POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
The National Straight Pride Coalition plans to hold the event in Graceada Park
Modesto Bee
The National Straight Pride Coalition expects to hold its first “Stanislaus County Straight Pride” event in Modesto’s Graceada Park next month.
See also:
● ‘Straight pride’ parade planned in Modesto Los Angeles Times
EDITORIAL: Animal cruelty at Stanislaus County Fair? No, but wildcat exhibit missed mark
Modesto Bee
Complaints about this year’s exotic wildcat exhibit at the fairgrounds in Turlock should have been predictable, if not inevitable
Central SJ Valley:
Gov. Gavin Newsom stops in Fresno County, signs safe drinking water bill
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund bill in the tiny Fresno County community of Tombstone Territory, where residents rely on bottled water because the water from their private wells is contaminated. Starting next year, Senate Bill 200 will provide $130 million annually to clean up drinking water in California communities like Tombstone that lack access to safe water.
Fresno Bee
There’s a reason people roll their eyes whenever a politician claims to listen to the ideas and wishes of those who helped elect them. For Exhibit A, I nominate Paul Caprioglio.
No more contract with Fresno. Who’s fighting fires in Kerman, Biola and west of 99?
Fresno Bee
North Central Fire Protection District has taken back control of its three stations, fire engines and trucks, officially resuming responsibility for fire services in its 230-square-mile service area west of Highway 99.
Input Needed For SNF Project Within Miami OHV Riding Area
Sierra News
The Sierra National Forest (SNF) is in the process of performing environmental analysis on the proposed Kamook Staging Area Project on the Bass Lake Ranger District (BLRD) and would like the public’s input.
South SJ Valley:
Valley Fever Institute celebrates additional $2 million in funding with Assemblyman Salas
Bakersfield Californian
The funding the institute received from the state budget will “allow us to have a bigger mission and bigger scope in terms of numbers and quality.”
Three Rivers town hall focuses on future changes
Visalia Times Delta
The secluded community of Three Rivers is undergoing several changes. On Wednesday, residents will be able to voice their opinions during a town hall meeting hosted by Tulare County Supervisor Kuyler Crocker.
Tejon Tribe casino receives boost from Board of Supervisors
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Board of Supervisors enthusiastically threw its support behind a planned Tejon Indian Tribe casino at a meeting Tuesday.
Gun group wants judge to block ammunition background checks
Bakersfield Californian
A California affiliate of the National Rifle Association has asked a U.S. judge to block a new law requiring background checks for anyone buying ammunition.
State:
California tax revenue is soaring
CALmatters
It’s the good news that California’s political establishment—Democratic politicians and their allies in public-employee labor unions—prefer not to acknowledge.
See also:
· Fox: More and More Tax Revenue, Bigger Surpluses…And Still Not Satisfied Fox & Hounds
· EDITORIAL: A sneaky attempt to snow California voters on tax hikes LA Times
Budget Decider: Making choices that impact millions
CALmatters
California lawmakers have passed a $215 billion budget filled with progressive eye-catchers. But what if you had the awesome power to tax and spend, charting a new course for California?
Gavin Newsom reveals plan for California DMV. Why he warns of longer wait times
Fresno Bee
Things could get worse before they get better at California’s Department of Motor Vehicles, according to a new report Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office released Tuesday.
See also:
● DMV workers could see job changes — and more pay — in Gavin Newsom’s plan Sacramento Bee
● California governor announces changes at troubled DMV abc30
● DMV to close offices half day for training Hanford Sentinel
● Don’t go to the DMV on Wednesday. Why California offices will be closed until 1 p.m. Sacramento Bee
● California Governor Announces Changes At Troubled DMV Capital Public Radio
● California DMV leadership overhauled over long lines and poor service Los Angeles Times
● Tech dinosaur DMV gets dose of Silicon Valley in hopes of fixing it San Francisco Chronicle
White men hold most state supreme court seats, with California as notable exception, report says
San Francisco Chronicle
State supreme courts across the nation remain mostly composed of white men, while the population whose legal rights they oversee grows more diverse, a new study shows. But California is the great exception.
California’s redistricting panel flooded with applications
Capitol Weekly
More than 7,100 people have applied to be on California’s independent redistricting commission, the 14-member panel that will draw new political boundaries based on population counts from the 2020 census.
EDITORIAL: Gov. Newsom should save the jokes for Twitter and veto this silly but dangerous bill
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom rarely backs down from a Twitter fight with President Donald Trump. That makes sense. A spat with the president is social media gold, and the consequences of such contretemps typically fade within hours or days.
EDITORIAL: A cloud of suspicion hangs over state insurance commissioner. Can he clear the air?
Sacramento Bee
With the appearance of corruption threatening to undermine his legitimacy as California insurance commissioner, Ricardo Lara would do well to review the classic steps of scandal management.
Federal:
Mueller Testimony:
● Mueller sticks to script, says report doesn’t ‘exonerate’ Trump Roll Call
● Mueller breaks with Trump on ‘no collusion’ Politico
● ‘The president was not exculpated for the acts that he allegedly committed,’ Mueller tells House Judiciary Committee Washington Post
● Mueller: I did not clear Trump of obstruction of justice Associated Press
Trump’s strategy of racial resentment won’t work in California, researcher says
Sacramento Bee
White racial resentment may be a powerful political asset elsewhere in the country, but that tactic could cost Republicans dearly.
See also:
· California GOP’s ‘cult of Trump’ keeps quiet about his attacks SF Chronicle
· Ocasio-Cortez didn’t call Americans garbage, as Donald Trump claims Politifact
- Trump says being president means he can ‘do whatever I want’ Washington Post
Trump administration moves to limit food stamps, restrict free meals for children
Fresno Bee
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing that families who receive temporary government benefits should no longer be automatically eligible for food assistance, a change that could restrict access to free school lunches for 265,000 children.
See also:
● New Trump administration proposal would cut roughly 3 million people off food stamps abc30
● Why Trump’s new limit on food stamp eligibility will affect working families most PBS NewsHour
Trump Relies on Populist Language, but He Mostly Sides With Corporate Interests
The New York Times
History will record last week as a moment when President Trump turned to raw racial appeals to attack a group of nonwhite lawmakers, but his attacks also underscored a remarkable fact of his first term: His rhetorical appeals to white working-class voters have not been matched by legislative accomplishments aimed at their economic interests.
See also:
● Opinion: Conservatives want to revive a one-time trick from more than 100 years ago Washington Post
● Justice Dept. opens antitrust review of big tech companies SF Chronicle
● Justice Department to Open Broad, New Antitrust Review of Big Tech Companies Wall Street Journal
Washington Post
The agreement between the Federal Trade Commission and Facebook alleges that the tech giant misled users about the way it handled their private data. For the next 20 years, Facebook has agreed to submit to a tough regimen of oversight that includes a requirement that CEO Mark Zuckerberg personally attest every three months that the settlement agreement is being followed.
Trump sues to block House from getting his state tax returns
Los Angeles Times
President Trump sued to block the Democratic-led House Ways and Means Committee from obtaining his tax records from New York state.
See also:
· Trump Sues House Panel, New York Officials to Protect State Tax Returns Wall Street Journal
President Trump & GOP Budget Deal Is Fiscally Irresponsible
National Review
Neither the president nor his party has displayed any interest in reining in spending.
See also:
· EDITORIAL: The Bipartisan Spending Party Wall Street Journal
Elections 2020:
Yet again, Trump falsely blames illegal voting for getting walloped in California
Washington Post
A few hours after celebrating his $16 billion bailout to farmers affected by the trade war with China, President Trump told a roomful of young conservatives about the dangers and political opportunism of socialist handouts.
See also:
● California GOP’s ‘cult of Trump’ keeps quiet about his attacks San Francisco Chronicle
Presidential hopeful Jay Inslee tells Walnut Creek crowd why climate change is his top priority
San Francisco Chronicle
For Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, the environment isn’t just a concern, it’s the reason he’s running for president.
Who is Kamala Harris, really? Ask her sister Maya.
Washington Post
The campaign chairwoman has been with the 2020 hopeful through it all — and knows the way forward.
The bond market agrees with Elizabeth Warren, up to a point
AEI
There seems to be one important point on which Elizabeth Warren and the world’s bond markets currently agree: Both the US and the rest of the world could soon be heading for an economic recession.
Other:
4 steps to stop the spread of disinformation online
Brookings
As former special counsel Robert Mueller testifies before Congress today to address in part Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, Lisa Kaplan shares steps voters—the true targets of foreign disinformation campaigns—can take to make themselves less susceptible to manipulation and falsehoods.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, July 28, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Protecting Students from Active Shooters: Are Schools Making the Grade?” – Guest: California State Auditor, Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, July 28, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Campus Shootings: Are Local Schools Prepared?” – Guests: Doug Collins with the Merced City School District and Steve France with the Clovis Unified School District. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, July 28, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Fresno Bridge Academy: A Model to Replicate Statewide” – Guests: Pete Weber, Fundador y Dir. Junta Directiva de Fresno Bridge Academy & Arasely Linares, Directora de Programas de Reading and Beyond. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Ag seminar for teachers wows participants
Bakersfield Californian
Held at the Kern County Ag Pavilion and various farm and ranch locations in the southern valley, the seminar boasted 45 teacher attendees participating.
Pot legalization bills introduced in Congress
Bakersfield Californian
Bills that would legalize and tax marijuana at the national level, and provide opportunities for people convicted of federal pot crimes to clear their records, were introduced Tuesday in Congress.
See also:
● Harris legislation would decriminalize marijuana nationally San Francisco Chronicle
Speed Bumps on California’s Road to Marijuana Social Equity
Capital & Main
In the state’s cannabis industry, some businesses are less equal than others.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Swim coach sent 13-year-old girl sexually inappropriate texts. USA Swimming gave him a warning
OCRegister
Stockton cases raise questions about USA Swimming’s commitment to protecting young athletes.
Public Safety:
Safer neighborhoods? Listen to constituents’ ideas? Just empty words to this Fresno councilman
Fresno Bee
There’s a reason people roll their eyes whenever a politician claims to listen to the ideas and wishes of those who helped elect them. For Exhibit A, I nominate Paul Caprioglio.
County pay proposal could make deputies top cops in Kern
Bakersfield Californian
Kern deputies could soon be the highest paid law enforcement officials in the county under a new contract proposal approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
Gun group wants judge to block ammunition background checks
Bakersfield Californian
A California affiliate of the National Rifle Association has asked a U.S. judge to block a new law requiring background checks for anyone buying ammunition.
Podcast: Guns make policing in America dangerous—to officers and civilians alike
CALmatters
The latest Force Of Law podcast focuses on the dangers police face on the job and explores how these risks factor into legislation meant to curb officers’ use of deadly force.
FBI Director: White-Supremacist Violence Accounts for Majority of Domestic-Terrorism Arrests
National Review
FBI director Christopher Wray told Congress on Tuesday that the majority of domestic-terrorism arrests since last October have been linked to white supremacy.
Fire:
No more contract with Fresno. Who’s fighting fires in Kerman, Biola and west of 99?
Fresno Bee
North Central Fire Protection District has taken back control of its three stations, fire engines and trucks, officially resuming responsibility for fire services in its 230-square-mile service area west of Highway 99.
500 towns have greater fire hazard than Paradise
Visalia Times Delta
Of small communities across 11 states, more than 500 have a higher wildfire hazard potential than Paradise, California.
Peak fire season is near and the federal government is short hundreds of firefighters
Los Angeles Times
Heading into the hottest and driest months of the wildfire season, the Department of the Interior is short hundreds of firefighters, a result of recruitment problems and the longest federal government shutdown in history.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
Trump administration sued debt collectors. California legislators should take note
CALmatters
It wasn’t front-page news when the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued two of the biggest credit repair companies in America: Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com.
Fight to change California’s landmark consumer privacy law fizzles — for now
San Francisco Chronicle
As a consumer, Dirk Lorenz says he understands the anxiety many people feel about online ads that seem to stalk their search and social media visits. He, too, finds the mass collection of personal data invasive.
Get Ready: Summit Registration for 2019 Calif Economic Summit Opens in 2 Weeks
CA FWD
We’re getting ready to open registration for the 2019 California Economic Summit, the eighth annual gathering happening this year in Fresno November 7-8. Governor Gavin Newsom and a growing lineup of California leaders from across the state are scheduled to be there.
Libra rising: The risk of a new international shadow bank
AEI
It would be wise for government leaders to consider whether protections to ensure the safety and soundness of traditional bank deposits and fiduciary operations should also apply to the Libra world of private cryptocurrency.
Jobs:
Gen X may end up with higher incomes — but they’ll still be poorer in retirement
Fresno Bee
Social Security’s financing problems could pose a serious threat to retirement plans of Generation X (1966 to 1975) and Xennial (1976 to 1985) Americans, according to a new report from the Urban Institute.
How industries are protecting workers during extreme heat
abc30
Many people here in the Valley are exposed to the high heat and harsh summer sun when they’re on the job.
Training California’s Students for Well-Paying Jobs
Public Policy Institute of California
California’s community college system is the largest provider of career education—also known as career technical education or vocational education—in the state. Career education programs play a critical role in training students, especially underserved and nontraditional students, for jobs that provide solid wages but don’t require a four-year college degree.
It’s Getting Harder to Fire People for Using Pot
Bloomberg
Groundbreaking lawsuits are making employers and states rethink the way the workplace treats weed.
Ogletree Deakins
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California recently ruled in an employment class action regarding misclassification of trucking industry owner-operators as independent contractors. The ruling is a win for numerous industries.
Don’t Slip Up: When Are California Employers Required to Pay for Employees’ Shoes?
Ogletree Deakins
A hot-button issue in California is whether an employer is required to pay for or reimburse an employee for shoes that are required as a condition of employment. A recent ruling by the California Court of Appeal highlights the complexity of the issue and lack of concrete guidance on a critical question: whether California workplace safety law requires an employer to pay for nonspecialty safety shoes, such as generic steel-toe boots, that the employer allows the employee to wear off the jobsite.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Visalia ranked as the least educated city in America
abc30
A recent survey conducted by WalletHub ranked three Central Valley cities as some of the least educated cities in America.
See also:
● Stockton among least-educated cities in nation Stockton Record
Who keeps vandalizing Merced school buses? Damages are costly, officials say
Merced Sun-Star
The yard where Merced Union High School District parks its buses has been struck repeatedly by vandals this summer, and officials are looking for information on the people behind the costly damages.
BCSD board welcomes back former member
Bakersfield Californian
A familiar face returned to the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education on Tuesday. Russ Shuppert, former Area 4 Trustee, took the oath of office, administered by Superintendent Doc Ervin.
Plan to expose all students to physics missing one element — teachers
EdSource
As California schools move to implement new science standards, they are under pressure to offer more physics instruction creating a demand for teachers in a subject area where there is already a severe shortage.
Higher Ed:
Number of California students offered admission to UC Davis rises for fall 2019
Fresno Bee
UC Davis admitted about 300 more California residents for fall 2019 than last year, officials reported this week.
Opponents urge CSU to reject 4th year of high school math or related courses for admission
EdSource
The 23-campus California State University system on Tuesday launched what promises to be four months of contentious and soul-searching debate on whether to require a fourth year of high school math or a quantitative reasoning course for freshman admissions starting in 2026.
CSU moves to increase application fee
EdSource
California State University moved Tuesday to increase the cost of applying to each of the system’s 23 campuses from $55 to $70 starting in the fall, the first increase in 30 years.Approved by the trustees’ finance committee and expected to easily win passage by the full board on Wednesday, the increase would still allow low and moderate income students to receive up to four fee waivers. Under the new plan, officials say that even more students would be eligible for the waivers.
CA State Bar is one of the toughest in the nation. That comes with hidden costs.
San Francisco Chronicle
Next week, thousands of aspiring lawyers will sit for the California Bar Examination. If the past few years are any indication, more than half of them will fail. It doesn’t have to be like this. It shouldn’t be like this.
Milan Institute struggles to make payroll
Visalia Times Delta
Employees of the Milan Institute of Cosmetology have scrambled to pay bills and buy groceries when they received only partial paychecks on July 12.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
Longest stretch of triple digits for the Central Valley this year
abc30
Get ready for our longest stretch of triple-digit weather this year. Forecasters say so far we have had 13 days at 100 degrees or higher. Out of the 13 days, we’ve only had a four-day streak.
See also:
● It’s getting hot this week in Merced. Here’s how to stay cool and avoid health issues Merced Sun-Star
As climate change threatens California, officials seek ‘sustainable insurance’
Los Angeles Times
California regulators are teaming up with the United Nations to develop “sustainable insurance” guidelines that would help address climate-change-related disasters such as coastal flooding and larger wildfires — the first such partnership of its kind between the international organization and a U.S. state, officials announced Tuesday.
See also:
● Why More California Homeowners Are Losing Their Insurance New York Times
● Want to stop climate change? Start by planting a trillion trees. Washington Post
Energy:
Now it’s a three-way fight for PG&E. The latest in the battle for bankrupt utility
Fresno Bee
A third group emerged Tuesday with a plan to take over PG&E Corp., pay its wildfire liabilities and other debts, and pull the troubled utility out of bankruptcy.
See also:
● Insurers offer competing plan to rescue PG&E from bankruptcy Fresno Bee
Power restored to more than 14,000 customers in Madera County foothills
abc30
Power has been restored to more than 14,000 customers but 2,000 still remain without electricity according to Pacific Gas and Electric’s website. At the height of the outage, nearly 17,000 people were without power from Coarsegold to Bass Lake to Oakhurst.
See also:
● Power outage affecting Madera County mountain community Sierra Star
● Power Outage Knocks Out Electricity To Thousands In Eastern Madera County Sierra News
● Hedge funds are fighting for control of PG&E — what it means for you San Francisco Chronicle
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Scientists unlock the secrets of marijuana’s pain-relief potential, study says
Fresno Bee
Researchers have uncovered how marijuana plants produce pain-killing molecules that are 30 times stronger than aspirin — a property that gives them medicinal promise as a substitute for opioid pain relievers, which can lead to crippling addiction, researchers said.
See also:
● Explore a cache of previously unreleased documents that expose the inner workings of drug companies during the opioid epidemic Washington Post
● Cannabis study finds marijuana genes that make pain killers Merced Sun-Star
California’s health care spending is actually hurting our health, researchers say
Sacramento Bee
In a report released Tuesday, community health advocates at Oakland’s Well Being Trust warned California’s leaders that they must curb prices and waste in health care spending or risk a dangerous paradox where soaring medical costs gobble up funding that should go to essential social programs.
Pregnancy Tech is Growing. But Women and Their Doctors Remain Wary
KQED
Algorithms promise to detect the difference between real labor and a false alarm. Wearables give women a way to track contractions. Apps relay home blood pressure readings directly to doctors, offering a possible way to cut down on prenatal visits — and catch certain pregnancy complications before they become full-blown crises.
The key to reducing suicide rates? It’s definitely not lowering taxes
Los Angeles Times
Statistics show that New Jersey, California and New York have the three lowest rates of suicide. How could it be that the three states with the highest tax rates also had the lowest suicide rates?
Parents who won’t vaccinate their kids turning to home-schooling in California, data show
Los Angeles Times
It is unclear whether parents are opting for home-schooling solely because they want to avoid vaccines, or if they are choosing to home-school for other reasons and also happen to not want to vaccinate their children.
Overdose Prevention Efforts Reach Bars and Clubs
Pew Trusts
“Just Say No” — the 1980s anti-drug slogan — doesn’t cut it here at the Brooklyn cabaret House of Yes.
Simple tips to deal with high cholesterol
abc30
Your family history, your lifestyle, other health conditions can all be risk factors for high cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. But if you already have high cholesterol, here are some simple solutions that can keep your cholesterol out of the danger zone.
Human Services:
Adventist Health welcomes four new resident physicians in Hanford
Hanford Sentinel
Four new resident physicians joined Adventist Health’s Hanford Family Medicine Residency Program in June. The residency program is affiliated with Loma Linda University and fully financed by Adventist Health.
2 Valley hospitals are working hard to recruit young doctors
Business Journal
The program has medical residents rotating their time between the two health care facilities, with the hope that those students stay in the Central Valley once they finish their residency.
Hearst Foundations award grant to Community Medical Centers
Business Journal
Community Medical Centers in Fresno is one of 16 recipients of a series of grants totaling $2.3 million.
A Combat Veteran’s Hope aims to assist local combat veterans
Business Journal
Since 2015, A Combat Veteran’s Hope (ACVH) has aided veterans who have experienced war firsthand, their volunteers meeting with them in whatever spaces they could find and organizing events from their homes.
Valley Fever Institute celebrates additional $2 million in funding with Assemblyman Salas
Bakersfield Californian
The funding the institute received from the state budget will “allow us to have a bigger mission and bigger scope in terms of numbers and quality.”
Capital Public Radio
The state is withholding funding from 10 California counties because their mental health workforces aren’t meeting federal requirements.
Senators Introduce Bill to Cap Drug-Price Increases Under Medicare
Wall Street Journal
Legislation aims to restrain out-of-pocket spending by beneficiaries.
The Drug-Price Problem Won’t Heal Itself
Wall Street Journal
Costs for insulin and other vital treatments are rising rapidly, and Congress must step in.
IMMIGRATION
ICE targeted thousands in raids, but so far has only arrested 35
Los Angeles Times
An immigration sweep targeting thousands of people nationwide resulted in only 35 arrests, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Tuesday, suggesting that the widely publicized advance notice of the raids, including prominent mention by President Trump, led many people to take actions to avoid being caught.
See also:
● Immigrants to Trump: Thanks for the warning Los Angeles Times
● ICE arrests of immigrant families lagged behind hype San Francisco Chronicle
● ICE releases US citizen, 18, wrongfully detained near border Fresno Bee
Washington Post
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly of Washington, D.C., lets stand a 10-day-old rule barring migrants from applying for asylum if they passed through a third country en route to the U.S.-Mexico border and failed to seek protection first in that country. A second federal judge in California will weigh a similar challenge at a hearing later today.
National Review
The percentage of Americans who cite immigration as the nation’s “most important problem” has hit a record high as the Trump administration continues to struggle with an unprecedented influx of migrants streaming across the southern border.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
This national discount chain on a massive expansion streak is heading for Fresno
Fresno Bee
A discount national chain retailer selling unicorn pool floats and blankets shaped like pizza slices is coming to some high-profile spots in Fresno.
Local Dressbarn stores remain open… for now
Visalia Times Delta
Joining the growing list of shuttered retailers is Dressbarn. The women’s retailer announced closures earlier this year, they released this week a list of stores that would be axed first.
Housing:
US home sales fall 1.7% with prices high and supply low
Fresno Bee
U.S. home sales tumbled 1.7% in June, with rising prices and a scarce supply locking out many Americans from ownership.
Construction picking up at 156-unit Stonebrier Apartments
Stockton Record
Crews have started work on a new apartment complex near the corner of Bianchi Road and West Lane in Stockton.
Homeless issues dominate SJ supervisors meeting
Stockton Record
Little was left to the imagination Tuesday morning while addressing the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors about the effect of homeless encampments on the waterways.
Bad news for Gavin Newsom’s housing goals: New home permits are down in California
Sacramento Bee
California communities are approving residential building permits at a slower rate than they did last year, a sign Gov. Gavin Newsom faces an even bigger hurdle to reach his housing goals than when he took office in January.
See also:
· U.S. Home Sales Stumble, as Pricey West Coast Markets Suffer Declines Wall Street Journal
Can Vacancy Taxes Bring Down Housing Prices?
Capital & Main
Supporters say vacant-property taxes keep speculators from sitting on properties until they can rent or sell them for more money.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Another California pension fund falls just short of its investment return target
Sacramento Bee
CalSTRS just missed its target rate for annual investment returns, recording 6.8 percent for the fiscal year ending June 30, according to a Tuesday news release. The rate fell short of the $237 billion fund’s annual target of 7 percent, according to the release.
California tax revenue is soaring
CALmatters
It’s the good news that California’s political establishment—Democratic politicians and their allies in public-employee labor unions—prefer not to acknowledge.
See also:
· Fox: More and More Tax Revenue, Bigger Surpluses…And Still Not Satisfied Fox & Hounds
· EDITORIAL: A sneaky attempt to snow California voters on tax hikes LA Times
Budget Decider: Making choices that impact millions
CALmatters
California lawmakers have passed a $215 billion budget filled with progressive eye-catchers. But what if you had the awesome power to tax and spend, charting a new course for California?
President Trump & GOP Budget Deal Is Fiscally Irresponsible
National Review
Neither the president nor his party has displayed any interest in reining in spending.
See also:
· EDITORIAL: The Bipartisan Spending Party Wall Street Journal
TRANSPORTATION
Gavin Newsom reveals plan for California DMV. Why he warns of longer wait times
Fresno Bee
Things could get worse before they get better at California’s Department of Motor Vehicles, according to a new report Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office released Tuesday.
See also:
● DMV workers could see job changes — and more pay — in Gavin Newsom’s plan Sacramento Bee
● California governor announces changes at troubled DMV abc30
● DMV to close offices half day for training Hanford Sentinel
● Don’t go to the DMV on Wednesday. Why California offices will be closed until 1 p.m. Sacramento Bee
● California Governor Announces Changes At Troubled DMV Capital Public Radio
● California DMV leadership overhauled over long lines and poor service Los Angeles Times
● Tech dinosaur DMV gets dose of Silicon Valley in hopes of fixing it San Francisco Chronicle
Life after driving: How California seniors are rethinking getting around
Mercury News
Relying on the car to retain their freedom and mobility is a challenge facing the aging baby boomers.
WATER
The Crisis Lurking in Californians’ Taps: How 1,000 Water Systems May Be at Risk
New York Times
It was bath time and Rosalba Moralez heard a cry. She rushed to the bathroom and found her 7-year-old daughter, Alexxa, being doused with brown, putrid water. “We kept running the tub, we turned on the sink, we flushed the toilet. All the water was coming out dirty,” Ms. Moralez said.
Modernizing water infrastructure is crucial to achieving California’s energy goals. Here’s why
Sacramento Bee
The Colorado River, the State Water Project (SWP) and groundwater are where California gets its water. And all three are at risk, requiring significant investment and changes in current practices if water quality and reliability are to be maintained.
Swimmers may risk illness at these poop-tainted US beaches, study finds
Sacramento Bee
Researchers said 466 of 584 beaches tested in California were potentially unsafe at least once in 2018, with Los Angeles County’s Inner Cabrillo Beach in Los Angeles County testing as potentially unsafe for 85 days, the highest of any in the state.
“Xtra”
‘Three chords and the truth.’ Ken Burns brings PBS documentary ‘Country Music’ to Fresno
Fresno Bee
For country music fans, there’s been a long, almost constant argument about exactly where the genre should draw it boundaries (see the purists take’ on Lil Nas X and “Old Town Road,” as a current example).
Tickets to this Good Company show are going fast. Here’s why the play is so popular
Fresno Bee
Ticket to see Good Company Player’s staging of “Calamity Jane” have been selling well.
Aerial yoga studio brings (upside) downward dog to Clovis
Fresno Bee
You’re cocooned inside a black hammock, hanging inverted and trying to relax into what is appropriately called “bat pose.” In this moment, you’re reminded of the secret to aerial yoga: trust.
Porterville Recorder
The Porterville Public Library is a place to learn and grow. Every day of the week there are constant activities during the summer to engage youngsters and adults, from training and exercise, a Wii Game Club on Tuesdays, a daily free lunch program for children 18 and under, to games, crafts, puzzles, and much more during the week.
Yosemiteland: From Majestic Landscapes To Lattes
Capital Public Radio
We’re taking a trip to an iconic California destination, Yosemite. CapRadio’s Environment Reporter, Ezra David Romero, examines the park’s commercialization and evolving identity in Episode 1 of the podcast Yosemiteland.