January 22, 2020

22Jan

'Eureka Moment' In Valley Fever Case Paves Way For New Research, Treatment Options

VPR
Hundreds of children and their families cycle in and out of UCLA’s Mattel Children’s Hospital each week, and yet Dr. Manish Butte still remembers the day almost two years ago when he met a young boy who could barely walk or talk and needed a feeding tube to eat.

See​​ also:

 

 

POLICY & POLITICS

 

Apply NOW 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:

 

Candidates forum 2020 – Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors, District 5

Modesto Bee

Welcome to today’s political forum featuring the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors District 5 candidates vying for the seat vacated by Tim DeMartini, who is stepping down.

 

Campaign money gusher

CalMatters

Oil companies have spent more than $1 million in recent days to help Democrats running for Senate seats in Santa Clara County and the Stockton-Modesto area win one of the top-two spots in the March 3 primary.

 

Stockton meeting encourages public to work for cleaner air

Stockton Record

San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District officials will update the public on the implementation of AB617 that aims to improve air quality in a defined area of southwest Stockton during a meeting.

 

Staying close: Salinas farmworkers make a home amid California's housing crisis

The Californian

Low wages and a stagnant housing market have pushed Salinas families to the margins. Advocates say the city’s low-income farmworker community bears the heaviest burden.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Tulare County No. 1 in US unsheltered homeless

Visalia Times Delta

Tulare County falls into the "largely urban continuum of care (CoC)" category because the county’s largest population lives in urban areas — Visalia, Tulare and Porterville.

 

Tulare motions to dismiss Nunley’s ‘meritless’ $16M suit

Visalia Times Delta

Tulare has fired back against Councilman Greg Nunley, challenging assertions that the sitting city leader has "developed a good reputation for himself and his business" and filing a motion to dismiss Nunley's $16 million lawsuit against the city as "frivolous."

 

In the Studio: Fresno Mayoral Candidate Andrew Janz

VPR
Fresno mayoral candidate Andrew Janz came to the studio to discuss his campaign strategy and vision for the city ahead of California’s March 3 primary. Janz is facing former Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer.

 

Taking his defense of Trump to the bank: Devin Nunes raising astronomical sums of money

Washington Examiner

The Devin Nunes fundraising juggernaut pressed forward during the final three months of last year, with the California congressman accumulating $2.1 million to finish with $7.2 million on hand to spend on his 2020 reelection bid.

 

The ‘New’ Old Town Clovis

Clovis RoundUp

At first glance, Old Town may seem like a place that hardly ever changes. With its wide, lantern-lit streets, brick sidewalks, saloon-style bars and antique shops, it’s easy to understand how one might think downtown Clovis has remained the same since it was founded in 1912.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

Council set to select Wednesday among possible homeless shelter sites

Bakersfield Californian

A decision could be made Wednesday on where the city of Bakersfield will put a new homeless shelter. The Bakersfield City Council is scheduled to choose from among four possible sites, each offering unique benefits and drawbacks. Some are viewed as more controversial than others.

 

Street racers, law enforcement discuss solutions on illegal street racing at community forum

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield Police Department and local street racers opened a dialogue toward finding a solution to illegal street racing at the first community forum regarding the issue on Tuesday evening at Independence High School.

 

Why is Bakersfield no longer listed as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Foundation?

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield earned a Tree City USA designation for nearly 20 years straight. For nearly two decades the city met the national Arbor Day Foundation's criteria for the honor. Then the drought hit. Water became scarce. And so did thousands of trees.

 

McFarland meeting on expanding ICE detention capabilities draws huge protest and counter-protest

Bakersfield Californian

A huge crowd of protesters and counter-protesters showed up to a McFarland Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday in which the city took the first steps in allowing the private prison company GEO Group Inc. to expand immigration detention capabilities.

 

State:

 

Newsom’s big move on homelessness may be just in political time, new poll suggests

CalMatters

Homelessness has shot to the top of the list of concerns for California voters.  A new poll finds nearly a third name homelessness or housing as what the state should focus on this year.

 

Governor’s Budget Seeks to Build Water Resilience

PPIC

Earlier this month the Newsom administration laid out its vision for addressing the linked issues of water and climate in two key policy documents: the much-anticipated draft of its Water Resilience Portfolio (WRP) and the governor’s budget proposal.

 

California Governor joins those wanting to hold school districts more accountable for spending

EdSource

A new website would let the public see how much any district is — or is not — spending on “high-needs” students.

 

Gov. Newsom, Legislative Analyst disagree on priority for K-12 spending next year

EdSource

A historically low proportion of school districts in California currently are in fiscal distress. But with most districts facing declining enrollments and escalating costs, the Legislative Analyst’s Office is suggesting that the Legislature give districts more financial relief in next year’s state budget.

 

Commentary: Gov. Newsom needs to stand up to the Trump administration on the Delta

CalMatters

It’s hardly news that California is under environmental attack from Trump administration policies allowing air and water pollution. Now Trump’s team is set to impose new environmentally damaging Bay-Delta water diversion and pumping rules. My organization, the Golden State Salmon Association, and our allies have gone to court to block Trump’s effort.

 

Gavin Newsom’s budget would make state government bigger. Can California sustain the spending?

Sacramento Bee

Eight years ago, former Gov. Jerry Brown trimmed and reorganized California’s bureaucracy in an effort to help haul the state out of the Great Recession.

 

Mental illness as a campaign issue + oil spends big on legislative races + UC drops tuition hike, for now

CalMatters

Reflecting voter frustration with chronic homelessness, candidates are using campaign ads to tell deeply personal stories about family members who suffer from mental illness and end up on the streets.

 

California could become America’s sports betting capital as rival groups eye November ballot

Los Angeles Times

Two years after the U.S. Supreme Court removed legal barriers to sports betting, California voters could be asked in November to join 14 other states in allowing legal wagers on athletic contests, creating a lucrative industry worth billions of dollars and intense competition among rival gambling interests in the state.

 

Walters: State budget depends on the rich

CalMatters

The final pages of the 2020-21 budget that Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed this month contain arguably its most important factor — an utter dependence on taxing a relative handful of high-income Californians.

 

Commentary: California regains its power to regulate internet service providers. Here’s why that’s good news for consumers

CalMatters

Eight years ago, major internet service providers convinced the California Legislature to deregulate their industry. It was a bad decision that, mercifully, came to an end Jan. 1 when this ill-conceived law sunsetted. The California Public Utilities Commission’s power to protect consumers has been restored.

 

Federal:

 

Dispute over rules erupts on impeachment’s first full day

Fresno Bee

A rancorous dispute over rules marked the first full day of President Donald Trump's impeachment trial. Here are the highlights of Tuesday's session and what's ahead as senators conduct just the third impeachment trial of a president.

See also:

 

Commentary: Exclusive: What’s in Republicans’ new climate-change push

Axios

Trees, plastics and favorable tax policy are at the core of House Republicans’ new push on climate change — an effort to reassure voters they care about the problem after a decade of dismissing it.

 

Elections 2020:

 

High drug costs outweigh ‘Medicare for all’ as top healthcare issue for voters

Los Angeles Times

The debate over creating a single government health plan for all Americans may be dominating the Democratic presidential campaign, but most voters are focused on a more basic pocketbook issue: prescription drug prices.

 

Calif. voters can start casting ballots same day as Iowa caucus

Visalia Times Delta

The 494 delegates California will send to the Democratic National Convention in July have earned the state's primary election the nickname "the big enchilada" among presidential candidates. But, this year, the enchilada is spicier.

See also:

 

‘I like Bernie.’ 2020 candidates chime in on Sanders after Clinton dig

Fresno Bee

Democratic presidential candidates are showing support for Sen. Bernie Sanders after Hillary Clinton said “nobody likes him.”

See also:

 

Q&A: Pete Buttigieg on the monumental task of cleaning up Trump’s mess

Los Angeles Times

On a recent visit to Los Angeles, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg sat down with the Los Angeles Times editorial board to talk about polarized politics, electability and U.S. policy toward Iran, among other topics.

 

Bloomberg picks up crowd of new California endorsements

Politico

On the heels of his third campaign trip to California, Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg has picked up dozens of new endorsements from elected officials, including U.S. Rep. Harley Rouda of Huntington Beach and state Sen. Richard Roth of Riverside.

See​​ also:

 

Trump’s GOP foe Bill Weld favors impeachment, would vote for a Democrat

San Francisco Chronicle

Bill Weld, the former Republican governor of Massachusetts, thinks President Trump should be impeached. And he’s not saying that just because he’s running against Trump for the Republican nomination.

 

CA120: A crucial look at voters’ second choices

Capitol Weekly

For the past year, Capitol Weekly has conducted over 10,000 surveys of likely Democratic Primary voters. These surveys were emailed to Democratic and nonpartisan voters each month, asking them to complete a survey. We tracked their responses back to their voter registration to allow us to analyze candidate support by ethnicity, age, partisanship, and other factors.

 

Tracking Every Presidential Candidate’s TV Ad Buys

Five Thirty Eight

FiveThirtyEight is using data from Kantar/Campaign Media Analysis Group to show what campaign ads are being aired across the country and how much candidates and outside groups are spending on them. Ad airings are grouped by state.

 

These are the basics of campaign finance in 2020 — in two handy charts

MarketWatch

As President Donald Trump and the 2020 Democrats battle for the White House, their war chests will go a long way toward determining who comes out on top. And their fundraising efforts are subject to some restrictions, as shown in the table below.

 

Opinion: Voters beware of our populist threat. It comes from the right and left

CalMatters

We stand at the precipice of a significant tectonic shift in our political system. Similar to the profound disruptions the newspaper, music and transportation industries underwent some years ago, our democratic system, which is designed to be a lagging social indicator, is struggling to find a working model for a more complex age.

 

Opinion: Candidates still not talking about California issues

Enterprise-Record

So…, as Elizabeth Warren would start out, the Democrats held a presidential primary debate in California, in the Westchester district of Los Angeles to be specific. And still California issues get virtually no attention on the national scene.

 

Opinion: Can a Woman Win in 2020?

Wall Street Journal

Of course a woman can win in 2020. But Americans can and should look past shallow identity politics. Instead, voters should support the candidates whose policies will improve their quality of life. Gender must come second.

 

Other:

 

Texas, South Face Political Changes as Movers Arrive

PEW Trust

Texas, Arizona and parts of the South are seeing the nation’s largest population bumps — and the people moving there from more liberal states may be feeding political change in those red-state conservative bastions.

 

Commentary: Whoever leads in artificial intelligence in 2030 will rule the world until 2100

Brookings

A couple of years ago, Vladimir Putin warned Russians that the country that led in technologies using artificial intelligence will dominate the globe. He was right to be worried. Russia is now a minor player, and the race seems now to be mainly between the United States and China.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, January 26, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Reportpre-empted

 

Sunday, January 26, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: California’s Housing Crisis: Are Granny Flats the Answer? - Guests: Monica Davalos, Aureo Mesquita, and Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto from the California Budget and Policy Center; Matt Levin with CALmatters; Dan Dunmoyer with​​ California Building Industry Association; John Myers with LA Times; and Dan Walters with CALmatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, January 26, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: State Auditors Nurses: Workers Comp Fraud - Guest: Margarita Fernandez, PIO State Auditor's Office. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

A hive heist: Nearly 100 beehives stolen from Northern California field

Los Angeles Times

Nearly 100 beehives, each holding more than 50,000 bees, have gone missing in Northern California, officials said.

 

Property Taxes Sink Farmland Owners

PEW Trust

Doug Schmale’s family farm straddles the Great Plains in two parts: 4,500 acres in western Nebraska and a separate 160-acre plot in eastern Colorado. Schmale pays wildly different property taxes on either side of the border.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Fresno PD: Crime not on the rise in southwest policing district

abc30

Despite a violent Monday night, police say crime is not on the rise in the southwest policing district. "We haven't seen a drastic uptick in crime," says Fresno Police Lt. Carl McKnight. "Yesterday was an anomaly."

 

California governor asked to pardon late gay rights leader

Bakersfield Californian

The California Legislature’s LGBTQ and black caucuses on Tuesday asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to posthumously pardon a civil rights leader who was jailed for having gay sex nearly 70 years ago.

 

Street racers, law enforcement discuss solutions on illegal street racing at community forum

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield Police Department and local street racers opened a dialogue toward finding a solution to illegal street racing at the first community forum regarding the issue on Tuesday evening at Independence High School.

 

Public Safety:

 

Sex offenders can’t live near Fresno schools. This lawsuit says that’s unconstitutional

Fresno Bee

Fresno County’s policy that keeps sex offenders from living within 3,000 feet of places like parks and schools is unconstitutional, according to an attorney suing the county who has been successful at getting repeals in dozens of similar cases.

 

Facebook, Twitter aren't giving up evidence that could save people from prison. And they’re not giving up.

San Francisco Chronicle

In a growing list of criminal cases, attorneys for Facebook, Twitter and other social networks are citing the Stored Communications Act — a three-decade-old privacy law — to withhold information that might prove the innocence of defendants.

 

Body Cameras May Not Be the Easy Answer Everyone Was Looking For

PEW Trust

When a Maine state senator introduced a bill last year to require all police officers to wear body cameras, she expected some discussion. But the response that Democratic state Sen. Susan Deschambault got was stronger than she anticipated.

 

Fire:

 

Fire experts reveal ‘major shift in U.S. wildfire norms’ — and people are to blame

Fresno Bee

New research reveals “a major shift in U.S. wildfire norms,” according to experts — a shift that can be blamed on people.

 

How global companies drive the home insurance crisis in California wildfire zones

Sierra Star

The insurance crisis in California wildfire country is showing few signs of abating. Rural residents are losing coverage, rates are shooting up and experts say the problem defies easy remedies.

 

Meet the California firefighters helping Australia battle epic bush fires

Los Angeles Times

Beneath a green eucalyptus canopy in the country’s Australian Alps, some of America’s most versatile firefighters, mostly from Southern California, are laboring to help the Australians gain the upper hand against their worst fire season ever.

See also:

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Californian’s credit scores take nation’s second-largest jump

Mercury News

The average Californian’s credit score may be middle-of-the-pack nationally, but only one state had a bigger improvement as the economy rebounded during the last seven years.

 

High-Income Households and Corporations Benefit the Most From California’s Tax Breaks

California Budget & Policy Center

California loses a large amount of state revenues through tax breaks, also called “tax expenditures,” with much of the benefits going to high-income households and corporations. Personal income and corporate income tax expenditures combined are projected to amount to more than $63 billion in forgone state revenues in 2019-20 (the fiscal year that started on July 1, 2019), or an amount equivalent to more than 40% of the 2019-20 General Fund budget.

 

Proposal Could Impose Higher Taxes on Companies With Large CEO-Worker Pay Gaps

Route Fifty

Large companies with big gaps between what they pay executives and workers would face higher state taxes under a proposal that a California lawmaker is pushing. State Sen. Nancy Skinner, a Bay Area Democrat, says the goal of her legislation is to help shrink growing income inequality by providing companies with an incentive to “pay a fair share to their employees.” Critics say her plan would contribute to a regulatory climate in California that is increasingly unwelcoming towards businesses.

 

Commentary: Five questions for Peter Klenow on America’s capacity for economic growth

AEI

How the America’s economy perform in the 2010s? And how might population growth, trade, and technological innovations all affect America’s capacity for economic growth in the 2020s and beyond? Peter Klenow joins me to discuss.

 

Commentary: Economic effects of wealth taxation

AEI

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., have introduced plans to enact an annual wealth tax. Under these proposals, the net worth of wealthy households would be taxed at rates between 1 and 8 percent per year. The tax base would be as broad as possible to minimize tax avoidance.

 

Jobs:

 

Injuries at Fresno’s Amazon warehouse double California’s industry average

Fresno Bee

Amanda Caballero wishes she could go back to work at Amazon. She made $15 an hour at the Fresno fulfillment center — several dollars more than the state’s minimum wage — and received more than three months of paid maternity leave. Her generous health insurance package covered her husband and five children, and she liked her managers.

 

Lawmaker promises to refine AB 5 amid lawsuits, confusion

Visalia Times Delta

California’s controversial new "gig economy" labor law that went into effect Jan. 1 is already facing fierce opposition from industries that depend on contracted labor, sparking widespread concerns over how it will be implemented.

 

Uber tests letting some drivers in California set their own fares

Los Angeles Times

Uber Technologies Inc. is allowing some drivers in California to set their own rates, an effort to bolster the company’s argument that they’re independent workers and not employees.

See also:

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

PUSD to implement new security program today

Porterville Recorder

Porterville Unified School District will implement the Raptor Technologies security system for all school sites, beginning today. Parents and visitors will provide a driver’s license to the front desk but will need to register just once at any school site.

 

Garces students get hands-on business experience running student store, T-shirt company

Bakersfield Californian

What do playing professional soccer and directing films have in common with running a student store or making T-shirts, sweatshirts and hats? It all comes down to business.

 

Diversifying the teaching profession requires confronting history

San Francisco Chronicle

Funding is just one factor in the need to diversify the teaching profession. The reasons for the lack of diversity in the nation’s public schools are historical and complex.

 

California Governor joins those wanting to hold school districts more accountable for spending

EdSource

A new website would let the public see how much any district is — or is not — spending on “high-needs” students.

 

Gov. Newsom, Legislative Analyst disagree on priority for K-12 spending next year

EdSource

A historically low proportion of school districts in California currently are in fiscal distress. But with most districts facing declining enrollments and escalating costs, the Legislative Analyst’s Office is suggesting that the Legislature give districts more financial relief in next year’s state budget.

 

Commentary: INSIGHT: California Allows Medicinal Cannabis in Public Schools—A National Milestone for Cannabis Laws

Bloomberg Law

A new California law allows parents and guardians to administer medicinal cannabis products to public K-12 school students. Manatt attorneys say it’s notable because it comes from the state with the largest K–12 student population, but it’s also significant for what it does not do—force school districts to adopt policies around medicinal cannabis and require administration by school personnel.

 

Higher Ed:

 

FCC staff works to make it easier for students to obtain textbooks

abc30

Students are starting a new semester at Fresno City College, and thanks to some changes, it has been much smoother sailing getting their hands on the books they need.

 

UC delays vote on contentious tuition hike

Stockton Record

The University of California has delayed a contentious vote originally planned for Wednesday on whether to raise tuition at UC’s 10 campuses.

See also:

 

UC enrolls record number of California students in the fall

Los Angeles Times

The University of California enrolled a record number of in-state undergraduates in the fall, marking the fourth consecutive annual increase, according to data released Tuesday.

 

Cal State eyes postponing vote to raise math requirement

Los Angeles Times

In the wake of intense controversy, Chancellor Timothy White has delayed a vote on his proposal to require a fourth year of high school math for admission to the Cal State universities, and will instead ask trustees this month to approve a year-long study of the initiative.

See also:

 

Opinion: New federal rules on campus sexual misconduct will only make things worse

Los Angeles Times

The proposed federal regulations will almost certainly ignite years of litigation and political battles, without making anything fairer for anyone.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Why is Bakersfield no longer listed as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Foundation?

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield earned a Tree City USA designation for nearly 20 years straight. For nearly two decades the city met the national Arbor Day Foundation's criteria for the honor. Then the drought hit. Water became scarce. And so did thousands of trees.

 

Stockton meeting encourages public to work for cleaner air

Stockton Record

San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District officials will update the public on the implementation of AB617 that aims to improve air quality in a defined area of southwest Stockton during a meeting.

 

At Davos, Trump rejects climate crisis, lauds U.S. economy and fossil fuels

Los Angeles Times

President Trump bragged about the U.S. economy but rejected warnings of environmental crisis in his speech at the World Economic Forum.

 

Why Cutting Car and Truck Emissions Is So Hard

PEW Trust

State lawmakers and regulators are turning their eyes to the road in the fight against climate change, recognizing that the transportation sector now produces more greenhouse gas emissions than any other portion of the economy. They are finding few simple solutions.

 

America’s Radioactive Secret

Rolling Stone

In 2014, a muscular, middle-aged Ohio man named Peter took a job trucking waste for the oil-and-gas industry.  The hours were long — he was out the door by 3 a.m. every morning and not home until well after dark — but the steady $16-an-hour pay was appealing, says Peter, who asked to use a pseudonym.

 

Commentary: Why Cows, Steel and Cement Pollute So Much (and How to Fix It)

Bloomberg

The scope of decarbonization isn’t just limited to power generation and transportation. The approach extends to industries including steel, cattle and cement manufacturing. All will require major change in order to slow global warming.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

1st US case of new coronavirus confirmed: Here are the risks, and how to protect yourself

Fresno Bee

A virus that has raised​​ concerns worldwide since it broke out in China last month has now been confirmed in the United States.

See also:

 

Only a few drugmakers even try to fight superbugs — a growing threat

Los Angeles Times

A dependence on only a few pharmaceutical companies to sustain the fight against superbugs is putting the world in a precarious position, a new report shows.

 

California considers declaring common pain killer carcinogen

abc30

A fight is coming to California over whether to list one of the world's most common over-the-counter drugs as a carcinogen, echoing recent high-profile battles over things like alcohol and coffee.

See also:

 

Fentanyl: The Most Dangerous Illegal Drug in America

Rand Corporation

Drug overdoses kill more Americans than car crashes, gunshots, or AIDS at its peak. But it's no longer just a crisis of prescription pills or heroin. It's a crisis of fentanyl. Deaths involving it and other synthetic opioids have surged from around 3,000 in 2013 to more than 30,000 in 2018.

 

Mental illness and campaigns

CalMatters

Reflecting voter frustration with chronic homelessness, candidates are using campaign ads to tell deeply personal stories about family members who suffer from mental illness and end up on the streets.

 

Human Services:

 

'Eureka Moment' In Valley Fever Case Paves Way For New Research, Treatment Options

VPR
Hundreds of children and their families cycle in and out of UCLA’s Mattel Children’s Hospital each week, and yet Dr. Manish Butte still remembers the day almost two years ago when he met a young boy who could barely walk or talk and needed a feeding tube to eat.

See​​ also:

 

High drug costs outweigh ‘Medicare for all’ as top healthcare issue for voters

Los Angeles Times

The debate over creating a single government health plan for all Americans may be dominating the Democratic presidential campaign, but most voters are focused on a more basic pocketbook issue: prescription drug prices.

 

Supreme Court puts off an election-year decision on Obamacare

Los Angeles Times

The Supreme Court refused Tuesday to take up another challenge to the Affordable Care Act, leaving the healthcare law known as Obamacare intact but still under legal challenge.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

McFarland meeting on expanding ICE detention capabilities draws huge protest and counter-protest

Bakersfield Californian

A huge crowd of protesters and counter-protesters showed up to a McFarland Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday in which the city took the first steps in allowing the private prison company GEO Group Inc. to expand immigration detention capabilities.

 

ICE, judges deny protections for disabled immigrants in custody, attorneys say

San Francisco Chronicle

Lawyers representing undocumented immigrants detained by ICE allege that courts and government authorities under the Trump administration are not complying with a federal court order that protects mentally disabled immigrants in California, Arizona and Washington.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Ceres takes a step toward a new 99 interchange. The design might baffle you at first

Modesto Bee

Ceres is moving into detailed design for a new Highway 99 interchange near the south end of town. The $133.5 million project would include a full interchange at Service Road, which now has a bridge across the highway but does not directly connect with it. The work also would involve upgrades to the current Mitchell Road interchange, about half a mile to the south.

 

Housing:

 

Tulare County No. 1 in US unsheltered homeless

Visalia Times Delta

Tulare County falls into the "largely urban continuum of care (CoC)" category because the county’s largest population lives in urban areas — Visalia, Tulare and Porterville.

 

Council set to select Wednesday among possible homeless shelter sites

Bakersfield Californian

A decision could be made Wednesday on where the city of Bakersfield will put a new homeless shelter. The Bakersfield City Council is scheduled to choose from among four possible sites, each offering unique benefits and drawbacks. Some are viewed as more controversial than others.

 

Mountain Area Home Sales, Median Prices Hold Steady in 2019

Sierra News

2019 proved to be a solid year for home sales in eastern Madera County, according Realtor Ed Bailey of Ed Bailey Realty.

 

Project Homeless Connect Friday

Porterville Recorder

Project Homeless Connect is a one-day, one-stop event designed to provide housing, services, and hospitality in a convenient forum directly to people experiencing homelessness.

 

Politifact California: Fact or Fiction? A Look At Claims About SB 50, One Of California’s Most Controversial Housing Bills

Capital Public Radio

When one of the most contested California housing bills in years resurfaced at the state Capitol this month, so did the heated, often exaggerated claims about how it would ease the state’s affordable housing crisis — or possibly make it worse.

 

Lawmakers call for audit of California's homeless spending

abc10 News

A group of California lawmakers is raising new questions about what the state is getting in return for the billions of dollars it has spent combating its homeless crisis. The seven lawmakers, all Republicans, are calling for an audit that will need bipartisan support to get going.

 

Newsom’s big move on homelessness may be just in political time, new poll suggests

CalMatters

Homelessness has shot to the top of the list of concerns for California voters.  A new poll finds nearly a third name homelessness or housing as what the state should focus on this year.

 

Staying close: Salinas farmworkers make a home amid California's housing crisis

The Californian

Low wages and a stagnant housing market have pushed Salinas families to the margins. Advocates say the city’s low-income farmworker community bears the heaviest burden.

 

EDITORIAL: Should California force cities to house homeless people?

Los Angeles Times

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide task force on homelessness has come up with a proposal that it believes will compel local jurisdictions to house most of those people. And if the jurisdictions fail, the proposal would empower state courts to step in and do it for them.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

Seniors’ Sweet Tax Breaks Have Become a Target

PEW Trust

As Americans begin the challenge of filling out their tax returns this year, one taxpayer demographic generally pays less than others: senior citizens. Tax breaks for seniors cost states approximately $27 billion a year and will more than double in the next decade, according to a recent study from the progressive Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, D.C. That money could pay for schools, roads and other needs, critics argue.

 

Opinion: Here’s some good news for parents struggling to save enough for retirement

MarketWatch

Every parent knows that kids cost a lot of money, for everything from food, clothing and shelter to child care, education and health care. They’re right: studies show that a two-parent family with two kids devotes between 31% and 47% of total household spending to its children. And at the same time that parents are raising their children, they’re supposed to be saving for their own retirements.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Asm Gray: LA’s bullet train plan lets them steal the Valley’s money and pollute our air

Modesto Bee

Assemblymember Susan Eggman (D-Stockton) recently wrote a joint op-ed with Speaker of the State Assembly Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) endorsing LA’s plan to cut millions of dollars from high-speed rail and instead give the money to the MetroLink commuter rail line.

 

California is among the worst states for driving, report says. Here’s how others rank

Fresno Bee

California traffic may be notorious but as it turns out, the state is not the worst in the country for driving, according to a new report. 

 

Valley gas prices still dropping to start 2020. How much are you paying at the pump?

Fresno Bee

Gasoline prices in Fresno and the central San Joaquin Valley on Monday reflected a continuing retreat from last fall’s peak prices, dropping by a few pennies on average since the beginning of last week.

 

New San Joaquin RTD chief sees opportunity to enhance services

Stockton Record

Gloria Salazar, with 28 years of experience in the transit industry, has been appointed chief executive officer of the San Joaquin Regional Transit District by unanimous vote of the countywide agency’s board of directors.

 

Amtrak may soon sell bus-only tickets from Bakersfield to Santa Barbara, Victorville

Bakersfield Californian

A vote coming Friday could give Amtrak permission to begin offering bus-only service from Bakersfield to Santa Barbara and Victorville.

 

Ceres takes a step toward a new 99 interchange. The design might baffle you at first

Modesto Bee

Ceres is moving into detailed design for a new Highway 99 interchange near the south end of town. The $133.5 million project would include a full interchange at Service Road, which now has a bridge across the highway but does not directly connect with it. The work also would involve upgrades to the current Mitchell Road interchange, about half a mile to the south.

 

Boeing 737 Max May Stay Grounded Into Summer

Capital Public Radio

Boeing suggests it could fly about mid-2020. Industry sources note that the FAA and other regulators around the world could take months longer to find the planes safe to fly passengers.

 

WATER

 

Governor’s Budget Seeks to Build Water Resilience

PPIC

Earlier this month the Newsom administration laid out its vision for addressing the linked issues of water and climate in two key policy documents: the much-anticipated draft of its Water Resilience Portfolio (WRP) and the governor’s budget proposal.

 

Commentary: Gov. Newsom needs to stand up to the Trump administration on the Delta

CalMatters

It’s hardly news that California is under environmental attack from Trump administration policies allowing air and water pollution. Now Trump’s team is set to impose new environmentally damaging Bay-Delta water diversion and pumping rules. My organization, the Golden State Salmon Association, and our allies have gone to court to block Trump’s effort.

 

DCA Delta Stakeholder Engagement Committee Meeting Reminder

California Department of Water Resources

The Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA) Delta Stakeholder Engagement Committee is holding its next meeting at 3:00pm on Wednesday, January 22 in Rio Vista.

 

U.S. drinking water widely contaminated with 'forever chemicals': environment watchdog

Reuters

The contamination of U.S. drinking water with man-made “forever chemicals” is far worse than previously estimated with some of the highest levels found in Miami, Philadelphia and New Orleans, said a report on Wednesday by an environmental watchdog group.

 

“Xtra”

 

Fresno State band member’s viral performance brings more joy on national TV

Fresno Bee

The joy of Fresno State cymbals player Travis Morris has been making its way around the world. A viral video of one of his enthusiastic performances with the Bulldog Marching Band most recently resulted in the 20-year-old being invited on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” His nationally-televised meeting with DeGeneres airs in the Fresno area at 4 p.m. Monday on Channel 47.

 

North Fork native, champion opens axe throwing business

abc30

A world champion ax thrower is opening up his world to the public. At Yosemite Axe Throwing, visitors come for an adventure and to try something new.

 

Clovis Senior Activity Center Sets the Standard for New Decade

Clovis RoundUp

If you stop by the Clovis Senior Center, located on 4th Street, in front of San Joaquin College of Law, there’s a good chance you’ll run across Paul Smith and his buddies playing pool. The 72-year-old, retired database administrator has lived in Clovis for nearly three decades. He enjoys passing time with some friendly competition.

 

Lisa Lee Herrick On Evolution of Fresno's Hmong New Year And Hmong Identity

VPR
Lisa Lee Herrick reads from her recent essay 
Eating Thirty In Fresno: Finding Home At Hmong New Year  in the online publication Boom California and talks with FM89’s news director Alice Daniel about why so many Hmong refugees came to Fresno after the CIA’s secret war in Laos under the guidance of their leader General Vang Pao and why decades later, the city’s Hmong New Year is still a global draw.

 

Few weeks left to submit 2020 Beautiful Bakersfield nominations

Bakersfield Californian

There is only a few weeks left to submit your nominations for the 2020 Beautiful Bakersfield Awards. Nominations must be submitted by Feb. 7, according to a news release.

 

Sweating for their suds: Beer yoga offered at Ceres, Turlock breweries

Modesto Bee

There’s so much to think about when deciding to take a yoga class: the size, the teacher, the style, the intensity. And in the case of two sessions held in Turlock and Ceres on Sunday morning, there was one more crucial consideration: whether the beer is consumed during or afterward.

 

Cultural performance, films and more to keep you entertained in Modesto region

Modesto Bee

Ballet Folclórico Nacional de México de Silvia Lozano comes to the Gallo Center. The group has preserved and promoted the culture of Mexico for more than 56 years, reflecting the work of Mexico’s leading researchers and practitioners of folklore, dance, music and costumes.

 

Visit the last remaining Woolworth’s Luncheonette

NBCToday

From the original tile to iconic red vinyl stools, it’s easy to feel like you’re back in the 1950s while dining at the last remaining Woolworth’s Luncheonette in Bakersfield, California. NBC’s Joe Fryer has this week’s Sunday Closer.

 

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

 

The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

                                                      

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