February 16, 2018

16Feb

TOP POLITICAL STORIES​​​​​​​

 

Local/Regional Politics:

 

Mathews: Fresno area could become state’s answer to Austin

Fresno Bee

Could the San Joaquin River, long a dividing line in central California, unite a region in pursuit of a better future? In Madera County, across the river from Fresno, a new unincorporated city of planned communities is under construction. Within a generation, it could swell to more than 100,000 people. On the Fresno side, the county and the city of Clovis are expanding development. Rising together, the new Madera town, Fresno, and Clovis could constitute a tri-cities area.

 

High-speed rail brings hope and fear to the Central Valley

Design & Architecture

California’s high-speed rail network promises to bridge communities cut off by California’s difficult geography. But despite criticism and widespread negative press, parts of the route are being built in Fresno — and are opening up new opportunities in the Central Valley.

See also:

·       Asm. Jim Patterson Calls For High-Speed Rail Authority To Pursue “Plan B”Valley Public Radio

 

City council, CVMD share plans for upcoming projects

Clovis Roundup

The meeting was eye-opening for both entities as they discussed joint projects and efforts and how well they are coming together. Of particular interest were plans shared by both agencies highlighting the facilities they are working on that will coexist in the area off of Third Street along both Clovis Avenue and Veterans Parkway.

 

At DBA breakfast, nothing but good news about downtown’s growth

The Bakersfield Californian

If downtown Bakersfield seems unusually bustling and energetic lately, there’s good reason: A lot of people have been channeling their energy into its upkeep and development. It’s showing. That was the consensus at Thursday’s Downtown Business Association’s 2018 State of the Downtown Breakfast at the Marriott Hotel. There was plenty of cheering and back-patting, and justifiably so, among the crowd of 350.

 

Warm, dry winter season major concern for local ag businesses

Bakersfield Californian

While residents may be enjoying the sunnier, warmer weather this winter season, it has posed a challenge for some Kern County agriculture businesses. The warmer temperatures have caused some crops to begin blooming early, speeding up a process that usually doesn’t get going until March or April. Some businesses are concerned that the early blooming may have a negative impact on the health of trees and the crops

Fresno expands area covered by gunshot-detecting technology

The Fresno Bee

A day after a gunman killed 17 people and wounded many more at a Florida high school, the Fresno City Council approved a contract to expand the city’s ShotSpotter technology system to cover a larger area, including more school campuses across Fresno. The timing of Thursday’s vote was coincidental; the three-year, $440,000 contract with ShotSpotter Inc. was placed on the agenda late last week.

See also:

·       Police investigating gun threat made to Edison and Sunnyside high schoolsThe Fresno Bee

·       Extra officers planned at 2 FUSD high schools as precaution after possible social media threat ABC30

·       More safety training needed in schools in case of emergency, Chief Dyer saysABC30

·       Local districts reflect on campus safety after Florida shooting  Visalia Times-Delta

 

City Council approves additional funding for Fresno Police crisis intervention training

KFSN-TV

When it comes to responding to emergency calls of a more delicate nature the Fresno Police Department now has a specialized unit to move in and keep the situation from escalating — including domestic calls that involve a person with mental illness.

 

College trustee seeks Fresno City Council post

The Fresno Bee

Fresno City Council District 3 has the potential to be a well-populated battlefield by the time the primary election rolls around in June. So far, seven candidates have at least taken out papers with the intention of replacing Councilman Oliver Baines, who has served two four-year terms representing downtown and southwest Fresno and is barred by term limits from seeking re-election.

 

Recall of YUSD trustees Loveland and Wilder set in motion

Sierra Star

Tammy Loveland, the president of the Yosemite Unified School District, and trustee Christine Wilder were each served with a ‘Notice of Intention to Circulate Recall Petition’ before the start of the Feb. 12 YUSD board meeting held in the Yosemite High School cafeteria.

 

Kern’s grand jury calls for improvements in Kern Transit, bicycle path systems

The Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County grand jury thinks Kern Transit, the countywide bus and van service, needs to do a better job of selling itself to the public. Kern Transit serves 27 communities in unincorporated Kern County with 16 fixed bus routes that link many of the most remote places in its 8,163 square miles to Bakersfield and the Metrolink in Los Angeles County.

 

Marijuana foes gather signatures in Riverbank. Could city be forced to rethink plans?

Modesto Bee

Residents on Thursday delivered petitions to City Hall asking for a vote of the people to overturn recent City Council approval of a commercial marijuana dispensary on a major thoroughfare. Another nearly identical petition would likewise boot a second pot shop from downtown, also recently embraced by the council.

 

County plans to house homeless in converted shipping containers

Modesto Bee

Officials are working ona plan to open Modesto’s first low-barrier shelter, which could be operating as soon as June and provide 60 beds for the homeless as well as a day center. Unlike traditional ones, these shelters take couples, pets and possessions. But officials stressed they still have details to work out for the project to become a reality. “It’s not a done deal yet,” Stanislaus County Chief Operations Officer Patty Hill Thomas said.

 

Senator Vidak introduces bill that would require state agencies to pay employees twice a month

KERO 23ABC News

Senator Andy Vidak introduced a bill that would require state agencies to pay employees twice a month. Senate Bill 1234 would require California state agencies to pay their employees at least twice a month.

 

State Politics:

 

Capitol Weekly Podcast: Dan Morain

Capitol Weekly

Veteran political journalist Dan Morain joins to chat about Steve Poizner, California’s former insurance commissioner who announced this week he wants to get his old job back — only this time by running as an independent, not a Republican. Will the multimillionaire Poizner, by shedding the party label, be able to shake the curse that has befuddled GOP statewide office-seekers in California? Or, will his rightward turn in the GOP’s bruising 2010 gubernatorial primary come back to haunt him?

Governor’s Race:

·       Kamala Harris to endorse Gavin Newsom for governor The Mercury News

·       Sen. Kamala Harris endorsing Gavin Newsom for governor Los Angeles Times

·       A Surprise Entry into the Governor’s Race Fox&Hounds

·       Amanda Renteria for Governor? A Candidacy Generating More Questions Than Answers  KQED

·       Podcast: Immigration Stalemate and Gubernatorial Conspiracies with Mike Madrid KQED News

CA women lawmakers aim to increase numbers amid #MeToo moment

The Sacramento Bee

It’s unusual for an incumbent in the California Legislature to draw a challenger from his or her own party. But last week, backed by two Assembly members in nearby districts, Democrat Vicky Santana announced her campaign for the southeast Los Angeles County Senate seat held by Sen. Tony Mendoza.

See also:

·       Sen. Tony Mendoza sues California Senate challenging forced leave of absence and sexual harassment investigation Los Angeles Times

·       Suspended California lawmaker sues for reinstatement Fresno Bee

·       The Latest: Suspended California lawmaker sues state Senate Sacramento Bee

·       Accused lawmaker sues Senate over ‘mystery’ sex harassment probeSacramento Bee

 

 

Why won’t senate take actions Prop 50 demands?

Modesto Bee

Four years ago, the state Senate was thrown into turmoil by the simultaneous prosecution of three senators on unrelated felony charges. The Senate compelled all three to step aside from their duties, but could not legally strip them of their salaries and benefits while they awaited disposition of their cases, which eventually ended in convictions. In effect, they got long paid vacations, which didn’t sit well with the voting public.

 

Steve Poizner adds some spice to 2018 election

Sacramento Bee

Rather than more idle speculation over who will be the next governor of California, let’s look at an office further down the ladder – state insurance commissioner. Steve Poizner, who held the office for one term before an ill-fated gubernatorial run in 2010, announced this week that he’s running for his old job. Here’s why that’s notable.

 

In school superintendent race, it’s Democratic reformer vs. union ally

Fox&Hounds

The 2018 race for state superintendent of public instruction may not have an incumbent but is likely to feel like an encore of the 2014 race, pitting a Democrat aligned with the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers against a Democrat who backs reforms opposed by the unions.

 

California’s gas tax increase has fast-tracked road repair projects as supporters hope to stave off a repeal

Los Angeles Times

Motorists on the 605 Freeway may have recently noticed their ride getting smoother when they pass through El Monte — at least state officials hope they have. Three months after the state began collecting an extra 12 cents per gallon ingas taxes, officials have put dozens of road and bridge repair projects on the fast track.

 

Digging into the data: How attainable is the ‘California Dream’ today?

CALmatters

No one has the exact same definition of the California dream. Ask the 39 million current Californians about what the dream should be, and aside from most of us agreeing that the daily temperature should dip no colder than the mid-‘50s, you’ll likely get 39 million very different answers.

California renters could get a tax break — and new protections from eviction

The Mercury News

California renters would gain new legal protections — and a doubled state tax credit — if lawmakers pass a package of bills announced Thursday amid pressure to help millions of people coping with the threat of eviction and lack of available rental housing.

See also:

·       Tax cut for California renters on the table in Legislature Sacramento Bee

 

California lawmaker wants to stop Facebook from sharing children’s information without clear consent from their parents

Los Angeles Times

A Southern California legislator wants Facebook and other social media sites to obtain clear permission from parents before allowing children and teens to use their services. Assemblyman Ed Chau (D-Monterey Park) says an increasing number of websites and apps are collecting personal information and content from young users that can be used to market brands and products. But the consent agreements that make these practices possible are often buried in general terms and conditions for use of service, and companies often allow minors to sign up with no more than a promise that they have asked their parents for permission.

 

Pricey personal loans would be outlawed by bill that would reshape state lending industry

Los Angeles Times

California lawmakers are once again trying to cap the interest rate that lenders can charge on large personal loans, renewing an effort to eliminate the state’s flourishing market for super-expensive debt.

 

How to Restore Financial Sustainability to Public Pensions

California Policy Center

Last month the League of California Cities released a “Retirement System Sustainability Study and Findings.” The findings were not surprising. “Key Findings” were (1) City pension costs will dramatically increase to unsustainable levels, (2) Rising pension costs will require cities to nearly double the percentage of their general fund dollars they pay to CalPERS, and (3) Cities have few options to address growing pension liabilities.

 

Federal Politics:

Senate immigration bills fail; ‘Dreamers’ in limbo

Fresno Bee

The Republican-led Senate on Thursday blocked both President Donald Trump’s immigration plan and a bipartisan alternative, a failure that cast doubt onwhether Congress will ever resolve the fate of hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants.

See also:

·       Senate immigration debate ends in failure Politico

·       Four Up, Four Down on Senate Immigration Proposals Roll Call

·       Senate Rejects Immigration Plans, Leaving Fate of Dreamers Uncertain The New York Times

·       Bipartisan Senate effort to protect Dreamers collapses after Trump threatens veto Los Angeles Times

·       Senate Fails To Advance Any Immigration Proposals NPR

·       Senate rejects immigration measures as Trump’s DACA deadline nears San Francisco Chronicle

·       California’s senators split on Dreamers fix as immigration bill fails Los Angeles Times

 

US Supreme Court weighs intervening in “Dreamers” problem

Reuters

The U.S. Supreme Court could say on Friday whether it will consider President Donald Trump’s appeal of a lower court decision blocking his order to end a program that shields hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.

 

Frustration Grows as Congress Shows Inability to Pass Even Modest Gun Measures

New York Times

After a gunman in Las Vegas slaughtered country-music fans with assault weapons that mimicked a machine gun, lawmakers from both parties said they would move quickly to ban so-called bump stocks. After a mass shooter massacred churchgoers in Sutherland Springs, Tex., the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, John Cornyn of Texas, was stirred to action, pledging legislation to bolster the nation’s instant background check system for would-be gun buyers. Congress has effectively done neither.

See also:

·       Trump says will make schools safer after Florida shooting Reuters

·       Trump says he’ll visit Florida, emphasize mental health after school shootingPolitico

·       Florida Shooting: Trump Laments ‘Terrible Violence’ but Avoids Mention of Gun Control The New York Times

·       Trump’s Budget Cuts Millions From School-Safety Programs New York

·       Trump budget would cut millions in school safety funds: report TheHill

·       White House refuses to release photo of Trump signing bill to weaken gun law CBS News

·       Rubio: Shooters ‘will find a way to get the gun’ TheHill

·       Hiltzik: ‘Thoughts and prayers’ and wads of NRA money: Why nation can’t control guns (a grim update) Fresno Bee

·       How gun background checks work CNN

·       The issue is not mental health. The issue is the guns. Washington Post

·       The N.R.A. Can Be Beat The New York Times

·       Florida Shooting: We Need Armed Teachers And Superior Fire Power In Schools To Prevent Attacks, Fox News’s Judge Napolitano Says Newsweek

·       2nd Amendment Rights Support: Not Cowardly National Review

·       No, there haven’t been 18 school shootings so far in 2018. That number is flat wrong. Miami Herald

·       How do we prevent school shootings? PolitiFact

·       What we don’t know about gun violence Marketplace

·       GOP chairman: Congress should rethink CDC ban on gun violence researchTheHill

·       Constitution doesn’t prevent gun limits Modesto Bee

·       Comparing state of California’s firearm laws to federal government ABC30

·       Florida school shooter may not have been able to buy the same gun in California San Francisco Chronicle

·       What Explains U.S. Mass Shootings? International Comparisons Suggest an Answer The New York Times

·       Paradise lost – Massacre jolts Florida’s ‘safest city’ Reuters

 

Dianne Feinstein gets more political, firming up her left

OCRegister

U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, long a personal friend and colleague of California’s longtime Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, pronounced himself confounded recently, when Feinstein released previously secret testimony about a controversial dossier on Donald Trump’s pre-presidential Russian connections.

 

Civil Service and Civil Rights Are Not Synonymous

National Review

Government employees’ unions harm the poor much more than they help them. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear the landmark Janus v. AFSCME case, the rhetoric from government-union leaders and their allies is tilting toward the absurd, the disingenuous, and the downright evil. One emerging theme neatly combines all three: the notion that government unions are good for black and other poor Americans, and that any attempt to undo them is an act of violent racism.

 

Nine organizations sue Trump administration for ending grants to teen pregnancy programs

Washington Post

Planned Parenthood has joined forces with eight other local government, health care, and advocacy organizations to take the Trump administration to court over the defunding of a national teen pregnancy program.

 

Other:

 

As an unapologetically black Californian, here’s #WhatBlackPantherMeansToMe

Sacramento Bee

It was more than a decade ago, but Professor Roberto Pomo still clearly remembers the day Ryan Coogler, the young man who would grow up to create the superhero masterpiece “Black Panther,” walked into his classroom at Sacramento State.He sat in the front row. He paid close attention. He asked a lot of questions, even though he was a business major in a film studies class. But what Pomo remembers most was Coogler’s vision.

 

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING  

 

Sunday, February 18, at 10 a.m. on ABC 30 – Maddy Report: 2018: The Political Forecast​​ – Guests: John Myers (LA Times) and Dan Walters (CalMatters). Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, February 18, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report: “State Politics: The Year Past & the Year Ahead” – Guests: John Myers (LA Times) and Dan Walters (CalMatters). Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler. 

 

Sunday, February 18, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – Informe Maddy:2018 Race for Governor: Former LA Mayor  Guest: Antonio Villaraigosa y Liam Dillon with the LA Times. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

 

 

Support the Maddy Daily HERE.

Thank you!

 

 

Topics in More Detail…

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Warm, dry winter season major concern for local ag businesses

The Bakersfield Californian

While residents may be enjoying the sunnier, warmer weather this winter season, it has posed a challenge for some Kern County agriculture businesses. The warmer temperatures have caused some crops to begin blooming early, speeding up a process that usually doesn’t get going until March or April. Some businesses are concerned that the early blooming may have a negative impact on the health of trees and the crops.

 

California’s licensed pot sellers want the state to crack down on illegal competitors

Los Angeles Times

Six weeks after the state began licensing marijuana farming and sales, officials have received a flood of complaints about illegal pot operations and demands for a start to tough enforcement. Many of the 304 complaints received in recent weeks are from newly licensed businesses that say they are being harmed financially by the continuing illegal market.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

 

For stories on latest mass shooting, See: “Top Stories – Federal Politics,” above

 

Crime:

 

FBI-led investigation nabs Northern California crime organization which sold meth, heroin on social media

The Mercury News

In Vacaville and elsewhere in Northern California, residents awoke abruptly early Wednesday to local, state and federal law enforcement officials streaming through their neighborhoods. It was all a part of Operation Silent Night, a federally-led effort to smash organized violent crime — namely, the Varrio Bosque Norteño street gang — centered in Woodland.

 

Innocent California inmate says $2 million can’t make up for lost years

KCRA Sacramento

A former California inmate wrongly imprisoned for nearly 40 years says it was the “worst nightmare” and that even nearly $2 million in state compensation granted on Thursday can’t make up for his lost time. The California Victims Compensation Board granted 70-year-old Craig Richard Coley $140 for each of the 13,991 days he spent in prison before he was pardoned by Gov. Jerry Brown before Thanksgiving.

 

Public Safety:

 

Chronicle investigation prompts bill to ban questionable foster care arrests

San Francisco Chronicle

Legislation introduced Thursday would declare a three-year moratorium on the unnecessary arrests of youth in California foster care shelters and residential facilities – an effort to halt a pipeline that has funneled hundreds of abused and neglected children into juvenile halls from Stockton to San Diego, often for minor misdeeds.

 

Sheriff’s Department team offers fresh S.T.A.R.T. for repeat offenders in San Bernardino County

CAFWD

Manuel was first arrested and booked in 1987 and has been arrested 63 times in total.* He is HIV positive and homeless when he’s not in custody. Before his last release, he worked with a dedicated team within the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department to help him successfully reenter society.

 

ECONOMY / JOBS

 

Economy:

 

California must protect its video game industry

Sacramento Bee

Each day, more than 150 million Americans turn to video games to be entertained, to learn a skill or to spend time with family and friends. Without realizing it, they’re also providing a major boost to California’s economy. Given our dominant positions in both entertainment and technology, it’s not surprising that California is far ahead of other states when it comes to the entertainment software industry.

 

Jobs:

 

Retraining Workers for the Future Economy

California Economy Reporting

As the economy continues to shift toward computers and digital technology—and braces for a potential future with more robots—workers have been called upon to adapt and learn new skills. New industries and new kinds of jobs may lead to economic growth, but whether these gains are shared by all of California’s workers depends critically on their retraining. And that retraining, in turn, depends on the ability of educational institutions to also adapt to new labor market needs.

 

EDUCATION

 

For stories on latest mass school shooting, See: “Top Stories – Federal Politics,” above

 

K-12:

 

Science project on race and IQ tests boundaries of free speech in high schools

Sacramento Bee

When does freedom of speech cross the line on a school campus? As society grows ever more polarized and controversial statements quickly go viral on social media, school leaders are increasingly confronting the boundaries.

 

BCSD seeking name suggestions for new school

Bakersfield Californian

Anyone who would like to make a suggestion can submit in writing suggested name(s) and why that name should be chosen to: The Office of the Assistant Superintendent, Business Services, 1300 Baker St., Bakersfield, CA 93305.

 

Wondering about those protesters outside Bakersfield High? They’re just spreading kindness

Bakersfield Californian

All week long, Bakersfield High School students have taken to the corner of California Avenue and H Street waving signs and hollering for traffic — but they’re not protesting. They’re sprinkling kindness. The demonstrations are part of a national “happiness sprinkling” movement, said Jennifer Thompson, a BHS English teacher who has twice taken her students to the street corner this week.

 

California special needs students would be allowed to use medical marijuana in school under new legislation

Los Angeles Times

California minors with special needs or severe disabilities who rely on marijuana for medical purposes would be allowed to use the drug at their school under legislation introduced this week by state Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo).

 

Youth advocates pushing to expand California’s ban on ‘willful defiance’ suspensions

EdSource

With just months to go before California’s ban on so-called “willful defiance” suspensions in early primary grades is set to expire, youth advocates are pushing for a bill winding its way through the state Legislature that would both continue the ban and expand it to include all grades from kindergarten through high school.

 

More than a dozen California schools have received grants that foster innovative programs

EdSource

The RAND personalized learning study was based on 40 schools that received Next Generation Learning Challenge grants, including 12 in California. The “New Designs for School” grants were awarded to schools across the country that wanted to create new school models that allowed students to work at their own pace and that addressed students’ individual needs.

 

After a divisive first year, will Betsy DeVos extend an olive branch?

Brookings

We are just beginning the second year of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’s tenure, which thus far has been marked with contention since her turbulent confirmation process. Her popularity among teachers is shockingly low: A recent Education Week survey of teachers and school and district leaders shows that 72 percent of respondents have an unfavorable opinion of DeVos. For the sake of comparison, 67 percent of respondents have an unfavorable opinion of President Trump.

 

Higher Ed:

Fresno Pacific University opens food pantry

KFSN-TV

A new addition at Fresno Pacific University will provide for students in need and their families. School officials celebrated the grand opening of the campus’ Sunbird Pantry this afternoon.

 

CSUB President receives Unity Award

The Bakersfield Californian

Cal State Bakersfield students selected President Horace Mitchell to receive the college’s Unity Award for his contributions to promoting diversity and collaborations, university officials announced. Students presented the award to Mitchell — who is retiring in June — during the third annual CSUB Unity Breakfast as part of the university’s Black History Month celebration.

 

California’s private colleges have plenty of room

Sacramento Bee

California is facing a higher education crisis. By 2030, we will have a shortfall of 1.1 million college graduates, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. That means we will lack the teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs and other highly-educated professionals needed to keep our economy strong and growing.

 

Retraining Workers for the Future Economy

Public Policy Institute of California

As the economy continues to shift toward computers and digital technology—and braces for a potential future with more robots—workers have been called upon to adapt and learn new skills. New industries and new kinds of jobs may lead to economic growth, but whether these gains are shared by all of California’s workers depends critically on their retraining. And that retraining, in turn, depends on the ability of educational institutions to also adapt to new labor market needs.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Emissions from deodorant, bug spray and other household products may rival that of cars and trucks

89.3 KPCC

Air freshener. Shaving cream. Bug spray. Nearly everything under your sink or in your medicine cabinet is a source of air pollution. Scientists and regulators have known this years, but a new study from UC Davis and the University of Colorado concludes that consumer products are bigger polluters than previously thought.

See also:

·       How We Pollute the Air Every Morning (Before We Hop in the Car) New York Times

 

US environmental penalties nearly halve in Trump’s first year: report

Reuters

The Environmental Protection Agency levied around half the average number of penalties against polluters in the first year of the Trump administration as in the same period of the past three presidential administrations, according to a report released Thursday.

 

Energy:

 

Court rules Energy Dept. must implement Obama efficiency rules

The Hill

The Trump administration must carry out the implementation of four energy efficiency regulations that it has delayed for more than a year, a federal court ruled Thursday. The Department of Energy (DOE) wrote the rules and made them public in December 2016, under the Obama administration.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Health Plan of San Joaquin applauded for its performance

Modesto Bee

In 2017, Health Plan of San Joaquin focused on our commitment to community building, one of our core strengths. Now, is we’re looking forward to meeting lingering Central Valley economic challenges to healthcare for our members and community.

 

California special needs students would be allowed to use medical marijuana in school under new legislation

Los Angeles Times

California minors with special needs or severe disabilities who rely on marijuana for medical purposes would be allowed to use the drug at their school under legislation introduced this week by state Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo).

 

US officials warn ‘intense’ flu season to continue, urge shots

Reuters

Adults who get a flu shot are 36 percent less likely to get the disease, while for children the figure was an unexpectedly high 59 percent, U.S. health officials said on Thursday, predicting that the current “intense” season could continue for weeks.

 

US healthcare spending to climb 5.3 percent in 2018: agency

Reuters

United States health spending is projected to rise 5.3 percent in 2018, reflecting rising prices of medical goods and services and higher Medicaid costs, a U.S. government health agency said on Wednesday, an upward trend it forecasts for the next decade.

 

Human Services:

 

Could these simple steps help prevent homeless ‘patient dumping’ in California?

Sacramento Bee

Hospitals would be required to get written confirmation from homeless shelters before discharging patients to those facilities under a bill introduced Wednesday in the California State Senate. The bill, carried by Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-Azusa, is designed to curb the practice known as hospital patient “dumping,” or discharging poor people to the streets, shelters or other agencies incapable of caring for them.

 

Couple makes millions off Medicaid managed care as oversight lags

Los Angeles Times

Norma Diaz and her husband, Joseph Garcia, have dedicated their careers to running a nonprofit health insurer that covers some of California’s neediest residents. For three decades, they have worked for a Medicaid managed-care plan, Community Health Group, serving nearly 300,000 poor and disabled patients in San Diego County under a state contract funded entirely by taxpayers. They’ve earned above-average ratings for patient care. And in the process, they’ve made millions of dollars.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

For stories on immigration reform, See: “Top Stories – Federal Politics,” above

 

ICE targeted at least three more Valley farms with employee audits, nonprofit says

Fresno Bee

Just as the agricultural world was convening in Tulare for the World Ag Expo this week, concern and fear continued to spread across central San Joaquin Valley farmers and thousands of farm workers after three more farms were hit by employee audits ordered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

See also:

·       ICE steps up enforcement at businesses in California, targeting employers and workers  Los Angeles Times

 

US Supreme Court weighs intervening in “Dreamers” problem

Reuters

The U.S. Supreme Court could say on Friday whether it will consider President Donald Trump’s appeal of a lower court decision blocking his order to end a program that shields hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.

 

Appeals court declares Trump travel ban unconstitutional

AP News

President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban on travelers from six largely Muslim countries is “unconstitutionally tainted with animus toward Islam,” a federal appeals court ruled Thursday, delivering another blow to the policy. In a 9-4 vote, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond said it examined statements made by Trump and other administration officials, as well as the presidential proclamation imposing the ban, and concluded that it “second-guesses our nation’s dedication to religious freedom and tolerance.”

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Mathews: Fresno area could become state’s answer to Austin

Fresno Bee

Could the San Joaquin River, long a dividing line in central California, unite a region in pursuit of a better future? In Madera County, across the river from Fresno, a new unincorporated city of planned communities is under construction. Within a generation, it could swell to more than 100,000 people. On the Fresno side, the county and the city of Clovis are expanding development. Rising together, the new Madera town, Fresno, and Clovis could constitute a tri-cities area.

 

Petitions filed in Riverbank to halt OK’d pot dispensaries

Modesto Bee

Residents on Thursday delivered petitions to City Hall asking for a vote of the people to overturn recent City Council approval of a commercial marijuana dispensary on a major thoroughfare. Another nearly identical petition would likewise boot a secondpot shop from downtown, also recently embraced by the council.

 

Housing:

 

County plans to house homeless in converted shipping containers

Modesto Bee

Officials are working ona plan to open Modesto’s first low-barrier shelter, which could be operating as soon as June and provide 60 beds for the homeless as well as a day center. Unlike traditional ones, these shelters take couples, pets and possessions. But officials stressed they still have details to work out for the project to become a reality. “It’s not a done deal yet,” Stanislaus County Chief Operations Officer Patty Hill Thomas said.

 

Could these simple steps help prevent homeless ‘patient dumping’ in California?

Sacramento Bee

Hospitals would be required to get written confirmation from homeless shelters before discharging patients to those facilities under a bill introduced Wednesday in the California State Senate. The bill, carried by Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-Azusa, is designed to curb the practice known as hospital patient “dumping,” or discharging poor people to the streets, shelters or other agencies incapable of caring for them.

 

California Latinos make up small fraction of mortgage market

AP

Latinos are the largest ethnic group in California but a new analysis reveals they make up just a fraction of people applying for conventional home loans and were more likely to be denied loans in two rural Northern California metro areas.

 

Renter’s tax credit would double under this CA bill

The Sacramento Bee

A California Senate bill would double the state’s renter’s tax credit for the first time in nearly four decades. Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, introduced Senate Bill 1182 on Wednesday to increase the credit to $120 for individuals who earn $40,078 or less and $240 for joint filers with income of $80,156 or less.

See also:

·       California rents have risen to some of the nation’s highest. Here’s how that impacts residents OCRegister

 

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

CalPERS pension or a 401(k)? State workers could choose under Democrat’s bill

Sacramento Bee

New state workers would have a choice about whether they want to join CalPERs under a bill a Senate Democrat submitted on Wednesday. The bill by Sen. Steve Glazer of Orinda is a long shot. Lawmakers last year rejected other proposals to change public employee pensions, such as a bill that would have suspended cost-of-living adjustments that retirees receive.

 

California ethics panel members spar over how much they are paid for state service

Los Angeles Times

 The state’s ethics watchdog panel was divided Thursday in approving a proposal to retroactively provide extra pay to its members for work done on official state business.

 

How to Restore Financial Sustainability to Public Pensions

California Policy Center

Last month the League of California Cities released a “Retirement System Sustainability Study and Findings.” The findings were not surprising. “Key Findings” were (1) City pension costs will dramatically increase to unsustainable levels, (2) Rising pension costs will require cities to nearly double the percentage of their general fund dollars they pay to CalPERS, and (3) Cities have few options to address growing pension liabilities.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

California’s gas tax increase has fast-tracked road repair projects as supporters hope to stave off a repeal

Los Angeles Times

Motorists on the 605 Freeway may have recently noticed their ride getting smoother when they pass through El Monte — at least state officials hope they have. Three months after the state began collecting an extra 12 cents per gallon ingas taxes, officials have put dozens of road and bridge repair projects on the fast track.

 

Kern’s grand jury calls for improvements in Kern Transit, bicycle path systems

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County grand jury thinks Kern Transit, the countywide bus and van service, needs to do a better job of selling itself to the public. Kern Transit serves 27 communities in unincorporated Kern County with 16 fixed bus routes that link many of the most remote places in its 8,163 square miles to Bakersfield and the Metrolink in Los Angeles County

 

Can There Be Equity in the Bike Lane?

Pew Charitable Trusts | Stateline

Bike sharing may be the ultimate symbol of gentrification, the province of avocado-toast loving, espresso-swilling — and mostly white — millennials. But some cities are taking measures to combat that, by making it easier for low-income riders and those without a credit card or smartphone to take a two-wheeler for a spin.

 

WATER

 

Water use climbs in California enclaves as drought returns

The Bakersfield Californian

Overall water use is climbing in Southern California as that part of the state plunges back into drought, driving state and regional water managers as they consider permanently reinstating some watering bans and conservation programs. Gov. Jerry Brown lifted California’s drought emergency status a year ago, after a wet winter that snapped a historic 2013-2017 drought, and the state ended his 25 percent mandatory conservation order.

 

Sierra Snowpack, Far Below Normal, is a ‘Wakeup Call’

KQED

California’s “frozen reservoir” is already melting. With California locked in the embrace of unseasonably dry weather and high temperatures, water content of the Sierra snowpack is currently 22 percent of the long-term average for early February. That’s less than it was on this date in 2015, in the most dismal depths of California’s five-year drought.

 

“Xtra”

 

Trees begin to bloom along the Fresno County Blossom Trail

KFSN-TV

It’s arguably the most beautiful time of year in the Central Valley as millions of trees on thousands of farms begin to bloom. At the same time, the foothills turn green and wildflowers begin peeking out in a colorful and fragrant display.

 

Historic Mariposa Grove in Yosemite will reopen

Fresno Bee

This summer, visitors to Yosemite National Park once again will be able to tour the historic Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias after a restoration project wraps up. The grove will reopen June 15. The grove inspired the 1864 act that protected Yosemite Valley and sparked the idea for a national park. It’s been closed to visitors since July 2015, when restoration work began. Paved roads, parking lots and high-traffic trails affected the grove’s wetlands and threatened the trees’ long term health.

See also:

·       Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias will reopen June 15 Sierra Star

 

Fishing at Mooney Grove Park brings in families

Visalia Times-Delta

With fishing poles in hand, families cast their line into Mooney Grove Park‘s pond on Sunday in hopes of reeling in a big one. One girl was lucky enough to bring one home. Janyssa Uriate, 8, proudly displayed the trout she caught while fishing at the park. Although the Tulare girl doesn’t like to eat fish, she said she knows it’s “good for your brain.”

 

EDITORIALS

 

You hate gun laws; so what should we do?

Modesto Bee

Those of you dedicated to unfettered access to guns really should take the time to grieve and pray. But once you’re done – if you can remember, if you can find it in your heart, if you’re not too busy cleaning your AR-15s – offer the nation ideas on how we can address this crisis.

 

Kevin McCarthy tweets condolences for dead children as he takes NRA’s money

Sacramento Bee

Not long after a terribly troubled 19-year-old with an AR-15 assault rifle slaughtered 17 children at a high school in Parkland, Fla., House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy ofBakersfield offered this tweet: “The heart of our nation breaks with the senseless and tragic loss of these young students. Our prayers are with them and their families.”

 

Enough! Congress must act on gun safety

San Francisco Chronicle

Nikolas Cruz, the 19-year-old accused of killing 17 at a Florida high school, was able to legally purchase an AR-15 assault rifle designed with the capability of mass slaughter. Does President Trump or Congress need to hear any louder alarm — yet again — that the nation’s gun laws are woefully, recklessly, lethally inadequate?

 

A federal court’s message to President Trump: Shut up!

Los Angeles Times

“I wish Donald Trump would just shut up!” It’s a sentiment shared by a lot of Americans, especially those who follow the president on Twitter. But on Thursday this understandable sentiment was dressed up as a conclusion of law by a federal appeals court.

 

Ban California kids from playing Pop Warner football

Mercury News

California sports advocates can no longer ignore this grim reality:  Tackle football puts young children at risk of permanent brain damage.

 

Everyone knows we can’t arrest our way out of homelessness. So why is L.A. still trying?

Los Angeles Times

City officials struggle to balance the rights of homeless people with the rights of everyone else.

 

Trump officials seem to think they’re entitled to travel like rock stars — on your dime

Los Angeles Times

Donald Trump won the presidency with a promise to “drain the swamp” in Washington. Of course, he has done no such thing. This is the government of, by and for the 1%.

 

 

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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.

 

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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