POLICY & POLITICS
February 28 Deadline 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:
Modesto mayor wants to hire more cops. Can the city really afford it?
Modesto Bee
Modesto Mayor Ted Brandvold proposes the City Council come up with a plan to pay for the city’s rising pension costs while hiring more police officers to help deal with such concerns as vagrancy associated with homeless people and traffic violators, including drivers who run red lights.
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno-Yosemite International Airport sets passenger record. Here’s where they were going
Fresno Bee
Almost 2 million passengers traveled to and from Fresno Yosemite International Airport in 2019, a record for annual airline passenger volume through the airport.
Recreational pot sale is finally coming to Fresno
abc30
After years of debate, the recreational sale of marijuana is coming to Fresno. The city is moving forward with plans to allow adults to legally purchase marijuana within city limits.
Fresno agrees to pilot plan that employs homeless people. Here’s what it looks like
Fresno Bee
The city of Fresno unveiled an agreement with the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission this week that would help homeless people secure a job, as they work their way back into society.
Fresno's Tower District to get a facelift
abc30
The Fresno City Council has introduced a six-month program to pick up trash, paint new cross-walks and even change the outdoor lighting in the Tower District.
New Bill Asks for Improvements Along the San Joaquin River Parkway
AssemblyAssets
Assemblymember Arambula petitions the California State Assembly for land acquisition around Millerton Lake in order to create a better state recreation area.
New Lawsuit Blames Roman Catholic Diocese Of Fresno For Negligence, Sexual Battery
KVPR
A new lawsuit has been filed in Fresno County Superior Court against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno and two of its churches for negligence and sexual battery. Although the plaintiff reported abuse in 2002 and the priest was acquitted, a law that took effect this year means she can still seek damages.
Devin Nunes filed six lawsuits in 2019. Where are they now?
Fresno Bee
Five of the six lawsuits California Republican Rep. Devin Nunes filed last year against media companies and his political adversaries are still unfolding in courts. He’s suggested he’s considering more cases.
See Also:
● Unpaid bills and legal discipline: Devin Nunes’ lawyer questioned over ethics in complaints Fresno Bee
● Nunes Going Super. Buys TV Time for Sunday’s Game. GVWire
Meet the candidates public forum for U.S. House District 22 and Supervisors Dist. 3
Visalia Times Delta
A candidate’s forum featuring the candidates running U.S. Congressional District 22 and Tulare County Board of Supervisors District 3. All candidates for both offices have been invited to attend the forum.
South SJ Valley:
Tulare County chairman draws political lines
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare County Chairman Pete Vander Poel isn't pulling any punches and for the first time in his tenure is endorsing candidates for supervisor. It's a decision Vander Poel says he doesn't take lightly. Vander Poel's change of heart stems from the behavior of his colleague, former chairman Kuyler Crocker, he said.
Goals and objectives meeting rescheduled
Hanford Sentinel
The Hanford City Council special meeting that was scheduled for Friday, Jan. 31, has been canceled.
Council moves for mission purchase, NPRM clears tax-default status
Porterville Recorder
The New Porterville Rescue Mission (NPRM) was the sole focus of the special meeting of the City Council on Tuesday night, and up for discussion was the future purchase of the property that the mission currently sits on.
First District Supervisor race sees challengers to Mick Gleason's chosen successor
Bakersfield Californian
With Supervisor Mick Gleason stepping down at the end of his term, the First District of the Kern County Board of Supervisors will have a new representative for the first time in eight years.
As international visitors head to Tulare, World Ag Expo has coronavirus contingency plans
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare County health officials are gearing up to battle coronavirus as the World Ag Expo expects to draw massive crowds from across the globe — including China — in less than two weeks. Officials with the annual expo confirmed that so far 20 attendees and seven vendors are expected from China this year. It's unclear if any are from Wuhan, the megacity in the Hubei province where the outbreak is believed to have originated.
State:
After failure, California leaders vow to pass housing bill
Porterville Recorder
Desperate for more housing in the nation's most populous state, the leader of the California Senate committed Thursday to passing a law this year to add more housing in a state facing a shortage of 3.5 million homes.
See also:
● Gavin Newsom wants a California housing law in 2020. His best option just failed Sacramento Bee
● California Bill Calling For Denser Housing Around Jobs And Transit Fails In Final Senate Vote Capital Public Radio
● California bill to dramatically increase home building fails for the third year in a row Los Angeles Times
● California’s most controversial homebuilding bill just died. What will Newsom do now? CalMatters
● California, Mired in a Housing Crisis, Rejects an Effort to Ease It New York Times
● Newsom, Atkins urge more housing action after SB 50 dies Politico
● After failure, California leaders vow to pass housing bill Associated Press
● EDITORIAL: SB 50’s failure exposes California Democrats’ ineptitude on affordable housing crisis Sacramento Bee
California just counted its homeless. The tally is inaccurate, and politically weaponized
Fresno Bee
With yellow vests and flashlights, over 200 volunteers fanned out across Fresno to count homeless people on Tuesday night. Along the railway, one group walked by a freight container with a mattress and shoes inside, and past a dirt cot enclosed in a tarp pegged to a bush.
See also:
‘Where is the money going?’: California Republicans request audit into homelessness spending KRON4
How Much Can Californians Benefit From the CalEITC and Young Child Tax Credit?
California Budget & Policy Center
California has two refundable income tax credits that boost the incomes of people who earn little from their jobs, helping them to afford necessities. These are: The California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) – available to families and individuals with annual earnings under $30,000; and The Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC) – available to CalEITC-eligible families with children under age 6.
See also:
Jennifer Siebel Newsom: These tax credits could save California families billions of dollars. Spread the word Sacramento Bee
California lost more manufacturing jobs to China than any other state, report says
Los Angeles Times
California has lost far more jobs to China than any other state, with the San Francisco Bay Area accounting for more than any other region in the nation due to a long outflow of technology manufacturing.
See Also:
● Growing China trade deficit cost 3.7 million American jobs between 2001 and 2018 Economic Policy Institute
● Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says China’s coronavirus ‘will help’ bring jobs back to U.S. Washington Post
● Commentary: Chinese investments in the US — Handout AEI
EdSource
The March 3 California ballot includes a $15 billion state bond issue to help schools, community colleges and universities with construction costs for their facilities. Last fall, the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom placed the measure on the ballot by approving Assembly Bill 48. It will appear on the ballot as Proposition 13.
See also:
Commentary: Local voters are being asked to approve $17 billion in school construction bonds. Much of it is unneeded CalMatters
Bill requiring beverage makers to handle recycling dies
Porterville Recorder
A California state senator on Thursday ended his effort to pass a bill requiring beverage distributors to create a new system to take back their own containers, though advocates said they will keep pushing the issue this year.
Talk about health care, drug prices – not impeachment – voters tell California Democrats
Sacramento Bee
Impeachment isn’t the big topic on constituents’ minds in a lot of Sacramento and Central Valley area congressional districts, their congressional representatives say.
COMMUNITY VOICES: Attacking Prop 13 will worsen California’s problems
Bakersfield Californian
As California taxpayers, we should be wary of Sacramento politicians as they begin the budget process to determine how to spend the hard-earned money of everyday Californians. California’s record-breaking spending budget of $222 billion is large enough to rival the GDP of countries like New Zealand or Greece.
Walters: Who is too big to fail?
CalMatters
Those to the left of the political centerline often complain — with good reason — about using taxpayer funds to bail out large corporations that are insolvent, or nearly so, due to mismanagement.
Federal:
Impeachment trial likely to end quickly after key Republican to vote against witnesses
Fresno Bee
The trial's outcome is all but known: With a 53-seat Republican majority, the Senate is expected to acquit the impeached president of the abuse and obstruction charges against him. And the question of calling witnesses and Trump's acquittal could be answered quickly.
Trump pushes forward conservative transformation of Medicaid
Politico
The Trump administration took a big step forward Thursday to let states convert a portion of Medicaid funding into block grants, a long-sought conservative overhaul of the safety net health care program that Democrats will wield as a political weapon during the election.
See Also:
● Column: Trump makes his most aggressive move yet to gut Medicaid Los Angeles Times
● Here are 6 things to know about health care and the 2020 campaign PolitiFact
Commentary: Judicial appointments in Trump’s first three years: Myths and realities
Brookings
December 24 presidential tweet boasted “187 new Federal Judges have been confirmed under the Trump Administration, including two great new United States Supreme Court Justices. We are shattering every record!” That boast has some truth but, to put it charitably, a lot of exaggeration.
House Democrats unveil $760B infrastructure plan with an ambitious climate agenda
Politico
House Democratic leaders unveiled the outlines for a $760 billion, five-year infrastructure package on Wednesday — a proposal that includes an ambitious climate agenda but not, so far, many specifics about how to find the money.
States Seek Ruling on Equal Rights Amendment Ratification Deadline
Wall Street Journal
The last three states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment sued the Trump administration Thursday, seeking a court order that would write women’s equality into the Constitution. The move adds to the legal and political ferment surrounding the ERA, but is unlikely to result in the amendment being formally recognized in the Constitution before the November elections—if ever.
Elections 2020:
Michael Bloomberg to visit Sacramento, Fresno on Monday: ’Our Iowa is California’
Fresno Bee
Michael Bloomberg will visit Sacramento and Fresno during his fourth California trip since declaring his candidacy in late-November. According to his campaign, the former New York City mayor and Democratic presidential candidate will hold public “organizing events” at three campaign stops on Monday. He’ll make an appearance in Sacramento early in the morning, go to Fresno later in the morning and then travel to Compton in the early afternoon.
See Also:
● Michael Bloomberg to make campaign stop in Fresno Monday abc30
Here’s how presidential candidates are courting California voters
Sacramento Bee
California is home to one-tenth of the nation’s delegates, giving the Golden State an outsized role in selecting the Democratic nominee. Yet what happens in the state’s 53 individual congressional districts will determine how most delegates are awarded, leading candidates to adopt strategies aimed at specific regions or demographic groups.
Trump rails against Democratic rivals ahead of Iowa caucuses
Fresno Bee
President Donald Trump lashed out at his top Democratic presidential rivals Thursday, taking his fight to the first-in-the-nation caucus state of Iowa and the crucial battleground state of Michigan.
Voters' 2nd choices could be decisive in close Iowa caucuses
Porterville Recorder
Democratic presidential candidates seeking victory in next week's Iowa caucuses are navigating a field that is so jumbled that voters' second choice could matter almost as much as their first, adding fresh uncertainty and confusion to the final days of the race.
See also:
● Could multiple candidates ‘win’ the Iowa Democratic caucus? New rules make it possible. Stockton Record
Sanders’ rise fueling internal fight as some Democrats fear a November wipeout
Los Angeles Times
With Sen. Bernie Sanders gaining traction, his rivals for the presidential nomination and other top Democrats have begun aggressive efforts to slow the favorite of the party’s progressive wing, fearing he may become unstoppable and cost Democrats their shot at retaking the White House in November.
See Also:
● Sanders Gains Ground on Biden Among Democratic Voters
Here are 6 things to know about health care and the 2020 campaign
PolitiFact
When you think Election 2020, do you think Medicare for All? Or pre-existing conditions? If so, you’re not alone. According to this Gallup poll, health care is the top issue for voters as they decide who to vote for president in 2020. Health care is a top issue of the candidates, too. But here’s the thing: Not only do the Democratic candidates disagree with President Donald Trump, they also disagree among themselves.
Opinion: The Republican Case for Elizabeth Warren
Wall Street Journal
A cardinal rule of politics is don’t let your opponents define you. This has been a particular challenge for Sen. Elizabeth Warren, whose critics continue to insist that she is a left-wing radical. I am a Republican and have known and worked with Ms. Warren for many years.
Other:
OPINION: No One Is Safe From Biased Reporting
Wall Street Journal
A free and independent press is, and should always be, an impenetrable bulwark of our democracy. “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter,” wrote Thomas Jefferson in a 1789 letter.
Facebook’s Relationship With Democrats Hits a Low Point
Wall Street Journal
Facebook Inc. FB -2.68% officials say they try to avoid political bias. Try telling that to Democrats. The relationship between the company and the political left is at an all-time low, more than a dozen Democratic operatives, campaign officials and leaders of progressive groups said in interviews, following a series of company policy decisions widely seen among their ranks as favoring President Trump.
Commentary: The two-party system is killing our democracy
Vox
There is nothing inevitable about our dysfunctional government. There is no good reason why our national political institutions should descend into zero-sum hyper-partisan trench warfare, or why we should experience yet another year of existential political dread, fearing that if our side loses the 2020 election, America will be irrevocably broken.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
As international visitors head to Tulare, World Ag Expo has coronavirus contingency plans
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare County health officials are gearing up to battle coronavirus as the World Ag Expo expects to draw massive crowds from across the globe — including China — in less than two weeks. Officials with the annual expo confirmed that so far 20 attendees and seven vendors are expected from China this year. It's unclear if any are from Wuhan, the megacity in the Hubei province where the outbreak is believed to have originated.
Turlock-area dairy farmers will pay $108,608 penalty for manure violations
Modesto Bee
Turlock-area dairy farmers Antonio and Maria Brasil will pay $108,608 to settle a case involving mishandling of manure.
California Tax Increase Only Helps The Illicit Market
Forbes
Cannabis consumers in California — whether using the plant for medical or recreational purposes — are having to reach deeper into their pockets this month following a major tax hike. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) raised the tax rate on wholesale cannabis from 60% to 80%, in addition to adjusting the state’s cultivation tax up more than 4%.
Recreational pot sale is finally coming to Fresno
abc30
After years of debate, the recreational sale of marijuana is coming to Fresno. The city is moving forward with plans to allow adults to legally purchase marijuana within city limits.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Mumps cases confirmed at Fresno jail. Many inmates now under quarantine
Fresno Bee
A suspected outbreak of mumps at the Fresno County Jail was confirmed Thursday, with the Fresno County Department of Public Health stating 11 people at the jail have contracted the contagious viral infection.
See also:
● Authorities confirm 11 mumps cases in Fresno County Jail abc30
New Lawsuit Blames Roman Catholic Diocese Of Fresno For Negligence, Sexual Battery
VPR
A new lawsuit has been filed in Fresno County Superior Court against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno and two of its churches for negligence and sexual battery.
California Is Tracking Sexual Harassment Complaints for The First Time Since 2012
Capital Public Radio
The state previously eliminated its tracking system amid budget cuts and an effort to consolidate human resources responsibilities in state government.
White House Moves To Formally Decriminalize Accidentally Killing Birds
Capital Public Radio
Wildlife protection groups are decrying the proposal as an attempt to gut a century-old law that protects birds, while industry groups say they have long been hamstrung by the threat of legal action.
Public Safety:
Modesto mayor wants to hire more cops. Can the city really afford it?
Modesto Bee
Modesto Mayor Ted Brandvold proposes the City Council come up with a plan to pay for the city’s rising pension costs while hiring more police officers to help deal with such concerns as vagrancy associated with homeless people and traffic violators, including drivers who run red lights.
Fire:
Local high schoolers recognized for innovative 'Smart Mask' idea
abc30
Wildfire season can have a big impact on folks in the foothills and air quality can pose a problem. So the Chawanakee Academy robotics class came up with the concept of a 'Smart Mask'.
‘Fundamentally inadequate’: PG&E faces new blackout restrictions
San Francisco Chronicle
California’s most powerful utility regulator is stepping up her efforts to limit Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s planned blackouts ahead of this year’s wildfire season.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
US economy grew modestly last quarter against a hazy outlook
Fresno Bee
The U.S. economy expanded at a moderate 2.1% annual rate in the final three months of 2019, capping a year when a weak global landscape and a sharp pullback in business investment resulting from President Donald Trump's trade fights combined to slow growth.
Investors at home and abroad are piling into American government debt
The Economist
In the good old days, America’s budget deficit yawned when the economy was weak and shrank when it was strong. It fell from 13% to 4% of gdp during Barack Obama’s presidency, as the economy recovered from the financial crisis of 2007-09. Today unemployment is at a 50-year low. Yet borrowing is rising fast. Tax cuts in 2017 and higher government spending have widened the deficit to 5.5% of gdp, according to imf data—the largest, by far, of any rich country.
Jobs:
Fresno agrees to pilot plan that employs homeless people. Here’s what it looks like
Fresno Bee
The city of Fresno unveiled an agreement with the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission this week that would help homeless people secure a job, as they work their way back into society.
California lost more manufacturing jobs to China than any other state, report says
Los Angeles Times
California has lost far more jobs to China than any other state, with the San Francisco Bay Area accounting for more than any other region in the nation due to a long outflow of technology manufacturing.
See Also:
● Growing China trade deficit cost 3.7 million American jobs between 2001 and 2018 Economic Policy Institute
● Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says China’s coronavirus ‘will help’ bring jobs back to U.S. Washington Post
● Commentary: Chinese investments in the US — Handout AEI
Risks, rewards and robots: The future of work in California
CalMatters
Are robots coming for California’s jobs? In today’s increasingly automated economy, that’s certainly the fear. Technology has always generated economic churn, destroying some jobs and creating others. Already advances have generated a whole new sector of “gig” employment, and deeply disrupted other workplaces, from brick-and-mortar bookstores to newspapers to travel agencies.
● Commentary: Automation and AI sound similar, but may have vastly different impacts on the future of work Brookings
EDUCATION
K-12:
Elementary schoolers learn how to stay safe online
Visalia Times Delta
Anna Isais talked to the students Tuesday evening about social media and how easily private information can be shared or stolen. She also warned of other potential dangers children and teenagers can face online, such as sexting, cyberbullying, threats and hate speech.
Burton School District refines principal transfers
Porterville Recorder
In response to the concerned families of the Burton School District, Superintendent Sergio Mendoza released the following statement on Wednesday afternoon.
KHSD holds forum, shows progress addressing disproportionate student discipline
Bakersfield Californian
The fight over ethnic and racial disparities in the way schools mete out discipline to students has been ongoing for more than a decade, and a lawsuit filed against the Kern High School District in 2014 compelled the district to hold several public forums to address the issue.
California Democrat fails to ban Teach for America — but says the fight isn’t over
Sacramento Bee
A proposal to ban organizations like Teach for America from sending young educators to low-income schools in California failed on Thursday.
EdSource
The March 3 California ballot includes a $15 billion state bond issue to help schools, community colleges and universities with construction costs for their facilities. Last fall, the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom placed the measure on the ballot by approving Assembly Bill 48. It will appear on the ballot as Proposition 13.
See also:
Commentary: Local voters are being asked to approve $17 billion in school construction bonds. Much of it is unneeded CalMatters
Higher Ed:
Cal State board delays decision on extra math requirement until 2022 amid controversy
Los Angeles Times
Students won’t be required to take a fourth high school math class to be admitted to a Cal State University — for now. Faced with intense opposition, the Cal State Board of Trustees decided Wednesday to wait two years before voting on whether to require a fourth class in math, science or quantitative reasoning for acceptance into any of the 23 campuses in the nation’s largest public university system.
CSUB softball to open against national champs
Bakersfield Californian
The Cal State Bakersfield softball team won't be easing its way into the 2020 season. The team's schedule, released Wednesday, begins with a 7 p.m. game against defending national champion UCLA on Thursday, Feb. 6. The Roadrunners will face the Bruins, who open the season ranked No. 4, twice in the span of three days as part of the season-opening Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament, which alternates between Los Angeles and San Diego.
CSUB Women Honored as Scholar All-American Team
GoRunners
The CSU Bakersfield women's swimming and diving team was named a Fall Scholar All-American Team by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America, Wednesday. The CSCAA list honors teams who garnered 2019 fall grade point averages of 3.00 or better.
CSUB to offer free income tax preparation services
Bakersfield Californian
Tax season is upon us and California State University Bakersfield wants to help. The university is offering community members, students, staff and faculty free income tax services from Saturday through March 28, according to CSUB news release.
Students Worry As California’s Online Community College Confronts Offline Woes
Capital Public Radio
California’s first-in-the-nation online community college now has 450 students — with no full-time faculty, no CEO and no political champion. What will Calbright's future be?
MCCC, OCCC One Step Closer to Gaining ‘Full’ College Status
Sierra News
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) has granted Madera Community College Center (MCCC) “candidacy,” bringing MCCC one step closer to becoming a full college.
Senators To CFPB: Why Are You Still Failing To Protect Student Loan Borrowers?
Capital Public Radio
Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the director of the nation's top consumer watchdog agency demanding that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau do its job supervising the student loan system.
Berkeley Law School Drops Boalt Name Over Racist Legacy
New York Times
The name “Boalt Hall” is set to be removed today from the University of California Berkeley’s law school after a yearslong process that determined, in essence, that the school should no longer honor a man whose most notable work was rooted in racist views.
See Also:
● UC Berkeley Law School strips itself of racist namesake Associated Press
Most Of Nation's Top Public Universities Aren't Affordable For Low-Income Students
NPR
America's top public universities, known as flagships, are generally the most well-resourced public universities in their respective states — think the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor or the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. They're rigorous schools, and many were built on federal land grants meant to serve the "industrial classes."
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Teens drench themselves in fake oil in climate change protest at California pension fund
Fresno Bee
Dozens of young people staged a dramatic march from the Capitol to the headquarters of California’s teacher pension fund on Thursday, imploring CalSTRS to withdraw its investments from oil and gas companies.
Hate the outdoors? Americans take 1 billion fewer outings than decade ago, report says
Fresno Bee
Americans aren’t going outdoors as much as before, and a new report has data to prove it. The Outdoor Foundation, an arm of the Outdoor Industry Association, found that only about half of the people in the U.S. took part in an outdoor activity at least once in 2018.
Kohler to pay $20M penalty for California engine emissions
Porterville Recorder
Kohler Co. has agreed to pay a $20 million civil penalty to resolve allegations that emissions from its small spark-ignition engines violated the Clean Air Act and California law.
As California preps for more ‘horizontal hurricanes,’ Air Force gathers intel over Pacific
Sacramento Bee
Massive storms sweeping over California from the Pacific have played havoc on the state for much of its recorded history, including a relentless 1862 downpour that forced Gov. Leland Stanford to take a rowboat to his own inauguration in Sacramento.
Why California’s environmental policies aren’t enough for this state lawmaker
CalMatters
Earlier this month, Democratic Assemblymember Rob Bonta of Oakland described dire consequences of climate change: Australia is burning; the Philippines, where he was born, is regularly hit by typhoons; and California faces drought, wildfire and the threat of sea level rise as global temperatures warm.
Rolling Stone
Jerry Brown doesn’t want to talk about impeachment. He won’t say if he has a preferred candidate in the 2020 Democratic presidential field and professes not to be following the race all that closely.
Bill requiring beverage makers to handle recycling dies
Associated Press
A California state senator on Thursday ended his effort to pass a bill requiring beverage distributors to create a new system to take back their own containers, though advocates said they will keep pushing the issue this year.
Energy:
Oildale's newest filling station seen as improving local air quality
Bakersfield Californian
A new public filling station just off Highway 65 in Oildale was celebrated Thursday as a boon to local air quality. The station, owned and operated by San Diego-based Sempra Energy's Southern California Gas Co., sells only compressed natural gas from sources considered renewable, such as dairy digesters, landfills, food processing plants and wastewater facilities.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
As some cities in California get tougher on smoking, Central Valley has a hard time keeping up
Fresno Bee
Last year, the city of Firebaugh became the first in the central San Joaquin Valley to adopt a smoke-free multi-unit housing policy. That same year, Delano city officials banned flavored tobacco products.
See also:
● Juul’s value drops further as legal cases soar San Francisco Chronicle
No local confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus
Visalia Times Delta
Rumors about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (n-CoV) detected locally are circulating on social media. But residents shouldn't put too much stock in Facebook reports. Local health officials said Wednesday that Tulare County has "no confirmed or suspected cases of n-CoV."
See also:
● Have questions about the coronavirus? Get answers in our live Q and A on Friday Fresno Bee
● US advises against travel to China; virus declared emergency Fresno Bee
● State Department issues 'do not travel' warning over coronavirus abc30
● Health officials: Tulare County has 'no confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus' Visalia Times Delta
● Have questions about the coronavirus? Get answers in our live Q and A on Friday Modesto Bee
● Coronavirus outbreak is now an international ‘public health emergency,’ WHO declares Los Angeles Times
● Coronavirus Live Updates: A Chinese Official Says He Feels ‘Guilty’ New York Times
● State Department tells citizens ‘do not travel’ to China; World Health Organization declares coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency Washington Post
● Editorial: Misinformation has become a secondary infection in the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak Los Angeles Times
OPINION: The next pandemic is coming. We’re not prepared for it.
Washington Post
As the coronavirus spreads beyond China, the world is asking, “Are we on the verge of our next global pandemic?” We can be sure the virus will continue to spread, but we can’t predict how far or for how long or how bad the impact will be.
Human Services:
California has shortage of mental health clinicians. Here’s how UC is going to change that
Fresno Bee
Three nursing schools within the University of California system announced they are teaming up with the California Health Care Foundation to train and certify 300 nurse practitioners to work in the psychiatric mental health field through an online program aimed at addressing a shortage of providers.
Pelvic mesh injuries lead California judge to impose $344 million penalty on Johnson & Johnson
Fresno Bee
Johnson & Johnson must pay nearly $344 million after a San Diego Superior Court judge ruled that the company “deceptively marketed their pelvic mesh products” in California.
Lauren Small Children’s Center receives more than $230,000 donation from Panda Express
KGET
The Lauren Small Children’s Center received a massive donation of over $230,000 from Panda Express restaurants. Representatives from Panda Express presented the check to the center Thursday afternoon at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital.
Watch new 2020 law #7: Health insurance about to be mandatory in California
CalMatters
In 2020, California will make health insurance mandatory — and charge a tax people to people without. For people who lack it now, there’s an upside: The state also will began giving subsidies to those who don’t qualify for assistance through the federal Obamacare program.
Rural America’s Health Crisis Seizes States’ Attention
PEW
Dr. George Pink is a professor who studies rural health, not a doctor who tries to provide it. For the sake of his own blood pressure, he’s grateful. “Not a day doesn’t go by that I don’t thank God I’m an academic and not the CEO of a rural hospital,” Pink, a health policy professor and deputy director of the rural research program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said recently.
Column: One way to make healthcare more affordable? Give California nurse practitioners autonomy
Los Angeles Times
More Californians are acquiring medical insurance, but there are increasingly fewer primary care doctors to treat them. There’s an easy partial fix, but it’s blocked by an old turf war. Negotiating a truce is not easy. In fact, it’s probably impossible.
IMMIGRATION
Winds topple US border wall being built; it falls in Mexico
Porterville Recorder
A portion of border wall being built in California toppled in strong winds, falling on a busy street on the Mexican side, authorities said Thursday. No one was injured.
See also:
● Parts of a new California border fence weren’t yet anchored. Big winds blew them down Los Angeles Times
‘Remain in Mexico’ one year later: How a single policy transformed the U.S. asylum system
Los Angeles Times
Over the last year, the Trump administration has dramatically changed the way that the U.S. asylum system processes many of the people coming to the southwest border to seek protection.
See Also:
● Trump’s border wall, vulnerable to flash floods, needs large storm gates left open for months Washington Post
OPINION: Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda isn’t about rule of law or economics at all
Washington Post
The Trump administration’s latest rule massively restricting immigration is based on lies. But don’t take my word for it. Just ask the Trump administration, whose own actions rebut the argument it gave for putting the rule in place.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Best Buy shutting down Merced location after 17 years
abc30
Best Buy has been a staple in Merced for the past 17 years, and customers. The store is now preparing to close when its lease expires in March because company representatives say they were not able to reach an agreement with the landlord.
Housing:
California just counted its homeless. The tally is inaccurate, and politically weaponized
Fresno Bee
With yellow vests and flashlights, over 200 volunteers fanned out across Fresno to count homeless people on Tuesday night. Along the railway, one group walked by a freight container with a mattress and shoes inside, and past a dirt cot enclosed in a tarp pegged to a bush.
After failure, California leaders vow to pass housing bill
Porterville Recorder
Desperate for more housing in the nation's most populous state, the leader of the California Senate committed Thursday to passing a law this year to add more housing in a state facing a shortage of 3.5 million homes.
See also:
● Gavin Newsom wants a California housing law in 2020. His best option just failed Sacramento Bee
● California Bill Calling For Denser Housing Around Jobs And Transit Fails In Final Senate Vote Capital Public Radio
● California bill to dramatically increase home building fails for the third year in a row Los Angeles Times
● California’s most controversial homebuilding bill just died. What will Newsom do now? CalMatters
● California, Mired in a Housing Crisis, Rejects an Effort to Ease It New York Times
● Newsom, Atkins urge more housing action after SB 50 dies Politico
● After failure, California leaders vow to pass housing bill Associated Press
● EDITORIAL: SB 50’s failure exposes California Democrats’ ineptitude on affordable housing crisis Sacramento Bee
More States See Zoning as Lever to Lower Housing Costs
PEW
California state Sen. Scott Wiener has a simple explanation for the Golden State’s affordable housing crisis: “Decades of bad housing policy.” The Democrat particularly blames cities’ longtime embrace of single-family zoning, which he says has contributed to a housing shortage that’s pushing up rents and home prices and encouraging sprawl. “It’s not sustainable,” Wiener recently told Stateline.
Chuck DeVore: California conservatives 'grateful' they can flee to a place like Texas
Fox News Network
Speaking on “Fox & Friends” on Thursday, former California Assemblyman Chuck Devore referenced data showing an increase of Californians moving to Texas, saying a lot of California conservatives are "grateful" that there is a state like Texas to move to.
PUBLIC FINANCES
How Much Can Californians Benefit From the CalEITC and Young Child Tax Credit?
California Budget & Policy Center
California has two refundable income tax credits that boost the incomes of people who earn little from their jobs, helping them to afford necessities. These are: The California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) – available to families and individuals with annual earnings under $30,000; and The Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC) – available to CalEITC-eligible families with children under age 6.
See also:
Jennifer Siebel Newsom: These tax credits could save California families billions of dollars. Spread the word Sacramento Bee
Concerns about Poverty and Income Inequality Are Running High
PPIC
Even as California’s economy is surging—with unemployment at a historically low 3.9% last month—residents around the state are worried about poverty. About eight in ten adults say that poverty is a big problem (49%) or somewhat of a problem (33%) in their part of California. Likely voters hold similar views (47% big, 35% somewhat). This concern is high across every region of the state.
TRANSPORTATION
Fresno-Yosemite International Airport sets passenger record. Here’s where they were going
Fresno Bee
Almost 2 million passengers traveled to and from Fresno Yosemite International Airport in 2019, a record for annual airline passenger volume through the airport.
Bike lanes could come to part of Ninth Street in Modesto. Not everyone is pumped
Modesto Bee
Part of Ninth Street in downtown Modesto would get bicycle lanes under a plan to enhance access to its upcoming train depot. But the idea raised concerns Tuesday night from two prominent businesses on Ninth – Modesto Junk Co. and American Lumber Co. – about limiting space for motor vehicles.
RTD will reserve front seat of all buses to honor Rosa Parks
Stockton Record
For the third consecutive year, San Joaquin Regional Transit District will honor civil rights activist Rosa Parks.
Who are the better drivers, men or women?
abc30
Information collected from Fresno, Madera, Merced, Tulare, Kings and Mariposa counties showed men caused 59% of the accidents. Women were responsible for 38% of the crashes. In the remaining 3% of cases, the no sex was identified for the responsible party.
Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act would require terrain alarms on choppers
Los Angeles Times
In the wake of the helicopter crash that killed nine people including Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, a Los Angeles congressman is calling on the Federal Aviation Administration to beef up chopper safety regulations by requiring a terrain alarm system.
WATER
California's winter snowpack below average after dry January
Porterville Recorder
California's weather turned largely dry in January and left the water content of the Sierra Nevada snowpack below average for this time of year, state officials said after measurements Thursday.
See also:
● Snowpack survey shows below-average numbers abc30
● Dry January causes below-average snowpack Hanford Sentinel
● Slow start to California’s water year, as snow survey reflects relatively dry January Sacramento Bee
● Dry, sunny days in January have taken a toll on California’s snowpack Los Angeles Times
● Sierra snowpack measures below average — but season's not over San Francisco Chronicle
As forests burn around the world, drinking water is at risk
Porterville Recorder
More than 60% of the water supply for the world's 100 largest cities originates in fire-prone watersheds — and countless smaller communities also rely on surface water in vulnerable areas, researchers say.
Most major California dams lack emergency plans. ‘High-risk issue,’ state auditor says
Sacramento Bee
Three years after the near-disaster at Oroville Dam, only 22 state-regulated dams have finalized emergency plans — out of 650 major dams that are required by law to have plans in place — according to a report issued Thursday by State Auditor Elaine Howle.
Water Education Foundation
Mike Chrisman, who served as California natural resources secretary for seven years under former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was elected president of the Water Education Foundation’s board of directors. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Ira “Jack” Chrisman, who was the Foundation’s founding president in 1977.
“Xtra”
StoryCorps Mobile Tour To Visit The San Joaquin Valley In 2020
KVPR
Valley Public Radio is proud to partner with the groundbreaking personal history project StoryCorps, which will visit California’s San Joaquin Valley in 2020. The StoryCorps MobileBooth – an Airstream trailer converted into a mobile recording studio will be in Fresno from February 12, 2020 through March 20, 2020, located the Community Media Access Collaborative (CMAC) in downtown Fresno.
Want to swim, dine or see a movie at Hearst Castle? Here’s your chance
Fresno Bee
Want to swim in one of Hearst Castle’s legendary pools? The Foundation at Heart Castle is offering a series of six exclusive swim soirees at the San Simeon mansion in 2020, as well as other events.
Downtown mural celebrating Livingston’s history and civic pride unveiled
Merced Sun-Star
The city of Livingston held a dedication ceremony Thursday for a new mural painted by a local artist. The artwork, which depicts Livingston through the years, is located on the Livingston Historical Society Museum at 620 Main St. in the city’s downtown.
See also:
● Livingston celebrates its diversity, history and future with art abc30
Modesto, valley businesses offer Super Bowl specials; find local watch parties
Modesto Bee
Before you settle in to watch the San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV, here are some local suggestions to maximize your viewing experience. Sure, for some it’s as easy as turning on the TV, sitting on the couch and finishing off that bag of chips.
See Also:
● Super Bowl Monday has always been a holiday for some and now, at least in Delano, it is Bakersfield Californian
Take me home! Dogs available for adoption
Bakersfield Californian
These six dogs at Kern County Animal Services are looking for their forever homes. Can you help?
Mysterious light streaks across Southern California’s night sky. What was it?
Los Angeles Times
What the heck was that? Videos posted by Southern Californians on social media Wednesday night showed a celestial object streaking overhead before disintegrating into dazzling pieces. Residents from all over the Southland logged their sightings, and the American Meteor Society fielded witness reports ranging from Santa Barbara to Imperial Beach, and as far inland as Bakersfield and Indio.