December 9, 2019

09Dec

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg’s husband in Modesto; discusses valley issues

Modesto Bee

The husband of Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg stopped in Modesto on Saturday morning as part of a listening tour in underrepresented areas.

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UC Merced is proving to be the boon to the Valley it was predicted to become

Merced Sun-Star

Thirty years ago, The Fresno Bee celebrated the long overdue decision to build a University of California campus in the Central Valley. “What a prize,” read the Bee editorial that predicted “thousands of new jobs (and) a boon to the local economy.”

 

Modesto awarded $3.7 million contract without following normal bidding rules

Modesto Bee

Modesto officials say that in giving a $3.7 million, seven-year contract to Rank Investigation & Protection for security guards, they picked a company with a long record of providing excellent service to the city and at a price the competition could not beat.

 

Filing period remains open for two supervisorial seats in Stanislaus County

Modesto Bee

The filing period for local candidates closed Friday for the March 3 primary election. But the window remains open until 5 p.m. Wednesday for two seats on the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors.

 

Council to consider homelessness projects, hiring a pollster and road repairs

Turlock Journal

The Turlock City Council is slated to tackle a number of big issues at their next meeting that could see new programs to address homelessness in Turlock, the hiring of a pollster to find out residents’ opinions on a potential new tax and what roads will be fixed next.

 

EDITORIAL: Affordable housing project is good news for Stockton

Stockton Record

Here’s a figure that should shock no one: According to the California Association of Realtors, the median price of a home in San Joaquin County in October — half priced higher, half lower — was $375,500

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Madera City leaders hope to revitalize downtown with $11.9-million grant

abc30

Floats, bright lights, and even Santa Claus himself helped make the heart of Downtown Madera look a lot like Christmas. Hundreds lined the street to watch the annual Christmas Candlight parade of lights on Thursday night.

 

Devin Nunes’ Democratic opponent raised $450K during impeachment. Now he’s launching ads

Fresno Bee

A Fresno Democrat challenging Rep. Devin Nunes is launching a five-figure advertising campaign Monday that is expected to highlight a set of phone calls between Nunes and allies of President Donald Trump who are at the center of his impeachment inquiry.

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Fresno City Hall has lost power for a second time in week.

Fresno Bee

Fresno City Hall lost power on Friday, the second time this week. Officials confirmed the temporary generator operating City Hall since Monday failed on Friday morning, again affecting what services are available in person.

 

A renovation surge is remaking this downtown Fresno street. A historic building is next

Fresno Bee

A brick building estimated to be 101 years old at 736 Fulton St., across the street from the Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co.’s beer garden, has new owners. They are in the process of renovating the building, with plans to rent space out to businesses.

 

Fresno County Economic Forecast: International Interest Comes Rolling In

Business Journal

Interest from companies from far-flung countries including China and Japan has kept economic development officials busy, and even corporate America is taking a closer look at locating in Fresno County on the heels of Amazon and Ulta’s investment in e-commerce distribution centers.

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Fresno State working on transportation engineering program in Germany

Fresno State News

President Joseph I. Castro and University of Wuppertal (Germany) President Lambert T. Koch signed a memorandum of understanding on Nov. 13 committing to explore international joint education and research programs in transportation engineering over the next five years.

 

EDITORIAL: Did Jerry Dyer have sex with underage teen? Fresno voters deserve to know

Fresno Bee

Do Fresno voters have the right to know if former police chief Jerry Dyer had sex with an underage teen decades ago?

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South SJ Valley:

 

Democrats, Republicans offer new compromises in effort to pass farmworker bill

Bakersfield Californian

A farmworker bill moving through the U.S. House of Representatives has won rare bipartisan support with a compromise attempt at balancing legitimacy for immigrant ag labor with new certainty for industry employers.

 

Cox’s Latest Bill Would Repair Sinking Friant-Kern Canal

GV Wire

Congressman TJ Cox (D-Fresno) has introduced a bill that would help fix the failing Friant-Kern Canal. Dubbed the Move Water Now Act, H.R. 5316 would provide $200 million in funds to repair a 33-mile middle section of the 152-mile canal.

See also

 

Kern supervisors to weigh support of plan to turn PG&E into cooperative

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County may join the growing list of counties and cities requesting that the state force Pacific Gas and Electric to become a customer-owned cooperative.

 

Kern County Superior Court seeks input for 5-year plan

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Superior Court is preparing a five-year strategic plan and is interested in public input. A survey is available online at www.SurveyMonkey.com/r/KCSuperiorCourt.

 

Bakersfield has far more jobs in oil than solar, despite Schwarzenegger’s false claim

PolitiFact California

The county is home to approximately 2,500 solar jobs, most of which are temporary and tied to construction and installation. But it also shows renewable energy jobs are growing in the region.

 

Asm. Fong: Hard to make sense of Newsom’s energy policies in the real world

Bakersfield Californian

In recent months, we have seen the consequences of the state’s poor energy decisions and policies that have led to our lights being shut off under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s watch. Now the governor wants to increase our state’s reliance on foreign oil by restricting in-state domestic production by California’s energy producers.

 

City proposes alternate site for homeless shelter in east Bakersfield

Bakersfield Californian

The city of Bakersfield has announced a second possible location for a new 150-bed homeless shelter, sparking a potential fight over the placement of the facility.

 

Homeless facility proposed for Porterville

Porterville Recorder

The Porterville City Council received a presentation on Tuesday night from a Chicago based real estate firm called UPholdings, regarding a possible housing facility that will help the homeless population transition into permanent housing.

 

State:

 

Gavin Newsom’s 100-day homeless challenge will give cities a chance at more housing money

Sacramento Bee

California cities and counties will have a shot at more housing money if they meet goals designed to help homeless people off the streets through a “100-day challenge” Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday.

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Top GOP legislator in California leaves party

The Hill

State Assemblyman Chad Mayes on Thursday filed to run for reelection as an independent with no party preference. Mayes said his decision came as he grew increasingly uncomfortable with the spiraling political discourse across the country.

 

California race will be early indicator of GOP’s chances to re-flip House

San Francisco Chronicle

A March 3 special election in Southern California could give an early hint of Democrats’ chances of holding the House majority they won in 2018, and both sides know it.

 

How California Is Rewriting the Law On Online Privacy

Capital Public Radio

Our actions online have created a vast trove of information worth billions of dollars. Every time we search, click, shop, watch, send, receive, delete or download, we create a trail of data that companies can use to figure out our tastes and interests.

 

Federal:

 

Democrats’ voting rights legislation doomed after partisan House vote

Fresno Bee

The Democrats’ campaign to regain control of the House in 2018 included a pledge to restore a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. But a vote on Friday signals their legislation is headed nowhere.

         

Fiala: America’s founding fathers listened to each other. So we should not do any less

Fresno Bee

Free people will diverge. Liberty leads to discord and disagreement. We even disagree about what counts as reasonable. The challenge is to accept this, the cold shadow of democracy, without giving in to cynicism.

 

Elections 2020:

 

The Democratic Presidential Primary: What Do Californians Care About?

Public Policy Institute of California

The 2019 PPIC surveys have consistently identified three frontrunners—Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren—with no clear favorite. At the same time, likely voters have signaled an openness to considering alternatives.

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John Kerry rallies with Joe Biden, evoking some 2004 parallels

Fresno Bee

For some voters, seeing John Kerry and Joe Biden campaign together felt like deja vu. In 2004, Kerry was the establishment Democrat who struggled in early-state polls but went on to defeat populist rivals for the nomination, propelled by a perception that he was the most "electable" option to face down a Republican incumbent unpopular with the left.

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After 'well spoken' remark, Booker says he shouldn't have to school Bloomberg on race

abc30

Former New York City Mayor and 2020 hopeful Mike Bloomberg said New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, also a presidential candidate, was "very well spoken."

 

California campaign watchdog suspends donation rules after a member gives to Sanders

Los Angeles Times

California’s campaign watchdog agency has suspended a long-standing policy banning its members from contributing to federal candidates after one commissioner donated to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential bid.

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Bloomberg hopes he’ll be the rare billionaire to win over California voters

OC Register

Michael Bloomberg’s wildly expensive path to the White House runs straight through California — a state that’s proven to be treacherous for other business-centric candidates with big ambitions and even bigger bank accounts.

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Kamala Harris wasn’t cut out for it. Here’s what she should do now

San Francisco Chronicle

No matter how brief her rise, California Sen. Kamala Harris used her brains and brawn and made it into the top tier of the Democratic candidates.

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Elizabeth Warren Made About $2 Million for Legal Work Over 30 years

Wall Street Journal

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren was compensated nearly $2 million over three decades for doing consulting and other legal work, at times providing counsel for U.S. corporations, according to her campaign.

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States’ Shift From Caucuses Is Challenge for Sanders, Warren

Wall Street Journal

In 2016, the March calendar featured 12 caucuses and 18 primaries. This time in March, four caucuses and 25 primaries are scheduled.

 

Other:

 

Here’s how you can be a smart news consumer, and not get trapped by those trying to deceive you with ‘fake news’

Fresno State Institute for Media and Public Trust

Look past your personal biases. This is crucial in sorting out content. We often believe the worst about people or politicians we despise. Those biases can blind us to what we are reading, even if there are red flags that suggest the stories may not be factual.

 

The longer and more often people use Facebook, the more ad preferences the site lists about them

Pew Research

One of the ways the popular online platform collects and categorizes user data is through ad preference pages. The pages list users’ perceived interests – which are generated by the site’s algorithm – and are available for users to review their presumed hobbies, characteristics and traits.

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The world is doing much better than the bad news makes us think

Washington Post

The truth is that while there is plenty to worry about on any given day, the world is generally getting better. And it’s not just income. In health, education, security and freedom, the world is improving.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, December 15, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: PPIC: Reducing Recidivism Among Felons - Guest: Justin Gross, Public Policy Institute of California. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, December 15, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: Recidivism: Statewide Data and a Local Program That Works - Guests: CSU Fresno Prof. Emma Hughes, Project Rebound Director Jennifer​​ Leahy, and Project Rebound Rebound Arnold Trevino. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, December 15, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: Los Diez mas Importantes de California - Guest: Alexei Koseff, Reportero de Sacramento Bee. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

'It Would Mean Total Annihilation' – Some Farmers Sell Off Fields Ahead Of Groundwater Law

VPR

Even though the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, hasn’t even been implemented yet, rancher Doug Martin is just one of many farmers driven out of agriculture by future water uncertainty.

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Democrats, Republicans offer new compromises in effort to pass farmworker bill

Bakersfield Californian

A farmworker bill moving through the U.S. House of Representatives has won rare bipartisan support with a compromise attempt at balancing legitimacy for immigrant ag labor with new certainty for industry employers.

 

Chipotle has a plan to help tackle nation’s farming crisis

Visalia Times Delta

The fast-casual restaurant chain is making a new financial commitment to help tackle the nation's farming crisis and the plight of struggling young farmers, officials shared.

 

Pistachio giant Wonderful sues Fresno County over a rival’s project

Los Angeles Times

Wonderful Co., a leading pistachio processor and distributor owned by Beverly Hills food and drink magnates Stewart and Lynda Resnick, is suing the county over efforts by the Assemi family to build its own pistachio processing plant.

 

EDITORIAL: Trump’s food stamp crackdown is as pointless as it is callous

San Francisco Chronicle

The old Republican promise “A Chicken for Every Pot” isn’t the first that President Trump has turned upside down.

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

It’s been over 2 weeks since Fresno mass shooting. Where does the investigation stand?

Fresno Bee

Nineteen days after a shooting at a Fresno gathering left four men dead and injured many others, a number of questions remain about the killers and what happened that night.

 

Feds bust alleged Fresno drug trafficking network that spanned from Mexico to Washington

Fresno Bee

A recent multi-agency operation spearheaded in Fresno by federal authorities netted several arrests connected to alleged participation in a network that trafficked drugs from Mexico for distribution in California and Washington state.

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Walters: Another showdown over crime looms

CalMatters

A referendum seeking to overturn California’s landmark ban on cash bail in criminal cases will once again test voters’ sentiments about the treatment of accused lawbreakers.

 

Public Safety:

 

Gun control isn’t stopping Californians from owning firearms, new study says

Sacramento Bee

California may have some of the nation’s most restrictive gun control laws, from bans on assault rifle sales to mandatory background checks for ammunition sales, but that isn’t stopping Golden State residents from buying firearms.

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Witness claims Fresno County deputy accused in sergeant’s death said ‘he didn’t do it.’

Fresno Bee

A Fresno County Sheriff’s lieutenant testified Friday that former deputy Jared Mullis told him conflicting stories about how Sgt. Rod Lucas died on Oct. 31, 2016. Lucas was killed by a single gunshot wound to the chest and detectives allege Mullis is responsible.

 

How One Retired Bulldog Gang Member Is Using Education To Combat Gun Violence In Fresno

VPR

Alfredo Gonzalez, 42, sat down in the Project Rebound office at Fresno State on a Wednesday morning. He was there to register for a two-day criminal justice class that would count for one unit toward his bachelor’s degree.

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Shop with a Cop puts deputies in a good light with youngsters

Bakersfield Californian

Variations of the scene replayed throughout the store as the Kern County Sheriff's Office put on its annual Shop with a Cop event for 50 local, underprivileged children.

 

EDITORIAL: The BPD needs long, steady leadership

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield Police Chief Lyle Martin’s recent announcement that he will be retiring at the end of this month to go to work for the Kern County District Attorney’s Office was a shocker. It has only been three years since Martin was appointed chief.

 

Fire:

 

PG&E makes deal to pay California wildfire victims. What it means for utility’s future

Fresno Bee

PG&E Corp. late Friday announced a blockbuster agreement to pay victims of the major Northern California wildfires, a move that strengthens the bankrupt utility’s hand as it tries to ward off a takeover by its bondholders and a group of local governments.

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Firefighter overtime surges 65% in California

Fresno Bee

Following an unprecedented series of wildfires across California, overtime costs for firefighters surged by 65% over the past decade, pushing annual wages to nearly $5 billion, according to a newspaper analysis published Sunday.

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California Not Adequately Prepared To Protect Vulnerable Residents From Natural Disasters, Says Auditor's Report

Capital Public Radio

A report by the auditor’s office looked at Butte, Sonoma and Ventura counties, all of which faced devastating wildfires in recent years.

 

High-Tech Planes, Supercomputers and Helitankers Help Fight Wildfires

Los Angeles Times

California fire crews abandon hand-drawn maps for up-to-date information on phones to track and extinguish blazes faster.

 

ECONOMY / JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Fresno County Economic Forecast: International Interest Comes Rolling In

Business Journal

Interest from companies from far-flung countries including China and Japan has kept economic development officials busy, and even corporate America is taking a closer look at​​ locating in Fresno County on the heels of Amazon and Ulta’s investment in e-commerce distribution centers.

See also:

 

Recession fears are real in California and nation in 2020, key economic report says

Sacramento Bee

California’s uncertain economy is perhaps a little stronger than many think heading into 2020, but a recession may well be looming ahead, key economists say in a new report. The state economy is slowing, but it is slowing less than analyses indicated three months ago.

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U.S. stock market at record but farm bankruptcies at highest since 2011

MarketWatch

Meanwhile, farms incomes are falling in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and portions of western Missouri and northern New Mexico, according to the Kansas City Federal Reserve.

 

As Tariff Deadline Looms, Investors’ Other Worries Fade Away

Wall Street Journal

Investors are anxiously waiting to see whether a new round of tariffs on Chinese consumer goods takes effect next week, one of the few remaining hurdles for the stock market in 2019.

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The massive triumph of the rich, illustrated by stunning new data

Washington Post

The top-line finding: Among the bottom 50 percent of earners, average real annual income even after taxes and transfers has edged up a meager $8,000 since 1970, rising from just over $19,000 to just over $27,000 in 2018.

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State AGs look to head off T-Mobile-Sprint deal in court

Business Journal

T-Mobile, in its attempt to buy Sprint for $26.5 billion, has already notched approvals from key federal regulators. Now it must convince a federal judge that the 14 state attorneys general suing to stop the deal are wrong.

 

Too many credit cards? Protect your credit scores while closing accounts

Los Angeles Times

As you probably know, closing credit accounts won’t help your scores and may hurt them. You shouldn’t close a bunch of them at once or close any if you’ll be in the market for a major loan, such as a mortgage or auto loan.

 

AOC, Sanders Say I Told You So, as Amazon, Facebook Come to NYC

Bloomberg

Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders are taking a victory lap after Amazon.com Inc. and other technology giants leased millions of square feet of office space in New York City -- without the billions of dollars in government support that Amazon tried to negotiate earlier this year.

 

Jobs:

 

Halliburton to lay off 70 employees at Bakersfield plant

KERO

In its latest round of job cuts this year, Halliburton Co. is laying off 70 employees at its Bakersfield plant as the U.S. oilfield services firm struggles with falling profits amid slowing oil and gas activity.

 

New California law redefines who gets employment benefits. The lawsuits are just starting

Sacramento Bee

A new law that dictates which California workers must receive full employment benefits takes effect Jan. 1, but the latest battle over Assembly Bill 5 is playing out in courts and could take years to resolve.

 

Federal workers may get paid parental leave if legislators back Trump’s ‘space force’

Los Angeles Times

Capitol Hill leaders are nearing agreement in negotiations on an annual defense policy bill that would extend 12 weeks of paid parental leave to federal workers, both military and civilian, in exchange for establishing President Trump’s “space force” initiative.

 

The case for growth centers: How to spread tech innovation across America

Brookings

The future of America’s economy lies in its high-tech innovation sector, but it is now clear that same sector is widening the nation’s regional divides—a fact that became starkly apparent with the 2016 presidential election.

See also:

Left- and right-populists have something in common: Technophobia AEI

 

BLOG: Are fines fine for bad office behavior?

Business Journal

The most fineable offense, with 79% of those surveyed agreeing it should warrant a fine, was “not meeting an agreed/set deadline.” The average fine set for that offense would be $28.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

‘Human kindness exists.’ Parent pays lunch debt off for entire Merced elementary school

Merced Sun-Star

A generous parent paid the outstanding school lunch debt for an entire Merced City school. Rey Lupian, who has a child attending John C. Fremont Elementary School in Merced, donated $1,525.25 to clear the outstanding school lunch debt for the entire school.

 

Former VUSD Superintendent defends PBIS

Visalia Times Delta

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Program (PBIS) was initially funded in 1998 through the U.S. Department of Education through a $32.6 million grant, and has since been implemented consistently in schools across our nation.

 

New learning center joins long list of options for Bakersfield students, families looking for help outside classroom

Bakersfield Californian

She decided to look for more individualized support and found Kumon, a learning program that specializes in math and reading skills for children ages 3 through 18 that just recently opened in Bakersfield.

 

‘It’s Like A Nightmare You Never Wake Up From.’ Parents Wait Years For Subsidized Daycare

Capital Public Radio

Some parents have become so discouraged that they've taken to calling the long paper line for California's daycare subsidy the “no hope list.” Just one out of every nine eligible children are enrolled in full-time subsidized care programs.

 

U.S. students continue to lag behind peers in East Asia and Europe in reading, math and science, exams show

Washington Post

Teenagers in the United States continue to lag behind their peers in East Asia and Europe in reading, math and science, according to results of an international exam that suggest U.S. schools are not doing enough to prepare young people for the competitive global economy.

See also:

●     California should stop short-changing kids. Here’s how to help CalMatters

 

Interactive Map: A look at internet subscriptions in California

EdSource

This map shows the rate of internet subscriptions statewide for 2018. To see the rate for a school district, type in the name below or click on the arrow and select the district name.

 

Higher Ed:

 

UC Merced is proving to be the boon to the Valley it was predicted to become

Merced Sun-Star

Thirty years ago, The Fresno Bee celebrated the long overdue decision to build a University of California campus in the Central Valley. “What a prize,” read the Bee editorial that predicted “thousands of new jobs (and) a boon to the local economy.”

 

Stan State a Top-10 University Nationally for Social Mobility

Stanislaus State

For a sixth consecutive year, Stan State’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the lives of its students has been recognized by CollegeNET, which has ranked the University No. 8 in the nation on its Social Mobility Index (SMI).

 

Fresno State working on transportation engineering program in Germany

Fresno State News

President Joseph I. Castro and University of Wuppertal (Germany) President Lambert T. Koch signed a memorandum of understanding on Nov. 13 committing to explore international joint education and research programs in transportation engineering over the next five years.

 

As Jeff Tedford leaves Bulldogs, another heart procedure next for football coach

Fresno Bee

Fresno State football coach Jeff Tedford, who pulled off an extraordinary rebuild at his alma mater, walked away from the sport on Friday due to concerns of his health and desire to spend more time with his family.

 

Can California save higher education?

CalMatters

While Congress bickers over long-delayed reforms and other states cut spending, California is trying to confront the stubborn problems that are plaguing higher education nationwide, but seem seldom to be solved.

 

Homeless crisis at California colleges hurts Hispanic and black students most, report says

Merced Sun-Star

California’s Black and Hispanic college students are most likely to face homelessness while in school, according to a new California Student Aid Commission analysis.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

 

Environment:

Fires, floods and free parking: California’s unending fight against climate change

Washington Post

Life in Southern California, once as mild and predictable as the weather, is being transformed as the climate grows hotter, drier and in some regions windier, fueling more intense wildfires, deadly mudslides and prolonged extreme drought.

See also:

●     Hit by fires and droughts, California voters call climate change their top priority Los Angeles Times

●     California voters call climate change their top priority San Francisco Examiner

●     Most Americans say climate change impacts their community, but effects vary by region Pew Research

●     Americans broadly accept climate science, but many are fuzzy on the details Washington Post

 

Amid New Warnings on Global Warming, Revisit FRONTLINE’s Recent Climate Reporting

PBS Frontline

Several weeks from now, the current decade will draw to a close having earned an alarming distinction: It’s “almost certain” to have been the warmest one in recorded history, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization.

See also:

·       Climate scientists try to cut their own carbon footprints Fresno Bee

 

The Most Detailed Map of Auto Emissions in America

New York Times

Transportation is the largest source of planet-warming greenhouse gases in the United States today and the bulk of those emissions come from driving in our cities and suburbs.

 

Energy:

 

Bakersfield has far more jobs in oil than solar, despite Schwarzenegger’s false claim

PolitiFact California

The county is home to approximately 2,500 solar jobs, most of which are temporary and tied to construction and installation. But it also shows renewable energy jobs are growing in the region.

 

Asm. Fong: Hard to make sense of Newsom’s energy policies in the real world

Bakersfield Californian

In recent months, we have seen the consequences of the state’s poor energy decisions and policies that have led to our lights being shut off under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s watch. Now the governor wants to increase our state’s reliance on foreign oil by restricting in-state domestic production by California’s energy producers.

 

California needs to update its energy infrastructure and protect the environment in 2020

Fresno Bee

It wasn’t too long ago that any discussion of environmental and energy policy in California would have been dominated by the long-term impacts of climate change. But the last few years of devastating wildfires have dramatically altered that conversation in and around the State Capitol.

See also:

●     Solar batteries can power California through crisis and into the future Sacramento Bee

●     Battle lines are drawn over oil drilling in California CalMatters

 

2020: Make-or-Break Year for North Fork Biomass Project?

Sierra News

Despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding PG&E’s bankruptcy and its potential impact on North Fork’s proposed new biomass plant, project proponents remain optimistic ground could still be broken as early as next year.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Flesh-eating bacteria linked to heroin kills 7 in California

abc30

A flesh-eating bacteria, linked to the use of black tar heroin, has killed at least seven people in San Diego County in the past two months. Southern California health authorities have since issued a new warning.

See also:

●     Seven people have died in a Southern California county. Bacteria tied to heroin blamed Merced Sun-Star

 

Dental patients face years of debt, inflated bills with ‘out-of-pocket’ credit cards

Fresno Bee

Across California, patients like Williams are wading into years of debt because of high-interest credit cards used to finance dental treatment. They have succumbed to requests by dentists to put their high-priced services on a controversial segment of the health care industry: companies that offer loans for “out-of-pocket” medical care.

 

U.S. Health Care Ranked Worst in the Developed World

Time

The U.S. health care system has been subject to heated debate over the past decade, but one thing that has remained consistent is the level of performance, which has been ranked as the worst among industrialized nations for the fifth time.

 

Officials list pot vape brands reported in US outbreak

abc30

Health officials investigating a nationwide outbreak of vaping illnesses have listed, for the first time, the vape brands most commonly linked to hospitalizations.

 

Government Studying Widely Used Chemicals Linked to Health Issues

New York Times

The class of chemicals, known as PFAS, was used in nonstick pans, stain-resistant clothes and firefighting foam and is found in drinking water in some places.

 

Insurance companies aren’t doctors. So why do we keep letting them practice medicine?

Washington Post

The insurance company will say this system makes sure patients get the right medications. It doesn’t. It exists so that many patients will fail to get the medications they need.

 

Unsealed documents in opioids lawsuit reveal inner workings of industry’s marketing machine as epidemic spread

Washington Post

Drug manufacturers paid doctors and movie stars to promote more aggressive pain treatment, according to corporate documents and internal emails unsealed in a massive federal lawsuit in Cleveland.

 

EDITORIAL: Measles outbreak in Samoa shows what can happen when vaccine opponents prevail

Los Angeles Times

But the fearmongering on social media landed a hook in Samoan parents, who now had an example of real risk to their children that seemed to outweigh the abstract threat of a disease that had virtually been eradicated from the developed world over the last generation.

 

Human Services:

 

Californians aren’t getting the mental health care they’re legally guaranteed. Why not?

Fresno Bee

State Sen. Jim Beall is angry. Four times now, he has introduced legislation to better enforce state and federal “parity” laws, which require equal treatment of mental and physical health problems. Four times, that legislation has failed.

 

Camarena Health’s Urgent Care Clinic Now Open in Oakhurst

Sierra News

Camarena Health’s new urgent care clinic officially opened Thursday in Oakhurst. The milestone was announced on the healthcare organization’s Facebook page.

 

Haven youth programs offer kids healing and prevention against abuse, trauma

Modesto Bee

Visitors walking into Haven’s Youth Center are greeted with kids’ artwork of all kinds. Some are dark and disturbing — the “before” — and others are colorful and cheery — the “after” — of participating in therapy group sessions.

 

Adventist Health Hanford awarded Advanced Primary Stroke Certification from The Joint Commission

Hanford Sentinel

Community members who suffer a stroke are in safe hands at Adventist Health Hanford, which has been recognized as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center.

 

Should psychotherapists be required to report patients who look at child porn?

Los Angeles Times

For years, California law required psychotherapists to report any patient who admitted developing, duplicating, printing or exchanging material depicting an obscene act involving a child. The therapists accepted that requirement.

 

The California stem cell program’s $5.5-billion funding request might be its downfall

Los Angeles Times

California’s stem cell program, created by voters in 2004, has made great strides in advancing what’s known as regenerative medicine and placing California at the center of the developing science.

 

Opinion: We need a major redesign of life

Washington Post

Most people are anxious about the prospect of living for a century. Asked about aspirations for living to 100, typical responses are “I hope I don’t outlive my money” or “I hope I don’t get dementia.”

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Scarcity Of Immigration Services In Tulare County Means Some People Get The Wrong Type Of Help

VPR

Immigration lawyers in the San Joaquin Valley say they’re overwhelmed with their caseloads and it’s particularly pointed in Tulare County where the demand for services is growing.

 

Claremont Nativity scene depicts Jesus, Mary and Joseph as refugees separated in cages

Los Angeles Times

A Methodist church in Claremont unveiled a Nativity scene Saturday night depicting Jesus, Mary and Joseph as refugees in cages, likening one of the most well-known images of the Christmas season to photos that have become synonymous with criticism of the Trump administration’s border separation policies.

 

Immigration Quotas of 1920s Failed to Aid U.S.-Born Workers’ Pay

Bloomberg

The closing of American borders to mass migration from Europe in the 1920s, one of the biggest immigration policy changes in the country’s history, didn’t raise wages for U.S.-born workers in the areas most affected by the shift, according to a transatlantic team of researchers who say the history offers important lessons for today.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

A renovation surge is remaking this downtown Fresno street. A historic building is next

Fresno Bee

A brick building estimated to be 101 years old at 736 Fulton St., across the street from the Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co.’s beer garden, has new owners. They are in the process of renovating the building, with plans to rent space out to businesses.

 

New restaurants, hotel headed for California Avenue and Highway 99

Bakersfield Californian

It may have just lost a prominent tenant but the corner of California Avenue and Easton Drive remains on a winning streak that will soon bring new restaurants and a hotel to one of Kern County's busiest intersections.

 

Tiny parks off Downtown Fresno streets? Pilot program launched

Business Journal

The City of Fresno Planning Department has officially launched a new “parklet” pilot program officials hope will help in the effort to revitalize downtown.

 

Ruptured sewer line creates sink hole along Turlock street

Turlock Journal

The sink hole is approximately 100 feet long by 40 feet wide. None of the nearby homes were affected by the rupture and resulting sink hole, according to Cooke.

 

“Gentle” density can save our neighborhoods

Brookings

Often, the choice is posed as a trade-off between detached homes with big yards or skyscraping apartment towers. In reality, the housing stock in most communities is much more diverse than these two extremes.

 

Housing:

 

Supreme Court weighs if cities can kick homeless off sidewalks

abc30

There are thousands of people living on the streets and the Supreme Court is considering whether they have a right to be there.

See also:

●     Is sleeping on the sidewalk a constitutionally protected right? Los Angeles Times

 

Homeless facility proposed for Porterville

Porterville Recorder

The Porterville City Council received a presentation on Tuesday night from a Chicago based real estate firm called UPholdings, regarding a possible housing facility that will help the homeless population transition into permanent housing.

 

City proposes alternate site for homeless shelter in east Bakersfield

Bakersfield Californian

The city of Bakersfield has announced a second possible location for a new 150-bed homeless shelter, sparking a potential fight over the placement of the facility.

 

This Renter Complained About A Gas Leak - Code Enforcement Gave Her 72 Hours To Leave

VPR

It’s state law that residences need heating and electricity, and the building has to be in good condition to be habitable. While this sounds straightforward, those who rent their homes sometimes struggle with landlords who are unresponsive and don’t make the proper repairs.

 

California rent control advocates try again on 2020 ballot

AP News

The group behind a failed 2018 rent control measure is trying again for a ballot initiative next year, even after California lawmakers limited rent increases as one attempt to blunt the state’s housing affordability crisis.

See also:

●     New 2020 law #4: No more discriminating against renters who have housing vouchers CalMatters

 

HOUSE POOR: How price hikes hurt the most vulnerable

Mercury News

An exclusive analysis shows the Bay Area’s poorest ZIP codes endured the largest percentage increases in rents and mortgages. Residents say there’s nowhere to go.

See also:

●     In California, More Than Housing for the Homeless U.S. News

 

EDITORIAL: Affordable housing project is good news for Stockton

Stockton Record

Here’s a figure that should shock no one: According to the California Association of Realtors, the median price of a home in San Joaquin County in October — half priced higher, half lower — was $375,500

 

EDITORIAL: Trump’s new homeless guru doesn’t think housing is the key to ending homelessness

Los Angeles Times

The last thing the federal government needs is a top advisor on homelessness who clings to regressive, outdated ideas about how to fix the problem.

 

EDITORIAL: California’s authority to improve housing affordability at stake in San Mateo court case

San Francisco Chronicle

By every objective standard, the crisis of housing affordability encompasses the entire state of California.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

California pension fund financing its $281 million riverfront tower with green bonds

Sacramento Bee

California’s teacher pension fund wants to pay for a $300 million office tower on the Sacramento River with green bonds, a type of investment used to finance projects that meet environmental sustainability standards.

See also:

●     Bait and switch on pensions Public CEO

●     True to form, lawmakers ignore dark pension clouds OC Register

 

Walters: ‘Tax exhaustion’ may be on the horizon

CalMatters

California’s local governments — cities especially — and school districts have been packing ballots with tax increase measures in recent years and another batch is on tap for next year.

 

BLOG: Fresno County supports broad effort to repeal ‘Cadillac Tax’

Business Journal

Americans are more divided than ever, but if there’s one thing we share it is worry about the health of our families and how to pay for health problems that may arise. More than half of us have employer-provided insurance, and it’s one of the top reasons we value our jobs.

 

California pot dispensary fights IRS tax case as costs mount for industry

San Francisco Chronicle

Despite legalization in California, the cannabis industry faces costly hurdles, including IRS scrutiny and a state tax hike next year.

 

Paul A. Volcker, Fed chairman who curbed inflation by raising interest rates, dies at 92

Washington Post

Paul A. Volcker, a hard-headed economic statesman who as chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1979 to 1987 shocked the U.S. economy out of a cycle of inflation and malaise and so set the stage for a generation of prosperity, died Dec. 8 at his home in Manhattan. He was 92.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

How low can they go? Gas prices continue to fall in Fresno, Valley

Fresno Bee

Gasoline prices in Fresno and the central San Joaquin Valley continue a seasonal free fall after they peaked in mid-October, with the average retail price of regular unleaded gasoline in Fresno on Friday sitting at $3.67 per gallon, about nine cents lower than a week ago.

See also:

●     Average US price of gas drops 1 penny per gallon to $2.65 Fresno Bee

 

Ribbon-cutting Wednesday for McHenry Avenue Bridge

Stockton Record

As growth in the region continues and the job picture improves, commuter and business traffic in the southeast corner of San Joaquin County has picked up considerably, creating added pressure on bridges and intersections where busy roadways meet

 

Opinion: Plan would spread the advantages of rail travel across California

Stockton Record

Our districts are 350 miles apart. One is in California’s largest urban region. The other embraces a rapidly changing and urbanizing piece of California’s heartland.

 

Caltrans investigations find waste and wrongdoing in state transportation programs

Los Angeles Times

A new inspector general at Caltrans has found millions of dollars in misspending on transportation improvement projects in the last year as the state has seen its coffers swell from increases to the state’s gas taxes and vehicle fees.

 

Electric cars to be 80% of new vehicles sold, LA area aims for by 2028

CNET

The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator said last week that its latest zero-emissions roadmap calls for 80% of new cars sold to be of the battery-electric variety by 2028.

 

WATER

 

Valley still ‘abnormally dry’ after 2 major storms

Visalia Times Delta

A "bomb cyclone" and an "atmospheric river" pummeled much of California over the last week, bringing record precipitation and much-needed rainfall to the Golden State. But the two major storms still weren't enough to keep much of California from registering as "abnormally dry," according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

See also:

●     Let it snow: Snowfall totals so far this season Visalia Times Delta

●     Has recent rain made a dent in the California drought? Los Angeles Times

●     Another wet weekend unfolds as storms linger across California Los Angeles Times

 

Water agency pays $14M after ‘unthinkable tragedy’ killed 2 California teens in canal

Sacramento Bee

The families of two 17-year-olds who were fatally electrocuted in April while trying to save a dog from a canal in Dixon each received $7 million in civil settlements from the irrigation district, the families’ attorneys said Friday.

 

Progress on canal repairs sparks hope but funding questions loom

Bakersfield Californian

It was welcome news for Kern County farmers, but word last week that the process of fixing the Friant-Kern Canal has finally begun may have obscured the fact that a great deal of work lies ahead — including finding money to complete the job.

Citizens committee files to stop dam re-licensing, says DWR is untrustworthy

Chico Enterprise-Record

The Feather River Recovery Alliance has filed a motion to intervene with the Department of Water Resources’ pending application to re-license operation of the Oroville Dam.

 

Recycling rainwater

Turlock Journal

Over the past week, Turlock has been getting an abundance of rain. Have you ever thought about using rainwater around your house in order to conserve the use of ground and well water? Below are some easy ways to do just that.

 

Trump calls for review of water efficiency standards, saying people flush the toilet '10 times, 15 times'

The Hill

President Trump on Friday said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reviewing water efficiency standards, claiming that some people flush the toilet “10 times, 15 times” due to a lack of water pressure.

 

“Xtra”

 

The 90th Downtown Fresno Christmas Parade celebrates past decades

Fresno Bee

Skies appeared threatening but no real rain fell as the 90th annual Downtown Fresno Christmas Parade brought smiles to faces during a special holiday tradition.

 

Electric Christmas Parade lights up streets of Old Town Clovis

abc30

The Old Town Clovis Kiwanis Club is once again lighting up the streets with the Clovis Children's Electric Christmas Parade. It's a normal sight to see thousands of people lined up every year to see local marching bands, cheer squads, classic cars, and the amazing lights.

 

25th Annual Christmas Parade draws large crowd to downtown Merced

Merced Sun-Star

A large crowd lined the streets in downtown Merced on Saturday afternoon to enjoy the 25th Annual Merced Christmas Parade.

 

Price: Rejected, they started their own club, and its neighborhood still thrives

Bakersfield Californian

Many developments built around golf courses are designed to sell houses around their perimeters, but Bakersfield County Club was always about golf first. Consequently, not as many houses are on the golf course as in similar developments.

 

‘Today, they come alive again.’ Pearl Harbor veterans honored in Fresno

Fresno Bee

Dreary skies did not stop the 78th Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony outside the Veterans Affairs hospital in Fresno on Saturday morning.

See also:

●     Ceremonies held across Valley for Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day abc30

 

KCAO launches Community Champion campaign

Hanford Sentinel

Kings Community Action Organization has launched its first ever Community Champion campaign and is ready to maximize the donations it receives for needed programs across the county.

 

Valley racing and running communities lose a voice. Ken Takeuchi dies at age 92

Fresno Bee

In his decades as a speedway announcer and organizer of running races throughout the San Joaquin Valley, Takeuchi became a well-known figure among speed fanatics and those most active. He was most loved for his caring attitude.

 

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The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

                                                     

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