February 6, 2020

06Feb

POLICY & POLITICS

 

Time is Running Out....Apply TODAY for Two $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:

 

Silicon Valley's new extreme: The 2:30 a.m. tech bus from Salida

Protocol

When tech companies first introduced private shuttles for their employees more than a decade ago, they served the affluent neighborhoods in San Francisco and the Peninsula. Now the buses reach as far as the almond orchards of Salida and the garlic fields of Gilroy

 

Drivers in downtown Modesto beware. Cost of parking tickets will go way up

Modesto Bee

Parking tickets in Modesto soon are going to be a lot more expensive. The City Council on Tuesday approved steeper fines for parking violations as well as transferring parking enforcement from the Police Department to the Public Works Department.

 

Clues to crime are often found in phones. Modesto police get help finding them

Modesto Bee

The Modesto Police Department is getting a new forensics tool that will let its detectives unlock more Android cell phones and gather more data from them to help them solve murders, sexual assaults and other major crimes.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Dyer wants new south Fresno homeless shelters. Critics say they should go up north

Fresno Bee

Fresno mayoral candidate and former police chief Jerry Dyer is butting heads with some council members over his ideas to help the homeless.

See also:

 

Egan, Treisman line up big endorsements in race for Fresno County judge. Here’s our Q&A

Fresno Bee

Former colleagues in the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office are vying to become a Fresno County Superior Court judge, and each has lined up high-powered endorsements.

 

Reedley hopes to train young pilots

CBS

A California community wants to help tackle a looming global pilot shortage as airlines try to recruit an estimated 800,000 new aviators over the next 20 years. Meg Oliver went up in a plane to see how Reedley, California, is using a big opportunity to train the next generation of pilots before the city announces a new partnership with Boeing on Wednesday.

See also:

 

New development coming to Clovis parcel

Business Journal

A long-vacant parcel of land in Clovis will be getting several new leases on life over the next three years, with construction officially under way on a pair of buildings.

 

Bethany Temores, widow of Oscar J. Temores, is Rep. Cox’s guest for State of the Union

Hanford Sentinel

Congressman TJ Cox announced that he welcomed Bethany Temores from Lemoore, wife of deceased Master-at-Arms Oscar Temores, as his guest for the 2020 State of the Union Address.

 

World Ag Expo coming up

Porterville Recorder

The world’s largest agricultural show is just one week away. The World Ag Expo will be held February 11 through 13 at the International Agri-Center in Tulare at 4500 S. Laspina Street just off of Highway 99

 

This ‘Census’ form in your mailbox isn’t from the government. Here’s who sent it out and why

Sacramento Bee

Some voters are receiving documents that resemble U.S. Census forms, but they are in fact fundraising appeals from the Republican National Committee. The Republican Party in 2019 sent out a mailer to Rep. Devin Nunes’ California district, and other states have received similar letters.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

Raids on unlicensed local marijuana dispensaries attempt to cripple thriving illegal market

Bakersfield Californian

A string of Kern County marijuana dispensaries has been targeted by law enforcement agencies over the last week in an effort to break up the illegal market.

 

The toxic legacy of old oil wells: California’s multi-billion dollar problem

Los Angeles Times

Across much of California, fossil fuel companies are leaving thousands of oil and gas wells unplugged and idle, potentially threatening the health of people living nearby and handing taxpayers a multibillion-dollar bill for the environmental cleanup.

 

After Setbacks, Calif. Governments Press Their Climate Suit Against Fossil Fuel Companies

KQED

Three federal judges heard arguments in Pasadena Wednesday about whether major oil and gas companies are financially responsible for the damages caused by climate change.

 

Trump Withholding $823 Million for Clean Energy, Democrats Say

Bloomberg

The Trump administration is withholding nearly a billion dollars for a clean energy program it has unsuccessfully tried to cut, congressional Democrats said Wednesday, raising the specter of political interference.

 

State:

 

An ‘urgent’ bill could change California voter rules just 4 weeks before election

Fresno Bee

California lawmakers are speeding a bill through the Legislature that could affect the way Californians vote as soon as next month’s presidential primary.

See also:

 

Newsom: California must get past differences on water

Visalia Times Delta

Water is the lifeblood of our state. It sustains communities, wildlife, and our economy—all of which make California the envy of the world.

See also:

 

California workers would still get paid if their boss cancels a shift under proposed law

Sacramento Bee

California workers could still get paid if their boss abruptly cancels their shift under a proposed law backed by a Democratic lawmaker and former union leader

 

Uber gets DMV’s OK to test autonomous cars on these California streets

Sacramento Bee

Uber, the international rideshare company, has gotten approval from California regulators to test self-driving cars on state roads, company officials announced Wednesday.

 

Opinion: Californians, learn from my DMV fiasco in pursuit of your real Real ID

Los Angeles Times

California’s Department of Motor Vehicles wants you to know it’s getting better every day. And it might be. But I’m here to tell you about a DMV encounter that was a fiasco in three acts.

 

Opinion: With one California recycling bill already dead, will this be the year the state tackles its waste crisis?

CalMatters

Even the special interests that helped kill a California Senate bill aimed at reforming beverage bottle recycling say the state needs to fix its broken system. And one lawmaker who voted no on the bill says he might just introduce his own.

 

‘Predatory lending’ targeted in new California law capping interest on loans at 36%

Sacramento Bee

Assembly Bill 539 ends a decades-long practice of charging borrowers who take out loans between $2,500 and $10,000 with interest that can exceed 200 percent. The rate will now be capped at the nationally recommended 36 percent, what’s considered a “compromise” between lenders and consumer advocates.

See also:

 

Don’t sell my data! We finally have a law for that

Washington Post

You’re going to have to jump through some hoops, but you can ask companies to access, delete and stop selling your data using the new California Consumer Privacy Act - even if you don’t live in California.

 

Federal:

 

McCarthy tears up articles of impeachment against Trump

The Hill

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) tweeted a video of himself tearing in half the articles of impeachment shortly after President Trump was acquitted of both charges Wednesday afternoon. "Acquitted for life," McCarthy said in the tweet.

See also:

 

Senate votes to acquit Trump in impeachment trial. So what happens next?

Fresno Bee

The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to acquit President Donald Trump on impeachment charges brought by the House of Representatives late last year. That means Trump won’t be removed from the White House and can remain in office through at least January 2021, when the winner of the November 2020 presidential election will take office.

See also:

 

Opinion: No to Court Packing but Yes to Term Limits?

The Dispatch

The Supreme Court bar strongly opposes efforts to pack the court. Since 1869, the Supreme Court has been fixed at nine justices. The bar wants it to remain that way. The Supreme Court bar is open to term limits for justices.

 

Elections 2020:

 

We asked presidential candidates: What would you do about California's housing crisis?

Visalia Times Delta

We enlisted State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, to ask Democratic primary candidates about California's housing troubles and their plans to address them. Each candidate was given the same set of questions to answer within a specific timeframe.

 

Trump barrels into 2020 campaign, emboldened after acquittal

Fresno Bee

With the final gavel banging down Wednesday on impeachment, President Donald Trump barreled ahead in his reelection fight with a united Republican Party behind him, and emboldened by reassuring poll numbers and chaos in the Democratic race to replace him.

 

96% of Iowa precincts are reported, but there's still no caucus winner; Buttigieg, Sanders neck and neck — updates

Visalia Times Delta

Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders are separated by the slimmest of margins in the latest update to Iowa's Democratic caucus results.

See also:

 

Who is Michael Bloomberg, 2020 presidential candidate? Five things Californians need to know

Sacramento Bee

Michael Bloomberg is going all-in on California in his unorthodox bid to secure the Democratic Party’s nomination. Because California offers candidates more delegates than any other state in the country, Bloomberg sees an opportunity to make up ground. Here are five things you need to know about him as he campaigns across the Golden State

See also:

 

Christopher: Do endorsements for President even matter?

CalMatters
Ever since California’s junior U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris dropped her presidential bid in early December — releasing the bulk of the state’s political elite, who had endorsed her, to seek out a new candidate — the race has been on to scoop them up.

 

Opinion: Who Is the Presidential Candidate of the Forgotten Man?

National Review

Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, and Joe Biden can all claim to speak for him—and can all also neglect him.

 

Other:

 

‘He was always fighting on the side of the poor.’ Fresno mourns community leader

Fresno Bee

He spent his life helping his community overcome struggles and to rest in peace with dignity. Henry Enrique Reade, a longtime Fresno community leader, died Tuesday after a battle with colon cancer. He was 70.

 

US drops to 8th on 'best countries' list

The Hill

U.S. News said the drop can be attributed to Trump's unpopularity, with other countries viewing the U.S. as less trustworthy and more politically unstable since he took office.

 

Opinion: Partisan attachment: How politics is changing dating and relationships in the Trump era

AEI

At a time when politics appears to have seeped into every part of our daily lives, new evidence from online dating platforms suggests that politics has become an increasingly important criterion in our dating decisions.

 

Opinion: Sympathy for Rush Limbaugh doesn’t mean he deserves the Medal of Freedom. That’s a joke

Fresno Bee

On Tuesday, out of nowhere, Limbaugh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech. The most prestigious award bestowed on civilians by U.S. presidents has gone to giants in literature such as John Steinbeck, Maya Angelou and Tennessee Williams.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, February 9, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: pre-empted

 

Sunday, February 9, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: How Will AB5 Impact the Valley? - Guests: Dillon Savory, Executive Director of the Fresno-Madera-Tulare-Kings Central Labor Council; Nathan Ahle, Executive Director of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce; and Jamie Bossuat, member of the Stockton Chamber of Commerce and attorney with the law firm Kroloff, Belcher, Smart, Perry, & Christopherson. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, February 9, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: Como Entender las Reservas del Presupuesto Estatal - Guests: Jacqueline Barocio & Lourdes Morales, investigadores de LAO y Alexei Koseff, Reportero de San Francisco Chronicle. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

World Ag Expo coming up

Porterville Recorder

The world’s largest agricultural show is just one week away. The World Ag Expo will be held February 11 through 13 at the International Agri-Center in Tulare at 4500 S. Laspina Street just off of Highway 99.

 

If Bumble Bees Become Endangered In California, Farmers Say It Sets A ‘Dangerous Precedent’

Capital Public Radio

California native bumble bees are poised to become protected under the state’s Endangered Species Act — and they’d be the first insects on the list.

 

Why Many Organic Farmers ‘Didn’t Notice the Trade War’

Pew Trusts

Organic farmer Joel Layman stands on his farm in Berrien Center, Michigan. Layman says he and his peers have not been affected by the trade war as severely as farmers in conventional agriculture because organic is more embedded in the local community and not as reliant on exports.

 

Raids on unlicensed local marijuana dispensaries attempt to cripple thriving illegal market

Bakersfield Californian

A string of Kern County marijuana dispensaries has been targeted by law enforcement agencies over the last week in an effort to break up the illegal market.

 

Whoopi Goldberg's cannabis company has shut down

CNN

Whoopi & Maya, the medical cannabis company co-founded by Whoopi Goldberg, is closing up shop, according to a statement posted on its website.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Clues to crime are often found in phones. Modesto police get help finding them

Modesto Bee

The Modesto Police Department is getting a new forensics tool that will let its detectives unlock more Android cell phones and gather more data from them to help them solve murders, sexual assaults and other major crimes.

 

Trump honors tearful Farmersville man at SOTU

Visalia Times Delta

A Tulare County family made a tearful appearance during Tuesday's nationally televised State of the Union Address. Jody Jones of Farmersville was one of 11 special guests invited by President Trump and First Lady Melania to attend the annual address.

 

California pardons gay civil rights leader in new initiative

Porterville Recorder

A civil rights leader who was gay and a confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was posthumously pardoned by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who also announced Wednesday what may be the nation's first process for forgiving those convicted under outdated laws punishing homosexual activity.

See also:

 

With cybercriminals on the attack, states help cities punch back

Los Angeles Times

When the computers of the city of Lodi, Calif., got hit by a ransomware attack last April, the strike disabled phone lines, forced police officers to write reports by hand and prevented workers from sending out utility bills.

 

Public Safety:

 

Want a do-over on that California driver’s license photo? You could soon get your chance

Sacramento Bee

Not happy with that driver’s license photo? You might soon be able to pay for another. A California lawmaker has introduced a bill that would allow for up to three photographs to be taken on-site at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

 

Pets Are Just ‘Property,’ So Owners Can’t Do Much When Vets Harm Them 

New York Times

Doctors who harm their patients face costly lawsuits and other serious consequences. There is much less accountability for veterinarians, as devastated pet owners in Oregon learned.

 

Opinion: Californians, learn from my DMV fiasco in pursuit of your real Real ID

Los Angeles Times

California’s Department of Motor Vehicles wants you to know it’s getting better every day. And it might be. But I’m here to tell you about a DMV encounter that was a fiasco in three acts.

 

Fire:

 

California firefighters return from battling Australia fires

AP News

As the wildland firefighters, fresh off a long flight from Australia, strode into a Los Angeles fire station Wednesday morning, Marvin Schober got his GoPro camera ready. Schober wanted to capture his 41-year-old brother’s face as he realized his family was there to surprise him after nearly a month battling unprecedented fires half a world away.

 

ECONOMY / JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Income Inequality in California

Public Policy Institute of California

The gap between rich and poor is especially wide in California. While California’s economy outperforms the nation’s, its level of income inequality exceeds that of all but five states.

 

‘Predatory lending’ targeted in new California law capping interest on loans at 36%

Sacramento Bee

Assembly Bill 539 ends a decades-long practice of charging borrowers who take out loans between $2,500 and $10,000 with interest that can exceed 200 percent. The rate will now be capped at the nationally recommended 36 percent, what’s considered a “compromise” between lenders and consumer advocates.

See also:

 

Cal Poly FinTech: What is Financial Technology?

Cal Poly FinTech

Established in 2019, Cal Poly FinTech is a student club that aims to prepare members for careers in the disruptive field of financial technology through education, networking, and career opportunities.

 

Stocks extend their rally, lifting the S&P 500 and Nasdaq to all-time highs

Los Angeles Times

Healthcare and financial stocks led another record-setting rally on Wall Street on Wednesday, extending the market’s gains for the week.

 

Fact Check: Pres. Trump’s Economic Claims

PolitiFact

No, the economy didn't suddenly get strong under Donald Trump. Across a broad range of economic metrics, economic performance under Trump continued gains made during the final years under Obama. Charts below show the trendlines.

 

Jobs:

 

Silicon Valley's new extreme: The 2:30 a.m. tech bus from Salida

Protocol

When tech companies first introduced private shuttles for their employees more than a decade ago, they served the affluent neighborhoods in San Francisco and the Peninsula. Now the buses reach as far as the almond orchards of Salida and the garlic fields of Gilroy.

 

Opinion: Let's Help Americans Move to Where the Jobs Are

Real Clear Policy

The list of supposed inequalities among Americans is long, and getting longer: income inequality, food inequality, housing inequality, education inequality, and even death inequality.

 

Why Uber drivers are filing labor claims this month

Los Angeles Times

Drivers for Uber and Lyft are testing the teeth of Assembly Bill 5, California’s new worker classification law, by filing a raft of wage claims with the California Labor Commissioner's office. What does it mean?

See also:

 

California’s newest union? Childcare workers turn in petitions

Fresno Bee

Child care workers delivered 10,000 union cards to the state Public Employment Relations Board to qualify for an election after a rally Wednesday at the Capitol.

 

4 months after new contract, these California state workers are waiting for raises

Sacramento Bee

A group of blue-collar state workers who operate state machinery and water plants still has not received special raises Gov. Gavin Newsom authorized in October.

 

With 31,000 job openings, California government ramps up recruitment in tight labor market

Sacramento Bee

California state government is making it easier to get a job in public service as its vacancies rise amid historically low unemployment.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Central Unified School District students taught the dangers of vaping

abc30

Central Unified School District students are learning about the dangers and risks of vaping. Andrew Alvarado, the superintendent, said they recently were awarded a grant for anti-vaping and tobacco presentations.

 

Reedley elementary school teams up with Boeing to teach potential future pilots

abc30

Interest in a new career could be taking flight at Jefferson Elementary in Reedley. Students can't wait to get in some flight time on the school's new simulator. Boeing donated two of them to the Kings Canyon Unified School District.

 

High schoolers get up-close look at Public Health Services during mock emergency

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Public Health Services Department was dealing with an outbreak emergency Wednesday: Six patients said they have been experiencing abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting for a number of days.

 

Walters: California’s stubborn ‘achievement gap’

CalMatters

Sooner or later, reality rears its ugly head and that seems to be happening with the state’s very expensive — but apparently failing — efforts to close a yawning “achievement gap” among the state’s nearly 6 million elementary and secondary school students.

 

California may pause student physical fitness tests due to bullying concerns

Los Angeles Times

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to pause physical education tests for California students for three years due to concerns over bullying and possible discrimination against disabled and nonbinary students.

 

EDITORIAL: California ballot measure brings fairness to school bonds. It deserves your vote in March

Fresno Bee

Prop. 13 – not related to the historic property tax law of the same name passed in the 1970s – would right the balance. It gives top priority to projects that impact health and safety. Next would be applications from districts facing financial hardship. Third priority would go to projects that test for or mitigate lead in school water.

 

What LAUSD Can Learn from the New York City Community Schools Initiative

RAND

“Community schools” is an umbrella term for campuses—nearly always in impoverished neighborhoods—that team up with public and nonprofit agencies to become a hub of services for students, their families and the surrounding area.

 

Stanford psychology expert: These are the top 3 things kids need—but most parents fail to provide

CNBC

Society’s fear of how technology is hurting our kids’ ability to focus and achieve success has reached a fever pitch — and many parents have resorted to extreme measures.

 

Higher Ed:

 

Fresno State's Hmong minor helping students celebrate their heritage

abc30

In the three years since it was created, Fresno State's Hmong minor has helped students to celebrate their heritage while preparing them for the workforce.

 

Is the SAT test racist? You need it to get into many colleges. Should we change that?

Fresno Bee

In recent years such tests have come under scrutiny from researchers with years of data showing growing gaps in SAT scores by race, ethnicity and socioeconomic class.

 

UC freshmen applications dip for a second straight year. But why?

Los Angeles Times

After more than a decade of robust growth, applications to the University of California from would-be freshmen dipped for the second year in a row while those from transfer students continued to rise, according to preliminary UC data released Tuesday.

 

Commentary: Here’s a way to help cut California’s college costs and help students succeed

CalMatters

The practice of allowing high school students to take college-level courses while they are still in high school, earning simultaneous credit toward both high school graduation and an eventual college degree, is increasing in popularity nationwide for a reason.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Controversial head of EPA’s San Francisco Regional headquarters dismissed

San Francisco Chronicle

The controversial head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s San Francisco headquarters was abruptly dismissed without explanation Wednesday after less than two years on the job.

See also:

Trump’s regional EPA chief in California is suddenly removed from his job Los Angeles Times

 

Opinion: With one California recycling bill already dead, will this be the year the state tackles its waste crisis?

CalMatters

Even the special interests that helped kill a California Senate bill aimed at reforming beverage bottle recycling say the state needs to fix its broken system. And one lawmaker who voted no on the bill says he might just introduce his own.

 

Opinion: Leading a New Era of Climate Action

Harvard Business Review

I see actions that companies must now focus on to drive deeper change: using political influence to demand aggressive climate policies around the world, and empowering suppliers, customers, and employees to drive change.

 

Energy:

 

Should PG&E give money to California politicians? Republican proposes ban

Sacramento Bee

A California Republican wants to ban Pacific Gas and Electric Co. from donating to state politicians and candidates, marking the latest Capitol rebuke of the bankrupt utility blamed for several deadly wildfires.

See also:

 

Coal plants are closing across the West. Here are the companies sticking with coal

Los Angeles Times

For nearly half a century, the deserts and plains of the American West have been punctuated by coal-burning furnaces and towering smokestacks — hulking power stations that have sustained small-town economies and fueled the growth of the region’s major cities, from Los Angeles to Phoenix to Seattle.

 

The toxic legacy of old oil wells: California’s multi-billion dollar problem

Los Angeles Times

Across much of California, fossil fuel companies are leaving thousands of oil and gas wells unplugged and idle, potentially threatening the health of people living nearby and handing taxpayers a multibillion-dollar bill for the environmental cleanup.

 

Trump Withholding $823 Million for Clean Energy, Democrats Say

Bloomberg

The Trump administration is withholding nearly a billion dollars for a clean energy program it has unsuccessfully tried to cut, congressional Democrats said Wednesday, raising the specter of political interference.

 

After Setbacks, Calif. Governments Press Their Climate Suit Against Fossil Fuel Companies

KQED

Three federal judges heard arguments in Pasadena Wednesday about whether major oil and gas companies are financially responsible for the damages caused by climate change.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

New laws set to help focus on mental health for first responders

abc30

While the program has grown over time, new laws signed by Governor Newsom increase staffing and standards for peer support and qualify post-traumatic stress as an injury eligible for worker's compensation.

 

After Fleeing The Coronavirus, 178 Evacuees Face Two-Weeks Quarantine On A Northern California Air Force Base

Capital Public Radio

As the new coronavirus continues to infect thousands in China, 178 passengers arrived Wednesday at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield on a flight from its epicenter near Wuhan.

See also:

 

Juul bulks up its science staff as FDA vaping deadline nears

Los Angeles Times

Juul Labs Inc. has hired former Food and Drug Administration employees and is recruiting more researchers as the top U.S. e-cigarette maker prepares for a regulatory hurdle that will determine its future.

 

Opinion: Fresno City Council member Garry Bredefeld beat cancer twice. He shares key tips

Fresno Bee

I have a personal story about cancer, and I’m sharing it now six years after my first symptoms appeared in the hope of helping others to battle — and beat — this terrible disease.

 

Human Services:

 

LGBT, Deaf Community Advocates Say Census Survey Isn't Specific Enough

KVPR

The 2020 Census count in California starts in April and outreach has already begun around the San Joaquin Valley to ensure a complete count. However, some census advocates say the survey isn’t specific enough.

 

Medicaid Drives Growth in Federal Grants to States

Pew Trusts

States get roughly a third of their revenue from the federal government, funding that pays for health care, schools, roads, public safety, and other services.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

With the new public charge rule approaching, a dozen immigration forms have changed

Miami Herald

As the date to start implementing the public charge ground of inadmissibility rule approaches, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a policy alert on Wednesday with some of the highlights of the new guidance.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Infrastructure plan could point to sea change for schools

Roll Call

The nation’s roads and bridges may be falling down, but its schools aren’t far behind. So education proponents paid attention last week when Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested that any infrastructure package would ultimately include federal dollars for school construction.

 

New development coming to Clovis parcel

Business Journal

A long-vacant parcel of land in Clovis will be getting several new leases on life over the next three years, with construction officially under way on a pair of buildings.

 

Housing:

 

Former tenants sue Fresno eviction lawyers over debt collection practices

Fresno Bee

Two of Fresno’s most prominent eviction attorneys are facing lawsuits from evicted tenants who say the lawyers should be ordered to stop their debt collection practices.

 

Sacramento leads U.S. in homeless families sleeping outside. What’s being done to help

Sacramento Bee

In Sacramento County, about 50 percent of the 1,132 people in homeless families are sleeping outdoors on any given night, according to a homeless census count conducted about a year ago.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

The Limits Of Nudging: Why Can't California Get People To Take Free Money?

KVPR

The Earned Income Tax Credit supplements incomes through the tax code, awarding thousands of dollars each year primarily to low-wage workers with kids. But there's a problem: a huge population of eligible workers fails to file their taxes and get the money each year.

 

EDITORIAL: The latest Prop. 13 is bad for taxpayers. Vote No on March 3.

Los Angeles Daily News

There’s no better-known statewide ballot measure than Proposition 13, which in 1978 capped property tax rates at a time when soaring property values were literally taxing people – especially the elderly – out of their homes.

 

Federal Aid Boosts Personal Income in Farm States

Pew Trusts

Agricultural states received an economic boost in the third quarter of 2019 after the federal government resumed special assistance payments to farmers amid ongoing trade disputes.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Drivers in downtown Modesto beware. Cost of parking tickets will go way up

Modesto Bee

Parking tickets in Modesto soon are going to be a lot more expensive. The City Council on Tuesday approved steeper fines for parking violations as well as transferring parking enforcement from the Police Department to the Public Works Department.

 

California city hopes to train young pilots

CBS

A California community wants to help tackle a looming global pilot shortage as airlines try to recruit an estimated 800,000 new aviators over the next 20 years. Meg Oliver went up in a plane to see how Reedley, California, is using a big opportunity to train the next generation of pilots before the city announces a new partnership with Boeing on Wednesday.

 

Feinstein calls for crash-warning systems after Bryant death

Hanford Sentinel

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is calling for federal rules that crash-warning systems be required on commercial helicopters like the one that crashed in foggy weather last month outside Los Angeles, killing Kobe Bryant and eight other people.

See also:

 

Uber gets DMV’s OK to test autonomous cars on these California streets

Sacramento Bee

Uber, the international rideshare company, has gotten approval from California regulators to test self-driving cars on state roads, company officials announced Wednesday.

 

WATER

 

Newsom: California must get past differences on water

Visalia Times Delta

Water is the lifeblood of our state. It sustains communities, wildlife, and our economy—all of which make California the envy of the world.

See also:

 

“Xtra”

 

New book unveils story of one of Fresno’s most successful businessman philanthropists

Fresno Bee

Bill Lyles has never been one for the spotlight, which is ironic seeing as the businessman and philanthropist has been a driving force in many of Fresno’s civic, educational and cultural institutions.

 

Girl Scout cookie craze takes over the Valley, here's how to order a box

abc30

A cookie craze is taking over the Central Valley. Local Girl Scout brownie Sierra is hard at work selling Thin Mints and more.

 

Bakersfield Animal Control to offer low cost service clinic on Saturday

Bakersfield Californian

The City of Bakersfield Animal Control unit is inviting the public to a low cost vaccination, licensing and microchip clinic for dogs who are living within the city limits on Saturday.

 

The New CEO Of Fresno’s Largest Nonprofit Says Her Own Life Experiences Inform Her Work

KVPR

Today, the largest of these agencies in California is the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission. Its scope of services is vast and now for the first time, it’s being run by a woman.

 

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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.

                                                     

This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.

 

 

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