June 28, 2019

28Jun


POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Stockton chamber installs new officers, plans to boost outreach

Stockton Record

The Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce installed new officers on Thursday at Brookside Country Club.

Central SJ Valley:

Fresno annual budget passes, but mayor hints he will drop veto hammer

Fresno Bee

The Fresno City Council voted 5-1 Thursday to pass a nearly $1.2 billion budget, following a discussion that included some debate over whether the city is adequately addressing the needs of police and how to reach a balanced budget.

Devin Nunes will be in SLO County for Republican fundraiser — and so will protestors

Fresno Bee

Central Valley Congressman Devin Nunes is coming to San Luis Obispo County on Friday as the special guest for a Republican fundraising dinner. 

See also:

The Future Is Fresno: Meet The Latina Behind the Valley’s Largest Ever Series A

Forbes

One Fresno-born and bred tech company, Bitwise Industries, has been working to challenge the narrative of local scarcity to the point of making waves across the nation. 

South SJ Valley:

Kings County charges Lemoore city councilmember with four felonies

abc30

More than three weeks after her arrest, criminal charges were officially filed against Lemoore City Councilmember Holly Blair on Wednesday. On the same day, Action News learned Visalia attorneys Marguerite Melo and John Sarsfield were no longer representing her.

As city regains financial footing, officials take aim at CalPERS liability

Bakersfield Californian

The city of Bakersfield has developed a new plan to start paying off hundreds of millions of dollars in CalPERS pension costs.

State:

Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus holds its first listening session in Stockton at Delta College

Stockton Record

The Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus held its first listening session in Stockton on Thursday at San Joaquin Delta College.

Gov. Newsom signs his first budget. Here’s where the $215 billion will go

Los Angeles Times

California will increase its spending on public education, expand healthcare services and stash away more money than ever for an economic downturn under the state budget signed Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom — a plan that was stalled for two weeks over how it would address the state’s growing housing crisis.

See also:

Care to make a wager on that? Californians could vote on legalizing sports betting

Sacramento Bee

Californians could soon get to vote on whether to legalize sports betting. Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, introduced a constitutional amendment Thursday that would lift the state’s prohibition on sports wagering. It would also apply new regulations to the industry.

Federal:

Trump tweets anger over Supreme Court census ruling. Can he delay the count?

Fresno Bee

Hours after the nation’s highest court blocked the Trump administration from putting a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, the president tweeted his anger Thursday, and dramatically suggested postponing the census.

See also:

What is gerrymandering? SCOTUS decision explained

abc30

It’s got a funny name, but gerrymandering is a big deal. Here’s what you need to know about the legal battle over changing political district maps.

See also:

Elections 2020:

Whose stock is rising — and falling⁠ — after the first 2020 Democratic debates

Fresno Bee

The 20 Democratic presidential candidates who descended upon Miami this week for the first debates were looking for a breakout moment. Only a handful of them were successful. A few had a night they’d rather forget altogether. And for most, their trajectories won’t change in the near future. 

See also:

Español es bueno o no? Californians divided on presidential candidates speaking Spanish

Fresno Bee

It did not take long for Beto O’Rourke to raise eyebrows at the first Democratic presidential debate on Wednesday. On stage with an apparently surprised Cory Booker, O’Rourke spoke in less-than-perfect Spanish.

See also:

It’s mostly about climate change as protests dwindle on day two of debates

Fresno Bee

In the hours before the second half of the Democratic presidential debates, the streets surrounding the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts were not as rowdy as they were a day earlier. 

‘Don’t meddle in our election,’ Trump tells Putin with a smile

Los Angeles Times

President Trump issued a warning of sorts to Russian President Vladimir Putin not to meddle in the 2020 election when the two met here Friday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 conference.

House passes election security measure requiring cybersecurity safeguards, paper ballots

Roll Call

Republicans, in split with Democrats, call it federal overreach and are pushing their own proposals.

Other:

Letters to the editor are important – keep them coming

Modesto Bee

Letters to the editor are an important part of our opinions page here at The Modesto Bee. We don’t receive enough letters to fill the space on a daily basis. So when we have some, we publish them — it averages two or three times a week.

Nearly 6 Million Californians Will Be Heading Out Of Town Over The Fourth Of July Holiday

Capital Public Radio

Among the places most likely to be visited are Anaheim, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, June 30, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Veterans Programs and Services” – Guests: Carole D’Elia, Executive Director of Little Hoover Commission and Jacqueline Barocio from LAO. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, June 30, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition:  “Valley Vets: Challenges and Opportunities” – Guests: Carole D’Elia, Executive Director of Little Hoover Commission; Jacqueline Barocio from LAO; Julie Cusator with Fresno Veterans Home; and Lorenzo Rios with Clovis Veterans Memorial District. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, June 30, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Senior Citizen Boom” – Guest: Marisol Cuellar, PPIC Analyst. Host: Ana Melendez.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Livingston’s Foster Farms enters another niche in the chicken business

Fresno Bee

Foster Farms launched a line of free-range chicken Thursday, produced from birds that have access to the outdoors.

Farm workers exposed to chemicals for the second time in two weeks. This time in Fresno County

Fresno Bee

Several dozen farm workers were exposed to pesticides Thursday in Fresno County, the second time such an incident has occurred in the region this month. 

See also:

India tariffs threaten California almond industry

AP News

Now the future of that market is uncertain. India this month imposed tariffs on almonds and 27 other American products, including apples and walnuts, in retaliation for the U.S. ending India’s preferential trade status. Those tariffs took effect June 16 and come on top of a significant tariffs China placed on almonds last year.

See also:

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Wrongfully convicted California death row inmate files lawsuit

abc30

False testimony sent farmworker Vicente Benevides to death row. Now he has filed a federal lawsuit against officials who imprisoned him.

Why ‘technical’ violations are still sending ex-cons back to California lockups

Sacramento Bee

Parole and probation are supposed to help lower the number of people in jails and prison. New data shows California spent $235 million to house ex-cons sent back to jail for violations of supervised release.

Public Safety:

CA man killed in ATV crash at Oceano Dunes park

Fresno Bee

A Bay Area man was killed at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area on Saturday after his ATV was struck by a side-by-side driven by an alleged drunk driver, according to State Parks. It’s the fourth fatality at the Oceano Dunes so far this year.

Thousands say goodbye to fallen Sacramento Officer Tara O’Sullivan at funeral service

abc30

It is the kind of pageantry that any peace officer or their families dread. Pageantry with thin blue lines and thin blue flags. A funeral on Thursday thick with sadness extending onto the streets of Roseville.

See also:

Major Police Body Camera Manufacturer Rejects Facial Recognition Software

Capital Public Radio

Axon announced Thursday that it will ban the technology because it is not reliable enough for law enforcement, especially when it comes to identifying women and people of color.

Parsons: Americans Should Embrace Facial Data Collection By Google, Facebook And Others

The Daily Caller

Today, the panic over the Kodak camera seems quaint. Americans carry pocket sized cameras everywhere they go. Still, those fears didn’t seem silly at the time. But real privacy risks were eventually mitigated by things like “Peeping Tom” laws and fear faded as cameras improved, offering more benefit than risk to consumers.

Fire: 

Cal Fire Plans Training Burn For Long Ranch

Sierra News

The Cal Fire Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit (MMU) will conduct a vegetation management training burn on Friday, June 28 on the Long Ranch located on Old Highway near Yaqui Gulch.

Turlock fire chief was terminated, firefighter union says. It blames ‘bean counters’

Modesto Bee

Turlock Fire Chief Robert Talloni has been terminated, according to a Facebook post Thursday by the firefighter union that cited a recent dispute over service levels.

Hanford Fire Department Station 3 serves the community

Hanford Sentinel

After many years in the making, Hanford’s Fire Station 3 is open and already enhancing public safety.

PG&E facing state penalties over 2017 wildfires

San Francisco Chronicle

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is facing potential fines and sanctions from California utility regulators because of the October 2017 wildfires and must develop a mobile application to help the public report future problems with power poles, state officials said Thursday.

PG&E probably barred from new path for raising rates because of 2017 fires

San Francisco Chronicle

California utility regulators on Thursday voted unanimously in favor of establishing a new mechanism Pacific Gas and Electric Co. could have used to raise rates because of costs associated with the 2017 wildfires — if its fire liabilities hadn’t already driven it into bankruptcy protection.

Demand for generators lights up as PG&E power shutoffs loom

San Francisco Chronicle

Companies across Northern California are seeing a growing demand for generators after PG&E power shutoffs have residents worried about losing power.

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Competition underway to launch new businesses in Downtown Fresno 

abc30

The Create Here competition put on by the Downtown Fresno Partnership is back and is currently taking applications.

Central Valley Community Bank extends Sacramento presence

Business Journal

New leadership and a new location in the Sacramento area make up Central Valley Community Bank’s strategy for expansion into the state’s capitol.

S&P 500 snaps 4-day losing streak in broad rally

Los Angeles Times

Banks and health care companies led stocks broadly higher on Thursday, ending a four-day losing streak for the benchmark S&P 500 index.

Digital inclusion event sparks commitments around expansion of broadband in California

California Economy, California Economic Summit

In a day marked by creativity, candor and collaboration, broadband stakeholders came together during a “Digital Inclusion Roundtable” on last week in Sacramento to develop a set of action steps to expand high-speed broadband deployment throughout California.

Bubble Watch: California consumer confidence plummets to near 3-year low 

Riverside Press Enterprise

June’s California consumer confidence hit a 32-month low as the state index plunged 15% in a month to its lowest level since July 2016. The index is now 24% off its August 2018 peak.

On U.S.-China trade, America is off track

Brookings

One of America’s greatest strengths is its ability to self-correct. Unlike China, with its one-party state and its censored media, the United States fosters a constant competition of ideas, which enables it to adjust course when it veers off track. And right now, the United States is off track in its approach to addressing trade problems with China.

See also:

The Future Is Fresno: Meet The Latina Behind the Valley’s Largest Ever Series A

Forbes

One Fresno-born and bred tech company, Bitwise Industries, has been working to challenge the narrative of local scarcity to the point of making waves across the nation. 

Jobs:

Check your paycheck – Nearly 1,000 state workers didn’t get raises after their last contract

Fresno Bee

California is struggling to give raises to state workers who were supposed to get them last year, even as a new contract year begins.

Turlock fire chief was let go, firefighters union says

Modesto Bee

Turlock Fire Chief Robert Talloni has been terminated, according to a Facebook post Thursday by the firefighter union that cited a recent dispute over service levels. 

Sikh drivers are transforming U.S. trucking. Take a ride along the Punjabi American highway

Los Angeles Times

Estimates of the number of Sikh truckers vary. In California alone, tens of thousands of truckers trace their heritage to India. The state is home to half of the Sikhs in the U.S.

Summertime; the Livin’s (Not) Easy

Fox&Hounds

School’s out! Time for hot days at the beach, popsicles, cranky arguments with bored siblings and freedom. Not to mention a summer job for high school teens, a tradition as American as apple pie. Who else remembers that feeling of being handed their first paycheck?

EDUCATION

K-12:

Central Unified School District preparing children for kindergarten

abc30

The Central Unified School District’s Kindergarten Readiness Program is showing about 80 kids, what school is all about and they’re teaching them through the theme of the rainforest.

Central Unified is getting a new high school. Here’s what to expect

Fresno Bee

After more than a decade of waiting, Central Unified School District is finally breaking ground on its new high school, slated to open in fall 2021.

VUSD to begin planning new high school

Visalia Times Delta

Visalia Unified School District is taking its first steps toward building the city’s fifth high school following the success of Measure A, a $105 million bond that passed with 60% approval last November.

Schnur: What L.A. Measure EE’s defeat means for split roll initiative

CALmatters

Like the statewide split roll tax that has now qualified for the November 2020 ballot, proponents of Los Angeles’ Measure EE presented their initiative as a way to provide badly needed funding for public schools. 

BC summer camps introduce STEM in creative ways for middle, high schoolers

Bakersfield Californian

How does one go from the sounds of drills, sanders and saws to the sweet strums of a guitar by using a cigar box and science, technology, engineering and mathematics? High school students at Bakersfield College found out first hand.

BCSD assistant superintendent of Human Resources to retire

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield City School District announced Thursday that Diane Cox, assistant superintendent of Human Resources, will retire effective Aug. 1.

Where to start? Inside one California district’s approach to redesign STEM education

EdSource

School is out for summer. But in Tracy, Calif., teachers have been hard at work.

Higher Ed:

State Financial Aid in California

Public Policy Institute of California

California ranks in the top ten of states in the amount of grant aid—which students don’t have to pay back—it provides per student

Career Pathways and Economic Mobility at California’s Community Colleges

Public Policy Institute of California

Career education credentials from California’s community colleges can help students advance in the labor market. But some programs offer larger economic returns than others, and it can take a long time for students to see increased earnings. Improving student outcomes—while also responding to future workforce needs—is a challenging but critical task facing the state.

Apprenticeships:

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ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

Climate change behind CA wildfires? Many voters think so

Sacramento Bee

More than a quarter of California voters believe that climate change is the leading cause for the increasingly devastating wildfires that hit the state.

California was warned about climate change 30 years ago. Now it’s feeling the effects

Los Angeles Times

Back in 1989, Californians received a sobering warning: The accumulation of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere would likely bring more droughts, floods, fires, and heat waves to the state. In the thirty years since, those projections of what would happen in a warming world have proven to be remarkably prescient. 

Governor, legislators should stop raiding California’s cap-and-trade funding

CALmatters

AB 32 gave the California Air Resources Board the ability to create a system in which polluters had to pay if they were unable to directly reduce their emissions. This first-ever cap-and-trade system has become instrumental to California’s economy.

Energy:

Does the state want to take away your natural gas? Valley leaders push for alternatives

Fresno Bee

Plans by the state of California to explore ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from homes and buildings are being decried by a coalition of natural-gas customers as a recipe for requiring all structures in the state to ultimately convert to using only electricity.

See also:

Scant details: Are California utilities doing enough to fireproof their equipment?

CALmatters

With much fanfare and no less hand-wringing, state regulators approved plans that for the first time set out how California’s electric utilities intend to prevent their equipment from sparking wildfires.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Two more California cities consider bills banning e-cigarettes, modeled after SF law

San Francisco Chronicle

Officials in the Bay Area cities of Richmond and Livermore are considering bills that would ban the sale of e-cigarettes — following in the footsteps of San Francisco city officials, who on Tuesday approved legislation prohibiting the sale of vaping products in the city. 

Human Services:

$1.2 billion CalPERS lawsuit over long-term care gets go-ahead from judge

Sacramento Bee

Public workers and retirees who sued CalPERS over an 85 percent rate increase to long-term care insurance plans could find out next week whether their lawsuit will move forward.

California set to be first state to protect black people from natural hair discrimination

Los Angeles Times

The CROWN Act, which passed the state Senate in April, was approved by the state Assembly on Thursday. It would outlaw policies that punish black employees and students for their hairstyles. Supporters say the bill’s acronym reflects its intention: creating a respectful and open workplace for natural hair.

Lazarus: Sneaky deals are keeping cheaper generic medicines off the market

Los Angeles Times

It’s bad enough drug companies charge sky-high prices for brand-name prescription meds and raise those prices with regular frequency. Some also cut secret deals to keep cheaper generic alternatives off the market — a practice known as pay for delay. 

IMMIGRATION

ACLU complaint claims Madera deputies helped ICE agents illegally deport man

abc30

A formal complaint by the ACLU of Northern California is shining a spotlight on the Madera County Jail.

Congress passes $4.6B bill to care for migrant families

abc30

The Democratic-controlled House voted Thursday to send President Donald Trump a bipartisan, Senate-drafted, $4.6 billion measure to care for migrant refugees detained at the southern border.

See also:

Supreme Court to decide on Trump bid to end DACA

Sacramento Bee

The Supreme Court will decide whether President Donald Trump can end an Obama-era program shielding young immigrants from deportation.

See also:

Government contests request on migrant camps

Bakersfield Californian

U.S. authorities are contesting a request by immigrant advocates for an emergency order allowing doctors to inspect detention facilities as well as sanctions against the government over conditions involving children.

Scenes Of Tearful, Flu-Stricken and Underfed Migrant Kids Emerge In New Accounts 

Capital Public Radio

Advocates described a desperate and squalid scene in detention facilities. Days later, reporters given a tour of a Border Patrol station at Clint, Texas, saw a clean, orderly facility.

See also:

Immigration moves to forefront of Democratic primary

Politico

Julián Castro creates a litmus test for the field, and the Trump campaign pounces.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Plans for strategic growth in west Fresno unveiled

abc30

It’s the newest growth plan for the city: an area of haphazard growth with lots of open land and isolated subdivisions. The hope is to bring it all together.

Do land use restrictions increase restaurant quality and diversity?

AEI

There is evidence that cities with more restrictions on land use appear to have higher‐quality and more diverse restaurants.

Housing:

California cities face $600K fines if they break state housing law in Newsom’s budget deal

Fresno Bee

California will punish cities and counties that don’t meet their housing goals under a deal Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders announced Thursday. 

See also:

Fresno Housing Authority takes stand against HUD plan, says ‘children would be displaced’

Fresno Bee

The Fresno Housing Authority’s board of commissioners voted to approve a letter strongly opposing a controversial federal proposal that could displace hundreds of children and families from public housing in Fresno.

Think the rent is too high? Blame immigration laws

San Francisco Chronicle

More than ever, Americans are struggling to afford housing costs. One solution? Admit fewer immigrants, especially into high-cost housing markets like the Bay Area.

PUBLIC FINANCES

$1.2 billion CalPERS lawsuit over long-term care gets go-ahead from judge

Sacramento Bee

Public workers and retirees who sued CalPERS over an 85 percent rate increase to long-term care insurance plans could find out next week whether their lawsuit will move forward.

California state budget 2019: What you need to know 

CALmatters

The latest budget clocks in at an unprecedented $215 billion. Imagining what could be bought with all that greenery? We’ll tell you that and much more in our annual video breakdown of the budget in under two minutes.

State Financial Aid in California

Public Policy Institute of California

California ranks in the top ten of states in the amount of grant aid—which students don’t have to pay back—it provides per student

TRANSPORTATION

Tioga Road, Yosemite’s only route over Sierra, to fully reopen without restrictions

Fresno Bee

The scenic Tioga Road – Yosemite National Park’s only route over the Sierra Nevada – will reopen Monday with no restrictions.

See also:

As the airport expands, new plan would bring thousands of jobs to low-income communities

abc30

In a unanimous vote, the Fresno City Council approved a plan for thousands of new jobs in Fresno. As part of a project labor agreement, people living in low-income areas of the city would be offered jobs as the Fresno Yosemite International Airport expands as part of a multi-million dollar effort.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s latest role? The world’s worst used car salesman

Sacramento Bee

Schwarzenegger donned a cheesy fake mustache and pony-tail wig for his role in “Kicking Gas,” an ad that’s part of the Electric For All campaign promoted by nonprofit electric car advocacy group Veloz. 

Sikh drivers are transforming U.S. trucking. Take a ride along the Punjabi American highway

Los Angeles Times

There are 3.5 million truckers in the United States. California has 138,000, the second-most after Texas. Nearly half of those in California are immigrants, most from Mexico or Central America. But as drivers age toward retirement — the average American trucker is 55 — and a shortage grows, Sikh immigrants and their kids are increasingly taking up the job.

WATER

Beautiful, enjoyable and dangerous: Authorities urge caution at Kern River

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern River is more dangerous than normal — the water levels are higher from rain and snow melting and flowing into the river, and the water is moving fast.

See also:

Can Providing Bathrooms to the Homeless Protect California’s Water Quality?

Western Water

Each day, people living on the streets and camping along waterways across California face the same struggle – finding clean drinking water and a place to wash and go to the bathroom. It is a challenge that is increasingly being recognized by water managers and communities as they work to protect water quality in rivers and waterways, and as they strive to meet the spirit of the state’s landmark 2012 human right to water law.

“Xtra”

Where’s the big Independence Day fireworks show? Here’s the list for June 29-July 4

Fresno Bee

Up and down the Central Valley, Americans are getting ready to celebrate the Fourth of July.  Check out this list of firework shows.

See also:

Your Weekend

abc30

Have you made plans for the weekend yet? If not, we have a few ideas for your consideration.

Former Navy fighter jet ‘landing’ at Castle Air Museum

abc30

Museum officials say the plan flew dozens of missions into Iraq and Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm from the flight deck of USS John F. Kennedy.

Hidden Adventures: The historic gold rush town of Columbia

abc30

Columbia is two hours northeast of Fresno in the Sierra foothills, one of California’s historic gold country towns. It’s now a state historic park, alive with museums and operating businesses.