POLICY & POLITICS
Here's what you need to know about completing the 2020 Census
Visalia Times Delta
April 1 is Census Day, but efforts to reach every resident of the United States for the once-a-decade count are well underway
$56,000 Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowships (Deadline: Feb. 28) |
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:
Stockton Deputy City Manager Scott Carney stepping down
Stockton Recorder
Deputy City Manager Scott Carney will officially step down from his post next Thursday, leaving two vacancies to fill at the city manager’s office just two weeks before a new city manager is set to start later this month.
‘Pathetic.’ Tracy mayor’s plan to spend $50K to bus homeless to Stockton stirs outrage
Sacramento Bee
Tracy Mayor Robert Rickman has a solution for combating homelessness: bus them to Stockton. During a city council meeting on Tuesday, Rickman proposed using $50,000 for the plan, according to video of the meeting.
Central SJ Valley:
Come hear candidates for Fresno mayor in what could be last forum before March primary
Fresno Bee
We are at a critical moment in Fresno’s history and this year’s election of our next mayor impacts every one of our lives. That is why the “Fresno4All” coalition invites every Fresnan to our nonpartisan candidates forum on Thursday evening, February 13th, at St. James Episcopal Cathedral on Dakota and Cedar.
Roaches, plumbing problems led to Fresno County restaurant closures in January
Fresno Bee
Cockroaches and backed-up drains were among the violations that forced the closures of restaurants following Fresno County health inspections in January.
Slatic files damage claim against Fresno Unified - another demand to lift his censure
Fresno Bee
Trustee Terry Slatic on Wednesday filed a formal claim for damages against the Fresno Unified School District, a move he described as a last-ditch effort to avoid a lawsuit and force the district to eliminate terms of his censure.
CUSD governing board denies charter school petition
Clovis RoundUp
The Clovis Unified School District Governing Board voted at its Wednesday meeting to deny a charter petition that would have established a new charter school in Clovis for a five-year period.
Future of Visalia’s fifth high school uncertain
Visalia Times Delta
The future of Visalia's planned fifth high school is uncertain, with trustees set to weigh the district's options at a special board meeting Thursday.
Tulare pumps brakes; weed ordinance talks drag on
Visalia Times Delta
The process to allow recreational cannabis sales inside Tulare city limits will drag out a bit longer, as council members look to draft an ordinance that's fair to the two existing medicinal dispensaries while creating a competitive process for a third dispensary to set up shop.
Lemoore approves cannabis consumption lounge license
Hanford Sentinel
In addition to an already-approved dispensary, the city of Lemoore has approved the issuance of a cannabis consumption lounge license.
New Costa ad takes aim at challenger Soria, heating up race for congressional seat
Fresno Bee
A couple of political advertisements from Rep. Jim Costa, including one taking aim at a fellow Democrat hoping to unseat him, have heated up the race for the 16th Congressional District seat.
Twitter demands legal fees from Devin Nunes’ attorney in new filing over fake cow’s identity
Fresno Bee
Twitter is demanding that Rep. Devin Nunes’ lawyer pay its legal fees in a new court filing responding to one of the Republican congressman’s attempts to identify anonymous people who heckle him online.
See Also:
● Trump hails Devin Nunes as an impeachment hero, the ‘other side’s worst nightmare’ Fresno Bee
South SJ Valley:
Rudy Salas to convene homelessness and housing roundtable discussion
Bakersfield Californian
Assemblyman Rudy Salas will host a local roundtable discussion on how to reduce homelessness in the Central Valley on Friday.
Election 2020: The term 'safe district' may be an understatement for Fong in the 34th District
Bakersfield Californian
As an assemblyman in the 34th District, Vince Fong has plenty of tasks to accomplish this year. But getting reelected will likely not be one of the tougher ones.
BCSD board selects new trustee as another is rushed to hospital
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield City School District trustees filled an empty seat on the board Thursday night, but it came as another board member was rushed to the hospital first. Unexpectedly, Area 5 trustee Fred Haynes left the board chamber during an interview and later had to seek medical assistance.
California’s Multibillion-dollar Problem: The Toxic Legacy Of Old Oil Wells
The Center for Public Integrity
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.
See also:
● The toxic legacy of old oil wells: California’s multibillion-dollar problem Los Angeles Times
Greater Bakersfield Chamber
Our business is a better Bakersfield. We’re a convener of leaders, a catalyst for action, and a champion for our community. Join us in Building Something Better.
State:
California governor proposes new plan for managing water
Associated Press
California’s governor revealed a plan on Tuesday that would keep more water in the fragile San Joaquin River Delta while restoring 60,000 acres of habitat for endangered species and generating more than $5 billion in new funding for environmental improvements.
State will prevail in Trump emissions fight, California Air Resources Board chief says
Los Angeles Times
Even if the White House declares null and void California’s ability to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions from motor vehicles — a move expected within weeks — the state will continue to fight in court and and keep its clean-air rules in place, unless a court orders otherwise.
Opinion: What is California doing to fight climate change? Not enough to prevent catastrophe
Sacramento Bee
This is a year of great significance for California. It’s the start of a new decade and the landmark 2020 presidential election year. We’re also less than 10 years out from a critical deadline. Scientists say we have until 2030 to stop the most catastrophic impacts of our climate crisis.
See also:
● From ‘hoax’ to ‘serious:’ Why one former aide thinks Trump shifted on climate change Fresno Bee
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.
Get in line now. California’s DMV is perilously behind in issuing Real IDs
Los Angeles Times
California is falling perilously short of its targets for issuing Real IDs and will have to more than double the number issued each month to reach the millions of drivers still without the federally required identification card before an Oct. 1 deadline, officials said Thursday.
See also:
● Opinion: Boycott California’s ‘Real ID.’ It has no place in a free society Fresno Bee
EDITORIAL: No, California should NOT force people to vote
Los Angeles Times
Few states have done as much as California to boost participation in elections by making it easier to register and to cast a vote. And this approach appears to have reaped results
California Could Take Over PG&E Under A Proposed Bill. But Could The Plan Work?
Capital Public Radio
California could take control of PG&E if a bill unveiled Monday by state Sen. Scott Wiener becomes law. The company opposes the plan and experts say it’s a tough road to go down.
See Also:
● Walters: Is PG&E seizure a real threat or a bluff? Visalia Times Delta
● PG&E Has a Survival Plan, and Newsom Has Plan B: A Takeover New York Times
After Bee investigation, Gavin Newsom ends long-distance commuting deals for state executives
Fresno Bee
California government stopped paying for officials to commute across the state last year after The Sacramento Bee reported on a department director’s regular travel between Sacramento and San Diego, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office told The Bee this week.
Sharing ‘revenge porn’ would get you on the sex offender list under proposed California law
Sacramento Bee
Sharing “revenge porn” could lead to more prison time and a spot on California’s sex offender registry under a proposed law carried by former California Highway Patrol officer.
California to pay $310,000 to former lawmaker’s employee who reported sexual harassment
Fresno Bee
Nearly two years after state Sen. Tony Mendoza resigned in the wake of a sexual harassment investigation, the California Senate agreed to a $310,000 lawsuit settlement with a former employee who reported his behavior.
See Also:
● California Senate settles claim by harassment whistleblower Hanford Sentinel
Federal:
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Ousted EPA official in California says he was pushed out for being too bipartisan
Los Angeles Times
Abruptly dismissed from office Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency’s top official for California and the Pacific Southwest speculated he was terminated because of his congenial relationship with Democratic politicians.
See Also:
● Top EPA official in California says firing was ‘100% personal’ San Francisco Chronicle
● Mike Stoker Ousted as EPA Region 9 Administrator After Less Than 2 Years NoozHawk
Trump wants CA cops to evict homeless people. They don’t want that ‘dirty’ job
Los Angeles Times
No one looked happy to be on the Joe Rodota Trail in Sonoma County last week — not the homeless people who had built a miles-long encampment, not the park rangers tasked with making sure they left and not the police officers sent as backup.
Federal government doesn’t want CA telling it what to do with prisoners
San Francisco Chronicle
California’s ban on private prisons is being challenged by the federal government, which confines about 7,000 prisoners and immigrants in privately owned facilities in the state and says California has no right to regulate their placement.
'I Did Nothing Wrong': Trump Defiant After Senate Acquittal
Capital Public Radio
President Trump declared victory on Thursday, a day after being acquitted by the Senate on two articles of impeachment, and lashed out at his political opponents in lengthy extemporaneous remarks.
See Also:
● Trump’s impeachment acquittal leaves potential land mines for the White House Los Angeles Times
● The Trump vs. Pelosi feud just got worse. Can Washington get anything else done? Los Angeles Times
● 'He's obviously very proud of his body': All the weird ways Trump complimented his GOP attack dogs Politico
● State of the Union 2020: Donald Trump claims fact-checked BBC
● Opinion: Republicans have undermined checks and balances, leaving impeachment a hollow threat Sacramento Bee
Mitt Romney’s vote to remove President Trump made this Californian especially proud
CalMatters
After 30 years in the business of politics, you find yourself to be alumni of several different campaigns. I’ve always been proud to be a Mitt Romney alum, as the California director of his 2008 presidential campaign. I had decided over a year beforehand that I wanted to work to elect Romney as president. I was impressed with how he was a Republican who was elected governor in the blue state of Massachusetts and pragmatically steered a course with conservative hues.
Trump’s Golden Ticket: The Economy
USANews
In The Three Years Since He Took Up A Seat In The Oval Office, President Donald Trump Hasn't Been Shy About Sharing Just How Well The Economy Has Performed Under His Watch – Working A Running Loop Of Economic Greatest Hits Into His Rallies, His Twitter Account And, Most Recently, His State Of The Union Address.
EDITORIAL: Trump administration sides with predatory lenders - again
Los Angeles Times
Proposed rules by the two agencies would bless “rent-a-bank” schemes in which high-cost lenders join forces with national or federally insured state banks to market and issue loans with interest rates far above state interest caps.
Scholar urges ‘great’ debates to improve Hill discourse
Roll Call
With Congress mired in the partisanship of impeachment and the 2020 elections, the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress continued its countereffort Wednesday, seeking ways to boost productive deliberations on Capitol Hill.
Elections 2020:
The Battle for California’s 20 Million Voters Came Early This Year
New York Times
“There’s nothing magical about California,” Michael R. Bloomberg declared after a day flying through the state — or Iowa, for that matter, he added. But here he was in California, not any of the four early nominating states, trying to make the magic happen.
Last-minute California bill could boost independent votes in Democratic primary
Politico
As California's primary takes on greater importance following the muddled Iowa caucuses, voters could find it easier to cast ballots in the wide-open Democratic presidential primary under a bill speeding toward Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk.
Democrats prepare for ‘fiery’ NH debate as urgency rises
Fresno Bee
The Democratic Party's seven strongest presidential contenders are preparing for what could be the fiercest debate stage clash of the 2020 primary season as candidates look to survive the gauntlet of contests that lie ahead.
See Also:
● Trump’s acquittal confronts Dems with election year choices Stockton Recorder
● 7 Candidates Debate In New Hampshire: Here's What You Need To Know Capital Public Radio
Buttigieg’s ‘urgent’ New Hampshire mission: squeeze Sanders, beat Biden
Fresno Bee
Pete Buttigieg faces the immediate challenge of capitalizing on his strong Iowa showing in New Hampshire, a state his aides believe will be crucial for him to prove he is the most viable alternative to Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary.
See also:
● Pete Buttigieg surges into New Hampshire, hoping to ride a wave of new support Los Angeles Times
How Michael Bloomberg could win
Washington Post
Back in 2016, a wealthy New Yorker got into a crowded presidential race and was immediately dismissed. Virtually nobody actually liked the candidate, polls showed, and there were also questions about how serious he was about the whole thing. Then that candidate won. Could it happen again in 2020?
See Also:
● Trump's former Navy secretary endorses Bloomberg abc30
● Joe Biden Struggles While Mike Bloomberg Waits in the Wings U.S.News
Wealth and struggle in a liberal bubble that Elizabeth Warren calls home
Los Angeles Times
The rich and brainy city of Cambridge reflects the Democrat’s have-a-plan approach, as well as inequality issues at the center of her campaign.
Do endorsements for president even matter?
CalMatters
In the race to gobble up as many big name endorsements in California before the March 3 primary, few presidential contenders are quite as hungry as Mike Bloomberg.
This Year, Election Results May Take Longer Everywhere — By Design
NPR
The dribble of results from Iowa may be the fault of an app, but expect vote counting to be slower on 2020 election nights, as voting law changes mean it will take longer to produce accurate tallies.
Joe Biden kinda, sorta, almost endorses legalizing marijuana
Politico
Former Vice President Joe Biden's opposition to fully legalizing marijuana is well known, but on the campaign trail in New Hampshire this week he appeared to change his position. "I think it is at the point where it has to be, basically, legalized," Biden said on Tuesday in a recording obtained by POLITICO.
Commentary: Education Polls That Will Shape The 2020 Election | In 60 Seconds
AEI
As the 2020 elections loom, the education debates are shaped by a few key public views that get less attention than they deserve — including shifting perceptions on teacher pay increases. AEI’s Frederick M. Hess explains.
Other:
Fresnoland at The Bee: Reporting team to go deep on land use, water, housing, neighborhoods
Fresno Bee
The Fresnoland Lab expands on The Fresno Bee’s venture into philanthropic support for local journalism.
See Also:
● Q&A: What is The Bee’s new Fresnoland Lab — and how will we listen to community voices? Fresno Bee
NPR & California Public Radio Stations Collaborate On A Statewide Regional Newsroom
NPR
Public radio stations across California are teaming up with NPR on a California regional newsroom to increase coverage of statewide issues and boost reporting from and for underserved regions across the state. Joanne Griffith, a widely respected and deeply experienced reporter and producer, was hired as the newsroom's first managing editor.
Commentary: Why America’s political divisions will only get worse
AEI
My first reaction to any book about our polarization is “Oh, no, not another one.” We have a ton of books and many more articles and op-eds about the polarized state of our politics, our elections and our country. So the question about “Why We’re Polarized” was whether its author had anything meaningful to add.
Commentary: 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.
Deterrence in the Age of Thinking Machines
The Rand Corporation
The greater use of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems by the militaries of the world has the potential to affect deterrence strategies and escalation dynamics in crises and conflicts. Up until now, deterrence has involved humans trying to dissuade other humans from taking particular courses of action.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
California banned a pesticide from your food. Now it won’t be manufactured
Los Angeles Times
The primary manufacturer of a pesticide banned by California and the European Union said it will no longer produce the chemical. Corteva, formerly Dow Agrosciences, said Thursday — the day the pesticide’s sales were officially halted in the state — that it will end production of chlorpyrifos by the end of this year.
See Also:
● Trump has kept this controversial pesticide on the market. Now its biggest manufacturer is stopping production. Washington Post
Tulare pumps brakes; weed ordinance talks drag on
Visalia Times Delta
The process to allow recreational cannabis sales inside Tulare city limits will drag out a bit longer, as council members look to draft an ordinance that's fair to the two existing medicinal dispensaries while creating a competitive process for a third dispensary to set up shop.
Lemoore approves cannabis consumption lounge license
Hanford Sentinel
In addition to an already-approved dispensary, the city of Lemoore has approved the issuance of a cannabis consumption lounge license.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Sharing ‘revenge porn’ would get you on the sex offender list under proposed California law
Sacramento Bee
Sharing “revenge porn” could lead to more prison time and a spot on California’s sex offender registry under a proposed law carried by former California Highway Patrol officer.
Trump wants CA cops to evict homeless people. They don’t want that ‘dirty’ job
Los Angeles Times
No one looked happy to be on the Joe Rodota Trail in Sonoma County last week — not the homeless people who had built a miles-long encampment, not the park rangers tasked with making sure they left and not the police officers sent as backup.
Federal government doesn’t want CA telling it what to do with prisoners
San Francisco Chronicle
California’s ban on private prisons is being challenged by the federal government, which confines about 7,000 prisoners and immigrants in privately owned facilities in the state and says California has no right to regulate their placement.
California Sunday Magazine
From iPhones and Snapchat filters to airport check-ins and smart doorbells, facial recognition has entered into our everyday, as has the anxiety surrounding it. One in two American adults is in a law-enforcement facial-recognition database, often without his or her knowledge, while only a handful of cities regulate how the technology is used.
Public Safety:
Hanford Police Department welcomes 2 new officers
Hanford Sentinel
The Hanford Police Department has welcomed two new officers, who had their badges pinned Tuesday evening during the Hanford City Council meeting.
CHP Conducting ‘Maximum Enforcement’ Speeding Crackdown
Sierra News
The Oakhurst Area California Highway Patrol announced late this week that the agency is currently conducting a “maximum enforcement operation.” The initiative, agency officials explained, is a coordinated effort to reduce the amount of high speed drivers on Highway 41.
Fire:
Victims: PG&E still has rickety power line near Paradise
Hanford Sentinel
Pacific Gas & Electric is still operating a rickety power line near the one that ignited a 2018 wildfire that wiped out the Northern California city of Paradise and killed 85 people, according to an expert inspection conducted as part of a legal claim.
French Fire Reforestation Project Wraps Up Near North Fork
Sierra News
After more than three years, work is wrapping up on a project to reforest thousands of acres scorched by 2014’s French Fire.
‘Fire Resilient Madera’ Workshop Set for Friday in Oakhurst
Sierra News
Yosemite/Sequoia Resource Conservation & Development Council will be hosting a “Fire Resilient Madera” workshop at the Oakhurst Library this week. The event takes place on Friday (Feb. 7) from 2 to 4 p.m. and all mountain area community members are invited to attend.
ECONOMY / JOBS
US economy adds a strong 225K jobs; unemployment up to 3.6%
Fresno Bee
Hiring jumped last month as U.S. employers added a robust 225,000 jobs, bolstering an economy that faces threats from China’s viral outbreak, an ongoing trade war and struggles at Boeing.
See Also:
● With 31,000 job openings, California government ramps up recruitment in tight labor market Sacramento Bee
● US adds 225,000 jobs in January, unemployment rate rises slightly to 3.6% abcNews
● Hiring Picks Up As Employers Add 225,000 Jobs In January Capital Public Radio
● U.S. employers add a strong 225,000 jobs; unemployment up to 3.6% Los Angeles Times
● Mild weather boosts U.S. job growth; unemployment rate rises Reuters
● U.S. economy added 225,000 jobs in January PBS NewsHour
● US jobs growth beats expectations BBC
● Commentary: Can we do better than a 2 percent-ish growth economy? AEI
Maker Movement teaching vocational skills and providing place for creativity
abc30
In a time when vocational skillsets are seemingly becoming less common, maker spaces provide a place for people to learn and grow their skills.
Attention Employers: CalWorks Expands Subsidized New-Hire Program
Sierra News
The Madera County Department of Social Services is currently recruiting public and private agencies in Madera County to participate in the CalWorks Employment Program (ESE).
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.
Capital Public Radio
The California Legislature received “many more” harassment and discrimination complaints than expected over the past year, according to the new Workplace Conduct Unit that formed in the wake of the Me Too movement.
AB5 gig-work law may ease caps for writers, photographers
San Francisco Chronicle
The author of AB5, California’s new gig-work law, said Thursday that she’ll seek amendments that remove some restrictions on freelance journalists and photographers, and is eyeing further changes for musicians, small businesses and others, as well as an assistance fund to help small nonprofit arts groups comply.
See Also:
● Commentary: Uber Urges California Court to End Law That Gives Gig Workers Benefits Bloomberg
● Uber Posts Faster Growth, but Loses $1.1 Billion New York Times
PublicCEO
RPLG Founding Partner Art Hartinger and Renne Public Policy Group (RPPG) Director, Government Affairs Dane Hutchings will provide insight on pensions and independent contractors at the 2020 League of California Cities City Managers Conference, which will take place from February 5-7 at the Meritage Resort in Napa.
Juul Employees Say “Morale Is At An All-Time Low” After Its Worst Year Ever
BuzzFeed News
The billion-dollar e-cigarette startup is fighting for its life. Employees are calling out the chaos and considering jumping ship, according to internal documents and audio obtained by BuzzFeed News.
Employers: DHS Releases New Revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
National Law Review
The United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has again changed the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. On January 31, 2020, the USCIS released the long-awaited revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9), with an edition date of “10/21/2019.” The changes are minor and USCIS has accordingly revised “Handbook for Employers: Guidance for Completing Form I-9.”
Politico
Local leaders across the United States are turning to private donors to fund an out-of-the-box policy experiment they think could go mainstream: Giving cash to residents, no strings attached. Newark, Milwaukee and Stockton, Calif., are among the cities testing versions of what’s known as universal basic income, a program under which residents receive a set amount of money, regardless of their income level.
Commentary: Trump’s State of the Union declared we’re in a “blue-collar boom.” Worker’s don’t agree.
Brookings
In Tuesday’s State of the Union address, President Trump triumphantly declared that America is in the midst of a “blue-collar boom.” He described the “roaring” economy as the “best it’s ever been,” citing rising wages, low unemployment, and a soaring stock market.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Slatic files damage claim against Fresno Unified - another demand to lift his censure
Fresno Bee
Trustee Terry Slatic on Wednesday filed a formal claim for damages against the Fresno Unified School District, a move he described as a last-ditch effort to avoid a lawsuit and force the district to eliminate terms of his censure.
CUSD governing board denies charter school petition
Clovis RoundUp
The Clovis Unified School District Governing Board voted at its Wednesday meeting to deny a charter petition that would have established a new charter school in Clovis for a five-year period.
Future of Visalia’s fifth high school uncertain
Visalia Times Delta
The future of Visalia's planned fifth high school is uncertain, with trustees set to weigh the district's options at a special board meeting Thursday.
BCSD board selects new trustee as another is rushed to hospital
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield City School District trustees filled an empty seat on the board Thursday night, but it came as another board member was rushed to the hospital first. Unexpectedly, Area 5 trustee Fred Haynes left the board chamber during an interview and later had to seek medical assistance.
KHSD Aquatic Complex offers 'new beginning' for water sports
Bakersfield Californian
With the official grand opening Thursday of the Kern High School District Aquatic Complex, those cramped backstrokes and butterfly strokes will be a thing of the past.
Higher Ed:
Is the SAT test racist? You need it to get into many colleges. Should we change that?
Fresno Bee
Should we get rid of the SAT and ACT tests? Do they really indicate how successful a student will be in college? Should they be required for college admissions? Or, should we just make them optional? The question came up again this week on the heels of a new report from the University of California’s Academic Council’s Standardized Testing Task Force.
UC Merced Connect: Scholarship opportunity for student volunteers offered
Merced Sun-Star
UC Merced students who are active in the community are encouraged to apply for the University Friends Circle Distinguished Volunteer Scholarship for the upcoming 2020-2021 academic year.
Pointing Eligible Students to Available CSU Campuses
PPIC
Large numbers of students are turned away from their campus of choice each year because many California universities receive more freshman and transfer applications than they can admit.
$1.2M boost for Fresno State STEM teachers-in-training
Fresno State received a $1.2 million award program that will help support 60 students over five years to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching careers in the Central Valley. “Learn computer science. Change the world.” That is the slogan for Code.org, a nonprofit organization that promotes computer science in education and encourages participation by women and underrepresented minorities.
$1.7-million grant for Reedley College's Forestry Job Training program
abc30
As millions of dead and dying trees continue to pose a threat to public safety, CAL FIRE is stepping up its efforts to try and stay ahead of the wildfires that burn every year in our local mountains by offering funding for students who take the Forestry Job Training program at Reedley College.
Merced College offers fast track certificate for careers in nutrition
abc30
A local valley school is offering students a fast track to start their careers in nutrition. Digging into a career in nutrition isn't always easy, but Merced College is serving up a solution for its students. In Fall 2020, the foods and nutrition program will offer several certificates as a fast track option.
Public Forum Next Week to Spotlight New Oakhurst College Center Design
Sierra News
Oakhurst Community College officials will host a public forum next week to provide community members with an update on the new $25 million Oakhurst Community College Center — including the latest information from the architect designing the campus.
2020 - Best Nursing Schools in California
Registered Nursing
Selecting the best nursing school in California can be difficult. To make the process easier first look for a school that supports students towards licensure and beyond. A great way to measure this is through NCLEX-RN "pass rates." We have ranked the top 50 nursing schools in California by analyzing current and historical NCLEX-RN "pass rates", meaning the percentage of graduates who pass the exam, out of the 126 RN programs in the state.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
SNF to hold OHV Grant Application Open House in Porterville
Porterville Recorder
You can help shape the future of Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) use within the Sequoia National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Field Office jurisdiction.
What is California doing to fight climate change? Not enough to prevent catastrophe
Sacramento Bee
This is a year of great significance for California. It’s the start of a new decade and the landmark 2020 presidential election year. We’re also less than 10 years out from a critical deadline. Scientists say we have until 2030 to stop the most catastrophic impacts of our climate crisis.
See also:
● From ‘hoax’ to ‘serious:’ Why one former aide thinks Trump shifted on climate change Fresno Bee
State will prevail in Trump emissions fight, California Air Resources Board chief says
Los Angeles Times
Even if the White House declares null and void California’s ability to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions from motor vehicles — a move expected within weeks — the state will continue to fight in court and and keep its clean-air rules in place, unless a court orders otherwise.
The municipal bond market looks to satellites to help assess climate risk
Los Angeles Times
The $3.8-trillion municipal-bond market has found a new tool in its effort to understand the effects of climate change: satellites orbiting Earth.
Ousted EPA official in California says he was pushed out for being too bipartisan
Los Angeles Times
Abruptly dismissed from office Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency’s top official for California and the Pacific Southwest speculated he was terminated because of his congenial relationship with Democratic politicians.
See Also:
● Top EPA official in California says firing was ‘100% personal’ San Francisco Chronicle
● Mike Stoker Ousted as EPA Region 9 Administrator After Less Than 2 Years NoozHawk
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.
California’s Multibillion-dollar Problem: The Toxic Legacy Of Old Oil Wells
The Center for Public Integrity
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.
See also:
● The toxic legacy of old oil wells: California’s multibillion-dollar problem Los Angeles Times
Opinion: What is California doing to fight climate change? Not enough to prevent catastrophe
Fresno Bee
Scientists say we have until 2030 to stop the most catastrophic impacts of our climate crisis. That’s not much time, especially considering that families and small businesses across our state have suffered greatly from the devastating consequences of climate inaction, from wildfires to flooding.
Energy:
California Energy Price Data for January 2020
California Center for Jobs & the Economy
Below are the monthly updates from the most current January 2020 fuel price data (GasBuddy.com) and November 2019 electricity and natural gas price data (US Energy Information Agency). To view additional data and analysis related to the California economy visit our website at http://www.centerforjobs.org/ca.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Coronavirus impact: No China flights in or out of SFO, SJC for close to six weeks
San Francisco Chronicle
The last air link from the Bay Area to China will end Feb. 16 when China Southern Airlines halts its route from San Francisco International Airport to the city of Guangzhou. There are currently no flights to mainland China scheduled from any Bay Area airport from mid-February to the end of March because of the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 560 people and infected more than 28,000 people, mostly in China.
See Also:
● Coronavirus-Related Travel Alert Likely to Cause U.S. Visa Processing Delays in China National Law Review
Are States Prepared for a Public Health Crisis?
U.S.News
U.S. Residents Witnessed Record Heat, Monthslong Flooding In The Mississippi River Delta, Harrowing Hurricanes And Wildfires, And Outbreaks Of Preventable Diseases Such As Measles, And A Mysterious Lung Infection Tied To Vaping In 2019, Fortifying The Need For States And Localities To Have Public Health Safeguards At The Ready, A New Report Urges.
The Great Body-Acceptance Debate
U.S.News
Climbing obesity rates fuel related illnesses like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Bariatric surgery, a drastic measure typically for the middle-aged, is becoming more routine for extremely obese adolescents. Obesity-related absences among U.S. employees cost the country as much as $6.38 billion annually in productivity, and scientists say severe weight gain is contributing to shrinking U.S. lifespans.
Human Services:
AAUW Program to Spotlight Rural Health Care Access, Overall Health Determinants
Sierra News
AAUW Mariposa (American Association of University Women) is hosting a symposium later this month focusing on access to rural health care, including some of the issues that impact local residents’ overall health.
Cancer patients at Modesto hospital pressured to choose end-of-life care, lawsuit claims
Modesto Bee
The lawsuit cites numerous cases in which in-house doctors at the hospital pressured cancer patients to opt for end-of-life care. In some instances, cancer treatment or other procedures needed by patients were not provided, the suit alleges.
Kaweah Delta starts street medicine program
Visalia Times Delta
Kaweah Delta Medical Center has created a street medicine program to serve Tulare County's most vulnerable populations. In 2019, there were 1,069 people living in the bi-county region experiencing homelessness, according to the Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance Point in Time report.
A facility standpoint: CUP review for NPRM causes Council concern
Porterville Recorder
Tuesday’s meeting of the Porterville City Council had some emotions running high as the New Porterville Rescue Mission’s (NPRM) Conditional Use Permit (CUP) was up for a six-month review.
Special Enrollment (Covered California)
Covered California
People who experience a qualifying life event can newly enroll in a health plan through Covered California even outside the open-enrollment period. Currently enrolled members who experience a qualifying life event can change their coverage or choose a new plan. This is called special enrollment.
IMMIGRATION
Trump ramps up border-wall construction ahead of 2020 vote
Washington Post
The southern U.S. border has about 650 miles of barriers that take a variety of forms. In more-urban areas, tall “pedestrian” fences are in place to stop people from crossing. In remote areas, the government uses “vehicle barriers” made from old railroad tracks. In mountainous areas and long stretches that follow the Rio Grande, there is no man-made structure.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Big machines at Modesto’s Vintage Faire Mall. Dave & Buster’s, Dick’s work underway
Modesto Bee
Construction crews recently tore down the old Sears Auto Center attached to the former Sears building. The 150,000-square-foot anchor space has been vacant since January 2019, when Sears closed its store in the Modesto mall.
Sundale's new owners begin upgrades, consider adding senior housing
Bakersfield Californian
Except for the trees, the turf, the irrigation system, the restaurant and the clubhouse, new owners of Sundale Country Club like the property just the way it is. Mostly.
Cal Twin Towers changes hands
Bakersfield Californian
Local investor Steve Blumer has purchased the Cal Twin Towers office complex at 4900 California Ave. from Woodland Hills-based Adler Realty Investments. The complex measures 151,829 rentable square feet.
Housing:
Rudy Salas to convene homelessness and housing roundtable discussion
Bakersfield Californian
Assemblyman Rudy Salas will host a local roundtable discussion on how to reduce homelessness in the Central Valley on Friday. The discussion will take place at the Kern Housing Authority located at 1015 Baker St. The roundtable will include a presentation from the state's Deputy Secretary of Homelessness Alicia Sutton, according to a news release.
L.A. v. S.F.: How the ‘cultural divide’ is setting housing policy in California
Los Angeles Times
Senate Bill 50, which would have allowed for greater housing density near transit, failed amid overwhelming opposition from Los Angeles lawmakers.
California’s big housing bill fell short. A push for backyard cottages is moving ahead
San Francisco Chronicle
Thursday’s defeat of SB50, the state Senate bill that would have required cities to allow dense residential development near transit, shows how housing policy can be a flash point in California politics.
OPINION: Wanted: An ‘all-of-the-above’ housing strategy
Capitol Weekly
There is general agreement that California remains in a housing affordability crisis that is hitting the state’s working families extremely hard, forcing long polluting commutes and causing spiraling rates of homelessness. But opinions differ markedly on the appropriate response to the increasingly dire situation.
See also:
● EDITORIAL: SB50 failure puts pressure on Newsom and Bay Area naysayers San Francisco Chronicle
OPINION: Should I stay, or should I go? How to balance American rootedness and wanderlust.
Washington Post
Would you rather live in a place with a vibrant, dynamic economy, or one with a tightknit community where people know their neighbors? Your first response might be, “Why do I have to choose?” The answer comes in a recent report from the Legatum Institute, a think tank in London, which evaluated the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia on 200 indicators of economic success, social progress and well-being that go into a capacious definition of prosperity.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Commentary: Social Security Can't Be a Piggy Bank for Parental Leave
Bloomberg
As you’d expect, the speaker of the House of Representatives and the vice president were seated behind President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address last month, nodding, clapping and rising to their feet. One moment, though, was different.
TRANSPORTATION
You can now pay for parking with a card in downtown Fresno
abc30
Parking in downtown Fresno just got a lot easier, thanks to the city installing new solar-powered parking pay stations. Thanks to these kiosks, searching for quarters in your cup holders and underneath the seats of your car is a thing of the past.
Bike lanes could come to part of Ninth Street in Modesto. Not everyone is pumped
Modesto Bee
Part of Ninth Street in downtown Modesto would get bicycle lanes under a plan to enhance access to its upcoming train depot. But the idea raised concerns Tuesday night from two prominent businesses on Ninth – Modesto Junk Co. and American Lumber Co. – about limiting space for motor vehicles.
Assembly Appointee to the California Transportation Commission Has Clean Air Experience
StreetsBlog Cal
Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon has appointed a new commissioner to the California Transportation Commission: Dr. Joseph Lyou, president and CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air, and former governor’s appointee to the South Coast Air Quality Management Board.
States wary of possible changes to highway funding
Roll Call
State transportation leaders applauded House Democrats for releasing principles of a broad infrastructure package last week, but were concerned about potential changes to the formula programs that determine funding levels for each state.
Travel by plane and you might get ‘flight shamed.’ This worries airlines
Los Angeles Times
Some U.S. airline executives are now expressing concern that guilt could take hold in the U.S., prompting American travelers to think twice before buying an airline ticket.
WATER
Water Education Foundation
Shortly after taking office in 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom called on state agencies to deliver a Water Resilience Portfolio to meet California’s urgent challenges — unsafe drinking water, flood and drought risks from a changing climate, severely depleted groundwater aquifers and native fish populations threatened with extinction.
California governor proposes new plan for managing water
Associated Press
California’s governor revealed a plan on Tuesday that would keep more water in the fragile San Joaquin River Delta while restoring 60,000 acres of habitat for endangered species and generating more than $5 billion in new funding for environmental improvements.
Bakersfield Californian
Jan. 31 marked a major milestone for building groundwater sustainability and climate resilience into California’s complex and increasingly stressed water systems.
“Xtra”
Rotary presents donations to local veterans groups
Hanford Sentinel
The Rotary Club of Hanford shared the green with ‘fore’ local veterans’ groups at its meeting Thursday morning.
America's Freshest Coffee Comes from Right Outside Yosemite National Park
abc30
This family-owned coffee roasting company is right outside Yosemite!
How Modesto’s location makes it a great place to spend time, base day trips
Modesto Bee
“There’s nothing to do in Modesto.” Today, those are close to fightin’ words. Once, however, there was a time when a reply to that statement might have been, “That may be, but we’re close to San Francisco, Napa, Yosemite, Big Trees, gold country, Sacramento, the ocean.”