POLICY & POLITICS
Deadline February 28 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:
Merced, Atwater mayors scheduled to attend White House meeting this week
Merced Sun-Star
Mayor Mike Murphy of Merced and Mayor Paul Creighton of Atwater are in Washington D.C. this week representing their cities for the annual United States Conference of Mayors winter meeting, which kicked off Wednesday.
Candidates forum 2020 – Stanislaus Superior Court Judge, Office 5
Modesto Bee
Welcome to today’s political forum featuring the Stanislaus Superior Court Judge, Office 5 candidates vying for the seat vacated by Marie Silveira, who is retiring.
Sparks fly amid charge of lying in raucous Congressional debate in Modesto
Modesto Bee
Nearly 550 people packed Modesto’s State Theatre on Wednesday night for a debate among the six candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, featuring their views on such issues as health care, immigration and the impeachment of President Trump.
‘The dam must be moved.’ Speakers cite flood risk in opposing Stanislaus reservoir project
Modesto Bee
People commenting on an environmental study for a proposed dam near Patterson urged water districts to scrap the plan or build the dam someplace else. About 150 people attended the hearing Wednesday at Patterson’s senior center and comments were heavily against the 800-acre reservoir that would inundate part of Del Puerto Canyon, just west of Interstate 5.
Central SJ Valley:
Twitter’s new argument in Devin Nunes lawsuit: It can’t be sued over internet cow’s tweets
Fresno Bee
Twitter in a new court filing argues that California Republican Rep. Devin Nunes cannot sue the social media company over disparaging remarks made by anonymous writers because federal law gives it “broad immunity” from liability for the comments of its users.
Warszawski: Losing Grizzly Fest and Fresno FC hurts the city. Leaders, residents share the blame
Fresno Bee
One signature event or sports team leaving town is a bummer. Two is a disaster. Three in three months? That’s a pattern of futility that cannot, should not be ignored. The latest drop in the fail bucket: Last week’s announcement that Grizzly Fest was going on hiatus in 2020.
Wheeler to Host Town Hall Meeting in Oakhurst Next Week
Sierra News
District 5 Supervisor Tom Supervisor Wheeler will be holding his first Town Hall meeting of 2020 next week.
South SJ Valley:
Lemoore Councilman Dave Brown resigns
Hanford Sentinel
The city of Lemoore sent out a public notice Thursday regarding the resignation of Councilmember Dave Brown.
Price: Another study, another statistical cellar
Bakersfield Californian
Another ranking of U.S. metros is out, and Bakersfield has assumed its usual spot — at the bottom. We're so accustomed to occupying the lowest rung in studies of health, education, prosperity and economic mobility, it's almost disappointing, in a resigned, jaded kind of way, when we're not. Almost.
State:
California could limit 'flushable' wipes tied to sewer clogs
Porterville Recorder
Wet wipes, those single-use wet tissues for babies and adults wanting something more than just toilet paper, are the scourge of sewer systems nationwide, according to several cities challenging claims that the products are safe to flush.
Oklahoma retaliates against California with a ban of its own on state-funded travel
Sacramento Bee
Oklahoma became the first state to strike back at California’s bans on state-funded travel on Thursday, when the state’s governor announced a retaliatory ban on travel here. California has banned state-funded travel to 11 states that it considers to have laws discriminating against gay and transgender people.
‘Right to housing’ bill dies mysteriously in California Capitol. What happened?
Sacramento Bee
A California bill that would have created a “right to housing” mandate died a mysterious death on Thursday. Assembly Bill 22 would have declared that California children and families have a “right to safe, decent and affordable housing” and required state agencies to keep people in shelters if they don’t have stable housing.
See also:
Legislative graveyard CalMatters
California making new rules to fix cell phone failures by summer
San Francisco Chronicle
California regulators pledged this week to create new rules for a stronger communications network by the summer, determined to fix failures that left millions without phone or internet service as blackouts proliferated and wildfires burned last year.
State Senate head saved California’s most important housing bill, showing what leadership is made of
Los Angeles Times
A big part of effective legislative leadership is knowing when and how to exercise extraordinary power. The answer is rarely but emphatically. State Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) showed a textbook example of how it’s done last week when she rescued from certain death the year’s most important housing bill.
See Also:
Controversial California Housing Bill SB 50 Is Back—with Some Big Changes Los Angeles Magazine
Trump Administration Plans Action Against California Over Abortion-Coverage Requirement
Wall Street Journal
The Trump administration is planning on Friday to announce action against California over its requirement insurers cover abortions, according to two sources familiar with the planning.
Federal:
California will be hit hard as Trump administration weakens clean water protections
Merced Sun-Star
Defying environmentalists and public health advocates, the Trump administration on Thursday announced the replacement of Obama-era water protections with a significantly weaker set of regulations that lifts limits on how much pollution can be dumped into small streams and wetlands.
See also:
Trump moves to weaken clean water protections; California will be hit hard Los Angeles Times
The U.S. is losing big-spending foreign tourists — and Trump’s one reason why
Los Angeles Times
U.S. travel industry leaders, miffed that Spain and a handful of other countries have been outperforming the U.S. in attracting high-spending international tourists, say they are ready to launch a new campaign to help the country retake its spot among the world’s top tourism destinations.
Sen. Feinstein returns to Trump impeachment trial after early exit Wednesday
San Francisco Chronicle
Sen. Dianne Feinstein returned to the Senate floor Thursday for the fourth day of President Trump’s impeachment trial after leaving early the night before due to illness.
Trump administration restricts U.S. travel for pregnant foreigners
Roll Call
The State Department issued a new rule Thursday that will make it more difficult for pregnant women abroad to obtain visas to the United States, an attempt to curb what the White House is calling "birth tourism."
Trump administration threatens funds to California over requirement that health plans cover abortion
Washington Post
The Trump administration on Friday threatened to withhold federal funding from California over its requirement that private insurers cover abortions, calling it a violation of federal law.
Elections 2020:
Chasing California 2020: ABC Original Limited Series about political fight for CA
abc30
Now more than ever, California votes will matter in determining the presidential nominee. And stuff's about to get real.
See also:
How an underdog Elizabeth Warren might still win Iowa
Fresno Bee
David Catanese joins fellow McClatchy political correspondents Alex Roarty and Emily Cadei to discuss what he learned spending a few days on the campaign trail in Iowa, Elizabeth Warren’s secret weapon in the state’s upcoming Democratic caucuses, and Bernie Sanders’ surge (well, sort of) in the 2020 polls.
How to win California: A guide to the nation’s largest presidential primary
CalMatters
Aspiring Democratic presidential candidates, welcome to California. You’re not in Iowa anymore. Although a calendar packed with county fairs, barbecues and house parties might be enough to carry you through the early states that will vote and caucus in February, California — boasting the largest reserve of candidate-electing party delegates — is a different game.
An Open Statement from 150+ Asian American and Pacific Islander Leaders Endorsing Elizabeth Warren
A Medium Corporation
We, The Undersigned, Are A Group Of Over 150 Asian American And Pacific Islander Leaders Who Have Come Together To Endorse Senator Elizabeth Warren To Be Our Next President.
Mayors see historic opportunity in presidential race
Roll Call
A promise to repair potholes won’t get a laugh at most presidential campaign events. But Mike Bloomberg knew his audience. Speaking Thursday at a national convention of mayors three blocks from the White House, the former New York mayor seeking the Democratic presidential nomination made a rousing pronouncement that he would invest in road and bridge maintenance.
Trump is attracting a new crop of big donors, including many who have never given before
Washington Post
Dan Costa, who runs four apparel companies in Northern California, was never a major political donor. But last year, he made a large contribution to the GOP for the first time: $37,500 in hopes of four more years of President Trump.
Kamala Harris Is Said to Be Weighing an Endorsement of Joe Biden
New York Times
Senator Kamala Harris is weighing an endorsement of Joseph R. Biden Jr., according to multiple Democratic officials familiar with her deliberations. Such a move could lift Mr. Biden’s campaign and perhaps do even more to enhance Ms. Harris’s chances of becoming vice president, but it could also anger her liberal base in California.
See Also:
Marianne Williamson throws her support behind Yang in Iowa
Politico
Spiritual guru and former presidential candidate Marianne Williamson said she would throw her backing behind Andrew Yang ahead of the Iowa caucuses, though she stopped short of offering a full-throated endorsement of her fellow outsider candidate.
PolitiFact
PolitiFact reporters Lou Jacobson and Amy Sherman and I have landed in Iowa, and we’ve already fact-checked a candidate for president: Andrew Yang. Last night, after snagging hotel rooms near in Coralville (just outside Iowa City) we were off, past the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and heading straight for the Mississippi River.
Walters: An uber-complex presidential primary
CalMatters
A new poll of California voters finds a virtual tie among Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and former Vice President Joe Biden just a couple of weeks before mail voting begins for the March 3 Democratic presidential primary.
Commentary: College-Educated Voters Are Ruining American Politics
The Atlantic
Many college-educated people think they are deeply engaged in politics. They follow the news—reading articles like this one—and debate the latest developments on social media.
Other:
Nonprofits to be awarded $40,000
Madera Tribune
James M. Ford, President and CEO of Central Valley Community Bank (Bank), has announced the launch of the bank’s 40-year anniversary celebration by honoring the local community as a partner in helping the bank reach this milestone.
Tech Companies Take A Leading Role In Warning Of Foreign Cyber Threats
Capital Public Radio
U.S. cybersecurity firms are making headlines with reports of online attacks by Russia and other foreign actors. Why are tech companies taking the lead, rather than the U.S. government?
Jim Lehrer, understated PBS news anchor and presidential debate moderator, dies at 85
Washington Post
Jim Lehrer, an understated television newscaster who co-founded what is now “The PBS NewsHour,” which he anchored for 36 years, and who was dubbed the “dean of moderators” for presiding over 12 presidential debates, died Jan. 23 at his home in Washington. He was 85.
Commentary: An invitation to mentor. These California women do
CalMatters
A new decade has begun, and I, like many of you, am seizing the opportunity to make a few aspirational resolutions. Mine tend to be inwardly focused – prioritizing health and family while striving for balance and growth, and, like every year, meal planning.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Hemp industry meeting attracts major players in local ag
Bakersfield Californian
An inaugural "meet and grow" for Kern's burgeoning hemp industry Thursday night drew a standing room-only audience that included representatives from some of the county's most prominent farming families.
California Has Double The Organic Farms Of Any Other State, But Expansion Is Slowing
Capital Public Radio
The most recent USDA Agricultural Census shows fewer acres are being switched from conventional to organic farming in California, but the state still outpaces the rest of the nation.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Public Safety:
Tulare County traffic stop uncovers cartel link, new meth and fentanyl processing method
Fresno Bee
A deputy sheriff’s traffic stop in Pixley for a minor offense early in January led authorities to a major bust of methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as a new method of converting the chemicals for street sales, authorities said Thursday.
See also:
Deputies uncover major drug operation in Tulare County abc30
Local, state and federal agencies bring down drug traffickers Visalia Times Delta
California highway safety laws are tough — unless you’re a teenager, watchdog group says
Sacramento Bee
California highway safety laws are among the nation’s best at protecting people — but its laws governing teenage drivers need some toughening. That’s the finding of Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety, a nonpartisan watchdog group that studies the effectiveness of laws aimed at curbing distracted driving, encouraging and enforcing seat belt use and closely monitoring and restricting teen drivers.
Commentary: Facial recognition’s reckoning, Fourth Amendment edition
AEI
Last week, The New York Times reported on a facial recognition technology company offering law enforcement, federal government agencies, and companies the ability to identify people simply by uploading a photograph.
Fire:
California bill would make utilities pay some blackout costs
Porterville Recorder
Californians left in the dark by electric companies that shut off their power to prevent wildfires could get paid for things such as lost wages or spoiled food under a bill that advanced Thursday in the Legislature.
Controlled burns prevent California wildfires, study says. Why aren’t there more?
Sacramento Bee
Experts from Stanford University are calling for more prescribed burns to prevent devastating wildfires in California, pointing to new research that asks why the approach hasn’t been pursued more aggressively in the fire-plagued state.
California making new rules to fix cell phone failures by summer
San Francisco Chronicle
Regulators are determined to fix failures that left millions in the dark without power and phone service as wildfires burned last fall.
CalMatters
As climate-fueled natural disasters have eroded the school year in California, a lawmaker representing wildfire country is proposing “disaster relief” summer schools, CalMatters’ Ricardo Cano reports.
See Also:
First Wildfire Safety Advisory Board Meeting Held in Sacramento
YubaNet.com
The state’s Wildfire Safety Advisory Board held its inaugural meeting yesterday in Sacramento to discuss the group’s priorities and other administrative responsibilities. At the meeting, the Board designated two members to serve as Chair and Vice Chair of the Wildfire Safety Advisory Board.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
The U.S. is losing big-spending foreign tourists — and Trump’s one reason why
Los Angeles Times
U.S. travel industry leaders, miffed that Spain and a handful of other countries have been outperforming the U.S. in attracting high-spending international tourists, say they are ready to launch a new campaign to help the country retake its spot among the world’s top tourism destinations.
Stock indexes barely budge: Tech and industrials’ gains offset losses elsewhere
Los Angeles Times
Major U.S. stock indexes closed nearly flat Thursday, with gains by technology and industrial companies offsetting declines elsewhere in the market.
California’s Crusade against CEOs
National Review
As the Second Amendment protests loomed in Virginia, one Democrat in the state senate scoffed that right-wing groups were getting their members — and their donors — riled up over silly legislative proposals that were unlikely ever to become law.
Jobs:
Salesforce community attends CenCal Dreamin' in Fresno
abc30
Energy filled the inside of Bitwise South Stadium as those in the technology industry shared ideas at CenCal Dreamin'. The event, hosted by Shift3, brought the community of Salesforce users together.
Bills may exempt freelancers, newspapers from California law
Porterville Recorder
Freelance writers and newspaper carriers would be exempted from a broad new California labor law requiring that many be treated as employees rather than independent contractors, under legislation announced Thursday by a state senator.
The number of Californians represented by unions grows as national labor organizing stagnates
Los Angeles Times
The number of Californians represented by unions rose by 139,000 last year in the wake of successful organizing campaigns across occupations as varied as nurses, electricians, animation artists, scooter mechanics and university researchers.
See Also:
Workers are fired up. But union participation is still on the decline, new statistics show. Washington Post
OPINION: California Runs Off the Road
Wall Street Journal
Nancy Pelosi famously proclaimed that Democrats had to pass ObamaCare to find out what was in it. On the other hand, Democrats in California last year passed legislation outlawing many freelance and independent contracting jobs knowing the disruption it would cause—and voters are now discovering the damage.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Burton Community protests principal tranfers
Porterville Recorder
At the beginning of the public comment section of the Burton School Board meeting on January 21, 2020, in the packed cafeteria at Jim Maples Academy, with standing room only; school district parents, grandparents, and students, and community members spoke about their concerns with the school district and their handling of the principals transfers in the middle of the school year, as well as a lack of transparency, openness, or trust.
CAPK invites members of the community to be guest readers to preschoolers
Bakersfield Californian
CAPK Head Start/State Child Development is inviting members of the community to be special guest readers to preschoolers at one of their local Head Start Child Development Centers.
‘Every State Should Be Passing a Law to Deal With This’: The Danger of Impaired School Bus Drivers
PEW Trust
After school bus driver Carole Ann Etheridge dropped off 31 middle and high school students in Walton County, Georgia, one August morning in 2017, she was summoned to the principal’s office.
Commentary: Scaling quality education calls for scaling effective teacher professional development
Brookings
January 24th marks the annual International Day of Education—a moment to reaffirm our global commitment to the rights of every child to a quality education. Teachers are perhaps the most important actor in a child’s education—a significant body of research demonstrates that high-quality teaching is one of the biggest factors impacting student learning.
Higher Ed:
Fresno City College students unhappy with new rule regarding FAX
abc30
On the campus of Fresno City College, news is spreading quickly about a flier that tells students, "Bus pass services will no longer be added to their cards after the spring semester."
UC Merced forecast for 2020? More students, employees and campus space
Merced Sun-Star
UC Merced, the youngest school in the University of California’s 10 campus system, is growing up — and fast. Opened in 2005, the size of the student population, number of employees and the size of the ever-expanding campus are on the rise.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Fresno State struggling to keep hungry geese away
abc30
Some ghostly images are designed to scare - not people, but visitors with a big appetite. Fresno State farm manager Robert Willmott had scarecrows in white set up to protect a wheat field from geese that like to gorge.
Dense fog hit Central Valley Thursday morning
Bakersfield Californian
It was a dense fog in Bakersfield Thursday morning. So dense, in fact, that visibility levels dropped to 0.06 mile in certain portions of town, according to Colin McKellar, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford.
Jerry Brown urges America to ‘wake up’ as Doomsday Clock moves closer to midnight
Sacramento Bee
Former California Gov. Jerry Brown says he seldom finds himself at a loss for words. Thursday morning marked one of those times, when he was on hand for the Doomsday Clock to move to 100 seconds to midnight.
California's monarch butterflies critically low for 2nd year
San Francisco Chronicle
The western monarch butterfly population wintering along California's coast remains critically low for the second year in a row, a count by an environmental group released Thursday showed.
See also:
Slim hope for monarch butterflies: Population holds steady San Francisco Chronicle
Monarch butterflies in California at critically low level for 2nd year in a row abcNews
Bonds on the ballot: Will billions of dollars help California cope with climate change?
CalMatters
Given California’s international leadership in addressing climate change, it isn’t surprising that voters will be asked this November to approve billions of dollars in bonds to help the state become more resilient.
Dr. Jared Farmer on how trees define our California history
California Sun
Jared Farmer — an environmental historian and geohumanist, sometimes just called "the tree guy" — chronicles California’s post-Gold Rush history through the evolution of four emblematic tree species: redwood, eucalyptus, orange, and palm. As they have changed, so have we. His observations remind us how what is perceived as natural is often just a jumble of cultural legacies.
Energy:
Trump team proposes rollback of desert protections to boost geothermal energy
Merced Sun-Star
In step with President Donald Trump's push for more energy development in California's deserts, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced Thursday it wants to transform 22,000 acres of public land in the southern Owens Valley into one of the largest geothermal leasing sites in the state.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Over 100 people have died from the flu in California so far this season
Fresno Bee
Over 100 people have died in California from the flu this season, with 35 of them dying during the week of Jan. 11, according to data from the California Department of Public Health.
See also:
Fresno County health officials putting emphasis on flu vaccines abc30
Flu has killed over 100 Californians so far this winter Visalia Times Delta
Kern County confirms two more flu-related deaths Bakersfield Californian
Sick passenger sparks coronavirus concerns at Los Angeles airport, officials say
Fresno Bee
A passenger traveling from Mexico City to Los Angeles International Airport was taken to a hospital amid concerns of the coronavirus outbreak originating in China, according to the Los Angeles Times.
See also:
Passenger arrives at LAX with possible coronavirus symptoms abc30
Amid fears over coronavirus outbreak, LAX passenger taken to hospital for evaluation Los Angeles Times
OPINION: What must be done to head off the coronavirus threat Washington Post
California Wants To Increase Vaping Taxes, But Experts Say There Could Be Unintended Consequences
Capital Public Radio
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has a new idea for addressing the youth vaping epidemic: a nicotine tax on electronic cigarettes. The governor, like many state and federal health officials, is concerned about the rising number of teens inhaling nicotine through products from Juul Labs Inc. — a company that makes a type of e-cigarette shaped like a USB flash drive.
EDITORIAL: It’s way too soon to declare Tylenol a carcinogenic killer
Los Angeles Times
State regulators are contemplating adding Tylenol and other medications containing acetaminophen to the state’s ever-growing list of chemicals suspected of causing cancer, and requiring that consumers be warned of its potential risk.
Human Services:
Faith-based model provides option for those priced out of insurance, but it comes with risks
Fresno Bee
About 1.4 million people nationwide are enrolled in registered faith-based health care cost-sharing programs, according to the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, including at least 75,000 members in California.
Number of new enrollees at Covered California surges past total from 2019 open enrollment
Fresno Bee
Covered California reported Thursday that the number of new enrollees has surged to 318,000, surpassing the total number from last year, as open enrollment nears its close on Jan. 31.
Here’s the $55 million play 18 insurers are making to fight price gouging on generic drugs
Sacramento Bee
Blue Shield of California and 17 other insurers announced Thursday that they would be putting $55 million behind a nonprofit that they believe can end the shortages and price gouging in the generic drug market.
See also:
Health insurers take on Big Pharma, plan to manufacture their own drugs Los Angeles Times
New effort to control health costs
CalMatters
No fewer than 213 hospitals, doctors groups, chambers of commerce and others banded together in 2018 to kill Assemblyman Ash Kahlra’s legislation to create a Health Care Cost, Quality and Equity Commission.
Trump administration threatens funds to California over requirement that health plans cover abortion
Washington Post
The Trump administration on Friday threatened to withhold federal funding from California over its requirement that private insurers cover abortions, calling it a violation of federal law.
IMMIGRATION
US imposes visa rules for pregnant women on ‘birth tourism’
Stockton Record
The Trump administration is imposing new visa rules aimed at restricting “birth tourism,” in which women travel to the United States to give birth so their children can have U.S. citizenship. The regulations, which take effect Friday, address one of President Donald Trump’s main political priorities.
See also:
Trump administration to crack down on 'birth tourism' abc30
Trump administration announces new rules limiting visas for pregnant foreign women Los Angeles Times
Fear of ICE raids during census could hamper count of immigrants
Roll Call
As census efforts ramp up this spring, outreach organizations fear that Trump administration officials may try to deport the immigrant communities they need to count.
Green card gridlock: When will Congress agree on a solution?
Roll Call
On Dec. 18, immigration reform stalwart Richard J. Durbin’s announcement on the Senate floor about a rare bipartisan breakthrough flew largely under the radar, overshadowed in the chaotic flurry of impeachment. Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, and Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah had dueled two months earlier over unanimous consent requests on the Senate floor, and had since been deadlocked.
The Future of Immigration: Four Paths
The James Irvine Foundation
Irvine has long supported immigrant families gaining access to opportunity in our state—and protecting their rights and dignity. We are now considering how the immigration landscape will change in California and nationally, given the dramatic shifts based on federal policies and other factors.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
About 430,000 more of you visited Yosemite in 2019. Here are the best times to go
Los Angeles Times
Attendance at Yosemite National Park increased by 10.2% in 2019, newly released numbers show, and rangers are huddling with experts to devise ways to better manage traffic.
Housing:
‘Right to housing’ bill dies mysteriously in California Capitol. What happened?
Fresno Bee
Assembly Bill 22 would have declared that California children and families have a “right to safe, decent and affordable housing” and required state agencies to keep people in shelters if they don’t have stable housing.
New facility coming to South Merced to provide housing for homeless
abc30
This property will be used for a 15,000 square feet "navigation center" with at least 75 beds for the homeless. The plan includes separate dorms for women, men and couples, plus a place for pets.
Stanislaus homeless survey seeks insights on causes, barriers to being sheltered
Modesto Bee
Packing questionnaires and comfort kits, nearly 300 people canvassed Stanislaus County on Thursday to conduct the annual point-in-time count of the homeless. The trained survey takers were a mix of resident volunteers and employees of the county, its cities and various nonprofits.
Officials take 2020 snapshot of county’s homeless
Visalia Times Delta
With attention surrounding California's housing and homelessness crisis at a fever pitch, volunteers with the Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance completed their annual count of the region's homeless and unsheltered early Thursday morning.
After Bakersfield City Council purchases Calcot building, what comes next for homeless shelter?
Bakersfield Californian
While the Bakersfield City Council had about two months to decide where to place a new homeless shelter, after Wednesday night’s decision, details are scarce about what exactly comes next.
Require homeless housing? Darrell Steinberg makes his pitch in D.C.
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg Thursday brought his bid to make housing the homeless a government mandate to Washington, D.C. Thursday, explaining how funding the massive effort would work without offering a specific price tag.
Stockton And South Lake Tahoe to Develop Affordable Housing On Excess State-Owned Land
Capital Public Radio
Stockton and South Lake Tahoe will be the first to develop affordable housing on excess state-owned land, under an executive order issued by Governor Newsom.
State Senate head saved California’s most important housing bill, showing what leadership is made of
Los Angeles Times
A big part of effective legislative leadership is knowing when and how to exercise extraordinary power. The answer is rarely but emphatically.
See also:
EDITORIAL: Bring SB50 home San Francisco Chronicle
You’ve just been named California’s homelessness czar — what’s your first move?
CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom has taken grief for failing to fulfill what seems like a pretty achievable campaign promise: appointing a homelessness “czar” to help the 150,000 Californians living in shelters and on the streets.
Opinion: California must get serious about housing supply in 2020
Stockton Record
Lawmakers who worked to fix California’s housing shortage and affordability crisis learned hard lessons in 2019. Despite much fanfare and commitments, the gap between housing supply and demand actually worsened.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Low income residents are missing out on tax credits. Here’s what you can do to collect it
Fresno Bee
It’s about time to start gathering documents to file your tax returns. For many, that also means making space in your wallet for extra cash. But some of the poorest residents in California may be losing out on free money altogether.
California Wants To Increase Vaping Taxes, But Experts Say There Could Be Unintended Consequences
Capital Public Radio
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing a $2 tax for every 40-milligrams of nicotine in an e-cigarette. This would on top of the existing tax on the device itself, which is currently taxed as a tobacco product.
FICO changes mean 40 million Americans could soon see lower credit scores
Washington Post
About 40 million consumers who have fallen behind on their bills or have rising debt levels could see their credit scores fall significantly under changes being made to FICO.
TRANSPORTATION
Local businesses continue to feel impact as High-Speed Rail construction continues
On Wednesday, The California High-Speed Rail met at Fresno City Hall to ask local businesses to help with the engineering and maintenance of the track. When the rail was first announced, Central Fish Company was told it would only take a couple of years for the construction across the block.
Bridge construction will close south side of Stine-Stockdale intersection — for 3 years
Bakersfield Californian
The Thomas Roads Improvement Program, the state/local transportation agency responsible for most of the ongoing highway construction taking place throughout the metro area, announced Thursday that the south side of Stockdale and Stine will be closed starting Jan. 27.
Automakers and Trump face new pressure not to ease mileage rules
Los Angeles Times
Trump’s move to soften fuel-economy and emissions standards “will lead to vehicles that are neither safer, nor more affordable or fuel efficient,” a Democratic leader says.
WATER
UC Merced researchers working on innovative way to desalinate ag water
abc30
A team of researchers that includes three UC Merced professors and graduate students is working to develop an innovative way to remove salt and reuse agricultural drainage water.
Madera Tribune
Today, the district provides water to 144,000 acres of farmland using 300 miles of open canals and 150 miles of large diameter pipe, said Robert “Woody,” Valadon, the Humbug (president) of the chapter.
California will be hit hard as Trump administration weakens clean water protections
Merced Sun-Star
Defying environmentalists and public health advocates, the Trump administration on Thursday announced the replacement of Obama-era water protections with a significantly weaker set of regulations that lifts limits on how much pollution can be dumped into small streams and wetlands.
See also:
Trump moves to weaken clean water protections; California will be hit hard Los Angeles Times
Trump administration unveils new Clean Water Act rules. California could see big impact
Desert Sun
The Trump administration on Thursday revealed an overhaul of the Clean Water Act that could remove federal protections for waterways around the country, including as many as two-thirds of those in California.
Newsom pledged to fix California water politics. Now he’s bogged down in the delta
Los Angeles Times
Soon after taking office last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged to break through the “status quo” of California water politics, plagued by decades of litigation and impasse.
California will be hit hard as Trump administration weakens clean water protections
Los Angeles Times
Defying environmentalists and public health advocates, the Trump administration on Thursday announced the replacement of Obama-era water protections with a significantly weaker set of regulations that lifts limits on how much pollution can be dumped into small streams and wetlands.
Protecting California’s Water Assets: State Releases New Water Resilience Portfolio
CA Fwd
Abundant and clean water supplies will be essential for California’s people, communities and economy to thrive in the future. Yet, the state faces significant challenges on the road to water security.
“Xtra”
New bookstore to open in downtown Hanford
abc30
A local business owner is turning the page and opening a brand new bookstore in downtown Hanford. The shop will include a section for local authors, Latino writers, used books, and a kids section.
Clovis Ranks Most Caring City in California
Clovis RoundUp
Clovis has some pretty amazing shops, restaurants, and parks. But what makes this city even more amazing, are the people in it. According to research done by Insurify, an online car insurance comparison platform, Clovis was ranked the most caring city in California.