POLICY & POLITICS
Deadline FAST APPROACHING: Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowship
The Maddy Institute
Applications for two $56,000 Fellowships Due Friday, February 22nd, 2019. 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. The Maddy Institute will award two $56,000 Fellowships to Valley students who are accepted into a nationally ranked, qualified graduate program in the fall of 2019.
Take a good look at the mountains – before they disappear behind a curtain of smog
Fresno Bee
Gawk while you can. Because it won’t be long before the sight of the mountains disappears behind a curtain of smog and many of us forget about their very existence. Such is the unfortunate reality, thanks to the Valley’s bowl-shaped topography and horrific air pollution.
See also:
● What keeps families in one of the most polluted places in California? CALmatters
Automation is a bigger threat to inland California workers, study finds
Los Angeles Times
The new study by the Washington think tank suggests that intelligent machines may well take over many more tasks from humans in the future. But it forecasts dramatic differences among cities, occupations, ethnic and racial groups, educational levels and age groups.
Area Colleges Promise Big Results from Half Billion in Spending
GV Wire
A large crowd gathered in October for the groundbreaking of a $5 million Agriculture and Technology building at Madera Community College Center. It was the first project to emerge from a nearly half-billion-dollar bond measure, approved by voters.
North SJ Valley:
Modesto mayor suffers minor heart attack
Modesto Bee
Modesto Mayor Ted Brandvold said he suffered a minor heart attack last week and spent several days in the hospital before being released Monday afternoon. Brandvold made his announcement during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Newsom in Stockton to unveil plan to transform juvenile justice system
Stockton Record
Gov. Gavin Newsom chose the debut of two innovative training programs at the state’s youth detention center in Stockton to confirm his intention to move the Division of Juvenile Justice out of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
See also:
● Newsom plans to move California Juvenile Justice Division out of corrections department Los Angeles Times
Fired police chief bullied others, ignored bad evidence locker, termination letter says
Merced Sun-Star
The termination letter for former Atwater Police Chief Samuel Joseph alleges he did not properly secure the department’s evidence locker, routinely bullied or threatened subordinates, hired a felon as an officer and supplied a gun to a code enforcement officer who failed a psychological exam
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno County court reporters, clerks back to work after week long strike
abc30
Court reporters and other support staff at the Fresno County Superior Court reached an agreement on a new labor contract Tuesday which ended a week long strike.
Superintendent tells Slatic to back off, citing Bullard incident among alleged oversteps
Fresno Bee
Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson warned Trustee Terry Slatic that his conduct “cannot be tolerated” in the wake of Slatic’s physical confrontation with a student on the Bullard High School campus.
Kings unemployment rate at 8.2 percent
Hanford Sentinel
While Kings County’s unemployment rate rose in December, the yearly average rate is at its lowest in at least 28 years.
See also:
● California Employment Report for December 2018 California Center for Jobs and the Economy
Group petitions for removal of Selma police chief
abc30
Crime in Selma reached a breaking point Tuesday night. An impromptu discussion about public safety at City Hall exploded into a fierce debate over Police Chief Greg Garner.
Assemblyman Jim Patterson discusses PG&E bankruptcy and the future of electricity
Clovis Roundup
In a discussion with Assemb. Jim Patterson (R-Fresno), he cites inverse condemnation–a law that is written in the state’s constitution–as one of the biggest contributing factors to PG&E’s bankruptcy.
Fresno County trailblazer, first Latina to run for supervisors seat loses battle with ALS
Fresno Bee
Theresa Perez, who ultimately became the first Latina to run for Fresno County’s Board of Supervisors, was an inspiration and role model to many, according to those who knew her.
EDITORIAL: To win her city council race, this 20-year-old did what too many politicians ignore
Fresno Bee
Jewel Hurtado’s election to the Kingsburg City Council is so very American that one cannot help but feel good — and wish that the big-name politicians now in office in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento could run a campaign like she did.
South SJ Valley:
Bakersfield ranks seventh in nation for most deadly metropolitan areas for pedestrians
Bakersfield Californian
If you’re planning a leisurely walk in Bakersfield this evening, you might want to wear a beanie topped with a blinking red light.
Former City Council candidate pleads no contest to voter fraud
Bakersfield Californian
A candidate for Bakersfield’s city council in last year’s election has pleaded no contest to fraudulent voting in connection with his 2016 run for mayor, according to court records.
State:
Gavin Newsom made these 10 promises on the campaign trail. Is he starting to keep them?
Fresno Bee
Democrat Gavin Newsom vowed while running for governor to tackle many of California’s biggest problems, from health care to homelessness to wildfires. We’re watching his efforts to keep his campaign promises.
Gavin Newsom becomes a main face of the Trump ‘resistance’
Madera Tribune
No sooner had Gavin Newsom taken the oath of office as governor than he made it clear he will not fear becoming the new face of the national “resistance” to President Trump.
Newsom Nominates Former SMUD Official For California Utility Regulator
Capital Public Radio
Gov. Gavin Newsom nominated former SMUD ward director Genevieve Shiroma to the state Public Utilities Commission Tuesday.
Advocates Say Newsom’s Multi-Billion Dollar Anti-Poverty Budget Proposals Aren’t Enough
Capital Public Radio
A new push to end deep child poverty is heating up at the California Capitol. Advocates and lawmakers say significant new budget proposals from Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month aren’t enough.
See also:
● Five bold ideas from new governors on economic innovation and inclusion Brookings
● Governor’s Budget Targets Safe Drinking Water, Wildfires, Healthy Soils Public Policy Institute of California
● A closer look at where the Governor’s budget connects to the Summit Roadmap to Shared Prosperity California Economic Summit
● Walters: California’s version of Les Misérables CALmatters
California city approves 25-cent fee on disposable cups
AP News
Patrons of restaurants and coffee shops in Berkeley, California, who don’t bring a reusable cup for their beverage will have to pay a 25-cent fee for a disposable cup as part of an ordinance approved by city officials to reduce restaurant waste.
Federal:
President Trump says he will give State of the Union ‘when the Shutdown is over’
abc30
In a high-stakes case of dare and double-dare, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi served notice Wednesday that President Donald Trump won’t be allowed to deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress next week.
See Also:
● It’s off: Pelosi says no State of Union while govt shut Fresno Bee
● Government Shutdown Day 33: Nancy Pelosi postpones President Trump’s State of the Union abc30
● Pelosi denies Trump access to House for State of the Union Stockton Record
● Trump says he will give State of the Union address when government shutdown ends Los Angeles Times
● Trump retreats as Pelosi blocks his move to give State of the Union address in House during shutdown Los Angeles Times
● Just let Trump have his State of the Union address Los Angeles Times
● Trump doing ‘alternative’ event to House speech San Francisco Chronicle
● The State of the Union address’s history, explained Vox
● Trump agrees to initial Pelosi request and delays State of the Union Roll Call
● Trump Delays State of the Union Address After Duel With Pelosi Wall Street Journal
● Pelosi tells Trump: No State of the Union address in the House until government is reopened Washington Post
● Poll: Shutdown, Russia drive Trump to all-time high disapproval Politico
Shutdown: House Dems to make Trump a new offer
Visalia Times Delta
House Democratic leaders are drafting a letter to President Donald Trump that would propose $5 billion in border security if he agrees to reopen the government, but Trump warned Wednesday that the partial government shutdown could drag on for a while.
See also:
● Shutdown, health care, budget: How moderate House Democrats will influence the party Fresno Bee
● There’s an actual bipartisan proposal to end the shutdown, but it’s not Mitch McConnell’s Los Angeles Times
● Senate will vote Thursday on competing GOP and Democratic bills to end shutdown ABC
● A Bipartisan Shutdown Solution Wall Street Solution
● Trump’s border wall obsession frustrates conservative activists Politico
● How much does the government shutdown cost? PolitiFact
● Opinion: Leave it to Trump to remind voters how much they need government Roll Call
Who’s running for president in 2020? List of Democratic candidates
abc30
The next presidential election isn’t until Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, but there’s already mounting speculation about which candidates will run.
See also:
● South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg forms exploratory committee for 2020 presidential run abc30
● A Look At Kamala Harris’ Record On PolitiFact’s Truth-O-Meter Capital Public Radio
● So many female presidential candidates, so many sexist double standards Los Angeles Times
● Opinion: A Kamala Harris candidacy is a test, and not just for the candidate Roll Call
● Rove: The Weirdness of American Politics Wall Street Journal
● Kamala Harris’ hidden army Politico
● McFadden: Kamala’s long-shot presidential bid Capitol Weekly
● Skelton: Sen. Kamala Harris can’t ‘fight for the people’ if she stays silent Los Angeles Times
● ‘Ruthless’: How Kamala Harris Won Her First Race Politico
● Who is Kamala Harris? Meet the California Democrat running for president PolitiFact
● Joe Biden’s tough-on-crime past could haunt him in 2020 Washington Post
● EDITORIAL: Harris must answer tough questions about her past and prove she can live up to her words Sacramento Bee
Should Young Americans Be Required To Do Public Service? Federal Panel Says Maybe
Capital Public Radio
The National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service says it is considering how the nation could implement a universal service program and whether it should be mandatory or optional.
Trump Exempts Christian Social-Services Group From Non-Discrimination Rule
Wall Street Journal
The Trump administration on Wednesday said a faith-based foster-care organization in South Carolina can be a part of the federally funded program even if it works only with Christian families.
Other:
A Modest Proposal to Ban the ‘Far Right’
RealClearPolitics
We say it’s time to ban pejoratives like “far right” and “far left” because they don’t adequately describe what what we – or most people – really think.
Where Does Truth Fit into Democracy?
The Nation
Anyone who has paid even the slightest attention to Donald Trump should recognize that, since long before his presidential campaign, he lies as easily as he breathes.
News Department Wins Awards For Best Investigative Reporting, Public Affairs Program
VPR
Valley Public Radio’s news department has received two more honors for its outstanding work at the 69th annual Golden Mike Awards. The ceremony was held in Los Angeles on Saturday January 19, 2019.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, January 27, at 5 p.m. on ABC 30 –Maddy Report:“Retrospective with LAO Mac Taylor” – Guests: Former California’s Legislative Analyst, Mac Taylor.Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, January 27, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: Valley Views Edition: “New State Budget: Will Past Be Prologue?” – Guests: Scott Graves, Director of Research for the Calif Budget & Policy Center and former California’s Legislative Analyst, Mac Taylor. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, January 27, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Nuevas Leyes y Legislacion futura” – Guests: Alexei Koseff, Reportero de Sacramento Bee. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
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AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Salmonella concerns raised, is your flour tainted?
Visalia Times Delta
General Mills is recalling five-pound bags of Gold Medal Unbleached Flour due to salmonella concerns. The only packages being recalled are those with a better-if-used-by-date of April 20, 2020, the company said Wednesday.
See also:
● Gold Medal Unbleached Flour recalled after ‘potential presence of salmonella’ found Modesto Bee
When almond trees have to go, it’s not as bad as it looks
Bakersfield Californian
It turns out almond trees have a relatively short productive life. After 20 to 25 years, they are typically removed and replaced with saplings that start producing nuts within about three years.
Fresno’s elected leaders need to ensure equity in cannabis tax spending
Fresno Bee
Fresno’s 20-year delay in licensing medical cannabis outlets is nearly over. While much of the the state is moving onto recreational sales without us, at least now our city’s patients and clients are free from fear of arrest when securing prescriptions central to their well-being.
See also:
● See how social equity factors into Fresno’s cannabis industry Fresno Bee
● Fahy claim about ‘disappointing’ marijuana revenue is wrong PolitiFact
Cannabis delivery in California headed toward legal battle
Cal Watchdog
In 2016, many California police chiefs and sheriffs opposed to legalized recreational marijuana use were placated by a provision in Proposition 64 that said local governments would have the right to block recreational sales.
See also:
● California Today: Marijuana’s New Crop of Consumers, by the Numbers New York Times
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Voters will decide in 2020 whether to eliminate cash bail
Bakersfield Californian
Enough signatures have been gathered for a referendum on a new law that would abolish cash bail, providing a reprieve to the thousands of bail bondsmen in the state whose industry would perish if the law goes forward.
Newsom in Stockton to unveil plan to transform juvenile justice system
Stockton Record
Gov. Gavin Newsom chose the debut of two innovative training programs at the state’s youth detention center in Stockton to confirm his intention to move the Division of Juvenile Justice out of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
See also:
● Newsom plans to move California Juvenile Justice Division out of corrections department Los Angeles Times
Public Safety:
Group petitions for removal of Selma police chief
abc30
Crime in Selma reached a breaking point Tuesday night. An impromptu discussion about public safety at City Hall exploded into a fierce debate over Police Chief Greg Garner.
Correctional officers could be compromised as shutdown drags on
abc30
There are concerns in federal prisons that correctional officers could be compromised and that services at prisons could shut off during the ongoing government shutdown.
For teens in juvenile hall, a new book club is a place to relax – and an opportunity
Fresno Bee
The additional voluntary studying on a Saturday morning might be unthinkable to their peers outside of the center’s walls. To the members of the book club, it’s a reprieve from days that are not just regimented and boring, but sometimes dangerous.
Fired police chief bullied others, ignored bad evidence locker, termination letter says
Merced Sun-Star
The termination letter for former Atwater Police Chief Samuel Joseph alleges he did not properly secure the department’s evidence locker, routinely bullied or threatened subordinates, hired a felon as an officer and supplied a gun to a code enforcement officer who failed a psychological exam.
Preparing for a nightmare: Seminar looks at active-shooter situations
Modesto Bee
The flier for the Active Shooter Symposium set for mid-February at the State Theatre in Modesto reads, “It’s not if you observe an active shooter, it’s when.” That’s a dire prediction.
Bakersfield ranks seventh in nation for most deadly metropolitan areas for pedestrians
Bakersfield Californian
If you’re planning a leisurely walk in Bakersfield this evening, you might want to wear a beanie topped with a blinking red light.
Gov. Gavin Newsom makes aggressive, early moves on his gun control agenda for California
Los Angeles Times
Gavin Newsom won the governorship in part by touting his leadership on gun control as the architect of Proposition 63, a 2016 initiative that put him at loggerheads with the National Rifle Assn.
Fire:
Newsom names three to California wildfires panel
San Francisco Chronicle
Gov. Gavin Newsom named his three appointments to a newly formed commission tasked with studying the costs of California wildfires associated with electric utilities.
Fire camera mounted above path of deadly Sonoma County blaze
Press Democrat
A high-tech camera that can see at night and spot wildfires almost as soon as they start was mounted Tuesday on a hill in the Mayacamas Mountains directly overlooking the path of the deadly Tubbs fire that roared from Calistoga into Santa Rosa in 2017.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
PG&E says judge’s wildfire safety plan would cost $75 billion, lead to huge rate hike
Fresno Bee
PG&E said a federal judge’s order for wildfire prevention in California would cost the utility between $75 billion and $150 billion.
See also:
● PG&E: Judge’s wildfire proposal could cost as much as $150 billion San Francisco Chronicle
● PG&E: Major banks to put up $5.5B to fund bankruptcy San Francisco Chronicle
● PG&E puts cost of judge’s wildfire plan at up to $150 billion Reuters
● Electricity crisis hits Edison and SDG&E, and the L.A. school strike ends CALmatters
Stocks waver as signs of future profit growth wobble
Los Angeles Times
U.S. stock indexes spent Wednesday drifting, and most finished with small gains. Although big companies continue to report strong profit growth, investors aren’t sure how much longer it will last.
California’s population losses by moving van shrinks 21%
Orange County Register
California again had more outs than ins via major moving companies last year, but that gap shrank 21% as departures fell faster than arrivals.
Jobs:
Growing number of local federal employees look for help amidst shutdown
abc30
A growing number of federal employees not getting a paycheck are turning to local charities for help. Many are looking for a way to put food on the table for their families.
Kings unemployment rate at 8.2 percent
Hanford Sentinel
While Kings County’s unemployment rate rose in December, the yearly average rate is at its lowest in at least 28 years.
See also:
● California Employment Report for December 2018 California Center for Jobs and the Economy
Applications for US unemployment aid fall to 49-year low
AP News
The number of people seeking jobless benefits dropped last week to the lowest level since November 1969, a sign the job market remains strong despite the partial government shutdown, now in its fifth week.
Automation is a bigger threat to inland California workers, study finds
Los Angeles Times
The new study by the Washington think tank suggests that intelligent machines may well take over many more tasks from humans in the future. But it forecasts dramatic differences among cities, occupations, ethnic and racial groups, educational levels and age groups.
Ogletree Deakins
California’s prevailing wage statute requires that all workers employed on “public works” projects be paid at least the “prevailing rate.”
See also:
● California Court Invalidates Arbitration Agreement With PAGA Waiver Ogletree Deakins
EDUCATION
K-12:
Superintendent tells Slatic to back off, citing Bullard incident among alleged oversteps
Fresno Bee
Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson warned Trustee Terry Slatic that his conduct “cannot be tolerated” in the wake of Slatic’s physical confrontation with a student on the Bullard High School campus.
Local non-profit helping high school students reach new heights
abc30
Soon a group of Big Picture High School students won’t have to admire airplanes from the ground, they will be able to sit in the cockpit and take to the skies. Before they can soar over Fresno they need to learn the ins and outs.
Merced high school board wanted to add student rep. Here’s why the initiative was halted
Merced Sun-Star
For more than a year Merced Union High School District board member John Medearis has been talking about adding a student member to the five-person school board.
Did substitute cross line with Instagram post?
Visalia Times Delta
Visalia parents and students are outraged after they say a Visalia Unified School District substitute made inappropriate comments to a female student last week. It isn’t the first time, according to students. Now, they are waiting for the results of an investigation opened by district administrators.
Settlement over SUSD’s police practices announced
Stockton Record
The California Department of Justice and Stockton Unified School District have agreed on a settlement to address “system-wide violations of civil and constitutional rights” committed by the district’s Police Department towards minority students and students with disabilities.
Los Angeles mayor to mediate in talks to settle first teachers’ strike in 30 years
Reuters
Negotiators for 30,000 striking Los Angeles teachers and America’s second-largest school district have agreed to return to the bargaining table on Thursday, with Mayor Eric Garcetti acting as mediator, his office said.
Higher Ed:
Deadline FAST APPROACHING: Wonderful Public Service Graduate Fellowship
The Maddy Institute
Applications for two $56,000 Fellowships Due Friday, February 22nd, 2019. 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. The Maddy Institute will award two $56,000 Fellowships to Valley students who are accepted into a nationally ranked, qualified graduate program in the fall of 2019.
Area Colleges Promise Big Results from Half Billion in Spending
GV Wire
A large crowd gathered in October for the groundbreaking of a $5 million Agriculture and Technology building at Madera Community College Center. It was the first project to emerge from a nearly half-billion-dollar bond measure, approved by voters.
FCC hosts outreach session to help identify suicide risk in veterans
abc30
When it comes to military service, Valley families have always been highly involved. Fresno City College hosted this outreach session to help non-profits, churches and even law enforcement identify risk factors among our veterans.
Capital Public Radio
The University of California and California State University systems say they do not expect to raise tuition this fall because Newsom proposed hundreds of millions of dollars more than previous state budgets under former Gov. Jerry Brown.
How one California community college allows students to skip remedial English
EdSource
Until recently, most students at Cuyamaca College near San Diego had to take multiple English remedial classes before they could enter the English course that mattered most to many — the one they needed to transfer into a four-year college.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Take a good look at the mountains – before they disappear behind a curtain of smog
Fresno Bee
Gawk while you can. Because it won’t be long before the sight of the mountains disappears behind a curtain of smog and many of us forget about their very existence. Such is the unfortunate reality, thanks to the Valley’s bowl-shaped topography and horrific air pollution.
See also:
● What keeps families in one of the most polluted places in California? CALmatters
Civil penalties for polluters dropped dramatically in Trump’s first two years, analysis shows
Washington Post
Civil penalties for polluters under the Trump administration plummeted during the past fiscal year to the lowest average level since 1994, according to a new analysis of Environmental Protection Agency data.
California city approves 25-cent fee on disposable cups
AP
Patrons of restaurants and coffee shops in Berkeley, California, who don’t bring a reusable cup for their beverage will have to pay a 25-cent fee for a disposable cup as part of an ordinance approved by city officials to reduce restaurant waste. Berkeley’s City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the fee on single-use cups that will take effect January 2020.
Government shutdown delays, disrupts environmental studies
AP
The rainwater collection system is broken at the environmental research station on a remote, rocky Pacific island off the California coast. So is a crane used to hoist small boats in and out of the water. A two-year supply of diesel fuel for the power generators is almost gone.
The World’s Biggest Brands Want You to Refill Your Orange Juice and Deodorant
Wall Street Journal
Procter & Gamble Co., Nestlé SA, PepsiCo Inc. and Unilever PLC are among 25 companies that, this summer, will start selling some products in glass, steel and other containers designed to be returned, cleaned and refilled.
See also:
· ‘The milkman model’: Big brand names try reusable containers AP News
Energy:
Trump’s Energy Policies Have Inspired a Global Climate Movement
Brookings
An architect of the Paris Agreement on climate change thanked President Donald Trump yesterday for his policies supportive of fossil-fuel industries, because they effectively provoked companies, investors and cities into cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Recall expanded again for heart, blood pressure and kidney drug over possible carcinogen
Sacramento Bee
For the second time this month, Torrent Pharmaceuticals expanded its recall of Losartan, a drug used to treat high blood pressure, a blood pressure-related heart problem and diabetes-related kidney issues.
California Doctors Alarmed As State Links Their Opioid Prescriptions to Deaths
Capital Public Radio
The Death Certificate Project aims to weed out doctors who are overprescribing opioids, but some physicians say the investigations are having a chilling effect on the legitimate treatment of pain.
See also:
● California Medical Board Opioid Investigation May Hinder Pain Treatment National Public Radio
● Listen: ‘Death Certificate Project’ Aims At Opioid Crisis, But Doctors Cry Foul Kaiser Health News
Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry
Los Angeles Times
It’s a question I get asked frequently, most recently by a colleague who was shocked to find that his new pair of prescription eyeglasses cost about $800. Why are these things so damn expensive?
California has gone crazy for sketchy stem cell treatments
Los Angeles Times
In case you haven’t noticed, stem cell clinics are popping up everywhere. There are hundreds across the country, especially in California.
Human Services:
Americans aren’t having enough babies to repopulate: CDC
abc30
Americans have reached a 30-year low in fertility rates and aren’t having enough children to sustain the population. That is according to a new CDC report that found 2017 birth rates fell 16 percent below the level needed to repopulate the U.S.
Children’s hospital gets trauma center verification extended
Madera Tribune
Valley Children’s pediatric trauma center — the only one in Central California — has been verified for another two years by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma. This highlights the hospital’s outstanding quality of care for seriously injured patients.
WIC open during Federal Shutdown
Madera Tribune
Madera County Department of Public Health WIC would like to assure the Madera Community members participating in our Supplemental Nutrition Program WIC the following State WIC confirmed facts.
Hearing into former Tulare hospital administrator delayed, again
Visalia Times Delta
A subpoena has requested by attorneys representing a former Tulare hospital administrator has put a long-awaited hearing on hold.
Uninsured rate under Trump surges to highest level since Obamacare began
Los Angeles Times
The percentage of American adults without health insurance surged upward in 2018, reaching levels not recorded since before President Trump took office, according to a new national survey that revealed widespread coverage losses over the last two years.
See also:
● More Americans Lack Health Insurance, New Survey Finds Wall Street Journal
IMMIGRATION
Valley Immigration Cases In Limbo Due To Government Shutdown
VPR
The government has been partially shut down since December 22. Immigration courts have been closed and thousands of cases have been cancelled.
Crush of desperate migrant families seek asylum at border
Sacramento Bee
President Donald Trump’s push for a $5.7 billion wall is unlikely on its own to stop many of the thousands of families crossing the U.S.-Mexico border each month.
See also:
● A California solution to immigration policy CALmatters
● Trump’s Bogus ‘Catch and Release’ Statistic FactCheck
● Lawsuits Allege ‘Grave Harm’ To Immigrant Children In Detention Capital Public Radio
Opinion: Fresno Sheriff Mims’ stance on SB 54 endangers immigrant women who are abuse victims
Fresno Bee
As reported by The Fresno Bee, Sheriff Mims, along with other elected co-conspirators, met last year to organize opposition to the California Values Act, Senate Bill 54. This law limits local law enforcement’s ability to work with federal immigration officers.
DACA recipients see little reason to hope in latest proposal
Fresno Bee
The fate of about 700,000 dreamers hangs in the balance, and many say they are growing weary of being pawns in every political battle over immigration.
See also:
● What you need to know about the status of the Dreamers San Francisco Chronicle
● EDITORIAL: The Supreme Court leaves DACA in legal limbo San Francisco Chronicle
Hoover Institution
Furman denied all constitutional challenges to the ruling, by finding that the Department did not engage in any form of invidious discrimination against immigrants and hispanics.
LAND USE/HOUSING
How the shutdown could leave thousands of rural Americans without a home
NBC
Hundreds of thousands of low-income families in rural America are facing a threat to their homes because the government shutdown froze federal funding for mortgage loans and rental assistance.
EDITORIAL: Gavin Newsom’s housing hammer
San Francisco Chronicle
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s threat to deny transportation funds to cities that don’t produce sufficient housing has upset local officials from Lafayette to Los Angeles.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Sacramento might get a 29-story tower for long-suffering California tax collectors
Sacramento Bee
A California state office tower so reviled it once had its own parody Twitter account is in line for a major renovation and the thousands of tax collectors who work there could move to a new site as soon as 2024.
Jerry Brown gets $120,000 in retirement
CALmatters
Brown officially retired Jan. 7 to his ranch in Colusa County and began drawing $9,994.29 a month after 33.5 years of service, according to Amy Morgan, a spokeswoman for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.
State of Wayfair: $500 Million ‘Wayfair’ Windfall in California
Bloomberg
California could collect more than $500 million a year in tax from online sales under rules set to take effect April 1.
Trump Administration Sets Final Rules for New Business Tax Deduction
Wall Street Journal
The Trump administration set final rules for a new deduction that will provide significant savings for many business owners, providing more clarity for real-estate owners and service-industry businesses.
TRANSPORTATION
Highway 99/58 connector ramps closed this weekend
Bakersfield Californian
The Highway 99 to eastbound 58 connector ramps will be closed this weekend for some striping work. The around-the-clock closure will start Friday at 9 p.m. and last through Sunday at 5 a.m.
WATER
Newsom needs to make water supply, protections a priority
San Francisco Chronicle
Water issues are notoriously difficult for California governors. Just look at former Gov. Jerry Brown’s floundering tunnels proposal for the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
January storms fill up state’s water reserves
Los Angeles Times
Storms swept through California in recent weeks, drenching striking teachers and blocking roads with debris flows in recent burn areas, but they weren’t all bad: The state’s reservoirs are healthy and full, a good sign for the water supply.
See also:
● January storms added 580 billion gallons of water to California reservoirs San Jose Mercury
“Xtra”
Hit the slopes for a good cause at this China Peak ski-athon
Fresno Bee
The Central California Adaptive Sports Center is hosting its annual ski-athon fundraiser on Feb. 24 at China Peak Mountain Resort.
‘American Idol’ Kelly Clarkson plays Fresno on night two of her Meaning of Life tour
Fresno Bee
Kelly Clarkson has a few irons in the fire, so to speak. On Tuesday, NBCUniversal announced the pop singer and judge on “The Voice” will get her own self-titled day-time talk show this fall. The news comes as Clarkson is prepping for her Meaning of Life tour, which kicks off Thursday and stops Friday night at Fresno’s Save Mart Center.
Los Banos makes list of America’s 8 wackiest town names
abc30
According to CarRentals.com, Los Banos is one of the top 8 wackiest town names in the United States. It actually came in at number 8 with the article stating, “most people can’t help but think it’s ‘the baths’.”
See Also:
● ‘Wackiest town names’ in America? This Merced County town made the list Merced Sun-Star
When can you eat, bowl and otherwise enjoy three new valley developments?
Modesto Bee
Now that a trio of new from-the-ground-up developments in Modesto, Turlock and Ripon are nearing completion, it’s time for a more thorough progress report.
DBA, DBDC holding State of the Downtown breakfast
Bakersfield Californian
The Downtown Business Association and the Downtown Bakersfield Development Corporation will be holding a State of the Downtown breakfast on Feb. 14.
Black is the new black for fresh Bakersfield theater company
Bakersfield Californian
Stripped-down staging allows the audience to focus on the work of the playwright, the director and the actors, Clowes said.
Pints en pointe for Bakersfield City Ballet fundraiser
Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield City Ballet is combining two of Bakersfield’s favorite things — a night out on the town and philanthropy — at Lengthwise Brewery on Saturday to help support performance arts in the community.
Art lovers on red alert for winter exhibition at Bakersfield Museum of Art
Bakersfield Californian
Winter is here but rather than white walkers, it brings a fiery new display at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. Gustavo Godoy’s vibrant red sculpture “The Prototype” is just part of the excitement for the museum’s winter exhibition opening Thursday.
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