POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
AOC and Ted Cruz working together? Cong. Josh Harder wants to help
Sacramento Bee
You can’t get much further apart on the political spectrum than ultra-progressive New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and ultra-conservative Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, but they’ve found something they want to work on together. And new California Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, wants to join them — though former congressmen for his district might not like it.
See also:
● Cong Josh Harder to help AOC, Ted Cruz on lobbying ban Modesto Bee
City Council’s special session turns attention to 2019-20 budget
Stockton Record
The Stockton City Council met for a second consecutive day in a special session regarding the budget for fiscal year 2019-2020.
Childhood obesity: Data shows Merced County’s Hispanic, poor kids more at risk
Merced Sun-Star
Almost half of Merced County elementary, middle school and junior high students are either overweight or obese, according to an analysis of 2018 body composition measurements in physical fitness testing data collected by the California Department of Education.
UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland’s commencement speech
Merced Sun-Star
Here is the commencement address that UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland gave to the more than 1,300 graduates in the class of 2019. Last month Leland announced she would be retiring in August.
EDITORIAL: SJ supervisors’ bickering is code for need to revisit ethics rules
Stockton Record
It is particularly dangerous, of course, during these ethically challenged political times for any elected official to suggest a code of ethics should be rescinded or even eliminated. But that’s exactly what San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti did last month.
Central SJ Valley:
Measure P Leader Elliott Balch Making Bid For Fresno Mayor
VPR
Another candidate has thrown his hat into the ring to be the City of Fresno’s mayor. Elliott Balch, Chief Operations Officer of the Central Valley Community Foundation, filed to run Wednesday.
See also
· Fresno mayor race deepens with addition of Balch The Business Journal
Fresno mayor candidate hopes being moderate will unite city
Fresno Bee
Fresno City Councilmember Luis Chavez said he’s known at City Hall for being an “extreme moderate.”
Nunes demands public release of Mueller’s ‘backup and source documentation’ Politico
Rep. Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, called Friday for the public release of all of special counsel Robert Mueller’s “backup and source documentation,” a call that goes even further than most Democrats’ demands for more transparency around Mueller’s report.
See also:
· Reps. Schiff, Jordan agree that Robert Mueller should testify before Congress abc30
● Fact Check: President Donald Trump dismissed Special Counsel Robert Mueller as “true never-Trumper.” PolitiFact
Devin Nunes’ cow reveals the location of his secret SLO County fundraiser
Fresno Bee
Devin Nunes’ cow may have spilled the beans.
See also:
● Meet the mechanic who says he can fix District 22 and unseat Congressman Devin Nunes Your Central Valley
South SJ Valley:
Bakersfield Californian sold, ending 122 years of family ownership
Bakersfield Californian
The Harrell-Fritts family, which has owned The Bakersfield Californian for 122 years, has sold the company to Sound News Media.
Several matters up for Council discussion Tuesday
Porterville Recorder
The Porterville City Council will meet on Tuesday evening to discuss and approve several matters of public interest. The meeting will begin with a presentation for Christina Tank, who is being honored as June’s Employee of the Month.
Assessment: Kern County in need of 19 new judges to address high caseload
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County is in need of 19 additional judges to address the Superior Court’s rising caseloads, according to a new state assessment.
Video: Cong TJ Cox on his Asian Heritage
Roll Call
As Asian Pacific American Heritage Month comes to a close, we sat down with Rep. TJ Cox and a helping of assorted Filipino dishes at Kaliwa, a restaurant in D.C’s Wharf area.
State:
Boos for the moderates: San Francisco convention fires up left-leaning Democratic activists
Fresno Bee
Emboldened by midterm victories and unprecedented attention from a flock of presidential candidates, California Democrats leveraged their state party convention to push the party left.
See also:
● Labor leader wins election to become new California Democratic Party chair Fresno Bee
● California Democrats pick LA labor leader as new chair Bakersfield Californian
● 2020 Democrats grapple with California’s electoral buzz saw Sacramento Bee
● California Democratic Party elects new chair to lead an organization pushing further left Los Angeles Times
● California Democrats endorse 14 policy goals ahead of 2020 San Francisco Chronicle
● Score one for California’s Democratic establishment in party chair election San Francisco Chronicle
● California Democrats argue about accepting money from e-cigarette maker San Francisco Chronicle
Gavin Newsom encourages states to protect abortion rights
Fresno Bee
As conservative states enact laws to restrict abortion, Gov. Gavin Newsom is encouraging women in those states to come to California to end unwanted pregnancies and encouraging other governors to fortify abortion rights for their own citizens.
Gov. Gavin Newsom calls for nationwide background checks on ammo purchases
Los Angeles Times
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday called for nationwide background checks on people purchasing ammunition, saying it would be the “next phase” in the heated debate over gun control.
Walters: A political deal comes full circle
CALmatters
It was late one night 40 years ago and Gov. Jerry Brown’s most important piece of legislation was in trouble.
California has housing crisis, Legislature has no fix yet
Bakersfield Californian
The political wrangling over the last few weeks around bills to cap rent increases, set new rules for evictions and cut red tape to build more housing reveal big splits in the Legislature when it comes to one of the most pressing issues of the session.
See also:
● Californians’ rents could go up under Kamala Harris’ housing plan Modesto Bee
From ‘Chicano blowout’ to blowup: Turmoil over MEChA name change was decades in coming
Los Angeles Times
Joe Rodriguez was a teenager when he first embraced the slur. For years, Mexican Americans of low social status like him were called Chicanos.
Federal:
It’s obvious the census question is partisan, but the Supreme Court still won’t care
Los Angeles Times
It is rare that plaintiffs challenging a government policy can locate smoking-gun evidence regarding the illicit motives of government decision makers.
See also:
● It’s not just the citizenship question. 2020 census faces other woes Roll Call
Robinson: Trump doesn’t warrant impeachment, who does?
The Washington Post
What would a president have to do, hypothetically, to get this Congress to impeach him?
See also:
● 5 reasons Nancy Pelosi is absolutely right about impeachment Roll Call
● Pelosi takes her go-slow message on impeachment to a tough crowd — her own state’s Democrats The Washington Post
● Quinn: Why the Democrats won’t impeach Trump Fox&Hounds
Are women making Congress more polite?
Roll Call
A new study finds that the influx of women in Congress could make a definitive difference in committee dynamics — a crucial step in the legislative process.
Freshman Democrats From Trump Country Plot Their 2020 Survival
WSJ
Lawmakers who flipped seats last year are on every GOP target list. Their focus is on bipartisan issues, not impeachment.
Vulnerable Republicans move to the middle in 2019
Roll Call
In the 2016 election, voters in 23 House districts simultaneously elected a Republican representative and cast ballots for the Democrats’ presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, over Republican Donald Trump.
Americans Voters Have a Simple Health-Care Message for 2020: Just Fix It!
WSJ
In surveys, many voters say they’re open to solutions, regardless of the political party proposing them
Elections 2020:
CALmatters
With the state’s Democratic Party kicking off its convention in San Francisco today, you’ll be able to count at least 14 presidential candidates descending on California this weekend. And for a change, they’re here not just for our money, but for our votes.
See also:
● California Is Now an ‘Early Primary State.’ Democrats Are Grappling With How to Compete. New York Times
● California’s voting makeover: All 58 counties race to update voting systems by 2020 NBC News
● California Will Be the 2020 Epicenter as Democrats Descend on San Francisco KQED
There’s some mystery to how presidential hopefuls get on California’s primary ballot
Los Angeles Times
The roster of would-be presidents comes from California’s secretary of state. And the criteria used are pretty much whatever the secretary wants them to be.
California Thinks Outside the Ballot Box
Capital & Main
In 2016, Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 450, known as the California Voter’s Choice Act, one of a series of state measures designed to make voting easier. The bill’s prime sponsor, Secretary of State Alex Padilla, celebrated the passage of what he called a “landmark law,” one promising to fundamentally transform voting as we know it in California.
California Democratic race is wide open, and Elizabeth Warren may be in top tier
San Francisco Chronicle
There’s one unmistakable conclusion after 14 presidential candidates stormed through San Francisco for the California Democratic Party convention that ended Sunday: The nation’s largest primary state is up for grabs — and the field of top contenders just got wider.
See also:
● Presidential Candidates Converge For 2019 California Democratic Convention Capital Public Radio
● At California convention, Democratic candidates unite in bashing Trump but squabble over issues Los Angeles Times
● Joe Biden didn’t miss anything in San Francisco, except maybe some abuse San Francisco Chronicle
● California Democratic race is wide open, and Elizabeth Warren may be in top tier San Francisco Chronicle
● Democratic Candidates Descend On California And Offer A Preview Of Fights To Come NPR
● CA Dems: A Return to Normalcy Is Catching On Calbuzz
‘No middle ground.’ Bernie Sanders jabs Joe Biden at California Democratic Party convention
Fresno Bee
Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders told a California Democratic Party convention Sunday that America’s best path forward is to the left.
See also:
● Bernie Sanders says Democrats need a more progressive agenda Sacramento Bee
● Sanders calls Trump ‘racist, a sexist, a homophobe and a religious bigot’ abc30
● Bernie Sanders blasts Trump as ‘racist’ at forum Visalia Times Delta
● Biden knocked for skipping California convention Visalia Times Delta
● Democratic presidential hopefuls target Biden Bakersfield Californian
The myth of Kamala Harris. She’s just not who she appears to be.
Modesto Bee
There is one reason and one reason only why Sen. Kamala Harris made a big splash when she declared her candidacy for president in January and then shrunk in a crowded field since then. Harris is not who she presents herself to be.
See also:
● Kamala Harris launched political career with $120K ‘patronage’ job from boyfriend Willie Brown Washington Examiner
● Harris challenges Axelrod over criticism she’s too ‘cautious’ on trail Politico
Other:
George Will’s book ‘The Conservative Sensibility’: Is the individual obsolete?
Washington Post
Progressives want to dilute the concept of individualism,
but that’s antithetical to America’s premise.
D.C. attorney general’s lawsuit against Facebook can proceed, judge rules
Washington Post
Facebook suffered an early defeat in a D.C. court Friday, after a judge rejected the social-networking giant’s request to quash a case brought by the D.C. attorney general challenging the company’s privacy practices.
See also:
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, June 9, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Immigration: Dreaming in a Sanctuary State” – Guest: Laura Hill with the Public Policy Institute of Calif., Taryn Luna with the Sacramento Bee and Dan Walters with CALmatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, June 9, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Income Inequality and Immigration: Are They Related?” – Guests: Laura Hill with the Public Policy Institute of Calif., Taryn Luna with the Sacramento Bee, Dan Walters with CALmatters, California Budget Center Policy Analyst Luke Reidenbach, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) California State Director Tom Scott. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, June 9, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: “Immigration: Dreaming in a Sanctuary State” – Guests: Joe Hayes, Investigator PPIC and Liam Dillon with LA Times. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Relax. That’s not actually weed growing near Arvin
Bakersfield Californian
Hemp — 140 acres’ worth that has since been expanded to 311 acres on the same property — is Kern’s newest cash crop.
New restrictions slash local use of controversial pesticide
Bakersfield Californian
New restrictions on the controversial pesticide chlorpyrifos have greatly diminished its use in Kern County even before the chemical is phased out statewide.
We sent the world’s foremost fruit expert to inspect L.A.’s new fruit ‘museum’
Los Angeles Times
When I saw billboards recently advertising a new World of Fruit, I envisioned something like the architectural Fruit Museum in Japan or the kitschy International Banana Museum in Mecca, Calif. The reality – a series of rooms decorated with fruit-themed installations intended as backdrops for social media selfies – is something entirely different.
Washington Post
You can buy CBD in oils, supplements, soda, even dog food. But most of them violates federal food and drug regulations, prompting concerns over safety and deceptive marketing
Skelton: Why does California’s public health department treat CBD like poison?
Los Angeles Times
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — the nation’s second most powerful Republican — and California’s Democratic state legislators completely agree on one thing: Marijuana’s cousin hemp should be fully legalized.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Too many cold cases go unsolved in San Joaquin County, grand jury says
Stockton Record
A civil grand jury has found that too many cold case investigations go unsolved in San Joaquin County primarily due to lack of staffing and available resources.
San Francisco Chronicle
Parking and the associated penalties make up another arena delegated to the state’s cities and counties, with consequences that can range from merely arbitrary to personally ruinous.
Public Safety:
Clovis police chief set to retire in August
abc30
After 29 years with Clovis Police, Chief Matt Basgall is set to take off his badge and retire in August. He started with the department in 1990 as a patrol officer. In fact, this is the only department Basgall has ever worked for.
Water Safety And Boating Safely On The Sierra
Sierra News
Here are a few additional tips to follow, for you to recreate in or around water on the Sierra NF responsibly, and safely.
You can expect to see more surveillance video from Modesto police. Here’s why
Modesto Bee
With the increasing prevalence of home and business security cameras, the police more and more are getting help from the public to identify criminals.
NorCal officers — human and canine — practice their skills in annual K-9 trial
Stockton Record
The Stockton Police Department hosted its annual K-9 trial that was open to the general public on the baseball diamond at Bear Creek High School in north Stockton.
Police shootings, USC scandal, ‘Trump insurance’ and Newsom returns
CALmatters
“During the firefight, the gunman began shooting with only his back exposed to me. I recall in that moment thinking that if I were to shoot him in the back, I would be the next officer in the news, being scrutinized for my actions.”—Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputy Julie Robertson, describing a 2018 shootout that left her partner dead, as she testified Tuesday on police use-of-force legislation.
Police Train to Be ‘Social Workers of Last Resort’
The Pew Charitable Trusts
More than 200 police recruits in black uniforms and tight haircuts turn in unison, marching toward the flagpole on a sunny May morning at the Washington state training center next to SeaTac Airport. Before they say the Pledge of Allegiance, they drop to the concrete and deliver 20 pushups in front of onlooking command staff — just a small slice of the 10,000 reps they’ll do over the next 90 days.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom calls for nationwide background checks on ammo purchases
Los Angeles Times
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday called for nationwide background checks on people purchasing ammunition, saying it would be the “next phase” in the heated debate over gun control.
The One Type of Gun Control Gaining Bipartisan Support
WSJ
In Pennsylvania, a GOP legislator seeks to rally Republicans and quiet the NRA on bill to temporarily take guns from people deemed threats
In January, Virginia GOP killed bill to ban sales of large-capacity magazines
Washington Post
A Virginia bill designed to ban sales of large-capacity magazines similar to those used by the Virginia Beach gunman died in committee in January on a party-line vote.
See also:
● Survivors of Virginia Beach shooting recount the horror: ‘He looked me dead in the eye’ Washington Post
EDITORIAL: Police use-of-force standards in California are inching upward
Los Angeles Times
Modified to attract crucial votes in the state Legislature, a landmark bill to change how police use deadly force in California is moving forward without the support of what were once its most ardent backers, and without objection from its formerly most virulent opponents.
See also:
● EDITORIAL: You marched, called and demanded change – and California acted to save lives Sacramento Bee
Fire:
Latest Cal Fire Burn Restrictions For Madera County
Sierra News
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit (MMU) has announced effective 8 a.m. Friday, May 31, hazard reduction burning in Eastern Madera County is restricted below 2,000 feet in elevation.
Challenges abound as Kern County Fire Department plans first cuts to address deficit
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Fire Department is planning millions of dollars in budget cuts in its first real attempt to grapple with a structural deficit that has gone on for years.
California Will Allow Utilities Like PG&E To Cut Power To Prevent More Wildfires
Capital Public Radio
California regulators gave the green light to allowing utilities to cut off electricity to possibly hundreds of thousands of customers to avoid catastrophic wildfires, but said utilities must do a better job educating and notifying the public.
Leaders reconsider changes to laws that assign wildfire responsibility
San Francisco Chronicle
California’s top political leaders hit the pause button on the touchy issue of wildfire liability after a special wildfire commission recommended revisiting the law that holds utilities, such as Pacific Gas and Electric Co., responsible for wildfires even if they weren’t negligent.
San Francisco Chronicle
A look at 10 of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in California history shows that power lines, fireworks and other elements of human civilization are often to blame.
ECONOMY / JOBS
Economy:
White House: Trump ‘deadly serious’ about Mexico tariffs
Fresno Bee
A top White House official said Sunday that President Donald Trump is “deadly serious” about imposing tariffs on imports from Mexico, but acknowledged there are no concrete benchmarks being set to assess whether the U.S. ally is stemming the migrant flow enough to satisfy the administration.
See also:
● Trump to move forward with Mexico tariffs despite objections from top advisors abc30
● Trump tariffs on Mexico would likely mean Americans paying more for cars, avocados abc30
● Trump officials: Mexico needs to act quickly on immigration to avoid tariffs Stockton Record
● Trump is ‘deadly serious’ about tariffs on Mexico, aide says Los Angeles Times
● For the U.S. and China, it’s not a trade war anymore — it’s something worse Los Angeles Times
● ‘Disaster’: How Trump’s Mexico tariff plan would jolt California San Francisco Chronicle
● China Targets FedEx in ‘Warning’ to U.S. Bloomberg
● China, Mexico Signal Willingness to Step Up Trade Talks With U.S. WSJ
● Trump’s Mexico Tariff Threat Trips Up Manufacturers Shifting Out of China WSJ
● Trump’s Trade Levers Test Long-Term U.S. Alliances WSJ
● China and Mexico: One too many trips to the tariff well AEI
● The trade wars are here. Are trade blocs next? Washington Post
● What Are Mexico’s Biggest Exports to the United States? New York Times
● EDITORIAL: Trump’s Mexican tariff ploy is the art of dealing in bad faith Los Angeles Times
Millennials have average net worth of $8K
abc30
Research found that millennials are doing far worse financially than the previous generation. In fact, the average millennial has a net worth of only $8,000.
See also:
● Millennials are doing far worse financially than generations before them Stockton Record
Investment News
Legislation that would bring about the biggest reforms in retirement policy in more than a decade could be headed toward quick passage in the Senate.
Singapore Dethrones U.S. as World’s Most Competitive Economy
Bloomberg
Singapore leapfrogged Hong Kong and the U.S. to take the top spot among the world’s most competitive economies for the first time in nine years.
Low-Inflation Trap That Ensnared Japan and Europe Worries Fed
WSJ
Central banks once worried about too much inflation; now they fear an inability to generate more of it.
Kevin Hassett, Chairman of Council of Economic Advisers, to Leave Post
WSJ
The White House chief economist said his departure from the role had ‘been in the works for a good long time’.
Jobs:
Mad Duck now hiring for new Fresno location
abc30
You can become a member of the Quack Pack. Mad Duck Craft Brewery is accepting applications for its new Marks and Herndon location. The new location is expected to open in July.
Deli Delicious internal dispute goes public
Visalia Times Delta
Scandal is roiling beneath the deli counters of one of the Central Valley’s most beloved local franchises. Deli Delicious franchisees across the San Joaquin Valley have formed an association to protest the Fresno-based company’s leadership and business practices.
Labor anger over Green New Deal greets 2020 contenders in California
Politico
Blue-collar union workers in solidly Democratic California are rejecting “Green New Deal” politics, a possible preview of troubles for 2020 presidential hopefuls in Rust Belt states like Pennsylvania and Ohio.
One Year after Janus: Unions Lose Fee Payers, Keep Members, Win Lawsuits
Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo
As anyone involved in public employment knows, on June 27, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the practice of collecting “agency fees” or “fair share fees” from public employees who decline to join a labor union. (Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31 (2018) 138 S.Ct. 2448.) As expected, the Janusruling shook up the public-sector landscape, particularly here in earthquake-prone California. Nearly a year later, what are the primary effects of Janus?
EDUCATION
K-12:
Photos of Fresno Unified student in blackface cause backlash online
Fresno Bee
Fresno Unified has confirmed one of its students is responsible for posting a racist photo and video spreading on social media. The video and photograph shows the student wearing black makeup or paint. In the video, the girl says “Who said I can’t say n—?”
See also:
● Student in blackface spouting a racial slur roils Fresno high school Los Angeles Times
Madera Tribune
After months of research and weeks of discussion, Madera Unified trustees decided to create two new K-8 schools in the district.
Bass Lake School District Plugs Into Sun
Sierra News
Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary School District (BLUSD) hosted a “Plug into the Sun” celebration Thursday at Wasuma Elementary School. The event was held to unveil a new solar photovoltaic (PV) system that will provide 75 percent of the school district’s overall electricity needs.
Porterville Recorder
It was all happy tears and massive smiles at the Granite Hills High School (GHHS) graduation ceremony Friday night where over 250 seniors walked across the stage to receive their diplomas.
See also:
● A milestone for Citrus High Porterville Recorder
Charter schools were supposed to save public education. Why did people turn on them?
Washington Post
The charter school movement is in trouble. In late December, the editorial board of the Chicago Sun-Times observed that the charter movement in the Windy City was “in hot water and likely to get hotter.”
Higher Ed:
Can Californians Still Find a Path to Mobility at the State’s Universities?
New York TImes
As a counter to staggering inequality, the system needs to be more open to the people who actually live in the Golden State.
Stop Feeding College Bureaucratic Bloat
Wall Street Journal
Congress should tie student loans to the ratio of administrators to full-time academic faculty.
Report examines challenges faced by Hmong students
Campus News Fresno State
Hmong American students at Fresno State enter the University with higher-than-average GPAs and do well comparable to other students once on campus, but they face unique challenges that become a barrier to graduation, a new University report shows.
CSU Board of Trustees approves public-private partnership concept
Campus News Fresno State
The California State University Board of Trustees on Wednesday, May 22,unanimously approved the concept of a public-private partnership for the development of Fresno State’s new central utility plant.
UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland’s commencement speech
Merced Sun-Star
Here is the commencement address that UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland gave to the more than 1,300 graduates in the class of 2019. Last month Leland announced she would be retiring in August.
ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY
Environment:
A ride around Yosemite on troubled shuttle no longer the serene trip it used to be
San Francisco Chronicle
Yosemite’s shuttle system, which carries more than 3 million park visitors between such famous spots as Yosemite Falls, the Ahwahnee hotel and the Mist Trail each year, is at best an annoyance during the busy summer months. At worst, it’s a safety issue.
New Project Removes Dead Trees On Road 274 – Expect Delays
Sierra News
Starting Monday, June 3, drivers on a popular lakeside road will need extra time in their travel schedules as crews work to keep the roadside safe from the hazard of falling trees along the north shore of Bass Lake.
State killed thousands of salmon, anglers report. Now the Trump administration wants answers.
Sacramento Bee
State officials say the federal government’s concerns about the dead fish are overblown. They say biologists spent two days surveying the Feather River and only found a few dead fish — not enough to raise alarms.
Commutes, jobs at stake in California’s clean air battle with Trump
CALmatters
Unrelenting commutes. Lost construction jobs. A statewide economic shudder. Prepare for all three if California loses its clean air battle with the Trump administration.
Energy:
How California became far more energy-efficient than the rest of the country
VOX
It’s not about luck. It’s about smart policy.
EDITORIAL: How Modesto electricity customers will foot the cost of doomed hydropower bill
Modesto Bee
Common sense doesn’t count for much in politics. The unfairness will force 222,000 families and businesses in the Modesto and Turlock areas to spend millions more dollars for electricity.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Childhood obesity: Data shows Merced County’s Hispanic, poor kids more at risk
Merced Sun-Star
Almost half of Merced County elementary, middle school and junior high students are either overweight or obese, according to an analysis of 2018 body composition measurements in physical fitness testing data collected by the California Department of Education.
Syphillis rates climbing in Fresno, Merced counties
Merced Sun-Star
It is known as the great imitator. The sexually transmitted infectious disease we know as syphilis can mimic a variety of other illnesses, often making it difficult to diagnose. It can affect a number of body tissues and organs, often has crippling consequences, and (especially in the case of infants) can result in death.
MedWatch Today: Valley Fever on the Rise in the Central Valley
Your Central Valley
Valley fever is a fungal infection that attacks the lungs. The Fresno County Department of Public Health said cases here are on the rise.
Crackdown on California vaccine exemptions? Gov. Gavin Newsom says he has his doubts
Merced Sun-Star
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Saturday he’s concerned about having government officials sign off on vaccine exemptions, arguing those decisions should be made between patients and doctors without government involvement.
See also:
● Gavin Newsom signals opposition to tightening California vaccination rules San Francisco Chronicle
Human Services:
All immigrants need access to affordable health care. But how is that accomplished?
Fresno Bee
In other parts of the country, they’re fighting about whether to build a border wall or whether to deport asylum seekers. But here in California we’re having an entirely different type of debate.
See also:
● Should California provide health care to all undocumented immigrants? Influencers weigh in Fresno Bee
● Schnur: How can California afford health coverage for undocumented? Sacramento Bee
Alzheimer’s Association holding caregivers conference to help Spanish speakers
abc30
According to the Alzheimer’s Association every 65 seconds, someone in our country develops Alzheimer’s. In the Central Valley, more than 50,000 people are living with that disease.
Why are complaints on rise at Kaweah Delta?
Visalia Times Delta
California Department of Public Health records show a significant increase in both complaints to the agency and those it substantiated against Kaweah Delta Medical Center since 2017.
250,000 CalPERS members at risk of ‘surprise’ medical bills
Sacramento Bee
About 250,000 people with CalPERS health insurance are at risk of receiving “surprise” medical bills that many other policyholders are shielded from.
Lady Gaga Foundation Wants More Mental Health Resources For California Teens
Capital Public Radio
Lady Gaga’s nonprofit worked with a California commission to survey young people, and found that almost half do not know where to turn for mental health support.
California sues opioid maker Purdue Pharma
Associated Press
California’s attorney general on Monday sued the pharmaceutical company behind the painkiller OxyContin, alleging it falsely promoted the drug as not addictive even as it emerged as among the most widely abused in the United States.
ACA linked to reduced racial disparities, earlier diagnosis and treatment in cancer care
Washington Post
New research backs up earlier data showing the law increased access to care.
GOP blew Obamacare repeal, not us, former CBO director says
Roll Call
Outgoing Congressional Budget Office Director Keith Hall held his fire when the agency was under attack in 2017 for estimating that a repeal of the 2010 health care law would throw millions of people off health insurance. Now that he is leaving the agency, he can speak more freely.
The HELP Committee’s fix for 180-day generic marketing exclusivity: Does it solve the problem?
AEI
Taken as a whole, the bipartisan legislation introduced by HELP makes meaningful steps to update Hatch-Waxman and promote competition from lower-cost generics.
FDA to make it easier for doctors to get unapproved cancer drugs for patients
Washington Post
Agency will work closely with physicians seeking treatments through its “expanded access” program
IMMIGRATION
As Mexico cracks down on migrants, more risk the dangerous train known as La Bestia
Los Angeles Times
They gathered at dawn in this railyard in southern Mexico, contemplating their next move: catching a ride on the roof of La Bestia (The Beast) — the name migrants use for thenotorious freight train that winds its way through Mexico toward the United States.
See also:
● Trump’s Crackdown on Illegal Immigration: 11 Employers Prosecuted in the Past Year New York Times
U.S. is using unreliable dental exams to hold teen migrants in adult detention
Los Angeles Times
The use of dental exams to help determine the age of migrants increased sharply in the last year, one aspect of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration and illegal border crossings.
The Washington Post
Dozens of Homeland Security agents and investigators will deploy to Guatemala as part of the Trump administration’s desperate attempt to slow unauthorized migration to the United States from Central America, according to U.S. officials with knowledge of the plans.
Do outdated immigration laws increase violence toward women?
Brookings
As immigration enforcement activity intensifies and uncertainty grows for asylum seekers to the United States, Randall Akee argues that the lack of comprehensive immigration reform could be preventing immigrant victims of domestic violence from seeking protections provided under the Violence Against Women Act.
US demands social media details from visa applicants
BBC
Nearly all applicants for US visas will have to submit their social media details under newly adopted rules.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
What’s happening with Modesto, Turlock’s empty OSH, Toys R Us sites? A lot, actually
Modesto Bee
Those big empty Orchard Supply Hardware, Toys R Us and Babies R Us buildings dotting Stanislaus County might not be empty much longer.
A ride around Yosemite on troubled shuttle no longer the serene trip it used to be
San Francisco Chronicle
When Brenda and Carl Franklin wrapped up a leisurely round-trip hike to Mirror Lake on a recent afternoon in Yosemite National Park, they didn’t expect their mountain bliss to give way to a big-city headache.
Housing:
Porterville’s homeless shelter to close if unable to meet building standards
Visalia Times Delta
During a recent city council meeting, The New Porterville Rescue Mission was instructed by city officials to bring the facility up to current building and safety codes or risk being shut down.
California has housing crisis, Legislature has no fix yet
Bakersfield Californian
The political wrangling over the last few weeks around bills to cap rent increases, set new rules for evictions and cut red tape to build more housing reveal big splits in the Legislature when it comes to one of the most pressing issues of the session.
See also:
● Californians’ rents could go up under Kamala Harris’ housing plan Modesto Bee
Rent in Sacramento is up two months in a row. Here’s how it compares to other cities
Sacramento Bee
Rents in the city have increased two months in a row, but Sacramento is still one of the more affordable places to rent in the region and the state, according to a new study.
The secret to outbidding the competition for a California home? Write the seller a love letter
Sacramento Bee
Home buying season is in full throttle. And despite high prices, that often means multiple offers on popular houses in Sacramento and around California. What’s a buyer to do to stand out? Write a “love letter,” experts now say.
How to Pick Your Retirement Home When There Are More Choices Than Ever
Barrons
Meg and Jon Warden found their retirement dream home on a secluded lot in Eau Claire, Wis., close to the Chippewa River and surrounded by woods, a welcome change from the Colorado desert they had left behind.
PUBLIC FINANCES
The cigarette tax has saved millions of lives. A soda tax could too
Los Angeles Times
You might want to think twice before downing that 12-ounce can of Coke. Since sugary drinks can cause a host of health problems, drinking one sugar-filled soda ends up imposing about 10 cents of health costs on others because the resulting medical bills are paid through Medicare, Medicaid or private insurers.
Interest rate limit doesn’t fix poverty
CALmatters
Last month, the Federal Reserve System issued a report on “the economic wellbeing of U.S. households” and it contained a rather disturbing bit of data.
Opinion: Senate Bill 772 would force ratepayers to buy costly pump storage power
CALmatters
California’s effort to set a global example in tackling the effects of climate change is laudable and ambitious.
CBRT Issues Statement in Response to California Democratic Party Endorsing Split-Roll Initiative
California Business Round Table
Rob Lapsley, president of the California Business Roundtable and co-chair of the campaign opposing the nearly $11 billion split roll property tax initiative on the November 2020 ballot, issued the following statement today in response to the California Democratic Party’s endorsement of the initiative.
New state-run IRA for private sector opens July 1
Calpensions.com
A new state workplace retirement savings program, CalSavers, will open to an estimated 250,00 to 300,000 employers on July 1 — offering an automatic IRA payroll deduction for the 7.5 million California workers with no retirement plan on the job.
It’s Getting Worse: The IRS Now Audits Poor Americans at About the Same Rate as the Top 1%
ProPublica
As the agency’s ability to audit the rich crumbles, its scrutiny of the poor has held steady in recent years. Meanwhile, a new study shows that audits of poor taxpayers make them far less likely to claim credits they might be entitled to.
TRANSPORTATION
As was predicted, Uber’s IPO means you’ll be paying higher fares for your rides
Los Angeles Times
Uber’s first-quarter earnings report released Thursday — its first since the ride-sharing company went public on May 10 — disclosed more than the financial condition of the company.
On California’s high-speed rail project, combatant Kings County is ready to settle
Los Angeles Times
One of the San Joaquin Valley’s most tenacious opponents of the California bullet train has decided to settle its lawsuit against the project, convinced that the state will operate slower-speed Amtrak trains on its future network in the Central Valley — not the long-promised 220 mph electrically powered ones.
Dutch Television Takes a Look at California’s Lagging Rail Infrastructure
Streetsblog San Francisco
When it comes to safety, well-designed people-oriented streets, and infrastructure overall, the Dutch do it right.
State says Trump has personal vendetta
Gilroy Dispatch
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is accusing the Trump administration of “trying to exact political retribution” by pulling federal funds from the state’s High-Speed Rail project.
U.S. regulators say some Boeing 737 MAX planes may have faulty parts
Reuters
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Sunday disclosed a new problem involving Boeing Co’s grounded 737 MAX, saying that more than 300 of that troubled plane and the prior generation 737 may contain improperly manufactured parts and that the agency will require these parts to be quickly replaced.
See also
· Boeing notifies FAA about improperly made parts on 737 Max abc30
WATER
New Fresno watering schedule begins June 1
abc30
It’s time to adjust your sprinkler settings. The three-day watering schedule has begun in Fresno. The schedule change is in place to reflect residents’ need to provide more water for their lawns and gardens during the summer months.
Reedley Beach closes as Kings River water levels continue to rise
abc30
As temperatures creep past the 90 degree mark, snowmelt means the Kings River is fuller and stronger than it’s been in years.
See also:
● Businesses along Kings River start preparing for rising water abc30
● Plan for a possible closure of the Kings River Hanford Sentinel
Fresno area rivers begin to rise, authorities issue warnings
Fresno Bee
Rivers in the central San Joaquin Valley are beginning to rise as temperatures heat up and snow begins to melt, sending menacing currents downstream.
California snowpack 202% of average for this time of year
Bakersfield Californian
The amount of snow blanketing the Sierra Nevada is even larger than the 2017 snowpack that pulled the state out of a five-year drought, California water officials said.
‘Moving the rain,’ creating California
CALmatters
Her show was beamed out of Boston and reached across the nation, and so I began to tell the story, the invention of California, first as myth and then as a real place. I explained how that invention necessitated the invention of the grandest water-moving system in the history of man. It was a system magnificently built, and it allowed us to erect two if not three world-class cities and the most intensive farming region in the world.
“Xtra”
Bulldogs can’t close out Stanford. Fresno State’s season comes down to one game Monday
Fresno Bee
The Fresno State Bulldogs had gained control of the NCAA Tournament Stanford Regional.
Hear why the Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade & Festival is so special
Fresno Bee
The 29th annual Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade & Festival is one of the largest LGBTQ event in the Central Valley. Each year thousands attend the Tower District event where people can be themselves.
See also:
● Fresno’s LGBTQ community celebrates Pride Month in Tower District abc30
Beautiful Bakersfield awards recognize contributors to the community
Bakersfield Californian
Individuals, organizations and businesses that have strived to make their community better were recognized for their efforts on Saturday.
Take me home! Dogs available for adoption
Bakersfield Californian
These 10 animals at Kern County Animal Services are looking for their forever homes. Can you help?
Clear skies makes for optimum viewing this month
Bakersfield Californian
Skies should be clearer in June and on Saturday, June 8, the Kern Astronomical Society will have their telescopes out at Panorama Park near Bakersfield College for the public to view the heavens.
Bright lights, big fun as Kings Fair continues
Hanford Sentinel
The lights of the midway lit up the Kings Fair Thursday evening, kicking off the 73rd annual Kings Fair.