Maddy Institute – March 25, 2019

25Mar

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

He’s had successful 30 years as a cop, he says. Can the new chief fix Atwater?

Fresno Bee

Police Chief Michael Salvador said he’s had success as a member of law enforcement in every agency he’s worked in the past 30 years. He said in Atwater he’s already developing plans for improvements.

If you live in Livingston, you can now text 911 for help

abc30

It’s a new way to contact help, and it’s right at the fingertips of some North Valley residents. Deanna Soria with the Livingston Police Department says folks can now text 911 and reach a dispatcher in seconds.

EDITORIAL: Only until some prodding does Mayor Brandvold actually make a move

Modesto Bee

The prospect of reading a Modesto Bee editorial slamming Mayor Ted Brandvold for his legendary reluctance to deliver a state of the city address finally got him moving.

Vote on LGTBQ issues divides United Methodists in Modesto, around globe

Modesto Bee

The openly gay and married minister of pastoral care for First United Methodist Church in downtown Modesto was viewing a live feed of the 2019 special session of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, held Feb. 23-26 in St. Louis.

Central SJ Valley:

See how Fresno, California’s economy compares to the rest of the country

Fresno Bee

A new report by the Brookings Institution shows Fresno County continues to struggle with low wages, job growth and poverty compared to much of the U.S.

Fresno’s racial wage gap has shrunk, but that hasn’t kept poverty at bay

Fresno Bee

Fresno County made significant strides, compared to other major U.S. metropolitan areas, in reducing income inequality across ethnic lines from 2007 to 2017 — a 10-year period that includes the Great Recession and its aftermath.

Free Admission: Steve Forbes at Fresno State

Fresno State

Steve Forbes is speaking at the Save Mart Center this Monday March 25 @ 6pm.

Summary of Mueller report partially vindicates Devin Nunes

Fresno Bee

President Donald Trump is not the only person likely to proclaim vindication after Special Counsel Robert Mueller delivered his final report. California Republican Rep. Devin Nunes could too.

Fresno Republicans to reschedule annual dinner after Nunes-Twitter beef explodes

Fresno Bee

Devin Nunes planned to speak at a Fresno County California Republican Party dinner, but it’s been canceled after social media users suggested dressing up like a cow and mooing over congressman’s Twitter lawsuit.

● Devin Nunes is having a cow Washington Post

● EDITORIAL: With his suit against Twitter, Devin Nunes shows he has launched re-election campaign Fresno Bee

Newly re-elected Councilmembers to be sworn in, New Mayor to be elected

Clovis Roundup

The public and members of the media are invited to a special session of the Clovis City Council on Monday, March 25 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber.

After Heated Public Outcry, Fresno City Council Votes Down Ordinance To Limit Giving To Panhandlers

VPR

The Fresno City Council voted down an ordinance Thursday that would have fined people in their cars attempting to give money or food to those standing at busy intersections.

South SJ Valley:

Tulare schools among many with lead-tainted water

Visalia Times Delta

Thousands of students across California drink water contaminated with lead, according to a new statewide report.

Severe mental illness can be fatal. Here’s a solution Tulare County won’t consider

Visalia Times Delta

But according to research conducted by Nevada County’s Behavioral Health Department, Tulare County has the potential to save $1.18 for every $1 invested through the use of Laura’s Law. Nevada County officials estimated a savings of $213,300 in fewer incarcerations and $75,000 in hospital costs every year.

BCSD, teachers union come to agreement in raise negotiations

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield City School District has finally reached an agreement with its teachers union over a salary increase for this year, but the result isn’t what teachers were hoping for.

State:

Governor’s Budget Summary

State of California

Today, California’s economy is larger than all but four nations. In just eight years, the state budget has gone from perpetual multi-billion dollar annual deficits to being balanced and having a robust Rainy Day Fund.

Local officials applaud Gov. Newsom’s wildfire emergency declaration

abc30

By declaring a state of emergency, Governor Gavin Newsom is able to forego a lot of the legal and environmental requirements to get things moving.

● OPINION: Gavin Newsom’s Fire Alarm Wall Street Journal

Skip The Slip? California Lawmaker Wants Email Receipts To Replace Paper Ones

Business Journal

Businesses breaking the rule could be fined $25 a day,up to $300 a year. Customers could still get a paper receipt, but they would have to request one — which some would undoubtedly do, rather than share their email addresses with many merchants.

Big business’ political muscle in Sacramento is tested by new Democratic mega-majority

Los Angeles Times

If the state Capitol had a hall of fame for legislative influence, a no-brainer inductee for playing defense would be the California Chamber of Commerce — a feared linebacker with a two-decade record of tackling and stopping new laws.

Federal:

Mueller investigation found no Trump, Russia conspiracy, attorney general says

Fresno Bee

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s long-awaited report says President Donald Trump and his campaign did not collude with Russia in the 2016 election, but reaches no conclusion on whether he obstructed justice, a summary by Attorney General William Barr says.

● Democrats zero in on obstruction to plot relentless Hill campaign against GOP Fresno Bee

● Trump breaks silence on Mueller report, claims vindication Fresno Bee

● Mueller report: Trump campaign did not coordinate with Russia in 2016 abc30

● Mueller report: Investigation found no evidence Trump conspired with Russia, leaves obstruction question open Visalia Times Delta

● Trump touts Justice Department summary of Mueller findings, says ‘it was a shame’ nation had to go through investigation Bakersfield Californian

● Mueller: No Russia conspiracy; no answer on obstruction Visalia Times Delta

● Pence claims total vindication in Mueller report Modesto Bee

● Mueller Report Doesn’t Find Russian Collusion, But ‘Can’t Exonerate’ On Obstruction Capital Public Radio

● Barr: Mueller finds no Trump-Russia conspiracy but doesn’t ‘exonerate’ president Los Angeles Times

● After Mueller report summary, here’s what top Democrats say comes next Los Angeles Times

● Mueller report doesn’t say what GOP says it does Roll Call

● Key Takeaways From Attorney General’s Summary of Mueller Report Wall Street Journal

● A summary of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report is now public. Here’s what it says—and doesn’t PolitiFact

● Attorney General Barr’s Letter On Mueller Report NPR

● 4 things we learned from Barr’s summary of the Mueller report PBS NewsHour

● 4 takeaways from the Mueller report summary Washington Post

● Fact-checking Donald Trump’s claim of no collusion, no obstruction from Mueller report PolitiFact

● EDITORIAL: No, Mueller’s report is not a ‘total exoneration’ for Trump Los Angeles Times

‘Now we’re in charge’: Dems freeze out GOP on bipartisan bills

Politico

During the past two sessions of Congress, Democrat Bobby Rush and Republican Richard Hudson introduced legislation together to improve workforce-training programs.

But this year, Rush altered the language to the bill and stripped out a previous key element: Hudson.

Elections 2020:

Disappointed Democrats shrug: 2020 election about health care, economy

Fresno Bee

For Democrats formulating their party’s message for the 2020 election, the initial findings from the Mueller report were a reminder to get back to the pocketbook issues that delivered them the House last fall.

● How the Mueller report will reshape the 2020 race San Francisco Chronicle

Harris sends message to old-guard: Every era has its end

Fresno Bee

California Sen. Kamala Harris is sending a signal to the old guard of Democratic politics that every era has its end.

See also:

● Harris sends signal to Biden on 2020: Every era has its end Bakersfield Californian

O’Rourke says owning, using guns taught him responsible use

Fresno Bee

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke says his personal use and ownership of firearms taught him the responsibility of having guns.

In speech at Trump hotel, Gillibrand calls Trump a coward

Modesto Bee

In speech in front of Trump building, Gillibrand labels the president a ‘coward’ who is ‘tearing apart the moral fabric of our country’.

Warren says Washington beholden to NRA

Bakersfield Californian

Sen. Elizabeth Warren says the National Rifle Association is holding “Congress hostage” when it comes to stemming gun violence.

Once the site of Bernie Sanders’ last stand, California now is pivotal to his 2020 prospects

Sacramento Bee

With its earlier primary on March 3 – and mail ballots going out a month prior – California is considered by the Sanders campaign to be among the crucial “first five,” lumping the Golden State in with traditional early nominating contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.

See also:

● Sanders has changed since 2016, but so has Democratic Party San Francisco Chronicle

● Sen. Bernie Sanders draws enthusiastic crowd to Fort Mason in San Francisco San Francisco Chronicle

OPINION: Getting Rid of the Electoral College Isn’t Just About Trump

New York Times

At a CNN town hall in Jackson, Miss., on Monday night, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts called for shutting down the Electoral College. “I believe we need a constitutional amendment that protects the right to vote for every American citizen and to make sure that vote gets counted,” she said.

Other:

Valley man helps veterans receive special proclamation

abc30

California’s legislature will recognize a special veterans holiday next week and a Valley man helped get it in place.

This psychologist claims Google search results unfairly steer voters to the left. Conservatives love him

Sacramento Bee

The idea that Google is subtly pushing masses of voters to the left has the ring of conspiracy, and thus the work of Robert Epstein is warmly embraced by conservative lawmakers – as well as a president – convinced big tech is plotting against them.

Social Capital and Public Policy

National Affairs

Something strange has happened in the intervening two decades: Academics have learned a lot more about the importance of civil society and social capital, yet politicians have come to talk about it a lot less.

Looking to the Future, Public Sees an America in Decline on Many Fronts

PEW Research Center

Majorities predict a weaker economy, a growing income divide, a degraded environment and a broken political system.

Americans are getting more miserable, and there’s data to prove it

Washington Post

We’ve come a long way from the peak happiness of the 1990s, survey find.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Organic and regular avocados recalled in six states after listeria found in facility

Fresno Bee

Henry Avocado recalled California-grown avocados that were packed at a facility found to have listeria. The avocados were sent to California, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Arizona and New Hampshire.

● California grower recalls avocados over possible listeria Bakersfield Californian

● California grower recalls avocados over possible listeria NBCNews

New Citrus Mutual Ceo Seeks Teamwork To Spread Industry Message

Business Journal

A little over a month after being appointed president and CEO of California Citrus Mutual, Casey Creamer said he plans to continue doing the things the Exeter-based organization has been doing right.

UCLA pesticides study claims state is failing

Visalia Times Delta

California state and county agencies aren’t doing enough to protect the public from pesticide exposure, a new study found.

Online Wine Yes, Coffee No: Scrambling To Keep Up With California’s New Prop. 65 Toxic Warnings

Capital Public Radio

California’s new toxics warning rules apply to something that didn’t even exist when Prop. 65 first took effect: online markets for products, including wine.

For A Healthier Planet, Eat These 50 Foods, Campaign Urges

Capital Public Radio

Global reliance on just a handful of crops for calories is hurting the environment — and wildlife, a new report says. It urges the world to diversify its diet to save plant and animal species alike.

Why Are So Many Farmers Markets Failing? Because The Market Is Saturated

NPR

In 2018, with attendance down and just five vendors signed on to sell produce, organizers of the Nipomo Certified Farmers’ Market decided to shut down the event at the end of last season.

OPINION: Bees Converge on Central California From Across the Pollen Nation

Wall Street Journal

As rain clouds blanketed the sky in February, almond farmers in California’s Central Valley walked their orchards, rubbing blossoms between their thumbs and forefingers. Too many hands came back covered with uncollected pollen.

Hanford approves recreational marijuana businesses, including dispensaries

abc30

It hasn’t been that long since the city of Hanford cleared the way for cannabis businesses to open in its industrial park. But the marijuana could only be used for medicinal use, and no dispensaries were allowed.

CVS selling cannabis-based products in 8 states

abc30

CVS stores are now selling some cannabis-based products in eight states, including Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and Tennessee. The pharmacy chain says the items include topicals such as creams, sprays and lotions.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Fresno police warn residents about new telephone scam

Fresno Bee

Fresno, CA police officers are warning residents about a phone scam attempting to elicit personal information from callers.

Bakersfield saw slight increase in number of reported rapes last year

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield saw an increase of 18 rapes in 2018 from the year before. According to the Bakersfield Police Department, there were 110 rapes reported in 2018. Ninety-two were reported in 2017.

Fewer California youths are getting arrested. Consequences have gotten more serious for those who are arrested

CALmatters

In the past, a large majority of arrested youths were released or diverted to programs without formal court action. If arrested youths in 2017 received the same treatment as arrested youths in 2007 did, 22,000 fewer youths would have been formally petitioned into court on criminal charges, 14,000 fewer would have had court dispositions, and 4,700 fewer would have been sent to state and local detention facilities in 2017.

See also:

● Juvenile halls nearly deserted, but spending remains high San Francisco Chronicle

● EDITORIAL: Youth violence has plummeted in California, so juvenile incarceration must change, too San Francisco Chronicle

Why the death penalty has value to California

San Francisco Chronicle

If Gov. Gavin Newsom’s moratorium on the death penalty becomes permanent, we should mourn its demise.

Hate crimes rose by 226 percent in counties where Trump hosted campaign rallies in 2016: study

The Hill

United States counties where President Trump hosted a campaign rally in 2016 saw a 226 percent increase in reported hate crimes compared to similar counties that did not host one, an analysis released by The Washington Post has revealed.

Algorithms and sentencing: What does due process require?

Brookings

Multiple states have recently enacted laws requiring the use of risk assessment instruments. And in 2017, the American Law Institute, a highly respected organization that has worked for many decades to “clarify, modernize, and otherwise improve the law,” approved a proposed final draft of the “Model Penal Code: Sentencing.”

EDITORIAL: An execution at Parchman Farm

CALmatters

There is so much I can’t recall from that day six decades ago, but I do know we talked about August’s re-embrace of his Catholic religion and his conversations with Father Paul, about what he wanted his family and friends to know, about what he faced just ahead.

Public Safety:

Valley law enforcement officers finish Baker to Vegas relay

abc30

Fresno sheriff Margaret Mims greeted correctional officer Robert Salgado in Las Vegas Sunday morning as the sheriff’s team finished the 35th annual Baker to Vegas relay run.

Time, money and a ‘culture shift:’ How three California police departments overhauled their policies

Fresno Bee

Two officers shot and killed Clark, a 22-year-old unarmed black man, after chasing him into his grandmother’s backyard and mistaking his cell phone for a gun. Prosecutors did not charge the officers, saying they feared for their lives.

One gun’s path to destruction

CNN

A CNN investigation into the unregulated sale of firearms found that unlicensed dealers flout the nation’s gun laws and provide a steady flow of weapons to people like Chang, who are either barred from owning guns, or want guns that can’t be traced back to them.

Fire:

Local officials applaud Gov. Newsom’s wildfire emergency declaration

abc30

By declaring a state of emergency, Governor Gavin Newsom is able to forego a lot of the legal and environmental requirements to get things moving.

Sequoia National Forest prescribed burn projects begin on Hume Lake Ranger District

Porterville Recorder

Sequoia National Forest Fire Managers have initiated prescribed burn projects on the Hume Lake Ranger District in the Giant Sequoia National Monument.

FEMA Wrongly Released Personal Data Of California Wildfire Victims

Capital Public Radio

The Federal Emergency Management Agency wrongly released to a contractor the personal information of 2.3 million survivors of devastating 2017 hurricanes and wildfires, potentially exposing the victims to identity fraud and theft.

● FEMA ‘major privacy incident’ reveals data from 2.5 million disaster survivors Washington Post

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Capitol Weekly Podcast: Lenny Mendonca, new head of GoBiz

Capitol Weekly

Lenny Mendonca carries quite a load: He’s Gov. Newsom’s newly appointed director of the Office of Business and Economic Development, the governor’s Chief Economic and Business Adviser and, last but not least, the new chair of California’s High Speed Rail Commission.

Foreign retaliation to U.S. tariffs disproportionately affects Republican-leaning counties, report finds

UCLA Newsroom

Paper co-authored by UCLA economist asserts that current environment is nation’s most protectionist trade stance since 1930s.

World stocks sink on economic worries, U.S. yields fall

Reuters

World stocks sold off sharply for a second straight session on Monday on persistent concerns over global economic growth, while benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yields held near more than one-year lows.

In foreboding sign for U.S. economy, factory sector softens

Reuters

U.S. manufacturing activity unexpectedly cooled in March, a troubling sign for the economy although the housing market showed signs lower interest rates were giving it a boost.

Antitrust In America

NPR

In this three-part series, Planet Money delves into the history of competition, big business, and antitrust law—one of the most important but least-understood bodies of law in the United States.

Are the kids alright? Saving and wealth accumulation among the millennial generation

Brookings

The Millennial generation – those born between 1981 and 1996 and thus between ages 23 and 38 this year – is the largest living generation in the United States, recently overtaking the Baby Boomers

Jobs:

California accounted for nearly three-quarters of US jobs added in February

CNBC

Employers in the state add 14,600 nonfarm payroll jobs last month, the California Employment Development Department reported Friday.

Fresno’s racial wage gap has shrunk, but that hasn’t kept poverty at bay

Fresno Bee

‘I’m really struggling’: Facing pay cuts, some ride-hailing drivers prepare to strike

Los Angeles Times

Frustrations are mounting among some Uber and Lyft drivers about wages and treatment. But because ride-hailing drivers are classified as independent contractors instead of employees, unionizing — a common way for discontented workers to bring about change — is something of a non-starter.

What to know if your company is headed for an IPO

San Francisco Chronicle

Employees with stock or options in their company face a potentially life-altering decision when it goes public. Here’s what advisers say you should do with IPO riches.

Could California reclassify janitors, truck drivers as employees?

San Francisco Chronicle

As California wrestles with determining who’s a gig worker and who’s an employee, researchers at UC Berkeley have delved into trucking, construction and janitorial services.

Investigating in America’s Workforce

Investing Work

In 2017, the community development departments at each of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks organized regional meetings with nearly 1,000 leaders who work at the intersection of workforce training, recruiting, and finance.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Tulare schools among many with lead-tainted water

Visalia Times Delta

Thousands of students across California drink water contaminated with lead, according to a new statewide report.

McEwen: Wild Chase Reveals FUSD Failure to Support Troubled Student

GV Wire

Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson and the district’s trustees face perhaps the biggest challenge in his nearly 27 months of leadership.

Assemblyman Devon Mathis visits learners at J.J.Cairns Continuation High School

Porterville Recorder

Assemblyman Devon Mathis visited J.J. Cairns Continuation High School in Porterville Friday morning, and learned about the internship program learners invest in while they are attending school.

BCSD, teachers union come to agreement in raise negotiations

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield City School District has finally reached an agreement with its teachers union over a salary increase for this year, but the result isn’t what teachers were hoping for.

At STEAM expo, the wonder of science is elementary

Stockton Record

Brookside Elementary Principal Kat Bender said she and others from Brookside Elementary wanted to create a version of San Francisco’s interactive Exploratorium. And that goal was realized Saturday in the form of Lincoln Unified’s “World of S.T.E.A.M. Expo.”

Can California close its ‘achievement gap’?

CALmatters

That’s the term educators use to describe persistent differences between what white and Asian students learn, as revealed by academic testing, and what Latino, black and poor students are getting from the public schools.

California’s public school chief says education no place for competition

CALmatters

The state’s public schools superintendent didn’t hold back in a wide-ranging discussion Thursday night: He raised doubts about the value of charter schools, criticized school districts for the state’s wave of teacher strikes, questioned the severity of public pension debt and insisted the state must spend more to educate its students.

Congress set aside $1 billion after Parkland. Now schools are starting to use it

Roll Call

Amid the rolling farmland of southwest Iowa sits the 7,800-population town of Creston, where the school district boasts of a “state-of-the-art school safety and security system” with a command center to monitor nearly 200 cameras, or roughly one for every seven students.

Kamala Harris pitches big increase in teacher pay

Politico

The California Democrat will announce at a rally here Saturday that she would make the largest-ever federal investment in teacher pay — staking claim to a huge pocketbook issue that affects millions of public workers, including many who help form a key Democratic voting bloc.

Higher Ed:

Ask yourself these questions before using savings to pay off student debt

Los Angeles Times

There are a few things to consider before using savings to pay down your loan. “Prepaying” a student loan is different from paying down credit cards.

Debbie Adishian-Astone honored by City of Fresno

Fresno State

Debbie Adishian-Astone, vice president for Administration and chief financial officer, was honored by the City of Fresno on Thursday, March 21 as one of seven 2019 Women of the Year.

Thinking outside the box to reach African American students

Fresno State

Nelson, coordinator of the African American Initiative in the office of Outreach and Special Programs at Fresno State, helps the public connect to the respective offices on campus. But she often coaches students and parents through the admissions process and gives campus tours herself with little-known African American facts about Fresno State.

Bakersfield College starting work soon on remodeled football stadium

Bakersfield Californian

After many years of use, Bakersfield College’s football stadium is in need of a little love. The $12.5 million project will largely be funded through Measure J, which was approved by voters in 2016.

Accountability for Higher Education

National Affairs

Federal data released for the first time earlier that year revealed students’ debts and earnings were wildly out of proportion. Students in the program typically borrowed $78,000 to pay for it, much of it in government-issued loans, while their average earnings years after graduating were just $36,000.

California lawmakers debate how to prevent another college admissions scandal

CALmatters

When state legislators grilled University of California staff at a hearing Tuesday about the university’s response to the recent college admissions scandal, Assemblyman Kevin McCarty asked the question that’s been reverberating since the story broke last week.

EDITORIAL: No more dreams denied: Stockton leaders must continue push for CSU campus

Stockton Record

The facts are bleak and cannot be ignored: In San Joaquin County, only about 18 percent of residents older than 25 have a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Stockton that educational attainment marker is even lower, only about 17 percent.

OPINION: A First Step Toward Restoring Free Speech on Campus

Wall Street Journal

While opinions differ sharply about President Trump, everyone can agree he speaks plainly. On Thursday he issued an executive order supporting free speech on campus. “Under the guise of ‘speech codes’ and ‘safe spaces’ and ‘trigger warnings,’ universities have tried to restrict free thought, impose total conformity, and shut down the voices of great young Americans,” he said at a White House ceremony.

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

Teen aims to bring more air quality monitors to Southwest Fresno with ‘Clean Air Experiment’

abc30

Kieshaun graduates from high school soon and his next step is expanding the Cleaner Air Experiment into other cities like Stockton.

The ABCs of the Green New Deal

Roll Call

Since the dangers of greenhouse gases became clear, American politicians have whittled away at climate change in incremental steps: energy-efficiency policies, U.N. climate treaties, basic research, fuel-consumption standards.

Energy:

Gov. Newsom promised courage in scrapping fossil fuels. Will he keep his pledge?

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom should address climate change over the next four years. As a candidate, Newsom pledged to “on day one … issue a directive putting California on a clear path to 100 percent renewable energy.”

Average US price of gas jumps 16 cents per gallon, to $2.66

Fresno Bee

The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline shot up 16 cents a gallon (3.8 liters) over the past two weeks, to $2.66.

Oil producers ready to drill amid relatively high, stable prices

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County oil companies large and small are expressing confidence that local crude prices, ranging lately in the $60 to $70 range, are high enough for them to at least maintain their current levels of production.

Recording Reveals Oil Industry Execs Laughing at Trump Access

POLITICO Magazine

The tape of a private meeting was made shortly after the lawyer for an influential industry group was tapped for a high-level post at the Department of the Interior.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Doctors who sell vaccination exemptions endanger our kids. It’s time to crack down

Fresno Bee

California leads the nation on vaccination policy. Following a measles outbreak at Disneyland in 2014, thousands of parents across the state united to call for legislative action to tighten vaccination requirements for school children – and California took action.

Rattlesnakes are waking up in the foothills. Here’s what to do (and not do) if you get bit

Fresno Bee

A wet California winter coupled with unprecedented wildfires have produced the potential for unusual rattlesnake activity this spring. Fresno Chaffee Zoo and Poison Control System officials share tips.

Daily consumption of marijuana may have serious mental consequences

abc30

Marijuana — still illegal under federal law — is now fully legal in 10 states and Washington, D.C. Some states that have legalized it have everything from medical marijuana to on-demand recreational cannabis delivery. But new research published in Lancet Psychiatry is a bit of a buzz kill.

Fentanyl deaths in the US spiked 1,000% over 6 years

abc30

Deaths from the drug fentanyl in the United States climbed more than 1,000 percent from 2011 to 2016, according to a new report.

Severe mental illness can be fatal. Here’s a solution Tulare County won’t consider

Visalia Times Delta

EDITORIAL: Tulare Co. must act on Laura’s Law

Visalia Times Delta

We don’t have to feel paralyzed by the complexity of the mental illness crisis in our community. There’s a step Tulare County can take today — specific, well-researched and practical — that could save lives and make the community safer.

These Are the World’s Healthiest Nations

Bloomberg

Four additional European nations were among the top 10 in 2019: Iceland (third place), Switzerland (fifth), Sweden (sixth) and Norway (ninth). Japan was the healthiest Asian nation, jumping three places from the 2017 survey into fourth and replacing Singapore, which dropped to eighth. Australia and Israel rounded out the top 10 at seventh and 10th place.

Human Services:

Telemedicine: the changing face of health care

Stockton Record

A small group of physical therapists from the San Joaquin County Public Health Services California Children’s Services and Medical Therapy program are seeing patients as part of a pilot program to provide medical therapy conferences electronically.

California AG seeks injunction against Trump’s ‘gag rule’ limiting abortion referrals

Sacramento Bee

California Attorney General is seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the Trump Administration from enacting a rule that would prevent doctors at federally funded clinics from referring patients for abortions.

YBCA and Blue Shield — Art and Health

A Medium Corporation

At Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA), we are driven by the belief that art and creativity are essential to healthy lives and communities. Every day, we work with artists who are tapping into the wonder, creativity, and imagination that fuels our perception of what is possible. This sense of possibility and potential is the foundation of our well-being.

OPINION: Child care is infrastructure. We should treat it that way

Roll Call

Millions of American parents dropped their children off at a child care facility this morning. Chances are many of those facilities don’t meet basic health and safety standards. Though we know the quality of a facility, whether a formal center or a family home care site, is directly linked to a child’s development and well-being, we also know most places are far from optimal.

EDITORIAL: California faces ‘doctor drought.’ Here’s a remedy to ensure health workers for all

Sacramento Bee

The medical health care system in CA will be short 4,100 primary care doctors by 2030. A new plan from the California Future Health Workforce Commission would funnel 60,000 students into health careers.

IMMIGRATION

California’s Patchwork Of Care For The Undocumented: Where You Live Matters

Capital Public Radio

Comprehensive care is elusive for the undocumented in all California counties, and where a person lives can make all the difference in whether health care is available at all outside of emergency rooms.

‘Remain in Mexico’ policy may prompt more illegal border crossings

Sacramento Bee

Three months into the Department of Homeland Security’s new program that requires asylum-seeking migrants to wait in Mexico until their U.S. immigration hearings, experts said the policy may encourage illegal border crossings.

US starts small with ‘smart walls’ to protect Mexican border

Sacramento Bee

“Virtual walls” or “smart walls” along the southwest border are increasingly being billed as an alternative to the proposed concrete and steel barriers that have so sharply divided public opinion.

Trump says barbed wire ‘can be a beautiful sight.’ Many border communities disagree

Los Angeles Times

Most people know it as razor wire. It coils atop the walls and fences that divide the U.S. and Mexico, snaking through weeds and past traffic signs, splintering the sunlight with its shiny knife-like barbs.

How Trump’s ‘Invisible Wall’ Frightens Legal Immigrants Out of Medical Care

Capital & Main

President Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant tweets and provocative border talk, along with his drive to toughen immigration enforcement around the nation, is scaring many immigrants away from medical care, claim a growing number of medical executives and health care professionals.

Proposition 187’s real impact: A generation that will never forget

CALmatters

Gov. Gavin Newsom is in conversations to expand health care to undocumented young adults up to age 26.

When only 11 Latinos served in the California Legislature in 1994, Sacramento in 2019 has its largest class of Latino legislators at 33.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Granite Park, AlleyWave operators delinquent with tax filings, but city says business as usual

Fresno Bee

Central Valley Community Sports Foundation, run by a Fresno developer and Congressman TJ Cox, is delinquent in filing registration with the California Attorney General’s Office.

Multimillion-dollar boost approved to develop West Creek Village

abc30

The West Creek Village is a combination of residential, retail and parkland adjacent to a planned community college campus in a half mile square bordered by Church Avenue, Jensen, Walnut and Martin Luther King Boulevard. Mayor Lee Brand supports it.

Do wheelchairs belong on hiking trails?

San Francisco Chronicle

The effort to open California’s parks to people of every ability has raised important questions about the proper balance of nature and civilization in public parks. Should trails be paved?

Housing:

Skelton: Big backyards and pools are California’s past. Apartment buildings are its future

Los Angeles Times

The California ranch-house lifestyle — founded on sunshine and ample backyard space for a pool — has become increasingly unaffordable for middle-class families in urban areas where most jobs exist. Living space has tightened and become impossibly pricey for too many.

FRICH summit targets homelessness among youth, rural communities

Stockton Record

A federal body will convene an all-day homelessness summit Thursday in Stockton. The Federal Regional Interagency Council on Homelessness (FRICH) summit, which will be held at the Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium, will focus on youth homelessness and homelessness in rural areas.

Deal with it: Our homeless problem will surely persist if we don’t do anything

Sacramento Bee

Homelessness is not as pronounced or overwhelming in Sacramento as it is in Seattle, San Francisco, Berkeley and Los Angeles. But it could be in a few years.

Affordable Housing Funds Build on Experience

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

With the recent launch of two $500 million funds to support below-market housing from Microsoft and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), increasing attention is being focused on other funds for supporting production and preservation of affordable housing.

Is Environmental Law to Blame for California’s Housing Crisis?

Capital & Main

Since it was enacted in 1970, California environmentalists have hailed the state’s most sweeping environmental law, the California Environmental Quality Act, as a bulwark against destruction of California’s natural resources and endangerment of its most vulnerable residents.

California Has the Jobs but Not Enough Homes

Wall Street Journal

California’s economy is adding jobs far faster than affordable places to live, forcing some employers to leave the state as they expand.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Are big tax increases coming to California?

CALmatters

Gavin Newsom’s election as governor and the expanded Democratic Party majorities in the Legislature have raised hopes in some quarters and fears in others that big tax increases may be on the horizon.

Employer Tax Credit for Paid Family and Medical Leave

Congressional Research Service

The employer credit for paid family and medical leave (FML) can be claimed by employers providing paid leave (wages) to employees under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA; P.L. 103-3). The credit can be claimed for wages paid during tax years that begin in 2018 and 2019.

FHA Clamps Down on Risky Government-Backed Mortgages

Wall Street Journal

The federal agency that insures mortgages for first-time home buyers is tightening its standards, concerned it is allowing too many risky loans to be extended.

OPINION: Yes, Trump’s budget really does promote evidence-based policies

Roll Call

When presidents send budget proposals to Congress, they include funding requests and broad policy statements. But what lies beneath the surface is often critical for understanding real priorities.

Editorial: Reject efforts to make it easier for school districts to raise parcel taxes

OC Register

For years, Democratic legislators have sought to chip away at the state’s few taxpayer protections. Now, with a strong supermajority in the Legislature, and the bills coming due for profligate spending, legislation has been introduced to make it easier for school districts to ram through parcel tax increases.

TRANSPORTATION

MyFigueroa is everything wrong with L.A.’s alternative transit efforts

Los Angeles Times

At the project’s launch last August, Mayor Eric Garcetti boasted of a “safer” and “more enjoyable” way to get around Los Angeles — a harbinger of our transit-friendly, less-car-reliant future.

California’s Real ID driver’s license? Still confusing. What you need to know now

Los Angeles Times

Our last visit — “our,” because I am on this journey with you — to the topic of California’s Real ID driver’s license made my head hurt. In that Jan. 6 “On the Spot” column, we learned that the Department of Homeland Security had informed California that its second method of verifying a person’s residence was insufficient.

Stop trying to solve traffic and start building great places

Brookings

It’s a situation far too common for most Americans. You’re sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the highway, again. Hundreds of cars are idling around you. It’s a typical, backed-up commute to work. Frustrated, you might wonder: How did we get here?

Two GOP bills seek to redirect federal funds from California high-speed rail project

CNBC

The Trump administration is demanding federal funds back from California’s high-speed rail project, and two GOP lawmakers from California have proposed redirecting the money.

Fast-Tracked Aircraft Certification, Pushed by Boeing, Comes Under the Spotlight

Wall Street Journal

The safety-certification process that put the Boeing 737 MAX in the air is coming under congressional scrutiny in what is shaping up as a test of the aircraft maker’s influence in Washington.

· With its ties in Washington, Boeing has taken over more and more of the FAA’s job Washington Post

WATER

Finally, a new path toward managing water, rivers and the Delta

CALmatters

But there is an opportunity to begin to change our ways. Perhaps the most important opportunity on the horizon is the ongoing review of the rules that govern the Delta and our river watersheds by the State Water Resources Control Board and a voluntary way to improve the use of resources for the environment.

Dangers rising along with rivers as the heaviest snowpack in recent years melts

Modesto Bee

Water levels and flows on area rivers are looking similar to conditions in 2017 when there were more than double the water rescues compared to average years.

EDITORIAL: The drought’s over? Sure. But our hydrological bank account is still drained

Los Angeles Times

How come the U.S. Drought Monitor waited until Wednesday to declare California drought free for the first time in seven years? Hasn’t he been paying attention? And who is that guy, anyway?

“Xtra”

Thousands descend on downtown Fresno for FresYes Fest 2019

Fresno Bee

Food trucks, music and beer draw thousands to downtown Fresno for FresYes Fest 2019 Saturday March 23.

Clovis Chamber mixer kicks off Big Hat Days season

Clovis Roundup

As part of the pre-event festivities, the Clovis Chamber of Commerce held a special mixer at Sierra Vista Mall to generate buzz and get the community excited about the upcoming festival.

Marketing students win silver

Fresno State

A team of Craig School of Business marketing students won the silver prize (and honorable mention for media) in the national Marketing EDGE Collegiate ECHO Challenge, which included a $1,000 prize.

CSU Summer Arts enrollment is now open

Fresno State

CSU Summer Arts offers two sessions. Each session is two weeks from July 1 through July 27. Students get the opportunity to study side-by-side with masters across all genres. Students earn three to six weeks of transferable credits, build their portfolios, and create lasting professional relationships.

Kuppa Joy Coffee House to open new location in Northeast Fresno

abc30

If you like Kuppa Joy Coffee House you might like the coffee shop’s new location in Northeast Fresno. The owners are turning a Starbucks near Cedar and Shepherd into their new café.

The Fresno Bee People’s Choice Awards celebrate local favorites

Fresno Bee

There are some businesses that are consistently listed here, places that are such Valley favorites that they couldn’t help but be named winners. In other cases, long-established industry greats are joined by newcomers, businesses that are new to the Valley, but have quickly earned a place of honor.

Learning About Range Management on the McKenzie Preserve

Sierra News

Any day out on one of the Sierra Foothill Conservancy’s Preserves is a special adventure but those who attended a class to understand more about range management on the McKenzie Preserve with spring wildflowers painting the hills will came away with a better appreciation for the complex relationship of the soil, sun and things in between.

Visitors flock to baby animals at Modesto’s Dutch Hollow Farms

Modesto Bee

It’s Baby Animal Days at Dutch Hollow Farms in Riverbank with baby chicks, ducks, turkeys and many other cute furry friends. People can visit the animals Thursdays-Sundays through Easter weekend.

There’s another push to keep bars open until 4 a.m. Here’s why this one could work.

Sacramento Bee

State Sen. Scott Wiener’s bill to push bar closing times two hours later passed out of the Senate Governmental Organization Committee by a 10-4 vote last week and could soon be up for a Senate vote.

The 7 best places to find wildflowers in California this spring

San Francisco Chronicle

Hitting a wildflower bloom is one of the biggest wild-card gambits in the outdoors. Here are the seven spots in California that may bloom spectacularly this spring.