IN THIS ISSUE:​
Top Policy/Political Stories
- Local/Regional
- State
- Federal
Additional information on the following topics
- Agriculture/Food
- Criminal Justice/Public Safety
- Economy/ Jobs
- Education
- Environment/Energy
- Health/Human Services
- Immigration
- Land Use/Housing
- Public Finances
- Transportation
- Water
- “Xtra“​
- Editorials
| TOP POLITICAL STORIES​​​​​​​
 Local/Regional Politics:
Schools prepare for student walkouts in support of gun lawsFresno BeeFresno Unified is urging students to “identify alternatives” to walking out of school in protest of the country’s gun laws, following last week’s school shooting in Florida. National campaigns scheduled for the coming weeks will urge students and teachers to peacefully protest by walking out of class in a call for stricter gun regulations.See also: ·      Modesto students organizing walkout against gun violence Modesto Bee ·      Mass shooting in Florida reignites debate about arming teachers at Kingsburg High School ABC30 ·      What Stanislaus students plan to do about gun violence at schools The Modesto Bee ·      Porterville student was ‘just kidding’ when he threatened schoolVisalia Times-Delta
Rep. Devin Nunes draws protesters at fundraiser in NE Fresno ABC30 Before going into his campaign fundraiser in north Fresno, Congressman Devin Nunes repeated the message he has made with his controversial memo about the Russia investigation. “What people need to know is that the FBI and DOJ used information that was paid for by Democrats in the Clinton campaign to open an investigation into an American citizen,” said Devin Nunes.
Harder: Denham abandons Dreamers; I won’t when elected to Congress Modesto Bee A young woman recently volunteered to work on my campaign. A student at Modesto Junior College, she speaks four languages and should be a great volunteer in my challenge to the incumbent in the 10th Congressional District, Jeff Den-ham. That is, if she is still here to see the final outcome of our efforts. This volunteer is a Dreamer, one of roughly 3.6 million young men and women whose parents brought them into this country when they were children. In her case, she was just 3 years old.
How Fresno’s sprawling development could be a good thing. Are we the next Austin, Texas?Fresno Bee Could the San Joaquin River, long a dividing line in the heart of California, unite the state in pursuit of a more metropolitan future for the Central Valley? Whether that happens will be determined in Madera County, on the north side of the river from Fresno.
Lawmaker’s Fresno State visit will promote student housing bill The Collegian California Assemblywoman Anna Caballero is scheduled to visit Fresno State on Thursday to introduce Assembly Bill 2784, which could implement the Emergency Student Housing Loan Program. The program aims to address the high cost of student living. It will provide housing to students at California State Universities who are homeless or at risk becoming homeless.
This mayor’s daughter was homeless. He’s pushing a bill to fight the problemFresno Bee Three years ago while Fresno Mayor Lee Brand still was a city councilman, his daughter was living homeless on the streets of Fresno. Charity Brand was battling drug addiction when she was kicked out of her parents’ house first, then her grandmother’s house.
Put Valley first in line for Volkswagen settlement funds Fresno Bee Last year, 46 percent of San Joaquin Valley voters we polled said they believe Sacramento’s air pollution reduction strategies are slanted against Central Valley’s air quality in favor of California’s coastal areas. Thankfully, California will soon have $423 million to pursue nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission reduction solutions. As Sacramento decides how to spend these funds, the Central Valley should be a priority.
City of Clovis is turning to social media for input on their budget KFSN-TV The City of Clovis is taking a new approach when it comes to getting feedback on how they should prioritize their budget for the next year. Andy Haussler, who is the Community and Economic Development Director with the City of Clovis, said this is the first time they’ve turned to social media for something like this.
Fresno County DA not following other prosecutors in proactive cannabis case dismissals ABC30 Fifteen months after California voters made recreational marijuana legal, thousands of people in Fresno County are still carrying convictions for activities no longer considered crimes. Prop 64 changed everything when it comes to marijuana laws. Not only did it legalize recreational marijuana, allowing people to have up to an ounce, it also applied retroactively to just about everyone ever convicted of a marijuana crime.
Locals begin effort to recall MedellinMadera Tribune Efforts to recall Madera Mayor Andy Medellin are moving forward, according to longtime resident Vickie Sloan. A core group of residents was working together, and very serious about the action, she said. The response from the general public had been surprising good, and in favor of his recall, according to Sloan and others.
Manfredi sought to consultMadera Tribune The Madera City Council Wednesday evening will vote on whether to hire Ronald J. Manfredi of Madera as a consultant to look at the city’s water rate structure and to serve as a consultant in the hiring of a permanent city administrator.
County and ACLU settle lawsuit Sierra Star Madera County Council Regina Garza, in a Feb. 14 prepared statement, announced the county and the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California has settled a lawsuit regarding California’s open meeting law, known as the Brown Act.
Firefighters union, city can’t agreeHanford Sentinel Hanford firefighters have been working without a new contract for over a year-and-a-half, and they are tired of being ignored by the city. Tom McKean, president of the Hanford Firefighters Local 3898 union, said the city is trying to reduce salary and benefits for firefighters by using a bad salary study and refusing to compromise with the union.
Council to discuss wage increase for executive management teamHanford SentinelThe Hanford City Council will meet Tuesday and start the meeting with police recognitions and awards. After awards are handed out, Officer Ruben Cano and Officer Saige Lopez will be given the oath of office.
SJ water users, cut off during drought, win a round in court Stockton Record Thousands of water-right holders who were told to cease diversions during the last drought were deprived of due process, a judge found Wednesday, raising questions about how the state will handle future shortages.
Pressing concern missing from ad recruiting a new Modesto city manager Modesto Bee Modesto’s next city manager is expected to focus on growth and economic development, improving the manager’s relationship with the City Council, downtown development, fiscal responsibility, and assessing the organization.
New Bakersfield Valley Children’s center set to open Oct. 1 Bakersfield Californian More details have been provided on when Valley Children’s Healthcare’s new Bakersfield center will open. A tentative grand opening has been set for Oct. 1, said Tim Curley, director of community and government relations for the Madera-based organization. Curley gave an update on the project at Wednesday’s City Council meeting.
State Politics:
California Losing Residents Via Domestic Migration Legislative Analyst’s Office For many years, more people have been leaving California for other states than have been moving here. According to data from the American Community Survey, from 2007 to 2016, about 5 million people moved to California from other states, while about 6 million left California. On net, the state lost 1 million residents to domestic migration—about 2.5 percent of its total population. These population losses are low in historical terms.
California water agency gets scolded: Speed up spending billions on new reservoirs The Sacramento Bee With California facing another potential drought, legislators demanded Wednesday that a state agency release $2.7 billion in bond funding for dams, reservoirs and other water storage projects. Assembly Republican Leader Brian Dahle, pulling a child’s red wagon, arrived at a meeting of the California Water Commission with a stack of petitions with 4,000 signatures supporting the two largest reservoir projects seeking bond money: Sites Reservoir north of Sacramento and Temperance Flat in the San Joaquin Valley.
California Senate to weigh discipline for accused colleague Sacramento Bee A California state senator accused of sexual misconduct apologized Wednesday to anyone who felt uncomfortable because of his behavior but flatly denied two of the more serious allegations, one involving a 19-year-old female intern, a day before his fellow senators could decide his punishment. See also: ·      California Senate leader introduces resolution to expel Sen. Tony Mendoza Los Angeles Times ·      Senate to weigh punishment for member accused of misconduct Merced Sun-Star ·      Mendoza’s colleagues could discipline him Thursday Los Angeles Times ·      California lawmaker accused of sexual misconduct apologizesCapital Public Radio ·      California lawmaker accused of sexual misconduct apologizes Washington Post ·      Why Statehouse Interns Are Especially Vulnerable to Sexual Harassment Pew Charitable Trust | Stateline ·      Numbers Hint at Why #MeToo Took Off: The Sheer Number Who Can Say Me Too The New York Times
California Democrats to outline 2018 election strategy Sacramento Bee California politicians who have come to define the blue-state resistance to President Donald Trump will be given prominent platforms to spread their message at the state Democratic Party convention this weekend in San Diego, with an emphasis on wresting back control of Congress and a possible glimpse of the 2020 presidential contest. See also ·      California Democrats to decide endorsements and hear from potential presidential candidates at annual convention Los Angeles Times ·      Hope, Fear of Division as California Democrats Prepare for Convention KQED
Laura Friedman: First-term lawmaker in key Capitol role Capitol Weekly Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, a first-term lawmaker, is among the most prominent figures in the California Capitol working to combat sexual harassment. Not only has she become the Legislature’s de facto point person on sexual misconduct, but she’s also responsible for reshaping the current harassment-reporting process that many say has failed victims.
Will California use its budget surplus to house the homeless? The Mercury News Responding to pleas from 11 big-city mayors grappling with the alarming rise of homelessness, California lawmakers on Wednesday announced two proposals that would devote over half of the state’s $6.1 billion budget surplus to the crisis. A bipartisan bill from Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, and backed by Republican Assemblyman Brian Maienschein of San Diego, calls for a one-time infusion of $1.5 billion in matching funds for cities. See also: ·      $1.5 billion for housing, homeless services proposed by legislators The San Diego Union-Tribune ·      ‘Single greatest threat’ to economy needs $1.5 billion fix, mayors tell Jerry Brown Sacramento Bee
Utah governor questions proposal to sue California over coal Fresno Bee Gov. Gary Herbert said Wednesday that he’s not convinced Utah should spend taxpayer money to sue California over its extra tax on coal and that the $2 million estimate for private attorneys to handle the case seems “exorbitant.” See also: ·      Gov. Herbert questions $2M coal lawsuit against California The Bakersfield Californian
Walters: Is Brown’s school finance reform paying off? Calmatters As he introduced his final state budget in January, Gov. Jerry Brown faced sharp questions from reporters about the effectiveness of his landmark overhaul of public school finance.
Drivers have option to upgrade their license to the new Real IDHanford SentinelSome California drivers have the option to upgrade their driver’s licenses to a REAL ID driver’s license, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The REAL ID is a federal compliant driver’s license or ID card that will be necessary to travel domestically on commercial flights after Oct. 1, 2020.
Los Angeles Times California motorists under the age of 21 would lose their driver’s license for a year if caught driving with marijuana in their system under new legislation, though the state still is developing methods of measuring the drug in the body and determining a standard for impairment. State Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) said he proposed the law so that the state would have the same “zero tolerance” policy for pot that it has for those under 21 who drive under the influence of alcohol.
After 66 years of service at the state Capitol, what’s next? The wrecking ball Los Angeles Times Once seen as a modern marvel that enhanced the original 19th century landmark in California’s capital city, the state Capitol’s 66-year-old annex was declared by architects and lawmakers on Wednesday to be long overdue for demolition and replacement.
Federal Politics:
Mitt Romney & Donald Trump’s Republican Party — 2018 Campaign Depends on Cooperation National Review On Monday, President Trump offered an enthusiastic endorsement of Mitt Romney’s candidacy for the U.S. Senate, after the 2012 GOP presidential nominee announced that he would run for the seat of retiring longtime Utah senator Orrin Hatch.
Justices Air Differences on Value of Congressional Reports Roll Call An opinion Wednesday shows the Supreme Court is as divided as ever on whether congressional committee reports should be used to help understand what Congress meant when drafting and enacting a law. All the justices agreed that the 2010 Dodd-Frank law only protects whistleblowers who tell the Securities and Exchange Commission about corporate wrongdoing. But the decision became a platform for justices to air their judicial philosophies about the long-contested idea of whether to give weight to legislative history.
Other:
U.S. students protest over gun laws, Trump considers arming teachers Reuters Students galvanized by the deadly mass shooting at a Florida high school confronted lawmakers on Wednesday with demands to restrict sales of assault rifles, while President Donald Trump suggested arming teachers as a way to stop more U.S. rampages. The unprecedented lobbying effort by groups of teenagers and parents at the White House and at the Florida statehouse in Tallahassee played out as fellow students staged classroom walkouts and rallies in cities across the country. See also: ·      TSA seizing more guns than ever in carry-on at airports The Fresno Bee ·      Assault Weapons: An Emergency Bulwark against Tyranny National Review ·      NRA opposes new age limits on gun purchases TheHill ·      Trump endorses raising minimum age to 21 for more weapons PBS NewsHour ·      CNN Town Hall: Parkland Survivors Share Opposition to Arming Teachers The Weekly Standard ·      Loesch: Obama slashed funding for gun safety program PunditFact ·      Mostly False: 18 U.S. school shootings so far in 2018 and 18 in rest of the world over past 20 years        PolitiFact ·      PolitiFact statements about Guns PolitiFact ·      What we know about mass shootings PolitiFact ·      Flashback: Trump said he would require schools to allow guns, Clinton says PolitiFact ·      Trump says arming some teachers would stop shootings ‘instantly’Reuters ·      Trump on course for clash with House GOP over gun control Politico ·      Students across US walk out of class to protest gun violence AP ·      Why Can’t the U.S. Treat Guns as a Public-Health Problem?    The Atlantic Threats Against Schools Increase Since Florida Shooting NPR ·      Parkland Students Protest in Tallahassee, Raising Political Pressure forTougher Gun Laws WSJ ·      The Making of a No. 1 YouTube Conspiracy Video After the Parkland Tragedy The New York Times ·      Parkland students face new attack, this time from the political right Fresno Bee
White nationalist is latest to sue over social media ban AP A prominent white nationalist is suing Twitter for banning his accounts at a time when social networks are trying to crack down on hateful and abusive content without appearing to censor unpopular opinions. Jared Taylor filed the lawsuit Tuesday in state court in San Francisco, marking the latest legal challenge filed by right-wing groups and figures banned from social media sites.
Topics in More Detail…
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
California water agency gets scolded: Speed up spending billions on new reservoirsThe Sacramento BeeWith California facing another potential drought, legislators demanded Wednesday that a state agency release $2.7 billion in bond funding for dams, reservoirs and other water storage projects. Assembly Republican Leader Brian Dahle, pulling a child’s red wagon, arrived at a meeting of the California Water Commission with a stack of petitions with 4,000 signatures supporting the two largest reservoir projects seeking bond money: Sites Reservoir north of Sacramento and Temperance Flat in the San Joaquin Valley.Freezing temperatures had farmers on edge as many try to protect cropsSierra Star An early-morning freeze put area farmers on full alert Tuesday, but the damage – if any – may not show up for days or even weeks. Citrus growers, whose crops are among the most susceptible to subfreezing temperatures, saw the thermostat drop to the low 20s for up to five hours in the coldest areas of the central San Joaquin Valley. Many deployed frost-protection measures including wind machines and irrigation water to try to prevent any damage. See also: ·      Farmers scramble to protect plants from freeze KFSN-TV § ‘Unusual’ cold snap hits Valley Hanford Sentinel·      Amazing drone video shows state’s almond blossoms as freezing temperatures hit  Sacramento Bee.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE​ ​/​ ​FIRE​ ​/​ ​PUBLIC SAFETY  For stories on ”mass shootings,” See: “Top Stories – Local and State Politics,” above  Crime:
S.F. Disrupts California’s Bail System SF Weekly On May 23, 2017, 63-year-old Kenneth Humphrey entered the home of his 79-year-old neighbor and stole $5 and a bottle of cologne. The retired blue-collar worker had suffered from drug addiction much of his life, and in his younger days, had been convicted of a couple felonies. But he was now a senior, and arguably less of a threat — despite his small act of theft. Nevertheless, Humphrey was arrested and booked into San Francisco’s county jail on charges of robbery and residential burglary. His bail, initially set at $600,000, was later reduced to $350,000 after he agreed to undergo drug treatment. But nine months later, he remains in prison, too poor to get out while he awaits trial.
Fire:
U.S. Forest Service works to remove burned Pier Fire trees near SpringvilleKFSN-TV The U.S. Forest Service is working to remove burned trees left behind in the Springville area after the Pier Fire last summer. But first, they need to hear from the public. The Pier Fire burned nearly 37,000 acres. Most of it burned on the Western Divide Ranger District in Giant Sequoia National Monument and the Sequoia National Forest. It left damaged and dying trees, along a 35-mile stretch of roadway, which are now considered safety hazards.
Big fire at Paul Evert’s RV Country destroys motor coaches, repair shop Fresno Bee A fire that destroyed a large repair shop at Paul Evert’s RV Country in Fresno – as well as a number of high-value recreational vehicles inside the shop – appears to have started in a refrigerator on one of the RVs, the Fresno County Fire Department said Wednesday. When the blaze broke out inside the building, estimated at about 12,000 square feet, five to eight “Class A” motor homes were parked inside it, according to Cal Fire spokesman Jeremiah Wittwer. See also: ·      Paul Evert’s RV Country engulfed in flames Fresno Bee ·      Three-alarm fire at Paul Evert’s RV cost millions in damages Visalia Times-Delta
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Metro Monitor shows uneven urban economic growth / 2018 Brookings Today’s economy appears to be booming, as judged by continued job growth, household income gains, and historically high stock prices. Yet underneath the headline numbers America’s progress remains uneven: economic divides are growing between the coasts and the heartland, technology and other sectors, and the rich and the poor.
Jobs:
Occupational Shifts Favor California’s High-Skill Workers Public Policy Institute of California The recession and recovery have reshaped California’s workforce. Between 2008, when employment peaked, and 2010, when it bottomed out, the state lost three quarters of a million jobs. Since then, the state has experienced sustained job growth; according to US Census Bureau data, by 2016 there were 1 million more workers in California than there had been in 2008.
EDUCATION  For stories on ”school mass shootings,” See: “Top Stories – Local and State Politics,” above  K-12:
Supporters gather for Clovis East teacher accused of targeting student who sat during Pledge Fresno Bee Several community members turned up at Wednesday’s Clovis Unified board meeting in support of a teacher accused of telling a student who didn’t stand for the Pledge of Allegiance to “go back to her country.”
Opinion: Governor’s race is crucial for charter school backers The Mercury News Last month, Gov. Jerry Brown’s appointed members of the State Board of Education went against two locally elected school boards, San Jose Unified and the Santa Clara County Office of Education, and their own staff recommendations to vote with unanimity to approve two charter schools. These charters are homegrown grassroots efforts to improve education outcomes for students in downtown San Jose.
Suspension rates for black male students in California higher for foster youth, rural students The Mercury News Black male students in rural counties and those in foster care are suspended at particularly high rates in California, a new report has found. Black boys in foster care in the seventh and eighth grade have the highest suspension rates of all students statewide.
Could free, in-school SAT option level the playing field? CALmatters The SAT may be an important hurdle in the college admissions process, but until recently it was one that many students in the Long Beach Unified School District weren’t clearing. Fewer than half of 11th graders in the working-class district were even attempting the test. Registration fees, at $60 for the full test including essay, posed a challenge for some families in a district where more than two thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Other students just didn’t see themselves as college material.
Walters: Is Brown’s school finance reform paying off? CALmatters As he introduced his final state budget in January, Gov. Jerry Brown faced sharp questions from reporters about the effectiveness of his landmark overhaul of public school finance. His Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), which went into effect five years ago, provides more money to school districts with large numbers of poor and/or “English learner” students on the assumption that it will close the much-lamented “achievement gap” in learning.
Porterville Recorder State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) announced that applications for the California Dream Act are down and urged all eligible students to apply for the program, which allows undocumented students to receive state financial aid for college. The application deadline is March 2.
Elevate CA: Four ways California can build more grads ready for college and a career California Economy Reporting The California economy is humming. Unemployment is at historic lows, even in many parts of the state often left behind in good times. But even this silver lining has a cloud. Parts of the Bay Area and Southern California are beyond full employment, which means some California regions are creating more jobs than the labor force can support.
California research project timed to elevate education in fall elections, inform next governor EdSource compendium of more than 30 new studies on California education, involving dozens of researchers, will be released in June, in time to help shape the debate in state elections in November and the next governor’s approach to education. At least that’s the organizers’ intent.
Comparing what parents—and Democrats and Republicans—want from schools Brookings School choice, as a type of market reform, makes schools more directly accountable to parents by tying funding to enrollment. Schools need to attract families to remain open, so their survival depends on being responsive to families’ desires. In holding schools more directly accountable to parents, school choice reforms reduce the influence of the democratic structures and processes that govern traditional public schools.
Higher Ed:
UC expands free online classes for high school students Sacramento Bee Seeking to help disadvantaged students, the University of California announced an expansion Wednesday of its online learning program that provides high school students with free access to courses required for admission into state universities.
The final tally is in — UC’s highest one-year payout for sex harassment settlements Sacramento Bee Sexual harassment payouts at the University of California spiked in 2016-17 at more than $3.4 million, with students and university employees filing claims ranging from inappropriate hugging and kissing to sexual assault, according to new documents released by UC to The Bee.
AR-15, handguns seized after felon arrested in California college threats case The Mercury News Investigators arrested a 27-year-old Norco felon and seized several weapons — including a loaded AR-15 — after authorities said the man made social media threats to shoot up a local college campus.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Lower foothills residents beware: Cold snap may bring snow to your doorstep tonight Sacramento Bee Lower foothill residents beware: You may wake Thursday to find snow at your doorstep. The National Weather Service forecasts that snow may land and stick in Auburn, Placerville, with a possible overnight dusting as low as El Dorado Hills. Several weather systems will keep temperatures below normal in the Sacramento Valley for the next week and bring snow to the Sierra, according to weather service forecasts.
Los Angeles Times On one side, there’s the rising ocean. On the other, rising buildings. Squeezed between the two are California’s salt marshes — a unique ecosystem filled with pickleweed and cordgrass, shorebirds and many endangered species. Coastal wetlands such as Bolinas Lagoon in Marin County, the marshes along Morro Bay and the ecological preserve in Newport Beach can purify the air, cleanse urban runoff before it flows into the sea and reduce flooding by absorbing storm surges like a sponge.
Energy:
US, Canadian provinces launch first cap-and-trade auction to battle climate change Reuters The U.S. state of California and two Canadian provinces kicked off a cross-border auction of greenhouse gas emission credits on Wednesday, their first joint effort to buy and sell in the “cap and trade” market to fight global warming, experts said. The auction comes less than two months after the U.S. local and Canadian regional governments merged their trading markets for cap and trade, a system designed to limit carbon emissions by putting a price tag on pollutants produced.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
CDC collects health survey data in Central ValleyKFSN-TV You may get a knock at your door sometime soon by someone asking about personal health information. That’s because officials with the Centers for Disease Control will be in the Valley for the next six weeks gathering data for a new National Health survey.
New Bakersfield Valley Children’s center set to open Oct. 1 The Bakersfield Californian More details have been provided on when Valley Children’s Healthcare’s new Bakersfield center will open. Tim Curley, director of community and government relations for the Madera-based organization, gave an update on the project at the Feb. 21 City Council meeting and said a tentative grand opening has been set for Oct. 1.
Kids And Pot: How One Emergency Room Is Responding Capital Public Radio Emergency physician and medical toxicologist Dan Kolby with UC Davis said doctors have seen an increase over the last two years in pediatric patients who’ve accidentally ingested marijuana. Usually these children show up sleepy, disoriented and vomiting. It can take physicians a while to figure out what’s wrong.  IMMIGRATION
Construction begins to replace border wall in CaliforniaKFSN-TV The federal government has started work on a border wall in California to replace a decaying decades-old barrier. The work that began Wednesday in the city of Calexico is the first wall contract awarded in the Trump administration outside of eight prototypes that were built in San Diego. It is a little more than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) long – a tiny portion of the president’s plans for what he calls a “big, beautiful wall” with Mexico.
LAND USE/HOUSING Â Land Use:
State agency drops objection to city rules on waterfront development San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco’s Proposition B, which gives voters a say in waterfront development, will remain in effect under a settlement announced Wednesday that ends a state lawsuit challenging the measure. The State Lands Commission, which sued the city over the proposition — approved by voters four years ago — agreed to let the measure’s checks on high-rise buildings stand. In exchange, city officials offered to guarantee that future projects would benefit not only San Francisco but all state residents.
Housing: Will California use its budget surplus to house the homeless? The Mercury News Responding to pleas from 11 big-city mayors grappling with the alarming rise of homelessness, California lawmakers on Wednesday announced two proposals that would devote over half of the state’s $6.1 billion budget surplus to the crisis. A bipartisan bill from Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, and backed by Republican Assemblyman Brian Maienschein of San Diego, calls for a one-time infusion of $1.5 billion in matching funds for cities. See also: ·      $1.5 billion for housing, homeless services proposed by legislators The San Diego Union-Tribune ·      ‘Single greatest threat’ to economy needs $1.5 billion fix, mayors tell Jerry Brown Sacramento Bee
Mayor’s daughter was homeless – now he’s fighting the problemFresno BeeThree years ago while Fresno Mayor Lee Brand still was a city councilman, his daughter was living homeless on the streets of Fresno. Charity Brand was battling drug addiction when she was kicked out of her parents’ house first, then her grandmother’s house. “I know personally the pain parents go through,” Fresno’s mayor told The Bee. “The hard part is not to enable them.”Non-profits build affordable housing in RiverdaleKFSN-TV Construction workers are hard at work building houses in the community of Riverdale. The building materials include wood, nails, and love.
Local zoning is getting in the way of housing Sacramento Bee For a long time, being an environmentalist meant stopping things – dirty power plants, the clear cutting of trees and new dams. But in the battle against climate change, we must build – specifically, more affordable homes for our growing population.
Brookings Institution Southern California faces two equally knotty challenges: how to improve housing affordability and how to reduce traffic congestion. State Senator Scott Wiener recently proposed a statewide Transit Zoning Bill, SB 827, which attempts to address both problems. He argues that cities should build more housing in taller buildings near major transit hubs. Weiner also argues that statewide intervention is necessary because cities have not done enough on their own to encourage compact, dense development near transit. Some critics are pushing back that development guidelines should be left to localities.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Walters: Is Brown’s school finance reform paying off? Calmatters As he introduced his final state budget in January, Gov. Jerry Brown faced sharp questions from reporters about the effectiveness of his landmark overhaul of public school finance.
California’s public pension crisis in a nutshell San Francisco Chronicle The essence of California’s pension crisis was on display last week when the California Public Employees Retirement System made a relatively small change in its amortization policy. The CalPERS board voted to change the period for recouping future investment losses from 30 years to 20 years.
The self-destructive behavior of California’s state pension systems OCRegister California’s big public pension systems have many difficulties. But until now, CalPERS and CalSTRS have relied for much of their clout on a sense that there just wasn’t an alternative to turn to. Today, they don’t have the luxury of pretending they’re the only game in town.
Retirement Debt: What’s the problem and how does it affect you? CALmatters Across California, the cost of retirement benefits for public employees remains untamed. The total cost to state and local governments as well as schools and colleges has more than tripled since 2003—and projections indicate the burden in coming years will continue to grow. Payments for public employee pensions and retiree health care benefits are putting so much pressure on government budgets that many are having to choose between service cuts and raising taxes. Gov. Jerry Brown has called the issue a “moral obligation” and the association of California cities now predicts that the growth will be “unsustainable.”
TRANSPORTATION
Bill Would Let Californians Choose Driver’s License Pictures An effort by a state lawmaker to generate more money for driver’s education in California schools is banking on people’s vanity. Democratic Sen. Josh Newman of Fullerton has introduced a bill that would let drivers take more than one photo at the Department of Motor Vehicles and then choose which one goes on their license.
Don’t widen any more freeways. Just make buses better Los Angeles Times El Camino Real, the steamers that whipped around Cape Horn during the Gold Rush, the Big Four, I-5, Uber — all are testaments to California’s obsession with cutting down on travel time. Every generation has hailed a new savior for our traffic woes, only to eventually complain about it. I’m sure even Father Serra at some point cursed PCH at rush hour between Ventura and Santa Barbara.
Brookings Institution Southern California faces two equally knotty challenges: how to improve housing affordability and how to reduce traffic congestion. State Senator Scott Wiener recently proposed a statewide Transit Zoning Bill, SB 827, which attempts to address both problems. He argues that cities should build more housing in taller buildings near major transit hubs. Weiner also argues that statewide intervention is necessary because cities have not done enough on their own to encourage compact, dense development near transit. Some critics are pushing back that development guidelines should be left to localities.
WATER ÂWater rates increase as scheduledHanford Sentinel The city of Lemoore’s new water rate structure went into effect Jan. 1 and was reflected on utility statements starting in January. This is the second year of rate increases of the four-year plan approved during the Aug. 16, 2016, City Council meeting.
California water agency gets scolded: Speed up spending billions on new reservoirs Sacramento Bee With California facing another potential drought, legislators demanded Wednesday that a state agency release $2.7 billion in bond funding for dams, reservoirs and other water storage projects.
“Xtra”
Black American History Parade sets out to unite all of Bakersfield Bakersfield Californian Gloria Patterson looked to her Urban Intellectuals flashcards for inspiration for this year’s Bakersfield Black American History parade. These flashcards highlight positive, historical black figures and stories, some of which Patterson found might not be covered in schools, but are still important. This is the 12th consecutive year of the parade since it was revived by its current committee, of which Patterson is the organizer. This year’s theme is “Staying Connected to Preserve Our Heritage,” a connection which Patterson said needs to be community-wide and absent of skin tone.
Valley Cultural Calendar Thursday, February 22, 2018 Valley Cultural Coalition Great things are happening in the Valley. Here’s a list of VCC member offerings to keep you busy and entertained!
Fresno County non-profit holds baby shower to help care of injured and orphaned animalsKFSN-TV A local non-profit needs your help caring for more than a thousand orphaned and injured animals. Fresno Wildlife will be holding its very first baby shower event hosted by the auxiliary board to help take care of the orphaned and injured animals they take in. All donations will go directly towards the care of orphaned and injured native wildlife along with covering high food bills, vet bills, and other essential costs.
Take me home! Animals available for adoption Bakersfield Californian These four animals at Kern County Animal Services are looking for their forever homes. Can you help? 3951 Fruitvale Ave., 868-7100, Facebook.com/KernCountyAnimalServices. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays. Visit any Wednesday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. for a weekly low-cost vaccination, licensing and microchipping clinic.
EDITORIALS
If only Florida had a law like this California one that has saved livesFresno Bee A man armed with an AR-15 assault weapon made serious threats, not in Parkland, Fla., but in La Jolla. There, authorities had the power to act. The La Jolla man had texted his fiancée to say he intended to shoot her in the head. To drive home the point, he visited her ex-boyfriend and threatened to kill him, too.
Let food stamp recipients eat socialism USA Today/Visalia Times-Delta Who knew that President Trump and some in his Cabinet were closet Socialists. How else to explain their plan to slash a partnership between government and private industry that provides food for the poorest Americans and partially replace it with a program fresh from Cold War Bulgaria.
Our nation’s democracy is at risk. Where are Facebook and Twitter?Sacramento Bee Except for inside the alternate universe of the Oval Office, there can no longer be any doubt.Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election and hijacked Facebook and Twitter to do it. And if the Silicon Valley social media giants don’t step up, it’s going to happen again in 2018 and 2020.
Billy Graham should be remembered in Modesto, tooModesto Bee Billy Graham was, perhaps, the greatest of all evangelists. He didn’t so much excel at his calling as re-invent it, transforming the tent revivals of his North Carolina youth into religious stadium shows full of music, fervor, forgiveness and salvation.
The California Senate’s opaque rules on sexual harassment make cleaning up Sacramento more difficultLos Angeles Times An independent investigation ordered by the California Senate has concluded that state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) most likely engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with six women — five Senate aides and a lobbyist — over the last decade. What’s more, the investigators’ report paints a pattern of abuse of power that continued despite two warnings to Mendoza to leave particular women alone.
Find funds for quake alert systemsSan Francisco Chronicle Earthquakes are a fact of life in California, but so is the ability to warn the public as tremors rumble through the earth. Other major nations have warning systems that reliably pump out alerts 30 to 60 seconds before danger hits. |