POLICY & POLITICS
Deadline FAST APPROACHING:
Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowship
The Maddy Institute
Applications for two $56,000 Fellowships
Due Friday, February 22nd, 2019.
North SJ Valley:
Atwater offers police chief job to a law enforcement veteran with ties to central Valley
Fresno Bee
Coalinga (CA) Police Chief Michael Salvador accepted the tentative offer, which must still be approved by Atwater City Council. He’s been chief in the Fresno County city of nearly 17,000 since October 2015.
Could a homeless court help in Merced? Mayor Murphy pledges to help establish one
Merced Sun-Star
Homelessness was front and center as Merced Mayor Mike Murphy gave his State of the City address on Friday.
Central SJ Valley:
Citizens give Council pieces of their minds
Madera Tribune
Some of the residents who first objected to rising city water and sewer rates and some city administrative salaries of more than $300,000 returned and wanted answers from their new city council Wednesday night.
Garry Bredefeld: Silence no option when it comes to protecting American values
Fresno Bee
I am very concerned, as are so many other people, about what is transpiring in our community, our state and nation.
Warszawki: Joaquin Arambula case: How long will charges hang over him?
Fresno Bee
How long does Joaquin Arambula keep twisting in the wind?
Is it really America’s worst city? Mendota leaders dispute report’s labeling
Fresno Bee
Mendota was ranked as the worst city to live in the country. While city leaders acknowledged the town has had tough times, the situation has changed.
See also:
● Is Mendota the worst place to live? Residents say that’s a distorted view abc30
South SJ Valley:
City of Lemoore requests temporary restraining order against councilmember
abc30
A feud that has been brewing for months in Lemoore has made its way into the court system. Last week, attorneys for the city of Lemoore filed an application for a temporary restraining order against city councilmember Holly Andrade Blair.
Petition urges Jones to vote on hospital loan
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare Mayor Jose Sigala asked residents for help contacting Councilman Carlton Jones after Jones failed to attend last week’s council meeting and avoided calls.
See also:
● Carlton Jones called a ‘coward,’ fights back Visalia Times Delta
No raise for Lemoore city manager
Hanford Sentinel
While the majority of Lemoore City Council members can agree that City Manager Nathan Olson does a good job for the city, his request for a raise was not approved.
State:
Here’s who invested in Gavin Newsom – and what they want him to do
Fresno Bee
California governor Gavin Newsom says he can’t be bought with campaign contributions. Now that he’s in office, top donors like teachers, nurses and housing developers are pushing him on policy.
See also:
● Getting Your Hands On California Campaign Finance Records Could Get Easier Capital Public Radio
Gov. Gavin Newsom is expanding the size and role of the California governor’s office
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans to hire California’s first surgeon general hours after he took office last month. The next day he announced a new senior advisor for emergency management. Then on his third day, he created a “strike team” to reinvent the troubled Department of Motor Vehicles.
California law could be Congress’ model for data privacy. Or it could be erased
San Francisco Chronicle
Lawmakers of both parties, advocates and business and tech industry lobbies all say this session of Congress may be the best chance in years to pass meaningful data privacy legislation.
Former state Sen. Kevin de León will run to replace Jose Huizar on L.A. City Council
Los Angeles Times
Former state Sen. Kevin de León is looking to shift his political base of operations to Los Angeles City Hall, by seeking the Eastside council seat being vacated by Councilman Jose Huizar.
Can’t live with Trump, can’t live without him: California Republicans’ challenging future
Sacramento Bee
Still smarting from historic losses in the November “blue wave,” Orange County Republicans gathered last month to consider a new leader and direction for the state party.
EDITORIAL: Becerra’s decision to keep misconduct records secret betrays public trust and the law
Sacramento Bee
While it’s understandable that Attorney General Xavier Becerra hesitates to challenge law enforcement organizations whose political support he cherishes, it’s also disappointing to see him bend over backward for them to betray the public trust.
See also:
● Cities Cite State AG Letter to Stall Release of Police Misconduct Files KQED
Federal:
Forget their records. 2020 Dems will leverage the Senate to build their brand
Sacramento Bee
Incumbent senators who are running for the 2020 presidential race are more likely to appear on friendly talk shows, have a greater ability to raise money and are seasoned campaigners. But there are perils, such as their records.
See also:
● Klobuchar shakes up 2020 Democratic race in Iowa Fresno Bee
● What does Amy Klobuchar believe? Where the candidate stands on 5 issues PBS NewsHour
● Warren takes on Trump, says he may not be ‘free’ in 2020 Fresno Bee
● 2020 hopeful Gillibrand immerses herself in early voting SC Fresno Bee
● Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar announces 2020 presidential campaign abc30
● Cory Booker pitches unity to Iowa voters, reminding some voters of Obama abc30
● Elizabeth Warren announces 2020 presidential launch: ‘The fight of our lives’ abc30
● Bonfires, heat lamps, cider: Klobuchar warms snow-covered Minnesotans at outdoor rally Merced Sun-Star
● Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar Launches 2020 Presidential Bid Capital Public Radio
● Sen. Amy Klobuchar offers Democrats a Midwestern road to the White House Los Angeles Times
● Where the Democratic candidates stand in the race to 2020 PBS NewsHour Weekend
● Presidential hopefuls struggle to control damage from sexual misconduct cases in first race of #MeToo era Los Angeles Times
● Willie Brown: Democrats have a 2020 problem: Trump is good at elections San Francisco Chronicle
Trump defends work ethic after private schedules leak
Fresno Bee
Trump is pushing back against criticisms that a leak of his private schedule suggests he is not working hard.
Acting AG Says He Hasn’t Discussed Mueller Probe With White House
Capital Public Radio
Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker was questioned this morning by the Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee.
Border Security Funding Talks Stalled, Government Shutdown Looms
Capital Public Radio
If an agreement isn’t reached by Friday at midnight, the government could partially shut down again, just three weeks after the end of a 35-day partial government shutdown.
See also:
● As clock ticks, new hurdle emerges in border security talks Merced Sun-Star
● Border talks at impasse as shutdown looms Friday, officials say Stockton Record
● How Democrats hope to protect California flood money if Trump declares a national emergency Sacramento Bee
● With clock ticking on another potential government shutdown, Trump blames Democrats Los Angeles Times Shutdown looms as border talks break down over immigration enforcement Washington Post
● Congress Could Block A Border Wall If Trump Declares A National Emergency NPR
● In late-stage bid to avert government shutdown, top lawmakers plan to meet today in effort to revive stalled border negotiations Washington Post
Congress is already considering impeachment — but won’t admit it
Los Angeles Times
Last week, no fewer than six committees of the House of Representatives were investigating potential grounds for impeaching Donald Trump as president of the United States.
The Supreme Court’s ruling on a Louisiana abortion law shows how it could kill Roe v. Wade
Washington Post
The Supreme Court gave reproductive justice advocates an unexpected win on Thursday night when it voted 5 to 4 to stay a court of appeals’ decision that could have closed abortion clinics in Louisiana.
See also:
● States Are Shifting Farther Apart on Abortion Wall Street Journal
Different Democratic controversies, same influence: identity politics
Washington Post
Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s presidential rollout has been upended by questions about why she called herself Native American decades ago. The governor and attorney general of Virginia are under fire for darkening their faces in a racist cultural appropriation that has rocked the state and placed their careers in limbo.
Pols slam Democratic ‘socialism.’ Dems not running from it
San Francisco Chronicle
“We socialists are trying to save capitalism, and the damned capitalists won’t let us.”
See also:
● Trump’s war on socialism will fail Washington Post
● The real reason conservatives are suddenly freaking out about ‘socialism’ Washington Post
National Review
I have no sympathy for Domineque Ray. The man was convicted of raping and murdering a 15-year-old girl, an act so heinous that the death penalty is appropriate and just. But Ray, no matter his crimes, still enjoyed the protections of the United States Constitution.
Other:
Before multiculturalism, blackface rampant in US pop culture
Fresno Bee
Blackface, other insensitivities had a part of 1980s pop culture before multiculturalism began changing racial sensibilities.
See also:
● Virginia Scandals Draw Attention To The Dehumanizing History Of Blackface Capital Public Radio
Experts at Roger Tatarian Symposium will discuss ways to put ‘fake news in the rear view mirror’
Fresno State Institute for Media and Public Trust
Stephen Engelberg, editor-in-chief of ProPublica, will be the keynote speaker at a major conference next month at Fresno State on fake news and the media. The Roger Tatarian Symposium, “Putting Fake News in the Rear View Mirror: How the Media Can Win Back the Trust of all Americans,” will be held Feb. 26. The program is free and open to the public.
Why We Can’t Break Up With Big Tech
Capital Public Radio
Gizmodo’s Kashmir Hill spent six weeks trying to cut Amazon, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Apple out of her life completely. “Spoiler,” she says. “It’s not possible.”
EDITORIAL: Bee Editor Joe Kieta answers reader questions about online commenting, staff hiring
Fresno Bee
Fresno Bee Editor Joe Kieta offers answers to frequently asked questions dealing with subjects like commenting, hiring and letters to the editor.
Washington Post
Much as I have found Twitter to be a useful means of expression, some occasions merit more than 280 characters.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
The world’s biggest farm show opens in Tulare on Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know
Fresno Bee
Valentine’s Day is not why farmers are getting excited. The 2019 World Ag Expo is just days away.
California’s ‘dry farmers’ grow crops without irrigation
Santa Cruz Sentinel
As little as 20 inches of rain – roughly the same amount that the Central Coast receives each winter on average – can sustain crops in the months without rainfall, with no need to add any extra water.
Pot is legal in 10 states, but the industry still can’t use banks. Will Congress change that?
Sacramento Bee
When a tax deadline approaches, county officials in the heart of California’s marijuana country ring up millions of dollars in cash deliveries from licensed growers.
Marijuana black market thrives despite first year of legal sales
San Diego Union-Tribune
A black market for marijuana continues to thrive, with illicit storefronts and delivery services cashing in while defying orders to close and Mexican drug cartels not ready to completely abandon their foothold.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Challenges to SB 1391 could threaten Prop. 57’s youth justice reform
Sacramento Bee
Some district attorneys in California are trying to undermine a common-sense law adopted last year that keeps 14- and 15-year-old children out of the adult criminal justice system.
School Shooters: What’s Their Path To Violence?
Capital Public Radio
Psychologists and the FBI say they are getting a better understanding of the mix of factors that lead some kids to open fire on a classroom. The shooting can be an act of desperation fueled by anger.
Who urinated in her boots? A mystery at a Fresno military base brings cover-up claims
Los Angeles Times
For Staff Sgt. Jennifer Pineda, a 15-year veteran of the California Air National Guard, the military was a family calling. She followed her older sister and brother-in-law into the guard, where she now holds an administrative position at the elite 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno.
Public Safety:
Atwater offers police chief job to a law enforcement veteran with ties to central Valley
Fresno Bee
Coalinga (CA) Police Chief Michael Salvador accepted the tentative offer, which must still be approved by Atwater City Council. He’s been chief in the Fresno County city of nearly 17,000 since October 2015.
County probation deputy chief recognized for her efforts
Madera Tribune
On Jan. 15, the California Association of Probation State Administrator’s (CAPSA) recognized Madera County Probation Department Deputy Chief Stephanie Stoeckel for her outstanding achievements and awarded her the Central California CAPSA employee of the year.
Bakersfield Californian
There’s plenty for Kern Search and Rescue crews to do during the winter months, from heading into rugged, mountainous areas to hikers who become stranded to retrieving runaway children in the desert night.
Police must release shooting records, California judge says
Sacramento Bee
A judge says a new state law requires Northern California police departments to make public records on officer shootings and misconduct that may date back years.
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to revisit open carrying of guns
Reuters
A federal appeals court has decided to reconsider its recent decision that the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects the right to openly carry guns in self-defense.
See also:
● Guns in America, through the eyes of the next generation NPR
Fire:
Forest management key in wildfire prevention
Clovis Roundup
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced his new appointments to the California Public Utilities Commission. His appointments include: Genevieve Shiroma of Sacramento; Severin Borenstein of Orinda; Mary Leslie of Los Angeles; David Olsen of Ventura; and David Hochschild of Berkeley.
Residents Of Paradise And Other Towns Destroyed By Wildfire Must Wait To Go Home
Capital Public Radio
People who survived the most deadly and most destructive wildfire in California history were told this week that they cannot camp out or park RVs on their destroyed properties. They must keep waiting.
See also:
● Fire survivors must relocate again after FEMA pressures Paradise to reverse RV rules Los Angeles Times
● Poor, elderly and too frail to escape: Paradise fire killed the most vulnerable residents Los Angeles Times
PG&E’s response to past pipeline fires too slow, investigators say
San Francisco Chronicle
Federal officials investigating the pipeline explosion that burned five buildings in San Francisco last week say it’s not the first time that crews at Pacific Gas and Electric Co. took several hours to cut off gas lines feeding large fires.
See also:
● Pipeline blast puts spotlight on PG&E’s shutoff abilities San Francisco Chronicle
● California’s strict wildfire liability rule hangs over bankrupt PG&E San Francisco Chronicle
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Payday loans making a comeback? Lenders praise Trump proposal, consumer advocates worry
Fresno Bee
In Fresno and the Valley, payday lenders cluster in low-income areas. The Trump administration plans to dump anticipated rules planned during Obama administration requiring assessing ability to repay loans.
See also:
● EDITORIAL: The Trump administration says hooray to payday loan debt traps Los Angeles Times
Disabled American Veterans Charities opens second thrift store
abc30
Under the flag delivered by the Clovis East ROTC, the Disabled American Veterans Charities of Central California cut the ribbon on its newest thrift store. The DAV still operates its store downtown on Van Ness, but they wanted to grow the charity.
Jobs:
Storms displace estimated 150 Yosemite employees. Some tell of dire conditions
Fresno Bee
An estimated 150 concessions workers in Yosemite National Park have been displaced from their employee housing due to damage from heavy snows in recent storms, the park reported Friday.
See also:
● Yosemite Nat’l Park Facilities Damaged By Significant Snowfall Sierra News
What We Don’t Know About a $15 Minimum Wage Is Scary
Bloomberg
An extreme policy could put a lot of people out of work.
EDUCATION
K-12:
These schools are on the list of lowest-performing in California
Fresno Bee
The California Department of Education has released a list of the lowest-performing schools in the state, including several in the Fresno area, for the first time in four years.
See also:
● How does your school compare to others? Visalia Times Delta
Superintendent accused of embezzling money appears in court
abc30
The Parlier Unified Superintendent accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a school account faced a judge on Friday. Four years after he was accused of embezzling money from the school district he oversaw, Gerardo Alvarez entered a plea.
Walters: School districts set poor example for students
Sacramento Bee
There’s bitter irony in the loud complaints from California school officials and unions about not having enough money. Schools are supposed to be teaching our children how to become productive and responsible adults, but by overspending revenues, blaming others for their fiscal problems and demanding bailouts, they are setting poor examples.
Walters: Newsom wants more accountability for schools
CALmatters
Former Gov. Jerry Brown held an oddly bifurcated attitude toward how California educates six million elementary, middle and high school students.
BCSD board considering limiting public comment time
Bakersfield Californian
People looking to voice their concerns to the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education could soon face new limitations.
Coupal: Why universal preschool is too costly for California
San Diego Union-Tribune
When newly elected Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced his first budget, he stated that universal preschool would be an important priority. Advocates of that program cheered, convinced that the $18 billion state budget surplus made this the right time to spend the $1.8 billion to make that commitment.
See also:
● Only a fraction of California children eligible receive subsidized child care EdSource
Why we need to rethink education in the artificial intelligence age
Brookings
Artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies (ET) are poised to transform modern society in profound ways. As with electricity in the last century, AI is an enabling technology that will animate everyday products and communications, endowing everything from cars to cameras with the ability to interact with the world around them, and with each other. These developments are just the beginning, and as AI/ET matures, it will have sweeping impacts on our work, security, politics, and very lives
Higher Ed:
Deadline FAST APPROACHING: Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowship
The Maddy Institute
Applications for two $56,000 Fellowships Due Friday, February 22nd, 2019. Through the generosity of The Wonderful Company, San Joaquin Valley students will have the opportunity to become the next generation of Valley leaders through The Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowship. The Maddy Institute will award two $56,000 Fellowships to Valley students who are accepted into a nationally ranked, qualified graduate program in the fall of 2019.
Fresno State scholarship fund reaching critical point. How much trouble are Bulldogs in?
Fresno Bee
Fresno State raised more than $4 million toward its athletic scholarships in 2018, more than it had in any of the past 10 years. But university and athletic department officials said donations must double this year to stabilize the Bulldog Foundation, which raises those scholarship dollars and is reaching a critical point with its net financial position in a steady decline.
Porterville Recorder
Porterville College Interim President Bill Henry will officially retire on Sept. 6, 2019, and he finds himself at the bittersweet crossroads of counting down the days to retirement — a thought that brings him mixed emotions.
Sac State safety: University project installs classroom locks
Sacramento Bee
A university that campus police say had more than 170 reported cases of theft in 2017 plans to introduce new higher-tech locks to its classroom doors over the next two years.
Sacramento State’s annual campus safety plan for 2019, posted by the university’s police department at the end of 2018, outlines planned changes in safety protocols over the next 24 months.
Sac State orders fraternity to cease all activities after second hazing allegation in three weeks
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento State’s Delta Chi fraternity, which is currently under school investigation for alleged hazing incidents, was ordered Friday to cease and desist all activity, according to a statement from the university.
CSUB welcoming new group of students into California Promise program
Bakersfield Californian
Cal State Bakersfield will welcome a cohort of students into the California Promise Degree Pledge program on Monday.
California’s New Online Community College Taps Tech Entrepreneur For Top Job
Capital Public Radio
Heather Hiles, founder of Pathbrite and a Newsom appointee when he was San Francisco mayor, will run the controversial new online college signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown.
Proposed Budget Prioritizes College Students in Need
Public Policy Institute of California
Governor Newsom’s January budget proposal includes $1 billion in new funding for higher education. Much has been made of his plan to cover two years of tuition for first-time, full-time community college students. But that is just one aspect of an overall approach that provides extensive support to a wide variety of students.
CA Gov. Newsom’s higher ed advisor to tackle access and financial aid issues
EdSource
Lande Ajose said she shares other parents’ concerns about college costs and graduation rates.
#MeToo reconsidered: One feminist on equalizing campus sexual assault rules
Roll Call
Patricia Hamill calls herself a feminist and a liberal Democrat, but as a defense attorney for students accused of sexual assault and harassment on college and university campuses she backs the Education Department’s controversial proposal to require schools to change the way they handle these cases. The department is now considering the more-than-100,000 comments it received about its proposal, most of them opposed.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Under Trump, EPA inspections fall to a 10-year low
Washington Post
The agency’s inspection rate last year is half of what it was in 2010, while the civil penalties levied against polluters is the lowest since 1994.
See also:
· EPA penalties against polluters fall sharply Merced Sun-Star
A quarter-million kids later, KEEP celebrates a half century
Bakersfield Californian
Based on the sheer numbers, Kern Environmental Education Program, or Camp KEEP, must surely have made some meaningful impressions over the years: 250,000 fifth- and (mostly) sixth-graders have gone through the program in its half-century of existence, according to a KCSOS estimate.
Is the Green New Deal biting off too much?
Brookings
Fellow Samantha Gross discusses the Green New Deal, spearheaded by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, explaining that the ambitious proposal reads more like guidelines for an ideal society than a policy proposal.
See also:
● How the Green New Deal is shaping the race for president Los Angeles Times
● Opinion: The Green New Deal Would Spend the U.S. Into Oblivion Bloomberg
● Green New Deal by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Popular Mechanics
● Opinion: ‘Green New Deal’ sounds like pie in the sky. But we need it. Washington Post
● EDITORIAL: AOC’s Green New Deal could finally force the U.S. to get serious about climate change Los Angeles Times
Energy:
PG&E bankruptcy a window into myriad problems facing California’s energy future
Fresno Bee
Assemblyman Jim Patterson of Fresno, CA writes that overgrown forests and a political mandate for wind and solar power over natural gas and hydroelectric is stretching California’s electricity grid to the max.
See also:
● Skelton: Should California bail out Pacific Gas & Electric? Los Angeles Time
EDITORIAL: Calls to ban California oil production are ridiculous
Bakersfield Californian
It has been 50 years since a drilling platform off the coast of Santa Barbara spewed about 3 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean, left an oil slick along 35 miles of California’s beautiful coast and killed thousands of animals.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Cardiovascular disease dates back 3,000 years. It remains the No. 1 killer in U.S.
Modesto Bee
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women resulting in one in four deaths in the United States each year. Despite this evidence, there continues to be a need for greater education.
See also:
· Americans have healthier hearts. We have a healthier budget, too. The Washington Post
A reason to smile: SJ dentists, hygienists offer free care to children
Stockton Record
Saturday was National Children’s Dental Access Day. In Stockton, this meant that for the 17th consecutive year, the San Joaquin Dental Society provided free treatment to about 100 children up to 17 years old in the dental clinic at St. Mary’s Dining Room.
Climate change is a health emergency. Let’s act like it
Sacramento Bee
But climate change threatens to undermine even the best efforts to achieve health for all. Climate change is a health emergency. It’s impacting our health now and acts as a threat multiplier to exacerbate the state’s many social and health equity challenges.
California Made It Hard To Avoid Vaccinating Kids. Medical Waivers Have Tripled. Now What?
Capital Public Radio
Three years after California stopped allowing families to easily opt out of childhood vaccines, the number of kids getting medical waivers has tripled.
See also:
● Measles is deadly. Vaccines are not. We need our laws to reflect this reality Los Angeles Times
● Why stopping measles matters NPR
Human Services:
Big outpatient center for children opens in Modesto. Here’s what you need to know.
Modesto Bee
The Valley Children’s Pelandale Specialty Care Center grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony included dignitaries and Raiders quarterback Derek Carr Friday morning February 8, 2019 in Modesto.
City clears the air with New Porterville Rescue Mission
Porterville Recorder
During a lengthy City Council meeting Tuesday night, the New Porterville Rescue Mission (NPRM) received a public hearing to address the possibility of modifying their conditional use permit which would allow for the mission to take its first steps towards running as a Social Services facility.
SVMC experiencing high patient volumes
Porterville Recorder
Sierra View Medical Center (SVMC) Friday morning set up a command center and put out a high census alert due to the increasingly high volume of patients coming through the Emergency Department.
Nursing licenses delayed, public protection at risk without more money, state board says
Sacramento Bee
A state nursing board is warning that it needs more money to protect the public from unsafe nurses and eliminate delays in licensing new ones.
Bakersfield Californian
One by one over the past month, local health-care providers changed hands: a radiology company, a chain of blood-testing clinics, a hospital.
Even in best-case scenario, opioid overdose deaths will keep rising until 2022
Los Angeles Times
In the nation’s opioid epidemic, the carnage is far from over.
Beyond the slogan, ‘Medicare for all’ vexes Democratic presidential candidates
Los Angeles Times
As Democratic candidates leap into the presidential fray, many have latched onto a catchy political rallying cry: “Medicare for all.” But don’t assume they’re all talking about the same thing.
Screen time for children: Good, bad, or it depends?
Brookings
The debate rages on: Is screen time in its modern guise bad or good for children—and for us?
The Governor’s Individual Health Insurance Market Affordability Proposals
LAO
The Legislature, among others, has raised concerns about underlying costs, efficiency, and access in the state’s overall health care system.
Drug pricing is secretive. Fix that first
Roll Call
Health care economist Uwe Reinhardt once described pricing in the health care sector as “chaos behind a veil of secrecy.” That description aptly applies to the opaque U.S. pharmaceutical market.
See also:
● 2020 Democratic contenders largely align on drug price bills Roll Call
IMMIGRATION
Newsom to pull California National Guard troops from border, slam Trump’s ‘fear mongering’
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom is withdrawing hundreds of California National Guard troops from the border in a rebuke to President Donald Trump.
Border arrests up 85% over same time last year: Customs and Border Protection
abc30
More than 200,000 people were arrested trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in the past four months, an 85 percent increase from the same period last year.
‘Woken Up’ By Trump Presidency; Southeast Asian Immigrants Flock To Citizenship Classes
Valley Public Radio
FIRM offers citizenship classes for an hour three days a week. Some people wanted the classes because they said they were afraid of being deported. Others are just wary of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Allensworth: Town, now CA park, symbol for African Americans
Fresno Bee
Docent Emmett Harden jokes on a recent winter day about many visitors viewing Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park as a “weed patch” in the rural southern San Joaquin Valley. But step inside the park’s buildings, he says, and you’ll get another story.
L.A. Anti-Road-Diet Conspiracy Trolls Trying to Go National
Streetsblog Los Angeles
Advocates, alert: “Keep L.A. Moving,” a small, vindictive group of well-heeled westsiders with little regard for the safety of L.A.’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged residents, is now pushing its disinformation to a national audience -or, at least, attempting to – by rebranding itself as “Keep The U.S. Moving.”
Housing:
Could a homeless court help in Merced? Mayor Murphy pledges to help establish one
Merced Sun-Star
Homelessness was front and center as Merced Mayor Mike Murphy gave his State of the City address on Friday.
See also:
● 210 Connect, “Homelessness: Seeking Innovative Solutions” Visalia Times Delta
● How are cities handling the homeless population? Visalia Times Delta
California Homeowners Face Higher Prices for a Scarce Commodity: Wildfire Insurance
Wall Street Journal
With carriers refusing to renew or write new policies, many homeowners are forced to turn to nonstandard insurers.
Los Angeles Times
California voters have consistently backed the building of affordable housing, and they have been generous in paying for it. Since 1988, the state has passed seven housing bonds worth more than $9 billion to fund the construction of homes for seniors, the homeless, farmworkers and low-income families.
EDITORIAL: As the housing crisis continues, segregation grows
San Francisco Chronicle
The Bay Area’s housing crisis isn’t just straining residents’ wallets. According to a new study from UC Berkeley and the California Housing Partnership, it’s resegregating cities, displacing minority communities and exacerbating historical patterns of racial and ethnic inequality.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Why your tax refund could be smaller this year — and why you might even owe money
Fresno Bee
Tax refunds are 8.4 percent lower than this time last year, IRS data show. Many tax payers are complaining about smaller returns than other years. Here’s why that could be, and why some people might even owe.
See also:
● Average tax refund down 8.4% so far in 2019, according to IRS data abc30
● Tax code changes leave Americans asking, ‘What happened to my refund?’ NBC News
● Millions of Americans could be stunned as their tax refunds shrink Washington Post
● Did Republican tax law spur rich to flee blue states? San Jose Mercury News
● Millions of Americans won’t get a tax refund and might have to pay MSNBC
The one-day, $1-billion California budget gimmick that has lasted for almost a decade
Los Angeles Times
Ten years ago this week, California lawmakers stared into the deepest fiscal abyss the state had ever faced and lived to tell the tale — in part by pretending part of the hole didn’t really exist.
Bill would give Californians a $10,000 tax deduction for college savings
San Francisco Chronicle
California may be the most-populous state, but its 529 college savings plan is dwarfed by those offered by six states including Nevada, Utah, Maine and New Hampshire.
CalPERS sued to identify retirees with disability
Calpensions
Two Sacramento Bee reporters hit a roadblock 15 years ago as they checked out a tip that many high-ranking California Highway Patrol officers were filing injury claims as they prepared to retire, giving them generous disability pensions with tax-free income.
TRANSPORTATION
Record 1.7 million flew Fresno’s friendly skies in 2018
The Business Journal
The skies were truly the limit at Fresno Yosemite International Airport in 2018.
Snowy roads cause spinouts; CHP urges drivers to travel prepared
abc30
Weather woes were felt along the roadways as conditions changed throughout the day. Caltrans and CHP are urging people to check road conditions before heading up the mountain.
Average US price of gas jumps a penny per gallon, to $2.34
Merced Sun-Star
The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline is up a penny a gallon over the past two weeks, to $2.34. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey says Sunday that she expects gas prices to keep rising slightly as retailers pass on increases in wholesale costs to consumers.
Text and drive in California and you could get a point on your license
Sacramento Bee
In California, texting and driving could soon be punishable by more than just a fine. A new bill would add a point to the license of anyone caught on their cellphone while behind the wheel.
What California’s ‘Nonbinary’ Gender Designation Will Cost Teen Drivers
Capital Public Radio
The California law granting a nonbinary gender designation will raise car insurance rates for teen girls and lower them for boys.
(Opinion) Instead of hoping to kill high speed rail what about improving the plan?
Manteca Bulletin
Drive just a tad over 100 miles south of Manteca on Highway 99 and you will see one of the reasons killing off the California High Speed Rail Project is delusional dreaming regardless of how firmly rooted the notion is in fiscal and common sense.
WATER
What to expect: Rain, snow, road closures in the Central Valley, foothills – and freezing temps
Fresno Bee
A storm will pummel the Central San Joaquin Valley through Sunday, leaving freezing temperatures in its wake on Monday and perhaps Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. In addition, snow dropped in mountain areas will create hazardous conditions for driving.
See also:
● Weather service issues another winter storm warning for Sierra as snow piles up Fresno Bee
● Another storm hitting southern Sierra. It’s been 20 years since we’ve seen one like it Sierra News
We don’t trust water board’s chair. Please, Governor make a change
Modesto Bee
The problem with Felicia Marcus is that she never stopped working for the environmental movement. Yes, she’s paid by the state to represent all Californians as chairwoman of the State Water Resources Control Board.
They’re big, furry and could destroy the Delta. California has a $2 million plan to kill them
Sacramento Bee
California’s San Joaquin River Delta is in danger of being overrun by voracious beagle-sized rodents.
“Xtra”
If fans wanted the best, that’s what they got from Kiss in its final Fresno concert
Fresno Bee
It’s easy to be too cool for Kiss. If you think about it too hard, for too long, the band is Spinal Tap-level ridiculous.
Fresno Chaffee Zoo mourns death of African elephant
Fresno Bee
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo’s 11-year-old elephant, Bets, has died, the zoo announced Sunday.
FresYes Fest 2019 lineup announced
Fresno Bee
FresYes Fest has had its save the date reminder out for awhile.
Fresno County Blossom Trail celebrating 31 years
abc30
The Fresno County Blossom Trail kicked off their 31st year with an opening ceremony in Selma on Friday morning.
It Was A Dark And Stormy Night: Clue At Golden Chain
Sierra News
Theater-goers are virtually guaranteed to have the time of their lives figuring out the rules of death, as the Golden Chain Theatre presents an interactive whodunit, Clue. And there are 216 possible solutions!
New farmers market debuts in northeast Bakersfield
Bakersfield Californian
After being postponed last week due to rain, Market on the Hill, a new farmers market, debuted in northeast Bakersfield on Saturday.