August 9, 2019

09Aug

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Tensions run high at City Council meeting as Straight Pride organizers go on defense

Modesto Bee

Dozens of people packed Wednesday’s Modesto City Council meeting in a show of opposition to a straight pride rally planned for Graceada Park, an event opponents say promotes white supremacy, hate speech and violence against the LGBTQ+ community, people of color and other minorities.

Assyrian-Americans gather in Turlock to honor ‘fallen heroes’ from a century ago

Modesto Bee

Assyrian-Americans gathered once again in Turlock to remember victims of genocide in their ancestral homeland. It honored more than 700,000 people killed by Turks from 1914 to 1918 and about 3,000 more victims of an Iraq campaign in 1933.

Central SJ Valley:

‘Never seen anything like this’: Devin Nunes lawsuits are confusing fellow Republicans

Fresno Bee

Republicans who typically support Rep. Devin Nunes are less willing to speak up for him since he filed a lawsuit against one of his own constituents.

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South SJ Valley:

Valadao Not Yet in Race; Democrats Already Attacking

KMJ

He’s not even officially a candidate yet., but Democrats are already attacking former congressman David Valadao.

Answers for mass shootings demanded at Kevin McCarthy’s Bakersfield office during press conference

Bakersfield Californian

In the wake of two mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton over the weekend, a small group of advocates gathered in front of Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s Office in Bakersfield on Thursday to urge the house minority leader to back gun reform laws.

See also:

State:

How much influence does the NRA have in California? Concerns raised after mass shootings

Fresno Bee

In California, the NRA has made political campaign contributions of more than $250,000 through its National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund to political candidates for the House of Representatives since 2010 — all but two of whom have been Republicans.

See also:

California Republican wants party to denounce white nationalism at convention

San Francisco Chronicle

In the wake of a string of horrific mass shootings, Republican Assemblyman Chad Mayes wants the California Republican Party to do more to denounce white nationalism and racism.

California privacy law sets national agenda as federal talks fizzle

Politico

California is taking center stage, with a federal data privacy deal sputtering in Washington, in the battle over how companies handle consumer data — a familiar role for the giant state with a long history of compelling industry changes. 

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Federal:

Ex-FBI official Andrew McCabe sues over his firing

Fresno Bee

The lawsuit, the second this week from an ex-FBI official challenging the circumstances of his termination, says the firing was part of Trump’s plan to rid the bureau of leaders he perceived as disloyal to him.

See also:

DOJ Official Behind Failed Census Citizenship Question To Leave Department

Fresno Bee

John Gore, the main Justice Department official behind the Trump administration’s failed push to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, is set to leave the department Friday.

See also:

Trump’s record on judicial appointments

Brookings

Before judicial confirmations resume with a vengeance after the Senate’s August recess, Russell Wheeler takes a look at how court vacancies have been filled by the vigorous “Trump-McConnell confirmation juggernaut” and what it means for the future of the courts.  

Nadler: ‘This is formal impeachment proceedings’

Politico

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said publicly for the first time on Thursday that his panel is conducting an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, adding that the committee will decide by the end of the year whether to refer articles of impeachment to the House floor.

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Elections 2020:

Kamala Harris becomes first major candidate with TV ad as she debuts ’3 a.m. agenda’

Fresno Bee

Kamala Harris is airing the first television ad of her 2020 presidential campaign in Iowa starting Thursday as she tries to introduce herself to a crucial set of Democratic voters.

See also:

9 Candidates Now Qualify For The September Democratic Primary Debate

VPR

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang is the ninth Democrat to qualify for September’s next presidential primary debates. Yang crossed the threshold on Thursday after a Monmouth poll in Iowa put him at 2% support.

Orange County, longtime GOP stronghold, now has more registered Democrats than Republicans

Los Angeles Times

The county that nurtured Ronald Reagan’s conservatism and is the resting place of Richard Nixon is now home to 547,458 registered Democrats, compared with 547,369 Republicans, according to statistics released early Wednesday morning by the county Registrar of Voters.

Google employees weighed free speech concerns before the 2016 elections, internal emails show

CNBC

Google employees appear to have foreseen many of the company’s political challenges in the run-up to Donald Trump’s presidential election, according to an internal email discussion obtained by CNBC.

How Pete Buttigieg would overhaul rural health

Politico

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg on Friday rolled out a sweeping plan to expand access to health services in rural communities, while addressing drug addiction and tackling rising maternal mortality rates across the country.

Politifact CA: No, President Trump wasn’t ‘kicked off’ the California ballot. That’s Pants on Fire

Politifact CA

The California Republican Party made a misleading and blatantly inaccurate claim this week that President Donald Trump was “kicked off the California ballot” during a fundraising pitch on its website. It asks supporters to donate to get Trump “back on the ballot.”

GOP Groups Suspend Twitter Spending After McConnell Campaign Account Is Frozen 

Wall Street Journal

Dispute is latest controversy in spat between conservatives, social-media companies.

‘They’re afraid’: Suburban voters in red states threaten GOP’s grip on power

Washington Post

Republicans face a reckoning in the red-state suburbs that have long been a bedrock for the party, propelled by the stormy confluence of President Trump’s searing racial attacks, economic turbulence and frustration with government inaction after last weekend’s deadly mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.

Column: Shaming Trump donors by revealing they donated to Trump? What’s wrong with that?

Los Angeles Times

What’s most fascinating about the controversy raging about Rep. Joaquin Castro’s tweeting out the names of donors to President Trump’s campaign is that Castro’s Republican detractors seem to be admitting to a dirty little secret.

Other:

CBS reaches agreement with AT&T. Fresno still in blackout as Nexstar feud continues

Fresno Bee

It’s been more than a month since DirecTV subscribers lost access to CBS stations and content in a double whammy of contract disputes between the services parent company AT&T and both CBS Corp. and Nexstar Media.

Users Can Sue Facebook Over Facial Recognition Software, Court Rules

VPR

A U.S. court has ruled that Facebook users in Illinois can sue the company over face recognition technology, meaning a class action can move forward.

See also:

News in a Digital Age: Comparing the Presentation of News Information over Time and Across Media Platforms

RAND

This report presents a quantitative assessment of how the presentation of news has changed over the past 30 years and how it varies across platforms. 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, August 11, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Assessing State Policies on Climate Change” – Guest: Ross Brown – LAO. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, August 11, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Climate Change Generally and Air Pollution Locally” – Guests: Will Barrett, Director of Advocacy, Clean Air for the American Lung Association in California and Samir Sheikh, Executive Director of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, August 11, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Agua en el Valle de San Joaquin: Un reporte de PPIC” – Invitados: Alvar Escriva-Bou, investigador del PPIC. Presentado Por: Coordinadora del Programa del Maddy Institute, Maria Jeans.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

California’s new bible for medical marijuana laws has industry anticipating a crackdown

Fresno Bee

A new summary of California’s marijuana laws from the Department of Justice has the cannabis industry anticipating more enforcement actions targeting black-market operators.

Valley farmers say more and more vandals are destroying their crops

abc30

Officials say ag-related crimes are on the rise. From new regulations to overtime laws, now growers are dealing with people coming on their land to destroy property.

To Slow Global Warming, U.N. Warns Agriculture Must Change 

Valley Public Radio

Humans must drastically alter food production to prevent the most catastrophic effects of global warming, according to a new report from the United Nations panel on climate change.

See also:

Vegetarianism as Climate Virtue Signaling

Wall Street Journal

First World solipsism misses the point of a new U.N. report.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

EDITORIAL: The odd and anachronistic Manson nostalgia

Los Angeles Times

Charles Manson and his pathetic band of hangers-on have sparked a cottage industry of tours, books and films that recount or rejigger the two nights of horror. It’s as if we just can’t let go of our morbid fascination with what seemed to be a defining moment in history.

Public Safety:

Stockton Police make strides in building trust

Stockton Record

Police Chief Eric Jones credited outreach efforts by his department along with input and cooperation from the community for a favorable evaluation by the National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice.

Experts push for domestic terrorism law after attacks

Fresno Bee

Even if there’s a domestic terrorism investigation, no specific domestic terrorism law exists in the federal criminal code. That means the Justice Department must rely on other laws such as hate crimes and weapons offenses in cases of politically motivated shootings.

See also:

Assault weapon buyback gains Democratic support in wake of mass shootings

Mercury News

Presidential candidates come out in support of idea proposed by Rep. Eric Swalwell.

Answers for mass shootings demanded at Kevin McCarthy’s Bakersfield office during press conference

Bakersfield Californian

In the wake of two mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton over the weekend, a small group of advocates gathered in front of Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s Office in Bakersfield on Thursday to urge the house minority leader to back gun reform laws.

See also:

If You Have a Concealed Gun Permit, Use It, Sheriff Says

GV Wire

People who have permits to carry a concealed weapon should “exercise” their rights so they’ll be ready to protect their community “and defend ourselves against active shooters,” Tulare County’s sheriff said on social media Wednesday night.

See also:

Are there ‘more gun deaths by far’ in America than in any other country?

Politifact

Following the recent mass shootings in Gilroy, California, and El Paso, Texas, and just hours before a separate mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein made a sweeping statement about the number of guns and gun deaths in America. 

Fire: 

Camp fire death toll rises to 86 after man dies of burn injuries

Los Angeles Times

A man who had been hospitalized since the deadliest wildfire in California history incinerated a town in November has died, raising the number of people killed to 86, authorities said Thursday.

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Amazon acknowledges construction project north of Bakersfield

Bakersfield Californian

When Amazon was trying to get approval to build a massive distribution center next to Meadows Field Airport, the company’s approach was so stealthy that senior Kern County officials reviewing its permit application did not know they were actually dealing with the Seattle-based e-commerce giant.

When Women Bring Home a Bigger Slice of the Bacon

Wall Street Journal

The growing clout of women as drivers of the U.S. economy will radically alter the business and investing landscape in years to come.

Amazon is developing high-tech surveillance tools for an eager customer: America’s police

NBC News

Dozens of law enforcement agencies have used Amazon-powered technology to modernize crime fighting — but critics raise fears of privacy abuses.

Jobs:

California failed to collect billions from Amazon and hurt taxpayers, shop owner says in lawsuit

Fresno Bee

Fresno business owner is suing the state’s sales tax department arguing it gave Amazon an unfair advantage over California businesses by failing to collect adequate taxes from the online retail giant.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Bulletproof backpacks? Deadly shootings have parents adding to back-to-school list

Fresno Bee

It’s a grim back-to-school accessory for our anxious times: bulletproof backpacks. The backpacks are one more element of the debate over the accessibility of assault weapons as the nation reels from the mass shootings in Gilroy, Texas and Ohio.

Yes, Fresno schools have problems. But censured trustee Terry Slatic has made more of them

Fresno Bee

For all the things Slatic said, it’s what he didn’t say that spoke volumes.

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Stanislaus County schools add suicide hotline numbers to student IDs. Why? It’s law.

Modesto Bee

In accordance with a new California law, beginning this year, schools that give out identification cards to students in seventh grade and higher will have the numbers for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Crisis Text Line.

Modesto charter school would help vulnerable students. Why are districts opposed?

Modesto Bee

Tuesday, the county Board of Education will consider approving the New Colossus Academy as a countywide charter school. The school promises to create a supportive environment and English immersion training.

Tulare Western High School: FIrst Day Back

Visalia Times Delta

Hundreds of Tulare Western High School students return to Palm Lane for the first day of the 2019-2020 school year, with a booming welcome school staff and ASB.

Wheaton: Visalia students are ‘beating the odds’

Visalia Times Delta

Have you heard? The Learning Policy Institute released a study of California school districts where students are “beating the odds” and achieving at levels beyond what you might expect.

Nation’s largest teachers union threatens Walmart boycott over gun sales

CBS News

Walmart could suddenly become a whole lot less busy this back-to-school shopping season. The American Federation of Teachers, the nation’s largest teachers union, is threatening to boycott the giant retailer if it continues to sell guns. The labor group also wants Walmart to stop making financial contributions to politicians who oppose gun control.

Is California’s ethnic studies plan too politically correct even for California?

CALmatters

California has released a draft of the new ethnic studies curriculum for high schools, and critics are asking: Does it lean too far left?

Smaller classes, more novice teachers: the ‘tradeoff‘ for low-income California schools 

EdSource

A first look at school spending statewide under the Local Control Funding Formula,

Child care providers push California to boost pay for early education teachers 

EdSource

When a preschool teacher at a San Mateo center began to struggle to interact with children, supervisors became concerned. The reason for the teacher’s drop in performance? She was hungry. 

California education bills to watch

EdSource

Starting high school later in the day, giving school districts more latitude to reject charter schools and clamping down on exemptions from vaccinations are among the key — and controversial — bills that legislators will vote on by Sept 13. All of the bills have passed one branch of the Legislature. 

Higher Ed:

College Still Pays Off, but Not for Everyone

Wall Street Journal

Higher-education degree boosts wages for most people, but growing subset of graduates aren’t seeing return on their investment.

International higher education rankings

AEI

An analysis of higher education systems reveals that nations face trade-offs between large government subsidies for higher education and other desirable qualities, such as widespread degree attainment and well-resourced universities.

Apprenticeships:

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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

Feds plan to kill elk at Point Reyes to protect ranches. Here’s how you can weigh in

Fresno Bee

The feds now plan to shoot a few of the elk each year to reduce the conflict with ranchers — a move that infuriates some environmental groups who’d rather see the cattle operations gone from the park.

See also:

Daytime-biting mosquito shows up in Stockton

Fresno Bee

An invasive mosquito species not native to California has been detected for the first time in Stockton. They were alerted to its presence this week when a resident called the district to report multiple biting mosquitoes during the day.

California’s Only Known Wolf Pack Adds 3 Pups

Capital Public Radio

Wildlife officials say at least three new wolf pups have joined the only known pack in California. KQED reports that trail cameras set up by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife in northeast California recorded the pups and two or three adult wolves in June.

Send in the owls and cats. How rats in California state building panicked environmentalists

Sacramento Bee

For one activist group, cats and owls were the weapons of choice. Something needed to be done to kill the rats infesting the courtyard outside the California EPA building earlier this summer. But not mongooses. Oh no. Not those.

First tracked mountain lion crosses the 405 Freeway in big moment for wildlife preservation

Los Angeles Times

A mountain lion crossed the 405 Freeway in mid- July – the first time, according to the National Park Service, that a GPS-collared mountain lion has crossed the freeway near the Santa Monica Mountains during the course of a 17-year study by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Park Service.

Land use policy key to reining in global warming, U.N. report warns

Los Angeles Times

Slashing greenhouse gas emissions from cars and power plants won’t be enough to avoid the worst effects of climate change. To meet the goals of the Paris climate accord, experts say, humanity also needs a new approach to managing the land beneath its feet.

Proposed California Law Would Punish Companies for Failing to Limit Harm to the Planet’s Forests

ProPublica

The legislation could affect everything from what paper gets used in state offices to what gets served in California cafeterias.

The Leaks That Threaten the Clean Image of Natural Gas 

Wall Street Journal

U.S. energy companies are scrambling to reduce methane emissions—both unintended and deliberate—that equate to exhaust from 69 million cars a year and contribute to global warming

Energy:

A clean energy breakthrough could be buried deep beneath rural Utah

Los Angeles Times

If you know anything about solar and wind farms, you know they’re good at generating electricity when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing, and not so good at other times.

The most profitable part of solar power isn’t panels or batteries

Los Angeles Times

The most profitable corner of the booming U.S. solar industry isn’t making — or even installing — panels. It’s building the components that keep electricity flowing to the power grid.

PG&E hedge fund owners propose $15 billion bankruptcy investment

San Francisco Chronicle

Two hedge funds that own PG&E Corp. stock have said they are willing to invest as much as $15 billion to help the company exit bankruptcy protection.

U.S.-China Trade Battle Is Crimping Global Oil Demand

Wall Street Journal

In its oil-market report, IEA downgrades its forecast for global oil demand for the third time in four months.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Four infected with mosquito-borne illnesses in Tulare County, health officials say

Fresno Bee

Four people are suspected of contracting West Nile Virus in Tulare County, the county and state Department of Public Health announced on Thursday. The health department is urging the public to use precaution around mosquitoes, which carry the virus.

How The CDC’s Reluctance To Use The ‘F-Word’ — Firearms — Hinders Suicide Prevention

VPR

The nation’s foremost public health agency shies away from discussing the important link in this country between suicide and access to guns. 

Drug Shortage Leaves Patients Without Immune-Disorder Treatment

Wall Street Journal

A shortage of immune globulin has forced hospitals to ration treatments. ‘For the patients affected, it’s been very significant’.

Human Services:

Ongoing Study Aims To Improve Quality Of Life For Valley’s Spanish Speaking Cancer Patients

VPR

Health disparities research around the U.S. has shown that not only do Spanish speakers tend to receive less information and support related to their health ailments than English speakers, they’re also less likely to speak up about their symptoms.

Dealing With The Lingering Effects Of A Mass Shooting

California Health Line

After the three recent mass shootings in Gilroy, Calif., El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, which killed 36 — including two gunmen — and wounded at least 51, the number of people indirectly affected by mass gun violence continues to multiply.

A two-step plan for price transparency in health care

AEI

Over time, the combination of clear pricing for standardized services and the use of those prices in a universal system of reference-based payments would finally allow consumers to become a powerful force for higher-value care.

The economics of biologic drugs: A further response to Bach et al.

AEI

A wide set of options exist to further promote competition among biologic drugs by reducing entry costs of biosimilars and much more.

Watch: How California’s mental health system fails people, families

CALmatters

As more Americans seek help for symptoms of mental illness, the healthcare industry can’t keep pace with demand. In California, the largest de facto mental institution is now the Los Angeles County jail. 

How Pete Buttigieg would overhaul rural health

Politico

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg on Friday rolled out a sweeping plan to expand access to health services in rural communities, while addressing drug addiction and tackling rising maternal mortality rates across the country.

Catching Waves for Well-Being

New York Times

Surf therapy programs often focus on children with autism or anxiety, or groups like veterans or cancer survivors.

EDITORIAL: A Fresno woman with cancer had to fight for key drugs. This must be reformed

Fresno Bee

As if having a rare form of the illness was not bad enough, the challenge before the Fresno woman and her husband Rod grew exponentially harder when the medicine prescribed by their doctor was denied by their insurance company’s pharmacy.

IMMIGRATION

Yolo County appears ready to end federal contract for immigrant teen detention center

Sacramento Bee

Yolo County supervisors appear ready to terminate a decade-old contract with federal immigration authorities to house unaccompanied migrant.

Border chief credits Trump policies for July drop in migrants caught crossing

Politico

Acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan on Thursday credited President Donald Trump’s immigration policies for a July decline in migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border.

‘If you’re a good worker, papers don’t matter’: How a Trump construction crew has relied on immigrants without legal status

Washington Post

The Trump Organization pledged early this year to scrutinize the legal status of its employees. But a little-known company owned by the president has continued to use undocumented workers for projects on his properties, according to past and current crew members.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

‘Watermelon snow’ graces Yosemite in August — but don’t taste it, rangers warn

Fresno Bee

The so-called “watermelon snow” on the ground in August at Yosemite National Park won’t taste fruity — because it’s pigment being released by a cold-weather algae, which thrives at high elevations in the California park as snow melts and leaves freezing water where algae blooms, rangers explained in a Facebook post that has been shared hundreds of times.

Amazon acknowledges construction project north of Bakersfield

Bakersfield Californian

When Amazon was trying to get approval to build a massive distribution center next to Meadows Field Airport, the company’s approach was so stealthy that senior Kern County officials reviewing its permit application did not know they were actually dealing with the Seattle-based e-commerce giant.

Housing:

Visalia spends $2M to combat homelessness. Here’s how the money is spent

Visalia Times-Delta

Visalia spends roughly $2 million on the city’s homeless population, according to city officials. Despite the efforts by city staff and taxpayer money, the number of people living in Visalia without shelter continues to grow.

Are homeless shelters a right? In some cases, yes, according to new state law.

Porterville Recorder

In other words, developers and other stakeholders may plan for a shelter without having to run the gamut of administrative hoops that often ground projects before they begin.

Rent control is likely coming to Sacramento. How a new plan will affect renters, landlords

Sacramento Bee

The Sacramento City Council is expected to approve a local rent control measure Tuesday in a compromise between city officials, labor unions and developers. The agreement – which will cap rent increases for older housing – will avoid what likely would have been a bitter, multi-million dollar political campaign next year.

See also:

Homeowners Rush to Refinance, Thanks to Falling Yields 

Wall Street Journal

Sharp drop in government-bond yields may have investors worried, but it is boosting the mortgage market.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Amazon taxes targeted in California shop owner’s lawsuit

Sacramento Bee

A Fresno business owner is suing the state’s sales tax department arguing it gave Amazon an unfair advantage over California businesses by failing to collect adequate taxes from the online retail giant.

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

Council continues discussion on Transit modifications

Porterville Recorder

After several previous meetings and discussions, the Porterville City Council is still undecided on whether or not they would like to accept proposed modifications to the Transit services in the city. 

Roadkill study: Sacramento highways among CA ‘hot spots’

Sacramento Bee

You might see it every day on your morning commute, and you probably avoid looking at it as much as possible.

$2.81 per gallon? Not ‘fake news’: Farmersville home to California’s cheapest gas pump

Visalia Times-Delta

You’re in luck: Tulare County has the cheapest gas prices in all of California, according to GasBuddy, a smartphone application that tracks the lowest pump prices across the U.S. 

Airlines can’t bar pit bulls or other breeds from cabins, feds say

Los Angeles Times

A month after a flight attendant was bitten by an emotional support animal, the U.S. Department of Transportation told the airline industry Thursday that carriers can’t bar certain dog breeds because airlines deem them dangerous.

WATER

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“Xtra”

After 47 years in Fig Garden Village, this locally owned store is saying goodbye

Fresno Bee

After 49 years, Aporjon Leather & Luggage in Fig Garden Village is closing and its owner is retiring. The store has been a mainstay in Fresno, an example of a small business that has weathered a changing economy and an evolving city.

Spice things up: Watch how jalapeños are harvested in Yolo County

Fresno Bee

Here’s how jalapeños are harvested at the Muller Ranch in Yolo County, California. The majority of the U.S. commercial jalapeño supply is grown in New Mexico, Texas, and California.