POLICY & POLITICS
Deadline Friday! (Feb. 28) $56,000 Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowships
The Maddy Institute
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. This program helps students obtain an advanced degree from a top graduate program, return home, and apply what they have learned to help make the Valley a better place.
North SJ Valley:
See where Merced County Supervisors candidates stand on homeless crisis, other topics
Merced Sun-Star
Merced County Board of Supervisors candidates debated homelessness, Measure J, Prop 13 and more issues. Vote for candidates on March 3 presidential primary election ballot. Three incumbents are up for reelection.
Modesto, other cities were overpaid thousands due to county errors. Will they pay it back?
Modesto Bee
An internal review determined that Stanislaus County overpaid almost $1 million in tax money to its nine cities over a two-year period. Now, the county is asking the cities to give the money back. And cities seem to have a difference of opinion about what they owe.
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno is doing voting by mail this election. Here’s how it’s going so far
Fresno Bee
The number of ballots returned in Fresno County’s primary election is so far outpacing the 2018 election’s turnout, according to numbers from the Clerk’s Office.
See also:
It’s not too late to vote in the March primary. Here’s how you can in Fresno County Fresno Bee
Voting centers in Fresno open as California primary nears abc30
Two million and counting: California’s early voters Capitol Weekly
Is Fresno’s general plan committee reporting enough of its economic interests?
Fresno Bee
A regional group is asking members of a Fresno committee focused on the city’s general plan to divulge their economic interests beyond the city limits and into the city’s sphere of influence.
Who’s giving to Fresno area candidates? Late donations keep coming in
Fresno Bee
Less than two months into 2020, Fresno mayoral candidate Jerry Dyer has garnered more than three times the amount of donation dollars as Andrew Janz, his main opponent.
See also:
Mailer says Andrew Janz donors live in Silicon Valley. He says that’s misleading. Here’s why Fresno Bee
Julian Castro in Fresno campaigning for presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Fresno Bee
Julian Castro, former presidential candidate, made a stop in Fresno as he campaigns for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren at Fulton Street Coffee, Monday Feb. 24, 2020.
See also:
Warren has a plan to legalize weed nationwide. What about the other 2020 candidates? Fresno Bee
Former Presidential Candidate Julián Castro Stumps For Warren In Fresno VPR
Sen. Borgeas expresses thanks for Trump’s visit to the Valley
Madera Tribune
State Sen. Andreas Borgeas (R-Fresno) expressed gratitude in response to President Trump’s visit Thursday to the San Joaquin Valley: “I am deeply appreciative that the president took the time to visit the San Joaquin Valley and learn about our water challenges,” said Borgeas.
See also:
Walters: Trump reignites California water wars Visalia Times Delta
Nunley drops $16M suit against city
Visalia Times Delta
Councilman Greg Nunley has voluntarily dismissed his $16 million lawsuit against the city he was elected to represent.
Three Kings County precincts receive ballots in error
Hanford Sentinel
A glitch that resulted in 1,900 Kings County voters inadvertently being sent paper ballots is being addressed by local elections officials who say they’ve already taken steps to remedy the situation.
Devin Nunes’ district remains the GOP’s ruby heart as blue California votes
Los Angeles Times
Here, a ruby Republican heart beats in sapphire blue California, or as one KMJ promotion puts it, a hub for “rational thinking in an irrational state.” That heart has missed a few beats in recent years as new voters, particularly Latinos, lean more liberal.
EDITORIAL: In the election for Fresno’s next judge, Douglas Treisman offers the best experience
Fresno Bee
One of the most important races in the March 3 primary in Fresno County is the contest for Superior Court judge. Choosing a judge has major implications, including the longevity of judges once they are elected to the bench. They can easily outlast politicians in the public sphere.
South SJ Valley:
Loss of open meetings lawsuit to cost city more than $100k in legal fees
Bakersfield Californian
The city of Bakersfield has agreed to pay more than $100,000 in attorneys fees after a judge ruled the City Council violated open meeting laws when it held three closed session meetings in 2017 to discuss the city’s financial outlook.
Chevron to reveal transformational gift at CSUB event
Bakersfield Californian
Chevron will present a major gift to Cal State Bakersfield Tuesday that will help produce the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs and visionaries, according to a CSUB news release.
State:
Modesto farmer Bill Lyons resigns as Governor’s ag liaison
SJV Water
Bill Lyons resigned his post as agricultural liaison to Gov. Gavin Newsom effective immediately, according to an email from the Governor’s office Monday afternoon.
California’s new labor law is a work in progress. Here’s how lawmakers could change it
Sacramento Bee
The California Legislature is considering nearly three dozen bills to clean up or repeal the landmark gig economy law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom just months ago.
See also:
Lyft becomes a big spender CalMatters
Musicians say AB5 strikes sour note with gig-driven profession San Francisco
The new thing for California politicians? Sweet charity
CalMatters
Steak dinners with lobbyists, overseas trips, favors for spouses — nonprofits set up by California legislators and their staffers are testing campaign finance laws even as they underwrite good works by elected officials. Here as elsewhere, they're on the rise.
Fox: Ready for the 2022 Governor’s Race? There’s a Poll Already!
Fox & Hounds
We haven’t had a 2020 California election yet, but already there is a poll testing potential matchups in the 2022 governor’s race!
Federal:
AP: Fact-checking Trump on taxes, trade and presidential powers
Hanford Sentinel
In their boisterous presidential debate, several Democrats sold short the health care plans of rivals or glossed over aspects of their own record. In an audacious league of his own, President Donald Trump celebrated the elimination of a tax that still exists and went deep and wide in distorting what he’s done in office.
Trump has flipped the 9th Circuit — and some new judges are causing a ‘shock wave’
Los Angeles Times
When President Trump ticks off his accomplishments since taking office, he frequently mentions his aggressive makeover of a key sector of the federal judiciary — the circuit courts of appeal, where he has appointed 51 judges to lifetime jobs in three years.
US appeals court upholds Trump rules involving abortions
Bakersfield Californian
A U.S. appeals court on Monday upheld Trump administration rules that bar health care providers in the federal family planning program for low-income women from referring patients for abortions.
See also:
U.S. court upholds Trump’s rule involving abortion cases Los Angeles Times
Appeals court rules Trump’s restrictions on family planning funds are OK San Francisco Chronicle
White House seeks $1.25 billion more for coronavirus response
Roll Call
Combined with previously appropriated funds, the new plan would provide at least $2.5 billion to try to contain the COVID-19 disease.
See also:
White House unveils $2.5B emergency coronavirus plan Porterville Recorder
Trump sending coronavirus budget request to Congress Politico
EDITORIAL: President Trump could end America’s endless war
San Francisco Chronicle
America’s longest, costliest and most frustrating war may be nearing an end. Or the latest negotiations could splinter once again, leaving Afghanistan the bloody battleground it has been for nearly two decades.
Elections 2020:
What about the kids? Public education missing from Democratic primary debates
Sacramento Bee
On March 3, about 10 percent of the delegates who will select the Democratic nominee for president will be chosen in just one state: California. The state’s massive trove of delegates matters because, while many laws in our country flow east to west from Washington, the values that inform these laws flow west to east from California.
California voters may be surprised to find these candidates on their ballot. Here’s why
Sacramento Bee
Several presidential candidates, including seven Democrats and one Republican, either dropped out of the race after a key deadline to be removed from the list or didn’t file the necessary paperwork.
A look at Proposition 13, the $15-billion school bond on the March 3 ballot
Los Angeles Times
California voters will see only one statewide proposition on the March 3 primary ballot, a proposal to borrow money for the state’s schools. And in an election season dominated by a fiercely contested Democratic presidential race, this single ballot measure has received little attention.
See also:
On education: What Democratic candidates are promising
EdSource
Trying to decide who to vote for in the presidential primary on March 3? To help those of you for whom a candidate’s positions on education are important — as they are to us — EdSource has summarized key education positions of all eight Democratic candidates on the ballot.
Joe Biden unveils new plan on housing, homelessness ahead of California primary
Sacramento Bee
Joe Biden unveiled a new $640 billion housing plan on Monday that includes certain homeowner and renter protections already in place in California.
See also:
Joe Biden personifies the ‘Delaware Way.’ In Wilmington, that clubby style of politics is being questioned Los Angeles Times
How would Democratic candidates fix the housing and homelessness crises? Los Angeles Times
Bernie Sanders has broad support in diverse California communities, new poll finds
Los Angeles Times
Sen. Bernie Sanders has widespread support among communities of color in California, outstripping his nearest Democratic rivals, former Vice President Joe Biden and former New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, according to a new statewide poll.
See also:
If California polls hold, only Bernie Sanders would win any delegates chosen by statewide vote CalMatters
Freewheeling, outspoken, and not always on message: The risky role of Bernie Sanders’ surrogates Los Angeles Times
Bernie Sanders Outlines Funding for His Plans, but It May Not All Add Up CalMatters
Sanders Says He’ll Attract a Wave of New Voters. It Hasn’t Happened New York Times
Why Tom Steyer’s South Carolina surge could be a big boost for Bernie Sanders San Jose Mercury
‘Please disregard, vote for Bernie’: Inside Bloomberg’s paid social media army
Los Angeles Times
The Bloomberg 2020 operation is hiring more than 500 people at a rate of $2,500 a month to text friends and post on social media in support of the former New York mayor and billionaire media mogul.
Pete Buttigieg wants to end cap on state and local tax deductions
Los Angeles Times
Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg released a tax reform package Monday that would roll back the Trump administration’s cap on the state and local tax deduction, which disproportionately affects residents of high-tax states such as California.
See also:
Steyer: Trans immigrants in detention ‘should be released’ if not given care
Blade
Tom Steyer, the San Francisco-based businessperson who helped energize the drive to impeach President Trump before running for president, may be a longshot candidate for the White House, but he wants LGBTQ people — including transgender asylum seekers — to know he’s on their side.
Opinion: Taking care of elections in a big county
Bakersfield Californian
I take issue with the idea that the 43 counties, including Kern, that have not adopted the vote center model under the Voter’s Choice Act are not working to increase voter turnout.
EDITORIAL: Chronicle recommends Amy Klobuchar in the Democratic primary
San Francisco Chronicle
This nation desperately needs a change in course. For all the metrics that suggest the United States is on the right track — economy booming, crime falling — all is not well.
See also:
The 2020 Endorsement Primary FiveThirtyEight
Other:
The 2020 Census is Coming—and the Results Will Impact State Budgets
Pew Trusts
How? Because of the role that the census plays in creating the datasets and statistical indicators used by many federal grant programs—such as Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program (WIC)—to apportion funding among states, local governments, and other grantees.
Opinion: The American Dream Is Not Dead: (But Populism Could Kill It)
AEI
Populists on both sides of the political aisle routinely announce that the American dream is dead. According to them, the game has been rigged by elites, workers cannot get ahead, wages have been stagnant for decades, the middle class is dying, and life was generally better in the past.
See also:
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, March 1, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: California Latinos: An Economic Analysis - Guests: Mindy Romero, Director of California Civic Engagement Project, Price School of Public Policy at USC. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, March 1, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: Poverty and the Economic Situation of California Latinos? - Guests: Sarah Bohn, Public Policy Institute of California and Mindy Romero, Director of USC Price School of Public School. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, March 1, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: Immigration: Opportunities for New Businesses in the Valley - Guests: Dora Westerlund, CEO - The Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation; Yeru Olivares, CFO - The Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation, Yolanda Garcia, Owner - YO'MAMMAS!; Robert Zapata, Opportunity Fund. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Valley fans crave cookies, company expands
abc30
Massive chocolate chip and churro cookies are baking all afternoon long at Crave Cookie's new kitchen. Crave is one of the few companies in the Valley operating a food business without a storefront or food truck.
Farmworkers struggle with high cost of housing
CalMatters
According to the 2018 Salinas and Pajaro Valley Farmworker Study, more than 90,000 farmworkers live in the region, earning an average of $17,500 a year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Yet Salinas is one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S., according to Harvard’s State of the Nation’s Housing 2016 study.
Hot Hemp Pits States Against Feds
Pew Trusts
New federal regulations would make it harder for hemp growers to prove their plants are not marijuana, in what could be a major setback to a promising industry legalized just two years ago, farmers and state officials say.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Modesto cops see rise in vehicle burglaries — because thieves see easy opportunities
Modesto Bee
The Modesto Police Department finds itself having to remind people to do a few things that seem right out of Crime Prevention for Dummies: Don’t leave valuables in your vehicle. If you must leave them, at least put them out of sight. And lock the doors.
California bill would seal 2 million criminal records
Sacramento Bee
California will consider legislation that would wipe the low-level criminal records of about 2 million people going back decades, part of a lawmaker's second attempt to remove barriers to finding work or housing.
State opens investigation following CalMatters’ report on tech foundation
CalMatters
The FPPC's focus: Assemblyman Evan Low's decision to no longer reveal donors to a nonprofit foundation affiliated with the Legislature's technology caucus.
State Justice Department announces new technology to identify unknown persons
Los Angeles Times
The state’s top law enforcement agency has gained the ability to fully sequence mitochondrial DNA, an advancement that justice officials hope will better enable investigators to identify the bodies of missing persons.
Los Angeles Times
The #MeToo movement, ignited more than two years ago by his dozens of accusers, started a sweeping cultural shift toward zero tolerance of sexual harassment in the workplace and society (although we still have a long way to go).
Public Safety:
County has new probation chief
Madera Tribune
Chris Childers has been appointed by the judges of the Madera County Superior Court to serve as the next chief probation officer. Currently holding the title of deputy chief probation officer, Childers brings to the job 30 years of experience in the field of community corrections.
Lodi police chief to retire in two months
Stockton Record
Police Chief Tod Patterson has announced his retirement effective May 1. The 54-year-old Patterson has worked in law enforcement since he was 21 and been with the Lodi Police Department for 30 years, serving as chief the past five years.
KCSO to hold promotion and commendation ceremony on Wednesday
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Sheriff's Office will hold a promotion and commendation ceremony on Wednesday. The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. in the sheriff's auditorium at 1350 Norris Road, according to a news release.
Kern County announces it will accept applications for detentions deputy academy
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for a detentions deputy academy that will begin in June.
Legal marijuana use still costs people jobs. A new California bill takes on the issue
Los Angeles Times
Assemblyman Rob Bonta introduced legislation Friday that would require employers in both the public and private sectors to accommodate workers and job applicants who use marijuana for medical purposes, which was legalized in California in 1996.
Fire:
Valley firefighters help carry burden for grieving Porterville crew. Service set for captain
Fresno Bee
The Merced Fire Department joined several other departments across the Central Valley to keep the Porterville Fire Department staffed as they grieve the loss of two of their own.
See also:
Porterville residents looking for next steps after fire that killed 2 firefighters abc30
Family, community says goodbye to fallen Porterville firefighters Visalia Times Delta
Funeral services Tuesday for fallen Porterville firefighter, Delano native Bakersfield Californian
PG&E fires debris hauler on California wildfire cleanup, alleging over-billing and payoffs
Fresno Bee
PG&E Corp. said Monday it fired a company that was hauling Camp Fire debris from Paradise after discovering the company was over-billing the utility and paying “large sums of money and gifts” to two PG&E supervisors.
See also:
Utility fires contractor after probe involving wildfires Sacramento Bee
PG&E CEO says two employees, contractor involved in ‘possible fraud’ San Francisco Chronicle
Without Warning: Smoke detectors missing in subsidized housing
abc30
Smoke detector problems and inspection delays are prevalent for public housing complexes across the Central Valley.
Volunteers Needed for Miami Mountain Fire Tower Lookout
Sierra News
The Sierra National Forest is looking for volunteers to staff the Miami Lookout tower during the summer fire season.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Is Fresno’s general plan committee reporting enough of its economic interests?
Fresno Bee
A regional group is asking members of a Fresno committee focused on the city’s general plan to divulge their economic interests beyond the city limits and into the city’s sphere of influence.
U.S., global markets plunge as coronavirus cases spike outside China
Washington Post
Financial markets plunged Monday as the spread of the coronavirus that has ravaged China threatens economic havoc on a global scale.
Opinion: Let The Dust Settle On The TCJA Before Judging Its Effectiveness
Vox
Given the current disagreements on President Trump’s signature tax reform, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), it may come as a surprise to many that the centerpiece of the law—the significant cut in the headline federal corporate tax rate—had been a point of consensus among policymakers and economists for the past decade.
Jobs:
California’s new labor law is a work in progress. Here’s how lawmakers could change it
Sacramento Bee
The California Legislature is considering nearly three dozen bills to clean up or repeal the landmark gig economy law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom just months ago.
See also:
Lyft becomes a big spender CalMatters
Musicians say AB5 strikes sour note with gig-driven profession San Francisco Chronicle
Podcast: A new report says wages are growing, but unequally
AEI
AEI Director of Economic Policy Studies Michael R. Strain discusses recent wage and income growth trends.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Student art to show off Chowchilla
Madera Tribune
An art exhibition reflecting a personal and emotional view of Chowchilla through the art of students of Wilson Middle School will open at City Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 26. On display will be art reflecting a personal and emotional view of Chowchilla created by students at Wilson.
New bill would end ‘financial incentives’ for home-schooling charter students
San Diego Union-Tribune
A new bill would prohibit California home-school charters from providing “financial incentives” to families for enrichment activities and would require the state to approve vendors that provide enrichment to these charter schools.
Higher Ed:
How to get help filling out your FAFSA
abc30
The FAFSA deadline for state financial aid is fast approaching and it's not too late for your students to cash in on some college aid.
CHSU Appoints Dean of Pharmacy
Clovis Roundup
The California Health Sciences University appointed Dr. Mark Okamoto as Dean of CHSU College of Pharmacy.
Former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to speak Tuesday at UC Merced
Merced Sun-Star
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will give a speech on the future of civic engagement as part of UC Merced Interim Chancellor Nathan Brostrom’s speaker series.
Chevron to reveal transformational gift at CSUB event
Bakersfield Californian
Chevron will present a major gift to Cal State Bakersfield Tuesday that will help produce the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs and visionaries, according to a CSUB news release.
U.S. college students choosing Baja California school over state universities
San Diego Union-Tribune
When California began cutting support for its state universities amid the 2008 financial crisis, colleges responded by raising tuition. That’s when administrators at a university in Baja California began noticing more U.S. students crossing the border to attend school.
Improving workforce success among America’s college students
Brookings
Aside from affordability, students at America’s community colleges get too little support and guidance about what they can realistically achieve in college and what the labor market rewards; too many students wander aimlessly, taking liberal arts classes in the hope of transferring to 4-year schools, while not completing a meaningful credential there.
Democrats resist plan for new student aid agency
Roll Call
Originally raised by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos at the end of 2019, it aims to spin Federal Student Aid — the branch of the Education Department responsible for overseeing student loan financing — into a separate agency.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Scientists gather to study risk from microplastic pollution
Bakersfield Californian
Tiny bits of broken-down plastic smaller than a fraction of a grain of rice are turning up everywhere in oceans, from the water to the guts of fish and the poop of sea otters and giant killer whales. Yet little is known about the effects of these “microplastics" — on sea creatures or humans.
Springlike weather brings out hungry bears, lions in California
San Francisco Chronicle
From one end of the state to the other, bears and other wildlife are already showing up in the strangest places imaginable and acting a lot like it’s spring.
Energy:
No reason to panic but federal energy commissioner says cyberattacks a ‘real threat’
San Diego Union-Tribune
The prospect of a cyberattack on utilities that could lead to widespread paralysis of the nation’s electric grid is a serious concern, one of the commissioners at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, said at a conference in San Diego last week. But at the same time, Bernard McNamee said ratepayers should not be consumed with worry.
CalMatters
California’s energy system is undergoing a period of profound change. Our state has committed to the goals of 100% clean electricity, a doubling of energy efficiency, widespread transportation electrification, and a carbon-neutral economy by 2045.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Dozens of Fresno-area residents monitored for coronavirus as precaution, officials say
Fresno Bee
As fear spread around the world early this week over the new strain of the coronavirus, local officials said at least 55 people in Fresno County have been quarantined at home and monitored for symptoms.
See also:
Judge suspends plan to move coronavirus patients from Travis AFB to Costa Mesa Merced Sun-Star
H1N1 Was The Last Pandemic. Here's Why COVID-19 Isn't Yet In That Category Capital Public Radio
Across California, tech, ports and tourism take hits from coronavirus San Francisco Chronicle
Coronavirus: Where did our quarantine facilities go? San Jose Mercury
Are you too nice? Why extreme niceness can be bad for your health
Fresno Bee
Are you too nice? People who are overly kind, polite and sensitive have trouble saying no and setting boundaries. They feel guilty, exhausted and can burnout, a San Luis Obispo, California, therapist says.
Childhood trauma linked to poor health. Can parents find help in Stanislaus County?
Modesto Bee
In 2018-19, more than 4,200 children and teens received care with the county agency, including juvenile justice system, foster care, community-based clinics and crisis intervention.
Vaccine critics get assurances from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wife during impromptu chat
Los Angeles Times
California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom told anti-vaccine protesters rallying outside her Sacramento-area home that her husband’s administration is looking into their concerns about California’s new laws limiting who can be exempted from shots required for school, while also saying she believes there needs to be more dialog about whether some immunizations are unnecessary.
California’s housing crisis sickens families
CalMatters
Communicable diseases also love overcrowding. Viruses, fungal infections and head lice thrive in these environments, where germs travel in the air from coughs and linger on commonly touched items.
Marijuana use is rising sharply among seniors over 65, study says, and there are serious risks
CNN
The numbers of American seniors over age 65 who now smoke marijuana or use edibles increased two-fold between 2015 and 2018, according to research published Monday in JAMA.
Human Services:
Houchin Community Blood Bank to host social for 'RACE IN TO GIVE' blood drive
Bakersfield Californian
Houchin Community Blood Bank, in partnership with Kern County Raceway, will host a social event to kick off their 'RACE IN TO GIVE' blood drive.
In California, the teen birth rate has hit a record low. How?
CalMatters
Explanations include the state's comprehensive sex education, access to birth control, better contraception methods and even reality TV. Even so, the rates in some California counties remain very high.
Why registered nurses at a California hospital plan to hit the picket line in March
Sacramento Bee
The RNs at French Camp’s San Joaquin General Hospital announced Monday that they are planning a two-day strike March 5-7 because they could not reach agreements on safe staffing for patients or on hiring and retention of experienced RNs.
California loosens its individual mandate for health insurance
Los Angeles Times
Concerned too many Californians were unaware they would face a hefty fine for not having health insurance, officials on Tuesday loosened a state law meant to push uninsured residents into buying medical coverage.
US appeals court upholds Trump rules involving abortions
Bakersfield Californian
A U.S. appeals court on Monday upheld Trump administration rules that bar health care providers in the federal family planning program for low-income women from referring patients for abortions.
See also:
U.S. court upholds Trump’s rule involving abortion cases Los Angeles Times
Appeals court rules Trump’s restrictions on family planning funds are OK San Francisco Chronicle
The Youngest Children Are Falling Out of Health Insurance
Pew Trusts
So, for many health experts, the most troubling aspect of a recent increase in the number of children without health insurance is a spike in the number of uninsured kids under 6.
IMMIGRATION
Crackdown on immigrants who use public benefits takes effect
abc30
With new rules taking effect Monday that disqualify more people from green cards if they use government benefits, droves of immigrants, including citizens and legal residents, have dropped social services they or their children may be entitled to out of fear they will be kicked out of the U.S.
See also:
Physicians group releases report on psychological effects of family separation
Los Angeles Times
Nearly two years have passed since the separation of thousands of migrant children and their parents under the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy. Months after some reunions, experts found that severe psychological trauma remained.
Protecting the most vulnerable: What it takes to make a case under the US asylum system
San Diego Union-Tribune
Nicaraguan government attacks on pro-democracy protests left hundreds dead and tens of thousands living in exile. Bárbara is one of them.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Is Fresno’s general plan committee reporting enough of its economic interests?
Fresno Bee
A regional group is asking members of a Fresno committee focused on the city’s general plan to divulge their economic interests beyond the city limits and into the city’s sphere of influence.
Downtown construction gets underway as Bitwise looks to build community
Bakersfield Californian
Blueprints for the future home of Bitwise Bakersfield, located opposite the Padre Hotel along 18th Street, show a tech hub with 9,500 square feet of offices, smaller areas for shared work space and computer coding classes plus a welcoming corner for beer and coffee sales.
Work will start soon to repair MJC aquatic center damaged in 2018 explosion
Modesto Bee
The work to repair the Modesto Junior College aquatic center is expected to start in early March, about 21 months after an explosion in the pool supply room closed the center and its two swimming pools.
County Seeking Name for Future Regional Park at Manzanita Lake
Sierra News
On Friday (Feb. 21), Madera County took ownership of approximately 140 acres just north of Manzanita Lake. The heavily forested land, which had been owned by PG&E, will be developed into a regional park.
Housing:
Building a house in California is expensive. These new proposals would slash city fees
Fresno Bee
California Democrats unveiled on Monday a package of eight proposals that attempt to spur construction of new homes by slashing some of the fees that local governments charge for building permits.
See also:
California lawmakers: eye limits on housing project fees Hanford Sentinel
Local fees that boost housing costs targeted by Assembly Democrats San Francisco Chronicle
California home prices jumped by the biggest margin in 5 years. Here’s what you’ll pay now
Sacramento Bee
For the first time since 2014, the average cost of a home in California jumped by more than 10 percent compared to prices in the same month a year earlier.
Trailers for homeless families arrive in Stockton
Stockton Record
Six counties throughout California were chosen to receive trailers for the homeless as a result of an executive order signed by the Gov. Gavin Newsom in January.
See also:
Following Newsom Announcement, Trailers To House Homeless Residents Arrive In Stockton Capital Public Radio
California’s homelessness crisis is ‘a disgrace,’ Newsom says in State of the State address
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed to marshal the full force of his administration to alleviate California’s worsening homelessness crisis, a humanitarian imperative for the state and political necessity for a governor whose ambitious progressive agenda could be eclipsed if he fails to take effective action.
See also:
News Analysis: Newsom’s focus on homelessness puts the spotlight on his next move. But what’ll it be? Los Angeles Times
Walters: Newsom makes big political wager CalMatters
SSI/SSP Grants Are No Match for California’s Housing Costs
California Budget & Policy Center
In all 58 California counties, the “Fair Market Rent” (FMR) for a studio apartment exceeds 50% of the maximum SSI/SSP grant for an individual. Moreover, the studio FMR exceeds the entire grant in 22 counties.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Deep Dive Into State Budgeting Practices Finds Improvements
Route Fifty
State government budgeting practices have shown overall signs of improvement in recent years, but long-term expenses like pension and health care benefits for retired public workers present looming challenges for many places.
Opinion: Elections have consequences, but so do election years
Roll Call
But if you look at the future years projections submitted along with the Pentagon’s 2021 request, that kind of growth is nowhere to be found. Where did the National Defense Strategy go?
TRANSPORTATION
Costa has a new plan for high-speed rail through Fresno. Here’s how much it’ll cost
Fresno Bee
US congressman Jim Costa, a Democrat from Fresno, California, has proposed legislation to spend $32 billion to build a controversial bullet train on its original route from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
Caltrans activating Highway 99 ramp meters next week
Stockton Record
Caltrans will begin activating ramp meters onto Highway 99 in portions of San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties starting next Tuesday and continuing into June.
Still need a Real ID? Here’s how you can save time on your next trip to the DMV
Sacramento Bee
The clock is ticking for the roughly 16 million California drivers who are expected to come the Department of Motor Vehicles by the end of the year for a Real ID.
A Valencia Street bike shop owner has launched an unlikely crusade. His enemy: a protected bike lane
San Francisco Chronicle
The owner of a 35-year-old bike shop on San Francisco’s busy Valencia Street is driving a neighborhood crusade against an unlikely enemy: the city’s plans for a protected bikeway outside his store.
Could free transit for kids help California beat climate change?
CalMatters
The Legislature is considering giving everyone age 18 and under free rides on public transportation. But will that really create a generation of lifetime riders?
WATER
Public comment opens for groundwater sustainability plans
Porterville Recorder
Groundwater sustainability plans have been submitted to the state and are now online at the Department of Water Resources’ SGMA Portal, SGMA.water.ca.gov/GSPcomments for public review.
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom may be piloting a lifeboat that will rescue the sinking California Delta. Or he may be in water over his head on a doomed mission. The governor gets angry with skeptics who say he’s being delusional. But history sides with the doubters.
DCA Delta Stakeholder Engagement Committee Meeting Reminder
Department of Water Resources
The Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA) Delta Stakeholder Engagement Committee (SEC) is holding its next meeting at 3:00pm on Wednesday, February 26 in Rio Vista.
“Xtra”
Eating pancakes at IHOP benefits Valley Children's Hospital today
abc30
Are you in the mood for pancakes? Valley Children's Hospital and the International House of Pancakes are coming together to celebrate National Pancake Day and to help patients in need.
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