March 3, 2020

03Mar

POLICY & POLITICS

  

North SJ Valley:

 

Primary 2020 Election Day arrives in Stanislaus County

Modesto Bee

All the mailers, emails and various other political messages you’ve been getting have been leading up to Tuesday, the California 2020 Primary Election. And it’s not too late, even if you’re not registered to vote.

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Our endorsement for Congressman Josh Harder comes down to these reasons

Modesto Bee

In the 13 months he’s been in office, Harder has collaborated on more legislation with across-the-aisle Republicans than any other House Democrat in the country.

 

More turnover for Modesto City Council as member says she won’t seek another term

Modesto Bee

Modesto Councilwoman Kristi Ah You has decided not to run for re-election, bringing more turnover among the city’s elected leaders.

 

RTD offers free rides to polls on ‘Buses for Democracy’

Stockton Record

San Joaquin Regional Transit District will offer free transportation to help voters get to the polls Tuesday for California’s primary election.

 

Modesto highway project finally under way, but dust, toxic dirt have residents worried

Modesto Bee

A long-awaited project to realign Highway 132 in west Modesto is well under way, and so is an effort to dispose of tons of dirt contaminated with toxic barium.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Fresno ballot count looks strong, clerk says. Here’s where you can still vote

Fresno Bee

Although presidential primary elections have a history of lower turnout than November elections, Fresno is showing strong numbers in the tally of ballots returned.

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Andrew Janz and Jerry Dyer both feeling confident with campaigns

abc30

Although very different, Deputy District Attorney Andrew Janz and former Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer have some similar goals: to make the city more business-friendly and tackle the homeless crisis.

 

 

UC Berkeley Water Report Sinks Calif Farm Industry Says Valley Asm Patterson

KMJ

A groundbreaking new report released Monday afternoon spells out the economic disaster for farmers in the Central Valley and statewide as a result of California’s water policies.

 

Lemoore City Council to hold public hearing

Hanford Sentinel

The Lemoore City Council will meet Tuesday evening to hold one public hearing. The public hearing is in regards to a development agreement between the city and KKAL, LP, to develop approximately 83.5 acres located north of Idaho Avenue between state Route 41 and 19th Avenue.

 

Devin Nunes sues Washington Post. It’s his 7th lawsuit in 12 months

Fresno Bee

California Republican Rep. Devin Nunes on Monday filed his seventh lawsuit in 12 months alleging that he was the victim of defamation or conspiracy, this time suing The Washington Post.

 

EDITORIAL: Congressman Jim Costa is at ‘the top of his game.’ Voters should give him a new term

Sacramento Bee

Democrats hold a nearly 20-percentage point advantage over Republicans in party registration in California’s 16th Congressional District. It has been solidly under Jim Costa’s control since it was formed in 2012.

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South SJ Valley:

 

Bakersfield-to-Palmdale bullet train segment, if built, could 'transform' Kern

Bakersfield Californian

State officials have released a draft environmental review of the California high-speed rail segment that, by linking Bakersfield with northern Los Angeles County, would be the project's most important section for Kern County.

 

Self-driving bus to be built partly in Porterville

Business Journal

Coming soon to a street (but probably not near you): an all-electric, autonomous bus. GreenPower Motor Company Inc., the Canadian-based electric bus maker with an assembly plant in Porterville, is partnering with a Virginia-based technology firm to make it happen.

 

Kings County to hold special meeting on livestock carcass emergency

Business Journal

Carcasses are piling up after the South Valley’s only rendering plant was forced to stop picking up dead cows, bulls and horses on Feb. 24 after mechanical issues forced a severe slowdown of its operations.

 

Oil leak resumes near McKittrick

Bakersfield Californian

A high-profile oil leak near McKittrick has resumed its flow after being inactive for months. Chevron reported that the leak, called a surface expression, reactivated Friday and brought 115 barrels of fluid to the surface in what state regulators described as a slow trickle.

 

State:

 

California braces for long lines at Super Tuesday primary

Fresno Bee

Officials in California are bracing for long lines and urging patience as voters cast ballots on “Super Tuesday” in what could be record turnout for a presidential primary election.

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Prop. 13 is back on the ballot: Here's what you need to know

KCRA 3

This measure is not the original Prop. 13. The bulk of the money, $9 billion, would go to grades K-12 to help renovate older classroom buildings -- anything from plumbing and electrical needs to heating and air conditioning.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom asks for $20M from California’s disaster funds to fight coronavirus

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants lawmakers to make $20 million available for coronavirus response out of the state’s disaster and emergency funds, the California Department of Public Health announced Monday afternoon.

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Newsom’s judicial appointments diversifying California’s courts

San Francisco Chronicle

California’s judiciary, already among the most diverse in the nation, has become even more so under Gov. Gavin Newsom, who appointed a majority of women and non-whites to the bench in his first year in office, the state Judicial Council reported Monday.

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The days of fast growth are ending for L.A. and California, report says

Los Angeles Times

It wasn’t so long ago that economic growth in California and Los Angeles far surpassed that of the nation. Those days are coming to an end, according to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., a nonprofit group that works with local businesses.

 

Universal Income Program in California Proposed in New Bill

California Globe

A bill that would give $1,000 a month to every California resident over the age of 18 was introduced into the Assembly and is currently awaiting Committee assignment.

 

Legislators’ charity use has prompted calls for reform — but not from the Assembly Speaker

CalMatters

The fundraising has generated criticism and a state investigation, but California Speaker Anthony Rendon isn't asking legislators to change their conduct.

 

Republicans hope for US House turnaround in California

Fresno Bee

California is one of the most heavily Democratic states in the country, but Republicans this year are determined to regain a string of U.S. House seats the party lost to Democrats two years ago.

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In red California, Democrats struggle to win young voters amid a ‘sea of gray hairs’

Los Angeles Times

Even in America’s largest liberal bastion, swaths of California exist as political petri dishes for the kind of suburban and rural places in battleground states where Democrats need to squeeze out as many votes, including young ones, as they can.

 

Along a scenic highway, a road map of California’s hopes and anxieties

Los Angeles Times

For nearly 300 miles along dramatic curves and desolate straightaways, State Route 33 passes seamlessly through California’s interior, exposing the attitudes and interests that divide it.

 

Federal:

 

Despite new U.S. coronavirus deaths, ‘the risk is low,’ Trump officials say

Los Angeles Times

Even as the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus rose to six and the spread continues in California, senior public health officials continued to stress that the coronavirus does not represent a serious threat to most people.

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Elections 2020:

 

California Democrats ponder reordered field in 2020 contest

Fresno Bee

Democratic voters in California will consider a suddenly reshaped presidential field Tuesday that has largely narrowed to a rivalry between emerging establishment favorite Joe Biden, billionaire Michael Bloomberg and progressive rivals Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

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Less than a quarter of California mail ballots came back before Election Day — including the “zombies”

CalMatters

The first batch of votes counted when California polls close tonight will be the more than 3.7 million ballots already mailed in — and a chunk of those will contain “zombie votes” for president.

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O’Rourke, Buttigieg, Klobuchar converge on Dallas in all-star show of force for Biden, as centrists rally to halt Sanders

Fresno Bee

Centrist Democrats closed ranks behind Joe Biden on Monday, with Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg – the freshest casualties of 2020 – converging on Dallas to help the former vice president keep the nomination from Sen. Bernie Sanders.

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Sanders Dominates in California, Where Income Gap Looms Large

Bloomberg

California’s crisis over income inequality and housing affordability has boosted Democratic presidential front-runner Bernie Sanders to a dominant standing days before the state’s primary.

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Big Super Tuesday prizes a study in contrasts over voting

Stockton Record

California and Texas are the most populous states in the nation and the biggest delegate prizes on Tuesday for the presidential contestants. They also present a stark contrast in voting laws.

 

A contested convention? The Democrats’ delegate system, explained

PolitiFact

Political observers wonder whether this summer could bring a “contested” Democratic convention, one where no candidate has the simple majority of delegates required to crown a nominee.

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Coronavirus And Super Tuesday Voting: It's Touchy

Capital Public Radio

With concern growing about the spread of the coronavirus, officials in a number of Super Tuesday states are taking extra precautions to assure voters that it's safe to go to the polls.

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Want to bet on Trump, Bernie or Biden to win 2020 race? Hold that thought

San Francisco Chronicle

Not one state or U.S. territory permits people to wager on the political primaries and caucuses. But that could change in coming years.

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Bloomberg's online tactics test the boundary of disinformation

Politico

Taken together, Bloomberg’s moves are testing the boundary between edgy campaign fare and disinformation, as well as the limits of regulated political advertising.

 

Opinion: Will Obama let the Democratic Party sink in the quicksand of socialism?

Fresno Bee

For someone as loquacious as Barack Obama, the current Democratic primary race must be almost painful to endure. The ex-president has said he would refrain from sticking his nose into likely the largest intramural party competition in recent memory, featuring two dozen candidates at one point.

 

Opinion: Pete Buttigieg and Kamala Harris reflected America as I know it

Washington Post

When you’re part of a marginalized community, you long to see yourself reflected in the society around you and in positions of power and moral authority. You want everyone to see how good you are.

 

Why does it take so long to get election results in California?

Los Angeles Times

If the measure of a successful election were only how quickly the results are released, then California would be a disaster. But that’s not how election officials in the state see it as they prepare for the primary election on Tuesday, or Super Tuesday, when California and 13 other states vote.

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Other:

 

Delta College hosts events to celebrate women’s voting rights

Stockton Record

San Joaquin Delta College will host a series of events this month celebrating 100 years and counting of women having the right to vote in the United States.

 

The Black middle class needs political attention, too

Brookings

The Democratic presidential candidates’ courtship of the Black electorate has received significant attention, as it should. The eventual nominee has little to no chance of winning in November without an enthusiastic Black voting base.

 

Census Advocates Spread the Word on New Online Forms

Pew Trusts

With only weeks remaining until the 2020 census count begins, states and cities are scrambling to make sure residents know what to expect when they open their mail in mid-March.

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MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, March 8, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: California’s Concealed Carry Permits: The Wild West of Permitting? - Guest: California State Auditor Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, March 8, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: Concealed Carry Permits:  Are Valley Standards the De Facto State Standards? - Guests: Fresno Co Sheriff Margaret Mims, Tulare Co Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, and Stanislaus Co Sheriff Adam Christianson. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, March 8, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: Higher Education and Path in California - Guests: PPIC Olga Rodriguez and Marisol Cuellar. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Elizabeth Warren unveils farmworkers’ rights plan

Los Angeles Times

Sen. Elizabeth Warren unveiled a plan for farmworker and food chain employee rights Monday that would bolster federal safety protections and workers’ access to basic rights.

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'Without water we can't grow anything': can small farms survive California's landmark water law?

The Guardian

For the first time in history, the state is regulating the groundwater that fuels its massive agriculture industry. Now the smallest farms face the biggest threat.

 

Kings County to hold special meeting on livestock carcass emergency

Business Journal

Carcasses are piling up after the South Valley’s only rendering plant was forced to stop picking up dead cows, bulls and horses on Feb. 24 after mechanical issues forced a severe slowdown of its operations.

 

Opinion: Two words environmentalists, Valley growers should agree on: regenerative farming

Fresno Bee

Regenerative agriculture actually pulls excess carbon out of the atmosphere and puts it back into the ground, where it came from. Regenerative ag also absorbs more rainfall into the ground, where we need it, which reduces topsoil erosion.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

California Supreme Court defines difference between identify theft, theft

San Francisco Chronicle

A 2014 initiative that reduced theft crimes to misdemeanors if they involved nonviolently taking $950 or less from a business doesn’t apply to stealing property by using someone else’s identity, which remains a felony, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday.

 

State Leaders Seek Strategies To Combat Extremist Violence

Route Fifty

Domestic terrorism and hate crimes are on the rise in the United States, with the latter hitting a 16-year high in 2019. Much of that upswing has been attributed to white nationalists and right-wing groups.

 

Ransomware Attacks Prompt Tough Question for Local Officials: To Pay or Not to Pay?

Pew Trusts

There were at least 113 successful ransomware attacks on state and local governments last year, according to global cybersecurity company Emsisoft, and in each case, officials had to figure out how to respond.

 

Public Safety:

 

Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to ban on bump stocks

Stockton Record

The Supreme Court refused Monday to consider a challenge to the Trump administration’s ban on bump stocks, a rapid-fire device used in the 2017 mass killing of 59 people gunned down in Las Vegas.

 

This State Has Figured Out How to Treat Drug-Addicted Inmates

Pew Trusts

Nationwide, two-thirds of the country’s 2.3 million inmates are addicted to drugs or alcohol, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. But only a small fraction of those who need treatment behind bars receives it.

 

Prop 57 was meant to give nonviolent inmates a chance at early parole, but that’s not how it has worked out

Los Angeles Times

About 20 percent of eligible inmates have been paroled. Judges across the state have ruled the state prison system isn’t complying with the law’s intent

 

Fire:

 

PG&E says it can't commit to expanding tree-trimming force

Hanford Sentinel

Lawyers for Pacific Gas & Electric said the utility can't commit to hiring hundreds more tree trimmers in the way that a federal judge wants to cut the risk of starting more catastrophic wildfires in California.

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ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Fed makes largest emergency cut to interest rates since the financial crisis

Washington Post

The Federal Reserve made an emergency interest rate cut Tuesday, slashing the benchmark U.S. interest rate by half a percentage point, the biggest one-time reduction since the financial crisis.

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After a week of bloodletting, US stock markets rebound sharply

abc30

After some major bloodletting last week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had its biggest single-day percentage gain since 2009 on Monday, rising nearly 1,300 points.

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Coronavirus could cut global growth outlook in half, OECD warns

abc30

The global economy is facing its "greatest danger since the financial crisis" with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, according to the OECD.

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Latino small business owners are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in U.S.

CalMatters

Latino-owned businesses contribute about $500 billion to the U.S. economy in annual sales and employ more than 3 million people.

 

Examining the Black-white wealth gap

Brookings

A close examination of wealth in the U.S. finds evidence of staggering racial disparities. At $171,000, the net worth of a typical white family is nearly ten times greater than that of a Black family ($17,150) in 2016.

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The future will be shaped by what global productivity growth does next

Brookings

Productivity growth is a shadow of its former self. It’s one-tenth of what it was 40 years ago in advanced economies, and even emerging economies are struggling to replicate the growth of the past.

 

Jobs:

 

Franchisors & freelance workers fight AB5

abc30

Freelance workers and franchisors are fighting back against the passage of Assembly Bill 5, which went into effect in January of this year. Deli Delicious is a Valley grown franchise. Lately, it's one of the hundreds of brands or franchisors finding itself being impacted by Assembly Bill Five.

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UC Santa Cruz fires 54 graduate student workers striking for higher pay

Los Angeles Times

UC Santa Cruz fired 54 graduate student workers who were on strike demanding higher pay to afford the area’s high cost of living. The strike is not backed by the union that represents the university’s graduate student employees.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Clovis Unified's CTE Night 2020

CUSD

Clovis Unified families are invited to learn more about our growing Career Technical Education programs at the March 17th CTE Night.

 

Fresno-area schools are asking voters for a lot of money. Here’s what you need to know

Fresno Bee

Six different Fresno-area school districts are asking voters to approve local bond funding, and there’s a statewide school bond on the ballot, too. Want to know how much you could pay, if voters support a bond in Fresno, Clovis and Central district schools?

 

Here’s what Gov. Gavin Newsom raised money for this election cycle

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom has raised over $10 million to support a ballot measure that asks voters to approve $15 billion in bond funding to renovate aging schools, campaign finance records show.

 

Higher Ed:

 

Central Valley Community College Leaders Form Caucus to Advocate for Full Funding

CAFWD

State legislators can expect to hear more from some Central Valley community college leaders due to shortfalls after a new statewide funding formula was put in place. Concerned about the impact on their work, the college leaders decided to organize a caucus.

 

Opinion: College for people like me: How majority-Black campuses boost social mobility

Brookings

HBCUs occupy a small but important place in American higher education serving just 0.1 percent of the overall student population, but accounting for 20 percent of black students who complete bachelor’s degrees and 27 percent of African-American students with bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields, for example.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

A California national park site gets more visitors than any in the US. No, not Yosemite

Sacramento Bee

There are hundreds of national recreation areas across the country, but more people visited one site in California than any other. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is the most-visited site in the National Park System, according to a National Park Service news release.

 

California is taking aim at Uber and Lyft’s outsized climate consequences

CalMatters

Uber and Lyft are bigger greenhouse gas polluters than they should be, two recent reports say. California's climate enforcers aim to fix that.

 

Energy:

 

Oil leak resumes near McKittrick

Bakersfield Californian

A high-profile oil leak near McKittrick has resumed its flow after being inactive for months. Chevron reported that the leak, called a surface expression, reactivated Friday and brought 115 barrels of fluid to the surface in what state regulators described as a slow trickle.

 

Wave of oil money hits local Calif. climate candidates

E&E News

The oil industry has turned an epicenter of climate change into one of its first 2020 battlegrounds. And the election it's targeting isn't for president, Congress or even the California Statehouse. It's more local than that.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Valley patient tests negative for coronavirus. Positive cases rise in California

Fresno Bee

A patient in Tulare County has tested negative for the novel coronavirus as officials ramp up the response to the spreading virus. Over the weekend, Adventist Health Tulare reported a patient was placed in isolation as a precaution after showing symptoms similar to the COVID-19.

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Dianne Feinstein warns of ‘a rise in racism’ against Asian-Americans due to coronavirus

Sacramento Bee

Racism toward Asian-Americans is growing because the coronavirus has its roots in China, Sen. Dianne Feinstein warned Monday. The California Democrat cited “a rise in racism toward Asian-Americans because the virus is associated with China. This is unconscionable and it’s not the American way.”

 

Air Pollution Pandemic Kills More People Prematurely than Smoking, Malaria and HIV/AIDS, Study Finds

Newsweek

An air pollution "pandemic" shortens the lives of more people than smoking, malaria and HIV/AIDS, a study has found. Using a newly developed model, scientists have shown air pollution wipes almost three years off people's lives on average, accounting for 8.8 million premature deaths in 2015.

 

Human Services:

 

Supreme Court will decide the fate of Obama health care law

Fresno Bee

The Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide a lawsuit that threatens the Obama-era health care law, a case that will keep health care squarely in front of voters even though a decision won't come until after the 2020 election.

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Prostate cancer support group in Tehachapi has been helping men for 20 years

Bakersfield Californian

The first time you attend a meeting of the Tehachapi Valley Prostate Cancer Information Group, you might wonder how many valued members these men have had to say goodbye to.

 

As Suicide Rates Climb, Crisis Centers Expand

Pew Trusts

They work in concert with local first responders, creating a comprehensive system of services to address the first 24 hours of a person’s psychiatric emergency.

 

Medical Groups Slam Trump Medicaid Rule

Pew Trusts

Hospitals, governors and medical professionals have gathered in opposition to a complex Trump administration Medicaid proposal that opponents fear would slash federal health care contributions and add administrative costs.

 

Coronavirus funding talks held up over drug price language

Roll Call

Disagreement over provisions intended to ensure affordability of vaccines and other medications is holding up agreement on an emergency funding package to fight the novel coronavirus-caused illness that has killed over 3,000 worldwide, sources familiar with the talks said.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Divided Supreme Court rules illegal immigrants can't be shielded from ID theft prosecution

Fox News

A divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that illegal immigrants who use someone else's information when filling out tax forms for employment can face criminal charges, despite federal laws that liberal justices claim should prohibit such cases.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Westlands Solar Park begins build; could eventually power 1.2M homes

Business Journal

Westlands Solar Park (WSP), the largest permitted solar park in North America, started construction on its master-planned energy park that encompasses more than 20,000 acres in western Fresno and Kings counties.

 

Housing:

 

Proposal to build new homes in certain Clovis location facing backlash

abc30

The pecan orchard just outside of the Clovis city limits could soon make way for new homes. Developer Leo Wilson is looking to turn the land near the northeast corner of Shepherd and Sunnyside into housing, but not everyone is on board with the proposed project.

 

Mortgage Rates Are Near All-Time Lows As Coronavirus Worries Hit Markets

Capital Public Radio

Coronavirus fears have sent stock markets reeling, but they're also pushing mortgage rates down near historical lows. That's an opportunity for homebuyers and homeowners.

 

How would Democratic candidates fix the housing and homelessness crises?

Los Angeles Times

The surge in homelessness in Los Angeles, San Francisco and other West Coast cities has troubled many Americans as rents have risen further out of reach for those with the least. In California, homelessness has become a top concern for many voters.

 

Vacancies in this California government department are slowing Newsom’s housing agenda

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious plans to build houses and reduce homelessness in California depend on a state department that is understaffed, lacking permanent leaders and struggling to adjust to change, according to documents and interviews.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

Taxing Internet Ads Could Raise Lots of Money, but Doubts Persist

Pew Trusts

Leading Maryland lawmakers seeking a way to help pay for a $4 billion, 10-year education plan came up with what they consider an innovative idea of where to get the cash: deep-pocketed internet companies.

 

Biggest-ever CalPERS pension tops $400,000 per year

Sacramento Bee

A former top investment official at CalPERS received the largest pension the retirement system has ever paid last year, according to Transparent California and reviews of pension data by The Sacramento Bee.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Modesto highway project finally under way, but dust, toxic dirt have residents worried

Modesto Bee

A long-awaited project to realign Highway 132 in west Modesto is well under way, and so is an effort to dispose of tons of dirt contaminated with toxic barium.

 

Bakersfield-to-Palmdale bullet train segment, if built, could 'transform' Kern

Bakersfield Californian

State officials have released a draft environmental review of the California high-speed rail segment that, by linking Bakersfield with northern Los Angeles County, would be the project's most important section for Kern County.

 

Self-driving bus to be built partly in Porterville

Business Journal

Coming soon to a street (but probably not near you): an all-electric, autonomous bus. GreenPower Motor Company Inc., the Canadian-based electric bus maker with an assembly plant in Porterville, is partnering with a Virginia-based technology firm to make it happen.

 

Gas prices keep falling in Fresno, Valley. Here’s where the best deals are

Fresno Bee

The average pump price in Fresno for regular unleaded gasoline is about 80 cents per gallon lower than October 2019 spike. A growing number of stations in the area are offering fuel for under $3 per gallon.

 

Stanislaus County’s first on-ramp meters will activate on Highway 99 in a few weeks

Modesto Bee

Several on-ramps to Highway 99 in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties will start using metering lights in March and April 2020, the California Department of Transportation announced. They regulate peak traffic.

 

Wondering how planes and ships are being disinfected to fight coronavirus? Here’s how

Los Angeles Times

Here’s how planes and cruise ships are being disinfected to fight coronavirus. The travel industry is concerned about the financial hit from the outbreak.

 

The future of California's super commuters

abc10

Driving from the valley to the Bay Area for work isn't a new concept. For many who can't afford to live where they work, a one-and-a-half to three-hour commute has become the norm. But is the commute really worth it?

 

Electric vehicles are very good for business, and the economy

The Drive In

Not everyone is enamored with electric vehicles (EVs). They are currently more expensive than internal combustion engines (ICEs), people are worried about limited range and there aren’t enough charging stations when and where you need them. And it can take a long time to recharge an EV battery.

 

WATER

 

Long-dry California starts March with mountain snow

Hanford Sentinel

Winter looked a lot more like itself in California’s mountains on Monday. Snow showers fell in the mountains of Southern California and some Sierra Nevada peaks sported new coats of white.

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Westlands Water District gets permanent U.S. contract for massive irrigation deliveries

Los Angeles Times

Gaining a permanent contract for so much cheap Central Valley Project water represents a major milestone for Westlands Water District, which supplies some of the state’s wealthiest growers and has long-standing ties to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt.

 

Water is life. It’s also a battle. So what does the future hold for California?

CalMatters

Scientists say climate change will bring more unpredictable weather, warmer winters and less snowpack in the mountains. These challenges and some ideas for remedies are outlined in a new plan, called the California Water Resilience Portfolio, released by Gov. Gavin Newsom in January to a mix of praise and disappointment.

See also:

 

Why the Big Drop in California’s Colorado River Water Use?

Public Policy Institute of California

In 2019, California’s use of the Colorado River—a major water source for Southern California’s cities and farms—dropped to the lowest level in decades.

 

“Xtra”

 

Eat at Lazy Dog this week to benefit Valley Children's Hospital

abc30

Lazy Dog is giving back to Valley Children's Hospital all week long, leading up to Kids Day. From March 2 to March 8, 15% of each bill will be donated to the hospital. Customers will have to bring in the fundraiser flyer to apply for the donation.

 

World's largest bounce house stops in Fresno for weekend fun

abc30

A company which touts the world's largest bounce house has set up shop for a weekend run at Granite Park. When The Big Bounce America beckons, you cannot resist. Colorful shapes and settings everywhere you look, especially when you're making your way through the massive bounce house.

 

Cars of movies, television on display at the California Auto Museum

Stockton Record

The specialty exhibit “Reel Cars: The Importance of Cars in Film” recently opened at the California Auto Museum in Sacramento, and runs through July 6.

 

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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.

 

The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

                                                     

This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.

 

 

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