June 20, 2019

20Jun

pping the best electorate that will determine the outcome.

Other:

What can you do to stop animal abuse?

Fresno Bee

Witnessing animal abuse can be difficult, but according to the Humane Society of the Unites States, it is important not to turn away from animal cruelty. Here are tips to help stop animal abuse.

YouTube Weighs Major Changes to Kids’ Content Amid FTC Probe

WSJ

Executives consider shifting children’s content to a separate app, removing auto-play feature in an effort to protect young viewers.

Americans Blame Trump for Nation’s Negative Political Discourse

Bloomberg

A large majority of Americans feel the nation’s political discourse has become more negative, as well as less respectful, fact-based and substantive — and they say President Donald Trump is a major reason.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, June 23, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Fighting Fire with Fire: Rethinking Forest Management” – Guest: Pedro Nava, Chair of California Little Hoover Commission. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, June 23, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition:  “How Prepared is California for Natural Disaster, Generally and Forest Fires, in Particular?” – Guests: Christina Curry, Cal OES Deputy Director of Planning, Preparedness and Prevention and Pedro Nava, Chair of California Little Hoover Commission. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, June 23, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Fighting Fire with Fire: Rethinking Forest Management” – Guest: Little Hoover Commission Representative, Julissa Delgado. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Mark Keppler.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

50 million pounds: That’s how many almonds Blue Diamond warehouse in Salida will store

Modesto Bee

Blue Diamond Growers officially announced the construction of a new almond warehouse and receiving station at its Salida manufacturing plant Wednesday morning.

Pesticide mishap douses 63 workers in poison

Visalia Times Delta

The south side of a nearby orchard was being sprayed with Hexythiazox when winds pushed the chemical north, toward dozens of field workers, according to Tulare County Fire Chief Charlie Norman.

Hunger takes no vacation: Partnership brings mobile food bank to SUSD schools over summer break

Stockton Record

As many as 250 people, mostly families with young children and the elderly, maneuvered around a large truck to take home as much food as they could carry.

Prop. 64 Taxes Are Threatening Charity Groups Who Give Away Pot To Chronically Ill Californians

Capital Public Radio

Donated marijuana for chronically ill, low-income Californians gets taxed under Prop 64. Advocates for “compassionate use” say these patients deserve a break.

More Bad Buzz For Bees: Record Number Of Honeybee Colonies Died Last Winter

Valley Public Radio

It’s a sweltering morning in Beltsville, Md., and I’m face-to-face with bee doom. Mark Dykes, a “Bee Squad coordinator” at the University of Maryland, shakes a Mason jar filled with buzzing honeybees that are coated with powdered sugar. The sugar loosens the grip of tiny Varroa mites, a parasite that plagues bees; as he sifts the powder into a bowl, they poke out like hairy pebbles in snow.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Nearly 100 members of California prison, street gangs arrested in mass bust, feds say

Fresno Bee

Local, state and federal law enforcement officials on Wednesday announced the arrests of 96 members and associates of the prison gang Nuestra Familia as part of a widespread crackdown on gang activity in Kings and Tulare counties.

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Teenager arrested for calling in bomb threats to Porterville Courthouse

Fresno Bee

Tulare Sheriffs arrested a teenager suspected of calling in a bomb threat on the Porterville Courthouse on Wednesday morning.

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Public Safety:

Parkland shooting survivor joins California students to lobby for gun control at Capitol

Sacramento Bee

A survivor of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida joined a group of California students to lobby for gun control at the state Capitol on Wednesday.

See also:

It’s not just the Costco shooting. Disabled people are often killed by police

Los Angeles Times

It is not a crime to have a physical or intellectual disability or mental illness, but police often forcibly enter the lives of people with disabilities because their symptoms and presentations — self-stimulation, delusions, extreme anxiety, rages — aren’t understood and are interpreted as criminal behavior.

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California considers ban on facial recognition’s new frontier: police body cameras

Los Angeles Times

Facial recognition’s first blanket ban arrived in May, when San Francisco became the only city in the nation to bar police and other agencies from using the technology.

Fire:

CAL FIRE crews prep for wildfire season with hands on training

abc30

This exercise is both a teaching tool and refresher course to the different tactics firefighters can use to put out a blaze.

Strategic Wildfire Mitigation Includes Major Fuel Break Project

Sierra News

The Madera Strategic Wildfire Mitigation Project (MSWMP), initiated by Yosemite Sequoia Resource Conservation and Development Council (YSRCDC), will fund the strategic implementation of fuel breaks and defensible landscape projects in Eastern Madera County.

Are California utilities normalizing power outages in 2019 and beyond?

Bakersfield Californian

The three power suppliers have developed a coordinated wildfire safety and awareness campaign to prepare Californians for what the companies say is the threat of extreme weather and power outages during times of increased wildfire danger.

After Camp Fire, PG&E found hundreds of ‘immediate safety risk’ problems on equipment

Sacramento Bee

PG&E Corp. said Wednesday its inspectors have found hundreds of “immediate safety risk” problems on its transmission towers and other equipment in recent months, some of them comparable to the flaws that state officials say ignited the Camp Fire last November.

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Forecasters issue fire weather watch for Northern California starting Thursday

Sacramento Bee

The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch across the Sacramento Valley due to dry conditions and strong north winds Thursday through Saturday. The weather watch, issued Tuesday afternoon, will be in effect from 1 p.m. Thursday to 11 a.m. Saturday.

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Tech hub Bitwise obtains $27 million investment. Now it’s expanding beyond Fresno

Fresno Bee

Bitwise Industries CEO and co-founder Irma L. Olguin Jr. announced this week the Fresno-based tech hub has raised $27 million investment — one of the largest levels of financing a Valley-based technology business has achieved in recent memory.

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Federal Reserve, for now, holds key interest rate steady despite pressure from Trump

Los Angeles Times

The Federal Reserve, facing heavy pressure from President Trump to lower borrowing costs, left interest rates unchanged Wednesday but made clear that it was leaning toward cutting rates because of rising risks from trade tensions and a softer global economy.

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You called us, China reminds Trump as trade talks resume

Los Angeles Times

When news broke that President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping had talked again by phone, Chinese state-owned media swiftly pointed out that the White House made the call, not Beijing.

See also:

Immigrant entrepreneurs continue to shape California’s economy

CALmatters

Immigrants take big risks coming to California. When they get here, many decide to take another risk: launching their own company.

Dynamism for the Working Class

RealClearPolicy

Aspirations have fallen out of style. The idea that our culture and policies should support people who dream dreams, create things, and take ownership of their lives has given way to a different one: that we should make work as bearable as possible, especially for the working class.

Jobs:

Inland Empire’s Booming Warehouse Industry Brings Jobs – Not Health Care Coverage

Capital Public Radio

Low-wage jobs in Inland Empire’s warehouse industry leave many workers uninsured. In 2016, 41% of the Inland Empire’s workforce was employed in low-wage jobs (defined as less than $14.35 per hour), compared with 32% for the state as a whole.

There’s More To Look Forward To After Peaking Professionally

Capital Public Radio

Social scientist Arthur Brooks set out to figure out how life after 50 can be more professionally fulfilling. His advice? “Stop being an innovator and start being an instructor.”

The distorted economics of ride hailing must be fixed by California law

San Francisco Chronicle

By relying on a system of subsidies to operate, the companies harm other industries that are self-sufficient, exploit a vulnerable workforce, and increase travel and traffic. Lawmakers need to put an end to this.

Will Silicon Valley job titles help Gavin Newsom recruit new California IT leaders?

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom is launching a new office to rethink state government’s technology programs.

Women Working Longer Hours, Sleeping Less, as They Juggle Commitments

WSJ

Labor Department’s annual time use survey highlights the challenges for working women.

Your professional decline is coming (much) sooner than you think

AEI

Professional decline is inevitable as we grow older, but misery is not. By making new commitments and cultivating new abilities, you can move from strength to strength in each stage of life.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Raisin City School District swept up in statewide scheme

Fresno Bee

A Fresno County school is one several schools authorities in San Diego say fell victim to a statewide fraud they believe siphoned at least $50 million in total from California over several years.

Newsom Takes First Step On Promise Of Universal Preschool In California, But Has A Long Way To Go

Capital Public Radio

With Gov. Gavin Newsom expected to sign his first state budget later this month, we examined the spending plan and spoke with early childhood education advocates to see whether he has made progress on his promise to improve early education.

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$13 billion state bond for school construction targeted for 2020 California ballot

EdSource

Legislation to put a $13 billion school construction bond on the state ballot next year and a second bond in 2022 moved forward this week with strong support overall from the education community — and a vague promise by the bill’s author to address concerns that state building aid to school districts isn’t equitably distributed.

Charter school authorizers come under greater scrutiny in California

EdSource

As charter school conflicts intensify in California, increasing attention is being focused not only on the schools themselves but on the school boards and other entities that grant them permission to operate in the first place.

Higher Ed:

Fresno State’s nursing master’s program loses accreditation, won’t accept fall students

Fresno Bee

Fresno State on Wednesday announced its nursing master’s program lost its accreditation and, as a result, won’t accept students into the program this fall. This is the second nursing program at Fresno State to face accreditation woes recently.

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Student debt

CALmatters

Legislators took a step Wednesday toward easing burdens on students facing crushing student loan debt.

Homeless students

CALmatters

Democrats who control the Legislature approved a budget last week that would provide two years of tuition-free community college.

Apprenticeships:

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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

Kelly Craft breaks with Trump, says ‘human behavior’ plays a climate change role

Fresno Bee

Kelly Craft, President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, pledged Wednesday to be an “advocate for all countries to do their part in addressing climate change” — a stance at odds with the White House and Trump, who has questioned a human role.

Mosquito season in Kings County

Hanford Sentinel

The Kings County Department of Public Health (KCDPH) would like to remind residents that mosquitos are prevalent in Kings County during the summer months.

Rare frog gained new foothold until California fires ‘annihilated’ habitat, experts say

Sacramento Bee

Before the wildfire came, California red-legged frogs had regained a tenuous foothold in the Santa Monica Mountains — and the small population of rare amphibians was thriving.

A swarm of 1,000 earthquakes hit Southern California — how nervous should we be?

Los Angeles Times

The seismic storm that unleashed more than 1,000 small earthquakes in San Bernardino and Riverside counties these last three weeks elicited what has become a typical reaction in quake country.

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Scientists are borrowing from dystopian sci-fi in a last-ditch effort to save coral reefs

Los Angeles Times

The Great Barrier Reef is bleached and dying. Because oceans are heating so quickly, nearly all of the world’s corals are projected to be dead by 2050.

Newsom Pursuing His Own ‘Damn Satellite’

KQED

Whatever happened to Jerry Brown’s satellites? The former governor delighted activists at the Global Climate Action Summit last September when he announced that if President Trump stops funding for climate research, California would launch “its own damn satellite” to monitor methane emissions.

U.S. Air Quality Slips After Decades of Improvement

Time

After decades of improvement, America’s air may not be getting any cleaner.

Energy:

Trump EPA rolls back Obama rule on coal-fired power plants; foes pledge court challenges

Hanford Sentinel

The Trump administration on Wednesday completed one of its biggest rollbacks of environmental rules, replacing a landmark Obama-era effort that sought to wean the nation’s electrical grid off coal-fired power plants and their climate-damaging pollution.

See also:

Are California utilities normalizing power outages in 2019 and beyond?

Bakersfield Californian

The three power suppliers have developed a coordinated wildfire safety and awareness campaign to prepare Californians for what the companies say is the threat of extreme weather and power outages during times of increased wildfire danger.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

U.S. death rates from suicides, alcohol and drug overdoses reach all-time high

abc30

The report offers a state “scorecard” based on 47 different metrics, including death rates, healthcare access, quality of care, obesity and smoking.

Case of chickenpox reported at Mesa Verde

Bakersfield Californian

One detainee has contracted chickenpox at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Facility, according to the Kern County Public Health Department, and officials at the detention center appear to be taking precautions to prevent the contagion from spreading.

Public to weigh in on revised California vaccine bill

Bakersfield Californian

Residents are getting their first chance to weigh in on changes to a California measure that would give state public health officials oversight of doctors who grant a high number of medical exemptions for vaccinations and schools with vaccination rates less than 95%.

See also:

Kamala Harris to introduce bill to cover HIV prevention drug

San Francisco Chronicle

Sen. Kamala Harris will introduce legislation requiring that health insurance companies cover the cost of PrEP, which can keep at-risk people from contracting HIV.

More pregnant women in the US are using pot, study finds

CNN

More moms-to-be in the United States are using marijuana, especially in their first trimester, according to a study published Tuesday in the medical journal JAMA.

Human Services:

Trump’s poverty rule could cut benefits to 15,000 California households over time, report says

Fresno Bee

The Trump administration’s proposal to change how the federal government determines what constitutes poverty would make 15,000 fewer households in California eligible for benefits within 15 years, according to a new D.C. think tank study.

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1 in 6 ER visits or hospital stays triggers ‘surprise’ bill

Fresno Bee

Roughly one in every six times someone is taken to an emergency room or checks in to the hospital, the treatment is followed by a “surprise” medical bill, according to a study released Thursday. And depending on where you live, the odds can be much higher.

FDA lifts waiting period for freshly tattooed blood donors

abc30

Historically, if you received a tattoo within a year, you were not allowed to donate blood, but that has recently changed. Individuals with tattoos used to have to wait 12 months before donating blood to protect against the spread of disease caused by needles used at tattoo parlors.

Adventist Health provides hundreds of physicals to Hanford student-athletes

Hanford Sentinel

For the second year, Adventist Health provided free pre-participation athletic physicals to local students from Hanford High, Hanford West and Sierra Pacific high schools at the organization’s Physical Therapy location in downtown Hanford.

Emocha technology in Kings County

Hanford Sentinel

The Kings County Department of Public Health (KCDPH) is adopting new technology to enable patients with tuberculosis (TB) in Kings County to access support and increase medication adherence.

Top minds in medicine to share cutting-edge advances at SJ General Research Day

Stockton Record

These innovations and developments as they relate to trauma surgery will be the focus of San Joaquin General Hospital’s second annual Research Day scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon June 28 on the campus of the county hospital and trauma center in French Camp.

Republicans are struggling to fix America’s dysfunctional health-care system

The Economist

Should Democrats win in 2020, they may not fare any better.

IMMIGRATION

Border official says aid needed to save lives

Fresno Bee

U.S. Border Patrol stations are no place for children. They are bare-bones holding facilities meant for swift processing. But because the entire system is overwhelmed, Border Patrol is routinely holding children for about five days or longer — well beyond the 72-hour mandated window.

Senators approve bipartisan $4.6 billion emergency border deal, with restrictions

abc30

Senators approved a bipartisan $4.6 billion border deal to address the humanitarian situation but House Democrats and President Trump might not be on board.

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Trump administration presses again to overturn California sanctuary law

San Francisco Chronicle

The Trump administration says California has no right to “interfere with enforcement of federal immigration law” and is asking a federal appeals court to reconsider a panel’s ruling upholding the state’s sanctuary law, which limits local law enforcement cooperation with immigration officers.

Immigrant entrepreneurs continue to shape California’s economy

CALmatters

Immigrants take big risks coming to California. When they get here, many decide to take another risk: launching their own company.

Exclusive: U.S. tells India it is mulling caps on H-1B visas to deter data rules – sources

Reuters

The United States has told India it is considering caps on H-1B work visas for nations that force foreign companies to store data locally, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, widening the two countries’ row over tariffs and trade.

Immigration Agency Says It Plans Deportation Operation Aimed at Undocumented Families

The New York Times

The acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said on Wednesday that he would follow through with plans to send agents into communities to round up and deport undocumented families, in the Trump administration’s latest attempt to deter large-scale migration of Central Americans to the southwest border.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Coffee shops, fast food restaurants and more are under construction in Fresno

Fresno Bee

Construction projects around Fresno and Clovis will bring fast food restaurants coffee shops and gas stations to town.

Effort aims to restore what Modesto’s East La Loma Park has been missing

Modesto Bee

East La Loma Park has something for people of almost any age. Tennis, basketball and volleyball courts. A disc golf course. A gazebo with picnic tables. Lots of grassy areas. The Dry Creek Trail for walking, running and biking. But families with wee ones will notice one big absence: a playground.

Housing:

200 hours of minimum wage work to afford rent: What California cities cost the most?

Sacramento Bee

A study from the National Low Income Housing Coalition examined how much renters need to earn to afford housing across the United States. California’s prices were high and the Bay Area was the most expensive.

Report: The most expensive counties to rent in the US are all in the Bay Area

San Francisco Gate

For the second year in a row, the Bay Area has won.

Homeless students

CALmatters

Democrats who control the Legislature approved a budget last week that would provide two years of tuition-free community college.

Cities pledge to find solutions to California’s homeless crisis

Public CEO

With homelessness worsening, Californians are rightly frustrated that our state, with its abundance of wealth and resources, has not made better progress in helping people get off the streets and into housing.

Should We Get Rid of Single-Family Zoning?

New York Times

When I recently asked Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles about his stance on S.B. 50, the legislation that would have allowed more apartment construction near transit, he said it wouldn’t be a good fit for the city.

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EDITORIAL: Google wakes up to the housing crisis with a $1 billion plan

San Francisco Chronicle

Whether it’s enlightened self interest or flat recognition of the housing crisis, Google’s pledge to create 20,000 homes is nothing to ignore. The tech giant has the money, land and motivation to deliver in meeting a major challenge.

PUBLIC FINANCES

You elected them to lead city, county agencies. How much are you paying them?

Fresno Bee

More than 200 elected officials hold office in city and county government across the central San Joaquin Valley. Most are not the types of jobs that provide a lot in terms of pay – a few hundred dollars a month as a stipend, or perhaps nothing at all, for members of city councils in the Valley’s smaller cities.

CalPERS health insurance will cost more next year, but not as much more as insurers wanted

Sacramento Bee

Health insurance premiums for CalPERS members are going up next year, but rates will be lower than insurers initially requested.

CalPERS pensions mostly restored for retirees who sued after losing promised income

Sacramento Bee

Three Loyalton retirees will receive about 83 percent of the pensions they were promised for careers in the tiny Sierra County.

One Trump Tax Cut Was Meant to Help the Poor. A Billionaire Ended Up Winning Big.

ProPublica

Opportunity zones are meant to spur new investment in poor areas. But Under Armour’s Kevin Plank is getting a tax break for investments that are not new and not in a poor tract. And Plank’s area was picked over neighborhoods that are actually poor.

Can countries lower taxes and raise revenues?

The Economist

The Laffer curve exists in principle, but the sweet spot is hard to find.

TRANSPORTATION

Merced bus service offers free rides in celebration of National “Dump the Pump” Day

Merced Sun-Star

A Merced County bus service is offering free rides throughout the county Thursday as it celebrates national “Dump the Pump” day.

A $5.7M project is scheduled to improve this Merced intersection, Caltrans says

Merced Sun-Star

The California Department of Transportation announced that it is preparing to begin a project that is slated to enhance the intersection of northbound and southbound Highway 59 and West Olive Avenue in Merced.

Tioga Road, only route over Sierra in Yosemite, to reopen with limited access

Fresno Bee

The scenic Tioga Road – Yosemite National Park’s only road over the Sierra Nevada – will reopen Friday, with limited access.

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AAA: 14.8M drivers got behind wheel hour after marijuana use in last 30 days

abc30

A new survey from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reveals statistics on drivers’ perceptions of the dangers of driving high.

Car makers launch late drive challenging Gavin Newsom’s plan to close California tax breaks

Sacramento Bee

Car makers are launching a last-second drive to challenge a proposal by California Gov. Gavin Newsom that would close a set of business tax benefits that collectively would raise about $1.4 billion a year for the state.

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Capitol Corridor commute from Sacramento to South Bay now 5 minutes faster, officials say

Sacramento Bee

Capitol Corridor commuters traveling between Sacramento and the South Bay Area just got five minutes of their lives back, transportation officials say.

More Shared Electric Bikes And Scooters Are Coming To Sacramento

Capital Public Radio

Starting this week, Uber’s Jump brand plans to nearly double its fleet. And three other companies — Bird, Lime, and Spin — are also set to begin operating in the city next month.

13 Big Ideas to Improve Transportation in Your City

Politico

If you could do anything to improve transportation in your city, what would it be? Here are a few ideas you gave us, selected from 250 reader submissions.

WATER

Let’s protect San Joaquin Valley residents from floods

Modesto Bee

Even to the casual observer, catastrophic flooding is becoming increasingly common across the nation. Over the past 15 years, serious floods have threatened residents of New Orleans, New York and New Jersey, Houston and now the upper Midwest. These events have tremendous significance to residents of the San Joaquin Valley.

Sen. Hurtado secures $15M for Valley water needs

The Business Journal

State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) announced a $15 million one-time investment from the state’s general fund to address failing water delivery systems in the Central Valley’s most vulnerable communities.

“Xtra”

Glamping in and near Yosemite: The best spots to rent tent cabins, yurts, Airstreams and more

Fresno Bee

A growing trend called glamping is giving people experiences sort of like traditional camping – but easier and fancier. Glamping is slang for glamorous camping, and there’s lots of it available in and around California’s popular Yosemite National Park.

Sunnyside High students brightening up Downtown Fresno through art

abc30

It is a time-consuming process, but with the right amount of communication, the images of 25 students will brighten up the Fresno Unified Department of Prevention and Intervention (DPI).

Celebrating our local history

Sierra Star

The settlers that created Fresno Flats, who oversaw it developing into a town, then changed the name to Oakhurst and those who started the first commerce are all gone. They’re all dead now. Many died here and are buried locally.

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Donations matched for New Porterville Rescue Mission

Porterville Recorder

An anonymous donor has stepped forward and is encouraging the community to participate in a donation challenge for the New Porterville Rescue Mission (NPRM). This anonymous donor has stated that they are matching all donations, up to a total of $25,000.

Modesto’s newest ice cream shop serves vibrant Mexican and American treats

Modesto Bee

Modesto’s newest ice cream parlor is a colorful treat. La Michoacana Plus offers American and Mexican sweet treats on Crows Landing Road.

After 34 years, Modesto Performing Arts brings back musical classic to open its season

Modesto Bee

Modesto Performing Arts brings the Broadway musical extravaganza “Annie” to the Gallo Center, opening its 52nd season with the story based on the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie.” The production runs weekends from June 22-30 at the downtown Modesto venue.