the Trump administration pushing for speedier deportations and hard-line immigration enforcement, California officials have tried to ensure that state courthouses — along with schools and hospitals — remain "safe zones” so that witnesses and crime victims, among others, won’t be afraid to come forward.
Twitter will begin labeling political ads about issues such as immigration
The Washington Post
Twitter said Thursday that it would begin requiring some organizations that purchase political ads on topics such as abortion, health-care reform and immigration to disclose more information about themselves to users, part of the tech giant’s attempt to thwart bad actors, including Russia, from spreading propaganda ahead of the 2018 election.
EDITORIAL: No way to treat American citizens
San Francisco Chronicle
The Trump administration long ago abandoned any pretense that its anti-immigrant crackdown is about illegal immigration. The emerging question is whether it’s about immigration at all.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
New shelter for Fresno Humane could save lives of animals, but neighbors not happy
ABC30
The land for the shelter was donated, and some in the neighborhood are not happy Fresno Humane could be moving in.
Want a walkable neighborhood? These rank highest for amenities in the Sacramento region
Sacramento bee
How walkable is your neighborhood?
Amazon plans 2 million-square-foot fulfillment center next to Meadows Field
The Bakersfield Californian
Kern's profile as an emerging distribution hub soared with word Monday that e-commerce giant Amazon expects to build a nearly 2.5 million-square-foot distribution center employing up to 2,000 people near Meadows Field airport.
Housing:
Bill aimed at increasing affordable housing for students passes in California State Legislature
The Daily Californian
which was issued by California state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, and which aims to increase affordable student housing — was passed by the California State Legislature on Tuesday, according to a press release.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Trump cancels pay raises for most federal employees, citing budget
ABC30
President Donald Trump has told Congress he is canceling a pay raise that most civilian federal employees were due to receive in January, citing budgetary constraints.
See Also:
● President Trump cancels pay raise due to federal workers in January Los Angeles Times
● Eight months after signing tax cut into law, Trump cancels pay raise due to federal workers, citing cost Los Angeles Times
● Trump cancels pay raises for federal employees CNN
Your Kids Could Lower Your Tax Bill Like Never Before
WSJ
Thanks to the new tax law, millions of American families will begin getting a $2,000-per-child break on their taxes—right up to when college expenses start looming.
SEC Chairman Wants to Let More Main Street Investors In on Private Deals
WSJ
The Securities and Exchange Commission wants to make it easier for individuals to invest in private companies, including some of the world’s hottest startups, the agency’s chairman said in an interview.
TRANSPORTATION
Here’s how the DMV cut wait times in Northern California by 50 minutes in the past month
Fresno Bee
In the past month, average DMV wait times throughout Northern California have dropped by 50 minutes. In the main Sacramento office, it was reduced by 65 minutes, making the new average wait time 85 minutes.
See Also:
● California DMV Director Says Agency Didn't Make A Mistake Responding To Long Wait Times Capital Public Radio
After most expensive summer since 2014, expect some relief at the pump
Visalia Times-Delta
Gasoline prices could tick higher heading into the Labor Day weekend, but motorists are expected to get a reprieve this fall.
Emergency lane closures planned for I-5 potholes over Labor Day weekend
Sacramento Bee
I-5 is scheduled for an emergency closure for 59 hours this Labor Day weekend as crews work to inspect the surface on the northbound lanes, according to Caltrans.
Big Sur’s new stretch of highway already cracking
San Francisco Chronicle
The newly rebuilt section of Big Sur’s scenic Highway 1 near the town of Gorda is beginning to crack, an early sign of wear for the road that opened just a month ago. But it’s nothing to be alarmed about, state officials say.
How A Transportation Safety Net Could Keep More People Off The Streets
Capital Public Radio
Access to reliable transportation is crucial to maintaining stable employment, reaching educational opportunities, caring for family and staying healthy, they said. But there is no consistent safety net to help struggling people meet that need.
Electric Bicycles Race Ahead of City and State Rules
PEW trusts
Todd Weiler, a Republican state senator from Utah, loves to ride bikes on the roads, trails and byways of his home state, including through the picturesque Bryce Canyon. He’s had many road and mountain bikes over the years, including several that he’s crashed and five that were stolen.
Should the government regulate aircraft cabin temperatures?
San Francisco Chronicle
Flight attendants’ group petitions DOT to set acceptable limits.
WATER
Algae blooms in Hensley Lake pose health risks, officials say
Sierra Star
The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board announced the finding of the algae blooms Thursday afternoon in Madera County’s Hensley Lake and warned touching or swallowing the contaminated water could pose health risks.
Is help on the way for Californians whose tap water is tainted?
CALmatters
Karen Lewis knows about water problems. The 67-year-old lives in Compton, where the water coming out of her tap is tinged brown by manganese, a metal similar to iron, from old pipes.
EDITORIAL: How do you make California water wars worse? Get the Trump administration involved
Sacramento Bee
Anyone who has spent much time in California knows that our water policies and politics are immensely complicated and contentious.
“Xtra”
Clovis Hall of Fame puts finishing touches on annual awards gala
Clovis RoundUp
The annual Clovis Hall of Fame ceremony, an event that honors members of the community who have enriched Clovis in their special way, is coming up Sept. 15.
Madera Police show off their moves with lip sync challenge
ABC30
The Madera Police Department is stepping up to the plate and taking on the Lip Sync Challenge.
Grilled fish tacos, chorizo burgers and more await at Turlock’s newest food truck
Modesto Bee
Taco trucks are nothing new in the Central Valley. But a taco truck that makes its own chorizo burgers and grilled fish tacos? Well, now, that’s a little different.
What you need to know about Visalia Comic Con
Visalia Times-Delta
On Saturday, Deadpool, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Jon Snow are set to roam the Visalia Veterans Memorial Building at Ohana Comic-Con.
Fear of failure? Not when you’re with the Girl Scouts
The Modesto Bee
While I valued so many aspects of my Girl Scouts experience, one thing that stands out is the opportunities it gave me to solve problems by myself – to figure out the best or most creative method to do things.
“Killer Queen” of a show coming to Modesto; more great shows on their way for 2018-19
The Modesto Bee
It may be an unofficial marker, but when the annual Picnic at the Pops concert from the Modesto Symphony Orchestra rolls around each year, it’s also a good time to talk about new season offerings from the region’s many other arts companies.
Mexican alt-rock powerhouse in Modesto? Yes, plus other top entertainment options
The Modesto Bee
Recognized as Mexico’s leading alternative rock band, Café Tacvba blends rock, indigenous folk, electronic and punk music